breakfasting...

Over the last year or so I have become a big fan of going out for breakfast (or brunch as it often ends up being due to the lure of a Saturday morning lie in). It's become a semi-regular way to start a Saturday, and is often followed by a bit of charity shop shopping... Regular partners in crime are Elaine or my sister, with Helen making a debut appearance last week... Boston Tea Party (especially the Whiteladies one) is a bit of a favourite (the scrambled eggs and chai lattes are splendid), but Havana Coffee and Cafe Delight have also proved worthy venues...

I'm not sure what I like about it so much. Maybe it's the feel of a cafe on a Saturday morning - the pace is so much more relaxed and laid back than it is during the week or later on a Saturday. People with a coffee and a paper mingle with hungover post revellers, tucking into a big fry up. Maybe it's the sheer indulgence of going out for a meal that too often is a hurried practicality during the week... Monday to Friday, I opt for efficiency in the form of museli. At the weekend I choose porridge, enjoying having the extra time required to cook and eat it. Going out is in a whole different league - it's making an event out of what is often gobbled down in a frantic hurry. And the range of breakfast food available is amazing. Waffles, croissants, toast, bagels (mmmm bagels), fry ups, bacon sarnies and everything inbetween. Things I'd probably never buy for breakfast at home...

Catching up with a friend over smoked salmon and scrambled eggs on a bagel... a pretty perfect way to start the weekend in my opinion...