8 December 2006
A tornado in London! I hope a tornado doesn't hit our little house. I'm pretty sure it hit right where my cousin, B, used to live in Kensal Rise. Bet she's glad she moved to York. Hope they don't still own the flat for investment.
Found dried beef, like Wing Heong makes it, in Chinatown yesterday. Hurray! My reward for having to walk from Selfridges to the gym for class because Regent Street had been closed down due to some emergency. That brought the whole of London to a standstill. Good thing the tube lines weren't flooded today.
All the trains going up North were cancelled too.
The London transport network is grinding to a halt.
Found dried beef, like Wing Heong makes it, in Chinatown yesterday. Hurray! My reward for having to walk from Selfridges to the gym for class because Regent Street had been closed down due to some emergency. That brought the whole of London to a standstill. Good thing the tube lines weren't flooded today.
All the trains going up North were cancelled too.
The London transport network is grinding to a halt.
Labels: food, transport, weather
25 November 2006
Yesterday, travelling to work was hell. Hell, I tell you. First there was the statutory 25 minute wait for the bus. Then, at Vauxhall tube station it was so crowded they'd closed the gates due to congestion. So, back to the buses to try and get to work but another 20 minute wait. In the meantime it started raining a lot. There was loads of traffic noise, a loud roadsweeper thingy circling the block and a mad person shouting 'Hooo!' every few seconds loudly while we waited - just noise, noise, noise. The bus was packed when it arrived. I was 30 minutes late for work.
Some may say that if the 25 minute wait is statutory I should start out earlier, but then I may as well not bother going home, seeing as I start out pretty darned early as it is.
On the way home the only additional thing to add to my misery, besides the 25 minute wait for a bus back, was a very, very smelly, unwashed and unkempt man sat next to me so I had to breathe through my mouth all the way home. Sighhh....
Some may say that if the 25 minute wait is statutory I should start out earlier, but then I may as well not bother going home, seeing as I start out pretty darned early as it is.
On the way home the only additional thing to add to my misery, besides the 25 minute wait for a bus back, was a very, very smelly, unwashed and unkempt man sat next to me so I had to breathe through my mouth all the way home. Sighhh....
Labels: transport
29 June 2006
Yesterday I had to walk from Victoria to Vauxhall because the traffic was so bad. There were about 50 policemen hounding a couple of hapless-looking Muslims by Buckingham Palace gardens and holding up half of London in the process.
It also took so long to get into work I was forced to take the Tube which I usually avoid at all cost.
They should stop beating around the bush and just whack the congestion charge up to £40 a day. That'd stop people driving in London - if that's really their aim.
It also took so long to get into work I was forced to take the Tube which I usually avoid at all cost.
They should stop beating around the bush and just whack the congestion charge up to £40 a day. That'd stop people driving in London - if that's really their aim.
Labels: transport
20 March 2006
Turns out there's not just cheese-based items on Aer Lingus. There are no items at all unless you're prepared to pay for them. I thought Aer Lingus was a proper airline that served food. It's not like the fare was super cheap or anything.
Didn't go to work. Am staying at home feeding some rabid hungry flesh-eating variety of cold that makes me ravenous, sneeze a lot and sleep constantly.
So far I have had two lots of toast, the remainder of yesterday's soup, 4 oat biscuits, an Eccles cake, a cup of tea and lots of water. And I've only been awake a couple of hours today. I need to go in search of further sustenance.
Didn't go to work. Am staying at home feeding some rabid hungry flesh-eating variety of cold that makes me ravenous, sneeze a lot and sleep constantly.
So far I have had two lots of toast, the remainder of yesterday's soup, 4 oat biscuits, an Eccles cake, a cup of tea and lots of water. And I've only been awake a couple of hours today. I need to go in search of further sustenance.
19 February 2006
Back from Cologne. It's not that beautiful a city. The Dom is very large and imposing but also black and semi-coated in scaffolding - as many cathedral buildings seem to be these days.
Still impressed by all things Germanic - everything runs on time - even the buses during rush hour, when you go to eat a bog standard cheap place you get far more than you bargained for and it's just all efficient and well thought out - and still cheaper than London.
Filming consisted of sitting round for 5 hours (unsurprisingly) and then 45 mins on set. They were very apologetic, as though having to hang around for hours is not the norm when shooting something. At least I had my own room and lots to eat. I brought the Times (for the crossword and Sudoku), Glamour magazine and crisps, water and chocolate brownies. After filming, the director gave a big spiel about how he had come to London to audition me and the part was much bigger and was cut (I didn't know that), and how he was really grateful that I had decided to do the part anyway as I was such a fantastic actress and how the crew had been very noisy and rowdy until I came on set, blah, blah, blah... and then I had to stand there while everyone applauded. I didn't know what to do except look like I wanted to sink threw the floor. It's all very strange.
On my day off before my flight back to Blighty, I went to the Claudius Therme and hung out with naked Germans. It's all very civilised with no nasty bods leering. Lots of hot mineral baths with water massage jets and was very relaxing. However, the baths were almost impossible to get to. I looked at the map and it looked like the best place to get off the U-Bahn was the Koeln Messe. But you can't actually cross the railway bridge there, so I had to walk right round back past the Messe and then all the way along a very deserted looking park (Rheinpark) by the river to get there. Was not unlike looking for the holy grail. Anyway, turns out there's a bus from Deutzbahnhof/Messe so fortunately didn't have to walk on the way back.
Whilst in Germany I had sausages, sauerkraut and kartoffelpuree with suess senf and Koelsch and a very good Japanese tonkatsu that came with rice and two vegetable side dishes of green beans and cabbage salad, with crispy tofu and green tea. I also bought some bargain boots for Euro 45. I was most chuffed - although the shop only took cash. If I had room in my bag I would have bought more shoes. Also, went to Starbucks as it was the only place open late and the cheesecake was not like the cheesecake what you get in London. It was very good and probably German. There was a mouse under a pouffe at the next table but I left it in peace.
At the moment am cooking sausage, cabbage, potato and chickpea soup for dinner (the sausage hot off the plane from Germany).
My agent called to see if I was interested in being in Billy Eliot - starting rehearsal tomorrow. Two drawbacks - I have to have a Northern accent and sing. Haven't heard back from them unsurprisingly.
Still impressed by all things Germanic - everything runs on time - even the buses during rush hour, when you go to eat a bog standard cheap place you get far more than you bargained for and it's just all efficient and well thought out - and still cheaper than London.
Filming consisted of sitting round for 5 hours (unsurprisingly) and then 45 mins on set. They were very apologetic, as though having to hang around for hours is not the norm when shooting something. At least I had my own room and lots to eat. I brought the Times (for the crossword and Sudoku), Glamour magazine and crisps, water and chocolate brownies. After filming, the director gave a big spiel about how he had come to London to audition me and the part was much bigger and was cut (I didn't know that), and how he was really grateful that I had decided to do the part anyway as I was such a fantastic actress and how the crew had been very noisy and rowdy until I came on set, blah, blah, blah... and then I had to stand there while everyone applauded. I didn't know what to do except look like I wanted to sink threw the floor. It's all very strange.
On my day off before my flight back to Blighty, I went to the Claudius Therme and hung out with naked Germans. It's all very civilised with no nasty bods leering. Lots of hot mineral baths with water massage jets and was very relaxing. However, the baths were almost impossible to get to. I looked at the map and it looked like the best place to get off the U-Bahn was the Koeln Messe. But you can't actually cross the railway bridge there, so I had to walk right round back past the Messe and then all the way along a very deserted looking park (Rheinpark) by the river to get there. Was not unlike looking for the holy grail. Anyway, turns out there's a bus from Deutzbahnhof/Messe so fortunately didn't have to walk on the way back.
Whilst in Germany I had sausages, sauerkraut and kartoffelpuree with suess senf and Koelsch and a very good Japanese tonkatsu that came with rice and two vegetable side dishes of green beans and cabbage salad, with crispy tofu and green tea. I also bought some bargain boots for Euro 45. I was most chuffed - although the shop only took cash. If I had room in my bag I would have bought more shoes. Also, went to Starbucks as it was the only place open late and the cheesecake was not like the cheesecake what you get in London. It was very good and probably German. There was a mouse under a pouffe at the next table but I left it in peace.
At the moment am cooking sausage, cabbage, potato and chickpea soup for dinner (the sausage hot off the plane from Germany).
My agent called to see if I was interested in being in Billy Eliot - starting rehearsal tomorrow. Two drawbacks - I have to have a Northern accent and sing. Haven't heard back from them unsurprisingly.
Labels: acting, food, spas, transport
19 June 2005
Phew!
What a scorcher!... as they say. It's suddenly become summer after weeks of rain and damp and general non-hotness. Everyone is gasping for air like little stranded fish.
I notice on the new bendy buses, there are air-conditioners in the driver's cab but nowt for the paying passengers. Funny that.
Off to Taste of London today to sample much tasty food. After a sweaty session at the gym. I'm astounded by my goodness.
BB's birthday spaghetti and meatballs were an unmitigated success. After five hours of slaving over a hot stove I fashioned the most tasty, chunky and scrumptious meatballs with oregano and tomato sauce. Hats off to John Pawson's recipe (modified).
We watched Sideways the other day. It is very funny. Took a while to get into, but some excellent setpieces. It's made me want to go down the road and try out the new wine shop that has wine tastings down the road. And I don't really like wine that much.
Batman Begins next on the agenda.
I notice on the new bendy buses, there are air-conditioners in the driver's cab but nowt for the paying passengers. Funny that.
Off to Taste of London today to sample much tasty food. After a sweaty session at the gym. I'm astounded by my goodness.
BB's birthday spaghetti and meatballs were an unmitigated success. After five hours of slaving over a hot stove I fashioned the most tasty, chunky and scrumptious meatballs with oregano and tomato sauce. Hats off to John Pawson's recipe (modified).
We watched Sideways the other day. It is very funny. Took a while to get into, but some excellent setpieces. It's made me want to go down the road and try out the new wine shop that has wine tastings down the road. And I don't really like wine that much.
Batman Begins next on the agenda.
Labels: food, transport, weather
22 March 2005
I hate British Rail
I am infuriated by having been fined £10 for fare-dodging when I'm probably the last person in the world to fare dodge.
I was travelling from Charing Cross to London Bridge and the train seemed like a good way to do it. Anyways, I have a pre-pay Oyster card and when I ran it over the reader the gate beeped and flashed up with Seek Assistance - which I duly did. The guy just waved me through the gate when I said my ticket didn't work.
Anyway, I get to London Bridge and of course, the barrier won't let me out. So I go to pay the fare and explain the situation. Then it transpires that pre-pay cards are not accepted on National Rail. The ticket guy then proceeds to tell me I'm lying when I say that the guy at Charing Cross just waved me through when I told him my ticket wasn't working. Grrrr......
"You didn't tell him your ticket wasn't working, did you?"
Aaaargh.... I wanted to kick him hard in the shins. Anyway, as ignorance is no defence I had to pay bloody £10. I hope he chokes on his dinner.
I'm never travelling by National Rail ever again.
I was travelling from Charing Cross to London Bridge and the train seemed like a good way to do it. Anyways, I have a pre-pay Oyster card and when I ran it over the reader the gate beeped and flashed up with Seek Assistance - which I duly did. The guy just waved me through the gate when I said my ticket didn't work.
Anyway, I get to London Bridge and of course, the barrier won't let me out. So I go to pay the fare and explain the situation. Then it transpires that pre-pay cards are not accepted on National Rail. The ticket guy then proceeds to tell me I'm lying when I say that the guy at Charing Cross just waved me through when I told him my ticket wasn't working. Grrrr......
"You didn't tell him your ticket wasn't working, did you?"
Aaaargh.... I wanted to kick him hard in the shins. Anyway, as ignorance is no defence I had to pay bloody £10. I hope he chokes on his dinner.
I'm never travelling by National Rail ever again.
Labels: transport
