I'm getting to travel quite a bit in the next few months, which is a nice change to sitting in the office in front of a PC all day.
On Monday I went up to Birmingham - second biggest city in Britain. It doesn't exactly have a reputation for being 'pretty' and isn't really a holiday destination. But it does attract a lot of business and the ICC (part of the NEC group) is one of the busiest convention centres in the country. It's located right in the city centre which is quite unusual, just a 10 minute walk from New Street Station via Victoria Square. It surprisingly also has more miles of canals than Venice! And the canal flows right behind the ICC.
I really liked the venue. It offers a lot of flexibility and despite its size, everything is still close together - making it a comfortable experience for the delegates. On the ground floor there are a number of shops and restaurants. It has a number of hotels around it, too, which means that you don't need any public transport at all once you've arrived in the city. Birmingham airport is also just a short train ride away and offers a large number of international flights as well as regular budget airline connections. My train from London only took less than 1.5 hours. Not as far as I thought!
And most impressively: twinned with Frankfurt (where I was born), they've been hosting the Frankfurt Christmas Market for the last 12 years! Apparently the largest German Christmas Market outside Germany! It's a disgrace really that I've never been!
Some impressions:
Baskerville House
The new library - with some building work outside
Hall of Memory - a war memorial in Centenary Square
After I returned two of the three pair of shoes that I had ordered online, I thought I spoil myself with some shoe shopping - not least as Friday was pay day (and they were a bargain, too)!
Next up was Brighton Dome.
I was actually not aware of this venue. It's amazing though! Originally
built as the Prince Regent's stables and riding house it is now a
multi-arts venue. Designed by the same architect who designed the Royal
Pavilion and just a stone throw from the Royal Pavilion as well as the
Brighton Pier.
Both the exterior and the interior are listed! The main auditorium which is used for concerts, performances as well as meetings, holds up to 1,700 people.
Brighton Dome is a not for profit organisation, and the income they generate from
corporate events goes directly to support their artistic programme, which includes the Brighton Festival.
The lady from Brighton Dome was accompanied by a representative from Peyton Events who provide catering to a number of venues - including the Dome. And very kindly he had brought a goody bag filled with cookies, honeycomb (I can't eat that stuff - it just sticks to your teeth and is overly sweet for my liking...) and marshmallows.
Under the illusion that January would be relatively quiet at work, I've made some appointments to meet with a number of venues. Last week it was a whole team from Edinburgh - I was a bit surprised that suddenly four people showed up... not sure whether I didn't read the emails properly, but I expected only one!
Edinburgh Convention Bureau - offer help with all aspects of organizing a meeting: venue finding, hotel bookings, planning social events etc.
The Hub - one of Edinburgh's landmarks, just a short walk from the castle, Grade A listed
Apex hotels - a family owned business with 8 hotels in Edinburgh, Dundee and London
Edinburgh First - is the conference arm of the University of Edinburgh and manage a number of venues
I like Edinburgh. It's a really nice city. Lots to do and see but not overwhelmingly big so that you can actually walk to most places in the centre.
In addition to a number of brochures, pen and post-its, I was also given these:
The Scottish Exhibition + Conference Centre (SECC) holds an annual Burns Supper at the Banqueting House in London. For those who don't know, Burns Supper celebrates the Scottish poet Robert Burns and are usually held on or near his birthday (25th January).
The supper has a number of slightly peculiar elements - like the address of the haggis. Everyone stands, when the chef brings in the haggis and someones recites the 'Address to the haggis'. I have to say that I didn't understand a single word of any of Burn's poems that were read throughout the night...
After dinner, somebody gives the Toast to the Lassies (=women) and then a lady replies with the Toast to the Laddies (=men). This year Kaye Adams (former presenter on Loose women) gave a very funny toast to the laddies.Until she got up to the stage, I hadn't actually spotted her...
Banqueting House is situated on Whitehall in Westminster, just a short walk from the Houses of Parliament and Trafalger Square. The Main Hall is very impressive, especially the ceiling paintings and the food was absolutely delicious. Haggis was served in the form of haggis filled ravioli - and fortunately didn't taste of offal at all!
In addition to the very nice food, more importantly, I really felt looked after. The people from the SECC and their partners from Visit Scotland and the Glasgow Convention Bureau made sure that the evening was very pleasant. I was introduced to people and was never just left by myself.
Overall, it was a fantastic evening - and I am very much looking forward to my trip up to Glasgow in a couple of weeks!
I usually prefer gaudy colours like pinks and reds. The ciate bon bon nail polish is one of my very few nude polishes and once in a while I quite like the more classic look, too. After just one day of plain nude nails though, I craved a bit of colour. So I used my new China Glaze Wicked Style to create a dotty design:
I'm still 'catching up' with my DVD collection and over the weekend it was time for some swooning over Owen Wilson in Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris. IMDb says: "While on a trip to Paris with his fiancé's family, a nostalgic
screenwriter finds himself mysteriously going back to the 1920s every
day at midnight."
The film, which came out in 2011 received very good reviews and was awarded the 2012 Golden Globe for Best Screenplay. It didn't convince me.
As much as I like Owen W., his character was slightly annoying and I guess I didn't like the fantasy bit about the story of him being able to go back to the 1920s - and not even being all that surprised by it. The film has clearly all the typical Woody Allen elements with Owen playing Woody's part very well.
I did like some of the dialogue/monologues:
Hemingway and Gil Pender (aka Owen W) talk about fear of death.
Hemingway:
All men before you have done it and all men will do.
... Have you ever made love to a truly great woman?
... And when you make love to her, you'll at least for that moment lose your fear of death.
... I believe that love that is true and real creates a respite from death.
... All cowardice comes from not loving or not loving well which is the same.
Gertrude Stein:
We all fear death and question our place in the universe. The artist's job is not to succumb to despair but to find the antidote for the emptiness of existence.
Church House Conference Centrehad invited their (potential) clients to a champagne reception and dinner with entertainment last week. I really like the venue! While it's right in the centre of London, it's kind of tucked away in Dean's Yard right next to Westminster Abbey. It's an elegant venue with stately stairs and balconies and the Assembly Hall is just stunning.
Catering is provided by Kudos who provide excellent service and great food (by Norman Webb, the Head Chef). Richard, who is in charge of overseeing the catering, should be nominated to be the next Bond! He looks fantastic in his black suit and would make a very dapper agent 007!
In between courses, we were treated to three entertainment acts, which we then had to vote on for one extra special performance. I thought it was a bit harsh having to vote on them, but there you go.
First up was a group of four dancing girls. I'm afraid I can't remember their name. Some of their moves were really impressive, but overall it wasn't really my cup of tea. Next up was a jazz singer - again, unfortunately, I forgot his name. Very nice voice for sure - but I just don't like jazz... And last but not least, it was Pippa the Ripper with a kind of burlesque hula hoop performance. Pippa was part of last year's Olympic opening ceremony as Mary Poppins floating into the stadium and she was also part of the Paralympics closing ceremony.
Sure enough, Pippa won the contest and delighted the audience with another performance in the dark with glowing hula hoops. I'm sure, especially the men in the audience, were in awe of her bum on display as much as with her hoop skills. ;-)
As my birthday is always during the holidays, I had a belated birthday surprise waiting for me on my return to the office. Cake, candles (can't even remember when I last blew out birthday cake candles!!!) and the perfect presents. My colleagues do know me quite well, I suppose!
a Hello Kitty birthday card
Pink China Glaze nail polish in Wicked Style - which against all odds I didn't have yet
nail art stickers: aquarium themed and fruity styles
Never order shoes online. That's my mantra. Which I never stick to...
And with my long holiday, I spent far too much time in various online shops. As a result, I ordered three pairs of shoes - of which I've decided to keep only one (the most expensive one, of course...).
They are really comfy and should also keep my feet warm - which is very convenient, now that temperatures dropped considerably over here.
0°C and somebody is actually walking around in shorts.
Weather warnings for the whole country, everyone is advised to stay at home and not travel tomorrow. Snow is expected and if it does come, it will surely bring the whole country to a standstill. One of these British peculiarities... I am still hoping that the weather forecast is wrong as so often.
Following my sister's recommendation, I went to see Uncle Vanya at the Vaudeville Theatre tonight. I got a discounted ticket from the Theatrepeople website - so only paid £19. Admittedly the seat was in the Upper Circle with very limited leg space but good enough views of the stage.
I admittedly knew nothing about the story before I went. And I am afraid I didn't like it. It was all very miserable and I found it rather boring. The couple sitting next to me actually left during the interval. The play is of course meant to convey the dreariness of the life of some of the main characters but I just found it very depressing.
I liked all the actors - including Anna Friel as Yelena - but just not the story, I guess. Nevertheless it made a nice change to watching the telly ;-)
First day back at work after a three week holiday.
It surprisingly wasn't as bad as I had expected. But in any case, I was looking forward to a 1 hour Swedish massage. Thanks to another Time Out voucher, I only paid £15 (normal price £42) at FDL Hair & Beauty, a 10 minute walk from the office.
The set up of the treatment room isn't quite as luxurious as others I've been to. Also, as there is another room right next door, the calming music in my room mixed with the music next door, which produced a rather weird combination. There was no place for my clothes, so I just had to put them on the floor and the towel to cover me was too small...
But otherwise, the massage was definitely one of the best, I've ever had! A little - ok, VERY - painful on the upper back, but then that's where I get all tense from sitting in front of the computer all the time. So, it's probably good that somebody really digs into those muscles knots.
I got my first diary when I was 10 or 11. For several years, I wrote quite regularly. I haven't yet read back my diaries from my teenager years - and I fear that it would all be very cringe-worthy stuff... Especially as not much was actually happening!
This morning, I found my latest diary in my bedside stand. And when I say 'latest': the last entry is from 2006... It was weird reading things that happened 6-7 years ago. Most of it, I can remember very well. Most disappointing was to read that I struggled with the same issues that I am struggling with today. Nevertheless, I do feel that I have come - maybe not a long but at least some - way since back then.
On my last visit to my parents, I rediscovered the fun of doing a jigsaw. I find it very therapeutic: you can just switch off and concentrate entirely on the task at hand. And it's so satisfying when you find a piece that fits (and a little frustrating when the piece that you've been looking for for ages, is right next to the bit where it belongs...).
The Wasgij jigsaws have the added twist, that you can't actually see what the end result of the jigsaw will be! The picture on the box shows something that somehow relates to the final image.
I just did this one (1,000 pieces):
