Friday 26 June 2015

Inner Temple Gardens, central London


A lush riverside oasis within striking distance of the City, the Inner Temple Gardens contain three acres of well-tended lawns, flower beds and a variety of mature trees. The gardens, which were home to the forerunner to the Chelsea Flower Show at the start of the twentieth century, are normally open to the public from 12.30 to 3pm each weekday. On sunny days, they are peppered with office workers from the nearby Inns of Court and City firms west of Blackfriars, but rarely feel crowded.

Saturday 20 June 2015

The Silk Road Restaurant, Camberwell Church St, South London


A simple, but very popular, eatery, the Silk Road specialises in the spicy cuisine originating from China's north-west frontier province of Xinjiang. The decor and furnishing are simple and not that comfortable - wooden benches line cramped wooden tables, but it is overshadowed by the enthralling and authentic food, which you eat with chopsticks and with plenty of napkins. Helpfully, the many noodle dishes and stews on the menu are marked with chill-peppers, signalling how strong their kick on a scale of one to three. The signature dish - the medium plate chicken (about £16 for enough for two) - is excellent. It is a huge broth containing a dozen or more pieces of chicken on the bone, chillies, potatoes, anise and garlic swimming in the juice. Once you have waded your way through the meat, the staff may add piles of chunky, tasty noodles to soak up the liquid. 

Wednesday 17 June 2015

King's Bench Walk, The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, central London


A well-preserved seventeenth century terrace in Inner Temple, King's Bench Walk flanks one of the four remaining Inns of Court in central London. Most of the chambers housed in the building were rebuilt in 1678, following a disastrous fire in 1677, and some still have their original panelling, according to the Inner Temple Library.

Thursday 4 June 2015

Walk up to Parc du Château, Nice, France

As you climb up out of the old town, there are fine views across the rooftops of the city. The bell tower of the Couvent Saint-François de Nice is one of the most striking landmarks