Another busy weekend

Tons going on this weekend – starting with Friday. Ashley took the day off, so we enjoyed breakfast at one of our favourites, Giraffe, building up strength for more tennis lessons later that day (one of these days I may even learn how to serve!)

That evening, then, off to the V&A for a little dose of culture – specifically the ‘Alternative Village Fete’. A classic of the British summer, updated with an artistic bent. So – rather than shoot a water pistol through a clown’s mouth or some such game, one competition had players racing to be the first to sharpen a new pencil and pop a balloon. We enjoyed wandering the creative stalls (sculpt Queen Victoria out of grey play-doh! Burp your favourite tune for a prize! Take a lucky dip in the prize draw!) and even treated ourselves to a unique ‘portrait’ – made using a typewriter! Ashley’s is the better likeness I think...

Saturday’s sun inspired some belated spring cleaning, so it felt like a productive morning. (and an excuse for an afternoon nap!) Even more of an excuse for the nap was the need to be able to stay up past our bed times, as we were off last night to our first visit to The O2 – the all new & improved Millennium Dome – to see the Scissor Sisters. The venue itself is pretty impressive, with 2 arenas (one stadium style, one more ‘intimate’), a massive 11-screen cinema (which just hosted the UK Simpsons premiere), and several restaurants & bars. Oh, and an indoor beach. (which I didn’t quite get, as there was no indoor sea or indoor sun to accompany said beach. I don’t really see the attraction in sand in & of itself – I only tolerate it when it’s part of the whole sun & sea combo!)

As for the concert (my first since Elvis Costello in 1991!) – loved it. And I only know a few of the songs... I’d bought the tix as an early birthday gift for Ashley, who’s more of a fan. I thought the crowd was excited, and so was the band, and – aww – it was the lead singer’s parents’ 34th anniversary & they were there to celebrate & he dedicated a song to them. One more time – aww... We got home *way* past curfew, but it was worth it. I even managed to sleep in to 8:30 – so it must’ve been a late night!

Finally, Sunday, Ash headed off for another cricket match (post game report – he said he’d bowled the best game of his career so far, though sadly the game ended in a draw). And I – I headed for the zoo, thanks to a free ticket that was due to expire the end of this month. I enjoyed the new ‘Gorilla Kingdom’ exhibit, though the enclosure still seemed a bit small. The butterfly house was similar to that at the Pacific Science Centre, and just as fascinating to see the gorgeous lepidoptera up close. And I especially liked Meet the Monkeys – similar to the butterfly house, but with squirrel monkeys! So close you want to reach out your hand for them to hop on (except of course for all the signs saying ‘these monkeys bite!’) Taking pictures seemed a better route...

Once more with feeling...

How much do I wish this would come to London?! Buffy the Musical! Great episode, would be even better in person...

3rd? Only 3rd?

Wow - I went to the 3rd Most Annoying Liberal Arts College in America... Should I be dismayed to be on the list? Or disappointed we only got to 3rd. But hey - quite an achievement for the write-ins after not making it on the original short-list. [only Swarthmoreans would do *extra work* to get onto a ranking list!]

And besides, as we always say about polls like these -- really, once you're in the top 5 darling, it's all so subjective.

It's all over...

Right, well – it’s done. After a focused nearly 4 hour binge last night, I have finished Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows. I know what the Hallows are, who (if anyone) dies, who doesn’t, and even What Happened Next…

And now it’s all over. I certainly wouldn’t class myself a Potter fanatic, but I am sad there are no more, it’s been an enjoyable adventure of a read. I was almost willing myself to read slower, so I wouldn’t come to the end so quickly – and yet I had to find out what happened! And find out you do – pretty much every question is resolved (and if I have one criticism of the book, it was how neatly and quickly that happened, when it did. Kind of like one of those crime shows where in the last minute the novelist- or business man & his wife- or coroner- or pesky school kids- turned-accidental-detective(s) says ‘Of course. The note left in the dining room was a love letter from Jane to John; Jim saw that, and therefore *he* was the one to run John off the road in a fit of jealousy; he’d cleverly rigged a Ferris Bueller type device with pulleys and a mannequin to make it look like he was in his front room the whole time. When we saw he’d recently downloaded Ferris Bueller’s day off from iTunes, and then found his receipt from PulleysRUs, we realised the extent of his deception. Case solved.' But I digress…).

But all in all, a good read, fast paced, very dark in some places, but with some levity (and I kept wondering 'how will they film that?!'

And now at least I can read the reviews and comments I’ve been avoiding!

tick-tock, tick-tock

Yep, almost time for HP7 -- the last Harry Potter book hits the cash register in 7 1/2 hours uk time, 12 1/2 US... and I guess is already being eagerly devoured by some aussie fans 8, 9, 10 hours ahead...

I've ordered my copy, and assuming no new snap postal strike, should get it tomorrow midday... though a little part of me wants to go to one of the open stores tonight at 12:01 -- it *is* the last one after all.

But I'm sure at 12:01 I'll be fast asleep - so think I can make it until tomorrow...

Play Ball!

As an update from his birthday adventures... the cutest nephew ever has just joined the You Tube generation:

No, no, a thousand times no!

What's the date? Oh yeah, July 19th. Ok, I know the weather outside is frightful... but it is STILL not time for Christmas. And yet there was Selfridges in the news today unveiling its Christmas display -- 'Bejeweled' or some such thing. Why? Well, the spokewoman says it's because magazine deadlines are so far in advance. Uh huh. That's what photo shoots are for... the publicity of being in the news for the first Christmas announcement had nothing to do with it I'm sure...

Sunday Puzzle

How exciting: I've now solved TWO NPR Sunday Puzzles in a row... am I getting cleverer? Or are they just a little easier? (I think the latter...)

Still no call to London though -- I'll be by the phone today at 3pm EST just in case! (not sure why Thursday not Sunday however...)

A few hours left for this week's puzzle:
Take the two-word name of a well known city in Michigan, and its not Ann Arbor. Add the letter "E" to the first world and rearrange the letters, you'll name something people try to avoid. Add the letter "E" to the second world and rearrange the letters, you'll name something else people try to avoid. And here's a hint: Both words start with the same letter, and both words end with the same letter. What's the city and what are the words? [I just picture this like the anagrams on Jeopardy!, with the letters shifting around on the screen: POTS -- STOP... oooh! tough one!]


Can you solve last week's?:
Name two outdoor sports or games in seven letters. The first two letters of the first sports name are the same as the first two letters in the second sports name. And the last two letters of the first sports name are the same as the last two letters in the second sports name. Hint: The names do not end in "N-G." What sports or outdoor games are these? [hmm... they had over 2,000 entries, which is more than usual, so guess it *was* fairly easy...]

One more thing...

Here's one more scene from Skansen... the friendliest peacock in the world!

Swedish delight

So – weekend before last we were supposed to have a little UK roadtrip... see a few friends, enjoy a day in the Cotswolds, relax, soak in the English countryside. Except, after what seemed like 8 weeks of rain, Ashley said – forget this, let’s get out of here, let’s go to... sunny Stockholm!

Er... as the pictures show, Stockholm was anything but sunny (of course until we took off) – but that doesn’t matter, was great to get away and see somewhere new, and I’d definitely recommend it. Especially in the sun.

It’s an incredibly walkable city (though hillier than I expected, built as it is across several islands). I saw a sign calling it ‘The Venice of the North’, but that’s not really accurate I suppose because it’s not canals running between the islands. And no gondoliers in stripy shirts.

We were only there 2 ½ days, but packed a fair bit in, including not one but TWO meatball meals (yum!) and I also tried a reindeer steak (think I preferred the meatballs). And – double yum – pickled herring, though not nearly as prevalent as I thought it would be. Oh yeah - we did more than eat. Though Ashley did like the chocolate balls at Wayne's Coffee - the Starbucks of the North. (until Starbucks buys them and becomes the Starbucks of the North themselves...)

One great visit was to Skansen, in the Djurgarden (a greenery-filled, er, garden island that also boasts an amusement park). Skansen is sort of like the Williamsburg of the North, though no peanut soup. And not as commercial. They did have old buildings brought from various parts of Sweden, in an attempt to show a variety of old Swedish life across the country – including tradesmen (and women) in period clothing. Skansen also had representative flora & fauna – so we saw the home of the Moose. Ok, it was really an elk, but hey, pretty much the same thing, right? (I'm sure the nice lady at Mooseworld would disagree!)

On the opposite entertainment spectrum, we tried out the Absolut Ice Bar – a bit surreal, and very touristy... and I’m not even a big vodka fan. But glad we went – a bit strange to be in an ice room, drinking from cups made out of ice, sitting on ice benches (we were glad to see they were covered with reindeer pelt throws).

One thing I really liked about Stockholm? Outdoor (and even some indoor) restaurants / cafes have blankets for their customers! Nice little polar fleece lap blankets in many places, a little better than what you get on the airplane – and just perfect for an al fresco meal even when it’s al frio weather. And much more environmentally friendly than heat lamps! Hmm... once again, that implies all we did was eat. Well... it *was* raining after all!

Happy birthday Toby!

aka 'the cutest nephew ever'! And a very exciting birthday too, as Toby takes to the field for the Mariners game tonight with the Moose to start the game: Play Ball! That is one boy who will *never* become a Yankees fan, that's for sure. ;-)

Can't wait to see the pix...

Wow - the Mariners and Ken Levine read my blog!

Clearly as a result of my recent plea, the Mariners have invited Ken Levine to cover a few games next week --such power I never realised I had. He'll join the booth for a few games against Detroit. (Let's hear it for Detroit). Guess that will be a few early mornings then!

Best. Run. Ever

Last Sunday I took part in my, umm, I think 5th British 10k, along with 20,000 other runn-/walk-/jogg-ers. And for once, I was incredibly happy for the overcast, cloudy, unseasonably cool weather -- and even happy for the misty rain through the first 15 minutes or so.

The course is a fun one, mostly flat (bar the horrid k5 to k6 stretch, all uphill - blah), that takes in quite a few sites, including a long stretch along the river, and then crossing Westminster Bridge.

I say my best run ever, because - while about a minute slower than my best 10k time -- it was the best I have *ever* felt running. AND, I think I did my fastest 5k time at the halfway - at 29:52. AND, we kept running through the dreaded uphill stretch after that.

Other highlights included rounding Big Ben just as it chimed 11 - bong, bong, bong, bong, bong, bong, bong, bong, bong, bong, bong-g-g-g-g-g-g; hearing Chariots of Fire just as we turned the corner for the last 400m; still having enough energy to do a little sprint to the finish; and most of all, travelling the course with my British 10k partner-in-crime, Verity. This is our 2nd attempt together -- next year we'll break an hour, for sure!

For pictures of the happy rainy day -- click here. If it doesn't work, my race number was 14913.

Wimbledon update

So, yes, we went to Wimbledon last Friday - on what appears to have been the least rainy day so far, very lucky us, despite how the morning started. About a 1/2 hour downpour as you can see just as we arrived, but then pretty clear skies...

Of course, I'd been so concerned about packing for wind and rain, with multiple layers, waterproof bag, umbrella, etc. ... I completely forgot that it might actually be sunny! As I was rapidly turning pink in the unexpected but delightful sunshine, I was forced by my lack of foresight to buy some overpriced (is there any other kind) sun cream in the overpriced (is there any other kind) Wimbledon shop... Ah well - worth it for the sunny matches.

On to the match report:

First up, Jelena Jankovic vs. Lucy Safarova -- a tightly fought contest that went the full 3 sets; characterised in some part by the high number of challenges Jankovic made of the umpires' calls. What was most interesting to me was the fact that most of her challenges were upheld -- so challenging was definitely in her favour, though I think the crowd found it a bit unsportsmanlike or something. More power to her, I say, and she deserved to win.

Next we saw James Blake lose in 4 sets to Juan Carlos Ferrerro (whose official photo is really goofy I say - he looked a lot better on the court). The two seemed quite friendly, laughing at times at a few shots, and there the match was very fast paced. To my very untrained tennis eye, Blake seemed very eager and in control the first set, but then he seemed to slack off a bit, almost like he was out for a friendly backyard game or two. Obviously of higher caliber than your average home game, but still, not as agressive or consistent as the first set. And of course, that cost him the match.

Finally, we saw the first set of Andy (A-Rod 2) Roddick vs Fernando Verdasco (so US v Spain part deux). Although Verdasco challenged a bit, Roddick took care of him pretty quickly - at least in the set we saw, and certainly in the final game of it!

All in all, very enjoyable outing (despite having my souvenir 45p Daily Mail tennis ball binoculars confiscated by poo-head guards at the entrance, 'because they sell other commemorative items inside, these aren't allowed'. Humph - I didn't see any Wimbledon-branded tennis ball binoculars inside! And certainly nothing for 45p...)

Looking forward to the US Open already!

If it's raining, it must be Wimbledon

Yep - I finally get another opportunity to go to Wimbledon, and this is the view from our living room window...

Let's hope the forecast of sunny intervals in the afternoon is correct.

If not - Dad, this must be punishment for me trying to go again without you!

the Metro stole my headline

I was going to headline this 'All Change' - but the Metro used that already to mark Gordon Brown's first day as Prime Minister. I do still think it feels odd that without any sort of election or campaigns or lengthy battle for power (er, should I say, no lengthy official battle for power), this country has a new PM. Of course, big news here; only made it to item #3 on the New York Time's world pages -- better work harder Gord.

But rather than Gordon Brown, what the change really makes me think of is memories of 10 years ago, just after I decided to move to London. In preparation, I was obsessively consuming any item I could that had to do with the UK -- from CSPAN's coverage of Parliament, to old episodes of Monty Python. And as part of that, I followed closely the campaign and election of one Anthony Blair -- I can still see myself in my little kitchen in DC, reading a Newsweek article about how 'Clinton-esque' the campaign was...

Wow -- many changes in those 10 years - at least my hair hasn't gone as thin as Tony's! (though maybe as grey - I just cover it better...)

New favourite blog!

OMG - Ken Levine has a blog - fun read if you like TV (hmm - could that be me or anyone I know?) Come back to the Mariners, Ken!

Refugee Week

Thanks to TimeOut, I learned that this week is Refugee Week. And also thanks to TimeOut, I learned of a small friendly museum, tucked away in the East End -- dedicated to these refugees and immigrants to London. And so, thanks to TimeOut, I saw a little piece of London history I never even had an idea existed. (and no, I don't sell TimeOut, but at least glad I read it this week! ;-)

19 Princelet Street is a classic symbol of the various immigrant communities that have made London home at one time or another. Originally home to a Huguenot weaver, it then was converted into a synogogue in 1869. Sadly over time, as the Jewish community moved out of the East End, the house fell into disrepair. About 10 years ago (not that I can find the exact date), a trio of philanthropists / activists decided to attempt to preserve the house, as the Museum of Immigration.

It's still badly in need of funds -- and hugely deserving of them as well. The current exhibit -- Suitcases and Sanctuary -- is incredibly well done, having been created with local school children, as they learn about the immigrant history of the neighbourhood. Given the funding needs, the museum is only open a few days a year -- Refugee Week being the big push -- so we were lucky to get the opportunity to see it.

Unfortunately you're not allowed to take photographs inside, but I did buy some postcards! I was amazed by the memorial notices still visible inside of the synogogue -- complete with notations of how much of a donation their loved ones had given in their memory!

Mac or PC... PC or Mac

I've got, got, GOT to get a new laptop, and confess I'm being drawn to a MacBook. I played with one a few days ago, and love the 'Garage Band' application in iLife (among other. things) - and it does look so easy to use. But I wish Mac-olytes weren't so darn smug! I really hate those 'Mac vs PC' ads - more for their 'ooh, aren't we cool and PC users lame' attitude. Makes me want to buy a PC in spite of knowing that a Mac would likely be better for home use like photos, video, e-mail, media...

And the guy at the Apple store was so derogatory as well -- when I asked about my personal website, and mentioned I'd bought an out-of-the-box offering from Mr Site, he said 'see - with a PC you have to buy everything separately'. So I asked 'wow -does that mean that with the Mac I'd get my own URL and web hosting space for my site then?'

Mr Apple: 'no, you'd have to subscribe to .Mac, and if you wanted your own URL, say, www.planetwulfagar.com, you'd have to buy that too.'
Me: 'Um, so, you're not really convincing me of the positive differences here - it looks like I'd have to buy something in either case.'
Mr A: 'Well, .Mac is more than just web hosting'
Me: 'It's still an additional expense. So it's unfair to say only with a PC do you have to buy extras'
Mr A: (ignores me and moves on to demonstrate Garage Band, which did indeed distract me)

So -anyone out there want to advise? Watch this space!

brush with celebrity

OMG. So, I'm about to leave for work this morning, and as I casually glance out the front room windows, I see:

and of course, while there are no identifying marks on the vans (this was one of 2), it's clearly a film crew of some sort. So, in typical Lucy Ricardo, 'I wanna be in show business' manner, I start to head outside, real casual like, but with a big smile, ready to be talent spotted, which of course I will accept with nonchalant style and charm.

But THEN, just before I go leave... I see the star of the show, and realise that while, yes, an honest-to-goodness British celeb was right outside our building, there was no way they'd be choosing me for a part, extra or otherwise.

For it was none other than Mr Jeremy Clarkson, waiting to film the very popular, motoring petrol-head show Top Gear. So instead of asking to be in the show, I just asked to take his picture. Proof, y'know. And he somewhat graciously complied. Well, not too graciously -- but really, what was he going to do. Actually, it was neither gracious nor ungracious -- more neutral and a bit bemused more than anything. But that'll do. Should I send it to Heat? Hmm...

Once in a blue moon is when?

Huh. Turns out a 'blue moon' *isn't* the 2nd full moon in a month... Thanks, NPR!

How many...

... of the 'Top 50 Films to See Before You Die' have you seen? (I'm up to 16 -- looks like I've got quite a few DVDs to start renting!)

dangerous 'sporting' events

Spain may have the running of the bulls, but only England could have cheese-rolling!

just a few weeks too late

Gosh - what a shame this new attraction didn't open in time for all the wedding guests to attend... for that real Jolly Olde Englande feeling... (hmm... does it include genuine street urchins and throat clogging pollution? And Johnny Vegas collapsing drunkenly in the corner?)

The shoes in practice

When last I mentioned wedding shoes, my comment was 'possibly too high, and possibly over budget'...

As most of you know -- my fantabulous shoe fairies (M, K, & C, a million thanks again!) assisted with the latter concern, and trying on the dress proved the former concern to be irrelevant.

And now - a few months later - the shoes were finally pressed into service on the day, receiving photos galore... first of all - from Karen, so thanks very much Karen for sending this along:

last day...

Sigh - as they say, I guess all good things must come to an end, and so it is with the Planet Wulfagar honeymoon!

Tonight is our last night at the plush Maison Arabe, before heading home. It has been a brilliant trip so far (cannot find the apostrophe on this arabic keyboard, so no contractions today!), lots of sunshine, relaxation, sightseeing, and maybe a little shopping. We even haggled a bit at the market today - though with the speed the traders accepted we were still probably paying over the odds! I also (reluctantly) accepted a monkey sitting on my arm... not my ideal situation, especially when its owner then tried to get us to pay 100 dirham for the privilege (about 10 euros) Do not worry, photo will be posted tomorrow!

so au revoir marrakech, hope to see you later!

nearly a month

wow - nearly a month since my last post. I guess I have been busy, what with, y´know, the wedding thing.

Which, by the way, was fantastic, and more than I could possibly write about here in the 10 minutes I´ve got before more sightseeing. So, will have to try to capture that later - possibly in a revamp of Planet Wulfagar... (in the meantime, however, you can visit Ben´s site for some preview pix!)

But for now - am enjoying our honeymoon... I definitely recommend Valencia, so glad we finally got here. We´ve packed a fair bit in already - beach, old town, bus tour, and the most amazing of all I think has been the Oceanografic --- a stunning multi-region aquarium that is part of the ´City of Arts & Sciences´ that is relatively new (and in fact still under construction).

And now only a few hours left before we´re on to Honeymoon Part Dos -- Madrid. Before we go, we´re going to explore at least a little of one of Valencia´s more distinctive elements -- the River Turia. And I say interesting, as it´s completely dry -- in I think the 50s, the city diverted the river around the town, because it flooded too often. So now there´s the river bed, full of parks, running trails, playing fields, and complete with bridges crossing it... but no water.

Adios for now -- and if we have a computer in our Madrid hotel, will post more there...

Lazy Sunday...

So – here it is Friday, and I never got around to updating the rest of the Easter weekend… in a nutshell, my Easter surprise trip was a lovely boutique hotel in nearby Richmond – the ‘lazy Sunday’ package at the Bingham… starting with a fabulous long lunch overlooking the river, afternoon stroll, cinema in the evening, and fun Jacuzzi bath (are you supposed to use bubble bath in a Jacuzzi tub? Not sure… it certainly bubbled up to no end!)

As for the movie – we saw Sunshine, really very good, if a bit of a slow starter. The basic premise is that the sun is dying out prematurely (it’s set in 2057) and a team of astronauts has to detonate a nuclear bomb in the sun’s core to re-start it and save the planet from rapid descent into permanent winter… sounds just like those comet bashing movies like Armageddon, but no. There’s plenty of action (especially in the later half of the movie) but it’s much more psychological and metaphysical; what’s it like being cooped up in a spaceship (granted, a very very large spaceship) with 8 people for 3 years of travel, with the mental pressure of being the last hope for saving the all of people-kind, and the very likely possibility you won’t make it back home (a previous mission had already gone missing 7 years earlier). And then this is combined with the majesty of being so close to the sun, what is that like to observe, even through the strongest filtered lenses. So good – and given the special effects, probably much better in a big screen than on the TV. (unless of course it’s a home-cinema sized one, mom & dad!)

Then a fabulous day off still on Monday, with very quick journey time to home - my favourite way to travel! No jet lag, no stiff legs from a long car ride... wonderful!

how much do I *love* a 4-day weekend?

Sunday morning, still 2 more days off to come!

So far so good - Friday a wander around Primrose Hill to Regent's Park, posing prettily for pre-wedding pictures (aww - don't they look cute.) Was sunny and grand... except my shoes were perhaps a wee bit inappropriate... I didn't realise how much walking we were going to do! From the station to Primrose Hill to the park, through the park, onto Marylebone High Street, down to John Lewis... ouch. (OK - I realise that means pretty much nothing to the majority of readers, but if this link works, you can get an idea!)

Saturday a little quieter... Ashley went off for a canal-hike; I stayed a little closer to home & met up with friends Matt & Ailsa for lunch and also to see their new little girl Erika for the first time. Aww, how adorable, 11 weeks, slept the entire lunch... (of course, she can't be as cute as my niece, and no, I'm not biased in any way.)

And still 2 more days of the weekend to go.

The Kwik-e-Mart is coming!

Well, temporarily at least... seems a few 7-11s are being rebranded kwik-e-marts - complete with Squishees (and decrepit hotdogs? mmmm hotdogs). Unclear from what I can find as to which few 7-11s... but my guess is if your town is named Springfield, and you've got a 7-11, there's a good chance you'll get one of the few, going up to promote the Simpsons movie...

woo-hoo - Mariners top their division!

OK, so it's only 1 game - but I'll take that 1.000 record when I can get it, thank you very much.

Another weekend flown by too quickly… where do they go!!?? Started off Saturday with a final visit to our wedding venue – for a little reminder of how things might look in only FIVE WEEKS TIME! Ack!

Then into town for a quick visit to the Face of Fashion exhibit (and more) at the National Portrait Gallery (thanks again Brian and Amy!) We could’ve stayed there for days, but were off again to visit one of London’s great consumer monuments:

Selfridges. (Again – I could’ve stayed there for days!) Every spring, Selfridges decorates and has events in a particular theme; this year it’s Surrealism – in conjunction with the V&A, which is hosting a major exhibit of the same name. We met up with our friend Cat and enjoyed Dadadandy cocktails (gin, ginger ale, lemonade, ‘washed with absinthe’) in the Ultralounge, ooh la la, how decadent. The drinks were to celebrate the launch of the new ‘surrealist perfume’ – Choix “the scent of choice”… with ingredients that include, umm, nothing. How surreal. And yet I was *still* tempted to purchase!

Drinks & dinner rounded off the day – and there was Saturday gone!

Sunday was a little more relaxed, sticking close to home – but still, disappeared before I knew it. Made a yummy impromptu ‘what can I find in the cupboards’ soup – chopped tomato base, with corn, kidney beans, black eyed peas, and rice; and plenty of cumin and chipotle powder for spice. Yum. And just enough over for lunch too – lucky me!

It's pronounced 'Bruggh-uh'

Add another European city to my list! Went to Brugge (aka Bruges) yesterday for a meeting for work – luckily I got there while it was still light out Wednesday evening, so did a little wander and took a few photos. Unfortunately, the light may have been out, but the town itself was relatively shut. And until I got to the main market square, it seemed eerily quiet. In fact, I ended up carrying my wheelie bag from train station to the hotel, as the echoing over the cobblestones sounded disturbingly loud… I half expected someone to throw open a window and glare out at the noise! (but not say anything of course – that would shatter the silence!)

After a little walk around, I had *huge* meal of moules et frites at one of the many bistros lining the main market square. I’m sure it was a complete tourist trap, but I was hungry, and at least there were no photos on the menu… (ok – it did come in 5 languages, but that’s just being helpful!)

Then Thursday evening back to London via Eurostar… ah – the new great age of the train… what a lovely way to travel!

i am a crafty girl...

Ooh - very exciting - the Stitch & Craft show is today! (well, for the pedants among you, it's from Thursday through Sunday, but I'm *going* today, so for me, it's today!)

Though since my rate of purchase is between 1 - 2 kits/show, and there are 2 shows/year, but I only complete about 2 items / year... well - you do the math...

Costco from birth to...

Bleugh. I was just looking around the Costco website for work (another story) -- when I saw a category label 'Funerals'. Y'know, right up there with 'Furniture', 'Food&Wine', 'Floral'... why not another F-category. 'folders'? nah, way too narrow. I know, how about 'Funerals'. Overnight shipping, too - nice to see they appeal to all religions. So, as you're meandering around Costco, after you take a nibble cut from the 10-pound block of the cheese of the month, and add a 5-gallon tub of mayo to your cart, don't forget to wander over & try out the casket. Eeew.

I know it may be more, umm, cost effective, and I know I won't be here to appreciate it -- but please please when I go can my funeral needs not come from Costco?

*disclaimer -- this entry is my opinion only, and certainly not intended to offend anyone who may have recently purchased a casket, urn, or other funereal-keep sake through costco...

How cool is this?!

So - I'm just reading through an old copy of the FT Weekend Magazine, (which has sadly gone downhill I think since they discontinued 'The Business' a few years ago, but at least they have Mrs Moneypenny back, but I digress...)

Anyway - casually reading an article entitled 'Rhyme and Reason', about hip hop culture and politics and blah blah... when who do I see quoted: JASON TANZ!! It must be the same Temple-Beth-El-knew-years-ago-Jason Tanz, mustn't it??

Very very cool - I went to temple (or at least think I did, because it must be him) with someone whose book is now appearing in the Financial Times.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to Kris, my blogging (and crafting) idol, who now joins the ranks of the thirty-somethings... And who I've finally mentioned my blog to - so I may increase my audience by 20% or so... better widen my topics beyond family-related interest!

Wedding shoes?

Maybe a little too high... and a little over the budget!

weekend update

Tuesday evening and only just now getting to our weekend update – a very good one I must say, with a mix of going out, friends, spontaneity, and some general slobbing around…

Friday night was dinner with our friend Cat – an unexpected treat, as it was initially supposed to be just a drink, but we extended to a lovely evening out (Thai Pot – yum).

Saturday we’d planned to relax in the morning & head out later that day, but with the sun shining, and our usual early rising (Ash being earlier than usual at about 5 a.m.!), we headed out around 10, first stop, the British Library. It was the last weekend of an exhibit called ‘London: A Life in Maps' or some such thing, and it was fascinating to see the different maps of the town-then-small-city-then-metropolis over time… looking at some maps that still had individual homes marked across the entire city, when that was still practical. We thought the exhibit was a bit crowded – but it was nothing like when we left around 12:15 and saw a queue stretching of probably 50 – 75 people! The early bird *does* get the worm. Or the map, in this case.

After the library we headed a bit further East to Spitalfields and Brick Lane, for “Taste of the East”, which was supposed to be local restaurants and music, etc… Must admit, we were a little disappointed, as – while there was a nice variety – it wasn’t really ‘Taste of’, just various market stalls similar to Borough Market, but on a smaller scale. And, while we did see the Bollywood Brass Band, which was fun, the main draw – for me – never showed. What was that? A group called Klezmania, which I was really looking forward to seeing. We waited around for about 10 minutes past when they were supposed to be on, but there was no announcement, no nada, and finally we just gave up… And then after a little more shopping, the rain appeared, and with it our signal to head home.

Where… we got sucked into another one of those countdown shows – 50 top tv dramas of all time. As it was a UK show, most of the entries were, not surprisingly, British – however I still recognised a few, and there were also some American ones in there… including the number 1… which I insisted on staying up until midnight to see, through drooping eyelids… Can you guess what it was? (Answer put at the end of this - to give you time to guess)

Sunday was quiet and relaxing and a little bit of work and a lot of rain… and then before y’know it, it’s the work week all over again…

Keep scrolling for the answer...






The number 1 rated TV Drama ever, as voted by I have no idea: The Sopranos! I guess I better get the DVDs...

You make me feel so young...

Belated happy birthday to my father-in-law-to-be, Mr. Eddie Agar... who celebrated his birthday in style with Big Band flair last Saturday night - performing as part of the Roy Bailey Band. We had a fantastic time and had a great view from the 5th row -- my only complaint was the lack of dance floor!

See some of the action here:

doin' our own thing...

Well, looks like Ashley & I continue to buck the trends... Marriage rates in the UK fall to the lowest levels since 1896 -- but who are we to follow the crowds?! Someone's got to keep those florists and venues in business...

Ooh – lookie – I’ve added a new Resolution Watch widget to the sidebar – a visual reminder of how well I’m doing against my 3 Rs -- reading, recipes, and running. Oh - and 1C - culture.

I’ve added another ‘been-meaning-to-read-for-ages’ book to the list – The Kite Runner – and yes, Dad, I agree it was magnificent. A distinctive voice painting such a clear picture – I couldn’t put it down.

I have fallen at one hurdle, however – the vow not to buy any more books until I read the ones I already own… because after The Kite Runner came What Came Before He Shot Her – the latest by Elizabeth George. Another unputdownable read – though of course in a different way. I’ve read all of her Inspector Lynley books, and this was a bit of a departure for her – rather than being a fairly classic modern English detective novel, this looked at the societal factors in play that lead to a 12 year-old boy being arrested for murder.

Now – onto the next – chosen from my shelves this time, no more return to Amazon! User vote:
--(fiction) The Time Travellers Wife
--(nonfiction) The Man Who Ate Everything (food writer essays from Vogue)

Vote early, and vote often!

global audience?

As some of you may have noticed, I've added this little map widget thing to the lower right of the site -- supposedly showing where my hordes of visitors are coming from. Not surprisingly, the mass is from the US Northwest (hi Mom & Dad, Sis...). London appears to be there too - again, no surprise.

But -- what's that? Lurkers in China and Russia (too small to see exactly where, but perhaps Moscow? Shanghai??) Huh? So - if you *are* visiting from a farflung land (well - farflung relative to London or my family) -- please, say hi! The more the merrier...

Another Schindler?

Read this really interesting article in Sunday's Financial Times Magazine - about Ernst Leitz, head of the Leica factory in Germany in the 30s, who may have helped dozens of Jews by giving them apprenticeships at the factory, and then jobs in New York -- sending them and their families to the US... official records put the number at 42, though anecdotally some speak of many many more. In any case, it shows that however many stories you read, there are always new ones worth discovering...

Horrible wedding day...

I am *so* not letting anyone give me curls for the wedding...

Happy Groundhog Day

And check back at 12:30 GMT to see if Phil says winter or spring... C'mon Spring!

Update: Spring it is! Thanks Phil... (wait a minute - does the early spring prediction only apply to those in Punxatawney? Hmm... maybe I need me my own groundhog...)

I want this blender!

I soooo want a Blendtec now! Will it blend???

Resolution Recipe Watch

Hmm... should've waited until Feb to try another new recipe - but a chilly Sunday was perfect for Moroccan Chickpea Soup... Super easy if you use canned chickpeas (2) and lentils (1) -- not sure why you would go for dried?? Makes a great lunch the next day too.

Not meant for westerns...

SO - we rented yet another highly regarded 'modern' western... and once again, were a little, well, bored. This time it was The Proposition (no need for me to recap, you can read about it here!) While I could appreciate its "hauntingly beautiful" look, I did find myself thinking "umm... so is something going to happen?" That's a bit unfair, however, at least it wasn't too long, and more happened in this movie than the even more critically acclaimed Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada... another DVD adventure we almost fell asleep through...

Maybe I need to stick to Clint if I want a Western I can stay awake for. Or maybe I'm just part of the low-attention-span Sesame Street/MTV generation...

low blogging frequency

Apologies - the loss of home laptop has definitely limited my blogging frequency... will have to either a) bring my work laptop home more often and/or b) get into work earlier and spend a few minutes on updates!

Biggest news today: SNOW BRINGS LONDON TO A HALT... Yes, a whopping 2cm fell last night, enough to cause major disruptions to most tube lines, and traffic jams / accidents on all the major thoroughfares... Ah - the joy of snow in a city that rarely sees it. I fully expect headlines all across the papers tomorrow lambasting the cities for not being prepared, despite snow being forecast for, oh, about 2 days.

I didn't mind it - bus worked fine, and this was the most snow I've seen here in 10 years -- certainly made a pretty picture or two - will upload soon...

UPDATE: photo added!

Look - we're stars

I am *loving* this Levi's ad... hee hee hee

Resolution watch

OK - enough of this holiday break, looking back at the year... time to get back to blogging, starting with making my new years resolutions public and then tracking against them... So - here goes:

1) Get married
On track so far... 15 weeks, 5 days to go... see PlanetWulfagar for more!

2) Read all of the books I've bought already, before buying any more
Two weeks in, have just finished A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian... very good, definitely recommend it, quick, amusing, and original read, and definitely made me want to learn more about the history of the Ukraine. And don't worry - it's not too tractor-heavy!

3) Run the Paris 1/2 marathon in under 2:30.
Umm... no. It's become clear in only about 2 weeks that I'd be fooling myself - so looking more realistically at time / willingness to train - I've already modified this to
NEW 3) Run the British 10k in under 60 mins...

4) Do a minimum of 1 London cultural activity per month.
So far, not so good - but a few weeks left in January still

5) Try one new recipe per month.
Mmm... tried a modified chorizo-prawn jambalaya... was yum! I just wish I'd written down the recipe!

Ok, think that's enough for now - let's see how it goes!

Happy New Year!

So – here it is, almost 2007, another year past, so much to mention – and so much to look forward to next year!

We started 2006 in sunny (?!) Seattle, setting the tone for a year of fireworks and excitement…

Which really kicked off in February, when, fuelled by ½ bottle of free wine and the sleepifying effects of pasta (thanks Strada of Barnes!), Ashley proposed, and I, similarly fuelled, accepted. Laughing, crying, and all manner of phonecalls ensued (‘Have you told your sister? Call your sister, and then tell her to call me right back when she knows!’) (And no, though it was February, it was not a Valentine’s Day proposal, that would be too cliché…) What it was, however, was incredibly sweet and special moment, and to stop my typical cynical joking for a minute, was an event that has already changed my life for the better, knowing I have such a fantastic, helpful, considerate partner by my side.

Save that for the wedding speech! I hear you cry… we want more fun & adventure in 2006!!

Ok – what else? Starting the year on another continent clearly kicked off the travelling bug for 2006: we were fortunate to make several trips again this year, both UK and further afield. From Las Vegas to Cinque Terre, Hastings to Dublin (this time a girlie trip for me & some friends), and of course Seattle one more time, we racked up a few more carbon emissions & collected a few more airmiles. (Must remember to plant a tree or two…)



Many of these trips were about seeing family, which of course is wonderful… we were so happy to be able to make it to LA for Rachel’s Bat Mitzvah, getting all the grandkids together [and one great-grandkid!]. This is still one of my favourite pictures from that trip… We love you and miss you Grandpa Bob & always will…

And thanks again to all the family that gathered again in Seattle for our ‘Pacific Northwest Wedding / Engagement Reception’ / Mom’s surprise birthday – I guess we’re lucky to have so many joyous and happy occasions to get people flying ‘round the world for. I only wish I could’ve flown back just a few weeks later – to see the youngest member of the family, darling little Beruria Esther (Kara – I hope I spelled that right!!). My little niece joined the family less than a month ago – welcome, and I look forward to seeing you when you take your first transatlantic flight next May.

We also had some grand adventures at home – not the least of which included Ashley’s summer of cricket glory (and my one day of ‘doing the tea’ – very nerve-wracking being responsible for tea & food for both teams, but the sandwiches and cheese biscuits seemed to go down well, and I let Ashley make the tea!). The cricket season was capped by our stunning 1-point victory in the Stonor Cricket Club annual quiz night (with friends Olly & Lee, Duncan & Sabine) Phew!

Of course, my favourite quiz night this year would have to be the one next door with a special guest appearance by MY MOM. We certainly wouldn’t’ve come in a near-first place without you! We had a fantastic week with you here Mom, and look forward to more visits (and I promise not to go off to Nigeria for a business trip the next time you visit!)
And of course, I certainly won’t be going to Nigeria the next time you visit. Because that will be for what we in our humble minds think of as the main event of 2007: (drum roll, please) the PlanetWulfagar Wedding. And I plan to stick around here for that!

not as hungry as i thought...

So I'm having these standard blood tests this morning (no, I'm not sick, there's nothing wrong or unusual - I just thought it would be a good idea to check my cholesterol, etc.) -- and I have to fast for 12 hours. Luckily (well, not luckily - they do it on purpose) - it's in the morning, so most of the fasting was overnight. I figured - no problem, settle into some cross stitch at night (where I never eat - don't want oils on the canvas!), sleep, wake up just in time for the appointment, and done.

But no - just as the clock hit 'no more eating', some friends who'd been skating at Kew popped over. And next door to the pub we went. I didn't mind just sipping water while they had their drinks. However, the smell of the cheesy fries ordered to accompany said drinks was a little more painful!

But I persevered, and now that I'm awake, I just miss my coffee. *Such* a tough life I lead, I know.

November 11th -special day

For the past 30+ years I've known November 11th was a particularly special day - more than just that Veterans' Day thingie.

But I just discovered that there is yet another event associated with it - almost nearly as exciting and important as my lovely sister's birthday.

Yes, it is the annual meeting of the Corduroy Appreciation Club. And it's held every year on November 11. Otherwise known as 11 - 11. Which looks remarkably like... yes - corduroy. Or rather, the wales that make up corduroy.

And how do I know this? Step forward, NPR Popular Culture Podcast. How MUCH do I love this show??!! I wish it were on daily, not weekly. The best thing through my headphones these days, that's for sure. And more than worth the price of the ipod! (well, considering my ipod was a gift, that's a bit unfair, but you know what I mean...) In the past few episodes I've heard about Battlestar Galactica, the significance of 11 - 11 (as above), and, um, some diner in Rhode Island. Fabulous and highly recommended! (The show, I mean, not the diner, though that's also probably pretty good...)

Restless leg syndrome online!

I hope the massage chair is helping your legs mom - I'd hate to see THIS happen in the condo every day!

It's snowing!!

make your own snowlflake HERE... hours of fun & entertainment!

A new worry

Great - now I need to worry about being fat even if I'm thin!

Are you 'avin' a laugh? Is 'e 'avin' a laugh?

How many of the top 100 TV catch phrases can you guess? (thanks TV Land...) (and I'm the headline of this blog entry is *not* on the list - though it deserves to be! Maybe they'll do a british version over here...)

Happy Birth-Day Fluff!!

Congratulations and Mazel-Tov to my lovely sister on the birth of baby number 2, AKA Fluff... (and congrats to her lovely husband too - I guess he had something to do with it...)

Pictures when I get some!

still Seattle-bound?

Ok, clearly we're no longer still Seattle-bound*, but I've been miserable about updating the site since we left... SO - in a brief update, some highlights of the trip (aside from of course the obvious great time seeing friends & family and celebrating my favourite holiday, Thanksgiving!):

**YUM. Best. Non-Philly. Cheesteak. Ever. Thanks Mom for suggesting Tat's!

**A few sunny breaks in amongst the clouds -- despite it being the wettest November since records began.

**Breakfast at the Crocodile. Pancakes and a mimosa... No - I didn't have the Trailer Trash breakfast, but I'm sure it won't surprise any readers that Ashley did! Shame we didn't make it back for an evening show...

**A freeeeeeezing walk in the sleet, with no break in the clouds -- but lots of laughs, and a few dog sightings (no, Ashley, we cannot adopt that one, no matter how cute!)

**Purchasing wedding rings (ack!!) from the lovely friendly people at E. E. Robbins

**And our first wedding gift (double ack!)

**Macy's Parade(s) -- Awww... the commercial-filled national one on TV, complete with Broadway musicals, Santa Claus, and my new favourite, "Healthy Mr Potato Head"; and the homier, marching-band and drill-team filled one through downtown Seattle (luckily during one of those sunny periods)

**Holiday spirit - dogs 'n' all...

**Introducing Toby to the 'power nap' ... and every other minute giggling with the cutest nephew in the world

**Catching up on a few more Law & Orders with my number-one TV-watching friend, my MOM! (shame we never got to the Tony Bennett special!)

Checking out a new bar with 'the boys', but leaving them to it after one drink (not, however, a bramble. Next trip to Seattle I'm making sure that bartender knows how to make one!)

Chowda and more chowda... first at Duke's with the Wright clan (followed by a trip to the aquarium - eat first, then observe them live?), then at the airport... when will I ever learn that I can never finish that sourdough bowl. But boy does it taste good!

Speaking of food - how about that 17 course meal at Rover's? [ok, slight exaggeration... but if you count each charcuterie separately...] With the will o' the wisp parking space...

And, and, and... Ahh... no wonder the time flew by so quickly!!!

*on the other hand, you could say we're perpetually Seattle-bound, because we'll be back!!

Seattle-bound

Yes, we're off to Seattle today - yay! I'm particularly excited by the weather forecast... today being the most promising at "mostly cloudy". The rest of the days are an encouraging mix of "showers", "rain / snow showers", and the mildly better "few showers" (not quite sure the cutoff point between 'few' and just 'showers', but hey, that's gotta be better!

Not particularly excited about the movies either - though might watch the animated 'Cars'. I'm not sure if I like it now that you can look online and find in advance the movies that are going to be shown. It used to be a treat to get on board, pull out the magazine and flip to the back -- "ooh! They've got Bend it Like Beckham!" Now I already know that there's very little to keep me entertained for the 10 hours to come... Already looking forward to being on the ground!

Guess our invitation got lost in the post...

And besides - we wouldn't've been able to attend the TomKat nuptials anyway. Tickets to Seattle & all that!

not my fault

I know there was no post yesterday, thus breaking my November blog-a-day challenge... but believe me, i really did try! the mind was willing, but the system (blogger in this case) was not able... ;-(

I'll just have to do a few today to make up for it!

Eco-friendly?

So, our local borough of Richmond, like all forward thinking areas (hooray-aren't-we-great) introduced curbside recycling a few years ago, for paper, glass, and aluminium. No cardboard collections, but better than nothing.

Then about a year ago, they also introduced food waste recycling (unlike the US, most people *don't* have garbage disposals here). So, the point is that food-only waste can go for composting, rather than fill up garbage landfills.

And to increase efficiency, they made collection day for all recycling AND rubbish the same - so you only have one day to remember.

However - it still looks like there are 3 separate collections. So 3 separate smelly trucks pootling around Richmond, generating who knows how much carbon emissions or whatever. So -- which is more eco-friendly? Recycling, but 3 trucks, or not bothering, and saving the petrol?

Sigh - it's not easy bein' green...

In honour of my parents' whirlwind trip to San Jose to see la Streisand in live glory, here is a link so you too can Give the Gift of Barbra... (hey - that's what it says on the site!)

Look forward to hearing all about it Mom & Dad!

Meeeat Glorious Meat...

...plus some whiskey and trifle!

Yep - I was so energised writing about my stupid iPod that I almost forgot to post about our dubious success at the MEAT AUCTION. So, there we were, Thursday night, at our lovely local pub, the Greyhound (as you know), for the monthly comedy show -- MC'd by Nick, AKA Quizmaster Nick, who I think is getting to know us (a little at least - he seemed to remember our engagement...)

Anyway, in between the acts, Nick asks for stories from people who've had the worst day or month -- for a grand prize of some drinks and a very large bar of chocolate. Of course, after such a fun week with Mom, we couldn't possibly think of anything bad about the month, so of course couldn't win that competition. (Or, perhaps, for a laugh, and in the interest of competition only, Ashley did mention something about his mother-in-law staying with us for a week...)

In any case - we didn't win. However, my beloved betrothed just couldn't face leaving the pub empty handed -- and when the 'Meat Auction' started, he saw his chance. And yes, it's just like it sounds, an auction for meat. It only took about 5 minutes of frantic bidding, but he emerged victorious from battle, securing about £12 worth of meat for only £25!! Our lucky day... (hmm - maybe I'll try to keep Ashley from any auctions in the future...)

But no, it was a fun evening, and we'll be dining on this story for months. Literally...

busy weekend

Lots going on this weekend, which is always good. Saturday we were off to meet with a wedding photographer, ooh, very exciting! He does fantastic work, so hoping to get that sorted asap... then after getting my hair coloured (thanks to Chloe at Trevor Sorbie I no longer look like a skunk, at least for the next 6 weeks or so), we were off to Stoke Row for the annual Tennis Club Quiz Night! (I know, I know - it's getting to be a habit!)

Sadly due to some incredibly ridiculous questions, including a True-False round, (True or False: Robbie Williams scored higher than Florence Nightingale on a public-voted list of top 100 Britons? Don't ask me, I don't even remember the answer, just that we got it wrong!), we came in a very close 4th out of I think 9 teams. So not bad, but not great - especially as we were second until that last round!

Some sample, non True/False questions:
SPORT (our best round - we got 16/20):
*What sport features in Alfred Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train (ok, not really a sports question, but I was happy it was there amid cricket & soccer questions, so I could answer one!)

*The ball of which sport is known as the sliotar [nope, we had NO idea!]

ROYAL FAMILY: (pretty easy actually...)
*Who lives in Clarence House (1/4 for each right answer)?
*What year was Prince William born

NATURE:
*What animal has 4 knees (d'oh - we had 2 options, and chose the wrong one...)

Ahh well... all for a good cause!

apple is the worst company in the world

and I would never recommend an iPod to anyone. And I'm not the only one.

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

So my iPod started breaking down a few months ago, and finally died about 2 weeks ago. And of course, every time I try to get a reservation at the 'genius bar' -- oops, sorry, we're full. I just logged on at 6:30 AM to find the only available time today is 8 pm. 8pm???? Yes, just what I'd like to do on my Saturday night, because I have no life.

If I ever *do* get this stupid thing fixed, why should I go to the trouble of moving more of my music into iTunes, where they can't be played by any other player, just to have my iPod die in about another year (as I understand the average battery life to be)?

I resisted for AAAAGES getting one, but of course finally succumbed, because everywhere around me people seem to be happily listening to their iPods, buying 2, 3, 4 of them, sharing iTunes files... aaaargh! is it only me??? maybe I have some weird electrical signal that's corrupted the stupid thing.

All I want to do is watch Lost...

Of course, if I do manage to get this fixed, perhaps when home in Seattle in a couple of weeks, then I'm sure my disposition will turn a lot sunnier... ;-)

But until then, I'll sing this tune:

Favourite election headline...

Now that the elections are over & I've had a chance to peruse various English publications, my main observation is that pretty much all agree this was an election against Bush. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if some non-Americans believe Bush himself is no longer President, given headlines like "Bush defeat" or my favourite, from the Daily Mirror: "American Zero: US voters boot bozo Bush" (sadly it's no longer on the website, or I'd include the image...)

I must buy these boots

Ok, they're not hugely attractive, and I still question whether they'll fit over my calves... but once I found them, I knew they had my name written all over them... literally.

Drumroll please for the Rieker Antistress 'Stefanie 54' boot.

Why 54, who knows? But Stefanie-with-an-F? They must be for me!

how closely do you look at logos...

This is SO HARD! Can you choose which is the correct logo - of various online companies? The only one I got right off was Amazon, only because I know the thinking behind it. The rest were almost total guesses...

What the Fluff?

Woohoo - think I've just managed to figure out how to embed video! (in this case from some sort of parade...)

9 S on a SM

aka, 9 Sacks on a Seahawks Monday... congrats to the Seahawks for actually remembering how to win, and doing it on Monday Night Football! Ok, perhaps it wasn't pretty... so maybe Tony Kornheiser called it a 'death game'... fine, ESPN said even a mediocre team would've beat the 'Hawks... but a win is a win is a win!

World's Longest Bridges

Part of my Nigerian adventure included crossing (twice!) what I was told was Africa's longest bridge - from the airport to Lagos Island (and onto Victoria Island, which I presume is part of Lagos, but what do I know - clearly I need to improve my knowledge of Nigerian geography...)

Anyway, that got me wondering - what's the longest bridge on each continent? And I wonder if someone's crossed all of them? The first question was pretty easy to answer, thank you Wikipedia... I thought Lake Ponchartrain would be the longest, but am amazed it's nearly 4 times the Third Mainland Bridge (which is what I assume is the bridge I crossed in Nigeria, not that there were any signs or anything!) I'm glad I'm only reading *now* the fact that it may be in urgent need for repair, as the government has not maintained it in 15+ years (according to Wikipedia, that is).

A bit harder to answer the 2nd question - if anyone's crossed all of them. I'd say perhaps the Bridgemeister, however it seems he concentrates on suspension bridges (with a few exceptions, yes)... I'll have to keep looking. Perhaps the Bridgetravelmeister is around here somewhere!

National Blog Posting Month

So, it's NaBloPoMo -- didn't you know? I've hung the decorations, wrapped the gifts, sent out the cards, and am practicing my Nablopomorphic carols... Or at least trying to find something to write about each & every day of November. I've made it so far - here's to the rest of the month...

movie-blog

Oooh - saw The Departed tonight... Martin Scorsese-directed, with Jack Nicholson, Matt Damon & Leonardo Di Caprio (interestingly, on the poster Leo gets first credit...)

We'd definitely been looking forward to it, and I'd heard mostly good reviews... so, perhaps my expectations were high - not usually a good thing for movie going! Overall, I thought the acting was very good, especially Di Caprio, though more & more I'm not sure if Jack Nicholson's becoming a parody of himself... I kept seeing flashes of The Joker coming through.

But that's being unfair - I do think it was mostly gripping, and I only started even thinking about looking at my watch about 10 minutes from the end. With all the double crossing and undercover investigations I did find myself getting confused at times as to who was going after whom and why, but think I perhaps understood it by the end. The love interest was a bit disjointed - wondering if perhaps some bits had been edited out to keep it to 2 1/2 hours.

I think I agree most with the New Yorker critic, David Denby, who says "The story is highly improbable, although Scorsese and Monahan keep the complicated goings on clear and taut, and the entire movie is acted with spirit and conviction... “The Departed” is murderous fun, but it’s too shallow to be the kind of movie that haunts your sleep." I certainly enjoyed it, and am glad we saw it on the big screen, but don't think it's a classic or one I'll be pondering over for more than the first 10 minutes of the dinner we had after the movie (and of course the few minutes it's taken me to write this entry.)

A few photos

Yawn... returned from Nigeria this morning, via Amsterdam. Got about 3 hours sleep - am doing my best to stay awake until a reasonable hour. If I take a nap, I think I'll end up sleeping for hours & then my schedule will be completely discombobulated!

A few pictures from the trip:

View from my hotel balcony

On the road - saw so many people balancing goods on their heads, I just don't know how!

Dinner... during a momentary blackout...

More news from the trip when I wake up!

whirlwind trip

I absolutely cannot believe it - trip almost over! In a very short time I've seen the countryside, had a massive dinner, visited the atlantic ocean (didn't go in!), chased a newt out of my room, bought the obligatory-postcard-for-the-collection, and of course, conducted business... one more meeting to go - then off to the airport.

Still surreal to think I've only been here less than 2 days... seems so far away, but so relatively easy to get to.

Photos coming soon!

Landed safe & sound

I could get seriously used to this Upper Class travel, especially on overnight flights. The seat flipped over to form a completely flat bed, and a relatively comfortable one at that. I was out FAST, and think I got about 3 1/2 hours at least... not bad for a 6 hour flight. Arrived in Lagos safe & sound, now in the business centre before my meeting starts. All in all, fairly uneventful. And no mosquitos... after all the malaria talk & 'you must wear DEET-containing bug spray...' and I don't think I've seen a single mosquito.

[but don't worry dad - I'll keep taking my malarone!]