December 2011

December 31st, 2011

Happy fifth birthday, Astrid

Astrid turned 5 this week. Five.

Five years ago in New Zealand on a Summer’s evening and there she was. End of 2006. That was the time I began writing this blog. It was a time to begin documenting our lives with the children. We’ve made family albums. I’ve not done the last two.

The best thing about this year for Astrid is that I look back on last year’s birthday photos when Astrid refused to have her photo taken – yet this year she got a packet of Hello Kitty candles weeks in advance for her birthday, she even got us to light them twice so she could blow them out twice.

She’s been talking about her party all the time and who she wants to come (it’ll be after the holidays), out riding her new bike all day, finding out how things are made, how I made the pastry for the Alsace tart I baked tonight, wanting to bake, insisting on going outside in the garden, standing up to Edith.

Astrid is really settling in here in London.
Settling into herself. Settling into some form of permanence.

Happy birthday little love.
I wish all the joys that life can bring for you in 2012.

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December 19th, 2011

A winter kitchen

I’ve taken delivery of the amazing and beautiful Nigella Lawson mixing bowls. Amongst other things. The brilliant secret sale compares only to the Le Creuset half price sale of sky blue cookware a few years ago. I spent all weekend rearranging and clearing the kitchen. This evening I briefed Joelene our nanny on where everything goes. On Saturday I briefed Kevin.

So much has been ditched, the kids have got a few pieces for their kitchen.

But I, I am happy. A clear space. New cookbooks. Total kitchen perfection in tidy spaces and cupboards and clear bench tops. Space now for the new cook books and ingredients to sit on the bench. This weekend I discovered pomegranate molasses, new balsamic and North African spices from Melrose and Morgan, red wine vinegar from Carluccios and fresh parsley and pomegranate from our corner shop.

I spent all weekend in the kitchen, working on new recipes. Learning from new cookbooks. And working on energy efficient cooking. This weekend we had smoked salmon which I’ve not dared eat for seven years. We had anchovies with caramelised onions and garlic. We had scary dark Italian tinned tuna with giant penne. We had potato tart with thyme. The girls loved their macaroni cheese made with bechamel sauce from The Silver Spoon. I made tabbouleh with my famous hummous. Grilled pitta crisps. Soft fried purple carrots in butter.

The brown velvet curtains are up at last. Insulation to keep the cold of winter out and to stave off the ever rising London electricity prices. Upstairs and downstairs. The Christmas tree is up. Home is becoming ever more home. And I’m so looking forward to a couple of weeks off work for big walks on the Heath. Amazing Christmas food and wine has all been carefully curated and ordered.

Good company and warm times ahead.

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December 15th, 2011

First ballet recital

The other Sunday we went to the girls’ first ballet recital. I can’t remember why there wasn’t one last year, although last year I went to see their final ballet performance and I went to end of year festival for Astrid. This year I did neither. I’ve taken so much time off lately while we had an au pair while our nanny was away and I know there’s more of that ahead during Christmas. So Astrid cried this morning that I couldn’t come. And tonight somebody told me about their good friend who’s a photographer who earns bazillions of pounds to work a few days a month.

I know what next year’s goal is now.

My Yquem arrived yesterday. And James came over to work on his site so we tiptoed down to the cellar and opened one of the gift boxes. Ok, well I’m not giving any away so the fancy box was a nice present for us. It is indeed the best wine I’ve ever ever had.

And tonight I was reassured I wasn’t such a terrible cook after all and that simple has its merits.

All in. A good evening.

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December 14th, 2011

Parts of rooms

Now the house is slowly beginning to take shape I’m taking photos of part of rooms. A couple of people have said they’ve seen my house photos on the blog but they still can’t really tell what the house is like; just very small zoomed in bits of it.

So I’m branching out a bit from tiny zoomed in scenes to parts of rooms. I’m not quite yet brave enough for whole rooms. They’re still not quite perfect enough. Or perhaps I shall just do it like my new way of sewing (as inspired by Melissa) to not worry about being perfect and just do it for the sheer joy of it and accept how things are without painfully striving for perfection.

That said I’m not taking any bed photos. Well, I did. And it was upon sight of said bed photo that I realised just how ugly our giant IKEA bed indeed is.

Kevin wants modern from Heals. I want a vintage style french bed maybe from here http://www.thefurnituremarket.co.uk/french_furniture.asp that I can just order now. Although in reality I will want a real vintage one which I’m happy to wait for. Perhaps a reason to go to Paris for some furniture market shopping.

And onwards and upwards to whole, photographable rooms.

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December 12th, 2011

Nigella Lawson secret sale

Today I came across a Nigella Lawson secret sale on eBay totally by chance. Today I spent such happy piles of money at their amazing sale they refunded my postage. The best thing about this secret sale is that it’s full of Nigella Lawson Living Kitchen things – in Rosebud PINK.

Yes, pink. I kid you not.

Now, I’m not sick of pink at all. In fact I’m just learning to like pink because pink is the new colour of our household thanks to two girls who want pink everything.

So today I bought a pink breadbin – I’ve wanted one for years but was always waiting for it to be on sale at a good price and today is that day. Usually £70. Today £45

Serving dishes in blue usually £61. Today £35.
Ceramic mixing bowls in beautiful pink, ah such sweet delight! Usually £63. Today £39.95.
A much required lemon juicer in cream. It was £9.95.
Also much required measuring spoons in cream again. They were £5.95.

My research leads me to believe Bliss Home are the ones behind the amazing sale. Bliss Home being the people who are behind the Nigella Lawson range as well as my new favourite, the Orla Kiely Homewares range.

A bit of a good secret sale discovery indeed!!