49. Spy on a Tinder Date (guest edited by Lotti)

What do you do with your Sunday evenings?  If it's not spying on your friend's first date with a stranger whilst wearing large sunglasses and a hat with cat ears, you're not living.

We allowed the hopeful Love Birds an hour to acclimatise, to warm up and get past the awkward nervous tensions.  In we stalked; Anett clad in all black including large sunglasses channelling her inner Jennifer Garner circa Alias, and I, my best detective mac and conspicuous cat-eared cap.  

Exhibit A: spy attire

We sloped to a table within range, close enough to take detailed notes - taken down detective style - but far enough away not to be too obvious when taking photographs.  

Exhibit B: remaining inconspicuous

And here we begin the notes; henceforth Philippa will be referred to as 'The Subject', the unnamed man 'The Date':

• The Subject and The Date are laughing.  A good sign.  Subject clocks us, we nod and take our positions.
• The Date is wearing flip-flops and shorts (Lotti is aghast).  Would suggest he's a little too laid back to function.
• The Subject is wearing her seriously tight jeans and sheer blouse.  Seductive, but not great when consuming large quantities of liquid.  Regular Wee Trips a strong possibility.
• The Subject is leaning in across the table.  The Date may be leaning away but his outstretched feet resting inches from The Subject's betrays his lust.
• Another One Bites The Dust plays. Foretelling the future?
• The Subject displays a coquettish head tilt and splendid eyelash fluttering, our menu fell down in the breeze.
• The Date responds positively.  Leans in.
• Body language is being mirrored.  Golly, get your coats this is going well.
• Things get even sexier, Muse plays [ed. note: Lotti says Muse makes her clothes melt]
• The plot thickens.  We're interrupted by 2 slightly inebriated chaps.  We're offered beverages, politely decline but they sit down anyway.
• We tell them the plan, after some minor judgement they agree to join in.  (Hereafter they shall be referred to as Drunks 1 & 2)

  

  Exhibit C: Drunks 1 and 2

• Phase 2 begins.  Kicks up a gear.  We're heading in.
• Drunks 1 & 2 head over to the table adjacent to The Subject and The Date's
• Drunk 1 drops a menu, collects, drops it, collects it.
• Drunk 2 "Is this a date then?"  A conversation ensues.  The Subject looks nervously at us.
• PANIC! WE'RE BUSTED! ABORT MISSION!
• Drunks 1 and 2 make a swift exit.  Lotti retrieves her stolen hat.

  

  Exhibit D:  drunks undercover

• The Subject heads to the Ladies. Lotti gives chase.
• Quick chat, all is well, he is "a lovely guy" Cover not blown.  We stagger our exit so as not to arouse the suspicion of The Date.
• Full focus is returned to The Subject and The Date.
• The Date leans back and preforms a stretch. Cue involuntary stare at his crotch.  Reasonably impressive.
• [Ed. note: The Subject is a fairly active date.  Arm gestures, facial expressions.  She really gives her all]
• The Date heads to the Gent's.  The Subject heads to the bar.  Anett swoops for an interview.  (See video, exhibit E)

Exhibit E: mid-date interview with Subject

• Cue Lotti's frantic arm waving. The Date returns
• As they order another round we decide to close our books and take our leave.  After all, it is a Sunday.
• The verdict? Too soon to tell.

Spying on a Tinder Date List Trumps!

Cost: 2/5 (You have to buy your own drinks, and depending on the contents of your wardrobe, adequate disguises)

Originality: 4/5 (Most people we spoke to found it odd and borderline "creepy")

Fun factor: 3/5 (It's great analysing a friend's date.  Perhaps more fun not on a school night when more alcohol can be consumed.  Or perhaps on a more active date)

14. Pancake Day!

Tuesday, March 4th
Shrove Tuesday / Pancake Day

with resident pancake destroyer Lotti

Everyone loves pancakes.  Everyone.  And when the whole world (or at least a large proportion of the UK) is making pancakes, we join in.  We weren't doing things by halves though: between the three of us we had plans sweet and savoury, big and small, traditional and Paleo...

A selection of toppings

Rather than opt for traditional sugar and lemon, Anett and Lotti started savoury.  Anett had the first successful flip of the day and turned out this beauty:

Anett's savoury option

Lotti's flip, however, was less successful:

The unfortunate-looking (but still tasty) outcome of the Lotti Flip Massacre

 I'm normally a traditional sugar and lemon kind of girl but alas I'm on a Paleo challenge so no sugar for me and more worryingly, no flour!  Panic not though, dear readers - my friend Chrissy gave me a recipe using banana instead of flour and she even promised it wouldn't taste like banana...

Paleo pancakes in the pan

Now it has to be said that the batter looked like baby vomit.  And it reeeeeally smelled like banana.  I'm brave though so I dropped it into the pan to see what happened and lo and behold, my three dollops of baby vomit turned into three fairly respectable looking pancakes!  I stacked them up in a bowl with natural yogurt, strawberries and blueberries and with only a little Instagramming from Lotti, the result was rather pretty:

Paleo pancake berry stack

It did taste a little bit like banana though!

Pancake Day list trumps ratings!

Cost: 5/5 (cheap and delicious)

Originality: 2/5 (OK everyone was doing it, but we get a point for toppings and a point for Paleo batter)

Fun factor: 5/5 (fun and delicious)