Taste of London Festival in Regent's Park

I have the intention of going to the Taste of London Festival every year, so was delighted when I was offered tickets for this year's extravaganza. Every summer Regent’s Park is transformed for four days into foodie heaven, acting as a showcase for the best of London restaurants and the finest British produce. This year forty restaurants set up makeshift stalls, selling three of four specially designed starter-sized dishes. Amongst these exhibitors, other food and drink companies were tempting crowds with their wares.

The Regent’s Park setting was sadly less idyllic this year thanks to the endless rain - instead of bouncing across the green lawn between stalls, visitors had to wade through metres of mud and sludge; it made the whole experience rather less romantic. After fighting through the hordes to buy your favoured food, you had to then find a sheltered place to eat it away from the rain!

In the cause of press research, I tried a large range of the dishes on offer. First we headed to a cluster of Michelin starred restaurants: at Maze we ate glazed veal shin with white onion puree and rocket pesto, interesting flavours but a bit sloppy - a slightly disappointing first taste of Ramsay’s famous restaurant. However next door, from York and Albany (Ramsay’s Camden eatery), the chargrilled lamb cutlets with caponata and salsa verde were tender, crispy, flavoursome and delicious.

Next I couldn’t resist visited the Opera Tavern stall - it was swarming with eager guests wanting to try the celebrated Iberico pork and foie gras burger, we got one to share and savoured every morsel, it is the best burger out there, though it cost a ridiculous £7, more than they sell it for in the restaurant!

The best savoury food we ate was probably the chicken satay sticks and sauce from Malaysia Kitchen, warmly spiced chargrilled chicken with the most deliciously sweet chunky peanut sauce. On the sweet side my absolute favourite was the scrumptious freshly made ice-cream from Gelupo, I sampled a few of their exotic flavours and, after much deliberation, decided the refreshing coconut was the best.

There were a few enticing rum stalls offering fresh cocktails - we tried a delicious version of the familiar Mojito from the Pyrat Rum stall, a tangy and sweet concoction made with lots of mint and premium Caribbean golden rum. Aside from the cocktails, I was invited into the VIP area and kindly offered free champagne and a refuge from the rain.

The Taste of London Festival is geared towards a middle income demographic, and is certainly not a cheap day out. On top of the £26 standard ticket for admission you will need several books of crowns if you want to eat anything decent. Freebies can scarcely be found, and even when they are, the portions are meagre! One book of 20 crowns costs £10 (so 1 crown = 50p) and most of the restaurant dishes cost 10-16 crowns, so you can imagine that a single book doesn’t last long. Though the food itself is of high quality, the whole experience was dampened for me not only by the weather but also by the extortionate cost. I couldn’t help feeling that Taste of London is really a glorified farmer’s market, but without marketplace prices.

Things to do in New York

New York, New York, a place I had only ever dreamed of, a city of giant buildings and whizzing bumblebee cabs. At last I was going to see the delicious big apple and aquamarine lady with my own eyes, but first I had to get through the dauntingly long flight.

Arriving to constant rain and a shockingly harsh wind was a little disappointing, the weather was even worse than in London. We were staying in a heavenly loft apartment in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn - stylish modern decor and clean comfort made this the perfect little home for our New York adventure (website to book here). I had already planned an extensive schedule; with so many interests the opportunities were infinite. Theatre, music, art, food, fashion and the sights - I insisted on doing it all. I could ramble on forever about what an awesome time we had but instead I’ll write about some things I would recommend doing if you are taking a trip over the Atlantic.

As I spend all my time in London going to the theatre, I limited myself to one musical and one opera while in NY. It was tricky picking a Broadway show, there are so many, and every friend I asked had a different suggestion. I decided on ‘Memphis’, winner of four 2010 Tony Awards, including ‘Best Musical’. Tickets were not cheap, and no deals were to be found anywhere. The production was certainly a spectacle, and the audience were lapping up every note with satisfaction, beaming and cheering after every song. With ticket prices so high, I guess this kind of entertainment is just for special occasions, not like my daily theatre fix! I was mightily impressed with the visuals though surprised that the vocals weren’t better, and the storyline of Memphis is certainly weak.

The Metropolitan Opera is considered to be one of the most exciting and prominent opera houses in the world, hosting some sensational singers and producing elaborate and exciting productions. Coincidentically my favourite opera, Tosca by Puccini, was on while I was there, so of course I had to see it. We managed to get $40 tickets (about £25) high up in a box, with an okay view. The singers were the best in the business, big voices filled with emotional energy and power. Starting at 8 pm and with two long intervals, it lasted a little too long, and both of us began to feel sleepy way before the final curtain.

The food in New York is spectacular, every meal was delicious, and much better value than overpriced London eateries. We had a range of cuisines including cheap Mexican snacks from La Esquina and Caracas, which were fresh and yummy; on the final day we had a breathtaking lunch at ‘Jean Georges’, where extraordinary chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s astonishing creations have earned the highest restaurant accolade - three Michelin stars. This French cuisine was perfection - dazzling dishes and elegantly assembled flavours made the meal truly memorable. At $40 for three courses, this restaurant is insanely good value and we could even afford a glass of bubbly each. Spotted Pig was probably my favourite meal of the trip, a popular gastropub in the West Village. This place is full of character, with dinky anecdotes all over the walls. Spotted Pig is famous for its blue cheese burger and shoestring fries, which after trying I can confirm is fully worth the hour wait.

Shopping is endless in NY - vintage, designer, jewellery, make-up, food, anything and everything you could ever want. I knew I’d be overwhelmed, so instead of seeking out the best shops I waited to see what I came across. A few stood out as firm favourites at the end of the trip: firstly the wonderfully eclectic vintage shop near our apartment, Olive’s Very Vintage in Carroll Gardens. Here I found a retro wool Versace skirt, with a colour block design that is perfect for this season’s trends, and a brilliant patterned crop jacket from Saks, probably dating back to the wild 80s. The classic NY stores provided the expected thrill - Bloomingdales, Dylan’s Candy Store and Victoria’s Secrets, and I picked up little purchases as memorabilia from each. Greenwich Village/Soho was definitely my favourite shopping district with a jolly mix of vintage, designer and cute independent shops. I found a home at Bleeker Street in this area where we gorged on Magnolia Bakery cupcakes, and I bought some beautiful perfume from Bond & Co, a very New York company that produces scents to represent each of the districts. Stylist extraordinaire of Sex and the City, Patricia Fields, also has a shop which is well worth a visit.

Most of the museums and art galleries hover around Fifth Avenue, running alongside Central Park. Each one holds a vast collection of magical works, and requires a lot of energy, so I wouldn’t recommend visiting more than one or two in a day. The Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) was by far my favourite, currently showing the most remarkable Picasso Guitar works. The Guggenheim is an architecturally awesome building, and has a good permanent collection, and the Metropolitan is of epic proportion with an equally epic shop. We also visited the decadent Neue Galerie that holds a small group of German and Austrian works. Most exhibitions cost from $10-15 entrance fee.

There are many tourist sites that define NYC, some more interesting than others. On the second day we went on an unbelievable helicopter tour and saw most of the famous buildings. The Staten Island Ferry is worth trying... this ferry is free and runs every half hour, 365 days a year, bringing thousands of travellers back and forth. It is a 25 minute trip each way and is a great way to get a closer look at the Statue of Liberty. Other sights include Wall Street, World Trade Centre, the Friends Building, Palace Hotel (Gossip Girl), all worth visits even if only fleeting. I managed to get last minute tickets to the Knicks basketball game so we also had the pleasure of visiting the world renowned Madison Square Gardens (the venue for the match). This game was a definite trip highlight for me, it was such an American experience with costumed cheerleaders, dancers, celebrity spotting and even a filmed marriage proposal; all that and the actual game of course.

My time at University was spent avidly watching Sex and the City, and that taught me that NY has the best cocktails so I wasn’t going to leave without trying at least a few. New Yorkers use different cocktail making techniques which I discovered when I was given a daiquiri served with a great deal of crushed ice... not so nice. You have to specify exactly how you want your drink. The best bar we discovered for cocktails was ‘Death & co’ a spookily realistic speakeasy, mock prohibition bar, that with no windows you barely notice from the street. Inside it is magically lit with tea light candles, and only a little electricity to reveal the spectacular bar selection. The man behind the counter made us some delicious concoctions that were authentic and interesting tasting. In Brooklyn we visited a fun bar too: Clover Club serves up classics as well as its own specialities and sells at reasonable prices.

There are so many wonderful things to do in NY, it is hard to pick. I’ve already started a list of things to do next time, I can’t wait to return.

ps. THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLY is ONE TODAY!

Saving money with The Taste London Card

Eating out in London can be ridiculously expensive. As I am regularly out seeing shows and concerts in central London it is often necessary for me to buy supper out; normally I’m starving and so want a proper hot meal.

The Taste London Card is the way to go... it gives you 50 % off or 2 for 1 meals at over 2500 restaurants across the capital. This little card has saved me a fortune, and also makes the perfect gift for someone who enjoys dining out. With from popular restaurants like Pizza Express and Prezzo to not so familiar pubs and one-off eateries, there really is a huge amount of choice.

Look out for the occasional restriction though - most restaurants exclude Saturdays, and even Fridays. These are clearly stated on the website; they are not trying to catch you out! A twelve month taste membership will cost you £69.95, and as Timeout have said before me, ‘it is an unbelievable money saving tool.’

Buy your very own Taste London card here.