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It has been a couple of months since I last wandered into my favorite Bayshore back streets. So I took a detour on my way to grab our Sunday morning lattes, and found some new color under gray skies.

In addition to reuniting with several of my favorite coworkers from across the country, another high point of my short trip last week to Atlanta was dinner at the charming Dogwood Restaurant…and upscale Southern food restaurant.  I had a creative fried chicken dish over a heavenly mac and cheese, that far exceeded my expectations.  And my dessert?  A signature dish:  bread pudding with a chunky bacon ice cream…I know it sounds odd, but it was really yum yum.  (I think it helped that the friendly sous chef came over to chat about creating the dish LOL.)

The observant Tribulations reader might have noticed fewer shots in my “Hotel Window” series. Well, this is due more to mood than method. Frankly, I’m traveling just as much, but I find the hotel shots to be a reminder of the most trying part of the trip, versus the stories of food or friends. So, I stopped posted the shots unless they fit the chipper story I was telling 🙂

So, to catch you up…here are three window shots. First is the McLean Hilton (December), the Colorado Springs Hilton (January), and the Atlanta Renaissance (February).

I need a glass of wine.

I certainly didn’t want January to exit without finishing up my photos from London. So, here is the final set, with all the post-New Years fun. You can read my glorious descriptions in the entries for Day 2, Day 3, and Day 4.

So, we begin with some silly images from London’s New Year’s Day parade. I’ll be honest…we slept in late…and it was cold…so I didn’t catch much of the parade. But I did enjoy the creativity and scale of this parade.

So, the day REALLY began with brunch in the hotel. Followed by a walk through Green Park to Buckingham Palace. Everyone was cheery on this first full day in London.

When you start your day late in wintertime London, and make a few indoor stops along the route, it doesn’t take long to jump into dusk…which is what happened on this day. So, we leap forward to a nighttime view of the Wellington Arch at Hyde Park Corner. These are followed by colorful images from a Winter Carnival in Hyde Park.

Dinner that first evening was at Ping Pong…wonderful dim sum in Soho.

Day 3 began with a quick walk through Berkeley Park followed by a visit to the grand St. Paul’s Cathedral. We weren’t supposed to take photos inside, so our memories are primarily exteriors and views from the top of the dome…and a couple of sneaky shots from the hip. 🙂

Next, we headed across the modern Millennium Bridge to the Tate Modern. We also downed some fantastic fish and chips.

We finished the day with a long nighttime walk along the Thames, ending at Westminster and its iconic tower housing Big Ben.

Day 4 has a mix of images including the Victoria and Albert museum, the Aspley House, and Wellington Arch. We also passed by a boistous protest. We ended the day with the Billy Elliot musical at a quintessential London theatre.

All those memories, crammed into a few short days. But oh what a way to relax and reflect on them from our comfy United pod 🙂

We landed in London on New Year’s Eve. Jeff and I teamed up with Sherie and Chris for a wonderful, memorable trip to end/start the year. All of the shots in this posting are from our first day in London. (If you want to read my original journal entry…check out this link.)

The winter days in London are VERY short, so by the time we made it from the airport to the hotel…the stylish May Fair Hotel…it was already dark. So, Jeff and I took a brisk walk through nearby Green Park to Buckingham Palace before dinner. On the return route to the hotel, we enjoyed the abundance of Christmas lights around every corner.

I discovered that I am heading for the same hairline as FDR and Churchill…hopefully not their bellies!

We celebrated New Years at a nearby restaurant called @venue. Not the best lighting for photos…but the perfect mood for a cozy evening with good friends.