Christmas fever

Banana bread served fresh out the oven

Vegan Avocado Chocolate cake

The Alice House boxing day lunch (post Christmas pigfest) 

Christmas dinner party numero uno

Christmas Dinner party numero dos

NEW zarahome paisley print duvet

Girly christmas meal at Kettners

Christmas 2013 has come and gone and boy has it been a eventful one. With my office closing over the christmas period for the very first time, my holiday was overflowing with merriment like a stocking full of festive goodies. 

I dined chez moi, bravely playing hostess to x2 Christmas dinner parties, for my friends and then for my family. The feasts consisted of homemade butternut squash, leek and ricotta lasagne and a cheese and board, sprinkled with a multitude of mince pies (M&S do it best). However the star of the show was most definitely the Vegan Avocado Chocolate cake, recipe courtesy of superbly talented Joy the Baker. 

I watched the ROH's film screening of the Nutcracker ballet live and as if one ballet wasn't enough, the almost all male production of Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake at Sadlers Wells. It's simply not Christmas without a Matthew Bourne production!

I (gleely) avoided the sales, and rightly so - the sardine-esque photos of Westfield on Boxing Day still makes me shudder. Instead I perused the sales online from the comfort of my abode and by boxing day I was in receipt of this versatile checked top from French Connection and a shearling biker jacket from Zara - both pictured above. My Zara Homee paisley print bed linen also deserves a mention. 

I went /dragged my boyfriend to the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Exhibition at the Natural History Museum. The photographs were absolutely breathtaking and definitely worth a visit. Book in advance as the queues are never-ending. 

I wore my new Topshop faux fur bonded throw on coat photos to come soon and a few rings I purchased last month from Whistles.