outside the Hinds Head, Bray - very full after lunch!
Monday, August 27, 2007
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
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