Cowes Week - The Finale

After Emma and Will left, I did get a little lazy with my photography. Ultimately the week was becoming a little repetitive anyway... Boats, Booze, Boats, Booze... you get the picture. 

On the final night Finn's brother, his girlfriend and her family came to stay, and just in time for the last night celebrations. 

We all headed down to the seafront with a massive picnic and managed to find ourselves a big enough spot on the green. 

Just as we began to get stuck in, over head come the Red Arrows to do their thing. I had never seen them in person before so was all the more impressed!

It was fantastic, and such a beautiful back drop with the water and the boats underneath them.

We continued with our picnic and had some pudding and more wine enjoying the sunset.

As soon as it went dark the fireworks began...

Definitely one of the best displays I have ever seen... There is something about it been over the water that just makes it look so much more spectacular...

Of course the night again continued on into the wee hours, but Cowes Week certainly went out with a bang!! 

Cowes Week Part 2

The sun finally came out, and Finn had some time off, so we decided to go out in the boat to see some of the sailing action up close.

Unfortunately even though the weather was glorious in our opinion, apparently not so great for the sailors as there wasn't enough wind, so the sailing got cancelled. 

So Finn gave Will and Emma a chance to drive the boat and mess around a little.

We then headed back to shore and headed to the racing village for a proper explore...

We couldn't help having a go on the harken machine to see how fast we could go...

(this is how fast Emma thinks she was... )

Emma and I actually made the leaders board for the women. I suspect however, that not many people had been yet...

Starting to feel slightly peckish we sniffed out the food stands and decided to try some of the local crab and lobster on chips...

You got a pretty hefty portion, so decided to share as dinner wasn't that far away.

We headed back to Finn's for dinner and afterwards witnessed one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen... (how great is the view from Finn's house I must add?)

We then headed back to town for some live music and some drinks in the beer tents...

We didn't have as much of a wild night this time as Emma and Will had a super early ferry to catch the next day... Maybe next year they will make it for the whole week! 

London Part 2

Mummy's Birthday had arrived on a glorious morning in London. After celebrations last night we took it easy at the hotel; present opening, a light breakfast, and a swim and steam in the spa. Before we knew it, it was time to check out and make our way out to the main event of the weekend, Lunch at Heston Blumenthal's restaurant Dinner.  

We started with some tasty cocktails to toast the birthday girl.

Whilst reading the menu to make the crucial decision of what to go for, and how adventurous we were willing to be.

We made a rule that we all had to order something different, and we all had to share... 

For starters we went for the: Meat Fruit, Roast Marrowbone, Salamugundy and Nettle Porridge.

Each dish was as delicious as the last, so many fantastic flavours that continued to develop even after you had swallowed, just amazing.

We continued to lick our plates clean of our main courses too...

Powdered Duck Breast, Spiced Pigeon, Black foot pork chop, and Fillet of Aberdeen Angus with mushroom ketchup.

And for desert: Tipsy Cake, Taffety Tart, Brown Bread Ice Cream, and a Summer fruits pudding i cannot remember the name of. With the sharing rule in place, we all got to try a bit of everything, and they were all fantastic!!  

This is the tipsy cake, you could see the pineapples being spit roasted through the kitchen windows. 

Daddy eyeing up the cognac cart...

and sweet tasting birthday wishes from the chef.

and that marks the end of our whirlwind weekend in London for Mummy's Birthday. 

A feast for our eyes and our belly's.

Just a gentle stroll back through the park on this sunny summers day.