We continued the festive season with a few more gatherings. We had our good friends Chris and Carole and their girls around for sausage, liver, bacon mash and bubble-and-squeak the next day and on the following day Sue and I visited old friends from a previous company we worked with for an annual walk in the park and meal out gathering.
Needless to say we were quite happy for a quieter day after that so we did a bit of shopping, watched the box and then made our way with Jamie into London. He was heading back to Hull, not that Uni’ starts yet, but he had an invite to a New Years bash and the booze is so much cheaper up north. We did manage to fit another meal in, this time Jaime’s favourite of Chinese in China Town.
We came home and collapsed in front of the television.
Next it is the New Years celebrations…
Friday, December 31, 2004
A family gathering…
Jamie returned from Spain on the 27th and we had arranged for many of Sue’s family to come over to our place for another Christmas Dinner. We had a dozen family members squeezed around our table (we did the party borrowing-chairs-from-the-neighbours dash to gather enough seats).
Sue made a superb traditional spread and with the exception of the carrots (ours are a little too deformed) the veggies were all our own (we are still picking plenty of roots and winter greens even now). It was all very jolly and Sue even managed to talk to the only missing sibling, her sister, who called from Australia where she was on holiday.
Exactly what Christmas is all about; family.
Sue made a superb traditional spread and with the exception of the carrots (ours are a little too deformed) the veggies were all our own (we are still picking plenty of roots and winter greens even now). It was all very jolly and Sue even managed to talk to the only missing sibling, her sister, who called from Australia where she was on holiday.
Exactly what Christmas is all about; family.
Merry Christmas…
We often arrange to see Joyce and Terry at Christmas and they certainly know how to overindulge in style. This year Jamie was in Spain visiting his father (He hadn’t seen him since his birthday after moving to University in Hull) – we had seen him for a few hours as he travelled down on his way to catch his plane. Sue and I travelled up to my Aunt and Uncle's on Christmas Eve after I finished work, and we started as we meant to carry on; toasting the festive season with a glass or two of champagne. We had a wonderful evening eating and drinking and managed a few, semi-coherent, words with my family in New Zealand when they rang.
On Christmas day we exchanged presents and later in the morning, after breakfast, we walked along the canal to the Grand Junction Arms where we relaxed with a couple of revivers before walking back. We were accompanied on our way back by a kingfisher that skimmed the surface of the canal from branch to overhanging branch.
Having kept of the sauce, so far, I drove us down to our mutual friends Brian and Julie’s where we were having our traditional dinner with them and their two young daughters. Brian is very creative in the kitchen and enjoys making the most mouth watering meals. This year he had arranged for his butcher to stuff a boned turkey with a ham covered in stuffing.
Many hours of eating and drinking later, we staggered into the freezing winter’s night and weaved and giggled our way home.
Not having the endurance to continue at that pace (and knowing we had much more of the same to come), Sue and I left on Boxing Day to return home where we had ham, egg and chips with Sue’s mum at her place (glory be - a favourite meal of mine).
Ah yes! Loosen the belt… here we go again…
On Christmas day we exchanged presents and later in the morning, after breakfast, we walked along the canal to the Grand Junction Arms where we relaxed with a couple of revivers before walking back. We were accompanied on our way back by a kingfisher that skimmed the surface of the canal from branch to overhanging branch.
Having kept of the sauce, so far, I drove us down to our mutual friends Brian and Julie’s where we were having our traditional dinner with them and their two young daughters. Brian is very creative in the kitchen and enjoys making the most mouth watering meals. This year he had arranged for his butcher to stuff a boned turkey with a ham covered in stuffing.
Many hours of eating and drinking later, we staggered into the freezing winter’s night and weaved and giggled our way home.
Not having the endurance to continue at that pace (and knowing we had much more of the same to come), Sue and I left on Boxing Day to return home where we had ham, egg and chips with Sue’s mum at her place (glory be - a favourite meal of mine).
Ah yes! Loosen the belt… here we go again…
Tin and Aluminium…
Apparently the 10th wedding anniversary is either tin or aluminium and for us it was on the 23rd of December. I was at work that day so we had arranged to spend the evening at a posh hotel is East Sussex.
Sue came with me in the morning and spent the day in Crawley battling with the last minute Christmas shoppers until she could face it no more and took shelter in a coffee shop. I managed to get away from work at three as I had worked late the day before and my boss couldn’t refuse once he knew of our arrangements. So I picked Sue up from town and we drove off into the countryside to the wonderful Alexander House Hotel.
Set in its own private gardens this secluded hotel was once a grand estate with family connections to Bysshe and Shelly. Later additions were made by William Campbell, a Governor of the Bank of England. The place is currently undergoing further extensions to include Spa facilities.
While we were checking we were asked if we were there for the Christmas Party and we told them that we were there for our 10th wedding anniversary. The man at the desk asked if we had requested this particular room specially and when we said we hadn’t (we just asked for a standard room), he pick up another key and escorted through the lovely Georgian hall and up the grand stairs to a door that he opened, and said with a smile “I hope you like this room. If you have a problem with it I am sure we can change it for you…” We looked into the master bedroom with its canopied bed and managed to squeak “Oh! It’s fine, thank you” We had been upgraded to a Luxury Feature Suite which consisted of a fabulous bedroom, a drawing room, a large bathroom with a claw-footed free-standing bath and a dressing room with chaise lounge and his and hers sinks. As we collected our bags from the car our bottle of chilled champagne followed. We had a wonderful few hours relaxing in the luxury and slowly preparing for the evening meal.
When we came down we found the bar full of the Christmas Party guests so we were shown to a sumptuous leather suite in front of a log fire where our drinks were brought to us along with canapés of quails eggs topped with caviar and slivers of duck breast on hand made biscuits (this is the way to live). We listened to the birds singing in the large Victorian birdcage while we chose our meal and wine and then we were escorted through to the dinning room. We were given another little entrée, this time a slice of beef Wellington in gravy, before our food was served. Sue had Ravioli of Lobster and Crab, Celeriac Puree and Armagnac Sauce to start, followed by Roasted Wild Sea Bass and Hand Dived Scallop, Pomme Fondant, Asian Greens and Artichoke Sauce, and finished with Selection of Home County and Continental Cheeses, with Chutney. I had Warm Goats Cheese, Mediterranean Vegetable Fondue and Wild Rocket and Pistachio Pesto to start, followed by medallions of monkfish and finished with raspberry cheesecake. We had our coffees and petit-fours in the library.
The next day I dropped Sue off at the train station so that she could go home as I had to back into work for a few hours. That evening we packed up our pressies and headed of to Joyce and Terry’s for the start of our Christmas.
Sue came with me in the morning and spent the day in Crawley battling with the last minute Christmas shoppers until she could face it no more and took shelter in a coffee shop. I managed to get away from work at three as I had worked late the day before and my boss couldn’t refuse once he knew of our arrangements. So I picked Sue up from town and we drove off into the countryside to the wonderful Alexander House Hotel.
Set in its own private gardens this secluded hotel was once a grand estate with family connections to Bysshe and Shelly. Later additions were made by William Campbell, a Governor of the Bank of England. The place is currently undergoing further extensions to include Spa facilities.
While we were checking we were asked if we were there for the Christmas Party and we told them that we were there for our 10th wedding anniversary. The man at the desk asked if we had requested this particular room specially and when we said we hadn’t (we just asked for a standard room), he pick up another key and escorted through the lovely Georgian hall and up the grand stairs to a door that he opened, and said with a smile “I hope you like this room. If you have a problem with it I am sure we can change it for you…” We looked into the master bedroom with its canopied bed and managed to squeak “Oh! It’s fine, thank you” We had been upgraded to a Luxury Feature Suite which consisted of a fabulous bedroom, a drawing room, a large bathroom with a claw-footed free-standing bath and a dressing room with chaise lounge and his and hers sinks. As we collected our bags from the car our bottle of chilled champagne followed. We had a wonderful few hours relaxing in the luxury and slowly preparing for the evening meal.
When we came down we found the bar full of the Christmas Party guests so we were shown to a sumptuous leather suite in front of a log fire where our drinks were brought to us along with canapés of quails eggs topped with caviar and slivers of duck breast on hand made biscuits (this is the way to live). We listened to the birds singing in the large Victorian birdcage while we chose our meal and wine and then we were escorted through to the dinning room. We were given another little entrée, this time a slice of beef Wellington in gravy, before our food was served. Sue had Ravioli of Lobster and Crab, Celeriac Puree and Armagnac Sauce to start, followed by Roasted Wild Sea Bass and Hand Dived Scallop, Pomme Fondant, Asian Greens and Artichoke Sauce, and finished with Selection of Home County and Continental Cheeses, with Chutney. I had Warm Goats Cheese, Mediterranean Vegetable Fondue and Wild Rocket and Pistachio Pesto to start, followed by medallions of monkfish and finished with raspberry cheesecake. We had our coffees and petit-fours in the library.
The next day I dropped Sue off at the train station so that she could go home as I had to back into work for a few hours. That evening we packed up our pressies and headed of to Joyce and Terry’s for the start of our Christmas.
Tuesday, December 21, 2004
Middle of winter…
It is the Winter Solstice today, which means it will probably start getting dark not long after lunchtime.
On the other hand it does mean it's downhill towards summer from now on.
On the other hand it does mean it's downhill towards summer from now on.
The best way to see a film…
Last night we went to see the Polar Express at the IMAX theatre at Waterloo.
The overwhelming consensus of our party (Chris, Carole and their three girls and Sue and me) was that this was the best way to see this film.
The Polar Express 3D has been designed just for this type of experience and it feels as if you are in some sort of theme park ride.
The only down side was having to wear uncomfortable 3D glasses (over my normal pair). This made the whole audience look like they were part of some bizarre Timmy Mallet convention.
The movie is supposed to be very good as it is, but if you have a choice go for 3D.
The overwhelming consensus of our party (Chris, Carole and their three girls and Sue and me) was that this was the best way to see this film.
The Polar Express 3D has been designed just for this type of experience and it feels as if you are in some sort of theme park ride.
The only down side was having to wear uncomfortable 3D glasses (over my normal pair). This made the whole audience look like they were part of some bizarre Timmy Mallet convention.
The movie is supposed to be very good as it is, but if you have a choice go for 3D.
Thursday, December 16, 2004
A busy time of year…
It is becoming like a military operation organising our selves at this time of year. We have almost every day planned - visiting family and friends, Christmas shopping, decorating Jamie's room, taking the cat to the vets…
We saw Jamie for a few hours last night and again this morning as he passed by on his way to Spain for Christmas. He has just finished his first lot of exams, which he was positive about (he is still finding Maths a challenge). We are in the process of fixing his room up and have just finished painting (just some touching up to do) and hanging new curtains. We still have the carpet fitters coming in the beginning of next year. Then we can move some more furniture in.
I find shopping a struggle at the best of times and I do not like large crowds, so at Christmas it can become even worse. There is so much 'junk' out there that it is difficult to find anything special in amongst it all.
We saw Jamie for a few hours last night and again this morning as he passed by on his way to Spain for Christmas. He has just finished his first lot of exams, which he was positive about (he is still finding Maths a challenge). We are in the process of fixing his room up and have just finished painting (just some touching up to do) and hanging new curtains. We still have the carpet fitters coming in the beginning of next year. Then we can move some more furniture in.
I find shopping a struggle at the best of times and I do not like large crowds, so at Christmas it can become even worse. There is so much 'junk' out there that it is difficult to find anything special in amongst it all.
Monday, December 13, 2004
Soon be Christmas...
On Friday we visited Dean and Michelle for dinner with Marc and Heather. We had a lovely meal of roast lamb and veggies with gravy and mint sauce, followed with by a choice (both is a choice!) of puddings with brandy butter and custard. It was all washed down by a couple of fine wines and helped along with some sparkling conversation (after a few wines it all seems sparkling). It was late when we left and we only just made the last train out of London (which was full to the gunwales with merry office workers and tired shoppers). Still it was fun.
Saturday and Sunday we spent most of our time redecorating Jamie's old room. A builder friend patched up the walls earlier in the week. Sue painted the woodwork while I went to the allotment for veggies for our Sunday dinner. Due to my natural height advantage (?) I painted the ceiling down to the picture rail.
On Sunday I put up the lining paper while Sue cleaned the rest of the house and put up the Christmas decorations. The walls will be painted during the week and then we can arrange for the carpet to be fitted (probably in the New Year). Later on our neighbours, Deb (of the broken leg), Dave and young Tom all came over for drinks and nibbles. Tom has way too much energy for his own good, but being cute he gets away with almost everything.
We are almost ready for Christmas, having bought most of the pressies, wrapped and posted some, written and posted most of our cards, and have almost filled our calendar with social events.
Saturday and Sunday we spent most of our time redecorating Jamie's old room. A builder friend patched up the walls earlier in the week. Sue painted the woodwork while I went to the allotment for veggies for our Sunday dinner. Due to my natural height advantage (?) I painted the ceiling down to the picture rail.
On Sunday I put up the lining paper while Sue cleaned the rest of the house and put up the Christmas decorations. The walls will be painted during the week and then we can arrange for the carpet to be fitted (probably in the New Year). Later on our neighbours, Deb (of the broken leg), Dave and young Tom all came over for drinks and nibbles. Tom has way too much energy for his own good, but being cute he gets away with almost everything.
We are almost ready for Christmas, having bought most of the pressies, wrapped and posted some, written and posted most of our cards, and have almost filled our calendar with social events.
Wednesday, December 08, 2004
Tuesday, December 07, 2004
More of wot I have read…
Kiwis Might Fly: Around New Zealand On Two Big Wheels, by Polly Evans
This is not a great book, but it is mildly diverting, which was the reason I bought it when I saw it in the airport recently. Something light to read on a subject I know something about. Nothing new in this book for Kiwi's and no great insights for non-Kiwi's either.
'When Polly Evans read a survey claiming that the last bastion of masculinity, the real Kiwi bloke, was about to breathe his last, she was seized by a sense of foreboding. Abandoning the London winter she took off on a motorbike for the windswept beaches and golden plains of New Zealand, hoping to root out some examples of this endangered species for posterity. But her challenges didn’t stop at the men.
Just weeks after passing her bike test, Polly rode from Auckland’s glitzy Viaduct Basin to the vineyards of Hawkes Bay and on to the Southern Alps. She found wild kiwis in the dead of night, kayaked among dolphins at dawn, and spent an evening on a remote hillside with a sheep-shearing gang. As she travelled, Polly reflected on the Maori warriors who carved their enemies’ bones into cutlery, the pioneer family who lived in a tree, and the flamboyant gold miners who lit their pipes with five-pound notes, and wondered how their descendents could have become pathologically obsessed with helpfulness and Coronation Street.
The author of the highly acclaimed It’s Not About the Tapas reaches some unexpected conclusions about the new New Zealand man – and finds that evolution has taken an unlikely twist.'
I know Terry Pratchett is one of those authors that can inspire total fanatic support or hatred, but I just like his books. I like the style of writing, his humour and sensitivities. They are a rollicking good read and the Monstrous Regiment is no exception.
'War has come to Discworld…again.
And, to no one's great surprise, the conflict centres around the small, insufferably arrogant, strictly fundamentalist duchy of Borogravia, which has long prided itself on its ability to beat up on its neighbours. This time, however, it's Borogravia that's getting its long-overdue comeuppance, which has left the country severely drained of young men.
Ever since her brother Paul marched off to battle a year ago, Polly Perks has been running The Duchess, her family's inn -- even though the revered national deity, Nuggan, has decreed that female ownership of a business is an Abomination. To keep The Duchess in the family, Polly must find her missing sibling. So she cuts off her hair, dons masculine garb, and sets out to join him in this man's army.
Polly is afraid that someone will see through her disguise; a fear that proves groundless when the legendary Sergeant Jackrum accepts her without question. Or perhaps the sergeant is too desperate to discriminate -- which would explain why a vampire, a troll, a zombie, a religious fanatic, and two uncommonly close "friends" are also eagerly welcomed into the fighting fold. Soon, Polly finds herself wondering about the myriad peculiarities of her new brothers-in-arms. It would appear that Polly "Ozzer" Perks is not the only grunt with a secret.'
This is not a great book, but it is mildly diverting, which was the reason I bought it when I saw it in the airport recently. Something light to read on a subject I know something about. Nothing new in this book for Kiwi's and no great insights for non-Kiwi's either.
'When Polly Evans read a survey claiming that the last bastion of masculinity, the real Kiwi bloke, was about to breathe his last, she was seized by a sense of foreboding. Abandoning the London winter she took off on a motorbike for the windswept beaches and golden plains of New Zealand, hoping to root out some examples of this endangered species for posterity. But her challenges didn’t stop at the men.
Just weeks after passing her bike test, Polly rode from Auckland’s glitzy Viaduct Basin to the vineyards of Hawkes Bay and on to the Southern Alps. She found wild kiwis in the dead of night, kayaked among dolphins at dawn, and spent an evening on a remote hillside with a sheep-shearing gang. As she travelled, Polly reflected on the Maori warriors who carved their enemies’ bones into cutlery, the pioneer family who lived in a tree, and the flamboyant gold miners who lit their pipes with five-pound notes, and wondered how their descendents could have become pathologically obsessed with helpfulness and Coronation Street.
The author of the highly acclaimed It’s Not About the Tapas reaches some unexpected conclusions about the new New Zealand man – and finds that evolution has taken an unlikely twist.'
Monstrous Regiment, by Terry Pratchett
I know Terry Pratchett is one of those authors that can inspire total fanatic support or hatred, but I just like his books. I like the style of writing, his humour and sensitivities. They are a rollicking good read and the Monstrous Regiment is no exception.
'War has come to Discworld…again.
And, to no one's great surprise, the conflict centres around the small, insufferably arrogant, strictly fundamentalist duchy of Borogravia, which has long prided itself on its ability to beat up on its neighbours. This time, however, it's Borogravia that's getting its long-overdue comeuppance, which has left the country severely drained of young men.
Ever since her brother Paul marched off to battle a year ago, Polly Perks has been running The Duchess, her family's inn -- even though the revered national deity, Nuggan, has decreed that female ownership of a business is an Abomination. To keep The Duchess in the family, Polly must find her missing sibling. So she cuts off her hair, dons masculine garb, and sets out to join him in this man's army.
Polly is afraid that someone will see through her disguise; a fear that proves groundless when the legendary Sergeant Jackrum accepts her without question. Or perhaps the sergeant is too desperate to discriminate -- which would explain why a vampire, a troll, a zombie, a religious fanatic, and two uncommonly close "friends" are also eagerly welcomed into the fighting fold. Soon, Polly finds herself wondering about the myriad peculiarities of her new brothers-in-arms. It would appear that Polly "Ozzer" Perks is not the only grunt with a secret.'
Birthday treats…
On the Sunday we returned into London this time to meet Joyce and Terry at the Victoria & Albert
It was Joyce's birthday, so we had a bit of culture (not too much - you can overdo those sort of things) and then we went and found a nice Italian restaurant near South Kensington where we could indulge our mutual passion for food and wine. We did revisit the museum later for a while to walk off some of the excesses before bidding each other farewell arranging to meet again at Christmas for more overindulgence.
It was Joyce's birthday, so we had a bit of culture (not too much - you can overdo those sort of things) and then we went and found a nice Italian restaurant near South Kensington where we could indulge our mutual passion for food and wine. We did revisit the museum later for a while to walk off some of the excesses before bidding each other farewell arranging to meet again at Christmas for more overindulgence.
Gig guide…
On Monday evening Sue and I went out to a 'gig' in North London. We went to see the Willard Grant Conspiracy play at the Garage in Highbury. The concert was opened by Rachel Goswell who is new to me but definitely has a lovely voice. I bought her CD at the gig, her first solo album since leaving the Mojave 3.
WGC came on later and played some old and new songs from their extensive back catalogue. Unfortunately they had too much amplification (you could feel your chest vibrate with the base). It really didn't suit their style of music. The venue also was too smoky, noisy and uncomfortable for us so this along with Sue's jet lag made us decide to leave before the end. We are just getting too old for going out on a 'school night'...
On Saturday we went out to a very different concert, this time at the Barbican. Before hand we went to Warterloo and the IMAX theatre to buy tickets for the new 3D film Polar Express. We are going to go with Chris, Carol and their three girls. It is supposed to be absolutely magical, even better in 3D.
After buying the tickets we wandered along the south bank of the Thames past the Millennium Wheel and to the Marriott for a glass of wine whilst sitting and watching Big Ben. Everything about London in winter at night is bright and sparkly and very picturesque.
Before the concert we went looking for a different place to eat, and we found it in a tiny vegetarian-Mediterranean restaurant towards Old Street. I think I am surprising myself, as it wasn't bad.
We went to see one of our favourite bands, Lambchop, play accompaniment to a silent movie, Sunrise - A Song of two Humans. The band came on and sat facing the screen in front of the audience. They had an eight-piece band, which is a small part of the overall loose collective that they can draw upon. The film was absolutely wonderful, both modern and archaic at the same time. Stunningly filmed in a stylish and uncomplicated way that shows how the skill of the director Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau overcame the limitations of the technology in 1927.
The music of Lambchop initially seemed out of place with and old film, but soon you realised that it actually complemented the way the film was not about a particular place or time, but about the people involved. Much of the music written for this film became the basis for their double album AWCMONNOYOUCMON.
This was more our kind of scene...
WGC came on later and played some old and new songs from their extensive back catalogue. Unfortunately they had too much amplification (you could feel your chest vibrate with the base). It really didn't suit their style of music. The venue also was too smoky, noisy and uncomfortable for us so this along with Sue's jet lag made us decide to leave before the end. We are just getting too old for going out on a 'school night'...
On Saturday we went out to a very different concert, this time at the Barbican. Before hand we went to Warterloo and the IMAX theatre to buy tickets for the new 3D film Polar Express. We are going to go with Chris, Carol and their three girls. It is supposed to be absolutely magical, even better in 3D.
After buying the tickets we wandered along the south bank of the Thames past the Millennium Wheel and to the Marriott for a glass of wine whilst sitting and watching Big Ben. Everything about London in winter at night is bright and sparkly and very picturesque.
Before the concert we went looking for a different place to eat, and we found it in a tiny vegetarian-Mediterranean restaurant towards Old Street. I think I am surprising myself, as it wasn't bad.
We went to see one of our favourite bands, Lambchop, play accompaniment to a silent movie, Sunrise - A Song of two Humans. The band came on and sat facing the screen in front of the audience. They had an eight-piece band, which is a small part of the overall loose collective that they can draw upon. The film was absolutely wonderful, both modern and archaic at the same time. Stunningly filmed in a stylish and uncomplicated way that shows how the skill of the director Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau overcame the limitations of the technology in 1927.
The music of Lambchop initially seemed out of place with and old film, but soon you realised that it actually complemented the way the film was not about a particular place or time, but about the people involved. Much of the music written for this film became the basis for their double album AWCMONNOYOUCMON.
This was more our kind of scene...
A short break in New York…
Someone ought to have warned the Americans. Sue and five other girls went to New York for a Lilo's hen weekend. Sue shouted her sister Deb as a birthday present, and along with our godson's mum (another) Deb and a couple of Lilo's nursing friends they all headed off on Thursday.
Sleep was the last thing on their minds as they flew across the Atlantic and into JFK as they took advantage of the liquid refreshments. Sue did take on the role of group 'mum' to try and mitigate some of the possible excesses that may have ensued. When they did get to their hotel they found that the Quality Hotel was anything but. The offensive smell and damp and mouldy patches were totally unacceptable, so Sue rounded the girls up and got them re-housed in the Edison Hotel (a wonderful art-deco hotel right on Times Square).
The girls had a good time shopping as the current exchange rate is greatly in our favour and they enjoyed the nearby Christmas Market at Bryant Park. They enjoyed eating at the Oyster Bar in Grand Central Station and to a posh place called 8½ which was located between 6th & 7th Ave and had the number 9 outside (recommended by a passing local), the food was delightful. A few drinks were had in the Piano Bar at the Hotel (they were the last ones to leave the hotel bar at four in the morning).
The Staten Island ferry is highly recommended as a free alternative way to see the views from the harbour.
The queues for the Empire State were too long on the Saturday, so they decided to go ice skating under the Christmas tree at the Rockefeller Center
After an hour in the line they managed to get on the ice hour 10 or 15 minutes before Sue's friend Deb fell badly and broke her leg. She was very brave and didn't complain as they waited for the paramedics to arrive. A short journey to the hospital and long wait later Sue told the other girls to go back to the hotel so that they would be fit enough to do some more sightseeing on Sunday. It took a long time for Deb to be fixed up and sent back to the hotel where Sue stayed with her.
While the other girls went up the Empire State on Sunday Sue stayed and acted as nurse getting things ready for their flight home. The airline upgraded both Deb and Sue to the flight beds which they both made the most of catching up on some their lost sleep.
They arrived back in the UK on the Monday morning.
Sleep was the last thing on their minds as they flew across the Atlantic and into JFK as they took advantage of the liquid refreshments. Sue did take on the role of group 'mum' to try and mitigate some of the possible excesses that may have ensued. When they did get to their hotel they found that the Quality Hotel was anything but. The offensive smell and damp and mouldy patches were totally unacceptable, so Sue rounded the girls up and got them re-housed in the Edison Hotel (a wonderful art-deco hotel right on Times Square).
The girls had a good time shopping as the current exchange rate is greatly in our favour and they enjoyed the nearby Christmas Market at Bryant Park. They enjoyed eating at the Oyster Bar in Grand Central Station and to a posh place called 8½ which was located between 6th & 7th Ave and had the number 9 outside (recommended by a passing local), the food was delightful. A few drinks were had in the Piano Bar at the Hotel (they were the last ones to leave the hotel bar at four in the morning).
The Staten Island ferry is highly recommended as a free alternative way to see the views from the harbour.
The queues for the Empire State were too long on the Saturday, so they decided to go ice skating under the Christmas tree at the Rockefeller Center
After an hour in the line they managed to get on the ice hour 10 or 15 minutes before Sue's friend Deb fell badly and broke her leg. She was very brave and didn't complain as they waited for the paramedics to arrive. A short journey to the hospital and long wait later Sue told the other girls to go back to the hotel so that they would be fit enough to do some more sightseeing on Sunday. It took a long time for Deb to be fixed up and sent back to the hotel where Sue stayed with her.
While the other girls went up the Empire State on Sunday Sue stayed and acted as nurse getting things ready for their flight home. The airline upgraded both Deb and Sue to the flight beds which they both made the most of catching up on some their lost sleep.
They arrived back in the UK on the Monday morning.
Sunday, November 21, 2004
Waiting on…
I didn’t think that I would have to working as a waiter this late in my career, but then again it was all for a good cause.
Good friends of ours were having a combined birthday party for two of their three young girls (Mum Carole, eldest and middle daughters Paige and Sophie all have their birthdays within a few days of each other). This year one of the girls presents was a trip in a limousine and a fully catered (Carole and Sue in the kitchen, Chris and me front of house) meal for friends.
Nine pre-teen girls were chaperoned by Chris in a stretch limo tour of the local (not very well chaperoned as they were pulled over by the police after a couple of girls leaned out of the windows (all adding to the excitement of the trip).
The girls were all dressed to the nines as were Chris and I in our bow ties and waiter outfits. They were treated like ladies with a (non-alcoholic) cocktail reception, before being announced into the dinning room for a full three course dinner (in French – mostly). They all played along wonderfully and had an enjoyable meal.
When dinner was over the fun continued with roulette, a playstation dance-mat game and karaoke in the back room. I made a discreet exit at this stage and went into the front room to watch TV.
Good friends of ours were having a combined birthday party for two of their three young girls (Mum Carole, eldest and middle daughters Paige and Sophie all have their birthdays within a few days of each other). This year one of the girls presents was a trip in a limousine and a fully catered (Carole and Sue in the kitchen, Chris and me front of house) meal for friends.
Nine pre-teen girls were chaperoned by Chris in a stretch limo tour of the local (not very well chaperoned as they were pulled over by the police after a couple of girls leaned out of the windows (all adding to the excitement of the trip).
The girls were all dressed to the nines as were Chris and I in our bow ties and waiter outfits. They were treated like ladies with a (non-alcoholic) cocktail reception, before being announced into the dinning room for a full three course dinner (in French – mostly). They all played along wonderfully and had an enjoyable meal.
When dinner was over the fun continued with roulette, a playstation dance-mat game and karaoke in the back room. I made a discreet exit at this stage and went into the front room to watch TV.
Out on a school night…
We were out at another musical event this week.
On Tuesday we went to see Ray Lamontagne play at Bush Hall. The venue is small and intimate, just how we like them (I get a bit claustrophobic in a large venue, and I think you miss something in the performance). It has a faded grandeur and has plenty of character. Luckily we were there early as only the first few managed to get a seat at the tables. The rest of the audience either sat on the floor at the front or stood near the bar at the rear.
The opening at was Rachael Yamagata and her all girl band. The difference amplification can make to acoustic instruments is amazing, they totally rocked the place. Her very passionate lyrics, mostly about relationship troubles, were very moving.
Ray Lamontagne is another unlikely star; bearded and quietly spoken it is hard to believe that he can produce such heartrending and powerful songs. He was occasionally accompanied by the best double bassist ever. They totally had the place rocking to there bluesy, country rock.
It was great fun apart from the necessary hours of public travelling to get there and back. Oh and it was so hard to get up in the morning.
On Tuesday we went to see Ray Lamontagne play at Bush Hall. The venue is small and intimate, just how we like them (I get a bit claustrophobic in a large venue, and I think you miss something in the performance). It has a faded grandeur and has plenty of character. Luckily we were there early as only the first few managed to get a seat at the tables. The rest of the audience either sat on the floor at the front or stood near the bar at the rear.
The opening at was Rachael Yamagata and her all girl band. The difference amplification can make to acoustic instruments is amazing, they totally rocked the place. Her very passionate lyrics, mostly about relationship troubles, were very moving.
Ray Lamontagne is another unlikely star; bearded and quietly spoken it is hard to believe that he can produce such heartrending and powerful songs. He was occasionally accompanied by the best double bassist ever. They totally had the place rocking to there bluesy, country rock.
It was great fun apart from the necessary hours of public travelling to get there and back. Oh and it was so hard to get up in the morning.
Monday, November 15, 2004
The silly season starts…
We have been out and about again and it sometimes feels like we are getting too old for it.
We went out to a concert recently at a fantastic venue. Although the concert was through the Barbican it was actually held at the LSO’s St Lukes
Before the ‘gig’ we stopped in at the Museum of London. Often overlooked this smaller museum, like its name suggests, is London-centric and has an amazing collection of artefacts all held in a lovely space, small enough to wander around in a few hours.
We then had a bite to eat at the Barbican's classy little Bistro before heading off to the venue.
We went to see a couple of artists that feature in my new collection; Iron & Wine (Sam Beam on guitar and lead vocals, his sister on tambourine and backing vocals, and his friend Patrick on banjo and guitar). Supporting them was Micha P Hinson singing and playing the guitar with a friend on the accordion.
The venue is great, open and airy but still intimate with contrasting architecture of the old church and modern seating arrangement. Both of the acts were fantastic, pared down to their basic elements they nevertheless managed to convey so much passion that comes from their mutual strength of good writing.
Also this week we caught up with quite a few of the Kiwi contingent as Gary and Mary and the kids breezed through town. We had dinner and a chat on Monday night and got the lowdown on Mary’s exciting kids clothing venture with the re-branding of her new shop Mesamis. Later in the week we met them again, this time in town with Dean and Michelle, Derek and Kate, and Marc and Heather. It was Heather’s birthday and so we were not short of an excuse to have a drink or two.
Sue, unfortunately, came down with a cold which has worn her out. So while she prepared a warming soup I did a little bit of work on the allotment to get it ready for the frosts to come. We harvested our bumper crop of chillies that, now we have brought into the warmth of the kitchen, are all turning a fiery red.
We went out to a concert recently at a fantastic venue. Although the concert was through the Barbican it was actually held at the LSO’s St Lukes
Before the ‘gig’ we stopped in at the Museum of London. Often overlooked this smaller museum, like its name suggests, is London-centric and has an amazing collection of artefacts all held in a lovely space, small enough to wander around in a few hours.
We then had a bite to eat at the Barbican's classy little Bistro before heading off to the venue.
We went to see a couple of artists that feature in my new collection; Iron & Wine (Sam Beam on guitar and lead vocals, his sister on tambourine and backing vocals, and his friend Patrick on banjo and guitar). Supporting them was Micha P Hinson singing and playing the guitar with a friend on the accordion.
The venue is great, open and airy but still intimate with contrasting architecture of the old church and modern seating arrangement. Both of the acts were fantastic, pared down to their basic elements they nevertheless managed to convey so much passion that comes from their mutual strength of good writing.
Also this week we caught up with quite a few of the Kiwi contingent as Gary and Mary and the kids breezed through town. We had dinner and a chat on Monday night and got the lowdown on Mary’s exciting kids clothing venture with the re-branding of her new shop Mesamis. Later in the week we met them again, this time in town with Dean and Michelle, Derek and Kate, and Marc and Heather. It was Heather’s birthday and so we were not short of an excuse to have a drink or two.
Sue, unfortunately, came down with a cold which has worn her out. So while she prepared a warming soup I did a little bit of work on the allotment to get it ready for the frosts to come. We harvested our bumper crop of chillies that, now we have brought into the warmth of the kitchen, are all turning a fiery red.
More of wot I have read…
Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha, by Roddy Doyle
I had finished this book some time ago now, but I have been unable to write about it. It is a very difficult book for several reasons. The cultural references and language are hard to follow as Roddy Doyle writes in a particular late 60’s Irish vernacular. But, for me, the most difficult thing was that I found the main characters very troubling, almost alien. They are not necessarily evil, but they do exhibit the worst elements of children; bullies and cowards. If you like a challenging read go ahead, but I caution you there are parts of this book that are very haunting and desperately upsetting.
‘It is 1968. Patrick Clarke is ten. He loves George Best, Geronimo and the smell of his hot water bottle. He hates zoos, kissing and the boys from the Corporation houses. He can’t stand his little brother. He wants to be a missionary like Father Damien. He coerces the McCarthy twins and Willy Hancock into playing lepers. He never picks the scabs off his knees before they’re ready.
Kevin is his best friend. Their names are all over Barrytown, written with sticks in wet cement. They play football, knick-knack, jumping to the bottom of the sea. Shoplifting. Robbing ‘Football Monthly’ means four million years purgatory. But a good confession before you died and you’d go straight to heaven.
He wants to know why no one jumped in for him when Charles Leavy had been going to kill him. He wants to stop his da arguing with his ma. He’s confused: he sees everything but understands less and less…’
I had finished this book some time ago now, but I have been unable to write about it. It is a very difficult book for several reasons. The cultural references and language are hard to follow as Roddy Doyle writes in a particular late 60’s Irish vernacular. But, for me, the most difficult thing was that I found the main characters very troubling, almost alien. They are not necessarily evil, but they do exhibit the worst elements of children; bullies and cowards. If you like a challenging read go ahead, but I caution you there are parts of this book that are very haunting and desperately upsetting.
‘It is 1968. Patrick Clarke is ten. He loves George Best, Geronimo and the smell of his hot water bottle. He hates zoos, kissing and the boys from the Corporation houses. He can’t stand his little brother. He wants to be a missionary like Father Damien. He coerces the McCarthy twins and Willy Hancock into playing lepers. He never picks the scabs off his knees before they’re ready.
Kevin is his best friend. Their names are all over Barrytown, written with sticks in wet cement. They play football, knick-knack, jumping to the bottom of the sea. Shoplifting. Robbing ‘Football Monthly’ means four million years purgatory. But a good confession before you died and you’d go straight to heaven.
He wants to know why no one jumped in for him when Charles Leavy had been going to kill him. He wants to stop his da arguing with his ma. He’s confused: he sees everything but understands less and less…’
Sunday, November 07, 2004
New Music. From the sublime to the ridiculous…
I have been spending some money (umm… well… quite a lot actually), on new music. Again it is an eclectic mix, not to everybody’s taste, but I don’t think there is a dud amongst them.
New-Folk
Kings of Convenience – riot on an empty street,
This band is my new favourite. They are so laid back and chilled; it is hard not to listen to them without nodding off. The track ‘I’d rather dance with you’ is as fast paced as it gets – and even that won’t over stimulate. This album has beautifully crafted songs, simple music, and heartrending harmonies. It is absolutely sublime.
Willard Grant Conspiracy – regard the end,
With a slightly more ‘country’ feel this band are high up my scale of great music. Slightly rough around the edges but still beautiful.
Micah P. Hinson – and the gospel of progress,
New on the scene with his debut album it is a great offering that draws on his troubled past. Worth keeping an eye on.
Ray Lamontagne – trouble,
Another artist I hadn’t heard of before. I will be watching out for more from him too. Love the title track.
Country-ish
Jim White – drill a hole in the substrate and tell me what you see,
More ‘country’ than the others above. His songs initially appear to be a little less ‘serious’, but the message is still there, even if it is disguised in tracks like ‘if Jesus drove a motor home’.
Mex-Tex
Calexico – black heart,
Having fun in a foot-stomping sort of way. More of an EP than a full blown album this is a taster of the style and energy that is Calexico.
Folk-Indie
Elliot Smith – from a basement on the hill,
The posthumous release from Elliott Smith is a grower rather than the instant delight that was his XO album. A troubled artist that has inspired many others.
Earlimart – treble & tremble,
Definitely one artist inspired by Elliott Smith, so much so that this is basically a tribute album to the man.
Smog – knock knock,
Great stuff. I absolutely love the track ‘cold blooded old times’.
Rilo Kiley – more adventurous,
Beautiful and charming with a sense of humour and certain amount of edge. Jenny Lewis’s voice is sparky and haunting.
The Postal Service – give up,
Another great album. The band gets its name from the way the album was created. The members of the band would send partial completed tracks to each other.
Wilco – a ghost is born,
A big name in this genre and deservedly so. More mainstream than the others but still very much with thier own sound.
Electronica
Flunk – for sleepyheads only,
A contrast to the more paired down music of the new folk scene the electronica groups are full of rich and heavily processed sounds. Still on the mellow side but ever so slightly dancey.
Her Space Holiday – the young machines,
New to me, but that’s what I look for in my music. Good stuff here, well worth a try.
Neotropic – white rabbits,
Not so heavily processed. Somewhere between Indie and Electronica. Sweet sounding.
Sigur Ros – ( ),
Definitely towards the weirder end of the scale. This album has no title, track listing, bio notes, or anything that could be construed as information. Still I guess it’s all about the music, and that at least is complete and interesting.
Mainstream
The Zutons – who killed…,
Slightly ‘comic strip’ at first glance, but in deeper investigation it is full of great rousing pop tunes. Great party music.
Scissor Sisters,
Again, don’t be fooled be appearances. They may look like the modern day Village People, but they sure know how to write a good pop song.
Groove Armada – the best of,
Nothing new here, but if want the best of this band then here it is. Well polished and serene.
Blur – the best of,
All of you favourite tracks from the best Brit-Pop band of them all.
Paul Weller – studio 150,
The Godfather of soul interprets some old standards. An interesting selection of tracks done the way only Paul Weller can.
And now for something completely different…
William Shatner – has been,
Oh yes! You better believe it. If you haven’t heard this you are in for a treat. Mostly his own material (with the obvious exception of Pulp's – Common People) and with the help of big names like Joe Jackson, Henry Rollins, Ben Folds, Lemon Jelly and more this album is a revelation. Not to be taken seriously it can surprise you more than you would expect. The raging rant that is ‘I can’t get behind that’ is fab. A cult classic.
New-Folk
Kings of Convenience – riot on an empty street,
This band is my new favourite. They are so laid back and chilled; it is hard not to listen to them without nodding off. The track ‘I’d rather dance with you’ is as fast paced as it gets – and even that won’t over stimulate. This album has beautifully crafted songs, simple music, and heartrending harmonies. It is absolutely sublime.
Willard Grant Conspiracy – regard the end,
With a slightly more ‘country’ feel this band are high up my scale of great music. Slightly rough around the edges but still beautiful.
Micah P. Hinson – and the gospel of progress,
New on the scene with his debut album it is a great offering that draws on his troubled past. Worth keeping an eye on.
Ray Lamontagne – trouble,
Another artist I hadn’t heard of before. I will be watching out for more from him too. Love the title track.
Country-ish
Jim White – drill a hole in the substrate and tell me what you see,
More ‘country’ than the others above. His songs initially appear to be a little less ‘serious’, but the message is still there, even if it is disguised in tracks like ‘if Jesus drove a motor home’.
Mex-Tex
Calexico – black heart,
Having fun in a foot-stomping sort of way. More of an EP than a full blown album this is a taster of the style and energy that is Calexico.
Folk-Indie
Elliot Smith – from a basement on the hill,
The posthumous release from Elliott Smith is a grower rather than the instant delight that was his XO album. A troubled artist that has inspired many others.
Earlimart – treble & tremble,
Definitely one artist inspired by Elliott Smith, so much so that this is basically a tribute album to the man.
Smog – knock knock,
Great stuff. I absolutely love the track ‘cold blooded old times’.
Rilo Kiley – more adventurous,
Beautiful and charming with a sense of humour and certain amount of edge. Jenny Lewis’s voice is sparky and haunting.
The Postal Service – give up,
Another great album. The band gets its name from the way the album was created. The members of the band would send partial completed tracks to each other.
Wilco – a ghost is born,
A big name in this genre and deservedly so. More mainstream than the others but still very much with thier own sound.
Electronica
Flunk – for sleepyheads only,
A contrast to the more paired down music of the new folk scene the electronica groups are full of rich and heavily processed sounds. Still on the mellow side but ever so slightly dancey.
Her Space Holiday – the young machines,
New to me, but that’s what I look for in my music. Good stuff here, well worth a try.
Neotropic – white rabbits,
Not so heavily processed. Somewhere between Indie and Electronica. Sweet sounding.
Sigur Ros – ( ),
Definitely towards the weirder end of the scale. This album has no title, track listing, bio notes, or anything that could be construed as information. Still I guess it’s all about the music, and that at least is complete and interesting.
Mainstream
The Zutons – who killed…,
Slightly ‘comic strip’ at first glance, but in deeper investigation it is full of great rousing pop tunes. Great party music.
Scissor Sisters,
Again, don’t be fooled be appearances. They may look like the modern day Village People, but they sure know how to write a good pop song.
Groove Armada – the best of,
Nothing new here, but if want the best of this band then here it is. Well polished and serene.
Blur – the best of,
All of you favourite tracks from the best Brit-Pop band of them all.
Paul Weller – studio 150,
The Godfather of soul interprets some old standards. An interesting selection of tracks done the way only Paul Weller can.
And now for something completely different…
William Shatner – has been,
Oh yes! You better believe it. If you haven’t heard this you are in for a treat. Mostly his own material (with the obvious exception of Pulp's – Common People) and with the help of big names like Joe Jackson, Henry Rollins, Ben Folds, Lemon Jelly and more this album is a revelation. Not to be taken seriously it can surprise you more than you would expect. The raging rant that is ‘I can’t get behind that’ is fab. A cult classic.
Monday, November 01, 2004
Family weekend…
This weekend was spent at home. Saturday morning the Pete-the-plumber came around to change the shower so now we don't have to run a cold tap to ensure the shower runs hot.
We were concerned with a bad smell in the dinning room (not good when people are coming around for a meal). We thought it might be the old carpet so we took that out, but unfortunately it was worse than that. One of the cat's trophies was slowly decomposing under the cabinet (ugh! …shudder).
I spent a little time in the garden and allotment, planting garlic (the left over bulbs from our meagre crop - apparently garlic around roses helps keep the bugs away), tidying the green house, and preparing chicory for forcing-on. Sue came down later on and we picked some crops for dinner.
Sue, again, made a fantastic meal for us (my Aunt and Uncle and neighbours Deb and Dave). We had nibbles to start (pastry croutons with sun-dried tomatoes & cheese or Italian wild boar spread), then, when we got to the table, we had scallops in Parma ham on fresh herb salad to start. Andalucean pork (stuffed with dates and dried-apricots) with dishes of cabbage & lardons, roast potatoes, ruby chard, and celariac mash for the main meal. A choice of either (or both) puddings, apple & quince tarte tartin or a pinole (pine nut) cake. Of course there was also the cheese board. All liberally washed down with a choice selection of New Zealand (thanks Mum & Dad), Spanish, French and Italian wines.
On Sunday we had a lazy start and after breakfast (yes, we were still eating), we took Liam (my Aunt and Uncles dog) for a walk in the park. While we were there we noticed that there was an abundance of fungi everywhere. Normally Sue and I would ignore them, but Joyce and terry are more familiar with collecting food-for-free and identified some of the mushrooms as edible, so that was lunch sorted. Sue had some dried pasta that we brought back from Italy. While that was all cooking we did an olive oil taste test between oil we had also brought back and a bottle of my Mum & Dad's own Fylde Fields brand. The colour and taste were both very similar.
It was a very pleasant weekend.
We were concerned with a bad smell in the dinning room (not good when people are coming around for a meal). We thought it might be the old carpet so we took that out, but unfortunately it was worse than that. One of the cat's trophies was slowly decomposing under the cabinet (ugh! …shudder).
I spent a little time in the garden and allotment, planting garlic (the left over bulbs from our meagre crop - apparently garlic around roses helps keep the bugs away), tidying the green house, and preparing chicory for forcing-on. Sue came down later on and we picked some crops for dinner.
Sue, again, made a fantastic meal for us (my Aunt and Uncle and neighbours Deb and Dave). We had nibbles to start (pastry croutons with sun-dried tomatoes & cheese or Italian wild boar spread), then, when we got to the table, we had scallops in Parma ham on fresh herb salad to start. Andalucean pork (stuffed with dates and dried-apricots) with dishes of cabbage & lardons, roast potatoes, ruby chard, and celariac mash for the main meal. A choice of either (or both) puddings, apple & quince tarte tartin or a pinole (pine nut) cake. Of course there was also the cheese board. All liberally washed down with a choice selection of New Zealand (thanks Mum & Dad), Spanish, French and Italian wines.
On Sunday we had a lazy start and after breakfast (yes, we were still eating), we took Liam (my Aunt and Uncles dog) for a walk in the park. While we were there we noticed that there was an abundance of fungi everywhere. Normally Sue and I would ignore them, but Joyce and terry are more familiar with collecting food-for-free and identified some of the mushrooms as edible, so that was lunch sorted. Sue had some dried pasta that we brought back from Italy. While that was all cooking we did an olive oil taste test between oil we had also brought back and a bottle of my Mum & Dad's own Fylde Fields brand. The colour and taste were both very similar.
It was a very pleasant weekend.
Fall back…
The clocks went back an hour this Sunday so we had a lie-in.
Every year it happens, but still it doesn’t get any easier.
Sunset tonight is 4:30pm!
Every year it happens, but still it doesn’t get any easier.
Sunset tonight is 4:30pm!
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