#87: Play Tennis

With nice spring weather finally upon us, I played tennis properly for the first time since high school. Was a lot of fun, if a bit creaky knees.

Happiest people make the best of everything...

Photo credit: wordsoverpixels

#86: Take a dog for a walk

Photo credit: Liupco Smokovski / Shutterstock

There's something very therapeutic about walking a dog on a nice spring day. My friend has a 8 month old Saluki, who spent hours running around the park I took him to. On second thought, I think it was the dog that actually took me for a walk ...

#85: Take a knife skills (cooking) class

Photo credit: gosphotodesign / Shutterstock

Vegetables beware.

As I've mentioned previously, I'm not much of a cook, so taking a knife skills class has been something I've been meaning to do for a while. I took a basic workshop, that was designed to introduce the enthusiastic amateur to knife skills. Focusing on vegetable and fruit preparation, I learned to chop, slice and dice like a pro.

But if you're coming over for dinner please don't expect perfect juliennes, batons and chiffonades. If you do, I may have to use my other knife skills on you...

Photo credit: Randi Berez

#84: See London from the Top of the Shard

Photos credit: The Shard

For those that don't know, The Shard is a new building in London that opened to the public in Feb 2013, and at 72 stories tall, is not only London's tallest building, but it's also the tallest building in the EU. On a clear day you supposedly can see for 40 miles. Given London is normally rainy, however, most people will have to make do with Big Ben, The Eye, St Paul's and Tower Bridge. It's the best view in town, even on a rainy day. I highly recommend scheduling your viewing for sunset.

#83: Take a walk in Regent's Park

A good escape from the crowds of central London is this walk which takes in Regent’s Park and Primrose Hill:

Enter Regent’s Park via York Gate on Marylebone Road. Once one of Henrys VIII’s hunting parks it is now one of London’s Royal Parks. The park is surrounded by grand Regency terraces and there are 8 villas dotted along the Outer Circle and Inner Circle. Start by walking through the Inner Circle to Queen Mary’s Garden, home to an amazing rose garden.

Amble through the park taking in the boating lake towards the NE corner.
www.royalparks.gov.uk/The-Regents-Park

On the northern edge of the park is the Regent’s canal and London Zoo. If you walk along the canal you should be able to see some of the animals on the other side. From the zoo entrance on the Outer Circle you can see the giraffe enclosure.

Exit the park across the Primrose Hill Bridge over the canal and then cross Prince Albert Road to Primrose Hill. Walk up to the summit to enjoy dramatic views across London.

Exit the park onto Regent’s Park Road, the main street through beautiful Primrose Hill “village”. The boutiques and eateries of Regent’s Park Road are perfect places for celebrity spotting. From here it’s a short walk to Haverstock Hill and Chalk Farm station.

There are things in life...

#80: Make out in a changing room

Photo credit: Stuart Robertson / Alamy

Careful consideration should go into picking the right room. Top tip: A spacious dressing room is always best - go for the handicapped room.

Sometimes you just gotta push the boat out a little...

#79: Learn to make risotto

Yes, cooking things are decidedly middle age...but then again so am I now. This is admittedly one of the more dull ones I'm going to publish but, let's face it, it's not like I can usually be found swinging from the rafters every evening so I might as well show more of my quiet, domestic, side as well.

I only really started to cook a few years ago. Living in NYC, my idea of cooking was to pick up the phone and order take out to be delivered. So one thing that's been on my cooking list is to learn how to make a nice risotto, which I've been told was difficult to get right sometimes.

Photo credit: Marco Mayer / Shutterstock

On a recommendation from a friend, I went with Jaime Oliver's recipe for Risotto of Radicchio, Bacon, Rosemary, and Red Wine. It turned out ok. By which I mean, it was edible.

I could do with some more practice.

#77: Find the best burger in London

As an American, and particularly a New Yorker, I take my burgers seriously. There's just something about the right type of burger, seasoned properly, with good cheese, bun and accessories (pickle, lettuce, & tomato) that for me equates to happiness on a plate. This is doubled if paired with good skinny fries as well.

I've been searching for a place in London that can compare to my favourite NYC burger, The Corner Bistro Burger, and am happy to say I've found it at Lucky Chip. Fortunately for me, there's one near where I live. This new knowledge however might have implications for how my new wardrobe will fit in the future.

above: Lucky Chip burger and fries. below: Corner bistro burger

#76: Have a facial

Now that I've reached a certain age, my skin isn't what it used to be. Some days I wake up thinking (knowing?) that my skin is punishing me for my poor life choices. The enlarged pores and spotty skin that I was so concerned about a few years ago has been replaced by tell-tale signs of crow's feet, smile lines, worry lines and frown lines.

Photo credit: Yuganov Konstantin  / Shutterstock

I know an hour face mask won't undo a lifetime of abuse but I can pamper myself and at least get rid of the circles under my eyes, wiping away just a little of the evidence of my recent indulgences.

Photo credit: gosphotodesign / Shutterstock

Besides, there's something about feeling like your skin is at its best to boost your confidence...which is what my list is really all about.

#75: Buy new clothes / update my wardrobe

Photo Credit: Gurza / Shutterstock

 "There is nothing that makes a woman feel better about herself than buying a new wardrobe. In fact, be wild and crazy. Buy clothes you would never have thought of buying in the past. Have fun with it."

Photo credit: VannPhotography / Shutterstock

I'm somewhat surprised it took me this long to get to this one since one of the rights of passage for the newly single is the traditional out with the old wardrobe, in with the new and flirty wardrobe. But I wasn't really ready for it until now. Having lost weight and cleaned out my closet, I realised that I had very few clothes I could actually fit into and wanted to wear. So out I went in search of post-breakup, secret weapon outfits in my wardrobe. Out went the clothes that reminded me of the Ex and that no longer worked. I'm now restocking my closet with items that make me feel beautiful, sexy and confident.

Photo credit: gpointstudio / shuuterstock

#74: Donate clothes to charity

With the closet cleaned out, literally and figuratively, I knew I would find myself with a pile of unwanted clothes. Next on the list is: Donate clothes to charity, so off I went to Oxfam.