Bowery Mural

Bank holiday weekend, part uno

Wednesday 31 August 2011

Please indulge me by allowing me to tell you about my packed weekend. They are few and far between in my life so I want to share it with you. Settle in, this could take a while.

I'd booked a long weekend off work, partly because I knew there'd be some plans and partly because I have days to use by the end of September. Still have some left.

Friday I was meant to go to Edinburgh to catch something at the festival but that turned in to Saturday, which is quite lucky come to think of it because Friday was spent in town trying to find a top to wear to the party on Saturday night (more on this later). I parked the car outside the centre with a 2 hour parking limit. This was deliberate! I wandered around the shops. The usual places. Trying to decide which top would go best with a skirt i'd had hanging in my wardrobe since i bought it in the Warehouse sale 2 years ago. The sale ticket was still attached. After visiting nearly all acceptable shops in town i decided to get something to eat and mull over my options. With a full belly and a clearer head i started off in New Look. Bought a top for work. Deviation. That was a deviation from the plan and i had approximately 38 minutes left on my parking ticket.

Next stop was Zara. Ooh hello lovely red trousers. Distraction. I was being distracted by my love of all trousers bright, and as yet i don't have a pair of red trousers in my rainbow collection. Buy me some, somebody! Anyway, i headed into the changing room with two variations of red trews and two cream coloured tops. The first one was nice. Really sat nice with my jeans actually (I may buy this later). The second top was just right. I could hear the tick tock of the clock on that parking ticket and i was NOT going to get a late ticket! I had 12 minutes to pay for the top and get to the car. The red trousers went back on the rail. Til another day.

I got back to the car, then headed to Tesco for some baking supplies and then homewards. Next up was spin class. This really is my favourite one. I've been trying to find s decent bike. You know, one that doesn't squeak, one that holds my bikes shoes securely in the pedals and one that the gear isn't too easy. I think i found it!

After spin it was home to a shower, hair wash and some dinner. I straightened my hair then curled it again with the straighteners. I know, i know i have curly hair but i have tight ringlet curls at the front of my hair and big wavy ones at the back. The straighten/curl method gives a more uniform messy cool look that i like, so that's what i did. Next it was nails. I opted for Butter London's All About McQueen. A dark nude shade with lots of gold shimmer. Subtle and lovely. I was pleased.

its a bit dark in this picture

Saturday i woke early. Today i had plans. For the first time in a long while i actually had Saturday plans. I trained it to Edinburgh at 12 and hoped the rain stayed off. It did. On arrival i ad to find the EdFringe box office and buy a ticket for Mr Neil Fox's Great Brain Robbery. Check out the story of EdFringe via The Brains' tumblr HERE. After standing in an endless queue that seemed to get bigger as it did smaller, i think it was about 35 minutes, i had my ticket. With only enough time for a quick cuppa i set off to find the venue. It was tricksy. My battery was at 45%, plus the 3G signal was shocking for a capital city. Honestly. Sort it out mobile phone operators! Google maps helped.

I arrived at the venue but headed for a cuppa first. I had 20 minutes before curtain up. I had too. My stomach was grumbling so much. Tea and a cupcake. That would hold me til i got home for my dinner later. As I waited in line a familiar face arrived in the form of Mark and two of his friends. We waited in line and then were shown into the venue through a series of doors and darkened narrow corridors. I likened it to a theme park ride in Florida. Where you stand in a queue but yet it's unlike a queue it's actually part of the ride. If you've been you'll know what i mean. The venues was The Caves. And inside to room was dark, vaulted low ceiling and about 30 chairs for the audience to sit on. The actors were already on stage, ready for their start. And start they did. It was an hour of laughs, wigs, songs, decent Scottish accents (for a Southerner) and fun. It was non stop. I don't know how they did it/do it. Afterwards we had quick drinks and catching up in the bar and i headed off to catch the train back home for that nights celebrations. It was good to see Twitter friends and i'm so glad I saw Neil & Co's show. Well done them!



Heading home on the train my battery ran out. Grrrr. That was all that trying to get a signal in the middle of a capital city business. It was kinda liberating. Gave me a chance to think about stuff. People. Places. What's important. The usual stuff really. I arrived home at 6 and was due to leave for the party at 7.15. That didn't happen. It was gone 8 when Dad and I drove over to the venue. A girl has to get ready you know! If i do say so my outfit was lovely. The skirt and top were a really good match and my shoes were ace! The party was busy when we arrived. Oh, I should've said. This was the party of Brian, my wee cousin. He was 30 last week but the big news is that he's off travelling for a year. He leaves on Monday! Eek, i'll miss him. Anyway, it was mobbed. Family, friends, work colleagues old and new, he had a great turnout. It was gone 30 minutes past midnight when i finally gave in and came home. Afterall I was to be up early the next day for another day out.... to be continued.

Angela x


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My BucketList, an update

Monday 22 August 2011

My bucket list if you'll remember from here, was somethings from my bigger bucket list for the year that I wrote way back here in May 2010. It was something to spur me on to get out more and to do new things or things i haven't done for a while. Well, it's safe to say that I haven't really been doing anything on it except i have seen more movies at the cinema (hello Cineworld Unlimited card!!). I really really want to score a few things off the list but they are mostly things that can't, no, shouldn't be done on your own. As a little reminder, here is the summer list....

  1. I want to see a real life piece of Banksy art, if you know where there's one please shout out now! Even better, come with me, YO!
  2. I want to go to Alton Towers. I've not been to the funfair for years and I want a blow-out I'll be scared and scream but I want to go! Go go go go go.......
  3. I still ache to walk along a Scottish beach, be it sunny or windy or rainy or whatever. I will do it.
  4. Another trip to Londontown. I like it and it will help when doing the first thing on this list. Won't it?
  5. Climb more hills. Well at least one. Which will be one more than last year. Yes it's been that long.
  6. Seeing lots more new films. I've not been to the cinema for a couple of few but that will be rectified this weekend with a cinema fest.
  7. go to Edinburgh festival to see a friend perform. Can't wait for that. My first time at the festival!

So number 6 is so far the winning bullet point. In the past month i've seen Bridesmaids, Horrible Bosses, Captain America, The Devils Double, and i'm sure another but can't remember. All good films in my opinion. The first two were great for a laugh and to take your mind off other stuff for a few hours. Go see them.

Number 1 and number 4: Hhmmm well the trip to Londontown will have to wait until early next year i think and so unless Mr Banksy comes a paints some art on the hut in my garden, the chances of me seeing one in real life before the year's out is slim. But i can wait. More time to research their whereabouts!

Number 2!!!!!! Alton Towers, a theme park! I so want to go. Before the weather turns too bad. Will someone come with me please?!! we could hire a minibus and take a few bodies too. Come on? for a fun filled day out. Let's do it, dudes!! (Sorry for the excess use of the exclamation mark).

Number 5. Yet another that i long to do. But i'm reluctant to go off up the hills on my own. I just won't do it. I'm a fearty.

Number 7. Aah Lucky number 7. The Edinburgh festival is in full swing and alas I still haven't been. But, but, but, I'm off for a long weekend from this Friday and hopefully I'll be popping along to see the wonderful Mr Neil Fox in The Great Brain Robbery. Now running daily from 1.45pm for an hour at The Caves. Get tickets here!! If you wanna come along on Friday with me, tweet me @Ange77H.

And finally number 3. Well his time next week i should be able to blog about this. Fingers crossed the weather is nice. I'm looking forward to that mini adventure!

Now, enough with the things i haven't quite done yet and onto the stuff i have been up to. Well mostly working and spin classes. I'm averaging 4 spin bike classes per week but things aren't quite going to plan. I do think I need to pick it up a bit and do other forms of exercise. I'm just so nervous about going into the gym though. I prefer to go at quiet times but the gym is so good that it's mostly busy up until about 8pm. Is that too late to be gyming? I tend to find that once i'm home I can't quite get the motivation to go back out again. It's just laziness probably. Definitely. Since the gym is but a 10 minute drive away.

Spin class

Results aren't too bad but could be better.

I've recently become obsessed (nah, not really obsessed, what's another word for it?) with painting my nails in loads of different colours. Tropical Paradise pink, Strawberry Margarita, electric blue, bright purple as well as Glitter in the Rain - a fave. Previously, i was a barely there pink kinda girl but that's changed.





What else? Let me see....Well, I've met new people and have even visited Illegal Jack's in Edinburgh. Very nice it was too. Although my use of a fork and knife to eat a burritto was mocked. There's a way to eat it apparently. I also dined at Jamie's Italian on a lazy Saturday afternoon. It was nice. Except the cotton napkin appeared to be all fluff which ended up all over my purple trousers. Not a good look.
Jamie's Italian - Carbonara

Illegal Jack's - burrito...with fork and knife! AND ice cream as my fellow diner had just become Mayor! :)

Overall it's been a fun summer. But could've been a lot better. Now i have to go and draw the window over. The crisp early autumnal wind is blowing in.

Angela x

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Brad Visits Scotland

Sunday 21 August 2011

Philadelphia!
If you've been living under a bush for the past few days you won't know this but Brad, Angelina and their brood are in Scotland! Brad is filming a new movie mostly around George Square in Glasgow but today he's been in Grangemouth. Wait! back up, you all know Brad? Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie? Only one of the most famous couples on the planet.

Anyway, i headed on the train to Glasgow yesterday in search of a glimpse of aforementioned movie star. What I saw was loads of American cars, signs, flags and a few extras running down a street, but alas no sign of Brad. There was definitely filing taking place. The big blue crane was hoisted high in the sky and another camera on an all black pursuit car as driving by.


In all honesty, yes he's Brad Pitt and he's pretty lovely but if i were to choose I'd say I'd rather meet Angelina in person. I find her fascinating. Her past, her present, her work for the UN, all of it. Plus besides me, she's the only other cool person i know to be called Angie *smileyface*.

I'm sure you've seen plenty of these pictures by now but here are mine from the movie set. Enjoy!

Angela x

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Ryan Goes To School

Tuesday 16 August 2011

Today was the big day. The day he'd, we'd, been counting down to for a good few weeks (years). He was up at 7.30 and ready to go at 8.30. A crisp white short sleeved shirt, black trousers and shoes he'd chosen himself on holidays. To finish off the uniform was the blue tie with gold diagonal stripes that once belonged to wee Bri (who turns 30 next week). With his hair newly shorn last week he was set. He was well smart.

Ryan, 5, school boy
We went to see him about 8.40 and after a few pictures he was pacing the living room looking out the window at all the children being taken across the road and down the path to St Margaret's, his new primary school. He showed us the contents of his Buzz Lightyear lunch box. Water, orange, banana, a dunker box, two pieces, two mini sausage rolls, beef Hula Hoops and a biscuit. Yes, he can't eat when he wants to.

A little while later Wee Bri and Catherine Anne came to visit and then it was time to go. We set off. Me, Mum, Karen, Brian, Ryan and Connor in his buggy. I can't remember the last time i walked down to the school. The school where we spent some great times as children. Memories were flooding back and i hoped that Ryan's time there would be just as great as when i was there. It really is a good wee school.

St Margaret's
There were little groups of mums, dads, grannies all gathered round whilst the kids went inside with there parents. Karen took Ryan in and we chatted until she came back out. About 10 minutes later she came out saying he was settled in fine and was already in the process of making her a necklace which she might get when she went back for him at 3 o'clock. We were happy. Connor was sitting in his buggy asking for Ryan but Karen was taking him into town on the 'big bus for sweeties'. He was happy. Wait til he realises Ryan wasn't coming back after for a few hours....

Connor


Angela x

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