I sit here now, waiting to go to work. My house around me is still the same - granted a whole lot tidier from this morning.
Sometime between this time now and this time next week, we will have packed up our entire house and moved it to another address.
In one week.
While still going about our daily working lives.
This is going to be entertaining ...
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Music Concerts
I'm forever ringing people from concerts. Some desire to share the overwhelming excitement and atmosphere you experience from being there. I'm hardly ever on the receiving end ...
until Wednesday morning as I drove to work. Sharon OE pops up on my ringing phone. As I sit at the lights, I try to decipher the strains of guitar, vocals and static that fall out of the earpiece into something familiar.
My final guess ... Dave Dobbyn.
Yet as I text my suggestion to Sharon, I hear no response. "Was I wrong?", I think to myself. Perhaps her phone just rang me by mistake (an expensive mistake at that).
I should learn not to doubt myself. Guided by another friend attended the London gig tomorrow for the opening band, I checked out the website.
Dave Dobbyn
Tuesday 19th June - Liquid Rooms, Edinburgh
9c Victoria Street 8pm
Perhaps I'm better at deciphering than I thought.
Thanks for the call Sharon.
xx
until Wednesday morning as I drove to work. Sharon OE pops up on my ringing phone. As I sit at the lights, I try to decipher the strains of guitar, vocals and static that fall out of the earpiece into something familiar.
My final guess ... Dave Dobbyn.
Yet as I text my suggestion to Sharon, I hear no response. "Was I wrong?", I think to myself. Perhaps her phone just rang me by mistake (an expensive mistake at that).
I should learn not to doubt myself. Guided by another friend attended the London gig tomorrow for the opening band, I checked out the website.
Dave Dobbyn
Tuesday 19th June - Liquid Rooms, Edinburgh
9c Victoria Street 8pm
Perhaps I'm better at deciphering than I thought.
Thanks for the call Sharon.
xx
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Whatever happened to predictability?
Armed with our Lonely Planet guide, Kelly's 'Better than Lonely Planet List of Things To Do' and the Full House theme tune running through our heads, our trip to San Francisco was looking to be a sun filled five days of adventure.
However, it didn't quite turn out as expected.
Oh the plane ride was great. Nothing like 'movies on demand' to keep you awake for the 12 hour flight. We even figured out how to work the BART ticket system and felt like we had won the jackpot when our $4.85 change was given to us in quarters and one dime. Lord knows why the Americans don't have a fifty cent piece.
We even found our hostel with no trouble. Right smack bang in the middle of five strip clubs. Still - it was in the middle of Little Italy. We were 'welcomed' by a rather sombre looking guy who informed us we were in Room 1. Turns out Room 1 was the 9 bed dorm room, already filled with seven guys and smelt like urine. I had booked a 4 bed room. Thoroughly jet lagged, craving coffee and tired, this is not what we wanted to deal with straight up. So we complained. Nothing happened. So we politely asked if we would get a refund for the last two nights if we found another hostel to stay in. THAT got their attention (apparently they think the Green Tortoise is the best hostel around). They become accomodating and put us up in a private room for the same price as a dorm for one night.
Then we went in search of coffee. And had our first experience of dealing with the American way of not including tax and having all their notes looking the same and only 1, 5, 10, 25c coins. Needless to say, I have never appreciated the eftpos system and our currency like the way I appreciated it at that moment, standing in a coffee shop trying to stop from swaying over and get the right change.
The woman was kind enough to explain the money (they don't obviously say 5 or 10c on them) and how to tip. Suddenly the money didn't seem so complicated - just annoying.
This first afternoon was beautiful and sunny - but a chill breeze. We basked in the sun, unaware that we were in for three days of fog. A typical San Francisco summer.
Friday was our Haight-Ashbury day. An adventurous 6 mile walk from town included a stint through the Tenderloin where Marianna lost me when I checked a map on the bus shelter wall, only to find herself surrounded by gangs of youths with their hoods up. Haight Ashbury - famous for hippies, Amoeba Records (hosting The Phoenix Foundation the week after we were there), the Grateful Dead and the Painted Ladies (houses).
Cast your mind back to Full House's opening credits - the bridge, the Tanners and the picnic. Nice family picnic ... on this hill.
Friday night cousin Simon arrived. We had planned our Extreme Tourist day for Saturday and were disappointed to find the fog hanging over the Golden Gate bridge all day.
At least it cleared up for our Alcatraz tour.
A audio tour took you through the old prison explaining where Al Capone was kept and how the only 'successful' escapees got out. One guy thinks they made it and are now living in South America. In fact he sounded pretty convinced because he knew they were learning Spanish just before they left. Wow, now it's so obvious.
Oh yeah and it was pretty damn windy.
We decided to leave the Golden Gate Bridge til Sunday and instead all bought a book at City Lights Book store (Kelly - we went there three times). Which was nice.
This is Cafe Triste - where some of the Beat Poets wrote their literature. If I had been paying attention, I could have told you more about it.
We rode trams up and down the world famous hills, along with hundreds of other tourists. some armed with video cameras (believe me, it's not that riveting). We walked up to Lombard Street to see what all the fuss is about. People were cueing in their 4-wheel drive SUVs to drive this road. Why? This town also has Segway tours. Unbelievable.
On Monday, we went to the Mission Carnival with the longest parade I've ever seen. It was an incredibly vibrant parade with over 41 floats of music, drumming and dancers. We even had time to go shopping and eat lunch and the parade was STILL going.
Helena took us out on Sunday night to this great bar. Think Malibu/Melrose motel with pastel coloured doors, a swimming pool complete with palm trees, an outside dj cranking good tunes that everyone else seems to enjoy dancing to, and inside dark recesses to lounge within and ... two vinyl beds. Huh?
Still .. great party! Toxic drinks though. We went to the Cheesecake Factory at the top of Macy's for dessert, only to buy one piece between three of us - those pieces are huge! Still, don't think the waitress thought much of us.
Monday dawned sunny - of course. Typical!
So Marianna and I did our final cable car ride the Pier and hired a tandem ... because we are Ladies! We cycled as fast as we could in lady like fashion to make it to the first pillar of the bridge for photos. That bridge is damn huge! and the view pretty spectacular. Also the 'call for help' phones to prevent suicide were quite a stark reminder of what people think the bridge is 'handy' for.
Before leaving, we purchased products from a CompUSA store (yes, I joined the masses with my IPOD purchase), and dealt with some of the slowest, rudest customer service people I've ever met. Obviously their staff morale is low.
We visted friends of Marianna's in Lafayette - to find the weather about 10c hotter. At least that felt like summer.
And that was San Francisco. Back onto the plane, a 12.5hour plane ride back to New Zealand and straight to work. Like we'd never been.
However, it didn't quite turn out as expected.
Oh the plane ride was great. Nothing like 'movies on demand' to keep you awake for the 12 hour flight. We even figured out how to work the BART ticket system and felt like we had won the jackpot when our $4.85 change was given to us in quarters and one dime. Lord knows why the Americans don't have a fifty cent piece.
We even found our hostel with no trouble. Right smack bang in the middle of five strip clubs. Still - it was in the middle of Little Italy. We were 'welcomed' by a rather sombre looking guy who informed us we were in Room 1. Turns out Room 1 was the 9 bed dorm room, already filled with seven guys and smelt like urine. I had booked a 4 bed room. Thoroughly jet lagged, craving coffee and tired, this is not what we wanted to deal with straight up. So we complained. Nothing happened. So we politely asked if we would get a refund for the last two nights if we found another hostel to stay in. THAT got their attention (apparently they think the Green Tortoise is the best hostel around). They become accomodating and put us up in a private room for the same price as a dorm for one night.
Then we went in search of coffee. And had our first experience of dealing with the American way of not including tax and having all their notes looking the same and only 1, 5, 10, 25c coins. Needless to say, I have never appreciated the eftpos system and our currency like the way I appreciated it at that moment, standing in a coffee shop trying to stop from swaying over and get the right change.The woman was kind enough to explain the money (they don't obviously say 5 or 10c on them) and how to tip. Suddenly the money didn't seem so complicated - just annoying.
This first afternoon was beautiful and sunny - but a chill breeze. We basked in the sun, unaware that we were in for three days of fog. A typical San Francisco summer. Friday was our Haight-Ashbury day. An adventurous 6 mile walk from town included a stint through the Tenderloin where Marianna lost me when I checked a map on the bus shelter wall, only to find herself surrounded by gangs of youths with their hoods up. Haight Ashbury - famous for hippies, Amoeba Records (hosting The Phoenix Foundation the week after we were there), the Grateful Dead and the Painted Ladies (houses).
Cast your mind back to Full House's opening credits - the bridge, the Tanners and the picnic. Nice family picnic ... on this hill.
Friday night cousin Simon arrived. We had planned our Extreme Tourist day for Saturday and were disappointed to find the fog hanging over the Golden Gate bridge all day.
At least it cleared up for our Alcatraz tour.
A audio tour took you through the old prison explaining where Al Capone was kept and how the only 'successful' escapees got out. One guy thinks they made it and are now living in South America. In fact he sounded pretty convinced because he knew they were learning Spanish just before they left. Wow, now it's so obvious.
Oh yeah and it was pretty damn windy.
We decided to leave the Golden Gate Bridge til Sunday and instead all bought a book at City Lights Book store (Kelly - we went there three times). Which was nice.
This is Cafe Triste - where some of the Beat Poets wrote their literature. If I had been paying attention, I could have told you more about it.
We rode trams up and down the world famous hills, along with hundreds of other tourists. some armed with video cameras (believe me, it's not that riveting). We walked up to Lombard Street to see what all the fuss is about. People were cueing in their 4-wheel drive SUVs to drive this road. Why? This town also has Segway tours. Unbelievable.
On Monday, we went to the Mission Carnival with the longest parade I've ever seen. It was an incredibly vibrant parade with over 41 floats of music, drumming and dancers. We even had time to go shopping and eat lunch and the parade was STILL going.
Helena took us out on Sunday night to this great bar. Think Malibu/Melrose motel with pastel coloured doors, a swimming pool complete with palm trees, an outside dj cranking good tunes that everyone else seems to enjoy dancing to, and inside dark recesses to lounge within and ... two vinyl beds. Huh?
Still .. great party! Toxic drinks though. We went to the Cheesecake Factory at the top of Macy's for dessert, only to buy one piece between three of us - those pieces are huge! Still, don't think the waitress thought much of us.
Monday dawned sunny - of course. Typical!
So Marianna and I did our final cable car ride the Pier and hired a tandem ... because we are Ladies! We cycled as fast as we could in lady like fashion to make it to the first pillar of the bridge for photos. That bridge is damn huge! and the view pretty spectacular. Also the 'call for help' phones to prevent suicide were quite a stark reminder of what people think the bridge is 'handy' for.
Before leaving, we purchased products from a CompUSA store (yes, I joined the masses with my IPOD purchase), and dealt with some of the slowest, rudest customer service people I've ever met. Obviously their staff morale is low.
We visted friends of Marianna's in Lafayette - to find the weather about 10c hotter. At least that felt like summer.
And that was San Francisco. Back onto the plane, a 12.5hour plane ride back to New Zealand and straight to work. Like we'd never been.
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