No Bed-Hopping Allowed...

It's been about a month since I posted. 

It's an unexpected state of affairs for me as there's been a lot of great stuff going on including birthday number 45 (note the absence of the all important birthday countdown), a wedding and five overseas trips in the space of six weeks. And I love sharing this kind of stuff.

But I'm full. Like an over-stimulated child at a birthday party, full of the thrill of new people and the excitement of new experiences, who absolutely insists it is not time to go home yet who falls asleep in the back of the car the minute you leave the driveway.

I feel so full that I've struggled to choose something to write about. It's like someone tipped about 20 jigsaws worth of puzzle pieces into my head and I just can't work out where to start. Corners, borders, some obvious part of the middle bit...it's all felt a bit much to deal with and I've found myself going around and around and around - and then doing nothing at all - on a fairly regular basis.

So that's where I am at - I am tired. That's it. Nothing more, nothing less. Just tired.

And as I look forward to being at home - in my own bed - for ten days in a row, well it feels like absolute bliss.

So for the next week or so that is where I'll be...unless well, of course...

This year's winner for the birthday card of best fit...

So Şerefe, proost, santé, cheers and bottoms up!

After all life is for celebrating and there are 356 days to go celebrate until birthday number 46 wraps its arms around me.

It Must Be Saint, Nick...

Apologies for the grammar peeps...

Here in old London town, there is just one sleep to go until the fat man in the red suit brings his bounty (although by rights all of you Down Under should be tucked up in bed by now, listening for the pitter patter of tiny hooves on the rooftop).

Having been left with limited options by my seasonal shopping sloth, UPS has been the mandatory vehicle of choice for my deliveries Down Under. So in a final burst of commercial Christmas chicanery, I've been hunting for a few alternative methods of delivery to ensure my goodies make it across the miles in time for future big days.

Firstly bbc.co.uk have reported that the good folk at Amazon are working on Prime Air, a delivery service that will provide customers with their order by drone...

How very cool. But it's five years away, needs to get through a regulator or two and I imagine it would take rather a long time for my less-than-2.3kg parcel to reach Australia (although interestingly Australia does allow the use of unmanned aircraft for commercial use). Perhaps not very practical.

For more immediate gratification, I really like this idea from West Jet. Turn up at the airport, make your special request...et voila! It's a carousel of Christmas that meets you at the other end of your journey...

Now that's my kind of arrival. However, this might just be leaving things a little too much to chance so it's back to the drawing board.

And then I came across an article on Nick Saint. Who runs a delivery firm.

Source: http://www.marketingmagazine.co.uk

So it would appear that my search is over. 

It must be Saint, Nick.

One sleep to go til we find out whether you've been naughty or nice peeps...are you ready?

The Art Of Giving...

That's right peeps. Just 4 days to go. And I'll bet there are a few of you who are feeling a little stressed by your unfinished Christmas shopping. 

Having to post mine overseas means that I cannot rely on a Christmas week dash around the shops but I admit that things did get a bit 'skinny' this year. The most difficult part is to find interesting yet post-friendly gifts - and I get so delighted when I find the perfect thing - so each year there's a bit of hunting around and inspired choosing to avoid sending yet more scarves, jewellery or gadgets. And in my shopping sorties this year, I've seen some corkers.

For the green thumb...

 

Edens Paper's plant-able wrapping paper has seeds embedded into the paper. Rip off your carrots, stick 'them' in the soil, water and watch them grow. In onion, tomato, chilli, broccoli and of course carrot, one sheet will set you back $9.95 or buy a mixed pack containing one of each for $39.95.

For the geographically challenged...

This fabulous 120 piece jigsaw puzzle from Ding Studio features all of London's postcode districts. If you fancy yourself a true local and think you know your way about, set yourself a challenge by completing it without looking at the picture. It's available from The National Gallery shop for £15.

For the young...

I'm led to believe that one of the many frustrations of having healthy, growing kids is just that - they grow out of everything! Go Plae has come up with a way of letting you customise shoes for your little ones to allow for their growing feet. There's even a variety pack of decorative bands so that young fashionistas can style for every outfit. Only available in stores stateside but you can order on-line at http://www.goplae.com/

For the young at heart...

Remember pinball machines? In my teens I could make a dollar's worth of 20 cent pieces last a really long time waiting for Mum to finish work at our local tenpin bowling centre. Then 'pinnies' got complex and expensive, I got interested in other things and now when I venture back, it's all over in an instant. But with this Duo Pinball Controller I might be able to get in a bit of practice and see off all those young things. Available for £11.99 at 
http://www.iwantoneofthose.com.

For the nostalgic just plain weird...

This one fascinates and disturbs me in turns. To keep those who've passed on close by, this service from And Vinyly will press their ashes into a vinyl record. You get to choose the soundtrack (24mins - 12mins each side) and then share your revolutionary memorial with up to 30 recipients. The basic package (for 30 discs) will cost you £3,000. *gulp* I am tempted to say something tacky about turning in their grave...

And speaking of corkers, for the aspiring sommelier...

...oh hang on, that's my Naked Wines delivery. Happy Christmas to me!

Remember there's only 4 sleeps to go but there's still plenty of time...just.

If you get your skates on...

Throwing Some Shapes..

Ten sleeps to go until Christmas Day...

...and today I was off for a bit of festive lunching at The Chop House at Butlers Wharf. The Chop House is nestled just under the south eastern ramparts of Tower Bridge and an easy 15 minute stroll from London Bridge tube station. Needless to say I left home in plenty of time for a little pre-lunch strolling - and you just never know when travel plans may go awry.

My 'extra' time quickly disappeared as I admired this relatively unknown - to me anyway - part of London. And I couldn't help but whip out the smartphone and record its moody shape-shifting for posterity this post.

It all looked a bit un-auspicious when I first got there...

...but lovely little shops and cafes lined the cobbled laneways and taking a smart left turn led me to The Galleria...

...whose exit on to the river brought the City's growing mix of modern shapes above the old sharply into focus.

Looking right, the White Tower of the Tower of London (left) and Tower Bridge beckoned despite the damp and dreary skies...

...while at my back, this strange tree-like shape took my fancy amidst the stark winter branches that surrounded it.

Sometimes a new position brings a whole new perspective and standing outside the More Riverside complex with The Shard looming in the background was an opportunity to see London's urban face, washed shiny by the rain...

..while the controversial City Hall beckoned further along the river bank.

And no Thames-side meandering would be complete without the magnificent Tower Bridge. It didn't seem to matter how many times I have seen it or how many photographs I've taken before, my hand moved automatically to my pocket to take just a few more... 

So it would seem that I'm not the only one throwing some shapes this festive season.

Only ten sleeps to go...

...you should be dancin'...yeah.

Brand Santa...

There are 13 sleeps to go until Christmas Day (12 if you've just woken up Down Under)...

...and the Gidday HQ stash is looking good under the verdant boughs of my un-real - aka plastic - tree. 

Christmas is in full swing on this side of the planet with my first festive do under my belt and a super-busy week ahead as I do more of the necessary yuletide rounds - socialising, dancing and raising a glass or two (oh alright, five) to pay homage to this most wonderful time of the year.

And I've also been keeping my eye out for any clever Christmas chicanery to share.

This morning I was indulging in a quick browse through my Facebook feed before the tube went underground when I found this...

Source: www.quietroom.co.uk

For those of you who don't know, haven't guessed, have never looked up my LinkedIn profile or simply don't care, I work in Marketing. 

(Please note, this makes me a Marketer, not a Marketeer. I didn't go off to some club, wave my arms around and wear black plastic ears to get myself a career.)

But I digress.

The folk at Quietroom have put together this brilliant Santa 'brand book', a fabulous tribute to the fat man in all his glory and a complete p*sstake of marketers everywhere. I chuckled at the brand promise, laughed at the brand house and guffawed at the brand assets being 'geographilised'...and then thought about all the brand books I've worked with over the years.

Well, I guess there's nothing like a little irreverent festive fun to put things in perspective.

13 sleeps to go peeps..time to Snap It Clap It Wrap It.

Sorry, I Spent It On Myself...

Today marks 20 sleeps to go until we all embark on our annual gift-giving frenzy.

(Although those of you in Oz will wake up to only 19 sleeps.)

I know this isn't going to be very Christmas spirited of me but I laughed out loud in the office this morning at the latest in a long line of seasonal shopping plugs. This is from London 'posh shop' Harvey Nichols...

I was always taught that it was better to give than to receive...

...but then we don't have Harvey Nicks Down Under.

In other news, Lil Chicky wins the 2013 Christmas bonanza with the surprise arrival of an unmarked box at Gidday HQ yesterday...

...which I opened. And then had to apologise and duly promise to wrap said contents up, put under the tree and exclaim with surprise and delight on Christmas morning.

Oh the shame! 

(Note: There is no advance present opening in the Hamer Clan - one must always wait for 'the big day'.)

Just as well there are only 20 sleeps until unrestrained receiving Christmas...

Let The Festivities Commence...

Today is December 1st and that can mean only one thing:

It's been a hive of festive activity at Gidday HQ today. First order of business was the construction of the Mum's traditional seasonal supplement, the advent calendar...

It took me a while to find today's window, hidden as it was in a back street...

Then there was a spot of present wrapping to make sure I could get some Seattle-bound goodies into tomorrow's post (Seattle-A, look out for Santa-Kym's delivery very soon.)

Then it was time for that favourite of all my favourite Christmas things - decorating the tree.

I missed out on this last year between lounging about in Langkawi and meandering around Melbourne - and since Christmas 2011 I've travelled to Krakow and Amsterdam (among many other places) and have added a few more objets d'Christmas to my horde. 

Needless to say I spent a happy couple of hours laying out all of my carefully wrapped ornaments and awarding them their leafy homes for the next month...

And last but by no means least, Alfie Bear has a new Christmas hat...

So it's all systems go here at Gidday HQ.

Let the festivities commence!

Composers, Canalboats And Christmas Cheer...

What with lots of changes, challenges and general excitement over the last few months I've been a little lax in my pottering about London (note I do not include my recent tourist-ing with Lil Chicky in this - that was by no stretch 'pottering') and today it was a combination of music and markets that had my full attention. Having been in Chicago for work this week (and slept the morning away yesterday 'in recovery'), today saw me up, about and out the door for a little culture and some festive cheer. 

First stop (well after the tube ride and the large soy cappuccino purchase at Caffe Nero) was Kings Place for Bach Unwrapped, a one hour concert featuring the work of JS Bach, his protege JG Goldberg, and his son, CPE Bach. For those of you in the know about these things, today's Trio Sonatas programme consisted of:

Trio in G for flute and violin
Trio in C for two violins (collaboration with Goldberg)
Trio in D Minor for two violins (collaboration with his son)
Trio Sonata from Musical Offering

(For those of you who know nothing about these things, the violin, cello and harpsichord were joined by another violin for the second and third pieces and a flute for the first and the fourth.)

Apparently the last piece, Musical Offering was borne of the composer's meeting with Frederick The Great in 1747 - the King challenged Bach to improvise over a theme he had written and while Bach rose to the immediate challenge, on returning home he composed Musical Offering and despatched it to King Frederick. The programme note claimed that Musical Offering has been dazzling musicians with its brilliance ever since.

While I don't know very much about classical music, I find it incredibly moving and very easy to lose myself in the ebb and flow of the music so after an enjoyable hour, I wandered out and headed back to Kings Cross Station in a leisurely snap-happy stroll. 

Despite my having been there several times, I had never actually walked out the back of Kings Place before today - lo and behold there's a rather lovely deck which overlooks Regent's Canal...

...and the stroll back to the station along the canal was quite pretty too.

The area around Kings Cross and St Pancras Stations has been undergoing a major redevelopment since 2008 and in the midst of the construction site, there's quite a pleasant walkway - dotted with titbits about the area's history - which connects the stations to Regent's Canal. This is the view coming back from the canal, the spire of the Grade I listed St Pancras International station building standing tall above the 'debris'.

The forecourt between Kings Cross and St Pancras stations.

The second half of my Sunday foray was spent wandering along the Southbank Christmas Market. There is something deliciously festive about this market. The decorated stalls stretched along the riverside path from The London Eye to the National Theatre with stallholders plugging their wares (hand made gifts and eclectic arts and crafts feature heavily), tempting passersby with a fresh waffle, a little glühwein or perhaps some kind of German sausage concoction.

Nearly there - this glimpse of Big Ben framed by the railway bridge caught my eye from Concert Hall Walk on the way to Southbank.

This 'urban' paint job decorated the entrance at the back of Royal Festival Hall. 

Traditional festive cheer above one stall...

...faced off against Scrooge on another.

German sausage concoction? Enough said...

The twinkling lights, the smell of roasted chestnuts...I just love it. Even the nip in the air as I snuggled deeper into my coat, hat and scarf was a reminder of the merriment to come...in just 31 sleeps.

Needless to say I've started my Christmas shopping...

Hello? I'm All Ears...

With the Australian Labour Party electing yet another leader this week (they're a fickle bunch), it would appear that the powers that be are still trying to get the measure of public opinion Down Under.

But perhaps they could learn a thing or two from the South Korean city of Seoul.

In an effort to encourage communication between the elected and the electorate, Seoul City Council has installed Yobosayo, a giant ear, outside City Hall.

Photo credit: www.lifethings.in

Passers-by can bend this particular ear simply by leaning in and airing their views...

Photo credit: www.lifethings.in

...which are transmitted by microphones inside the ear and broadcast through loudspeakers inside City Hall for all and sundry to hear.

Yobosayo means hello? in Korean and it rather tickled my fancy to think that as each person leant into the 'trumpet', they would utter this self-conscious salutation before embarking on their particular litany. Think about how often this is our 'greeting': to the unknown caller, a potentially unoccupied room and even an obscure fact.

Anyway it rather amused me to think of all of those important councillors being ear-bashed by hundreds of hellos each day.

And speaking of hellos, there's a rather big hello in the offing here with only two sleeps to go until Lil Chicky gets her big gidday hug in the Arrivals Hall at Heathrow Airport from yours truly.

I'm so excited - I do love Arrivals...

Single Figures...

We are down to single figures peeps.

In just 9 sleeps, my little sister (aka Lil Chicky) will step off a very long flight from Down Under and into Old London Town (well Heathrow Airport anyway).

It will be her first ever trip here - hopefully not the last.  And I am ridiculously excited.

It's getting difficult to think about anything else at the moment. I try to remember what my first London Loves were and I find myself wondering what are sorts of things she would like to do and see. Are they the same things that struck me when I first travelled here in 2000? The history, the theatre, the eclectic cultural mix, the architecture? Or is it something else? Perhaps a little high tea or some high kicks at a show? Or shall we take in the Eye, the Abbey, the Shard, the Wall or even the Cock in the Square.

The National Gallery and St Martin in the Fields overlook Trafalgar Square and the latest installation on The Fourth Plinth

The mind boggles.

Lately I have found myself in the midst of my day when I am struck by something I want to show her or share. Like on Friday night when I left the office (my 'new' one - our Head Office - where I am now based) and saw this...

...or the view from Waterloo Bridge at night which, after almost 10 years here, still makes me catch my breath and say to myself 'I really did it. I live here. This is my home.'

So much to do and so little time.

And only 9 sleeps to go.

That's exciting.

Going Downto(w)n...

There has been a blogging hiatus here at Gidday HQ as life in general overtook...well everything over the last couple of weeks. Preparing our exhibition at an international industry fair last week has been a six month affair but the last couple of weeks have been all-consuming and short of tapping out my 3am lists of things to do here on Gidday - not very interesting reading - I've been a bit bereft of my usual ability to blog about the things that I have found fascinating, curious, annoying, inspiring and funny. It was like everything all got stuck in the pipe and I couldn't find the wherewithal to squeeze them out.

So this weekend has been a time for making space, for letting my head empty and my body unravel from the work of the last six months and in the process, I've discovered a whole new addiction...

...Downton Abbey.

Highclere Castle, or as we know it, Downton Abbey.

I know many of you may be wondering how I have managed to come so late to this particular party in light of my predilection for the historical. Well, a few weeks ago I was out for dinner with friends and they were talking about the show, how great it was, and were quite surprised that I hadn't succumbed. We left the pub agreeing that Season 1 would find myself to me the following day...and the rest, as they say, is history. Season 2 was done and dusted soon after.

With both a purposely empty Sunday - to recover from the last seven days away and enjoy an unimpeded re-aquaintance with my own bed - and the start of Season 4 screening tonight, I have spent this weekend watching Season 3. If any of you have watched a whole season of something in a compressed period of time, you might understand the emotional rollercoaster of watching a whole nine episodes in quick succession. There are A LOT of ups and downs in this season so I'm thinking that it was probably much less exhausting to allow a week in between viewings.

But be that as it may, I am completely hooked. So I'll be joining the hordes of fans for tonight's frolic through Fellowes' fictional take on upstairs and downstairs.

And just in case you were wondering (it's been a little while so you may have forgotten), there are 23 sleeps to go until Lil Chicky arrives at Gidday HQ.

And I only have six working days left until I move into my new role at work. 

So much excitement, I can hardly stand it.

T Minus 43...

Exciting news this week at Gidday HQ.

Chicky is coming!

Yes, after almost a decade of me living here, Lil Chicky has booked her ticket and is coming to experience a bit of London Love at the hands of yours truly.

We'll get to hang out (so completely ace just on its own) and I get to show her around Fab Finchley and my adopted hometown.

We'll also make a little pilgrimage across the Channel to visit Dad's birthplace - the land of clogs and tulips - Amsterdam.

And there'll be the small matter of celebrating a rather important birthday while she's here.

So much to do in so little time together.

And 43 sleeps to plan it all.

Luckily she's already bought the t-shirt...

So in case you missed it, that's T minus 43 peeps...

Let the countdown begin!

Ye Olde Bucket List...Part Two

With the previous night's Shakespearean sortie under my belt, on Sunday I added another satisfied tick to Ye Olde Bucket List by visiting Lord's.

Lord's is the home of cricket. It's located in North London and as my local bus goes right by on its way down to Victoria Station, you can get a glimpse of the Nursery Ground over the wall. So it was with much anticipation I arrived at the gates with friend The Umpire to see Australia versus England in the second Ashes test.

With England leading by about 500 runs from the first three days of play (for those of you who don't know your cricket, test matches can go for five days), I had little hope of an Aussie victory but the Ashes series is an age-old contest between our two nations and when in Rome London, Lord's is what one must do.

Australia got an absolute shellacking. No surprise there given recent performances. But it was a great day. Lots of sporting banter, a cricket umpire as a companion (to answer all my inane cricketing questions), some really fabulous weather and a goodly selection of vittels to keep us sustained: what more could a person want?

Oh yeah. A few more runs on the board.

Here are a few pics of my Big Cricket Day Out.

The first one's of yours truly, mainly to prove not only that I was there but also to demonstrate that England is actually having a Summer (note the blue sky behind the hat and sunglasses).



Fans had travelled from across the world to stand sit shoulder to shoulder and support their team.

The emergence of the players at 11am...England was STILL batting.

This is the Grace Gate, the official players entrance. It's Grade II heritage listed - that happens a lot in London.

And this is the Big Vacuum Cleaner, ready to suck up all the rubbish it could find. Just kidding. It's actually the media centre.

And in true form, the banter was everywhere. Even on the back of the dunny toilet door.

 

And that, my dear Gidday-ers, was Lord's and another tick made on Ye Olde Bucket List.


Speaking of ticking things off, never fear peeps. I'm still ticking off the days until the very fabulous  birthday celebration of yours truly. Just 7 sleeps to go...