xmas in the gulf

Just got back from a very nice 10 days in Dubai staying with Solveig's family (yes, the in-laws...) - good old traditional Christmas Day with turkey and all the trimmings and a tree and sherry and xmas pudding - no snow though :)

And Happy New Year - bring on 2005!!

mitchell be alright on the night

[Sorry about that, been reading the Daily Star]

Ben and Caroline got married! Woot! Dulwich College, black tie, all frightfully nice - check it out here...

anarchy in the ukulele

Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain on Saturday at the Barbican - versions of popular classics from "Wuthering Heights" to "Hard To Handle" via "Should I Stay Or Should I Go" played by seven (count 'em) ukulele players in evening wear. Barmy, but ace.

another one bites the dust

And so it was that we celebrated His Stag-ness Mr Ben Mitchell last Saturday, with fast cars (13 souped-up go-karts), hot food (1 chilli-spiked onion bhaji) and loose women (no comment).

Brilliant effort, chaps - Noel won the racing, Tandoori King kept us well furnished with Cobra and it all ended at 5am in The Key on the fancy light-up-dancefloor wearing Russian hats (cheers, Will!).

pigeonhold in space

Well done everyone, 4 Jedi, 3 Barbarella, 2 Vader and a Rimmer rubbed shoulders and light sabers with Islington's finest on Saturday night (and Sunday morning) for the seventh anniversary of the monthly-shouty-fally-downy event that is Pigeonhold.

The taxi home was also very entertaining :)

lola's

If you want a treat, go for dinner at Lola's in Islington - Saturday was our second visit and again it was marvellous - spiced parsnip soup, blue cheese & walnut salad, rack of lamb with artichoke and garlic puree, moroccan chicken, honey roast figs......ok, I'll stop now.

49ers

So Arsenal's unbeaten record comes to an end at 49 games.
Well done lads, tremendous achievement, shame it had to be United but it was inevitable really :)

advice for sporting types

Don't try to execute a Cruyff turn without giving the appropriate warning to the associated parts of the body i.e. legs. You could end up with twisted perispinal muscles and have to hobble about like an old man. Like me. Ouch :(

fully committed

More theatre-going, this time to the Menier Chocolate Factory and "Fully Committed", the one-man-show set behind the scenes at one of New York's top restaurants. Brilliant performance from Mark Setlock; if you get the chance to see it, then, er, do :)

cuckoo

Do try and go to see One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest at the Gielgud Theatre, with Christian Slater and Frances Barber and fantastic supporting cast - we went to the matinee on Saturday and it was a really excellent production.

Cocktails at LAB afterwards, obviously, helping to dispel the gloom at England somehow managing to lose the ICC Final :(

sportsweek

England beat the Aussies!! Yes, we have vanquished our nemesis and won the semi-final of the ICC Champions Trophy by 6 wickets!! Bring on the Windies in the final...

And as if that wasn't enough, A3 Milan went top of The Shengiership, our BBC Fantasy League. Get on!

lost in france (slight return)

Afternoon. Just back from a very sunny long weekend with Solveig's parents in Cahors, drinking the contents of the cellar, eating confit de canard and watching the foxes. Bliss.

Yes, it really does look like that :)

nighthawks

Spent most of today at the Edward Hopper exhibition at the Tate Modern (courtesy of free tickets from work)

Followed by ice cream in the sunshine on Bankside. Very nice.

fearon low thing

Nic and Ella's wedding last night, in Putney at one of the 271 rowing clubs on the river (we found them on the fourth attempt) which was a joyous occasion, with some excellent cheese in both musical and fermented curd form. Well done.

go on gooners

I couldn't let today pass without a mention of Arsenal FC's record breaking run of 43 Premiership games without defeat.

Bravo. Up the Gunners (an ting). You never know - keep it up and I might just avoid the wooden spoon in our BBC Fantasy Football League. . .

happy mondays

Hallelujah! Went and got Loaded In The Park with The Happy Mondays on Clapham Common - sun and baggy tunes all round, excellent stuff, even if Shaun did forget the opening line to, er, all the songs.

Bez was, of course, Bez.
And (for once) I remembered the camera so twist your melons here (man).

fourth test

Well that was quite a day...

England v West Indies, Fourth Test at The Oval with Doug and Julian. Arrived full of hope for Freddie to complete his century, then watched with amazement as he and Jones got out early on and Giles took up the mantle, knocking an elegant 52, ably supported by the stoic Hoggard (38) and Harmison (36) bashing sixes all over the shop. 150 added by the "tail" and once Harmi got stuck in to their top order even the flowing batting of Lara with 79 couldn't stop the rot. Windies all out for 152, Harmison 6-46 and a couple more wickets fell in the follow-on before stumps at 6.30pm. And Gayle hit 6 fours off an over which we later learnt was a Test Match first.

Added to which, we then went for a most excellent curry at the Kennington Tandoori :)

faint nic to second slip

Splendid cricket match for Mr Fearon's stag do, in the beautiful setting of Dulwich College.
Fine time had by all, not least Nic who got the MOTM award of a brand new bat with all our ugly mugs stuck on it :)
Pictures soon (ahem, Mr McManus...)

ring ring

Newsflash! Our excellent friends Katie and Paul have got engaged!
Paul (the old romantic) went down on one knee in a gondola (tricky, that) having whisked Katie off to Venice to celebrate their anniversary - bravo, Sir, champagne all round!

freakinhold

Freakin -v- Pigeonhold, Salmon & Compasses, Islington
Rich & Leo & Chris & GiD
Drinking, dancing and falling over

Play 'Spot the megaphone' here

happy birthday cameron

My nephew Cameron is 2 (two) today!

Check out the birthday cake here

white goods

I seem to have acquired a new 20Gb iPod thanks to Phil and his business trip to L.A. It's very shiny. Oh yes. Now I just need the docking cradle, in-ear buds, soft case, NaviPod, remote control, iTrip, mini-speakers, cuddly toy...

bngof?

Went to Buy None Get One Free at Sahara Nights on Saturday - very entertaining evening spent mostly on the roof terrace. It would appear I took some photos (no, I don't know why they're all b&w) so laugh at the victims here

relish the victory

Pleased to announce a resounding win for the G.R.A.C.C against the Northern Scum XI in York on Saturday. You can read Chairman Mayes' report here