United Nations Day - 2014

October 24, 2014 - United Nations Day (last year's post) was cold and rainy.  This year the Americans came with their 'A' game (we'd had a whole year to prepare)! 

Michelle Lee replacing Lady Liberty's torch with a much more practical umbrella

Gabby with the USA flag

United Nations flag heading the parade

our American girls

students and parents gather in front of the school to listen to a speech by the U.S. Ambassador to Sweden, Mark Brzezinski

Sofia in spirit

Sam & Suzie's Top Ten

Before posting Christmas 2014 and New Years I have two more posts from the busy Fall I wanted to get in (in a lame attempt to keep things orderly?!)

Sam & Suzie's Top Ten list from their first visit to Stockholm

September/October 2014

1.  Seeing the Castles in their new town. Pride in our nieces, who navigate the city like pros.

Sofia and Audra

Audra and Aunt Suzie in front of the Drama Theater

2.  Sofia's class singing Happy Birthday in many different languages. And the big birthday sleep over, it took five adults and two sisters to pull off.

Sofia's birthday meringues

3.  The Vasa and Nordiska museums.

4.  Gröna Lund (such a fun girl's day).

the Original sisters and the Junior sisters

one last swing

Aunt Jan trying to master the Fun House steps... it's not as easy as it looks!

Gabby and Audra in front of Insane (roller coaster)... Uncle Sam will have to do this next time

5.  Scotland with brothers from another mother.

Gordon, Marshall and Sam

6.  Fika at the Garage and Wienercafeet... such a civilized way of living.

7.  Wandering the streets of Gamla Stan.

8.  Cap'n Gordon taking us on a beautiful fall boat ride on the Baltic.

Djurgården canal

Jan, Sam and Suzie

9.  Meeting Nancy's expat friends, cooking lunch together, wine and conversation. Now we know how Nancy spends her days! (And why this blog post is so late!!)

Jan and Suzie put to work prepping lunch

soon to be grilled sandwiches

Lori and me in my favorite spot in Heidi's kitchen

three berry layer cake for dessert

10.  The Sprit Museum with the Original sisters. Only with your sisters should you drink vodka in the morning and then see an exhibit on Swedish Sex. 

 

vodka sample kit complete with 'snacks' (chocolate, gummy and licorice fish)

Sam and Suzie (posing on the walk back from Gröna Lund)

an historical look back

11.  Watching the math nerds get excited about working out 8th grade math problems while the actual student was in her room doing something else.

A few more photos....

cute little food truck at the Taste of Stockholm

delicious pork taco!

Aunt Jan and Gabby in the Elle Food & Wine photo booth at Taste of Stockholm

a quick visit to check out the architecture at Stadsbibliotek (City Library)

Visiting friends in London

September 18-22, 2014 - Gabby and I traveled to London to visit her best friend from SIS, Annabel, who moved to London at the end of 7th grade.  Lucky for me Annabel's mom, Jayne, is a good friend of mine.

What struck me immediately is how much bigger London is than Stockholm.  The entire population of Sweden can fit into the greater London area.  Everything is more intense - the crowds, the neighborhoods, the traffic!  We had a great overview of London and plan to return for more.

Friday - Gabby and I explored Trafalgar Square, found breakfast at Pret-a-Manger, walked over to Buckingham Palace, Picadilly and Regent St. (Hollister!) where we met up with Jayne.  The three of us continued to Carnaby St. and lunch on Great Castle St.

Trafalgar Square

Trafalgar Square

Buckingham Palace

 

 

 

Buckingham Palace

 

 

 

love this Tube ad

Pimm's!

Saturday - Most of the day was spent immersed in Harrods... the food hall, Shoe Heaven and lunch.  A successful mission to find Krispy Kreme donuts ($8.95/dozen) followed by a tour of Covent Garden market/entertainers and Annabel's birthday dinner at Jamie's Italian.

Jayne ordered a special Saturday treat for the kids

Annabel and Jayne on the way to Harrod's

Harrod's beautiful decor

the amazing Harrod's food hall

lunch at Harrod's

the Egyptian stairway... or stairway to Shoe Heaven

Manolo Blahniks

 

 

the girls hanging out in Shoe Heaven

 

Covent Garden

birthday dinner at Jamie's Italian

Sunday - We explored Greenwich, walking around the Maritime Museum and Royal Naval Academy and the Market.  We hopped a boat, seeing the Tower and London Bridges, on the way to the London Eye.

Greenwich - Maritime Museum

 

Gabby and Annabel

Royal Naval Academy

 

 

 

 

Tower Bridge

 

Big Ben

London Eye

 

parliament and Big Ben

 

Monday - Gabby and I loaded up on English goodies (Hobnobs, etc.) and had lunch with Jayne at Queen's Head Pub for traditional fish and chips. We picked Annabel and her brother, Simon, up from school and headed to the airport. 

Can't wait for our next visit!!