The Lottery Post

I've been meaning to post this for a long time but the pictures took me a long time to find. So, here's a big long post; so long because it's filled with my dream photos. I'm calling it The Lottery Post because it's what I'd do for living quarters if I won unlimited funds.

I consider myself extremely fortunate in that I'm one of the few people I know that have had the wonderful experience of living in several different places. And, more than that, some of the world's most desired spots.

I grew up in London - the BEST place in the entire world :) I spent a few years in Colchester, Essex at University (horrible town; sorry, but it is). Then, a study abroad year at age 20 sent me 6000 miles away to California; a very close 2nd best to London. After 8 years there, Jake & I moved to Phoenix, Arizona, where we've now been settled for 5 years. And I'm not finished - I hope, maybe, there are others in my future (although I feel slightly different about that now that I have a child).


But let's just say I won the lottery today. What would I do? With my advantage of having such different home towns under my belt, here's what I'd do:

Our main residence would be here:


A modern beach house - right ON the beach. This is Malibu, California - perhaps the world's most desired beach property. I wouldn't work, neither would Jake, we'd just never leave this house while our 3 or 4 kids (remember, there are unlimited funds here) played on the California beach. And, when they drove us crazy, we'd send them to that guest house or whatever it is. It is a separate building, that's the point ;)

I'd also consider this place, with the water coming right up to the floor-to-ceiling glass windows. Isn't it incredible?

Our living room would be furnished like this:

I'd cook here:And I'd sleep here:

Yep, that decor? That's the European in me. I know how many of my American friends & family are cringing at this minimalist modern style. I love it.

The only problem I see with this life is that, if I ended every day watching this sunset off my deck with a happy hour mojito in hand, and Jake in the sun lounger next to me, I might not have noticed my kids swept out to sea by the ocean tide.

So, let's move on. While I would be blissfully happy most of the year in that Malibu beach-house, I'd also need this (yep, I said 'need', I'm getting greedy now):

An exquisite flat right in the heart of London with an entrance like this. We would go for a month or so at a time, flying back & forth whenever the kids aren't in school, and, well, whenever we feel like it. This one would also be modern inside, but with a killer view of the city in all it's glory:

And, while my kids may not have their beloved beach during this time, I know from experience that with this as their backyard, we wouldn't EVER run out of things to do & see:

We would tour London at our leisure; me teaching them about the history, the culture, their entirely different surroundings, hoping that they'd get a sense of their mother's childhood; them wanting to ride the Tube all day. And Jake wouldn't have to come: he could sit in the pub with my dad talking about whatever men talk about over pints for hours.

And, lastly, because I love the desert too, I'd keep an Arizona home, for whenever California was too cold. I love the territorial style houses out here. This one could work, snug up against the mountain:

Because, as perfect as California & London would be, I have fallen in love with an Arizona sunset too: