Its nice to look back on last years resolutions and feel I achieved most of them.

I did work harder, my health is better (my back is really good) and I bought a harp and have been playing it everyday. Didn’t do much visual art and didn’t create any fictitious on line identities. Or did I? Heheh.

So this years resolutions:

Do more illustration and writing.

Dispel stress.Peaceful and contented should be my default state. Fretting should be replaced with planing and musing.

We loath Xmas and love France. So this year we avoided the whole Xmas mess and took the Eurostar to Paris on Christmas eve.

We’re huge fans of the Hotel Costes CD’s (funky funky lounge music) so we booked ourselves into the new Hotel Costes K because the older one is tres tres expensive! But the new one is wonderfully luxurious and ultra modern for about a third of the price. We did go to the original Hotel Costes for dinner and a cocktail and it was super gorgeous and not snooty at all.

I think the best thing for me was getting up very late on Christmas morning, wandering down to the Eiffel Tower for a delicious ham and cheese crepe fresh from one of the stalls for Xmas lunch and munching it as we strolled along the Seine.

Pretty much nothing is open on Christmas eve in Paris - that is the big important meal for them. Many things are closed on Xmas day as well, but Paris is much more lively on the 25th than central London; most of the cafes were open on the Champs Elysee and I even noticed the tour buses were running. Or you can always live on Crepes from the stalls around the Eiffel Tower.

So you think your Mum is weird. Well mine knits sweaters for penguins. Uh huh. For real.

Apparently they use them when there is an oil spill or something.

Betcha can’t guess who this is. Hint: she’s famous.

OK. Times up. It’s Marilyn Monroe!

Low fat or low carb? Which is the way to podge busting heaven?

This little dish I just invented is both. And it’s a taste sensation.

Serves 1 or 2.

You need a non stick pan.

1 Onion and some garlic (sliced)

1 big zuccini (grated)

Big hand full of grated Mozzarella cheese - its a low fat cheese.

Pinenuts

Black olives

Herbs (preferably fresh but dried thyme, basil or any Italian style herbs are fine)

Gently dry saute the onion and garlic.

When the onion starts to get a bit too dry throw in the grated zuccini which will release moisture.

When it looks soft (a couple of minutes) top it with grated mozzarella, pinenuts, black olives and herbs.

Put the pan under the grill until the mozzarella has just melted and welded it all together.

Let it cool a bit and serve!

We’ve been to the Globe 3 times this year, cos it it THE best night out in London.

For only 5 quid you can stand in the pit, which is definitely the best place to be. You can see and hear everything and often part of the performance actually takes place down in the pit. The actors also make little gestures to the “groundlings” when ever they mention poverty or the ‘lower classes’. Heheh, Shakey knew how to work the crowd that’s for sure.

We saw Othello, the Merchant of Venice and Love’s Labour’s Lost. Love’s Labour’s Lost is a total ‘filler episode’ in Shakespear - season 1; although they had a lot of bawdy fun with it. But Othello is a multiple brain orgasm of wit and intrigue. And the M of V is clever and relevant even today.

The Globe is a magic place.

You know one of the best nights out in London is to just be out in London. You don’t have to be stuck in some dark smelly hole with expensive drinks to meet people and have a good time.

The other night our friends Umporn and Ngaire were leaving London for Barcelona. And what did they want to do for their last night in ol’ Blighty? Just walk along the Thames. So we took some bottles of bubbly and some plastic cups and just wandered along the river on a Saturday night. Met all kinds of weird and wonderful souls and had a very blurry blast.

We just went to an Ethiopian restaurant in Finchley Road with our mates Ben, Kate and Raul. They are all Ethiopian food aficionados, but Brett and I were tishka virgins.

Curries on big pancakes sounded quite boring and stodgy to me, but I was very pleasantly surprised. The crepes are not made with flour (some special exotic grain) and are quite light and lemony.

But the best thing is the home made moonshine - I mean mead. It tastes of cloves and honey and fruit. I bought a couple of plastic water bottles filled with the stuff. The kind lady pierced the bottle caps for us so that it wouldn’t explode! Seriously.

So do yourself a favour. Tobia - 2a Lithos Rd Finchley Road London.

I just need to warn you. ‘Pi the Movie’ by Darren Aronofsky is total and utter crap. It is purile in the extreme. Its basic message is that numbers make your head hurt and blow up your computer. Ooo best not to mess with them!

It would appear Aronofsky avoided any reseach more taxing than maybe half an hour on Google. So I reckon his head feels just dandy and his puter is in top shape.

You’ve been warned.

Sir Elton John, Brett and I went to see Amy Winehouse perform last night at Shepherds Bush Emporium. Her new husband and her Dad came along as well. I’m not saying we all arrived together and went for beers after the show, but we were all packed into the tiny venue together to see Amy sing.

Now I think Amy Winehouse is one of the greatest singer songwriters of all time. She’s only in her early twenties and has already written a bunch of jazz standards. She could sing Christmas carols under water and still be awesome.

But I have to say this gig was a bit half arsed. She came on late and left early and looked like she had somewhere better to be.

When she wobbled around half pissed on those ridiculously high heels with those spindly legs I couldn’t help think of Bambi. Her tragic vulnerability is fascinating, but it’s a bit like watching a train crash about to happen.

I still love her to bits.