Ja Sweden

Fresh from my Morocco announcement, I have now booked a sabbatical for myself in Sweden... Whilst Phil is off in France on his Pinkster weekend with his Belgie bball mates, I shall be taking in the most beautiful surroundings of Sweden.. w00t! I managed to find a return flight on Ryanair for the bargain price of £33!!! Another w00t! Its all thanks to Skyscanner which frankly is, for want of a better expression, the dogs bollocks. I kid you not. I was planning on not planning any more trips but when I saw flights to crazy Scandi countries for £30 I just couldn't help myself... I haven't travelled on my own forever, I think the last time was when I went to Australia last which was about 2 years ago. Plus, I have to use my holidays somehow, since Phil is making me a Tour de France widow for the second year running.

Well its Friday and its past 6pm and Im still at work. Something is very wrong. I better get outta here!

Tags: Morocco, Ryanair, Skyscanner, Stockholm, Sweden, Tour de France widow

Arggh busy

So my boss is off work atm and I have loads to do.. argghhh! Im still mourning my lost hour as I haven't got a decent nights sleep since the clock changed. Hopefully tonight as I took on some overtime for this weekend (and there goes the thought of having a relaxing weekend, actually going to the tate and going to Canteen for breakfast.)

My bike is up on the go, thanks to Phil & the lovely people at Evans Cycles in Spitalfields. My legs aren't so tired from pushing a rusty chain (rusty nail?!!!). Speaking of, I have to leave the office before it starts raining again... Im well over the crap weather.

Lastly, I purchased myself some tickets for the Foo Fighters in June. They just released some new tix for their Hyde Park gig. Hopefully the weather is good by then.

Time to get outta here!

Tags: Busy, Work, Weekend, Bike, Evans Cycles, Foo Fighters, Concert

I want my hour back

Via Australia!
Originally uploaded by yahnyinlondon.

So.. we are now only 7 hours behind Perth in London. Yesterday the clocks went forward for British Summer Time. However, its not really Summer, just more miserable dreary weather.

Ladies and gentleman, lets compare and contrast... Perth with London.. now if I hear any of you Perth-ites whinge about the weather, I will personally fly over there and slap you.. feel free to pay for the flight too ;)

Just to make you all jealous, Phil & I booked our flights to Marrakech, Morocco.. We found our flights through Sky Scanner for the bargain price of around £70 return, flying EasyJet there and Atlas Blue back. Haven't got a hotel booked or a Guidebook but its on the list of things to do!

Well work calls.. have a lovely Monday(itis)

Tags: British Summer Time, Weather, Morocco, Marrakesh

Lazy weekend

Piazza Della Chiesa Nuova
Originally uploaded by yahnyinlondon.

I took this photo in Rome. Its one of my favourites but no one has seen it yet. Just chilling at home. I had plans to go to the Tate and get my bike fixed but I havent done anything but sit on the couch and watch 24 all day. Went a little bit too hard at the Wine & Cheese night and then after when we kicked on to Retna's. Feeling very fragile today and a bit OMG what did I do/say last night. Im just so over drinking and hangovers.. I think I prefer to spend my weekends sober and doing stuff then lazing around doing nothing because I feel rubbish.

Anyways 24 season 2 calls.. :) Im just waiting for BBC's Match of the Day to finish.

Tags: Rome, Italy, Tate, Social Events, 24

TGIF (tomorrow)

Knackered today, been up late almost every night this week, doing a couple of Arteis jobs to try and raise some cash to pay off my credit card. Im so glad I cut it up.

Im supposed to be going on the weekend to the Tate Modern to see Martin Kippenburger
"The first major UK exhibition to explore the thought-provoking and often irreverent work of this maverick German artist. Included are forty paintings, four large installations, ten sculptures and numerous works on paper."
However, Im going to a wine & cheese night tomorrow for work, then to Retna's place for her birthday party. Why do I get the feeling Im going to be hungover on Saturday?

Anyways Im going to get out of work shortly and head homewards. I think I need a spa tonight :)

Tags: Money, Credit Card, Tate Modern, Martin Kippenburger

Grr Online Ticket Sales

I tried for ages to get tickets for Radiohead today on Waste but they were so unprepared the rush that the server went tits up for the best part of the day. Sharon & I will just have to chance it on Saturday with the rest. Thats if there is any tickets left...

I had total bike rider envy last night. I got in the lift and this guy came in, with full bike gear on and with his treddly. I was so jealous because I had to catch the tube and walk from Bow Rd. The walk from the tube is just so tedious, it takes 10 minutes there, and then another few minutes to the office. Its close enough to not be a complete mission but far enough that I need to wear more sensible shoes. Many a stilleto heel has been ruined since we moved here. I normally wear trainers when I ride so I can bring a nice set of heels, safe in the knowledge that I dont have to walk long distances. Its not just that, its the buzz I get from the exercise. In the morning, it wakes me up and I feel all alert instead of half asleep. In the evening, its a few minutes to chill out and be on my own, or take out my frustrations by riding my guts out. On the tube, Im just surrounding by miserable commuters wishing they were anywhere but... Needless to say, Saturday morning I will be down getting my chain fixed!

Tags: Radiohead Tickets, Cycling, Bow Rd Tube

Phil pondering about the future of web standards

Phil pondering about the future of web standards
Originally uploaded by Benoyt.

Lol! This was from my friend Benoits Rome collection. Will have to post a link to the set when he has finished.

Had a sh*t of a morning so far - broke my chain on the way to work, so had to push my bike back home and change then hop back on the tube. Grrr. Now I have to try & fix it. Not sure if Im going to wait to the weekend & take it to the bike shop nearby. I really dont want to catch the tube all week but it looks hard and you need tools to do it etc.

My other new shoes from Faith arrived last night - a pair of black pointy toe leather boots and these white with green trainers.. that Phil nicknamed "chav shoes" as soon as I opened the box. So love ordering everything online. I dont know what I would do without the internet!

Last night at the Dominion Theatre

So you may remember me posting here about a benefit gig headlined by Ricky Gervais at the Dominion Theatre to help raise money for Just the Tonic, a comedy club in Nottingham. Well last night we went to the gig and it was just ace. Really. We actually had brilliant seats, in Row D, close enough to see everything perfect, not too close that they would actually heckle us.

Jimmy Carr opened (as in off the telly) and was hilarious. He also had loads of make-up on. I always find it unsettling when a man has more make-up on than me but I wont hold it against him. Second up was an act we had seen before, who more or less did the same routine as before when we saw him at another Charity gig. Third, who name I also cant remember, was ok.. funny in bits, especially when he was lampooning the Daily Mail. Ricky Gervais was on next, which some people in the audience had paid upwards of £200 to see (idiots - scalping charity tix is so not cool) and he was hilarious. His act didn't seem routine, more just a set of rambles which is always nice. Very David Brent too.

After the interval, there was a guy with crazy hair.. reminded me of the loopy guy out of Police Academy. He looked really pissed off with some heckler from Row C (yes, we didnt pay £45 to hear you mate) but managed to cut him down with a few remarks.
Next up was a young Scottish guy, Stephen Carling, who I particularly liked... he had some good snooker jokes.. just because the whole idea of it being a sport is ridiculous and funny yet strangely addictive like bowls or curling. Then there was Tim Vine, who did a series of one liners for about 20 minutes. I couldn't believe it. It was actually quite funny in a you've read too many Christmas crackers/Dads joke kinda way. Last up was Stewart Lee who was kinda calm and surreal and wierd but funny none the less.

The compere was also hilarious, I cant remember his name but I can remember he looked like Jesus. He was also a Geordie. All in all, a top night and worth every pence of that £45 for a ticket.

I wish I could say I did anything productive for the rest of the weekend but I didnt. Except for doing some housework it was all about 24.

Tags: Just the tonic, Comedy, Dominion Theatre, Ricky Gervais, Jimmy Carr, Stephen Carling, Tim Vine, 24

Happy St Pats

Phil & I, Roman Bridge
Originally uploaded by yahnyinlondon.

Sorry about the hiatus in posting. I have been doing my best to sort out my photos. Still have some more to come but they are all here, including this lovely one of us on a bridge on the river banks in Rome.

Not much happening this week, just trying to recover from all my travels. Very much looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow and relaxing.

Did you know its St Patrick's Day today? Since I have red hair and I actually wore green (it was the first thing I saw on the clothes dryer.) Im feeling very Irish. I should go neck some Guiness at lunch or something!

Tradition has it that St Patrick brought Christianity to Ireland, explained the concept of the Trinity using a Shamrock and drove snakes from the land. In all likelihood St Patrick was a Roman brought up in northern England - although there are indications that he could have been born in either Wales or Scotland. .. its that Rome thing again!!!

Tags: Rome, Italy, St Patricks Day, Green, Irish, Weekend

Im back!

I got back into London from Rome at around 8:10am. Was up at 2am UK time to get to the airport. Needless to say its going to be one loooong afternoon. Especially as I have loads of work to get done. Just gonna put my headphones in and have some more coffee/coke and fly through it.

Then once I get home, going to put a load on, unpack the shopping (that is getting delivered so we have food!) and have some dinner.. maybe some Bow Tandoori or Thai. Cooking tonight seems like far too much effort and anyways I want to have one last unhealthy meal before Im back on the organic stuff. Hopefully I can be in bed before, well asap!

As for Rome, it was good and bad and now Im glad to be back in London. Will post pics and details tomorrow.

Tags: London, Rome, Flying, Early, Sleep, Tired, Unhealthy Food

Raindrops keep falling on my head..

So, all its done lately is rain.. "One day it started raining, and it didn't quit for four months. We been through every kind of rain there is. Little bitty stingin' rain... and big ol' fat rain. Rain that flew in sideways. And sometimes rain even seemed to come straight up from underneath.." Ha.. that reminded me of the quote in Forrest Gump - I just hope it doesn't keep raining for 4 months! I actually watched You've Got Mail last night. It was on telly whilst I ate my dinner. I've been so lazy because Phil hasn't been around - presliced, diced, packaged, no effort dinners here we come! Just bung it in the oven and its done. Oh well, they were roasted vegies/stir fry things so they were healthy.

Have to get my shopping done so it will be delivered Tuesday when we get back and maybe pack tonight too. Its so hard, all this international travel :D! Im going to Gramaphone tomorrow night for work drinkies. Its just around our office and they serve fantastic tapas, although I've only been at lunch.

Well better go, Phil got up super early so I think he wants to get outta here!

Tags: Rain, Forrest Gump, You've Got Mail, Tom Hanks, Food, Shopping, Gramaphone Bar

Phew!

So.. a bit lazy on the posting front but I was in Belgium so didn't quite have access to the computer. Didn't really get up to much, just chilled on Saturday and then went to watch Phil's old basketball team Hogerop Gent.. They won the game quite easily. Today I saw that they even did an English translation for the game review for me.. Bless!

Im going to the Design Museum to see a private view of their Designer of the Year exhibition. The nominees are (drumroll please) Tom Dixon, The Guardian, Jamie Hewlett and Cameron Sinclair. Im not sure who I want to win yet, as they have all done some awesome work.. will get back to you after the exhibition on that one!

Going toRome on Friday... So there may be another bit of a hiatus on posting.

In other Travel news.. Easyjet have starting flying to Croatia, Morocco and Turkey! Excellent!!! I think we might use our vouchers for Morocco (since I have already been to Croatia & Turkey)...

Tags: Belgium, Hogerop Gent, Flemish, Design Museum, Designer of the Year, Rome, Italy, Easyjet

Cool Stuff

A friend from HH wrote this cool little app Paparazzi which takes screenshots of just whats in the browser window (and not all the url/bookmarky stuff outside). Its ultra cool and onto version 0.4 now. Go go go download! Oh.. and its for Mac.

I've been trying to find out more info on what fruit & veg are in season, now Im not going to get organic stuff delivered. Im still going to buy organics but just from the supermarket.. trying to keep those finances in check as my credit card is looking decidedly unhealthy.

Just checked the weather for Belgie land and its going to be -5 on Saturday.. argggh!

Tags: Paparazzi, Mac, Fruit & Vegetables, Organic, Belgium, Finances