It's ridiculous how happy flowers can make me. Aren't they lovely?
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Monday, January 28, 2008
Praha
We got home around 2am last night, so I'm absolutely exhausted and not capable of downloading, editing and publishing photos tonight. But we had an absolutely amazing weekend, in spite of the cold weather. We both fell in love with Prague, and did not have nearly enough time to even scratch the surface of explorations there. We have decided we are definitely going back for another weekend within the next few months. The bigger things that we did included a three and a half hour walking tour, the Franz Kafka museum, taking the funicular tram up to the Petrin tower, a mini-version of the Eiffel Tower, to look out over the city, went to a classical music concert in one of the old palaces, and went birthday gift hunting among the garnet stores. Our 5-star hotel was in the famous Nerudova street, and is a restored 14th century house...we were in a junior suite on the top floor, so we had triangular ceilings with gorgeous exposed wood beams. (I had booked an "executive room" at an unbelievable off-season price, but when we got there, they told me they don't actually have executive rooms, so we had been automatically upgraded.)
We've decided to go to Budapest for Valentines weekend, will have to go to Paris to update W's Shengen visa in late Feb/early March, still need to reschedule my Barcelona reunion with Kavitha, and have two weeks in Cape Town for W's brother's wedding in May to look forward to, but we will definitely get to Prague again in the near future! I'll have more to say about Prague with the photos, but it is just stunningly gorgeous, and chock full of culture and history to explore.
Oooh, and almost forgot, Kristy's coming over for a visit in two weeks or so, woohoo!!!
We've decided to go to Budapest for Valentines weekend, will have to go to Paris to update W's Shengen visa in late Feb/early March, still need to reschedule my Barcelona reunion with Kavitha, and have two weeks in Cape Town for W's brother's wedding in May to look forward to, but we will definitely get to Prague again in the near future! I'll have more to say about Prague with the photos, but it is just stunningly gorgeous, and chock full of culture and history to explore.
Oooh, and almost forgot, Kristy's coming over for a visit in two weeks or so, woohoo!!!
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Buon Compleano
Haven't really had a night at home this week, aside from Monday, which Sheena and I spent catching up with Nicole (who had just returned from three weeks in Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam). She's the color of a golden nut. I'm desperate to get to Thailand now. Hey Viv, what happened to our Philippines/Thailand adventure??
Last night I was out for my friend Chantale's leaving do...she is spending two and a half months traveling (Shanghai, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, San Diego, and I can't remember what all else). She'll then end up at home in Montreal. We were at this bar called Fuel in Covent Garden, which is pretty average as far as a Covent Garden bar goes, except for this one booth they have called "Fish Tank." It seats about 10 people, and is separated from the rest of the bar by 3 steps down. It's decorated in various shades of turqouise and blue (you'd love it, Jinny), and is bordered on the one end by, wait for it....a big salt-water fish tank. We had a lots of fun, I met up with some people I met over a year ago on a Halloween weekend in Kent with Backabush and I didn't realize they were friends with Chantale. It was sad as well though, because of course we were saying goodbye to Chantale. But I'll probably be the one she sees again first, as my plans for this year also include moving back home. So more like an "au revoir" than a real goodbye.
Had a good night for my bday on Saturday, got a massive, gorgeous bunch of flowers from W, and we had a fantastic meal at Home. I definitely want to go back there. It was the best steak people had ever had, the best duck people had ever had, and the crab tagliatelle was amazing as well. We then danced at the bar below the restaurant, and finished off in the wee hours of the following morning at a hotel bar. I don't have many pictures from that night-- actually none at all, the few we took are on Jules' camera-- but I still have more from Italy to put up. And the flight to Prague is tomorrow!!! I'm so excited, we have booked an absolutely amazing hotel, and I've been making all sorts of plans based on other people's recommendations, and a guide book I got at the library. It will be a great finish to my birthday week ;-)
Last night I was out for my friend Chantale's leaving do...she is spending two and a half months traveling (Shanghai, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, San Diego, and I can't remember what all else). She'll then end up at home in Montreal. We were at this bar called Fuel in Covent Garden, which is pretty average as far as a Covent Garden bar goes, except for this one booth they have called "Fish Tank." It seats about 10 people, and is separated from the rest of the bar by 3 steps down. It's decorated in various shades of turqouise and blue (you'd love it, Jinny), and is bordered on the one end by, wait for it....a big salt-water fish tank. We had a lots of fun, I met up with some people I met over a year ago on a Halloween weekend in Kent with Backabush and I didn't realize they were friends with Chantale. It was sad as well though, because of course we were saying goodbye to Chantale. But I'll probably be the one she sees again first, as my plans for this year also include moving back home. So more like an "au revoir" than a real goodbye.
Had a good night for my bday on Saturday, got a massive, gorgeous bunch of flowers from W, and we had a fantastic meal at Home. I definitely want to go back there. It was the best steak people had ever had, the best duck people had ever had, and the crab tagliatelle was amazing as well. We then danced at the bar below the restaurant, and finished off in the wee hours of the following morning at a hotel bar. I don't have many pictures from that night-- actually none at all, the few we took are on Jules' camera-- but I still have more from Italy to put up. And the flight to Prague is tomorrow!!! I'm so excited, we have booked an absolutely amazing hotel, and I've been making all sorts of plans based on other people's recommendations, and a guide book I got at the library. It will be a great finish to my birthday week ;-)
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
L'Arena
in Verona. Unfortunately, most of the town was chiuso (closed) on New Year's Day, including the famous L'Arena (behind us), and even Giulietta's courtyard at the Capulet house (I've never seen it closed before, it's just a courtyard). Fortunately, there was some sort of festival going on, with lots of street performers and music :-)
One thing we had plenty of on this trip....
vino, vino and more vino!!! At all dinners, all lunches, and even one breakfast. Most of it was homemade wine from various members of Rita's family, but we did buy some at the Soave castle cantina (above), and Dad bought 3 bottles of amarone from the famous Tomasi family cantina. I did smuggle in one bottle of homemade sweet amarone, shhhh!
You've heard of wine tasting...
...this is olive oil tasting. Yes, you read that right. We tried their best quality olive oil, their best-selling olive oil, a sweet olive oil for fish, and unfiltered olive oil. Can you say "digestivo?"
Tressa...
...chowing down on some meat at the agriturismo ristorante. Wickus could hardly believe she used to be a steadfast vegetarian. Agriturismi get heavy subsidisation from the government, but 80% (I think) of what they serve must be grown or raised on their own land in order to qualify for subsidisation.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
New Year Notes
Can't believe it's 2008. Last year absolutely flew by. It just seems like there's never enough time to get things done, not to mention do the things I want to do. Got a great start on getting back to work on Monday. This should be prefaced by saying that I went to see "I Am Legend" on Saturday night...although I did not have nightmares per se, I did not sleep much at all on Saturday or Sunday night thanks to my overactive imagination. Every time I closed my eyes, scenes from the movie started replaying in my head. This has an impact on the fact that Monday morning I was 50 yards down the road before I realized I couldn't see anything, and had forgotten to put contacts in. Then I arrived at work a little bit late, having gone back home for the contacts, and discovered I had forgotten a student was starting with me for a 7-week placement. Oops.
Moving on, birthday plans are underway. There's a museum exhibit at the Barbican I've been wanting to go to, will pick a date for next week and get tickets tomorrow. I have already booked tickets for Afrika! Afrika! (has thus far garnered rave reviews on its European tour, and is compared by some to Cirque due Soleil) on Friday the 18th of January-- I got a great 2 for 1 deal with amazing seats in a VIP box right in front of the stage. It will be coming to the US eventually, so if you're interested check this out http://www.afrika.pte-ag.eu/
On the actual day, the 19th, we'll be spending the night at a trendy bar/club in Shoreditch (no lofty plans this year, I learned my lesson well last year that no one has any money left mid-January). Somewhere in there I hope to have a meal at the Cinnamon Club, as that's been on my mind for a while now. And then on the 25th we head to Prague for the weekend (yes, home of garnet jewelry ladies and gentlemen, how appropos), hurrah! As you can see, I have also learned the lesson well of how to make a birthday stretch out as long as possible. (Insert Big Cheeky Grin)
And finally, below you'll find a couple of photos to get started. These are from Christmas week in London. We did a lot of fun stuff, from afternoon tea at the Ritz to The 39 Steps in the West End (opening soon on Broadway, go see it, very funny). Will get some photos up from New Years week in Italy soon, as well as some other stuff I've got saved up. We had a fantastic time in Italy, where I definitely ate and drank like an Italian (yes, it's true they have wine for breakfast, lunch and dinner)-- you can't refuse, it's rude, they all make their own red and white wine, dessert wine, limoncello, grappa, etc What else, oh yes, and I helped to make the sausage and salami. Explanations to come with photos.
To all of you for 2008: Buon Anno, Tanti Auguri!
Moving on, birthday plans are underway. There's a museum exhibit at the Barbican I've been wanting to go to, will pick a date for next week and get tickets tomorrow. I have already booked tickets for Afrika! Afrika! (has thus far garnered rave reviews on its European tour, and is compared by some to Cirque due Soleil) on Friday the 18th of January-- I got a great 2 for 1 deal with amazing seats in a VIP box right in front of the stage. It will be coming to the US eventually, so if you're interested check this out http://www.afrika.pte-ag.eu/
On the actual day, the 19th, we'll be spending the night at a trendy bar/club in Shoreditch (no lofty plans this year, I learned my lesson well last year that no one has any money left mid-January). Somewhere in there I hope to have a meal at the Cinnamon Club, as that's been on my mind for a while now. And then on the 25th we head to Prague for the weekend (yes, home of garnet jewelry ladies and gentlemen, how appropos), hurrah! As you can see, I have also learned the lesson well of how to make a birthday stretch out as long as possible. (Insert Big Cheeky Grin)
And finally, below you'll find a couple of photos to get started. These are from Christmas week in London. We did a lot of fun stuff, from afternoon tea at the Ritz to The 39 Steps in the West End (opening soon on Broadway, go see it, very funny). Will get some photos up from New Years week in Italy soon, as well as some other stuff I've got saved up. We had a fantastic time in Italy, where I definitely ate and drank like an Italian (yes, it's true they have wine for breakfast, lunch and dinner)-- you can't refuse, it's rude, they all make their own red and white wine, dessert wine, limoncello, grappa, etc What else, oh yes, and I helped to make the sausage and salami. Explanations to come with photos.
To all of you for 2008: Buon Anno, Tanti Auguri!
Bierodrome
Family and friends for a fun Christmas meal on the day my parents and Tressa arrived. If memory serves, Mom was falling asleep on my shoulder.
The 2007 Johnson Family Christmas Card
Or 2008 New Years card if you prefer, as they haven't been sent out yet. Lol. Hey, we were busy making merry in Italy, so we'd have something to write on the card!
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