There’s an Italian Restaurant called L’Anima, we filmed there for MasterChef and I really like the Chef, Francesco. He’s from Calabria which is the forestry, mountainous toe cap of Italy. It’s a region few people explore and I like its food. Calabrian’s use chilli like the rest of Italy uses parmesan. They dry them on their doors and call them diavolini, meaning little devils. Anyway, the reason I’m telling you this is they’ve opened up an enormous Italian café/bar just around the corner and it’s really good fun. So if you’re in the city of London, do yourself a favour and pop in.
Most of the week, in fact most of my life at the moment, is being taken up with dancing. I never realised just how much this stuff could get under your skin but it’s wonderful. I just love the dancing. What an amazing fitness regime dancing is. What I’m not enjoying is the increased press interest and with MasterChef just about to start again, dance practice time is at a premium. I don’t know how long I’m going to last but I will give it my best shot.
Twitter, give it up for the @bbcstrictly cast of 2014. #SCD2014 pic.twitter.com/N7ReswEObf
— BBC One (@BBCOne) September 7, 2014
There is a Restaurant on The Aldwych in London called The Delaunay. I must love it, because I found myself eating there 3 times this week. The food is good but not Michelin, the service is good but not phenomenal, it’s just a great big dining room with old fashioned values. It works. It has as a menu a list of simple things I want to eat and the waiters bring it to you without anything going on. I just didn’t realise how much I’d come to rely on it until I realised it was in my diary every second day. Anyway, Google it, have a look yourself.
Tonight I attend the 50th birthday of my oldest friend, Miguel. Mates since we were 16, we both had hair then and much slimmer waists. Very much looking forward to a good old knees up, although I am a little tired from all the dancing I have done already.
There is sure to be more prancing about with dance shoes next week, the only time out is for my ambassadorial role with the Hambo Foundation. Every year, to commemorate the disaster of 9/11, my mates at BGC donate all of their trading fees to a number of carefully chosen charities. It’s an amazing event and I am very proud to be part of it and indeed, represent The Hambo Foundation.
