Flying the flag on Australia Day

Flying the flag on Australia Day
Originally uploaded by eos1954.

Happy Australia Day for yesterday. A bit late I know. I found this gem on Flickr. Its not quite the same here with no day off. Mum rang to wish me a Happy Australia Day but she was only gloating because I had to get up for work (it was 7am.. yuck!)

All the Aussies I was friends with have buggared off back home it seems and Im the lone Aussie at work. *sings Im all alone... a la donkey from shrek.

I have to work so will try to post over the weekend. I have some freelance work and friends over for dinner on Sunday but other than that, Im going to do not much at all.

Tags: Australia Day, Flag, Aussie

Phil & I on the icy beach in Tallinn

Phil & I on the icy beach in Tallinn
Originally uploaded by yahnyinlondon.

Got back from Estonia yesterday, it was soooo super cold but the city is beautiful. I would thoroughly recommend it when its summer :) I haven't renamed my photos yet and I still have some I need to get printed out (film cameras are so old skool) but there you go. The hotel was pretty good too.. you can book through Hotelopia.. Excellent site if you need hotels. Will have to post more about what is good/not good later.

Good Service...
Just got my watch fixed for a fiver. Bargain. Its a place called "Give & Take" in Cobb St E1. The guy did it on the spot for me. I was chuffed.

Bad Service...
I sent my ipod to be fixed by Apple UK. After the status being on "diagnosing product" for 3 weeks I thought I would give them a call. According to the service support it had been "lost" but when I was put onto Customer Relations I was told that I should have received an email stating that there were problems other than the battery. When I asked what they were, they wouldn't tell me but it was going to be more than a cost of the ipod. I asked them to send it back.. I very much doubt I will get it back.

Tags: Tallinn, Estonia, Cold, Hotelopia, Ipod, Apple Sucks, Service

majestic_beast

majestic_beast
Originally uploaded by ideolocator.

There is a whale in the Thames. I want to go down and see the poor little mite but its dark now not to mention Im still at work.

Some reading for you...

The Whale Blog
BBC News

Tags: whale, Thames, london and Northern Bottle Nosed Whale

Grrrumpy Friday

Not had a good start to the day. I looked outside and it looked a little grey but by the time I had got outside, it was pissing down with rain. Usually the British weather is quite half-arsed when it comes to that sort of thing and its usually just a pathetic dribble but this was proper bo rain. With rain squalls. Having already committed myself to riding today (and not having the motivation to go back and change) I just soldiered on. I also had briefly stopped in the shop to pick up some Nurofen which I managed to drop out of my jacket pocket on the way so was not happy when I had discovered that on arrival.

Just on the hold to Apple because my iPod has still not come back after two weeks after I sent it off to get the battery replaced. The guy Im speaking to is really difficult to understand and Im starting to get quite frustrated. He put me on hold but Im expecting to be cut off any second. In fact, I just hung up.

If you have loads of money, how about spending US$38 a bottle on water called Bling H2O.. More ridiculously expensive waters here.

Tomorrow its off to Tallinn, Estonia and perhaps Helsinki, Finland on Monday for a day trip (not sure about that one though).. Im scared about flying!!! I have to remember what my acupuncturist said and focus on my breathing. Maybe I should just go to a hypnotherapist next.

Tags: Grumpy, Nurofen, Apple, Ipod Battery, Expensive Water, Tallinn, Estonia, Finland, Helsinki, Fear of Flying, Hypnotherapy

Crazy Belgian Mime Stuff

So last night Sharon and I went to see Compagnie Mossoux-Bonté or Twin Houses. According to the Mime Festival Website its

Stunning theatre of images, eerie, sinister and erotic. Twin Houses is a wordless monologue for one performer and five mannequin alter egos. But who is in control and who is manipulated? Ten years since its first LIMF performances at the Purcell Room, this spine tingling study of physical and spiritual possession, a seamless blend of movement and illusion driven by a haunting soundtrack, remains a visual theatre landmark."

Im not sure if I liked it or I didn't. Regardless, I have to give credit to the actress. A lot of time, when she had the puppets "attached" to her (like a Siamese twin) the movements really made you think it was actually two different people acting! However the set was quite stark and the costumes quite plain, I like bright colours and decorated sets and oooh look "shiny" type stuff. I felt like I needed to be European and "bourgeois".. LOL.

We had Wagamama for dinner. It was yummo! Except they tried to give us a £70 bill :S We were like ummm no, thats not ours. I actually had the Yaki Soba which there is a recipe of on their website. May test that one out at home, although without that weird "pickled ginger" gear. I hate that stuff.

Yoga tonight for the first time.. I think its going to be hilarious & painful.

Tags: Royal Festival Hall, Mime, Belgian, Compagnie Mossoux-Bont, Food, Wagamama, Recipe, Yoga

Tate, Bookcrossing and crap weather

So yesterday, Phil & I went to the Tate Britain to see Degas, Sickert & Toulouse-Lautrec. If it wasn't for the hordes of people I would have thoroughly enjoyed it but that is what you get when you go to an exhibition on the last weekend. *smacks head. I love seeing the paintings from that time because they really capture the life of the moment, even the portraits, rather than the stuffy type of work that comes before it. If you haven't got around to seeing it then well I think its too late :(

Also on my journey, I released two books into the wild!!! Its that Bookcrossing thingo where you leave books for people to find in public places. I left one at the end of Bow Rd tube, on the seat on the Westbound platform and another in a pub called the White Swan in Pimlico. Unfortunately no one has registered that they have found them. Im gutted. Im going to release some more tomorrow probably on my way to work.

Lastly, Im sooooo sick of it getting dark at around 4pm. I just want sunny weather again. I think I have that SAD thingo.. or IM at least a hypochondriac. Anyways Im going to get some work done and perhaps start some tea. I bought these 3 packs of Wall's sausages the other day (because they have 50% free) and they had these recipes on the back. One is sausage, leek and potato bake (or something like that) and Im going to cook that for dinner tonight. Mainly because the leeks are like the only vegie we have in the fridge atm because I didn't get vegies this week.

Tags: Tate, Art, Bookcrossing, Weather & Cooking

ps. Mel - can you send me the recipe for that soup? That was sooo excellent but I've forgotten what was in it exactly.

Scissorhands, Belgies & Goodbyes

Yesterday afternoon, we went and saw Edward Scissorhands At Sadlers Wells in Angel. It was fantastic. I was a bit nervous about the whole "it being a dance production" because originally I thought it was a theatre version of the movie. The sets were fantastic and despite it being dance, it told the story quite well. The costumes & sets definitely deserve a mention. Im a huge fan of Tim Burton's work in that regard and they really carried that over into the theatre well. I wont spoil the suprise at the end for those who havent seen it. Do go and check it out if you can. We bought £10 tix and ended up being moved into seats on Level 1 which were fantastic.

We headed in Covent Garden to meet Mel & Les, who had checked out The Producers. Not sure who is starring in the current incarnation but its still as good as ever according to them. We waited for them to arrive in this cool little balcony bar next to the pastry shop.. I think its called the Cove. I could imagine that being a great place to be come Summer.

It was time for some food - I was hesitant to pick a restaurant for what would be Mel & Les's last meal in London but had noticed that Chez Gerard's set menu looked rather nice. Since I didn't make a booking I thought we would try our luck, it was only Wednesday and quite early. However apparently they were "full" even though the restaurant was quite empty. Obviously for some reason or another we didn't quite meet their standard. Im quite chuffed now because I read the reviews and honestly they were awful!!! In the end we went to Belgo Centraal which we had been before. We were actually sat in the same table as before. The food wasn't too bad for around £25 each. I wish we had got their in time to do their "beat the clock" offer. (Pay the amount of the time you finish between 5:30 and 6:30). We were home by about 9pm. All in all was a lovely day.

Mel & Les headed off today back home. I hope they had a good trip... and encourage more visitors out this way! Anyways I have to get on my bike and head home because I have acupuncture tonight.

Tags: Dance, Sadlers Wells, Restaurants, Belgian Food & Friends

Broadway Market

Someone on HumHum posted a thread about the shenanigans going on in Broadway Market,Hackey. You can read about it here but basically they sold of property worth £225m to offshore developers for as little as £70m as well as not giving the occupiers the chance to purchase their own property at auction. You can support the people who are occupying one of these properties here.

Mel & Les are back staying with us again. They cooked us dinner last night which was most excellent (anything that involves me not having to cook myself dinner always is). Its a pain that the weather is so grey and miserable atm.

Its been quiet at work recently, waiting for briefs to come in etc. Ive been spending some time reading and researching. I've been reading the Diamond Geezer's blog a fair bit. He lives in Bow, near to me I assume, and takes the piss out of Bow Quarter. He certainly doesn't have a high opinion of anyone living there. Just to prove a point, I knew about the history of the place before I moved in and while it may be elitist, I enjoy feeling safe in my apartment if Phil isn't around and not having my place burgled twice in 3 months (as per my previous place)...

Ive also finally updated the side links as well...

Tags: Broadway Market, Diamond Geezer, Blogs & London

More Balls.. Brussels

More Balls
Originally uploaded by yahnyinlondon.

Every time we go to Belgium, I ask Phil to take me to the balls in Brussels. The first time they were all dull and closed, this time they were all shiny but still closed. Its actually meant to represent a Iron atom (its called the Atomium). It actually opens next month. It looks like it will be probably a little bit naff but I still cant wait to go.

Went to the Tate Modern this weekend to see the two exhibitions. Rousseau was amazing, I love the bright colours and the simplicity of his work. Jeff Wall was also on which I liked but as a general rule I find photography as a medium to have lost its "special-ness". Next weekend its the Tate Britain

Tags: Belgium, Atomium, Tate Modern & Henri Rousseau

New CD

I actually bought a new CD the other day..



I really bought it for Phil because the funky beats sounded like his thing but I liked it too. There's me bopping away whilst cleaning the apartment.. LOL. Speaking of, Im so tempted to get a cleaner. Its so tedious. The worst thing is I actually understand my Mother's pain. Anyways back to the CD - Its by Arsey Rob and its only like £9 with the funky illustrated cover.

Im sorting out all my Chrissy photos as we speak. Ive just uploaded the last of them and will sort them soon.

Tags: Music & Arsey Rob

Back at work

So Im back at work after Christmas & NYE. Supposedly it is the toughest day of the year.They are not wrong. Its gray and miserable, I have to do work (shock horror!) and its like mondayitis gone wrong. At least Im going to Estonia soon! woot!

So Belgium was most excellent, except for whole I don't speak Flemish thing and the fact I can only survive on the Belgian diet for about 3 or 4 days before I feel like I've eaten a brick and get all tired/cranky. My Flemish is coming along though so thats good at least but I dont think I will ever be able to get used to eating 10 slices of bread a day and hardly any green vegies. Phil & I drove to the Ardennes one day, it started snowing from like 10am and didn't stop all day. We saw the Belgian Grand Prix track, waterfalls at Coo, Bastogne and even drove over to Luxembourg. We got sidetracked by (well I) H&M.. its even cheaper than Belgium!! Phil also stopped for super-cheap ciggies. By that time it was dark and quite snowy on the roads so we headed back. We hung out with Phil's b-ball mates as usual - they're good value, I just wish my Flemish was better.. I feel so bad that they all have to speak English to me! We also had a nice dinner with Phil's Mum at a restaurant @ Waasminster. They do the best steaks in Belgie-land.

Anyways.. lunch is over :( Will post more soon.

Tags: Mondayitis, Belgium, Ardennes, Luxembourg, Food