Walking in Notting Hill

After our big party, we needed to stretch our legs, so this afternoon Jim and I walked from our house to and around the Notting Hill area, and then back. It was a beautiful day!

Jim and Finchley had a snuggle before we left:


At one point a very large, pink afro walked by:


Jim walked up to Holland Park:


Some beautiful flowers in Holland Park:

A Very Merry Unbirthday to Jim, Vlad, Dave and Julie

Last night we had our biggest and most diverse party to celebrate four birthdays in September! Unfortunately, Dave and Carolina couldn't make it because of a sick baby, but our next door neighbor Julie came and, as it turns out, her birthday is on Thursday. So we added her to the celebration!

The theme was "unbirthday" so everyone wore hats. Meg won first prize for best hat, with Joe coming in as a close second with his improvised pinata hat and Ethna winning third for her fun straw hat.

Jim sported a fabulous Birthday Cake hat and posed with his festive table before the party. He also had some quality time with Finchley, who was banished to the spare room once things got crowded.



Simon, Ada and Aurelie were some of the first to arrive!


Most of the English people had never experienced the fun of a pinata before, so it was a great hit! Maddy tried it first:


Then Joe, Phil, Dan, and I all gave it a shot before Jim delivered the fatal hit:





We pointed Jim in the wrong direction for fun, but he peeked, so managed to eventually find his way over to the pinata.


Ethna poses with the loot:


Joe and Jim with Joe's award winning pinata hat:


Ethna and Andrew, our downstairs neighbors. THey loaned us wine glasses and Andrew set up the pinata. They rock!


Vlad models Meg's first prize hat (with Finchley) and then Jim's birthday hat. Unfortunately, we didn't get a picture of MEG in her hat...but will update the blog if one surfaces. Because SHE really looked the best in her hat:



Tony chills out in the corner while Homer finishes off the champagne:



A good time was had by all!