Family and frolicks

Mum's birthday on Tuesday ... went home for a party with the faaamily on Sunday.  Although the party was on Sunday mum asked me to come home early to help with the cooking.  Turns out there wasn't that much cooking to do but I think I was more than aware I was at home for the purposes of company rather than for coooking skills.  This did mean that I missed cocktails and hilarity with the gays on Saturday night watching the Eurovision Song Contest.  Not quite the same as watching it with someone going 'Can we watch something else, this is terrible'.  Some relationships its all take take, take.

Party on Sunday was ok, crowds are not my scene and my family is not my scene.  Highlight was watching my cousins child (Matti ... Danish name) ... which was a great excuse to go and have a lie down on mum's bed.  Look I took a picture:

Love that I won't put pictures of me on here but am more than happy to expose the rest of my family to the steely gaze of the general public (all 1/2 of you).  So aside from family frolicks I got stoned a lot and rather than having access to the mint tea and mung beans in my house I had access to the ice cream and cheese cake ay my mothers house.  Three days without exercise and dessert after evey meal.  I'm trying to control the urge to go on a lettuce only diet and take my sleeping bag to the gym.

BTW I'm watching Lipstick Jungle, its awful with a capital UGH

Schedule of Crazy

Shortly after posting yesterday I retired to bed to enjoy my new sheets.  I was somewhat aware of the fact that I'd only had four hours sleep and thought it might be good to have a nap.  HOWEVER, I made the huge mistake of watching 30 Rock for ages, so when I did go to sleep it was about 7 which meant I woke up at 5 this morning!  5!  I'd been to the gym and was considering having my second shower of the day BEFORE MIDDAY.  Craziness.  I've achieved so much already.  God knows when I'm going to get out of this crazy sleep schedule too.  Although I guess techincally going to bed early and getting up with daylight isn't CRAZY crazy.  In fact its quite the opposite.  Maybe this will be the start of a new me, maybe I'll have to change the name of my blog?!!?!  Tales of an old lady?

Most annoying part of the day was deciding at 7 to go to the gym and then getting a flat tyre on my bike.  Wanted to get it repaired but obviously the shop didn't open for another 2 hours!  2!  That was such a weird realisation.  Anyway, in order to get over the trauma I ordered a digital camera off t'internet.  YAY, soon my blog will be illustrated.  I fully intend to out-Japanese the Japanese with the amount of photos I will take.

To travel or not to travel?

Sarah from Hawaii was in London yesterday, stopping over on her marathon journey from Cairo (she's been living there) to Maui.  I can't imagine being involved in any travel itinerary where part of it was 'fly from London to LA' and only being about halfway through.  Poor girl.  Great to see her though, must have been at least two years.  She was all happy and glowing, but why wouldn't she be?  Boyfriend in Egypt and going back to Maui to work for her dad.  I can't imagine what its like to come from a place most people (in Europe at least) would consider a dream destination.  Went over to Brick Lane and had some red wine with Anthony and Bean and had a good chat and catch up.

She left bright and early this morning and I seized the opportunity to go into town to the gallery where I might work in the vain hope of tracking down the girl I met who works there.  Of course she was out.  Now I don't know if I should go back again or just leave it!  They change exhibitions next week so maybe I'll pop in for that.  Met Brittany and James for lunch, then swung by Debenhams on the way home and 'accidentally' spent £150 on a new duvet, sheets and pillows.  Never bought any before so I felt it was my time, plus they were 50% off so they were practically free.

Sarah was inviting all and sundry to Maui for August when her parents are away.  I've already got an invite to go to Martha's Vineyard for August too.  Plus I might be going to the Biennale in Venice, plus I might go and see an Opera by The Knife in Germany in October which happens to be around Oktoberfest.  Having recently returned from France and Spain and said repeatedly to anyone who would listen 'remind me never to leave London again' it seems strange that its only a fortnight later and I'm planning to visit Venice, Maui, Martha's Vineyard, Dresden, Berlin and Munich.  I guess Venice and Germany would just be a couple of weekends and the states is like going home so it doesn't really count.  That's what I'll tell myself anyway. 

Vietnamese

Went to Mien Tay for Vietnamese food last night (http://www.london-eating.co.uk/34588.htm) for Faye's birthday.  Can't say the food was particularly distinguished - all the Vietnamese places on the Kingsland Road are amazing and Mien Tay was certainly no exception.  Had salt and pepper squid, fried seaweed and a delicious pancake to start.  Main course was fried pork cutlets with egg and rice.  All very good and the bill was only £10 a head!  Amazing.  The people were lovely too - really friendly (one of them had the cutest baby) and when we sang happy birthday to Faye they quickly whipped up some banana fritters and stuck candles in them.  So nice.

Think I can safely say I'm recovered from the weekend - feeling fresh and ready to tackle life.  Need to get butt in gear this week.  Shopping and gallery tomorrow, need to find stuff to do today - maybe I'll go see the new Wolverine move.  Hmmmm, gym first.

Weekends of fun

Hmmm its seems I'm falling into the trap of doing nothing all week long and then hanging out with people at the weekend when they are free.  Very bad, I need to do stuff during the week by myself to ensure I'm enriching my life at least a little bit.  Maybe that can be my quest for the week - at least two posts about interesting things I've done this week.  Going to the gym does not count.

Wasted the weekend a bit as well cause I was stoned for most of it.  Not freshly stoned either but at the end of a week of smoking pot which needless to say made me hungry, lazy and reluctant to go out.  Friday I went round to Jack and Laura's house and hung out with Billy, Molly, Anthony and Bean.  For some reason we had an arm wrestling competition - I beat all the girls RAR, what a man - then played poker til 6 o clock in the morning.  The whole time we were smoking, drinking and doing lines.  Playing poker and doing lines?  Who have I turned into?  Neither of which I particularly enjoy but they do go well together and I had a great time.  Got a kiss on the lips from Anthony as he was leaving too ... he's definitely straight.  Ehem.

Saturday I came home, smoked, ate too much and then had to drag myself to my brother's 'I'm off to Australia' party.  Lots of people there and he was quite the social butterfly.  I was meant to go to Faye's birthday party after but have to confess I told Dom thats where I was going and just went home.  I blame marijuana pshychosis and Damages - watched the entire first season in one go ... its amazing.  Sunday I finished my weed and ate my way through the contents of the house.  Dear me.  Not good, so I lie here, Monday morning (just) trying to get my life into some kind of order and my head to function again.  Think I'll be giving up smoking for quite some time.

Need to get on the job hunt (finally) this week, get to the gym, go to Pilar Corrias and generally improve and enrich my life.  No more lying around, two hours of gym, lying around, bed.  Whole of London is out there waiting for me.

Weekend

Dom was over for Friday and Saturday nights ... first night out with friends in Camden and ready to depart for Brighton the following day for a house party of a girl he met in Dublin.  I didn't go out on Friday, just a quiet night in.  Was maybe going to go to a dance show in the Tate Modern turbine hall but it meant standing for two hours and I didn't fancy.  Murray was also meant to be in packing for her trip to Ghana but obviously didn't show up til about 10:30pm.  Walked Dom to ASDA on Saturday and then went off for a gym session.  Read for the afternoon and then Deb came over in the evening to get stoned and wait to let Dom back in the house.  Haven't smoked for ages and got really giggly and had an amazing time.

Dom came home and we watched TV for a bit then to bed.  Sunday he went off to Dad's house and I went to the gym while waiting for mum to arrive.  She finally arrived about 2 after a nightmare journey of rail replacement and closed tube lines.  Saw her for an hour then cycled over to Queensway to Doig's hosue for lunch.  Stopped off in Hyde Park for a quick cigarette and chat with Isi and Brittany.  Had lovely lunch of Roast chicken and then sat on his balcony having a glass of wine or too.  Then borrowed Doig's clothes and cycled into town to go to Ku Bar.  Had a good dance in the skimpiets outfit I've ever worn in public.  Had to leave urgently when Henry tried to set me up with an unattractive greas haired mook with drugs all over his face.  It was only midnight but my back was hurting and I was ready to go anyway.

Monday went to Leung's Legend with mum and Miriam and then to the Picasso show at the National Gallery.  It was a good show - always great to see Picassos - if not a bit shorter than I was expecting.  Saw his version of Las Meninas for the first time and absolutely loved it.  Maybe it appeals to my art histroian side but there was a lot of clever interpretation and response to the Valesquez.  Particularly in his representation of the artist - seems to me Picasso was depicting him as a superior man of intuition, insight and creativity - a ball of energy and a conduit for inspiration compared to the more conventioanlly rendered images of the Spanish Royal family.

Arty people

Met Gabriella for a drink last night, she was my flatmate for a year in Scotland.  Only catch up every now and then, but since she is not working and neitehr am I perhaps we'll spend some quality time together.  I was excited about writing this post mostly cause I get to illustrate the post with photos of Gabriella and there are so many great ones to choose from.  This is what she looked like the last time I saw her:

Amazing.  Obviously she doesn't wander round the streets like that, but she's often not far off.  Saw a video of her on youtube when she was at an art installation in the Centre Point building naked from the waist down.  I think I might be more familiar with her vagina than I am with my own groin.  Had a great catch up - she's drinking now where before she wasn't a big fan so our interests have joined together somewhat.  Hung out with her boyfriend who's an artist and other friends of hers from the art world.  It certainly made a change from socialising with lawyers -interesting opinionated people who's whole purpose in life isn't fitting in.  Made me think the art world was really where I belonged.  Luckily there may be a job in the offing from one of Gabriella's friends.  Won't post details til it actually happens, but might provide a great entry to the art world.  Oh go on then, one more picture:

Much like me on a Friday night.