Monday 31st July 2023

Woke about 0730....Aki wished me a Happy Birthday and gave me my birthday card. I got up and made tea. Switched on the Japan v Spain game...the Nipponesses won 4-0. Overnight oats soaked in strawberry milkshake for breakfast. Had a bit of work to do at the computer. Ma and pa FaceTimed to sing happy birthday to me. Kath there too. Made a ham salad lunch...Vince turned up just as I was serving up...the underfloor filler hadn't arrived, so he vowed to come back tomorrow...it arrived just after he'd left! Read a bit of "Pickwick" before we headed in to town. Walked to Finsbury Park and got a tube to Warren Street, where we then caught a bus to baker Street. 

Aki wanted to pop in to the Conran Shop...couple of floors were closed off, suggesting they are cutting back, and although there was some nice stuff in there, it didn't seem as exciting as I recall it last time we visited. Popped in to Daunt Books and bought a copy of "Wise Blood", the current Book Club read. Walked southward, crossing Oxford Street, and Grosvenor Square. Nobu, the Japanese restaurant, is located amongst the hotels of Park Lane, overlooking Hyde Park Corner. 

We arrived for a 6pm slot. Nice table near a window. We ordered the five course tasting menu, and a glass of prosecco each. The first course, caviar atop a salmon carpaccio, was delicious, but nothing thereafter really came anywhere near it. It was followed by tuna and salmon sashimi salad, a selection of assorted sushi, black miso cod, beef and mushrooms in an overly salty soy based sauce, and chocolate melt in the middle pudding with matcha ice cream. Not sure it quite lived up to what we expected...doubt we shall return, but an enjoyable, if rather expensive, evening all the same. Walked to Green Park tube station via the park, and caught a train back to Finsbury Park. Reckon I managed to walk 3 miles all told.