My Birthday Day Out,

but first thing,

I was out to get my covid booster, I parked up near this cherry blossom, it looked so nice, 

a walk to the Chancery pub, 

opposite this corner building, 

then into the chemist, jab done into town,

to The George Inn, 

well opposite, for one of my prescription tablets that had arrived, 

back home and glad rags on, a quick pose,

and to Beckenham Junction station,

relax on the train, 

as we made our way to Victoria,

we were soon in London, 

with a bit of street theatre outside of Hamleys toy shop, first stop to pick up 4 shirts, we went into The Saville Row Company, there were a couple of options that I wanted to look at, thin stripe or wide stripe, also the shade of blue, despite have a wall full of shirts, the assistant told us he could not show us any shirts, everything is now bought on line, seems a waste to have a shop I thought, so that was that, I can see why retail shops and High Streets are closing down with that attitude, 4 shirts at say £50.00 each and the assistant did not want to know, crikey a possible £200.00 sale walking out of the door! so we will have to order them and hope I get it right, but if that is the case why not order them from the Far East, where they I guess buy their shirts and send them back if they are incorrect? so I had a look, the same 4 shirts, change out of £40.00 for all 4 of them! that's more like it, British retailers 0 - Far East suppliers 1, as it happens when I decided to read the newspaper as I had asked where The Saville Row Company was, it must have been picked up, as the banner looked like this:

sure order online 4 shirts and risk them being wrong from the UK or at a fraction of the price do the same thing from the Far East? (actually from the Tumu warehouse is here in the UK, 4 days delivery, strangely enough the same for the shirt shop in London), 

next into a black cab, 

we were soon passing Chinatown,

on our way here,

the Savoy, Diana was treating me to a champagne afternoon cream tea for my birthday, 

a relax,

before going to our table,

Diana decided on the Prestige Afternoon Tea, and this is it:

A Glass of Laurent-Perrier Héritage

A Selection of Traditional Sandwiches featuring Traditional Coronation Chicken, Malted Bran Bread Scottish Smoked Salmon, Yuzu & Dill Cream Cheese, Spinach Bread St. Ewe Egg Mayonnaise, Norfolk Cress, White Bread Cured Cucumber, Pickle Emulsion on Wholemeal Bread

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Savoury Bites, Asparagus, London Pesto, Thames Honey Cream, Savoury Cake Green Pea, DukesHill Bacon, Onion Marmalade Tartlet

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Lobster & Caviar Tasting Experience

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Seasonal Handmade Afternoon Tea Pastries & Signature Savoy Scones

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Freshly-Baked Scones Cornish Clotted Cream, Strawberry Jam

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a selection of cakes, Lemon and Yuzu Scoff Sicilian Lemon Scoff, Yuzu Chantilly, Lemon and Lime Coulis Raspberry and Pistachio Pistachio Financier, Raspberry Compôte, Rose Mousse Chocolate Gianduja Cake Chocolate Cake, Gianduja Chocolate Crémeux, Hazelnut Crunchy Strawberry & Basil Tartlet Olive Oil Madeleine Sponge, Kent Strawberry Compôte, Basil Gel

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and finally a cocktail, a Lemon Curd Velvet Scones Cocktail Flor de Caña 4 year Rum, Scone Liqueur

so here goes,

above us the domed glass roof, 

'Cheers!', with a glass of bubbly, 

our sandwiches arrived, 

the savoury bites were amazing, so many ultra small flowers used in them, 

we actually ordered a second round of sandwiches, 

then a real treat, the Lobster & Caviar Tasting Experience,

three different types of caviar, included Beluga, 

what a cream tea!

after the caviar the scones and desserts arrived,

time for a 'Cheers!',

then some new pots of tea, 

some of the desserts,

all nicely finished, 

cocktail time!

to say we were full to bursting is a understatement! we had a double helping of sandwiches,

 and actually took a box of cakes home with us,

we relaxed before out next port of call,

to the London Camera Exchange, Diana for my birthday present had treated me to a couple of lenses for the new camera, a 500mm and a 120mm macro lens,

what a birthday, it was so nice, it should happen every year, 

we relaxed on the train home,

arriving at Foxgrove Lodge on our way home as we entered that park, what a day! in the evening it was feet up for the usual Midsomer Murder followed by a Have I Got A Bit More News For You before we were both off to bed.