A few birthday things ...

This time the other week it was my birthday and I always get stupidly excited about it.  I really am like a big kid, jumping around and hardly able to sleep.  Almost like Christmas, but usually without the snow.  Not this year though!  I awoke to 8 inches of snow, an arctic blizzard and no electricity.  All plans were cancelled, apart from present opening obviously!  I was very spoilt, every book and DVD on my wish list was there, lovely perfume and such a pretty (reversible!) necklace.  You know that it is going to be a good day when you're allowed chocolate for breakfast!  

If you like my cariad (Welsh for love) enamel necklace, you should definitely have a little look at this website.  It was made by a very talented Welsh lady called Buddug Humphreys.  She is from Snowdonia (my patch of the world) and now living in East London.  She has a pretty little shop with her friend Jessie, where you can buy lovely things or even go to a workshop to learn how to make your own pretty things.  It is definitely on my list of places to go.  You can even follow the blog of this wonderfully kooky pair.

Paris, My Sweet is a delightful book, devoured in less than a day it satisfied both my yearning for chocolate and the city of light itself.  It is written by New Yorker sweet freak, Amy Thomas, who oozes fun and certainly knows about sweets!  She takes us on a beguiling journey around Paris and New York via her naturally easy style, the sights, city bicycles and most importantly, some would argue (ok, I admit it, that would be me), the best bakeries.  Not only was I itching to walk along the Seine, I could almost taste the liquid truffle hot chocolate of quaint tea room Angelina's, which apparently remains the same as the days when Coco Chanel frequented it.  

I already wanted to go for a romantic break to the city of love but now I can go armed with a list of all the things I want to eat from all the lovely places!  One of my must do things in Paris is to have my very first macaroon at Laduree.  I will probably spend a while photographing the window displays and then an age choosing which flavours to put in my little box.  I have never tasted one, which is why I have decided Laduree will provide the first.  It has to be perfect!  


The book is really charming and was a perfect birthday read.  I allowed myself a quick first read and have already planned a second read where I shall have a notebook to hand ready to jot down all the places I will visit one day.  I can almost smell the baguettes ...