2013 was a weird year for me. There were ups and downs, but generally, I was pretty disappointed with what it had in store for me. There were a lot of good times though, so I’ll try and just focus on those in this post. My year included a lot more travel, I visited Greece, Denmark, Sweden, and Paris twice, and I went back to Australia to see my old school friends. I was also lucky enough to go to the British Fashion Awards, which was just amazing, and I met lots of bloggers at various events and meetups!
January
Â
January is always a quiet month for me, however it started with Bella driving my car round Mayfair with 4 people in the back, as I was too drunk to drive and she was 100% sober. I was panicking so they all sung Christmas carols to calm me down. It was amazing. Hibs had to lie across the three sitting on the back seats. It was one of those nights that reminded me of being a crazy teenager again.
January was a month for food. I gave you four restaurant reviews, as well as my very own quick and easy Lamington recipe, just in time for Australia Day!
February
February was my very first blogger meetup! Myself and some other wonderful lifestyle bloggers from Surrey had brunch at Bill’s in Guildford, and it was absolutely lovely. February was also the month I went to Bunga Bunga and dropped my £300 camera down the (thankfully clean) toilet. I was so upset I had a cry in the middle of the club, and then accidentally drank two bottles of wine, and had to crash at Alex’s then bus it back to my car the next day. It wasn’t my finest moment. I also had my alternative valentine’s day with Sid and Clare. I think it must have looked a bit odd with the three of us sat in pizza express, Clare and I with a bunch of roses each. We may have told the waiters Sid was our pimp. Awks.
March
March was a much calmer month, I went to Paris with the girls to visit Ursula, had the 1920’s Ball at the RAC, went to the launch of 3 Cromwell, and then jetted off to Australia for a couple of weeks in the sun visiting old school friends.
April
April I was still in Australia, sampling all my favourite foods, sunning myself on the beach daily, and hitting the clubs with my friends. It was pure bliss! I got back just in time for Diego’s huge charity birthday bash, and a week later it was my 22nd birthday, which I spent eating cake at work, before going clubbing with friends at the old Barbarella, which has now sadly closed down *cry*.
May
Now May was a good month! It started with the most amazing house party on Cadogan Square, and I was also lucky enough to attend the Fast & Furious 6 premiere in London with my friend Mark. The gang and I had our monthly crazy night out where we all drown our sorrows and forget about everything for a night. Despite what you might think (*cough* Nanny!), I only drink once or twice a month because I’m always designated driver, so when I can drink I just make the most of it.
June
June was the start of the season, which is the summer months when all the major events are happening in London. We went to the free Muse World War Z Concert, and then there was the ultra epic Great Gatsby Ball at the Royal Overseas League, where my flapper dress came out once again, and where there’s a delightful photograph of Lotte shoving cream cake in my mouth. Cheers Lotte. As well as all that, I also had Polo in the Park, Royal Ascot, and a Charity Ball at Sandhurst.
Â
July
July was without a doubt the busiest month of the year. It was pretty insane! It started with reviewing Ametsa with Arzak Instruction with the delightful Henry, where I was violently sick (not because of the food), and Henry just laughed and posted it on Facebook. Such a good friend. I then attended Henley Regatta a few days later, feeling much better after a good rest and recover.
The following weekend was Wireless Festival, where we saw JT, Jay-Z, Tinie Tempah, and heaps of other awesome people. Sadly July was the month I had the worst restaurant experience of my life at TGI Fridays, however shortly after I got to go to the Kusmi Tea Launch in partnership with Birchbox, which was really fun! July also brought with it some good weather, so the girls from back home and I had a lazy weekend catching up. Lux Life’s Two Year Birthday was in July, and I attended the London Blogger Meetup where I got to meet loads of my favourite bloggers!
AugustÂ
August I jetted off to Greece for some sun and relaxation with the family. It was a really lovely week, and I took you all with me as I explored the island of Kefalonia. I was then back in London for a couple of weeks, in which time I went to Lotte’s Quarter Century Ball, and played a spot of tennis at Queen’s Club (jokes…it was the morning after Lotte’s, so I watched and ate bacon sarnies).
My travelling continued when at the end of August, my brother and I flew to Copenhagen for a weekend of food and walking. We got the train to Sweden one day as well, but weren’t very impressed with Malmo and Lund. However in Lund I did find the best Carbonara I’ve ever had, so I’ll give them that. Sadly we landed to the news that my wonderful grandfather had passed away, so I took a short break from blogging, before emptying my heart and hurt in this post.
September
September was a quiet month, it always is. I went on the Sake course at Sake no Hana, and then we went to the Ruski’s Tavern Launch. I finished the month in Paris with Ciara and Arabella, we had a really lovely weekend, a nice mixture of fun and relaxation! We went to Montmartre and The Louvre on Day One, and Saint Chapelle and the Cercle Interalliee club on Day Two. I’ve been to Paris a few times now, and I just love it, there’s so much to do there!
October
October I attended the Cocktail Masterclass at the Kensington Hotel, and I also went on the Cicchetti Trail with the London Restaurant Festival which was really great fun! End of October was the start of party season, we started it at the Tissot 160th Anniversary Party, and had a week full of work events before I took my colleagues to the launch of VQ Bloomsbury.
November
November was a very busy month for blogging! I finally decided to start writing more about fashion and less about beauty. I work in fashion as many of my clients are fashion brands, so it makes sense, and I was just getting bored sick of writing beauty reviews. November was Antoin’s birthday at Ruski’s, and I also finally got to The Shard and reviewed new restaurant Rextail.
I also performed in my last ever concert, and had a very cultural month attending concerts at the Royal Albert Hall and Royal Opera House. C and I went to Le Caprice for lunch, before going to the Australia Exhibition at the RA. November was London Jazz Festival, so I went to an event in the Spice of Life pub for Alex’s birthday. Press events and parties in full swing still, I went to the launch of Barbour’s International Flagship store. And finally, I ended the month having dinner at The Athenaeum Club with Desmond Browne QC.
December
December was slightly quieter than November, but I still had a lot of work events on. As well as work stuff I also found the time to attend the British Fashion Awards, which were absolutely amazing and I’m so grateful I got to go! The Hurlingham Christmas Ball was in the middle of the month, and as always was lots of fun, and then the PHOENIX Magazine Winter Party was the week before Christmas. And finally, it was Christmas. We had a lovely quiet one this year, and I got a couple of new lenses, one of which I tested out on our Boxing Day Walk!
So it sounds like I had a great year, and in a way I did. I’m very lucky to have been to some really amazing events, and I’ve created some really fantastic memories with wonderful friends. I’m just wishing more than anything that 2014 brings me lots of exciting new adventures to make up for the bad parts of 2013.
Catherine Lux is a veteran travel blogger by night and the Head of Content Marketing at Amazon by day. Originally from Surrey, she spent four years living in Australia (2007-2009, and 2016-2018), and now lives in London. An ex-party girl sometimes prone to relapses, she loves nothing more than sharing her fine dining and luxury travel experiences with her loyal readers.
Can't wait to see what 2014 has in store for you beaut! xx
i still havent worked out why we arent BFFL yet so you can invite me to all these awesome events you go to!? We shall have to organise another bloggers meet up / night out in London when you're back from Aus!xo
You look amazing in every dress. That British fashion award dress is cool.
Amy
http://www.apparelnbags.com/store/winter-clothing.htm