24 Hours Paris Trailer

I know I said I'd have a proper post today. But, well, I lied (but not on purpose, so that doesn't count... right?). Anyway, I've been busy cobbling together a book trailer for 24 Hours Paris, to be released in May. There was no way we could fit in all the lovely Paris locations in our short trip, but I hope you enjoy what we could get on film!

Weekend in Oxfordshire!

One of the colleges, Oxford University.

After two blissful days skipping through the fields of the English countryside, I'm back in London and swamped with things to do. Novels to finish, novels to revise, projects to outline... It's all good, though -- I actually like a little bit of stress to spur me along. All that to apologise for my lack of bloggery yesterday!

The Man and I had a great weekend. The weather held out (for the most part -- the only time it rained was when we were in the car driving to the B&B). The last time we were in Oxford it poured all day, so we were pleasantly surprised to see some blue sky on our walking tour around the city.

Oxford University Press Bookstore.

The Man dances a happy jig in the sun (on the way to the pub).

Our bed and breakfast, Brook Barn, was spectacular. A converted barn, it was cozy and inviting.


Mezzanine level, Brook Barn.

The Stable, our bedroom.

After a full English breakfast (I won't get into the merits -- or lack thereof -- of black pudding), we took advantage of the sunny morning to play croquet (I won). Then, we headed off to Uffington to see the legendary White Horse. Drawn on the side of a hill by the Iron Age people, the horse was created by digging trenches and filling in the trenches with white chalk. Yes, they were just that crazy. Even crazier (and totally unknown to us) is the fact that you can only really see the silly thing from the air. We spent hours of fun climbing the side of the steep hill to see where the whole horse might actually be visible. The answer: it's not. Ah well, at least we burned off the breakfast!

Unidentified horse part.

White Horse Hill.

Leaving London - For the Weekend, Anyway

London has a way of sucking you in, like a giant Hoover whose grip you can't break. With everything so readily available, you tend to forget there's a world outside the greater London area - a world with trees! Cows! Sheep! People who don't need to wear make-up to go to the delicatessen where they'll pay £10 for some organic bread!

This weekend, the Man and I have decided to flee the city and head for rural Oxfordshire - about an hour's drive away (however, as The Man is from Cairo and drives like it, for 'normal' drivers, it may take twice as long). We are both firmly city dwellers, but with my semi-rural roots, I often long for open spaces and greenery that isn't cultivated to within an inch of its life.

We'll spend the day in Oxford and then head to our luxury bed and breakfast. If the weather holds, we want to do a cycling route around the Ridgeway, an old Iron-Age trek used during ancient times.

Wish us weather luck! Have a great weekend - see you on Monday.