al forno

Were you planning on friday night pizza?

Well, you will be after this post.

When we went to see gravity in Wimbledon, we knew where we wanted to grab a bite beforehand - Al Forno. When we lived closer, we often went there for their massive and delicious pizzas. Now, I know Wimbledon isn't exactly the most central of places in London, but if you find yourself in the neighbourhood this is not a place to miss.

Even though this place is extremely popular, we managed to squeeze ourselves in for an early dinner. The restaurant is always buzzing with loud Italian waiters, and more often than not someone is having a birthday dinner and they put happy birthday on the speakers and everyone sings along.

But let's get to the main event - the pizza. It. is. so. good. They come in 3 different sizes, and already the medium size is the size of half a table, served on a wooden plank.

We shared a Capricciosa.

We were hungry.

Don't be mistaken, the crust and the dough itself is incredible. I didn't forgo them out of choice! I stuffed myself as I much as I physically could.

I only wish we lived closer, what I would't do to have this place just down the street! The atmosphere and the well-priced, authentic food is just perfect for winter date nights.

e cooks: roast chicken, gratin dauphinoise, lemon tart

Since we got some lovely feedback on e's cooking last time, I thought I would label all future posts of him playing the chef, "e cooks". Hopefully having his own little category here will encourage him to continue upping his game in the kitchen!

Without further ado, last friday we had our friends C & J over for dinner and the three course menu was:

Salad with fine herbs and lardons
Roast chicken, haricot vert with shallots and garlic, gratin dauphinoise
Lemon tart.

All recipes from his beloved new Thomas Keller cookbook (it was like Christmas day on prozac the day he received this mammoth of a book from Amazon).

There's no denying it - the man can cook.

J told me specifically to mention how much he enjoyed the meal on the blog - thanks J! C decided that her favourite part was the dessert. She didn't need to tell us, as she chipped away at it while we played Taboo. The boys wanted revenge for last time, but it didn't happen. Better luck next time guys! (High five, C.)

Although it's always nice to go out to a restaurant with friends, I think I personally prefer having an intimate and cosy dinner at home with nice company. We can light up the candles and put on any music  we like and relax on the sofa after all the food.

Yes, the cooking part can be hard work, but if you enjoy it and you are passionate about it then it's worth it for all the praise you get. Right, E?

gravity

This movie has had a lot of hype. Being avid film fans, we knew we wanted to see what the fuss was all about as soon as it came out. E was adamant about seeing it in IMAX (and rightly so I think, since the high quality meant that even in 3D and action packed in space, I didn't end up feeling queasy!), so although the Wimbledon Odeon isn't our local cinema we thought it would be worth it. (The screenings at the BFI were already sold out at the good times!)

I hate reading spoilers so I definitely will not reveal anything of the plot, but here are my thoughts...

It was a truly classy movie. In that while dealing with the most fundamental elements of being a human being, in the face of life and death and trauma and discovery, it was never once sentimental, over-dramatised, or forced in any way. Even thought the back drop is space, and with all the flair and wonder that comes with it, the story itself is such a simple and modest one that we can all relate to.

I actually initially walked out of the cinema feeling... slightly underwhelmed. I suppose with all the commotion, I expected a huge explosion of a movie that spelt everything out for me and took me on a wild ride of emotions. It definitely made me grip my seat and gnaw my lips at stressful moments, but the real impact came slower, and was so much more profound. The message of the movie sank in as time lapsed, and the next morning my mind was still filled with the questions and answers that I took from Gravity.

Please go and see it, it's absolutely one to be watched on the big screen.

Oh, and one more thing -

You're welcome.