Mandarin & Mari Vanna

On Tuesday night we went for a night out with my brother and Diamandis.  The evening started off with drinkies at The Mandarin Oriental

Erik had told us to arrange for a baby sitter that night, and had booked a table at the brand new Russian restaurant, Mari Vanna in Knightsbridge, as it was my delayed birthday celebration.

I loved it immediately as it was so charming and authentic with all the ornaments and old photographs, and clearly it's a successful concept as they have also one restaurant in St Petersburg as well as one in New York.

 

There were mainly the stereotype wealthy Russians there, but the waiters were very welcoming indeed and showed us their wide selection of Vodkas as we arrived.  We all tried a traditional Russian dish (chicken kiev, beef stroganoff, dill dusted boiled new potatoes and courgette fritters with smoked salmon etc) to get in to the spirit and let me just say, it was our first visit but definitely not our last! 

Emotional freedom

 The Maldives, October 2011

"Each morning when I open my eyes I say to myself: I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. 

I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, 

tomorrow hasn’t arrived yet. I have just one day, today, 

and I’m going to be happy in it." 

- Groucho Marx

A snippet of the last few days..

Happy Easter!

 With the long bank holiday weekend approaching, Easter is a time I think, to spend with your family and good friends enjoying yummy foods and eating lots of chocolate eggs!

I have just finished cleaning the windows, tided up, bought gorgeous long stemmed pussy willow twigs that sits beautifully in my tall glass cylinder vase.  I also moved the RL cable knit cushions and blanket from our bed to the sofa. In all honesty I didn't think it will look right as they are not as crisp white as the sofa itself, but I think it looks great, so they will stay.

Now we're just waiting for Bear to come any minute so we can start the celebrations! 

Warm and heartfelt Easter greetings for you and your loved ones

xxx

New and noteworthy

Yesterday I went to Selfridges to check out their home sale, with the intention of buying a new toaster from Dualit.  To be honest I didn't expect the one I had in mind to be reduced, so guess how surprised I was to see that it actually was!

However, it turned out they had none left, so I then proposed to buy the one on display with a discount.  The sales assistant told me she could knock off a further 20%, so in total I saved a whole £70 off the original price!

Sometimes you don't get things if you don't ask for it -  Need I say I left feeling very satisfied :-)

Last week's phone photos

a visit to my favourite London royal park - Regents park

Sean sporting his new red chinos

Visiting daddy at his City office  

Lounging at our country club

Two jolly souls heading for the usual babyccino and cappuccino at Starbucks

Shoe shopping on South Molton Street

Hanover Square Garden, after a visit to the Apple store on Regent Street

Vivien, who recently moved to Prague, blessed us with her company as she visited London for one day (only!)

As the weather was getting warmer I dug out Sean's reversible Spring jacket from last year

Nature's beauty (not me LOL - the pink Magnolia tree!)

This weekend I've listened to..