Holiday Round-Up 2015 - Part 3

No Christmas season is complete in our household without making a Boxing Day feast.

The table is set

The side table was laden down with turkey, nut roast, gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce and at least 4 veg.

The revelling diners and the mandatory goofy, paper crowns

Auntie R was tasked with importing the Christmas pud - and what a job she did! A gold adorned, fruit laden pudding with cherry, champagne sauce.

Holiday Round-Up 2015 - Part 2

Christmas Day dawned with grandparents in the house!

and groaningly-full stockings

I don't know what it was but she loved it!

Seb received a gift that will keep on giving all year

Pannetone for Auntie R

Lovely fruit salad in a gorgeous gift of old

The man and his bubble bread

Me and my gal

Merry Christmas from Old Mill Inn

After a massive meal, the parents needed to walk it off, so strolled the hour or so back home through High Park.

 No chance of ice on that balmy day.

Santa and his team were clearly exhausted from the previous night's work

Back home, there was merriment with Johar who came over for an evening of board games, wii and a light meal, as well our lovely friends Christine, Robert & kids who dropped in to borrow some board games (see a theme developing?) and have a seasonal drink or 2.

Holiday Round-up 2015 - Part 1

We hope that this holiday season has brought moments - if not days - of joy, and that you are looking forward to more in the weeks ahead.

We launched a tradition of going out to a new restaurant over the school holidays. We took G&L to Pomegranate, which serves amazing Iranian fare. Here Seb is practicing drinking scalding hot mint tea through a sugar cube.

On Christmas Eve Day, holiday cookies were made - yup, right alongside chopping onions (see next photo)

The table laid for Christmas Eve - complete with tortiere and vegetarian onion soup. We ate late, after having accompanied Nana (and oh, a dozen of our friends, colleagues and neighbours) to a raucous, radically inclusive church service - full of clapping, swaying and children running around.
"We are not in Baxter's Corner anymore, Toto"

Sophie angling for her first cocktail

After much debate about where in our new house to situate our hoop (thanks, George!), we gathered to hang the family ornaments.

Seb in his holiday cardigan

Our youngest was thrilled to be able to reach the hook all by herself

Auntie R joined us and hung a sweet, candy cane striped mini-stocking from our childhoods 

George chose a Santa 

Whilst Lorraine sentimentally hung her eldest's first Christmas ornament

Speaking of whom, he hung the mouse that graced the childhood tree (don't get me started on mice, though!)

I added one of the walnut-as-cradle ornaments

Then it was time for the semi-annual gift of new PJs.

"Allergic to Morning" and the Canadiens were hits

When the kids finally went to bed, Santa and his helpers stole in and transformed our hearth (and haven't Nana and grand-daughter done a lovely decorating job!)

We were conquered - episode VII

A crew of 9 headed to the 3d imax cinema yesterday
The Force Awakens was violent (no surprise) and amazing. Full points for continuity - great ships, creatures and script. Lots of old favourites.

But I rooted for this character

While this character says her favourites are Han Solo and Chewbacca. 

It's been a busy week again

Monday, we were my sister's welcome committee at the airport

A couple of days later, we hit up the bakery with a pal whilst en route to meet Sophie's new singing teacher

Thursday, Sophie & her classmates led morning circle

Later that day, the school choir carolled at a local nursing home

and today we celebrated the start of the winter holidays with a special afternoon tea

Have you been naughty or nice?

We have been doing our Christmas/holiday cards this weekend. You'll probably see one in the mail soon.

The problem with mince pies

It's hard to stop at one...

My morning cuppa Joe

Had my love been born a 18th century Turk, I am sure he would still have made me coffee every morning.

Finally in Istanbul...

Last week I got to spend 3 days being a tourist in Istanbul. There is so much to see and smell and taste, so I decided to honour the city by doing it "well" and only focusing on 1 1/2 neighbourhoods - the old city and the Grand Bazaar. And even then, I only saw half of the sites.

Day One

The Blue Mosque at day

and at night

Day Two

The Haiga Sophia (Church of the Holy Wisdom, then a mosque, now a museum) 

Byzantine mosaic of Christ - right there on the wall for which it was made

The Grand Bazaar - where I bought almost nothing. I loved the sounds and sights but just couldn't get into shopping mode...

 Day Three was the Topkapi Palace; I told the children it was the Versailles of the Ottoman Empire

tiles, marble and gilt - stunning

some of my favourite tiles

now, if I can only source this...

and the painted domes were exquisite

a rococo guard house (or an Ottoman Tardis)

Fascinating and glorious collection of Ottoman and European clocks

Istanbul, I'll be back...