Setting-up home, London-2010-style

David and I kicked off our "making home" in London 2010 with a big grocery shop, which included this very lush basil plant.  There's something about having a real live plant (as opposed to fake ones), especially a plant like basil, which we might EAT, use for our cooking, that makes us feel more at home.  Although, strangely enough, we haven't had a basil plant in our NY apartment before -- we have, however, consistently bought a basil plant in our temporary, foreign "homes," such as when we've been in London or Berlin for an extended period.

Last night I roasted a chicken, sauteed mushrooms with scallions and and made a wonderful chickpea/leek antipasti from the new Mario Batali cookbook.  While I made way too much, it was very easy and delicious.  His new cookbook is WONDERFUL, I highly recommend it.

David being fed very well by his hard-working, casting supervising wife (he's hard working, too, of course!)... roast chicken, chickpea/leek antipasti, grilled mushroom with scallions, and, obviously, some quality organic cider so beautifully available here in London.

Back in London - together this time

David and I had a pleasant flight from Newark to London.  Everything went smoothly until customs at Heathrow, which we truly believe is the WORST customs anywhere in the world.  Long, dreadful waits, terrible, miserable people asking you questions in the most condescending way.   Ugh.  David fantasized about saying to the customs official, "Look, mate, don't worry, we really don't want to live your fucking country.  We're here because we have to be here, we're not staying, we're not taking any work away from your people (because they fucking can't DANCE!).  We live in New York, why would we want to live here?!"  I think this feeling is not helped by having been detained at Heathrow once (due to incomplete paperwork with the inept office at the time), but fortunately we avoided this uncomfortable - yet understandable - confrontation.

We got through fine past the dreadful customs official, and we're back in Bloomsbury where we will stay in a two-bedroom flat.  We have gone to Waitrose to do our basic grocery shop (i.e. organic cider and bottles of wine, oh, and fruit and veg of course); next up we hope to join a local gym for the 4 weeks we are here.  Getting back into the groove of things.

It's nice to be back in London TOGETHER this time.  And not in a hotel.  It's chilly here, though, much cooler than New York, but I suppose we've come to expect this from London.

Big day tomorrow to kick-off the 4-week casting marathon!

HOME!

Arrived home to New York this afternoon.  SO GOOD to be home.  And the weather is amazing here -- full sunshine spring mode!

The trip was very productive and I got to spend time with my London girl friends, which was wonderful and a great respite from the packed days.  But I am so glad to be back in New York, in our apartment, with my gorgeous husband.  Once home, I stuffed myself with Two Boots pizza and promptly took a nap.  The best sleep I have had in a week, feels like.

Back to London in 10 days... but next time we'll be traveling together.