Friday 27 April 2007

Blame it on global warming if you want, but the mild winter here in the UK and the warmer than usual March and April has the city bursting with Spring colours. That is the one new thing we have experienced: a true sense of season change!!

The fruit trees have bloomed and now the tulips and other ornamentals are showing their stuff. Soon the rose gardens will also join the party.

If a baby duck is a duckling and a baby goose is a gosling... Anyone know what a baby swan is? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Answer below...


A baby swan (black or otherwise) is a cygnet.

Monday 23 April 2007

Happy St. George's Day

Today everyone gets a short history lesson.

April 23 is England's National day named after its patron saint, St. George the Dragon Slayer who, oddly enough was born in what is now Turkey. Think Ireland's St. Patrick's Day without the parades or themed parties. However... here is my own little celebration.

England's national flag is the St. George's Cross (the red cross on a white background).


Where else but on

Would one might find...

Or maybe even...

However...

Honestly...

To truly celebrate St. George's Day properly...

Where else would you think I'd be?

Saturday 21 April 2007

Ever since I stumbled across Lee Ho Fook's in Chinatown during the Lunar New Year, I've been working on a pub crawl incorporating the lyrics to Warren Zevon's "Werewolves of London". Today... we put it to the test.

I saw a werewolf with a Chinese menu in his hand
Walking through the streets of Soho in the rain

The Dog & Duck Pub, Soho
A great little Victorian pub located on a back street in Soho (which... if you think about it, gives a whole new meaning to the term "maneater")

He was looking for a place called Lee Ho Fook's
Going to get himself a big dish of beef chow mein

Lee Ho Fook's Chinese Restaraunt, Chinatown
Sooo... no beef chow mein on the menu, but Ray actually tried chopsticks without using a pencil sharpener to fashion them into a skewer

Ah-oo, Werewolves of London
If you hear him howling around your kitchen door
Better not let him in
Little old lady got mutilated late last night
Werewolves of London again
Ah-oo, Werewolves of London
He's the hairy-handed gent who ran amuck in Kent
Lately he's been overheard in Mayfair

The Audley Pub, Mayfair
Another Victorian pub with a great interior

Better stay away from him
He'll rip your lungs out, Jim
I'd like to meet his tailor
Ah-oo, Werewolves of London
Well, I saw Lon Chaney walking with the Queen
Doing the Werewolves of London

The Queen's Head Pub
Sue me... this one was a reach, but still fits the theme

sorta

I saw Lon Chaney, Jr. walking with the Queen
Doing the Werewolves of London
I saw a werewolf drinking a pina colada at Trader Vic's

Trader Vic's, Park Lane

And his hair was perfect
Ah-oo, Werewolves of London
Draw blood

and as a side note... Happy Birthday Doug!!!

Thursday 19 April 2007

Gastronomical quirks that I don’t, and for that matter, will NEVER partake in.

1. Sweet corn on sandwiches.
2. Baked beans on jacket... oops... baked potatoes.

However... I’ve been turned onto lamb. Roasted, grilled, kebabs, with mint sauce, you name it. Is it me or did I almost sound like a Bubba Gump clone there for a second.

Tonight and Tuesday I actually commuted home by cycling, traveling on the train with my bike in the mornings.

A twenty mile trek.

After a few errors on my part on Tuesday’s trip that caused me to see a little more of South London than I cared to and had me crossing the Thames on the Battersea Bridge instead of the Chelsea Bridge I think I have my route down.

As this is officially a no spandex zone, there are no pictures.

Saturday 14 April, 2007

On a simply glorious day of cloudless skies and temperatures nearing 25° C (that’s almost 80° F in case you were wondering), Amy packed a picnic lunch and we ventured into North London to visit… Highgate Cemetery.

For the record we picnicked at the nearby Waterlow Park, because doing that in the cemetery would be...

well…

weird.

Built in 1839, Highgate Cemetery is one of the seven original Victorian cemeteries in London and considered to be the finest. Overgrown in most spots, it was canopied by old growth trees.

Highgate contains several interesting monuments to some well know people including Karl Marx.

As was popular in Victorian times, angels were depicted on the monuments.

Clicking on any of the images with allow you to see a larger version.

It was an absolutely beautiful day, and I even enjoyed the cemetary tour! After a stressful couple of weeks it was great to leisurely stroll in the sunshine and enjoy the greenery and the first Spring flowers. Ray and I have been married for 26 years and I don't think we've ever actually had a park picnic without the kids. Yes - we are experiencing life "differently" in London!

p.s. My favorite was the sleeping angel (first photo above.)

Friday 13 April 2006

What better way to reduce any occurrence of triskaidekaphobia by updating my pub visits. If you would like to see the comprehensive list, there is a link on the right hand side of the blog. Fifty-three pubs in ten months... and we are just scratching the surface.

I wonder how many ales one should drink for good luck on Friday the 13th?



37. Horse and Groom: An equine “themed” Victorian traditional pub that was quite cozy. Nothing outstanding, but still maintains that old style charm.
38. The Cock Tavern: (Regent’s Park) Really neat exterior with large lanterns hanging from above its facade. Inside was just as interesting with dark wood paneling. Highlight was the room divider with the clock atop of the detailed carved wood.
39. Argyll Arms: VERY busy as it was mid Saturday afternoon and near the Palladium Theatre, but an excellently decorated 18th century pub. Several small divided areas downstairs. We ate upstairs and while not nearly as interesting as downstairs is was still worthy of a return.
40. Trafalgar Tavern: HUGE riverfront pub on the Thames in Greenwich. Over 150 years old, but very, very crowded as it is the place to be for tourists.
41. O’Neill’s:(Dublin Pub) Recommended by our taxi driver for dinner. Excellent traditional Irish pub with winding lined rooms, dark wood walls, chandeliers and great food (carvery style).
42. The Auld Dubliner:(Dublin Pub) How could we NOT go in? (Amy’s maiden name is Aulds for those of you unaware) Again with the small, narrow interconnected rooms. Still a nice traditional type place.
43. The Gin Palace:(Dublin Pub) Refurbished traditional pub that seemed to lose it charm, although the bar was very ornate.
44. O’Donohue’s:(Dublin Pub) A small, cramped but cozy pub. Actually sat in a nook in the stairwell and watched the Six Nations matches.
45. The Red Lion: (Crowns’ Passage) Near St. James’ Palace by where the Royal Guard stands. In a tiny, tiny pedestrian passage (which I have NEVER noticed before) that is lit by gas lamps. Small cozy village “feel” on the inside. Just me and one other gent on a Saturday afternoon. Claims to have the second oldest beer license in London.
46. The Golden Lion: Right around the corner from above mentioned pub. Built in 1900, but a pub has been on this site since 1762. Leaded, stained glass window and nice dark woods on the inside. Plus a rarity… an American tending bar.
47. The Red Lion: Considered a “must see” on all pub lists. Small place with an island bar, but the walls are covered with cut glass mirrors. Built in 1821, the outside doesn’t look like much, but the inside was impressive.
48. The Black Lion: OK… just north of Hyde Park, it claims to have been built in 1720. Maybe the outside building, but the inside doesn’t do it justice as it has been completely “modernized”. BIG disappointment.
49. The Old Bank: A refurbished bank building in Sutton. Nothing special, but right next to the train station.
50. The Masons Arms:While the outside may truly be traditional, this is another case of modernization robbing any old word “feel”. Plus they served my ale in a MUG!! -gasp-
51: The Nag’s Head: Off the beaten path near Knightsbridge and Hyde Park Corner and tucked away amongst the mews. This pub has CHARACTER!! Tiny place with a strict “No Mobile Phone” policy. Creaky, bare wood, but just very “special”. Easily in my Top 5.
52: The Grenadier: Another small pub hidden in some mews. Nice traditional, but very crowded and didn’t get to appreciate it much.
53. Marquis of Westminster: Smallish, newer pub around the corner from the flat. Nothing special, but decent place for a “swifty”.

Friday thru Monday 06-09 April, 2007

Easter Holiday...

In the UK this is a four day weekend as we get off of work for Good Friday and Easter Monday. I chose to jet home, but it seems the weather here in London was much nicer than in Houston. Still... getting to visit family (especially Doug and Steph) and a couple friends made it worthwhile. Even going into work Tuesday morning after the overnight flight landed at 6:45 AM.

I did get to catch an Astro game with Doug as we both froze in the upper deck. The Astros won and Lance hit one out for Amy (OK... maybe not). I do have my Astros calendar (the game's give away) proudly displayed in my new office, as we moved further south to Leatherhead. Some how... no one here is very impressed.

Amy also realized that Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs have not been introduced in the UK and has begun to convert several friends over to the dark side.

Sunday 01 April 2007

Last night we got all hoity toity, dressed up an went and had drinks at the American Bar, the piano bar in The Savoy Hotel. The art-deco lobby of the hotel was the highlight, but there was something about having drinks at the same place Ernest Hemingway and Ira Gershwin used to hang out.

Do you have Prince Albert in a can?

Funny how that didn't go over quite as well as I thought as we walked to and visited the Albert Memorial in Kensington Gardens. Imagine the luck finding out that the Memorial is located across the street from The Royal Albert Hall.

and nooo... I don't know how many holes it takes to fill the Albert Hall.