Happy Week-end!

Miami Beach

School finished today for my daughter....my son finishes next week.

The academic year that I thought would never end....did.

I made it. She made it. We made it.

To say it's been quite a year is an understatement.

So much has happened....ups & downs.

Good and Bad.

A tentative start, a very fraught & unhappy middle....the ending of the year has been slightly happier....thankfully.

As always, the holidays have arrived at just the right time.

This week-end we will be basking in the glorious sunshine, spending time outdoors as much as possible....and tomorrow I am meeting up with my oldest & much loved friends, my University girls....I cannot wait. Good times await!

And I wonder if the Royal baby may arrive this week-end, I think he or she might, exciting!!

You know that I love a good movie, but it seems like ages since I've seen a really good film at the cinema. 

I recently discovered the Gallo Film Club - free to join up online & when you do they recommend films, wines & other fun accessories for your movie night.

We took up their recommendation for "New York, I Love You"....

Andy Garcia, Bradley Cooper, New York City, the concept of "everyone has their own love story...."

what's not to love, as they say?

Our wine recommendation of a Gallo Cabernet Sauvignon was perfect :)

They have a great range of film suggestions and trailers,  along with wines to go with & facts about your movie.

Check it out here....

Happy Week-end! 

strawberry mint tart

Happy Week-end!

Gorgeous weather in London this week, another busy school week & this week-end I am preparing for our trip to Italy next Friday for a family wedding, I cannot wait.

Thanks for all the lovely comments this week, happy week-end!  

Some lovely links....

a beautiful Spanish home

....have you heard of the Cronut yet?

New York tips & some fab photos

my 1000th blog-post, "Dear Reader...."

the most beautiful "strawberry" post ever

parenting skills + validation....

rice leftovers - coconut rice pudding

And finally, for my British readers, I am giving away a brand new Windows Nokia Lumia 920 phone, to enter click here

lots of items on sale at Boden right now, some up to 25% off

Daffodils, Eggs, Spring....and Snow : It Must Be Easter!

Meyer lemon macadamia nut tart

a quiet corner - a glimpse of spring....

spring vegetable risotto with poached eggs

London today is very cold, colder than usual....

in the last hour, we have had both bright sunshine and snow flurries.

I keep wondering why people keep mentioning summer holidays and then I realise it's probably because.....

it's almost April!!!

A fairly quiet Easter week-end for us....

I will be attempting my first roast lunch tomorrow, feeling confident thanks to a recipe from my lovely friend J.

My children are ready for their Easter egg hunt....

tomorrow had better hurry up, I've already had to to replace some of those little eggs once ;) 

Thank you for the response to my "Don't Judge Me, But I've Never...." post, I had some great comments & emails to it....it was a fun list to write :)

Happy Easter week-end to you all XX

Some lovely links to share.....

Jacob Bernstein's wonderful remembrance of his mother Nora Ephron

beautiful Cambridge

such romantic wedding photos

apples galore

the most delicious (& tempting) carrot cake ever?

want to wear fresh flowers in your hair on your wedding day?

what we remember in the end....

I made this delicious sweet potato, kale & sweetcorn chowder last night....thanks Mary!

if this doesn't make you want to go & eat some honey right now, nothing will....

a fabulous West Village brownstone or loft just off Fifth

The Beauty of White....

Some day I look around my home and wonder what it would be like to live solely in the peace & tranquillity of whites and creams.

It's probably an impossibility when you have children - at least until they start making toys and paraphernalia for children that only comes in white!!

Colour has always meant cosy to me & I have always thought that all white might be too stark and plain for me....

I like open shelving, being able to see things that I love, being able to glance at bookshelves & having colourful images and paintings on the walls.

Maybe it's the simplicity & lightness of summer days that makes me crave a blank canvas....

I am definitely thinking of making my new workspace neutral & calming.

For the last week of our holidays in France we are staying in an apartment that we discovered last year...

it's one of around 10 apartments in an old converted hospital....

fabulously high ceilings, extra wide doorways, great windows with those gorgeous tiny balconies that you see everywhere, particularly in Paris.

The owners have done wonderful renovation work on it, it has super-modern kitchen & bathroom while retaining all the charm of the old building.

And it's all painted white....old white floorboards & white walls.

It is incredibly relaxing & calming.

         

Hope you had a great weekend - some clean and gorgeous design

1.- 3. Pinterest, 4.-6.BHG