So tomorrow I'm off for my one-month holiday in Jersey - and hopefully I'll be able to come back here and spend another year in London. I've really become more comforytable here than I ever could have imagined...I can't believe that at one point everything seemed strange and new.
Going out tonight for a celebratory pub quiz - craziness. But what it lacks in excitement, it makes up for in quality housemate time. Plus the incentive of winning - woohoo!
Anyway, don't want to spend too much of my last afternoon in the office. Off to enjoy the sunshine!
Jun 28, 2005
Jun 24, 2005
Death...
Death, death, and more death.
I know I complain abouy the weather. If it's rainy, I'm not happy. If it's sunny, I'm not happy. But whatever - if I wasn't complaining, I wouldn't be happy :P
Anyway, this country has no air-conditioning. I repeat, no air-conditioning. And it's 90 degrees and humid today, and trying to concentrate at work is the hardest thing EVER. Just kill me now. Never thought I'd be going to Jersey to beat the heat.
= :\
I know I complain abouy the weather. If it's rainy, I'm not happy. If it's sunny, I'm not happy. But whatever - if I wasn't complaining, I wouldn't be happy :P
Anyway, this country has no air-conditioning. I repeat, no air-conditioning. And it's 90 degrees and humid today, and trying to concentrate at work is the hardest thing EVER. Just kill me now. Never thought I'd be going to Jersey to beat the heat.
= :\
Jun 21, 2005
London is a giant oven....
Hey everyone -
London seems to be a city of extremes. After the coldest spring in memory, we have had a string of 80-90 degree days for about the past week now. Which would be bearable...except for the fact that London hasn't seemed to have discovered air-conditioning yet (along with water fountains and customer service, but that's another story).
Sure, this would all be ok in New York City, where I could duck into the nearest store and find relief. But over here, it gets this hot so rarely (and yet, I doubt this statement) that they figure air conditioning isn't worth it. So yeah, I spent an hour in the supermarket on Saturday, leisurely strolling down its deliciously air-conditioned aisles. See what I've been reduced to?
But this weekend was actually quite nice, as I managed to (somewhat) escape the heat. On Saturday, I met my friend Rachel in Greenwich, where I spent too much money shopping for vintage clothes and lounged in the park in the shade. While central London doesn't seem to have any breeze at all, Greenwich had plenty. I also rode a ferry to get there, which was pleasant once we sped up enough to actually create some sort of breeze.
Yesterday was T4 on the Beach, possibly the cheesiest concert I've ever been to. It was a weird mish-mosh of good bands (Kaiser Chiefs, Garbage, Doves), and awful acts (Rachel Stevens, a former S Club 7 clone, and Akon, who seemed to think that sampling Alvin and the Chipmunks would be a cool thing to do). And soooo many 13-year-olds. Little teeny-boppers everywhere. I felt old and decrepit. :( But the concert WAS a lot of fun, and it also meant that I got to beat the blazing sun by riding on an air-conditioned train to get there (woohoo!), and a gorgeous sea breeze blowing off the shore. Ahhhh.
Not like today, which is hot. Hot with 5 t's. AND we have the windows open. And the lights off.
Sadness. London, I guess I'm just never going to be happy with your weather...
= :(
London seems to be a city of extremes. After the coldest spring in memory, we have had a string of 80-90 degree days for about the past week now. Which would be bearable...except for the fact that London hasn't seemed to have discovered air-conditioning yet (along with water fountains and customer service, but that's another story).
Sure, this would all be ok in New York City, where I could duck into the nearest store and find relief. But over here, it gets this hot so rarely (and yet, I doubt this statement) that they figure air conditioning isn't worth it. So yeah, I spent an hour in the supermarket on Saturday, leisurely strolling down its deliciously air-conditioned aisles. See what I've been reduced to?
But this weekend was actually quite nice, as I managed to (somewhat) escape the heat. On Saturday, I met my friend Rachel in Greenwich, where I spent too much money shopping for vintage clothes and lounged in the park in the shade. While central London doesn't seem to have any breeze at all, Greenwich had plenty. I also rode a ferry to get there, which was pleasant once we sped up enough to actually create some sort of breeze.
Yesterday was T4 on the Beach, possibly the cheesiest concert I've ever been to. It was a weird mish-mosh of good bands (Kaiser Chiefs, Garbage, Doves), and awful acts (Rachel Stevens, a former S Club 7 clone, and Akon, who seemed to think that sampling Alvin and the Chipmunks would be a cool thing to do). And soooo many 13-year-olds. Little teeny-boppers everywhere. I felt old and decrepit. :( But the concert WAS a lot of fun, and it also meant that I got to beat the blazing sun by riding on an air-conditioned train to get there (woohoo!), and a gorgeous sea breeze blowing off the shore. Ahhhh.
Not like today, which is hot. Hot with 5 t's. AND we have the windows open. And the lights off.
Sadness. London, I guess I'm just never going to be happy with your weather...
= :(
Jun 17, 2005
And Brian Dennehey screams a lot!
Last night, Jenny and I wenr to go see Death of a Salesman, which was both one of the best and one of the most depressing shows I've ever seen. The cast was amazing (especially Willy Loman and his wife), and the set was pretty cool (a revolving set of rooms that was alternately a house, an office, and a restaurant). Gotta love the revolving stage.
Taking a night off tonight to relax. And possibly watch "The Muppets Take Manhattan." Yaay muppets.
= :)
Taking a night off tonight to relax. And possibly watch "The Muppets Take Manhattan." Yaay muppets.
= :)
Jun 15, 2005
Ewan McGregor Sings and Dances!
Went to go see Guys and Dolls with Heather and Rachel last night (and by sheer coincidence, Joe, Collie, Alana, Alicia, and Laura were sitting several rows behind us) and had a fabulous time. The production was really bright and polished, the performances were entertaining, and the choreography was amazing. So what if Ewan isn't the best singer/dancer on the planet? At the very least, he's better than Brando. And that's nothing to scoff at.
Tonight: Death of a Salesman with Jenny.
Possibility later in the week: Hedwig and the Angry Inch and/or The Postman Always Rings Twice (with the Iceman himself, Val Kilmer!)
It's theater extravaganza number 2!
= :)
Tonight: Death of a Salesman with Jenny.
Possibility later in the week: Hedwig and the Angry Inch and/or The Postman Always Rings Twice (with the Iceman himself, Val Kilmer!)
It's theater extravaganza number 2!
= :)
Goodfellas
I saw this movie for the first time last night, and now I understand every single Pesci and DeNiro reference on SNL. I feel so enlightened.
Also, I had Pimms and lemonade and raspberry mojitos this weekend. Mmmm cocktails...
= :)
Also, I had Pimms and lemonade and raspberry mojitos this weekend. Mmmm cocktails...
= :)
Jun 9, 2005
Karaoke Addict
Karaoke last night (this is becoming a regular thing). I sang "I Think We're Alone Now" by Tiffany. I think I'm seriously addicted to karaoke...
= :)
= :)
Jun 8, 2005
Change of Title
In honor of the newly nice weather, I'm going to be (temporarily) changing the title of the blog to Denis' inventive "Pimms and Poms". Temporarily. I'm sure the rain will be back soon. But for now, it actually feels like summer. And I love Pimms. Mmmmm Pimms.
Also, went to the Phantom Planet concert last night, which was absolutely awesome. I went with my friend Rachel (from CA), and we saw it in this really small venue (Mean Fiddler) that kinda smelled like the Garage (that weird mix of pizza and incense from the hippie shops - except not so much pizza). We got a spot around the balcony, which was great, since I could actually SEE the band for once. The two opening acts were pretty lame, although the first one (forgot their name) were more interesting in their high-school-band-fronted-by-a-mix-of-Gerry-Tobin-and-a-cracked-out-Michael-J-Fox quirkiness than Farrah's (the second band's) polished mediocrity. Awesome.
Anyway, as usual, opening acts suck, but PP did not disappoint. They played a good mix of old and new songs (they played She's Always on My Mind, The Guest, and Anthem!!), and really got the crowd involved like no other band since I went to go see Cake in college. Of course the crowd went nuts when they sang "California" (which I'm reaaallly getting sick of), but they performed it really well, so it was less painful than usual. :) AND the lead singer jumped into the crowd not once, not twice, but three times...ridiculous. All in all, I have to say that PP are quite the rock stars - and I had no idea. But great concert, all in all.
Ok, time to do actual work.
= :)
Also, went to the Phantom Planet concert last night, which was absolutely awesome. I went with my friend Rachel (from CA), and we saw it in this really small venue (Mean Fiddler) that kinda smelled like the Garage (that weird mix of pizza and incense from the hippie shops - except not so much pizza). We got a spot around the balcony, which was great, since I could actually SEE the band for once. The two opening acts were pretty lame, although the first one (forgot their name) were more interesting in their high-school-band-fronted-by-a-mix-of-Gerry-Tobin-and-a-cracked-out-Michael-J-Fox quirkiness than Farrah's (the second band's) polished mediocrity. Awesome.
Anyway, as usual, opening acts suck, but PP did not disappoint. They played a good mix of old and new songs (they played She's Always on My Mind, The Guest, and Anthem!!), and really got the crowd involved like no other band since I went to go see Cake in college. Of course the crowd went nuts when they sang "California" (which I'm reaaallly getting sick of), but they performed it really well, so it was less painful than usual. :) AND the lead singer jumped into the crowd not once, not twice, but three times...ridiculous. All in all, I have to say that PP are quite the rock stars - and I had no idea. But great concert, all in all.
Ok, time to do actual work.
= :)
Jun 7, 2005
Photos and the Cuban Festival
Hi!
Just checking in to post some pictures from the past week or so - karaoke, roller disco, and the Cuban Festival, which, while small, was pretty fun. Not much else is going on...tonight I'm going to see Phantom Planet in concert, so that should be fun. It's getting harder and harder to concentrate at work, now that it's actually sunny (!) and warm (!) outside. It almost feels like summer...gasp! Will update again once something interesting happens...
Photos here: http://share.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=EeANmLJoxctHD2Q
= :)
Just checking in to post some pictures from the past week or so - karaoke, roller disco, and the Cuban Festival, which, while small, was pretty fun. Not much else is going on...tonight I'm going to see Phantom Planet in concert, so that should be fun. It's getting harder and harder to concentrate at work, now that it's actually sunny (!) and warm (!) outside. It almost feels like summer...gasp! Will update again once something interesting happens...
Photos here: http://share.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=EeANmLJoxctHD2Q
= :)
Jun 3, 2005
Sheep, sheep, and more sheep
It's the long-awaited Wales update! But first...
...last night was the roller disco birthday party, and it was fabulous. The club is this warehouse near the railyards, with three different dance (skate) floors with three types of music. And while I tried to dress a bit disco, I was definitely outdone by most of the people there, who also seem to come there a lot, considering they could actually dance with skates on. Jenny, Liam, and I (and a whole bunch of Jenny’s friends), on the other hand, could barely stand (I fell twice), but had a great time. Despite the bruises today, I would definitely go again – there’s nothing like rollerskating to Michael Jackson. :)
Now, about Wales. Erin and I took a backpacker tour for three days, where they carted us around in a big yellow bus (not quite a schoolbus, but barely more comfortable) and showed us the sights of Wales. Our tour guides, Laura and Postman Pat (he looked just like a kid’s cartoon character, apparently) were incredibly hilarious and made the trip tons of fun. We also travelled with 18 other people, who were all really nice (all except for this one crazy Canadian girl…oh, Canadians…)
For our first day, we had absolutely gorgeous weather, which is weird for the UK, especially during this spring, which has been particularly cold. After a couple hours on the motorway getting out of London, our first stop was Tintern Abbey, this 13th century (I think?) abbey that was lying in ruins. It was really nice – and good to stretch our legs – but more importantly, in the larger scheme of the trip, the abbey’s cheesy gift shop was the place that I first discovered Kendal Mint Cake, an English energy bar that’s basically pure sugar and that tastes exactly like the inside of a peppermint patty. Mmmm mint cake – as Erin could tell you, I was desperately searching for it for the rest of the trip, dropping into many, many cheesy souvenir shops (after I was addicted to the sugar rush, of course).
Then off to Caerphilly Castle, which is the second-largest castle in the UK (after Windsor). It was very picturesque and ruin-y, which made for good pictures. Also, Erin had to physically restrain me from shopping after I discovered how much cheaper shoes were in Wales. Then off to the Brecon Beacons, a national park in the central area of Wales. After promising us we would take a “short hike” to see a “beautiful waterfall,” the whole group trudged up a steep incline in now-70-degree weather, passing a little trickling spring on the way. Fabulous. But after sweating and straining all the way to the top, we were rewarded by a gorgeous view and a really nice breeze.
We headed back to the bus, which had baked in the sunshine this whole time (fabulous), and then headed off to Abergavenny, where we would spend the night. After a shower (ahhh), we headed out on the town, where we ate at a cute little Italian diner, enjoyed a pint of Brains (the local brew), and then went off in search of something resembling a nightlife. After being informed by the bartender at one place that Abergavenny “used to be” a lot of fun (after which he promptly walked away, leaving the “why” a mystery), we thought we had solved that problem by walking into a pub playing live music. Unfortunately, it turned out to be open mic night for 50- and 60-somethings (and up), and we walked right out, unfortunately losing one of our group in the process (I think he thought it was on purpose and never really forgave us, although we think he secretly loved it and found himself an…ahem, “mature” Welsh girlfriend). After a bit more fruitless searching, we headed back to the hostel, where we were promised a karaoke party. When the “party” turned out to be an old guy tunelessly murdering Frank Sinatra, we played some pool and went to bed. So, yeah, that’s Welsh nightlife.
The next day was cloudy, windy, and a lot colder. We headed out really early, and stopped for scenic overlooks on the way, almost getting blown off the cliff in the process. We stopped in a really cute little town for lunch, where we saw our first National Milk Bar (exactly what it sounds like), and Erin and I had a great conversation with a cute little old woman in the button shop (where I also got some awesome buttons for earrings). Then off to Castell-y-Bere, a Welsh-built castle ruin high on a hill above a really green and gorgeous valley. After learning more about Welsh legends (and watching a truly hilarious amateur re-enactment of the legend of King Arthur), we went to Portmerion, which is this fabulous resort town built by a really eccentric guy, who filled it with all sorts of eclectic architecture styles and bizarre little touches. It was really weird – it looked like Italy or some place on the Mediterranean, but was definitely on the cold, windy, cloudy Welsh coast.
Then off to see Mt. Snowden (the highest point in Wales), before heading to Caernarfon, where we spent the night (in the nicest hostel EVER). Erin and I walked around, took pictures of the huge castle, walked along the shore, and ate at this cute little restaurant with cheesy nautical touches (where I had this delicious ocean pie, filled with all sorts of fish and shellfish and baked with potatoes on top…mmmm). That night we went out to see if the nightlife in North Wales is any better than in Central Wales. It was…ummm…a little more strange – can’t really call it “better.” We went to the pub next door, which was nice (except for the inexplicable repetition of Keane on the jukebox), and then headed off with a big group to local clubs. The first place we went was filled with Welsh teenagers (including a reeeeally pregnant one – there are TONS of pregnant girls in Wales), and they were playing a techno version of the Titanic theme, which, oddly enough, people seemed to enjoy. After two more bizzaro pubs/clubs, Erin and I called it quits and went back. Welsh nightlife is too weird for me.
The next morning, after a near miss with the toaster (one of the girls on our trip stuck a knife in the toaster and managed to short out the entire 4-story hostel), we headed out for the day. First stop was on the Isle of Anglesea, at Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch (Llanfair PG to the locals), the town with the longest place name in the UK. We took pictures of the sign, and that was about the only interesting thing about the town. :) We also listened to a (badly-recorded) song by local schoolchildren that put the name of the town to music – apparently so it would be easier to remember? (Although we all agreed that the song sounded like their own version of “Springtime for Hitler” from "The Producers." Weird.) Also, it was strangely catchy, and now wanders into my head at least once a day. Ah, Wales.
Then off to Conwy, which had another giant castle, a nice harbor, and the “smallest house in Britain,” which, unfortunately, didn’t look too small with me next to it. Then our last stop in Wales, Llangollen, which was really cute. We crossed an aqueduct across a pretty deep valley, and then headed back to London. On the way back, we stopped at Stratford-upon-Avon, which was really unfortunate, since it was really touristy and busy, and a bit of a disappointment after all the beautiful scenery and wonderful sights in Wales. But Erin and I dealt with it – we took a picture in front of the Harvard House (where John Harvard’s mother lived, now owned by the University), and had some Pimms and lemonade (the best summer drink EVER) in a pub’s garden. Ahhhh, England.
So, yeah, Wales was really amazing. The weather was (generally) great (hey, at least it never rained), and the scenery was absolutely gorgeous. We drove through a lot of mountain passes, and it reminded me of Vermont and New Hampshire, and what I think Scotland should look like (mostly thanks to “Braveheart”…hehehe). Everything was really green and lush, and there were sheep EVERYWHERE – no, seriously, I've never seen so many sheep in my life. Denis, I thought of you and your sheep on a ship. :P It was all very pastoral and peaceful. It was nice to get out of the city (especially on such a warm weekend), and it changed my mind about guided group tours (for the positive). It was a really great trip, and I’m glad I got to see more of the UK. Now on to Scotland!
And...ta da! Pictures!
http://share.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=EeANmLJoxctHD0Y
Wow, that was long. Congratulations if you actually made it to the end of this. If you’ve just skipped down to this paragraph, shame on you! :) That’s all for now…whew. If anything interesting happens this weekend – and that may be debatable – I’ll check back in next week.
Bye for now!
= :)
...last night was the roller disco birthday party, and it was fabulous. The club is this warehouse near the railyards, with three different dance (skate) floors with three types of music. And while I tried to dress a bit disco, I was definitely outdone by most of the people there, who also seem to come there a lot, considering they could actually dance with skates on. Jenny, Liam, and I (and a whole bunch of Jenny’s friends), on the other hand, could barely stand (I fell twice), but had a great time. Despite the bruises today, I would definitely go again – there’s nothing like rollerskating to Michael Jackson. :)
Now, about Wales. Erin and I took a backpacker tour for three days, where they carted us around in a big yellow bus (not quite a schoolbus, but barely more comfortable) and showed us the sights of Wales. Our tour guides, Laura and Postman Pat (he looked just like a kid’s cartoon character, apparently) were incredibly hilarious and made the trip tons of fun. We also travelled with 18 other people, who were all really nice (all except for this one crazy Canadian girl…oh, Canadians…)
For our first day, we had absolutely gorgeous weather, which is weird for the UK, especially during this spring, which has been particularly cold. After a couple hours on the motorway getting out of London, our first stop was Tintern Abbey, this 13th century (I think?) abbey that was lying in ruins. It was really nice – and good to stretch our legs – but more importantly, in the larger scheme of the trip, the abbey’s cheesy gift shop was the place that I first discovered Kendal Mint Cake, an English energy bar that’s basically pure sugar and that tastes exactly like the inside of a peppermint patty. Mmmm mint cake – as Erin could tell you, I was desperately searching for it for the rest of the trip, dropping into many, many cheesy souvenir shops (after I was addicted to the sugar rush, of course).
Then off to Caerphilly Castle, which is the second-largest castle in the UK (after Windsor). It was very picturesque and ruin-y, which made for good pictures. Also, Erin had to physically restrain me from shopping after I discovered how much cheaper shoes were in Wales. Then off to the Brecon Beacons, a national park in the central area of Wales. After promising us we would take a “short hike” to see a “beautiful waterfall,” the whole group trudged up a steep incline in now-70-degree weather, passing a little trickling spring on the way. Fabulous. But after sweating and straining all the way to the top, we were rewarded by a gorgeous view and a really nice breeze.
We headed back to the bus, which had baked in the sunshine this whole time (fabulous), and then headed off to Abergavenny, where we would spend the night. After a shower (ahhh), we headed out on the town, where we ate at a cute little Italian diner, enjoyed a pint of Brains (the local brew), and then went off in search of something resembling a nightlife. After being informed by the bartender at one place that Abergavenny “used to be” a lot of fun (after which he promptly walked away, leaving the “why” a mystery), we thought we had solved that problem by walking into a pub playing live music. Unfortunately, it turned out to be open mic night for 50- and 60-somethings (and up), and we walked right out, unfortunately losing one of our group in the process (I think he thought it was on purpose and never really forgave us, although we think he secretly loved it and found himself an…ahem, “mature” Welsh girlfriend). After a bit more fruitless searching, we headed back to the hostel, where we were promised a karaoke party. When the “party” turned out to be an old guy tunelessly murdering Frank Sinatra, we played some pool and went to bed. So, yeah, that’s Welsh nightlife.
The next day was cloudy, windy, and a lot colder. We headed out really early, and stopped for scenic overlooks on the way, almost getting blown off the cliff in the process. We stopped in a really cute little town for lunch, where we saw our first National Milk Bar (exactly what it sounds like), and Erin and I had a great conversation with a cute little old woman in the button shop (where I also got some awesome buttons for earrings). Then off to Castell-y-Bere, a Welsh-built castle ruin high on a hill above a really green and gorgeous valley. After learning more about Welsh legends (and watching a truly hilarious amateur re-enactment of the legend of King Arthur), we went to Portmerion, which is this fabulous resort town built by a really eccentric guy, who filled it with all sorts of eclectic architecture styles and bizarre little touches. It was really weird – it looked like Italy or some place on the Mediterranean, but was definitely on the cold, windy, cloudy Welsh coast.
Then off to see Mt. Snowden (the highest point in Wales), before heading to Caernarfon, where we spent the night (in the nicest hostel EVER). Erin and I walked around, took pictures of the huge castle, walked along the shore, and ate at this cute little restaurant with cheesy nautical touches (where I had this delicious ocean pie, filled with all sorts of fish and shellfish and baked with potatoes on top…mmmm). That night we went out to see if the nightlife in North Wales is any better than in Central Wales. It was…ummm…a little more strange – can’t really call it “better.” We went to the pub next door, which was nice (except for the inexplicable repetition of Keane on the jukebox), and then headed off with a big group to local clubs. The first place we went was filled with Welsh teenagers (including a reeeeally pregnant one – there are TONS of pregnant girls in Wales), and they were playing a techno version of the Titanic theme, which, oddly enough, people seemed to enjoy. After two more bizzaro pubs/clubs, Erin and I called it quits and went back. Welsh nightlife is too weird for me.
The next morning, after a near miss with the toaster (one of the girls on our trip stuck a knife in the toaster and managed to short out the entire 4-story hostel), we headed out for the day. First stop was on the Isle of Anglesea, at Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch (Llanfair PG to the locals), the town with the longest place name in the UK. We took pictures of the sign, and that was about the only interesting thing about the town. :) We also listened to a (badly-recorded) song by local schoolchildren that put the name of the town to music – apparently so it would be easier to remember? (Although we all agreed that the song sounded like their own version of “Springtime for Hitler” from "The Producers." Weird.) Also, it was strangely catchy, and now wanders into my head at least once a day. Ah, Wales.
Then off to Conwy, which had another giant castle, a nice harbor, and the “smallest house in Britain,” which, unfortunately, didn’t look too small with me next to it. Then our last stop in Wales, Llangollen, which was really cute. We crossed an aqueduct across a pretty deep valley, and then headed back to London. On the way back, we stopped at Stratford-upon-Avon, which was really unfortunate, since it was really touristy and busy, and a bit of a disappointment after all the beautiful scenery and wonderful sights in Wales. But Erin and I dealt with it – we took a picture in front of the Harvard House (where John Harvard’s mother lived, now owned by the University), and had some Pimms and lemonade (the best summer drink EVER) in a pub’s garden. Ahhhh, England.
So, yeah, Wales was really amazing. The weather was (generally) great (hey, at least it never rained), and the scenery was absolutely gorgeous. We drove through a lot of mountain passes, and it reminded me of Vermont and New Hampshire, and what I think Scotland should look like (mostly thanks to “Braveheart”…hehehe). Everything was really green and lush, and there were sheep EVERYWHERE – no, seriously, I've never seen so many sheep in my life. Denis, I thought of you and your sheep on a ship. :P It was all very pastoral and peaceful. It was nice to get out of the city (especially on such a warm weekend), and it changed my mind about guided group tours (for the positive). It was a really great trip, and I’m glad I got to see more of the UK. Now on to Scotland!
And...ta da! Pictures!
http://share.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=EeANmLJoxctHD0Y
Wow, that was long. Congratulations if you actually made it to the end of this. If you’ve just skipped down to this paragraph, shame on you! :) That’s all for now…whew. If anything interesting happens this weekend – and that may be debatable – I’ll check back in next week.
Bye for now!
= :)
Jun 2, 2005
Castles and carousels
Pictures from Brighton and Windsor are here! I'll add the Wales one with the big update.
http://share.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=EeANmLJoxctHDyA
= :)
http://share.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=EeANmLJoxctHDyA
= :)
College roommates, reunited!
Hi there! Back again. In these past two weeks, I’ve travelled to Brighton, Wales, and Windsor, had Andrea and Erin visit, and sang karaoke in an actual bar (as opposed to in my basement or at Danielle’s house). Whew.
Where to begin? Andrea came to visit two weeks ago from Paris, and I showed her around a lot of the touristy sites in London. We also got to watch the Eurovision contest, which might very well be the most ridiculous thing, ever. The contest, which was formed back in the 50s, features acts from all over Europe, who perform awful songs in gaudy costumes, with hideous choreography and various levels of tunelessness. So, basically, it’s karaoke – Europe-wide karaoke. Then all the countries give out rankings of 1-12 to the performers, which is a purely political exercise (France never votes for England, England never votes for France, Scandanavia votes among itself, Germany makes sure to give a generous ranking to Poland…) Greece won, and England finished 3rd from last. I personally was rooting for the Latvian boy group, who had a tenuous grasp on pitch and rhythm, but you could tell they really wanted it. All in all, a completely satisfying night. Europe’s so weird.
Erin came on Wednesday – yaay! Thursday morning we headed off to Brighton, which is basically the English equivalent of Wildwood in NJ – piers crowded with rides and arcades, cheesy souvenir shops, and a beach (or at least a strip of rocks with tiny waves lapping up on shore). No, actually, it’s a lot nicer than I made it sound. The sun was out, the sky was clear, and we took a really nice walk along the boardwalk. The city also has a lot of history – high society used to head out to Brighton (like Jane Austen characters!) and one of the kings built the Royal Pavilion, an Indian-style palace. Erin and I indulged in some nostalgia by riding the carousel, and almost got bucked off by a racehorse arcade game (which actually warned that game players should have some riding experience.) Eric, you would have loved it.
From Friday to Sunday, Erin and I went on a tour of Wales – more to come about that later. On Monday, we hit up some of the markets in London, and on Tuesday, we headed out to Windsor to see the castle, possibly stalk the queen, and enjoy the (freakishly) nice weather. Windsor Castle is gigantic – it’s the largest inhabited castle in Europe. We got to see the State Apartments, where Henry VIII and the Queen Mum are buried, and Queen Mary’s dollhouse, which is taller than me, has running water and working electricity, and features mini books handwritten by their original authors. Ridiculous. Oh, we also got to see Queen Elizabeth’s doll from when she was young – the thing wears Cartier jewelry! Fabulous.
Erin left yesterday – sob – it was really great to spend some time with her, since we haven't seen each other in forever. Yaay college days. Alana and Alicia also moved out of the house, so a bit of a sad day all around. For a quick update, the new house lineup is: Me, Liam, Joe (and Joe’s friend Coli, who used to live in the house and is now staying for a month), Jenny, Chris (an Australian, banker, 25 or so, replaced Sally), Claire (Australian, indeterminate age, don’t know too much about her yet), and Geraldine (French, 21?, works in a bakery and is learning English).
Last night, Joe, Coli, Jenny and I all headed out for karaoke, and I actually decided to sing something in public – eek! It might have been the Limoncello I had before leaving the house, but who knows? Anyway, sang R.E.S.P.E.C.T. (thanks for all the practice, Karaoke Revolution), and had a great time watching the other acts, both good and awful. I think I have a the karaoke bug – on Tuesday we’re planning on going to the bar where Joe works and trying out the night there. Awesome. Oh, and Geraldine's job is the most fabulous thing ever, since last night when we came home at midnight (and were absolutely starving), we found a TON of baked goods from the bakery on the table...mmmm. Free breakfast, I love you.
Anyway, off to the rollerdisco tonight for Jenny’s birthday. Should be incredibly fabulous. I’ll write more later!
= :)
Where to begin? Andrea came to visit two weeks ago from Paris, and I showed her around a lot of the touristy sites in London. We also got to watch the Eurovision contest, which might very well be the most ridiculous thing, ever. The contest, which was formed back in the 50s, features acts from all over Europe, who perform awful songs in gaudy costumes, with hideous choreography and various levels of tunelessness. So, basically, it’s karaoke – Europe-wide karaoke. Then all the countries give out rankings of 1-12 to the performers, which is a purely political exercise (France never votes for England, England never votes for France, Scandanavia votes among itself, Germany makes sure to give a generous ranking to Poland…) Greece won, and England finished 3rd from last. I personally was rooting for the Latvian boy group, who had a tenuous grasp on pitch and rhythm, but you could tell they really wanted it. All in all, a completely satisfying night. Europe’s so weird.
Erin came on Wednesday – yaay! Thursday morning we headed off to Brighton, which is basically the English equivalent of Wildwood in NJ – piers crowded with rides and arcades, cheesy souvenir shops, and a beach (or at least a strip of rocks with tiny waves lapping up on shore). No, actually, it’s a lot nicer than I made it sound. The sun was out, the sky was clear, and we took a really nice walk along the boardwalk. The city also has a lot of history – high society used to head out to Brighton (like Jane Austen characters!) and one of the kings built the Royal Pavilion, an Indian-style palace. Erin and I indulged in some nostalgia by riding the carousel, and almost got bucked off by a racehorse arcade game (which actually warned that game players should have some riding experience.) Eric, you would have loved it.
From Friday to Sunday, Erin and I went on a tour of Wales – more to come about that later. On Monday, we hit up some of the markets in London, and on Tuesday, we headed out to Windsor to see the castle, possibly stalk the queen, and enjoy the (freakishly) nice weather. Windsor Castle is gigantic – it’s the largest inhabited castle in Europe. We got to see the State Apartments, where Henry VIII and the Queen Mum are buried, and Queen Mary’s dollhouse, which is taller than me, has running water and working electricity, and features mini books handwritten by their original authors. Ridiculous. Oh, we also got to see Queen Elizabeth’s doll from when she was young – the thing wears Cartier jewelry! Fabulous.
Erin left yesterday – sob – it was really great to spend some time with her, since we haven't seen each other in forever. Yaay college days. Alana and Alicia also moved out of the house, so a bit of a sad day all around. For a quick update, the new house lineup is: Me, Liam, Joe (and Joe’s friend Coli, who used to live in the house and is now staying for a month), Jenny, Chris (an Australian, banker, 25 or so, replaced Sally), Claire (Australian, indeterminate age, don’t know too much about her yet), and Geraldine (French, 21?, works in a bakery and is learning English).
Last night, Joe, Coli, Jenny and I all headed out for karaoke, and I actually decided to sing something in public – eek! It might have been the Limoncello I had before leaving the house, but who knows? Anyway, sang R.E.S.P.E.C.T. (thanks for all the practice, Karaoke Revolution), and had a great time watching the other acts, both good and awful. I think I have a the karaoke bug – on Tuesday we’re planning on going to the bar where Joe works and trying out the night there. Awesome. Oh, and Geraldine's job is the most fabulous thing ever, since last night when we came home at midnight (and were absolutely starving), we found a TON of baked goods from the bakery on the table...mmmm. Free breakfast, I love you.
Anyway, off to the rollerdisco tonight for Jenny’s birthday. Should be incredibly fabulous. I’ll write more later!
= :)
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