The cure for what ails you

Feeling a bit "Meh" today.  I'm sure you can relate.

No blogging juju in my tank.  Matt is home on crutches.

Laundry is piled up and I don't feel like doing it.

Still dealing with some vague health issues.

Weather sucks lately and I'm ready for spring.

 Didn't get the job after a second interview which is a big blow to the ego.

But, also, so many good things going to smile about.

Iceland trip was terrific.  Twenty lovely bloggers are joining me for Tea on Sunday.

I got a package in the mail yesterday with some beautiful notebooks made just for me.

So many wonderful things on the calendar to look forward to this year.

And friendships.  No matter near or far, I'm lucky to have such wonderful friends.

In spite of the blues and the rain, they always manage to make me feel better.

Here are some photos from a day out with Gina, Sarah and Tina in Sussex.

It poured rain the entire day, but it didn't matter a bit.  I had a fantastic day.

And looking at these photos makes me feel not nearly so "meh" today.

Our first stop was the Ouse Valley Viaduct.  We parked on the side of the road, wriggled open the large gate and then tromped through a muddy field as trains rumbled across the bridge.

But it was so worth it for a view that made me gasp.  The arches all connect in the most wonderful visual effect, each oval getting smaller and smaller.  I just wanted to crawl in to see where it led.

Our second stop was Nymans Garden and House a National Trust property for a wet walk through the gardens and to see the house.  It's a lovely place and I am so going back in the Spring.

There was a cozy little second hand bookstore that I didn't want to leave.
I couldn't resist and bought two books to bring home with me.

Our last stop was a sweet little tea room in Steyning to warm up and dry off.

The perfect end to a rainy British day with friends.

The rain had finally stopped so we explored the quaint little village before heading back to London.

 

Suddenly, I'm not feeling so blue today.

Thanks, Ladies, for a wonderful day and warm memories.

How do you handle those yucky blah days?

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Ideas for Valentine's Day in London

We're back from Iceland!  A can't wait to tell you all about it.  It was everything that we dreamed it would be.  We even saw the elusive Northern Lights on our last night.  (I actually got some photos.)  The Hidden People of Iceland took very good care of us.  But, they did extract a small payment for their hospitality.

As we were loading the car to head to the airport, Matthew fell on the ice.  (Do you see any irony here?) Unfortunately, he dislocated his kneecap.  Ouch!!  We made a quick stop at the local hospital so they could wrap it and we just made our flight home.  He is now on crutches and scheduled for physio.  Poor dear.

I'm not the best nursemaid, so send happy thoughts to my Sweetheart.  While I take care of him, unpack and do laundry, the lovely people at Refresh Accommodation have come up with some great ideas for those of you spending Valentine's Day in London.

Valentine’s deals in London that will make any sweetheart feel loved.

London is ideal for lovers on Valentine’s Day, providing a wealth of opportunities to show your romantic side. You could enjoy London’s breath-taking skyline together as the sun sets, sample Britain’s very best history and culture or cruise along the Thames while enjoying a romantic meal, the choice is yours.

Here are some Valentine’s deals in London that are really difficult to turn down:

The Medieval Banquet - Valentine’s Day Cinderella Ball

If a bit of fantasy or role play is your thing then the Medieval Banquet could be your ideal evening, featuring a fairyland of performances from spellbinding aerialists, juggling sorcerers, dancing muses and musical virtuosos.

With a Medieval four-course banquet included, providing exquisite food from a bygone age, together with opportunities to dress up in Middle Aged laced corsets and tunics while drinking from trinkets, this offers something completely different on Valentine’s Day - romance, after all, is in the eye of the beholder.

Tickets are £65 per person, including a welcome cocktail, four-course meal, unlimited wine and ale with dinner, dancing, DJ and midnight champagne send-off.

The Medieval Banquet Ivory House, St Katharine Docks, London E1W 1BP.

Bateaux London Valentine's Dinner Cruise

For something more traditional, you could try a delightful river cruise with Bateaux London, enjoying a four course meal and champagne while cruising along the Thames, gazing into each other’s eyes with London’s beautiful skyline providing the perfect backdrop. 

While aboard the Naticia you will enjoy a three-piece band and singer, providing ample opportunity for sensual after-dinner dancing.  With professional photographers on hand to capture your loving gazes and smiles, you will evoke memories of Jack and Rose in ‘Titanic’, without the unfortunate ending.

Tickets are £140 per person from Bateaux London.

Bateaux London, Embankment Pier, Victoria Embankment, London WC2N 6NU.

The London Eye

The London Eye is offering a range of romantic Valentine’s packages, allowing you to ascend  into London’s skyline while enjoying champagne, luxury chocolates and canapés. With your own capsule, you can float like love birds, gazing into the distance at your future together. 

To really show that you care, a private host can attend to all the entertainment while you concentrate on setting the scene. However for a really extravagant touch, you can hire an entire dining suite, which includes a delicious dinner, wine and a private musician.

Afterwards you can walk along the Thames, hand-in-hand, admiring the view as the sun sets.

Tickets from £22.50

London Eye, County Hall, Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1 7PB.

Chocolate making for two

For true chocolate lovers, what better way to spend Valentine’s Day than by making your very own? My Chocolate will give you the opportunity to design and create your own deliciously rich chocolates and truffles, decorating them with ganache, edible rose petals and golden sugar.

Along the way you will learn about the chocolate making processes from bean to box, sipping champagne while dipping fresh strawberries into a fondue of melted chocolate – a deliciously indulgent and fantastically romantic way to spend Valentine’s Day.

Tickets £165 per couple from My Chocolate; with various venues across London.

How will you be spending your Valentine's Day?

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This is a sponsored post and was written by Refresh Accommodation.

As always, I promise to be open, honest and transparent with my readers.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
 

Walk through London's History

When I went on the #MSCBlogCruise one of the biggest perks,

was meeting some really great bloggers.

I was a bit nervous about being alone for this trip.

I got on the plane and sat next to two ladies that seemed to know each other.

I got up the nerve to ask them if they were also bloggers joining the cruise.

Much to my relief they were and I didn't feel alone for the rest of the trip.

And now I have two great new friends.  See, I'm telling you.  Blogging is all about connections.

Emma and Keri run a Travel, Food & Lifestyle blog called Ladies What... 

which they've just relaunched with a brand new look.  It's lovely and I'm very jealous impressed.

A few weeks after the cruise, Emma spent the day with me in London showing me a few new places.

And all of them were free and all within walking distance from each other.

London is covered in Roman ruins.  Many a basement is home to ancient artifacts.

The Guildhall Art Gallery is one such building and is the site of the only Roman Amphitheatre in London.

Two thousand years ago the theatre would have been filled with throngs of noisy spectators

watching gladiators and animals fight to the death.  It will just take a moment to pop in and take a look.

Opening Hours are Monday through Saturday 10am to 5pm and Sunday 12 noon to 4pm.

Our next stop was the Bank of England Museum which was very interesting.

All about money.  We spent about 45  minutes exploring but no photos are allowed.

Currently they are closed for maintenance but will be reopening on March 31st.

Next stop was the Museum of London.

The museum brings the history of London alive from prehistoric days to modern times.

It's located on the ancient London wall.  They have permanent exhibits and also special exhibitions.

It's very kid-friendly.  I was really interested in the area covering the Great Fire. 

The Museum of London is open each day from 10am to 6pm.

All of these places are located in the Financial District and close to St. Paul's Cathedral.

Perfect for a fun, educational and free day out in London.

Have you been to the Museum of London?  What did you think?

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 You can find this review and many others in my
London Attraction Guide.