sunny Copenhagen

Don't worry, and thanks for the support - I survived pianogate! Despite saying he was going to buy a ceramic white elephant to sit on top of it and remind me of my folly, I think he secretly quite likes it. And the PILs were delighted when they visited to babysit this weekend, having had to give theirs away when they downsized a few years ago.

We've just come back from a weekend in Copenhagen, which my husband chose as his 40th birthday treat, without the kids. We went mainly for the chairs, as he's obsessed with Danish design and all things mid-century modern. None of which we can actually afford to own unless you count our Penguin Donkey and the new Eames chairs. He was v pleased to see our hall lights in the Danish design museum though. I'd highly recommend it for a weekend away - v Christmassy at this time of year but in a very restrained and tasteful sort of way. Think beautiful white stars to hang in your window, rather than red and green tinsel! All the shops seem to have design classics as part of their shopfittings too - you can't move for Arne J. Egg chairs! My favourite places were the Kunstindustrimuseet, which is set in beautiful grounds with a very stylish and understated cafe, and was practically empty when we visited. I also liked the Danish Design Centre, whcih was full of slightly bonkers inventions . Best for coffee and fabulous chocolate cake was a window seat at the gorgeous Cafe Norden on Stroget, and best shop ever ( my supposedly shop-hating husband was in a sort of retail-heaven induced daze) was the Illum department store close by, where this year's white-on white Christmas display and floor after floor of design classics have rather spoiled me for my local Dickens and Jones in Richmond.