A less lazy day today which began with a trip to the Southbank (which I last visited back in March) for food, drink and sunshine.

In the UK our main experience of food vans, and most out-door catering, is greasy chips, suspicious burgers and even more suspicious hotdogs. All of which appear late at night and you have to have consumed above a certain level of alcohol to even consider eating from one. But recently all that has began to change. Spreading over from the USA is the rise of the gourmet food van. As a avid reader of many food and drink blogs (and an avid fan of food and drink) I have read with jealousy all about the rise of the food van and patiently waited for it to reach London. This summer it really seems to have hit.

This week I read about Pritt Cue Co and was interested to try their barbecue food. Then I read they served a Pickleback and I knew a visit here was now a must-do.

I have only had a pickleback once and have been itching to have another ever since. I wouldn't even consider making one at home, where's the fun in that? So when I read that this one came with homemade pickle juice and pork crackling I was even more intrigued.

So bright and early (for us) we headed out into the heatwave which has hit London and looked for the van hidden away under Hungerford Bridge on the Southbank.

The day was super hot and it seemed as though everyone in the UK, and Europe and parts of the USA, had all headed to the same square half-mile we had. But we battled through the crowds as there was food and drink to be had!

Once we found the van I perused the food menu (very short- pulled pork or beef brisket) and the drinks menu (much longer but I was only there for the pickleback so didn't really care what else they had. But I did spot they do a Negroni- my 2nd favourite cocktail. Well, this week it's my 2nd, who knows what will be 2nd next week).

As soon as we were served I couldn't wait to take a pic and then get started. The drink didn't disappoint. The pickle juice was quite sweet but still vinegary enough to cut through the whisky. The food was fab and soon we were fed and watered and went for a wander in the heat along the river.

Along the way we looked at lots of colourful beach huts including one by Tim Hunkin of the awesome The Under The Pier Show which I have written about on here three times and hope to visit again soon.

But after not much time the heat and crowds got too much for us so we cut away from them and spotted the urban fox I showed you yesterday. Then it was a walk past The Royal Festival Hall, through the enticing food stalls and back on the train home.

Once home it was back to beading. Unfortunately my new project has reached that point where I need to make a decision about how to continue. I loved my original samples but decided to make these triangles bigger as I wanted more movement in them. But that movement has come at the cost of their 'fatness' and I think they need to be fatter. Or maybe not. What's a girl to do?