I've loaded all my photos from St Petersburg onto Flickr, but haven't had a chance to update the blog properly yet. But have a squizz at the photos - beware, lots of gold!
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Finland / Russia Day One
Verrrry early start this morning with the cab picking Mum and I up at 4.15 am! The early start did mean that we had time for a nice breakfast at Giraffe at Terminal One before boarding our flight to Helsinki. The flight was pretty uneventful, apart from me leaving my hair clip on my food tray and it getting put in the rubbish. Oh well.
When we landed at Helsinki it was pouring with rain, but we got a cab ok and arrived at our hotel, the Helka. There's a charming photo on the ceiling of a wood scene to keep us entertained if we can't sleep. This is the same hotel I stayed in last time I was in Helsinki - it's nice and central, although we got lost quite a few times today!
After lunch, I popped into the office to say hello to some of my colleagues - nice to see them and the offices. Also got our train tickets for the trip to Russia tomorrow morning.
WEnt and met Mum and Fiona at the Design Museum where there were a couple of good exhibitions on Finnish fashion amd ceramics by Rut Bryk which were gorgeous. We also went and spent some money inthe Marimekko flagship store (gorgeous but not any cheaper in Finland!) and the Moomin store.
On my colleague Tuula's recommendation, we went and had a drink at Torni, a 12 storey hotel with a roof bar with gorgeous views over the city. Very spectacular - we could see all the little islands surrounding the city.
Had dinner at a traditional Finnish restaurant, Aino. I had some lovely reindeer fillets and Fiona had herring. Very traditional!
When we landed at Helsinki it was pouring with rain, but we got a cab ok and arrived at our hotel, the Helka. There's a charming photo on the ceiling of a wood scene to keep us entertained if we can't sleep. This is the same hotel I stayed in last time I was in Helsinki - it's nice and central, although we got lost quite a few times today!
After lunch, I popped into the office to say hello to some of my colleagues - nice to see them and the offices. Also got our train tickets for the trip to Russia tomorrow morning.
WEnt and met Mum and Fiona at the Design Museum where there were a couple of good exhibitions on Finnish fashion amd ceramics by Rut Bryk which were gorgeous. We also went and spent some money inthe Marimekko flagship store (gorgeous but not any cheaper in Finland!) and the Moomin store.
On my colleague Tuula's recommendation, we went and had a drink at Torni, a 12 storey hotel with a roof bar with gorgeous views over the city. Very spectacular - we could see all the little islands surrounding the city.
Had dinner at a traditional Finnish restaurant, Aino. I had some lovely reindeer fillets and Fiona had herring. Very traditional!
Monday, August 27, 2007
Dusty Springfield's grave, Henley on Thames
We found Dusty Springfield's grave in a churchyard in Henley on Thames, where she lived before she died. According to Wikipedia, she was cremated, and some of the ashes buried here, and the rest scattered at the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland.
outing!
I went out with Li-Ann and Andrew, as well as Li-Ann's aunt, on Saturday to Windsor, Bray and Henley. It was a gorgeous sunny day, quite different to a lot of the weather we've had recently. We drove out to Eton and parked and walked through town down to Windsor and wandered around the perimeter of the castle. I went there years ago, and it is very impressive. Lots of security around, but also scores and scores of tourists!
We went down into the Great Park, and noticed that Frogmore House, which includes the mausoleum in which Queen Victoria and Prince Albert are entombed, was open (it's only open a few days a year). So we took the opportunity to go and have a look - it was very interesting. The grounds were gorgeous and included a very odd tree with very curly branches. We weren't allowed to take any photos of the tomb, but it was very ornate inside with marble figures of Victoria and Albert.
We went for lunch in Bray at the Hinds Head pub - it's the gastro pub owned by Heston Blumenthal, who also runs the very famous Fat Duck restaurant next door. Thankfully the Hinds Head doesn't have a three month waiting list and doesn't cost at least £80 to eat at! We had a lovely meal, and the others (not me!) enjoyed the thrice cooked chips.
We drove down to Henley on our way home and had a walk by the river. We even stumbled across Dusty Springfield's grave! She lived in Henley before she died.
We went down into the Great Park, and noticed that Frogmore House, which includes the mausoleum in which Queen Victoria and Prince Albert are entombed, was open (it's only open a few days a year). So we took the opportunity to go and have a look - it was very interesting. The grounds were gorgeous and included a very odd tree with very curly branches. We weren't allowed to take any photos of the tomb, but it was very ornate inside with marble figures of Victoria and Albert.
We went for lunch in Bray at the Hinds Head pub - it's the gastro pub owned by Heston Blumenthal, who also runs the very famous Fat Duck restaurant next door. Thankfully the Hinds Head doesn't have a three month waiting list and doesn't cost at least £80 to eat at! We had a lovely meal, and the others (not me!) enjoyed the thrice cooked chips.
We drove down to Henley on our way home and had a walk by the river. We even stumbled across Dusty Springfield's grave! She lived in Henley before she died.
wicked!
Fiona, Simon and I went to see 'Wicked' on Thursday night. The musical, based on the Gregory Maguire book, tells the story of the Wizard of Oz from the point of view of the Wicked Witch of the West - and we see that she was't really all that wicked after all! Fiona and I had tried to see it in New York a couple of years ago, but tickets had cost too much and we missed out on the raffle.
The London production was very spectacular and told the story very well - even though it seemed a lot less dark than the book, especially the ending! But the effects, staging and costumes were all fantastic and mesmerising to watch. Only a couple the songs really resonated and were memorable, but the quality of the singing was fantastic. We didn't realise til afterwards that Nigel Planer (Neil in the Young Ones) was one of the leads. Thoroughly enjoyable!
The London production was very spectacular and told the story very well - even though it seemed a lot less dark than the book, especially the ending! But the effects, staging and costumes were all fantastic and mesmerising to watch. Only a couple the songs really resonated and were memorable, but the quality of the singing was fantastic. We didn't realise til afterwards that Nigel Planer (Neil in the Young Ones) was one of the leads. Thoroughly enjoyable!
natural!
Last weekend we went canal boating to celebrate David's birthday. We hired boat from a place in Odiham and spent the day on the Basingstoke canal, ending up at Crookham for lunch. It was great fun! A bit gloomy in the morning, with full fledged rain by the afternoon. But we still had a great time. I don't think I'll be steering a canal boat again, after nearly crashing the boat - it's a lot more difficult than I thought!
Took loads of photos, which are all on Flickr.
Took loads of photos, which are all on Flickr.
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Sunday, July 22, 2007
flashback!
Went to the Lovebox festival in Victoria Park, east London, this afternoon. It's a two day festival set up by Groove Armada, who played later on this evening.
Two highlights were Tinariwen (Mali desert blues - they were all dressed in their desert robes and head scarves) and Hot Chip (geeky as normal).
But t he main reason for going was the B-52s. Seventeen years after we'd seen them play in Christchurch, Simon and I were once again the front row to watch them. They've aged with various degrees of success, but still sounded pretty good! They finished off with a storming Planet Claire and Rock Lobster.
Also had a go on the chairoplanes which were way scarier than I remembered as a child!!
Two highlights were Tinariwen (Mali desert blues - they were all dressed in their desert robes and head scarves) and Hot Chip (geeky as normal).
But t he main reason for going was the B-52s. Seventeen years after we'd seen them play in Christchurch, Simon and I were once again the front row to watch them. They've aged with various degrees of success, but still sounded pretty good! They finished off with a storming Planet Claire and Rock Lobster.
Also had a go on the chairoplanes which were way scarier than I remembered as a child!!
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
community!
As part of our work away-day last week we spent the afternoon painting a wall and gardening at a local community center. It was very impressive what we achieved! Here is a photo of us all at the end - you can't see quite how paint spattered I am!
Saturday, July 07, 2007
festive!
We had our department away day and summer party on Wednesday. The away day consisted of presentations in the morning, and then a community event in the afternoon. We went down to a community center in south London and cleared bushes and painted a huge brick wall. It was great fun! And we only got rained on about five times!
The summer party was held at the Cut Bar above the Young Vic Theatre. It was a Mexican fiesta theme, with a pinata, maracas and sombreros, as well as pomegrante margaritas! It was great fun. Photos are up on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=32828&l=27c70&id=636605108).
The summer party was held at the Cut Bar above the Young Vic Theatre. It was a Mexican fiesta theme, with a pinata, maracas and sombreros, as well as pomegrante margaritas! It was great fun. Photos are up on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=32828&l=27c70&id=636605108).
speedy!
Everyone here's very excited about the Tour de France first stage today in London - only the third time it's been on here. There's a time trial in central London and then a longer stage out through Kent. The Guardian's put a video of the time trial course here http://www.guardian.co.uk/flash/page/0,,2120441,00.html. Still not sure whether I'm going to go and watch!
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Willow Tea Rooms @ Kelvingrove
I visited the refurbished Kelvingrove Museum when I was up in Glasgow last weekend - there's really good 'Glasgow School' section there with some fine examples of furniture and art - some photos available in my photo album.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Monday, June 11, 2007
Sunday, June 10, 2007
celebratory!
Karen, Chris and Liz brought me a birthday pineapple today, instead of a cake - here is me with it at the pub.
Saturday, June 09, 2007
Penguin egg - stage 1
Mum sent me a penguin egg for my birthday - you put it in water and eventually a penguin hatches. This is the egg after 1 hour. Will keep this updated!
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Lidolicious!
Went for a swim at the Hackney Lido tody - it was gorgeous! It's just been reopened after quite a bit of renovation and is so well done. It's London's only 50m heated open air pool. Today was a gorgeous day and it was heavenly to swim there - nearly as good as the North Sydney Pool! Very quiet as it was a weekday, not sure how busy it will be at the weekends. I'm so used to 25m pools though, it was a bit more of a challenge swimming in a 50m. I'll definitely be going again.
intimate!
Andrew had an operation to remove a piece of cartilage from his knee a week ago - not only did a camera go in to watch the operation, they gave it to him on CD and - of course! - he's posted it on YouTube!! He's healing well now and will be limboing again in no time.
Friday, May 25, 2007
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
figured!
When I catch the bus home across Waterloo Bridge, I can see many of the Anthony Gormley figures that are standing on rooftops around the Hayward Gallery. There are 31 in total and stand facing the river or on the bridge itself. You can see them silhouetted against the skyline. They do look a little bit like people about to jump, but overall there's a real "Where's Wally?" spirit to it as you try to spot all of them.
Also at the moment the fly-tower at the National Theatre has had its walls covered in grass - it looks really bizarre, quite a contrast to the concrete jungle around1
Also at the moment the fly-tower at the National Theatre has had its walls covered in grass - it looks really bizarre, quite a contrast to the concrete jungle around1
Monday, May 14, 2007
inflated!
Found this article in the Observer yesterday fascinating - it's about the change in behaviour, market forces and society that has resulted in such high prices, resulting in people like me being unable to buy a property in the situation I'm in. Fascinating, but depressing!
The road that's profiled is about 20 mins from where I live but is probably a little more upmarket, the houses look a bit bigger. But it's probably a good reflection of a typical London street.
The road that's profiled is about 20 mins from where I live but is probably a little more upmarket, the houses look a bit bigger. But it's probably a good reflection of a typical London street.
Monday, May 07, 2007
chronological!
Have updated my blog with what I got up to in the US - they're all entered chronologically below.
Thursday, May 03, 2007
literary!
You may have noticed a new feature on my blog - to the right is a random selection of my Library Thing covers. This is a website where you catalogue all the books you've read, and can then rate them and find similar / recommended titles etc. Probably will take me forever to get it done, but it's good fun, especially seeing how many of a particular author I've read!
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
photos!
I've loaded my best photos from my trip onto Flickr - click on the lovely photo of me and the giant penguin in Oamaru to get through to them. There's also sets of photos from Dad's birthday and from our visit to the Getty Center in LA available as well if you want to be selective.
Blurb on what I got up to in LA should follow shortly...
Blurb on what I got up to in LA should follow shortly...
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
USA Day Five
Last day of the trip today :(
After packing up and checking out I caught the handy Passport bus along to the Belmont Shore, the posher area of Long Beach, for some breakfast and a wander, as well as some last minute shopping. Thankfully there was room in my luggage for a couple of extra pieces of clothing!
Nancy picked me up at my hotel and we had lunch at Acapulco, a Mexican restaurant in San Pedro. She then drove me to the airport and farewelled me!
Had an annoying experience at the security check-in - a woman who looked like she worked at one of the shops in the airport threw her cigarettes and pass into the plastic container that held my cabin luggage just as it was going through the scanner. When I handed the items back to her at the other end the security guards got very touchy and thoroughly searched us both. I was furious, both at her and at myself. Shouldn't have let her do that.
Highlight of the flight back to London was Paula as one of the cabin crew - she gave me champagne and a goody bag at takeoff and came over and chatted a couple of times during the flight, but she was really busy (another full flight) and I was asleep for much of the time. Annie Lennox (who'd been in LA appearing on American Idol) was on the plane as well, but being in cattle class, I didn't get to see her!
Long journey once I'd landed with the tube all the way to Finsbury Park and then a bus. Nice to be back in the flat though - it was just as I'd left it!
After packing up and checking out I caught the handy Passport bus along to the Belmont Shore, the posher area of Long Beach, for some breakfast and a wander, as well as some last minute shopping. Thankfully there was room in my luggage for a couple of extra pieces of clothing!
Nancy picked me up at my hotel and we had lunch at Acapulco, a Mexican restaurant in San Pedro. She then drove me to the airport and farewelled me!
Had an annoying experience at the security check-in - a woman who looked like she worked at one of the shops in the airport threw her cigarettes and pass into the plastic container that held my cabin luggage just as it was going through the scanner. When I handed the items back to her at the other end the security guards got very touchy and thoroughly searched us both. I was furious, both at her and at myself. Shouldn't have let her do that.
Highlight of the flight back to London was Paula as one of the cabin crew - she gave me champagne and a goody bag at takeoff and came over and chatted a couple of times during the flight, but she was really busy (another full flight) and I was asleep for much of the time. Annie Lennox (who'd been in LA appearing on American Idol) was on the plane as well, but being in cattle class, I didn't get to see her!
Long journey once I'd landed with the tube all the way to Finsbury Park and then a bus. Nice to be back in the flat though - it was just as I'd left it!
Monday, April 30, 2007
USA Day Four
Got up early and caught the Metro into LA to go shopping. The Blue Line goes straight from Long Beach to Downtown LA so I got off there. There was a small mall in the middle of the financial district (at the bottom of the Ernst & Young building!) but it didn't have the shops I wanted so I got on the Metro again and caught the Red Line to Wiltshire & Western station, then caught a taxi to the Beverly Center. It was quite a long journey! About 1 and 3/4 hours. When the cab driver dropped me off at the Beverley Center I couldn't find the entrance and ended up having to circumnavigate the entire building until I walked up the ramp of the car park!
I wanted to be back in Long Beach to see J&P off by 3pm so I didn't have huge amounts of time to shop. But I managed to get the items on my list - some knit tops from Banana Republic, new shoes and makeup from Stila.
Did the return journey also in 1 3/4 hours and got back to catch up with J&P. Nancy picked us up and we drove down the coast to visit the Wayfarer's Chapel. It's a lovely glass church designed by Lloyd Wright, Frank Lloyd Wright's son.
We visited Nancy's condo which overlooks the harbour - fantastic views! She could see Janet and Peter's boat come in on Saturday. One of her friends gave me a ride back to Long Beach while she took J&P to the airport to catch their flight back to New Zealand.
I ate at the restaurant across the road from the hotel, Utopia - great Californian style food with a very attentive staff!
I wanted to be back in Long Beach to see J&P off by 3pm so I didn't have huge amounts of time to shop. But I managed to get the items on my list - some knit tops from Banana Republic, new shoes and makeup from Stila.
Did the return journey also in 1 3/4 hours and got back to catch up with J&P. Nancy picked us up and we drove down the coast to visit the Wayfarer's Chapel. It's a lovely glass church designed by Lloyd Wright, Frank Lloyd Wright's son.
We visited Nancy's condo which overlooks the harbour - fantastic views! She could see Janet and Peter's boat come in on Saturday. One of her friends gave me a ride back to Long Beach while she took J&P to the airport to catch their flight back to New Zealand.
I ate at the restaurant across the road from the hotel, Utopia - great Californian style food with a very attentive staff!
Sunday, April 29, 2007
USA Day Three
After breakfast at the Long Beach Cafe, we drove up to the Getty Center in the Brentwood area of Los Angeles. The drive took less than an hour right up the freeway and it was very easy to find.
On arrival at the Getty Center, you catch a 'tram' (really a driverless monorail) up the hill to the main complex. It is gorgeous. Designed by Richard Meier, it's been open for about 10 years and was gifted to the city by J Paul Getty so it's free! Janet and I took an architecture tour to start off with and the guide pointed out different features and themes of the complex. The whole complex is covered with travertine stone from Tivoli in Italy, so the whole place seems like an old Roman palace. But the lines and layout are very modern.
We spent most of the day at the Center, wandering around and visiting the gardens and some of the galleries. There is a massive selection of art, apparently the Getty has an almost unlimited amount of money for purchasing art and can outbid anybody. But I was more impressed with the views and the design of the buildings.
We drove back to Long Beach via Santa Monica and the South Beaches (Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach and Redondo Beach). Lovely sunny afternoon and nice to see the beaches being used and how they were built up.
We ate at Parker's Lighthouse that evening which was J&P's actual 35th anniversary. Peter and I shared an Alaskan King crab - yummo!
On arrival at the Getty Center, you catch a 'tram' (really a driverless monorail) up the hill to the main complex. It is gorgeous. Designed by Richard Meier, it's been open for about 10 years and was gifted to the city by J Paul Getty so it's free! Janet and I took an architecture tour to start off with and the guide pointed out different features and themes of the complex. The whole complex is covered with travertine stone from Tivoli in Italy, so the whole place seems like an old Roman palace. But the lines and layout are very modern.
We spent most of the day at the Center, wandering around and visiting the gardens and some of the galleries. There is a massive selection of art, apparently the Getty has an almost unlimited amount of money for purchasing art and can outbid anybody. But I was more impressed with the views and the design of the buildings.
We drove back to Long Beach via Santa Monica and the South Beaches (Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach and Redondo Beach). Lovely sunny afternoon and nice to see the beaches being used and how they were built up.
We ate at Parker's Lighthouse that evening which was J&P's actual 35th anniversary. Peter and I shared an Alaskan King crab - yummo!
Saturday, April 28, 2007
USA Day Two
Janet and Peter's boat docked at 7am so I was picked up just before that by Nancy Richardson, a friend of a friend who lives in San Pedro and taken down to the harbour. Waited around for them to disembark for a wee while - amazing the number of people coming off the boat and their enormous amounts of luggage! Most people had two enormous wheelie suitcases each and some even needed a porter!
Lovely to see Janet and Peter - they had had a fabulous trip starting off in LA, then across country via Las Vegas, then to Augusta for the Masters, then down to Florida and on a two week cruise through the Panama Canal. They were originally going to get on a plane back to NZ on the day they arrived back in LA, but then realised that because of the time difference, the 29th April, their wedding anniversary, would disappear! So they decided to stay an extra couple of night, and I was lucky that I was able to fit a meet-up into my schedule.
After they landed we had some breakfast at the Long Beach Cafe, a traditional diner near the hotel. J&P were staying at my hotel which meant we were close by. After checking in, we hired a car for going to the Getty Center in LA tomorrow, and then walked around the shoreline.
J&P's boat departed again from Los Angeles Harbour at about 5pm, so we went down to San Pedro with Nancy to watch it. Nancy works at the Maritime Institute of Los Angeles and they have a couple of tall ships that we visited and sat and watched the boats go by. Fantastically busy harbour, lots to watch!
We had dinner at Ports O'Call restaurant - fabulous seafood!
Lovely to see Janet and Peter - they had had a fabulous trip starting off in LA, then across country via Las Vegas, then to Augusta for the Masters, then down to Florida and on a two week cruise through the Panama Canal. They were originally going to get on a plane back to NZ on the day they arrived back in LA, but then realised that because of the time difference, the 29th April, their wedding anniversary, would disappear! So they decided to stay an extra couple of night, and I was lucky that I was able to fit a meet-up into my schedule.
After they landed we had some breakfast at the Long Beach Cafe, a traditional diner near the hotel. J&P were staying at my hotel which meant we were close by. After checking in, we hired a car for going to the Getty Center in LA tomorrow, and then walked around the shoreline.
J&P's boat departed again from Los Angeles Harbour at about 5pm, so we went down to San Pedro with Nancy to watch it. Nancy works at the Maritime Institute of Los Angeles and they have a couple of tall ships that we visited and sat and watched the boats go by. Fantastically busy harbour, lots to watch!
We had dinner at Ports O'Call restaurant - fabulous seafood!
Friday, April 27, 2007
USA Day One
After leaving Auckland about 9pm, I arrived at LAX the same day about 3pm! Flight was really full this time - no lying down! Never mind, I still got some sleep.
Long tortuous arrival through US Immigration. The queue is so long! We had a special Air NZ queue thank goodness because half the people on the flight had to go through immigration, pick up their luggage and then check in again for the second leg of the flight through to London. None of this easy transit lounge for a couple of hours. Ridiculous. I'd never do that if I didn't have to, such a hassle.
Saw Shaun Ryder standing in the immigration queue, looking very shifty. He was on his way to the Coachella Festival.
I managed to get out ok, and catch one of the Super Shuttles to Long Beach. My hotel, the Best Western at the Convention Center, was nice and central - loads of the hotels in Long Beach are accessible only by car, so I was glad that it worked out ok. Standard Best Western Hotel, but nice and clean with a big bed.
Took a walk around, down to the beach. The barriers for the Grand Prix that was held earlier in the month were still up. The beach was huge, but it was a bit late in the day for a swim. I walked around the shoreline and then along to the Shoreline Village, a newish development with shops, bars and restaurants. I had dinner (some lovely aki tuna) at Gladstone's and then walked home via Borders.
Long tortuous arrival through US Immigration. The queue is so long! We had a special Air NZ queue thank goodness because half the people on the flight had to go through immigration, pick up their luggage and then check in again for the second leg of the flight through to London. None of this easy transit lounge for a couple of hours. Ridiculous. I'd never do that if I didn't have to, such a hassle.
Saw Shaun Ryder standing in the immigration queue, looking very shifty. He was on his way to the Coachella Festival.
I managed to get out ok, and catch one of the Super Shuttles to Long Beach. My hotel, the Best Western at the Convention Center, was nice and central - loads of the hotels in Long Beach are accessible only by car, so I was glad that it worked out ok. Standard Best Western Hotel, but nice and clean with a big bed.
Took a walk around, down to the beach. The barriers for the Grand Prix that was held earlier in the month were still up. The beach was huge, but it was a bit late in the day for a swim. I walked around the shoreline and then along to the Shoreline Village, a newish development with shops, bars and restaurants. I had dinner (some lovely aki tuna) at Gladstone's and then walked home via Borders.
mainland!
Have had a few days in Christchurch, staying with Fiona and John. It's been a great opportunity to catch up with friends here - and meet more babies!
We left Timaru on Sunday afternoon and drove back to Christchurch via Geraldine and the 'scenic' route - through the Rakaia Gorge and Darfield etc. The weather was a bit overcast but some of the scenery was still spectacular, especially Rakaia. We stopped in at John's work to have a look at the farm - he's working at a NZ Care establishment where he works with intellectually handicapped people who spend time on the farm.
I met up with Lisa and her two children, Felix and Phoebe, on Monday. Felix is 20 months now and Phoebe 7 months. Had a walk round to the Beckenham Library cafe which is a lovely spot. Sue came round for dinner in the evening - I cooked some lamb from my new Australian Women's Weekly cookbook.
On Tuesday I went and had lunch with Fiona at a cafe near her work - some lovely food there, inc spinach and salmon stacks which I had. Had a wander around the central city after lunch - I walked around Hagley Park, went to Beads Unlimited and made a necklace, had a look at the Maori cloaks exhibition at the Art Gallery and bought some earrings from the shop there. Also had a look round the shops on Cashel St - not much has changed really! Radio man wasn't there though.
Took the bus out to Mt Pleasant for dinner at Lisa and John's - they are quite high on the hill. Sally and Richard came round as well - Sally made her lovely white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake which I had to have a little bit of!
Wednesday was ANZAC Day and it was really quiet all over Christchurch. About half the businesses were closed, and the ones that were opened only opened in the afternoon. Most restaurants charge a surcharge for a meal too. The weather was gorgeous again, and Fiona and I went for a walk along the river.
Mum and Dad came up in the afternoon, and in the evening we went to see Sacha's choir, Cafe of the Gate of Salvation (http://www.cafeofthegateofsalvation.com.au/), sing at the Great Hall. The choir is based in Sydney, and sings traditional and new gospel music. It was fantastic! The leader of the choir, Tony Backhouse, used to be in The Crocodiles years ago, but now has a passion for gospel music. The choir had been on tour through New Zealand for the last fortnight. Lovely to see Sacha again as well. We went for a drink at the Dux de Lux afterwards.
On Thursday, Mum, Fiona, Sue and I went up to Hanmer for the day for a soak in the hot pools. It's years since I've been there - maybe 15 years at least? They have really expanded it and now have many more landscaped pools, as well as three sulphur pools (40 degrees!). Lazed around in those for a while, then went and had lunch at the Rustic Cafe, and then stopped in at the Nor'Wester cafe in Amberley on the way back to Christchurch. We went and ate at The Brick Works for dinner - more lovely huge mussels!
Am leaving Christchurch today (Friday) for Los Angeles.
We left Timaru on Sunday afternoon and drove back to Christchurch via Geraldine and the 'scenic' route - through the Rakaia Gorge and Darfield etc. The weather was a bit overcast but some of the scenery was still spectacular, especially Rakaia. We stopped in at John's work to have a look at the farm - he's working at a NZ Care establishment where he works with intellectually handicapped people who spend time on the farm.
I met up with Lisa and her two children, Felix and Phoebe, on Monday. Felix is 20 months now and Phoebe 7 months. Had a walk round to the Beckenham Library cafe which is a lovely spot. Sue came round for dinner in the evening - I cooked some lamb from my new Australian Women's Weekly cookbook.
On Tuesday I went and had lunch with Fiona at a cafe near her work - some lovely food there, inc spinach and salmon stacks which I had. Had a wander around the central city after lunch - I walked around Hagley Park, went to Beads Unlimited and made a necklace, had a look at the Maori cloaks exhibition at the Art Gallery and bought some earrings from the shop there. Also had a look round the shops on Cashel St - not much has changed really! Radio man wasn't there though.
Took the bus out to Mt Pleasant for dinner at Lisa and John's - they are quite high on the hill. Sally and Richard came round as well - Sally made her lovely white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake which I had to have a little bit of!
Wednesday was ANZAC Day and it was really quiet all over Christchurch. About half the businesses were closed, and the ones that were opened only opened in the afternoon. Most restaurants charge a surcharge for a meal too. The weather was gorgeous again, and Fiona and I went for a walk along the river.
Mum and Dad came up in the afternoon, and in the evening we went to see Sacha's choir, Cafe of the Gate of Salvation (http://www.cafeofthegateofsalvation.com.au/), sing at the Great Hall. The choir is based in Sydney, and sings traditional and new gospel music. It was fantastic! The leader of the choir, Tony Backhouse, used to be in The Crocodiles years ago, but now has a passion for gospel music. The choir had been on tour through New Zealand for the last fortnight. Lovely to see Sacha again as well. We went for a drink at the Dux de Lux afterwards.
On Thursday, Mum, Fiona, Sue and I went up to Hanmer for the day for a soak in the hot pools. It's years since I've been there - maybe 15 years at least? They have really expanded it and now have many more landscaped pools, as well as three sulphur pools (40 degrees!). Lazed around in those for a while, then went and had lunch at the Rustic Cafe, and then stopped in at the Nor'Wester cafe in Amberley on the way back to Christchurch. We went and ate at The Brick Works for dinner - more lovely huge mussels!
Am leaving Christchurch today (Friday) for Los Angeles.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
penguins!
Back in Timaru now, I spent Friday morning walking into town and doing a little bit of retail therapy (not really that much to speak of in Timaru but there's a nice design store with some cool stuff). Met Dad for lunch on the Bay Hill at Coast (formerly Zanzibar's) - had some lovely, huge mussels in a coconut milk sauce.
On Saturday, Dad and I went for a walk down to the Bay to see the Aoraki final of the Young Farmer of the Year competition - they were ploughing, welding, organising sheep and digging. The Bay is getting so huge as the water goes out and out, so there's loads of room for this kind of thing to be set up.
Fiona and John came down in the afternoon and then we all drove down to Oamaru to see the Little Blue Penguins come ashore at the sanctuary. There is a viewing grandstand there - tickets cost $17.50 each and there is one of the staff commentating as the penguins arrive. It's quite quiet at the moment but we saw about 40 penguins arrive. They are tiny! Only about 30 cm high. They come ashore and then have to cross across this gravel track before they get to the safety of the nesting houses that have been built for them. They are quite cautious when they come to cross across and a few groups waited for ages before crossing - we had to be really quiet so that they were encouraged and didn't think there were predators waiting for them. The penguins were really noisy once they got to the nesting area - calling out to each other and making mating calls. We were there for about an hour and really enjoyed it. We were told to be careful when we left as penguins often wander across the road, and sure enough we had to stop and wait for one to cross!
We had dinner at the Riverstone Kitchen, about 20 km north of Oamaru. It was a lovely meal - quite a new place, and using a lot of local ingredients. We all, apart from John, had roast Havoc pork for our main - yum!
On Saturday, Dad and I went for a walk down to the Bay to see the Aoraki final of the Young Farmer of the Year competition - they were ploughing, welding, organising sheep and digging. The Bay is getting so huge as the water goes out and out, so there's loads of room for this kind of thing to be set up.
Fiona and John came down in the afternoon and then we all drove down to Oamaru to see the Little Blue Penguins come ashore at the sanctuary. There is a viewing grandstand there - tickets cost $17.50 each and there is one of the staff commentating as the penguins arrive. It's quite quiet at the moment but we saw about 40 penguins arrive. They are tiny! Only about 30 cm high. They come ashore and then have to cross across this gravel track before they get to the safety of the nesting houses that have been built for them. They are quite cautious when they come to cross across and a few groups waited for ages before crossing - we had to be really quiet so that they were encouraged and didn't think there were predators waiting for them. The penguins were really noisy once they got to the nesting area - calling out to each other and making mating calls. We were there for about an hour and really enjoyed it. We were told to be careful when we left as penguins often wander across the road, and sure enough we had to stop and wait for one to cross!
We had dinner at the Riverstone Kitchen, about 20 km north of Oamaru. It was a lovely meal - quite a new place, and using a lot of local ingredients. We all, apart from John, had roast Havoc pork for our main - yum!
Thursday, April 19, 2007
welly!
I've just had three days up in Wellington, visiting Steph and family. Oliver is now five years old, and Theo, the new baby, is just 12 weeks old. Flew from Timaru direct to Wellington on Monday morning - there are now four direct flights a day and the flight was full both ways (even though there were only 19 passenger seats!). Air New Zealand has been doing these 'Grab A Seat' offers and I'd kept an eye on those, getting my flights for $45 each way which is pretty good! Lovely smooth flight both ways and didn't hit the normal Wellington winds.
Steph and the boys came and picked me up and we went and had some lunch before going up the cable car. Oliver hadn't done this before and in his words "this is very different from what I thought it was going to be". It's school holidays at the moment and so there were lots of kids around, but it wasn't too bad. I'd not been up the cable car for years - great view from the top and the little museum is quite interesting.
During my Wellington visit we also went to the Dowse Gallery in Lower Hutt - it's just been renovated and re-opened and had some interesting exhibits, including some fab jewellery. Really good cafe there too - it's been torture resisting the cakes while I've been here! But I know that next time I visit I'll be able to indulge. Took Theo along to Plunket for his check-up and to the nurse for his 12 week injections (he wasn't terribly happy for a couple of days after that poor thing).
On Tuesday I met up with Steve and Aoife and we went into Wellington for dinner at Capitol beside the Embassy Theatre. Great to see them - they're very settled and have bought a house in Plimmerton next to the sea. Yummy meal too - had some squid (one of the seafood species Aoife looks after at MAF) and lovely Saint Claire pinot gris.
Also went for a coffee at La Bella Italia in Petone - similar to the Mediterranean Food Warehouse that Mum and Dad frequent (and which supplied much of the food for the long Italian lunch on Dad's birthday). Had a walk along the beach at Petone and out onto the pier, watching some people fishing. One guy had caught a huge Kahawai and it was flopping around, trying to get back into the water.
Had a browse through the IceBreaker shop at Wellington Airport before getting on my plane - there's a lovely Merino winter coat that I'd like to get next winter, but we'll see...
Steph and the boys came and picked me up and we went and had some lunch before going up the cable car. Oliver hadn't done this before and in his words "this is very different from what I thought it was going to be". It's school holidays at the moment and so there were lots of kids around, but it wasn't too bad. I'd not been up the cable car for years - great view from the top and the little museum is quite interesting.
During my Wellington visit we also went to the Dowse Gallery in Lower Hutt - it's just been renovated and re-opened and had some interesting exhibits, including some fab jewellery. Really good cafe there too - it's been torture resisting the cakes while I've been here! But I know that next time I visit I'll be able to indulge. Took Theo along to Plunket for his check-up and to the nurse for his 12 week injections (he wasn't terribly happy for a couple of days after that poor thing).
On Tuesday I met up with Steve and Aoife and we went into Wellington for dinner at Capitol beside the Embassy Theatre. Great to see them - they're very settled and have bought a house in Plimmerton next to the sea. Yummy meal too - had some squid (one of the seafood species Aoife looks after at MAF) and lovely Saint Claire pinot gris.
Also went for a coffee at La Bella Italia in Petone - similar to the Mediterranean Food Warehouse that Mum and Dad frequent (and which supplied much of the food for the long Italian lunch on Dad's birthday). Had a walk along the beach at Petone and out onto the pier, watching some people fishing. One guy had caught a huge Kahawai and it was flopping around, trying to get back into the water.
Had a browse through the IceBreaker shop at Wellington Airport before getting on my plane - there's a lovely Merino winter coat that I'd like to get next winter, but we'll see...
Sunday, April 15, 2007
home!
Am at Mum and Dad's in Timaru at the moment. The big surprise went as planned and Mum, Dad and Angus were extremely surprised to see me walk through the door on Friday night. I don't think Fiona could have kept it a secret for much longer and I was starting to think that they had cottoned on - but actually they had absolutely no idea which was great. So Dad was extremely pleased that I was there for his birthday - and that we all were there (apart from Tiana, Angus's girlfriend, who couldn't make it down from Nelson for the weekend).
Flight out on Air NZ was very impressive. The flight was only half full and so I had three seats to myself the whole way to Auckland. Nice opportunity to spread out and get some rest. I had taken some melatonin pills which are meant to help with jet lag - I thought that they would help me sleep more, but I only got about four hours on the first leg and none really on the second. But I haven't really suffered from jet lag since I've been here - have been sleeping at normal times and not been too tired. Will be interesting to see how they work going back. Food and entertainment on the flight were great. Had a connecting flight from Auckland to Christchurch which was totally full - a bit of a shock to the system!! Fiona met me at Christchurch and we drove down to Timaru after John finished work.
On Saturday Angus and I went down to Smithfield beach so that he could go sea kayaking (there was a bit of a swell). Was fun to watch although there were a group of surfers there as well and he didn't want to steal their waves too much.
We celebrated Dad's birthday with a long Italian lunch - he had 15 people in all. It was a gorgeous day, really sunny. We had the antipasti in the garden and all the hats had to come out. The rest of the lunch was fabulous, including a lovely tiramusu, and a specially decorated cake with 'Buon Compleanno Ken' on it, and red, green and white ribbons and stars. Dad had been given some dominoes for his birthday so we had a mini tournament to round the evening off. Had some excitement between courses when some of the scrub down by the railway track caught fire and two fire engines raced down to put it out.
On Sunday Fiona, John and I went for a walk around Dashing Rocks - there's a nice cliff side track there now, all sign-posted, not like when we were kids!! They then went back to Christchurch and Mum, Dad and I went to an exhibition down in the Landing Services Building of a Queenstown painter, Angus Watson. While we were there, one of the artist's friends told a story in a loud booming voice about a relative who lived in South Africa and had been a victim of a home invasion, shot six times etc. A bit alarming!
Off to Wellington on Monday morning to visit friends up there.
Flight out on Air NZ was very impressive. The flight was only half full and so I had three seats to myself the whole way to Auckland. Nice opportunity to spread out and get some rest. I had taken some melatonin pills which are meant to help with jet lag - I thought that they would help me sleep more, but I only got about four hours on the first leg and none really on the second. But I haven't really suffered from jet lag since I've been here - have been sleeping at normal times and not been too tired. Will be interesting to see how they work going back. Food and entertainment on the flight were great. Had a connecting flight from Auckland to Christchurch which was totally full - a bit of a shock to the system!! Fiona met me at Christchurch and we drove down to Timaru after John finished work.
On Saturday Angus and I went down to Smithfield beach so that he could go sea kayaking (there was a bit of a swell). Was fun to watch although there were a group of surfers there as well and he didn't want to steal their waves too much.
We celebrated Dad's birthday with a long Italian lunch - he had 15 people in all. It was a gorgeous day, really sunny. We had the antipasti in the garden and all the hats had to come out. The rest of the lunch was fabulous, including a lovely tiramusu, and a specially decorated cake with 'Buon Compleanno Ken' on it, and red, green and white ribbons and stars. Dad had been given some dominoes for his birthday so we had a mini tournament to round the evening off. Had some excitement between courses when some of the scrub down by the railway track caught fire and two fire engines raced down to put it out.
On Sunday Fiona, John and I went for a walk around Dashing Rocks - there's a nice cliff side track there now, all sign-posted, not like when we were kids!! They then went back to Christchurch and Mum, Dad and I went to an exhibition down in the Landing Services Building of a Queenstown painter, Angus Watson. While we were there, one of the artist's friends told a story in a loud booming voice about a relative who lived in South Africa and had been a victim of a home invasion, shot six times etc. A bit alarming!
Off to Wellington on Monday morning to visit friends up there.
Sunday, April 08, 2007
floating!
Kt and I went for a session at 'Float' in Notting Hill yesterday. It's a flotation tank center - it uses Living Nature products and has some ties with Air NZ (I think there's a tank at the terminal at Heathrow - will use it if I'm ever flying first class home!). and so I'd obtained a two for one offer from a mailing list I'm on.
Anyway, it was a fabulous experience. We each had a separate room with a tank in it that was shaped like a cocoon. After a shower and stripping off you get into the tank and stay there for about an hour. The first ten minutes have music or nature sounds then it goes silent for about 40 minutes. It was really relaxing. It took a while to get my neck and arms to relax and I ended up using a neck pillow to feel comfortable. And then the rest of my body ached quite a lot - getting used to being aligned differently I think. The water was really salty and buoyant - tasted horrible!
The whole experience made us feel really relaxed and it really lasts too - would recommend it - but maybe I'll wait until there's another half price offer - £50 a time is quite expensive!!
Anyway, it was a fabulous experience. We each had a separate room with a tank in it that was shaped like a cocoon. After a shower and stripping off you get into the tank and stay there for about an hour. The first ten minutes have music or nature sounds then it goes silent for about 40 minutes. It was really relaxing. It took a while to get my neck and arms to relax and I ended up using a neck pillow to feel comfortable. And then the rest of my body ached quite a lot - getting used to being aligned differently I think. The water was really salty and buoyant - tasted horrible!
The whole experience made us feel really relaxed and it really lasts too - would recommend it - but maybe I'll wait until there's another half price offer - £50 a time is quite expensive!!
Sunshine
Went to see the new film 'Sunshine' on Friday night. It's the new film by Danny Boyle, the director of 'Trainspotting' and is written by Alex Garland, the writer of 'The Beach'. I really enjoyed it, although there were quite a few minutes where I was jumping and Charlotte had her hands over her eyes! It's a science fiction film but much more intelligent and visual than your normal blockbuster sci fi. Really impressive design and cinematography and great to see it o the big screen. The ending with a strange plot development was a bit wierd - you could either view it as something really literal, or you could go for the mystical option, which I think I'll do.
Also great to see Kiwi actor Cliff Curtis in the cast as Searle, the psychologist.
Also great to see Kiwi actor Cliff Curtis in the cast as Searle, the psychologist.
Thursday, April 05, 2007
catching up with Dad!
I'm at 37 countries visited now...
create your own visited country map
or check our Venice travel guide
create your own visited country map
or check our Venice travel guide
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
organic!
Found this article about the opening of the new Wholefoods store in Kensington interesting. Sounds like it's going to be a huge store. It will be fascinating to see how this changes British supermarkets overall - like the article says they're pretty functional and bare at present. But I wonder how it will affect the smaller organic food shops and farmers markets that are growing in popularity here.
smokefree!
I for one can't wait until the smoking in pubs and restaurants ban comes in England on July 1st. Am definitely part of a group that will go to the pub more when it gets introduced! When I was working today I came across a section on the Enterprise Inns website that gave details of what structures they could erect to get around the ban - amusing to see the 'Jumbrella' and the 'Terrasol' - who on earth thinks up these names?
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Friday, March 16, 2007
potent!
Megan and I went to see Arcade Fire in concert at Brixton last night - it was a fantastic show, mesmerising with a band who are totally committed to what they're doing. There were lots of musicians on stage and they moved from instrument to instrument. Our favourite was the guy who played a drum strapped to his back, and also had the most vigorous tambourine shaking style I've ever seen! The audience were totally enraptured and were really connecting with the music. They didn't play an encore on the steps as they'd done at a few of the smaller shows earlier this year - those songs are available on YouTube.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
bowled away!
I went bowling on Wednesday with a group from work - it was my third bowling trip in two months and I think I'm getting worse every time! But it was great fun. This time we went to Bloomsbury Bowling which is in the basement of a hotel near Tavistock Square - there's an American diner, karaoke booths and bowling lanes there. We did spend an hour in the karaoke booth which was fully exploited by some members of our team and was highly amusing. Vaughan kept on trying to get a Radiohead song to sing but each time the machine threw up a different AC/DC song.
At least I didn't manage to bowl backwards like I did last time I went bowling, but I did get the lowest score out of everyone!
At least I didn't manage to bowl backwards like I did last time I went bowling, but I did get the lowest score out of everyone!
Sunday, March 04, 2007
local!
Simon and I visited Broadway Market, near London Fields, yesterday. It's a lovely wee market, along the lines of a Borough Market farmer's market, but on a smaller scale. Some lovely food vendors there, including organic meat and cheese, as well as some jewellery and clothes stalls. Only about thirty minutes walk from my house, so it's a good Saturday activity! We stopped in at the Spurstowe Arms for lunch on the way back - very good! Not too crowded, with a good lunch menu.
Sunday, February 25, 2007
subscribable!
Also included in the upgrade is the option to subscribe to Black Diamond - so if you've got an RSS Reader (I'm using NewsFire at home and Bandit at work) you can drag the 'Subscribe' link at the bottom of the page into it - easy!
tagged!
I've made some changes to the blog today. The main thing that you'll notice is the introduction of labels or tags - every post I write will be tagged with a different term - eg if it's about a holiday, music etc. This means that you'll be able to click the links to the left of the posts to go to the whichever set of posts you're interested in. Unfortunately there's no cool 'tag cloud' at the moment (where the words get larger depending on how many posts you've got). And I've only gone back to December with the tagging too. These changes have come about now that Blogger is part of Google, and is now (finally) out of beta.
colossal!
Speaking of Timaru, I've been intrigued by the capture of a colossal squid near Antarctica that has been landed in Timaru. It's being stored down at the wharf and will be transferred to Te Papa at some stage - but may not be put on display as it will be quite smelly!
collective!
I discovered WikiMapia today - people have taken the maps from Google Earth and overlaid them with comments and placenames - so you can actually figure out where everywhere is. It's very addictive!
But there's no tagging for our very own Area 51, Timaru...
But there's no tagging for our very own Area 51, Timaru...
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
yarp!
Absolutely adored Hot Fuzz which we saw at the movies on Saturday night. It was made by the team behind 'Shaun of the Dead' and 'Spaced'. Lots of fun cultural references and catch phrases I'm sure will be entering the language now... Megan found this great list of cultural references on Wikipedia, and I also loved the video blog available here - check out episode 8 for a very special guest!
Also went to see 'The Science of Sleep', the new Michel Gondry film. It was quite charming, but a bit silly.
Also went to see 'The Science of Sleep', the new Michel Gondry film. It was quite charming, but a bit silly.
Saturday, February 17, 2007
vitriolic!
I was amused to see that Brian May has his own blog now, entitled Brian's Soapbox (http://www.brianmay.com/brian/brianssb/brianssb.html). Quite a lot of stuff seems to make him angry - the press, The Sky At Night being under threat, hedgehogs in Uist being culled (yes, really!). But it's quite amusing to read his musings, and to see that he's keeping up with technology. He's finishing off the PhD he was working on when Queen took off and seems to be quite involved with different Astronomy projects.
Monday, February 05, 2007
free!
New obsession is Freecyle - it's a group of local networks for people who want to give away, or get given, stuff for free! It's great! You have to join up (I've joined the Hackney Group) via Yahoo! Groups, then you post stuff you want, or stuff you want to get rid of, on a daily bulletin. I've just given my old knackered stereo away to some chap (bought new speakers for my iPod and that's all I need now). Then I'm going to keep a look out for a sofa, or maybe a blender too. Who knows! It's all very thrilling. Good community recycling projects!
negative!
Can't say I agree with Charlie Brooker in his anti-Mac rant , but he is highly amusing! And I love the new Mitchell and Webb 'I'm a Mac' ads.
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Tercentenarious!
This is my 300th blog posting! I'd just like to thank my parents, my readers from the start of the blog, Blogger for giving me a free blog and Flickr and YouTube for hosting my media. It's been beautiful.
Site of the day
We've been highly amused by Sue Townshend's habit of answering the phone "What fresh hell is this?", and wondered where the phrase comes from. Apparently it comes from Dorothy Parker, who first exclaimed it when she was interrupted from working by the telephone, and then used it whenever she answered the phone.
It's also the name of the superb What Fresh Hell is This? blog - amusing quips and sayings.
It's also the name of the superb What Fresh Hell is This? blog - amusing quips and sayings.
Thursday, February 01, 2007
prejudiced!
The BBC is consulting on its on-demand service at the moment where we'll be able to download programmes from its website (Channel 4 recently launched theirs). However, they are not planning to make this available to Macs!! C4OD doesn't allow Macs to use the service either.
Have had my say in the consultation - (Question 5 especially).
Have had my say in the consultation - (Question 5 especially).
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Sunday, January 07, 2007
regal!
Went to see 'The Queen' this afternoon - it's the story of what happened to the Queen over the week following Diana's death in August 1997. It was fascinating - showing history that we can remember actually taking place is so intriguing. We can all remember what we were doing that week - especially those of us who were actually in London! Helen Mirren and Michael Sheen as the Queen and Tony Blair in particular were superb.
genius!
Went along to the Victoria and Albert Museum yesterday to see the Leonardo da Vinci exhibition. It was a collection of his drawings and diagrams (many of which are owned by the Queen). Unfortunately it was the second to last day of the exhibtion and after a long wait to get inside, it was really crowded and difficult to see anything! There were some excellent animated drawings projected on to the walls and showed different perspectives of buildings and machinery in action. Rule for next time - go along earlier!
In the courtyard there's an excellent installation, 'Volume', which is a collection of poles with moving lights and music. You can walk around the poles and get up close. The photo doesn't really do it justice - check out the video below!
In the courtyard there's an excellent installation, 'Volume', which is a collection of poles with moving lights and music. You can walk around the poles and get up close. The photo doesn't really do it justice - check out the video below!
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