{A Gift Guide for Ladies & Gentlemen}

'Tis the lovliest time of year... Because although the days darken early, the nights illuminate with twinkle lights strung along the cities' avenues. Electric snowflakes float in the air, while buildings wrapped with red bows beckon shoppers forward to their glittering and elaborately decorated storefront windows (a future post in the making). Marking this season's shopping adventure is today – Cyber Monday, the more civilized and cultivated cousin of the notorious Black Friday. And with that in mind, I’d like to offer you a little helpful gift guide for the special ladies and gentlemen in your life.

Ladies

Faux Fur Pullover @ Kate Spade – Very old hollywood, and so warm for those chilly winter nights!

Penguin's classic hardcover novels @ amazon – I love the refined covers of these classic and heartfelt stories!

Artist’s Attache Case @ Anthropologie – Such an elegant confection for the aspiring creative.

Crystal Brulee Bracelet @ J.Crew – The perfect amount of sparkle in a great neutral dusty rose color!

Claus Porto Soaps @ Santa Maria Novella in NYC and London – The scents and packaging are so lovely!

Gentlemen

Country Tweed Sport Jacket @ Barbour – So perfectly English prep!

Vintage Bison Stamp Cuff Links @ Brooks Brothers – Evokes a certain sense of history and quirkiness.

USB Typwriter @ etsy.com – This looks amazing!  I kind of want one too!

How to Be a Gentleman @ amazon – Who couldn't use a few tips of the trade!

Library Decanter @ Pottery Barn – So very James Bond!  Fill it with his favourite spirit.

Happy Holiday Shopping!

{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!

{A Wee Bit of Dancing}

Friday nights, just outside the northeast perimeter of London’s Regent’s Park, Celtic music echoes through the neighborhood’s quiet residential streets.   Each week, the Cecil Sharp House, home to the English Folk Dance and Song Society, hosts The Ceilidh Club.  Ceilidh (pronounced “kay-lee”), the Gaelic word for gathering, is just that, but more – rather it’s a Scottish country dance party, inviting people of all nationalities, ages, and dance experience levels, to partner-up and pair down the line.

I was initially a little intimidated by this venue, as I don’t own any tartan except a long, oversized nightgown.  And despite being an American, I have never once attended a square dance.  However, my fears were soon relieved after I saw that much of the attending crowd donned jeans and tees, and knew as much about Scottish line dancing as me – which was nothing.

After a quick pint of beer and an even quicker instructional session, given by the band, I joined the party, hand-in-hand, with my husband in Black Watch trousers to my left and a random man in a plaid kilt to my right.  Linked together in an eight-person circle, we ran to the right, then to the left, intermittently dosey-doeing and jigging in the center.  The next 20-minutes were a visual and mental blur, leaving me exhilarated from the fun and thirsty for another pint.  Overall, a wee bit of dancing = quite good fun!

Here are a few snapshots from my Scottish soiree experience…  See if you can spot me!

{Row, Row, Row Your Boats… to the Thames River Festival}

With the end of summer comes the beginning of autumn and with that – the annual Thames River Festival, a weekend “block” party celebrating art, culture, food, and of course, the Thames.  Along the waterfront, from Westminster to Tower Bridge, pennant flags wave over the south bank.  Market vendors, pop-up theaters, and interactive art installations line the bank’s perimeter.  Swarms wander along the route, popping in and out booths, perusing the handmade crafts and homemade food.  Kids wearing brown paper hats fashioned à la Dr. Seuss, dart through the crowds, laughing, as they pull each other into designed “play” areas.  Friends relax at tables on Blackfriars Bridge, overlooking St. Paul’s Cathedral, while indulging in a cup of Pimm's and some paella.  A parade of boats ensues, capturing everyone’s attention.  Bagpipers on a barge sail by, filling the air with music, urging the merriment on, all weekend long…

Here are a few pics of my Saturday afternoon along the river, moving gently down the stream…

…merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream. 

{Peacock Party}

Peacocks are one of my favorite birds.  I often find them gallivanting around my neighborhood park in London.  You can hear their squawks and calls from a distance, as they prance around the property, looking for food, peering at people from elevated heights or sunning themselves among the roses.  With their vibrant colorings of indigos, turquoises, and bronzes, from their necks to their tails, and their spray of feathers upon their heads, they always appear dressed to impress.  Recently, I discovered, via National Geographic, that a group of peacocks is actually called a party, and with that my imagination went wild.  It’s no wonder they always looks so fashionable!