Weekly Love: Week 163

Welcome to my final ‘Weekly Love’ of 2015. I’m not going to ramble on too much about the year that has past just yet (I’ve got my usual bumper round up of the year post coming up that I’ve been putting together for January 1st), so really I think that all that remains at this point is to wish you all, wherever you are a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Enjoy tomorrow, be sure to eat way too much stuffing and turkey, and to have a wonderful time with the people you love. I’ll see you all for some New Years ideas next week. 

1. A My Name Is Yeh inspired Israeli Savoury Breakfast Salad, with a side of the Times’ Dish magazine. 2. Finally getting the Christmas tree up – our hallway is now super festive, and full of copper paper wrapped presents! | 3. I had excellent fun helping to judge the first ever Canterbury Christmas Window competition – here is one of my favourite windows in the City, our Gold Award winner Queen Bee Home. | 4. Twinkly Christmas lights down Burgate in Canterbury. | 5. Recovering from the madness that is Christmas shopping two days before the big day with a family lunch at Little Joe’s Deli. | 6. Knarly local carrots on Canterbury High Street.

• Rose preps for Thanksgiving in San Francisco. Also, she and Julia head up to Napa, cementing the idea that the next time I’m Stateside, I need to head to wine country. 
• Essential holiday guidance: how to make any red or white mulled wine without a recipe.
• Michael Buble has put together a Christmas playlist for us all. No, really. 
• Carrie’s travel piece on Hanoi is a must read. Also, she’s in Florida at Harry Potter World at Universal Studios. I can’t wait to visit the one they’re building at Universal in Los Angeles!
• I’d already made my mind up to make Lily Vanilli’s buttermilk waffles from Waitrose Food on Christmas morning, but I might try Deb’s Eggnog Waffles next year.
• Food 52 on why boxed wine is not bad. (Hint: I drink French boxed wine all year around).
• They’ve also paid a visit to Uyen Luu, who has written my go-to Vietnamese cookbook, and runs a fantastic supper club out of her Hackney kitchen (you can read my review here).
• Lucy pays a visit to Byron Bay, one of the places in Australia I most want to visit.
• I want to make Joy’s Chocolate Pudding Cake with nutmeg something this Christmas.
• The Williams Sonoma blog has some important latke making tips, because in my mind latkes are not just for Chanukah (I like to serve my Smoked Salmon Latkes with Lemon & Caper Soured Cream for New Years Day brunch).
• Obsessed Benedict Cumberbatch fans tried to have me fired. This look at the scary side of Internet fan-doms makes for a worrying read. (via Amy)
• Kathleen has put together a fantastic home pickling masterclass.

7. Putting some last minute festive touches to the front hallway with lanterns from The White Company, walnuts, cinnamon sticks, clove studded oranges and gold wrapped Lindt reindeer. | 8. Testing my Gingerbread & Pomegranate Dutch Baby Pancake. | 9. Crisp Winter walks along the Thames past the House of Commons between meetings. | 10. Baking Nigella’s Bouche de Noel from Feast for the first time. Love the sponge, but I want to play around with the rest a bit next year! | 11. Gingerbread Creme Brulee and Chocolate Mousse Brownies with Salted Caramel Ice Cream to polish off our traditional pre-Christmas pub lunch, this year at my favourite pub discovery of 2015, The Compasses Inn at Crundale. | 12. Curling up with my current read, the fascinating and engaging Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking with a steaming mug of spiced apple tea and my December essential: The White Company’s ‘Winter’ candle.

• Olivia has put together a great guide on how to spend 48 hours in Liverpool. She also has some great ideas for things to do in London this Christmas, and she’s got some lovely pictures up shopping for festive blooms at Columbia Road Flower Market.
• Amy’s ‘8 Things I Actually Learnt In 2015’ is a great prompt for festive reflection. 
• Why you need a digital detox, and how to start one. I sometimes just turn off all electronics for half a day or so, and I feel the benefit just from that. 
• This is the best way to stop your avocado going brown.
• I love this New Year style editorial from Park & Cube. 
• Londoners? Rose has found us an amazing new stationary shop in Covent Garden. 
• There is still time to make these Cranberry Snow Scones.
• 5 foodie charities to donate to this Christmas. 
• These peppermint snowmen marshmallows are so adorable. 
• I feel that these Chewy Muscovado Sugar Cookies may become a new classic. 
• Fusion has published a thought provoking piece about mid-range internet and Youtube stars, looking at the economics of people too internet famous to hold down regular jobs, but whose internet presence does not make enough money to support them. (via Amy)
• Molly’s hen laid its first egg, and her blog post about it is the best thing ever. 
• Every festive bake need these DIY chocolate pinecone cake toppers. 
• Carrie’s photos make me think Christmas on the Vegas Strip may not actually be that bad. She’s also perfectly captured Christmas in London in photos, too. 

What have you been enjoying over this festive period? I’m in the office today, but I’m hoping to make it home in time to enjoy a roast duck with my parents for dinner tonight, plenty of fizz and my Christmas tradition of watching Love Actually every Christmas Eve. Then it is time to put the stockings at the end of everyones beds ready for morning!

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