Some more stuff I enjoyed, Stateside:

Pottering around my cousins’ beautiful home and admiring their many trinkets, antiques and pieces of art, including this tiny scrimshaw box and this vintage tin from the factory my uncle managed back in the day.


Walking into Anthropologie and realising the whole shop was 20% off and managing not to lose my shit.

Enjoying several amaretto sours made by Jim, my cousin’s husband – he mixes a mean cocktail.

Watching telly, feasting on choc-ices.

Having dinner at Brio one night, which was all lit up outside like Christmas (it was quite cold, too).

Seeing a real-life possum in the wild (ie on the patio) and being grossed out – these are some much more photogenic squirrels. The one without the tail is called Stumpy and is the butt (ho ho) of many in-jokes.

Carol singing in Fountain Square – again, SO super-Christmassy.

Gimpsing New Riff Distillery and having a pang of missing Lee, who on our last trip, booked a bottle of bourbon from their first distillation – we have to go back in 4 years to collect it.

This pleasing display in Target.

Awesome sunset on the way home from somewhere. So vivid.

Enjoying an evening of culture at Pendleton Arts Center to see their Final Friday studio tour – we saw a lot of mediocre art, but also some cool stuff. These self-portraits were very much, to me, in the former camp. Pendleton also wins the award for most 80s logo ever.


Going to Cheesecake Factory and not being able to eat any cheesecake because we had lunch beforehand – forgot about their mahoosive portion sizes.

Eating at hot-ticket restaurant Nada and enjoying some awesome barbacoa tacos, guac and chips for brunch before hitting up the City Flea Small Mall – a truly excellently curated and well set up craft fair at the 21C Hotel in downtown Cincinnati.

Sneaking in some Dojo gelato at City Flea – so tasty.

Coveting this full size sleeping bag suit that you can climb into and be the cosiest ever in – built-in snack pockets and a hood all for $130. Was v tempting…

Hanging out with a whip-smart, funny, beautiful teenager who was just a delight – I wish I’d been so smart at that age! We had a lovely time at brunch and shopping together with our respective mothers and Anne.

Getting a glimpse of the old Keebler factory that my uncle managed – he invented the plastic tray in some biscuit packets there, you know. You’ve him to thank for your biscuits not being broken.

Eating the best doughnuts (and cronuts!) ever – Buskens, you must start shipping to Scotland NOW.

Walking down and then back up these very confusing stairs at the 21C Hotel.
Seeing Paul Blart Mall Cop in the flesh.

Enjoying drinks by the outdoor fireplace.

Going bourbon shopping for Lee and having to keep my mum off the merchandise.

And generally, just enjoying the festive season with my American family.
Now, one final piece of giveaway business to take care of – and to prove it really is random, The Crafty Lass, your name came out the hat (ie random.org) again, so the crochet books will be winging their way to you, too! Yay.
I think I’ve already identified another couple of giveaways to come, once I start giving things away, I find it very hard to stop.