December misc.

Suddenly it was December and the leaves on the trees had been replaced with lights. Movember moustaches had been shaved off and the fast approaching Christmas period was never far from anyone's thoughts. My December so far has been good, but busy, hence the lack of posting. So here for you all, before I log off for Christmas, a December miscellany.

****

There have been cocktails in downstairs bars tucked behind the lights and bustle of Regent Street. There was the fondue night, great fun. Walks through the park, trees mostly bare. Cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate at the Nordic Bakery. Champagne tasting at The Hide Bar. Craft fairs with the Shoreditch Sisters, learning to crochet my first granny square at one of our knitting and craft evenings. A queue and then success getting into The Long Table, Dalston's food night market. Dinner followed by Pina Coladas on a wet Monday night with uni friends. Brunch in Southwark, poached eggs and sweetcorn fritters. Mulled cider in North London pubs. Lots and lots and lots of Snowballs (because 'tis the season). Decorating our little tree with favourite baubles and a few new ones. An office Christmas lunch that turned out to be a huge amount of fun. Late nights and struggling through work the next day. Multiple Christmas parties, scattered across London, tube journeys and night buses. A plethora of ugly Chrsitmas jumpers, seems to be a recurring theme for parties this year (I made the Christmas Tree one for M, impressed?). Bowls of clementines and baking trays of cheese straws. A quiet supper at one of my bestest's, just before we all went our separate ways for Christmas, lights twinkling in the tree, glasses of bubbly and dark night outside.

****

Now I am in a slightly damp Norfolk, home for Christmas with the family. I am going to be cooking, taking photographs when I can, going for long country walks when there is daylight and watching films and practising crochet when there's not. Spending time with loved ones.

Wishing you all the very best for Christmas my dear readers, may it be peaceful and magical and full of joy.

Fondue Night

Saturday December 3rd. A few friends, a couple of jugs of Snowballs, and a lot of melted cheese.

London Love: Happiness Forgets

8-9 Hoxton Square, N1 6NU

I am almost loathe to share this next one, because it was just so very lovely. But, it is Christmas (well, nearly), a time for sharing, and it may be that you are looking for the perfect spot to sit and sip a cocktail with a friend or two, cocooned from the dark night.

We visited Happiness Forgets in November, when the waiters were still sporting elegantly twisted moustaches, and the nights were inky black and misty, but still warm enough to venture out without gloves. We didn't get in first try, so the four of us went and drank margaritas elsewhere, leaving them with M's mobile number. Not too long after, we got a call back, returned to Hoxton Square, down the metal steps, to a table saved for us. Glasses of chilled water were brought over without having to request them (such a fan of this tradition from across the pond), then menus, and then wonderfully mixed cocktails. Friendly staff, not at all pretentious, the space not overcrowded, quiet enough to talk, whilst still maintaining a healthy buzz.

And the clincher? The 'no wallies' door policy, so very rare for this side of town.