Cheeky Pink Tulip: November 2011

Maria Loves...Thanks and Giving!

Happy Thanksgiving...one and all!

Although we now live in Greece, I was born in the US and my family has done a darn fine job of keeping the tradition of Thanksgiving alive in our home. That said, my mom just emailed me the menu for tonight's festivities and I am already salivating.

But until tonight, here are a few things I've been loving on the interwebs this week:

Die-hard coffee fan like me? Check out Elsie's Homemade Coffee Syrups. Caramel, raspberry and vanilla. Oh my! This would make one awesome gift.

I started my Christmas shopping yesterday and my hunt on Etsy for the cutest iPad sleeve for my bessie has got me hankering for an iPad of my very own. Purely just to dress it in this lovely.

My sister's boyfriend is constantly pulling a Michael Scott on us by saying, 'That's What She Said'. I don't think a more appropriate gift has ever existed.

Get a daily email from Fab.com with super awesome sales on super awesome design items. They are completely awesome and completely affordable.

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And now for some yummy pumpkin-flavoured treats to get you in the mood.

Pumpkin Bread with Cinnamon Topping from Bakingdom

Pumpkin Pie Milkshake from A Beautiful Mess

Pumpkin Donuts from Annie Eats

Pumpkin Waffles from Fancy House Road

Happy Thanksgiving All! And don't forget to:

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A Sad Day Indeed

SOB!

From We Heart It

Today, I received a call which confirmed my biggest fears. My MacBook is broken. It can be repaired but it will take at least another week. With my leaving for work in London on Sunday, the thought of going over there sans laptop is devastating. My whole life (not to mention all of my work) is on that precious piece of technology. And with no internet in our new flat and now no laptop, what am I to do?!

Many people would be grateful for the unexpected increase in free time. I have decided to CHOOSE to be one of these people!

And this is what I plan to do with me newly acquired free time and I will look exactly like this while I'm doing it:

Found on We Heart It

If you were suddenly given an unexpected amount of free time, what would you do with it dear bloggers?

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10 Things I'm Grateful For..

In our new home.

1. Space. Having our own little bit of it! After living in the loft of my parents’ home for

7 months it’s such a breath of fresh air (lliterally) to be away from my mom’s cigarette smoke! Although we will undoubtedly miss her cooking.

2. Birds. We can hear them chirping all day long. It feels like spring no matter the weather!

Our cosy living room

3. Ground Floor. This does mean that we’re level with the cars which can be super duper annoying but it also means that we have crazy foliage outside our windows and our very own (big) outdoor space. Can’t wait to tend to flowers and herb pots.

4. No internet. For another two weeks at most. This means I get to catch up on quiet time and writing. Blogs. I love them, but man, are they distracting!

5. Wall Art. I can't wait to hammer nails into walls. Don’t think I’ve ever done it in our own home. I’m looking forward to hanging photos of our wedding day and all matter of pretty prints and some such I find.

Cosy dining room

6 . Close to home. We’re literally a stone’s throw away from my mom and my sister’s place. So while we don’t get the cigarette smoke we still have easy access to the droolsome cooking. Spoilt? Me? Never!

7. Bike. There’s a handy little area just outside our front door where I can lock up the bike. Instead of leaving it all the way down in my parents’ garage. 6 floors down and all on its lonesome.

Cosy bedroom

8. Food. The grocery store it’s right round the corner. And it’s one of those nifty ones where you can find stuff you can’t anywhere else. Like marmite and cheddar cheese! We’ll never go hungry.

9. Space, Part 2. And by this I mean storage space. There’s lots of it. And thank goodness for that, cos we have LOTS of stuff to fill it with. Nothing like a clutter-free house.

10. Cats. So many of them walking around, protecting the house, doing cat-things. I’m more of a dog person myself but it’s still somewhat nice to be surrounded by furry animals all day long.

It really isn't much to look at right now, but with a bit of TLC we'll get there!

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Movie Musings: The Iron Lady

Can you say Oscar?

What can I say about Meryl Streep that hasn't already been said? The woman is an absolute genius, a force of nature, positively magnetic (and I mean this. I literally cannot take my eyes off her when she's on screen). Her talent is sublime and this has never been more evident than in this nugget of a trailer for The Iron Lady. Cannot wait 'til the film's out.

The lady, as Margaret Thatcher, Britain's first and only (so far) female Prime Minister, is superb, don't you think?

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Happy Sundae!

That is all!

"Any reviewer who expresses rage and loathing for a novel is preposterous. He or she is like a person who has put on full armor and attacked a hot fudge sundae."

Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (American Writer)

Source

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What's The Hold Up?

I know, I've been gone too long. But that's only because a lot is happening. A lot of GOOD stuff too, I'm happy to say! I got my passport renewed (phew!) and we're moving into our very own little place tomorrow. Our first home as a married couple. It's not much to look at but I've been going a little kookoo perusing the wonders of Pinterest, filling my head with ideas of how to personalise our new home.

If anyone has any good suggestions for online shops to buy wall art and cute decorative items, please pass them on. I'm already on to Etsy...

Have a fantastic weekend all!

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Remember, Remember...

The 5th of November.

Today is Guy Fawkes Day or Bonfire Night. A day where all Britons gather together, set off fireworks and light bonfires in their backyards where they burn effigies of Guy Fawkes. This tradition is in celebration of the below (as found on Wikipedia):

"Its history begins with the events of 5 November 1605 when Guy Fawkes, a member of the Gunpowder Plot, was arrested while guarding explosives the plotters had placed beneath the House of Lords. Celebrating the fact that King James I had survived the attempt on his life, people lit bonfires around London, and months later the introduction of the Observance of 5th November Act enforced an annual public day of thanksgiving for the plot's failure."

We'll be heading over to the hubby's family home to celebrate, light fireworks and eat chilli and baked potatoes. All in the name of tradition!

Guy Fawkes

Have a fun and safe Saturday!

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London: This is probably what I'm doing right now...

I'm away on vacay.

And you've guessed it. I've scheduled me some posts so as not to leave you high and dry! First. Time. Ever. So I hope I've done it right.

Just wanted to let you know that this is probably what I'm doing right now...

And this is probably where I'm doing it....

Oxford Circus

And this is probably what I'm snacking on while I do it...

Pickled Onion Monster Munch

P.S. Did you know you could buy these on Amazon?! My whole world has just changed!

Have an amazing (dry) weekend!

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Londontown

aka The Big Smoke.

The hubby and I are taking a short trip on over to London until Sunday evening. He's got his thesis interview on Friday and I thought it would be a good opportunity to tag along and check in on my UK colleagues (and do a bit of Top Shop raiding).

Funny thing is, this is going to be the first time we'll be going abroad as husband and wife. With the honeymoon delayed until May, this is our mini-moon. And the even funnier thing is that we're going to the exact place where we first met. The little Surrey town of Egham where doth lie the gorgeous, Harry Potter-esque university that is Royal Holloway. I am class of '06 and he is class of '07 (if you don't count the PhD). I am actually really looking forward to it.