Tom and Abigail go to the Chuppah

David and I recently witnessed our old neighbor Tom doing something we never thought he would do: he got hitched. We are so happy for him and Abigail, his beautiful new wife. Tom and Abigail are so cool. They both have their own shows on KOOP radio and run their own business in Austin. We were so pleased to be at the wedding--David even had the honor of acting as witness and signing the ketubah (marriage contract). These pics were taken with my phone (I lost my camera recently), so they aren't great.
Abigail walks to the Chuppah
Tom and Abigail under the Chuppah

Despite what the weatherman had predicted, the weather was gorgeous which was lucky for us, the ceremony was outdoors at the Thurman Mansion in Driftwood, Texas (another plus for this wedding was its location in my beloved Texas Hill Country). This place is actually right up the hill from The Salt Lick, which apparently owns the Thurman Mansion. Days like that make me really miss central Texas.

The guest list included an old friend of mine from college, Jorie. This makes at least three weddings Jorie and I have been to together. It was great to see her and catch up, and meet her very cool fiance Roy (whoever thought Roy was an Israeli name?). I didn't think I was a huge fan of assigned seating, but Tom and Abigail did a great job with the table assignments. Everyone at our table was interesting. The reception also included a great band playing, lot's of dancing, toasts and a short entertaining medley performed by some friends of Abigail from Boston. Very cute.

Mazal Tov Tom and Abigail!

Pics from San Francisco

A few weeks ago I was in San Francisco for work. Specifically at the Dreamforce 2006 conference for Salesforce.com customers. The conference was quite good, lot's of learning and schmoozing. I wrote a bit about it for our work IT blog. The whole week I was there, the weather was glorious--sunny and cool with only a few clouds appearing here and there for artistic effect. The conference was fascinating--I didn't want to miss any of it--so I didn't really make it out to enjoy the weather until the last afternoon I was there after the conference ended. I made my way down The Embarcadero to one of the Blazing Saddles locations to rent a bike. Since SF is so hilly, most of the bike rental places are along the Embarcadero (which is flat) and they encourage you to ride across the Golden Gate Bridge, which aside from the road going up to the bridge, is also flat. Lovely, lovely. I did the ride at a leisurely pace, stopping several times along the way to snap pictures of the bridge and other views. Many who know me know I am a little in love with bridges. GGB is definitely one of my favorites.

	I couldn't help but gape at these signs placed along the GGB walkway. I wonder how many of the people that are drawn to jumping off the bridge are saved by these call boxes? Interestingly, after I got back, I heard about a documentary that delves into the lives of several GGB jumpers.
	Obviously, I'm not the only one intrigued by these signs. This woman was riding across the bridge with her family and had to stop and take a picture of it, too. Unlike me, she took several, trying to get it just right. Her husband and kids were whining in the background and talking about how weird she was. I took a picture of her and we shared a little moment.
	I like the repetitive image of the bridge pieces in this view from the middle of the bridge. It doesn't quite capture the beauty of it, but oh well.
	Very colorful container ship emerging from underneath the GGB
	I did not actually spend my whole day on the bridge. I eventually made it into Sausilito and found a coffee shop for a very late lunch. This was the view from their back patio
	As I was waiting for the ferry back to SF, the amazing fog rolled in. I tried to capture it on video on my phone, but it just couldn't capture the rolling, roiling-ness of it. It was gorgeous.

Restaurant Review: Saga (123rd and Amsterdam)

Restaurant Review: Saga (123rd and Amsterdam)

Review of: Saga, Food & Dining

By: Audra M. on Judy's Book

Rating: 3 stars

Read review on Judy's Book.

There's a new Japanese/Vietnamese place on Amsterdam near 123rd. It has a sushi bar and a bubble tea menu, which are both definitely welcome additions to the area.

On a recent visit, my husband and I tried the summer rolls with chicken. The sauces were pretty good, and the wraps included both fresh mint and basil. My only complaint is that the rolls were not tightly wrapped so it got pretty messy. Strangely enough, the miso soup was really flavorful the first time we visited, which was the first week or so the restaurant was open. Now, as few months later, the soup was unremarkable. Maybe just an off day.

After the soup, I had a few pieces of sushi (unagi and hamachi, both pretty good) as well as one of the daily special rolls called spicy girl (black pepper tuna with spicy tuna and roe on top). Delicious. My husband had an avocado roll and a sweet potato roll which were pretty good, but not phenomenal.

On a previous trip, I tried the curry chicken lunch bento box, which was good, but not something I will probably recommend or crave in the future.

To drink there is a bubble tea menu and Vietnamese ice coffee, as well as some sake, beer, and wine choices.

All in all, the restaurant is pleasant and clean, the sushi is pretty good. I am interested in trying the Vietnamese some other time. A welcome addition to the neighborhood, but does not compete with the nicer sushi places in the city.

Restaurant Review: Cafe Fresh (121st and Amsterdam)

Restaurant Review: Cafe Fresh (121st and Amsterdam)

Review of: Cafe Fresh

By: Audra M.

Rating: 4

Read review on Judy's Book.

Went to brunch here for the second time in the last few months. The food here is great and a pretty good value.

FOOD/DRINK: Coffee is all fair trade and excellent. OJ we had tasted fresh. The food is all organic, freshly prepared, and yummy to boot! I had a tasty frittata with basil and red bell peppers, and my husband had the asparagus omelet which he described as the best he ever had (I had a bite, it was pretty good). Each came with a small side salad, home fries, and dense little cornbread that had raisins in it for about $8 each.

Other choices on the brunch menu included a small variety of pancakes and french toast. Also, they have a selection of big salads and sandwiches.

For those interested in just popping in for a coffee/tea and pastry, they have some homemade muffins and pastries (with and without gluten, with and without sugar). Additionally, they have some ready-made sandwiches and some delicious looking desserts.

SERVICE/ATMOSTPHERE: During brunch, one side of the restaurant is table service and the other side for those going up to the counter and then hanging out with their books/laptops.

The service is friendly, though be prepared to wait a bit for your food to be made--they have a small kitchen that sometimes has a difficult time keeping up with demand.

Atmosphere is nice--there are nice big windows and music in the background--but the tables are rather small and close together. Additionally, it can get a little warm in there with said windows and crowd.

All in all, I would recommend this place for a place to hang out and study, or for a light meal alone, or with just another person.

Movie Review: Scoop (Woody Allen, Scarlett Johansson, Hugh Jackman)

Movie Review: Scoop (Woody Allen, Scarlett Johansson, Hugh Jackman)

By: Audra M.

Category: Opinion > Other

Read the article on Judy's Book.

Cute, fun, mildly funny. These are the words that sprang to mind as I was watching Woody Allen's latest movie, Scoop. Very few laugh-out-loud moments, but enjoyable nonetheless. Scarlett Johansson is, of course, gorgeous, and you can tell Woody loves filming her, although it's not *as* soft lit and golden glow ingénue as he did her in Match Point.

The story goes like this. A kinda naive (hokey) American journalism student is visiting family friends in London stumbles onto a hot lead (cute how she gets it): a high-society politician guy might be a modern day Jack the Ripper (played by a very hunky Hugh Jackman). She's got to solve the mystery, is he or isn't he the killer? She enlists the help of a magician, a fellow American living in London (Woody Allen) to help her solve the case and hilarity ensues. Ok, maybe a mild amusement ensues. Along the way, she falls in love with the suspect, and Woody has to keep her focused on solving the case.

I think the thing that I alternately found endearing and annoying was Johansson playing her character as Woody Allen. She incorporates his halting, neurotic speech and mannerisms into her character. Sometimes it comes across well and sometimes it looks like two actors improvising a first run (not something you imagine that makes the final cut).

Overall, I'd say this is worth seeing at the movie theater if you are a Woody Allen fan.

Book Review: Assassination Vacation, by Sarah Vowell

Some of my favorite books happen to be ones that are difficult for me to explain with getting a, "huh?" response from most people I know. This one has already elicited this response from a few friends and family when I excitedly tried to explain how funny and educational Sarah Vowell's book is. I admit it might have to do with my ability to describe it. You be the judge.

It is a memoir (I guess that is what you would call it) of her research and pilgrimages to various key site related to the assassinations of Presidents Lincoln, Garfield, and McKinley. This woman is into presidential history and her enthusiasm is infectious. It's hard for me to put into words (maybe that is why I get the huhs?), but it's like listening to your favorite, funny-story-telling friend at a dinner party (would I sound like too much of a stalker if I said I wish Sarah was my friend? Sarah are you reading this?). This woman knows the subjects so well, she can pull out the interesting bits and make it sound like something on reality TV (I mean that in a good way). Coming away from the book with a real understanding of Garfield and McKinley was not such a surprise, I knew virtually nothing about them (except maybe that they were presidents). I think the most gratifying, though, was the section on Lincoln. I felt like I really understood the history and impact of the Lincoln assassination for the first time. It's something I didn't know that I didn't know until I knew it. I guess it also makes me feel a little bit smarter, and I would be lying if I said that didn't influence my enjoyment of the book.

Anyway, it's a fun read (huh? a book on assassinations is a fun read?) and I highly recommend it.

Holy crap I love this place

Holy crap I love this place

Review of: Toast

By: Audra Martin

Rating: 4

Read review on Judy's Book.

I love this place. It is a great place to have a pint or two and the food's not bad either.

FOOD/DRINK: The salads and burgers are pretty good. I recommend the grilled salmon salad (probably not low-fat or healthy, but really consistently delicious), but the fries are most excellent (I find it best to order the salad and bring someone along who will order a sandwich or burger and is willing to share their fries). Another great thing about this place is the beer. They have a decent selection of draft beers which always includes some interesting things on the rotating taps. We have often tasted these beers before we decide, which led us to try beers we wouldn't normally think of trying.

ATMOSPHERE: The atmosphere is relaxed. The prices are pretty darn cheap. The service is usually attentive and is always friendly. There's a palpable feeling of camaraderie. I can't really say for sure why, but I suspect it might be that many of the wait staff and bartenders have worked there for as long as been there as long as we have been going (last few years) and there are definitely regulars that hang out there, but if doesn't seem clique-y.

There are a lot of students here from the nearby music school, seminaries and teacher's college. I don't know if it is because they tend to be post-undergrad, but the student crowd is not annoying like it can be at places a little further down Broadway.

DOWNSIDES: Often times we go there is a short wait, but I don't think we've ever been able to finish our beer at the bar before we got a table.

Great brunch spot and good happy hour

Great brunch spot and good happy hour

Review of: Radio Perfecto Uptown

By: Audra Martin

Rating: 4

Read review on Judy's Book.

I like this place. Not sure what it is about the hours we are there, but we've been going regularly for the last few years and often do not have to compete with students and never have to wait for a table.

HAPPY HOUR: The happy hour is pretty good, not too expensive and very relaxed--definitely not a "scene" to be seen (which is a plus for me).

BRUNCH: Also, we love the $10 brunch which includes coffee; mimosa, bloody mary, or orange juice; and a good-sized meal. The Belgian waffle and huevos rancheros are two of my favorite choices (not together, though!). Especially nice is a decent place in which you don't have to wait forever for a table.

DINNER: It's definitely a step up from diner food, and some of the menu items are pretty good. The rolls usually taste really fresh and yummy (of the dozens of times we have been there, I think they tasted a little stale once or twice). They do roasted chicken pretty well, and the hangar steak with cherry sauce is good when they have it. I have to agree with the other reviewer in that this is not lite or healthy fare. It's a strong possibility that you will leave this place feeling very full having eaten a little too much fat

ATMOSPHERE: The lighting is low and the music is usually pretty good. Even though some of the tables are close together, I don't often get the feeling I am sitting with the people at the next table like you sometime do when the tables are 6 inches apart. They have a good amount of outdoor seating (small tables, probably about 10 tables) which can be nice when the weather is pleasant, but it's not a total paradise--you still have to contend with the sound of trucks and buses from Amsterdam right next to you.

SERVICE: The hostesses are usually pleasant, but sometimes the bartender is surly and the wait staff on the less-skilled side. Depending on how much this time of thing ruffles you will determine if you like this place, I think.

Review of Hamlet 1603: The First Quarto (Stella Adler Studio Theater)

Review of Hamlet 1603: The First Quarto (Stella Adler Studio Theater)

By: Audra Martin

Category: Opinion > Other

Read the article on Judy's Book.

Went to go see Hamlet 1603: The First Quarto at the Stella Adler Studio Theater on Saturday night. Short review: Enjoyable.

I'm no Shakespeare expert. I've seen the movie versions of Hamlet and read it in high school. Read that the version they were doing was slightly different than what people consider the "definitive" version (the 1603 First Quarto refers to the year and format of the manuscript, quarto referring to be way the pages were folded). I wondered if I would be able to tell the difference. Yes, definitely noticeable.

First of all, it is shorter, I think. Also, some of the famous speeches (to be or not to be...) are slightly different. Also the minor, but key characters of Rosencrantz and Gildenstern have slightly different names. The words sounded at some points almost like an earlier draft, which I suppose might be the case. Like I said, I'm no expert.

Enough about the writing, now to the production itself.

The theater is very small, there was no set to speak of, and the actors where street clothes. Hmm, you might think. Doth that a good setup for enjoyable Shakespeare make? You bet.

There are three pieces on the stage that are moved around to serve different purposes throughout. Also, about 6 actors play all of the parts, most of them playing 2-3 parts except for Hamlet. They all where street clothes, using small additions or subtractions to change character. I was pretty impressed with how well they accomplished this, with no set and no wings for exiting and entering the stage. I was also impressed with most of the acting. I thought all of the actors had an excellent handle of the material, which made it so easy to follow and understand and enjoy. Hamlet was superb. He was the most accessible Hamlet I have seen. Seemed much more real and less high-brow, if you know what I mean.

Except for a woman's cell phone that went off not once, but TWICE in the second act (arghhhh), the play was very enjoyable, and for the money ($15), a good deal for cul-tcha in NY. Closes July 29
http://www.newworldtheatre.org/


Small theater (unfortunately small audience)

Excellent Ethiopean/Eritrean in Morningside Heights

Excellent Ethiopean/Eritrean in Morningside Heights

Review of: Massawa Restrnt

By: Audra Martin

Rating: 4

Read review on Judy's Book.

Though thought of by some as a culinary wasteland, Morningside Heights/SoHa has some lovely little gems. Among them is one of our local favorites Massawa. It's some of the best Ethiopian/Eritrean food I've had in the city and the ambiance/wait staff are lovely.

PRESENTATION: Unless indicated on the menu or otherwise requested, the food is served family style on a large platter and is eaten with the hands using the injera bread that comes with almost everything.

FOOD: There is a nicely varied menu that includes meat (beef, chicken, lamb), fish, and veggie options, ranging from sweet and mild to spicy (it's one of the few places in the neighborhood that can actually do spicy food). We often get the Shiro (we prefer the regular to the special) and Timtimo (which are not spicy), and the Fit Fit Awaze (spicy) when we're in a veggie mood. The combo platters they have are also a nice way to sample a few different spice combinations. The downside with the combos is that they are usually just one kind of meat, served two different ways.

DRINKS: The restaurant has a short wine list, and does some decently priced mixed drinks. They also have Addis (lager) and a honey beer (Axum, I think) available in bottles in addition to some standard domestics.

AMBIANCE: The restaurant has low, romantic lighting and a quiet, relaxing atmosphere that is great for conversations. I've been there in groups ranging from 2-6 people, and it's nice to always be able to hear the other people at the table. Also, the music is usually interesting, but unintrusive. Be warned that this is a relaxed setting and the service/time between order and food arrival can be SLOW. It's best to go before you are completely famished and enjoy a drink while you wait for your food. Alternatively, if you live in the neighborhood, the delivery is great.

Colbert at the White House Correspondent's dinner

How uncomfortable! How edgy! What a hoot!
http://www.ifilm.com/ifilmdetail/2723898

The Crew (or at least part of it!)

Audra, Barb, Jen, Denise, Katie, Kate (in line at the massage tent: Marla)  

Running Cross Country

Ok, so I'm not really running across the country. That might be cool though, eh? Like Forrest Gump. Or that guy Reza? (Does anyone else remember that story about him in Runner's World? I couldn't find it, but I did find his old web site).

Really, I'm only running across in a figurative way. This cool little program tracks my progress by applying actual mileage (from Mar 1 onward) to a fictional route. See:




So as I write this, I am in Nevada, but I should be in the New Zion soon (and this ain't no Matrix reference). Of course, next time you see this, who knows, I might be as far as Brokeback Mountain land.

Wait! Hu, Don't Leave Me!

"Oopsy daisy, you're not going to get away from that easy."



"Don't touch me you imbecile."

For your listening pleasure

During a recent late-night conversation with friends, we started on the topic of music. I put forth the argument that some albums should be listeded to beginning to end. As was intended. I have long been a proponent of this style of listening.

What about the mix tape? I knew you would say that. Yes, I know all about the mix tape. Those definitely have their time and place:
- road trip
- party
- true love - infatuation-induced drive to be someone else's DJ and thereby win their heart through your excellent and insightful ability to pair The Clash with Nick Drake
and now...
- ipod for the commute

But what if you are just sitting around listening to music? Don't you want to hear the natural progression of the music? The flow as intended by the artist and producer? Maybe I'm just a creature of habit.

Here are some that I can think of that I really don't want to mess with:

• Liz Phair's Exile in Guyville (some might argue its inspiration, RS's Exile on Main Street)
• The Arcade Fire's Funeral
• Jeff Buckley's Grace
• Wilco's Summerteeth and A Ghost is Born (actually, pretty much anything Wilco has done, except probably Being There)
• Beck's Midnite Vultures (again, most, but not all Beck)
  
• Nirvana's Nevermind
  
• Lauryn Hill's The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
• Radiohead's KidA and Amnesiac
  
• Cat Power's You Are Free
• Pete Yorn's Music for the Morning After
• Old 97s Fight Songs (interestingly, this is the only one I have to listen to start to finish although I like most of their records)
  

Ok, I could go on and on, but I don't think it would make my argument stronger. Some of these are obviously concept albums, but I think others are just carefully engineered.

Now that I have an iPod, I'm starting to open up a little more to the possibilities of mixing. I would agree that not every album warrants this type of listen.

I'm curious to hear what others think and if they have albums that they have to listen to beginning to end, no shuffle or cherry-picking allowed.

One Ball

Ok, so when I say to you One Ball, what do you think of? How about if I told you it was the name of a men's 5K run? You can't believe it can you? And yet, there is no doubt in your mind now, right? But if you're like me, you might think that it is not possible that a 5K to raise money for testicular and prostate cancer could be that cheeky. It's too suggestive, too un-PC, too honest. You're right, because it's not here, it's across the pond:
http://www.oneball.org.uk/

When people ask me if the Brits I work with are stuffy, I never quite properly articulate how not stuffy they are (well, most of them), so I'll just say that is a good example of the type of cheeky humor (or is that humour?) that I appreciate in many of my coworkers and that gives me a good giggle.

San Francisco adventure

So I never updated with the rest of the HK stuff. Somehow lost my momentum on that one. It was a good trip, just not long enough to really see as much as I would have liked.

I'm traveling again. This time, just a quick trip to San Francisco for work. I just got back from the most incredible run a little while ago and had to write about it.

Apparently the weather here has been super crappy lately (that's a sorry understatement considering people have been evacuated and roads have collapsed in some places), but the weather today was gorgeous. I got out of work around 5:30 and started my run about 6:10, thinking I could easily get in about 4 miles (2 down the Embarcadero and back) before the sun set at 7:30. In fact that would give me time to do the 4 miles and then get back out to find a place for dinner before it got dark. Well, I made out 2 miles and decided to keep running a little further. Once I was past Fisherman's Wharf and around this little bend, I could see the Golden Gate Bridge and thought I would just run a little further. Then I got further along and saw the dome for the Palace of Fine Arts. I remember going there with David on our honeymoon and just really loving it, so I decided to run a little further to it (it looked closer than it was!). I finally made it to the PoFA, looked around, and took a picture for a group of tourists (apparently I didn't look threatening or fast enough to run off with their fancy camera). Unfortunately there was a lot of construction around the PoFA, but it was still lovely. I then started running back, but this time a little more inland through a cute neighborhood. I can't believe how many really really rich people must live in SF to be able to afford those houses. It's insane. I don't know why I am so shocked, after all, I live in NY where you practically have to be a millionaire to live in so many neighborhoods. I imagined that I once I got back to the Fisherman's Wharf area I would finish the run the same way I started, along the Embarcadero. Instead I decided to cut inland a little (don't know why, but I think the steep hill was calling me). I was planning on running up to the street where my hotel is located (Clay St for anyone familiar with the area) and then just running down Clay back towards the water, which would evertually get me back. But then I saw a sign for Coit Tower. I heard that the view is gorgeous, and the sun was going to be setting soon, so I thought, why not? Up up up the hill. Got up to the top of Telegraph Hill(?)/Coit Tower and looked out for a bit. There were lots of people up there, but not many who had arrived on foot! So, then I made my way back down, towards what *I thought* was going to my hotel. Going down those hills killed my knees! All of the sudden, I am in North Beach. How the heck did I get here? Anyway, luckily, my hotel is near the Transamerica Building, so I was able to just zig zag my way back over to the hotel using that as a landmark. Once I mapped it out, the whole trip turned out to be a little over 8 miles! My navigation was pretty good until the Coit Tower. Oh well. Got back safely. And what fun! Here's a map of my route, including elevation map, which I cannot help but include. Also you can see how the last mile included some *very* unnecessary mileage:
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=106358

I am currently icing my knee as I write this (don't give out on me now!). I can hear the little whistle (tram? trolley?) outside my window. How cute. It's calling me, saying, "come eat some rice o roni", so I better obey.

xoxox,
Audra

Link to pictures

Not much time to add to the blog since I'm working during the day and don't have much in the way of connectivity at the hotel, but here are some pictures of Hong Kong:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/audra_martin/sets/

HK - first impressions

So, I landed Sunday afternoon in Hong Kong. First impressions:
:: Cool landscape! water, rocky hills, warm

:: Clean! Boy do they know clean here. They don't mess around about clean. All the public places are clean, clean, clean. In fact, when I put my soda can down to take a picture on a foot bridge, people stared at the lone soda can. Also, they have hefty fines for not picking up after your dog. They even have dog latrines!

:: Cheap! At 12.6 HK$ to every US$, you can get by pretty well without too much outlay. Sure, you can buy things that are comparably priced, but overall, cheap cheap cheap

:: Excellent signage! It's hard to get lost in HK, at least the places I have been so far. There are street signs and directional signs for all sorts of landmarks ev-er-y-where.

They also have tons of covered walkways so (a) you don't have to risk your life as often crossing major roads, and (b) even when it is raining you can get around without getting totally soaked.

Can you tell I love this place so far?

(non)Given Names

Why is it there are some English names that you just don't hear in the US? Well maybe you hear them, but not many, if any Americans, are naming their kid, for instance, Giles?

Here are a few names I can think of that fall into this category:
Giles
Basel
Rupert
Nigel

Can you think of any more? What about female names?

It just seems odd to me that so much is the same, but not exactly...

By the way, I saw an ad on TV earlier for an event called Baselworld! They had testimonials from past attendants talking about how !exciting! it is, and how whenever it ends, all he can think about is !when the next one is! In fact, this video from their web site is probably the same as the commercial, although I did not watch it.

Cheers, mate

So I just finished a short stint in London. 'Cheers, mate' is a common phrase there. Has a nice ring to it, but I don't think I could pull it off without sounding like a complete dweeb. Fits into the same category as ciao--sounds cool, appropriate in so many ways, but not for me.

'So how was London?', you may wonder (unless you live there, and then you probably don't). It was lovely. Let me just b***h a minute, and then I'll get to the...well, I don't know if there is anything else. You'll just have to read on to see.

So the journey...Keep in mind that I did not sleep Tuesday night, I worked all day Wednesday, up until about 7:30 when I left for the airport, and then did not sleep much on the plane. My seat on the plane is lovely, no one next to me, so much leg room, I feel guilty. There is one crying baby, but I have ear plugs! Aha! Even though I ate at the Latitudes lounge at JFK (nachos, glass of red wine, lots of water), I feel like I need to eat again (you know, to get my money's worth out of the plane ticket, even though I'm not paying for it) when they serve dinner on the plane. Pretty yummy. No wine (see, I'm being good). Oooo, and they're showing Capote, which I had wanted to see, but never got around to see it at the theater. I start to watch the movie. It cuts out about 40 minutes into it. Just enough to get you really hooked and then...byebye! Oh well. I'll try to get some work done...Blah, blah, blah, a few hours later we land at Heathrow. I'm tired and cranky, and now the baby is crying loud enough to where the ear plugs are not cutting it. I hate babies. I hate people. But that's ok, because we've arrived, right? No, wait, there is a small problem. There is no guy with the orange vest and orange sticks to help park the plane, and the captain is not going to try it without him. Then, there are no buses to pick us up from the tarmac and take us to the terminal. It's cold and snowing, see, and it seems that a few chaps did not make it into work. Oh well. 35 min later, we are able to disembark. Hallelujah! Then there is customs, which takes another hour (or so it seems). By the time I make it to the express train, it is almost 2 hours after we were scheduled to land. Which is bad, because that means I am going to miss a meeting I scheduled for 11 (brilliant, eh?). Then I get to Paddington on the express train and catch a cab for the rest of the way to the hotel so I can shower and change. Though the cabbie claims to know the hotel, he makes several wrong turns (I can tell because we end up on a dead and having to turn around a few times and he cursing and banging on the dashboard constantly). Then he passes my hotel and proceeds to take me to another just down the block. Poor guy, he seemed to be much more frustrated then I was (does that ever happen to you? You're cranky, and then you see someone who is *really* pissed off, and you realize it's not all that bad and you're just being a big f-ing baby?). Anyway, I get to the hotel and head down to the gym for a shower (too early to check in). In the locker room there are two showers. As I am hanging up my towel this woman goes into the shower closest to me. Fine, no problem. I'll just take the second one. As I turn around to walk in, she jets out of the first one and dives into the one I am *walking into*, essentially cutting me off. I asked her what she was doing and she said "that one doesn't work". Be-atch! Here she is, on vacation, I presume, because she just got out of the pool at 12 o'clock in the afternoon, and should have her own gd room (unlike me with all my stupid luggage) and she cuts me off! Argh. She didn't hurry either. Anyway, needless to say, I did not make it into the office until about 12:30. Which was just about time for lunch....

So the office there is super cool. It's all new and modern looking. Very cool. The only thing is that the bathrooms are freezing. Literally, I could see my breath as I walked in. So so weird. Apparently they are working on it. So I get a little tour and meet lot's of people I have only every phoned or emailed. Coworkers are lovely. So lovely in fact, that we all go out for pints after work. So a few things to keep in mind about this crowd: (1) almost all guys, (2) they can really throw 'em back, (3) and there is no eating prior to the drinking. Wow, so 5 hours of drinking in a smoky bar (now *that* was weird, I forgot people are allowed to smoke indoors in some places) will make you drunk. It's always fun to drink with coworkers.

Friday morning, I went to the other location for a meeting first thing, which was down close to St James. I walked from the hotel which was a really fun way to see part of the city. Some of the highlights were Pret a Manger (for breakfast, just like in NY), the theater district, and Piccadilly Circus. I met my boss at the other office for a meeting with some mucky mucks. All went well, I think. We walked back to the other office along a different route, and my boss acted as speedy tour guide. Very cool. Just what I like, see a bunch of stuff fast, so I can decide what to see more of later. We saw The Mall, Buckingham Palace (from a distance), Cabinet Museum (war museum), Trafalgar Sq/National Gallery, Chinatown, Covent Gardens, and several other things that I cannot remember off the top of my head. Also, we saw from a distance the London Eye and Big Ben ("look kids, big ben, parliament"...name that movie). Friday evening I went out for another beer with coworkers, and met up with Barb's friend Karen for beer and Indian food. Very yummy, definitely the best food I had while in London.

Saturday morning I met up with the Serpentine runners club in Hyde Park (named for the lake of the same name in the park). Very cool people, but I have to say, some of their warmup exercises seemed a little wacky to me. After the warmup run and wacky stretches, everyone stands in a big circle and sings kumbahya. No, not really, but they do go around the circle and make you say your name. And then you go around again and have to say the name of the person standing next to you. Damn! Have to pay attention! Anyway, it was a nice sentiment, but kind of lost in the galing wind. I was set to do the 7.5 mile run around the 3 parks (Hyde, St James, and Green Parks, I think), but since there was no one my speed, I decided to go with the 4.5 mile group. Not too bad! The weather was gloriously sunny quite windy. I ran with 3 other gals and a leader from the club. Our leader, Bob, is an old timer (been in the club since 84, he's 72). He was quite affable. A little coaching without being too obnoxious. At one point in the last mile or so, he said to me, "I can tell you're a long distance runner by your form and steady speed." I could have just kissed him on his little old head! ) I don't know if he was just trying to make me feel good or what, but if so it worked! Afterwards , we went back to the rec center where the club has an office and had coffee. Quite nice, I'm so glad I did that.

After a shower at the rec center, I headed over to the London Eye (the big, slow ferris wheel type thing on the Thames). The line (or "queue" as they say) was unbelievable. Totally. Not a chance. Oh well, I decided to head over to the National Gallery instead. Very good choice! I was ale to check my bag and then walk around and see some of the most amazing pieces. Definitely a nice way to kill a few hours. That museum is very user friendly, too, which made popping around to different things I really wanted to see easy. Aside from a bunch of old, famous stuff, I also saw some amazing photos of a comtemporary artist named Tom Hunter. Disturbing stuff. I bought a little book about the photos in the exhibit if anyone is interested in seeing them. I'm warning you now, though, some of it is downright creepy.

After that I walked back through Covent Garden to go shopping before I headed to the airport. Lot's of cute stuff, but didn't really see a lot that I had to have or that I wanted to buy for other people. Hopefully that will not be the case in HK.

Trip back to the airport went smoothly. My cabbie knew exactly how to get me to Paddington, which got me to the airport in plenty of time. It was interesting to talk to him. Here is a cabbie who, self-admittedly, is not super educated (no unviersity, I mean), works as a cabby, yet is well read, up on current events and travels several times a year. It's awesome to see a cabby who has enough vacation time and money to go to the states three times a year to see their brother, and still is able to travel other places. I can't imagine cabbies in Austin being able to do that. Maybe they do in New York, I don't know. I suppose the other two things aren't that unusual, especially the current events knowledge. Just shows my pre-conceived notions...

Anyway, that's all for now. I've arrived safely in HK, but am exhausted and need to go to bed. I'll write about my first day in HK tomorrow.

Day 1

Had to create a username for another blog, so I guess this will serve as impetus to start a blog.

Or not.

We'll see if there is ever a Day 2.