Hey, no cracks about the sparkling Easy Spirits. They were an emergency purchase during a mid 45 block walkabout. My Vans were killing me!
Love New York...
Friday, June 27, 2008
If the shoe fits, buy it!
Nothing like shopping for shoes in New York! Actually, I shop for shoes pretty much everywhere I go. It's a sickness, I know. I averaged two pairs per day while in the Big Apple...
Hey, no cracks about the sparkling Easy Spirits. They were an emergency purchase during a mid 45 block walkabout. My Vans were killing me!
Love New York...
Hey, no cracks about the sparkling Easy Spirits. They were an emergency purchase during a mid 45 block walkabout. My Vans were killing me!
Love New York...
Thursday, June 26, 2008
A New York Foodie Fable
Mom and I flew into Manhattan on Sunday and we've eaten some tasty treats since our arrival in one of my favorite cities on the planet, let me tell ya. For me, the culinary arts are right up there in the creative pantheon next to the artsy and crafty. However, I don't get much time to cook because (i) I'm on the road a lot, (ii) in the air just about as much, (iii) hole up in my office when not on the road or in the air, and (iv) knitting, crocheting, weaving, dyeing and spinning during my waking hours. There's not a whole lot of room in my schedule for cookery. However, I girl's gotta eat and well, I'm not one for missing meals.
So, where does this crafty maven eat while in the Big Apple?
Buddakan.
Let me just open with the fact that Dale was nowhere to be found. In spite of this fact, Mom, my friend and colleague, Amanda, and I still managed to have a wonderful supper filled with outstanding dishes. Let's just see what tantalized our taste buds, shall we?
Appetizers included Edamame Dumplings in shallot-sauternes broth, Hoisin Glazed Pork Belly with spicy shallots, cabbage and steamed buns, General Tso's Dumplings stuffed with chicken, ginger and garlic, Tuna Spring Rolls and Chili Rock Shrimp. Main selections included Shrimp and Lobster Chow Fun, Charred Fillet of Beef and Twice Cooked Long Beans. For dessert we indulged in Chocolate Mille Feuille. Oh, and we also polished off two bottles of Leitz Reisling (2006).
I loved the Hoisin Glazed Pork Belly served sliced atop a bed of tangy cabbage slaw, alongside split steamed buns, encouraging the eater to build his or her own bao. The pork was cooked perfectly, tender, juicy, the glaze a wonderful balance of sweet and savory. Also of note were the Chili Rock Shrimp (batter dip it and fry it and I'll pretty much love it) and the Charred Fillet of Beef in all of it's buttery goodness. If you're a culinary adventurer like me, you will enjoy the Chocolate Mille Feuille, which combines bananas, chocolate and avocado. A lovely and unexpected dish to end a truly outstanding meal.
The restaurant itself is a feast for the eyes. Gorgeous, dark, rich surroundings. The service was prompt and on point for the entire meal. Dishes were brought out steaming hot from the kitchen when ready, providing diners with a constant onslaught of food. Hey, works for me!
Buddakan
75 9th Ave. (Bet. W. 15th & W. 16th Streets)
New York, NY 10011
212-989-6699
Next up, Prune.
Mom and I grabbed a cab to the East Village Tuesday night in order to dine in a little bistro that I'd heard nothing but good things about. And I'm happy to report, everything I had heard was absolutely true. Prune is something special. Owner/Chef, Gabrielle Hamilton, creates food that is all at once, spirited, homey, rich and resonant.
Mom and I started our meal with Roast Marrow Bones, atop a parsley salad, accompanied by toasted hunks of fresh baguette and a small dish of sea salt. I like dishes that require a little work. With this dish, the eater is required to extract the rich marrow from the bones with spoon or knife and then spread the fatty goodness atop bread. Well worth the effort.
Our main courses consisted of Grilled Quail with Braised Escarole and Raisins on the Vine and Lamb Ribs with Braised Dandelion Greens and Skordalia. The quail was smoky and tender. The greens, equally tender as the quail with a hint of sweetness from the raisins. A good dish. Although, the lamb ribs were better, rich and perfectly cooked. The ribs were crispy on the outside, while the meat itself was tender and falling off the bone. We also indulged in a side of braised leeks and greens. They were buttery and soft. Yum!
Mom and I rounded out the meal with a shared dessert of Ricotta Ice Cream with Butterscotch Croutons. Heaven in a bowl.
The restaurant itself is a quirky and quaint little joint, cozy and comfortable, filled with light, albeit small. Service was spot on. I will definitely be making ressies for Prune each and every time I find myself in NYC.
Prune
54 E. 1st Street (Bet. 1st & 2nd Avenues)
New York, NY 10003
212-677-6221
Third stop on the food tour, Blue Hill. This was not my first visit to this lovely little spot in Washington Square and it was absolutely a pleasure to be able to feast there again.
Mom and I were seated in a comfortable table along the east wall. We began with a bottle of Rose (the name is escaping me and it's not listed in this wine list available on their website!), our current fave. Got to love that Rose is making a comeback AND its not that sickeningly sweet junk found in a screw top bottle or in a box with a tap (FOR SHAME).
Service was a bit slow at first. Someone finally caught on that we were sitting for quite some time, sucking down more than one glass of wine apiece, without having placed our order. From then on, service was smooth.
We began our meal with Gazpacho (fresh, tangy and GREEN) and Maine Crabmeat, shredded atop a compote of fennel, apple and Stone Barns panther soybeans in an apple mustard broth. Both dishes were quite good. Although if I had to choose my favorite, it would be the Gazpacho, hands down. Big fan of the chilled soup.
Mom and I both had the Potato and Green Garlic Ravioli for our main selection. The ravioli itself was rich and the flavors clean. Actually, this was probably one of the more interesting raviolis I've tried. The pasta pockets were served tossed with baby collards, roasted chicken wing pieces (boneless and crisp) and shiitake mushrooms. We both inhaled everything on our plates.
For dessert we indulged in the Chocolate Bread Pudding and the Ricotta Souffle. The bread pudding was served warm topped with vanilla ice cream, chocolate oozing from it's center. Need I say more? The Ricotta Souffle was also served warm, every spoonful light and lemony. So good.
I love Blue Hill. It is seasonal dining at its best.
Blue Hill
75 Washington Place
New York, NY 10011
212-539-1776
One last night for dining. I'll keep you posted!
So, where does this crafty maven eat while in the Big Apple?
Buddakan.
Let me just open with the fact that Dale was nowhere to be found. In spite of this fact, Mom, my friend and colleague, Amanda, and I still managed to have a wonderful supper filled with outstanding dishes. Let's just see what tantalized our taste buds, shall we?
Appetizers included Edamame Dumplings in shallot-sauternes broth, Hoisin Glazed Pork Belly with spicy shallots, cabbage and steamed buns, General Tso's Dumplings stuffed with chicken, ginger and garlic, Tuna Spring Rolls and Chili Rock Shrimp. Main selections included Shrimp and Lobster Chow Fun, Charred Fillet of Beef and Twice Cooked Long Beans. For dessert we indulged in Chocolate Mille Feuille. Oh, and we also polished off two bottles of Leitz Reisling (2006).
I loved the Hoisin Glazed Pork Belly served sliced atop a bed of tangy cabbage slaw, alongside split steamed buns, encouraging the eater to build his or her own bao. The pork was cooked perfectly, tender, juicy, the glaze a wonderful balance of sweet and savory. Also of note were the Chili Rock Shrimp (batter dip it and fry it and I'll pretty much love it) and the Charred Fillet of Beef in all of it's buttery goodness. If you're a culinary adventurer like me, you will enjoy the Chocolate Mille Feuille, which combines bananas, chocolate and avocado. A lovely and unexpected dish to end a truly outstanding meal.
The restaurant itself is a feast for the eyes. Gorgeous, dark, rich surroundings. The service was prompt and on point for the entire meal. Dishes were brought out steaming hot from the kitchen when ready, providing diners with a constant onslaught of food. Hey, works for me!
Buddakan
75 9th Ave. (Bet. W. 15th & W. 16th Streets)
New York, NY 10011
212-989-6699
Next up, Prune.
Mom and I grabbed a cab to the East Village Tuesday night in order to dine in a little bistro that I'd heard nothing but good things about. And I'm happy to report, everything I had heard was absolutely true. Prune is something special. Owner/Chef, Gabrielle Hamilton, creates food that is all at once, spirited, homey, rich and resonant.
Mom and I started our meal with Roast Marrow Bones, atop a parsley salad, accompanied by toasted hunks of fresh baguette and a small dish of sea salt. I like dishes that require a little work. With this dish, the eater is required to extract the rich marrow from the bones with spoon or knife and then spread the fatty goodness atop bread. Well worth the effort.
Our main courses consisted of Grilled Quail with Braised Escarole and Raisins on the Vine and Lamb Ribs with Braised Dandelion Greens and Skordalia. The quail was smoky and tender. The greens, equally tender as the quail with a hint of sweetness from the raisins. A good dish. Although, the lamb ribs were better, rich and perfectly cooked. The ribs were crispy on the outside, while the meat itself was tender and falling off the bone. We also indulged in a side of braised leeks and greens. They were buttery and soft. Yum!
Mom and I rounded out the meal with a shared dessert of Ricotta Ice Cream with Butterscotch Croutons. Heaven in a bowl.
The restaurant itself is a quirky and quaint little joint, cozy and comfortable, filled with light, albeit small. Service was spot on. I will definitely be making ressies for Prune each and every time I find myself in NYC.
Prune
54 E. 1st Street (Bet. 1st & 2nd Avenues)
New York, NY 10003
212-677-6221
Third stop on the food tour, Blue Hill. This was not my first visit to this lovely little spot in Washington Square and it was absolutely a pleasure to be able to feast there again.
Mom and I were seated in a comfortable table along the east wall. We began with a bottle of Rose (the name is escaping me and it's not listed in this wine list available on their website!), our current fave. Got to love that Rose is making a comeback AND its not that sickeningly sweet junk found in a screw top bottle or in a box with a tap (FOR SHAME).
Service was a bit slow at first. Someone finally caught on that we were sitting for quite some time, sucking down more than one glass of wine apiece, without having placed our order. From then on, service was smooth.
We began our meal with Gazpacho (fresh, tangy and GREEN) and Maine Crabmeat, shredded atop a compote of fennel, apple and Stone Barns panther soybeans in an apple mustard broth. Both dishes were quite good. Although if I had to choose my favorite, it would be the Gazpacho, hands down. Big fan of the chilled soup.
Mom and I both had the Potato and Green Garlic Ravioli for our main selection. The ravioli itself was rich and the flavors clean. Actually, this was probably one of the more interesting raviolis I've tried. The pasta pockets were served tossed with baby collards, roasted chicken wing pieces (boneless and crisp) and shiitake mushrooms. We both inhaled everything on our plates.
For dessert we indulged in the Chocolate Bread Pudding and the Ricotta Souffle. The bread pudding was served warm topped with vanilla ice cream, chocolate oozing from it's center. Need I say more? The Ricotta Souffle was also served warm, every spoonful light and lemony. So good.
I love Blue Hill. It is seasonal dining at its best.
Blue Hill
75 Washington Place
New York, NY 10011
212-539-1776
One last night for dining. I'll keep you posted!
Monday, June 23, 2008
She flies through the air with the greatest of ease!
I am in a city other than Los Angeles...again. Working and playing in Manhattan...again. Though I'm not alone this time! Yay!! Mom has accompanied me on this trip in order to get reacquainted with the city of her birth and, of course, spend a bit of quality time with her first born.
Before I get into a post about this trip however, I owe you all a post (or two) about Paris! Yes, I know. It's about time!
Getting to Paris was a lovely experience. (Remember, I was on yet another work/play extravaganza, which began with seven days in London, culminating with four days in the city of light.) My colleagues, the hubs and I boarded the Eurostar in London for a quick two and a half hour jaunt beneath the English Channel to our final European destination. This was my first rail experience in Europe and, well, I highly recommend it! It was quick, painless, good food and anyway, there is only so much plane travel I can handle in one month...
Upon arrival to the Paris Gare du Nord station, we hailed a cab and snaked our way about the paved labyrinth of streets to our hotel, which happened to be directly across from the Louvre. Nice locale for moi, a, um, err, Paris virgin, albeit expensive ($700 per night) and home to a rodent or two...Did I tell you that the location was good?
After checking in, we dropped our bags in our respective rooms and hit the ground running in search of food, drink and a bit of Paris nightlife. A couple of glasses of wine and Ratatouille would become a fond memory. Okay, it took four glasses of wine, but whatever. Our little group wandered from cafe to cafe, talking, laughing and enjoying the evening, before heading back to the hotel for the night.
The following day was all about sight-seeing. We began at the Louvre...
Venus de Milo
Winged Thrace
Gallery ceiling
David's Madame Recamier
David's The Oath of the Horatii
THE Mona Lisa
Working our way from that spectacular museum...
To the Eiffel Tower...
A view from the top of the tower
Definitely a good way to pass the day even if my hair did end up looking like this from the humidity...
A few more glasses of wine accompanied by some baguette and beurre would make me forget the hair.
Okay, not really. I mean, look at that do!
Just terrible!
However, I would endure. I had to! It was my birthday after all...
To be continued...
Before I get into a post about this trip however, I owe you all a post (or two) about Paris! Yes, I know. It's about time!
Getting to Paris was a lovely experience. (Remember, I was on yet another work/play extravaganza, which began with seven days in London, culminating with four days in the city of light.) My colleagues, the hubs and I boarded the Eurostar in London for a quick two and a half hour jaunt beneath the English Channel to our final European destination. This was my first rail experience in Europe and, well, I highly recommend it! It was quick, painless, good food and anyway, there is only so much plane travel I can handle in one month...
Upon arrival to the Paris Gare du Nord station, we hailed a cab and snaked our way about the paved labyrinth of streets to our hotel, which happened to be directly across from the Louvre. Nice locale for moi, a, um, err, Paris virgin, albeit expensive ($700 per night) and home to a rodent or two...Did I tell you that the location was good?
After checking in, we dropped our bags in our respective rooms and hit the ground running in search of food, drink and a bit of Paris nightlife. A couple of glasses of wine and Ratatouille would become a fond memory. Okay, it took four glasses of wine, but whatever. Our little group wandered from cafe to cafe, talking, laughing and enjoying the evening, before heading back to the hotel for the night.
The following day was all about sight-seeing. We began at the Louvre...
Venus de Milo
Winged Thrace
Gallery ceiling
David's Madame Recamier
David's The Oath of the Horatii
THE Mona Lisa
Working our way from that spectacular museum...
To the Eiffel Tower...
A view from the top of the tower
Definitely a good way to pass the day even if my hair did end up looking like this from the humidity...
A few more glasses of wine accompanied by some baguette and beurre would make me forget the hair.
Okay, not really. I mean, look at that do!
Just terrible!
However, I would endure. I had to! It was my birthday after all...
To be continued...
Monday, June 16, 2008
A Day At The Range
Hope everyone had a lovely Father's Day!
I spent the morning amidst many a father and son at a local gun club.
Yes, I said gun club.
I know, sounds weird coming from me, the arts and crafts chick. However, I found out a few weeks ago that this year's cube farm retreat will include skeet shooting as an activity. Upon hearing this plan, I thought GREAT. Not only do I know little to nothing about shooting skeet or trap, but I have NEVER, in my 39 years on the planet, handled a firearm unless of course water guns count, which they don't. So yeah, guns? Not so much.
When I told my husband about this retreat activity he smiled and told me not to worry, he'd take care of it. I had no idea what that meant, but I trusted him. Days later he called me at work to let me know that we had an appointment at a local gun club with an instructor in a few weeks. A bit apprehensive, I agreed.
My husband was so looking forward to taking me shooting. He was the youngest child raised in a house full of brothers fathered by an imposing man who was a career Los Angeles County Sheriff Homicide Detective. My husband's entire family played team sports, ate copious amounts of beef and they all learned how to handle guns. You know, they're dudes. I, conversely, was raised by two over-educated pacifist hippies. When I was a child, my family avoided eating red meat or refined sugar, I was only allowed to watch one hour of network television per day and my Dad would conduct group therapy sessions with my friends in order to promote healthy teenage dialog. Yeah, our childhood experiences differ just a tad.
Gun-free childhood notwithstanding, I was going to have to learn to pull a trigger. Better to tackle this unknown with the trusted hubs than with the cube farm gang.
Gun-free childhood notwithstanding, I was going to have to learn to pull a trigger. Better to tackle this unknown with the trusted hubs than with the cube farm gang.
So, yesterday morning hubby and I headed north to the gun club to meet my instructor, Warren, who turned out to be a very patient and sweet man. He spent an inordinate amount of time teaching me about gun safety, proper form and how the game of trap is played. Upon completion of the fundamentals, Warren Warren
Pull!
I hit another pigeon! And I pretty much continued to hit three to five targets in a row before missing one in between!
Needless to say, I will be taking more lessons. My goal is to outshoot all the dudes at the retreat. I mean, they're scared of me now and I'm just your average crocheter/knitter. Just wait until they see me with a shotgun!
Moi? Competitive? Nah!
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Nautical Niceties
Check out my new pillow designs in the latest issue of Crochet Today magazine! They're perfect for summer! And hey, who doesn't want to crochet a lobster??
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
The fun never stops...
How was your weekend LadyLinoleum?
Oh, okay if you don't count my offspring's teen mouth shooting off at me (via phone, text message, as well as in the flesh) for the entire day on Saturday whilst trying to conduct my knitting and crochet classes. Or the fact that the hubby and I had to rush the very same teen and mouth to the hospital during the wee hours of Sunday morning for an emergency appendectomy. Yeah, fun stuff.
On the bright side though, I did get a lot of knitting and crocheting done...
Ahhhh! I need a vacation. One that does not include answering work emails or showing up to an office in some distant city. Possible? Who knows!
Actually, I'd just settle for a cocktail right about now...
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
My Very First Sock!
Sorry for the lulls between posts! Blogging has become so difficult for me to do as of late. I am trying to work out the scheduling difficulties as I type this, but peeps I’m telling you, I’ve yet to find a solution that is sufficient.
At any rate, enough complaining! I'd rather show you my first sock!!
I know, for most of you, sock knitting is definitely old hat. No, old shoe. Oh, whatever! You get my drift. Most of you have been knitting socks forever! However, I just didn’t feel the need to slip my toe into the, um, err, sock, until recently. And by recently, I mean while trying to pack for my business/pleasure trip to Europe where I was having to make decisions such as, second suit or second shawl project (just in case I finish the first)? Really, on this last trip I think I faced the conundrum of “how much yarn is too much yarn in one’s carry-on” head on!
Yeah, so, I figured it was time to make small projects part of my repertoire. I should be more specific. Small projects that are challenging and not necessarily able to be finished in a few hours need to become part of my repertoire. Hence, socks. I may need to throw a few glove projects into the mix here and there as well. Regardless, I will be toting less yarn around from airport to airport. Of this I am sure. Well, I think I’m sure anyway. This actually could mean a carry-on filled with loads of sock yarn!
Anyway, I made a sock. I’m sure that you sock knitters recognize the pattern I am using. Yep, I’m knitting a pair of Jaywalkers! In addition, I am using yarn from my stash which happens to be Sock Garden from Knit Picks. I don’t even think they offer this yarn anymore. It’s got to be a couple of years old. However, I’ve got enough of this colorway to finish the pair, so no worries.
Not bad eh?
I am definitely enjoying the process of making socks. This may even lead to a few sock designs of my own…
And yes, I still owe you all a post about Paris. Stay tuned.
At any rate, enough complaining! I'd rather show you my first sock!!
I know, for most of you, sock knitting is definitely old hat. No, old shoe. Oh, whatever! You get my drift. Most of you have been knitting socks forever! However, I just didn’t feel the need to slip my toe into the, um, err, sock, until recently. And by recently, I mean while trying to pack for my business/pleasure trip to Europe where I was having to make decisions such as, second suit or second shawl project (just in case I finish the first)? Really, on this last trip I think I faced the conundrum of “how much yarn is too much yarn in one’s carry-on” head on!
Yeah, so, I figured it was time to make small projects part of my repertoire. I should be more specific. Small projects that are challenging and not necessarily able to be finished in a few hours need to become part of my repertoire. Hence, socks. I may need to throw a few glove projects into the mix here and there as well. Regardless, I will be toting less yarn around from airport to airport. Of this I am sure. Well, I think I’m sure anyway. This actually could mean a carry-on filled with loads of sock yarn!
Anyway, I made a sock. I’m sure that you sock knitters recognize the pattern I am using. Yep, I’m knitting a pair of Jaywalkers! In addition, I am using yarn from my stash which happens to be Sock Garden from Knit Picks. I don’t even think they offer this yarn anymore. It’s got to be a couple of years old. However, I’ve got enough of this colorway to finish the pair, so no worries.
Not bad eh?
I am definitely enjoying the process of making socks. This may even lead to a few sock designs of my own…
And yes, I still owe you all a post about Paris. Stay tuned.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Working With Color
Whew! This week has definitely gotten away from me! I've been playing catch up at work and home, trying to dig out from two weeks of travel. I meant to post much earlier in the week, but you all know how it goes. Busy, busy, busy!
At any rate, my career life is nuts to say the least. Not only do I toil about the cube farm by day, but my second career of teaching crocheting and knitting is really starting to take off. I have students most weekends now. I even have "regulars". Very cool!
Let's hear it for the "yarn farm"!
Ahem.
Okay, so this weekend I am teaching a new workshop. This one will focus on working with color for knitters. We will explore the vast frontier of charts, bobbins, intarsia and fair isle! Should be fun! If you're in the Los Angeles area and you have the need to knit with a bazillion colors at once, come on by!
For more information contact:
Abuelita's Knitting and Needlepoint
1012 B Mission Street
South Pasadena, CA 91030
626.799.0355
www.abuelitasknittingandneedlepoint.com
At any rate, my career life is nuts to say the least. Not only do I toil about the cube farm by day, but my second career of teaching crocheting and knitting is really starting to take off. I have students most weekends now. I even have "regulars". Very cool!
Let's hear it for the "yarn farm"!
Ahem.
Okay, so this weekend I am teaching a new workshop. This one will focus on working with color for knitters. We will explore the vast frontier of charts, bobbins, intarsia and fair isle! Should be fun! If you're in the Los Angeles area and you have the need to knit with a bazillion colors at once, come on by!
For more information contact:
Abuelita's Knitting and Needlepoint
1012 B Mission Street
South Pasadena, CA 91030
626.799.0355
www.abuelitasknittingandneedlepoint.com
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Outside London - The All Day Tour!
Sorry for the abrupt halt of my London travel posts. We moved onto Paris and the "free wifi" at the hotel never worked. At any rate, I'm home. I'm also fried. However, I have a long weekend to recover AND catch you all up on my travel experiences.
So, where were we? Ah yes, London! Well, aside from working each day out of the London office and eating my way about town by night, I did manage to get in a bit of R&R before hopping a train to Paris. One of my work colleagues and I decided to spend a day away from the UK cube farm in order to try and see a bit of the countryside. We grabbed my husband and boarded a bus bound for the west of England!
First stop, Bath!
Although there is much to see in this fair city, our tour was to drop us off at the Roman Spa for a few hours before moving onto the next locale.
Our visit did not disappoint as the site itself is huge, taking the tourist from street level down into the subterranean structure of the Spa itself. There were artifacts galore and the handy audio guide was my companion throughout the visit, highlighting points of interest as I snaked my way about the maze of stone and thermal hot springs.
I was definitely drawn to the mosaics. Think intarsia charts peeps!
And I have a thing for ginormous heads...
Needless to say, what I found to be the most interesting artifacts were the spinning and weaving tools that had been excavated around the site...
Today's spinning and weaving tools have changed little. You know the old cliche, if it ain't broke, don't fix it, definitely applies.
Upon completion of our tour de spa, we were back on the bus traveling to stop numero dos, Salisbury Cathedral, home of the Magna Carta and "one of the finest medieval Cathedrals in Britain"!
The exterior is stunning in size and scope. Riddled with details, one could spend the whole day meandering about the edifice uncovering architectural characteristics galore.
Once inside, the sheer size of the structure hit home. I was awed. My few pictures hardly do the place justice, but here's a few anyway...
Did you catch that altar piece above? Yeah, well, needlepoint is alive and well at Salisbury Cathedral. After noticing that particular altar piece, I began to notice a plethora of needlepoint chair cushions as well. Each one a piece of art...
I love needlepoint. If I weren't currently knitting, crocheting, weaving, dyeing and spinning, I'd definitely be doing a bit of needlepoint. However, I'm just a tad too busy.
Moving right along.
After basking in the glow of the Magna Carta, we made our way back the bus for our final stop, Stonehenge!
How about a round of applause for managing to snap a pic devoid of my fellow tourists???
Although, normally, I hate these one day touristic extravaganzas, this one was totally tolerable. Because of my work schedule, it was my best hope to see some of the heritage sites about Britain.
Next post is all about France...
So, where were we? Ah yes, London! Well, aside from working each day out of the London office and eating my way about town by night, I did manage to get in a bit of R&R before hopping a train to Paris. One of my work colleagues and I decided to spend a day away from the UK cube farm in order to try and see a bit of the countryside. We grabbed my husband and boarded a bus bound for the west of England!
First stop, Bath!
Although there is much to see in this fair city, our tour was to drop us off at the Roman Spa for a few hours before moving onto the next locale.
Our visit did not disappoint as the site itself is huge, taking the tourist from street level down into the subterranean structure of the Spa itself. There were artifacts galore and the handy audio guide was my companion throughout the visit, highlighting points of interest as I snaked my way about the maze of stone and thermal hot springs.
I was definitely drawn to the mosaics. Think intarsia charts peeps!
And I have a thing for ginormous heads...
Needless to say, what I found to be the most interesting artifacts were the spinning and weaving tools that had been excavated around the site...
Today's spinning and weaving tools have changed little. You know the old cliche, if it ain't broke, don't fix it, definitely applies.
Upon completion of our tour de spa, we were back on the bus traveling to stop numero dos, Salisbury Cathedral, home of the Magna Carta and "one of the finest medieval Cathedrals in Britain"!
The exterior is stunning in size and scope. Riddled with details, one could spend the whole day meandering about the edifice uncovering architectural characteristics galore.
Once inside, the sheer size of the structure hit home. I was awed. My few pictures hardly do the place justice, but here's a few anyway...
Did you catch that altar piece above? Yeah, well, needlepoint is alive and well at Salisbury Cathedral. After noticing that particular altar piece, I began to notice a plethora of needlepoint chair cushions as well. Each one a piece of art...
I love needlepoint. If I weren't currently knitting, crocheting, weaving, dyeing and spinning, I'd definitely be doing a bit of needlepoint. However, I'm just a tad too busy.
Moving right along.
After basking in the glow of the Magna Carta, we made our way back the bus for our final stop, Stonehenge!
How about a round of applause for managing to snap a pic devoid of my fellow tourists???
Although, normally, I hate these one day touristic extravaganzas, this one was totally tolerable. Because of my work schedule, it was my best hope to see some of the heritage sites about Britain.
Next post is all about France...
Thursday, May 15, 2008
London Highlights - LOTR Musical
Long-time readers will know that I'm not afraid of getting a little touchy feely with my inner geek. I love plopping my arse into my chair after a difficult day at the cube farm, only to turn on the tube and hang out with Picard and crew on the Bridge of the Starship Enterprise or fly around BSG doing a bit of viper patrol with Starbuck or, as is often the case, traipse around Middle Earth trying to lose that freaky dude, Gollum. Um, yeah.
Anyway, I figured that my inner geek would be taking a vacay on this trip as I'd be working quite a bit and well, Sci Fi isn't exactly readily available in the channel line-up of most hotels. They don't know what they're missing...At any rate, you can imagine how happy my geeky self became after spotting a theater poster when having breakfast at an outdoor cafe in Leicester Square on Sunday for Lord Of The Rings Musical!
Oh yeah...Not leaving London until I've seen that! After all, I have a history with the Fellowship people!
Let's look into LadyLinoleum's LOTR file, shall we?
1. I own all of Tolkien's tomes. Okay, they aren't first additions or anything, but these texts are special to me nonetheless. Well read and well loved.
2. I have maps of Middle Earth. Hey, they could come in handy. You never know!!
2. I own all three Peter Jackson films. The extended versions. Hell, I even own the Rankin/Bass cartoons.
3. I flew to New Zealand to visit Hobbiton. Okay, I didn't specifically go to New Zealand to pay homage to hobbit holes. However, it was definitely one of the highlights of my trip!
4. I attended the One Ring Con in Burbank just over a year ago. I even paid to have my pic taken with Andy Serkis (Gollum himself) along with a few of my Gollum hats.
5. Speaking of Gollum headgear...Yes, I designed it to be worn at the One Ring Con.
6. A few years ago, friends and I attended the Lord of the Rings Symphony performed at the Hollywood Bowl. No, we didn't wear elvish attire...Jeesh.
7. I wear THE one ring each and every day.
8. I wear Gollum too.
9. I think that Middle Earth looked quite snazzy on stage.
It's all making sense right about now, correct?
Okay, as we can see above, I'm a bit biased when it comes to the subject of LOTR, but truly, the musical was great! Nothing like watching Gollum, Gandalf and four little dudes with hairy feet dance about stage belting out tunes!
Really!
Oh, whatever. I liked it and that's all that matters.
So there!
Anyway, I figured that my inner geek would be taking a vacay on this trip as I'd be working quite a bit and well, Sci Fi isn't exactly readily available in the channel line-up of most hotels. They don't know what they're missing...At any rate, you can imagine how happy my geeky self became after spotting a theater poster when having breakfast at an outdoor cafe in Leicester Square on Sunday for Lord Of The Rings Musical!
Oh yeah...Not leaving London until I've seen that! After all, I have a history with the Fellowship people!
Let's look into LadyLinoleum's LOTR file, shall we?
1. I own all of Tolkien's tomes. Okay, they aren't first additions or anything, but these texts are special to me nonetheless. Well read and well loved.
2. I have maps of Middle Earth. Hey, they could come in handy. You never know!!
2. I own all three Peter Jackson films. The extended versions. Hell, I even own the Rankin/Bass cartoons.
3. I flew to New Zealand to visit Hobbiton. Okay, I didn't specifically go to New Zealand to pay homage to hobbit holes. However, it was definitely one of the highlights of my trip!
4. I attended the One Ring Con in Burbank just over a year ago. I even paid to have my pic taken with Andy Serkis (Gollum himself) along with a few of my Gollum hats.
5. Speaking of Gollum headgear...Yes, I designed it to be worn at the One Ring Con.
6. A few years ago, friends and I attended the Lord of the Rings Symphony performed at the Hollywood Bowl. No, we didn't wear elvish attire...Jeesh.
7. I wear THE one ring each and every day.
8. I wear Gollum too.
9. I think that Middle Earth looked quite snazzy on stage.
It's all making sense right about now, correct?
Okay, as we can see above, I'm a bit biased when it comes to the subject of LOTR, but truly, the musical was great! Nothing like watching Gollum, Gandalf and four little dudes with hairy feet dance about stage belting out tunes!
Really!
Oh, whatever. I liked it and that's all that matters.
So there!
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
London - Day Two
When I was told that I was to go to London and Paris for work, I asked (insisted actually) my boss if I could pad the trip with a bit of free time as a 10 to 12 hour journey each way via airliner is a commitment to be sure. He agreed (thankfully) and my colleagues and I hopped a flight last Friday, arriving in the late afternoon last Saturday, leaving us free to explore the city on Sunday before putting noses to the grindstone on Monday at the office.
Sunday was a beautiful day in this fair city, sunny and warm (hot really), perfect for taking to the streets on foot and exploring. Random exploration would not do however, as I had an overall plan. I longed to go to Tate Modern and peruse floor after floor of creative genius, much of which I'd only seen previously in my art historical texts during college. This was my day to experience the work in person!
In the morning, I grabbed one of my travel companions and we set off for a bit of breakfast before crossing the Waterloo Bridge to the opposite side of the Thames in order to make our way to the Tate. Upon reaching the facing shore we were inundated by throngs of people enjoying the sunshine, watching any one of the many street performances taking place, clamoring to hop aboard the London Eye for panoramic view of the city, just generally enjoying the touristic riches available to them on such a fine day. Despite the crowd, I was able to discern a few banners flanking the front of the County Hall Gallery emblazoned with the name Dali. Intrigued, my colleague and I moved to investigate.
One of the many performers along the water.
London Eye.
Upon entry to the building, we each forked over 11 pounds and made our way to the entrance of the Dali Universe. Mind you, my expectations were quite low regarding the happenstance we were about to partake in. Fortunately, I was more than pleasantly surprised once moving through what could only be characterized as a tunnel, painted black, marked by both image and the ever-quotable verbiage set forth by the Surrealist master, to the exhibition. The space beyond was literally filled with paintings, prints and sculptures made by the hand of Salvador himself.
How did I not know about this place?
We perused image after image ranging from the tight, expertly detailed work Dali is most known for to lose, painterly fare that took me by surprise. Wicked wit, erotic machinations and clever unconventions, image after image. Dali was a genius.
Art appetite moist, I was ready for the lengthy tromp along the Thames to the Tate. Along the way, my colleague and I stopped into many a waterside pup for a pint of cider in an effort to stave off the humidity and heat, which was fast becoming oppressive. (It was actually hotter in London than in hometown Los Angeles last weekend!) An hour and some change later we were standing in front of the mighty Tate Modern (my new favorite place on the planet)!
Tower at the front of the Tate.
The edifice alone is awe-inspiring. Yet strolling among the works contained inside was positively astounding. Now, I'm not exactly an art neophyte. To the contrary, I have two degrees in fine art. I've been to museums and galleries around the globe. Actually, I'm pretty jaded when it comes to looking at, speaking about, experiencing art in all of its many forms. However, as "old hat" as the world of art is for moi, I did, in fact, lose my ability to form words at the mecca of modern as I feasted eyes upon some of my favorite creations by some of my favorite artists: Duchamp's Fountain and Nude Descending a Staircase; Kapoor's Ishi's Light; Judd's untitled steel homage to the rectangle (hey, just call me a square); Giacometti's Standing Woman and of course a little Bacon. There was so much to see. So much that I loved, have always loved for that matter. The experience will stay with me for some time to come.
One really works up an appetite when one is in the presence of great artistic wonders. It was finally time to hit the hotel, wash off the heat of the day and ready ourselves to tie on the feedbag! Eating well is a feature of all my travels, business or pleasure, and Sunday evening's spectacular meal was a perfect example of this essential experience.
Hubby's flight had arrived just in time to join my co-workers and me for a lovely meal at Veeraswamy. This legendary locale is an outstanding example of east meets west decor. The place is beautiful, filled with color, glitz and glam. Very cool space, indeed. We sat adjacent to one of the floor to ceiling windows, allowing our party a bird's eye view of the bustling street below.
Veeraswamy's grand interior.
We began our meal with round of cocktails. While half our party chose to imbibe some fairly pedestrian alcoholic fare, two of us felt a bit more adventurous, choosing to indulge in lychee and rose water martinis. Can you say sweet and refreshing?
Next up a host of family style dishes such as Nizami Murgh (a Hyderabadi dish consisting of chicken breast and koftas with pine nut, lemon and rose petal), spicy Saag (by far, my favorite spinach dish ever), Sukhe Aloo (you say potatooo, I say potaaato), Kolhapuri Kofta (deep fried veggie croquettes in a savory brown sauce), Bombay Dal (mild yellow lentils spiced to perfection) and multiple orders of Naan. We ended the meal with a plump pot of chai, mango sorbet and banana kulfi to share. Another good meal to be sure.
As we strolled back to the hotel after dinner, I reflected upon the days events, feeling blessed to have had the experiences and readying myself for the week ahead. More to come folks!
Sunday was a beautiful day in this fair city, sunny and warm (hot really), perfect for taking to the streets on foot and exploring. Random exploration would not do however, as I had an overall plan. I longed to go to Tate Modern and peruse floor after floor of creative genius, much of which I'd only seen previously in my art historical texts during college. This was my day to experience the work in person!
In the morning, I grabbed one of my travel companions and we set off for a bit of breakfast before crossing the Waterloo Bridge to the opposite side of the Thames in order to make our way to the Tate. Upon reaching the facing shore we were inundated by throngs of people enjoying the sunshine, watching any one of the many street performances taking place, clamoring to hop aboard the London Eye for panoramic view of the city, just generally enjoying the touristic riches available to them on such a fine day. Despite the crowd, I was able to discern a few banners flanking the front of the County Hall Gallery emblazoned with the name Dali. Intrigued, my colleague and I moved to investigate.
One of the many performers along the water.
London Eye.
Upon entry to the building, we each forked over 11 pounds and made our way to the entrance of the Dali Universe. Mind you, my expectations were quite low regarding the happenstance we were about to partake in. Fortunately, I was more than pleasantly surprised once moving through what could only be characterized as a tunnel, painted black, marked by both image and the ever-quotable verbiage set forth by the Surrealist master, to the exhibition. The space beyond was literally filled with paintings, prints and sculptures made by the hand of Salvador himself.
How did I not know about this place?
We perused image after image ranging from the tight, expertly detailed work Dali is most known for to lose, painterly fare that took me by surprise. Wicked wit, erotic machinations and clever unconventions, image after image. Dali was a genius.
Art appetite moist, I was ready for the lengthy tromp along the Thames to the Tate. Along the way, my colleague and I stopped into many a waterside pup for a pint of cider in an effort to stave off the humidity and heat, which was fast becoming oppressive. (It was actually hotter in London than in hometown Los Angeles last weekend!) An hour and some change later we were standing in front of the mighty Tate Modern (my new favorite place on the planet)!
Tower at the front of the Tate.
The edifice alone is awe-inspiring. Yet strolling among the works contained inside was positively astounding. Now, I'm not exactly an art neophyte. To the contrary, I have two degrees in fine art. I've been to museums and galleries around the globe. Actually, I'm pretty jaded when it comes to looking at, speaking about, experiencing art in all of its many forms. However, as "old hat" as the world of art is for moi, I did, in fact, lose my ability to form words at the mecca of modern as I feasted eyes upon some of my favorite creations by some of my favorite artists: Duchamp's Fountain and Nude Descending a Staircase; Kapoor's Ishi's Light; Judd's untitled steel homage to the rectangle (hey, just call me a square); Giacometti's Standing Woman and of course a little Bacon. There was so much to see. So much that I loved, have always loved for that matter. The experience will stay with me for some time to come.
One really works up an appetite when one is in the presence of great artistic wonders. It was finally time to hit the hotel, wash off the heat of the day and ready ourselves to tie on the feedbag! Eating well is a feature of all my travels, business or pleasure, and Sunday evening's spectacular meal was a perfect example of this essential experience.
Hubby's flight had arrived just in time to join my co-workers and me for a lovely meal at Veeraswamy. This legendary locale is an outstanding example of east meets west decor. The place is beautiful, filled with color, glitz and glam. Very cool space, indeed. We sat adjacent to one of the floor to ceiling windows, allowing our party a bird's eye view of the bustling street below.
Veeraswamy's grand interior.
We began our meal with round of cocktails. While half our party chose to imbibe some fairly pedestrian alcoholic fare, two of us felt a bit more adventurous, choosing to indulge in lychee and rose water martinis. Can you say sweet and refreshing?
Next up a host of family style dishes such as Nizami Murgh (a Hyderabadi dish consisting of chicken breast and koftas with pine nut, lemon and rose petal), spicy Saag (by far, my favorite spinach dish ever), Sukhe Aloo (you say potatooo, I say potaaato), Kolhapuri Kofta (deep fried veggie croquettes in a savory brown sauce), Bombay Dal (mild yellow lentils spiced to perfection) and multiple orders of Naan. We ended the meal with a plump pot of chai, mango sorbet and banana kulfi to share. Another good meal to be sure.
As we strolled back to the hotel after dinner, I reflected upon the days events, feeling blessed to have had the experiences and readying myself for the week ahead. More to come folks!
Sunday, May 11, 2008
London - Day One
It's actually the beginning of Day Two, Sunday. However, seeing as we flew in yesterday at around 2:45, spent an inordinate amount of time (at least an hour and some change!) in the customs queue at Heathrow, drove into city center and got settled into our hotel, finally taking off on foot for dinner at about 6:30, I was just too damn tired to post last night after inhaling my meal.
However, I will always endure the rigors of a 10 hour flight to this destination as it 'tis one of my favorite cities on the planet! As long as I can stay awake upon arrival until a ripe-for-bedtime hour, I can enjoy London's pleasures relatively jet-lag free the rest of the week. I know, I have to actually go into work Monday through Thursday, but that will not stop me from enjoying myself!
Speaking of enjoying myself, I didn't do much of that last week. Hence, no posts. I was busy readying myself for two weeks worth of travel, tying up loose ends at the office, oh, and crocheting six enormous items for Crochet Today magazine! Literally, no free time. I plan to make up for last week's misery, by painting the town RED this week. Yes, indeedy.
Now, back last night. My two work colleagues and I were, needless to say, famished upon our arrival at the hotel. So, immediately following brief dates with our respective showers, we three met in the lobby and proceeded to a lovely restaurant around the corner from our home away from home, Al Duca, on recommendation from the hotel's concierge.
Nothing like kicking off two weeks of travel with a fine meal. Al Duca's delights were just the sort that the god Hermes would have partaken in upon exiting his chariot after a long journey!
We began with glasses of chianti and an amuse bouche consisting of a dollop of gorgonzola cream atop a roasted walnut with a sprig of dill. Lovely.
Our second foodie delight was Melanzane grigliate con burrata e olive nere (Char-grilled auberine with creamy mozzarella and black olives). This dish consisted of a generous slice of warm grilled eggplant topped with a healthy portion of THE most creamy burrata I've had the pleasure of tasting. Drizzled with olive oil tinged by its grassy origins, freshly ground black pepper and dotted about with olives nicoise, it was heavenly.
I had the Saltinbocca di branzino con patate n ovelle e scalogno marinato (Sea bass fillet wrapped with Parma ham, sage, sauteed new potatoes and pickled shallots) as my main course. Just remember, everything is better wrapped in bacon! Sea bass is hardly an exception. Cooked and seasoned flawlessly, I inhaled my perfectly portioned fillets. The skin of the fish was as crisp as the ham it was wrapped in, while the meat was tender and sweet. Underneath the fillets were lovely golden shallots and tender browned new potatoes. Mouthwatering.
I ended my meal with two small crepes, one filled with my daughter's fave toast topper, Nutella. The other infused with a lemony sweet ricotta. Yum!
This little bistro is definitely worth a try should you find yourself near Picadilly Circus AND you'd like to avoid some of the more tourist infested locales.
Okay folks, got to jet. Day Two awaits!
However, I will always endure the rigors of a 10 hour flight to this destination as it 'tis one of my favorite cities on the planet! As long as I can stay awake upon arrival until a ripe-for-bedtime hour, I can enjoy London's pleasures relatively jet-lag free the rest of the week. I know, I have to actually go into work Monday through Thursday, but that will not stop me from enjoying myself!
Speaking of enjoying myself, I didn't do much of that last week. Hence, no posts. I was busy readying myself for two weeks worth of travel, tying up loose ends at the office, oh, and crocheting six enormous items for Crochet Today magazine! Literally, no free time. I plan to make up for last week's misery, by painting the town RED this week. Yes, indeedy.
Now, back last night. My two work colleagues and I were, needless to say, famished upon our arrival at the hotel. So, immediately following brief dates with our respective showers, we three met in the lobby and proceeded to a lovely restaurant around the corner from our home away from home, Al Duca, on recommendation from the hotel's concierge.
Nothing like kicking off two weeks of travel with a fine meal. Al Duca's delights were just the sort that the god Hermes would have partaken in upon exiting his chariot after a long journey!
We began with glasses of chianti and an amuse bouche consisting of a dollop of gorgonzola cream atop a roasted walnut with a sprig of dill. Lovely.
Our second foodie delight was Melanzane grigliate con burrata e olive nere (Char-grilled auberine with creamy mozzarella and black olives). This dish consisted of a generous slice of warm grilled eggplant topped with a healthy portion of THE most creamy burrata I've had the pleasure of tasting. Drizzled with olive oil tinged by its grassy origins, freshly ground black pepper and dotted about with olives nicoise, it was heavenly.
I had the Saltinbocca di branzino con patate n ovelle e scalogno marinato (Sea bass fillet wrapped with Parma ham, sage, sauteed new potatoes and pickled shallots) as my main course. Just remember, everything is better wrapped in bacon! Sea bass is hardly an exception. Cooked and seasoned flawlessly, I inhaled my perfectly portioned fillets. The skin of the fish was as crisp as the ham it was wrapped in, while the meat was tender and sweet. Underneath the fillets were lovely golden shallots and tender browned new potatoes. Mouthwatering.
I ended my meal with two small crepes, one filled with my daughter's fave toast topper, Nutella. The other infused with a lemony sweet ricotta. Yum!
This little bistro is definitely worth a try should you find yourself near Picadilly Circus AND you'd like to avoid some of the more tourist infested locales.
Okay folks, got to jet. Day Two awaits!
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
On The Road Again
Thanks for all of your wonderfully supportive comments with regard my last post! My car has been fixed and looks perty again. I still feel like an idiot, but I'm trying to cut my overworked boo-tay some slack. I guess my three jobs, incessant travel, never-ending custody battle and out of work husband are finally chipping away at my tenuous hold on sanity. I'm stretched a bit thin right now to be sure. However, thanks be to God for yarn! If I didn't have crocheting and knitting (and spinning, dyeing and weaving) I'd be a candidate for a rubber room at this point!
Speaking of incessant travel, I have a date with a plane again in two weeks. Yes, my tube travel can again be attributed to job numero uno, my main gig. This upcoming trip will take me to London and Paris
Traveling as much as I do means that packing has become a regular feature of my life. Here are some of my tips for traveling smart and crafty!
First and foremost, let's hear it for light luggage! About a year ago, prior to traveling to the Knit and Crochet Show in Manchester, NH (read – I needed a bigger bag to hold all of my class supplies and yarn purchases), I decided that it was time to trade in my large, heavy suitcase in favor of a lighter model of similar dimensions for use on those trips lasting longer than a few days. My old bag weighed in at about 25 lbs when empty! Needless to say, I was always over the limit when checking the stupid thing. Now I have a featherweight model that weighs in at less than 7 lbs. when empty. Much better!
Second, but of just as much as importance as the luggage factor, is this burning inquiry (which I ask myself each and every time I travel, oh by the way)…How much yarn is enough yarn to keep me busy while in transit, but not so much yarn that I have to dedicate my entire carry-on to the "fuzz factor"? Yeah, well, I've come up with no good formula with which to answer this question. So, I usually err on the side of paranoia, shoving two to three WIPs into my squat little roller bag adjacent to my beloved Mac each and every time I hit the road. Really, it's dumb and I need to get a grip. However, the thought of not being able to knit or crochet when entombed in a tube freaks me the hell out! Okay, so this wasn't so helpful…Movin' right along.
Third, cords anyone? Really, should any shenanigans take place aboard the aircraft, I am prepared to wrestle the offending individual to the ground and hog tie 'em with all of the electronic device cords that I'm forced to carry onto the plane. Really. My cord inventory is as follows: Blackberry power cord, cell phone power cord, digital camera power cord, digital camera USB cord, iPod USB cord, MacBook power cord (2 of these – one for the wall and one for the plane) and a host of adapters for international travel. If I run out of cords mid-hog tie, I can always dip into my carry-on yarn stash or just start hurling adapters.
These tips aren't exactly helpful, are they? Alrighty then!
Fourth, are these shoes really made for walking? Next to the yarn yardage factor, the travel shoe issue is another that confounds moi, oh, every single time I travel. I don't know about you, but I have, quite literally, an entire shoe store in my closet. And here's the kicker, only a few pairs out of the hundreds that I have available to my toe tips are suitable for wearing longer than oh, let's say…20 minutes.
Peeps, I'm a girl! We buy shoes because they look good, not because they feel good! Comfort, schmomfort! It's all about sexy toes, especially when it comes to strolling around the halls of the Cube Farm. Therein lies the problem. When I'm traveling for fun, a couple of pairs of my most comfortable shoes are usually sufficient. Throw in a pair of heels for good measure and I'm set. Add in the work factor and I'm screwed! Many more variables. This suit looks best with those pumps, while that dress looks super cute with those flats. You get my drift. Jeans are so much easier to pair with shoes. Ahhhh. Note to self, make sure to do a little shoe shopping this week on your lunch hour...
Not helpful? Yeah, I'm just hoping that I'm not making you anxious about your next trip…
Okay, here's good travel tip…Fifth, got a stack of Netflix DVDs that you've yet to watch and a laptop that you plan to travel with? Watch your rentals on the plane or while in the hotel. Usually beats the in-flight entertainment and you'll avoid those pesky movie charges on your hotel bill! I wish that I could take credit for this brilliant idea, but alas, I cannot. This one is all Jenna! She travels a lot too. Actually, I should probably consult her about my shoe-yarn-excessive cordage issues as well…
Hey, two outta five ain't bad.
Monday, April 28, 2008
A Week In The Life...
Yes, my silence has been deafening over the past week. Let's just say my previous week went southward following the Sunday market excursion.
Monday began a hectic work week. It sucks, but it's also familiar. I have been digging out of the fiscal year end madness that overtook the cube farm shortly after the holidays ended. Really, it feels like year end 365 days a year at this point. However, as I said before, this is not unusual. I imbibe pot loads of caffeine, knit and/or crochet on my lunch hours to decompress from the morning craziness and well, cocktails are a regular part of my evening routine.
Tuesday began as any other...uh, groggy and partially caffeinated. However, this morning differed in that I was heading over to my doctor's office for an early morning appointment before embarking upon my daily toils at the cube farm. Aside from the fact that I hadn't been feeling all that well, this excursion seemed normal enough. That is, until I pulled into the parking lot of the medical building...
I drove up to the ticket dispenser and gave the button a push. When the ticket appeared I found that I was sitting too low to reach the slip of paper. So, obviously not thinking the following action through, with my foot securely on the brake (or so I thought), I released my seat belt and leaned out the window of my vehicle.
You can guess what happened next.
Oh yeah, my foot slipped off the brake pedal and onto the gas pedal sending me careening headlong into parking barrier gate!
But wait, there's more...
I didn't just merely tap the barrier. Oh no! When I break something, I do the job right!
Yeah, I mowed that barrier down and pushed it about, oh, 8 feet or so before I was able to get my foot back onto the brake. Now that? Takes talent.
Needless to say, I was in shock and just a wee bit embarrassed as this occurred in a street level lot on one of the busiest corners in Los Angeles. Resisting the urge to flee, I pulled into one of the first available parking spaces and proceeded into the medical building to (i) confess my barrier gate demo, (ii) find a receptacle to barf in and (iii) partake in one the most expensive doctor's visit in history! With those items checked off my list, I gave the hubs a holler to let him know how I spent my morning. He immediately came to my rescue, driving me to work and my car to the body shop.
Love the hubs.
Upon arrival at the cube farm, I took a conference call, closed my office door after the call's completion and cried.
Yeah, Tuesday? Could've been better.
Onto Wednesday.
LadyLinoleum, what do you do to unwind after mowing down your local parking barrier and totally screwing up the front end of your Beemer?
I went to Disneyland!
Really.
I should also be noted that I wore Pirates of the Caribbean Mickey Ears the entire day while attempting not to let the previous day's events ruin my time at the happiest place on earth. Definitely a difficult task.
Thursday and Friday were uneventful as compared to the former half of the week. Days spent toiling away at the cube farm, eves mired in a few magazine design projects. Hey, life marches on right?
By Saturday, my nerves had come down a notch or two. I spent most of the day at a LYS in South Pasadena teaching the ways of the hook. Sunday seemed almost normal, my girl, Jenna, and I spending the whole day dipping yarn in dye.
Okay, last week? Yeah, a little tough. I did learn a few things though, not the least of which was that I need to become one with my parking brake.
Here's to a better Tuesday this week!
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Market Sunday
The hubs and I spent Sunday morning perusing an LA landmark, the Grand Central Market, located in Downtown Los Angeles.
Earlier that morning we searched in vain for a restaurant we intended to try in an adjacent neighborhood to Downtown. We drove around for a good 45 minutes before giving up and heading straight for our ultimate destination. There we were met with plenty of eateries to partake in. We chose to give Tacos Tumbras a Tomas a try because they had the longest line. Rule of thumb...When you're looking for something good to eat in territories less than familiar, always follow the crowd!
Both the hubs and I settled into a couple of tortas. For him, birria. For me, carnitas...my fave. Yes, we all know I have a fondness for pork. Although, I try not to eat it often because I have to watch my girlish figure...It's okay to indulge every now and again though. Hence my lovely and delicious Mexican pork sandwich...
The tortas were typically huge and truly I could only eat half. Warm roll piled high with fresh ingredients and a mountain of pork, this sandwich hit the spot following our little driving expedition earlier that morning.
Tummies topped off, it was all about the shopping. Produce shopping that is...
We came away with bananas, beets, garlic, broccoli, carrots, yams, cilantro, lettuce, blueberries and even a cherimoya! In addition, we also acquired a generous amount of dried ancho chiles, roasted and seasoned pumpkin seeds, Mexican hot chocolate and handfuls of dried fruits. All of this cost about $20!
Definitely worth the trek from Westside to Eastside. My other half confirms this notion with a smile for the camera!
What a great was to spend a Sunday morning!
Grand Central Market
317 South Broadway
Los Angeles, CA 90013
213.624.2378
Tacos Tumbras a Tomas
Grand Central Market, Space A-5
213.620.1071
Earlier that morning we searched in vain for a restaurant we intended to try in an adjacent neighborhood to Downtown. We drove around for a good 45 minutes before giving up and heading straight for our ultimate destination. There we were met with plenty of eateries to partake in. We chose to give Tacos Tumbras a Tomas a try because they had the longest line. Rule of thumb...When you're looking for something good to eat in territories less than familiar, always follow the crowd!
Both the hubs and I settled into a couple of tortas. For him, birria. For me, carnitas...my fave. Yes, we all know I have a fondness for pork. Although, I try not to eat it often because I have to watch my girlish figure...It's okay to indulge every now and again though. Hence my lovely and delicious Mexican pork sandwich...
The tortas were typically huge and truly I could only eat half. Warm roll piled high with fresh ingredients and a mountain of pork, this sandwich hit the spot following our little driving expedition earlier that morning.
Tummies topped off, it was all about the shopping. Produce shopping that is...
We came away with bananas, beets, garlic, broccoli, carrots, yams, cilantro, lettuce, blueberries and even a cherimoya! In addition, we also acquired a generous amount of dried ancho chiles, roasted and seasoned pumpkin seeds, Mexican hot chocolate and handfuls of dried fruits. All of this cost about $20!
Definitely worth the trek from Westside to Eastside. My other half confirms this notion with a smile for the camera!
What a great was to spend a Sunday morning!
Grand Central Market
317 South Broadway
Los Angeles, CA 90013
213.624.2378
Tacos Tumbras a Tomas
Grand Central Market, Space A-5
213.620.1071
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