hchhewitt: london calling

Mama & Papa Hew's birthdays are on consecutive days which really helps out when it comes to remembering dates and planning birthday celebrations. Every year we tend to double up and plan one big birthday bash. Mama Hew loves watching shows and Papa Hew loves margaritas. The best place to watch a show and sip a margarita? London town.

For lunchtime, a birthday feast in the clouds. On the 40th floor of the Heron Tower is the Duck & Waffle. The restaurant that never closes. No seriously, it's open 24/7. Qwackers!

It felt like we'd walked into an episode of Suits. The men in navy, putting the world to rest.

Then you sit, look outside and feel like the ultimate king of the castle. Ne ne ne ne ne ne neh!

Freshly squeezed blood orange juice

Even the floor is mesmerising. Documenting these for my future home.

When we'd finished oggling the view it was time to get down to business. As a family we suffer from food envy. Eating out is usually an episode of 'Clash of the Forks' as everybody reaches across, sideways, diagonally to tuck in to everybody else's dish. The beauty of the Duck & Waffle is that not only is it wholly acceptable to order and share everything on the menu, but it's precisely how you're supposed to order.

First up, lobster

2 x Angus beef carpaccio with foie gras, truffle and pecorino

Rosemary & rock salt bread

Bacon wrapped dates, stuffed with spicy italian sausage

Smoked mozzarella, granola & amalfi lemon salad

Charred aubergine, cumin yoghurt & flatbreads

Dessert in our family is a bit of a running joke. It's usually only Patch who orders anything, then as soon as it arrives we all take our spoons out of our jacket pockets (alla Joey from F.R.I.E.N.D.S in the one with the cheesecake) and dig in, much to Patch's annoyance. This was no exception.

With our stomachs feeling considerably heavier, the lift down seemed to go faster than the lift up.

For Mama's birthday treat we went to see Warhorse. Which blew us all away.

And for Papa Hew's we ended up in Christopher's Martini Bar.

Papa Hew getting his margarita on

Much better than a birthday cake

Oh go on then as it's your birthday too...

And if you two are having a cocktail, Patch & I might as well join you...

I had the Elderberry. Gin, elderflower & blueberry. Patch went for some pansy virgin cocktail which came with a flower.

They were THAT good, it'd be rude not to have another wouldn't it?

After a long long long deliberation process (cocktail menu panic struck) I went for a Monsoon, some kind of Vodka, Passionfruit & Kumquat thing, and Mama Hew ordered the gentleman next to us' recommendation, Dark Knight, Dark rum, Kumquat & Mandarin.