Happy New Year!

Since 2010 has been a very ordinary year with no big ups or down I'm not really sure how to sum it up. As usual I have been most alive when being in London. Eating at both Michelin stared restaurants and hole-in-the-wall places have also given me a lot of pleasure. Trying out and having learnt a lot about wine has also been great fun. Books and reading have as always been a great relaxation even though I wish I had had more time for it. And of course, my own Mr Big popping in and out of my life again. Good or bad, I don't know, but always a great pleasure.

So what do I want form 2011 then? Not really sure here either. Maybe that I try to make the year less ordinary than this. That I really do the things I want to and not just playing along doing what other people think is right. After all it's my life and my choices. According to a friend 2011 will be the year when it happens. Not sure what will happen, but I trust her.

I'm dreaming of...

A world that is not white and cold. I'm dreaming about summer, blue skies and temperatures that means you don't have to put on hat, scarf, gloves, parka and boots for going out. I'm dreaming of sitting outside with friends drinking chilled rosé while the sun is setting. I'm dreaming about waking up to birds singing and the sun having been up for hours all ready.

So please hurry back summer, I miss you!

Doing nothing

With Christmas almost over (Boxing Day today) I'm very happy to say that for the last couple of days I've only been eating, drinking, sleeping and watching TV. I've don't any "mosts" or "have to", just things I want to and it makes me feel so good and relaxed. I'm off work tomorrow as well, but then it's back to work for two days. The office will likely be deserted so hopefully I'll continue to feel relaxed and good about myself.

So continuing with doing nothing I'm now going back to sofa to snuggle up under the blanket and watch some more TV and eat more chocolate.

Christmas Dim Sums

What happens when you ask 20 food loving people to show up for Dim Sums a Saturday morning in London Docklands? The answer is easy. They eat. A lot. Or really, WE eat a lot, laugh a lot and have a jolly good time.

Having not seen my food loving friends since July and the famous Lobster Massacre down in Greenwich I was quite excited to head out to Docklands on Saturday morning. The DLR stopped at Caning Town so Elisa volunteered to pick me up in her new car. Not only did she have a new car, it was also her first time driving in London. Thank God she's from Oz and knows how to drive on the left side is all I can say..

At Yi-Ban next to the Royal Albert Dock plenty of old and new faces waited. Sitting around a round table plenty of dim sums were ordered along with drinks, and then we dug in. We ate, then we ate some more and then ate even more. By then the girls around the table had given up, but the boys did a pretty good job trying to clean the plates.

Two hours later and almost in a coma from all the carbs at was time to leave. Elisa and husband dropped me off at London Bridge and in my somewhat comatose state I decided to walk back to W11. Took a while, but I definitely needed that walk before more food and drinks in the evening. Also walking in London is one of my absolute favourite things to do. Needless to say all the lights was of course also spectacular.

Rigby & Peller

As usual in London last week I went shopping. The plan was to buy Christmas presents to be honest I didn't buy a single one. Instead I ended up buying things to myself. Christmas present to myself (or at least I would like to call it that...)

One of my favourite shops to visit is Rigby & Peller on Conduit Street. Walking in there you're transferred into a luxurious world of lingerie and welcomed by some excellent sales women who know their lingerie from the inside out. This was my third visit and having lost almost 9 kg (20 lbs) this autumn I needed a new fitting to to get the correct size. One size smaller (yeah!) I was then offered a range of different bras. No matter what I said I wanted to try on or needed they had it. It almost felt a bit like being a kid in a candy store. With a new size and all I tried to be sensible and go for more everyday wear and ended up with three new pieces where one probably was a bit more than everyday wear. You do got a to live a little, and it all starts from the inside...

Happy with my purchases and small bag in my hand I then went on to Regent Street and Oxford Street and needless to say I never ever got any of that personal service anywhere else. In some shops I even left because even though I was the customer (or at least I thought so...) the sales persons showed no interest what so ever. Makes me sad since good customer serve is what makes me come back again and again and again.

It's that time of the year again

When you're suppose to be happy, feel Christmas cheer and spend time with your family. But what if you don't have a family of your own and your only relatives are your old mum and stepfather? I used to love Christmas, decked the hall and had several parties, but for the last couple of years I just feel sad and depressed. It's only time at the year when I feel lonely and wish I belonged to a big family. Having someone special by my side would be nice too. At the rest of the year it never ever bather me, but then comes December and it's all about families, children and being happy together with your loved ones.

I know I shouldn't complain. I have a job, warm home, clothes, food on the table and so on, but once a year it would be nice sharing it all with someone.

An old favourite

Trying to get into some sort of Christmas spirit after yet another really bad day at work. Driving home for Christmas by Chris Rea is one of my old time favoutie Christmas songs. When you here that song you know Christmas is just around the corner. And it really is. Just another week.

Quote of the day

I'm off to London tomorrow for a weekend of plain indulgence. Friends, food, shopping and parties, so what's better than quote from Dr Johnson?

By seeing London, I have seen as much of life as the world can show

~ Samuel Johnson ~

Wine school III

In wine school earlier this month one class had to be about sparkling wine and champagne of course.

L'Hereu de Raventós i Blanc
Light yellow oclour with green hues. Aromatic nose of apples, bread and hint of rubber. Palate is dry and very crisp with apple, bread and grapefruit. This is suppose to be a very good Cava but too crisp for my taste.

Langlois Crémant de Loire Brut
Light yellow colour with fine, delicate bubbles. A complex nose mixing different fruits (quince, peach, grapefruit) and a fresh, delicate and refined mouth-feel. Just my style of Crémant. I like very much.

Rotari Brut Riserva
Yellow colour. The nose is intense, elegant and complex with citrus, almond and bared. Palate is dry, full, fragrant, soft, well balanced and mature with citrus, preach and almond. When drinking Rotari you know exactly what you get, but it's nothing wrong with that. It's good stuff!

Graham Beck Blanc de Blancs Brut
Light yellow colour. Rich yeasty aromas with hints of clean lime fruit on the nose. Dry and crisp plate with green apples, melon and bread. I'm not sure if I liked this or not. Probably too crisp for my liking.

Devaux Blanc de Noirs Brut
Yellow colour. Butterscotch and almond in the nose with a powerful palate mature pears, baked apples, aniseed and spice on the finish. Oh my, this was pure Champagne heaven. Not yet available in Sweden it was pure indulgence to drink something like this.

L'Echappee Belle

I can't say I read that many French book,or French authors to be correct. Anna Gavalda is an exception though. I loved Hunting and Gathering and have read most of her books when they come out in Swedish. Her latest book L'Echappee Belle just come out in Swedish (En dag till skänks), but is not out in English yet. What I gather from the publisher's website the book will called French Leave.

Again Anna Gavalda has written a magical book. It's a not a feel-good book or a chick-lit book, it's a book that makes you want to stop time and be part of that magical bubble which is the story. Three siblings escape a boring wedding in the French countryside and decide to go and visit their youngest brother who works as guide at château instead. For two days they just live for the moment, eating, drinking, talking and living carefree. Two magical days that show that your siblings are the ones who knows you best and will always love you.

Christmas is here, sort of

The radio station I listen to every morning is playing a classical Christmas song every day. This morning they played the Christmas Song with Nat King Cole and for a moment I stopped brushing my teeth. The Christmas Song is the ultimate Christmas song and hearing it on the radio means that Christmas is here, sort of at least.

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire,
Jack Frost nipping on your nose,
Yuletide carols being sung by a choir,
And folks dressed up like Eskimos.

Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe,
Help to make the season bright.
Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow,
Will find it hard to sleep tonight.

They know that Santa's on his way;
He's loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh.
And every mother's child is going to spy,
To see if reindeer really know how to fly.

And so I'm offering this simple phrase,
To kids from one to ninety-two,
Although its been said many times, many ways,
A very Merry Christmas to you