When we were part of the hippety-hop brigade

Ok, so definitely more hip than hop.  Although the FH and I are neither trendsters nor rude boy/shorty wannabees we can pass for the former much easier than the latter.

Once upon a time before the Olympics had even begun (it was on the opening night), FH and I got dolled up in our glad rags, I put on a very fetching hat (below) and we hot-footed up to Hoxton for a night of being trendy to celebrate FH's birthday.  I have to admit that I was not feeling on the top of the world as I have recently (i.e. the day before) had a rather large altercation with a steep flight of stairs which ended in a visit to a very lovely and charming doctor at the local A&E for some stitches.  No sympathy necessary as it was almost entirely self-inflicted.  I say almost as the bottles of wine may also have had something to do with it.

Note hat: very fetching

Moving on from that unfortunate incident... FH and I went to Hoxton where we stayed at the über hip Hoxton Hotel, thrice-running winner of the Guardian's best UK hotle accolade, for the princely sum of £1.  One of your British pounds.  How?! I hear you ask... By having a very clever husband able to answer the questions and take advantage of their one pound offer quicker than the others who were out to snatch the prize.  Hooray for FH!

FH at the Hoxton Hotel

So, we arrived and settled in.  Very fine it was too.  We then went out to sample the night charms of Hoxton.  Were had a table booked at the St. John, which markets itself as nose-to-tale eating.  We went there feeling adventurous and determined to try something new. 

A side note here - FH and I love food.  As in luuuuurve food.  And we especially love trying new things.  To this end, we always share.  And not this namby-pamby one starter and a main to share.  We'll each have starter and main, but swap half way through.  This way we get to have four small dishes instead of two larger ones.  It also means, because we are incredibly competitive, that somebody gets to win.  The person who wins is the person who orders the nicest dish; there's a prize for every course, so sometimes the first course loser can quits on the main, or the starter winner can make it 2-0.  

Anyway, at St John's FH had lambs' tongues to start followed by rabbit, and I had roast bonemarrow followed by sweetbreads.  FH won the first course - the bonemarrow wasn't as tasty as I thought it would be and the lambs' tongues were delicious.  They were served cold which I wasn't really expecting, and they were really lamb-y, which was also a surprise; I don't think of Ox tongue as tasting particularly beefy.  I hands down won the second course; sweetbreads are delicious.  No pudding - I'm not a huge pudding gal.

By this time my injuries were starting to get the better of me and I limped back to the hotel accompanied by FH just in time to catch the most boring part of the opening ceremony - the athletes' procession; totally missed the Queen and James Bond.  However, I've seen it since and it was awesome.

We do love a bit of our Daniel