Monday, November 28, 2005

Summer seems so long ago

Oh dammit, I saw another of those programmes about Dubai and was once again briefly tempted to go, even though today I decided I wouldn't on my 20six blog.

The Ah'Lan! (i.e. Hello!) Hot 100 of Dubai is populated with the small network of people who would be nobody here, but there - they are the It crowd. The party-planners, publishers, entrepreneurs, big spenders, designers, venture capitalists, dotted with the socialite models just to sex things up a bit.

They say it's surreal, a place where dreams are made, but it feels a bit empty to me. Glitter on the surface, hollow in the middle. One of the female businesswomen who made it into the Hot 100 said even she keeps her suitcase at the ready.

Ascot + Beverley Hills + Disney World + the Wild West = Dubai
(Funny how most of that is California.)

**********

I bought some Sirop de Rose today to go with my Indian tonic water. Mmmm, I can totally envision a refreshing summer beverage:
A pitcher, filled with icy water, with a couple of slices of scrumbled lemons, sprigs of crushed mint leaf, tainted with rose syrup, and lightly sweetened with some brown sugar.
...You know the sound a refreshing drink makes when it pours, and the ice cubes tinkle against the sides of the crystal pitcher...

**********

Ooooh round of applause for Liv. I applied for 7 jobs after dinner last night, my previous after-dinner record being 3. In fact, 7 is my all time daily record.

**********

Hey, can I have some of those fairies from Midsummer Night's Dream, bringing me my true love - with true-vision drops in his eyes - for Christmas?
(I am watching the modern BBC adaptation at the mo'.)

13 comments:

michelle said...

sending some faries your way

michelle said...

Hey Liv? Are u online now..my MSN will not work...

Anonymous said...

knock knock!!! Fairies at the door!!! hehehe

7 application is quite a record. I applied for two today. I have one wish for christmas this year: can you guess?

You made me thirsty by the way.

bisous. v.

Olivia said...

Hm...Vanessa's wish for Christmas is to ... get another job in Europe? Find the perfect tango partner?

I meant to make you thirsty!

michelle said...

Good Luck V. I hope you find over there soon.

me. I am waiting to see if I got accepted to art school...I really want to move to St. John's and study Printing...

MattJ said...

I don't think I could ever live in a development like that, it would just remind me too much of Metropolis I think. And once again there is the superior Ex-Pat problem! lol! Besides, if you go somewhere else who's going to make me jealous of the fine foods you get to eat? It won't work as well if you are so far away, as technically these palces you go are 'just down the road' from me! lol!

Olivia said...

Yea, forget Dubai. My friends don't want me to go back to the US, so why would they let me go to a no man's land like UAE?

Just down the road? You're all the way out in the Surrey sticks!

MattJ said...

Compared to my reltive proximity to London until this year, trust me this is 'Just Down the road'. Less than an hour to get to Central London on public transport is 'Just down the road'.

You have to remember that i was brought up in North Wales where 'Just down the road' involves a team of sherpas and a stockpile of Kendall mint cake.

Anonymous said...

Wait, wait, wait, wait. What exactly does it mean to 'scrumble' a lemon? What is the verb, 'to scrumble'?

That's just ruining this entire post for me.

Olivia said...

LOL!
But look you! (Direct quote of Llewellyn in Henry V, to be said with your best accent.)
To a central Londoner for whom it takes 7 minutes to get to Bond Street, an hour's journey is a lot.

Olivia said...

The above was addressed to Matt, by the way.

Randis - scrumble. Oh! I've just realised I didn't make it up... But it looks as it sounds: I wouldn't exactly squeeze the lemon, just squish it up a bit over the water and drop it in. I am sure there's a word for this but I can't think of it.

Anonymous said...

I'd let you come back to the US!! You guessed my wishes pretty well. I really had the first in mind but the second one is pretty accurate, too.

V.

Olivia said...

Ohhhhhhh Veeeeeeeee.........You make me want to cryyyyyyyyyyyy.......!