Corin said “High-five! Auntie Jen is coming to celebrate Christmas with us!”

I was hoping to spot newly engaged Prince William and Kate Middleton while I was in London, but no such luck. Last week, I got to see a different kind of royalty - I got to go to the Prince concert! My good friend Nicki IM’d me with a last-minute offer - there was an extra, unclaimed ticket through her company. I last saw Prince in concert in CA, sometime in the late ’90s, and it was such a good time! Even after all this time, Prince did not disappoint. He played old favorites like Let’s Go Crazy, Delirious, 1999, Little Red Corvette, Kiss, and of course, Purple Rain. And bonus: we sat 5th row from the stage! Sheila E came out for the encore and played some of her popular hits, as well as some duets with Prince. Thanks to Nicki for inviting me to such a fun concert!

Standing on the purple piano

Prince and Sheila E

Henley-on-Thames, England

Columbia Road, London, England

Windsor, England

If you recall my trip to Amsterdam a few years ago, you might remember how much I love funny signage. Here are a few goodies I saw in London and Paris.

Be nice to the Transport for London staff.

Falling down the stairs can be hazardous to your health.

This ashtray looks like a cute little robot. One that eats ashes and cigarette butts.

Trash-eating barge

Don’t stick your hands in the doors.

And definitely don’t stick your head in the doors, unless you want to lose it.

And in case you need condoms before you hop on the train, there’s a vending machine in the Metro station.

With a few hours left before my flight back to NYC, Gabrielle and Andy took me to Windsor. Just outside of town is Windsor Farm Shop, which sells organic produce from Royal Farms and goods from other local specialty producers. Next, we roamed around the shops in the town of Windsor before stopping for sandwiches, tea and scones. A perfect ending to a fantastic trip!

The Long Walk leads to Windsor Castle

Statue of Queen Victoria

The Crooked House of Windsor

Well-lit scooter