Happy Halloween!

When black cats prowl

and pumpkins gleam, 

May luck be yours

on Halloween!

Trick or Treat!

If you can't tell (which you probably won't be able to), I'm a Ravens Witch with a cauldron of Steelers Stew.  It's been my attempt at creative and crafty all built around my very cool fascinator I found at Michaels.  It's a bit boring, but I LOVE it for some reason and can't wait to wear it to work tomorrow!

Happy Halloween!

10 Things Right Now

I'm a big fan of Ali Edwards and her scrapbooking empire she's seemingly built from the ground up, just by being creative.  So to be just a little bit as crafty as she is, I'm going to steal one of her ideas for a blog post this evening.  For the last week, she's been writing 10 things about each child in her family and herself.  Since I don't have any little ones (this would be a bit more interesting if I did, let me tell you : ), I'll just choose me.

1. I tried out this recipe this evening for Penne a la Vodka and was super happy with the results.  Penne a la Vodka is one of those things that most chefs will say is so "80s" but I happened to have it for the first time just a few weeks ago and fell in love. Though I have to admit, I felt a bit of an alcoholic, rolling into a liquor store on the sole mission to find miniatures of Absolut.

2. I've found what equates to the perfect job in Stratford-upon-Avon with the RSC; however the first question they ask is "are you legally able to work in the UK?"  Of course I'm not! But that didn't stop me from spending an hour this week compiling all the creative ideas I had for their Education Department that I could enact if I was hired.  Of course, I haven't sent them yet.  I know it's a crazy long shot that will never work, but I'm not sure I'm ready to hear them actually say No.  It's a crazy conundrum...

3. I have been burying my head in quite a few books in the last few weeks.  But it seems that as I read more, the longer the reading list gets. Oh, and even with the crazy number I purchased in England, I realized today, by looking at my Pinterest Reading board (yes, I have one - don't judge) that I forgot to check out at least 4 more.  Guess I'll be needing a return trip soon...

4. I've said this before and I'll say it again: I don't understand people who study computer science.  It's completely and utterly dull.  These people can sit and stare at a problem all day until they've figured out the teeny tiny error they made in coding.  Me?  The second something doesn't work, I start cursing under my breath and vowing to never use technology again.  

5. The Escape Artist on the BBC - probably should have seen the HUGE plot point coming a mile away but so didn't.  Nearly fell off the sofa when it happened.  But, oh my goodness it was fantastic!

6. Getting people/friends interested in your ideas is hard.  Getting them to imagine the same things you see for you is even harder.  Getting them to think an idea is viable as opposed to a passing fancy is the hardest of all.

7. I've finally designed and  worked out the Christmas card plan for this year.  If you were reading this time last year, you'd know that this (for some unknown reason) wasn't an easy process last Christmas.  But thanks to Pinterest and a perfect Cricut cartridge, we're on our way to a very happy holiday.

8.  I discovered what my main malfunction was with Instant Message (Lync, etc.): it's the darn flashing.  It's like Jeopardy, only your responses have to be much more than one word (at least mine do).  At one point today, I had 4 people talking to me at one time.  Now most people will just drop a few words and send it off. Not me.  I have to (apparently) share every thought in my head at that time, then move on to the next blinking light.  By the time I'd finished the 4 lights, the first darn person had responded and the process started all over again.  I'm all for being sociable but how in the world are you supposed to get any work done when you're under that pressure?

9. Even after more than a week, I still find myself on England time.  I've been up everyday at 4 am and into work by 6.  It's quite nice in the afternoon, being able to leave early, but come 8:00 when I'm falling asleep during NCIS, it gets a little old.

10. Thursday is Halloween and I'm finally in an office that goes for the dress-up thing.  However, I'm feeling less secure in my crafty, thrown-together costume choice as I was a few weeks ago.  It sounds like this office goes way out.  Mine could be fun or it could be boring - it's anyone's guess.

The Fifth Estate

Before Julian Assange decided to go off the deep end and hole himself up in an Ecuadoran Embassy in London, I was sort of behind him.  I agreed with his free speech, the world needs to know practices - up until his practices put lives in danger, and then of course, I was much less behind him.  From what I can tell, he was fairly harmless in the beginning as long as you weren't a crooked bank manager or a billion dollar company embezzling from investors.  But then he decided to play god with American lives (releasing thousands of documents relating to US assets in foreign countries without redaction)  thus gaining the moniker of enemy of the state.  The rest, of course is history: he's charged with rape and flees to the only embassy that will take him; Ecuador and lives out his days (for at least the last year or so) holed up only coming out to cause some commotion every once in a while.  

In theory, it's a fairly compelling story, full of lies and intrigue.  On paper or on film, as it was in The Fifth Estate, a great deal is lost in translation.  Now don't get me wrong, I've been wanting to see the film since I heard Benedict Cumberbatch would be playing Assange.  As is the case, Benedict could make the reading of a phone-book seem interesting, so I had no doubt that it would be stellar.  Even when every single review I read was negative, I was still determined to see it.  Oh what a waste!  It must be said that, half way through, I nodded off for a few minutes which may have something to do with my total and utter confusion as to what was happening, but not entirely I'm sure.

The acting itself was remarkable.  The greasy white hair and the vaguely Australian/South African accent he employed, seemed to make Benedict disappear completely until all that was left was Assange.  He played ego maniacal and unhinged quite convincingly and I wouldn't be surprised if he garnered at least one award nomination for his work; most likely a few more.  The main problem was the script itself.  Since Assange was a hacker, a great deal of the story focuses on hacking and computer code.  I may be in the minority, but it's utterly impossible to make bits and bytes appearing on a computer screen exciting - especially when you have no idea what those bits and bytes even mean.  Because of this, most scenes consist of little more than actors staring at code looking worried.  The other issue I had was that the writers never really took a side.  Love Assange or hate him - everyone has a black or white reaction to him.  The writers chose to skirt the issue of this and instead presented him as a freedom of speech crusader AND an ego maniacal control freak equally; never even addressing the scandal he's most known for these days (the rape charges) until a small post-script at the end.

In the end, I really, really wanted to like it.  After all, 2 hours staring at Benedict Cumberbatch couldn't be that bad, right?  But, he's such a good actor who completely transforms for roles that even his appeal couldn't save this bomb.  Here's hoping the other 20 or so movies he's in this year are better. 

Boo!

Apparently now, this is a thing, but as it's an incredibly cute thing, I'm willing to go along with it.  You now, have officially been Boo-ed!  It's is now your duty to send this little guy to a friend so they can be Boo-ed as well.  I have learned that it's much more fun when the Boo-er (the little ghostie in this case) is accompanied with candy.  However, candy is just a little difficult to send through a computer screen.  So please except my Happy Halloween wishes and steal a piece of candy for yourself when Thursday rolls around!  

Happy Start to Halloween Week!

Book Worm

While cleaning up the purchases and souvenirs from the trip, I decided to see just how bad I was in regards to reading material.  You see, bookstores seemed to be a dime a dozen in the places we visited.  I already have a nose for sniffing out any shops selling anything that even resembles a book or magazine in the general vicinity anyway, however, it's even worse when book stores pop up on every street corner. And of course, since these weren't your average Barnes & Noble, I just had to visit each and every one.  I must admit a bit of a thrill each time I was able to acquire something I knew I wouldn't be able to get here.  Some people experience this same thrill with shoes or the perfect outfit, for me, it's books.

Though I wouldn't recommend purchasing 15 (yes, you read that correctly: 15! - the one I'm currently reading isn't in the stack above) books the next time you're on vacation.  Truth is, they're super fun to purchase and read, but when you schlepping them through the airport, they get very old, very fast!

Thank goodness Blackwell's in Edinburgh "gets" me or those books would still reside in the UK - I hadn't a clue how they were going to get home!

Friday Five: UK Edition

My 5 favorite things about my trip (in no particular order) were:

1. Boating on the Avon: The little ride was only about 40 minutes long, but the space, and the scenery and the gorgeous houses dotted along the little river provided some great photography practice.  It's so green and serene! The captains of the canal boat really knew their stuff.  They were also hilarious and sweet as can be and made the ride a delight.

2. Richard II: How could I not?  The show was the genesis of the whole trip at this time of year in the first place.  Any live theatre is good with me but when given the chance to see such a multi-talented cast perform a classic work, it's hard not to jump up and down and squeal a bit. 

3. Abbey Road: I wasn't really looking forward to this.  Don't get me wrong: I LOVE the Beatles.  But I've seen the webcam on Abbey Road Studios.  Londoners are not kind to those tourists attempting to emulate that album cover.  Now, I'm not saying that someone's not going to get hit by a bus one day, but seeing it was still kind of cool.  The graffiti messages, most of which are quotes from Beatles songs, were pretty special too.  You get the distinct feeling that many, many awesome talents, not just the Beatles, have graced those streets and that studio.

4. The World's End: This may have something to do with finally getting to taste the Sticky Toffee Pudding I'd been waiting for.  Or it could have something to do with the pub being the inspiration for the new Simon Pegg movie of the same name (if only in my mind...but Simon is Scottish so there's a chance).  In any event, it was the quintessential pub to me and Fish & Chips with Sticky Toffee Pudding just sealed the deal.

5. Portobello Road Market: Thousands of people swarming the streets.  Stalls selling jewelry  food, ceramics, spices, and about a thousand other things.  Tourists trying desperately to recreate the classic scenes of Notting Hill.  Everyone up early and basking in the early morning glow of just another weekend morning in Notting Hill.  It's one of those things that everyone does, but it's classic London to me.  Even if I do one day become a jaded city girl, Portobello Road will still be on my weekly agenda, if only to stop by Alice's to pick up some beautiful china at ridiculously good prices.  

Surprising Stratford

Stratford-upon-Avon is a tiny little town in the countryside with a big history.  It just so happens that Shakespeare lived there and was buried there, so lit lovers from around the world tend to flock to the countryside in droves.  It also happens to be where the Royal Shakespeare Company has its theatres and homebase, which quite honestly was the only real reason why I wanted to go in the first place.  I was going to see Richard II and that was that.  I certainly wasn't buzzing all year about staying in a town much the same size as the one in which I currently reside.

Oh boy was I surprised!  Yes the town is tiny.  Yes, there's really not much to do there.  But that's not really the point. It's beautiful and quiet and exactly what you expect a town in the English countryside to be.  It might well be one of my new favorite places; definitely itching to go back there more than Paris.  

For one thing, the Shakespeare connection is everywhere you look: cottages, businesses and even boats are inspired by his works and plays.  And you get the feeling, it's not just a ploy. This isn't the world's largest ball of string attraction.  All of the properties are filled with tons of information on the man and his life.  The Royal Shakespeare Company specifically makes it its mission to spread his works and inspires others to learn, read and relish this classic literature.  On top of all this, the town itself is so walkable.  You can reach pretty much every property or business on the High Street by foot.  While walking you could take in the beauty of the Avon river, check out the kitschy shops on the High Street, admire the church where Shakespeare was buried, or even celebrity spot the players from the RSC who are moving about town (I personally saw Oliver Ford Davies and Jane Lapatoaire - alas, no David Tennant though I did try unbelievably hard...) It's no London of course, but the fact that such a quiet, beautiful, idyllic area is reachable within 2 hours, is quite appealing especially for a Bard lover like me.

What We Did: Shop (quite a bit - their shopping area is quite well stocked!), Canal boat ride on the Avon, Holy Trinity church where Shakespeare's grave resides, Richard II at the RSC (Sublime, Brilliant, Gorgeous and about 30 other good adjectives, I can't say enough good things about this performance), and statue hunting (I found the one inspired by A Midsummer Night's Dream: woohoo!)

What We Ate: Aubergine au Gratin and a to die for Brownie Sundae at The Dirty Duck/The Black Swan, Chocolate Banana Pasty and an Egg Tart at Pasty Presto, Ravioli and Prosciutto at Carluccio's and a Banoffle (Banana and Tofee Gelato a top a Belgian waffle covered in hot fudge and banana pieces - I'm still dreaming of that dessert!) at Hooray's.

Surprises Along the Way: For someone who craves the lights and sounds of a big city, I found the quiet of the countryside quite relaxing and enjoyable.
~ The Shakespeare properties are dotted around the town like gas stations and McDonald's are here.  You can literally walk down the street and just bump into the Bard's Grammar School.

Verdict: With the Royal Shakespeare Company, all of the literature connections, the small cottages dotted along the waterside, London within a train ride's distance and the green space surrounding the Avon, I found that I could live out my days quite happily in one of those adorable little cottages named after some Shakespeare play.

 The big ball of white light there in the center is David Tennant (spotlights and cellphones - not really a good combo...)

Enchanting Edinburgh

I've only really wanted to visit Edinburgh, for about the last year or so.  Up until that point, it was never really on my radar.  But, I started reading the 44 Scotland Street series by Alexander McCall Smith, which happens to take place in this beautiful city, and was hooked. Of course, the ability to ogle at gorgeous photos of all the amazing architecture the city has to offer on Pinterest and Google images, didn't really hurt either.  Once I saw what Edinburgh had, I was ready, willing, and able to make the 8 hour journey up North from London. (Speaking of which, I highly recommend the Megabus Europe Sleeper Coach - what a fantastic experience and cheaper than a hotel for the night.)

I must admit, Edinburgh is everything you see in the pictures and more. The architecture of the Old Town is just breathtaking.  Everywhere you look, there are spires and bricks and stained glass and wrought iron.  It's absolutely beautiful.  And the people are some of the kindest I've ever come across.  I was never worried about my bag being grabbed like I did in Paris and each store clerk was ready with a kind word or to chat about their city.  When we became lost, a stranger came up to us to offer assistance before we even had the chance to ask.  

I had only two issues with Edinburgh in general. One, which was unexpected (but shouldn't have been given my penchant for not understanding maps) was the layout.  For some reason I assumed it was much smaller than it was.  When, in reality, it's quite spread out.  Things aren't often quickly walkable.  Also, the hills are quite terrible if you are attempting to walk. The other issue being the weather.  Yes I realize I was visiting a Northern country in October, so the chilly, wet and dismal weather should have been dealt with better.  But when I left Maryland, it was still in the 70s so this instant change was a bit difficult to deal with.  

What We Did: Shopped...a lot on the Royal Mile (There's a heck of a lot of wool and cashmere on that darn Royal Mile!), Holyrood House, Scottish Parliament, Hop On and Off Open Top bus tour of the Old and New Towns, Scott Monument, Jenner's Department Store, St. Giles and the Heart of Midlothian.

What We Ate: Haggis (not fantastic but not terrible either - a bit like sausage) at Maggie Dickson's, Fish and Chips #2 and Sticky Toffee Pudding (where has this stuff been all my life!?) at The World's End, many, many raisin croissants at the St. Giles Cafe (oh so yummy and just happened to be the only place in the vicinity opened for breakfast!),  a chimichanga (because, doesn't everyone try Mexican food thousands of miles away from Mexico?) and of course lots and lots of tea.

Surprises along the way: Like I said earlier, WAY bigger than I expected it to be.
~ This goes for all of the UK as a whole; not many places open for breakfast and when they do it's much later than it is here in the states.
~ Very artsy craftsy creative city which I loved!

Verdict: An absolutely beautiful city which I could live in happily...in June, July and August. I'm not sure I could deal with the weather and the gloom the rest of the year, however, I would go back in a heartbeat to see all the festivals that are held each year (Fringe, Hogmanay, Edinburgh Film, etc.) A lively, bustling, beautiful, historic, creative city filled with kind, considerate people: honestly, what's not to love?

Paris, Perhaps

For as long as I can remember, I've been dreaming of visiting Paris.  There's always been something romantic and magical about the City of Light that's often expressed in movies and books.  And of course the food scene is nothing to shake a stick at.  So going into the big day in Paris, you could say the expectations were set a bit high and I suppose that may have been the problem.  Like London, we mostly stuck with the tourist traps, but for the most part I found these to be a bit underwhelming.  Don't get me wrong, they're still beautiful and iconic but they're just not as "sparkly" as I expected them to be.

The people were pushy and bustling (as are most that live in a big working city.)  The Metro system was confusing and completely packed with people; so much so that you could barely move within the car which increased my fear of being pick-pocketed 10 fold.  And the dark dreary, cold and rainy weather (which I know has absolutely no bearing on how great a city is) didn't really help the situation.  While I'm sure there thousands of things I missed in such an over-flowing city as Paris, what I did see didn't excite me the way London did.

What We Did: Cathedral de Notre Dame, Shakespeare & Company Bookstore (my personal favorite of the day), The Eiffel Tower, Champs de Elysees, Pont de Arts, the Louvre Pyramid (didn't have the time to go in and don't judge but I probably wouldn't have gone in even if I had...), Montmarte & Sacre Couer

What We Ate: Baguette Sandwich with Ham and Cheese (don't ask me why, but I was not expecting Swiss cheese which was an unhappy development), Onion Soup, Laduree Macarons (Woohoo!), Nutella doughnut (I was unaware of the fact that it was Nutella.  I just thought it was a chocolate donut.  I have to say, even though I usually hate the Hazelnut spread that everyone adores, it wasn't too bad this time around.) & Steak Frites. (Oh and of course, some Tea to wash it all down)

Surprises Along the Way:  The Eiffel Tower is WAY the heck far away from the other tourist attractions.
~ Most everyone speaks English and therefore my mangled French was deemed useless.
~ The Eiffel Tower is under the watch of MANY armed guards with big guns.  I'm sure it's due to the onslaught of bomb threats they've had in the last few months, but even so: Scary!
~ The whole pay for the toilet thing, while expected, was still confusing as all get out.

Verdict: While I would most likely go back to see the non-tourist areas, it's just not my thing.  While I was comfortable in the crowds and chaos of London, Paris' crowds and chaos were too overwhelming.  I know for a fact I could never live there, and for the first time, I'm wondering how all those authors I read could possibly choose to start a life there.