London: The Gringo Stars

After coming back from Bonn on Sunday evening (I travelled back to London by train - it is sooo much better than flying and a whole new transcontinental travel experience - so I can recomend it to everyone) I met Michelle and we went to the Social to see Gringo Star after a recommendation by our Atlanta friends. It was a very good concert and an appropriate way to bring the week to a good end.

Posted by Sharms

Atlanta: Dallas's Birthday - Whooop!!

Last saturday night we had an wicked fun time celebrating Dallas's birthday, starting with a great meal at JCT Kitchen, then blues at the grungy Northside Tavern, and ending in a delirious cab ride home with Kirk and Allison!!

New Forest: English Countryside

On the weekend we went to the New Forest, a National Park near Southhampton (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Forest). It was pouring down Friday and Saturday, but we did a little stroll over the heath landscape anyway and met many ponies and cows (see above). The New Forest appeared to me like a fairytale landscape with all animals walking around freely. Unfortunately some of them become vicitims of road accidents from time to time.



Walk over the Heath.



Some Shetland Ponies on our way.

Posted by Sharms.

London: Ed Ruscha In The Hayward

A retrospective of Ed Ruscha paintings will open in the Hayward Gallery on Southbank on Saturday (http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/minisite/ed-ruscha-fifty-years-of-painting/). As part of a work related event I had the chance to have a look today after work and although it was miserable weather I am glad I went, partly because the Hayward Gallery as a building is always worthwhile a visit.

London: Yo La Tengo And Other Activities

Tonight I went to the Yo La Tengo concert in the Camden Roundhouse - another sign of parallel activites between London and ATL (http://hutchrenaud.blogspot.com/2009/09/rain-yo-la-tengo-dragoncon.html). The Roundhouse is a former steam engine shed and a listed building (http://www.roundhouse.org.uk/about/history) which is now used as a culture and concert venue. The concert was very good and they played some beautiful songs - so my only complaint (it might have been the fact that it is Sunday night and/or that I am of an advanced age): I have to admit that the over 10 minute noise orgy at the end gave me a headache and made me want to go home fairly soon.



My brother was visiting on the weekend and on Saturday we went to see the Tailors (http://www.myspace.com/thetailors) at the Betsy Trotwood in Clerkenwell, a traditional Victorian pub. Although my visitors initially wanted to have some dinner we decided to have a proper English evening and tried to cover our necessary calories intake by consuming beer/ale and crisps.



Chat and I are sending some greetings over to ATL.

Posted by Sharms

Atlanta: Cabbagetown Chomp & Stomp

Last weekend was the Chomp & Stomp, which starts with a 5K running race to raise money for Cabbagetown Park, shown here, and continues with sampling chili from local restaurants/bars, along with steady beer drinking and ample sunshine. It really was a perfect day for it again. Last year, Laura B and her sister joined us for the race, and did quite well. This year the organizers (or some say a lone, confused Atlanta cop) misdirected runners through the course and it was about .8 kilometers short short of a 5K, making it only a 4.2K run.... not nearly enough exercise to warrant the gluttony that followed!

Munich/Bonn: In Autumn

I spent most of last week in Munich for work where we had beautiful weather. This is the view from my hotel window: on the horizon you can see the Alpes.



Happy to leave Munich and travel back to London while stopping in Bonn, I took this picture while going for a walk. After all those stunning autumn pictures from Atlanta I felt the need to post something equivalent from Germany: Here we have a beautiful autumn as well!

Posted by Sharms.

Atlanta: Halloweening

This is the time of year in Atlanta when the world seems just right.  The weather is cool, but not too cold.  The days get dark early.  The leaves on the trees finally take on a brilliant autumnal hue.  I snapped this photo on Sunday afternoon while cycling round the city:

Notwithstanding this idyllic view, there were spookier things afoot on Saturday night, as many revelers were out and about celebrating Halloween.  I went to a party at an old auto mechanic's shop in East Atlanta called "The East Pole," where our friends in The Goldest were playing against a backdrop of scary movies:

The owners of East Pole also set up a little haunted house featuring an array of frightful imagery, like this:

However, nothing was quite as spooky as the guy who came to the party dressed up like a unicorn.  Everyone who encountered the unicorn seemed to agree that it was easily the creepiest costume of the night:

I'm even a little freaked out by the picture.