The Beat That My Heart Skipped – A blog dedicated to daily design inspirations. By Rohini Wahi.

This week I’ve been counting down the minutes and seconds until my sister gets back from traveling. 6 months ago she decided to travel around Oz, New Zealand and Tokyo with her partner Ben and 4 year old daughter, Jasmine. Jasmine is actually MY daughter – there was a biological mix up but I kindly offered to let my sister keep her, provided I could have 24/7 access.

We are quite a close knit family [read Brady Bunch] and my mother, being French n’all, has been acting like there’s been a death in the family since my sister ‘left us’. Given that my mum still insists we text to let her know we got back safely from their house [an hour away], she didn’t take the ‘erm, we’re thinking of going traveling for 6 months’ news well. So you can imagine how she’s handling all the malarkey with that pesky volcano.

First there was the initial panic that her youngest would be stranded in Tokyo without food or shelter. However, my sister, being the jammy sibling that she is, just happened to book her return flight on the day after the air ban was lifted. So it looks like she’s flying back on time but now mother is having a wobbly about it not being safe to fly. She recites facts about ash particles hitting planes like she’s some kind of aviation expert and she’ll be pacing the kitchen like a trapped lion until her babies are home safely under her wing.

All this angst will no doubt have been poured into excessive food preparation for the grand homecoming – recipe books will have been scoured; a year’s supply of food will have been crammed into the too-small fridge and my dad will be cowering in a corner on the other side of the house. It’s probably not the best time to announce that I’ve started a detox. I

t’s supposed to be scorchio for the next few days so for those of you who aren’t lucky enough to savour my mum’s welcome home feast, here’s a selection of some of the best alfresco dining spots in London. There are obviously loads  I haven’t included so please add your favourites in the comments section as I fully intend to flex my gastronomic tastebuds this summer.

The Albion. 10 Thornhill Road, Islington, N1 1HW. T: 020 7 607 7450. Book ahead if you want a table at this fantastic gastropub. Check out all the lovely shops on Upper Street and then fill your stomach in the gorgeous wisteria covered beer garden. It won The Observer Food Monthly award for ‘Best Sunday Lunch 2009’ and my favourites include cornfed spatchcock poussin and the delicious burgers. You can also order a whole roast suckling pig for 10 people. Vegetarians literally squeal when it arrives. Oink.

The Junction Tavern, 101 Fortess Road, NW5 1AG. Tel: 020 7485 9400. This is a really friendly gastropub in Kentish Town. It boasts a large heated outdoor garden and the menu changes daily. Come here for the chilled out Sunday lunches and bloody Marys.

Lemonia. 89 Regents Park Road, NW1 8UY. Tel: 020 7586 7454. I LOVE Greek food and always seem to return to this friendly, atmospheric restaurant in Primrose Hill. Go for the set mezes which are not for the faint hearted. You’ll be brought course after course of delicious Greek nosh which brings on serious food sweat. Hang out in the alfresco dining area or go for the tables on the pavement and play ‘spot the celebrity’. It’s
always mobbed so book in advance.

Avalon. 16 Balham Hill, SW12 9EB.  Decisions, decisions. Where to sit? This beautiful pub sports 3 outdoor areas including a stunning landscaped rear garden. Choose from the extensive Mediterranean grill menu. I like the sound of the Merguez hot dog with shimichurri salsa and Pugh’s Middlewhite piglet [in a bap]. I like how they put that in brackets like it’s really wrong.

The Serpentine Bar & Kitchen. Serpentine Road, Hyde Park, London W2 2UH. Tel: 020 7706 8114.  A beautifully designed restaurant with an amazing view over the lake to the Serpentine bridge. Order seasonal dishes like mussels with shallots and cider or just stuff your face with homemade ice cream.  They actually have their own retro Citroen H van serving up ice creams made from natural ingredients. No Mr Whippys here.

Boundary Rooftop. 2-4 Boundary Street, Shoreditch, London, E2 7DD. Tel: 020 7729 1051. This is the latest venture from Conran who opened this amazing restaurant in Spitalfields last year. The rooftop restaurant has 360° views of London and includes a large bar and an open fireplace. They even have blankets for those chilly evenings. The garden was designed by Nicola Lesbirel so it’s pretty gorgeous. Lobster, rabbit and 28 day aged rib eye are all on offer at the delicious grill. It only seats 48 and closes if it rains so book ahead and check the weather before you go.

Inn the Park. St James’s Park, London, SW1A 2BJ. Tel: 020 7451 9999. Come for a simple, stylish lunch ‘Inn the Park’. Oh the humour. This stunning building was designed by Hopkins Architects and overlooks the lake at St James’s Park. The menu this month includes beetroot dumplings, Skate and Roast Gloucester old Spot.

The Garden Café at Regents Park. Queen Mary’s Garden. Tel: 020 7935 5729.  Located in the Inner Circle of Regent’s Park this is the perfect spot for lunch or a glass of vino before the Open Air Theatre [this starts at the end of May - I can’t wait]. I’m probably not going to sell it when I say that the food’s not the best nor that cheap but you can’t beat it for the surroundings alone. Book in advance or they’ll laugh in your pleading little face.

Stein’s. 55 Richmond towpath, TW10 6UX. 020 8948 8189. You know what it’s like. You’re hungry, you want some sun and you’re craving a bit of Bavarian cuisine. Well look no further because Stein’s offers authentic Munich beer and all the wursts you can eat by the Thames. It was started by owner Reinhard who’s an architect at 3s Architects so it’s a pretty cool venue with outdoor only seating. Hooray.

Oxo Tower Restaurant, bar and brasserie. 8th floor, Oxo Tower Wharf, Barge House Street, South Bank, London, SE1 9PH. T:020 7803 3888. OK, so I haven’t actually eaten here but I do live in hope of being whisked away to this rooftop brasserie one day [I’ll ask Matt to proofread this later]. I have however checked out the view from the top, whilst pretending to look at the menu so I can assure you that it has one of the best views in London. The food’s not cheap but [apparently] it’s delicious. It includes sea bass with Devon crab herb mash and charcoal grilled lamb rump. Yep, I think I have a window next Friday Matt. Happy eating! Valerie x