Salted Carmel

I think I am going to dream about the salted carmel gelato Burr and I had on Saturday night for a very very long time. It was AMAZING. We went to my favourite gelato place in London, Oddano’s after dinner but before the Cirque de Soleil show, Totem. It was absolutely amazing! I even asked the lady when the next time is they will have that flavour – unfortunately its at least 3 to 6 weeks, well perhaps fortunately so I will still fit in my clothes.

Saturday night was fabulous. Burr and I had date night starting at Bar Bouloud. Daniel Bouloud’s restaurant in London. He has a couple in New York. The atmosphere was so fun and the food was delicious! Then, of course ice cream, and the show. The show was at Royal Albert Hall which we had never been to before and it was really cool. We had great seats (thanks to me booking 6 months in advance!) and we loved all the crazy acrobats 

Friday and Sunday we stayed in but had friends over Sunday for pork tacos – See recipe – its delicious!

This Thursday I head to KS for a very quick trip for Clare’s 2nd birthday party! I am so excited I can hardly stand it! I am way more excited for her birthday then mine, which is an unusual feeling for me since I LOVE my birthday - hehe.

Hope you are all well

Love

Anne

My version of heaven

“My version of Heaven is the ability to eat as many cookies and other sweets without gaining weight" -  My friend said this quote today and it made me think, what's mine?

....today my version of heaven is what she said (always) plus not getting pushed/shoved by a stranger for just one day. For one whole day I don’t want to be touched by a stranger. I don’t want a stranger to be close enough to me so I can smell their breath, or smell them at all. (all you over-cologners included). I just want to be surrounded by a mini-1 foot box around me at all times for one little day. Dance space people Dance Space (dirty dancing anyone)? Please oh Lord please let me heaven come true tomorrow!

Today was terrible for the pushing and the shoving. Of course (of course!) the train I got on at Green Park had issues. So I stood on a train for 20 minutes before it moved with the doors wide open - which just makes more people try to cram on the train and cram on the train and CRAM on the train until the doors close. *(side note 1) To those cramming on the train I want to say “did you take physics? Or math at all?, you - yes you person are approx. 6 feet tall and at least 24 inches wide – and those dimensions DO NOT fit into the square one foot box you see on the train....so thank you for cramming onto this train and shoving my purse farther under arm, the man’s elbow closer to my back and the person’s knee into mine that I am starting to bruise – so back to school you idiot!

*Side note 1 - There is nothing better than a train driver that is a “fast door closer” – Its funny to watch people’s faces when they are running for a train and BOOM – door shut. I mean, I make a terrible sad face and it happens to me all the time, and yes people stare....I’m used to it by now stop feeling bad for those folks another train is coming in 2 minutes...usually that is, or maybe 50% of the time!

So back to the cramming on the trains....I always do my make-up in transit...sitting at home doing makeup is a waste of time. So tube, car, train, taxi, whatever – if I am in transit makeup is being applied. So on the crammed tube I am always sticking my elbow in some guys chest attempting to apply the perfect coating of mascara* (side note 2) and some girl staring at me – because girls always stare at girls doing makeup. The eyelash curler is always the one that gets guys....they look at me like a 3 eyed monster, which I probably do look like with my eye wide open lashes slammed between two metal rods. But anyway – the crowded trains are a) terrible for makeup because then I have to balance b) so annoying because I am being touched in at least 4 places and c) takes 3 times as long because I can barely move and therefore have no time to read my US Weekly on the tube- boo.

*Side note 2 - Dior Show black is the best btw – can’t live without

So tomorrow or sometime in the next 3.5 months I am begging for my version of heaven to come true...now that I am writing this it might be the reason I am hermit on the weekends... no one can get to me in my flat (but I am beginning to re-think this as I feel the walls closing in on me in our tiny tiny space).

I do realize in a few months I will look back and appreciate this time. But not at 8:30am on Monday morning. Here’s hoping for tomorrow.

Best

Anne

PPS - No I don't know the randoms....just picks of the crowded tube.

Never too late to need your Mom

This weekend was fun, however it was side tracked by me.  Friday night we went to a nice dinner out with our friends Daniella and Dave. Saturday morning Burr went to work and I went to hot yoga! So Saturday afternoon I was going to make cupcakes for a party we were going to Saturday night.

After I made the pumpkin cupcakes. I started on the lemon ones. Both from Hummingbird Cupcake Recipe Book! So the butter gets a little stuck in the hand mixer. And for some reason I decide to get it out with my finger while still holding the mixer.  And....yes....somehow I turn it on....AHHHHHHH.  OUCH OUCH OUCH.

The first thing I think is "I am going to lose my finger"  then I see, no its just a cut....but oh my gosh now its gushing blood...yuck yuck yuck. This is gross. My poor cupcakes....

So I am holding my finger with my opposite hand and I realize I need to call Burr Not sure to go to hospital or not.  So I get the phone on the table and while still holding my finger to stop the blood flow I put my ear towards the phone.... I have to look ridiculous. Burr says he will be right there, buts its London so I know its going to be 35ishminutes.

Next stop call Mom! "mom, mom, I cut my finger and its hurts...."  She walks my threw the ice, etc. Then I call Lee and say the same thing "owie owie"  Yes, you will note I am the BIGGEST wimp ever.

Burr finally makes it home, the ice numbs my finger and we finally look at my finger, oohhh my poor nail!  Its been slashed and around the back. No I don't need stitches and I am fine, but will I ever be able to get a manicure again?!

Place your votes please!

Burr and I need your help!  We are attempting to try and  plan a little 4-5 week "around the world" trip when we leave London. Nothing is set in stone and we cannot figure out all the places we want to go!!

W would love your thoughts and opinions on where we should go. Please feel free to email us or comment if there is somewhere you think we should go that is missing from the list!

We love you all,
A and B

Happy 1st day of busy-season to Burr!!!

Our Christmas Tree Adventure

Our Christmas tree:-)  Yes, a Little Charlie Brown - but it smelled lovely!  We didn't arrive back from Dubai until the 30th. So the morning of the 1st we opened Christmas gifts!!!

 Our stockings hung from the 'chimney' from care :-)  (Frances made these and they had to come with us to London!!!)

So after opening our Christmas gifts it was time to get rid of the tree....this was going to be a difficult task because the tree was huge (it was brought in all wrapped up) and it was shredding like crazy. So Burr first had the wonderful idea to cut the bottom branches off, throw them away and then he could take it down the stairs....all I could see was me using our(terrible) Dustbuster up 60 stairs for the rest of the day trying to clean up..... So he finally picks up the tree (I have wrapped it the best possible) and he goes 3 feet and says its not possible - we are going to scratch the walls, etc. etc.  So DING DING DING - we think the window! Its perfect....we should shove the tree out the window.  But then our 'accountant hats' came on and we thought no, it could land on something and we could get in huge trouble.  So we debate for quite a while the pro's and con's and finally we decide ok I will go down to the street and make sure its clear -doesn't hit anyone etc etc.

So I am down on the street some people pass, they don't even glance up 3 floors to 4 feet of a Christmas tree hanging out the window. I wait till they pass, check the cars and yell "OK NOW" - and here comes our 5 foot tree landed with a thump on the sidewalk, see the "dead tree outline" below.

And I am sure this is the most daring and exciting thing 2 married accountants will do for the next 363 days!

Baking Frenzy!!

Around the holidays I go on a baking frenzy....I cannot help but to make everything yummy!  This year I made sugar cookies, peppermint bark, gingerbread cookies, and pumpkin pie.  The sugar cookies went to our friends and the pumpkin pie went to Burr's office.  The pumpkin pie was for Burr's British colleagues who do not get pumpkin pie and think the concept is "funny" - so I had to prove them wrong and let them know pumpkin pie is to die for!  Love it.

Doesn't it look amazing?!  Of course - I made it  - hehe.The next up was the cookie exchange with my dear friend Kambry and the Americans Women's Club of London. I brought all these little guys and in turn ate my weight in an assortment of goodies!

 

Sugar cookies - FYI my mom's recipe is better than the Joy of Cooking cookbook - I made both and Burr and I had a taste test. 

We now still have gingerbread cookie dough left and I am averaging 2-3 a day....oops.

Love you all.

XXX

Anne