RandomnessAugust 13, 2011 10:09 pm
Where was I for the past 3 months?
This time it’s for the Food and Wine Festival. The weather was great and we indulged in overpriced food and some wine.
Gnome Garden!!!! We explored the maze nearby and had quite a bit of fun doing that. Also found the bag of aggis hanging off the back of the Hercules statue. =)
Will post more pics once I get hold of them.
AUMO recital tonight!! I can’t wait to see how weverything turns out =)
Happy weekend.
Amazingness. ‘Nuff said.
No wait, it was 10 times better than the book. Only very loosely based on Gregory Macguire’s version with a much happier ending. Very Disney-esque especially with the songs. Superb choreography and I think the Wizard machine is my absolute favourite. *sigh*
I could watch it again, seriously.
Our plan last Sunday was to have some brioche for breakfast at a patisserie at Unley. Unfortunately, we were late and therefore missed out on that. Instead, we decided to try out this ‘grocer’s’ store + cafe which was handling a healthy stream of business.
It was pricey-er than most usual breakfast options. I wasn’t too particular about having my free range eggs so we settled for scones + jam and cream instead which was quite reasonably priced. I had their chai latte as well which was quite good. I’d prefer it to the ones at Cibo. =P
Randomness, wanderlustMay 3, 2011 7:27 am
Unlike the structures of Stonehenge, Nelson’s column at Trafalgar Square was much bigger than I thought it would be. Those lions flanking the column on each side were HUGE, add that to the pedestal they were put upon and I found myself in a stitch as to how I could get myself up there. Thankfully, a random passerby gave me a bit of a helping hand and I had the opportunity to take a couple of photos with the lions (mostly funny shots involvling me being plastered on their hindquarters, which I will not put up here).
Just a stone’s throw away is the national art gallery with an impressive amount of steps leading up to it (as is customary??). Unsurprisingly, the steps were littered with groups and cliques of young people conducting their own agenda.
Not suprisingly, practically all businesses were closed during the Easter long weekend holidays, leaving those of us who were stranded in Adelaide with plenty of time on our hands but not much to do. Fortunately however, certain what I would call ‘touristy’ spots were still operating, allowing us to nigh tail out of the city and explore.
Well we did just that. A short drive away from the city is an old mansion situated on Carrick Hill. From the photos on its website, the interior looked just like the old georgian / regency style houses in Europe which got me really excited until I read that the place was actually built in 1935. I felt cheated then. =P
Admission into the house is not free unfortunately but the grounds and gardens are open to the public. There were plenty of nice picnic spots available and the weather was perfect that day as well so we encoutered many families with little kids running (and rolling) on the well kept lawns.
We were however, intent of taking the ’storybook trail’ which had bits and pieces of favourite children’s tales recreated along it. Alice in Wonderland, Winnie the Pooh, Wind in the Willows, Faraway Tree, Secret Garden, Jungle Book, Narnia etc I wished we could have tracked all of them down but we were short on time so it was all quited rushed. Oh well, there may be a next time…. I’m thinking a picnic is in order come spring….
Wind in the Willows
The Secret Garden
Spider from Little Miss Muffet
The Jungle Book
Bilbo’s house at Bag End
RandomnessApril 29, 2011 11:40 am
Well, count me in as part of the statistic watching the live broadcast of the Royal Wedding. Kate Middleton (HRH now??) wearing a rather modest gown by McQueen with a surprisingly short train designed by Sarah Burton, creative designer of McQueen. It was lovely of course, everyone was disposed to love Kate and the dress. She looked just like she usually does, no hint of trying too hard to impress on this important day. Trees in the Westminster though, interesting.
As I am writing this, I am seeing a HUGE Malaysian flag being waved by someone real patriotic from the crowd right outside of Buckingham!!!! Imagine!!!! lol…
Randomness, AdelaideApril 27, 2011 10:01 am
Easter long weekend!!! Road trip time!!!! It was a long overdue trip for us to visit a couple of our friends who are currently doing their 5th year rurally. In this case, Romain and Steph are down at Clare Valley, home of fine Reisling.
Packing my essentials for the trip. I only plan to head down for a night so there wasn’t much to pack really….
Road trip + music
Pit stop at Tarlee for a quick bite. This is the Grasshopper inn I think.
Stone cottage, how quaint.
We’ve arrived!!!!
Well stocked I see…. Superdry
Unfortunately that is the extent of photos I can put up here because what ensued that night involved a few casks of the aforementioned drink which of course led to much rowdiness but less of debauchery. It was highly entertaining to watch….
Randomness, bookshelfApril 26, 2011 12:35 am
It has been a while since I’ve finished reading the book ‘Ivanhoe‘ by Sir Walter Scott so everything about it is rather hazy at the moment. I bought the book at some charity book sale. Been meaning to read it anyway plus it was a nice pocket size (albeit with tiny words) that would be great for me to chuck in my bag and read on the bus. However because of the size and look of it, I always felt like I was reading the psalms whenever I take it out. -__-”
Set in medieval England during the time of King Richard, the tale is about the Saxon knight of Ivanhoe and his adventures in England after returning from the Holy Lands. Ivanhoe may be the titualr character of the book but I must say that he did not see much action at all apart from de-horsing Bois-Guilbert at the lists. Ivanhoe then proceeded to spend the better part of the book out of action suffering from a fatal injury which miraculously healed in time for him to claim his childhood sweetheart Rowena. Well, that’s putting it a bit dry but its the gist of it. My fascination wasn’t with the plot but in the setting and customs. Granted, this was probably written in the first half of 18–, not exactly medieval times but it is interesting to see the interpretations of medieval England during that time and how much our ideas have changed compared to now. Would 200 years unearth something new that changed what was erronously assumed then?
I am not well acquainted with England’s history so I have no idea if Richard Coeur de Lion did actually rule England then. I do know that Normans did come over across the channel and conquered the Saxons (probably why the English and French culture are so intertwined even when they’re at war with each other??) and supposedly ‘gentrified’ them. From what I understand, I THINK it was also the mixture of Norman French and Saxon language which lead to the modern day English which is spoken the world over now.
It was an interesting read because the author took time to give very detailed descriptions of everything. I only have a very rough understanding of the medieval sport of jousting, which involved knights on horses charging at each other from opposite ends. Sir Walter took time to explain the rules in detail and also the general atmosphere usually found surrounding events of these sorts in that time.
I also found the book a pleasant surprise (which kind of left me reeling a little when I came upon it) because all of a sudden, Locksley burst upon the scene to save the King. I was completely taken of guard. When he introduced himself as Locksley, it triggered something in my mind but I dismissed it as impossible. However, the merry friar and all that green tunics made it very suspicious and finally he revealed himself as Robin Hood!!!! What is Robin Hood doing in Ivanhoe’s story?!?!?!?!?! He’s supposed to be making mischieve and robbing the wealthy in his own!!!!! Granted, it was during Richard Lionheart’s reign but….. NEVER have I read a ficticious character making an appearance (and playing such a large part) in another story. It’s like Harry Potter suddenly walks into a setting with Chrestomanci or something similar. Snow white having tea with Cinderella….
Makes me want to go back and re-read the Robin Hood tales. he definitely got a pardon from Richard in one of them but I couldn’t remember exactly the situation when it happened. I would very much like to know if the stories actually correlate with each other.
The other theme is the view of Jews and the oppression the suffered from other Catholics. They were generally despised by everyone and were treated as second class citizens, even lower than the Christian slaves and servants. It’s unfanthomable in this day and age but to read about it in such a matter-of-fact way is frankly weird. I guess that explains all the discrimination of races and people over the decades. One thing the Jews managed to keep themselves is with their skill with gold. =) Money lenders as far back as they go, so in some way, they managed to control monarchs and whole kingdoms by suppplying the crown with necessary funds. How they came about monopolising the currency trade is beyond me but I do wonder whether their fate would be a little different if they were less rich. Seems like it made people hate them more because of the need to borrow (and be indebted to) from an ‘acursed race’???
So there it is, Ivanhoe.
