Home Sweet Other Home

My long-awaited visit to Europe finally came around in December.

Catching up with friends was the absolute highlight of my 8 days back in London, especially being able to get everyone together to have my annual Christmas lunch which meant a lot to me having missed everyone so much. And staying with Stu & Kris was really a treat too.

In between seeing friends, I spent half-a-day browsing every inch of Liberty, voted in the general election (sad result), and soaked up some culture seeing a provocative play at the Young Vic, and a Bridget Riley exhibition with Jaimie at the Hayward. Eating a Sunday roast with Stu & Kris, at my favourite Palomar with Dave and brunching at the Wolseley with Mailie were dining highlights.

Slone Square

Back in Soho

The Annual Christmas Lunch

Craving Sunday Roast

Southbank with Jaimee

Coal Drops Yard, KX

At the Wolseley with Mails

Browsing the christmas lights in Bond Street

I felt so much more Christmassy after being in London (there wasn't much happening in Melbourne when I left), but the Christmas vibes were dialled up a notch when the gang (Stu, Kris, Mailie & Milt) and I went to Germany for the Christmas markets. I was so glad not to miss our annual trip. This year's destination was Heidelberg with day trips to a few nearby markets. As ever the days were filled with decoration shopping (Kris and I now have a loyalty card at Kathe Wohlfart!), bratwurst and gluwein. It's the best Christmas fun you can have.

Our annual pick with Stu and I having our first mugs of gluwiens!

Ecstatic after our visiting our favourite shop (which we did in each village)

I said goodbye to the gang in Germany and flew to Paris (thanks to the strike) for a couple of nights to meet Lisa and the kids coinciding with the end of their European trip and Louisa's 7th birthday.

With the morning to myself I had breakfast around the corner at Shakespeare & Co, and did some all-important shopping at Sezane, Galeries Lafayette and the jam shop. In the afternoon we met up for a drink and early dinner.  For our last day we breakfasted at a cafe in St Germain (we stayed in the 6th arrondisement), wandered to Place des Vosges (via the sadly destroyed Notre Dame) and had crepes for lunch. Louisa was desperate to see the Eiffel Tower up close so at the Louvre we jumped in a tuk tuk (spot the tourists) who took us for a spin past it. After dinner we ended the day with a drink at Cafe de Flore.

Lisa and I had been in Paris together in 1998 so it was fun being there together again. And going to Cafe de Flore where we'd tried to steal the crockery under the beady eyes of the waiters (but ended up buying it instead).

Two niggles in Paris.
One, the strikes, which couldn't be helped, and hey it's France.
Two, eating with children in Paris. That will be my first and last experience of Hard Rock Cafe!

I so loved being back in London, surrounded by my friends, and being able to pop over to Europe for a weekend just a short plane ride away. Fortunately two days after I arrived back in Australia, I flew to Qld for a family Christmas holiday in Noosa.

Only because it was my god daughter's birthday choice.