Jamie in London & Cambridge
Managed to make some arrangements so I could squeeze one week to visit Hubby in Cambridge! He hasn't been away long, but I miss him heaps and heaps. Although I've been busy and having to deal with new faces and new things everyday, somehow he is always there, on my mind.
15 hours flight time (overnight) and 1.5 hours in transit in Dubai before landing in Heathrow Airport in the wee hours of the morning. And then breakfast and a short train ride into Paddington... It's no wonder Jamie looks so dazed and tired and bewildered. Would've liked to take a few more pictures of her, but the British police (stationed at the corner) were starting to stare at me, and I was not in the mood to answer questions.
From Paddington we to had to take the District line to South Kensington, where we're staying in London for the night, at the Radisson Blu Edwardian Vanderbilt.
After a shower and a nap, we ventured out to meet our friend CC (stationed at UCL) for dinner. I also had a bunch of things for her. We had the £20 lobster (steamed) dinner at Burger and Lobster at Mayfair. (Yes. Again.) Another friend, KH, who recommended B&L in our the previous trip, is right: the Knightsbridge branch is better.
After dinner, we went to Gelupo around Piccadilly Circus for ice cream and a place to sit down and yak. Jamie didn't come with us though. She was too grumpy and tired. (Completely understandable.) So at Gelupo, I decided to be adventurous and had the ricotta, chocolate and black pepper gelato. Pretty good, the black pepper was just a warm, spice buzz that lingered at the end.
We didn't stay out too late that night. Couldn't anyway, I was beginning to wilt by 10pm.
Next morning, my dearest Hubby took me to an awesome breakfast place called The Delaunay. He wouldn't tell me where we were going and said it was a surprise, so for a moment I thought he was going to take me to Chiltern Firehouse. Haha, I know, in my dreams.
I was a little sceptical about the quality to expect. London has cheated me of a decent breakfast several times before. (Yes, a London pub served up solid poached eggs, crusty ham, and stale bread under a thick coat of split Hollandaise sauce. Foodies and chefs around the world would cry.)
Well, The Delaunay was great - moist, warm scrambled eggs, fluffy pancakes... Confirmed my theory that anything below £10 is close to inedible.
Took Jamie out for a walk in Hyde Park. We didn't go very far this time too.
It was said to be an unseaonably warm autumn - and it certainly looked like it, with green leaves and shrubbery.
Found a lovely spot of trees filled with lovely pale gold-yellow leaves! Very autumnal. Just the right spot for a photo with little Jamie.
After Hyde Park, we had lunch at Dinner by Heston. (First time was on our July trip.) Hubby and I love Dinner - its concept and the consistently good food. It's likely that we will return again, if we ever visit London again.
After the (once again) belly delicious lunch at Dinner by Heston, we went to the Victoria & Albert Museum (the V&A), pretty much my favourite museum in London. Went to see the John Constable exhibition.
Hubby and I head off to Cambridge by train from King's Cross Station. The huge poppy at King's Cross Station reminded me that Remembrance Day is coming.
I think I spent most of my first day in Cambridge eating.
First, Hubby took me to lunch at the Chop House - the Cambridge Chop House, a highly recommended bistro-bar in Cambridge. It was a good meal and I told Hubby that he set the expectations a little high. Hahaha.
After lunch, Hubby had to run errands (he isn't there for a holiday after all), so I went along with him. Nice way to get around central Cambridge anyway. After running errands, we went to the Orchard Tea Garden (or just 'The Orchard') at Grantchester.
Honestly, probably not the best day to be sitting outdoors for a cup of tea and scones. It was grey and windy and f'ing cold.
I keep forgetting that in England, the land where scones came from, the scones are huge.
Despite the bleak skies, cold wind and drizzle, we took a nice stroll back to Hubby's hall. It was a rather longish walk, but I think I needed that to feel less guilty about having spent the entire day eating.
Yeah, so my Hubby's hall of residence is Wolfson College, one of the new colleges (okay, not so new) at Cambridge University. It's a nice post-war college - brick, cozy, clean with lovely grounds, modern compared to the old colleges, but most importantly comfortable, with decent food, and close to his faculty.
But no, Hubby didn't take me to dinner at his college. Instead he took me to dinner at the Oak Bistro, which was recommended by a long-time Cambridge resident.
Second day in Cambridge - Hubby had morning class. Walked with him to his class, then wandered around the Sidgwick Site where his faculty was situated.
Am quite fascinated with the trees outside the law faculty building which have mostly turned a gorgeous, vivid golden yellow.
Lunched at The Eagle, a historic pub in Cambridge that was established in 1667 (making this place almost 350 years old), and known as being the place where Francis Crick and James Watson announced, in 1953, their discovery of how DNA carries genetic information.
While a place full of history, it's not the place for food. I ordered a steak-and-ale pie. Nope, won't eat there again - although I still think it has better food than some of London's pubs. Drink there, yes. I got the evil eye from the waitstaff because I answered "no thank you" to "Any drinks for you?"
Wandered around Cambridge central. Hubby knows me too well. He took me to 2 bookstores that carry vintage/antique books.
He first took me to G. David's, a Cambridge establishment. I walked away with two vintage books - an early 1800s Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. and a vintage Pride and Prejudice.
There are days when you know for certain that you're a nutty geek...like when you think your best souvenir from Cambridge is a 140-year-old copy of one of your favourite books.
I saw so many vintage books I wanted but couldn't buy that I jokingly asked them if I could work for them and be paid in books.
Went on a chauffeured punt on the River Cam. It was about a 50-minute punt ride and we went by the colleges and the Backs.
Other than the Mathematical Bridge, the Bridge of Sighs is probably the other well-known (and loved?) bridges in Cambridge. It was built in 1831 and crosses the River Cam between Saint John's College's Third Court and New Court. Henry Hutchinson was the architect. Though named after the Bridge of Sighs in Venice, they actually have little in common in terms of their architecture - save the fact that they are both covered.
The punter was quite informative, telling us about the history of the colleges, and the various (legendary) pranks that have been pulled by students. For example, in 1963, students at Saint John's College managed to suspend a vintage Austin 7 from under the Bridge of Sighs and over the River Cam.
The punting trip was mostly pleasant - Hubby also filled me with bits of stories he's heard from other students, like a recent prank played on tourists by King's College students.
The only unpleasant part was, well, some of the others on the punt with us. (A couple of redneck tourists from Tennessee, USA. Loud, disruptive and obnoxious as hell.)
Had a snack at Auntie's Tea Shop, another Cambridge student establishment - great scones and really sticky clotted cream. And I don't get my Hubby; it was freezing cold and he wanted an ice cream sundae. (=_=)
Hubby took me to dinner at Cotto, another highly recommended restaurant in Cambridge. The head chef of Cotto, Hans Schweitzer, was formerly a chef at Queens' College and also the founder of Midsummer House, where we dined at in July 2014.
Spent part of the day (which day I forgot) exploring Saint John's College.
It has lovely grounds, so I'm not surprised that friends who lived there remember the place with fondness. (They do admit it's a bit of a party college. I also couldn't help but notice, during our punting tour, that it's also the college where the most legendary pranks have been played.)
Walked by Trinity College as we passed through central Cambridge. I had thought to enter to explore more of the grounds, but on this particular day, they were closed. The hall porters were dressed all in black, and the flag was at half-mast. Not entirely sure what was happening.
Established in 1882, Selwyn College was founded by the Selwyn Memorial Committee in memory of the Rt Reverend George Augustus Selwyn (1809–1878). Rev Selwyn rowed on the Cambridge crew in the first Varsity Boat Race in 1829, and went on to become the first (Anglican) Bishop of New Zealand (1841–1868), and later the Bishop of Lichfield (1868–1878).
So, for dinner we ate at Jamie's Italian, which in Cambridge is housed in a Grade II listed building.
I can see why people think Jamie's Italian is over-priced, and I agree it does not quite live up to expectations - most of it because of the celebrity hype surrounding Jamie Oliver. But I don't think the food at Jamie's Italian Cambridge is bad - quite good actually.
After dinner, we walked to Las Iguanas, where we were meeting some of his MCL classmates for drinks.
I wish I had a few more weeks in Cambridge.... I would've liked to check out Cambridge Wine Merchants.
I find Cambridge charming. Whether it's by day or by night.
I returned to the Oak Bistro for lunch on my last day in Cambridge. It is definitely a place to recommend to friends visiting this part of town.
On the way back from lunch, Hubby took me through Downing College. The open green lawns, the trees and the old buildings made it really hard to leave Cambridge.
 |
| Autumn foliage at Hyde Park, London |
15 hours flight time (overnight) and 1.5 hours in transit in Dubai before landing in Heathrow Airport in the wee hours of the morning. And then breakfast and a short train ride into Paddington... It's no wonder Jamie looks so dazed and tired and bewildered. Would've liked to take a few more pictures of her, but the British police (stationed at the corner) were starting to stare at me, and I was not in the mood to answer questions.
 |
| Yui Jamie is really dazed when we arrive at Paddington Station after our long journey. |
 |
| Grumpy and grouchy and wanting a nap |
From Paddington we to had to take the District line to South Kensington, where we're staying in London for the night, at the Radisson Blu Edwardian Vanderbilt.
After a shower and a nap, we ventured out to meet our friend CC (stationed at UCL) for dinner. I also had a bunch of things for her. We had the £20 lobster (steamed) dinner at Burger and Lobster at Mayfair. (Yes. Again.) Another friend, KH, who recommended B&L in our the previous trip, is right: the Knightsbridge branch is better.
After dinner, we went to Gelupo around Piccadilly Circus for ice cream and a place to sit down and yak. Jamie didn't come with us though. She was too grumpy and tired. (Completely understandable.) So at Gelupo, I decided to be adventurous and had the ricotta, chocolate and black pepper gelato. Pretty good, the black pepper was just a warm, spice buzz that lingered at the end.
We didn't stay out too late that night. Couldn't anyway, I was beginning to wilt by 10pm.
Next morning, my dearest Hubby took me to an awesome breakfast place called The Delaunay. He wouldn't tell me where we were going and said it was a surprise, so for a moment I thought he was going to take me to Chiltern Firehouse. Haha, I know, in my dreams.
 |
| Scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, The Delauney, London |
I was a little sceptical about the quality to expect. London has cheated me of a decent breakfast several times before. (Yes, a London pub served up solid poached eggs, crusty ham, and stale bread under a thick coat of split Hollandaise sauce. Foodies and chefs around the world would cry.)
Well, The Delaunay was great - moist, warm scrambled eggs, fluffy pancakes... Confirmed my theory that anything below £10 is close to inedible.
Took Jamie out for a walk in Hyde Park. We didn't go very far this time too.
 |
| Yui Jamie enjoying Hyde Park, London |
It was said to be an unseaonably warm autumn - and it certainly looked like it, with green leaves and shrubbery.
 |
| Hyde Park, London |
Found a lovely spot of trees filled with lovely pale gold-yellow leaves! Very autumnal. Just the right spot for a photo with little Jamie.
 |
| Powdered duck breast (c. 1670), smoked confit fennel and umbles |
After Hyde Park, we had lunch at Dinner by Heston. (First time was on our July trip.) Hubby and I love Dinner - its concept and the consistently good food. It's likely that we will return again, if we ever visit London again.
 |
| Victoria and Albert Museum, London |
After the (once again) belly delicious lunch at Dinner by Heston, we went to the Victoria & Albert Museum (the V&A), pretty much my favourite museum in London. Went to see the John Constable exhibition.
 |
| King's Cross Station, London |
Hubby and I head off to Cambridge by train from King's Cross Station. The huge poppy at King's Cross Station reminded me that Remembrance Day is coming.
First, Hubby took me to lunch at the Chop House - the Cambridge Chop House, a highly recommended bistro-bar in Cambridge. It was a good meal and I told Hubby that he set the expectations a little high. Hahaha.
 |
| The Orchard, Grantchester, Cambridgeshire |
After lunch, Hubby had to run errands (he isn't there for a holiday after all), so I went along with him. Nice way to get around central Cambridge anyway. After running errands, we went to the Orchard Tea Garden (or just 'The Orchard') at Grantchester.
 |
| Afternoon tea at The Orchard, a Cambridge student establishment |
Honestly, probably not the best day to be sitting outdoors for a cup of tea and scones. It was grey and windy and f'ing cold.
I keep forgetting that in England, the land where scones came from, the scones are huge.
 |
| The Orchard Tea Garden, Grantchester, Cambridgeshire |
 |
| The Orchard Tea Garden, Grantchester, Cambridgeshire |
 |
| Grantchester, Cambridgeshire |
 |
| Grantchester, Cambridgeshire |
 |
| The road back to Cambridge from Grantchester |
Despite the bleak skies, cold wind and drizzle, we took a nice stroll back to Hubby's hall. It was a rather longish walk, but I think I needed that to feel less guilty about having spent the entire day eating.
 |
| Bredon House at Wolfson College, Cambridge |
 |
| Wolfson College, Cambridge |
 |
| Wolfson College, Cambridge |
 |
| Wolfson College, Cambridge |
Yeah, so my Hubby's hall of residence is Wolfson College, one of the new colleges (okay, not so new) at Cambridge University. It's a nice post-war college - brick, cozy, clean with lovely grounds, modern compared to the old colleges, but most importantly comfortable, with decent food, and close to his faculty.
 |
| Potato gnocchi in a rich oxtail tomato ragu and parmesan (£7.95), the Oak Bistro, Cambridge |
But no, Hubby didn't take me to dinner at his college. Instead he took me to dinner at the Oak Bistro, which was recommended by a long-time Cambridge resident.
 |
| Cambridge University Sidgwick Site |
Second day in Cambridge - Hubby had morning class. Walked with him to his class, then wandered around the Sidgwick Site where his faculty was situated.
 |
| Trees turning golden outside Cambridge Law School, Sidgwick Site |
Am quite fascinated with the trees outside the law faculty building which have mostly turned a gorgeous, vivid golden yellow.
 |
| Central Cambridge |
 |
| King's College, Cambridge |
 |
| The Eagle, a historic pub established in 1667 |
Lunched at The Eagle, a historic pub in Cambridge that was established in 1667 (making this place almost 350 years old), and known as being the place where Francis Crick and James Watson announced, in 1953, their discovery of how DNA carries genetic information.
 |
| Steak and ale pie at The Eagle |
While a place full of history, it's not the place for food. I ordered a steak-and-ale pie. Nope, won't eat there again - although I still think it has better food than some of London's pubs. Drink there, yes. I got the evil eye from the waitstaff because I answered "no thank you" to "Any drinks for you?"
 |
| G. David's |
Wandered around Cambridge central. Hubby knows me too well. He took me to 2 bookstores that carry vintage/antique books.
He first took me to G. David's, a Cambridge establishment. I walked away with two vintage books - an early 1800s Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. and a vintage Pride and Prejudice.
There are days when you know for certain that you're a nutty geek...like when you think your best souvenir from Cambridge is a 140-year-old copy of one of your favourite books.
I saw so many vintage books I wanted but couldn't buy that I jokingly asked them if I could work for them and be paid in books.
 |
| The Mathematical Bridge, Cambridge |
 |
| Punting on the River Cam, Cambridge |
 |
| Punting on the River Cam, Cambridge |
 |
| Punting on the River Cam, Cambridge |
Went on a chauffeured punt on the River Cam. It was about a 50-minute punt ride and we went by the colleges and the Backs.
 |
| Punting on the River Cam - Trinity Hall's Jerwood Library on the right. |
 |
| The Bridge of Sighs, Saint John's College, Cambridge |
Other than the Mathematical Bridge, the Bridge of Sighs is probably the other well-known (and loved?) bridges in Cambridge. It was built in 1831 and crosses the River Cam between Saint John's College's Third Court and New Court. Henry Hutchinson was the architect. Though named after the Bridge of Sighs in Venice, they actually have little in common in terms of their architecture - save the fact that they are both covered.
The punter was quite informative, telling us about the history of the colleges, and the various (legendary) pranks that have been pulled by students. For example, in 1963, students at Saint John's College managed to suspend a vintage Austin 7 from under the Bridge of Sighs and over the River Cam.
 |
| Punting on the River Cam |
 |
| Punting on the River Cam |
 |
| Punting on the River Cam - passing part of King's College, Cambridge |
The punting trip was mostly pleasant - Hubby also filled me with bits of stories he's heard from other students, like a recent prank played on tourists by King's College students.
The only unpleasant part was, well, some of the others on the punt with us. (A couple of redneck tourists from Tennessee, USA. Loud, disruptive and obnoxious as hell.)
Had a snack at Auntie's Tea Shop, another Cambridge student establishment - great scones and really sticky clotted cream. And I don't get my Hubby; it was freezing cold and he wanted an ice cream sundae. (=_=)
 |
| Duck liver parfait, truffle jelly, brioche |
Hubby took me to dinner at Cotto, another highly recommended restaurant in Cambridge. The head chef of Cotto, Hans Schweitzer, was formerly a chef at Queens' College and also the founder of Midsummer House, where we dined at in July 2014.
 |
| Taking the shortcut to central Cambridge through the King's College |
Spent part of the day (which day I forgot) exploring Saint John's College.
 |
| Saint John's College, Cambridge |
 |
| Saint John's College, Cambridge |
 |
| Saint John's College, Cambridge |
It has lovely grounds, so I'm not surprised that friends who lived there remember the place with fondness. (They do admit it's a bit of a party college. I also couldn't help but notice, during our punting tour, that it's also the college where the most legendary pranks have been played.)
 |
| View of the River Cam from the Bridge of Sighs, Saint John's College, Cambridge |
 |
| View of the River Cam from the Bridge of Sighs, Saint John's College, Cambridge |
 |
| Saint John's College, Cambridge |
 |
| Saint John's College, Cambridge |
 |
| Saint John's College, Cambridge |
 |
| Saint John's College, Cambridge |
 |
| Saint John's College, Cambridge - the Bridge of Sighs on the right |
 |
| Saint John's College, Cambridge |
 |
| Central Cambridge |
 |
| Central Cambridge - Trinity College on the right |
Walked by Trinity College as we passed through central Cambridge. I had thought to enter to explore more of the grounds, but on this particular day, they were closed. The hall porters were dressed all in black, and the flag was at half-mast. Not entirely sure what was happening.
 |
| Selwyn College, Cambridge |
 |
| The Old Court at Selwyn College, Cambridge |
 |
| The Old Court at Selwyn College, Cambridge |
Established in 1882, Selwyn College was founded by the Selwyn Memorial Committee in memory of the Rt Reverend George Augustus Selwyn (1809–1878). Rev Selwyn rowed on the Cambridge crew in the first Varsity Boat Race in 1829, and went on to become the first (Anglican) Bishop of New Zealand (1841–1868), and later the Bishop of Lichfield (1868–1878).
 |
| Jamie loves the clinging ivy |
 |
| Chocolate, pear and honeycomb pavlova, Jamie's Italian, Cambridge |
I can see why people think Jamie's Italian is over-priced, and I agree it does not quite live up to expectations - most of it because of the celebrity hype surrounding Jamie Oliver. But I don't think the food at Jamie's Italian Cambridge is bad - quite good actually.
After dinner, we walked to Las Iguanas, where we were meeting some of his MCL classmates for drinks.
 |
| Cambridge Wine Merchants |
I wish I had a few more weeks in Cambridge.... I would've liked to check out Cambridge Wine Merchants.
I find Cambridge charming. Whether it's by day or by night.
 |
| Lunch at the Oak Bistro: pan-fried scallops with celeriac puree and lime dressing |
I returned to the Oak Bistro for lunch on my last day in Cambridge. It is definitely a place to recommend to friends visiting this part of town.
On the way back from lunch, Hubby took me through Downing College. The open green lawns, the trees and the old buildings made it really hard to leave Cambridge.
 |
| Downing College, Cambridge |
 |
| Downing College, Cambridge |
 |
| Downing College, Cambridge |
 |
| Downing College, Cambridge |
 |
| Downing College, Cambridge |
Comments
Post a Comment
Thank you for stopping by. While I'd love to hear from you, I believe it is important to have a respectful and open-minded environment in which to express our views. Different views are welcome; abuse, hate speech and cyberbullying are not. Freedom of speech does not justify the unacceptable.