Journal Entries
Today's Cooking Challenge
Posted May 2, 2010
I've decided that once a week or so I will challenge myself by attempting to cook something a bit more complicated than my usual.
Today's challenge is lasagne, from scratch. Well, I'm going going to make the pasta sheets or kill and grind up the cow... alright, I'm not going to make the cheese or grow the tomatoes either, but you get my point.
Wish me luck!
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Latest reply: May 2, 2010
Lake District
Posted Apr 5, 2010
On Saturday I got back from a week long family trip to the Lake District (well, my brother just got a job in London so he couldn't come, which meant it was just me and my parents. That was mostly fine but it was a bit saddening sometimes to see lots of young couple about and think to myself "Well, I'm single and here with my parents! Great!" 
)
Regardless, it was a pretty good trip. We stayed in Ambleside in a place a stone's throw from Lake Windermere. The weather was pretty bad for much of the trip, especially the first half - we even had snow! The snow did make it interesting though by brightening up the brown hills. At the end of the week the weather cleared up a bit and we even got some sun!
We managed about four or five short-ish walks (the longest one was about three hours) and had some good food. I enjoyed myself but I think I'd rather go back in late spring when the weather is better and the landscape is greener.
We even saw Prince Charles! I hadn't realised but in the serious Lake District floods last year, Lake Windermere had flooded too. HRH had visited at the time and promised to come back to see how they were getting on. Someone told us what day he was coming but we had no idea what time it would be. We were about to head out for the day when we heard music, so we headed down to the waterside and there he was meeting people! It was a bit of a flying visit as he had other places to get to nearby but we followed him along as he met people and headed onto a boat to the next place. At one point everyone following him had stopped and I realised I was two paces ahead of all the other members of the public and the only people between me and Charles were his body guards - so I thought I'd better take a few steps back!
Pictures, as ever, on my facebook or www.flickr.com/elentari86
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Latest reply: Apr 5, 2010
Oxford and London weekend
Posted Mar 22, 2010
On Friday 12th March after w*rk I got the train to Oxford where I met with an old uni friend who's doing a Phd there. We had a bit of a dinner party and played board games. 
I stayed in one of the college rooms, just a few doors down and opposite the Ashmolean. It had an ensuite but instead of being a seperate room it was essentially placed in one corner. The door to the en-suite had no handle on the outside so it was impossible to close. This wouldn't have been a problem for me except that the light in there was started by a motion detector and didn't go off for at least ten minutes - so I was trying to sleep despite the light I couldn't turn off streaming into the room from the door I couldn't close! 
On Saturday morning I eventually found the college hall where I was served a cooked breakfast. 
Then we had a bit of a tour round the city, including the view from a hill and some gorgeous ice cream.
Then it was time to get the train to London. I was due to meet an old school friend at Paddington but issues with the tube meant we rearranged and met at Leicester Square. We picked up cut-price tickets to Stomp then wandered off down Whitehall. We watched the Horseguards going off duty then walked down past the Houses of Parliament, over to the South Side of the river and along South Bank and Embankment past the London Eye. We headed back over the river and walked into Covent Garden, where we had dinner in a little Italian place. Then we headed to the theatre for Stomp. It was in Ambassadors Theatre which is pretty small but is directly opposite the Ivy. (No celeb sitings unfotunately!)
I've seen Stomp before but it was years ago. I highly recommend it to anyone. It's incredibly high energy, great fun and is actually quite funny as well. We got out quite early and headed back to her house where I slept on the sofa bed.
Sunday morning dawned and I met up with other uni friends at South Kensington tube. There was some debate about whether to go to the Natural History museum or the Science Museum; eventuially the Science Museum won and off we went. Impressive, although a lot of the interactive exhibits were closed. Then we went to one of my friend Michael's favourite places, a little American-style diner called Eds where they do a great deal - burger, chips, onion rings and coleslaw for just under a tenner! Not bad at all, especially at London prices!
After that we went to through Green Park up to Buckingham Palace, then through St James' Park to Trafalgar Square. There was some St patricks day event going on so we didn't hang around and trekked off trying to find a recommended coffee shop. We found it but there was no space so we ended up in a Starbucks. A quick drink and it was time to go home - which took nearly four hours thanks to engineering work!
I was extremely tired and my bank account took a pounding but it was a fantastic weekend! The rest of my week was extremely busy too but that is too much to relate in one journal - this is a bit epic already!
Anyone interested in photos can find them on my Flickr at www.flickr.com/elentari86
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Latest reply: Mar 22, 2010
Snow
Posted Dec 23, 2009
As I suspect is the case for many of you, the last week or so has been rather snowy.
This has caused me to reflect a little on just why it is that snow makes me happy. (Though it can also make me a little sad. I remember the snow in February this year and when I left w*rk at lunchtime, all the students who live in the town had been given the day off and were outside building snowmen and having snowball fights. It was sad because a) I had to go back to work and b) it brought it home that I'm not a student anymore.
1: It brings out the child in everyone, including me - though that's not difficult.
2: I get the train to w*rk and when I get in (assuming my travel has been unaffected, which is usually the case), everyone moans about how difficult their journey was, while mine was fine.
3: Looking up and seeing snowflakes fluttering through the sky as far as the eye can see.
4: Going to bed with no snow and waking up in a winter wonderland. That moment when you open the curtains, expecting the same view as always, and what you get is beautiful, pristine white - there's no feeling like it.
4: Even when I'm walking a path I've personally trod a thousand times or more in a town inhabited for 800 years, every footprint I leave in a pure, untouched expanse of snow makes me feel like an explorer.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all my hootoo friends. 
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Latest reply: Dec 23, 2009
Mallorca holiday
Posted Sep 29, 2009
Myself and three friends spent the last week on holiday in Mallorca. It was so good to get away for a while! There's some stunning scenery there and I think we managed a good medium between chilling out (both in our villa's private pool and on the beach - the water was incredibly clear so I went snorkelling which was pretty amazing) and sightseeing. We had a hire car so we travelled around a lot.
We went up to the Cap de Formentor, which has fantastic views along the coast.
We saw some wonderful caves which have been illuminated and then had some illuminated boats come out over the lake in one of the caverns to play a short classical concert (15 minutes or so).
We drove through the mountains and found ourselves on a rally stage.
We explored some towns, walked around a castle and a sanctuary.
We got rained on at a waterpark until the closed the rides because of lightning fears.
On the last day we walked around the capital, Palma (the only city on the island), did a harbour cruise and looked around the cathedral. The light through the stained glass windows was absolutely stunning. I'm used to the UK where the light is rarely strong enough to really show the windows at their best but there it was enthralling.
If you're interested, there are some photos on my flickr - www.flick.com/elentari86
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Latest reply: Sep 29, 2009
Elentari
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