Have a Spooky Day!

I love a good cemetery and since it's Halloween, I thought I would post pictures of the cemetery in Hampstead.  While Bill was off getting his hair cut on Sunday, I went to check out the graveyard.  Have you ever noticed that cemeteries always have really good trees with boney limbs that look like they are going to reach out and grab you?

And everything is covered in vines so you have no idea what is under there?

These graves were dead old.  There were supposedly famous people buried here but I didn't know who any of them were except for the Llewelyn Davies family - the model for JM Barrie's Peter Pan.

We didn't get any trick or treaters last year so I'm hoping I won't be caught without candy this year.  I'm dressing as an Operations Manager and Bill is dressing as a Dandy.  What will you be?

Happy Halloween!

I should have my own Saturday morning show!

I have had people tell me that I'm cartoonish (that's a compliment, right?) but now I really am!!

Bill has discovered fiverr.com - a website where people will do anything for $5.  Most of the people just offer to endorse products by writing a song or poem or wearing an outfit or anything they can think of that will attract attention.  I find this depressing. $5 isn't that much to whore yourself out but I guess if you do enough of them, you can make enough to go to a movie and get a bucket of popcorn?  

Anyway, there are also people offering to do things like create the Bret and Joey icons we posted last week or turn a picture of me into a cartoon.  Remember when Saturday morning was Must See TV? Saturday morning cartoon watching was serious business.  They even did a preview show in the evening every fall to show kids what new shows were coming and I used to get SO excited for the ones that looked good.  Would I have gotten excited about the Jen and Dibley show?  

I think kids today all have sports or other events lined up for Saturday morning so they go out and actually live lives rather than sit in front of the TV from 7am to noon each week.  Those poor kids - they do not know what they are missing.

Sunday in Hampstead

Bill and I headed up to Hampstead on Sunday.  This is a idyllic neighborhood in the north of London.  When you hear about a celebrity living in London, chances are, they live in Hampstead.  Did we see any?  Unfortunately, not.  But I did fall in love with the narrow streets, the cafes and the famous Heath.

 First stop was breakfast - I chose a place that was prone to celebrity sightings but we were definitely the only celebs there.  We tucked into a corner with the Times and our tea to avoid the paparazzi.

 Flask street was full of little shops - one of which just kept putting out boxes and boxes of junk to pick through.  Bill found these beauties.

 Then we headed to the Heath.

 Bill keeps saying we should move into the city for year #2 (which we are already well in to at this point) but I am concerned that I won't have a good place for my daily walks.  Problem solved if we move to Hampstead.  Could I trade the castle for these views?  It's tempting....

You've got the BT tower on the right and the shard on the left - and cranes every where!

 Back to the High Street.  Things got busy while we were in the park.  Bill went for a haircut while I went to check out Church Row and the old graveyard.  Let the celebrities know that we will be back!

I'm a Pearly wanna be ...

Last week we were at a pub in High Gate and saw the Pearly King and Queen ruling their pub.

Love this group.  I need to get involved in the Pearly Society if only to rock the outfit.

Wrap Up of the week in London

Finished a long week in London.  We had our companies International Sales Kickoff which brought employees from 20 countries to the Hotel Russell.  Here are some highlights of the week.

The Russell is a beautiful old building.  On the second floor there is a gold dragon gargoyle.  Only two were made and the other one is at the bottom of the ocean on the Titanic.  You are suppose to rub the dragon's head when you pass for good luck.  Or maybe you are just patting him to console him because his brother died a horrible death.

Had some wild rain early in the week.  The buses sent a plume of water twenty feet, nearly soaking anyone who happen to be loitering around the street having a cigar.

I brought the HR team to St Paul's Cathedral.  Love it there.  The building is gorgeous, the walk to the top of the dome is an experience and the views at the top are the best in London.

At our awards dinner The Teatles played for us.  They did a nice job, but the crowd was jumping when the Hindi song came on our India team let loose.  It's interesting to watch the different countries and how they dance.  It fits stereotypes.

The Aussies are having the most fun.  Best laughs come from them.

The India team danced like they had rubber in their bones.  They are loud, too.  Very fun to watch.

The French had the dancers who were the smoothest on the floor.

The Chinese had left and gone to a strip joint.

 Before going to the strip joint Sam gives me a salute.

 Robyn and Jo posing.

 This is Samit and I delivering a review in a pub.  A first for me.

I ordered a coke, because you know I am professional.

 Brought the team to China Town.  It was fun seeing Jo absolutely try to shrink when Sam yelled at the waitress as he would in China.  He screams from across the room "Fúwùyuán", which I think means waiter.  Jo tried to tell him he's in London, not Shanghai.

 We tried to hit the cigar bar at Lanesborough but it was too busy.  We opted for drinks upstairs in the Library bar.  High class.  I had to dive in front of the waiter so Sam wouldn't order the £2500 scotch on the menu.

 Enjoy your watered down £20 Lagavulin, Sam.

 Jo opted for tea to save me some money.  Love you,  Jo.

It will be good to get home tonight, although Jen will be looking for her room service.  I could be in trouble ...

Flashback Friday

Back in 2000, panoramic pictures were new and exciting.  I still don't use that setting enough in my current photography but these old pics from our wedding week in Scotland seemed to deserve a post.  I tried going back to see if I posted any of these before and couldn't find them so I figured it was fair game on a slow blog day.

I know wedding attendees all remember Irene fondly (even that stranger in the back corner).  Who doesn't like to hear accordion music over breakfast?

 The Ladies of the Wedding.  Looking back now it seems odd that so many of you wore dark funereal dresses.  Was this the death of my youthful adventures?  Clearly not!

 I've always loved this bar scene.  That's Noelle's head in the foreground and Stacey in the stripes to the right.  

 Lunchtime.  I'm not sure if establishments were happy to see a crowd of hungry patrons or frightened by a gang of Yanks coming through their doors.  Other than a few updated hair styles I think we all look exactly the same!!  

Ok, now that I'm on a roll with these old shots I need to add a few others.  The ladies trying to lift Bill above our heads in the pub after the wedding...Whose hand is on Bill's inner thigh??  I just know it isn't mine.

 The aftermath of the whipped cream fight in the hotel. 

 My mother, the enabler.  

There are many more pictures from this evening that I will NOT be posting on line.  Some things are best kept in the past.  :-)

Deer Crossing

It's Autumn on the Long Walk.  I had just come down the path and up the hill and when I turned around the walk way was covered in deer.  Just a reminder that this is their neighborhood, not mine.

Scenes from Bill's Work Week

Bill posted these pictures from his week long kick off meeting in London without adding commentary...so I'm going to leave it up to your imaginations.

Random Art

Allie was inspired by the Little Joey doll and made one of herself.  For those who don't remember - one year for Christmas Jen received Joey and Bret dolls!  Somehow the Joey doll made his way to Allie  :-)

Bill found a web site that will make you an icon.  I guess if Joey or Bret ever become entrepreneurs they could put one of these on their products!

Icon Joey

Icon Bret

London Sunday Meals

Sunday I was on my own so the day revolved around three things:  books, movies and food.  First priority was breakfast.  I bought the Sunday Times (an actual newspaper - old school!) and went hunting for a cafe that was not part of a hotel.  Of course, when you are looking for something, it suddenly becomes elusive.  On my way, I walked past this plaque.  I wish now I'd take a picture of the street.  It was a quiet residential street with a private park across the street.  It's difficult and sad to imagine what that summer day must have been like.  A lot of take in on an empty stomach.

 Success!!  The perfect little spot to settle in for the morning.

 I ordered the vegetarian full English.  Look at that pile of mushrooms!  Yum....

My next food stop was in Clerkenwell.  This was a tease - I walked over here to check out the bookstore but found it closed!  So I punished myself by sitting across the street eating a scone and looking at this shuttered building.

The rain came at a perfect time to duck into a matinee. I took in the 3:45 showing of "Filth" starring James McAvoy.  I recommend it but it obviously wasn't for the faint of heart since three people in front of me left after 20 minutes of bad language and despicable acts.  It's not called "Filth" for nothing.

The day ended in utter bliss:  room service and Downton Abbey.  This is way I was meant to live.

London Oddities

 These are a few things that caught my eye this weekend in London....

Lego on the corner of a wall outside a cafe.

 A 3D face watching me walk down an alley.

 A paper dress in a florist window.

I saved the best for last - the hunted becomes the hunter.   We asked for a price but it was not for sale.  It's probably just as well because it would be hard to resist even if it meant a second mortgage.  Although I think it might make Simon a bit anxious....