Sunday, April 27, 2008

Edinburgh (pron: edinburuh…go figure)





Newcastle is just a 1.5 hour train ride from the wonderful Scottish city of Edinburgh. So yesterday, Bret and I decided to head on up to the lowlands to experience the much talked-about city. And we had a great time…

The fun started at Harvey Nichols. Well, my fun, rather. Harvey Nichols is a very expensive, very haute couture department store. There is a doorman. There are Balienciaga handbags, there are 800 pound Chloe dresses. It’s the kind of place where you go to a ‘Champagne Nail Bar’ to..surprise surprise…get your nails done by thin asian woman who serve you champagne. It’s the kind of place where an eye brow shape costs 30 pounds. It’s the kind of place where you see many people looking and few people buying. Being a shop assistant at Harvey Nichols has got to be the most boring job.

But being a browser was great, as I said, for me…you see, Bret is the kind of shopper that likes to buy. If he can’t afford it, it’s no fun. I’m the kind of shopper that likes to see and touch. And for me, ‘shopping’ at Harvey Nichols is like going to an art gallery. The colours and designs fascinate me. I know I would never have an occasion to wear a Moschino 2 piece suit, nor would I even care to really, but I admire the craftsmanship of the clothing. Bret sees a Moschino suit, and he thinks stiff and asexual. Fair enough. I see his point. Needless to say, I had an impatient, huffing man reluctantly trailing behind me, until I realised that the poor man had had enough, and we should do something we could both enjoy: eat!

So Bret’s fun started when we went to the Underground Café and had our first (and only) traditional Scottish breakfast. It’s the same as the English Breakfast, but somehow much much better. The mushrooms were a little fresher, the egg a little yolkier, the bread tasted homemade, and the sausages were meatier. Satisfied by our meal, we decided to take in a bit of culture at the National Museum of Scotland. It was very lively with people of all ages! Musicians played their violins as gentlemen with tophats paraded the museum atrium. While there, we saw exhibitions on British animals, Ancient Egypt, the Instruments of Science, transportation throughout the ages, and typical rooms of the 19th and 20th Century. I was surprised that a typical room from ‘The Swinging Sixties’ looks like a typical room at IKEA, complete with paper lantern. I also really loved the 1 person 3 wheel car.

But we still hadn’t gotten to the truly Scottish bit of our trip: whisky and haggis. So we strolled down the Royal Mile (very fun, busy touristy pedestrian street in Old Town Edinburgh) and went into the Edinburgh Scotch Whisky Experience to learn the subtleties of fine whisky. We started off with a 10 year Auchentushan, which is a lowlands whisky and known to be quite easy to drink. According to the menu, it was sweet with a hint of tangerine and toffee, but Braudia could not detect such undertones. After, we had a highlands whisky, Ben Nevis 10 year. We noted that it was, indeed, quite smokey. But again, we could not detect the supposed ‘chocolate’ flavours in the drink. Feeling like we had had enough hard drink, we opted for a whisky liquor to finish our session. We chose the Lochan Ora, made with aniseed. This was undoubtedly the most delicious of the three!

3 whiskies and a good buzz later, we decided no trip to Scotland would be complete without first tasting the famous meal: haggis. Haggis sounds absolutely disgusting: it’s ground meat mixed with oatmeal. It is usually served with a rich whisky gravy and ‘neeps and tatties’ (turnips and potatoes). Our only problem was that it was 3pm: not lunch time and not dinner time. First we tried the Stac Polly, which 2 Scots recommended to us. But it was closed. We then went from pub to pub, restaurant to restaurant for about 1 hour. Until finally we found a nice restaurant which served it. And believe it or not, it’s delicious! Only thing is, you kind of feel like you should be toothless, cuz the food doesn’t require any chewing. Oh well, the swallowing was very satisfying…

Post whisky and post haggis, we knew we needed to take a little rest before we hit the shops for some actual buying. Luckily the sun was shining and it was about 60 degrees. Bret and I threw ourselves on the grass for a good half hour and for the first time in many months, actually enjoyed the weather. Half an hour later, feeling refreshed, we hit Prince’s Street for some good ole fashioned credit card swiping. Bret got two shirts at H&M and a pair of very nice walking shoes at Jenners of Edinburgh. I got some body wash at LUSH and some perfume from Penhaligon’s (the company that supplied our toiletries at the Mandarin on our wedding nite!). And with that, we hopped back on the train and headed back to Newcastle.

Monday, April 14, 2008

a paycheck a click away!

Well folks,
I have sold my soul to the devil- my blog now generates income. Every time you click on an ad, I get like a buck or something. So click away!
Because I am trying to make a few extra bones, I'd put up a slightly anachronistic blog entry: the atrocious rental. I had actually written that one long ago when we were at Coronation House. So to clear up any confusion, "How to decorate an atrocious rental" does not pertain to our new home (as you will soon find out).

Now, on to bigger and better. Bret and I have had our first proper Newcastle weekend- and it was fab.

The fun started on Thursday when the Durham kids came into the toon for some dinner and a gig. About 8 of us went to "A Taste of Persia," and what a taste it was! I had a glorious lamb shank that fell right off the bone. The waitress told me I looked Persian, which made me feel very exotic indeed!

After our meal, we had some drinks at Rendez Vous, which is a new very colourful bar. I do not recommend it, though, because they do not have much selection. We were, in fact, planning on hitting The Long Bar, but apparently, there was a gang fight, so they temporarily closed it down.

To end our night, we went to the Academy and listened to Passenger, who played a very good show.

On Friday, we were planning on hitting the Ouseburn pubs, but it was raining very hard and I had 'homework' to do. You see, I lead a monthly book group, and I hadn't finished the book! So I had to stay in and read, but it was a nice change for a usual Friday nite.

On Saturday after my book group and a bit of shopping (usual pasttime here in the city- too much temptation), Bret and I made a simple pasta dinner with fennel salad. Then we walked over to the movie theatre. We had forgotten that going to the movies in England is a wee different than it is in the US. In the US, Bret and I like to check out what time the movie is playing, then if we have some time, we go to the bookstore and browse and then go to our movie. But here in the UK, bookstores close at 5, so while you wait for the movie, the only thing to do is drink. This is not convenient, because drinking makes us sleepy. We were really missing our Barnes and Noble days while we sipped our gin and tonics, but after walking around a bit, we discovered a lovely tea house open late and had some herbal infusions. Finally, it was time for our movie: 21. It was really entertaining! Spacey plays an excellent villain, Bosworth looks beautiful, and the main actor does a really great job.

But Sunday was the most fun because we started our new gym! It is amazing and really cheap. Just 44 pounds a month for our joint membership (which is excellent round here). And the gym is huge. It's in the shopping district of city centre, in a mall called Eldon Square. There is tons of equipment, lots of fun classes, courts, and we even get access to the pool! Bret lifted weights while I did a 'tone and stretch' class. I am now so sore from not working out in 5 months! But it's gonna be great.

That nite, we ate at Eye on the Tyne, a very nice restaurant with ok food. The rain had finally ceased and the river was like glass. After dinner, we walked around in the peaceful dusk, and went home to curled up on our couches with our Horlick's chocolate malts. We watched Brick, which I got from our blockbuster delivery service. Good times...

Friday, April 11, 2008

How to Decorate an Atrocious Rental

How to Decorate an Atrocious Rental
By Claudia Vilato

With the housing market ever more uncertain, more of us are holding off on the mortgage and opting for the rental. But what’s out there isn’t always new, modern, or sleek. Let’s face it, for some of us, home is a 70s shag carpet with green walls, pink sponged doors, and blinking fluorescent lights. Here are some tips on how to make the most of your dump- I mean digs.

1. Work out the layout: Nurture your inner designer and make a bird’s eye view plan of each room to create your furniture layout. Take measurements and get large furniture items in the room first. Then work out the accessories.
2. Say No to Hodge-podge: If you’ve already got a gnarly home or apartment, don’t make it worse by loading up the room with mismatched furniture. Your grandmother’s 19th Century vanity does not match your white Ikea bed. Keep it consistent to create a mood to the room.
3. Simplicity is key: Start collecting knick-knacks and your home will start to look like a lion’s den. De-cluttering is the name of the game.
4. Develop your green thumb: Kiss your plant-phobia good-bye! Nothing enlivens a room more than a little Mother Nature in the home. Ferns, flowers, and potted shrubs not only improve indoor air quality, but fill up awkward or dull spaces. Vases with fresh-cut flowers or long-lasting cuttings like bamboo or eucalyptus also refresh a dingy room. Take a look at the lighting of each room, and choose your plants accordingly. Oh, and don’t forget to water.
5. Lights!: Nothing ruins a space more than dreary lighting. And in a rental, you can get stuck with some pretty horrendous illumination. So try to get floor lamps or table lamps whenever possible. Paper lanterns are a cheap and lovely, and if you can change the ceiling lights, go for track lights, down lights, or dimmers. Sexy and stylish should be your motto.
6. Clever cover-ups: We’ve all had to deal with it: the furnished rental. Why they so often choose couches and tables circa 1950 is beyond comprehension, but they do, and we’re stuck with ‘em. Do not just get an old sheet to cover up the furniture. Get proper couch and chair coverings. It will make all the difference. And if your dining room table displays a collage of fossilised macaroni, a funky mod tablecloth should do the trick.
7. Wall art: Ok, I know what you’re thinking, “If I had 500 pounds to spend, I wouldn’t be in this hole.” But art doesn’t have to be expensive. Clearance stores like the Gift Shop often have fresh canvassed photography for just 5-10 pounds. Second-hand art books can also provide some fantastic designs. And if the muses pay you a visit, a few deliberate paint splatters on a blank canvas sheet would make a great cover-up for that mould-infested hole in the wall.
8. Area rugs: They define space, add colour, and double up as great yoga mats. Place squarely in front of a couch, or at an angle to add interest to a bland room. Make sure it’s stain-free and vacuumed often.
9. Good smells: Ok, so you’re done with your décor, and you’ve transformed your ugly duckling of a home into an elegant swan. But the previous tenants smoked, had 3 cats, 4 dogs, and a cage of exotic birds. So what to do about foul odours? If you’ve got a carpet, get it steam-cleaned immediately. Wash the walls, vacuum with neutralizing powder, and light up your incense. No matter how beautiful your home, if it smells like a farm, you won’t have many visitors.
10. Don’t forget to tidy: I know, this is more a matter of discipline than design. But you shouldn’t neglect to give every room a good scrubbing at least once a week, kitchen and bath twice a week. To save money, buy an all-purpose cleaner which can be used on floors, surfaces, in tubs and toilets. If you’ve got a lot of stuff thrown about, buy organisers and wardrobe drawers. Oh, and just because your mom doesn’t nag you about it anymore doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pick up your clothes off the floor.

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Braudia's 2nd Home Together

We have finally done it: left Coronation House in Durham and moved to a nice, new flat in Newcastle. We rented a Peugeot station wagon for 3 days and drove back and forth all weekend in the snow. Yes, you read it correctly: snow! It's mid-April here in the UK, and there are still snowstorms. The weather hasn't changed much since we got here, and we're getting tired of this 7 month winter...but I digress, let me tell you about our new house.

We live about 1 mile away from the train station, in a quiet neighbourhood between the Quayside (party district) and Ouseburn (art district). We looked at many very nice flats, but most were too small. Finally, we found a 2 bedroom for the same price that we're paying now. It's a remodelled/furnished 2 bedroom/1 bath with hardwood floors, white walls, a green accent wall, and very efficient heating.

As you walk through the door, you see a hallway with several doors. The first door to the right is the bedroom. It has one window with vertical blinds (would have never chosen them, but hey, can't win em all) and natural wood furnishings. We have 2 wardrobes in there (no closets- damn Brits!) which we have filled with very effective storage from Ikea, a double bed, and nightstands on each side.

The bathroom is across from the bedroom. We took down the 'half-glass' shower door that was on the tub and hung up our shower curtain. For those of you who do not know, Europeans are very fond of the 'half-glass' shower door. It is the stupidest invention every because it doesn't prevent water from splashing outside of the shower. It also collects mildew. It also falls off sometimes. It is shit. Anyway, so we put up a normal shower curtain and bought a glass cabinet for our toiletries. Now our bathroom is virtually clutter-free.

As you continue down the hall (very nicely lit by a track light), to the right, you will find another door- the office. We are still waiting on James, the estate agent to remove some of the landlord's crap from the flat, including an extra bed, so this room has not been finished yet. All we can say is that it will have two desks, computers, and a bookshelf.

Finally, at the end of the hall, you reach the Living/dining/kitchen. It is all one room, but we have sectioned off the furniture in an L shape to create a living room/tv room nook. The couches are very dark leather and very nice. There is a large window which faces the church (its bell rings every hour, which sometimes wakes me up at 4am!). As in all European churches, there are a few dead people buried on the grounds. Unlike in the US, it is not freaky here to be living next to a 'cemetary' because they are everywhere. Even playgrounds are built on cemetaries (I suppose for some this might conjure up beautiful 'circle of life' imagery- new life and death coexisting peacefully- not so much for me, but I'm now used to it). We also get a small view of the river and the Millenium Bridge- which is super cool when lit up at night.

Finally, our kitchen is quite spacious. Our fridge is hidden in one cabinet and our freezer in another. We also have a washer/'dryer' hidden in a third. I put quotes around dryer because it sucks. It doesn't have an air vent, so it semi-dries. It also takes about 3 hours to wash, so we need to work on that.

Anyway, pictures are forthcoming. We must get the office done!