Luxury ...

"Contemplation seems to be about the only luxury that costs nothing. "                 

 — Dodie Smith

Life has a funny rhythm for me at the moment - being someone who loves to hang out and spend time with my friends - i'm not seeing much of them. My weekdays are dominated by work and my weekends are spent on motorways and with my parents.  I'm missing my friends... I had a lovely evening last night with a bunch of the nears and dears - it was fun .... and lovely to hear how life is moving on for everyone - this winter has been long and cold (and emotionally i've felt quite bleak.... ) but there are good and exciting things taking root all around - new homes being searched for - new jobs - travels being planned....

Lovely things to contemplate .. and anticipate... 

For me it feels like spring is coming in a beautiful way - i leave my job on Tuesday ... i've been there for 3 years and had some of the best and worst of times... i work for an amazing organisation which does incredible work - and i've contributed massively .. but as with everywhere, happiness in a job is more dependent upon the immediate relationships around you than the merits of the wider organisation ... and it is this that i have suffered from. So i am leaving - with modest regret that my time there hasn't been all that it could have been, but also with confidence that i have done everything possible to change things and i 'gave it my best'. But my 'spring' feeling comes from the exciting project that i am joining .... me and my 'business partner' are launching a new organisation - which is scary and exciting all at the same time... the business plan started last october (perfect time for planting) and now is the time for me to join full time to nurture the first shoots as they emerge. We have a big organisation to build so the roots need to be strong! All the signs are good ... and as the months roll by i'm sure i shall start to reveal what we're doing! But ssshhhhhh for now!!!! 

The rest of the bounce in my steps comes from the fact that at the end of March i'm returning to my beloved North London... after a stint 'South of the River' i'm returning to the place that is home - and heading back to Hampstead. So a summer of picnics on the Heath, swimming in the Lido and gardening my new little garden is ahead. 

Oohhhhhhh ... spring is going to be gooooooood....... all of which will give me the emotional nourishment to 'bear' up as we continue to battle Dad's illness.... and hopefully some space to spend more time with friends.... 

So as i contemplate the spring joy ahead in my life - what are you contemplating at the moment? 

And one last luxury ... i promised a photo so here we go ........

The before ......

The After....

Perfect - same same but different!!! 

A la prochaine xxx

London in the rain....

This formed part of my 'Soundtrack to living in Africa' - i was introduced to Hotel Costes by a 'Spring-Fling' before leaving the country (he gave me great emotional diversion from all the stuff that goes with moving overseas - emptying and renting my beloved flat, coping with my step out of the corporate fast lane, saying goodbye to the beloved family dog - Shannon,  and stepping into the unknown) and my leaving gift from him was a series of Mini-Discs (who knew the iPod would storm in so soon?) with both my favourite albums (which he mocked!) and some new introductions - The Dandy Warhols, Fun lovin' criminals, Hotel Costes ... amongst others.

He made me up my little box of 10 Mini Discs (around 50 albums - so not a bad selection) which gave me the confidence as i left the country that no matter where in the world i pitched up - i could turn on some music making the very unfamiliar feel instantly like home.

It worked - he made me some inspired selections

• The 11'o'clock selection - Perfect for late at night after an evening out - it's tracks built up a party and then chilled down .... 
• The Driving selection .. 
• The Chill Out disc 
• The Party tracks - which seemed to perfectly warm up a party to dancing, keep it going for a while - and then chill down again ... 

I stored some stuff in his attic and flew away - knowing that we had been what we were meant to be and he'd held a lovely space in my life...  

There were times in 'oh so hot' Africa that i would yearn for a cold wet blustery London day - and more than that - i'd yearn to walk into a pub with a roaring fire and a group of friends who knew me of old. The perfect 'London in the rain' kind of day.

A la prochain x

Spring is in the air....

The milder days and the blue skies are definitely bringing with them the feeling that the long winter is coming to an end - perfect moment to and celebrate with something warm and summery.

I stumbled across Ernest Ranglin a couple of years ago whilst having coffee with friends at Spitalfields market - we were slightly fragile from a party the night before and after an hour or so's mooching we found a fabulous coffee hideout - right next to a music stall. The stall was playing 'Below the Bassline' - Ernest Ranglin and i was enchanted - i bought it straight away and it's become a real saturday morning soundtrack.

It's chilled out and funky with a reggae beat - but above all it's happy music - i can't imagine not smiling to it. 

So welcome, dear ones to Spring - the sun is coming and the grey skies are disappearing - sit back and lift your face to the sun whilst this plays.

A la prochaine x

Who'd have thought...

That lunch at a Railway Station would be so good?


I knew that the Champagne Bar at St Pancras was beautiful - but i hadn't stumbled across the St Pancras Grand Restaurant... and all i want to know is why didn't anyone tell me?
I met some friends for lunch today - and in addition to beautiful food, fabulous company and delicious wine ... there's a jazz trio playing every sunday between 12-4pm ...

It's elegance is of a time gone by, heavy linen & silver (divine silver buckets that hold the bread) extravagant decor topped with heavenly food. I had melt in the mouth mackerel & kedgeree - on a blustery grey day.
Perfect!
If you are going along check out the offers on Top Table - £15 for 2 courses was a delicious bargain.

Should you go to St Pancras leave enough time to take a moment and enjoy the fabulous statue of John Betjeman - he's gazing in wonder at the vast arches of the station (slightly buffeted by the wind) and the sculpture absolutely captures that perfectly ...I hadn't realised how much he did to preserve British architecture - apparently in the 60's he battled to save St Pancras from being demolished.
You learn something wonderful every day -


A la prochain xx