Friday-Saturday
It's 1am but I am not asleep. I was sleepy earlier, but I have always been a rebel against "getting ready for bed" and "going to bed" because although I like sleeping, I can always find something else to do to delay it.
So what am I doing?
I am eating a crunchy Indian snack (ridiculously spicy for the hour), with water, and it will be followed by an apple.
And through the wonders of Facebook, I'm also discovering that someone I recently met knows someone I have known for a while, who in turn knows people who went to uni with someone I have known for my whole life! (a girl at the office -> a fellow blogger -> her mates -> my childhood friend)
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On Saturday I have a family birthday to attend. Fortunately it starts and ends early, so I will have time to go to the Aussie house-leaving party.
On Sunday, it's the birthday of a family friend in Richmond and the weather looks marvellous...
On Monday I have an interview with an art dealer in Mayfair for a temp booking. Yes, finally, the arts world...
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My work was commended a few times at the office today. Made my day, really.
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Saturday-Sunday update
Woah, it wasn't a BBQ, it was lunch at a Peruvian restaurant. There were 15 of us and we were there for 4 hours! There was a lot of potato on the menu, as that's where the stuff originates. Also, sweet potato and corn, ditto. Quite a bit of plantain and cassava too, which I thought were more Caribbean produce.
Most outstanding was the chili salsa which they served up in little bowls on the side - reddish orange, with cilantro and who knows what else, but it was the most unique chili sauce I have ever tasted. Sort of fruity, and the burn is hearty but short.
The plates of fried plantain slices kept coming, like baskets of rolls in American restaurants. I ordered a plate of seafood (squid, octopus, cod, mussels) marinated in lime and chili, which comes with roasted corn kernels, fresh corn, and sweet potato. But when I discovered how delicious the plantain was slathered with the chili, I stuffed my face with that and left the seafood!!!
In fact, when the waitress discovered how much I loved the chili, she sent some home with me.
Also, my mother and I were the only people who drank cocktails, and we chose the ones containing the Peruvian liquor pisco. Nice buzz :)
At the end, though, they gave us on the house the national drink of Peru: Pisco Sour, which is pisco, lime juice, sugar syrup, angostura bitters, and egg white froth dusted with cinammon.
And there was a nice rotisserie pit in the garden terrace where 4 juicy chickens were sizzling and browning. *drool*. My cousin took one of those chickens home and when they were eating it later on she texted me to say how yummy it was. Even though I was still full, I would have eaten some right then if I could have!
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So my mother went home and I headed off to the Aussie houseleaving party. As soon as I got to the top of the stairs and before [Mr Gorgeous Eyes] could greet me, my mobile rang and it was my mother: "I haven't got my keys." The concierge couldn't let her in, so she waited on the rooftop terrace, and then got chilly and moved into the lobby, and I arrived two hours later.
As they were such nice people, I stayed for an hour and ended up meeting another art history grad and then I shot back home. Mr GE wanted me to go back after letting my mother in, but that would mean a day's total travel time of 4 hours, and that's if I stayed overnight with the others. You can drive 200 miles in that time, like between Dallas and Houston plus a bit further! But on London public transport, it takes about an hour to go 6 miles.
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By the way: What sensation do you have when you miss someone? Sinking feeling in the pit of the stomach? Floaty sensation in the arms? The latter is the weirdest.
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And finally, some Greek-Cypriot dancing, the Tatsia, or sieve dance.
OPA! That really is a scythe and there really are drinks in there! I first saw this at the Greek Festival Houston and it blew me socks off. Well, most Greek dancing does. I promise to get you all hooked. ;)
21 comments:
Hi,Olivia..that's unusual-you like sleeping,but,find something else to delay it..hehe..(Me,if my head's on the pillow for 10 minutes and there's no disturbance,I'm in dreamland)..hey,wow-which Indian snack-sev?Facebook is so nice this way,I think-finding ole friends.
Wow to your busy schedule.And,interesting lunch at the Peruvian restaurant. You always end up doing so much unusual things,I envy you-coz I always look for such variety.Re. the feeling of missing someone-sinking feeling in pit of stomach,yes..let me think about the other.Cheers.(BTW,do drop by my site and this site:I just joined:http://betweenusfriends.blogspot.com)
My goodness...I've missed so many posts..one looks most interesting-the 54 points..will read later today.
Hi Olivia - what's the name of that Peruvian place and where exactly is it? As you can imagine, I am drooling! P
I was going to write a comment, but right now my muse is trapped under the weight of that monstrous, multi-faceted post and has yet to dig itself out.
I think you need to get some sleep before you hurt yourself!
Amit - Same here, I fall asleep in mere minutes, even if I have a lot to worry about, but I just put off getting INTO the bed.
I was like that since childhood.
How do you have time for a second blog?
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Planethalder - funny really, it's called The Salisbury, it's a green pub on Ball's Pond Road just before Dalston Junction. Apparently there is a large community of Peruvians there!
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Minstrel - sorry about your muse. I hope she recovers soon.
I am a night owl, didn't you know?
I am pretty much the same, can gte very tired early evening but when it comes time to sleep...well I rarely go to sleep before 2am and tend to wake up at least once, and as far as I am aware pre or mid-dreaming (but I could be wrong lol!, dreams aren't the most permanaent of things!)
The Peruvian restaurant sounds amazing! got to get me some of that chili sauce for my collection ;) lol!
The missing someone thing, depends who it is - I've never been much of a missyu person but there is always at least one person that does it for everyone isn't there? lol! In those cases, definitely the stomach thing and sometimes kind of a lightheaded feeling and tinglyness in the extremities - like all the blood is congregating in the middle - but maybe I just have nausea - it's a fine line ;)
I was going to comment on your other post too but it appears you hav developed your own raving lunatic!
"although I like sleeping, I can always find something else to do to delay it."
Haha! Love that, that perfectly sums up me as well! I think it must be a thing we develop the more we are online as it's often checking FB or t'internet!
Good news on the job in the art world too! :) I popped into our local office of Bonham's the other day, I know it's silly when you can't afford things, but they had some lovely things so I wanted to peruse the catalogue!
Some Columbian girls who used to live here, in Guyana, said they cook plantain many ways, it must be a Latino food too.
You live well :-) I love reading about others enjoying life. For some reason, like a mood, it rubs off on me and makes me feel good.
How does it feel to miss someone? Horrible, heavy and dark.
Matt - I googled like crazy for that chili sauce but couldn't find it, not even the chili pepper they may have used, though she described it to me. Might be local, as I did read that there are some Peruvian chilis that are not picked commercially.
Can't understand those awful spam comments. It is absolutely endless! Why do they bother, they're as pointless as the spam emails we never read. And how do they get past the security code?
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Pete - i've always been a night owl, but I really started the habit when I was at university. My roomie would stay up and eventually I gave up moving my desk chair to throw a shadow on my face from her desk lamp, stayed up and found how liberating it felt to stay up! Back then I used to DL stuff on Napster when it was free, and chat on ICQ or MSN.
Do not speak to me of Bonhams. Got my millionth rejection letter from them yesterday.
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Gyal - woah, wait until I blog about what I did this weekend then! ;)
Glad I can help lift your spirits!
Boo! Big thumbs down to Bonhams in that case! If it's any help, I think they're silly and don't know what they're missing as you're both intelligent and personable!
And I remember both Napster and ICQ! Those were the days!
Hello Livvie!
I so enjoyed reading this entry, especially because it deals with food. I think thats one of the things I have really enjoyed about cooking, especially when you have friends over and you all make something. It's so bonding in the kitchen, you know the whole process of it all and the enjoyment one can get out of sharing secrets and being creative.
I have been wondering if you are on myspace at all. If you are I would love to add you as a friend. I have a blog on there as well, which pretty much most of the time is interchangable, but lately because a friend of mine experienced a death in her family and how the funeral was when I had to go down with two drunken girls, I haven't been able to blog about it on my blogger blog because they all read it. But I would love to add you to myspace if you are there.
I like the salsa you spoke of, I should look for a recipe. What is fabulous is to make a wrap with a tortilla, and cook up some jasmine rice, and make some cajun style shrimp, toss on some cilantro and avocado and it just seems to hit the spot! :) Hope you are well and it is always, ALWAYS a pleasure to hear from you. It cracks me up reading your blog and how polite and together you are and you come over to my trainwreck of a life and say hello. Oh life is too much fun!
love you
Kissy
Hey, Liv, good luck on the interview!
It's been so hot here, I find it energy-sapping. Even now at 7:45pm, it's still 95F - ick. Regarding missing someone - I feel that sinking feeling in pit of stomach. A lousy feeling. HUGS.
p.s. and also good luck on the interview...I did another post to make up for the lack of writing last month. I hope it isn't too blah...good luck!
i'm been suffering from insomnia as of late myself. i really can't stand it. i've tried teas and valerian.. but it only helps a little.
Mr GE sounds interesting. at least you had a good hour to spend chatting him up and being friendly.
i'm surprised they wouldn't let ur mom in... figures tho w/ the way things are nowadays.
i've never had Peruvian food. sounds delish, but girl, i could not eat that kind of seafood. seafood just sorta grosses me out most times! :)
facebook..i heard they were doing away w/ it. have you heard this? i've not tried it but got lots of offers. i really thought it was more of a pick up place... guess i was wrong!
I think I've turned into a night owl, too, since these days I find it difficult to go to bed any earlier than 1:00 or 1:30. There's just too much to do! Considering I have to get up at 6:00 to go to work, that can be a problem.
Coffeeeeeeeee........
First of all - video = brillant.
Secondly - am I the only person who read "an art dealer in Mayfair for a temp booking." as "an art dealer in the Mafia for a temp booking"?
No? Just me then.
OOh it's been a hard day in London, am too tired to comment and i shold have gone to bed early.
talk to you all tomorrow methinks.
xx
Olivia, you have the most wonderful weekends!!!!!!! I loved reading about your lunch at a Peruvian restaurant, how cool is that! I love potatoes (even though I know they're not good for me) so I would have enjoyed spending time at that restaurant. You Londoners are really spoiled when it comes to eating places, aren't you?
I must be the only person that doesn't have a Facebook account yet...got to remedy that immediately!
I get that stomach thing when I miss someone.
Sounds like very yummy food!
By the way, you asked me about my husband? Yes, he was the one who I saw in the elevator. No asking out for a really long time, though.
Hi all. I'd love to blog tonight, but am too tired. Bad week in London.
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Pete yes, remember ICQ's "uh-oh"?
Could you march off to Bonhams and tell them that for me, pretty please?
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Kissyfur - what a delight to read your comment. I think you will enjoy reading about the food I ate on Sunday.
I am on MySpace, and I love cilantro! Good recipe there, it does go so well with shrimp.
When I have more time in the evening, I will come and see your latest post....soooo tirrrrred.
xoxo
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Nikki - eek, 95F at night, now that I don't envy. It must be humid then? Here, I've been perpetually chilly for a couple of days now.
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Um Naief - gosh you're tough not to respond to Valerian root. Stinky stuff, though, isn't it?
I didn't get to chat with Mr GE. I met a school teacher from Brisbane, Aus., and a fellow art history grad from Calgary, Can.! And then I had to leave!
But I may join him for a drink with one of the guys on Friday. He may have been teasing but he said I made an impression on a few people at the party; I just hope he's not talking only about the one guy who added me on FB and who will be there on Fri.
I thought it was just a rumour about FB. Hope it's not true, it's much better than MySpace.
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Minstrel - do you know the more I read the more I realise what a hectic lifestyle you have...When you go to Oregon, they probably think you're manic.
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IanB - Ah, the comment of a true 20sixer/P27er! Welcome Ian, how on earth did you get here???
So in answer to your question: yes. Just you. :P
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Lotus - ooh, then you're going to love the Sunday Luncheon post! I would love to blog it now, but can't until the weekend. I definitely plan to rest. Ohhh hang on...maybe not. Something else you would love is going on and we might go.
ML - do you also get a light dizzy feeling? So wierd.
I asked you that so long ago! Amazing that you remembered now.
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Nite nite all xxx
Pisco sours are my favorites! I've been looking for good South American chili sauce. Thanks for the lead! BB
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