Tag: Friday

Humor, Linkstorm, London, Weekend

Friday Links (Self-Conscious Ostrtich Edition)

“Have no fear of perfection – you’ll never reach it.”
― Salvador Dalí

What a week. Jeff’s under the weather again, I managed to cut both my thumbs slicing vegetables for dinner last night, and I made a stupid clerical error yesterday that really just makes me want to bury my head in the sand. I hate making easily avoidable mistakes, whether they’re typos or social gaffes, because I try so hard to avoid them. Even small things like that make me feel like a fraud masquerading as a competent being, it’s the negative flipside of some Type A tendencies. I am always grateful when my mistakes are pointed out, and I try to be instantaneous about taking responsibility, correcting and apologizing for them…but I still spend about a week beating myself up anyway.

In happier news, it’s Friday, I’ve got work to do, and I’m going to try and get to at least one exhibit this weekend so while my nights might be full of tossing and turning over typos, at least I’ll be getting some culture during the days. It’s also nice and blustery outside, which believe it or not I love, so excuse me while I throw open the blinds and knuckle down to finish a project or two. Tell me what you’re doing this weekend, kittens!

Had a rough week along with me? I’ve got just the thing, it’s perfectly corking! (This one’s for you, Savvy)

For the jeweled corn alone I could love this post.

Paris fashion week this week, I can’t even imagine how exhausted the editors must be. But in that continuing mindset…

These composites of what the “average” women looks like from different areas of the world is quite interesting.

Tumblr find of the week. Since Kelsey’s adventures have me dreaming of Prague…

Midi rings are the latest trend to flit through my fancy. I think this one is delicate and lovely.

The New York speakeasy is alive and well! Until it was shut down…

I’m sorry but I find the history and development of tablet devices a bit funny to watch unfold. First we created a computer without a keyboard because it was more convenient than having one.. but only a couple of years later we invented a detachable keyboard that could plug into our tablets because that was more convenient than not having one. While admittedly charming, I find this latest development downright silly. Consumers, figure out what you want!

Discuss.

Apparently I am a very middling sort of wife – it was all downhill after the red nail polish!

Um, I’d like to direct a Carnegie Hall orchestra, thank you very much. The Marriage of Figaro!

In lieu of another tumblr find, my friend Scott sent me this meme this, which I pass on to you.

Humor, Linkstorm, London, Weekend

Friday Links (Cold Recovery Edition)

“A guitarist or a drummer can get a cold and still play; I get a cold and sound like a wet mitten trying to sing you a love song. Charming.”
― Tori Amos

Snapshot of Bermondsey Market this morning.
Snapshot of Bermondsey Market this morning.

Jeff and I both caught colds this week and so things have been fairly quiet around headquarters. But several packets of Riccola and an ungodly amount of tissues later, we’re on the mend. We had to raid Boots for supplies at one point, looking slightly like death warmed over, but good came out of it. I’m now the proud owner of a Boots points card, surely the next thing to citizenship for going native.

Tonight we’re hoping to invade the Natural History Museum for their annual Science Uncovered festival (because we are unrepentant nerds, and because I have a natural delight in being able to get into areas that are usually off limits – legally of course!). Other than that I’ve dedicated the weekend to finishing a largeish project for a client and dragging Jeff to Portobello Road with me at some point. The guy’s been working hard on his home study assignments, I’ve been plugging away at freelancing, and with a cold on top of it we haven’t left the house in a couple of days now. Unacceptable!

Interesting report. Jeff and I had relatively cheap cable for a year or so when we were first married, but when our contract ran out and the price was going to go up we just unsubscribed. And we’ve never looked back.

Kids, this alone could be your links post!

NY and LDN fashion weeks are behind us, let’s celebrate with something fashion-y, yes? (Also, American minions. Since we tend to be about 6 months behind what I see in London: muted pinks, skirt suits [in the Dior New Look vein], sheer detailing, and large graphic floral prints. As Miranda Priestly would say, “Groundbreaking.”)

You. Are. Welcome.

Knowing my love of emeralds, Jeff sent me this. Woof!

There is to be another Poirot novel! At first I cocked my head to the side and narrowed my eyes a bit in suspicion, but as I’m no purist (and as apparently Agatha Cristie’s grandchild has approved it) I withhold judgement. Although I KNOW Jessica (the artist previously known as Venice) will have opinions on the subject, she is a devotee of “ze little grey cells.”

Fun fact! In the Edwardian era (Downton Abbey returned on Sunday here in the UK, by the bye, sorrynotsorry for the saturation) there was a brief rage for high society women getting tattoos. Lady Randolph Churchill, nee Jennie Jerome, a famous American socialite and beauty and Winston’s Churchill’s mother, is said to have had at least one. A snake curling around her wrist, no less. She also had an affair with a king, take from that what you will.

Really good tips! I’m alternating between my mobile and digital camera constantly trying to figure out how to take photos. I was not born under a photographing planet…

Hm, perhaps a revival of this curiosity might cut down on street harassers?

SOON.

I find these medieval illustrations of snails in combat to be oddly charming.

Moving. (h/t Jessica)

Humor, Linkstorm, London, Weekend, Work

Friday Links (Settling In Edition)

“Out of clutter, find simplicity.”
― Albert Einstein

The shopping, it must be noted, did provide a great deal of humor as well.
The shopping, it must be noted, did provide a great deal of humor as well.

It’s been a bit touch and go this week as I’ve dived back into freelancing with the temporary internet we’re using until our real connection is installed (hopefully) on Monday. Additionally, running errands in a city relying on public transport take considerably longer time to accomplish. There is no popping into a car and running to a store and back in 20 minutes here, you must budget up to two hours to complete such an assignment to properly factor in walking, Tube delays, bus route changes due to unforeseen circumstances, etc. You get your checklist done, but it takes much longer. Throw in the job application process, with all its attendant hopes, fears, and emotional strung-out-ed-ness, and you’ll understand that it’s been a really fun, productive, but rather tiring week.

On the other hand, we are now the proud owners of a microwave and proper duvet, which more or less rounds off the final necessary purchases required for the home. The last time we set up a household, Jeff and I were getting married and were the recipients of a lot of generosity in the guise of both hands on assistance and wedding gifts. We thought we were appropriately grateful at the time, but of course both hindsight and setting things up in another country have taught us we were wrong. We have never been cheap about wedding presents for our friends and family, but we’re going to try and pay it forward even more in the future.

Here are your links, ducklings, and let me know what you’re up to in the comments!

Thoughts? I know many of you here entertain, and I confess I’ve always had an idea of doing so when I became a Real Live Grownup, but is it a dying art?

British weathers doomsayers are abundant and between April and August, every time there is even the tiniest cloudburst, hordes of them will band together miserably and declare, “Well, looks as if Summer is officially over.” They are seldom correct and Summer manages to make it through its designated seasons after all. But I admit a the tips few leaves around here are starting to yellow. Stateside minions are encouraged to enjoy the foliage changing locally.

I do consider myself a connoisseur and a purist in a lot of ways cookie related, but it was kind of interesting to read a food blogger take on the many variations of the chocolate chip cookie.

One of the big stories in London the other week was…this headline.

Fascinating gallery on age an beauty!

We have much to thank this man for.

Tumblr find of the week – hereditary privilege can really take it out of you.

It’s a big weekend here in London, London Fashion Week kicks off (I may wander downtown to see if I can spot any of the action and/or Beautiful People), the London Book Fair is going down, and Jeff and I are going to a show on Saturday.

Humor, Linkstorm, London, Weekend

Friday Links (London Return Edition)

“I like the spirit of this great London which I feel around me. Who but a coward would pass his whole life in hamlets; and for ever abandon his faculties to the eating rust of obscurity?”
― Charlotte Brontë

It’s been a hectic couple of weeks, but we’re pretty sure we’ve taken care of all that can possibly be preplanned. Now it’s just time to roll with the punches a bit. Jeff starts work on Monday, I’ve got to wait around a few more days until our internet gets set up to get back to freelancing but I’ve already started looking for a new job. It’s equal parts exciting and scary. Here are your links, kittens, thanks for sticking around while we’ve hopped about getting settled!

Now that summer is winding to a close and people are desperate to get their last hurrahs in…

Huh! I admit, a bit of a paradigm shift.

Anyone hungry?

You make the call.

I find this picture of Queen Elizabeth  and Princess Anne quite cute.

Excellent gallery! Also is it just me, or do retro photos always show our not too distant ancestors had really good skin? What gives?

In case you missed it the other week. Well done, Sister Suffragette!

You may have my undivided loyalty, but a wedding romper? J. Crew, you are drunk.

Do you know your Hitchcock? By the by, if you’re in London in the near future, see the stage production of The 39 Steps – hysterically funny and very vaudeville-esque, in the best way possible.

I think the fashion and modeling industries are oddly interesting, and Coco Rocha a particularly interesting figure in them.

I now have a lovely park a mere two minutes from my new building, well lit, plenty of highly visible and safe jogging paths, an Edwardian bandstand, lot of dogs, and gorgeous old trees. Excuses to not work out = effectively nill.

Though most accounts (and not a few ancient travel guides) have his corpse lovingly displayed in Alexandria, good luck to the team searching this site anyway. Though frankly my money’s on a carpark in Leicester – tons of long lost interesting people of history are turning up in those!

Need some Notting Hill Carnival in your life? Bon appetit!

An answer to this summer’s top question…

An excellent post.

30, not bad!

Tumblr find of the week.

Seriously, this made me snort laughing such that I nearly choked on a Cadbury’s nibble – a charming new take on my well beloved chocolate that is delicious, but also dangerous in moments of comedy. “How’s a brother gonna keep it real on the street with all these ethical and metaphysical uncertainties, my man?”

Family, Friends, Home, Humor, Linkstorm, Weekend

Friday Links (Lady of the Manor Edition)

“Hands up if you’re ready to do something you’ll regret this weekend. Go forth! You have my blessing.”
― Florence Welch

Ah summer.

My work pace has been frantic the last week, minions. Traveling to Virginia, doing last minute reporting projects, trying to cram in months of advance work for one client before I take August off for the move, and so on.

And this coming week we have to redo some travel plans because the first phase of our visa application has been approved and came with specific travel dates for us to use (which of course everyone refused to tell us before so that we could plan accordingly). I may have to fly back at some point so because J. and I will probably have to make our biometric application together. It’s never ending.

Peaches and cream pies ready to go.
Peaches and cream pies ready to go.

But I like the busyness. On top of work and moving I’ve been keeping house for Mum, doing my level best to get into jogging (so far sticking with it but hating every second of it), missing J., and planning adventures. Marie and her husband are coming down for the weekend (huzzah!) starting today, so I’ve starting cooking up a storm to keep us fed and make sure all we’ll have to worry about is deciding between local summer weekend festivities, or going someplace like Charlottesville instead. We may even start harvesting some honey this weekend – Dad’s beekeeping has become prolifically successful! I might be an average housekeeper but I am a pretty impressive hostess when I put my mind to it.

Here are your links, tell me what you’re getting up to for the last week of June – and where is the year going, by the way?! My neglect of you is ended and I have all sorts of Virginia backwoods posts coming your way to keep you entertained, so stay tuned.

Know your place… settings.

Know your place…names.

Nerds of all types: You. Are. Welcome.

So, how accurate? Mine said I like rocky relationships and tend to end up with disastrous boyfriends. Nope! One “bad boy” boyfriend in high school fixed that, and I married (as you know) a pretty awesome guy. On the other hand, it said I love problem solving and projects. Check and check (as I plan my house deep cleaning schedule for the week…).

Love live the (front man of) Queen.

State Senator Wendy Davis from Texas is a bad ass, and I will brook no argument here today. The reviews of her justifiably famous pink sneakers on amazon.com alone back me up on this.

Speaking of, inquiring (and somewhat bizarrely prioritized, but whatever) minds wanted to know.

Have you been selecting your Camembert cheese wrongly all these years? Quelle horreur!

Ascot has come and gone once again. Here’s the headgear rundown.

Something to make you weep, in a good way.

Great authors getting hitched.

Humor, Linkstorm, Weekend

Friday Links (Virginia is for lovers, edition)

“I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.”
― Robert Louis Stevenson

Kittens, I’m in Virginia!

It’s dark green and lush and humid. Dad and I stopped by our land on the way home to feed the dogs and I watched the fireflies showing off as the light faded and the birds and frogs went crazy with song. Alas there was no sign of the giant owl that has taken up residence since our beaver disappeared (no correlation known). Deer trotted across the country roads as we made our way to the house. I am officially back in the woods.

I want to do about a million things at once – take pictures of all the various early 19th century houses around her, in various states of disrepair, romp with the dogs, go for a run, play the piano for the first time in months, and clean out the fridge (I am taking my household management assignment very seriously). Unfortunately I lost all yesterday to traveling and must work – I only managed to drag my sorry hide out of bed an hour ago. The state of me should have induced Frankenstein-esque, “IT’S ALIVE” choruses from all and sundry but thankfully no one was around. Here are your links!

Two more months, two more months, two more months….

Further proof that our society might be chronically sleep deprived.

Kanye West, the quotable gift that keeps on giving.

Old news at this point, but worth reading up on.

We didn’t choose the (comfy) thug life, it chose us.

So. London. Not as safe as we thought?

Branding and beauty. An interesting look at how marketing changes habits and rituals. I admit I probably won’t be changing my own habits anytime soon, but still pretty thought provoking.

Nerdy tumblr find of the week, featuring medieval books and particularly the doodles in them. I’ve said it a million times but what I love most about history is that people have always been essentially the same. I wrecked my university notebooks during some lectures, and so did monks apparently.

To feed J.’s addiction.

Fun.

Ascot is sartorial Mecca. Whether you’re looking for something to laugh at, admire, or covet, Ascot’s got it.

(Skip this one, Dad.)In Soviet Russia, tampon commercials are…slightly more intense. We have those ludicrous ones of women dressed in white doing athletic stuff. Russia doesn’t have time for that.

Humor, Linkstorm, Weekend

Friday Links

“I was a little excited but mostly blorft. “Blorft” is an adjective I just made up that means ‘Completely overwhelmed but proceeding as if everything is fine and reacting to the stress with the torpor of a possum.’ I have been blorft every day for the past seven years.”
― Tina Fey, Bossypants

I’m getting sick. I only get sick when I honestly can’t afford to – and I can’t. I’ve got assignments coming out of my ears and the first leg of a move coming up in five days. Immigration to-do lists are driving me mad. The basement that is our current headquarters is an absolute disaster, which twists me into knots of guilt but every time I try to tackle it, I just seem to make the mess bigger. We’re trying to copy and store everything we own electronically, which is an easy but highly time consuming task.

I have all kinds of blog posts I want to do – serious ones, goofy ones, tales of our adventures of upgrading our tech products after half a decade (at least!) of avoiding doing so, plans for a new camera, you name it. Alas, they all have to wait. In the meantime here are your links – gotta dash!

Yikes!

It’s nice to see a tasteful kind of luxury, with the just the bare necessities…(that is a sarcastic ellipsis).

Equal parts touching and sad.

Hot dog, all one needs is a cardboard box?! That’ll kill some major industries. Kidding, kidding. This is actually quite an interesting program.

Need to hard-core up your tea? I’ve got just the thing.

The last performance is literally days before I arrive in the country. The theatre gods are cruel. (Also I’m hoping for Kerry from Planes, Trains, and Plantagenets – which you should all be reading – to pick up the slack here, because I must experience this even vicariously).

I want to go to there. All the theres. Grab your passports, minions.

Clothes, their prices, their worth, and their impact have been a bit of a pet topic around here lately. Let’s add fuel to the fire with a glimpse of the price difference between the Vogues of 1913 and 2013. Hint: woof!

Destiny is biology? There’s a twist!

It’s something of a mantra around here to take pleasure in small things.

Humor, Linkstorm, Weekend

Friday Links (Scribbling Away Edition)

“Birthdays are nature’s way of telling you to eat more cake.”
― Jo Brand

Marriage to J. has expanded my birthday wonderfully. Instead of lasting a single day I can sometimes span that sucker out for a week. For example last Saturday we went to pick up my present (a new iPod – since my last one was nearly a decade old. I’m absolutely flabbergasted by how much memory they have now compared to my dinosaur of a nano), and passing back through Nordstrom on the way to the car I saw the last item on my “To Buy Before Moving” list: high quality leather ballet flats on sale. Which have been ludicrously hard to find, hence their being the last entry on said list. And, because it was my birthday, J. told me to get both colors I wanted. Excellent. At some point this weekend I’ll take advantage of the extra perks corporate America gives you for just being born by using a restaurant’s birthday coupon as well. Some people hate getting older, I rather enjoy it.

In any case, I’ve got copy for a contributor piece due this even so here you go. Out the links come, lickety split!

I love bars for entertaining. Granted I go more for ice cream and sandwiches, but here’s a build-your-own-bar of the adult libations variety that might be fun for summer.

Puns? And history? Lead on!

Good idea. True story, I found one of my favorite novels in a tiny hotel in the Cinque Terre of Italy on vacation on the public bookshelf by the front desk, stocked by the leavings of previous guests. I read it nonstop for a day on the beach and hadn’t finished it but couldn’t bear to leave it behind, so I left the book I’d brought myself in exchange.

The winner of headline of the week is…

Late to the party with this one and don’t even care. Savvy, I’m disappointed not to have discovered this from you, it’s straight up your alley.

Public radio. Bad ass since…well, apparently now.

How do you speak? I have an indeterminate accent due to lifelong globe trotting.

So…basically he got caught? Right?

This man sounds like an absolute loon. Also, I really want to read that book. My Amazon.com wishlist is getting epic.

Great photos!

Humor, Linkstorm, Weekend

Friday Links (Almost 27 Edition)

“If you care about what you do and work hard at it, there isn’t anything you can’t do if you want to.”
― Jim Henson

Ain't no party like a Small Dog Party.
Ain’t no party like a Small Dog Party.

Still working away over here. That long weekend was just what I needed – unfortunately I feel like I need another one now. I’m a terrible ingrate.

Luckily this weekend is my birthday, and I’ll officially be in my late 20’s. Surely that means maturity and wisdom will be descending any day now…right?  Here are your links, and have a good weekend. Let me know what you’re up to!

Are your lives insufficiently shiny lately? Never fear. Also, who the hell swims in $75,000 diamonds?

I heartily approve. I’m hoping the trend continues towards women’s fashion as well. I honestly believe that the reason the clothing of yesteryear still appeals to us, aside from the fact that they used better quality materials than the vast majority of “fast fashion” clothes we have these days, is because the clothes fit the wearer. Instead of simply ordering everything in predetermined sizes, you would either make your own clothes or have clothes made for you, your shape, your size. There is nothing like individual tailoring to make a person look put together and even nice, high quality clothing doesn’t benefit you if it doesn’t fit you right. /rant

I’m afraid to share this because J. might insist on a road trip.

PBS for the win!

Dame Helen Mirren steps in.

So, can I blame the Jazz Age for the fact that my husband parcels the year into very distinct and separate sports seasons? It’s the equivalent of a liturgical calendar to the man!

It might be declasse, but I say rock on, Lady Canarvon. Those estates don’t pay for themselves anymore, now that serfs and farm mechanization have brought them down – the inconveniences of upstart peasants! In the words of another of Julian Fellowes characters, Lady Uckfield (from my favorite guilty pleasure novel Snobs), “Running a house like Broughton, or Feltham for that matter, is just slog once the gilt’s worn off. It’s paperwork and committees. It’s arguing with English Heritage inspectors who all hate you for living there and want to make everything as difficult for you as they possibly can. It’s pleading with government departments and economising on the heating. Those houses are fun to stay in. Even ‘London Ladies’ like that. But they’re hard, hard work to own.”

Is no food safe to eat!?

Stop perpetuating these lies!

Nifty.

For the occasional moment of crushing doubt.

Humor, Linkstorm, Weekend

Friday Links

I forced myself to put on real pants to avoid slothfulness as I’m doing a bit of work in the morning, and everybody knows pajama pants are the world’s greatest killer of productivity.
– C.

Terribly busy, sorry. Freelance projects to finish, dinner this evening with Angel and her husband who are back from South Korea and Hawaii, and I’ve got a fit in a shower at some point. Nothing but glamor happening over here, kittens. How are you weekends looking?

GOLDFISH CRACKERS. Sorry…did I just reveal an addiction?

Yes to love, yes to life, yes to staying in more! I’m just over a week away from 27…and I endorse this message.

In the dear dead PD days gone by, I became familiar with creepers. Or did I?

English is a language comprised entirely of exceptions rather than rules.

Nope.

Two please. Also, can we hear it for the girls? A couple of weeks ago a girl who invented an app to hide TV spoilers on Twitter and now this.

I love English, I love its history and the rule exceptions, and just how it sounds. But I am 100% in favor of introducing some of these – “grief bacon” in particular – for precision’s sake.

Love these houses, almost taken straight from Homer’s account of Penelope and Odysseus’ bed.

Ladies swag. Regency/Victorian/Edwardian style.