Shot By Both Sides

Well I was taking my life in my hands hitting the beach this afternoon. Dangerous Cross Currents and Jellies. Still I gritted my teeth and lay down my towel. Only 3 days of sunshine left can't waste time worrying.

Stormy Weather

Last night it rained really hard and kept going till about 11am this morning. The winds are very strong, a little dangerous in the exposed areas but warm. The Ocean was amazing - the warning flags were all red for Danger. All my beach pictures are shaky like this I think it was too hard to hold the camera steady. Really beautiful though.

Miami Heat

90 degrees today.

By The Dawns Early Light

Today was a good day. No jelly fish, no dangerous currents, just heat. I even went into the sea for 5 minutes - there are fish in there you see them even in the shallows. I over heard the jet ski guys talking about seeing a big sting ray and they don't go out all that far - not something I want to run into.

Fries With That?

So we were back in Ballan's this morning. Richard continues to be a terrible influence on me and I find myself eating eggs, sour dough toast and home fries. I am starting a juice fast as soon as he leaves, which is tomorrow night, which gives me 6 days to relocate my hip bones. I am not sure banana & peanut butter smoothies count as juice though.

Pancake Day

I have to have pancakes at least once each time I come to America. Today was pancake day, served with fruit and walnut butter at Ballans. The same sleazy Ballans that we have in Soho only the Miami branch is so much better.

Fear & Loathing

The meeting this morning was largely awful. People talking about therapy (that obviously had not worked), yelling about what other people should do. Banging on and on about nothing much at all. A few of my favourites saved the day. I ate 3 cookies during the meeting. I am not crazy about eating processed American food I think of animal fat and growth hormones its a disturbing thought...

Risk Management

Of course South Beach is fraught with danger! Today we had 2 flags, one for dangerous marine life (yuk) and the second for dangerous cross currents. It's almost impossible to relax around here.

A little of what you like ...

I am having my cake and eating it  (and they said it couldn't be done) with coffee (I'll sleep when I am dead). This German Chocolate cake from Ice Box is amazing. It is dark moist chocolate sponge with sugary coconut flakes and chocolate chips as the filling. I know it sounds disgusting but it is divine. Not many of the sweet things in America are particulary nice so its easy to be 'good'. Ice Box however has the best cakes including about 5 different styles of chocolate cake. London is I think cake capital of the world so I am not easily impressed but this is heaven.

In London my favourite deserts are

• Mille Feuille from Maison Berteaux (pastry, cream and strawberries)
• Strawberry Choux from Maison Berteaux (as above but organised differently)
• Iphasan from Laduree (rose macaroon, rose cream and lychee)
• Frozen Yogurt from SNOG (ice cold, bitter and full of probiotics just like me)
• True Blood Pie from Bob (bitter red fruit and walnuts in low GI pastry - so he says)

A message from home

Tim who is working as a cycle courier back in London today, messaged me to say that they had just had a moments silence on their radio's for a motor cycle courier who was killed in a traffic accident last week. That they all donated the fee for a job to his family. He said he was really moved. Moved? My cold heart stopped beating! I told him to please don't be next, not to take risks, not to be complacient. I want every driver in London to drive carefully because my  perfect son is in the traffic.

We stand at a crossroads

It can take about a day and a half to cross the bloody street around here. The roads are wide, minimum 4 lanes and often 6. They have this signal system like at home, where you press a button and then ... nothing happens ... for ages. No way can you risk not waiting though its really scary. Richard walks out into the path of oncoming traffic tapping away on his Blackberry. I stand on the curb screaming, largely because he has not signed the apartment over to me yet.