Being Here

The Movie. Two minutes of video. A week of memories.

The Scrabble Battle

Robin and her mother are playing Scrabble tonight. No, Pat is not here visiting us. She's at home in California. They're both using a Scrabble app on their iPads, Word for Friends.

When one player has made their play, the other player gets a notification.

Both players can see the same game board, but can see only their own un-played letter tiles.

Thames Path

We worked at our computers all day, then took a late afternoon walk to explore the neighborhood some more. The Thames River is about 10 minutes from here and the Thames Path is a nice pathway for joggers, bikers, and pedestrians. Facing the river are upscale apartments and offices. Even though it was getting dark, there were several rowing teams on the river practicing whatever they do, escorted by a motor boat with someone onboard shouting instructions with a megaphone.

This is either an architect's office or an architecture school. We saw lots of people sitting at computers with architechy-looking stuff on the screens. One of the windows has a nice display of architectural models. This looks like a model for a stadium design.

A smaller pathway that cuts between buildings and leads to the Thames Path contains signs that warn dogs not to start campfires, or something like that. It's not exactly clear.

A jogger. He started running a lot faster when I started chasing him so I could snap this photo.

The River Cafe, on the Thames Path. It's famous, we're told. It's cafeteria style (see all the servers standing at the food stations). They weren't open for another hour, so we put them on the list for lunch some other day. 

Tomorrow we take the Tube to Wimbledon Station, then catch a train to Hampton Court Palace, one of only two remaining palaces that belonged to King Henry VIII (he owned 60 homes/palaces). 

Today's American Dialect Society News

From the Associated Press: The tech slang word “app” was voted the 2010 “Word of the Year” Friday by the American Dialect Society.


I actually know some people that were using that word extensively way back before 2005. And of course it was being used long before that by some people.


In case you wonder what the strange app icon is on the bottom row, it's Rendezvous, the first version of what is now called Bonjour (automatic local network detection and connecting).

Wicked

We spent the entire day in our B&B room, working on real projects with deadlines. But that’s not the only Wicked part. 

This evening we took a bus to the West End Theatre District and the Apollo Victoria Theatre, to see Wicked, the story of a friendship between two girls who first meet as sorcery students and end up in Oz to fulfill their destinies as Glinda The Good and the Wicked Witch of the West. 

It was a fun plot, great singing, music, and staging, plus fabulous lighting, fascinating set design, and cramped seating that makes coach seating on an international flight look roomy. But that didn’t detract from the fun.

Robin says it was good but doesn’t compare to The Lion King, so she has to add that one to the list. Wicked!

Wicked has been playing here since 2006. I thought maybe I'd seen it at the Yucca Drive-In, but I guess I'm getting it confused with an X-rated movie.

The stage with curtain down and some of the stage-right set showing.

On the face of the balcony, both left and right sides, monitors were mounted that could be seen by actors on the stage. The monitor showed a closeup of the conductor in the orchestra pit, directing the music.

Another theatre in the next block, with another long-running production, Billy Elliot.

The Chelsea Arts Club

I'm pretty excited about this. Our friend Richard Kindersley (renowned artist, sculptor, stone-carver, designer, etc.) has invited us to dinner at the Chelsea Arts Club this weekend.

Chelsea Arts Club membership (waiting list) is by invitation only. Two members who've known you for at least two years have to recommend you. The club was formed in 1891 on the instigation of James Whistler (gulp). From 1908 to 1958 the club held fancy dress balls at Albert Hall to raise money for artists' charities, but ceased the Albert Hall events due to their notoriety and rowdiness (Yes!). Those events were replaced with private functions that include lavish decorations and themes. Some events are what some would call slightly controversial.

The Chelsea Arts Club building looks interesting, to say the least. Details later this weekend. My-oh-my.

There are other photos of the Chelsea Arts Club that show a completely different (and even wilder) facade painting. It'll be interesting to see what it looks like when we get there.

Good First-Class Day

Robin's first class was great, nice students, interesting presentation, no problems getting to the Brunel campus on time, good weather, and a celebratory pint of cider after class in The Hub, the student pub in the middle of the campus.

Preparing for class.

Pints of cider in The Hub.