Toledo, Ohio
Image by churl
The armpit of the US, but I've got a lot of memories of this crazy place.
Redwood Lodge Country Club
Image by brizzle born and bred
We look back to the time when Redwood Lodge was the Ashton Court Country Club
I wonder how many club members who go swimming there, or use its extensive modern gym facilities, know that Redwood Lodge Hotel and Country Club on Beggar Bush Lane was originally built as a lodge for Sir Greville Smyth’s ornithological collection.
The wealthy Smyth family, who had lived at Ashton Court mansion for some 400 years, were forced to sell their extensive estates just after World War II, and John Ley, the then owner of the popular Glen dance hall on the Downs, jumped at the chance to start a country club in the lodge.
This and many more interesting stories about the early days have come to light during a £15 million refurbishment programme by present owners Folio Hotels.
They tell us exactly what John Ley got for his money and the changes he made to make the club one of the most successful in the country.
See Link Below
www.flickr.com/photos/brizzlebornandbred/4259907307/
Built in 1898, the “Bungalow”, as it was known, was quite stylish in an Arts and Crafts sort of way, with carved stone fireplaces and wooden panelling.
Luckily, it’s still very much intact and still an integral part of the club’s facilities.
Next door in 1950 was a plainer wooden building, built in the Twenties by Lady Smyth’s daughter as a children’s wing.
In the countryside but just outside the city, the location on Failand couldn’t have been better, and some 20 years later the club, still run by the same family, could claim to be the largest of its kind in the country.
The cost of membership, at present £120 a month for a family, was just over £10 a year.
But visitors were also welcome to play a game of tennis for between two shillings and sixpence (12p) or use all the facilities on a Saturday for 10 shillings (50p).
Fifty years on the attractions on offer seem very old-fashioned.
In fine weather, you could go for a leisurely stroll around the rose walk or the deer pond, later to become an outdoor swimming pool.
On the front lawn, for the more active, there was a choice of putting or tennis.
Inside, apart from the lounge bar and dining room, could be found a sun lounge, a ballroom, a card room (later converted to a dining room due to lack of use) and a television room.
Scantily-clad students from Bristol Old Vic Theatre School found temporary work here as cigarette and flower girls and cloakroom attendants.
Ten years on again and there was parking for some 200 cars.
There was also a new entrance porch, a new ballroom bar and a new bandstand, plus a dining and cloakroom extension.
Outside could be found a new greenhouse, teak garden furniture for sun lovers and a cedar wood tennis pavilion for more active members.
There was also something of a novelty – a “tuck shop” extension for snacks and the like.
By 1970 – something of a heyday in the club’s membership – there was parking for 700 cars.
As well as relaxing and being entertained, members wanted more activity, and the club, moving with the times, offered a choice of two open- air pools, one heated indoor pool and 10 tennis courts, three of them floodlit.
There were also 10 squash courts, four badminton courts and an indoor bowling green, opened by Clevedon’s bowls champion David Bryant.
A big treat was saunas in the changing rooms.
If this wasn’t enough, there was table tennis and a four-table billiard room. For quieter times there was a 10-table bridge room.
The Ranch House with its classic Sixties wood-slated ceiling (it’s still there but painted white) offered both early evening cinema and later a disco.
The ballroom, which hosted cabaret, was also available for dinner dances and private functions.
Local singer Anita Harris, Terry Hall’s Lenny the Lion, comedian Derek Roy and Welsh singer Ivor Emmanuel were just some of the stars gracing the cabaret stage throughout the Sixties and Seventies.
Conferences and other corporate events were also catered for.
Lunches and the occasional cabaret were available in the sophisticated Garden Room along with self-service buffet plus entertainment.
In the evening you could enjoy an international cordon bleu menu which included such delicacies as caviar (45 shillings – £2.25) and turtle soup (five shillings and sixpence – just over 25p).
A cup of coffee here wasn’t cheap – it would set you back two to three shillings (10p to 15p).
The Sports Room was open from noon to midnight with liquor licensing for the club being until 2am, something unheard of by the city’s pubs which were kept to strict licensing arrangements, even for Christmas and New Year.
The room had been designed by none other than that much esteemed local architect Raymond Stride.
For those wanting a quieter, less active life, there was a relaxing lounge with a colour TV – a rare treat in the early Seventies.
Dave Young, a 59-year-old maintenance worker from Bedminster, joined the country club – then owned by local entrepreneur John Pontin of the JT Group – in 1977 as part of a team of six.
Their brief included looking after the 16 acres of woods and gardens – something now done by a contractor.
“I originally came as a temporary worker recycling the bottles, but stayed on,” he told me.
“I’m now the longest serving member of staff.”
Had he seen many changes?
“There was very much a family atmosphere among the workers in the Seventies. Now with changes of ownership, its more corporate.
“I remember the big snooker tournaments we used to have here, along with the big names in the sport such as Alex ‘Hurricane’ Higgins.”
The snooker hall, which could hold 200 and really put the club on the map, is now a restaurant.
“We’ve also had big stars staying here,” said Dave.
“I remember Bruce Forsyth arriving in his Rolls-Royce – he used to play golf over the road – and comedian Jim Davidson when he was with HTV’s Alison Holloway. Tommy Banner from The Wurzels is also a member.
“I get some perks – I’ve got club membership and I can stay at cheap rates at other hotels owned by the same group.
“With people’s changing lifestyles there are more members here in the evening than there used to be and more families.”
Roy Rahamn, now 72, is another club old-timer.
“I originally came here in 1976 as head waiter,” he explained. “Then I left, but I came back and now work part-time as a casual in the catering section doing breakfasts.”
The current club manager, Gordon Riddell, arrived here from Dublin a year ago after 20 years in the hotel business.
He’s now overseeing the refurbishments which will see the number of bedrooms increased to 175.
In the past, the country club has belonged to both Whitbread and Corus.
Have you any memories of Redwood Lodge when it was the Ashton Court Country Club?
TOWER BRIDGE HDR
Image by k.kazantzoglou Life is full of surprises!!! :)
Tower Bridge (built 1886-1894) is a combined bascule and suspension bridge in London, England, over the River Thames. It is close to the Tower of London, from which it takes its name. It has become an iconic symbol of London.
The bridge consists of two towers tied together at the upper level by means of two horizontal walkways, designed to withstand the horizontal forces exerted by the suspended sections of the bridge on the landward sides of the towers. The vertical component of the forces in the suspended sections and the vertical reactions of the two walkways are carried by the two robust towers. The bascule pivots and operating machinery are housed in the base of each tower. The bridge's present colour scheme dates from 1977, when it was painted red, white and blue for the Queen Elizabeth II's silver jubilee. Originally it was painted a chocolate brown colour.[2]
Tower Bridge is sometimes mistakenly referred to as London Bridge,[3] which is the next bridge upstream.
The nearest London Underground station is Tower Hill on the Circle and District lines, and the nearest Docklands Light Railway station is Tower Gateway.[4]
History
[edit] Background
Elevation, with dimensions
In the second half of the 19th century, increased commercial development in the East End of London led to a requirement for a new river crossing downstream of London Bridge. A traditional fixed bridge could not be built because it would cut off access by tall-masted ships to the port facilities in the Pool of London, between London Bridge and the Tower of London.
A Special Bridge or Subway Committee was formed in 1876, chaired by Sir Albert Joseph Altman, to find a solution to the river crossing problem. It opened the design of the crossing to public competition. Over 50 designs were submitted, including one from civil engineer Sir Joseph Bazalgette. The evaluation of the designs was surrounded by controversy, and it was not until 1884 that a design submitted by Sir Horace Jones, the City Architect (who was also one of the judges),[5] was approved.
Jones' engineer, Sir John Wolfe Barry, devised the idea of a bascule bridge with two towers built on piers. The central span was split into two equal bascules or leaves, which could be raised to allow river traffic to pass. The two side-spans were suspension bridges, with the suspension rods anchored both at the abutments and through rods contained within the bridge's upper walkways.
[edit] Construction
Tower Bridge under construction, 1892
Construction started in 1886 and took eight years with five major contractors – Sir John Jackson (foundations), Baron Armstrong (hydraulics), William Webster, Sir H.H. Bartlett, and Sir William Arrol & Co.[6] – and employed 432 construction workers. E W Crutwell was the resident engineer for the construction.[7]
Two massive piers, containing over 70,000 tons of concrete,[5] were sunk into the riverbed to support the construction. Over 11,000 tons of steel provided the framework for the towers and walkways.[5] This was then clad in Cornish granite and Portland stone, both to protect the underlying steelwork and to give the bridge a pleasing appearance.
Jones died in 1887 and George D. Stevenson took over the project.[5] Stevenson replaced Jones's original brick façade with the more ornate Victorian Gothic style, which makes the bridge a distinctive landmark, and was intended to harmonise the bridge with the nearby Tower of London.[7] The total cost of construction was £1,184,000[7] (£100 million as of 2012).[8]
[edit] Opening
The bridge was officially opened on 30 June 1894 by The Prince of Wales (the future King Edward VII), and his wife, The Princess of Wales (Alexandra of Denmark).[9]
The bridge connected Iron Gate, on the north bank of the river, with Horselydown Lane, on the south – now known as Tower Bridge Approach and Tower Bridge Road, respectively.[7] Until the bridge was opened, the Tower Subway – 400 m to the west – was the shortest way to cross the river from Tower Hill to Tooley Street in Southwark. Opened in 1870, Tower Subway was the world's first underground ('tube') railway, but closed after just three months and was re-opened as a pedestrian foot tunnel. Once Tower Bridge was open, the majority of foot traffic transferred to using the bridge, there being no toll to pay to use it. Having lost most of its income, the tunnel was closed in 1898.[10]
Tower Bridge is one of five London bridges now owned and maintained by the Bridge House Estates, a charitable trust overseen by the City of London Corporation. It is the only one of the Trust's bridges not to connect the City of London to the Southwark bank, the northern landfall being in Tower Hamlets.
[edit] Design
Tower Bridge viewed from the top of London City Hall.
Oblique view of north tower from Tower Bridge Road.
The bridge is 800 feet (244 m) in length with two towers each 213 feet (65 m) high, built on piers. The central span of 200 feet (61 m) between the towers is split into two equal bascules or leaves, which can be raised to an angle of 83 degrees to allow river traffic to pass. The bascules, weighing over 1,000 tons each, are counterbalanced to minimise the force required and allow raising in five minutes.
The two side-spans are suspension bridges, each 270 feet (82 m) long, with the suspension rods anchored both at the abutments and through rods contained within the bridge's upper walkways. The pedestrian walkways are 143 feet (44 m) above the river at high tide.[7]
[edit] Hydraulic system
One of the original steam engines: a 360 hp horizontal twin-tandem compound engine, fitted with Meyer expansion slide valves
The original raising mechanism was powered by pressurised water stored in several hydraulic accumulators.[11] The system was designed and installed by the self-effacing Hamilton Owen Rendel (born 1843)[12] while working for Sir W. G. Armstrong Mitchell & Company of Newcastle upon Tyne. Water, at a pressure of 750 psi, was pumped into the accumulators by two 360 hp stationary steam engines, each driving a force pump from its piston tail rod. The accumulators each comprise a 20-inch ram on which sits a very heavy weight to maintain the desired pressure.
In 1974, the original operating mechanism was largely replaced by a new electro-hydraulic drive system, designed by BHA Cromwell House. The only components of the original system still in use are the final pinions, which engage with the racks fitted to the bascules. These are driven by modern hydraulic motors and gearing, using oil rather than water as the hydraulic fluid.[13] Some of the original hydraulic machinery has been retained, although it is no longer in use. It is open to the public and forms the basis for the bridge's museum, which resides in the old engine rooms on the south side of the bridge. The museum includes the steam engines, two of the accumulators and one of the hydraulic engines that moved the bascules, along with other related artefacts.
[edit] Third steam engine
The third engine in working order,
at Forncett Industrial Steam Museum
During World War II, as a precaution against the existing engines being damaged by enemy action, a third engine was installed in 1942:[14] a 150 hp horizontal cross-compound engine, built by Vickers Armstrong Ltd. at their Elswick works in Newcastle upon Tyne. It was fitted with a flywheel having a 9-foot (2.7 m) diameter and weighing 9 tons, and was governed to a speed of 30 rpm.[14] The engine became redundant when the rest of the system was modernised in 1974, and was donated to the Forncett Industrial Steam Museum by the Corporation of the City of London.[14]
[edit] Navigation control
To control the passage of river traffic through the bridge, a number of different rules and signals were employed. Daytime control was provided by red semaphore signals, mounted on small control cabins on either end of both bridge piers. At night, coloured lights were used, in either direction, on both piers: two red lights to show that the bridge was closed, and two green to show that it was open. In foggy weather, a gong was sounded as well.[7]
Vessels passing through the bridge had to display signals too: by day, a black ball at least 2 feet (0.61 m) in diameter was to be mounted high up where it could be seen; by night, two red lights in the same position. Foggy weather required repeated blasts from the ship's steam whistle.[7]
If a black ball was suspended from the middle of each walkway (or a red light at night) this indicated that the bridge could not be opened. These signals were repeated about 1,000 yards (910 m) downstream, at Cherry Garden Pier, where boats needing to pass through the bridge had to hoist their signals/lights and sound their horn, as appropriate, to alert the Bridge Master.[7]
Some of the control mechanism for the signalling equipment has been preserved and may be seen working in the bridge's museum.
[edit] Reaction
Although the bridge is an undoubted landmark, professional commentators in the early 20th century were critical of its aesthetics. "It represents the vice of tawdriness and pretentiousness, and of falsification of the actual facts of the structure", wrote H. H. Statham,[15] while Frank Brangwyn stated that "A more absurd structure than the Tower Bridge was never thrown across a strategic river".[16]
Architectural historian Dan Cruickshank selected the bridge as one of his four choices for the 2002 BBC television documentary series Britain's Best Buildings.[17]
[edit] Mistaken identity
Tower Bridge is sometimes mistaken for London Bridge,[3] the next bridge upstream. A popular urban legend is that in 1968, Robert McCulloch, the purchaser of the old London Bridge that was later shipped to Lake Havasu City, Arizona, believed that he was in fact buying Tower Bridge. This was denied by McCulloch himself and has been debunked by Ivan Luckin, the vendor of the bridge.[18]
[edit] Traffic
Bridge open to admit a boat with a tall mast
Interior of high-level walkway (used as an exhibition space)
Road
Tower Bridge is still a busy and vital crossing of the Thames: it is crossed by over 40,000 people (motorists, cyclists and pedestrians) every day.[19] The bridge is on the London Inner Ring Road, and is on the eastern boundary of the London congestion charge zone. (Drivers do not incur a charge by crossing the bridge.)
In order to maintain the integrity of the historic structure, the City of London Corporation have imposed a 20 miles per hour (32 km/h) speed restriction, and an 18 tonne weight limit on vehicles using the bridge. A sophisticated camera system measures the speed of traffic crossing the bridge, utilising a number plate recognition system to send fixed penalty charges to speeding drivers.[20]
A second system monitors other vehicle parameters. Induction e.loops and piezoelectric detectors are used to measure the weight, the height of the chassis above ground level, and the number of axles for each vehicle.[20]
River
The bascules are raised around 1000 times a year.[21] River traffic is now much reduced, but it still takes priority over road traffic. Today, 24 hours' notice is required before opening the bridge. There is no charge for vessels.
A computer system was installed in 2000 to control the raising and lowering of the bascules remotely. It proved unreliable, resulting in the bridge being stuck in the open or closed positions on several occasions during 2005 until its sensors were replaced.[19]
[edit] Tower Bridge Exhibition and the tower walkways
The high-level open air walkways between the towers gained an unpleasant reputation as a haunt for prostitutes and pickpockets; they were seldom used by regular pedestrians, as they were only accessible by flights of stairs and were closed in 1910. In 1982 they were reopened as part of the Tower Bridge Exhibition, an exhibition now housed in the bridge's twin towers, the high-level walkways and the Victorian engine rooms. The exhibition charges an admissions fee. The walkways, which are now enclosed, boast stunning views of the River Thames and many famous London sites, serving as viewing galleries for over 380,000 tourists[citation needed] who visit each year. The exhibition also uses films, photos and interactive displays to explain why and how Tower Bridge was built. Visitors can access the original steam engines that once powered the bridge bascules, housed in a building close to the south end of the bridge.
[edit] 2008–2012 facelift
In April 2008 it was announced that the bridge would undergo a 'facelift' costing £4 million, and taking four years to complete. The work entailed stripping off the existing paint down to bare metal and repainting in blue and white. Each section was enshrouded in scaffolding and plastic sheeting to prevent the old paint from falling into the Thames and causing pollution. Starting in mid-2008, contractors worked on a quarter of the bridge at a time to minimise disruption, but some road closures were inevitable. It is intended that the completed work will stand for 25 years.[22]
The renovation of the walkway interior was completed in mid 2009. Within the walkways a versatile new lighting system has been installed, designed by Eleni Shiarlis, for when the walkways are in use for exhibitions or functions. The new system provides for both feature and atmospheric lighting, the latter using bespoke RGB LED luminares, designed to be concealed within the bridge superstructure and fixed without the need for drilling (these requirements as a result of the bridge's Grade I status).[23]
The renovation of the four suspension chains was completed in March 2010 using a state-of-the-art coating system requiring up to six different layers of 'paint'.[24]
[edit] Incidents
A Short Sunderland of No. 201 Squadron RAF moored at Tower Bridge during the 1956 commemoration of the Battle of Britain
In December 1952, the bridge opened while a number 78 double-decker bus (stock number RT 793, registration plate JXC 156) was crossing from the south bank. At that time, the gateman would ring a warning bell and close the gates when the bridge was clear before the watchman ordered the lift. The process failed while a relief watchman was on duty. The bus was near the edge of the south bascule when it started to rise; driver Albert Gunter (possibly Gunton) made a split-second decision to accelerate, clearing a 3 ft gap to drop 6 ft onto the north bascule, which had not yet started to rise. There were no serious injuries.[25][26]
The Hawker Hunter Tower Bridge incident occurred on 5 April 1968 when a Royal Air Force Hawker Hunter FGA.9 jet fighter from No. 1 Squadron, flown by Flt Lt Alan Pollock, flew through Tower Bridge. Unimpressed that senior staff were not going to celebrate the RAF's 50th birthday with a fly-past, Pollock decided to do something himself. Without authorisation, Pollock flew the Hunter at low altitude down the Thames, past the Houses of Parliament, and continued on toward Tower Bridge. He flew the Hunter beneath the bridge's walkway, remarking afterwards that it was an afterthought when he saw the bridge looming ahead of him. Pollock was placed under arrest upon landing, and discharged from the RAF on medical grounds without the chance to defend himself at a court martial.[27][28]
In summer 1973 a single-engined Beagle Pup was twice flown under the pedestrian walkway of Tower Bridge by 29-year-old stockbroker's clerk Paul Martin. Martin was on bail following accusations of stockmarket fraud. He then 'buzzed' buildings in The City, before flying north towards the Lake District where he died when his aircraft crashed some two hours later.[29]
In May 1997,[30] the motorcade of United States President Bill Clinton was divided by the opening of the bridge. The Thames sailing barge Gladys, on her way to a gathering at St Katharine Docks, arrived on schedule and the bridge was duly opened for her. Returning from a Thames-side lunch at Le Pont de la Tour restaurant, with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, President Clinton was less punctual, and arrived just as the bridge was rising. The bridge opening split the motorcade in two, much to the consternation of security staff. A spokesman for Tower Bridge is quoted as saying, "We tried to contact the American Embassy, but they wouldn't answer the phone."[31]
On 19 August 1999, Jef Smith, a Freeman of the City of London, drove a "herd" of two sheep across the bridge. He was exercising a claimed ancient permission, granted as a right to Freemen, to make a point about the powers of older citizens and the way in which their rights were being eroded.[32]
Before dawn on 31 October 2003, David Crick, a Fathers 4 Justice campaigner, climbed a 100 ft (30 m) tower crane near Tower Bridge at the start of a six-day protest dressed as Spider-Man.[33] Fearing for his safety, and that of motorists should he fall, police cordoned off the area, closing the bridge and surrounding roads and causing widespread traffic congestion across the City and east London. At the time, the building contractor Taylor Woodrow Construction Ltd. was in the midst of constructing a new office tower known as 'K2'. The Metropolitan Police were later criticised for maintaining the closure for five days when this was not strictly necessary in the eyes of some citizens.[34][35]
On 11 May 2009, six people were trapped and injured after a lift fell 10 ft (3 m) inside the north tower.[36][37]
[edit] Popular culture
Tower Bridge model, Legoland Windsor
External videos
Lego retail model kit of Tower Bridge: the designer describes the near-scale model (over 1m long with 4287 pieces).[38]
Tower Bridge is featured – still under construction, using CGI – in the 2009 film Sherlock Holmes. One of the final scenes is played out on the bridge in the movie's climax. The bridge is also the centre of a large action sequence in the film The Mummy Returns. Despite the bridge having been opened in 1894, it also appears in the 2010 film The Wolfman (which was set in 1891).[citation needed] Also, the bridge under construction appears in many episodes of anime Black Butler and it is featured as a place for final battle between angel Ash and a demon Sebastian.
The bridge is also featured as the home of Air Commodore Colonel William Raymond, played by Peter Cushing, in the film Biggles Adventures in Time (1986).
In the 1975 film Brannigan, John Wayne drives a car over the partially opened bridge during a car chase scene. The Spice Girls perform a similar stunt, with a bus, in the 1997 film Spiceworld. The video game, Midtown Madness 2 allows the player to perform the stunt themselves. In the 2004 film Thunderbirds, when The Hood flies the captured Thunderbird 2 to London, he navigates the craft between the bridge's towers, the bridge operators having lifted the bascules just in time.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
GMDS
Image by wine me up
Apologies for taking so long getting this out. It's been crazy around here with my injuries from a month ago, to tons of family in town for the last few days, wrapping up an account I've been working on for the last 2 years and my birthday a couple days ago. Until I recover from the last 5 days of crazy, I can't post a picture of my mug so instead you get a pic of one of my new pair of birthday shoes hanging by the recently warmed up enough for swimming times pool.
Foods you like, despise, can't eat (allergies, etc.)
love almost all things coconut unless it’s artificial tasting; do not like coconut M&Ms because of this. also dig pretty much all chocolates, cheeses, nuts, salty and sweet combos, coffee flavored stuff, maple, toffee. and peanut butter and chocolate are one of my fave combos as well as ferrero rocher. i’m a huge fan of crunchy stuff, but don’t really care for salt and vinegar chips even though i absolutely love salt and all vinegars and crunch. anything i don’t like or can’t eat, isn’t really going to work in the mail (green bell pepper, salmon, lima beans, etc..)
Coffee vs. tea? Do you have a favorite kind?
coffee, coffee, coffee. dark, preferably iced. i love iced tea, blood orange tea, peppermint and chamomile.
Where do you live? (climate, big city/small town, etc.)
austin, tx. south austin, specifically. i love it here, but can't imagine living anywhere else in texas. even though i despise the heat, i love this town and even love that i'm a born and raised texan. sure there are some things that aren't great about it, but it's the lone star state, man!
Favorite yarns / fabrics? Any yarn you want to try but haven't yet?
i love soft wools, cottons, blends. I'm a huge cotton/whatever blend fan and i love madeline tosh everything. not really into wooly wool because of the heat and it makes me itch. also, almost anything blue sky alpacas and my favorite cotton is cascade ultra pima; i want to crochet so many things with this.
Crafty pursuits - knit, crochet, spin, sew, quilt, embroider, make friendship bracelets, any of these or others?
i love knitting the most, but go on crochet kicks and want to crochet SO many bright colorful things. i go through big embroidery phases and love seeing the final result. just found out last thursday my wrist has been broken since i dislocated my knee a few weeks ago (missed by ER doc and the first orthopedic surgeon i saw) so i can't do any of these for a few more weeks. BAH, i'm missing it terribly.
Hobbies/pursuits/proclivities/passions (other than the aforementioned crafty ones, obvs)
i love to read modern fiction, historical fiction and light magical realism/fantasy (hunger games, the night circus). i'm on reading kick this year and i think it has to do with my kindle fire. i cook most nights of the week and dig trying new things or cooking for others. i have so much fun decorating our house and shopping at vintage stores and estate sales. i'm recently into fixing up my backyard with landscaping, decorating and all that fun stuff. and photography - even though i've been slacking on it lately.
What do you do in life? (job, career, school, family, etc.)
i work for the same company i've been with for 14 years. i've had about 6 jobs with them and am currently a knowledge manager / tech writer. i just moved to a new account this week so i've been incredibly busy wrapping up the last account i worked on for 2 years. not exactly excited about the new account, but working to get positive about it and glad i still have a good job. i work from home and live with 3 cats and the dude. no kids in our plans.
What makes you happy?
hanging with friends, making people laugh, making the dude laugh, comedies, crafts, reading, hanging by the pool, exercising (at least when i'm done anyway), good movies, my crazy kittehs, scoring good prices on my estate sale and thrift store finds, my super fab nephew, photography, flickr friends, my knittas, good food, good booze, listening to the birds in my backyard, music, music, music, growing plants successfully, all the butterflies hanging around lately, finding out i don't need surgery on my knee and i can start exercising again (so awesome!), shoes, nautical finds, handbags, handmade jewelry, vintage inspired hair clips, swimming, entertaining, traveling, the beach, the ocean and the beach beach beach!
Into makeup? Is there anything you want to try, for example: Revlon lip butters, lip balm, a particular kind of mascara, brush, etc. (Think inexpensive- we’re obvs not swapping UD Naked Palettes here.) ;)
yes, but i'm pretty stocked up. i have 4 or so lip butters and tons of balms, but i love getting new lippies, balms, eye liners, shadows, etc... i'm a MAC addict and have been for years so most of my collection is from that line, but i'm open to ANYTHING. i'm really into Lancome and Clinique's skin care products and love my Clairsonic - i feel like my skin has vastly improved since i switched to these recently.
Into nail polish? Any favorite brands, favorite colors, or specific shades you covet?
not really, i am too lazy to do my own nails so i go in for mani/pedis every couple weeks. i do mostly shellac manis so i just use whatever the salon has to offer.
Random favorites -- colors, flavors, scents, books, movies, TV, magazines, genres, time of day, motifs (foxes, bees, squirrels, owls, beavers, mushrooms, bats), etc.
turquoise, bright blues, jewel tones, saturated colors, I really dig navy and white and have a ton of it in my wardrobe. i like sunny yellow and aqua, turquoise or grey together. scents: clean, nothing fruity or food smelling. my superhero nickname is nostrildamus meaning i have an overly sensitive smeller and get headaches and nausea from strong stuff. i currently subscribe to Real Simple and Southern Living. other suggestions welcome! movies: Moonstruck is one of my faves, i've seen it probably 30 times. Love Pee Wee’s Big Adventure, The Big Lebowski, The English Patient, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Color Purple, To Catch a Thief, Rear Window, Notorious (dig Hitchcock), Poltergeist (my absolute fave scary movie) and lots more, i watch a ton of documentaries as well. TV: Mad Men, The Killing, Game of Thrones, Walking Dead, Boardwalk Empire, Treme, The Wire, Vampire Diaries, Sons of Anarchy, Girls!, Top Chef, RHoWhatver City (sad, but so true), Eastbound & Down, The Big C, Justified. motifs – anything nautical - mostly navy and white retro designs and i do love a good anchor, just not anchors with ropes and ship wheels all combined into one. not really into squirrels and mushrooms anymore. love really early mornings best, but don't always get up in time for it. LCD Soundsystem, Gogol Bordello, Thievery Corp, Cut Copy, TV on the Radio, Gotan Project, Bajofondo, !!! (chic, chic, chic), music that makes me shake my ass, mani/pedis, massages, coconut! medium point pens, paper, notebooks, baked goods, clean scented bath stuff.
Munchkin Kitchen
Image by Wootang01
With my friend Paul, I spend five days in Osaka, Japan. The trip provided much refreshment, and excitement, not to mention many challenges. It was my first visit to the country, and, I feel, it certainly won't be my last, as there are still many places left to see, and so many new things to learn.
We had several destinations highlighted on our itinerary, the foremost of which was Universal Studios. We spend an entire day there, going on rides and more often than not, queuing for them. The excruciating wait times were worth it, however, for such exhilarating fun, especially on the Hollywood Roller Coaster, my personal favorite. The next morning we followed up that successful endeavor with a trip to the Himeji Castle, a place which came highly recommended by my colleague, whose succinct description of the heritage site was, "awesome." Indeed, as a history buff, I enjoyed walking the storied grounds and climbing through the maze-like interior of the keep which was designed not so much to comfortably house the royal family as to confound the invading enemy. The castle is a must-visit. Other attractions of note include the Osaka Aquarium, and the Tennoji Zoo; both teemed with animals of every shape and size. We also at length ventured into several shopping districts inside of which were myriad stores, selling all sorts of fashion and gadgetry, countless restaurants and several gambling parlors - the Japanese, it seems, love their slot machines as much as the Hong Kong Chinese love their horse racing. Lest I forget, we frequented several video arcades to play the latest and greatest games; Paul played well, while I more often than not got 0wn3d. There is a lot to do in Japan.
Japanese culture, of which I've heard so much, really is distinct and separate from other Asian cultures. Their patterns of action and their peculiar artifacts certainly aren't the same as those which feature prominently in Hong Kong. For one thing, the MTR culture was more civilized and less stressful: people queued up for trains and let passengers alight first before permitting themselves to board; cellphones never rang and cabin cars were as quiet as bedrooms at midnight; and to imagine all of these people enforce their norms without public service announcements, without any coddling, conspicuous signs - that's amazing. What proved difficult was trying to find a garbage can. It was easier to find a vending machine, from which one could purchase a variety of drinks or cigarettes, than a bin in which to dispose of these delectable, perishable goods.
As for the general citizenry, they were most accommodating and hospitable, with several individuals going out of their way to help Paul and I find our way around the dense sprawl of the city. Language wasn't a concern despite our limited Japanese; amazingly enough, our comfort was their concern! I won't forget their selfless service, as one day, I hope, I'll be able to return the favor. That the girls were quite attractive and that I demonstrated a propensity to ask attractive girls for directions go without saying; however, I understand now that their sexiness and sophistication stem not from comely faces but coherent attire. Rather than adorn themselves like a typical Mong Kok girl in a ridiculous neon rainbow palette, with jeans or unseemly spandex underneath dresses, skirts or other tops better left to stand alone, Japanese girls opt for more somber, sensible colors - black and cream-colored - and what's more, they aren't afraid to whip out the tasteful pantyhose or to show some skin, even. We had plenty of time to ogle the ladies, and to their credit, freezing temperatures weren't enough to dissuade many of them from forsaking, icing their shorts, as we saw countless pairs being worn on the street. That's what I call fashion professionalism!
Overall, Japan is a marvelous little land full of the eccentric, as well as the endearing. It was a fascinating place to explore, and I'm thankful that it was done in the company of my friend , with whom candor was not at a premium. We both learned a lot and look forward to the next trip!
