LONDON CENTRAL MOSQUE

LONDON: THE OTHER NUMBER 10

This place goes up to 33 (as in 33rd Degree).

PRIMROSE HILL

"I have conversed with the spiritual sun,

I saw him on Primrose Hill."

-- William Blake

LONDON: AMARO

LONDON: AROUND TOWN

I doubt there is a city more magnificently decorated at Christmastime.

Brexit or no Brexit, Blighty will survive and always be the crossroads of the world.

That Other Trumper:  Supply run

LONDON: VICTORIA & ALBERT MUSEUM

LONDON: CAMDEN PASSAGE

LONDON: ST. ETHELDREDA'S

A gem of a church on Ely Place, near Holborn.

FORTNUM'S

Celebrating the magic of Christmas, and seasonal holidays for all faiths.

LONDON: THE SPIRIT OF LIGHT

The season of long nights comes alive with light and color.

45 JERMYN STREET (FORTNUMS)

The hub of encounters-of-the-unexpected-kind.  (My kind of social interaction.)

BURLINGTON ARCADE

Christmas spirit is alive and well in London.

LONDON: DECEMBER SUNRISE

Around 8:03.

LONDON: ROOM WITH A VIEW

GIN HEAVEN

A whole shop devoted to my favorite gin.

Their Chocolate Orange Gin is killer.

Chocolate Orange Gin 20cl - Sipsmith

LONDON: FIRST STOP AFTER A LONG FLIGHT...

Photo:  Curt Braukmann

...is The Wolseley, for the finest cappuccino (make it two) in town.

NEW BEGINNINGS

Nicholas Roerich

The Waxing Moon

Waxing Moon means the moon is getting larger in the sky, moving from the New Moon towards the Full Moon. This is a time for spells that attract, that bring positive change, spells for love, good luck, growth. This is a time for new beginnings, to conceptualize ideas, to invoke. At this time the moon represents the Goddess in her Maiden aspect, give praise to Epona, Artemis or one of the other Maiden Goddesses. The period of the waxing moon lasts about 14 days.

'...as the moon waxes and wanes,
and walks three nights in darkness,
so the Goddess once spent three nights
in the kingdom of Death.'

GONE, BUT NEVER FORGOTTEN

Tea-time, Hampstead, London, early1980s

Nan, affectionately known as "Big Nan" to her great-grandchildren, was born 117 years ago today.

A captivating young lady in Constance, Turkey

Captured in oils by Papa Duke

FINALLY, CHRISTMAS IN MONTECITO

After years of neglect, the City of Santa Barbara has finally returned Christmas decorations to Coast Village Road (CVR) in Montecito.

A half-century ago, the City was able to annex Montecito's main thoroughfare, which means Santa Barbara collects business and property tax from the shops, restaurants and condominiums of CVR. 

However, the City returns but a fraction of the booty it collects to maintain and improve CVR.

Instead, Santa Barbara prefers to spend its revenues on expanding local government, whose employees dream up new restrictions and taxes on small business owners and on enforcement of ridiculous infractions that cause business owners to pack up and leave.

Consequently, almost a third of State Street in downtown Santa Barbara is boarded up and derelict, while the ever-increasing number of derelicts downtown are allowed to soil every bench on the main drag and to urinate on sidewalks and buildings in plain sight of children.

Santa Barbara city administrators and those who sit on Santa Barbara's City Council have much to be ashamed about this Christmas.  

But at least they gave Montecito a decorated tree.

LOS OLIVOS OLDE FASHIONED CHRISTMAS

MONACO: THE LATEST VICTIM

In Memory of Baby Skye

"My precious baby was brutally killed on November 22nd, 2018, and I need to get justice! 
I need to pay two autopsies, the cremation and an eventual burial, and I need a lawyer to press charges against all parties involved who murdered my precious baby, I have no more income and no financial aid from any government since Monaco intentionally destroyed all my work! Baby Skye slowly froze to death and died for sure from a big heartache as well! Baby Skye was hiding under my bed when I got violently kidnapped on November 16th. ( I am a victim of corrupt Philippe Narmino and Monaco's dangerous mafia!)  It was so violent that she got so afraid that she was hiding! And afterwards she was violently murdered. I want justice for my precious dog! Please help to get justice, I have to finances! If you have any questions, don t hesitate to contact me! Thank you."

Fundraiser by Anett-Patrice Van York : My dog was brutally killed! I need justice!

AUNT TIFA

Couldn't find Aunt Tifa anywhere, but delighted to see statues of Teddy Roosevelt and Honest Abe still standing.