brandarling

Pic of the Week: 8-14 March

2010-03-08T20:29:00.000Z

Cupcake in Central Park, New York

This cupcake was photographed - and eaten - in Central Park shortly after our wedding.

Click on the photo to see a larger version on flickr.

Pic of the Week: 1-7 March

2010-03-01T08:01:00.001Z

Accordion Player in Karlsplatz, Vienna

Moulin Rouge, Paris

I put these photos together because I thought they fit thematically as well as color-wise. We walked past the famous Moulin Rouge on our trip to Paris in June 2006, and we saw the accordion player in Vienna last November.

Click on the photos to see larger versions on flickr.

Last but not least, happy birthday to my sister-in-law!

happy birthday, lil sis!

2010-02-22T08:37:00.001Z

It's my sister's birthday. I messed up with this week's Photo of the Week - she hates birds and isn't a big fan of ducks or geese either. Oops.

So this is a special blog entry just for her, with no birds attached.

Speaking of special blogs, remember this?

happy birthday, big al!

A few of the links are broken but the sentiment is still there (although I am slightly less broke than I was when I wrote it.) Happy birthday!

Pic of the Week: 22-28 Feb

2010-02-22T08:33:00.000Z

We saw these ducks in a park in Vienna last November. The funniest thing is that there were two duck couples, quacking and swimming around in circles. It looked like the ducks were entreating the mallards to pull over and ask for directions. "Fred, I don't think this is the right pond." The mallards were holding their ground, sounding appropriately annoyed to be second guessed. "It's this way, Ethel, I'm sure. Stop back-seat paddling, would ya?"

"Quack quack quack quack new handbag quack quack so excited for the shopping quack"

"Lu-----cy!"

Or maybe I'm just anthropomorphizing them...

Unfortunately I have no video evidence.

Click on the photo for a larger version on flickr.

Year of the Tiger

2010-02-21T18:46:00.000Z

London decided to celebrate Chinese New Year one week late but neither the tardiness nor the weather put a damper on the spirit.

Happy Year of the Tiger!

birthday dinner

2010-02-17T21:21:00.000Z

margaritas and mint leaves with limes in sparkling water

chicken enchiladas with pipian pumpkin seed mole

vegetarian tostada salad

What does a California girl crave on her birthday in London? Mexican food and good friends... Thanks for coming to celebrate with me at Wahaca, everyone!

Pic of the Week: 15-21 Feb

2010-02-14T20:10:00.001Z

Valentine's Balloons, York

Roses

I am posting these a day early because they fit the Valentine's Day theme. The top photo is from our trip to York a few years ago, when S took me for my birthday. The ColorSplash version adds a layer of wintery melancholy that was not evident in the original - these two balloons appear to be embracing each other in the inhospitable naked tree against a grey sky. In reality, it was a beautiful (if cold) day.

Happy Valentine's Day wherever you are...

old and new

2010-02-13T14:46:00.000Z

the lost necklace

the replacement

I still hope the old one turns up someday, but I'll be happy to wear the new one in the meantime.

Pic of the Week: 8-14 Feb

2010-02-08T19:17:00.000Z

...brains...

I'm still reading Pride & Prejudice & Zombies, so it is hard to think of this as a sign for Welsh beer instead of the battle cry (moan?) of the zombie.

Nevertheless, this picture was taken in July 2006 when my parents came to visit and we spent a weekend with them in Wales.

It also amuses me to have this photo sit on my desk at work: look at me, with my shiny red brains. I've been feeling smarter all day.

Click on the photo to see a larger version on flickr.

flower therapy

2010-02-07T18:24:00.000Z

The flowers start blooming in the Bay Area during February, just in time for our birthday month. In London, the flowers don't appear until April. I bought these gerberas today to add a bit of color and cheer to an otherwise grey, rainy day.

license to drive

2010-02-05T20:01:00.001Z

Very pleased to report that I passed my UK driving test today, nearly 21 years to the day when I got my California license. Hooray!

Things I intend to unlearn as soon as possible now:

The parking brake as 'hand brake' for stopping at red lights. WTF?

Signaling only when necessary. Isn't signaling all the time better? (The theory on this one follows the principle of, 'if a tree falls in the woods and no one hears it, does it make a sound?' In other words, if you are pulling out into the street, for example, and there is no one around, why bother signaling? I still don't see why you shouldn't.)

Not giving pedestrians or cyclists the right of way. I really, really hate this, especially since I'm usually the ~~target~~ pedestrian or cyclist.

Using mirrors excessively. Mirrors are a great asset to any driver, but the way they teach you to drive over here has you looking behind more than in front.

Reversing around corners. OMG this is the stupidest maneuver and I have no intention of ever using it again.

Driving with both hands on the wheel all the time, to the extent that shifting is nearly impossible. Also, I know it isn't recommended practice, but turning the wheel with hands at 10 and 2 pushing and pulling is really more trouble than it's worth. And it makes you not only look like a granny, but drive like one, too. Not gonna do it anymore.

Of course, all this is somewhat academic. We don't have a car so I have very little use for a license. I'm happy on my feet/bicycle/the Tube, but it is nice to have some options.

So now I am a fully fledged adult in 2 countries. Sweet relief! Watch out, UK roads...

Thanks, S, for the card!

Pic of the Week: 1-7 Feb

2010-02-01T08:03:00.002Z

Rabbit, rabbit! It's a new month, and a special one for our family, starting with Mamasita's birthday. The top photo was taken outside Corte Madera theater last June when we went to see Pixar's UP. The bottom photo is from Mamasita & Pop's (early) 40th anniversary dinner at my friend's amazing restaurant in San Francisco: 1300 Fillmore.

Happy birthday to my lovely, funny, quirky, arty, design-y, creative, talented Mamasita...!

Pic of the Week: 25-31 Jan

2010-01-25T08:25:00.002Z

Sushi Breakfast at Tsukiji Fish Market, Tokyo

This photo is from my business trip to Tokyo last October. I accompanied a customer who had a special interest in learning about authentic Japanese sushi, so we arranged for one of our suppliers to take us to the tuna auction at Tsukiji on a Friday morning. We went to Daiwa Sushi for breakfast at 6:45. While it was decidedly some of the most delicious sushi I have ever eaten and most likely will ever eat, seeing all those massive fish put a damper on the morning for me. After gulping down a few bites of toro, I ordered a piece of tamago (egg), pictured.

Click on the photo to see a larger version on flickr.

Pic of the Week: 18-24 Jan

2010-01-18T08:18:00.000Z

Tiles in Lisbon

This week's photo is from our trip to Lisbon in November 2008. It almost seemed a shame to desaturate it using ColorSplash; one of my favorite features of Lisbon was how colorful and vibrant it was.

Click on the photo to see a larger version on flickr.

Pic of the Week: 11-17 Jan

2010-01-11T16:03:00.000Z

Shop sign in Stockholm for a store selling traditional handicrafts, from our anniversary trip in April 2009.

Click on the photo to see a larger version on flickr.

Say Cheese!

2010-01-04T20:11:00.002Z

More iPhone photo fun...

LEGO Photo tile mosaics

Bob is in there, somewhere

Polarize Polaroid filters with captions

Pic of the Week: 4-10 Jan

2010-01-04T08:04:00.002Z

2010 :: ColorSplash Calendar Cover

This week's photo is a Vienna city bike.

Click on the photo to see a larger version on flickr.

happy new year!

2010-01-01T20:10:00.000Z

2009 round-up

2009-12-31T19:52:00.000Z

Here it is: my last post of 2009 and it's #100, to boot!

2009 has largely been the Year of Work for me. At the beginning of the year, I was brushing off my CV and had started looking for new places to work. In March, a visitor sent by our parent company helped steer me into a new career path, which ultimately led to two promotions and a very busy year. At one point in June I worked so many extra hours that I got an entire week's holiday as compensation. (Not that I have used it - I had to cancel my holiday this week so I'm carrying over 5 days into 2010 and I'm determined to use them.)

Needless to say, my social life has suffered a bit and I'm afraid I have not been a very good friend, at least in real life. Online, my Bryn Mawr chums sucked me into the Facebook vortex, where I happily reconnected with friends from JET, SOAS, CPS, various previous jobs, even Berkeley High. Armed with an iPhone, I can tweet and update my FB status on the go...

***

Despite my heavy work schedule, I still managed to use 2 passports on 3 continents.

Stockholm in April

California in May/June

Southern Spain in September

Tokyo in October

Vienna in November

***

2009 was also a Year for Family. In addition to visiting my parents and sister, I also reconnected with most of my cousins.

photo from my aunt, circa 1986

at my sister's wedding in 2005

Sadly, my grandfather passed away in June, but his spirit lives on.

***

Finally, in the blog world, 2009 was a Year for Photos. I have enjoyed sharing my Pics of the Week with you. Here is one final Pic of the Week from our Jordan trip that made it into the desk calendar, but somehow didn't get a mention on the blog.

So with a laugh and a smile, I wish you all the best in 2010! Happy New Year!

bedside table

2009-12-28T18:06:00.001Z

In the spirit of saving the best (or at least, the biggest) for last, S gave me two more xmas presents last night when we got home from Ossett: a bento box and an iPhone dock/clock radio.

I must be a woman of simple tastes* because I lurve it. I can't believe it took me this long to discover the Absolute 80s radio station! I've got 3 new books to read: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, and Mr Darcy, Vampyre, as well as finishing S's copy of The God Delusion. You can also see my collection of iPods (video iPod and iPod shuffle), paperweights, and two of my favorite pictures of S long before I met him.

*stop laughing!

I could easily stay in bed forever with all this to entertain and sustain me.

By the way, if you have noticed how many blogs I have posted recently, there's a reason... I want to post 100 blog entries in 2009 - one more to go!

Pic of the Week: 28 Dec - 3 Jan

2009-12-28T13:47:00.000Z

Rho, Milan, August 2006

I took this picture at my friend A's flat when we went to visit her a few years ago (wow - time flies!) I thought it was a nice photo to signify the end of one year and the beginning of another.

This week, you get a bonus photo. I have been having so much fun with the Pic of the Week and my Deluxe Desk Calendar at work that I decided to do another one for 2010. Next year's theme is ColorSplash. The photos were mostly low resolution so the printed calendar is not as perfect as I would like, but I think it will work fine online. I threw in some black-and-white photos as well.

Having said that, though, this photo is not the best example of ColorSplashing. We saw this display at the Natural History Museum in Vienna. Using digital satellite photography, they showed various states of the Earth in 24 hours - weather patterns, night/day, energy use, etc. It always makes me feel incredibly small, but also wonderfully connected, to think of being just one little person on a planet in a galaxy in a universe, going about my day. Makes me grateful for my family and friends, and reminds me of what is really important.

Plus, now that it is almost 2010, we'll all be getting hovercrafts and planning our trips to the Moon. Right?

o tannenbaum

2009-12-26T16:47:00.001Z

o christmas tree, o christmas tree
how flashy are thy branches...

xmas day stroll

2009-12-26T11:51:00.000Z

xmas crackers

2009-12-26T11:38:00.001Z

ho ho ho!

merry xmas!

2009-12-25T12:49:00.002Z

enjoying our white xmas in ossett. wishing you happiness and chocolate... xo