One Saturday last month I drove down to the south coast to spend the weekend with my sister and her gorgeous little family. It’s always a joy to spend time with them. It was also good to get out, getting away from my own little life for 48 hours, to exist in different headspace and place.

My sister arranged for us to eat out at Rockwater in Hove. We had a table on the Roof Terrace which would have had great views in the daytime but at eight thirty at night, not so much! We were instead protected from the wind and the rain, in a large but cozy room.

It was like a typical Saturday night out, people celebrating and enjoying life, despite the chaos and carnage of the outside world.

We ordered the duck confit from the sharers menu – sweet and sour apricot, tomato ssamjag and fried wanton with a side of teriyaki potatoes.

The drinks were non-alcoholic cocktails ‘Nordic Phase’ consisting one New London Light ‘Midnight Sun’, Hibicus, Mint and Lime

I was surprised we managed to eat the whole thing, my sister wasn’t. So I figured that I must be challenging my lastest anxiety, ‘I’ll never finish my meals when I go out‘ ! Which I suppose I just need to keep in check so that I don’t ruin one of the pleasures in my life. Sensory specific satiety, however, meant that my dessert stomach was ready and waiting to receive the gorgeous dessert of chocolate and mandarin torte.

I finished the meal happy and not uncomfortably full. It was nice.