AwkwardInk

1/ Sleeping in and napping in the afternoon. Sleep is, and always has been key for me.

2/ Being at Borough markets when the pastry stalls start selling everything off at 2 for one! Although maybe one doesn't need two amazingly decadent chocolate eclairs after eating a belgian chocolate brownie, just ten minutes earlier.

3/ Having the time to read the sunday paper. Nice and slow. Cover to cover.

4/ Finding the motivation to go jogging, despite the rain.

5/ Seeing a movie that doesn't dissapoint. Despite the great reviews for the new Amoldavar film, Volver, was unexpected and surprising right to the end. Penelope Cruz was really great, and I can only think that she is capable of so much more in spanish speaking films than she is in English ones.

6/ Random moments. Trekking out to say farewell to Phatty before she left for her two month tour of Africa before going home. We met at Henry J Beans in Chelsea, and I was quite sentimental about west london as I caught the bus down the King's Road. I ended up in the bar by myself, and was invited to join a table of randoms. It was good to say goodbye to Phatty too.

Some pics of the dancing that took place last saturday night. Val's internationally spread cousins all congregated in our local area for a bit of a boogie. Who knows what dance Val and I are doing together.

Also finished some illustrations for James and his band Telley. I've been meaning to get this done for weeks.

Thankfully I got some spare time to hibernate over the last couple of days. Much needed after the trauma of Rome. I even fitted in some drawing time, amongst the housework and tax organisation.

So the good old faithful knee is almost back to normal. Well, the scabs have cleared up. I'm not about to guarentee it's overall co-ordination though.

It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.
This probably best sums up the debacle that was seeing Madonna in Rome. Ups and downs dominated the whole weekend. It was like one long extended tragic comedy. And the most ironic thing in the end, was the utter relief and affection that I felt as I touched back into London.
Who would have thought that I would actually like this place?


Here is a list of some of the downs (most of which are alarmingly funny in hindsight):
- Fish Cream (I think we were all rightfully dubious when the waiter tried to steer our menu choices towards items that were pre-prepared. The incentive of delicious fish cream in the seafood lasagne didn't deter our party as it might have some others with weaker stomachs.


- Being ripped off (by taxi drivers, waiters with attitude, gelato vendors and anyone else who saw us as the tourist schmuchs that we were)
- Maya's reaction to being served a whole fish (head and some guts still intact), instead of a much neater, prettier fillet. Luckily Sophia took charge and made sure that the disinterested wait staff were notified.
- Seeing omionous storm clouds descend over the city, we rushed into a restaurant, only to be told by a pushy waiter that even though it might look like it would rain, it wouldn't, because this was Rome. He tried to get us to sit outside anyway. This annoyed us to no end, and it was with heavy hearts that we left the restaurant with the clouds still in the sky and not a raindrop to be seen. We didn't want to the waiter to be right however, and were rewarded by a general down pouring just as we made our way onto the bus that would take us to the concert venue. By the time we reached the stadium, it was pouring down. And we had to make a mad dash for cover in our shorts, singlets and thongs, thouroughly unprepared for bad weather. Luckily the rain stopped before the concert began. But not before we had purchase emergency ponchos for 5 euros each from the clever hawkers outside the stadiam gates.


- Being subjected to the debacle that is roman organisation of a large event. 70000 people in one stadium needing to get home, with only one night bus per hour going back to the center of Rome. Exhausted, we trekked for two hours back closer to the center of town and then Maya threw herself in front of a taxi that probably should have been somebody eles' who had been waiting longer. The relief that we felt as we climbed into that vehicle, cannot be described in words. We were so elated, we treated ourselves to some pastries when we got back to our apartment.
- Indulging in far too many sweets and carbohydrates left me feeling like I had double my weight in just three short days.
- Val being molested by an italian boy with a very friendly groin on the busy bus out to the Stadico Olympico.
- Spending over an hour and a half waiting for our luggage to be returned to us at Termini Train station. Sophia had a mini melt down when the incompetants working there lost her bag and it looked like she would miss her flight back to brussels. They didn't speak the same language, but I'm pretty sure they worked out that she was unhappy when her eyes bulged out of her head and she started screaming her head off.
- Checking in at the airport reasnably late, we somehow ended up being the last ones on board the flight. Not a position one wants to be in on a ryan airp plane. We were forced to find the last remaining seats available on the flight. Maya was the lucky one, caught between two screaming kids and an ipod battery that just happened to run out as the plane prepared to take off.


And the Triumphs:
- Gelato and pastries. I even sampled some new gelati flavours which were as reliable as ever. I might have overdone it a bit though.
- Grattacecca. We met up with Alessia and her sister Daniela on Monday after the concert. It was weird seeing Alessia away from work. But a good weird. She and her sister took us for a very refreshing icy roman dessert which we ate sitting by the tibur river.



- We had two or three good meals out. Luckily one of them was the last meal before we left. One was a pasta of Tuna, fresh tomato, basil and mozarella. Delicious.
The other was a multi course event. Per Prima: Insalata di Pera, rucola and pramigana. Per Secondo: Fetticini Pomodori. The bread was amazing and the olive oil was delicious.




- The Concert: Madonna was absolutely awesome. All of the hassles were well worth it. Thank god it was a bloody good concert. Every song sounded amazing and different from the recorded versions. Madonna put every effort into delivering the goods. Her dancers were amazing, and a really interesting blend of people. It's nice seeing people of different races on show together.




Madonna's political statments about world peace, relief for africa and in particular the need for understanding between Israel and Lebonon was a little superficial and seemed driven by the wrong motivation, more dependant on the way in which she wishes to be percieved by the world than by any real grasp of the complex issues at hand. I couldn't help by remark 'We can't expect Madonna to write amazing songs all the time. She's trying to save the world.' (We really should be a lot more forgiving of her use of the word 'dork' in her song I love New York)

Actually, the whole weekend was great. Definately one I won't forget soon. And I've discovered my love of the reliablity of London. I can forgive it it's weather this week:)

Here are some recent pics of the Sass and Momo, who have finally decided to become friends.