Thursday, November 25, 2010
Liverpool and Birmingham
Happy Thanksgiving!
I'm in Birmingham as I write this, recovering from an amazing vegan Thanskgiving feast. More on that in a minute...
Two and a bit fabulous days in Liverpool with Claire. I slept through a good first evening, blissfully unaffected by the caffeine. Alas, that did not happen the second night!
On Tuesday, Claire and I decided that no visit of mine would be complete without a trip to a National Trust property. Dunham Massey! Unfortunately, I've come out of season for touring stately homes and going 'ooh' and 'aah' over all the plush furnishings and traditions. That being said, we enjoyed a brisk but just lovely walk around 'Britain's largest winter garden' which involved a whole lot of comments like 'What is that?' I can imagine that this garden must be lush and nicely informal in the spring.
On our way out, we went right up to the workers sitting in the garden ticket shed and asked them about the interesting plants/berries we saw in the garden. They wrote down names, pulled newspaper clippings off the shelves to show us. It helps to be here on down season. All the lovely retired people volunteering their time have something to do.
A walk around a winter garden requires one thing before exploring the rest of the grounds: tea. We walked upstairs in the old stables to enjoy a snack and a warm cuppa before heading back out in the cold. Nothing says England to me like a cup of tea in a stately home or churh. Nothing.
Off we went through the deer park, looking for the 150 deer that supposedly hide out in the park. We managed to see about 10, so that probably wasn't too shabby. It was as close as Claire and I will get to a safari for awhile, so we did the proper stare down and photo shoot. There were gunshots in the distance, so hunting season is on. After a nice little saunter around the park (we sauntered, indeed), an obligatory walk through the gift shop before heading home.
Both Tuesday night and Wednesday night, Claire hosted dinner parties and made such great food. Tuesday night we ate with her friend Carrie and her partner Claire. Wednesday night we at with her lovely family. So, so, so nice. To hug and meet people I have heard about but never met. To hug people I love and haven't seen for a few years. To sit in a friend's kitchen and cut veggies and talk and prepare for a small and cozy dinner party.
On Wednesday, I woke up a bit late (ahem 11:30am), but luckily Claire was at work. When I got myself put together, we went into Liverpool City Centre. She ushered me to a wonderful veggie cafe, The Egg Cafe. OMG. I had vegan lentil & apricot soup with garlic bread. Claire had tandoori mushrooms and salad. Just my kind of place. Not as bohemian as the veggie restaurant Claire and I visited in Copenhagen (Morgenstedet), but delicious. The soup was so large that I had no room for vegan dessert. Tragic.
On our walk around Liverpool, we came across the student demonstration against the raising tuition fees. Policemen on horses, on foot, in vans. Claire said they were reacting to the recent demonstrations in London. I just thought they looked cute and a bit silly. As a proper tourist, I took a picture.
We walked around the Docks, admiring the new Museum being built, and the Pierman's house. The museum had a nice looking garden growing. It looked like nobody had picked the tomatoes in awhile, but I refrained. The potatoes looked pretty ready, too... Then, off we went back to Huyton for dinner with the family and a nice long talk into the morning hours.
Thus ended my stay in Liverpool. Birmingam, Huzzah!
Jackie picked me up, and off we trekked to her house. She looked quite disappointed to be missing a day off work, so we indulged in some tea, some lunch, some much needed catching up, and Julie & Julia. Jackie and Eric just returned from a trip to Morocco, so I interrogated them over dinner. I'd like to go there soon, I think. Though my head goes: Morocco, Egypt, Morocco, Egypt. Anyway, off track.
Much to my surprise, we were having a vegan thanksgiving meal! Jackie chose some wonderful recipes online, and we set to making the dinner before Eric got home. It really was a wonder of a meal! Avocado with Raspberry Viniagrette, Mushroom & Chestnut Wellington , potatoes, baked brussel sprouts, and steamed veggies, and gravy. Much more decadent than I ever make myself for the holiday! With little turkey table decorations (thanks, mom), we had quite the spread. We sat on the couches in a food coma for a few hours.
Tomorrow, Jackie and I are off around and about B'ham. Causing trouble, no doubt. Jackie and I had a whirlwind eight hour visit when she was in Chicago last July for work, so it's nice to have a full 48 hours! Aye Caramba!
It's funny to think I've known Claire & Jackie sixteen years. How did that happen?
Gobble, Gobble.
I'm in Birmingham as I write this, recovering from an amazing vegan Thanskgiving feast. More on that in a minute...
Two and a bit fabulous days in Liverpool with Claire. I slept through a good first evening, blissfully unaffected by the caffeine. Alas, that did not happen the second night!
On Tuesday, Claire and I decided that no visit of mine would be complete without a trip to a National Trust property. Dunham Massey! Unfortunately, I've come out of season for touring stately homes and going 'ooh' and 'aah' over all the plush furnishings and traditions. That being said, we enjoyed a brisk but just lovely walk around 'Britain's largest winter garden' which involved a whole lot of comments like 'What is that?' I can imagine that this garden must be lush and nicely informal in the spring.
On our way out, we went right up to the workers sitting in the garden ticket shed and asked them about the interesting plants/berries we saw in the garden. They wrote down names, pulled newspaper clippings off the shelves to show us. It helps to be here on down season. All the lovely retired people volunteering their time have something to do.
A walk around a winter garden requires one thing before exploring the rest of the grounds: tea. We walked upstairs in the old stables to enjoy a snack and a warm cuppa before heading back out in the cold. Nothing says England to me like a cup of tea in a stately home or churh. Nothing.
Off we went through the deer park, looking for the 150 deer that supposedly hide out in the park. We managed to see about 10, so that probably wasn't too shabby. It was as close as Claire and I will get to a safari for awhile, so we did the proper stare down and photo shoot. There were gunshots in the distance, so hunting season is on. After a nice little saunter around the park (we sauntered, indeed), an obligatory walk through the gift shop before heading home.
Both Tuesday night and Wednesday night, Claire hosted dinner parties and made such great food. Tuesday night we ate with her friend Carrie and her partner Claire. Wednesday night we at with her lovely family. So, so, so nice. To hug and meet people I have heard about but never met. To hug people I love and haven't seen for a few years. To sit in a friend's kitchen and cut veggies and talk and prepare for a small and cozy dinner party.
On Wednesday, I woke up a bit late (ahem 11:30am), but luckily Claire was at work. When I got myself put together, we went into Liverpool City Centre. She ushered me to a wonderful veggie cafe, The Egg Cafe. OMG. I had vegan lentil & apricot soup with garlic bread. Claire had tandoori mushrooms and salad. Just my kind of place. Not as bohemian as the veggie restaurant Claire and I visited in Copenhagen (Morgenstedet), but delicious. The soup was so large that I had no room for vegan dessert. Tragic.
On our walk around Liverpool, we came across the student demonstration against the raising tuition fees. Policemen on horses, on foot, in vans. Claire said they were reacting to the recent demonstrations in London. I just thought they looked cute and a bit silly. As a proper tourist, I took a picture.
We walked around the Docks, admiring the new Museum being built, and the Pierman's house. The museum had a nice looking garden growing. It looked like nobody had picked the tomatoes in awhile, but I refrained. The potatoes looked pretty ready, too... Then, off we went back to Huyton for dinner with the family and a nice long talk into the morning hours.
Thus ended my stay in Liverpool. Birmingam, Huzzah!
Jackie picked me up, and off we trekked to her house. She looked quite disappointed to be missing a day off work, so we indulged in some tea, some lunch, some much needed catching up, and Julie & Julia. Jackie and Eric just returned from a trip to Morocco, so I interrogated them over dinner. I'd like to go there soon, I think. Though my head goes: Morocco, Egypt, Morocco, Egypt. Anyway, off track.
Much to my surprise, we were having a vegan thanksgiving meal! Jackie chose some wonderful recipes online, and we set to making the dinner before Eric got home. It really was a wonder of a meal! Avocado with Raspberry Viniagrette, Mushroom & Chestnut Wellington , potatoes, baked brussel sprouts, and steamed veggies, and gravy. Much more decadent than I ever make myself for the holiday! With little turkey table decorations (thanks, mom), we had quite the spread. We sat on the couches in a food coma for a few hours.
Tomorrow, Jackie and I are off around and about B'ham. Causing trouble, no doubt. Jackie and I had a whirlwind eight hour visit when she was in Chicago last July for work, so it's nice to have a full 48 hours! Aye Caramba!
It's funny to think I've known Claire & Jackie sixteen years. How did that happen?
Gobble, Gobble.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Liverpool
Made it once again to Liverpool, Huyton specifically.
British Airways has ruined me for all other transatlantic flights. I am used to finding my seat and greedily pulling out the inflight entertainment guide to see which films I will watch on my individual movie screen. Soon after takeoff, the lovely flight attendant will come around and ask whether we would like red or white wine with our meal. She will give me a red for my seat pocket. In a little packet of goodies on my seat, I find earphones, an eye mask, footies, a blanket. On this US Airways flight, I get what I pay for, which is a simple meal and a cup of tea (Lipton). I suppose I'd rather save a few hundred dollars then have my own movie screen. No free wine. No free headphones. I am a spoiled traveler.
Spent three hours wandering the Dublin airport, which isn't like Heathrow's shopping mall. I watched as people disembarked their budget flights in the rain, hurrying inside. I looked despairingly at the clock, hoping that the cafe serving jacket potatoes would open in time for me to order one with beans. Alas, it was only a Luna bar for me. Stepped off the plain in Liverpool to a sharp cold in the air. Winter, too, is here.
Claire picked me up (and I managed to get in the car on the correct side), and off we went to her lovely flat. I love coming into a friend's house and noticing all the new things. In this case, new momentos from Claire's time in Tanzania this year. I think I drank about six cups of caffeinated tea yesterday to ward off the jetlag. I've been cautious about how much caffeine I drink, but not yesterday. Besides, sitting on a couch curled up with a friend requires a good cup (or six) of caffeinated English tea. delicious. I even managed a small glass of wine with the wonderful mushroom risotto that Claire cooked (and I didn't fall asleep in my food).
Claire, her brother Chris, and I went out to the cinema last night to see the new Gerard Depardieu film My Afternoons with Margueritte. What a lovely film. I think the last film I saw him in was with Queen Latifah, Last Holiday. Margueritte is a gorgeous, touching, at times heartbreaking story about an emotionally abused boy who finally finds love and acceptance. Depardieu's nose is as large as usual.
Nine hours sleep. A blue sky. A cup of tea. The lovely Claire. VACATION!!!!!
British Airways has ruined me for all other transatlantic flights. I am used to finding my seat and greedily pulling out the inflight entertainment guide to see which films I will watch on my individual movie screen. Soon after takeoff, the lovely flight attendant will come around and ask whether we would like red or white wine with our meal. She will give me a red for my seat pocket. In a little packet of goodies on my seat, I find earphones, an eye mask, footies, a blanket. On this US Airways flight, I get what I pay for, which is a simple meal and a cup of tea (Lipton). I suppose I'd rather save a few hundred dollars then have my own movie screen. No free wine. No free headphones. I am a spoiled traveler.
Spent three hours wandering the Dublin airport, which isn't like Heathrow's shopping mall. I watched as people disembarked their budget flights in the rain, hurrying inside. I looked despairingly at the clock, hoping that the cafe serving jacket potatoes would open in time for me to order one with beans. Alas, it was only a Luna bar for me. Stepped off the plain in Liverpool to a sharp cold in the air. Winter, too, is here.
Claire picked me up (and I managed to get in the car on the correct side), and off we went to her lovely flat. I love coming into a friend's house and noticing all the new things. In this case, new momentos from Claire's time in Tanzania this year. I think I drank about six cups of caffeinated tea yesterday to ward off the jetlag. I've been cautious about how much caffeine I drink, but not yesterday. Besides, sitting on a couch curled up with a friend requires a good cup (or six) of caffeinated English tea. delicious. I even managed a small glass of wine with the wonderful mushroom risotto that Claire cooked (and I didn't fall asleep in my food).
Claire, her brother Chris, and I went out to the cinema last night to see the new Gerard Depardieu film My Afternoons with Margueritte. What a lovely film. I think the last film I saw him in was with Queen Latifah, Last Holiday. Margueritte is a gorgeous, touching, at times heartbreaking story about an emotionally abused boy who finally finds love and acceptance. Depardieu's nose is as large as usual.
Nine hours sleep. A blue sky. A cup of tea. The lovely Claire. VACATION!!!!!
Sunday, November 21, 2010
at the airport
My thumbs hurt. I've been using my little blackberry to send all the emails I forgot to send, texting people on the status of my delayed flight, wasting time. In just a few hours, I will be free of my phone, my thumbs resting.
The newspapers are full of the new security measures, but I escaped both alternatives somehow. I am always so surprised to see short lines and easy checkins. I guess I should be glad that I'm not traveling closer to the holiday.
I need every part of this trip--from the plane food and in-flight movie to the days and nights with wonderful, much missed friends. I am so grateful that I can travel like this, to journey to the homes of friends, to celebrate with them, to drink tea/wine/cider. I am so grateful.
The newspapers are full of the new security measures, but I escaped both alternatives somehow. I am always so surprised to see short lines and easy checkins. I guess I should be glad that I'm not traveling closer to the holiday.
I need every part of this trip--from the plane food and in-flight movie to the days and nights with wonderful, much missed friends. I am so grateful that I can travel like this, to journey to the homes of friends, to celebrate with them, to drink tea/wine/cider. I am so grateful.
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