Bear with me. This is not strictly food related, but it’s so terrific I hope you’ll get as much of a kick out of it as I did.
It was a very grey, very blustery morning in London when I went to pick up the post. I was dragging my feet through the puddles. I was just a touch homesick; for sunshine, for Sydney, for Kensington Pride mangoes, eaten while your swimmers are still wet. For frozen margaritas overlooking Bondi, while bitumen burns the bottom of your heels. For lamb and harissa sausage rolls from Bourke Street Bakery and Miche bread from Sonoma. For the nights with my girls when I would accidentally get ‘dumpling drunk’ (after many years they finally learned you can’t take me out to drinks and not get around to eating dumplings until 9.30 pm. Two glasses of wine on an empty stomach and I’d be beyond repair).
Then I found a parcel in my post box and a present from one of my blondes and her little ‘un.
Three charms, on a silver thread. A whisk. An aeroplane. And the spine of a book, named ‘one’. The card instructed that it was ‘to await the others to add to the ‘bookshelf at your neck’. And the other three spines of the charm reads; a suitcase and a spatula.
It’s sentimental, it’s whimsical, it’s beautiful. It’s motivating. And best of all, now I know what I’m wearing to press interviews, on days when I need a kick up the bum and when I need to remember all the good things that have come since we moved over here.
I’ve just taken off my rings for the first time in nearly five years as I prepare to pack to fly away on our New York/Miami/South American odyssey tomorrow. At least now I’ve got something delightfully shiny to distract me from the strange gaping indentation on my fourth finger.
Nb, pendant is custom done by Tiny Tokens Designs, who have a terrifyingly terrific ETSY store, which you could lose hours in. I think I know what everyone else is getting for their birthday next year.
www.etsy.com/shop/TinyTokensDesign
What an incredibly thoughtful and touching gift! Well done to your friends! Have a really lovely time on your holiday.
Goodness what a perfect pressie! Absolutely gorgeous xx