pop up in hyde park

we like bocca and like the ice cream even more but while the restaurant is atmospheric, i sometimes feel they get a little same-y after a while. this is where my ever-resourceful and ever-indulgent husband comes in. goodness knows how he consistently manages to suss out a good deal and when he learnt that bocca was doing a hyde park pop up, he scored us a mid-week table for two. now this may or may not have been precipitated by my latest housework blitz and i think at one point i told him in no uncertain terms that i was 1. on strike 2. not cooking. but the mister, he's got the patience of a saint and eats like a sinner ;) methinks he was secretly pleased not to have to eat my cooking. heck, i was openly pleased not to eat my own cooking!

 

dinner was in this beyoootiful white tent strung with fairy lights (i'm such a sucker for fairy lights). speaking of white tents, another day, another white tent! little did we know that the very next day we'd be in a white tent for the british red cross' 150th anniversary garden party at westminster abbey. now i've never been into westminster abbey so my inner perpetual tourist was thrilled at the prospect. but more important than my shallow elation was how we even managed to squeeze onto the guest list. it was a small party and a relatively modest one (i like that, don't you? if they'd free flow DP, they didn't, do think i'd have second thoughts about about contributing!) appreciate the staff are stewards of donated funds and we had such a lovely time learning about the ins and outs from our hosts. in fact, our host had been with the organisation for 15 years and this was the first time he'd been invited to the annual garden party. made me feel a little embarrassed that we were there when there are probably so many more deserving parties. not to take away from the mister and his awesomeness for spearheading a brand new thingum that's win-win and everyone seems pleased by. i'm so proud of him, my heart swells every time i think about his strong sense of social responsibility, about how he's all about giving back and making things happen despite the red tape. and as a medic, the british red cross is a cause close to heart and home and i'm so happy the mister feels the same.

oh but i was talking about the pop-up before this rare moment of altruism got the better of me ;)

the menu was admittedly limited but given their, well, limitations - it IS smack in the middle of hyde park- it was pretty well executed. charming waiter, good vino and before we knew it we were there for three hours. 

and on our way out, it might've been the wine talking but the mister convinced me this little critter was a dog. sigh. the mister, how he takes the mickey out of me :(