Roller Disco, Baby!

Friday night I went out with the girls to Roller Disco (at Vauxhall in London). At first, it was hard to believe roller skating ever came naturally to me, but within an hour I had found my groove again. It's worth going for the 80's garb alone....good times.

My First Pub Quiz

Pub quizzes are an English institution - and one - until tonight - that I had yet to experience. But my friend Olly (who seems to get a lot of play in this blog) changed all that when he invited me to join a team of real-life English people at the "Night of Champions" pub quiz at the Hurlingham Pub on Wandsworth Bridge Road.

Now, I am not a pub quiz champion - that would be quite impossible given I have never participated in one before. But clearly they were not checking credentials at the door. I arrived just in time to a flurry of camera crews and exited people drinking beer - and the first question was asked two seconds after arriving at my table (I was running very late coming from work at Canary Wharf - the stupid Jubilee Line had been shut down and the DLR was only running one way). 

I made some impressive contributions within minutes. "What is the current U.S. President's middle name?" OOOH I know that - WALKER! "Who was the infamous woman who made news for cutting off her husband's...." OOOOH I KNOW, LORENA BOBBIT!!!!!!!

And.....that was precisely the END of my pub quiz contributions. Later on, I very passionately insisted on two answers I just KNEW were correct, but they were not. (The movie themeline "It's never too late to turn it all around" is from the film "8 Mile," NOT "Vanilla Sky." And Mr. Selfridge coined the phrase "The Customer is Always Right," NOT Mr. Woolworth). I SWEAR I thought the Americans invented customer service.

We ended round one with 10 answers correct out of 25. And I don't think we even got 5 answers from round two. I spent the entire second half only focusing on an anagram we never solved - why did I not see that the letters that form the word "consumerist" also form the word "misconstrue" ??

But despite finishing at the back of the pack, I now know lots of crap that I did not know before. Like, there are 27 cards in a Tarot deck. And Sophia Loren was the first actress to win an Oscar for a foreign-language film. I SHOULD have remembered that scarebs are also known as "dung beetles" and fruit stewed in sugar is a "compote" - but those facts had temporarily escaped me. Until the answers were read at least.

The quiz ended in a tie-breaker between two teams of impossibly dorky men. And an infuriating man named "Just Ralph" or something like that managed to come in third all on his own. Seriously people, get a life already (not that I'm bitter or anything).

I am grateful to my British teammates for letting me take part in this humble-pie eating contest - even though Olly somehow suckered me into paying for his dinner and beer when it was all over.

Heathrow

Moving fast, stuck inside my head
Temporarily freed by coffee and a call
The deluge of thoughts I can’t possibly organize or ignore
Suspended by the routine of security and unloading
Only to pack it all up again
What's it all for
Being alone with all these people
Passing delayed time reading on tarmacs
It might get bumpy
All communication silenced until coming back to life upon arrival
The world was trying to find us
Luxuriously captive no more
Irises scanned, the machine thanks me
Waiting for the carousel number
Exchanging smiles with a stranger and laughing at a kid
Things become my home - I’m happy to see them come around
And I’m leaving again with nothing to declare

I am a doughnut! (a jelly doughnut, to be exact)

I just celebrated the New Year in Germany the traditional way - with jelly doughnuts, known as "Berliners" (because they originated in Berlin). And oh my golly were they yummy. I had to fight off the strong desire to have another.

I feel like JFK on his 1963 visit to Berlin, when he triumphantly declared, "Ich bin ein Berliner," meaning to say that he was one with the people of Berlin, or a citizen of Berlin. But some interpreted his words to mean "I am a jelly doughnut." (The critics say he should have said, "Ich bin Berliner" - whatever!)

But after eating that delicious doughnut, I am definitely feeling one with the people of Edelman Hamburg who brought me this tasty late afternoon treat and, um, cultural experience.

Easing (ok, Crashing) into the New Year with Uggs, DIY Haircuts, Work, Detox, Bruises, Cherries, Germany and Those Darned Resolutions!

Happy 2008!

I am happy in Hamburg, sitting in my favorite hotel, enjoying a crisp winter night with the door open to the terrace (hey - there's an invitation for all the stalkers!). My colleague Pia informed me before I left London that "it is warm here" - which means you still need the winter coat, but won't freeze while outside, cursing life. And she was right - I didn't need my coat from baggage claim to the taxi, so as the people (somewhere) say, "woo hoo!"

Lots of exciting things happening in life right now. Let me see, where to start....

I am back at work. "Exciting" is definitely a word for that. But luckily I am feeling re-energised and ready to rock after 2 glorious weeks in the States for the holiday.

A word (or 100) about the holiday: Got lots of QT with family and friends between MD, DC and NY. God bless America. And all the people I love there. It was restorative - at least after the first week, once I recovered from the exotic cold I brought with me from the U.K. (much love to my sweet MaMa who brought me tea, snacks, magazines and drugs in bed). But after I felt better, I did lots of dinners, visits, parties, shopping, movies, cooking, laying on the couch reading books and magazines, driving aimlessly, catching up with lots of people, thinking about nothing....also spent lots of time with my hysterical neices, a highlight being learning the dances from "High School Musical" thanks to the "High School Musical Remix" DVD someone gave my neice Elise. Think I was the last one standing from that exercise. Boy, I sure can't keep up with the way the kids are dancing these days - think my MTV dreams are now officially shattered.

Speaking of shattered, I'm in a state of recovery after some not-so-mysterious bruises appeared all over my body one morning while in NYC. After ice skating the night before. After some cocktails. But that's all I'll say about that. Except you should never mix cocktails and skating. And it's really something to see Rockerfeller Center from your back looking straight up, the tree is really dazzling from that angle with all those dancing lights! By the way, that is not a picture of me to the left...I was wearing a fuschia leotard with sequins and feathers on my skate-night outing. :)

But moving onto nicer topics...My best discovery of late has been the pair of Uggs (boots) I bought myself over Christmas. I have long thought that these boots were the ugliest things known to mankind and swore I wouldn't be caught dead in a pair. But never say never. After deciding my feet could no longer handle the pressure of high heels on the cobblestone streets of London, I caved and bought a pair of these bizarre Australian sheepskin surfer boots that everyone swears by. And they have not dissapointed. As a matter of fact, I really don't ever want to take them off and am already plotting to buy my next ugly pair. I know, I am about 7 years behind the trend, but my feet have never been warmer or more cosy. It's like having your tootsies in a warm fluffy cloud. And they are soooo great on airplanes. This marks a major new era in my life - Before, in NYC, I would withstand any amount of pain, cold and hardship for the sake of being fashionable and think nothing of it. My sister constantly protested my stilettos, saying that "NY women have no sense when it comes to footwear" (she is an L.L. Bean treehugger). But, I have clearly entered a new age of maturity, sacrificing all fashion sense for comfort. I guess people really can change. I still wear my fancy shoes when I have to, but I don't commute in them anymore (i.e. walk to work) and I certainly don't like it. Ok, enough free word of mouth for Uggs...they're not even a client!

Next topic: DIY haircuts. While bored last Sunday evening, I decided to cut some bangs (or a "fringe" as they call it in England) for myself. That did not turn out so good. So I ended up at the John Freida salon on New Cavendish Street two short days later, where a nice man named Mark fixed the damage after my tearful confession and pledge to never cut my own hair again (just kidding, there were no tears, just some stifled giggles on his part...as if English people didn't already make me feel stupid enough). So I now have a fashionable new fringe, done right. I guess I just can't kick that 6-year old impulse to sneak the scissors from the drawer and go to town!

So, in Hamburg, I am enjoying all things kirche (cherry) - got some delicious cherry mint chewing gum by Orbit, and some very nice cherry yogurt. Delicioso. I would say that in German, but I left my German dictionary at home (they just laugh at me anyway when I try to speak the language here).

I have been detoxing this week trying to recover from all the Christmas cheer. I bought the Boots brand 5-day detox kit (it's a "breakthrough" formula -- and now available at Target in the U.S. as well!) which includes 5 vials of mystery fluid that you pour into a litre bottle of water each day, and a pill you take with the mystery liquid. It tastes really terrible (I didn't realise when I purchased that they had flavours, so I ended up with the plain "yuck" flavour). But I have been adding some elderflower cordial (non-alcoholic) to it which makes it potable. Of course, the sugar in the cordial probably cancels out any benefit of the detox, but whatever. I have also not been drinking any alcohol or caffeine (minus a cup of tea here and there), so I am feeling a little giddy. But I don't plan to remain righteous for long, I will resume my morning cups of coffee and afternoon cappuccinos as soon as these "new year new you" shennanigans lose their appeal. I actually feel MORE hyper without the caffeine. Some say that's "high on life," I say it is "crazy withdrawl symptoms from a chemical dependency."

And last but not least, I made three New Years resolutions, to 1) get to work by 9:30, 2) not eat so much chocolate and 3) go to the gym. I broke all three of them on the very first day back at work. Resolutions are stupid...I should just stick with my favourite stand-by resolution each year, which is to just drink more water.

Ok, I fear I may be further damaging my reputation with this enlightening post, so I am going to go now. But stay tuned for my next post on my Croatian holiday....the one I took 5 months ago. Hey, better late than never...and now's a good time to be reminissing about hot weather!

Les Marchés de Noël de Belgique

Last weekend, my friend Kate and I went to Belgium to shop the Christmas markets. We first went to Liege (took the Eurostar via Brussels) where we spent the day on Saturday, then went to Brussels on Sunday.

I selected Liege because I read on the Internet that the city hosts the largest Christmas market in Belgium with 200+ stalls of food, drink, presents and crafts. Because of this, they call it "Christmas Town." What's not to like about that to get into the holiday spirit?

We left on Friday evening from the new Eurostar terminal at the newly restored St. Pancras Station in London (it's rather grand with a very nice champagne bar on the upper level). We arrived in Brussels about two hours later, then caught a commuter train that landed us in Liege in about another hour and a half (we were on a very slow train with many stops). We got to Liege around 11:30pm.

Liege is the third largest city in Belgium behind Brussels and Antwerp. I don't know what I was expecting, but it was not a pretty city. The weather was pretty cold, grey and awful, so that didn't exactly cast a nice light to help matters. I should have suspected it's not a stop on the tourist trail given my Lonely Planet guide to Europe didn't even bother including it.

Anyway, Kate and I stayed at a hotel located in the "Outremeuse" neighborhood, as it is on the other side of the river Meuse from the city's historic center...sort of like the left bank of Paris, only Liege is not in any way like Paris, except for the fact that like most European cities, it has a river running through it and the people speak French.

I'm still a bit confused by the city. Nowhere did I read that it was ugly or strange, which was my first impression. I read it had some interesting churches, museums and cobblestone streets. But it's charm (if there was any) was completely lost on Kate and I - it seemed like the city time had forgotten, with evidence of some past grandeur, all of which had seemingly fallen into neglect and decay. And whatever architecture wasn't old was just plain.....ugly.

The Christmas market (Le Marche Noel, to be native) wasn't so bad, and its appeal actually grew on us as the day and evening went on. It is located in the city's vast but unimpressive main square (backed by an old palace that is in need of a good power-washing), peppered with all the little log cabins and a big gaudy ferris wheel. 

The majority of the cabins offered food and drink -- waffles, sausages, chocolate, vin chaud (hot red wine), cider, fruit-infused vodkas, french fries (served with mayonnaise), assorted cheeses, cotton candy (or candy floss as they call it here), a local savoury dish that looked like mac and cheese, beer, bars of nougat with almonds, crepes/pancakes (cherry, apple and banana), homemade candy, hot baked Cammebert....it was a feast for the eyes and all deliciously tempting. There was also an assortment of craft booths with a variety of small treasures....ornaments, wooden games, candles, jewellry, pottery, etc.

We started the day at a warm and bustling little cafe and bakery we found off the main square. Obviously a popular spot with the locals, we had a couple coffees, Kate had a warm goat cheese salad and I had a delicious ham and mushroom quiche. It was a nice haven for what seemed to be such a strange place.

Over the next few hours, we browsed all the stalls, picked up a few gifts, enjoyed a delicious fresh waffle and warmed up with some vin chaud (many of the booths served Gluwein, a popular German hot red wine that was a yummy revelation to me).

Around 4pm, we strayed from the market to explore beyond the main square and see what else was in the city center. Though still a seemingly deserted city (or maybe it was just the dreary rainy weather that kept the world indoors), there were a couple streets full of antique shops and art galleries - so clearly there is some culture to be found in Liege, perhaps enhanced on a nicer day. We also came across a couple old churches/cathedrals and climbed the massive "Buren Stairs" which provided a sweeping view of the city from the top (and also reminded me how dreadfully out of shape I am as I found myself winded during the climb).

Our wander ended with a stop in a sweet little cafe and chocolate shop where I picked up some more treats. It had started to rain, so Kate and I stopped into a cute little bar on the main square. We enjoyed a couple Chimay Bleu beers, which are 9% alcohol (I love Chimay, it's so good and served in big fun round glasses) so we felt warm and dizzy after. 

We ate dinner at a rather fancy restaurant called Nun's, tucked away in an old building by the Buren stairs. We walked into the almost hidden entrance and found ourselves in a warm downstairs area with a swanky little lounge. There were two levels of the restaurant which served different cuisine. Downstairs was "continental" and upstairs was Thai. We chose the Thai option and went upstairs to a lofty and light dining room where we enjoyed some appetizers and curries. It was pretty good.

After dinner, we were compelled to go back to the market, which by that time seemed like a completely transformed place. Much prettier at night, all the stalls were alight and it had turned into an all-out festive and crowded party. Only then did we understand the allure of the Christmas Market. It's not about daytime shopping, but about a place that locals from all around can come together to enjoy time with their friends and family over lots of food and drink. The place was packed, with people warming themselves under the propane heaters drinking and eating all the warm yummies. We stuck around for another glass of vin chaud and enjoyed being part of the crowd as we talked and people-watched. By this point, the weekend had become a rather enjoyable experience. 

Before leaving the market, we stopped at one last food stall where Kate got another waffle (the batter goes into the waffle iron as a ball of dough rather than a liquid, which is what I think makes the consistency so nice and delicious), and I got an apple pancake - which was doused with powdered sugar and then folded and eaten like a thick crepe -- oh my golly was it good. We ate on the go as we crossed the river back to our hotel.

As we arrived back to our hotel on the dark, rainy street, we had to stop and laugh. A dark and foreboding looking building, the hotel sported a green neon light that ran the length of the hotel, with an accompanying green neon sign that said "Hotel." It looked like something out of a Martin Scorcese film. We laughed quickly though and ran inside -- it was not the kind of street that said "hang out and stay for awhile silly tourist girls..."

Neither one of us slept well that night. The street outside was very noisy all night with lots of loud people passing by, car alarms going off, and a man who seemed to be locked out of a place across the street at about 4am who yelled up to a window for about an hour in a language that couldn't be identified. Though we should have been angry when we both woke up the next morning with dark circles under our eyes (that was strange), all we could do was laugh. It was an adventure. It was funny.

We packed up our stuff and went downstairs for breakfast. We had a local Leige specialty which was like a rice pudding in a quiche-like form...it was good. The lady who ran the hotel was very nice and called us a taxi to the train station when we were finished. I was really impressed with Kate's French. She did all the talking for us and though she said her French was bad, I found her to be quite good.

Feeling we had seen all we wanted to of Leige, we got the heck out of dodge and took the train to Brussels. It must have been an express train, because the ride back was a bit shorter with only a couple stops.

We arrived in Brussels around noon, put our bags in a locker at the train station, then took a taxi to the Christmas Market in St. Catherine's Square. This was a pretty big market too, running the length of the long, rectangular square next to the cathedral and also sporting an ice skating rink and ferris wheel. This market was more crafts than food, but there was still plenty of vin chaud and waffles to satisfy the round of seconds we knew we would want later.

After browsing the stalls, we went for a late lunch/early dinner on the square where we each had a big lovely pot of moulets et frites (mussels and french fries) - a Belgian specialty. Yum. Then, we walked out (in the rain again) and it seemed the temperature had dropped by about twenty degrees. We then went into the old cathedral and had a look at the exhibition of Russian icons on display, then went back to the waffle stand at the market where we each had one last hot Belgian waffle -- this time served with a hefty dusting of powdered sugar AND melted warm chocolate. I have one word about this....no, two: YUM and GLUTTONY.

Stomachs uncomfortably full, we set out to find a taxi which proved to be really hard. Walking around the city in the drizzly rain, Brussels put me in mind of a smaller Paris. We finally got a taxi about a half hour later and made it back to the station about an hour before our train left.

A successful shopping trip, I left with an array of lovely chocolates (including a bag of butter truffles which truly do melt like butter in the mouth), some hard candy flavoured with violet, a few bars of nougat with almond (one of which I just finished consuming myself this morning, it was a big bar that took a few days to get through), two wooden puzzle games, a couple wooden ornaments, two silk pashminas for gifts, a gorgeous set of painted glass ornaments of the three wise men (those are keepsakes for me), and some very nicely-scented French soaps.

I had (appropriately) brought the book "Chocolat" with me which I read on the ride home. It is a REALLY great book -- I am almost finished with it, and think I will be sad when it ends! It is one of the most enjoyable books I have read, and after a weekend filled with chocolate, I am completely into it. Actually, it has given me the delusion that I would like to learn to make chocolate and open a shop. Could it be that Liege, of all places, has been the inspiration for my next career?   

We like to party.

Edelman had its annual Christmas party on December 4th (they call it "Christmas" here, not "holiday" like in New York). It was held at a very nice venue called the Lindley Hall in London (part of the Royal Horticultural Halls and Conference Center). I worked late, so I missed dinner and most of the performance (which was a bit like Cirque du Soleil), but I came in time for plenty of drinks and dancing. This is a picture of some of the gals I work with. From left to right: Kate, Vinnie, me, Amber, Nicole, and Faye. I especially like this photo because of Amber's disregard for the fact that a photo is being taken in favour of fully enjoying her drink. Who can blame her?


This is a picture of the Lindley Hall

The Stroopwafel

While visiting my friend Kate in Amsterdam last weekend, I discovered the Stroopwafel. Two super-thin small crispy waffles pasted together with a thin layer of gooey vanilla syrup. And boy are they delicious, the perfect partner for coffee. I've since discovered that EAT, a sandwich shop chain in London also makes/sells them under the name "Toffee Waffles." However, they are not as good, so the original will have to remain a guilty pleasure when in the Netherlands.

The Hotel New York, Rotterdam

Last week I attended a meeting in Rotterdam. It was a cold, dreary day -- certainly not weather that enhanced the look of the city.

The cab pulled up to the meeting venue, the Hotel New York. A large industrial brick building facing the waterfront on the city's "left bank" of the Maas, I assumed the interior, based on the name, would be some ultra-modern affair, mimicking the SoHo or Tribeca Grand variety of hotel in Manhattan that has become the cliche style of so many boutique hotels around the world these days.

But when I walked into the stark brick entryway, past the random stack of old fashioned luggage and through the heavy black iron revolving door, I was a bit confused and hit with a very different sensation. Was this New York? Was the hotel finished? What did it smell of....old books? What is this decor? It's kind of....retro...sort of...super old school.....like...Ellis Island New York. There was a palpable energy in the place....a good energy, but a bit somber. Or, maybe it was just the dreary day.

The air of mystery was lifted when a Dutch colleague told me that the hotel was built more than 100 years ago and served as the former headquarters of the Holland America Line (somehow I missed the giant "HOLLAND-AMERIKA LIJN" sprawled across the top of the outside of the building -- that's the thing that happens when you're rushing into a meeting).

America and Holland are inextricably linked. And moreover, so are nearby Amsterdam and New York....after all, New York was originally known as "New Amsterdam," founded by Henry Hudson in 1614, who left from Holland and fell upon what is now Manhattan via the (aptly named) Hudson River while seeking a passage to the East Indies.

The first ship "Rotterdam" was built in 1872 and the Holland-Amerika Lijn was started in 1896 with direct steam ship service to America, thus placing Rotterdam in a place of prominence in migrant transport history -- the primary destination being New York from 1873 to 1978.

But as the hotel's brochure so poignantly points out, high points in migrant history equal low points in world history. Rotterdam saw huge numbers of Eastern European migrants, mostly Jews, leave their homes in huge numbers for America in the most unhappy of circumstances. In the last quarter of the nineteenth century, 1,300 journeys were made: 90,000 saloon passengers and 40,000 third class passengers made the crossing.

In November 1971, the Nieuw Amsterdam II made it's final crossing from Rotterdam, marking an end to Rotterdam's 100 year shipping history. In 1977, the Holland-Amerika Lijn's headquarters moved to Seattle in the U.S. where the company became the Holland America Line and the old HQ in Rotterdam was put up for sale.

"And so the building stood there, with its two green towers acting not only as a landmark in the Rotterdam harbor, but also as a landmark in history. A silent witness, wondering about the fate of those people she had seen depart the shores, and all of those who had sailed under the banner of the HAL."

A solidarity is no doubt felt between the cities of Rotterdam and New York. And when you step foot into the Hotel New York (especially if you're an ex-New Yorker), you feel it. Despite the bustling cafe/restaurant and all the modern touches the hotel might offer now, it feels of a past that you were not part of but somehow know and understand...maybe it was a dream you had many years ago or a story that was told to you. It’s a place that you know, though the city is unfamiliar. The ambience is unmistakably New York, though in a different time and different era... maybe you experienced it in another life. The past and present come together in this place far away from home, and it's a little bit of magic in yet another corner of the world that you never expected to be, but that makes you feel part of something in time and space that’s all connected.

A Weekend of Thanks, Indeed.

I had a very nice Thanksgiving in London this year. I suppose to compensate for being away from home once again, I celebrated twice!

I worked all day Thursday, so it was nice to be invited to my friend Lindsay and Mike's home in Islington in the evening to wind down over a warm and cosy Thanksgiving dinner. There were seven of us total and it was lovely. Mike took the day off from work to perform his duties as master chef, and he did not dissapoint with a delicious squash soup to start (look at the pictures, it was like a spread from Bon Appetit magazine!), a yummy turkey with stuffing and cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and the mandatory green bean casserole. We also had a few bottles of very nice red wine which helped it all go down even nicer. I baked my typical pecan pie and my friend Kate baked an apple pie, so we ended on a very sweet note.

Instead of the typical evening of American football, we spent some time in front of the computer after dinner watching various videos on YouTube and laughing our heads off. My how times have changed. Actually, growing up at home, I never cared for football, I was much more excited by the TV showing of "The Sound of Music" that they aired every Thanksgiving night in the U.S. My cousin Lauren and I would always argue over who "was" Maria (we were always casting ourselves in fictional productions). Those wre slightly magical times, I love Thanksgiving at home.

Friday, my friend Kate came to town to visit from Amsterdam, and Molly came in from NYC, as she always does for Thanksgiving. Friday evening, they came to my flat for champagne and snacks, and then we met our friend Cristina and went to the theatre to see the play "Swimming with Sharks" starring American actor Christian Slater. It was just ok...a little flat (I was also very tired and was fighting to stay awake during the first act...must have been the champagne before). After the play, Cristina went home, and Molly, Kate and I met my friend Cabe out for a drink, along with his girlfriend Juliet and his sister Sally, who was visiting from NY. We had a few drinks at Jewel Bar, downstairs from my flat, then Molly, Kate and I got takeaway pizzas and salads from Fire & Stone next door....then took it back to my place, got in our PJs and had a slumber party until we crashed around 2am.

Saturday, Molly left in the morning, I baked another pecan pie, and Kate and I spent the day lounging in my flat, reading magazines and gabbing....it was great! We then went to Cristina and John's for their annual Thanksgiving dinner at 4pm. Think this year was my favorite one so far (it's year number 3 doing the Chiswick Thanksgiving at the Benson's!) Cristina and John's daughter Katie is 3.5 and is always the star attraction, she is SOOO much fun. They also have a new baby Jack, who is 6 months old. There was a crowd of 14 adults and 3 kids this year, so it was very lively. And the food was awesome - Molly always serves as master chef and did a brilliant job orchestrating the kitchen (as always). After dessert, we played a round of turkey trivia that Cristina had developed and sat around the table talking into the later hours. Kate and I got back to my place around 10 or 11. It was a really good day.

Sunday, Kate and I braved the crowds on Oxford Street and went shopping at Selfridges in the early afternoon. Then we met Molly and Cristina at 3:30 for tea at Claridges. While I liked the setting and the music, I must say it is not my favorite tea in London, I was a bit dissapointed by the food. I would still choose the Berkeley or the Lansborough over Claridges if making a recommendation. But they served a nice Dom Ruinart pink champagne to start and the sandwiches and scones were pretty good (I was not impressed with the Christmas cakes and pastries). We still had a very nice time together. After tea, Cristina and Molly left and Kate and I moved to the bar where we had some proper cocktails. My (other) friend Kate met us there, so we had a nice session.

Kate and I walked home from Claridges, which took about a half hour. It was wonderful because we walked via Bond and Regent Streets, so we got to window shop and see lots of pretty Christmas lights. It was very nice outside and a pleasent stroll. I think my favourite lights so far are these GIANT angels with halos and wings, lit up in white lights, that line South Molton Street....gorgeous. I'll have to take a picture.

Today (Monday), I worked in the morning and then took the afternoon off to shop a bit more with Kate on Kings Road. I bought a pretty patterned silk dress for my company Christmas party. We got back to the flat at 4:30 and Kate left for the airport.

I am lucky to have such nice friends here in London. The weekend was like a mini holiday....a bit restorative. A lot thankful.

Mike's picture-perfect sqash soup
Mike gets the bird ready
Kate and Cat
Lindsay, Kate and Cat
Kate's apple pie

Cat's (famous) pecan pie