kimbofo

Halloween pumpkins

Place: Union Square, New York.
Date: Saturday October 20, 2007.
Camera: Panasonic DMC-TZ3.

Having grown up on a diet of home-grown Queensland Blue pumpkins -- giant apple-shaped vegetables with thick almost-impossible-to-cut grey-green skin -- I still find it mildly surprising whenever I stumble upon the big orange pumpkins that are available here in the Northern Hemisphere. To me, these impossibly orange, painfully round orbs are like cartoon vegetables: they don't seem quite real.

And so, while flitting around New York, earlier this month, I found myself smiling whenever I saw these ludicrious looking vegetables dotted around the city in shop windows and on street corners as part of the Halloween displays that Americans seem so obsessed by. I discovered these ones -- so bright you needed sunglasses to look at them -- lined up at a farmers' market in Union Square. They looked magnificent.

Mental note

Don't buy front row seats for comedian Frankie Boyle unless you fancy a bit of ritual public humiliation.

T was the first person he picked on tonight. About half-hour later I got the let's-make-fun-of-an-audience-member treatment.

Next time I'll be opting for the back row, even if it means I can't see a thing!

The Paramount

Place: Room 317, Paramount Hotel, New York New York.
Date: Wednesday October 17, 2007.
Camera: Panasonic DMC-TZ3.

Have you ever seen a bedstead like this one? Me neither. Or at least not until I stayed at the Paramount Hotel in New York last week.

Of course, having researched the hotel quite thoroughly on the internet beforehand, it wasn't a shock to find Vermeer's gilt-framed Girl with a Pearl Earring in my room, but the novelty of it never wore off. The bed itself was deliciously comfortable: the sheets were exquisitely soft and the pillows were just perfect. I am incredibly fussy about my pillows, so this is really saying something.

All the reviews on TripAdvisor.com (to which I became addicted after researching our Italian trip in August) banged on about how small the rooms were, but I didn't find this a problem. I was only sleeping there, not holding a ballroom dance! Mind you, I was staying in the room by myself --  I imagine if T was with me we would have trouble finding space for two suitcases, let alone two bodies.

The only quibble I had was the lack of tea and coffee-making facilities in the room, but the wonderful Dean & Deluca bakery next door more than made up for this. Although all the cup-cakes, delicious slices and funky donuts I ate means my waistline might not agree with me!

Up all night

So much for a quiet weekend...

We have a guest staying with us from New York. It's the first time he's been out of the country in 25 years, so we thought we should take him to a couple of authentic London pubs.

Joined by a fellow expat Aussie, four of us headed to the Red Lion pub in St. James's yesterday evening for a couple of quiet pints. We then took a short stroll to the Golden Lion, which is a former Gin Palace that survived the Blitz intact and has one of the most amazing interiors -- all etched mirrors and dark wood pannelling -- of any pub I've had the pleasure of drinking in.

Tuna burger

Place: My kitchen.
Date: Friday October 26, 2007.
Camera: Panasonic DMC-TZ3.

I'm no chef, but I whipped this up in the kitchen tonight and it was absolutely delicious!

I lightly toasted two slices of organic brown bread, slathered on some tartare sauce and then topped it with a handful of rocket, cooked slices of red onion and tomato, an egg and a hunky tuna steak lightly cooked in a drizzle of olive oil and lime juice.

Took about five minutes to make, including the cooking time. I guess this is what you call fast food.

Looking up in Manhattan

Place: Grand Central Station and the Chrysler Building, New York, New York.
Date: Sunday October 21, 2007.
Camera: Panasonic DMC-TZ3.

I'm back after a solo run to Manhattan, where I indulged in much shopping and sight-seeing, trudging the streets with my camera at the ready. Unfortunately, I'm still feeling the after-effects of the five-hour time difference, having gone straight to the office for a full days' work as soon as my flight touched down at Heathrow on Monday morning. Yes. The word tired doesn't even come close.

I'm hoping a relatively quiet weekend might help my bodyclock to fully readjust -- and then I might just find the energy to tell you more about the trip and post some of the many photographs I took.

Lights on the river

Place: Looking towards the Square Mile from Bankside, London.
Date: Friday October 5, 2007.
Camera: Panasonic DMC-TZ3.

Maybe it's Murphy's Law but I never seem to have my camera with me when I spy something I'd like to photograph. Not so last Friday evening. I had my (relatively new) camera in hand, and, enroute to the tube station from the office, I spent a pleasant half-hour or so capturing all those lovely scenes the tourists fall in love with.

This photograph was taken near the Tate Modern, looking over the glassy Thames towards the Square Mile. Look closely enough and you'll see the 'Erotic Gherkin' on the skyline. The pontoon to the right is Bankside Pier.

Out of the 25 odd photographs I took of this scene using various settings on my camera, only this one came out sharp enough for publication. To steady the frame, I propped the camera up on a riverside barrier and held it firmly in place while I pressed the shutter. It's not crystal clear, but it's better than the dozens of blurry ones I have since dumped! One of these days I will buy myself a tripod...

St Paul's at twilight

Place: St Paul's Cathedral and the Millennium Bridge, London.
Date: Friday October 5, 2007.
Camera: Panasonic DMC-TZ3.

People travel half way round the world to see this breath-taking view of St Paul's Cathedral rising over the River Thames. I see it every day of the working week, and yet I am still in awe of Sir Christopher Wren's architectural masterpiece.

Tonight, under rapidly fading light conditions, the beautiful dome stood out against a sky that went from blue to orange to deep navy in a matter of minutes.

At the same time the river went from dirty brown to inky black, reflecting the lights of the city on its mercurial surface.

I've never seen it look more beautiful.

Giant spider

Place: Outside the Tate Modern, Bankside.
Date: Friday October 5, 2007.
Camera: Panasonic DMC-TZ3.

No, you're not seeing things. That really is a 30ft (9m) spider. It's a sculpture by Louise Bourgeois that is currently on display outside the Tate Modern.

This is the second time the Tate has put this piece of art on show. The last time it was housed inside the Turbine Hall and didn't look half as opposing at it does standing outdoors.

I think the thing is bloody creepy. As I wandered around it tonight I kept expecting it to move, to lift up one of its giant legs and go scuttling off along the Thames, devouring all the tourists along the way. I'll be having nightmares tonight!

A bee fell out of my trousers!

True story.

Sitting on the tube yesterday morning, I could feel something crawling up my leg.

I scratched it and it went away. I thought maybe it was a loose thread tickling the back of my knee.

A few stops later and the sensation appeared again. This time it got stronger. I imagined a great big hairy spider making its way up my shin but didn't want to squish it in case it bit me.

I shook my trouser leg hoping to shake it loose. I nearly died when a bloody big juicy-looking bee fell out... PLOP!!... onto the floor and sat there all dozy-like while my brain screamed WTF!

I still don't know where it came from or how it got there. I didn't stomp on it, but I rather suspect it didn't last long with all the people that scrambled on the tube as I got off.

What a great way to start my morning, eh?