The Sage of Chelsea – Thomas Carlyle
At the suggestion of Mr. Nick Foulkes, whose opinion on all things Victorian should hardly be ignored, I shuttled myself off to Chelsea today to visit the house of Thomas Carlyle. In a small row-house in that then unfashionable corner of West London, one of the greatest minds of the nineteenth century churned out some of the most critical and comprehensive tomes ever written.
Best Bitter – Fernet Branca
No, that’s not part of a pint, but rather a glass of Fernet Branca. I was over in Spitalfields the other day to visit Timothy Everest, who I will be writing a piece about soon, and just had to drop in to St. John Bread and Wine.
Sweet and Smokey at Artisan du Chocolat
I don’t have a particularly over-developed sweet tooth, but a good piece of chocolate gets me every time. Typically I stick to the darkest, most bitter varieties. I find the nutty and fruity flavors present in cocoa intriguing in the same way one might ponder a single malt or cigar. Enter the tobacco chocolate bar.
Travel Troubles
It is yet again time for me to rant about the indignities of air travel and the ways we can try, however futile it might seem, to make it a little bit easier. Amid the modernity and sparkling facade of the Heathrow in the picture, is apparently the airport I flew into. The glittering glass panes were always in sight, but just out of reach.
Happy Anniversary
Well, we made it! One year ago I launched Simply Refined, with absolutely no idea where it would take me. I’m happy to say it has been a great year, and I want to thank everyone who made that possible.
