Winter Games

Snow has draped Copenhagen in a pure white wedding dress.

 The transformation that any place goes through once snow has settled in is a winter wonderland of purity and serenity.

As much as the winter is working on my last nerve, when I saw the snowflakes descending as light as fluttering feathers,..I smiled so big, and I just stared google-eyed like a little kid. I will never get bored of watching snow or awaiting its arrival...because it is so worth it when it comes.

I relate snow to Christmas and Christmas to being a kid. Luckily I am with someone who shares this sentiment and when it snows the inner 6 year olds in us come out to play.

It all started late one eve; I was watching Greys Anatomy; very enthralled when I felt a sudden cold draft... it had been snowing softly for an hour or two and this gave my boyfriend the oppurtunity to be deviant and grab some fresh snow off our balcony and plummet it across the lounge into my face. The shock sent me from horizontal to vertical in 2seconds flat. Who does that!!!

This was the start of war, and snow was our Ammunition.

hence the scoreboard

So from that night, I vowed the snow ball war had begun and someone was going to wish they had never started it in the first place.

The war was no longer isolated to the homestead, we took it to the streets

On our way home from swimming at the Svommehal; the snow was plummeting down, and I saw my oppurtunity drop before my very eyes, as my unsuspecting boyfriend rode ahead, I quickly stalled Wix (my bike) and gathered some white canons/snowballs. Carefuly I placed them in my basket and quickly cycled to catch up. He was waiting at the robot to cross and looked behind to see where I was, from my expression (such a good actress) he could see all was not right in the world of Gem. After my tragic accident where I whirled off Wix into the pavement with my face; he is just anticipating another accident of similar proportions.

I could see my concerned face mirror into his concerned face ( I had him!) his attention was solely on me, i wobbled over on my bike yelling that I had fallen .... my little snow white lie.

I had him just where I wanted him, and with that realisation I dipped my evil black glove into my basket and pummeled a big white one right between his blue eyes...I was off to a very wobblesome start in trying to getaway from the scene but managed to not fall over, i sped off laughing as evil witches often do.

You would assume that the hit to his ego(realising that two can play this game) would make me behave for the rest of the day, no thanks.

As we pulled into our apartment block, I once again lagged behind, gathered ammo and scrunched my hurt little face AGAIN! (same day) acting hurt as though I had fallen(it was the only way I could get close to him) and I once again catapulted a big white ball smack into his face and then ran up to our apartment very quickly and locked the doors; forgetting that he lived there too.

Let the Games Begin



Golden globe attire

gotta say my downright favourite had to be angelina jolie, what a dress! and only she could pull it off.

If the dress didn't have the cuff/collar of blood red, it just wouldn't be the same.

ATELIER VERSACE

our home girl knows how to rock a Dior, one thing i don't fancy is the headband, its just all too darn pretty

DIOR

love Natalie for being brave enough and beautiful enough to pull this one off, not many girls would opt for a dress that has a horizontal extension to the side, but she masters it

LANVIN

once again, Rooney does black and oh so well. I dont care if she is afraid of colour, black is her second skin

NINA RICCI


evan rachel wood is a starlet without trying, she carries herself with such poise yet you never know what she might do next. This dress really blows my mind when you look at the detail; Gucci



WEdding BeLls are ringing all round

The beauty and elegance of a crisp white wedding is in the air, with so many friends getting ready to take that leap, that vow, that exchange, I can only join them in their excitement as preparations begin for the biggest day of their lives.

I have 5 weddings this year; of which I will sadly be attending none, I am no longer in my beloved country and unfortunatly they all are, except for one and that is in Mauritius.

So I will be happy from afar and imagine the day in all its glory when the time comes.

Found some incredible pics to share. The power of a wedding. Take my hat off to these ladies, i wouldnt know where to start.

"Marriage is not a ritual or an end. It is a long, intricate, intimate dance together and nothing matters more than your own sense of balance and your choice of partner." - Amy Bloom

"let marriage be a sanctuary for love birds to nestle in each others necks within the intricacies of the cage we call life"

gem

the roman baths in BATH: united kingdom

My time in the UK allowed me the pleasure of travelling to Bath to go and see the Roman baths as they once were so many years ago.

The town of Bath is just as you would expect, old, quaint, historic and just like a postcard. There are old style candy shops with treats to allure in their big store front windows, hot sausage stands and art ready to be sold in the centre court yard






Our mission for the day ahead was to see the Roman Baths, possibly go for a dip and grab a lunch at one of the local establishments. We had traveled from Ascot which was about an hour and half travel time

The Roman baths were pretty easy to come by, following signs and asking locals was easy enough. The entrance fee was round 12 pounds each to get in. The experience was fascinating and very informative. I wasn't that interested in the delicateness of the history but more so the photo oppurtunity.

On arrival; you get given a cellphone style gadget; when you come across certain points, all you have to do is type in the number shown on the wall or poster and the history lesson begins. Everyone has their own gadget, including kids (these are obviously tweaked to grab their attention and keep it).

The city was first established as a Spa resort with the Latin name Aqua Sulis by the Romans in AD43. They built baths and a temple on the surrounding hills of Bath in the valley of the River Avon around hot springs which are the only ones naturally occurring in the United Kingdom.

Bath was also knows as the leading fashion hub in England; go see the fashion museum, a seperate cost will be incurred for visitorship.

If you are a keen photograher, this is a great spot to be clicker happy

Whatever you do, don't forget to touch the water, you will suprised at the tempreture. I couldn't believe how warm it was.

utensils and tools disovered

There is a restaurant called the pump room, you wak through it once your tour of the baths is finished, for a small fee, there is a fountain with natual spring water to taste.

For lunch we decided to walk the streets and look for something more local as opposed to the pump room (seemed a bit stiff). We found a cute corner cafe that served steak pied, sandwiches and various other dishes.

If you are looking for a day trip, some history, culture...well then i strongly recommend Bath, the drive alone is beautiful and once you reach the town you feel somewhere very special.

ChrisTMAS IN london

London was a very good host for Christmas this year; mild winter weather, beams of sunlight and just an all round good festive feeling.

Champagne and mince pies

My highlight was definitely going to Gordon Ramseys Maze restaurant; http://www.gordonramsay.com/maze/ its been on my bucket list since I first encountered him on television.

Me outside Maze

So you can only imagine my excitement, wobbly knees and stupid smile plastered on my face when we booked our lunch reservation... i was like a small child giddy with happiness. Sure; he wasn't there but believe you me I did look around all the time and hawk eyed the kitchen door. But just knowing that he had his hand in that place...well it was good enough for me. I have met him before so another encounter would have made me jump over the moon but this specific day was about experiencing his creativity and genius.


The restaurant was faultless, decor sublime and rich, finer detail on point, staff friendly, quick and efficient, bathrooms - tidy and clean, cutlery neatly poised, wine list - extensive on the ipad placed on our table, seating was comfortable, FOOD; out of this world, my tastebuds went into an orgasmic state....so Gordy , i give you 11 outta ten sweetheart, you never dissapoint.


Now its my mission to eat at every one of his restaurants....


Stayed in Kingston which was quaint and picturesque, markets with fresh food to lure and lit up stalls to tempt one with the likes of beer and gluhwine.

Kingston

Oxford street was a buzz with life; shopping sales were incredible and hard to resist.


A night ot at Oceana http://www.oceanaclubs.com/kingston-upon-thames proved to be another highlight, with numerous dance floors and themes, there really is something for everyone, great experience.

All in all, Christmas was lovely, ate well, merriness all round and I increased the contents of my wardrobe.

Took some amazing shots in London... gallery still to come and update on restaurant list for London



Boat along Kingston river



into the WiLD

I was walking in an english country side forest today, and that familiar feeling came right back to me like a boomerang... Im in the wrong place in the wrong time, im craving what was back then and I don't want to be part of the Now.


I have always had the feeling I was meant to be born in another era, im sure we all get that feeling but mine is stronger than ever before and it comes over me like a wave at time. Times like when I was in the forest today and every part me longed to go back to basics, to clean sunshine and muddy puddles, the smell of a real pine tree and not a scented candle mimicking the unmissable scent and the glistening shine of diamonds on the quaint serrated leaf edges... I wanted to drink my time in the forest, i wanted to live there.


There is a movie that speaks to my heart : Into the Wild. What an incredible movie, a movie about self discovery, loneliness, salvation, liberation, loss and gain, sunlight and snow and just life.

I could easily walk into that forest and never look back... i want the basics, i want the sun startling my eyes without it being in a car with my hands on steering wheel pulling down the visor to block it, i want wet feet; not because i stood in a puddle by accident and got them wet but because I jumped in and wanted to get muddy. I want the crackling of thinned leaves and twigs under my shoes and to drown the sounds of heels and pumps and business mens shoes. I want to eat organic food simply because processed food just doesn't exist. I want my hands to feel the texture of wood and earthy soil, water and air...I want to be alive and bury my soul in the ground where all the richness swells from.


I want to set up my tent, even that is too cultured; forget the tent, i want to create a shelter from my surroundings and huddle around a fire that I made and created and felt pleased with. i want to smile at that warmth and have it heat my hands as it does my heart.


I know it sounds like I need a good old camping trip but I don't , this is so much more than that.... this is my body, heart, soul and courage saying Wake up and let me out.


This is not about escape, i don't want to run.... I just want to see whats real