It's Monday, it's the start of the week, and I'm joining up as ever with Katy and Jasmin for a lovely, positive start to the week. Let's go!
1. Holidays right on the horizon!
From months to weeks to days, our holiday has finally come right into view. I can't wait to explore New York and Boston, revisit Toronto, and go back to the play-area-for-grown-ups that is Vegas! Beautiful hotels, so much to see, catching up with friends and amazing food are all on the menu, and I can't wait. Our dear friend Shona is kitty- and house-sittign for us too, so there are no worries on that front (the trio love Aunty Shona!).
There's a bottle of Laurent-Perrier Rosé in the fridge chilling all ready for Friday evening!
2. Theatrical fun
Between Pride and Prejudice and Vanities last week, I'm in a very theatrical spot right now! I must get some tickets arranges for the last few months of the year. We'll definitely try to catch some theatre in New York too. Hamilton's a non-starter (resale tickets only, and they are all about £1000 for a pair), so we've gone for the next best thing and are preparing to laugh our socks off at Spamilton instead. We'll definitely try the ticket lottery while we are in town too, although with odds of 10,000/1 it will be the most foolhardy gambling of the whole trip!
I'll probably try to catch a matinee on Broadway - my current frontrunner is The Color Purple, which I've heard such great things about!
3. My first visit to a Light Club
Last Wednesday I was one of Katy's 'plusses' for a fab event at Habitat. In honour of their new season lamps their lighting department was transformed into a chic nightspot, with deejays, dancers, fizz, cocktails and canapes. I had such fun hanging out with Katy and Kelly (the other 'plus' for this event), meeting the gorgeous Helen, and hanging out with the always delightful Natasha. The lamps were so beautiful, with lots of natural fibres and materials, polished chromes and rosy coppers. I loved 'Tessalate', which was one-part lamp, one-part artwork!
4. Primark!
I hadn't been shopping in a Primark for ages, but on Friday I popped in to get some gifts for my niecelets ahead of our visit north. I bought them some really cute clothes (which I totally forgot to photograph, oops!) and got all kinds of goodies for myself too. Impressed!
5. The North
Even though our journey was awful (stuck on a train with two dozen drunk, loud, aggressive, sweary passengers - ludicrous), it was so, so nice to be up north. I love London, but each time we head north I become a little more aware that London may not be our forever home. It was so nice to be in the north-east, where it's a little cooler, a little friendlier, and much, much quieter.
6. Family
Families can be really tricky. My in-laws, however, are uncomplicatedly awesome. Every time a girlfriend tells me about her awful in-laws, I thank the fates again for my fabulous in-laws. We had such a great time catching up with my mother- and father-in-law, and visiting with my sister-in-law and the niecelets (Nick, we missed you! - my brother-in-law was away for a birthday boys' holiday). I love our little Roper clan!
| My sweet sister-in-law and the niecelets - so cute! |
7. Friends
Whenever I'm in the north I try to catch up with the awesome Jo, who I taught alongside for three years. This time I got to catch up with Jo and another lovely ex-colleague, Olivia, who was in town to cheer her boyfriend on in the Great North Run. It was such fun to catch up with them both and hear all their news!
8. Cocktails
| Jo makes such a good model, non? I love that her nail varnish co-ordinates with her drink! |
I caught up with the ladies at The Botanist, one of my favourite Newcastle spots. We had delicious cocktails on the terrace in the September sun, and they were all superb - fresh ingredients, interesting mixers and wonderful I-don't-think-we're-in-London-anymore prices!
9. Country music
I am such a country music fan. So the fact that there's now a DAB radio channel (Chris Country) that's all country all the time is making me very happy indeed!
10. Cats!
