Switzerland - Montreux Jazz Festival & Lausanne

Montreaux Jazz Festival - Lake Geneva

Katie's getting released back into the wild

Lou-Lou, Me, Tamy

London Town

a while

again it has been a while since last post.
Straight after Cricket I went to Hong Kong.
Wow, now Hong Kong is truly "the business" as the brits would say!! Had so much fun.

Moving there next year.

After three weeks in HK, I went to Australia for my little brother's wedding, which was beautiful, in Botanic Gardens Melbourne.

Then to Lausanne Switzerland for the Montreux Jazz Festival, Evian, France, and London twice - NYC seems so boring now!!

Lot's of photos to follow, later. probably in another six months knowing me!!

Hope you are all well. see you at christmas!!

 
 
 
 

Beach cricket with the locals

 
 

 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

Antigua Cricket

Honestly, there is no way to describe being in the Caribbean to see Aussies kick the West Indies Asses last week.

Even I can't talk about it as I am still too happy.

Photos now.

Commentary later.

Will say the score for my friends who are boys though, aussies lost the toss. batted first. rain in antigua cancelled play - I believe that Aus was 324, and windies were really low on the second day (after a rest - pussies), and got ten wickets out early.
Why even try against the yellow and green??

Love, K

Corrine Bailey Rae

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVNK_VDQY8I

The Boy King - Tutankhamun

Went to Philly to see the King Tut Exhibition which is touring the globe at the moment.
I actually saw it briefly in Chicago last year too.
So incredibly fascinating.
A little bit scary in parts.
I took lots of photos, and risked getting expelled from the museum as a result.
But then I left my camera, (with about 100 Philly photos) on the seat next to me on the train back to NYC.

Anyway, good news is that I don't believe I brought the King Tut "curse" back to New York City with me. Unlike Lord Carnavron (spelling?) and Howard Carter, who opened that tomb. I think I am safe? If I get run over by a yellow bus though.... you will know why!!!!!!

You're Beautiful...

She smiled at me on the Subway...
She was with another man..
I can't escape the truth.
I will never be with you...

James Blunt.
I love him.
Is visionary too strong a word?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLMPg5dXMV0

Jamaican Consulate

Was there for nearly two hours. Felt like 15.

Rather amusing to see all the people in line waiting for their Visa's though! Lot's of Cricket lovers clearly. No-one was talking, everyone was silently huffing about how much time it took, but still everyone was slyly checking out each others' passports - me included! Guy next to me was from Soviet Union. He was talking on his cell phone, and all I caught was 'cricket' and 'world cup'!

Lot's of Indian boys, and only one girl in that whole time I was there.

I have to go back and pick up my passport on the 14th. Consulate is on 3rd Avenue and between 47th-48th - walked there and back, was puffed!!

This is so bad.. it's almost good!

Check this out...
http://www.caricomimpacs.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=48&Itemid=33

I have to go to the Jamaican Consulate General today, to pay a US$100 (per person) Visa fee to travel to Antigua. One needs a Visa only during the cricket season (which is 1st February, 2007 to 15th May, 2007)!!! It's a proper Visa too, not just a fee. Have to leave passport there with photo and all for processing.

I love it. They are very resourceful.

I just wonder how many people are going to turn up at the airports, not knowing that they had to get this Visa?

It had better be worth it.

Aussies had better be playing in Antigua on March 27th, or I'm packing my bag and going.... to the pool!

oh god... hair

decided to do a "Britney" today.
I allowed Natalie to cut me a fringe, they call it "bangs" in america.
I have not had a fringe since 1985.
I told simon tonight, I have 'buyers remorse'.
It's all wrong, it's all blonde, and it's horrible-ific.

I Guess it will grow back? (please)

Ok. let's move onto 'Fun stuff'. Got our tickets to West Indies Cricket, in the party stand. Exactly one month til we go to antigua!!!

Chicago

...actually it is the 12th time i've seen it - went back through my "waxy play-bills" it's all there - in black and white (and yellow)

Broadway

it's almost embarrasing.
Seeing musical Chicago AGAIN tonight - the eleventh time.
I don't even have any tourist visitors to blame!!

Saturday Night Live

This is funny, funny. Justin Timberlake making fun of his 'boy band' days on SNL....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dmVU08zVpA

Black-Bird Guilt

Yesterday, I had a little black-bird land in my courtyard (rather thump), he clearly could not fly and it was cold, so i took him some bread in warm water, and he ate it all, then as the day progressed, i realised that the little bugger wasn't going to fly, as he was obviously either injured or really bloody exhausted from a transatlantic flight, so i put a cardboard box out there for him to sleep in, with R's yankee towell (R not happy) and filled a lemonade bottle every couple of hours with warm water for him to sleep against (it's freezing out there). Last night I set my clock-alarm for every two hours when I went to bed to I could change the hot-water-bottles.

When I woke to change his hottie the first time - He had already died.

Poor little thing.

I tried. And I cried!!!

A Snowy Valentine's Day

 

It has finally snowed! February 14th, and it's the first real snow we've had all winter. It was absolutely beautiful to wake up to this morning.

I left it a bit late to get R a Valentine's Day Card. When I went to the store they didn't have anything left except for the cards in Spanish. I got one. I don't know what it says on it, but neither will he - and after all - it's the thought that counts! 

Long time, no speak...

Has it really been this long since I last posted?

So much has happened.

Had the girl trip to Europe last September - most information about that will stay safely in "the vault" ! Let's just say that the barman at "Bar Hemmingway" at the Ritz Paris won't forget us for a while.

We went back to Australia on Christmas Eve and New Year which was yet another quick trip, but well worth it - even though we lost all our baggage and i had to wear the same skirt for about a week!! (Don't worry - I washed it occasionally).

We are off to Richmond, VA again this weekend for that annual silent charity auction (last one we bid on, and won that trip to Aruba)!! This year it's fancy dress, so I am a 1920's flapper chick, and all R has to do is wear a tux, grow a mo, and slick the hair - so easy for the boys!! I bought false eyelashes, but have no idea how to attach them so we'll see what happens with that!

Also off to Antigua on March 23 to see Aussies play cricket - honestly, if the aussies didn't play cricket, we probably wouldn't travel anywhere at all. A & C are coming from australia to see it too, so should be fun - the boys are hopping a puddle jumper plane from Antigua to St.Kitts for the first day's play, and will be back in Antigua that night where we are all staying for the week (hopefully). From our cricket experience in Trinidad those games can get a little rowdy! (I believe all Carribbean islands are generally rowdy)!

OK that's all - except to say that if you get a chance to see the movie "Blood Diamond" while it's still in theaters - do it. It is fantastic. It's probably the first movie I have seen in years where I did not get bored half-way through and check my watch! Good, but scary stuff.

K

Frank D Roosevelt & Eleanor

Forgot to attach this great sculpture of them, it's outside the presidential library. 

My Second Favourite President

So on the way back from Canada, we stopped off in the Hudson Valley on the way back to New York so I could see where Franklin D. Roosevelt was born, grew up, and actually spent his last days in this house in Duchess County New York.

Unbelievable.

I actually saw the bed he was born in, it's in the same room!!

We stayed at a great B&B nearby (the photos with the cabanas) - it was only about 60 degrees, but I went for a swim because it was the last day of summer. As I told you Cara Louise, I got a cold, but BY GOD it was worth it!!!

The photos are of FDR's house, the hudson valley, and me giving my second fav president a little kiss!!!


 

Montreal Canada

Labor Day Weekend:
There is this thing in America where they have specific dates for endings and beginnings.

Labor Day long weekend is the official end of summer. No questions asked. It could be 120 degrees F, but no matter. You can absolutely NOT wear white after Labor day. All Pools and beaches are closed, kids go back to school, and tank tops turn into sweaters.

It's so funny given that we in Aus don't pay much attention to seasonal changes.

Soo, we decided to drive up to Montreal, Quebec for a last kick at summer. Beautiful place, they really all do speak french there (god that sounded so yank). I loved it. Could live there actually.

Stayed two nights, then headed back home via Hudson Valley.......... more to come..... (I am catching up on my blog!) 

Chicago Air & Water Show

We lived in Chicago for long enough to get attached to these annual Air and Water Shows. How can one not love the midwest! So went back for this weekend in August. Our friend Courtney has an apartment in this building where on the roof there is a pool, and the action is right there. God I wanted to be in one of those planes! Just like Tommy Cruise!!

 

"The Moon"

I know, I know, I know....
We are so behind you in Australia when it comes to "Kath and Kim" episodes... but thank God for the 'Sundance Channel' in New York

R and I tivoed the "Moon" episode.

Tullamarine Airport!!
Qantas club Lounge break-in"!
Coogee Jumpers!!!
"Escallllllators"

God it was good.
I have kept that eposide for ever - or at least til we can get multi country DVD.
K.

Pussycat Dolls

The PC Dolls and 'Black Eyed Peas' are doing a gig @ Jones Beach. Cannot wait. God I wish I could sing!!!!

She had a pocket full of horses......

"LITTLE RED CORVETTE"

OH I LOVE THE 'ARTIST FORMERLY KNOWN AS PRINCE'!!

Twas my 34th birthday last week, and R gave me this cool little I-Pod Nano thing.

Who knew we owned Prince's "Little Red Corvette" or the whole Prince hits CD - fantastic!!! The thing is that we have a million cds - but who has time to listen to them right?

Makes walking in Manhattan so much more fun - Reminds me of being at Cheltenham swimming pool as a kid - oh the '80's were so great! Don't even get me started on the songs "KISS" and "PEACH" ('peach' is the greatest song ever!!)

Thanks Apple!

Hamptons & Van Morrison - oh.. and clams

Ahh, yet another lovely two nights in Southampton with E & FN.

Beach of course, then I had the fabulous idea of a clam-bake. Thought it was appropriate. So we went to get all the clams from the local seafood store in Southampton - creatively named "The Clam-man".

It was only on the way home with a huge bag of clams that I realised that I really didn't know how to make them. We have had them a million times with our friends H & D in Chicago, but could not for the life of me remember how it's done. So one conference call later with poor D in Chicago (who was trying to work in his office), R & I got through it, and they were fabulous!!!

Then yesterday, the four of us drove back to Manhattan, stopping on the way to see the great Van Morrison perform at Jones Beach. It was such a great concert. I remember listening to his records at Uni - never thought I would actually see him in person. The man is brilliant!

Next trip for us is the Air show in Chicago (the Top Gun Planes) in a couple of weeks...