I don't know what has happened to me but lately I've become a country girl trapped in the city and although I am really a couple months early, I've begun to put together a list of places to "Pick Your Own" seasonal fruit and veg on the outskirts of London.

1. Parkside Farm offers a huge range of seasonal fruits and vegetables including raspberries, strawberries, tomatoes. They even have a handy calendar on their website to let you know what's in season.

Hadley Road
Enfield
Middlesex EN2 8LA
www.parksidefarmpyo.co.uk

2. Garsons Farm in Surrey has over 40 crops and 5 seasonal flowers available for picking.

Winterdown Road
Esher
Surrey KT10 8LS
www.garsons.co.uk

3. The Barnyard Farm Shop in Kent also has trails where can go hiking, get out and feed the ducks and enjoy the countryside.

Oak Lane
Upchurch
Sittingbourne
Kent ME9 7BE
www.the-barnyard.co.uk

4. Spencers Farm Shop has cherries, plums, strawberries and an amazing 18 varieties of apples.

Wickham Fruit Farm
Wickham St Pauls
Halstead, Essex CO9 2PX
www.spencersfarmshop.co.uk



Once I gather everything, I will need to figure out what to do with it all. I've been researching canning recipes to come up with some ideas.

Here's what I have so far...

Tomatoes - for salsa, tomato sauce

Strawberries - jam, strawberry shortcake* (ok, this one won't be canned but so delicious I had to mention it anyway)

Apples - apple butter, chutney, applesauce and of course, pies.

Yum, I can't wait. Happy Picking!

1. Stroll through Regents Park and then stop for a picnic lunch

2. Get a bird’s eye view of the city from the London Eye, the world’s largest observation wheel

3. Hire a convertible and take a weekend trip to Devon

4. Head to Westminster or Waterloo Pier and take a cruise on the River Thames

5. Get a fresh new hair cut at Urban Retreat in Knightsbridge

6. Go horseback riding in Hyde Park

7. On Sundays, head to the Columbia Road Flower Market for high quality plants and flowers at bargain prices

8. Get a hot milk and almond pedicure from Bliss Spa

9. Attend a cricket match at Lords

10. Dine al fresco at the Butler’s Wharf Chop House near Tower Bridge

11.Take a trip to the London Zoo

12. Get ready for summer with a sunless spray tan at Heidi Klein

13. Spend half a day enjoying more than 300 acres of gardens and beautifully landscaped lawns at Kew Gardens

14. Wander along Portobello Road in Notting Hill and check out the new young designers and chic clothing boutiques

Let's talk about something really important: Chocolate. In honor of my birthday week, I've decided to name a few of favorite places to indulge yourself.

Visit any of these places and you'll feel like you're in Belgium minus the train ride on the Eurostar and the time off week. You can think of it as a quick mid-week pick me up like I do. And in the case of fine chocolate, less is definitely more at least that is what I keep telling myself.

1. L'Artisan du Chocolat - How to describe? Hmmm, L'Artisan du Chocolat is basically the Rolls Royce of Chcolate. Smart little shop close to Sloan Square filled with very delicate and beautiful ganache filled chooclates, among many, many others. Something a little unique is that you can book yourself on a chocolate tasting in their atelier in Kent and learn more about the fine art of chocolate making.

89 Lower Sloane Street, SW1
Tel: 020 7824 8365
www.artisanduchocolat.com

2. La Maison du Chocolat - Well if L'Artisan du Chocolat is the Rolls Royce of Chocolate, then it's only fair to call La Maison du Chocolat the Bentley of Chocolate.

45-46 Piccadilly, W1
Tel: 020 7287 8500
www.lamaisonduchocolat.co.uk

3. The Chocolate Society - Best hot chocolate in town.

36 Elizabeth Street, SW1
Tel: 020 7352 5857
www.chocolate.co.uk

4. Melt - Relatively new, but fabulous shop in Notting Hill on fabulous Ledbury Road brings chocolate and shopping together.

59 Ledbury Road
London W11 2AA
Tel: 020 7727 5030
www.meltchocolates.com

5. Paul A Young Fine Chocolates --lovely little shop on Camden Passage in Islington. Best part: you can join Paul on one of his delicious chocolate workshops.

33 Camden Passage
London N1
Tel: 020 7424 5750
www.payoung.net

For Breakfast: Euphorium Bakery

*Great baguettes, breads, pastries and sweets. On weekend mornings, the queue often extends out the door.

I love, love their pain au chocolat.

202 Upper Street
London N1 1RQ




Lunch with the Girls: Ottolenghi

*Fantastic salads with fresh, high quality ingredients. Oh and did I mention the desserts?!

Chic decor but laid back style and staff.

287 Upper Street
London N1 2TZ



Date Night: Le Mercury

*Delicious food, decor is intimate and candlelit (just try not to sit too close to the door) and best of all the main courses are £6.95, a complete bargain

140a Upper Street
London N1 1NY






A Friend's Birthday: Gallipoli

*Perfect for Celebrations, Gallipoli always has a lively and vibrant atmosphere. Absolutely wonderful Turkish food.

I recommend sharing one of the set menus with friends.

102 Upper Street
N1 1QP

Dinner with Your Parents: The Fish Shop

*Lots of British Favorites that moms and dads will love. I know this is a fish restaurant that serves excellent fish, but the mushroom risotto with truffle oil and parmesan is my personal fav.

360-362 St. John Street
London EC1V 4NR

Posh Nosh: Morgan M

*A little bit off the beaten path, but well worth the trip. Definitely make reservations for this one. The food is stunning and really visualy appealing as well. The desserts look almost too good to eat. Service is formal and attentive, but not obstrusive.

489 Liverpool Road
London N7 8NS

I've been taking a bit of a blogging break and enjoying some time in the sun. I love a great picnic in the summer. Wine, Food, some newspapers and a good book. I can't think of a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon. With so many great open spaces in London, it was so hard to just pick 8.

1. Regents Park - Have a picnic on the grass and then watch one of the performances in the Open Air Theatre

2. Richmond Park - Beautiful park with a great opportunity to get close to wildlife

3. Hampstead Heath - Bring your kite and take in one of the best views of the city

4. Hyde Park - In addition to a picnic, I'd want to hire a boat on the Serpetine, too.

5. Green Park - You won't find sporting activities here like you do at many of the other parks, but it is definitely a peaceful place to escape and catch some sun.

6. Kew Gardens - Just Lovely. You could spend a week here and not see everything.

7. Finsbury Circus - If you can't escape the City, then this is one of the best open spaces I know.

8. Kensington Gardens - The Diana Memorial playground is especially great for kids.

Fodor's new 25 best series goes on sale tomorrow. Hmmm, it will be interesting to see their picks for the best of London.

1.Italian Wine and Cheese Tasting – Bringing the best of both world’s together, Christie’s has teamed up with Jane Hunt MW and Patricia Michelson of La Fromagerie to offer a delightful evening of wine and cheese pairings.




Christie’s
8 King Street
London SW1Y 6QT

24 May 2007, 6:45pm to 8:45pm
Cost £70

2. The Writer’s Journey: From Inspiration to Publication - Join Julia McCutchen in this weekend workshop sponsored by Alternatives.

Julia will help budding writers find their voice, develop their writing practice and learn how to take their ideas to the marketplace.

The Writer’s Journey
Columbia Hotel
95 Lancaster Gate
London W2

24 March 2007, 10:30am to 5:30pm
Cost £60/35 concs

3.Spring Flowers – Learn everything you need in this one day class to come up with some creative floral designs for spring.

I think you’ll agree that Judith Blacklock’s designs are incredibly inspiring and creative.

Judith Blacklock Flower School
4/5 Kinnerton Place South
London SW1 8EH

Spring Flowers
22 March 2007, 10:15am to 3:45pm
Cost £185




4. Sweet Things – Another incredible partnership! Leiths School of Food and Wine has paired up with Ottolenghi to offer a day dedicated to ‘Sweet Things’. Come prepared to get your hands dirty.

On the menu: Brownie Shortbread Bar, Rhubard Eton Mess, Almond and Orange Tuiles and Raspberry and Semonlina Tarts. I can’t say I know that all those things are, but they do sound delicious!

Leiths School of Food and Wine
21 St Alban's Grove
London W8 5BP

17 Marcy 2007, 9:30am to 1:00pm
Cost £110

5.Study the Architecture of London – You’ve been admiring the architecture of the city for quite some time, but wouldn’t it be nice to actually know something about all those great building and monuments?

City University is offering a 9 week course to buff you up on all the history and architecture in London.

City University
Northampton Square
London, EC1V 0HB

24 April 2007, 18:30pm to 20:30pm
9 weekly classes + 3 visits
Cost £100

6. Calligraphy – Learn the ins and outs of the ancient art of calligraphy in this ten week class at City Lit


City Lit
Keeley Street
London WC2B 4BA

26 April 2007, 6pm to 9pm
10 weekly classes
Cost £140

Tom Lamont did an awesome job of compiling a fabulous list of 101 things to do before you leave London in this Novemeber issue of Time Out. Below are are few of my favorites that I've added to my personal to do list.


4. Buy a brand new skin at Brown's Hotel - A delicious pampering package involving a lot of buffing, filing, scrubbing and massaging. That's my kind of afternoon.

Brown's Hotel
Albemarle St
020 7493 6020

15. Be a groundling at the Globe - Definitely something everyone should do once.

Shakespeare's Globe
21 New Globe Walk
London SE1

31. Do Dim sum at Hakkasan

Hakkasan
8 Hanway Place
London W1
020 7907 1888

34. Lose yourself in classical dance at Sadler's Wells

Sadler's Wells
Rosebery Avenue
London EC1
0870 737 7737

37. Go for afternoon tea at the Wolsely

The Wolsely
160 Piccadilly
London W1
020 7499 6996

39. Pamper yourself at Bliss Spa

Bliss London
60 Sloane Avenue
London SW3

51. Be a Nosy neighbor during Open House London Week

87. Treat yourself to Oyster and Champagne

Bibendum
Michelin House
81 Fulham Road
London SW3
020 7581 5817

89. Go Horseback Riding in Hyde Park

Hyde Park & Kensington Stables
63 Bathurst Mews
London W2
020 7723 2813

These are my top picks for ways to celebrate fall.

1. Make a great apple pie. We picked up a whole bunch of organic apples and I decided to make an apple pie. It was amazing! I got a little brave with the crust and had my first attempt at a lattice crust.

2. Put your summer clothes away and pull out all of your great sweaters or jumpers.

3. Get yourself a pair of cashmere bed socks -- so soft and comfy

4. Make a great cup of hot chocolate. I love and really miss Swiss Miss Hot chocolate. I know it's cheap and I could probably make a better quality version myself but it reminds me of being a kid.

5. Carve a pumpkin.

6. Take a Jack the Ripper Walking Tour.

7. Head to the country to admire all the beautiful colors.

8. Bake a loaf of banana or pumpkin bread. Better yet, bake two loaves and freeze one. You can pull it out on a cold morning, slice it and pop it in the toaster...yum.

1. Simple & Stylish Flower Arranging Course
Judith Blacklock is one of London’s top flower pros. For me, Judith’s right up there with Jane Packer and I am sure this evening course will not disappoint. Judith is the author of five best selling floral books and her school in the only private flower arranging and floristry school in the UK.

Dates: 4 Wednesday Workshops from 1-22 November ‘06
18:30-20:30
Cost: £390


Judith Blacklock Flower School
4/5 Kinnerton Place South
London SW1X 8EH
Tel: 0207 235 6235

2. Vegetarian Party Plates
My favourite UK/US food writer, Celia Brooks Brown is showing off her skills with this fabulous collection of canapés just in time for the holiday season. I’ll be sharing what I’ve learned after this workshop.

Date: Wednesday, 29th November at 11:00
Cost: £30

Books for Cooks
4 Blenheim Crescent
Notting Hill, London W11 1NN
Tel: 0207 221 1992



3. Elegant Entertaining --- Do ahead Dinner Party
Jennifer Joyce has written “Diva Cooking: Unashamedly Glamorous Party Food”. I think she just might be my hero. Jennifer Joyce teams up with Divertimenti to offer this fabulous workshop where Jennifer will demonstrate how to prepare a chic party menu in advance so you have plenty of time to get glamorous before your guests arrive.

Date: Wednesday 8th November, 11:00-13:00pm
Cost: £35

Divertimenti
227-229 Brompton Road
London SW3 2EP
Tel: 020 7581 8065


4.Coaching for Business and Personal Development
It could be because I am a teacher turned corporate trainer, but I have always been interested in coaching and I can’t wait for this course to begin. In this ten week course, Rick Payne and Karen Griffin will be guiding us through the ins and outs of coaching. If coaching is not for you, I would still recommend checking out the extensive list of evening courses for professionals, which you can find here.

Dates: Wednesday 4 October 2006 for 10 weeks
18:30-20:30
Cost: £160

Northampton Square
London EC1V 0HB
Tel: 020 7040 8268


5. Why they all queue? Adjusting to Culture in the UK
Focus, an excellent Expat organisation in London puts together a great selection of programs. This workshop is lead by the incredibly knowledgeable team from IOR Global Services.

Date: 16 October 2006
14:00-16:00
Cost: £10 for Focus Members, £20 for non-members

IOR Global Services
Suite 55, 3 Whitehall Court
London SW1A 2EL
Tel: 020 79377 7799


6. Wholefood Cooking Classes
I am noticing a bit of a theme for the courses I am taking this fall. My nutritionist has been telling me to cook with brown rice, quinoa, barley, bulgar and couscous since we began our sessions. I am getting tired of using my same basic recipes so hopefully this course will give me some new ideas.

Dates: 3 consecutive days, November 15, 16, 17
Cost: £75, including 3 course gourmet dinner each night

Concord Institute
Unit 2-4, Thane Works
London N7 7NU
Tel: 0207 607 1140

7. Become an Inspired Entrepreneur
In this weekend workshop, Nick Williams will teach you how to turn your passion into a source of income and particular ideas on how to make it all possible.

Date: Saturday 4th November,
10:30-17:30
Cost: £75

Maria Assumpta Centre
23 Kensington Square
London W8

For more information, check out Alternatives

8. Top to Toe Personal Fashion Styling
London College of Fashion offers a number of evening courses to satisfy your inner artist. Check out this one.

Dates: 3 Saturdays from 28 October – 11 November
10:00-17:00
Cost: £320

London College of Fashion offers courses on six different sites. Check your booking details to confirm location.

9. British Christmas Traditions
Not so much a class as a great opportunity to meet up with other Expats, learn about British holiday traditions and sample some great food. Contact Focus to register.

Date: 4 December 2006
18:00-19:30

Cost: Free to Members, £10 for non-members

Draycott Hotel
26 Cadogan Gardens
London SW3
Tel: 020 7937 7799