Serendipidous

This entire journey to date has felt very serendipitous - you know, when everything just seems to fall in place and be part of a bigger plan?  I have found the best thing I can do is to just take my hands off the wheel, stop trying to push things a certain way and they end up much better than I would have ever planned.

Last night's dinner was pleasant - cute gastropub with a delicious menu.  I opted for Rose and some beef ragu orrechiette (Jonas was speaking about Cheppe's red sauce and put me in the mood).  Note, I did see them mention to try a place called Great Queen Street on their chalk board ... to be referenced later.

Sunday AM, first of August, I headed off to the Borough market after a very comfy sleep in, and lo and behold it is closed on Sundays (what??).  First lesson learned today - go to the fruit and veg markets Saturday AM.  Sooo ... plan B became wondering about, walking eventually in the direction of home.  This market just happens to be at the London Bridge tube stop, so I knew that had to be near by. Second lesson learned today:  the London bridge is NOT the bridge that is infamous; that is actually the Tower Bridge.  So, the London Bridge is not a destination (and it is not falling down, but it almost looks to be), but seemed a noteworthy location to ask someone to take my pic..

As I wondered around the small streets in Borough - ta dah!!!  I came across this huge wine store, and so I did end up lugging two bottles of New Zealand Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc around the rest of the afternoon.  

I crossed over the bridge, walking towards home, right past St. Paul's Cathedral and then the Courts of Justice (not planned).  Massive structures that seem beyond imagination - the sculptures and detail are almost incomprehensible.

It's about at this point that I realize that I actually walked a bit west of where I needed to be, so since I was almost at Covent Garden and needed to eat I continued just a bit more to get there. On Sunday Covent Garden is hopping.  Lots of tourists shopping, and they have musicians and street acts.

Did a lap or two then decided I needed to figure out where I was going to get the groceries for the week.  Started to head back toward home and saw this restaurant catch my eye ... it didn't have a name.  I did a double take, and decided to go check out the menu.  Another serendipidous moment, but it just happened to be the Great Queen Street place I read about online and then saw recommended last night.  Weird.  Of course, I was destined to eat there and had to have a seat out front.  Had a pleasant salad, cured trout, and a Stiegl beer.  Delicious, but I need to get some more practice on English foodie words, as there were several items on the menu I had no idea what they were, and given the English's propensity towards unusual meat items, I kept it simple.

Final serendipitous moment for the day?  I decided to find the nearest Whole Foods to get my weekly ration, walked over a bit, and as I am picking through the fruit I see my coworker walking out front!  In all of London!  Guess that is my sign that tomorrow ... the real world begins.