Play me I'm yours

Play me I'm yours
Originally uploaded by Gypsy Saskia

Thirty pianos are scattered around London. A project by an artist, who brought his work to London after Burmingham, Sydney, Sao Paola and Bury St Edmunds. Bypassers can play them and bystanders can enjoy. Simple as that. We found these two blokes in Notting Hill, playing incredibly well. The one we saw on Soho Square a few hours later was less interesting: amongst tramps and drunks, someone was abusing whatever composer it was. But as an arts project: fantastic. So much joy for so many!

Is this London?

Thames Bank
Originally uploaded by Gypsy Saskia

You wouldn't think this is London, or at least I wouldn't. But it is, somewhere near Hammersmith. A great part of the Thames Walk, with a bunch of nice pubs and resto's conveniently located nearby. After a four hour walk on Saturday and an aerobics class followed by a stroll in Hampstead Heath on Sunday, my legs do feel a bit stiff and tired today. But what a great way to spend a weekend!

Spoiled

Yes. Me. Big time. Growing up, eating out was a real treat. Once a year with my grandparents and parents, the occasional big family celebrations my grandparents did, and a few times while on holiday camping. Then student life came. Students are always broke apart for beer and food. I was no exception. A ten guilder steak, salad and chips in De Eerste Kamer was for special occasions, but having pizzas delivered from the Italian resto across the road to the pub where I worked was rather common. A few years into earning a proper salary, eating out became so normal, I sometimes craved simple home cooked food. However, all those meals were still cheap. Nothing fancy, unless for special occasions that were few and far between. My first ever Michelin starred meal was easter last year, at Yamazato. The most expensive meal I'd ever had and man, I was disappointed. It was nothing better than the cheapo Japanese place in the Nine Streets I would often go to. And the service at that place was better too. Michelin schmichelin.

Then London came. Being a big time foodie, I worked out where to go in no time. And London has a ridiculous amount of resto's with stars (34 alone with one star). And many of those have lunch deals. Pretty cheap lunch deals too. Until you add a bottle of Gruner Veltliner between the two of you, as Chantal and I did today. Or say yes to a glass of champaign the waiter offers without asking the price, as a friend here did (it turned out to be a £27 glass). But man, is it worth it. So far I have had lunch at Foliage (mind blowing) and L'Autre Pied (today) and dinner at Hakkasan with my brother. A repeat visit at Foliage and Hakkasan is planned for later this month when my oldest friend comes to visit me (at her request, my friends are good like that!). Whoever says the English can't cook must not have eaten here for a long time. These days, the food in London is fantastic at so many places. And I plan to make as much use of it while I am here as my wallet and waist will let me!!

Dutch victory

Dutch victory
Originally uploaded by Gypsy Saskia

They may have gone home - this celebratory pic is still worth sharing (for content rather than quality). The poms won't easily forget this!

Signed

As the contract for my apartment expires next month, the landlady dropped by today with a new one. That makes three of this friendly Iranian / Egyptian family I have met by the way, after the dad and her bro. Signing the contract for another twelve months felt nice. Good. Exciting. Twelve more months at least in my beloved flat in the docklands. I celebrated by buying heaps of flowers. Live is good.

Holy fricking crap

The Dutchies had me enthousiastic from the beginning, much to my surprise (so much for my "I will never support the Dutch team" two blogs down.....). They did well, the Dutch crowd (consisting of mainly 'kakkers') were making noise and the atmosphere was great. The English batted first and got a reasonable 162, and then it was for us to bat. And batting we did. Sixes even, unlike the English. Heaps of fours and a consistent run rate. I was jumping, cheering, shouting (all this from row 1, I might add) and clapping. And then that last ball... Two runs needed. Two runs run. Watch the video. The joy of the players was so big. A bunch of amateurs (as in....most of the team have day jobs that don't involve cricket) agains these pro's. Un-effing-believable. The hangover means I miss most of the kiwi game today, but off to the Oval in ten for some more cricket!

Election days

Not only have I done my civic duty by voting this morning, as soon as I left the station I was stopped by a rather hot Reuters reporter who wanted to ask me some questions. No, the expense scandal hasn't effected my voting behaviour. Yes, I find a strong Europe more important now than ever and no, I don't mind spelling out my name for you. And all this before 8am and my first proper coffee.

Booooooooring

A stomach bug or whatever it was kept me home for a few days. Truly sick on Sunday, crap Monday and Tuesday and back at work today feeling a bit lightheaded still. And christ, I am bored. Not being able to exercise drives me up the wall, there is only so much you can read with a head ache and the route between couch and bed really isn't very scenic. So...tomorrow it has to be over and done with.

I want to meet Chantal for dinner before going for drinks with fellow Dutchies tomorrow and to go to Lords with Zoe on Friday for the England - Netherlands 20Twenty worldcup game. Or Netherlands.... Half the players are, apart from their passports, about as Dutch as I am Australian. Ryan ten Doeschate, a great player, is a Saffa, as are some of the others. There is a dude who was born in New Zealand, as was Borren (who I went on a date with four years ago, only to find out on cricinfo he'd been playing for New Zealand's under 19s pretty recently). The rest seem to be posh The Hague born guys. The few I met in person made such a crap impression I will never support the Dutch team. Don't think much of the English either (I love the English but hate them in ruggers, footy and cricket) so I guess I will be Switzerland on Friday night. But hey ho: It's Lord's, it's with Zoe and it'll be Friday night. I will have a good time regardless!

SuBo

England had (or has, as time will tell) been obsessed with Susan Boyle for weeks. Her performance of I Dreamed a Dream on Britain's Got Talent was amazing apparently. I only saw a few seconds on the news, and yes, she was good. She could sing. But hello, so can many people. The media attention for the Scottish woman was unheard of. Just crazy. The final of BGT on Saturday was watched by over 18 million brits. And SuBo came second, after a dance act from East London and Essex. SuBo ended up in The Priory, a mental hospital in North London. And all this so confirmed why I don't watch that type of tele. The hypes are ridiculous, the success stories few and far between (Leona Lewis an exception), and my Saturday nights way too precious.