the hoff!

This post seems to have gone astray since last week, but on Friday I saw David Hasselhoff at Borough Market. He looked very tall and was buying some organic fruit and veg. Very ugly shirt though.

Of course, this caused much excitement at the audience, which prompted the discovery of this video. Apparently it's the real thing, not a piss-take!

Anyway, apart from the excitement of seeing David Hasselhoff, I did have an absolutely fantastic roast pork baguette!

What are they feeding them?

Loved this story about the crafty sheep who have managed to work out a way to roll over cattle grids, thus allowing them to escape and eat gardens, destroy cricket pitches etc.

the horror! the horror!

Favourite story of the day is Wish You Weren't Here from the Guardian - the horrendous story of what happens when you only pay £99 for a holiday!

Fruity!

London people - I'm off to Fruitstock weekend after next if anyone's keen to come along! 

new venue

Simon and I went for a drink at Shillibeers last night, about 5 minutes walk from our house.  There's a lovely courtyard there with lots of overgrown plants.  It was a glorious evening (for once) so lovely to be sitting outside.  Looking at the website, there are quite a few events and activities that go on there (not that interested in the London Fetish Fair).  I'm especially keen on taking part in the Mastermind Quiz and will be pulling a team together in the near future!

We had planned to go and see the play that's on at the Pleasance Theatre upstairs, but it was sold out.  It's extended its run so we'll go another time.

artful

I'm off to a charity reception at Tate Modern's Art of the Garden exhibition this evening.  Ernst & Young are the sponsors of the exhibition which has meant all kinds of gardening and arty activity in the offices over the past couple of months.  Our glass internal walkways have been decorated with large panels of leafs and flowers, our carrier bags and plastic glasses have been branded and there have been opportunities to create gardens at local schools.

google-less!

I was one of thoe people who was at a loss after Google went off-line on Monday afternoon, the victim of a virus attack.  Like the writer, I didn't realise how much I missed it until it had gone!
 
Fiona prompted me to do a self-Google recently and this, sadly, is the result.  Only the last one is not me.  I really should get some more activities that aren't to do with work!

Save the Routemaster!

The Routemaster, that sturdy warhorse of London transport, is gradually being withdrawn from the streets.  The number 6, which steadily rumbled up Kilburn Park Road, was retired and replaced with a new-fangled bus in March this year and there are many more buses that are going to be changed.  Sign this petition to stop the threat

mixing it up

We had a great time at the 'Music to Watch Girls By' concert at Kenwood House in Hampstead on Saturday night.  For once, it was a lovely evening and we had a fantastic picnic, including numerous glasses of wine.  The air was alive with the sound of popping champagne corks and every group of people seemed to have a M&S cooler bag.  We picnicked on the grass but then were lucky enough to have reserved deckchairs for the actual concert.  We all enjoyed singing along to the music and were suitably astounded by the fireworks display at the end.  It's a lovely setting with a natural ampitheatre and the stage across a lake.  We did have a very dark and perilous walk across the Heath back down to Hampstead village but it was all very entertaining!

i don't know why...

This website won first prize in the Phillips Digital Arts Festival.  Wait for the web page to load and then pass your mouse over the image!

Mercury Music Prize

I reckon that Franz Ferdinand should win the Mercury Music Prize myself for their fantastic album that always makes me smile.  I think it's a classic.

a new face!

Excellent site of the day is Portrait Illustration Maker, a site that allows you to create a face for use on MSN Messenger or just for your own amusement!
 
It's all very Manga and very funky.  I haven't managed to create an accurate replica of my face as yet.  You can tell it's a Japanese site - no curly hair!

disillusioned

I'm not quite as disillusioned as DragonAttack about the current state of Queen in this article from Rocksnobs, but I can definitely see where she's coming from. But then again, what do rock stars do instead of retiring?

And for those of you who hadn't seen the article about Roger Taylor that I saw earlier this year, here it is. Made me cry with laughter and self-recognition it did. Oh dear.

pardon?

Have realised that the reason I'm so deaf is ten years of travelling by tube. According to this article, decibels average at 88 or 89 db, louder than the level at which employers should provide ear protection. Not sure whether it helps that I normally wear a walkman (or an iPod now!) which blocks out the sound or whether I'm getting more damage by turning up the volume to play over the sound of the tube!

a good look?

Let me share Andrew's site of the day - the very dodgy Aluminum Foil Deflector Beanie. We'll all be wearing them this summer!

blast from the drinking past

Bit of a blast from the past last night with a few rounds of Fuzzy Duck in the bar after the aborted salsa session. Seems that the Tax personnel attending the conference are not up for a bit of a merengue, so I retired with the organisation team to the cocktail bar.

scam-baiters

Favourite story of the day is about scam-baiters – people who turn the tables on conmen from Nigeria - those people who say they can transfer huge amounts of money into your account. There are a few people who get them to do stupid and humiliating things in pursuit of the money such as painting their chests and converting to spurious religions. Brilliant!

yet another posh hotel

I'm off to a two day meeting at Hanbury Manor in Ware, Hertfordshire, which looks VERY nice from the website.

My part in the meeting is actually quite small so I'm hoping to fit in some swimming and pampering. As well as some work of course!

Happy Birthday Mum!

Happy Birthday to Mum - she shares her birthday with Bill Cosby and Christine McVie (and is younger than both!)

10 long years

Apologies to everyone who's been following this blog - it's been a little erratic recently due to pressures of work and not much exciting happening really...

But this weekend was a celebration - tomorrow (13th July) marks the 10th anniversary of my arrival in London. As the great British summer is currently elsewhere and the climate was therefore not suitable for a picnic as planned, friends old and new gathered for lunch at an old favourite, the Mac Bar. Famous for its roasts as well as the fish finger sandwiches and yummy cocktails, pop stars were not in attendance, but it was lovely to catch up with friends I've made since coming to London (Charlotte, Nicki, Li-Ann, Andrew, Emily, David, St John) and friends I've had since I was young (Kt).

Thanks to Kt for the lovely London book which everyone signed. It's very contemporary so gives an excellent summary of my time in this great city!