The year that was: 2023

What happened:
Definitely felt like a more action-packed year or, maybe, life returned to normal post-pandemic. Not that a post-pandemic life prevented me from getting COVID again in the summer. That's two Julys in a row, so I'll see what happens in July 2024!

Not that I'm talking about this year. Back to 2023! It's been both a fab year and a pretty tough year. Both my parents were quite ill; my mum was actually hospitalised for nearly five months and had two heart surgeries. So that was incredibly stressful. It felt more important than ever to try and do really nice things when I had the chance to. So we did!

From epic holidays - we went to Stockholm for my birthday, glamped at the Isle of Wight Festival, had an awesome week in New York City, a fantastic two-week adventure in Jordan, and celebrated Olly's 40th in Iceland - to lots of theatre and shows, it's been a lot of fun. (I've blogged about Sweden, rest to follow!) I also went to Philadelphia for work. (And Leeds. But that's not as exciting.) 

The theatre and shows in question were The Mousetrap, Kimberly Akimbo (on Broadway), Shucked (on Broadway), Mrs Doubtfire, Accidental Death of an Anarchist, Groundhog Day, A Strange Loop, Frozen and Elf. Plus we saw at theatres: An Evening With Phil Rosenthal, The Always Sunny Podcast "LIVE in London" show and An Evening with Nick Offerman. Music-wise we saw Elton John, Blur and the Red Hot Chili Peppers in London, Blink 182 in Brooklyn, and bands aplenty at the Isle of Wight Festival - highlights were Pulp, Mika and Peter Hook & The Light. 

To be honest, that's a really vague round-up but, as always, my TMTW posts do outline more-or-less what I get up to. But, I do have one final thing to mention, the addition to our family in 2023. We welcomed Jasper and Juno in March, two British Shorthair kittens who we rescued from the RSPCA. They had quite the year with us and turned one in mid-December. So I guess they are not kittens anymore! 

What I ate:

London shout-outs for Sunday roasts at Coal Office, Kitchen W8 and, as always, Blacklock. The tasting menus at Ekstedt at the Yard, Sollip and Myrtle. Excellent Indian food at Brigadiers and Darjeeling Express, the best sweet potato shakshuka I've ever eaten at Spinach East Dulwich, fab Portuguese food at Bar Douro, and tasty food at The Palomar. Plus the best NYC pizza in London at Bad Boy Pizza Society. 

In Sweden we had the most amazing tasting menu at the original Ekstedt, with the wine pairing - seriously incredible. Gastobud and Sweet O Salti also yum. NYC highlights were Oxomoco, Los Tacos No. 1, Bleecker Street Pizza, Joe's Pizza, Momofuku Noodle Bar, Chote Miya and Xi'an Famous Foods. In Jordan we had the best brunch at Shams El Balad and an excellent Wagyu katsu sando at 13C Bar in the Back. Plus awesome tacos from Meathead at the Isle of Wight Festival. 

What I watched:

Top TV shows, in no particular order: The Bear, The Last of Us, Poker Face, Slow Horses, Succession, Ted Lasso, H/JACK and Only Murders in the Building.

What I read:

In 2023 I read 120 books - favourite books of the year are here. 

How was your year? x