Ladies who Lunch...

The restaurant was full of them....and us!  :-))

And so, after a wonderful Saturday build up the main event, Sunday arrived and we smartened ourselves up and headed to The Gleneagles Hotel for Sunday lunch at the Strathearn Restaurant.

LeeAnne offered to be Chauffeur and Gail my Lady-in-Waiting who carried my bag and jacket as required.  She also delivers a mean curtsy :-)  

After being ushered in by the kilted doorman, we sat a moment in the plush foyer watching the world go by, before making our way along to the restaurant to being an afternoon of sheer delight.

Perfect ambiance, perfect food and perfect company.   There was even a grand piano being played beautifully in the background.  If David ever gets bored with retirement he can offer his services at the Strathearn, although that would involve the clientele tolerating a slight change of repertoire, style and ability.   Hhmmm on second thoughts...

Despite being on our best behaviour, we did have a giggle.  The least said about LeeAnnes' sticky toffee pudding the better and you have no idea what (allegedly) goes on under the tables of ultra posh restaurants.  Well perhaps you do but it was a revelation to me!  

But the star of the afternoon was most definitely the food.   It was absolutely delicious.   Fancy enough to make it special but simple enough to make it real.  No fancy froths, white bean Velouté or parmesan crisps,  just delicious Hebridean crab, prawns, herb salad, Perthshire lamb, perfectly cooked vegetables and the desserts.....OMG the desserts.   Definite When Harry met Sally moment for all three of us as we tasted the first mouthfuls of those plates of heaven.

I have been lucky enough to eat at the the two Michelin Start Restaurant Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles twice and have enjoyed the experience both times, but I have to say the food I ate today in the Strathearn I enjoyed just as much, in fact I would go as far as say I enjoyed it more.   It was superb.   

After coffee and some naughty but very delicious petit fours, it was time to head back to mine (not before LeeAnne lost me then thought I'd been carted away in an ambulance!  Hahahahaha.....Gail and I are very cruel to her :-)  Just time to pose in front of a mirror before sending our chauffeur for the car and Gail once again carrying my jacket and curtsying at the right moment.

Back at mine we were forced to open more champagne (none for poor LeeAnne who was driving home) and laugh as we went over our afternoon.

LeeAnne headed off and Brian came to collect Gail.  They stayed for tea though, which given all that we'd eaten earlier was a basic picnic dinner of Italian meats, salad and olives.

Brian brought Boris with him and now, even more than ever, we want a dog!  He is gorgeous.  He tried to get on my knee (almost 40kg of dog!) by only managed his front paws and half his belly, but the was enough to let him nuzzle my neck and almost lick me to death.  I love him!  The most hilarious thing was listening to the conversation between him and David in the kitchen on their own whilst we were sitting at the dining table.   David really was born to be a doggy dad :-))

All too soon it was time for them to head off and take Boris too.  The house seemed empty without him.  Hmmmm....really need to have a proper think about dog ownership.  I suspect it will happen sooner rather later :-)))

Thank you ladies, for the most perfect 50th birthday treat.  I loved every minute of your company :-)  xx