First Stop: Stockholm !!

Page 63 of the Household Examination Roll reports that Ernst August Teodor Hansson Jonsson (Hemmansägarson = unmarried man), born 7/12/1873 emigrated from Eldstorp Säteri, Askeryd, Jönköpings län (Småland), Sweden to Nordamerika on 3/7/1896.  How he ended up in Blackberry Township, Illinois, USA is still to be determined, but lets just say that I graduated High School one hundred and twenty years later within a few miles of there.  



I have a specific admiration for a 23 year old boy who leaves his homeland to pursue the chance of a better life for him and his future family ... quite possibly alone, at great distances on both land and sea, with fear, sadness, and great hope for what awaits.  However, I will save that perspective for the next post.  This one in particular is about his grand daughter, Elaine Carroll Hanson Jones, my mother.


Being of majority Swedish decent and having a particular fondness for her Father, it has been a dream of my Mom to visit our homeland.  Perhaps it sounds a bit strong from a fourth generation American (me) to claim to still feel roots, especially without any sort of obvious Swedish heritage in my upbringing.  However, I do, and after being there I certainly know better why. Certainly for my Mother, this was a journey of epic proportions.

This year said grand daughter flipped a significant birthday and with my current proximity to Sweden it seemed a very reasonable suggestion we should visit.  Done and done.  We shall start in Stockholm for two days and follow through with a road trip down south to find the origin of our modern family afterwards.


So here we go!  A flight to Stockholm, a booking in an antique furnished hotel in the old city (Gamla Stan), and 48 hours to see what we can see there.  The Gamla Stan island is a small but saturated piece of historic Stockholm.  As soon as we got in, we started zig-zaging the streets, browsing all the trinket shops, scenic coastalways, and lucked our way into a lunch of delightful Swedish meatballs ... how do we still feel comfort food from third generation relatives?  Not sure, but we do, as we also prioritized that meatballs with gravy and mash must also be our dinner for the last night in the city.

Dinners, bonding, cinnamon rolls, knitting shops (with an apple green Gotland wool skein I shall post about in the future), trolls, horsies, walks down scary dark alleys, pastries, jewellery shopping, paper shop hunting, blue plates  ... it was how it was supposed to be ... and oh wait, I can't close without mentioning the food market. 

Because I like what I like and what I like just happens to be food, there was an amazing food market in the Stockholm that we made a morning of.  Was quite delightful for me ... we braved the metro and I managed to get in a few salmon rolls, eyeball the lingonberry jams, and appreciate the reindeer meat sausages (yep!).

Stockholm ... a good portion was covered, but only a teaser into understanding our heritage ...  more to come ... until next post.
 

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Ayurveda

While browsing in my favourite book store, Daunt Books, I came across this book "Eat Right for Your Body Type".  A quick flipping through registered home for me.  The author is downright beautiful, so I picked it up to read about its theories in more detail.

The basic principle (founded from ancient Eastern thinking call Ayurveda) is that there are three distinct life energies.  We all possess some of each, but most will favour one more strongly.  Based on the one you favour, there are dietary recommendations to keep your systems in balance and keep you in good health.

All in all, this is an advanced holistic approach to wellness.  I did some quick independent research online regarding Ayurvedic medicine, and it is quite interesting to me.  Fundamentally, what we eat ultimately effects everything in our body ... if you are eating what is good for you, digesting it thoroughly, you will avoid premature health problems and be the best you today.

The book offers up a questionnaire to help you figure out your "dosha" based on your physical structure, personality traits, and bodily functions.  I am what they call "Kapha" and without getting too into the doctrine means that I tend to have a slower metabolism and would benefit from more spice (well, it is not quite that simple).  Of course there is the avoid meat, saturated fats, and processed carb mantra to go along with it.

I decided to give it a shot.  The book provides a menu for a week along with all the recipes, so off I went to go shopping.  It has been fun getting ingredients I typically would not buy like cardamom pods, rice milk, nigella seeds, and tofu.

There is a recipe for spiced tea that is delicious, and I am advised to sip on it throughout the day.  I also found it quite interesting they suggest I start the day with a hot cup of water with a lemon in it to get my system ready for business.  I had thought I would always prefer a cold glass of water, but I am kind of liking this warm water business ... it is still chilly here though.

Anyway, breakfast, lunch, and dinner for five days I stuck to it.  No cow milk (dairy is only to be taken in infrequent doses, as it increases mucus and allergies), bread, red meat, cheese, etc. for a week - mostly vegetables and grains and fun spices.

I actually really enjoyed it.  I got to try some new recipes, was not hungry ... and bam! I lost four pounds. I already planned out and bought for week two!

Drought

Upon considering my move to London, one thing I certainly did not expect to see was this sign.  Repeatedly, when talking through the pros and cons of living in the 'ole Blighty, the persistent, dreadful drizzle was top of the con list. Yet, indeed, Southeast England is in a drought, and has been for the last two years.

Knock on wood, I haven't needed an umbrella in months.  March was the warmest on record, ever.  There have been strings of days with blue skies and bright sun, skipping to get the morning coffee without a jacket, and pubs full of afternoon tipplers.  Glorious!

It is hard to not see this as a wonderful twist of fate, however there is this looming massive event taking place in the city in a couple months in which the demand for water is expected to be quite high.  You know, a little sporting event called the Olympics.

The press routinely discusses water bans, conservation, and "what if" scenarios in order to prepare us for the start of August.  Now, this American has seen my share of panicked water hoarding events - pre-hurricane / pre-end of world apocalypse - so I suppose I should get ahead of the crowd and start stocking up my Evian now ...

... or, prehaps the more likely event is it will rain non-stop from now through the summer straight to the end of the Olympics.  Boo.

Shakespeare's Stratford-Upon-Avon

Roadtrip!  My Mom has been in town, and our first adventure was to Stratford-Upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare, less than two hours via train through the English countryside Northwest of London.


Well-preserved English towns are a delight with their black and white timbered inns, stone cathedrals, and bubbling streams full of swans.  We spent the day admiring fresh vegetables and plants at the farmer's market, weaving through the quaint streets browsing shops, lunch at the pub, and a stroll along the waterfront.


Stratford (upon the Avon river) is best known today as the birthplace of William Shakespeare, and several of his family homes are still in good condition throughout town.  Though Shakespeare left Stratford to live in London for the majority of his adult life, he was baptised and buried at the alter of the Stratford church surrounded by towering, jewel-toned windows.

I do not claim to be an aficionado of Shakespeare, nor even capable of naming more than five of his plays (hmm, let's see ... Hamlet, Romeo & Juliet, MacBeth ... drawing a blank ... wait, Othello ... Midsommer Night's Dream ... ).  

However, I do concur that he is deserving of the title "Best Playwright of All Time", enjoyed the plays of his I did read/see, and concluded he was worthy of buying a stuffed Christmas tree ornament in his likeness as a souvenir.

Though one of the most well known, I leave you with one of my favourite Shakespearean quotes (aside of course from "Et tu Brute?" ... ooh, one more ... Julius Caesar ! )

"This above all,—to thine own self be true;
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man."
~ Mel Gibson, 1990

NHS: Just pick it off

While visiting the NHS (Britain's National Health Services), I happened to have this conversation on my way out from the Dr. visit:

Me:  Oh, one more thing.  I have this mole on the shoulder and I think my bag has iritated it.  It hurts a bit and seems weird. Can you take a look at it?
Doc:  Hm, let me take a look.  Oh, that is not a mole.  That is a skin tag.  I know it is brown like a mole, but it is not a mole.
Me {raised brow}:  Really?
Doc:  Yes, nothing to worry about.  They are benign.  You can just pick it off.
{easily 30 seconds of silence as I processes this information, most likely with one squinty eye}
Doc:  Well, I mean I can send you to a specialist and he can shave it off for you, but that may scar.  Generally we tell people to pick them off with their fingernail.
{more silence ... my mouth may have been hanging open, probably two squinty eyes}
Me:  Did you say "pick it off"?
Doc:  Yeah, it may take a while and may bleed a bit since that's a big one.
Doc{after settling in that I as a foreigner may not be accustomed to this more cost effective solution}: Or, if that bothers you I guess you could go to the specialist.
Me:  Um, no.  Thanks.  I guess I'll see how it goes.

What???  Really???  The pros and cons of social medicine.  Free advice.

Paris ... Growing on Me

So, this may seem bizarre, but Paris just hasn't knocked my socks off.  Of course I did love my first visit (accounted here), but I think it has more to do with the huge build up this city gets, billed as one of the best in the world, endless romance, the place everyone dreams of going.

You know, things just have a tendency to slightly disappoint when they are hyped up too much ... because honestly, had someone come at me from the start with this ho-hum opinion I am offering up, I surely would be telling you right now that Paris is the most amazing city in the world.  It's growing on me.

I had the great fortune of visiting twice in March for business.  Just a two hour train ride from London, it really is quite luxurious.  The first visit was a quick in/out and I barely escaped the tacky hotel to grab one quick, but perfectly buttery, croissant early one morning (though I could see the Eiffel Tower from my room so not all bad).

For the second, I assured I gave myself a few hours in the afternoon to do some walking around, and booked my own darling boutique hotel on the beautiful Île Saint-Louis (one of the two islands in the Seine river - the other holds the Notre Dame Map here).  I decided to get off the metro a few stops early and talk my time walking the remainder of the way.

I really didn't cover much ground, but weaved in and out of small streets just north of the river, and it was so cute!  Interesting shops, cafes, a lucky find farmers market ... all just so French!  I think it also helped that it is Spring ... on the sunny warm day the city felt more alive.  My first two trips were in the bitter cold of winter.

Hungry, but not wanting to ruin my appetite for the pending dinner to come (see asparagus) I decided to go true Parisian style and grab a baguette from the boulangerie and a delicious gooey, stinky cheese from the fromagerie and tear into it sitting beside the river.  Quite the afternoon!

Paris ... looking forward to my next trip!

Meu Rei ("My King")

Nearly sixteen years of my life, almost half, I have spent with one dear soul nearby.  He was so tolerant - man, I am not easy to live with.  First moving in with me when I started college, his only task was to keep me company through the scary, yet exhilarating time of living on my own ... we were eating much cheaper food then.

At the local shelter near my Mom's house, I first had my eyes set on an orange long hair, but he ended up being a maniac and Kitty was just sitting there, so chill, taking it all in.  If you didn't fall for him at the sight of his royal coat, once you had this boy lounging in your arms, paws dangling, he was irresistible.  He was chill from the day he was born to the moment he left today, always an old soul and always purring with contentment.

I like that he is a Maine Coon ... the breed in years past found on the docks of fishing piers in New England, eating at the random fish bits they could find with - what I always envision as - bits of ice hanging off their coats.  He was a fanatic of fish (well any meat really) and the thick coat of hair certainly would have kept him quite warm despite being cold and wet.  In London he even seemed to enjoy sitting on the wet stone in the garden in the drizzle.

For certain I will miss my dear friend deeply and always be so appreciative of how we cuddled with me in the morning and took my stress away, sat just far enough away when I needed space, waited patiently for my return from my sometimes long trips away, and came out to delight my guests with his beauty and might.  King Kitty. Nothing but naps in the warm sun, chasing birds, and sushi for you now.

Boris Biking

The weather in London has been so delightful.  Spring has been peaking its head around the corner, providing bouts of warm weather that make the masses clamour for something outdoorsy to do.

Parks are crammed with those lounging about in the sun, and because it is still quite chilly in the shade, people move in masses across the grass to remain in the sun spot.

It was the perfect weekend to attempt the "Boris Bike".  Though technically sponsored by Barclay's, the London city bike hire scheme was the named after Mayor Boris Johnson (and there have been some not so flattering photos of him cruising town on them).

Quite simple really, you pop in your debit card, push some buttons, and boom you have a bike.  There are over 400 stands around town, and an iPhone app makes it quite easy to find your nearest.

Traffic in London is quite brutal, so during this virgin journey I opted to stay on the path along the canal and major parkways.  Lesson learned - human traffic is also quite brutal in London on a nice day.  Nonetheless, it was a fun cruise, you can get across town quite quickly, and a pleasant way to enjoy an early Spring afternoon.

Praha (aka Prague)

Interesting enough, the city we Americans know as Prague is actually called Praha.  I "heart" Praha shirts are one of the must have kitschy souvenirs.  It has always intrigued me how the names of places change in different languages ... to me it seems that a place should be a place - no alternatives.  Nueva York?  No, its New York.  We can all say it.  Likewise, Praha ... I can say that ... why did we change it to Prague?  Anyway, I digress ...

This past weekend I spent two lovely days in Praha (wink).  To be honest, if two years ago someone asked me if I wanted to go, I would have reluctantly said "sure" only for the adventure, not really knowing what I was getting myself into.  However, now that I have a bit more experience ... well, let's be honest, it wasn't all that different. A Groupon offer later and I was booked.

Prague is a city that if you ask people who have travelled Europe, they all say, "ooooh, I looooooove Prague.". Which was a good start.  I put it on what I call my winter cities list, as when it gets warm I really just want to spend my travel budget on hot, beachy locations.  So, when its chilly I think its a good idea to book in city trips.

The small, ancient city is truly beautiful and although it is cliché, it certainly did feel like stepping back in time.  I overheard a father telling his young boy as we stood in the clock tower in the main square, "this clock was built before there was even one building in America".  Well, I won't debate the technicalities of that, but it did make me sense just how old this society was and I spent a lot of time imagining what life was like in this city nearly over 600 years ago (I mean, they needed a really big palace with lots of armour).

The astronomical clock in the Old Town square is the oldest operating clock of its kind.  Large dials representing the daylight hours, seasons, and astrological signs spin below detailed carvings (the skeleton was my favourite) and at each hour crowds gathered below to see the show of dancing saints that spin about.  After a good decision to climb the stairs to the top, we saw stunning views of the city (though I had to push through that nagging fear of heights to get up there onto that narrow walkway).

Throughout the remainder of the trip we wondered endlessly through winding streets, across numbers of beautiful bridges over the Vltava river, and into all the delightful shops along the way.  A few of the handicrafts, or more local items, for purchase in Prague include jewellery made from Garnets (which as we found out may or may not actually be from Prague), what I would consider to be Russian nesting dolls, wooden children's toys (someone special will get a treat for his birthday!), and marionettes.

I was visiting the home of a friend of mine in Florida, and I just love all her fun artefacts from her travels, and it reminded me that I need to be sure to pick up interesting items from the cities I visit.  It makes your home interesting for conversation and serves to remind you of experiences you have had.  So, on this trip I decided I was going to get a marionette.  As with anything, there are the good / bad quality, imposters and the real deal.  I am all about getting authentic and ended up with a cheeky little witch to share my home with.  So far, no spells cast.

Of course, food is always an important piece of my travels, and this trip was no different (despite my travel book's warning no one goes to Prague for good food).  The first day we ate goulash and dumplings on the Old Town square.  Did someone trick me into thinking goulash was tubular noodles with a ground beef / tomatoe sauce?  Chef Boyardee?  Anyway, it is not, at least not in Prague.  It was an interesting meat, with a paprika gravy, served with bready dumplings.  Not horrible, and the great beer helped to wash it down.

That evening we made reservations at a highly recommended spot, Kampa Park.  The location was superb, sitting at water level on the river, overlooking the most stunning, statue studded bridge in the city.  We opted for a Czech wine, which I thought was amazing, and I had a crab / caviar starter with a truffled fish main.  Quite pleasing indeed.

There are so many other highlights to cover, like the apple strudel and molten hot chocolate closer, the charcoal roasted pork and potatoes from the street vender, the fresh local Pilsner Urquell, taking the trams, the infinite number of amazing sculptures, how every house is named by their emblem, the stunning cathedral and palace (along with the ancient row of houses!), the street festival we lucked our way into with the pig roast, the wall of graffiti dedicated to John Lennon, being graded as "frozen" on the love tester ... but I have already winded on too long.  It was a wonderful weekend.

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Business Class: Clearwater / St. Pete

Upon reflection I suppose my latest business trip to New York / Tampa should not be written off as ordinary ...  it marks the first trans-Atlantic business class flight of my career ... ever.  I've "arrived" ?

Business class is in fact a treat.  The seats recline into a full layout and the monitors play videos on demand (admittedly I caught Chronicles of Narnia II, best series ever).  I was given a small tote with face creams, socks, ear plugs, etc., the drinks are free / unlimited, and of course you get on / off first. If someone else is paying, I'm in ... if not, well, I'm not.

Being the foodie I am I could not help being blown away by how delicious the food was.  Seriously.  I was given a menu with options ... on the way in a Terrine of multiple game animals with toasts ... more, more, more ... and on the way back a starter I complimented my flight attendant on - poached lobster with a cold seaweed salad with edimame, long grain rice and fresh herbs (see pic).  Whoa.  I don't even need to mention the other pretty good courses.

After two days of business meetings in New York, I was simply giddy with joy to be boarding a plane down to Tampa, Florida.  For, this weekend I was meeting my girls, my best bud Granes, and all the people that have come to embody the spirit of "the beach".  For most of my life I have had some connection with the Clearwater / St. Pete area and it felt oh-so-good to be driving with the warm, salty wind in my hair across the inter-coastal waterway.

It felt as if I was shedding layers of weight off my shoulders as I walked up that driveway to receive hugs and laughs, and the comradery throughout the weekend re-taught me all I already knew - when you can after so much time apart walk into a room of genuine, unconditional love, friendship, and laughs (not matter even if you had to hitch-hike there) is when you truly have "arrived".

The weather cooperated.  I got a bit of a sunburn (yes!), experienced good old American dip at a country music concert, spent a perfect afternoon at Caddy's laughing it up, and finally got that massage I have been in serious need of before the final couple days of business meetings.

Yes, not a trip to be written off as ordinary.  Love you gals.

The Roast

How it has possibly gone 18 months (wait a minute! I missed my 1.5 year anniversary on Jan. 16th!) and I have yet to have a proper Sunday roast is beyond me.  But, it is true, and this Sunday was another first.

The Sunday roast in England is an institution  (in case that definition is unclear to you, I did in fact wiki it and I think it is quite good ... Click here. )

"An institution is any structure or mechanism of social order and cooperation governing the behavior of a set of individuals within a given human community. Institutions are identified with a social purpose and permanence, transcending individual human lives and intentions, and with the making and enforcing of rules governing cooperative human behavior."


Read it a couple times ... eventually it sinks in.  What it means is - exactly why we say it - is that this event is engrained in the very fiber of the culture ... everyone knows it, everyone does it, no questions asked, and it is oh so good.  Like apple pie ... every Sunday afternoon.


A roast ... tender slow cooked meat, potatoes soft in the middle, crispy outside, carrots not too mushy, and the graaaaaaaavy. Hm hm.  In addition, in the UK they add some cabbage and turnips, and it is critical that the "Yorkshire pudding" is sitttin' on the side to lap up the gravy (of which there just never is enough, right?)


During this exploratory experience I was informed that Yorkshire pudding is "nothing more than baked pancake batter".  Well, I actually think I prefer it baked!


Yu-um.  Now this is an institution I just may be able to check in to.

This is January ...

I am not writing this to rub it in to all the Midwesterners that just received a dumping of snow and have now officially begun the dreaded winter season.

I am writing this to share the wonderful day I had today celebrating the birth of Spring here in London.  Yes, Spring.  Though there is a bite in the air and the threat of frost is still real, indeed the cherry blossoms have begun to bloom and the bulbs are already at half height hinting at the Daffodil season just around the corner.

And the sun has been shining ...  I was told last winter was "the snowiest ever" and "dreadfully cold".  Thus far into this year I have to say it has been quite pleasant comparatively.  London remains green in winter-time and flowers still bloom.

This weekend, brunchers dined outdoors and picnic tables at pubs were full of locals drinking pints and toking cigarettes.  As I was promised before moving here, "It really never gets so cold that you can't sit outside here in London."

When living in Chicago I always said, "wouldn't it be great if we could just skip January and February and go straight from Christmas to March?".  Guess what ... I found a place where that actually happens ... March just lasts four months.  A trade I am happy to make.

So, I spent the afternoon raking the leaves into bags, revealing the bulbs growing underneath.  Made a trip to the garden centre to purchase some more sprouting bulbs to fill the pots and enjoyed the renewing feeling that only Spring cleaning provides.  Oh happy day.

Chicago Dining

Straight after the holidays were over I set out to catch up on all the Chi-town food I was missing. It's a wonder I don't weigh a ton now (because this journey began AFTER the holiday dinner and cookies).

I had certainly been craving some of the old favorites like the best Italian place ever Buona Terra and sushi at Sai Cafe, but I was also fortunate enough to try some new kids on the block like The Girl & the Goat and the Telegraph wine bar in Logan Square (P.S. Logan is blowing up with new eatty joints that I am slightly jealous about).

Of course, I also spent some quality time at the mecca Whole Foods and made some pretty spectacular plates at home myself to mix in ... eh hem.

The line up went something like this ...

• Potbelly - the Wreck sandwich, not a planned stop but oh-so-yummy Chicago post-X-mas Target shopping lunch
• Sai Cafe - best sushi ever with Mochi ice cream balls, a Monday tradition (hit it 3 times this visit)
• Cafe con Leche - Chilequiles Verdes, surprise Logan Square delight only because Lula was closed
• Buona Terra - Prosciutto/Mozzerella salad, Angel Hair with red sauce - first choice is always the red sauce.  If you haven't been there your life is just a little less happy than it should be
• Urban Belly - Udon noodle soup with shrimp, the spices are an artform - cleans the passages
• Panozzo's Italian Market - Italian beef sandwich w/ hot peppers - hadn't had one in years, but this new place was on TV as I mentioned a dip sandwich and ... SOLD!
• Buona Terra - Beet Carpaccio, Di la Nona Pasta - guilty pleasure ... only a half order!
• Casa de Jonas - that octopus, mushroom, olive thing on polenta - a favorite of ours, not sure how I originally came up with it
• Lula Cafe - The Lula Royale sandwich - not as good as other things I've had there
• Casa de Jonas - Cod ceviche, Tri-tip steak, shrimp, greens, a ripe avocado - Happy New Year!
• Casa de Jonas - Eggs Benedict - ooooh ... the "I love myself" breakfast

• Casa de Chepe - Tacos, charro beans, hominy soup - unreal NY Day feast that lasted for days of leftovers and put this journey on pause ...
• Giordano's - can't go to the Chi without a pizza stop, though I would have ordered the deep dish
• Girl & the Goat - the place to be in Chicago right now by Top Chef winner Stephanie Izard - got in the work peeps through a lucky connection - tons of wonderful small plates, worth the hype
• Mel's Vegetarian Wonderland - a beautiful friend hosted a delicious dinner party, and it was warm enough to sit outside!
• Casa de Jonas - Brazilian style streak, delicious scallops - the way we love it
• Casa de Jonas - every day Jonas makes the most delicious fruit / yoghurt / oats / honey salad for breakfast, yummy health
• Buona Terra - again, garlic, pasta, wine, again, and again ...
• Gene & Georgetti's - final evening work dinner at the oldest steak house in Chicago .... Filet Mignon. Period.

I am going to give London another fighting chance to prove itself as a foodie capital, but sorry, there simply is no touching Chicago as a culinary institute the world throughout .... and now I actually have some world experience to back that statement up.

Nothing but fish and veg for weeks!  I'm on a cleanse!!  Whew, it was worth it though.

<< Slide Show ... Don't watch if committed to a resolution!!  >>

 

First Christmas

How fun was it to open gifts with the new little nephew!?!!  Priceless.  He was so happy, and got nothing but love from the ladies!

Look at all the presents Santa brought for him!

And check out his perfect smile in our picture and this adorable outfit!

Home for the Holidays

The holiday season means a variety of different things to different people - could be about the birth of Jesus, the visit from Santa Claus, eating comfort foods guilt-free, spending time with your family and friends, or buying yourself the gift you really wanted.

This year I was most looking forward to the time with family and friends.  It had been quite some time since I visited my Mom and I was in need of hugs, relaxing and chatting.

As you can see we took to the kitchen for a baking marathon and ended up with quite an impressive spread!  Yes, all home-made - eleven varieties that would make Martha Stewart demand our job applications.

Just a week later I have eaten half my box ... and the pants are feeling a little tighter, but worth it. There is more than sugar and butter in that box ... there is a lot of love to help fuel another couple months away.

X-mas Market: Bath, England

Not making it to at least one Christmas market this time of year would simply be ridiculous.  With so much to offer - handcrafted items, local cheeses and vinegars, hot food and mulled wine - it is a great way to spend an afternoon and get into the holiday spirit!

This year the choice was Bath, England.  Just a two hour train ride away from England, and quite rich with history.

Known for its Roman bath house established off the therapeutic waters of local hot springs, it was a popular spa destination in the Georgian era and apparently still today (though this time around I did not partake in the spa experience).

Bath also serves as a location in several Jane Austin books, where she lived herself for several years, and tours around town take you to see the sites she mentions - one of the more popular is the Pump Room where one can take a sip of the healing Bath waters (pass, thanks).


Another is the Putney Bridge, quite pretty over the river Avon.  I just happened to get into the spirit of the trip by reading Sense & Sensibility the last few weeks.


The market was great, with many more local handcrafted items than others I have been to.  I was able to pick up a couple kitschy Christmas gifts while sucking away on my candy cane.

Bath is also known for having a glass blowing house, where they specialize in turquoise colored glass items - picked myself up a little vase.  "Taking its name from the city’s Latin name (Aquae Sulis) ‘Bath Aqua’ is made by adding copper oxide to molten glass. This gives the aquamarine colour reminiscent of the historic city’s hot springs." 


All in all, a nice little road trip away from the hustle and bustle of London, and helped to start the Christmas spirit.

Renewing the Vows

Oh, Borough Market ... how do I love thee ...

Your bounty heaves, your colours enchant, and your buzz exhilarates.

Your lure drew me in, and I am still here at your feet.

How fortunate I am to have you in my embrace ...


{Seriously, as if you needed a reason to visit, this is it  }

Paris Part Duex

Hello.  I am fortunate enough to have had my second trip to Paris last weekend, nearly one year exactly after the first.  This time - a girl's trip!  Seven beautiful, funny, intelligent ladies together for a weekend together to bid adieu to one, heading back to the U.S. with a one way ticket.

This now seems to be becoming a regular part of life ... saying goodbye.  It makes sense, with a group of friends comprised of expats living outside their native home that people will come and go, but what was less expected is how quickly you become so close, family, to people you have known for such a short period of time.  Sadness readily combines with hope for the future and it is impossible not to reflect on yourself and your uncertain future.

It was a weekend of comraderie, shopping splurges, croissants, drizzle, and a little jiggle in the hips.  Bittersweet defined.