Lobster Pot {cashmere}

Lobster Pot Yarns are hand-dyed in a huge lobster pots on Cape Cod by a woman whose love of cashmere led to the creation of {in my view} the most knit~able cashmere yarn available. Once you've crafted something out of this amazing fiber you'll never want to use anything else.

While home for the holiday, I knit up these fingerless gloves {dashing by Cheryl Niamath} for myself from a few skeins of Sand Bar. I love this yarn/pattern combination so much I'll soon be making another pair in Boiled Lobster.

For a few skeins of your very own, try the online shop @ Purl.

Spa Love

Yesterday, Mom & I enjoyed massages & champagne {thanks, Dad!} at the amazing new spa in the Woodstock Inn & Resort, a few miles from Thimble Farm.

Snow flurries were blowing about outside, but we were cozy & warm inside next to the fabulous Danish wood stove, where we waited to be called for our services.

A chic enclosed stone patio just beyond the spa's Great Room houses an outdoor fireplace, sauna & whirlpool {no snap of pool just to left -- spa ladies splashing about & enjoying themselves}. If you don't have a home nearby, I highly recommend a visit to the Inn {request a room with a fireplace} and a service or 2 {especially during December, when they'll haul your family to a local Christmas tree farm and wrap up your selection for the car ride home.}

Caffe Life

Yes, it's a chain, but a chain with the most amazing daily-baked sweets and frothiest cappuccino. From Dubai to Dublin, don't expect anything less than full-fat milk and freshly-ground coffee beans from the family-run roaster in Piacenza at Carluccio's.

What gives this caffe its street cred? The prices are reasonable, the food is fabulous, and Antonio Carluccio, OBE, founded it after managing, then owning, celebrity favorite Neal Street Restaurant {where Naked Chef Jamie Oliver began his professional career as pastry chef.}

Buon appetito

Bee's

Bee Berrie is a 'moonlight baker' 

The Scottish medical microbiologist & self-taught baker cleverly updates vintage recipes to create her delicious sweets. Homemade jammie dodgers are available in a variety of flavors, including ginger (spicy gingerbread with dark chocolate ganache) & choccie (dark or white), and can be customized with up to four letters of your choice.

This Christmas, she's introducing an Italian three-wheeled van from which she'll be selling her treats at various UK markets throughout December.  In addition to her dodgers, a fabulous variety of desserts will be available, including amazing Clementine & Almond Cakes and Lavender & Rose Shortbreads {hand-crafted with Iranian rose essence}.

Watch Bee's website for details about the travelling Italian van, or place an order directly via e-mail {bee@beesbakery.co.uk}

Sweet Girl

My excellent pup, Bailey, was hit by a car a few days after I left for London and due to internal injuries and a shattered pelvis, I needed to make the decision to put her down.  She was a wonderful companion and is most definitely eating plate-loads of people food and swimming in fresh water lakes all over dog heaven.

Bless you, sweet girl.

Merry Mixology

Consider this your formal invitation to a house-load full of holiday fabulousity.

Miss the seriously amazing stylings of Lisa Sherry & Susan Simpson at your peril.

Holiday Service

London is crazy w/Tube service shutdowns at the moment, and this weekend some lines were closed completely. One might think that + rain + thunder + lightning might dampen the British shopping spirit.  

Not so.

Covent Garden's 'Kissmas' tree was illuminated last Thursday, and the West London streets were full of intrepid holiday shoppers all weekend long. Added bonus -- Harrods Vintage Christmas (magical!) and Peter Pan window displays celebrating the 150th anniversary of J.M. Barrie's birth. {Apologies in advance for the photo fuzziness -- iPhone not so great in London twilight.}

Special prize to those who successfully brave the holiday masses?  Glass of champagne @ Harvey Nick's...

Upper Class

Arrived at 7:30 a.m. after an Ambien-induced slumber & too-early wake-up from Bob the steward (Bob thought I'd ordered breakfast but I hadn't, thinking the additional 90 minutes of sleep would be nice. Sigh.)  No matter, can I just say how much I adore the full-flat beds on Virgin Atlantic?

After breezing through customs @ Heathrow, a fabulous cabbie named Nick drove west to Isle of Dogs, my home away from home thru year-end. (Love those spacious, clean London dial-a-cabs!) After a quick unpack (and successful destruction of 2 converters), I headed out to Canary Wharf (surprisingly populated for a financial district Saturday). My first find was The Parlour, a beautiful-beyond-words gastro-pub which, I am certain, will become my 'local'. Dave the bartender, who told me to shout for him whenever bar was crowded and I needed a pint (he's going to regret that), let me in before opening to take snaps.

Odds are you'll find me there tomorrow morning buried behind the Sunday Times, tucking into a plate of Boiled Eggs & Buttered Toast Fingers. Then I'm headed here, for some new power cords.

Cheers.

Eddie Ross & Co.

{photo via Eddie Ross}

Friday @ Metrolina with Eddie & Jaithan was certainly the plan, but a series of rather unfortunate (Lemony Snicket-style) events that morning made its execution impossible. Lucky for me, 2 most excellent friends entered the picture, dragged me to see E+J over some wine & cheese, and eventually (a bottle of Pinot Grigio later) it was all good. Eddie was extraordinarily charming (if a bit road weary after 3 consecutive trips around the Flea -- honestly, could you blame him?) and Jaithan was nothing short of fabulous. That tall drink of water is a hot-hot-hottie.

And another crazy-good surprise was meeting Goodwill Hunting (fab again), who was looking absolutely splendid in purple paisley. Yes. Purple. And it was amazing.

All in all, a very good time was had by most.

Holly Goes Expat

It's official -- I'm heading to London for 8 - 10 months. Mostly this...

But also this...