Happy new year!

Happy new year all!

I am happy that it is a new year but everyone makes it like 2016 was the year of the plague.

When you think about it - 

it was nowhere near as bad as 1666.

But I am excited for 2017.

Did you have a good holiday season?

I finally decided to do a Xmas tree for the first time in ages and got a 2 foot tree and decorated it with some decorations that were left in my mother in law's attic.

It's nothing to write home about but small steps for me.

I put it on our coffee table as a gesture.

I decided to finally get a tree because I saw that even a car mechanics garage was decorating and realized I am such a scrooge sometimes.

Then one afternoon, I went over to a friend's house and did a jigsaw puzzle with Christmas carols in the background.

Churches are so welcoming this time of year.


My life in December has been so centered around dogs as I was dogsitting for my brother who was away for most of the month with his GF so we were looking after Millie.

Christmas day was spent with friends and 5 dogs - the Italian greyhound is not pictured.

Millie was rather jealous of this rich bitch's hair blowdry.

#hairgoals

A friend ordered a stuffed bear but didn't realize it would be lifesize.

I took Millie to a new groomer's before my brother came back but most groomer's were booked out like they were Nicky Clarke or something so I took her to a pet cafe/groomers.

The place was such good entertainment value.

I really didn't get out much except for the park.

Aren't these 3 trees so in sync?
Did you know that trees talk to each other?
Long story but they do have their own language it seems.
Sounds hokey pokey but once you read about it - 
there are millions of articles.
Try googling it.

This was New Year's eve day with horses and dogs getting along and demonstrating interspecies peace. 
And yet some people think they are THE best species...

This dog's eyes haunt me because she was a spaniel who was recently rescued because a couple had a baby and wasn't interested in the dog anymore. Apparently she is still a bit sad.


Then I started doing what my parents would tell me but I didn't believe them which was telling Millie how lucky she is.

She ignored me and did the canine version of Netflix and chill which is sit and watch the squirrels taunt and tease her. 
So close but so far away.

I love the east end of London because there is a certain living history there that is not all memorialised.

When the east end was being bombed in the war, some churches moved some items to be safeguarded but was never put back in place.
So they languish around Shoreditch unappreciated and incognito.

I don't really eat much meat but I had proper southern style ribs at this now very formulaic masculine restaurant decor.

Many people still ignore graffiti as angry and frustrated verbal nonsense but I tend to agree with those people with spray cans.

In the spirit of Faviken and Swedish chefs, the same crew who went with me to the restaurant decided to try out Hedone restaurant that is run by a Swedish chef.

This was on their drinks menu. 
I didn't really look through it because we did the wine pairing and let the sommeliers do their work.

I really don't drink so much but that makes up for my eating.

I don't know if my taste buds are changing but truffles didn't really do anything for me.

When do you think they will stop with the spuma on oysters thing?

It was a lovely restaurant and as it is in Chiswick and not central London, it tends to be neglected but apart from us everyone was from out of town at the restaurant.

This was Robert Kime's window.
I took a picture of it because there were some alabaster candle holders for sale which were exactly like the ones I bought from Restoration Hardware 10 years ago.
I miss the old RH.

Opposite Robert Kime is this pub that normally is covered in flower baskets most of the year.
They are so festive and a treat to the eyes.
They serve the usual ales and mediocre Thai food in case you are wondering.

Hope all is well and wishing you all the very best for 2017 x