Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Christina-The Most Beautiful Yacht... EVER

TBC

Portifino

TBC

Cool Picture- London View of City Skyline


Just wanted to upload this pic- i quite like it- taken with my phone whilst walking over Waterloo bridge (i think??). In the background you can see the London CBD skyline. I work behind all the cranes. On the left is the dome is St Pauls (where princess Di got married... i think) and the on the far right you can see the Gherkin (a famous building home to lots of bankers and lawyers).

KP

My Rash


As mentioned earlier please see a picture of my rash on my arm....Yuk, it ended up covering me fro head to toe... and quarantined me from my office-It has almost entirely gone now and i think it was actually hives at the grand old age of 26 ... funny last outbreak of this happened when i was about 10- a reaction to my throat infection.

Saturday, June 09, 2007

You know you have made it when....


You know you have made it when....you get invited to the same party as Claudia Schiffer, Helen Boheme Carter, Slash and Kim Catrall- despite the fact that you are ZZZ list, well actually nothing list!

That was how I felt when 'a pants man' aka Ben invited me to the Royal Academy Summer Show Preview.

Held on Piccadilly opposite the Ritz, it is said to be one of the most 'important' art openings in the world...and the thing everybody should go to after Cannes darling.

I frocked up after work in the bathrooms and wore a lemon yellow dress on loan from my flatmates wardrobe and met Ben at Green Park Tube (the only way to travel) before strutting the red carpet that was actually yellow. My level or co-ordination had reached a new level.

It was a spectacular event, so extravagant and opulent i felt a little out of place but did my best evapourate into the crowds.

The food was delicious- i made a place for myself at the oyster bar and ate like no one was watching me. The art was a bit of a let down, it was miss matched and hodge podge and nothing really took my fancy and whilst i am not the most qualified judge, Ben was the prettiest picture there (so corney- but he is undeniably beautiful).

I am not sure what exactly that I have made and do not fear, I am not a changed person for hanging around a load of beautiful wankers- and laughing at them behind their back for their use of ladee da language. To me the night felt like a debutantes ball without the frilly white dress, bad hair and ugly boy to escort you. My London coming of age party of soughts.

The night was cut short though by the presence of a unsightly red rash on my extremities, nothing the beautiful people really want to get close too (except Ben that is), a head ache and sore throat. The next morning at the doctors (quarantined from work), i discovered I had a strep throat and a rash to match.

Never fear, i am recovering quietly at home and will be back to good health in no time.

Brilon


I have always wanted to go to Brilon, my sister in law Maren has talked about it for years and it is the now the home of her parents and also where my brother got married over 10 years ago.

I had heard of it's beauty for years and was keen to see it for myself. It is stunning, idealic and relaxing.

Roddy and I picked up a posh hire car at Frankfurt airport and headed down the autobarn.

On arrival, night was falling and i was over joyed to see my euro family again and even more excited to see Mars and my god daughter Noonie and nephew Jules.

The next week was spent lounging, eating cake, taking country walks and playing with the kids.

It was the injection of home after almost a year away that i did not know how badly i needed. I felt at peace with the familiarity that only your family can give... I even joked that if i ate anything more i would need to get rolled on to the plane back to London.

The time we spent went far too quickly but i cherish the memories and look forward to more lazy summer days with family.

Brother Bobbi comes to town


I met Roddy at the airport straight after arriving from Istanbul- his flight from Tokyo arrived a few minutes after mine and we quickly set about making the most of our time in London.

First stop my flat to deposit his 60 kilos of luggage (it must be a family trait to travel heavy). We visited some old bookshops in charring cross and Notting Hill before taking in the photographers gallery.

It was a short visit less than 24 hours in total before we boarded a flight bound from Frankfurt to pick our our hire car and head to Brilon, in the North Rhine district where Maren's family (my sister in law) have a country house.

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Tavla Town


The sound finds you even when you least expect it. Dow a dark alley on the footpath, there is no escaping the gentle rattle of the dice and you know that you are in Tavla town, any backgammoners paradise... KP Welcome to Istanbul.

Istanbul was unlike anything i had expected, i thought that my 5 days would be reminiscent of something out of Arabian Nights, perhaps a little like Ali Baba but i was wrong. Istanbul is a sophisticated secular European city that is exciting, charming and interesting.

Arriving at the airport i was delighted to see Paulius, dressed every bit the successful aristocrat we jumped into a cab to trendy G-hanger (ok it is not spelt that way), a cool neighbourhood filled with rich turks and X-pats.

I was gobsmacked- Paulius had always has had nice digs in Oxford but this was something of another dimension- with 270 degree views of the city, a post card panorama that encompasses the Blue Mosque, the water, cruise liners and a sunny outlook, i felt like i had stepped onto the set of 'lifestyles of the rich and the famous'.

Paulius set about making me a gin and tonic and we relaxed on his terrace, overlooking the city and watching the night come alive with fairy lights, call to prayer and sunset.

Next we opened a bottle of champers and set about celebrating our reunion in style, we successful to an upmarket restaurant called lips of the seas (where the two seas met - it happens in Istanbul apparently) and together we sipped cocktails till dawn.

Next day, i awoke with a fairy extreme hangover, but with no rest in sight, Paulius and I tackled the major sights, a fantastic host, Paulius told me of the Romans, the architects, the sultans and the harem like a professional. We saw my favourite building this side of Angkor- Hagia Sophia a Byzantine church renovated into a mosque some 1000 years ago, the blue mosque and the head quarters of the Ottoman empire.

Next it was my turn to teach Paulius something and i gave him my skills at tavla. We sat on the Galanta bridge and watched the sun set. Paulius with impressive instinct and natural intellect was a master after one game and was soon my equal and even sooner my tormentor, beating me consistently within 30 minutes.

The next day we went on a boat ride to asia and that took in the mighty bospouhrs and afterwards we had cocktails and a quiet dinner before I persuaded a Turkish man to play me at gammon.... I was out with something to prove. At first the gent laughed figuring me to be easy oposition but he was soon surprised when some of my NC skills came into force and i gammoned hm twice before defeating him 5-4. I was then asked to play a local legend, i nicknamed him the champion and before i even begun i was defeated- the guy was something of an enigma to me and whilst the games lasted on average 3 minutes i feel that i learnt from his greatness at the table and i achieved what i set out too in turkey.

The next day with Paulius at work, i went to the grand bizarre and was slightly disappointed- it was significantly less consuming than expected. I purchased a new backgammon set and a couple of prints for my London flat before meeting Paulius in the eve to sip one final bottle of champagne before i headed back to back to London and into the arms of my brother.