Weekends in London

Jon eating grass

Picnic at Hyde Park

Big cheesy grin from Kash - what a poser!

Shisha, Edgware Rd

Shisha pose

Julez, V, Michael and Tracey - St Christophers Place - West End

Hyde Park down pour

Julez helping the men take our rain cover down!

Some random feet - in Tesco bags

School night out

As you do, Sandra and I made a quick last minute decision to catch up tonight. SO where else is there to go for inspiration on what to do? Lastminute.com!

Boeing Boeing and 2 course meal for £20.. sounds ok.
Rhea Perlman was celebrity actor so I thought, she has good taste in scripts (Frasier) so why not.
As quick as that we were booked in.

After a not so bad noisy dinner in Planet Hollywood, we headed to the Comedy theatre for the show.
We really enjoyed it. No anticipation is the best way to be surprised.
I would recommend it in a heartbeat. Good acting, funny, timeless script. 4/5
And the Baileys during the interval went down quiet nicely.

The show originally opened in London in the mid-sixties and apparently held the world record for the longest-running comedy in the West End, playing over 2,000 performances before transferring to Broadway.
In 1965 the film starring Tony Curtis and Jerry Lewis was released.

Now I just have to rent the movie and check the original out.

Live Earth 07/07/07

I know its all for a good reason and everything, but I was less than impressed with Live Earth at Wembley.
Since the issues of failed car bombings last weekend, you would think that the security would have at least been heightened since my last event. At George Michael, I couldn't fault the lengths they had gone to ensuring safety and everything went like clockwork.
For Live Earth, they weren't even checking bags.

- Obnoxious people in the crowd drinking from bottles they had smuggled in without issue.

- Obnoxious people in the crowd getting territorially feisty and starting fights (Annoying girl in brown, you know who you are..) even Black eyed peas noticed - where is the love?
- Obnoxious people in the crowd smoking - can't you just deal with it?
- Plastic cups handed out to pour your water bottles into. Why don't we just use more plastic?? !!! Isn't that what this concert all about!???????

Except for Duran Duran and Keane the music was so so, with boring monotone speaking in between each act.

Oh, and the fuck around I got when I left.

Me: oh, this looks like an exit (although not signed)

Guard: You have to go to the other side.

Me: ookkkay (walks to the other side) Can I get out here?

Guard 2: No - go around there (obviously the word door wasn't in his vocab)

Me: the other guy just said to come here!

Guard: no

Me (storms off through the definitely unmarked door, leading me around a back corridor in Wembley to a FIRE door! Fuck it. If it goes off its not my problem.... Im out.)

Security and the disrespect for the general well being and care factor of people sux in the UK!

Luckily, I made the right choice and got home in time to see the Foos and Maddie - up close and personal on TV!

Finale farewells fever (for me anyway)

A few weeks ago, I was watching the only thing that we generally seem to tune in to on a regular basis on Sky. He whom I adore - Frasier. I am however quite disappointed that Sky seem to balls it up by replaying the ones you have seem as many as about 6 times in a few weeks - yet other episodes seem to never be played. The other gripe I have, is that (obviously) they can't play them in sequence! My dear Pommy housemates who have only just got into the Frasier thing, (nothing to do with my addiction of course!) do not know that Niles and Daphne hooked up - but know that they are about to pop out a baby.
Well, this is just the tip of the iceberg. The day I moved from Oz the last episode of Frasier aired on Aussie Teev. Therefore I had some, er other things on the agenda and never saw it. Until recently. I turned on Frasier on (?!) after dinner and started watching (always wondering if I had seen this one - and how many times). Nope. Haven't seen this one. Good. But sad. Everything seemed to come to an end with no room for plots to be evolved. Then it came to me (when Daphne gets rushed to hospital!) that this was the last episode EVER! Well, I have never cried so much at a TV program. I don't know whether it was fact #1 it was the last one, #2 it was sad, or #3 just plain I was mad at Sky for not informing me that this was it! The finale! Usually this comes along weeks before - you know the end is near. But not this time.
Friends on the other hand, was desirably played to fill in a Sunday night. Another one I had missed out on at the time for I had more things to do in Aus than watch telly. I don't know whether this one was because I knew it was over (like watching a grand final where you know your team is going to lose cause you heard people talking when you were going to just tune in for the replay. But now you know the score so why bother?) K was building me up to it too. She was so teary eyed - bless. But this gave me time to prepare myself for the inevitable.

Oh and for more waterworks whilst we are at it...!

A.F.L fo me in the U.K

Setanta Sports
This weekend was quiet, mostly spent at home listening to the rain bucket down in this so called summer. I did my normal channel flicking to make sure there was nothing we were paying for in our Sky package that we were missing out on.
I came across the Setanta Sports package blocker. A few months ago we discussed whether it was worth it to spend more money on something that was a waste of money to start with (Think crappy Celicas). Giving it a chance, we did some online research into Setanta Sports who hold the rights to show Aussie footy. Due to a crappy website and the lack of being able to make sure that AFL and premiership pommy footy was being showed on a regular basis, we chucked in that idea... For just a few months.
Yesterday we had more determination (or was that desperation?).
After yelling at the website for its inability to take me to more than 2 screens to 'subscribe online for the cheapest price' and the 1 month free deal, I called them on the PHONE! (shock horror)

Maybe it was the Glasgow events of the weekend, but I thought the Scots were supposed to be a friendly bunch?
Anyway, Greg says 'we are having an issue with the website'.
AGAIN!?(man they should get that fixed after 3 months) but its the same price and the free month is out of affect. Oh well, we opted for the go ahead anyway.

About 20mins later, I feel like im home - AND ITS WINTER THERE - the AFL is on my teev! K and I watched the majority of our first AFL game in the UK - Sydney v Geelong - at Skilled Stadium (Geelong home ground - Geelong reminds J of Schlong he he)
Sydney didnt win, but the weather there was much like here (well its Victoria for gods sake!) and K got a taste of AFL for the future.
Next week - Go you Crows! woo hooooooo

UK shopping tip #1

People beware: there is a new? social disease in the UK - the return of your debit card after purchase!
This has happened to me AT LEAST 3 times. and no, it ain't just the factory robots at the likes of your local H&M, Sainsburys or M&S. I have discovered it also has effects at the upper market high street designer stores. Originally I put it down to the laziness/lack of customer service/staff that get paid £2/hr. Now I know better.

Somehow, you have to put all your previous purchases behind you. Forget the great customer service you experienced in Oz for the most part of your shopping life where the assistant ALWAYS processes the card for you and all you have to do is remember the numbers(and basic motor skills).

Don't make conversation - or respond to them when they give you gift with purchase. Just watch that card. That way you don't have to spend the night retracing your shopping steps (or strides). You don't have to call them the minute they open to abuse... er, I mean ask them if they have it. Or is this just me!??? I have never lost ANYTHING in my life! (note to self.)