foggy monday

Upon arriving home on this cold Denmark day, I wanted to take advantage of being able to do daytime things I am not able to do when I am working in the office. So, I biked over to the Black Diamond, a.k.a the Royal Danish Library, to get some work done in the reading room. What a great place to work, read or just be alone with the voices in your head. A wintery treat, I hope to enjoy again.

I was introduced to glögg by the lovely Miss Hanna two years ago. Since that initial winter treat that she made me with such care in the kitchen at Youthography, I have moved on to have now experienced three kinds of this yule time drink! I spent pre christmas eve fighting off a vicious cold by nibbling on 'apple peices' (that contain no apples, by the way) and sipping danish glögg. The Danish version has almonds and dried fruit with wine, of course in it. It was very yummy and indeed a perfect ending to 2008 in my adopted town of Copenhagen. While in Austria I enjoyed many glasses of gluhwein on the hills, at apres ski and also in our chalet. My favorite has to be at the apres ski on the first day. I happened to be apres spa that day and very pleased to have a chair waiting for me by the bar to kick back and sing along while doing some serious merry making. I loved sipping the good stuff as I talked to Mum and Dad in Canada, from the mountain top. While in Stockholm I will see...

I arrived home this morning from Germany to catch up before I head off to Sweden tomorrow morning. The old Candy and Martin flick welcomed me in, what a nice little surprise. Lucky me, I was able to enjoy Christmas in Mainz. It is such a pretty little town, especially when introduced by Matisse, owner of the Weinhaus Zum Spiegel. Delicious food and wine was enjoyed and a perfect prep for the drive to Austria the following day. I can happliy say that I got myself to the hills in a fitting style. I spent day one in spa and outdoor sauna to kick a cold that had taken me down, then joined everyone in Ischgl for a day of swooshing into Switzerland to Austria and back again. What a beautiful area of the world. I don't think it is possible for me to explain how wonderful it was to be atop these mountains. I will try a meager attempt.... For a girl who learned (very poorly) how to ski at the age of 16, I was so very happy to be able to take on these hills with the encouragement of my fello...

I had the wonderful pleasure of spending some time under the Spanish sun in Palma. It added a major spring into my step and I felt I could actually live up to the name glow during that time. I know this Christmas song is anything but Spanish, but it is cracking me up tonight as I type away trying to cast away this cold that has taken my body over. I am going back and forth between the Crosby and Andrews' sisters version, as a tip of the hat to my Dad, and the Chris Isaak version. I am torn, so I am enjoying them both. Sorry Dad, but the Isaak version is just too funny. After my all too brief 24+ hours in Spain, I have made the very happy choice that I would love to return. It was a quick trip filled with tapas, wine, sun, flip flops and summer dresses. However, getting stuck in the airport while trying to depart, was a little painful, but nothing a little wine and good conversation could not fix. Thanks to all who encouraged us all 'to land on our own moon' hopefully we all...

I am off to Spain tomorrow morning to take in some sun and fun. It will be an early morning, and not warm enough to swim, but I will be taking in some tapas, cava and vitamin D through as many pores as possible. Moving on from my Queen Street COCA days, we will see how the real Spanish fare measures up. I am sure it will be warmer than this breezy day up at the cottage. I remember a serious downpour of vodka soda's and gt's. Polly, the fantastic br-ish photographer that she is, thanks for capturing my elegant nose plugging move. I shall never be a fabulous swimmer, but I will always try and stand up to the challange of running off boathouses. When the water is FREEZING and all the insane people think bikinis and cocktails are what is appropriate, sometimes you just have to close your eyes, plug your nose and jump in!

I am tired and just want to be in a nice warm bath. I don't have a bathtub anymore. So sadly, no claw footed little heaven awaits me when arrive home. I do however have an active imagination. So when I am taking a nice warm shower after my chilly ride home, I will think I am under this canopy instead of in my little Danish apartment. The piece really had to interact with nature and lucky for Gustafson Porter , landscape architect and designer, the weather allowed for such a billowy vision. Nicely done Mother nature & Gustafson.

I am quite still today. This is usually not the case, no toes tapping, no hair twirling, no fingertips strumming - very unusual. I am not sure why, maybe it is the weather, maybe other reasons. Whatever the case, I saw this illustration done by Maira Kalman and adore the style she brought to it, and also take comfort in the message.

Kate Spade has been doing this on the site for years and I think it rocks. It is a 'sneak peek' behind the curtain. A platform for showing off things that are really interesting or news worthy to the design savvy users that would put down thousands for a handbag with her little name stitched inside. The New York section is a great example of how this information has been displayed, at a high production value here, but great idea of using the map of NYC to navigate around to different stories about the city. The navigation for the Events and Projects works really well, in that the scroll is at the bottom for stories, but you also can go through the visual sections in the main frame as well. It feels jam packed full of info, without being text heavy, great job! I love visiting her boutique in Soho when I am in the city. I still have not bought anything Kate Spade, but I love looking at all the candy colored goodness she puts out there. The style harkens back to days of playing dr...

I awoke at 6:30 this morning, not because I felt suddenly like a morning person, the room was shaking around me. Denmark experienced a little earthquake measuring 4.7 on the Richter scale. It was funny to feel and luckily it was just a wee one, so no damage. A few glasses toppled over and that was about the extent of it in the household. It made me think of all the quakes Dawn has gone through in Japan and as well Peter in LA. I can't imagine living through them, I am not sure how I would react. I can say, for the little shaking this morning, I stayed in bed all the while and did not think, oh god, I have to take cover, perhaps a bad sign? Not sure. The only other moving under my feet happened while Mum was in mid wedding cake ensemble years back. Luckily the cake did not topple and Mum did not have a breakdown. All in all, me and earthquakes get on quite well. Hopefully this will stay true for the future shaking that will come in and out of my life. The image above is from a show ...

I think I might be in love. with a woman. again. Sorry Dawn, Hanna, Gaynor and all the lovely ladies that fill my heart, I am making room for one more. Joanne Goddard, a New York city writer has stolen my heart by posting these rad pics of Denmark. I love her because, she bought wellies (tretorns I was unable to find, errr!) thinks Paul Newman was the sex god and today posted these pics of Danish bikers. Joanne writes: Here's why Denmark is awesome: Denmark has topped the World's Happiest People surveys for the past 20 years. They buy more candles than any other nation. Eighty percent of Copenhagen's cyclists continue to ride through the Copenhagen winter. Hopefully Denmark will quickly approve my request to renew my residents status and we will see if I can be part of the 80% that makes it all the way through the winter on the bike!

While I had the use of a car, I took the opportunity to drive up the coast on a sunny Sunday afternoon. As I had not driven in what seemed like forever, being behind the wheel felt so nice, like an indulgence. I came upon this beautiful station on my journey, and just had to share it. It was designed by Arne Jacobsen in 1936 and was originally intended as a prototype for Texaco. It was closed when I was there, but maybe some sunny day I will visit it again.

Is this what love would look like captured on film? Maybe. Or maybe this is what happiness feels like. In any case, I would love to be in her shoes, I think I could manage a better expression than hers. This is what I felt like on the night of November 27th. Thank you to everyone who surrounded me, encouraged me to keep the tradition of dancing atop high surfaces and to those who whirled me and my dress around the dance floor, it was a night to be remembered.

I met this guy at Pride Parade in Amsterdam. It was summer love...I think he liked having me on his arm. However, I just liked looking into those big eyes of his.