Tuesday 2 June 2009

A Weekend Retreat

I've just come back from the loviest of weekends. I treated G for his birthday to a night in a 4 star hotel and dinner at the Michelin star restaurant, Le Poussin at The Whitley Ridge Hotel. Due to G's extremely busy diary in May (for that read various sporting events) we've only just been.
We stayed at The Rhinefield House Hotel which is in Brockenhurst. It's off the beaten track, in the heart of the New Forest and thank goodness for good directions as if you wouldn't find it if you weren't looking. We arrived just in time for afternoon tea and it was the most glorious of afternoons. It was hot with barely a cloud in the sky. After tea we had a stroll around the gardens and the woods. There was a wedding at the hotel and I thought it was just a wonderful setting, great for the photos.
After a wash and brush up and a quick drink we got a cab to the restaurant. Along the way we say lots of ponies grazing but one young colt obviously was in high sprits as he charged along the roadside and then dashed out in front of our cab! At the restaurant we sat on the terrace with an apperitif and watching the sun go down. It was so beautiful and very romantic.

The meal was superb. G started with sea bream & I had a cheese souffle, then we had confit of duck and we shared a pudding which was just titled 'chocolate'. This was actually 4 small desserts on a plate; fondant, baby banana split, mousse & rice crispies slices. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm is all I can say! All washed down with a Barola. We took coffee and joined a lively party who one member tried to convince us one was a MP. Maybe he was (as they all know how to stretch the truth), as he tried to tell me I looked 29 (!!) and must be on 'monkey glands' (!!!) After I fainted over the size of the bill we went back to the hotel for a nightcap before popping to bed feeling slightly drunk and quite full up
After just making it for breakfast we sat by the pool, such hard work in 26 degree heat! As it stared to cloud over at about 2pm we made our way home for a much deserved cup of tea.




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