The Agony and the Ecstasy!

Faster, Higher, Stronger

Hello my Valentines!  Let me start by apologizing for not posting last Thursday.  I met a new friend at a pub in Notting Hill in the afternoon and just did not feel the blogging juices flowing by the time I made it back home.  Note to self: cider does not a great blogger make.  So here we are, back on track.  Today I bring you a special Valentine's Day/Winter Olympics edition.  

I am no Hemingway.

I thoroughly enjoy holidays.  I think it may have been one of the driving factors in my becoming a teacher (outside of the whole educating the nation's youth thing).  I couldn't wait to be a part of a profession that celebrated almost every insignificant holiday in existence.  Of course, by the time I became a teacher recognizing most holidays was frowned upon and you couldn't have parties in your classroom.  So... there was that.  I think that Valentine's Day is a fun holiday.  If you have a "someone special" you get flowers, drink wine, have a fancy dinner, and maybe a special desert.  If you don't; you can stay in, watch an old movie, order a pizza, and eat a pint of Ben & Jerry's.  A hands down win-win in my opinion.  There's no valid reason to get depressed about it because it has become a manufactured commercial holiday, so there is so little value to it.  But, it does give you a reason to celebrate in February.  And the way things have been going for most of you this winter, weather-wise, you NEED something to celebrate!

Oh sweet baby Jesus, Pocono Palace here I come!

Speaking of things to celebrate, this year is special because it is an OLYMPIC YEAR!!!  I loooooooove the Olympics.  I am a complete Olympic junkie.  I have mentioned before that I enjoy a bit of pomp and circumstance, a little show, and what better embodiment of pomp, circumstance and show mixed with competition, and death defying acts of skill & bravery is there than the Olympics?  I have been completely dedicated to Sochi this year thanks to the BBC's never ending coverage.  They have programming on BBC1 and BBC2 as well as this Red Button on the remote that allows you to access other sports that are occurring live if you don't want to watch whatever is on the main channels.  I find this incredibly useful during curling.  I can switch away from BBC2 to live coverage of the men's figure skating short program, even when that looks like this: 

Zamboni time!!!  Infinitely more appealing than curling.

Let's look back at the Opening Ceremony shall we?  When it started it went like this:

Славься, страна! Мы гордимся тобой!

And I was like, "Hmmmm...".  Images of this flashed through my brain:

Sean Connery... my favorite Russian.

I was born in 1981, I literally cannot help it.  

But in all seriousness I learned that the State Anthem of the Russian Federation is beautiful.  The Sretensky Monastery Choir's performance was impressive and brought a depth to the composition that a single voice could never do.  Putin loved it:

He is absolutely ecstatic.

Then came the Parade of Nations and 'Muricah!! 230 strong.  USA USA USA! 

I cannot even explain how much I love this sweater.
If it did not cost $600, I would buy it and wear it everyday.

I so appreciate the American exuberance.  Yes, you are here to represent your country, it's important in that respect, but this is basically a massive party.  I am so glad that many of Team USA seem to embrace that.

Then Sochi did what Russia does best:

Ballet representation of War & Peace.

I was so in love with the ballet portion of the ceremony.  The way that an intimate experience was created in a stadium setting was truly beautiful.  

I am also SO SO happy for the return of a proper cauldron.

Nyeht! (London)

Da! (Sochi)

This year has been very interesting for me because it is my first non-NBC produced Olympics.  As I have mentioned above I can see almost any sport that is occurring in real time, and coverage, in general, is comprehensive.  I think one of the reasons for this is that Team GB doesn't really dominate anything.  So the focus on their athletes alone is much less than coverage in the US.  I really appreciate this.  I can watch full cross country races, hockey matches (well, no, but I COULD), the entire men's downhill field, you get the picture.  Sometimes there is just dead air on the Red Button, or a qualifying run of an event with very little commentary.  

The big news for Team GB is Jenny Jones, a snowboarder who won Great Britain's FIRST snow medal.  Ever.  She won the Bronze, but in this country Bronze is looking like Gold.  The other big focus has been the curling teams which is unfortunate for moi, because when I see curling it makes me want to... Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

Personally, I am totally enthralled by the cross country skiing.  I have never seen a sport where virtually every single finisher throws themselves on the ground and looks like they are going to throw up and/or die.  I mean, I'm watching it right now and I think that medics should just be waiting at the finish line with stretchers.

In the words of my cousin (once removed),
Ian, "Something strange is going on."

I hope everyone has a lovely Valentine's Day and a fantastic weekend.  If you want to escape the snow, come and visit!  Or for that matter, go to Sochi: 60 degrees F there today!

Jenny Jones Twitter

Roman Holiday: Due

Hey mambo!  Mambo Italiano!

Hello my frozen ones (well, at least most of you in the US)!  Groundhog Day is just around the corner.  Maybe good ol' Punxsutawney Phil will give everyone a break and predict an early spring.  That is if his hole isn't frozen over.  He, he.  It would be funny if it wasn't actually a possibility.

I'm more interested in this gentleman's mustache than what Phil has to say, truth be told.

I hear that it is Super Bowl Week in NYC.  There is a giant slide in the middle of Times Square!  I am not sure what this really has to do with football, but why question the significance?  If I were still in the city you can bet that I would have taken my lunch break to go down it.  I wasn't really sure who was in the Super Bowl this year and then I found out that it is the Seattle Seahawks and the Denver Broncos.  Then I realized I didn't care.  I guess I am rooting for the Denver Broncos because I am a fan of the Mannings.  I love when they do commercials together, I feel all warm inside.  Does that make me a Fanning?  I don't know.  Or maybe I should support the Seahawks as there are 2 Penn Staters on the team?  It is a puzzlement.

Jordan Hill & Michael Robinson
WE ARE...

Speaking of commercials I think we can all agree that Budweiser has officially won the Super Bowl this year and the rest is just noise.  Because... PUPPIES!!!!  And... HORSIES!!!!

I sincerely wish that I could join in all of the pigskin revelry, but unfortunately it doesn't start until 11:30 PM here, and that's a little late to start digging into some nachos.  I will simply have to live vicariously through Facebook and Twitter.

When we last left off I was walking through the streets of Roma with Luigi, Franco, and J.  The next morning we got up early and drove out toward the beach.  It is a lovely 15 minute drive from Luigi's flat.  Many people don't realize how close the Mediterranean is to Rome.  It was a little too cool to go for a romp in the water, it was still nice to be by the sea.  While there are public beaches, many people who frequent Ostia, belong to a beach club.  These clubs are great!  You can get a cabana to retreat to when the sun becomes too much and they provide lounge chairs.  There may be a pool and usually there is a restaurant.  It is quite a luxury and something that I, growing up on the public beaches of Long Island, am certainly not used to!  After our trip to the beach we went back to Luigi's for another delicious lunch.  It is a good thing that we were only there for three days because any longer and I would have left twice the size that I had come!  After lunch we went to... the outlets!!  Now, one might not think "outlets" when one thinks Rome, but there is a great outlet mall called Castel Romano not all that far from the city center.  If you have never traveled to Italy before I would NOT recommend you come here.  Go see the sights, eat the food, walk the streets, and dance in the fountains!  But, if you have been a couple of times, done all the touristy stuff and want to get some great bargains, come here.  For us, coming from London, the Euro is in our favor and the shops were still running post-holiday sales.  We were able to find some really good deals.

Charge it!

That night Luigi, Franco, J and I went for a fantastic dinner at Taverna Cestia in an area of Rome called Piramide, so named for the Pyramid of Cestius that is nearby.  We met up with our friends Cristina and James who brought along their friend Francesca.  Our happy party started with prosecco and focaccia.  Followed by a pizza.  Followed by fried anchovies and artichokes.  After that came my main, a grilled tuna steak in tomato sauce with capers and olives.  AMAZING.  So, so good.  From there we were off to a party at Papageno Cafe.  Needless to say, it was a great time.  We rolled home with Cristina and James around 6 AM.

12:00 AM and many hours to go.

The next morning (err... afternoon) we spent some time catching up with Cristina and James at their place.  I didn't take any pictures because it was pouring rain, but trust me.  You cannot ask for a more idyllic view.  Cristina is an actress and James owns a really fun shop, Goodqueen, on the Via Del Corso-they are quite the dynamic couple and a lot of fun to chat with.  We noshed on some lasagna, watched their wedding video and got to know their new puppy, Penelope.  Then it was back to Luigi's to celebrate his mother's birthday.  After some pastries and a toast with prosecco, J and I found ourselves heading back to Fiumicino to catch our Easy Jet back to London.  The weather was not great and we ended up delayed about an hour.  We did not get back to South Kensington until around 1:00 AM.  Of course, our cab ended up being on the complete opposite side of Victoria Station at an entrance that was closed after midnight.  (For the bookable cab services here, you indicate the pick up spot on the reservation.  So, my bad!)  Oh well, you live, you learn!

J and I had a fabulous time visiting our friends.  It may have taken us about a week to recover, but it was well worth it.  We cannot wait for our next trip!

A presto!  Ciao. ;)

Roman Holiday

Get in my bellaaaaaaay!

Buongiorno!  Come stai?  This is all the Italian I know.  'Good day' and 'How are you?'.  I know a fair amount of food as well, but I don't think that food counts.  To be fair, I also know 'Ciao', 'A presto', 'Bene', and 'Grazie'.  But at this point we truly have exhausted my Italian knowledge.  It's too bad that I don't know more because I have a new best friend who doesn't speak a word of English; my friend Luigi's mother.  Luigi's mother and I get along famously.  Mostly because we have no idea what the other is saying.  But more on that later.  J and I have officially recovered from our weekend trip to Roma.  We had a blast.  Amazing food, fabulous company and the Eternal City.  Who could want more?

We began our Friday at 3:30 AM.  Now just to put that into perspective, that is 10:30 PM EST.  So many of you had not yet even gone to bed when we were waking up.  We had ordered a cab for 4:00 and off we went to Victoria Station.  Victoria Station is about a 10 minute cab ride from our flat.  It is a Tube Station as well as a hub for the National Rail Service.  Express trains to Gatwick Airport, aptly named the Gatwick Express, operate out of here and have you at the airport in a half hour.  After a chai latte & a scone for me and a ham, egg, and cheese McMuffin sandwich for Juan (gross... as a New Yorker I can not accept the McDonald's excuse for my beloved bacon, egg, & cheese) we were on our way to Roma!  We landed at about 10:15 AM Rome time and our friend Luigi was quickly there to pick us up.  One item of note regarding immigration.  J holds the citizenship of an EU country.  He gets to go through the EU Passport holders line when traveling within the Euro Zone.  Since I am his wife, even though I do not hold an EU Passport, I get to got through this designated area as well.  I thought this was petty cool!  Accept... I didn't get a stamp in my passport.  Wha whaaaa.  Maybe I'll just draw one in there.  I'm sure it wouldn't cause any issue.

 "No pretty stamp for you!"

So off we went to Luigi's flat.  He lives in an area of Rome called Mostacciano.  It feels like a suburb of the city, but its official designation is within the city limits.  It is a lovely area with lots of trees and winding streets.  We stopped quickly for a coffee-and when I say quickly-I mean quickly.  Italians do not make coffee an hour long event.  You get your coffee and maybe a little sweet, often stay standing, and polish it all off within 10 minutes.  It is more of a means of refueling than anything.

A typical residential building in Mostacciano. 

Upon arrival at Luigi's home, we met his parents.  They are absolutely lovely.  This is when Luigi's mom and I became best friends.  Throughout the weekend, I was her favorite conversation mate, despite Luigi's protestations that "lei non capisce".  She insisted that, yes, I did understand.  I did not.  But on some level I think we communicated.  One thing I can say for her is she's got spunk!  I vowed to learn Italian just so that when we return I can "capisco".

After a quick freshening up J & I accompanied Luigi to the supermarket to pick up supplies for lunch.  And what a lunch it was.  Luigi prepared spaghetti alle vongole for us.  As J helped Luigi in the kitchen, I helped his mom set the table in the dining room.  We feasted on the pasta, bread, salad, fruit, and panettone all washed down with wine, water, and espresso-in that order.

This was the biggest pan I have ever seen.

Babo e la Nonna (& Rossi)

After a much needed siesta we were off to the Centre for dinner.  Before that, however, we stopped for a coffee (10 minutes) at Caffe Palombini in EUR.  EUR is a very interesting area just outside of Rome's center.  It is a business and residential area originally chosen in the 1930s as the site for the 1942 World's Fair.  Benito Mussolini wanted to celebrate 20 years of fascism.  The letters E.U.R. stand for Esposizione Universale Roma.  As one could well imagine, the 1942 World's Fair never took place due to the "Seconda Guerra Mondiale".  EUR is a very stark contrast to the architecture in almost any other part of Rome as it has very clean lines, is fairly uniform and is a planned development.

Palazzo della Civilta Italiana
"The Square Colosseum"

Our evening continued in the center of Rome, not far from the Piazza Navona at an excellent little trattoria called Fiammetta.  I have heard J wax poetic about this place since the first time he came with Luigi.  Now, finally, it was my turn to sample the fabled bucatini all'amatriciana.  It was well worth the hype.  I.chowed.down.  If you should ever be in Rome, I highly recommend this place.  But remember, this is not a tourist trap but a spot that caters to locals.  Do NOT expect in and out service.  Relax, enjoy the food and stay a while.  Order some focaccia or a pizza to start and just be happy that you are in Rome!

Go to here!

Heaven on a plate.

Our evening ended with some gelato and a walk through the Piazza Navona and over to the Pantheon.  So much about this made me happy.

#1: Gelato

#2: Piazza Navona at Night

#3: The Pantheon with J

I have been to Rome 3 times and each time I have made the walk (with Luigi) from Piazza Navona to the Pantheon at night.  I love it.  Gone are the overwhelming crowds from the day.  Rome is a place where history really seems to come out at night.  The touristy feel of the city falls away and the wonder at the age of the place really takes over.  I love it.

4.5 years ago J and I met up and took a very similar picture in front of the Pantheon.  We had not been dating long and I was ending a vacation with a long layover in Rome just as J was beginning his traditional 2 week holiday there.  I made my way from Fiumicino to the center by train; found my way from Termini to my hotel and, after a quick drop of my luggage, tore through the city to meet J in a small piazza not far from Piazza Navona.  Apparently, I am a map master!  We walked through the city with some of J's friends and got drinks on the rooftop bar at the Hotel Minerva.  From there we ended up at a piano bar and danced the night away.  I was so excited to be in Rome, my first visit, and to be meeting up with the very person who had encouraged me to travel in the first place.  We could NEVER have known at that point that almost 5 years later we would be back in the same spot, now living as a couple in London.  But here we are!  And I am so grateful for that first night.  It left an indelible impression on me.  

Rome will always hold a special place in my heart.

Next week: MORE FUN IN ROMA!!!

Mini-Break Mini-Post

September 2010... will I ever be that tan again?
Will I ever be in such good shape again?
Answer to both?  Probably not.

Quickie blog post today!  J and I will be getting up at the crack of dawn tomorrow to catch a flight to ROMA!  Actually, we will be getting up long before dawn.  Our flight is at 6:50 and our train is at 4:30, which means that we are waking up at... well you do the math.  We will be visiting friends, notably, our friends Luigi and Kristina.  We are very much looking forward to seeing them and eating wonderful, wonderful food.  I will be eating gelato everyday and I do not care that it's winter.

All of this... in my face.

The only way that I can rationalize the coming gelato orgy is the knowledge that I am once again "in training".  While I decided that 1 marathon before the wedding is enough (sorry Barcelona, I won't be cursing your streets this year), apparently a half-marathon is doable.  Or so my mind says.  I am finding that my body may be feeling differently.  Namely my knees.  Oh well, they're replaceable... right?  All things going to plan I will be taking part in the Richmond Half Marathon on March 23rd.  I am looking forward to this race as it is along the Thames for several miles and finishes in Kew Gardens, a lovely botanical garden in outer London.

Do you think that there's a hill at Richmond Hill??  Hope not!

Some exciting news this week for the family!  My brother and his wife will be moving to Austin, TX in February.  Ever since my brother graduated college he has been living in LA.  LA is where he met his wife and where they got married.  It is where they got the most adorable puppy boy of all time, Gizmo, and where they have created a life for themselves over the past 7.5 years.  But they have decided that it is time for some change.   I am so excited for them and wish them all the best!  

P & D- Let's make a pact.
I won't start talking all British-y if you don't start talkin' all Texas-y.

Well, that's all from here!  I hope everyone has a good weekend.  If you find yourself wondering what I'm doing, well you don't have to.  You'll know.

Twelfth Night

Shakespeare's Globe

Well the holidays are officially over and the carriage has turned back into a pumpkin!  Hmmm... maybe that's not really what I want to say, but sometimes post-holiday feels that way.  All of the decorations are down and the apartment (and the city, for that matter) feels bare.  J is back on his normal work schedule which means long days for me, which I don't mind entirely, but it can feel a bit lonely.  Guess it's time to find a job!  That is certainly on the list of things to start taking care of.  It didn't make too much sense for me to start my job search when I first got here as Londoners were already very much in the holiday mood.  Without Thanksgiving to hold them back, Christmas revelry starts VERY early here.  Now that we are well into January, I have no more excuses and it's time to pound that pavement.

Happily, many of our friends have returned from their Christmas vacations.  On Saturday night J and I went to a new Austrian restaurant for a mini-reunion with a couple of our friends who had been in Argentina and Spain for the holidays.  As we finished up dinner (around 11:30), we were not quite ready to call it a night and began discussing next steps.

In London, this can become quite the ordeal.  Most restaurants, pubs, and many bars close by midnight here.  If you want to stay out "late" you can find a few lounges that will stay open until 1:00, and then there are the clubs that stay open later.  There are, of course, a few loungy bars that stay open as late as the clubs, but they are few and (more inconveniently) far between.  In contrast to New York, where you can basically fall from one late night spot into the next, in London you need to have a game plan.  The area that we were out in on Saturday is called Fitzrovia and is a great place to go out for dinner or to meet up for happy hour.  You would think an area like this would also have a few late night spots to cater to the post-dinner crowd.  Nope.  We could have gone to Soho or even back to my neighborhood where there are late night lounges, but sometimes you don't want to have to travel-it ruins the momentum.  Not to mention that the Tube closes at 12:00 so then you are forced to take a bus or an insanely expensive cab to your next destination.  I have a feeling this is a bit of me getting "old".  I seem to remember gallivanting all over New York in my 20s; walking for blocks, hopping in cabs, grabbing a subway all in one night.  But those days are long gone my friends!  And I just cannot get over the cab prices here.  New Yorkers are SPO-I-LED when it comes to this... this and manicures... and flowers... well that's all for another post!

Not until 2015... better late than never.
Thanks, Boris.

So what happened?  We decided to go home.  I, frankly, was starting to get a bit cranky standing on a street corner in heels discussing potential destinations.  Whenever this sort of thing happens, I think to myself, 'I have friends who have 3 kids already and are so far removed from standing on a street corner in ridiculous shoes discussing where to continue their night that they may as well be on Mars.'  And you know what?  I wish I were them!  I do not want to be me at that moment.  I definitely want to be them.  I don't always feel this way, but in these instances I really do!  Anyways, J and I got home and the two late night spots near us were hopping... go figure!  We live in a much more residential area than the one that we had just come from.  These are the things that make London... special.

Nam Long-Shaker
Scene of Prince Harry sightings, home of the infamous Flaming Ferrari,
and where J refuses to ever return.

Sunday was one of the most fun days that I have had in London.  I had read, in the Time Out London, about a Twelfth Night Celebration that would be taking place outside of the Globe Theater on the South Bank.  It seemed like a lot of fun and I figured that if it rained, we could just hop next door to the Tate Modern.  Well luckily, it did NOT rain and J and I got to experience a truly entertaining tradition.  For those unfamiliar, please follow this link to read up a bit on Twelfth Night.  A group called The Lions Part performs the Twelfth Night Celebrations which consist of the arrival (by row boat) of the Holly Man from the Thames (quite the feat for the rowers if you know anything about the Thames current); wassailing; a mummers play; and a parade to The George Inn where further wassailing and general celebration occurs.  J and I beat the parade to The George, found ourselves a table and tucked into some delicious British food-and NO that is not an oxymoron!

I had such a great time and it is difficult to really explain why.  It was not a touristy event and we were surrounded by British accents which made me happy.  Where we live I generally hear more French and Italian.  Everyone was game for the audience participation and it was great to see the smiles on the youngest and oldest members of the crowd.  As the evening approached we made our way back over to the North Bank and headed home.  All in all a great way to wrap up the weekend!

Awaiting The Holly Man on the River Thames.
(St. Paul's Cathedral in the background.)

The Holly Man and St. George

Wassailing the Globe!

Pint of Cider at The George... all gone!

Our walk back to the Tube over London Bridge.
In the photo: The Tower of London, Tower Bridge, HMS Belfast

The Shard

On Tuesday, my friend Ashley from New York came through London on her way up North for a family wedding.  I had a lot of fun catching up with her and meeting one of her best friends who, it turns out, lives right around the corner from J and I!  I am always excited to meet new people here and I am so glad that I was able to spend the day with an old friend whilst (WHILST) making a new one.

Speaking of old friends and new, I would like to give a big shout out to the Hoffman family!  A big WASSAIL to you on the announcement of a new addition expected in May.  "WASSAIL!!"

I hope everyone in the States has recovered from the Polar Vortex.    I wonder what would happen if a Polar Vortex ever met up with a Frankenstorm??  What IF a Polar Vortex joined with a Frankenstorm and encountered a Sharknado????  The possibilities are really endless.  I have a feeling the end result would be Zombie Apocalypse, because... clearly.

Auld Lang Syne

But seas between us braid hae roar’d
sin auld lang syne...

Well here we are in 2014!  How did that happen?  Like so many years, the last month of 2013 has just flown by.  Of course, it always seems for good reason.  Parties, dinners, cocktail hours and last minute holiday preparations take over our normal routine and before you know it we are thrust into a new year.

I gladly welcome 2014.  2013 had its moments, and what moments they were, but all in all it seemed to be marked by waiting and treading water.  The year started with my waiting for visa approval to come visit J in London.  In February I excitedly joined J only to find that the transition wasn't quite as smooth as I had hoped it would be.  Growing pains aside, my time here from February through June was enjoyable; not to mention the fact that J and I made our engagement official!  We took a whirlwind trip to Mexico to celebrate J's sister's wedding and before you knew it I was on a plane back to the States.  The summer saw more waiting.  Waiting for J to come visit so that we could have our civil ceremony, waiting for church permission for our religious ceremony, waiting for new visa approval, waiting to join my (now) husband.  Luckily, in the middle of all of that waiting I had plenty of wedding planning and marathon training to do.  I think the theme song of my 2013 could be 'Anticipation'.  Even the final day of 2013 was marked by my dogged searching of the internet for any news related to the status of the Penn State football coach, Bill O'Brien.  Or should I say the Houston Texan's coach, Bill O'Brien?  Disappointment aside, all the best to Coach O'Brien and his family.  I cannot imagine what the last 2 years must have been like for them.

I am seriously going to miss moments like these, though:

As for our final weeks of 2013, J and I made the most of finally being able to celebrate Christmas and the New Year together!  J got out of work early on Christmas Eve and we attended 6:00 PM mass at the Brompton Oratory.  The Brompton Oratory is a beautiful church quite close to where we live and I was very much looking forward to attending Christmas mass there.  Boy was I disappointed!  Their Solemn Mass is the "Midnight Mass" (Ahem, 11:30 PM Mass).  This mass is in Latin with full choir and instruments.  The 6:00 PM mass was well... lacking.  As in, NO choir, not even a cantor.  The entire service was spoken and we were out by 6:45.  J and I left slightly bewildered.  We knew that we were not attending the Solemn Mass but this hardly felt like a celebration of anything, much less the Lord's birth!  Well... we know better for next year.

This year we decided to celebrate like Peruvians (well J IS Peruvian)!  Post-mass it was time for me to put my chef's hat on and get to cooking!  On the menu: Roast Turkey, Potato Salad with Green Apples & Raisins, Mashed Sweet Potatoes w/ Orange Zest, Apple Sauce, Stuffing, and Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries.

After a fair amount of this:

We ended up with this:

Then it was time for some of this:

At midnight we toasted with some champers (champagne: British slang alert) and opened our presents!  I received my first pair of Uggs, and let me just tell you, my feet have never been happier.  My parents sent us some gifts from our UK registry and I am in love with our new tea kettle that heats water up through a plug, not on the hob (range: more British for you).

I get excited about appliances.

Christmas day was spent relaxing, talking with family via Skype, and ended with a long walk along the Thames.  It felt as if we had the city to ourselves!  In London, EVERYTHING is closed on Christmas.  There is no public transportation, all grocery stores are closed, and only a few restaurants are open (and those that are, close by 6:00 PM).  The place seriously shuts down.

About a 10 minute walk from our flat.
The bridge to west of me is the Prince Albert Bridge.  

The week between Christmas and New Year's was spent taking advantage of the Boxing Day sales and visiting the Winter Wonderland for one last time.  The Boxing Day sales here are SERIOUS.  50%-75% off!  J and I said that next year we are writing IOUs and putting them in boxes for Christmas.  Then we'll just shop the sales!  And for those of you wondering what Boxing Day is, it has nothing to do with fisticuffs.

For New Year's Eve, J and I kept it low key and decided to go watch the fireworks on the Thames.  I happened to remember that Gordon's, London's oldest wine bar, was close to the river and thought it might be a good place to kill some time before going over to the Embankment.  As it turned out, we never even had to move from Gordon's!  We had a fantastic view from the outdoor seating there and made some friends while we waited. (P.S. If you are ever in London, I highly recommend Gordon's!  It is all about the ambiance, don't expect any kind of great service-it is London, after all-but grab a bottle of wine, some ham & cheese and go sit in the bunker.  Perfect for a sight-seeing afternoon ruined by rain.)

The view was quite a bit better than what the pictures would indicate.
These seem to suggest that London is under attack...

And with that, I issue a fond farewell to 2013 and a howdydo to 2014!  I hope that everyone had a fun and safe New Year's Eve.  J and I wish you all the best in the coming year!

Here is some great coverage of what we saw on Tuesday night: