dear London: thank you for being so flat

and thank god the only hill in my run home from work is at the beginning...

finally got running!

so finally got around to running home from work last night! The stars aligned where I both had my running stuff with me and I could leave work on time.

It wasn't too bad actually. I mean, there was definitely a point bout 3/5 of the way through where I really wanted to just walk a block or two, but I made myself keep going figuring that would be easier than stopping and starting a lot. You lose your momentum that way. Even just the few times I had to stop for traffic made it a bit choppy right afterwards.

I desperately need a new running bag though. I am using one of those one strap-diagonal across your chest back packs, which is fine for walking, but wicked uncomfortable for running. It won't stay in one place unless you tighten it a lot, but then it chokes you. And it is always rubbing up against your neck. So, on the lookout for a new bag! A proper normal backpack.

Just checked with Google maps, it's a bit more than a 4 mile run, so not bad. Not bad at all.

If I can keep this up, I may get into some sort of shape yet!
Plus, it shaves a good 25 minutes off my commute time.

new blog!

I have started a wedding blog!

part bored at work, part saw my friend Alicia's blog and started to get excited, and part knowledge that if we don't start now, and don't do this in an organized way (example, collecting all inspirational images in one place like an internet blog), who knows how we would get things done.

anywho, it can be found here, check it out and comment with your thoughts!

wicked busy week last week...

worked late every night last week for a deadline, barely saw Ben and was beyond happy when I fled the office at 6 o'clock on the dot on friday.

the weekend was probably one of the most laid back, relaxed and just overall good so far this autumn. the gorgeous weather and the football (wooh Pats!) also helped.

needless to say, was not too thrilled to be walking back into work this morning. the weekend went by far too quickly, and definitely a lot quicker now that I am in a job I don't particularly like.

but the weather is still gorgeous and at least I get to enjoy it on my lunch break now that things have calmed down (a bit) round the office.

but I would still rather be back in bed.

seriously?

so I finally remember my running stuff this morning so I can take a nice (and possibly lethal) job home after work, and what happens?

deadline + extremely unorganized office + ridiculous amounts of cross-checking = Bethany's not going running like she thought she was....

excited? you bet!

so Ben and I became the proud owner of a random assortment of old VHS tapes that somebody recorded movies and television and god knows what else from the 90's or so onto last night. a woman is moving and found these in some closet.

we are beyond psyched.

we have absolutely no idea what's on it so the plan is pick one at random, pop it in the VCR and enjoy the unknown (it took a LOT of will power on our part not to check the labels last night). God willing there will be 90's british commercials on them. oh how I want there to be 90's british commercials. that would be faaaaaantastic.

we probably have about 20 of these (I did sneak a peek when we first picked them up and were loading them into the bag, so I know one has Yellow Submarine on it) and are just itchin to try them out on our pilfered from Old Street VCR.

hours upon hours upon hours of entertainment?
oh god yes :)

you think?

forgot my running stuff again this morning

you think my body is trying to tell me something?

(don't run....dooooooooooooon't ruuuuuuuuuuuuun...)

nah..........

bout damn time

the office has finally gotten a recycling system! they go through way too much paper here, and previously everything just got thrown away. I proposed one recycling company, it was deemed "too expensive" by the principle, but then a co-worker found another one that we are trying on a trial basis (I have a feeling the second it starts getting "too expensive" as well, it's gone, but progress!) starting today.

it's exciting :)

course some people are not using it (throwing out cardboard cause the cardboard bin is a while flight of stairs away, or throwing rubbish in the paper recycle bins, or just continuing to throw out the paper even though the recycle bin is RIGHT THERE) and I think they are doing it just to be ornery and difficult, cause that's the default mode for most people in this office.

it doesn't help that the girl who found the system and is implementing it is viewed as the office nazi, so I thank some people are purposefully not using just to piss her off.

balanced, cooperative and smoothly functioning this place is. yup yup.

but, like I said, progress!

goldfish memory strikes again

so I have been meaning to try running home from work instead of walking lately. an attempt to try to get in shape and as the days get shorter an attempt to maximize the percentage of sunlight shining during my journey home.

but I always forget my running stuff when gathering all my things in the morning. I usually remember bout 20 minutes down the road.

I am not a morning person, so being coherent and organized at 7:30 am may be a bit too much to count on.

maybe I should tattoo it on my hand...

just occured to me...

you can't use the phrase "turned on a dime" here


for you see, there are no dimes


"turned on a ten-piece" just doesn't have the same ring to it...

FINALLY getting new recipies up!

had tried these way back in July and August, but then the recipe books got packed away and have only recently been uncovered (see previous posts for flat hunting/moving saga...)

these are both lentil recipes (I was trying to find a hot weather alternative to soup over the summer, these both worked out pretty well)

first up:
Lentil Salad with Tomatoes and Chere (Goats Cheese)

Ingredients:
-1 cup french green lentils
-2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
-1 shallot, minced
-1 Tbsp dijon mustard
-1/4 cup olive oil
-1 1/3 cups diced cucumber
-2/3 cup diced plum tomatoes
-1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
-2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
-2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
-1 large garlic clove, minced
-6 ozs soft fresh goats cheese (chilled)

Directions:
1. Cook lentils in medium pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 25 minutes. Drain well.

2. Combine vinegar, shallots and mustard in a large bowl. gradually whisk in oil, season with salt and pepper.

3. Add lentils. Let stand until cool.

4. Add cucumbers, tomatoes, onion, dill, parsley and garlic to lentils. Season with last and pepper. Let stand for one hour.

5. Crumble goats cheese over salad, mix gently to combine.



second:
Warm French Lentil Salad with Smoked Sausage

Ingredients:
-1 1/2 cups de puy lentils (about 10 oz)
- 3 fresh thyme sprigs
-2 bay leaves
-3 garlic cloves, smashed
-1/4 tsp black peppercorns
-1 small onion
-1 small carrot
-8 oz smoked sausage (such as kielbasa)
-1 cup dry white wine or dry white vermouth
-2 1/2 Tbsp red wine vinegar, more as needed
-2 tsp dijon mustard
-kosher salt
-3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
-3 Tbsp walnut oil (I couldn't find this, so excluded it)
-1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
-1/4 cup finely chopped scallions (about 3 to 4)
-freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Gently boil lentils with the thyme, bay leaves, garlic and peppercorns (in a cheesecloth if have, for easier removal. This is not a bad idea, as I didn't have one and kept biting down on peppercorns I couldn't find to remove initially...). Boil for 30-40 minutes or until the lentils are tender.

2. Put sausage in saucepan with white wine and enough water to cover by 1/2 an inch. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.

3. In a bowl combine 1 1/2 Tbsp vinegar with the mustard and a pinch of salt. Whisk in oils and season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Drain lentils, discarding the other things, and immediately toss lightly with 1 Tbsp of vinegar and 1 tsp of salt. This keeps the lentils tender and helps them retain the dressing.

5. Drain sausage and slice into small pieces.

6. Stir all ingredients (sausage, lentils, vinaigrette, parsley and scallions) together and season with salt and pepper and vinegar to taste.

theatre-land

The Globe was fantastic. A bit rainy, a bit cold, yes, but those things were easily overlooked while watching the show.

It was a comedy, so there was opportunity for audience interaction, and the actor playing the Fool used it to its fullest extent. He would play hit on women standing next to the stage (one older woman came right back at him though), would be extremely silly (almost a bit too much at times, but it worked) and he had this little head on a stick, like jesters have and at one point he went to go walk off the stage (through the groudlings, people standing in front), stopped, looked up at the rain, then went back and put a mini poncho on the stick head. prolly the time I laughed the hardest.

Then at the end the entire cast broke out into a fully choreographed dance routine. A bit unexpected, but a lot of fun none-the-less. The production had some modern twists to it like that. You could tell they were having a lot of fun with it, and that translated into how much we in the audience enjoyed the performance.

I think my favourite actor was the guy playing the Melancholy man (the character prolly has a name, but I didn't catch it). I always enjoy droll personalities and dry wit, and this guy pulled it off with aplomb. He did disinfected to a T. It was great to watch. The interactions between all the characters/actors were incredible. I suppose you don't get to play The Globe by just looking good in a puffy sleeved shirt or a dress that I swear used to be a pair of draperies.

But it was still Shakespeare at it's core, and the actors were wonderful, especially the men. Men always come off better in Shakespeare's plays, I think its because he generally gave the male characters more dimension and complexity than his female characters, there is more for the actor to work with and thus they come off much more interesting on stage.

The jet planes flying overhead every 20 to 25 minutes or so during a Shakespeare production in a replication Victorian theatre was a bit strange and surreal, but the players knew how to deal with them, so it was just something that jarred you for a few seconds before you were drawn back into the performances.

Add a caption

Ben and I at The Globe for As You Like It! awesome birthday present, thanks Mom and Dad!

In short, it was a ton of fun. This will not be the last time I visit The Globe.

yay for The Globe!

an actual written description of said theatre experience will come soon, gotta ration my internet time at work wisely....

going to The Globe tonight!

woohoo!

going to go see As You Like It with Ben

birthday present :)

thanks Mom and Dad!