Rebekah Lucy Loves Eating* (*refer ass and / or thighs for confirmation)

When I was thinking about my weekend highlights I kept coming back to food, food, glorious food. And booze. Apparently I am endeavouring to gain as much weight as possible in the month of November. I realise this makes me sound like a sad fatso who has no social life, but I did actually have a rather lovely weekend - it's just that I spent the majority of it with something delicious in or around my mouth.

On Friday, after a failed attempt to order Hell pizza with my flatmates (who knew all of the London branches had closed down? Travesty!) we made the decision to try Firezza in Chelsea. They do pizza by the 1/2 metre, which seems fun, but we went the boring route and ordered the typical, y'know... round... ones. I don't know if perhaps everything tastes better when you're sitting on a comfy couch, wearing pyjamas, drinking cheap cava and critiquing Khloe Kardashian's wardrobe and / or wooden television hosting skills, but it was pretty delicious. It helps that the delivery guy was a friendly chap and that they gave us a free foccacine with garlic and parsley, natch - but I would totally go there again, and I don't even really like pizza all that much.

Before heading in to Oxford Street for a very successful Saturday shopping session, Annalies and I stopped off in Shepherds Bush for a spot of GBK action. I inhaled a cheeseburger and an Oreo milkshake, and we shared a bowl of fries (refer earlier comment about gaining as much weight as possible in November). The service was... weirdly intense, and the seat was... broken, but they let us commandeer a giant booth and you can't beat a bit of hearty Kiwi-style gourmet fast food on a cold London day. I do still regret my decision to forgo a can of L&P (Annalies was not so foolish), however all in all it was tasty, and made for excellent shopping fuel.

In the evening, my flatmate-slash-actualmate LP and I met Annalies and Andrea for dinner in Chiswick at the gorgeous Lola & Simon. Andrea is another Kiwi kid who recently made the move to London after spending several years in Melbourne. It was her birthday last week so the dinner date was a good chance to toast her, and to scoff some good food and wine. The menu at Lola & Simon is a combination of New Zealand and Argentinian cuisine - and it is ah-mayyy-zing. As I am a) a sucker for seafood, and b) old and set in my ways, every time I eat there I end up with the New Zealand green lipped mussels which are served in a cream and white wine sauce, with a side of garlic toast - to die for. On seeing the (mandatory) instagram snap of my meal, Rhys noted that my garlic toast came with a bonus face that somewhat resembles the horrendous tattoo which the world's favourite genius is sporting on his neck these days.

Even better than the face in my food (I know right, what could possibly be better than that?!) was the discovery that Lola & Simon have added Lindauer to the wine list. It truly is one of the best mid-price sparkling wines in the universe and something I miss about home. Annalies and I ordered a case last Christmas and I will definitely be doing the same again this year. The range has expanded since I moved to London so when I'm home for a visit I'll be endeavouring to sample my way through all of the new additions to the Lindauer family, as well as getting reacquainted with my old favourites.



Even better than discovering a Virgin Mary in your breakfast, I swear.

 

Tastes like home.

Two bottles down, we headed to a friend's flat-warming in Fulham where things get blurry. The next six or so hours of my life are equal to wine wine wine wine wine wine wine. Which explains the state of my head when I finally roused myself from bed yesterday afternoon (worst hangover ever, I swear). However it wasn't all bad news, as Hannah who is now firmly in the lead to take The Best Flatmate Of The Year Award was busy cooking and baking up a storm in the kitchen. LP and I plonked ourselves on our couches (lazy) while Hannah finished working her magic, then we all tucked in to delicious roast beef, potatoes and sweet potatoes, with carrots, peas, broccoli and cauliflower on the side. Hannah forgot the Yorkshire puddings but I didn't even care because it was so good.

After polishing off two helpings of roast, I scoffed a chunk of rock cake, and a slice of Victoria Sponge. I may or may not have also rounded off the evening with two oranges, a bowl of Mac & Cheese, and a pile of Ryvita crackers slathered in Lurpak. What? I was hungover.

The diet starts... tomorrow? (It doesn't.)