Thursday night was a big night out for the Carat group as the entire office was invited to a party hosted by Eurosport. As I came to find out, Eurosport is the European equivalent to ESPN in the US so the night was all about sport. Along with dinner and drinks, the event also included trivia, which we all know I love! Sadly enough, it was all about Europe and sports and teams I knew nothing about. As international as my team was (1 Maltese, 1 British/Iranian, 1 Filipino and me) we held the last place spot through to the end. Luckily, in a last place tie breaker, we were finally able to answer a question and took home nothing as we got second to last place. Oh well, at least I learned a lot about all the wonderful sports Europe has to offer: Cricket, Rugby, football, snooker…
The Entertainer March 29, 2007
Some friends and I went to a notable but off the beaten path theater called the Old Vic this week to watch a true British play, The Entertainer. It was a really good performance but rather dark play with a focus was on war and death. From what I hear, it is a great representation of small town London in the late 1950’s. The lead was acted by Robert Lindsay who is a famous comedian in the UK along side his wife, Pam Ferris, who played a small role in the first Harry Potter film.
This is the second rendition of the play, noting its 50th anniversary. It was first acted out 50 years ago by someone you all should know, Sir Laurence Olivier. Photos from his early plays along with some other big names (Richard Burton, Judi Dench, Peter O’Toole and Maggie Smith) where showcased throughout the theater. It is so amazing to see that much history in one small building. Over the past few years, the theater was in a state of decline but is currently on the upswing. Part of this upswing is due to the addition of Kevin Spacey to the staff.
About the playwright and the play, from the site: http://www.oldvictheatre.com/
John Osborne was one of the 20th century’s most celebrated playwrights and the original ‘angry young man’. Following the success of Look Back in Anger, he continued to examine the state of the country in The Entertainer, this time using three generations of a family of entertainers to symbolize the decline of post-war Britain
Korean Pints March 25, 2007
Olivia and I met up for a day of shopping on Saturday. To start the day off though, we need to get a good lunch in our stomachs. We stopped at a great little fish and chips joint on the edge of Covent Garden. It was a great little hole in the wall place with great food. From there, we were ready to hit the road for some shopping.
We walked through all the cool stores along Regent Street and then headed over to Carnaby Street which had some wonderful stores. Sadly enough, I walked away with nothing to show for the day, but we had a good time window shopping.
As the afternoon went on, the rain came into town and we decided to head in doors for a while. We found a little pub down an alley and figured it was time for an afternoon pint. Greg came up to join us and we headed out to find some dinner. Walking through the neighborhood, we found a little Korean BBQ joint. While Greg and Olivia where the old pros at Korean BBQ, I must say this was a first for me. It was a mix between a hibachi and a Mongolian restaurant. You choose all the meets, they prepare them and bring them to the table and you cook them to your liking.
From there, we were heading home and figured we would drop into another pub as the night was still young. All this time, I have been putting off the trial of the Guinness as I was worried it just wouldn’t taste the way it looks, like chocolate milk. As everyone says the Guinness is best here due to the water, I figured now was as good a time as ever to try one so I ordered a half pint. Another great thing about London is that you don’t have to order a full beer. Every bar offers half pints which is wonderful for those (like me) who haven’t mastered the heavy beers. I am sorry to say, it wasn’t all that I had hoped it would be and I do feel slightly disappointed. I won’t go into the details of what I thought it tasted like as I have already been down that path with many Guinness lovers. I will leave this recommendation up to you all, drink at your own risk.
