Adventures in London: Issue 212

On Monday, before heading back to the airport and officially ending our Ireland Adventure, we made one more tourist stop. You cannot come all the way to Southern Ireland and not kiss with Blarney Stone. So that is what we did. Waking up even earlier in the morning, we drove to the Blarney Castle to be one of the first people that morning to kiss the stone. It was a rather interesting experience. You cannot think when you do it 'I wonder how many other people's lips have touched this same spot?' If do it will take away from the entire experience :-) It was such a great long weekend with great friends. 

Despite the long weekend and early start for the day, that evening we all went out (bittersweetly) for a few drinks with Pat to celebrate his last night in London. I can remember my first night in London (before moving here) and meeting Pat for the first time at the Porterhouse. It is so strange to think that he is leaving for Thailand and this time next week he won't be around for a pint. It was night to share one last night with him, a few pints, lots of laughs, a few tears and lots of lasting memories. Pat I wish you all the best on your new adventure. It is sad to see you leave, but I couldn't be happier for you :-)

Don't know how I found the energy, but you know I will do anything when there is a dashboard involved :-) After work on Tuesday I decided to go for a run around the park. My ankle doesn't feel 100%, but I have a lot more confidence with running these last couple of week. I had a great run today. Went around the park a few times and managed to do a few hills.  It was a great run and I probably would have kept going for another loop had it not been for the fact that it was getting dark! It feels great to be back on the streets -- in a non-Pretty Woman sort of way :-)

The week has been interesting and so has the atmosphere in the office. We are all rather busy in the office, but on the flip side we are still in pitch limbo so we don't know how much effort to actually invest. Its been rather frustrating to say the least. On Thursday there were a handful of us in the office, so to reward those in the office I thought it would be a good idea to have a pizza and beer lunch. It was a nice afternoon break for us. Its little treats like this that keep us going...cause the workload coupled with the lack of decision definitely isn't one :-)

On Friday it was time to kick off the Bank Holiday weekend early! The plan for the weekend was to go down south to Dorset. Rather than driving directly there we made a stop in Winchester. What a lovely town that was. I love leaving London and seeing the different town and cities in England. Winchester has such a great history to it. Being of the initial capitals of England before London it history and landmarks date back to the Roman times. We did not have much time in Winchester, but taking full advantage of the few hours that we did we saw the Butter Cross, the Winchester Cathedral (one of the largest in Europe), the Wolvesey Castle and the Great Hall. Truly a beautiful walking city.  

After a LUSH breakfast at Buddy's Dinner (American approved pancakes, eggs and bacon beast with filter coffee), we continued walking around and then went shopping at the local farmers market. We came across a bag stand and I purchased a beautiful bag - - it is SOO pretty. It was meant to just be a camera bag, but I think I am going to end up using this everyday. I wish I bought another one (different color of course). I am such a sucker with markets, I will literally fall for anything..including buying a 'therapeutic pillow.' Did I need a new pillow? NO! Did I need a therapeutic pillow? Lord knows, but I have one now :-)  

From Winchester it was off to Dorset to chill out for the long weekend in our cottage (rented). Unfortunately not all roads lead to Dorset, sadly it is just one road leads to Dorset and we were not the only car with the desire to chill out in a country cottage. Sitting in trafficking is by far the most annoying thing. Sitting in the car behind the 'jesus loving couple who kept sucking face' car was even worse. Playing with my new bag however help get me through it. Normally I would have just slept, but really trying to fight my urges to sleep as soon as I get into a car. I rarely make it through an entire trip, but I am getting better :-)

That evening, after settling into the cottage, grabbing a pint at the local it was off to find some food :-) Not really the home cooked meal that we wanted, but the Indian Dinner For 2 was AMAZING (especially as it meant I didn't really need to cook cook). It  was a nice relaxing evening couple with a great movie - Billy Elliot. On a side note, I highly recommend this movie if you have not seen. It was really good. I don't know why I never saw the movie earlier. Makes me want to see the broadway show now. I have heard it is really good and touching, and after watching the movie I can understand why. 

The next few days were spent driving and exploring the town and neighboring towns. We went to the beach one of the days, but it was WAY to windy for me. Props to the families who were enjoying the beach, water, etc. I couldn't do it. It was nice to see them enjoying the long weekend :-)

I have been thoroughly impressed by the pubs and food places here. They have done a great job with the menu and I have LOVED every meal I have had here. On Sunday night we went to The Anchor and had the most LUSH meal of scallops and lobster thermidor. Oh I have never eaten such fresh and delicious seafood like this (especially on this side of the pond). 

Below are some photos from Hive Beach and Winborne. 

Adventures in London: Issue 211

Sometimes it is about how a week starts and finishes and not the crap in between that make it priceless. This week was certainly one of those weeks. It started off with a 'date night' to see The Dark Knight Rises with Pat. What a brilliant movie. I am glad that Pat & I were able to see this film together. I am going to need to sort out plans to go to Thailand when the new Superman movie comes out. I don't think I could watch it with someone else. Back to Batman! The last movie was brilliant (I know I said that). I was slightly nervous about Anne Hathaway playing Cat Women, but she showed a completely new and vulnerable side to Cat Women. She did the role well.

Skipping over the rest of the week.... ever since BU, I have wanted to visit Ireland. It is truly hard to believe that it has taken me four year to finally realize that dream. Crazy, but I finally made it!! What a beautiful country. So what brought me to Ireland finally? Well its is all goes to Rebecca and Michael for getting married here. As it wasn't just my first time, we decided to take a few extra days and explore the city. I am so glad that we did. This week has been rather manic at work, with all of us working until 11:00pm on multiple nights. Was crazy that I was still on a work call as the plan was taking off. Gotta love pitch season (not really).

We landed on Thursday evening, which didn't give us much time for site seeing. We essentially made our way to Ennis, checked into the hotel and met up with Cheryl & Mark for a great kick off meal to our holiday. The next day, we all took advantage of the free morning before the wedding by going to the Cliffs of Moher. It was such a spectacular spot and the views were out of this world. People have always said that Ireland is beautiful, but I am not starting to better understand what everyone meant by it all. INCREDIBLE!!! This is going to be a great week of touring, photographing and drinking with friends!

We thankfully made it back in time to relax a bit, shower and get ready for the main event (and reason why we all came to Ireland) - The Powers & O'Loughin Wedding!! What a beautiful ceremony to celebrate the union of such a lovely couple who couldn't be more right for one another. Got to say, Michael's face (being 'WOW') when he saw his bride to be walk down the aisle is by far the best reaction ever. The wedding and the ceremony were absolutely incredible and so much fun. The food was incredible, the atmosphere was divine and dancing to the band was sheer pleasure. I will admit, I had on a different dress during the ceremony, but I had to change mid-reception after the 5 kinds of potatoes into my dancing dress :-)

On Saturday our Ireland Adventure started. The agenda for day was to drive down to Dingle Peninsula. We left a wee bit early and met up with  the Wibberley's (with their rented Audi - lucky folks who can drive standard) in the Dingle Bay at the Boathouse. It was a LUSH seafood feast and just what we all needed that day. It wasn't the warmest of days, but the crab claws, prawns, mussels, chips and Guinness certainly helped warm us all up into a food coma. Ironically despite the weather we all decided to stopped for ice cream before starting our way around the picturesque peninsula. The spots were truly amazing. Below is a flavor of some of the site we saw that day. 

 That evening after checking into the hotel (highly recommend The Malton) we went out to explore the town centre of Killarney. It was such a cute lil town. The initial goal was to explore a few pubs and then find a place to eat. Instead however we found ourselves in a quaint pub called Courtney's (an official bar on the Whiskey trail. Note to self: next time I am in Ireland I am taking a trip on the entire trail). We spent the evening enjoying some drinks and playing new market. We got caught up in the game, sharing stories and such that we completely forgot about grabbing dinner until it was too late.


Our hunt for food turned to us buying sweets from the old fashion sweet shop which whilst were doing that meant the last remaining place serving food stopped. Rather than going for a greasy pub dinner, we opted for take-a-way dominos to eat back at the hotel. Wasn't the traditional pub dinner we all thought of, but it was a nice chill dinner which is what we all needed. Its been crazy.


 Its crazy. We are all on holiday, but since we want to try to see and do so much each day we end up waking up earlier and earlier to make the most of each day. I think we over estimated how far things were going to be. It looks so close on a map, but in hindsight I think we were a bit ambitious with our itinerary. That all said, I had a BLAST!

Day 2 of our adventure kicked off with the Ring of Kerry. The books said it was going to be beautiful, but there are no words to describe the views that we saw. I am really amazed by how green and beautiful this country is. We started our drive with a pit stop at the Torc Waterfall and then it was off we went. The rain spat down, but in great time stop for a photo opportunity.

We thought that we were driving the right way around the Ring (as recommended and suggested in the guidebooks), but we ended up doing it in reverse. It worked out rather well if we must admit it. We go to the see all the beautiful spots before they became super busy with other drives on the road :-)

The photo stop pictured to the right is 'Ladies View'. It was a grey afternoon, but the air was clear enough to see the three lakes and the mountains. There was a cute leprechaun crossing sign, but sadly we did not see any. We did see a beautiful rainbow in the mountains. What a sight that was. Below are some photos of our drive and the amazing lunch I had (crab claws in garlic butter with new potatoes) at the Coffee Dock in Valentia.  Still have dreams of this lunch it was that good :-)

Once we finished the Ring of Kerry our car parted ways with the Wibberley Audi as they headed back to the Shannon Airport and our 'luxury' car was heading towards Cork.

If you haven't travelled or lived with me you won't know that I don't like booking things. I like arranging events, but when it comes to actually booking I tend to out source. Reason is I will find a way to mess it up. We thought since we were in Ireland that we would stay at a castle -- cause wouldn't that just be COOL. I did some research and found a 'castle'. Now there should have been some clues, but I am no Sherlock and thus missed them. We all did. Clue #1: the name was 'Castle Hotel'. Clue #2: The rooms were less than 100€. Clue #3 the address said Macroom :-(

On the drive to the hotel the panic kicked in that I had book a hotel 45km away from Cork. GO ME!!!

Everyone was a good sport about it (THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING SO UNDERSTANDING). We checked into our rooms and then headed to Cork for the evening. Cork is a cute city. We drove around for a bit, found ourselves a quaint pub with live music and then grabbed dinner. Two things I have noted about Ireland. There is live music EVERYWHERE. I miss that about NY and being able to see and listen to some unique bands.


I have also changed my ruling about beef. I thought given Shepard's Pie (and Irish dish) is made with lamb that there would be more flavorful non-cow options on the menu. Sadly after ordering a rather bland and boring chicken dish I have changed my ruling to say if I a abroad and if not eating beef will take away from the dining experience then I am allowed to order (at least that is what I told myself when I tried a bite of the Guinness Stew which was to die for).

Hope you all are well. Miss you all dearly and truly!

xx

T

Adventures in London: Issue 210

This week has just been amazing!! I am 100% glued to all things Olympics. The great thing is so is everyone in the office. It has been such a great atmosphere in the office watching and cheering at the various TVs around the office. Whether its been rowing, BMX, the triathlon, athletics, we all have been glued. It is great to see the emotions escalade when Team GB wins a gold. Truly a memorable experience and I that I am going to be so thankful to be apart of it in the years to come! Cause it is me, I am always going to wish that I explored London more during the games, managed to get more tickets, but that in no way means that I am not enjoying the experiences that I have had.

On Thursday, it was Mindshare's turn to say its farewells to Pat and to thank him for all the work and dedication.  It was nice to spend the evening with Pat and some of our close work friends. It really hasn't hit me that Pat is leaving. With each 'farewell drink' though, the reality sinks in more and more. With it, come the wish that I had more time. Things have become so hectic at work and my personal life that I have not had the 'free-time' to spend it with Pat as we once did years back. Nevertheless, you don't count the moments you don't have, you could the ones that you do. It was a nice evening and a great chance to catch up with friends old and new. I thought the sense of 'family' had left Mindshare. In a sense it has, but for those who were there when the idea of  'family' is what drove us you can see that it is still there. I feel bad for the new generation who have no idea of that Mindshare.

 It has been a great week of Olympic memories. Women's Volleyball, Mo Farah's 5K dual champion win...and of course the Men's Marathon.

For a change of scenery, we went to Leadenhall Market to cheer on the boys. It was a mad house there, but the scene was incredible. It is amazing how people bond during these events. Everyone was super friends, and in such great spirits. Yes the people that showed up 5 minutes to and thought they could squeeze in annoy the heck out of me, but I didn't voice any of my discontent with them.

 I realized that I don't know as much about the men's race as I do the women's. I know the big names from the NYC marathon, but I am not as close. All I wanted to see was Ryan Hall and MEB...both I am happy to say that I did. Sadly, Hall had to pull out due to his hamstrings, but MEB was still in play. What a race he ran.

I have had the great pleasure of watching 3 marathon runnings in London this year! How incredible is that experience!! Being apart of the 2012 London Olympics has been amazing, after Sunday I can officially say that I was truly (well not really) apart of them. Got my 5 second of coverage cheering and screaming for MEB as he ran by!!

After the marathon, the hunt for Wenlocks was on. Around the city they had themed 2012 London mascots scattered in various location. The desire was to find every single one of them, but there was a limit to how much you could accomplish in one afternoon.

Sunday was probably one of my most favorite days since moving here. I watched and cheered a marathon, I explored the city, and felt truly apart of the London 2012 games. I am going to truly miss them. When will I have a chance to wear all my TEAM USA gear again. Good thing the world cup is coming up :-)

London - Thank you for hosting a great games!!

Miss you all dearly

xx

T

Adventures in London: Issue 209

For four years, I have been counting down to the moment that I would get to see Paula Radcliffe to run the 2012 Olympic Marathon (and fingers crossed win an Olympic Gold). The week kicked off with the headline, "Legends Run Forever"! I think the tagline of this ad says it all. The legend that is Paula Radcliffe announced that she will sadly not run in the 2012 Women's Olympic marathon :-( Hearing the PR statement on BBC sports I will admit that my heart did sink and I shed a small tear. What do you mean she was not going to be running on Saturday?! I cannot imagine what she went through to make that decision...must have been the hardest things to decide. She will be missed sincerely, but on a plus side....I can focus now on TEAM USA come Sunday!!!

On Tuesday, I made my second trip to the Olympic Village. It was a bit surreal. I had been to the Village a few months ago to cheer Lou on her race. Even with that experience I was in awe when I entered the village. It is Day 3 of the Olympic Games and I was lucky enough to get tickets for the swimming events in the Olympic Park. It was a brilliant night and so very pleased that I was able to go to the park again during the games. There is no words to describe the beauty of the park, the awe that overwhelms you when you enter the park and walk around. There is a spirit to the park and the vibe that is there is just amazing. I wish this friendliness will last after the games, but I have the sneaking feeling that when the flame leaves for Greece so will the friendliness of the city. 

The AQUA centre was exhilarating. We didn't have the best tickets, but even from where we were you could see all the action and more importantly feel all of the action in the pool. It was a big evening for Team USA. I (shockingly) was dressed in all my American gear and every time a Yank was in the pool I was sure to be screaming and yelling. Got a few stares, I don't think the Germans in front of me thought a lady of my size could make so much noise. They clearly don't know the first thing about Americans - - we are LOUD! 

The Aquatics Centre was filled with emotion Tuesday night. I cannot describe the uncontrollable blanket of emotion and pride that envelopes you..especially when Phelps won his 19th medal. It was incredible. The American National Anthem  played a number of times and with each I cried (aka teared up since I don't actually cry or show emotions). It was an incredible night. I wish I had gotten more tickets to Olympic events, but I am pleased for the swimming tickets. It was such a great and unforgettable night. One that I will cherish and remember always!!! 

Keeping with the Olympic spirit, the theme for this year's company party was Pub Olympics. We participate in games that you were not going to find on BBC.... 'yard of ale drinking', '2 digestive biscuits in a minute challenge', 'how many pickle onions'...and the ultimate favorite - PUB QUIZ. It was a lovely afternoon away from the office to remind you why we all work at Mindshare -- the people. Its the people that make where you work. Its the people that make you smile, want to come in and keep you going. I am happy and so lucky to work with such a great group of people! (PS: I don't know what I am quite doing in this photo. Yes I have an American Flag cape, but who wouldn't want one). 

Finally it came time for the weekend and with it the annual Wibberley summer BBQ.  Unfortunately the theme for this afternoon was our farewell party for Pat. I know what you are thinking, seems like we've had a number of leaving parties for him. Yes you are right, but it just speaks volumes to how much we are going to miss the guy when he moves to Thailand. Mark and Cheryl threw an amazing BBQ -- they certainly never disappoint. The ribs this year were absolute perfection. The entire menu; bacon bowl, bacon covered peppers, bake beans, pulled pork, salads....PERFECTION! The Wibberley BBQ is truly the event of the summer and an afternoon that I look forward to every year! 

Saturday the weather was beautiful, so it was only fitting that on Sunday it had to pour cats and dogs. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING was going to stop me from going out to see and cheer the women's Olympic Marathon. The morning didn't kick off exactly as I would have wanted or expected, but thankfully everything worked out for the best. If I had missed the marathon I don't think I could have forgiven the situation. I have come to learn recently that there are a few things that I find unforgivable and I don't forget. Thankfully however, the Women's Olympic Marathon was not one of them :-)

The great part about the Olympic course what that unlike the London marathon, the Olympic course gave spectators the chance to see the runners go by 3-4 times (depending on which side of town you were on). That also meant you had 3-4 (4 for me cause I wanted the max viewing option) to capture the runners as went by. It was pure heaven!! I got to see, cheer and take photos of all the Olympian runners including, but not limited to Shalane Flanagan & Kara Goucher. It would have been even more amazing if like 2008 I had the chance to meet them in person for a chat, but being there in person whilst they ran the marathon on Sunday was too much for words. Team USA did all of us proud! Leading the race in the beginning, the dynamic duo finished 10th and 11th :-) They ran an incredible race and given that four years ago they were not on the marathon scene I find their race INCREDIBLE!

With the rain and drama in the morning, Sunday had the recipe for disaster. I am so pleased that the ran came out and it turned into an amazing day with friends!

Ms Kerstin, thank you so much for being my guardian angel and bringing me a poncho. When I left the house I had one thing on my mind, photographing the marathon. Was definitely not prepared for the rain. Thank you again, for the poncho so Diem and I did not get soaked :-)

Hope you all are well. Miss you all more than words

xx

T