{Thanksgiving Leftover}

As an American expat living in London, Thanksgiving continues to hold a special importance.  While my family in the states, congregated together on the fourth Thursday of November, my anticipation for the holiday steadily built up for that following Friday evening (when “Londoners” are finally released from their daily duties).  In the spirit of food and friendship, I travelled across town to my friend’s flat for a celebration with other expat Americans (and peculiarly, a few French – the consensus being that they too appreciate good food).  There, we relished my home country’s culinary traditions: turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, greens, cranberry crumble, and fresh rolls, followed by pumpkin cheesecake and various delectable pies.  We engrossed ourselves in our plates, wine glasses, and conversations, with the omnipresent thought that there is so much to be thankful for...

{This year, I am very thankful for so many things.  To name a few: the opportunity to continue my education, a husband who encourages me in all my steps forward, my family in the states, the new friends I have made, as well as the old ones I cherish.}

My husband loves Thanksgiving because there is no added pressure of gift-giving.  I love Thanksgiving because its spirit persists past sundown, into weekend, and through the winter season.  And with that in mind, I made one of my all-time favourite meals – the post-thanksgiving day leftover sandwich – made possible by: my friend Maria’s amazing cooking and a loaf of fresh bread from Clarke’s bakery – both to which I am eternally grateful.

Hoping your Thanksgiving was dually happy and healthy!!!

{Postcards from... Edinburgh}

Edinburgh at night

This Halloween weekend I ventured north to Scotland’s Edinburgh – a prolific gothic city, composed of grey, windy cobblestone streets and looming turrets.  Only an hour plane ride away from London, Edinburgh is the ideal city to toast to ghostly ghouls as it is filled with glorious and gory histories.  Highlights include the Edinburgh Castle, a medieval fortress from the 12^th century, where Mary Queen of Scots once lived and legends of revenge reign supreme.  There her lover was dragged from his dinner and stabbed 56 times – ouch!  Also, the Holyrood Palace, the current Queen’s summer home, enchants crowds with its majestic glory and decomposing abbey.  Aside from the city’s histories, its effervescent energy runs through the streets from its many bagpipers and William Wallace impersonators to its shoppers scoping out tartan keepsakes.  In the spirit of the holiday, I dined at The Witchery – an intimate eatery, with intricately carved wood-panelled walls and thistle and rose tablepieces, dangerously illuminated by candlelight.  Their menu offers traditional Scottish specialities like haggis (a kind of sausage containing sheep’s heart, liver and lungs) and grouse (a game bird).  Unsurprisingly, I skipped the main course for a chocolate torte with pistachio ice cream – my preferred holiday treat.  Hoping your Halloween was equally sweet!

Yours, Jenn 

The Royal Mile

Holyrood Palace

The abbey at Holyrood

The Witchery



Edinburgh Castle



Some travel tips...

Hotel
The Balmoral
1 Princes Street, Edinburgh EH2 2EQ
Tel: +44 (0) 131 556 2414

Restaurants
The Witchery
Castlehill
The Royal Mile, Edinburgh EH1 2NF
Tel: +44 (0) 131 225 5613

Stac Polly
38 St Mary's Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1SX

Shops
Ness
Ness Castle
336-340 Lawnmarket, Royal Mile, EH1 2PH
Tel: +44 (0) 131 225 8815

Ness St Giles
367 High Street, Royal Mile, EH1 2PW
Tel: +44 (0) 131 226 5227

{Trick or Treat}

Given the choice I almost always opt for “treat.”  This Halloween I am indulging my sweet tooth with red velvet cupcakes from The Cupcake Company, a boutique bakery operating out of a small bay-windowed shop in Kensington.  Their cupcakes, draped in delicious frosting, are some of the loveliest I’ve ever seen.  Check out their new storefront window, all dressed up with edibles in the holiday’s spooky spirit.

Happy Halloween!

{Fall Fever}

“Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies.”

~Tom Hanks, as Joe Fox in You’ve Got Mail

Around my neighborhood, the leaves are just beginning to turn from green to yellow.  Children, wearing navy, woolen blazers with matching brimmed hats, re-inhabit the local red double-decker buses.  My local wine store has switched out their window display from roses to reds.  Fall is in the air!  And with that there is the prospect of stepping into a “new year,” which I suppose is due to all those years of conditioning for going back to school.  Despite London’s current weather, a record high of 80 degrees, I feel that fall excitement – maybe even more so since I am once again entering the world of academia as a student at “uni.”  Infected with that fall bug, here are a few academic essentials that I am toting with me to that eminent first day of class…

1.  Longchamp Le pliage bag – the perfect size for a few notebooks and a small laptop.  And it's water resistant.

2.  Super slim mid-year calendar book – a calendar that starts in August instead of January – how brilliant! 

3.  Retro multi-colored pen and Stabilo Boss highlighter – at the risk of looking like Elle Woods, I couldn’t resist these ones in pink and purple.

4.  Smythson mini jotter – a bespoke, pocket-sized notebook, perfect for taking down notes on the go – or in a museum.  I just love the array of colors and fun titles, like "OMG!" and "Tickled Pink".

5.  Stylish thermos – perfect for that needed AM caffeine kick-start. (I found this one at a local camping shop.)