Hello. Hope everyone had a good weekend. I gave out free hugs in Trafalger Square which was really, really fun and put me in an exceptionally buoyant mood. No real surprises there. Hugs on masse were cool. We also met some really interesting people. Like the boy who thought that those blue pens that have four colours in them were specific to France and insisted that I must have go tmine from there. Or the hot Venezeaulan (not spelt at all correctly) guy who got us enthused abotu free hugging in the first place.
Saturday night, we went out to club in Holborn. Which was awful. We'd lined up for ages, only to get downstairs after paying £16 and realise that we'd rather just hide in the ladies loos than participate in the surrounding idiocy. Plus, I'd forgotten my glow sticks so action had to be taken. So we made Suza ask for a refund on the grounds that she was the most sober.
Abridged exchange between Suza and club manager:
Suza: Hello. We'd like to get our £16 back because we got separated from our friends and they can't get in...
Club Manager: Yeah, right. No way..
Suza:...and because we've only been here 5 minutes and someone has already offerred to sell us drugs.
[cue fake disapproving looks from all of us behind Suza]
Club Manager: Sure. No problem. I'll just go get it.
Obviously there was a bit more rigmarole to it than that, but I think it is the one and only time I haev ever attempted to get a refund from an appalling club. But for £16 cover charge I either had to:
A) Buy a tent and move there permanently;
B) Get drunk and pretend I was having a good time while secretly wishing pain upon my fellow club patrons; or
C) Get a refund by suggesting that we were the type of people who were at all surprised by the fact that there are drug dealers at clubs in London. And that we might also be the type of people who would write a letter to the authorities.
Feeling newly wealthy, we ended up heading to a cool soul bar and danced what was left of the night away. Tip to any guys reading this, if you are are going to go for the always tenuous 'smell compliment' stick to something within the flower range. For example 'you smell like tulips'. Do not suggest that a girl smells like:
- pillows (wtf?) or
- like you should already be in the shower together (eek!)
I am sure for most of you this was an unnecessary lesson. But apparently not all men have learnt it.
The evening ended, as all good evenings do, standing near Tottenham Court Road with a massive cone of frites covered in garlic sauce.
At least I was sober enough not to order a kebab.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Monday, January 7, 2008
Almost Famous
If anyone would like to see photos of me at NY, currently appearing in TNT magazine, you may look here:
http://www.tntmagazine.com/spotted/?ID=imageView&Image=12&CatNo=10553&pageNo=1
http://www.tntmagazine.com/spotted/?ID=imageView&Image=55&CatNo=10553&pageNo=1
I think it is nice to observe how the evening deteriorated. Hanging out with the photographer is great from a free drinks perspective. Not so much from a hiding your drunken moments perspective. *sigh*
http://www.tntmagazine.com/spotted/?ID=imageView&Image=12&CatNo=10553&pageNo=1
http://www.tntmagazine.com/spotted/?ID=imageView&Image=55&CatNo=10553&pageNo=1
I think it is nice to observe how the evening deteriorated. Hanging out with the photographer is great from a free drinks perspective. Not so much from a hiding your drunken moments perspective. *sigh*
Saturday, January 5, 2008
My Cute Fiend Sweet Princess
Despite the better, feminist part of myself, I really enjoyed the new Disney film Enchanted. In the way that you enjoy Grease when you are older - you get all the 'dirty' bits. Or at least the slightly dodgy bits. And then you laugh inappropriately in a cinema full of children who prefer the part of the movie that involves a temporarily mute chipmunk. Ah well.
Also interesting to note is the way that Disney Princesses have become emaciated over the years. From Snow White:
To this, in Enchanted
Just saying. I've also just noticed while searching for these photos that Snow White has got a lot thinner recently. More shiny as well. I'm all for digitally remastering, it's the not so subtle nip and tuck that seems unhealthy.
With respect to Disney Princess, it's also worth noting that they have recently had issues with 'non-traditional' female characters such as Mulan and Pocahontas not being included as part of the Princess range because they don't sell that well. Wow. Racist and sexist. Nice work Disney. I particularly like that the two most empowered Disney females that I've seen (and really, it isn't saying much that they are the most empowered of a particularly weak willed lot) are not continuing to be marketed to young girls.
Apparently the better, feminist part of me was not entirely subsumed in the happy sing along aspects of the film. Ah well.
Also interesting to note is the way that Disney Princesses have become emaciated over the years. From Snow White:
To this, in Enchanted
Just saying. I've also just noticed while searching for these photos that Snow White has got a lot thinner recently. More shiny as well. I'm all for digitally remastering, it's the not so subtle nip and tuck that seems unhealthy.
With respect to Disney Princess, it's also worth noting that they have recently had issues with 'non-traditional' female characters such as Mulan and Pocahontas not being included as part of the Princess range because they don't sell that well. Wow. Racist and sexist. Nice work Disney. I particularly like that the two most empowered Disney females that I've seen (and really, it isn't saying much that they are the most empowered of a particularly weak willed lot) are not continuing to be marketed to young girls.
Apparently the better, feminist part of me was not entirely subsumed in the happy sing along aspects of the film. Ah well.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
So this is the New Year
And I am not even hungover.
And we didn't get stuck Borough.
And we hung out with Australians. And Kiwis. And South Africans.
And it was stinking hot. At least in the pub.
And I am down one beautiful, brand new, teal silk dress. Lost to the world of kebab sauce.
That is all.
And we didn't get stuck Borough.
And we hung out with Australians. And Kiwis. And South Africans.
And it was stinking hot. At least in the pub.
And I am down one beautiful, brand new, teal silk dress. Lost to the world of kebab sauce.
That is all.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Drug-Stabbing Time
I've said to heaps of people that I don't live in the safest part of London, but it isn't the worst part either. Tonight I picked Netta up from the new St Pancras and took her to Suza's house. On the way home, discovered that I had wandered into what looked like a set from The Bill. Police tape, a huge amount of 'bobbies' and those little white tents they put up to preserve blood stains. This is what had happened, for anyone who is interested: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/12/27/nstabbing127.xml
Of course, because they'd blocked a big chunk of Upper Street off, there were no buses heading down Essex Road and no cabs in the area either. So of course I am left with no other option but to walk home through hoodie central. Which to me only increases the likelihood of someone else (ie. me) getting mugged/stabbed/accosted by drunks. Oh look, I live in Islington/Stoke Newington where there have been numerous other stabbings of late. I think I'll just take a late night stroll home.
Anyway, I'm now watching comic relief. Stabbings and Take That performing for charity. Tomorrow I am heading out to buy a Kevlar jacket.
Welcome to England Netta.
Of course, because they'd blocked a big chunk of Upper Street off, there were no buses heading down Essex Road and no cabs in the area either. So of course I am left with no other option but to walk home through hoodie central. Which to me only increases the likelihood of someone else (ie. me) getting mugged/stabbed/accosted by drunks. Oh look, I live in Islington/Stoke Newington where there have been numerous other stabbings of late. I think I'll just take a late night stroll home.
Anyway, I'm now watching comic relief. Stabbings and Take That performing for charity. Tomorrow I am heading out to buy a Kevlar jacket.
Welcome to England Netta.
Belgian Things
Christmas in Belgium was fantastic. In the sense that any time you can go to a country where you can eat cones of frites and drink super strong beer with impunity, you are inevitably going to have a good time.
The Christmas markets were nice. The heavy food was great. The weather was crisp and sunny. And at 3€ for a glass of Leffe, any potential possible homesickness was washed away in an alcoholic fog. (This is a joke, mum and dad. I wasn't spending Christmas singing carols to myself in a drunken stupor. No - I was eating a chicken club sandwich and having a nice afternoon nap while reading the presents I was given by my 'orphan family').
So yes, I had a good time, not much homesickness and the enduring feeling that Christmas in Europe at least feels like Christmas and that maybe we in the southern hemisphere should just celebrate something different altogether. Something that doesn't require us to put an aging man with a white beard into board shorts on the beach in order to make it at all appropriate to our environment.
Having said all this, I have come to the conclusion that Belgium is perhaps the MOST boring country in Europe. I mean, it's pretty and people are friendly and I will grant that it was Christmas, but it just didn't feel that interesting to me. Mayeb it was my mood. Maybe it's because it wasn't the ideal time of year to do all the 'war stuff'.
But I don't think anything illustrates that innate boredom that is Belgium than the fact that one of Brussels' most popular tourist attractions is 'mini Europe'. Which cost €12 to get into. Or 4 glasses of Leffe. And there you have the Belgian view of Europe. In which 'Europe' is really only the countries in the EU. Ooooooo...political.
The Netherlands will be 'New in 2008.
The awesome work of 20th Century engineering, the Channel Tunnel, is represented by a piece of PVC pipe and some pond water. With a small mechanical train for good measure.
The Ireland display came complete with barnyard noises.
Slovenia didn't even crack a monument. Just a patch of grass. Same for Estonia and some of the other 'lesser' EU Nations.
Belgium seemed to have twice as many objects of interest as France, and I am telling you, it just isn't so.
The collapse of the Berlin wall was shown with a Tonka truck pulling down a small piece of plastic with some truly bizarre sound effects.
The most amazing thing about this was that some of these displays cost €350 000 to make. Those must have been some expensive Tonka toys.
So that was Belgium. And Christmas. Thanks to Wayne, Katie and Deaks for sharing my Christmas with me and preventing me from just sitting around, eating chocolate and watching TV. Oh, wait....
I will post pictures of mini Europe when I feel like I can loko at them without cracking up.
The Christmas markets were nice. The heavy food was great. The weather was crisp and sunny. And at 3€ for a glass of Leffe, any potential possible homesickness was washed away in an alcoholic fog. (This is a joke, mum and dad. I wasn't spending Christmas singing carols to myself in a drunken stupor. No - I was eating a chicken club sandwich and having a nice afternoon nap while reading the presents I was given by my 'orphan family').
So yes, I had a good time, not much homesickness and the enduring feeling that Christmas in Europe at least feels like Christmas and that maybe we in the southern hemisphere should just celebrate something different altogether. Something that doesn't require us to put an aging man with a white beard into board shorts on the beach in order to make it at all appropriate to our environment.
Having said all this, I have come to the conclusion that Belgium is perhaps the MOST boring country in Europe. I mean, it's pretty and people are friendly and I will grant that it was Christmas, but it just didn't feel that interesting to me. Mayeb it was my mood. Maybe it's because it wasn't the ideal time of year to do all the 'war stuff'.
But I don't think anything illustrates that innate boredom that is Belgium than the fact that one of Brussels' most popular tourist attractions is 'mini Europe'. Which cost €12 to get into. Or 4 glasses of Leffe. And there you have the Belgian view of Europe. In which 'Europe' is really only the countries in the EU. Ooooooo...political.
The Netherlands will be 'New in 2008.
The awesome work of 20th Century engineering, the Channel Tunnel, is represented by a piece of PVC pipe and some pond water. With a small mechanical train for good measure.
The Ireland display came complete with barnyard noises.
Slovenia didn't even crack a monument. Just a patch of grass. Same for Estonia and some of the other 'lesser' EU Nations.
Belgium seemed to have twice as many objects of interest as France, and I am telling you, it just isn't so.
The collapse of the Berlin wall was shown with a Tonka truck pulling down a small piece of plastic with some truly bizarre sound effects.
The most amazing thing about this was that some of these displays cost €350 000 to make. Those must have been some expensive Tonka toys.
So that was Belgium. And Christmas. Thanks to Wayne, Katie and Deaks for sharing my Christmas with me and preventing me from just sitting around, eating chocolate and watching TV. Oh, wait....
I will post pictures of mini Europe when I feel like I can loko at them without cracking up.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Red Red Wine/I Want To Ride My Bicycle/It Is A Truth Universally Acknowledged
I haven't blogged for a while. I don't know why. I have been busy, but no busier than usual. I have felt guilty about it, not fo your sake (I note hte overwhelming concern about my safety given that everyone is trying to blow everything up), but for mine, because the leather bound journal idea has long sense ceased to be a reality so whatever I am writing here is likely to be the only permanent record of anything I have done. Jon suggested that one day I may look back at the time I have taken writing in a journal, or blogging, and think 'I wish I had spent my time doing other things'. I would tend to disagree.
One day I am going to forget everything (I can't veen remember where I was on Tuesday, although given how hungover I've been all this week I must have been drinking. No - that's right, I went to London Bridge for a drink with Marianne. See, I figured it out, but that won't always be possible)
It is a Friday night. I am sitting in my flat, alone, with a bottle of wine, Sam Cooke, and candle light. Cliche, much? Nice to do nothing.
BATH
A couple of weeks ago (30th of June) Marianne and I headed to Bath.
We got there and headed straight to Bristol so that Kat could look for a wedding dress. Her and Adam are newly engaged. None of you know these people. I didn't until a couple of weeks ago. I am trying to paint a picture.
Didn't get to see much of Bath because of the rain. I ducked into the Jane Austen museum briefly. Sorry Steph. Disappointing. The best bit was buying 'Persuasion' and reading it on the train home, where I had to stand for two hours because because hte train was over booked and we didn't get seats. Post Jane Austen Museum we went and looked at the die hards playing Boules in teh rain. They take their local tournament very seriously. It made me want to live in an English Village.
We were basically in Bath for the Taste food Festival. This being England, and it being summer, the outdoor food festival was a washout. An outdoor food festival in the pouring rain. The free ponchos they handed out in the door did little to warm us up. The tent giving out free whiskey did. As did the beer and wine tasting courses. Ah, the simple things.
Post drenching at the food festival we went out to a pub/club in bath where I ened up talking ot the DJ for about 3 hours about Motown. He even let me handle his vinyl. No, that is not a double entendre. All I am saying is that over here, the records Rob would charge me $15 for are about 50p. I think I may have to ship things home. Fun night all around.
Adam (I was staying with friends of Marianne's called Kat and Adam) woke me up the next morning for a game of Blackgammon, which he had taught me to play the day before. My response would have been 'I am not afraid of you and I will beat your ass' except for the fact that I am still not Yo La Tengo and my head was ripping open. Well, I did beat him. But I am not sure it counts if he is actually helping you because your head feels like it is going to explode. Having said that - I'm throwing the gauntlet down to anyone who wants to take me on.
Went to the cutest pub for lunch in a neighbouring village. It was about 400 years old and the floor actually sloped. Had a Sunday roast. Delightful. And then back to London.
TOUR DE FRANCE
London is a big city. The Tour de France was a big event. I don't know many people ion London. Hence it came as somewhat of a surprise to run straight into Dave, who I went to Siberia with, while walking through Green Park. Sat with Wayne and his parents, Katie, Deaks and Dave to watch the big screen, absorb the atmosphere and eat ice cream.
Watched a couple of cyclists live, but they went past pretty quickly and the crowds at the barrier were huge. I have some video which I will post when I figure out how.
The Above video kind've goes like this: road, road, road, road, vague applause, bikebikebike, louder applause, car, car, road, Kate fumbling with the camera. I don't know why SBS hasn't hired me as their girl on the ground.
Post Tour - went home, got changed, met up with Wayne and crew in Brick Lane for some Indian food where hte service was appalling, even by London standards. My favourite part was where they tried to give us dirty plates because they'd picked up the wrong pile. Deligthful. But it was a pretty fun night. The cool bit about Brick Lane is that in order to walk there you have to walk past the scene of some of Jack the Ripper's crimes, and the pub where 'Lock Stock' was shot. Just so you know.
DANIEL JOHNSTON (12th July)
Went and saw Ganiel Johnston play at Union Chapel in Islington last night. It was amazing. It is a real, live church.
And he was amazing. He was childlike and breakable. All I wanted to do was give him a big hug. He covered the Beatles (Hide Your Love Away) and he said he was going to make a joke, but last time he told it he got in trouble with his brother, mother and father and that since he only had two jokes, we'd have to wait. He was cute and mischeivious in his black and blue tracksuit. He was also remarkably confident and engaging.
His arms shook quite badly, and he was constanyl leaning on the mic - but it still blew your mind. After playing the first couple of songs on guitar/piano by himself, the muscial accompaniment was lef tto others. Much more muscial that way. And Daniel (weird familiarity) was able to concentrate of singing. He did a few songs with Neva Dinova which was awesome. I have quite a lot of video of this and if I figure out how to upload it, you can all enjoy my attempts to film and clap at the same time.
My favourite part of the evening? When he did his last song and he called it 'a wish for all of us' and then sung 'True Love Will Find You In The End'. It was pretty darned amazing. Even an old cynic like me was overwhlemed. Unsurprisingly, he got a standing ovation. He is such a dude. He looked so happy with himself through out the whole gig. He also said it was one of the best gigs they'd done this tour.
Incidentally, Marianne was meant to accompany me to this but she got stuck at work drinks (and by stuck, I mean drunk) and didn't make it. She should have scalped her 20 pound ticket for 50 quid, which is what the people on the sidewalk were willing to pay. Would have been worth every pent.
Anyway, this weekend I am resolved to do touristy things.
PS. Post writing all of htis, I have uploaded some stuff to YouTube so the I've added some video. I will upload DJ tomorrow as it is now 1.30am and I am tired beyond belief.
One day I am going to forget everything (I can't veen remember where I was on Tuesday, although given how hungover I've been all this week I must have been drinking. No - that's right, I went to London Bridge for a drink with Marianne. See, I figured it out, but that won't always be possible)
It is a Friday night. I am sitting in my flat, alone, with a bottle of wine, Sam Cooke, and candle light. Cliche, much? Nice to do nothing.
BATH
A couple of weeks ago (30th of June) Marianne and I headed to Bath.
We got there and headed straight to Bristol so that Kat could look for a wedding dress. Her and Adam are newly engaged. None of you know these people. I didn't until a couple of weeks ago. I am trying to paint a picture.
Didn't get to see much of Bath because of the rain. I ducked into the Jane Austen museum briefly. Sorry Steph. Disappointing. The best bit was buying 'Persuasion' and reading it on the train home, where I had to stand for two hours because because hte train was over booked and we didn't get seats. Post Jane Austen Museum we went and looked at the die hards playing Boules in teh rain. They take their local tournament very seriously. It made me want to live in an English Village.
We were basically in Bath for the Taste food Festival. This being England, and it being summer, the outdoor food festival was a washout. An outdoor food festival in the pouring rain. The free ponchos they handed out in the door did little to warm us up. The tent giving out free whiskey did. As did the beer and wine tasting courses. Ah, the simple things.
Post drenching at the food festival we went out to a pub/club in bath where I ened up talking ot the DJ for about 3 hours about Motown. He even let me handle his vinyl. No, that is not a double entendre. All I am saying is that over here, the records Rob would charge me $15 for are about 50p. I think I may have to ship things home. Fun night all around.
Adam (I was staying with friends of Marianne's called Kat and Adam) woke me up the next morning for a game of Blackgammon, which he had taught me to play the day before. My response would have been 'I am not afraid of you and I will beat your ass' except for the fact that I am still not Yo La Tengo and my head was ripping open. Well, I did beat him. But I am not sure it counts if he is actually helping you because your head feels like it is going to explode. Having said that - I'm throwing the gauntlet down to anyone who wants to take me on.
Went to the cutest pub for lunch in a neighbouring village. It was about 400 years old and the floor actually sloped. Had a Sunday roast. Delightful. And then back to London.
TOUR DE FRANCE
London is a big city. The Tour de France was a big event. I don't know many people ion London. Hence it came as somewhat of a surprise to run straight into Dave, who I went to Siberia with, while walking through Green Park. Sat with Wayne and his parents, Katie, Deaks and Dave to watch the big screen, absorb the atmosphere and eat ice cream.
Watched a couple of cyclists live, but they went past pretty quickly and the crowds at the barrier were huge. I have some video which I will post when I figure out how.
The Above video kind've goes like this: road, road, road, road, vague applause, bikebikebike, louder applause, car, car, road, Kate fumbling with the camera. I don't know why SBS hasn't hired me as their girl on the ground.
Post Tour - went home, got changed, met up with Wayne and crew in Brick Lane for some Indian food where hte service was appalling, even by London standards. My favourite part was where they tried to give us dirty plates because they'd picked up the wrong pile. Deligthful. But it was a pretty fun night. The cool bit about Brick Lane is that in order to walk there you have to walk past the scene of some of Jack the Ripper's crimes, and the pub where 'Lock Stock' was shot. Just so you know.
DANIEL JOHNSTON (12th July)
Went and saw Ganiel Johnston play at Union Chapel in Islington last night. It was amazing. It is a real, live church.
And he was amazing. He was childlike and breakable. All I wanted to do was give him a big hug. He covered the Beatles (Hide Your Love Away) and he said he was going to make a joke, but last time he told it he got in trouble with his brother, mother and father and that since he only had two jokes, we'd have to wait. He was cute and mischeivious in his black and blue tracksuit. He was also remarkably confident and engaging.
His arms shook quite badly, and he was constanyl leaning on the mic - but it still blew your mind. After playing the first couple of songs on guitar/piano by himself, the muscial accompaniment was lef tto others. Much more muscial that way. And Daniel (weird familiarity) was able to concentrate of singing. He did a few songs with Neva Dinova which was awesome. I have quite a lot of video of this and if I figure out how to upload it, you can all enjoy my attempts to film and clap at the same time.
My favourite part of the evening? When he did his last song and he called it 'a wish for all of us' and then sung 'True Love Will Find You In The End'. It was pretty darned amazing. Even an old cynic like me was overwhlemed. Unsurprisingly, he got a standing ovation. He is such a dude. He looked so happy with himself through out the whole gig. He also said it was one of the best gigs they'd done this tour.
Incidentally, Marianne was meant to accompany me to this but she got stuck at work drinks (and by stuck, I mean drunk) and didn't make it. She should have scalped her 20 pound ticket for 50 quid, which is what the people on the sidewalk were willing to pay. Would have been worth every pent.
Anyway, this weekend I am resolved to do touristy things.
PS. Post writing all of htis, I have uploaded some stuff to YouTube so the I've added some video. I will upload DJ tomorrow as it is now 1.30am and I am tired beyond belief.
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