Midnight photography

More icy drinks, a yummy shared plate of mozzarella, ham and tomatoes in the Marais, a rainbow house, 2 candles lit at Notre Dame and then a perfect evening of margharitas, seared tuna millefeuille and verveine sorbet at the oh-so-fun Hotel du Nord on the Canal St Martin followed by drunken midnight photography and a weavy journey home.

There's something about a Parisian

Even their graffiti is chic. We were in awe. Especially of Tiger Sunflower Girl. I mean, really...

The most happy making

Isn't it just the most happy making when a city really comes up trumps for you and delivers a slam dunk of a weekend? Well Paris really did just that for me and Maman. Here's the first of a few Parisian posts after a weekend of plan making and plan changing, icy cold drinks and super hot sun, aimless and aimfull wanderings, markets and midnight photography, chattering and laughing, perfect margharitas and perfect company. We're going to go heavy on the photos this week. x

Frozen yoghurt on sea

Some late summer miracles: frozen yoghurt has finally arrived in Hastings; buckets of firework dahlias for sale on the roadside; beautiful rainbows and skybows; a fly fishing lesson; and re-runs of My Year with the Bear Family.

Excellent distraction from the super sad and muddy tidings from New England. Only 3 weeks away now and poor dear Liberty Hill Farm and its cows are, quite literally, entirely surrounded by water. If only Jed was really in charge ... what we need in this situation is a good, rural, New England president.

Yellowbrations (in which someone turned 30)

The sound of crinkly yellow tissue paper at 0800 can only mean one thing. Happy Birthday and another fond farewell to that great stage when I am 2 years older between April and August.

Much ripped wrapping later, off we headed for a surprise breakfast, an adventure in Dulwich, a gawp at the Cy Twombly exhibition and a wonderful meal at Nopi. It turns out that you haven't lived until you've had a rum and rosemary Old Fashioned.