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Hitting the dance floor
Posted on September 20th, 2008 by bryan.
Categories: General.
Sore, pounding head! Twitchy, aching tummy! When will I learn when to say ‘no’ to more glasses of wine?
It was an old colleague’s leaving do, so a few of us gathered for drinks and nibbles in Camden. It was a weird night - not least because the guest of honour left before 10pm - but it was great fun: lots of banter, a decent(ish) pub, not many idiots and, for the first time in ages, we went for a boogie!
You can probably count on two hands the number of times G and I have gone clubbing in London. It’s not that we don’t like clubbing; more that I’m not a fan of the big commercial clubs. It’s probably because I grew up on the Edinburgh scene, where there was (and still is) only one permanent gay club - CC Blooms. It’s naff, dingy and dark, but it is what it is and you can’t ask for much more than that. The Black Cap in Camden is much the same: black walls, lots of mirrors, cheap booze (and occasionally cute men).
Anyway, it’s now the morning after the night before and I’m beginning to feel a bit rough - head, tummy, legs. Alcohol and age are terrible things!
BBC Proms 2008
Posted on August 15th, 2008 by bryan.
Categories: Theatre.
G and I enjoyed three BBC Proms performances this week, including the comfort, views and 98% discount on the price of a Grand Tier box at the Royal Albert Hall.
I have no idea how to review classical music and I’m not going to try now. All I’ll write is that Proms 37 and 38 were excellent (with the exception of the UK premiere of Hillborg’s very weird Clarinet Concerto), Daniel Barenboim truly is a maestro and I should really have picked-up the transcript for Prom 39 (which featured a story spoken in French).
I have applied for tickets for the Last Night of the Proms, so I have everything crossed.
A quick half-year update
Posted on July 20th, 2008 by bryan.
Categories: General, Holidays, Theatre.
We’re now well into the second half of 2008, so I thought I’d write a quick update about some of the things we’ve been doing over the past six months:-
- Graeme and I moved into a new flat. It’s just along the corridor from our last flat, but it’s much bigger - there is actually room to swing a cat (maybe even a tiger)! On the whole, it was a good move, although we could do without the noisy kids playing outside and the floor that has a bad habit of flooding and lifting. The joys of London living.
- We spent three weeks in South Africa, visiting Graeme’s parents in Jo’burg, Cape Town, Kruger Park and Pretoria. The holiday was amazing, as the 2,500 pics prove. I’ve only managed to upload a hand-full (click here), but the rest will follow - over the next few months. I’ve been wanting to go to SA for years, and it really was the holiday of a life time - but we will definitely go back.
Enjoying the sun, sea and sand of South Africa
- We’ve had a few visits from our respective sisters (Gillian and Lesley). I miss my sister a lot, so it’s always fun to catch up - even though we struggle to find new things to do. It’s not through lack of choice, it’s just that we have different tastes and neither of us can make a decision! We also had a visit from my dad, who was in town for the London Marathon.
- Graeme joined the London Gay Men’s Chorus (LGMC), which is keeping him out of mischief. He’s really loving the opportunity to meet new people and to perform, so far in two of London’s top venues - Leicester Square and Cadogan Hall. Both shows were excellent and I am hugely proud of him.
- I finished and passed my company secretary exams, which means that I’m finally a Graduate (and eligible to become an Associate) of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA). My previous blogs testify that the exams were not the easiest in the world, so I’m glad to have that all behind me.
- I started a new job just after we got back from South Africa: it’s a similar role, but working for a bigger not-for-profit organisation. It means a slightly longer commute, but it really was time to move on from my former employer: I’d been there for three years and I needed a new challenge. I miss my old work colleagues, though.
- Graeme and I enjoyed a weekend in Cardiff, the hen and stag party capital of the UK - which is not a sentence I thought I would ever write. The pics will follow, eventually.
- We had a great night out at The Old Vic, where we saw Pygmalion. I am a huge fan of My Fair Lady (and Audrey Hepburn), so it was great to see the ‘original’, particularly in such a unique venue. We’ve not been to the theatre much this year (only two productions: The Lion King and The Mikado), but this definitely made up for it.
- Finally, Graeme and I joined London Zoo, which means this site will soon feature even more pics of penguins. I apologise in advance.
I don’t think there is anything else - well, nothing worth writing. We’ve bought our tickets for the Edinburgh Fringe, so we’ll be travelling north for 1-10 August - an opportunity to see family and friends and to enjoy some top quality entertainment (The Caesar Twins, Joan Rivers, Russell Kane, etc.). Then it will be back to London and all the good and bad that brings.
Photo Album - new pics!!
Posted on June 17th, 2008 by bryan.
Categories: General.
Sorry, but it’s taken me a while to publish these galleries.� Now I can concentrate on getting through my 2,500 pics from South Africa - but don’t worry, I’ll be selective!
What an Olympic farce!
Posted on April 6th, 2008 by bryan.
Categories: General.
Today’s parade of the ‘Olympic flame’ through the streets of London was an affront to common sense. It has been clear for months that it was going to be ambushed by pro-Tibet, anti-China and human rights activists, yet the authorities allowed it to go ahead - despite real risks to public safety and the associated high costs of security.
No doubt the Chinese population got a censored portrayal of the ‘celebrations’ in London, but the rest of the world will have seen the day for what it was - a failed (and expensive) PR event, with the flame lost behind the high-vis jackets of the Met’s finest. China’s record on human rights abuses is a disgrace, but today should have been about sport and sport alone. As soon as it crossed into politics and religion, it should have been cancelled.
The only winners from today will be the countless journalists and police officers that were working over-time!
London - December 2007
Posted on January 27th, 2008 by bryan.
Categories: General.
Some pics capturing London in December.
A New Year catch-up
Posted on January 20th, 2008 by bryan.
Categories: General.
Well, it’s only mid-January, but the Festive Season seems like a long time ago. I guess that’s always the case - there is a two-to-three month build-up, but it’s all over in a week or so!
Graeme and I returned to Edinburgh to stay with our respective sisters. There was the usual over-eating and over-drinking, but there was also lots of time to catch-up with friends, see family, sleep, visit the zoo, sleep, shop, act like tourists, sleep … and freeze (oh, my God, was it cold!). I spent Christmas day with my dad’s partner’s family, including the four grand-kids: four boys aged six years and under! It was fun spending Christmas with children, but I was dead after two hours - but I was with them all day!
Graeme’s friend, Tim, was over from South Africa, staying with us in London and then with Graeme in Edinburgh. It gave us a great excuse to behave like tourists again, but I think we all needed a holiday afterwards to recover. I don’t think my feet have ever been so tired.
We had a pretty quiet Hogmanay. Graeme and I went for dinner with his sister and brother-in-law (Tim had by then returned to SA) , before watching the fireworks. The weather was awful, but it gave the evening a great atmosphere; I would have preferred a little less rain, though!
After a couple of weeks, we returned (with a new suitcase filled with presents and Christmas cake) to our new flat in London. We only had a couple of days to move and clean everything, but we got there in the end. The new flat is great - it’s just along the corridor, but it’s probably more than double the size, the furniture is ‘real’ and we have not had anyone sticking their head through our window asking for money! Even better, we have a cleaner - ridiculous, I know, but it means we no longer live in a hovel and it gives me time to concentrate on … work!
Yes, despite a New Year’s resolution to the contrary, I am still working long hours. January is traditionally a busy time of the year, but I just want a break. Things have improved slightly, though - I won’t go into the boring details, but I’m now doing only the stuff that I enjoy. I suppose there are not many people that can say that!
This weekend has been our first alone / relaxing in at least six weeks, so we have taken the opportunity to re-charge our batteries. We didn’t leave the flat yesterday, although we have been a bit more active today.
Well, I think that will do for the New Year catch-up. We are just waiting for the local Chinese restaurant to deliver our dinner - we’re even too lazy to do the cooking!
All the best for the rest of 2008! Bryan x
Flat for rent
Posted on December 16th, 2007 by bryan.
Categories: General.
The flat that we rent is available from 6 January 2007. It’s an OK flat - great for one person - but it has some quirks. The link below takes you to the schedule for the flat, but if I was you, I’d try to cut out the ‘middle man’ (Saffron), and contract direct with the landlord.
PS I’ll no doubt write more about the joys of Saffron, but I have to compose myself to avoid claims for libel!
London in the Autumn
Posted on November 18th, 2007 by bryan.
Categories: General.
Graeme had to travel north with work, so I spent the day after my birthday traipsing the streets of London on a beautiful (but crisp) autumnal day. It’s not as bad as it sounds, though - I got to try out my new camera lens, in Holborn, The Mall and St. James’ Park. To see some of the pics, use the link above.