oh man, have I been off the ball lately. so many recipes I need to post...

but to draw attention away from the fact that I have been slacking, let me tell you about my awesome weekend!
(which was 5 days ago. I know. the slacking thing again. shush.)

friday was fabulous, as fridays are wont to be. after work headed over to the Architectural Association (AA), which is one of the best architecture/design schools in the world, and where my friend from undergrad is currently halfway through his masters.
http://www.aaschool.ac.uk/

for those of you familiar with US architecture schools, imagine RISD, but on crack.
lots and lots of crack.

according to michael (said friend at the AA), it is not unusual to walk into the bar in the university (yes, the university has an on-site bar. necessary for architecture, don't you think?) and see Zaha Hadid (fat cow), Peter Eisenman or Rem Koolhaas just chillin, beer in hand. which is wicked cool.
the exhibitions of the student work were unbelievable. the projects by the first year students there would have kicked the ass of any masters thesis at good ol' R-Dubs. it's just a completely different approach by the school. and after being irrevertably stuck in tradiational architecture firms for the past year, and most likely again for the next year, it's really nice to see work again that is based on new thoughts, ideas and innovation. and dreams. not to say I agreed with all the thoughts, ideas and innovation, but it was remarkably refreshing to see again. and dear lord, the drawings, models and graphics are phenomenal. the visit is worth those things alone. which is good. as many of the projects lack a description as to what they are, and so you really have no idea what the hell a lot of the students were trying to achieve. especially since quite a few are not, shall we say, buildings, in the strictest sense of the word....
like I said.
RISD on crack.

so some eye candy, good conversations, new people meeting, a couple glasses of champagne and it was on to hyde park to meet up with friends and listen to pearl jam perform live! warm night, picnic on the grass, friends from all over the city, wine and beer, my justine down from amsterdam and pearl jam playing [on the other side of the barrier... what? we are cheap and tickets were expensive. plus, we could hear just as well.], it was such a great time. the image of justine waltzing around the grass, wine bottle in hand, declaring her love for eddie vedder will never leave me.

which is an excellent thing.

on to saturday!
a nice sleep in, woke up to ben cooking breakfast, always a good thing. some park time with friends, then off to the pub to watch the US vs Ghana match! then off the the other pub to drink away our sorrow....

sunday also had a nice relaxing morning with iced tea and toast (a slightly americanized british breakfast), then off to another pub for cider, pizza and the england vs germany match! then off to drink away our sorrow again.
but inbetween england getting their asses kicked and the other pub was a REAL LIFE STEAM FAIR at clissold park!
http://www.carterssteamfair.co.uk/
most of the rides are actually run on steam! and they were old fashioned arcade games! and punch and judy!
it was a lot of fun. walking around, lounging on the grass with friends.

excellent end to an excellent weekend.



oh, and way to totally let me down US and England. neither of you played well at all shame on you!
all that is left to say is, GO ARGENTINA!

(also, federer, I am sorry to see you leave wimbledon. it won't be the same without you. with both you and roddick out, I suppose now I have to root on nadal....definitely not backing murray. the bastard.)

and WOOHOO NETHERLANDS!! way to take down brazil!!!


(work in the office? nah, we listen to sports in the office!)
.