30 April 2006
My blog is worth $564.54.
How much is your blog worth?
That's pleasantly surprising. I wonder who one sells blogs too? Or if you can just lease out a blog?
27 April 2006
I won a tree! I had the best green/energy saving suggestions at work and they will plant a tree for me in London somewhere. I hope they plant it somewhere where I can visit it easily. I wonder if that lessens my ecological footprint any.
The other prize - the iPod Nano is for who gets the most questions right in the environmental quiz. They draw that tomorrow. I hope I win that too!
The other prize - the iPod Nano is for who gets the most questions right in the environmental quiz. They draw that tomorrow. I hope I win that too!
Labels: being green
26 April 2006
Now this is a good idea - although I'm sure lots of people already have had it but just not done anything about it. It's a company providing snooze booths (and massages and beauty treatments) in the centre of town called Cucumba.
I've always thought I would happily pay good money to have a short nap and rest stop when shopping or waiting for mates in town and this one is combined with a massage. Hurrah! I think I shall have to go and check them out. AND it's not hideously expensive, like most spa type places in London.
I've always thought I would happily pay good money to have a short nap and rest stop when shopping or waiting for mates in town and this one is combined with a massage. Hurrah! I think I shall have to go and check them out. AND it's not hideously expensive, like most spa type places in London.
Labels: spas
25 April 2006
Dinner today has been a real hotchpotch of leftovers and things mouldering in the fridge. We had ready meal cod in parsley sauce, leftover pork chop, fried rice made with leftover rice, egg, the two remaining runner beans, half a pepper, bacon and spring onions. Then a banana for dessert.
BB has just told me that Brazil is to declare itself fuel independent (or something). They have been sponsoring a programme using ethanol to run their cars for the last two decades and all new cars are dual fuel cars, with something like 70% of old cars being already dual fuel. That's very forward thinking of them. Why can't everyone else be the same? I think Iceland is well on their way also. So it can be done - and not just by tiny island states (who have no excuse).
BB has just told me that Brazil is to declare itself fuel independent (or something). They have been sponsoring a programme using ethanol to run their cars for the last two decades and all new cars are dual fuel cars, with something like 70% of old cars being already dual fuel. That's very forward thinking of them. Why can't everyone else be the same? I think Iceland is well on their way also. So it can be done - and not just by tiny island states (who have no excuse).
Labels: being green, food
23 April 2006
A grim Sunday for St George today. It's all grey and drizzly. I am, however, glad to see that Liverpool has beat Chelsea and is in the FINALS of the FA Cup. Hurray! Go the Reds! Or whatever their nickname is.
I am exceedingly fed up with the snooker. It is perpetually on and seems to have been that way since the beginning of time. As we don't have all the luxuries of digital or satellite that severely reduces our television viewing pleasure.
Tried out The Bishop pub for lunch today. It was heaving and tables were hard to come by. We have never been, as BB usually retreats due to the smoke whenever we've tried in the past. I braved the nicotine haze to try their Colchester rock oysters, followed by organic half-a-chicken roast with bread sauce. The oysters were good - not much can go wrong there as long as they come with all the required condiments (shallots in vinegar, tabasco sauce and lemon) - I'm not a purist.
The roast was mediocre. You do get half a chicken as advertised but it's kind of difficult to eat when everything only just fits on the plate. The meat was tasty but a bit dry. The bread sauce tasted alright but wasn't hot and a bit gloopy. The potatoes and Yorkshire pud tasted old. The carrots and green beans were nice - not overcooked.
The beer selection looked interesting but I'm not sure I'd go back for the food. Perhaps it would be better not to go for the set roasts and go a la carte instead.
Notice that our swanky deli, East Dulwich Deli, has opened an eaterie somewhere in the depths of the premises. I was tempted for about 5 seconds to try it out until I saw the prices. Ch-ching! £6.95 for soup of the day with their own bread. I don't care if everything is organically grown using ancient, time consuming methods, sourced from a tiny village in the Outer Hebrides and made of gold. Sheesh! Sandwiches were £12.95 - at least. Ouch...! I'm all for supporting local businesses but until I get a better paid job or finally win the lottery, they'll have to depend on the wealthier inhabitants of Dulwich for their livelihood.
I am exceedingly fed up with the snooker. It is perpetually on and seems to have been that way since the beginning of time. As we don't have all the luxuries of digital or satellite that severely reduces our television viewing pleasure.
Tried out The Bishop pub for lunch today. It was heaving and tables were hard to come by. We have never been, as BB usually retreats due to the smoke whenever we've tried in the past. I braved the nicotine haze to try their Colchester rock oysters, followed by organic half-a-chicken roast with bread sauce. The oysters were good - not much can go wrong there as long as they come with all the required condiments (shallots in vinegar, tabasco sauce and lemon) - I'm not a purist.
The roast was mediocre. You do get half a chicken as advertised but it's kind of difficult to eat when everything only just fits on the plate. The meat was tasty but a bit dry. The bread sauce tasted alright but wasn't hot and a bit gloopy. The potatoes and Yorkshire pud tasted old. The carrots and green beans were nice - not overcooked.
The beer selection looked interesting but I'm not sure I'd go back for the food. Perhaps it would be better not to go for the set roasts and go a la carte instead.
Notice that our swanky deli, East Dulwich Deli, has opened an eaterie somewhere in the depths of the premises. I was tempted for about 5 seconds to try it out until I saw the prices. Ch-ching! £6.95 for soup of the day with their own bread. I don't care if everything is organically grown using ancient, time consuming methods, sourced from a tiny village in the Outer Hebrides and made of gold. Sheesh! Sandwiches were £12.95 - at least. Ouch...! I'm all for supporting local businesses but until I get a better paid job or finally win the lottery, they'll have to depend on the wealthier inhabitants of Dulwich for their livelihood.
Labels: east dulwich, festivals, food, restaurants, sport
22 April 2006
On the way back from the gym today, I got off the bus early on a whim and decided to try out the new(ish) Vietnamese restaurant, Buddha Jazz, that opened near Denmark Hill station recently.
What a good whim that was.
The restaurant is all dark wood, subdued lighting and clean lines as is de rigueur in your average contemporary Oriental eaterie these days. I liked the slightly fifties chairs and the little Eastern decorative touches - large coils of incense, Eastern sculptures and the very important lucky cat. Popular jazz plays in the background. The main room is quite small and cosy but there appears to be some kind of conservatory in the back, where a small party was going on. On arrival, there were only a couple of tables filled but fifteen minutes later the restaurant was full and they were turning people away to drink in the bar next door, so booking is definitely recommended.
The staff were friendly, eager and had an opinion about the food, which is all good. Even when the restaurant became busy they handled everything well and also managed to accommodate a party of ten who turned up, despite having only reserved for six.
Now to the menu. Vietnamese is what I came for and despite their having a few dim sum items and bog standard Chinese starter dishes, Vietnamese is what I zeroed in on. The first thing that strikes me about this restaurant is that while the selection is not large everything seems to be well thought out and perfectly formed. The drinks and food menus are not large but there is a choice of some relatively familiar items and some more adventurous items.
I didn't linger on the alcohol much but there is a selection of four or five reds and the same number of whites which seem to have been chosen for their compatibility with Eastern flavours. The same goes for the beers - some Eastern standards like Tiger, Asahi and Tsing Tao but also some good Czech beers - Budvar & Staropramen which go well with spicy food. They also had a nice selection of Oriental teas and I went for One Leaf Tea (which I've never had before) which is supposed to be detoxifying. It is quite bitter and they seemed quite concerned that it would be alright, but they have no worries with this punter. I'm also pleased to see they have Vietnamese iced teas and coffees which I'm rather partial to.
As for the food, again, there was a large variety of starters and then a select choice of dishes in each section of the main menu. Very interested to see that they had some pretty out of the ordinary dishes - minced pork in betel leaves, goat with plantain, frogs legs with garlic, lemongrass & chilli and prawn and lotus stem salad were on the starter menu.
The main dishes were divided up between sauce based noodles, soup based noodles, rice dishes and curry dishes. I, of course, went for the soup based noodles (pho) - Bun Bo Hue or Spicy Hue beef noodles to be precise. Never had them before and the waiter gave me his personal recommendation that this was his favourite dish.
The noodles came with all the accoutrements necessary for great pho. Thai basil, coriander, mint, raw beansprouts and a wedge of lime on the side. There was also a dish of finely sliced, killer red chillis for the masochist in you. The noodles themselves were like fine spaghetti, perfectly al dente and a new experience for me. The broth was spicy (but not too hot) and tasty. The beef - ah, the beef - there were two cuts, a lighter meat and then, something that was darker and possibly brisket. A very nice touch indeed. I ate it all, without pausing for breath.
It was all beautifully presented - the tea came in an iron teapot with a weeny black Chinese teacup and the chopsticks were weighted with silver handles. The portions were a good size without being piggy which I like, as it means you can actually have a starter and dessert without having to be rolled out of the restaurant. They don't do desserts but I am told they will start doing them soon. If anyone from the restaurant is reading this - I am partial to a good mango pudding or some pandan based dessert.
The prices were reasonable (slightly cheaper than Wagamama or Busaba Eathai) and with Buddha Jazz a short bus ride away, I shall no doubt be visiting frequently.
It's so nice when, out of the blue, a really pleasant experience comes a-knocking on the door.
What a good whim that was.
The restaurant is all dark wood, subdued lighting and clean lines as is de rigueur in your average contemporary Oriental eaterie these days. I liked the slightly fifties chairs and the little Eastern decorative touches - large coils of incense, Eastern sculptures and the very important lucky cat. Popular jazz plays in the background. The main room is quite small and cosy but there appears to be some kind of conservatory in the back, where a small party was going on. On arrival, there were only a couple of tables filled but fifteen minutes later the restaurant was full and they were turning people away to drink in the bar next door, so booking is definitely recommended.
The staff were friendly, eager and had an opinion about the food, which is all good. Even when the restaurant became busy they handled everything well and also managed to accommodate a party of ten who turned up, despite having only reserved for six.
Now to the menu. Vietnamese is what I came for and despite their having a few dim sum items and bog standard Chinese starter dishes, Vietnamese is what I zeroed in on. The first thing that strikes me about this restaurant is that while the selection is not large everything seems to be well thought out and perfectly formed. The drinks and food menus are not large but there is a choice of some relatively familiar items and some more adventurous items.
I didn't linger on the alcohol much but there is a selection of four or five reds and the same number of whites which seem to have been chosen for their compatibility with Eastern flavours. The same goes for the beers - some Eastern standards like Tiger, Asahi and Tsing Tao but also some good Czech beers - Budvar & Staropramen which go well with spicy food. They also had a nice selection of Oriental teas and I went for One Leaf Tea (which I've never had before) which is supposed to be detoxifying. It is quite bitter and they seemed quite concerned that it would be alright, but they have no worries with this punter. I'm also pleased to see they have Vietnamese iced teas and coffees which I'm rather partial to.
As for the food, again, there was a large variety of starters and then a select choice of dishes in each section of the main menu. Very interested to see that they had some pretty out of the ordinary dishes - minced pork in betel leaves, goat with plantain, frogs legs with garlic, lemongrass & chilli and prawn and lotus stem salad were on the starter menu.
The main dishes were divided up between sauce based noodles, soup based noodles, rice dishes and curry dishes. I, of course, went for the soup based noodles (pho) - Bun Bo Hue or Spicy Hue beef noodles to be precise. Never had them before and the waiter gave me his personal recommendation that this was his favourite dish.
The noodles came with all the accoutrements necessary for great pho. Thai basil, coriander, mint, raw beansprouts and a wedge of lime on the side. There was also a dish of finely sliced, killer red chillis for the masochist in you. The noodles themselves were like fine spaghetti, perfectly al dente and a new experience for me. The broth was spicy (but not too hot) and tasty. The beef - ah, the beef - there were two cuts, a lighter meat and then, something that was darker and possibly brisket. A very nice touch indeed. I ate it all, without pausing for breath.
It was all beautifully presented - the tea came in an iron teapot with a weeny black Chinese teacup and the chopsticks were weighted with silver handles. The portions were a good size without being piggy which I like, as it means you can actually have a starter and dessert without having to be rolled out of the restaurant. They don't do desserts but I am told they will start doing them soon. If anyone from the restaurant is reading this - I am partial to a good mango pudding or some pandan based dessert.
The prices were reasonable (slightly cheaper than Wagamama or Busaba Eathai) and with Buddha Jazz a short bus ride away, I shall no doubt be visiting frequently.
It's so nice when, out of the blue, a really pleasant experience comes a-knocking on the door.
Labels: food, restaurants
21 April 2006
Oh my god, I'm so tired. Both Es were off today so I almost singlehandedly packed up everything else in the office. M-A packed 2 crates. I packed 30. Then I unpacked about 20 when we got to the new office before falling back into my chair in a stupor. At the same time fielded queries about the move, telephones, projectors, printers, meeting rooms, unpaid invoices, last minute hotel bookings, diary appointments, conference calls, blah, blah, blah...
I was going to try and see Mack and Mabel but decided to flake out at home instead. I've just had some of the rather tasty Easter egg that I bought BB last weekend from Hope & Greenwood (East Dulwich's own special sweetie shop). We queued for half an hour to get the egg which is very good dark chocolate filled with a select assortment of pick-your-own dark chocolate creams, truffles and weird things. Also, a sherbert lolly, as BB is rather partial to them. The chocolate flavours include chilli, geranium, violet and lavender - although there are some normal ones like mint, lime, orange, champagne & coffee.
Actually, having said that we did almost nothing over Easter weekend, we did go to the local light shop and buy me a great bedside lamp which doesn't have a switch. Instead, you can touch the base anywhere and it will come on, then you touch it again to make it brighter, again to make it brighter still and then, once more, to turn it off. It's fun. And cheap. For London. It's very clever, it only works with the touch of a living thing and is no good if you prod it with a stick or a glove or something.
We also bought a sonic mouse repeller as Mickey has been appearing rather too frequently. It seems to work, but unfortunately, doesn't go through walls so we have to keep all the doors open which rather lets the draughts blow through.
I was going to try and see Mack and Mabel but decided to flake out at home instead. I've just had some of the rather tasty Easter egg that I bought BB last weekend from Hope & Greenwood (East Dulwich's own special sweetie shop). We queued for half an hour to get the egg which is very good dark chocolate filled with a select assortment of pick-your-own dark chocolate creams, truffles and weird things. Also, a sherbert lolly, as BB is rather partial to them. The chocolate flavours include chilli, geranium, violet and lavender - although there are some normal ones like mint, lime, orange, champagne & coffee.
Actually, having said that we did almost nothing over Easter weekend, we did go to the local light shop and buy me a great bedside lamp which doesn't have a switch. Instead, you can touch the base anywhere and it will come on, then you touch it again to make it brighter, again to make it brighter still and then, once more, to turn it off. It's fun. And cheap. For London. It's very clever, it only works with the touch of a living thing and is no good if you prod it with a stick or a glove or something.
We also bought a sonic mouse repeller as Mickey has been appearing rather too frequently. It seems to work, but unfortunately, doesn't go through walls so we have to keep all the doors open which rather lets the draughts blow through.
Labels: east dulwich, food, shopping, work
20 April 2006
My, how time flies when you can't be bothered to blog.
Did absolutely NOTHING over Easter. Slept A LOT. Then got a sore throat - either as a result of oversleeping or was the cause of oversleeping.
Rehearsals yesterday proved to be incredibly difficult. None of us seemed to be able to pull the goods out of the bag for about 6 hours. By mid-afternoon things started moving but not before frustrating the heck out of our director. Now we're all panicked and are meeting up before the next bout of rehearsals as we only have THREE DAYS LEFT. Eek.
Went to work today to find that almost no packing has been done before our move tomorrow. Honestly - you don't go to work for two days and it seems like no one else has bothered to turn up either. Though E and M-A had packed the filing. Well, today I packed 8 crates of stationery, 2 crates of my own stuff and labelled almost everything else that wasn't pinned down. Still heaps to go though and have actual work to do as well.
BB is off to sunny Madrid with his office tomorrow. Wish I was going. Sigh.
Did absolutely NOTHING over Easter. Slept A LOT. Then got a sore throat - either as a result of oversleeping or was the cause of oversleeping.
Rehearsals yesterday proved to be incredibly difficult. None of us seemed to be able to pull the goods out of the bag for about 6 hours. By mid-afternoon things started moving but not before frustrating the heck out of our director. Now we're all panicked and are meeting up before the next bout of rehearsals as we only have THREE DAYS LEFT. Eek.
Went to work today to find that almost no packing has been done before our move tomorrow. Honestly - you don't go to work for two days and it seems like no one else has bothered to turn up either. Though E and M-A had packed the filing. Well, today I packed 8 crates of stationery, 2 crates of my own stuff and labelled almost everything else that wasn't pinned down. Still heaps to go though and have actual work to do as well.
BB is off to sunny Madrid with his office tomorrow. Wish I was going. Sigh.
12 April 2006
Why can't people spell 'definitely'? What is wrong with them? It's not even pronounced '-ately'. What could be easier? It's a no-brainer.... aargh!
On a nicer note, I had a ham and cheese toastie for breakfast this morning. Mmmmmm! It could have done with a spot of Lea & Perrins or, perhaps, tabasco sauce but, otherwise, was just fine dandy.
Have been watching Firefly on DVD (the series from which the film 'Serenity' sprang forth). I quite like it but am sometimes a bit confused about what's going on. It doesn't help that BB put in Disc 2 by accident and we thought we were at the beginning of the series, when we were actually halfway through.
Tango was super fun on Monday and numbers have multiplied greatly. The chap at the bar wouldn't serve food upstairs though and I wasn't prepared to trog downstairs to get my fix of lightly battered whitebait. So I glared at him periodically throughout the class. I hate it when people just make up stuff, when they don't know the answer and can't be bothered to find out. I guess I was just being too nice by asking if I could order food upstairs, when I knew full well that they did. My bad. I should just be imperious and offhand. Plenty of other people seem to be.
On a nicer note, I had a ham and cheese toastie for breakfast this morning. Mmmmmm! It could have done with a spot of Lea & Perrins or, perhaps, tabasco sauce but, otherwise, was just fine dandy.
Have been watching Firefly on DVD (the series from which the film 'Serenity' sprang forth). I quite like it but am sometimes a bit confused about what's going on. It doesn't help that BB put in Disc 2 by accident and we thought we were at the beginning of the series, when we were actually halfway through.
Tango was super fun on Monday and numbers have multiplied greatly. The chap at the bar wouldn't serve food upstairs though and I wasn't prepared to trog downstairs to get my fix of lightly battered whitebait. So I glared at him periodically throughout the class. I hate it when people just make up stuff, when they don't know the answer and can't be bothered to find out. I guess I was just being too nice by asking if I could order food upstairs, when I knew full well that they did. My bad. I should just be imperious and offhand. Plenty of other people seem to be.
Labels: dance, food, language, television
Still no one at work but me. Ran around trying to borrow a coat from this season's collection for a prospective consultant to use in a presentation. When they came to get it, they said, "Oh, could we have the one on display on the dummy." I think the answer is, 'No, you get what you're given dearie". Sheesh.
Am gratified to find that the wanton noodle soup from Miso is a) quite palatable and b) available as a handy takeaway option. My boss said they looked so good that when I stepped away from my desk for a second he nearly filched them. I can see I'm going to have to keep an eye on this one. He is in the habit of pilfering sweets and biscuits from my supplies.
Spent most of the afternoon trying to figure out how to transfer all the records from his old phone to his new phone which is on a different network and therefore unable to read his old sim card. It was very convoluted and involved four handsets and running down most of the battery in my phone but it all came good in the end. Needless to say, neither the Bluetooth or the infrared options came good and ended up tracking down a SIM card reader. What a wonderful invention.
Am gratified to find that the wanton noodle soup from Miso is a) quite palatable and b) available as a handy takeaway option. My boss said they looked so good that when I stepped away from my desk for a second he nearly filched them. I can see I'm going to have to keep an eye on this one. He is in the habit of pilfering sweets and biscuits from my supplies.
Spent most of the afternoon trying to figure out how to transfer all the records from his old phone to his new phone which is on a different network and therefore unable to read his old sim card. It was very convoluted and involved four handsets and running down most of the battery in my phone but it all came good in the end. Needless to say, neither the Bluetooth or the infrared options came good and ended up tracking down a SIM card reader. What a wonderful invention.
Labels: food, restaurants, work
10 April 2006
This is not a queue for meat in some Eastern European country. This is the famed queue outside the butcher in East Dulwich every Saturday, all day. Can their meat really be that good?
Labels: east dulwich, food
Helped A. move house yesterday. Well, I say helped - mostly I ate flapjacks, sunflower seeds, hot cross buns, salt & vinegar Hula Hoops and mango gummies. I did lug lots of heavy bags upstairs though. For someone who doesn't actually own property, A. sure has a lot of stuff. She has about 8 hairbrushes.
E. was off sick at work today and M-A is on holiday, so I held the fort on my own. Therefore, I actually had to do work which is not what I had in mind. Good thing it's a short week.
They are having a competition at work to see who can come up with the best ecological, green, energy saving type thing that we can do in the office. The prize is an iPod. I suspect that I may be the only one to put in a suggestion. But perhaps I malign my fellow work people.
E. was off sick at work today and M-A is on holiday, so I held the fort on my own. Therefore, I actually had to do work which is not what I had in mind. Good thing it's a short week.
They are having a competition at work to see who can come up with the best ecological, green, energy saving type thing that we can do in the office. The prize is an iPod. I suspect that I may be the only one to put in a suggestion. But perhaps I malign my fellow work people.
Labels: being green, food, work
8 April 2006
The Nintendo audition was most odd. We went in to the room in groups of three and one of the guys we were with had to wear reflective sunglasses because he had sensitive eyes. So they told him that probably wouldn't work and he left. Then, they got the other guy to do some breakdancing, mime taking fragile objects out of a suitcase and put them into a box really fast while looking angry/happy on command. Then he had to pretend to be various objects/animals in quick succession on command ie be a banana, a kiwi fruit, a giraffe, an egg etc.
Then all I had to do was stand very straight and take very small steps sideways quickly. On the director's clap, I had to take a big step and then resume small steps. Then I had to look angry/happy on command. That was it.
Either I dazzled them with my CV and they didn't need to see much, or they weren't interested and had to give me something to do just so I wouldn't feel entirely unwanted. Only time will tell...
Went to the Candy Bar (a lesbian bar) for E's birthday drinks last night. It was just like any slightly grungy bar. One of the blokes at work (who is straight) pulled - but not in a good way. He left soon after.
Then all I had to do was stand very straight and take very small steps sideways quickly. On the director's clap, I had to take a big step and then resume small steps. Then I had to look angry/happy on command. That was it.
Either I dazzled them with my CV and they didn't need to see much, or they weren't interested and had to give me something to do just so I wouldn't feel entirely unwanted. Only time will tell...
Went to the Candy Bar (a lesbian bar) for E's birthday drinks last night. It was just like any slightly grungy bar. One of the blokes at work (who is straight) pulled - but not in a good way. He left soon after.
Labels: acting
7 April 2006
I have just had possibly three of the most fulfilling days I've ever had in my whole acting life. It was very hard work - total concentration for 9 hours each day with just 20 mins for lunch and a couple of quick toilet breaks. But, as I thought at the audition, the director is very, very good. It was like being paid to do a masterclass AND we get to travel as well. We're very lucky, lucky people.
The other actors are a good bunch and am looking forward to working with them again in Helsinki. It's going to be frightening because there will be no scripts at all. Just improvisation around various situations we've thought up. Eeek. But we will rise to the challenge - which is to leave them wanting more!
Back at work again. But I have a casting for Nintendo, so that should be fun. I think I have to be a Japanese warrior of some description.
Everyone at work is ill. M-A has stomach ulcers and E can't sleep and has mouth ulcers. I hope I get more acting work and can leave.
The other actors are a good bunch and am looking forward to working with them again in Helsinki. It's going to be frightening because there will be no scripts at all. Just improvisation around various situations we've thought up. Eeek. But we will rise to the challenge - which is to leave them wanting more!
Back at work again. But I have a casting for Nintendo, so that should be fun. I think I have to be a Japanese warrior of some description.
Everyone at work is ill. M-A has stomach ulcers and E can't sleep and has mouth ulcers. I hope I get more acting work and can leave.
2 April 2006
Sheffield was fun! There's a surprise. It's got a pretty cathedrally, oldy bit in the middle where we were staying. The city centre is in the midst of regeneration, so there are lots of new bars/restaurants, art galleries, an upcoming trendy shopping area, a refurbed spa and a modern Winter Garden which was linked to our hotel. All in all a very good time was had by us both and we could actually have spent more time there. We stayed at the Macdonald St Paul's Hotel which is smack bang in the city centre and pretty decent. Breakfast was very good (I had kippers, porridge, toast and fruit salad; while BB had full English with black pudding twice) and you can walk straight into the Winter Gardens and the new art galleries without stepping outside (which is good when it's cold, windy and rains intermittently). Bedroom was a decent size with plasma screen telly and the bathroom was smart with heated towel rail and good water pressure.
Assassins was very good. The singing was very strong and it was really great to see all the monologues and bits of dialogue that you don't get on the recording. All the actors were really good, as were their accents (only John Hinckley's slipped a bit). What a relief. It could have been a disaster spending all that money and time to go miles away to watch a crap piece of theatre. At least if it's on your doorstep, you don't feel so bad if you've only wasted the price of a ticket.
A former colleague of mine was in the show and halfway through the show he pointed at me and winked (I was sitting in the front row), so had to say hello afterwards. It wasn't that I didn't like him or anything, but just that I didn't know him that well so was hoping to sneak away unnoticed. Ah well. BB said, at least he didn't wave like Joey in Friends.
On the way back we drove through the Peak District as it seemed a shame not to see it as we'd gone all that way. Stopped at Matlock for a light snack and some tea. Just a tip if you're ever driving through the area in the future - don't stop at Matlock. It's not a beautiful town and there didn't seem to be many people there under the age of 50. Also, if you find you've stopped there by some mistake, don't head for the centre of town for eateries. When we were leaving, we found out that there are a lot more shops on the road out of town - just to be perverse.
Assassins was very good. The singing was very strong and it was really great to see all the monologues and bits of dialogue that you don't get on the recording. All the actors were really good, as were their accents (only John Hinckley's slipped a bit). What a relief. It could have been a disaster spending all that money and time to go miles away to watch a crap piece of theatre. At least if it's on your doorstep, you don't feel so bad if you've only wasted the price of a ticket.
A former colleague of mine was in the show and halfway through the show he pointed at me and winked (I was sitting in the front row), so had to say hello afterwards. It wasn't that I didn't like him or anything, but just that I didn't know him that well so was hoping to sneak away unnoticed. Ah well. BB said, at least he didn't wave like Joey in Friends.
On the way back we drove through the Peak District as it seemed a shame not to see it as we'd gone all that way. Stopped at Matlock for a light snack and some tea. Just a tip if you're ever driving through the area in the future - don't stop at Matlock. It's not a beautiful town and there didn't seem to be many people there under the age of 50. Also, if you find you've stopped there by some mistake, don't head for the centre of town for eateries. When we were leaving, we found out that there are a lot more shops on the road out of town - just to be perverse.
