Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Misty Monday

I went to the Arts & Antiques Fair at Kensington Olympia last night on short notice with Miss S. It was so lovely to be surrounded once more with special things. It was weird to adjust my mind, which had been immersed all day in financial matters, to identifying the objets d'art and furniture I once knew well. It gets harder every time...

We saw a former classmate, who has been working at Malletts (fine art & antiques) for a month, since leaving Bridgeman (picture library).

Hm! How does this happen?

Oh and there were such cute guys there! More of my types than Miss S and her surfer dudes. I keep telling her to move out to California or Australia. And I should move to Chelsea or Richmond. :)

Goodness. I thought I had more to say than this...

I am sure I forgot something.

Murphy's Law:
My childhood friend Christopher's mother texted me yesterday to say she would call me tonight to arrange my visit this weekend. I have been home all evening. I went downstairs at 9 to heat up some couscous and make some tea. Christopher called...when I was in the kitchen, of course, so I missed the call.

Bonne nuit!

18 comments:

AmitL said...

Hi,Olivia..the Arts and Antiques Fair seems to be quite an interesting one.And,don't u just love it,when school/childhood friends get in touch?(And,hate it when u miss their calls?Heh heh.)Sadly,most of my school friends are now scattered all around the world, instead of my home town(including me,in Dubai)..so, once in a while we stay in touch via email.

Um Naief said...

It is weird how fast we forget about things when we're away from it... I notice the same, especially w/ speaking and writing skills.

I went to a craft fair this past weekend - different from yours, but it was nice to see all the Christmas things and to be around all the ppl.

michelle said...

it happens, did I tell u I locked my keys in my locker and my lock had to be broken

and I passed all my exams

Anonymous said...

Amit - I have quite far-ranging friends but not as scattered as yours, mostly in the US from my years there.

We keep in touch by phone, email and via my blog.

What a surprise then when I received a call out of the blue from a uni mate who returned to England from the US about the same time I did, yet we lost touch - for four years - so spent two evenings on the phone catching up!

***

Tooners - how is your Arabic?

Mostly, I am fascinated that there was a Christmas Crafts fair in Manama, although I realise it is very cosmopolitan, like Dubai.

I recently read that Bahrain is smaller than the airport in Saudi, which covers something like 300 sq. miles (nearly 800 sq. km)!

***

Jia Li - oopsie daisy, well at least it was only the locker and not the house door.

Congratulations on passing! Well, that course is a breeze for you anyway! I am glad you are doing what you love and enjoying it.

The Moody Minstrel said...

I'm glad the drudgery of office work hasn't driven all the art out of your life (or the guy-watching?). ;-)

I'm afraid that, not being British, the "Chelsea or Richmond" thing was lost on me, though I definitely know the California or Australia images all too well.

Maybe you need to put a phone ringer in your kitchen so you won't miss calls while you're in there. Or not.

Anonymous said...

You mean you like Italian and French men?
So long as these do not include any pointy-shoe-wearing. *Shudder*.

Are you voting in the US (are you a citizen?). Welcome in the Pelosi years!

I'd forgotten about the Olympia fair, booo.

Btw, we are going to try to look at flats in St. John's Wood!

ML said...

I agree, move to where the cute guys are :)

Beenzzz said...

Yes, the cute men should always come first. ;)

Leilouta said...

I am fascinated that there was a Christmas Crafts fair in Manama too. I don't know where my mom bought her christmas decorations when we were living in Tunisia, but the crafts that my brothers and I made for the tree were much better:)

Leilouta said...

btw, I love your halloween costume, I was going to dress up as a Muslim woman with the burka, but chickened out, so I just wore a silly red wig.

Olivia said...

Minstrel - It's not my kitchen. And now I feel a bit miffed for living in one room in a house, even if it is big and has its own bathroom...

The best comparison I can make for Chelsea is probably the Chelsea in NYC. London's Chelsea began as a sort of suburb and has gentrified from its artisan past (Chelsea pottery, anyone?) to include a mix of the upper classes and the avant garde.

In a NY sense, Richmond can compare to Scarsdale in Westchester county in terms of exclusivity, though the UK being socialist there is always a more egalitarian mix. Style-wise, I could pretty much say it is like historic Richmond, Va.
London's Richmond is by the river, far from the city but close enough to commute within an hour.

Anyone who knows better than I do, feel free to correct me.

***

Rebecca - ugh! Maybe, but not pointy-shoed ones.
I was actually talking about the English public school boy types, need I say more?

To Chelsea and Richmond I add some Fulham and maybe a bit of Kensington.

Yay! SJW Rules with all its trees, and a straight shot into town on the Jubbly line! Come on over!

***

ML - yeah, sad to say they're not that good looking in St John's Wood.

***

Beenz - Definitely a priority now!

***

Leilouta - fascinated are you? hehe :)

Thanks. Now, we can see a burka any day, but a red wig is another story!

***

The Moody Minstrel said...

Umm...Olivia...I'm from the West Coast...and I've never been to New York...

I take it that Chelsea is kind of artsy and Richmond a bit on the sophisticated side?

Word verification gxkgDOH!!!

Anonymous said...

"English public school boy types"

What's that type like? Never seen any of those before!
I think they're very uncommon in my area.

Um Naief said...

We get two Christmas fairs a year here. There are TONS of Catholics in the country w/ lots of churches and whatnot. The fair was fantastic.... lots and lots of goodies. Ppl, the American Women's Assoc., set up booths where you can sell what you bake, make and such. It's very nice and they have huge crowds of ppl. This year we saw one of the King's daughters shopping w/ her son and little girl.

In a few wks the other will come which will have more crafts. I love going... makes me feel very festive... altho most of the Christmas stuff is overpriced. the food is always good though.

Not sure how big the airport is, but it's pretty good size.

It is very cosmopolitan here. Not like Dubai, but close.

michelle said...

yes, I am, so sorry that I am busy....I am creating my own airline now, Bellaria...

Anonymous said...

Moody - yes but I thought you would have lived in the US long enough to get an idea of NYC just from news and media and the like. For instance, in that sense, NY is more accessible than Seattle. I wouldn't know what the fancy neighbourhoods there are, but the reputations of the NY Boroughs and the environs are sort of common knowledge. Aren't they? Like Queens or the Bronx or The Hamptons...

***

Chris - yes indeed they are rare or even nonexistent in most of North America. Um, Hugh Grant is one, but he's old now. I will have a look and let you know.

***

Tooners - I can't wait to see any piccies, possibly, of your Christmas decorations. Hm?

***

Jia Li - Cute name! What is the colour scheme? You're going to enjoy designing this one...

Anonymous said...

Yeah, I am curious to see it and to live somewhere new. I looove living in K&C and we are quite spoiled here, but Ive pretty much always lived in SW London, so something new would be fun while we're still renting.
But of course we never have TIME. I will keep you posted.

Maybe when we come up to see properties (not for a few weeks now between trips and this and that) perhaps you can give us a neighbourhood tour!

michelle said...

hey libby, I don't feel so good today. But I have to work anyway. I havn't slept very well today. Its just 8 hours. I hope its not busy. I guess I will go see a doctor its the same thing I had in China. Whatever I eat makes me sick. It makes me feel uncompy.