HAPPY NEW YEAR, LA MULTI ANI, FELIZ ANYO NUEVO!

BIG HUG AND ALL THE BEST TO EVERYONE AND HAVE A BLAST IN 2007! LOTS OF LOVE,
B.

Most Relaxing Place in My Books

Today’s recommendation is not to do with food or the big screen. At least not directly. Today it’s a place.

A friend talked me into going to ALMERIA two years ago, after she herself had spent a few weeks living there, working on the set of a film. In fact film plays an important part in the life of this otherwise sleepy place. Many of the old Western movies in which we saw Clint strut his stuff were in fact filmed here.

In my view, Almeria is Spain’s best kept touristic secret (until now).

I know at least one person who will blow steam over my revealing this last unspoilt piece of heaven. But I was going through my online albums this afternoon and felt this perfectly qualified for a B recommends.

So, if you like:

* deserted beaches and unconventional almost lunar-like landscapes

* peace and quiet holidays where not a chirringuito or socked & sandalled tourist is in sight for miles

* good simple food for decent prices

* very good mojitos

* super friendly and chilled out locals

* the chance to spend the day on a sailing boat and go dolphin spotting without it costing an arm and a leg

I suggest you book a (very cheap) flight with Easyjet or Ryanair and get down to Almeria. What my friends and I do is then rent a car and head to a former mining village called Rodalquilar, rent a beautiful whitewashed villa ( for next to nothing) and then explore the vast choice of local beaches. From late April onwards you’re pretty cert to get good weather, better than in England at that time, anuyway. It’s grand! A few piccies to tickle your appetite will follow. If you need any more info, let me know and I’ll be happy to help.

Christmas – What Does It Mean to You?

Last night, a cold, dark and rainy Sunday night, I got a call from a polite young man called Jacob. Jacob was conducting a phone survey for some acronym unknown to me: IMC? ISM?

I felt ever so sorry for the poor guy’s mission for having to a) work on a Sunday and b) ask a boring and no doubt repetitive set of questions about Christmas spirit in my household.

I must admit, I was also a bit reluctant about answering the following questions:
1) How many hours do you work in a week?
2) Are those hours outside or inside your household?
3) Do you live on your own?
I could envisage my flat being visited by the obliging Jacob and his good friends in the hours that I had duly told him I’d be away.

But I decided to believe that people are fundamentally good and answer his questions. How Gordon Brown’s future as a prime minister comes into the Xmas spirit equation, I don’t quite know. But I answered with my honest view on that and many other wooden topics.

He finally came to what made sense in the context: WHAT DOES CHRISTMAS MEAN TO YOU?

I don’t know about you, but I am winding down for Christmas already! There are a couple of weeks left to the 25th of December and a work trip in between, but I am already doing a lot of thinking about what tree decoration to get and where to put the tree. I think I’ll put it in front of the exercise bike, that way I don’t see it anymore ( the bike, not the tree). Christmas in my house is going to be about abolishing the guilt of no exercise.

I am also the referee of an internal struggle: part of me detests the over-commercialization of what is supposed to be a simple celebration with your loved ones. The other part says: go out and blow your December pay, that emotional moment of handing them what you always knew they wanted is priceless. To quote our sensitive friends at Mastercard. The conclusion? I’ll limit those that I’m getting presents for to a handful of lucky ones.

Now, the other thought going through my mind in the run-up to X-mas is the dreaded (?) drawing of the line. Another year is about to end, so what have I achieved, what have I lost, what would I have liked to change and is still where it was in 2005? Cant help being reflective and a bit nostalgic. I am not going to get into details ( “well, I was hoping for a new such and such, but it didn’t happen…”). No. I’ll just let you reflect on your own issues.

Lastly, Christmas is about food! Cooked food, bought food, food shared by your neighbours. I am planning on indulging on a culinary excursion of no precedent. My parents are coming to visit and I am going to treat them like kings. Not a day will go by without them trying out something new. It’s all planned!

I wish there were some snow in the London Xmas combo, but I guess with global warming and all, the chances of that happening are ever so slim.

This is it really, no big story today. Just a few things that Jacob didn’t have time to listen to…

I wish you all a lovely time over the winter holidays!

PS I’ll probably be back here with a new post this week, but what’s wrong with an early start on good wishes?

Silly Story on a Wednesday (again)

The following conversation has just been sparked up in the office.  As you can see, we are a very busy bunch… It did make me laugh, though.   Apparently, should one decide to pursue a certain type of acting career, one that wouldn’t necessarily make one’s parents proud, the stage name is traditionally a combination of the following:  

Your first ever pet’s name + your mother’s maiden name  Mine would be CIPI MINTILESCU.  We also had Spartacus Lumberjack and Twiggy Winkle.  What would yours be? ;0)

Spacca Napoli

I have recently discovered this great Italian restaurant called SPACCA NAPOLI.  Last time I went, Brian May had just finished his dinner there .  If it’s good enough for Brian, it’s good enough for me.  Seriously, do go if you like Italian food. http://www.london-eating.co.uk/6801.htm