Monthly Archives: November 2005

Annual Ice Rink at Somerset House

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I’ve only gone ice-skating once in my life and I think that was quite enough for me. I don’t know if it was the ill-fitting boots but the pain I was in was just … too much! Anyway, that didn’t stop R and I turning up to Somerset House to check out their annual ice rink. I’d like to think that one day I’d like to try again and although the rink at Somerset House is pretty – I might reserve the skating for a more private arena. Still, most people looked like they were enjoying themselves … except for this poor little 3 year old girl who burst into tears prior to getting on to the ice … Oh – they also had an Ice Wall there which was a pretty cool way to experience outdoor ice climbing. Unfortunately the £40 for the hour session was just a bit out of my budget tonight. I might save my pounds for real ice climbing. (Yea right!)
Nice snow flake light outline A lot of people enjoying the security of the rails Even more people enjoying the security of the rails
The Christmas Tree The Zamboni! The Lights
The Ice Wall Make like a spider

Rock and Sole Plaice

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The experience that people have here seem to be a bit hit and miss. On this occasion it was a hit with extremely friendly (if at times slow) service with decent size portions and good tasting grub. A decent enough chippie for a quick bite to eat in the West End. Don’t be mislead by these pics which were taken when we had out-talked everyone else (we even missed our movie!) – as when we first came it in was absolutely heaving.

Night out at Edgware Road

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Tonight was kind of a night out to celebrate our surviving the stress of the last few months. Sadly not all of the team could make it, however those of us who did manage to make it more than made up for their absence.

Continuing on with our current favoured Middle-Eastern-themed-eating, A and A number two had jointly chosen Mawal at Edgware Road as our destination. When we first arrived the lighting was shall we say romantic. It was not intentional however as we soon found out that electricity was at that moment in time strictly at a premium! It was slightly troubling as at first the wine was delivered unchilled, secondly my juice couldn’t be blended and finally food was served luke-warm. Service it seemed was also at a premium though strangely A number two’s more quiet hand in the air was more effective than A’s call for service. After this initial hiccup, and when we had finally filled our bellies, we settled in to enjoy the rest of the evening.

Overall it was a nice evening and a pleasant change from the usual Friday night drinks. For once it was nice not to be constantly shouting through the roar of the crowd and feeling the obligation to keep your glass full. Instead we exchanged the usual beers and spirits for a bit of wine, mint tea and shisha. Shisha was interesting for me and although now I cannot claim never to have smoked in my life I guess I can technically say I haven’t smoked the more obnoxiuos cigarettes. Shisha (also known as hookah, waterpipe, or even hubble-bubble) is basically the use of a water pipe to inhale a mixture of tobacco and some sweet substance such as apple, strawberry, melon etc. The mixture is heated using lit coals. A number two and S tried to explain how it worked to me but all I really needed to know was to take a pull through the hose. Anyway, however it works, it was an interesting experience. The night was topped off by some live entertainment by some very smartly dressed men who could have been pop stars for all we knew! Great night.

Night out with Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Bar Soho

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Tonight saw a reunion of the team that took Leeds by storm. M had arranged a full night of entertainment for D and myself, including a stop for dinner at Belgo Centraal, a bit of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (ooo la la) and some drinks at Bar Soho.

Belgo Centraal is one of a chain of Belgian-themed restaurants. If you’re interested in a cheaper meal its worth trying to beat the clock (that is, get your order in before 6.30) with select meals being priced at the time of order accompanied by a free beer (or softdrink). The atmosphere is definitely pumping with the low ceilings giving it a cosy beer cellar feel. Service was efficient and food was delivered quickly. The food itself is pretty good and I was stuffed after my half chicken and very generous portion of frites. A great place to catch up with friends.

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

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Finally a comedy that doesn’t give away all of its jokes and general entertainment value in the trailers! This one is definitely a keeper.

Robert Downey Jr (who has such gorgeous eyes!) teams up with Val Kilmer and finds himself thrust into the strange universe that is Hollywood. Downey Jr. plays a Harry, a petty thief who, whilst running away from the police on a break-in gone wrong, stumbles into a movie audition for the role of a detective. He is sent to Kilmer, a tough-guy gay PI, for some character building and the two find themselves immediately embroiled a number of murder-mysteries, including one that involves his childhood love Harmony (played by Michelle Monaghan.)

Lots of twists and turns and intertwining stories make this movie a joy to experience. Although the laughs don’t stop coming, this movie is everything but light and fluffy. Dark, smart, sassy and with great spoofing of Hollywood excesses this movie is a lot of fun. No hesitations in recommending this one.

Bar Soho

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The stoned floor, wood timber walls and candle-lit tables give the main room a very relaxed feel. Tonight it was buzzing and the music was great. The company was great. The only negatives was the over priced drinks (I guess that is Central London for you) and the bar service with attitude (must go with the media-types that tend to frequent this bar.) Otherwise an okay bar for its ambience and music. Beware of the potential for high cover charges.

Still stuffed …

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A and R were brave enough to invite me over to their place for a Sunday Roast yesterday. I’ve been craving a Sunday Roast for some time now so I was more than happy to accept their invite and boy did they deliver. I was presented with a gorgeously tender chicken accompanied by perfectly cooked veges including golden roasted potatoes cooked just right which were very hard to resist. Unfortunately I think I pretty much inhaled the meal (it was too good) so I didn’t get the chance to take a pic of the spread but I guarantee you it was fabulous. (I think I seriously overate as I’m still feeling a bit full today! )

The day was finished off with some wedding album viewing (fab pics), gaming (where I got some serious a$$-kicking – thanks A!) and Chronicles of Riddick, a movie which definitely appealed to the little sci-fi nut inside of me.

Thank you R and A for opening your home to me.

March of the Penguins

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If you can stomach the cuteness of it all, March of the Penguins is worth sitting through to witness the beautifully filmed romance of the Emperor Penguin. Every year the penguins begin their 70 mile (!) journey across Antartica moving instinctively to their mating ground where they will find their perfect mate that will last the entire year. This relationship is an important one as it needs to last through a very scarily brutal winter and into the spring. The mother, sacrificing nearly 30% of her weight will produce an egg. The father then takes over the nurturing role to protect the egg through the winter while mum heads off on the 70 mile journey back home to feed. Sometimes the transfer of the egg from mum to dad doesn’t go too well and parents are left to forlornly look at their egg laying frozen on the ground. Spring comes at last, the egg hatches, the baby penguins are born, mum returns and then it is the dad’s turn (who by then has lost nearly 40% of their weight) to trek the 70 miles for food. Many dads don’t make it and narrator Morgan Freeman offers this as an explanation for why female penguins outnumber the males.

It is an adorable movie and the visuals that French director Luc Jacquet is able to deliver are absolutely stunning. You will need the hardest of hearts to resist this love story.

A Few Good Men

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I’m sure everyone is familiar with the movie version of this play – Tom Cruise and Demi Moore versus Jack Nicholson back in 1992 which itself was based on the Broadway hit – so just a quick summary then: Rob Lowe plays Harvard trained lawyer Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee enlisted to defend two Marines ((Michael Wildman) and Louden Downey (Nick Court) accused of murder at Guantanamo Bay. He is assisted by pushy straight-laced Lieutenant Commander Joanne Galloway (Suranne Jones) and Jewish Sam Weinberg (Dan Fredenburg).

I was expecting the whole performanced to be played out in one boring court room scene with the audience having to rely purely on the script for entertainment. I was therefore pleasantly surprised by the smart sets as the scenes switch between Washington base, the court room (view point changing as we reach the climax) and the Bay. Even the lighting adds to the feel military feel to the whole play.

As for the performances Rob Lowe was the main reason I went to see the play and although he is no Tom Cruise he delivered a charming enough performance. To me he seemed surprisingly slight on stage with less of a commanding presence than I expected. However, he did have the best lines and delivered them with aplomb. In other worthy mentions Jack Ellis plays Jack Nicholson’s Colonel Jessep and although the well known line of “The Truth? You can’t handle the Truth” wasn’t delivered with as much punch – Jack Ellis played his role well enough.

Overall the play was much funnier than I expected (I don’t think I laughed at all during the movie) and if you get the chance to see it is definitely worth checking out.