tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82281839088625287792024-02-20T06:36:39.298+00:00Rebecca TayRebecca Tayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10853889549294495867noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8228183908862528779.post-19996016420520064032014-05-11T19:01:00.004+01:002014-05-11T19:01:43.654+01:00The Road Trip: Costa Rica’s Nicoya PeninsulaCosta Rica is probably one of the last places you’d dream of embarking on a road trip holiday, but after weeks of major indecision on whether to do a beach break, tropical rainforest adventure or five-star “no thinking required” resort vacation, my boyfriend and I decided to do all of the above.<br />
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Despite an abundance of bumpy, rocky winding roads, it is actually the perfect place for a road trip. We picked up our car at the airport in San Jose and decided to head to the Nicoya Peninsula (vowing to explore the Caribbean and more southern region of the country on a future trip).<br />
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A short drive from the ferry terminal and you’ll find a cluster of small towns with amazing surf and an incredible, relaxed vibe. A few days in Montezuma, Mal País, and Santa Teresa and you can see why the people who live here have the bodies they do: if you spent as much time surfing and doing yoga (with some lounge breaks in between) as they do, you’d have rock-hard abs too.<br />
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Other ferry systems may be more organized, but can you get a beer and plantain chips on the upper decks and watch ‘Ticos’ (as Costa Ricans call themselves) dance and flirt with each other.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: start;">Our first glimpse of paradise on the Nicoya Peninsula...</span></div>
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Healthy eating in Montezuma</div>
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Surf's up!</div>
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Playa Santa Teresa: where epic sunsets, hot surfers, and miles of white sand come together. Can you blame us for not wanting to leave?<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Ever driven on a beach?</span></div>
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Small towns such as this one are a frequent sight when driving through Costa Rica. We loved how colorful the country was: nestled amongst all the lush greenery were rows of houses painted vibrant reds, blues, yellows and pinks.</div>
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We eventually made our way to Monteverde, a major eco-tourism destination in the Puntarenas region of Costa Rica. The town, which has a friendly, backpacker vibe and a cooler climate than the Nicoya Peninsula, draws plenty of naturalists and tourists thanks to its proximity to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve.<br />
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We saw plenty of animals during our holiday, from cattle and possums in the cloud forest at night to baby turtles making their way by moonlight toward the ocean near Playa Grande.<br />
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One of the best parts of a road trip is the chance to stop at fruit stands along the way, many of which sell fruits we had never seen or tried before. Those round, purple fruits are star apples (“caimito” in Spanish) and have a whitish-purple colored fruit that is incredibly sweet and juicy.<br />
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Until next time, Costa Rica!</div>
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<br />Rebecca Tayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10853889549294495867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8228183908862528779.post-18359262744792972472014-01-23T01:16:00.001+00:002014-01-23T01:17:17.311+00:00Hello, Hong Kong!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Planning a trip to Hong Kong is exciting, yes, but also daunting. So much to see! So much to do! So many things to buy! Luckily, I recently had 10 full days to spend there, and though I could have easily spent another 10, I managed to get in just enough sightseeing, shopping, and eating to confidently update my list of favourite spots:<br />
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<b><u>SHOP</u></b><br />
Always a must-visit, high-end department store <a href="http://www.lanecrawford.com/" target="_blank">Lane Crawford</a> (and specifically its outpost at the International Finance Centre) is renowned for its fantastic edit of luxury and contemporary brands and fun-loving, creative personality. From teddy-bear Jeremy Scott x Adidas high-tops and a well-curated edit of popular American brands such as <a href="http://www.jcrew.com/" target="_blank">J.Crew</a> and <a href="http://www.clubmonaco.com/" target="_blank">Club Monaco</a> to a men’s Denham shop-in-shop, there’s truly something for everyone here (and if not, there's a bevy of other luxury boutiques at the IFC to satiate).<br />
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<b><u>EXPLORE</u></b><br />
For a more boutique-y experience, take a stroll through the newish area known as PoHo (near SoHo, of course, and apparently called this after the buildings in the area, many of whose names start with Po). Hilly and relatively calm, the area is quickly gentrifying but its quiet, quaint nature remains. Stop in and pay your respects at the Man Mo Temple, then pop into <a href="http://www.posatelier.com/" target="_blank">Po’s Atelier</a> for a fresh scone and <a href="http://www.eclectic-cool.com/" target="_blank">Eclectic Cool </a>for its selection of Danish décor items, then finish at <a href="http://www.67edit.com/" target="_blank">67 Edit</a> on Hollywood Road for fashion by a mix of Hong Kong and international designers (think Shourouk jewellery, Sophie Hulme, LeiVanKash, and more).<br />
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<b><u>EAT</u></b><br />
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Where to start…<br />
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<a href="http://www.crystaljade.com/" target="_blank">Crystal Jade</a> at the IFC – for the world’s best xiaolongbao (steamed Shanghai-style pork “soup”-filled dumplings)<br />
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Kiu Heung Yuan at 91 Wellington St. – for delicious Yunnan noodle soup (bear in mind that if you can’t handle food that’s too spicy, anything more than “mild” will blow your ears off)</div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">Tai Cheong Bakery at 35 Lyndhurst Terrace (Central) – for egg tarts with a sweet, slightly flaky biscuit crust that garners 45 minute-long lineups</span></div>
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<b><u>DO</u></b><br />
For a crazy fun day out, check out the horse races at <a href="http://www.happyvalleyracecourse.com/" target="_blank">Happy Valley</a> or <a href="http://www.sha-tin.com/" target="_blank">Sha Tin</a>. The former boasts a more lighthearted atmosphere (with more ex-pats), while the latter is for serious betters and is farther out, in the New Territories.<br />
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<b><u>GET AWAY</u></b><br />
Lantau and Lamma Islands may be better known day trip destinations from Hong Kong, but head out to Po Toi to really escape the chaos of the big city (because as much as you may love it, everyone needs a break once in awhile!). The quiet island boasts several decent walks, with noteworthy sites such as the Tortoise Back rock formation and the old “haunted” Mo family mansion along the way. Finish with a scrumptious, well-deserved seafood feast at Ming Kee Restaurant near the harbour.<br />
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After Hong Kong, we headed over to Macao, where we proceeded to eat our way through the former Portuguese colony. Stay tuned to the <a href="http://www.kiwicollection.com/blog/" target="_blank">Kiwi Collection blog</a> for that post, coming soon (you'll also find some fun hotel picks for Hong Kong)!<br />
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Rebecca Tayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10853889549294495867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8228183908862528779.post-90182630953786598222013-08-06T00:40:00.000+01:002014-05-11T17:52:42.725+01:00Myanmar, Part 2: Inle Lake<div class="p1">
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I received a text message from a friend today who's heading to Myanmar next month – which reminded me to post the rest of our adventure in Myanmar! </div>
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First, a summary of our entire itinerary, followed by highlights from the Inle Lake portion of our trip.</div>
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<b>Dec. 27: Bangkok to Yangon</b><i> (1 night)</i></div>
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<b>Dec. 28-30: Bagan </b><i>(3 nights)</i></div>
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<b>Dec. 30-Jan. 5: Nyaung Shwe, Inle Lake<i> </i></b><i>(6 nights, including 1 in a monastery)</i></div>
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<b>Jan. 5-6: Yangon </b><i>(1 night)</i></div>
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<b>Jan. 6: return to Bangkok</b></div>
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To get to Inle Lake, we took an overnight bus from Nyaung U. While this is a much cheaper option than flying, I definitely do NOT recommend it! There are two bus departure times; both are 'red-eye' options, which may seem like a blessing (less time wasted in transit) until you arrive near Inle Lake around at 3am and realize that in Myanmar, this means all the hotels are closed and locked until the morning! </div>
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Basically, from the bus stop, we shared a cab with a couple of fellow travellers (the guy was from Japan; his girlfriend was Japanese American) and directed our driver to the November Hotel, which we had booked from Nyaung U the day before. However, when we arrived, it was locked and there wasn't an intercom, buzzer, or person in sight!<br />
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We proceeded to bang and rattle the hotel gate for 20 minutes until finally, a sleepy innkeeper came outside and we begged him to let us in. But our bad luck didn't end there. Although our booking was for December 31, check-in time was still hours away and the manager insisted the hotel was full. When he finally realized we weren't going to leave (we asked if we could sleep on the wooden benches in the lobby), he looked through his handwritten book (which was basically a hand drawn grid in a notebook) and found us a room that had not yet been changed or cleaned – but was empty. Phew! We were so exhausted that we managed to sleep, despite staying in our clothes and not getting under the covers, for fear of bedbugs.<br />
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(The couple we cabbed into town with had left to find some accommodation of their own - we later learned that they slept in the foyer of another hotel that had taken pity on them and about 10 other wandering, weary travellers!)<br />
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Not so sure about this – at least not at 3am!</div>
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And yet, despite a less-than-wonderful way to begin our time at Inle Lake, our 6 nights in the area made up my favourite part of our time in Myanmar.<br />
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In the morning, we headed out and started exploring the area.<br />
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The busy main street. The ladies are wearing long skirts called <i>longyi</i>, but in fact, both men and women wear them and they are part of the traditional wardrobe in Myanmar. From what I gathered, there are two main varieties: men's tend to be cylindrical and worn knotted in front (they can be hiked up into shorts in hot weather), while women's tend to be more like a sarong or wrap skirt.</div>
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We walked about 10 minutes through town before landing at the main docks, where you can rent a boat + driver to explore Inle Lake.<br />
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I bought myself a woven hat...</div>
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And then we made our way onto a boat!</div>
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This photo is taken by turning around - the boat driver stands at the back, next to the (very loud) engine. As you can see, the water is very dirty.</div>
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Locals use very shallow canoes to get around the lake</div>
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Our co-pilot (a.k.a. our captain's son, who couldn't have been more than 6 years old)</div>
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Houses and villages built entirely on stilts!</div>
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We made our way to the <a href="http://www.hotspringinle.com/" target="_blank">Khaung Daing Hot Springs</a>, where we spent about an hour. There are three pools in the area pictured, as well as a larger pool where men are not allowed, just women and children. Skeptical as ever, Elliot wasn't entirely convinced these are natural hot springs, but nevertheless, it was a good pit stop during our first boat trip.<br />
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After a few hours, and with plans in place to explore Inle Lake and some of its towns the next day, we headed back to Nyaung Shwe to make plans for New Year's Eve...<span style="text-align: center;"> </span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">Which we celebrated at the Golden Kite <i>Italian </i>restaurant! </span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">We had basically been wandering up and down the main street for some time, trying to see what looked the busiest and had the most 'celebratory' ambience, and eventually settled on this random place. </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">Their pizza and pasta was surprisingly good (and homemade – apparently the owner had somehow lived in Italy for awhile!), and we even got to try a local red wine! It was... OK.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">Best of all, however, we ran into some friends - the Japanese/Japanese American couple we had cabbed into Nyaung Shwe with! </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">Turns out, he's a recreational DJ in Japan (and also studying for his PhD in physics) and with a little sound system setup help from Elliot and a tour group of about 20 super-enthusiastic Slovenians, we managed to get a NYE dance party going. Happy 2013! </span></div>
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We also found a Kiwi girl we'd met back in Bagan, who proceeded to fall in love with a cool Myanmar kid.</div>
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The next day, slightly hung over, we embarked on a full-day boat trip around Inle Lake.</div>
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Almost immediately after passing the "Welcome to Innlay Lake" sign, you see men fishing using a traditional drop-net that is unique to Myanmar. They also employ an interesting one-legged paddle technique, which keeps both hands free for casting and pulling their nets. </div>
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Unfortunately, the cover of the latest edition of the Lonely Planet country guide shows a fisherman on Inle Lake using his net – which means that recreating this scene for tourists has become a source of income in itself for some. </div>
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Before we knew what was happening, our boat driver had taken us over to this gentleman's canoe and, as much as I would have preferred avoiding a staged fishing scene, we felt obligated to hand over a bit of cash (though Elliot felt more cheated than me and basically gave about £0.20, which even by Myanmar standards, is not much!). The lucky fisherman even actually managed to catch a fish, which he proudly displayed.</div>
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We then stopped by a weaving house, where men and women were making longyi out of silk and lotus. I have never seen this before, but when two segments of a lotus root are sliced and separated slowly, they produce a slightly sticky, stringy substance that can be accumulated and eventually woven into a thread of sorts. Complex flying shuttle looms constructed from bamboo are then used to weave these threads into lotus shawls, which are delicate but incredibly soft.<br />
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Elliot bought a woven silk longyi for his father for USD$15.</div>
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We then went on to an itinerant market, which moves to one of five different sites depending on the day of the week and sells a variety of ornaments, souvenirs, jewellery, and other collectible knick knacks.<br />
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We also stopped by a cigar-making factory, where women and teenage girls sat on the floor of a building on stilts, rolling the 'cheroot' (cigars) by hand. </div>
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Later, we realized we had been seeing these dried tobacco leaves at the local markets; they're filled with a fragrant mixture of dried fruit, star anise, honey, rice wine, and other natural ingredients. Each woman rolls up to 500 per day, and the factory sells packs of 10 to tourists for approximately 1000 kyat (about USD$1). We didn't buy any, but they did smell quite nice. </div>
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Our second-last stop (we also had a lunch break, and stopped at the "jumping cat monastery", though the cats no longer really jump) was at an umbrella-making workshop.<br />
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This was also a place where tourists were invited to see the long-necked "giraffe" women of Padaung, whose necks have been elongated from dozens of heavy brass coils worn for years. It is an incredible sight, but as is the case in northern Thailand, it has become a tradition practiced not for its historic significance as a beauty ideal, but for the tourist revenue it is known to draw. The Lonely Planet suggests avoiding these workshops if possible.<br />
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A floating garden – we saw tomatoes growing among the reeds and tried a few our boat driver picked for us, although we weren't sure they were safe to eat as tourists are advised not to drink the tap water in Myanmar and the lake was pretty murky around the villages.</div>
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Our last stop of the day: the Phaung Daw U Pagoda, which contains five Buddha statues that have been covered with so much gold leaf that they now appear just as blobs!<br />
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Each October, the local people celebrate the full moon festival by gathering here to watch a procession of the Buddhas as they're boarded onto an enormous dragon boat and carried from village to village to drive away evil spirits.<br />
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Women aren't allowed up the altar step, which apparently is the case at most Buddhist temples. </div>
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Rebecca Tayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10853889549294495867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8228183908862528779.post-42916757322912849052013-07-22T01:30:00.001+01:002013-07-22T01:37:16.864+01:00Myanmar, Part 1: the journey there, plus BaganI've been meaning to do a post on our trip to Myanmar at Christmas since, well, the moment we got back. And here I am, finally getting to it seven months later...<br />
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In any case, I've had a handful of people ask after our itinerary, so I'll start there and include the highlights along the way. Most of my trips to Asia start in Singapore, where most of my relatives live, and this time, we also stopped off in Thailand to spend Christmas with one of Elliot's best friends who lives in Phuket. Below is just the Myanmar portion of our trip.<br />
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<b>December 27 - Bangkok (DMK) to Yangon (RGN) on Air Asia</b><br />
Our flight from Phuket to Bangkok was so delayed we very nearly missed our flight to Yangon, despite having allowed ourself four hours for the connection! However, we convinced them to let us carry our bags on, made a mad dash through the airport and, yes, were the very last ones onto the plane. There was an American couple that were making the same connections as us, and we later found out they had placed fifth in the CBS TV show The Amazing Race!<br />
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Our plan in Myanmar was to 'wing it' where possible, travelling like backpackers, but as Yangon is the former capital of Myanmar and its largets city, we thought we'd book our hotel there in advance. We arrived in the city at around 7pm and after checking in to our hotel (the <a href="http://www.mayshan.com/" target="_blank">May Shan</a>, which was fine but nothing special, though the wifi in the lobby was a treat), we headed out to explore.<br />
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We discovered we were moments away from the <b>Sule Paya</b> (or Sule Pagoda), which is more than 2500 years old – older than the Shwedagon Pagoda!</div>
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We then headed to the night market, where there were lots of interesting fruits that I didn't recognize – including these, which I believe are wax apples</div>
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Our first trip on a bicycle rickshaw, which are common in Myanmar and seat 2 passengers, back-to-back. </div>
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<b>December 28 - </b>We had opted early on to only spend one night in Yangon, at least at the beginning of our time in Myanmar. Having been in Singapore, Bangkok and Phuket, we thought we'd be more eager to get out of the big cities and onto the more adventurous portion of our trip.</div>
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Early on the morning of the 28th, then, we boarded an <b>Air Mandalay</b> flight to Nyaung U (also spelled Nyaung Oo), the nearest town to Bagan, an area renowned for its thousands of Buddhist temples. A Christmas Day flight from Yangon to Heho (another city in the Shan State, where Bagan is) that had crashed and killed two and injured 11 left us feeling a bit worried; the tiny airport where almost everything was done manually (not a computer or conveyor belt in sight) didn't really help.<br />
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Nevertheless, we got to Nyaung U in one piece!</div>
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Nyaung U, Old Bagan, and New Bagan are the three towns where travellers to the area normally stay. We decided to look for a hotel in Nyaung U based on the advice of a few blogs we had read that identified it as the busiest town of the trio. Definitely good advice - it was already pretty small and dusty!<br />
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We arrived mid-morning and wandered around until we found a hotel. We had started hearing rumours in Yangon about difficulties finding accommodation (given the peak season and rising popularity of Myanmar as a tourist destination in general) and had already met quite a few single travellers who confirmed this. However, of the five hotels we stopped in at, three could accommodate us and one had room but turned us away as foreigners! Apparently, there was a religious festival happening that weekend so hundreds of Myanmar people were expected to travel to the area, with all its thousands of temples!<br />
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In any case, we ended up staying at the <b>Eden Motel</b> for three nights, at a cost of USD $25 per night. Not cheap – but accommodation in Myanmar generally isn't (at least not yet).<br />
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We did have an enormous room, though!</div>
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Our first view of Nyaung U, from the front steps of our hotel</div>
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Initially, we had planned to spend New Year's Eve in Bagan, based on the following <a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/myanmar-burma/nyaung-u#ixzz2Zj5gdogA" target="_blank">Lonely Planet </a>description:<br />
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<i>A bustling river town with more happening than you’ll find elsewhere in Bagan, Nyaung U is where most independent travellers hang their hat (or backpack). Roaming the back roads towards the jetty or stopping at scrappy teashops will attract friendly wide-eyed looks. There are a handful of temples to see, including the Shwezigon Paya, and a lively market. Visitors staying in New or Old Bagan tend to make it here, if not for the restaurant scene (the closest the Bagan area gets to nightlife) then for the transport links.</i></blockquote>
Don't get me wrong – we loved Bagan and had an amazing time exploring the temples by horse cart and going on a cruise of the Ayerwaddy River – but Nyaung U was hardly "bustling"!<br />
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We weren't expecting a big New Year's Eve party, but given that it was peak season (and three days before NYE!), we thought Bagan would be rife with other travellers who would at least be keen to ring in the new year in the traditional western way, i.e. with a toast and countdown at midnight! Not so.<br />
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In the end, we decided to spend two days exploring the region, then head to Inle Lake.</div>
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The market in Nyaung U</div>
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Myanmar people doing their washing on the banks of the river. This was our view from <a href="http://www.thebeachbaganrestaurant.com/" target="_blank">The Beach Bagan</a> restaurant, which was a lovely restaurant about a 10-minute walk (or 5-minute horse cart ride) from the main thoroughfare of Nyaung U.</div>
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A typical Myanmar horse cart. These are superb for exploring the temples. Sure, renting a bicycle is a cheaper but much more exhausting option, as not all of the roads are paved and the bicycles are a bit rickety! We saw more than a few tourists walking their bikes through inches of red sand... not fun!</div>
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A common view in Bagan: old, noisy trucks and vans with dozens of passengers hanging out of every window and perched on every available surface!</div>
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You can get a sense of just how many temples there are in Bagan... THOUSANDS! We visited about 15 in the course of a single day. According to the <a href="http://shop.lonelyplanet.com/ebooks/asia/myanmar-burma-travel-guide-11/myanmar-burma-bagan-temples-chapter-11/#ixzz2ZjBI70jy" target="_blank">Lonely Planet</a>:</div>
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<i>In a 230-year building frenzy up until 1287 and the Mongol invasions, Bagan’s kings commissioned over 4000 Buddhist temples. And despite centuries of neglect, looting, erosion, and regular earthquakes, this temple-studded plain remains a remarkably impressive and unforgettable vision.</i></blockquote>
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Typical temple activities. Note my scarf tied around my waist - as is the case with many religious sites around the world, you need to dress appropriately to visit the Buddhist temples in Myanmar. No skimpy tank tops or short shorts!</div>
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One very old, beautiful temple.</div>
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Temples as far as the eye can see</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpi_ahh478i-HRYhyphenhyphen6u5O7-ohuZIlgUsaZKri7qtZPR4Bb2M7VcOHXua6eYxOFM7MWo8YhCVd5FPiGNicFdSQ3L7nkLg5nRaY0v1oqjPlBDN5aORmVx_RWjTAJgOB4CQ7aRBQA4O6pUakk/s1600/DSC_0577.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpi_ahh478i-HRYhyphenhyphen6u5O7-ohuZIlgUsaZKri7qtZPR4Bb2M7VcOHXua6eYxOFM7MWo8YhCVd5FPiGNicFdSQ3L7nkLg5nRaY0v1oqjPlBDN5aORmVx_RWjTAJgOB4CQ7aRBQA4O6pUakk/s640/DSC_0577.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Amazing...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5n0iJadj1VmHBWMan83bUt-h0i1B3bTaMxZzgZ5Lh_TtYAWBsRejB46go0-EuxOP-trYcy7Zdk3f7mGxJFrFZ-0kSb-9iFMgsdES8InNN3hAWwNh1JNU5vSloWRbgDo04W_aRSCl3Jfht/s1600/DSC_0595.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5n0iJadj1VmHBWMan83bUt-h0i1B3bTaMxZzgZ5Lh_TtYAWBsRejB46go0-EuxOP-trYcy7Zdk3f7mGxJFrFZ-0kSb-9iFMgsdES8InNN3hAWwNh1JNU5vSloWRbgDo04W_aRSCl3Jfht/s640/DSC_0595.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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... Even more amazing after one man got down on one knee and proposed to his girlfriend! We all cheered when she said yes.</div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">Be sure to stop at a lacquerware workshop, too, where you can learn the process of weaving, painting, and decorating lacquerware, and then buy some really beautiful Myanmar pieces.</span><br />
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We also rented a river boat and took a little cruise down the Ayerwaddy River. This was another highlight of our time in Nyaung U – the boat engine very noisy (as Lonely Planet did tell us would be the case), but the river is enormous and really beautiful. Our boat captain even brought us to a little beach shack for a drink!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtUFP8eLReeFR7nxrN5WXm6axC8HhskJsUNtOxnw5E2aQG5X9rFLQQZ2L-y1lROnucnfhTgY5m-bybKQQeILOLKRxW73BmXW74zK5m86ztgYx9EH3YroYIPwJCPfGjwA7H4mEPs4xPcBZe/s1600/IMG_3171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtUFP8eLReeFR7nxrN5WXm6axC8HhskJsUNtOxnw5E2aQG5X9rFLQQZ2L-y1lROnucnfhTgY5m-bybKQQeILOLKRxW73BmXW74zK5m86ztgYx9EH3YroYIPwJCPfGjwA7H4mEPs4xPcBZe/s640/IMG_3171.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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That night, we decided to check out the local party our horse cart driver had been telling us about – it had something to do with the religious festival that weekend but we weren't exactly sure what. Nevertheless, we had some dinner, then rented bikes and rode about 5km toward New Bagan. </div>
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We knew we were in the right place when we heard loud traditional Myanmar music playing and spotted all the parked scooters. (FYI, tourists are no longer allowed to rent scooters or hire scooter taxis in Bagan. We kept hearing about one incident in particular involving a female Japanese tourist who was apparently raped and stabbed to death by a male Myanmar motorcycle taxi driver that had picked her up to go sightseeing.) </div>
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And this was the performance! It was a bit of a bizarre night – not exactly what you'd expect to draw a large crowd of around 200 Myanmar people ranging in age from 20 to 50, but cool to witness anyway. </div>
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Stay tuned for a post on Inle Lake next...</div>
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Rebecca Tayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10853889549294495867noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8228183908862528779.post-60764571977610277412013-05-20T22:23:00.005+01:002013-05-20T22:24:17.838+01:00Juice detox: the verdictIt's so good to be eating again!<br />
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I managed to finish all six days of the <a href="http://www.noshdetox.com/" target="_blank">Nosh Detox</a> - despite more than a few ohmigod-I'm-starving instances and a pretty rough second night. </div>
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<b>So was it worth it (and by that, I mean the £179 and 24 bottles of juice)?</b></div>
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It was probably worth the experience, but I have to say, I'm not sure I'd do it again. </div>
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I might be feeling differently if I had been feeling really run down prior to starting it, but I didn't really feel the big energy boost that was supposed to come around day 4. In fact, on day 5, the pamphlet that came in the bag of juice said, "This is how you should <i>always</i> feel". Hmm - the same as I usually do?</div>
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Truth be told, I can see how the juice detox would be a good way to lose weight. I'm not unhappy with my weight and don't generally struggle with it (although my metabolism definitely took a nosedive a few years ago and I do sometimes wish I didn't love ramen and burgers so much), but <b>I actually lost 10 pounds</b>. I went to bed last night (and was still, prior to dinner tonight) lighter than I was in high school. What?!!!</div>
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Anyway, I'm sure it'll all come back on in the next few days, especially as I have a fridge full of cheese, bread, and ingredients for all kinds of yummy things that I'm going to make. I also bought two bottles of wine. </div>
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What I have learned, however, is that <b>I definitely need to drink more water</b>. I'm pretty sure my extreme headaches on day 2 were from dehydration (and the shock to my system of near-starvation), but since I basically hate water, my new routine is to put cucumber slices into a jug of water. Much tastier.</div>
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So, that's it. No big revelations but still glad I did it...</div>
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Anybody else have any other (more interesting) detox stories to share?</div>
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Rebecca Tayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10853889549294495867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8228183908862528779.post-33865773287688157682013-05-16T21:33:00.001+01:002013-05-16T22:09:29.927+01:00Juice detox, day 3Feeling much, MUCH better today, thank god!<br />
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I don't feel quite like I've turned the corner (people always talk about feeling fantastic after a cleanse, and I'm not sure I would say that just yet), but definitely 100x better than last night.<br />
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Short post today - my juices today were:<br />
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<li><b>11:00am: The Rehydrator. Contains grapes, strawberry, pear, apple, lime, & flaxseed. </b></li>
<li><b>1:30pm: The Eliminator. Contains green leaves, berries, mango, oranges, & acai. </b></li>
<li><b>4:30pm: The Healer. Contains banana, peach, pineapple, apple, & the "best green superfood in the world". Not loving these 'vague' ingredients but this was by far my favourite juice so far. The thick banana was such a treat!</b></li>
<li><b>8:00pm: The Rejuvenator. Contains goji berries, peach, mango, pineapple & lime.</b></li>
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More than anything, though, I really, really miss food. And on that note, how about a few snapshots of my favourite foods?!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDdnwEBzK9jRadGiw3vlLvMxhdhFc5GhgE9Rl4Sw_5FQ6rQQ7cYh1vicVfYGUUx28eKR8wbSMzrTIl_-Y0Zn7-TDaBrXlqBurHSMjJKeVDJ5SxaEImMp-jHgfZE2gVfdxkANgVbXW5LGtp/s1600/bone+daddies+ramen.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDdnwEBzK9jRadGiw3vlLvMxhdhFc5GhgE9Rl4Sw_5FQ6rQQ7cYh1vicVfYGUUx28eKR8wbSMzrTIl_-Y0Zn7-TDaBrXlqBurHSMjJKeVDJ5SxaEImMp-jHgfZE2gVfdxkANgVbXW5LGtp/s640/bone+daddies+ramen.JPG" width="478" /></a></div>
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Ramen! I could eat ramen everyday. Ramen ramen ramen.</div>
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<b>My favourite places in London are:</b></div>
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1) <a href="http://bonedaddiesramen.com/" target="_blank">Bone Daddies</a> in Soho</div>
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2) <a href="http://www.tonkotsu.co.uk/" target="_blank">Tonkotsu</a>, in Soho</div>
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3) <a href="http://www.shoryuramen.com/" target="_blank">Shoryu Ramen</a>, on Regent Street (but surprise! They also have a pop-up in Soho)</div>
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4) <a href="http://ittenbari.co.uk/" target="_blank">Ittenbari</a>, ALSO in Soho</div>
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I have no idea why they're all in Soho, but who cares!</div>
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#NoodleFriday is a tradition in our household (as in, Elliot and I go for noodles every Friday... a bit more difficult now that he's back in Spain but I still manage to get ramen into my system twice a week). Definitely can't wait for juice detox to be over so I can get some RAMEN!</div>
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Oh, Bone Daddies also serves this delicious sweet & spicy pork bone dish which is amazing. Definitely not one for a non-meat lover, but the sauce on these is perfectly sticky, perfectly spicy, and there's JUST enough meat on these to be perfectly worth the effort of chewing on some bones. Yum.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgQuW5cT9y3l-mhw8ev90xEpOYgH-VaLaOqGpADiU7hoTfDgq7ULPX5LW7nZwrCzrZ5jZI1sLfmPkZBqy3Jc8o-kpXi8ksp0TD-Ni7Pl_KAM0yGQNNpPjT0HzOjc2wlQfumrI8NkRklNUW/s1600/bone+daddies.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgQuW5cT9y3l-mhw8ev90xEpOYgH-VaLaOqGpADiU7hoTfDgq7ULPX5LW7nZwrCzrZ5jZI1sLfmPkZBqy3Jc8o-kpXi8ksp0TD-Ni7Pl_KAM0yGQNNpPjT0HzOjc2wlQfumrI8NkRklNUW/s400/bone+daddies.JPG" width="298" /></a></div>
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I also love a good BURGER. Gaaah what I wouldn't give for a burger right now!<br />
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Burgers are pretty trendy right now (still) in London—it seems to have started sometime late last spring or even earlier, I think—but the interesting thing about burgers here is that restaurants ask how you like them done. In Canada, burgers have to be fully cooked through (health officials say the 'safety' of beef all comes down to its surface area, since that's what is exposed to air—and obviously, ground beef has a lot of surface area before it's formed into patties). Here, you can get your burger medium-rare or even rare.<br />
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I didn't think I would like a medium-rare burger, but surprise! I do.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj39xN5xj3GMTyMvmY68nQigNqt0xizNci82MOd7OfF9aHtWQiALaCszFG3eRPSPvXbrDZnbuO_O6DQLhpF3-wCeO-tC7FdG1FsxEfhCRgXUxmFZZ0Y_7kwLcPyw5PfrIbPxr9FbruUass6/s1600/honest+burger.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj39xN5xj3GMTyMvmY68nQigNqt0xizNci82MOd7OfF9aHtWQiALaCszFG3eRPSPvXbrDZnbuO_O6DQLhpF3-wCeO-tC7FdG1FsxEfhCRgXUxmFZZ0Y_7kwLcPyw5PfrIbPxr9FbruUass6/s640/honest+burger.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK-HclXff4UQAyZGxRL5t-leDXBXt1_YJgkmrFZHQW8Km1Hz9qQAViwGcUAij29iqk_GnFihoOFkDFbP1geNHjiHMztldB_rvbleBgaFIEopedAozwl-qGZkQDZBi9SnF1r-sI_abSQbvq/s1600/honest+burger+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK-HclXff4UQAyZGxRL5t-leDXBXt1_YJgkmrFZHQW8Km1Hz9qQAViwGcUAij29iqk_GnFihoOFkDFbP1geNHjiHMztldB_rvbleBgaFIEopedAozwl-qGZkQDZBi9SnF1r-sI_abSQbvq/s400/honest+burger+2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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This before-and-after series is from <a href="http://www.honestburgers.co.uk/" target="_blank">Honest Burgers</a>, in Soho (they also have a location in Brixton)</div>
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And this next one is from <a href="http://www.pattyandbun.co.uk/" target="_blank">Patty & Bun</a>, near Bond Street / Mayfair!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8J0K6VAkon9gR7kUY4LtNhjYIeiculhJkX4WtwmnwRBD6vyVKKwUybj3F2PsglNNz4SDfbARbi3vcCLNMOHuNUtuC4kKaLsGMXR3n5JcyOLFJDIGHnRbtZWbpfboJbAu5c5WQkfWdQkYq/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8J0K6VAkon9gR7kUY4LtNhjYIeiculhJkX4WtwmnwRBD6vyVKKwUybj3F2PsglNNz4SDfbARbi3vcCLNMOHuNUtuC4kKaLsGMXR3n5JcyOLFJDIGHnRbtZWbpfboJbAu5c5WQkfWdQkYq/s640/photo+1.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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As you'd expect, everyone has an opinion on who serves the best burgers in London. My friend Lis swears by Patty & Bun's, but she had a lamb burger and I had a regular beef burger, and mine was far too messy. The sauce was running down my arms from the very first bite! It was still pretty good, though.</div>
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Honest Burger was, IMHO, the better of the two. Probably the best burger I've had in London, actually. We did wait 2 hours for our table (we went to a pub and had 2 bottles of wine first, so that might have helped, too), but my burger stayed intact throughout, with perfectly uniform amounts of meat, bun, vegetables, and cheese in every bite. Amazing.</div>
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I've also had a <a href="http://www.luckychipuk.com/" target="_blank">Lucky Chip Burger</a> (yummy and great to be able to eat it outside, at Netil Market in East London) and a burger at <a href="http://www.meatliquor.com/" target="_blank">Meat Liquor</a> (overrated and in a room that has over-the-top slaughterhouse décor), as well as many a burger from various pubs (the <a href="http://www.foodandfuel.co.uk/our-pubs/prince-of-wales-putney/" target="_blank">Prince of Wales</a> in East Putney does a pretty good burger). What can I say... I can't wait until I can eat burgers again, too.</div>
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Now that I'm starving and REALLY MISSING FOOD, I shall drink some cucumber-infused water and go to bed.</div>
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Rebecca Tayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10853889549294495867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8228183908862528779.post-1499381353817445882013-05-15T21:42:00.002+01:002013-05-15T21:44:14.268+01:00Juice detox, day 2I'm lying in bed with my laptop propped at a really awkward angle, but I can't muster up the energy to fix it... I feel like I'm going to die!<br />
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Day 2 sucks. Here are the juices I had today:<br />
<ul>
<li><b>11:00am: The Rehydrator. Contains passionfruit, strawberry, orange, parsley & flaxseed</b></li>
<li><b>1:30pm: The Eliminator. Contains acai powder, pineapple, mango, blueberries, & peach</b></li>
<li><b>4:30pm: The Healer. Contains green synergy powder, green leaves, banana, kiwi, & oranges</b></li>
<li><b>8:00pm: The Rejuvenator. Contains goji berries, passionfruit, orange, mango & lime</b></li>
</ul>
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The first half of the day went by smoothly - I was running late this morning so the lemon & ginger tonic was slightly less offensive when I gulped it down at the train station. The Rehydrator and The Eliminator (such a terribly evocative name... a bit gross) were also fine. The Rehydrator in particular was a bit thicker in consistency, so more like a smoothie, which I was into.</div>
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My 4:30pm drinks on Days 1 and 2 have both been green, although yesterday's contained avocado and today's contained mystery "green leaves". But after that is when the day started really falling apart! </div>
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What started out as a headache got progressively worse until I had a migraine (well, my type of migraine, anyway - I don't get the aura or sensitivity to light that some people get). When I got up to leave the office, I got clammy, had cold sweats and nearly vomited. I had one of those moments in the bathroom where you wonder if anyone will notice if you sit down on the floor in one of the stalls. :(</div>
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When I got home, I got straight into bed, only to get up 10 minutes later when the doorbell rang (yay, four more days of juice had arrived), major GRRRR, got back in bed and fell asleep for about an hour. Eventually, I got up and, since my headache had subsided slightly, I decided to try and drink the 8:00 potion. </div>
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Rejuvenator, my ass! The first sip made me retch so I decided to take a break... which is what I'm doing now. We'll see if I get through the rest of the bottle. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzURcvR-bfz85OvDiPJ5dfCTpQOotgZEg8KZfwqAyqgvoh72oPqFPPOX7DFbYWdzKAwi70DW87WAelhmRCDYQHjfYRPMQRT4-jqyZmvFA4zJHvv_svDbqbFQKj6qlBGZkGITFRr35IhGU3/s1600/sadbottle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzURcvR-bfz85OvDiPJ5dfCTpQOotgZEg8KZfwqAyqgvoh72oPqFPPOX7DFbYWdzKAwi70DW87WAelhmRCDYQHjfYRPMQRT4-jqyZmvFA4zJHvv_svDbqbFQKj6qlBGZkGITFRr35IhGU3/s640/sadbottle.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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This is my sad, sad current view</div>
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My Aussie friend (whose name is Julia!) says this is normal, and that Day 2 is the worst, and that headaches are a common symptom. She also says by Day 3 things start looking up. The "detox manual" leaflet (which came with the first delivery) confirms the headaches, but not the Day-3-looking-up thing.<br />
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Hopefully she's right.</div>
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Rebecca Tayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10853889549294495867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8228183908862528779.post-14701481981464942702013-05-14T22:40:00.002+01:002013-05-14T22:49:35.392+01:00Juice detox, day 1I started a juice detox today. I'm not 100% sure why - I suppose as some kind of willpower test? In any case, I'm always up for trying something new!<br />
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My Aussie friend recommended a London company, <a href="http://www.noshdetox.com/" target="_blank">Nosh Detox</a>, to me. She had completed two of their juice programs and liked the results (she said she noticed a huge change in her energy levels), so when they had a 50% off deal on in April, I decided to give it a go.<br />
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It wasn't cheap: even with the discount, it cost £169 for six days of juice (you get four juices a day, so 24 bottles in total... yes, that's a lot of plastic), which is more than I would normally spend on food in this amount of time (I'd say I buy lunch and dinner approximately six or seven times a week in total), but these kinds of things normally are a bit of an investment, aren't they? That's what I told myself, anyway.<br />
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<i>Side note: my new favourite packed lunch (though I've actually been doing this since November) is <b>leafless salad</b>, which is exactly as it sounds: everything that you'd put into a typical salad, minus the lettuce. My favourite combination is:</i><br />
<ul>
<li><i>avocado</i></li>
<li><i>tomato</i></li>
<li><i>cucumber</i></li>
<li><i>a bit of cheese</i></li>
<li><i>sweet corn</i></li>
<li><i>chick peas (only if you feel like it - they're pretty filling)</i></li>
<li><i>black beans (again, only if you feel like it as they're pretty filling, too)</i></li>
<li><i>a boiled egg</i></li>
<li><i>roast chicken breast or tuna </i></li>
</ul>
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<i>I finish with either a handful of capers (for their saltiness) or a tablespoon of oil and vinegar dressing. Cut everything up into bite-size chunks - the second best thing about this salad is that you can eat it with a spoon! In fact, I started making this dish because I was sick of wrestling with those big, annoying (and often messy) leaves of lettuce every time I went to take a bite!</i></blockquote>
Back to Nosh.<br />
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Here are the juices I received for Day 1, snapped as I was making my last pasta supper:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguOb-pKSYvvNs9lecJ8u_OPA40aIY9jsyhmF9RePNBBbtrRH3HUDdvZ1ExQSbga3dt55X_yh3AWng-5DP1X7KGjE6oYMpn1rW4ytwJqa4k81MZJfRIzA1JaemQjWlA6Ik4km4OeFB1PE1o/s1600/day1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguOb-pKSYvvNs9lecJ8u_OPA40aIY9jsyhmF9RePNBBbtrRH3HUDdvZ1ExQSbga3dt55X_yh3AWng-5DP1X7KGjE6oYMpn1rW4ytwJqa4k81MZJfRIzA1JaemQjWlA6Ik4km4OeFB1PE1o/s640/day1.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The nice thing about this detox is that it's pretty mindless. It's like detoxing for dummies! Unlike some cleanses, you aren't allowed any food, but each bottle is packed with enough nutrients to sustain you and detoxify your system at the same time.<br />
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And, as you can see, each bottle says EXACTLY what time you're meant to drink it. It's simple, but it's genius!<br />
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Oh - the company also delivers the 6-day supply in two batches, so everything is pretty mindless. You just pop them in your fridge and bring the right bottles with you when you leave the next day! (This is starting to sound like a plug for Nosh, but I swear, I paid for the detox.)<br />
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I woke up kind of excited to start, but of course, as soon as you know you're not allowed to eat, food is all you can think about. I'm not a big breakfast person (I usually just have something small, unless it's the weekend, in which case, I LOVE BRUNCH), but I was starving by the time I got to work. The <b>Lemon & Ginger Tonic </b>I was allowed to drink at 8:30am (the tiny bottle in the front) didn't cut it, and I didn't like its flavour, either. Boo.<br />
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The rest of the day was pretty standard... the juices are timed pretty well, so by the time I was starving, it was nearly time for the next juice. Here is what was in them, in order:<br />
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<ul>
<li><b>11:00am: The Rehydrator. Contains passionfruit, strawberry, orange, parsley & flaxseed</b></li>
<li><b>1:30pm: The Eliminator. Contains acai powder, mango, pear, grapes & lemon</b></li>
<li><b>4:30pm: The Healer. Contains avocado, mango, watercress, pineapple & "green synergy powder" (the first weird-sounding thing)</b></li>
<li><b>8:00pm: The Rejuvenator. Contains goji berries, banana, berries, orange & lemon</b></li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrSHtWgIlecUkTSy8aCMD3K-MQ9tvAemZ1e01YCmvEfestJ6L4amMkywQSzTV70yjMlQJTeWDKSshtliSfp0SjUHHvYZm848HmKMy240qLfudvUW5gqhflqVDggnQOowP7z5am5tNCRa1V/s1600/day1done.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrSHtWgIlecUkTSy8aCMD3K-MQ9tvAemZ1e01YCmvEfestJ6L4amMkywQSzTV70yjMlQJTeWDKSshtliSfp0SjUHHvYZm848HmKMy240qLfudvUW5gqhflqVDggnQOowP7z5am5tNCRa1V/s640/day1done.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here are the finished juices.</div>
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I went for a run this evening (I was worried about going to the gym on an empty stomach tomorrow morning! And why not torture myself more while I'm at it?) and now, it's about three hours earlier than I would normally go to bed... and I think I'm going to go to bed.<br />
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Life's pretty boring without food.<br />
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The next five days follow the same four principles (with the same tonic each morning), so we'll see how I feel. Keep you posted.<br />
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<br />Rebecca Tayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10853889549294495867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8228183908862528779.post-67901391656795232202013-05-13T02:48:00.000+01:002013-05-13T02:50:37.198+01:00Weekend away, part 2Haven't had time to posting the rest of my thoughts about our Easter trip to New York, so here are the photos instead!<br />
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Lichtenstein - a good precursor to my visit to the Tate Modern, where the artist's retrospective ends in a few weeks.</div>
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The super-impressive Warhol Campbell's soup collection. Spot the cheddar cheese soup... sounds gross but also kind of delicious, no?</div>
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What! Amazing.</div>
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Edvard Munch - an obvious obsession with painting people's hands over their cheeks. Quite a good collection of his work - though I was a bit disturbed by the constant recurrence of this theme in so much of his work, to be honest.</div>
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Everyone knows I love Mondrian...</div>
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Also met my friend Susan for a lovely breakfast at Veselka, near St. Mark's Place. Love this little Ukrainian diner and the little old man that served us!<br />
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Standard view from the path that cuts through Central Park.</div>
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Sneaky pictures of the inside of the Guggenheim... they no longer let you in just to view the grand foyer - you need to buy a ticket almost immediately upon entering, and there are about 3 security guys ready to kick you out if you're loitering about for a photo!<br />
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All in all, had an amazing time – ate a lot, saw some friends, and soaked up the wide roads, the super-tall buildings, and the general feeling of openness that apparently, I've been missing here in London.<br />
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Rebecca Tayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10853889549294495867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8228183908862528779.post-35899042437909503252013-04-10T22:46:00.003+01:002013-04-10T22:51:36.425+01:00Much-needed weekend away<div class="p1">
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It's only been one week since Elliot and I were in New York, and even though it already feels like it was eons ago, I can't wait to get back.</div>
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The last time I was in New York was in 2010 - I went on a Kiehl's press trip just as the Vancouver 2010 Olympics were kicking off, which was a bit weird… I remember feeling like I was leaving the city just as the whole world (or so it seemed) was arriving.</div>
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During our visit, we stayed in Fort Greene / Clinton Hill in Brooklyn, which was new to me but really nice. As a tourist, it's probably nicer to bunk up in Manhattan, but our place belonged to a friend of Elliot's and you can't beat free accommodation. It was also an amazing, HUGE apartment (especially by London standards!), but Elliot has forbid me to post photos. Sorry.</div>
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We pretty much ate, shopped, and walked our way around the city, with a few art stops in between (but inevitably we'd end up shopping and/or eating again).</div>
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First up: brunch at <a href="http://www.thegeneralgreene.com/" target="_blank">The General Greene</a> on Dekalb Avenue, which was basically out the front door and a few steps down the street from the apartment.</div>
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Love: the casual, cafe-diner feel of the place (I didn't realize this, but I'm sick of London places that try and recreate that old-time American diner feeling; I now believe it can only feel authentic in the States).</div>
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Also love: cheddar grits. Who would've thought?! They went perfect with my over-easy eggs. </div>
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Side note: I like that "over-easy" requires absolutely NO explanation in the States. To be fair, most Brit servers will get it, too, but they'll often say "oh, fried" in response to you in a snarky tone. And forget about ordering your eggs "over well"!</div>
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Random, I know, but I decided that I'd try and take snapshots of things I forgot about and felt a sudden sense of "aww, look!" about. </div>
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Brown packets of Sugar in the Raw was one of those things.</div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Whee, hi! We look a little weary here but actually had a great time. This is, of course, us on the </span><a href="http://www.thehighline.org/" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">High Line</a><span style="text-align: left;">, a public park elevated above Manhattan that runs from the Meatpacking to West 34th Street, between 10th and 11th Avenues. It was built on an old rail line that was saved from demolition. </span></div>
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I had seen it under construction in 2009 but this was my first time actually ON its pathways. I can imagine how beautiful this must be in the summer. </div>
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Note to self: come back to New York in the summer.</div>
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From the High Line, we wove our way through Chelsea and ended up stopping by this super-techy shop called <a href="http://www.tekserve.com/" target="_blank">Tekserve</a>, where Elliot had bought his last Mac. We bought our Apple stuff at the actual Apple store this time, although we did get some accessories here.</div>
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It was a bit too geeky for me, but I did spy a random 13-year-old boy practising his Justin Bieber moves while watching music videos on an iPad. I also liked these archival walls.</div>
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Remember these Macs (Macintosh, I believe their sticker said)? I remember sitting in a classroom at school with about 20 of these computers, with all of us students logged onto the BBS (bulletin board system) and thinking it was SO COOL to be chatting online... to each other.</div>
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We then took some obligatory New York photos (but not too many). Here is the iconic Flatiron building at the intersection of 5th Ave., Broadway and E. 22nd St., in the Flatiron district.<br />
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Next stop: <a href="http://www.numpangnyc.com/" target="_blank">Num Pang</a>, which was featured in <a href="http://www.refinery29.com/cheap-eats-nyc?page=4" target="_blank">this list of cheap and cheerful lunch spots</a> that was handily published on Refinery29 a few days before we left. I had a noodle bowl with grilled beef; Elliot had a healthy brown rice bowl with the market fish (I forget what it was).</div>
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It wasn't drop-everything-and-go cheap (our bill came to around $20), but it was definitely reasonable, a perfect spot for a casual walk-up lunch, and super delicious.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidBUfej0x3ur8cBz6ctBd3bp6KEKcM8trE1y7BtmoWbD6RkeeavTVLOfBkv-fDhQtnBBPlIkxWv3H3Q9goZWEb1yrPKfwunstgfNnVicOsRr2zNqwPawtLK7jXhC4ETc0K0yXZOXV1MC85/s1600/IMG_3519.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidBUfej0x3ur8cBz6ctBd3bp6KEKcM8trE1y7BtmoWbD6RkeeavTVLOfBkv-fDhQtnBBPlIkxWv3H3Q9goZWEb1yrPKfwunstgfNnVicOsRr2zNqwPawtLK7jXhC4ETc0K0yXZOXV1MC85/s640/IMG_3519.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Throughout our trip, I was surprised to find that a lot of things haven't changed much in the last three years. For instance, some of my favourite restaurants - La Esquina, Freeman's - are still relevant and 'cool', and I could still remember where certain shops were (such as the APC store in Soho).</div>
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Of course, some things had changed a LOT. Such as this. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJEmGP3MeOvnd8vpKpqCLmnqgjF7lO4rA7nKhNiN68hIwdwkNLNABlHzhYIdfhHNBzymVuf2yRD8sqyPvJZbM5e2ZxEjioG5T3EWsnyxNb4QxL3lB9mVND3vaCh-EgUo44W2lUTkASyEzG/s1600/IMG_3527.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJEmGP3MeOvnd8vpKpqCLmnqgjF7lO4rA7nKhNiN68hIwdwkNLNABlHzhYIdfhHNBzymVuf2yRD8sqyPvJZbM5e2ZxEjioG5T3EWsnyxNb4QxL3lB9mVND3vaCh-EgUo44W2lUTkASyEzG/s640/IMG_3527.jpg" width="478" /></a></div>
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This is the nearly completed One World Trade Centre, a.k.a. <a href="http://www.nyc-tower.com/" target="_blank">Freedom Tower</a>. </div>
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Freedom Tower stands where the original World Trade Center stood. Last time I visited New York, the site was a flat construction site. I can't remember checking out the area much the few times I was in the city before that, but I did fly to New York in April 2012, just 7 months after 9/11, and witnessing hundreds of people and thousands (millions?) of memorial plaques, bouquets, teddy bears and other trinkets lining the barricades around the building. The air also felt dusty, from all the debris that was still strewn everywhere. </div>
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At 104 stories, the new Freedom Tower will be the tallest building in the western hemisphere - and in fact, even unfinished, it has already claimed the title for tallest building in New York for nearly a year. What a way to commemorate the tens of thousands lost in the attack—and say fuck you to terrorism.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcoUrYAm6ckNPelEx1GiLJBNURnjbiOpn2I7vN-_2EmdvkXrzw7XGsSUxMmb80fw7jdi4jOFbKbwBNFnzKfm2vHgVGNlqQT_xbMcCm13ZuWQlPj3UY8kcBVgPduLzhyphenhyphenhKffFmd_ueM01hT/s1600/IMG_3528.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcoUrYAm6ckNPelEx1GiLJBNURnjbiOpn2I7vN-_2EmdvkXrzw7XGsSUxMmb80fw7jdi4jOFbKbwBNFnzKfm2vHgVGNlqQT_xbMcCm13ZuWQlPj3UY8kcBVgPduLzhyphenhyphenhKffFmd_ueM01hT/s640/IMG_3528.jpg" width="478" /></a></div>
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Another view of Freedom Tower...</div>
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and some other very tall buildings downtown.</div>
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After our little adventure downtown, we headed to the Lower East Side and lined up for "Americanized Oriental Food" (pulled directly from their site, thank you) at <a href="http://missionchinesefood.com/" target="_blank">Mission Chinese Food</a>. </div>
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(By the way, I hate the word "oriental", but let's save that for another day.)</div>
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In the line, we spotted Padma Lakshmi, model, presenter of Top Chef... and ex-wife of Salman Rushdie. She was coming out of the restaurant with a small entourage; <a href="http://www.refinery29.com/padma-lakshmi" target="_blank">apparently she really likes</a> the place. A normal-looking 40-something guy swooned when he saw her, waved, then shouted, "Seeing you just made my life!" Whoa.</div>
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Anyway, here's Mission:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1dMNUp2L93uHSb5IueL5jr28Acg3UmpX5JYggrWmrAHrdlYpR0Dhs1yLOc7WoGwxPccFcU3XhSfqGnyI3PrFfj1EhAAfYXdPUkhVF8U96Ip0zqrHrmfNyOsFQA1dqLOoC1Loc1vZYRXpn/s1600/IMG_3530.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1dMNUp2L93uHSb5IueL5jr28Acg3UmpX5JYggrWmrAHrdlYpR0Dhs1yLOc7WoGwxPccFcU3XhSfqGnyI3PrFfj1EhAAfYXdPUkhVF8U96Ip0zqrHrmfNyOsFQA1dqLOoC1Loc1vZYRXpn/s640/IMG_3530.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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tiny and very 'American Chinese-y'</div>
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We had the mapo tofu, Chongqing chicken wings (both of which were scary yummy spicy), plus a few smaller dishes from the other side (lamb meatballs, smashed cucumbers). </div>
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I need to go back with a bigger group so we can order 10 dishes and I can try them ALL!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYK6iO4YJRJxm3Yjj_-FyIKCxORsq4Nr1njPVvhReKQisChUiPIKQ11E0XOq9KNDKc6nv_-yRijDdubJaJ7hpWrSJrrWUBY8aMnBqsRfBzk1nE9MnxjmZ5dbOsbYylBrLP_qSspRWXq01j/s1600/IMG_3536.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYK6iO4YJRJxm3Yjj_-FyIKCxORsq4Nr1njPVvhReKQisChUiPIKQ11E0XOq9KNDKc6nv_-yRijDdubJaJ7hpWrSJrrWUBY8aMnBqsRfBzk1nE9MnxjmZ5dbOsbYylBrLP_qSspRWXq01j/s640/IMG_3536.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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We were lucky to get in as they close between lunch and dinner.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZcQimd0pUKB18GDsnJyGOZaZmXzGn30AyW8GLsl9VWmXKA_sIP5lx_uwJ3Wvk2q0fbY7qn7618250EJ0_S0Utx0Wdlw_A9ATfQ5wUlnEpBKSgvuGTQVXL0_iLYRW7rlEnNqCub5EY_fNP/s1600/IMG_3539.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZcQimd0pUKB18GDsnJyGOZaZmXzGn30AyW8GLsl9VWmXKA_sIP5lx_uwJ3Wvk2q0fbY7qn7618250EJ0_S0Utx0Wdlw_A9ATfQ5wUlnEpBKSgvuGTQVXL0_iLYRW7rlEnNqCub5EY_fNP/s400/IMG_3539.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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mapo tofu</div>
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So, interlude... </div>
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Here's another thing I spotted in a store that I realized I hadn't seen in ages! Full-scap, three-hole punched, 8.5" x 11" (a.k.a. letter size), VERY NORMAL lined paper! </div>
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As it turns out, apparently the US and Canada are actually the exception when it comes to paper. While we use this very sensible-looking paper (three holes just make so much more sense than 2), nearly every other country in the world uses A4, which is slightly longer. I just learned that <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A4_paper#A_series" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqOFyNoDki5YLFFd1XkqhUzFrmyWQ_vy0046noUbNt-v7NYxG31N29Vtk64_XSLSjsCDQhCm1Hi_BUmkMM6k2XGIsVx7WBDZVklX0kTJSoDJJ3EpSNo4ju7cWMKnsL-8-_X13leHsL5rJM/s1600/IMG_3540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqOFyNoDki5YLFFd1XkqhUzFrmyWQ_vy0046noUbNt-v7NYxG31N29Vtk64_XSLSjsCDQhCm1Hi_BUmkMM6k2XGIsVx7WBDZVklX0kTJSoDJJ3EpSNo4ju7cWMKnsL-8-_X13leHsL5rJM/s400/IMG_3540.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
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A pack of paper photographed backwards. You get the idea.</div>
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Now back to food. This is the view from our perch at the bar at Momofuku Noodle, one of those legendary places that I have probably tried to visit every time I've been to New York, but only got around to (that is, had time to wait in line for) on this trip. </div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">It was well worth the wait, and the food is well, WELL worth all the hype. We started with kimchi, which was served with a tiny, cute bottle of hot sauce.</span></div>
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And then, of course, we had ramen. </div>
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Yum! </div>
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More New York highlights coming soon.</div>
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Rebecca Tayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10853889549294495867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8228183908862528779.post-62177180123952631202013-03-08T22:08:00.001+00:002013-03-08T22:10:45.919+00:00Happy International Women's Day<div style="text-align: center;">
To all the incredible, smart, and incredibly smart women in my life!<br />
xx</div>
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Rebecca Tayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10853889549294495867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8228183908862528779.post-65840693588630565012013-02-04T23:36:00.000+00:002013-02-04T23:36:49.422+00:00Highlights from Singapore!<br />
It's been more than five years since I was last in Singapore, and it was incredible how much the city had changed!<br />
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In 2007, the city was just preparing for its first Grand Prix; this time, the entire financial centre had changed and welcomed such megastructures as the Marina Bay Sands hotel (which has an incredible infinity pool more than 60 stores up) and the Supertrees — a lush, green attraction that's part of Gardens by the Bay — are drawing loads of tourists everyday.<br />
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Despite all the newness, though, I was still drawn to a few areas:<br />
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Little Tekka market in Little India. I LOVE this hawker centre - there's so much delicious food on offer that it's difficult to choose just one dish! </div>
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On our first visit to the market (we went back twice in four days), I settled on chicken rice. Yum.</div>
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The Indian gentleman at this crêpe shop some impressive facial hair! His crêpes were DELICIOUS - we ordered sweet ones (with sugar and bananas), but they're also yummy when eaten with a savoury, tomato curry-type dip.</div>
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Someone recently pointed out that Singaporeans are all about "drinks in bags". This is <i>teh tarik </i>in a cup, in a bag. Cold drinks come directly in a bag.</div>
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Dozens of sari (and other printed silk and cotton garments) vendors upstairs... love the colours!</div>
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We also explored Haji Lane, which is near the Tekka Market and full of independent boutiques selling unique clothing, accessories and household trinkets. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrFtuJgPyvzqO5tp-rrnjD5XhsVTD0CZTO7vwyRySoSI4GYzY_uOWw_VgY7-l4BCShxx21PHpAWfrXVGXKlV-l-m8MNvbz-sPxyVwlpAiuHO1eHECIQOF8YMWwNSv4ex-iHf6KC7nmNkVh/s1600/DSC_0171.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrFtuJgPyvzqO5tp-rrnjD5XhsVTD0CZTO7vwyRySoSI4GYzY_uOWw_VgY7-l4BCShxx21PHpAWfrXVGXKlV-l-m8MNvbz-sPxyVwlpAiuHO1eHECIQOF8YMWwNSv4ex-iHf6KC7nmNkVh/s640/DSC_0171.jpg" width="424" /></a> </div>
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I particularly liked this store, <a href="http://www.knowitnothing.com/" target="_blank">K.I.N.</a>, which stands for Know It Nothing and is "a multi label boutique" for men. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZEIZRWOuogLm4tXIu0Mh0Tm98boD4qs8hp0A77RsncTlMosKuZ1JBo4GvIgv69Op8_IMa_Ut1vrc7HahMcvMUkWkKKzo5X2xwlv5wN8YCMHRi4LsQ2uWCoVqW41dPmO_8tSCs4QC2f4-G/s1600/DSC_0170.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZEIZRWOuogLm4tXIu0Mh0Tm98boD4qs8hp0A77RsncTlMosKuZ1JBo4GvIgv69Op8_IMa_Ut1vrc7HahMcvMUkWkKKzo5X2xwlv5wN8YCMHRi4LsQ2uWCoVqW41dPmO_8tSCs4QC2f4-G/s640/DSC_0170.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijwFja5yBvs719_FPaWgRZv8eHVgDy_vcfs-lgmx-fbrcYQLfFH4KBhYUKElMl4JjzD7nZwKZdGUBuSeLhDX-MPuw4d7whUmJE0qKTy2ihG9yrBgkH3_y84vxFHKx1Rgq5udm5rFuNfj7n/s1600/DSC_0160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijwFja5yBvs719_FPaWgRZv8eHVgDy_vcfs-lgmx-fbrcYQLfFH4KBhYUKElMl4JjzD7nZwKZdGUBuSeLhDX-MPuw4d7whUmJE0qKTy2ihG9yrBgkH3_y84vxFHKx1Rgq5udm5rFuNfj7n/s640/DSC_0160.JPG" width="640" /></a>It stocks a bunch of international brands like Gitman Vintage, Robert Geller, Norse Projects, as well as a good (very small) selection of magazines (I was pleased to see Hobo, which hails from Vancouver there) and some locally designed garments, too.</div>
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We bought a couple of these "Nasi Lemak" t-shirts by <a href="http://www.facebook.com/lovenomnom" target="_blank">Nom Nom</a>, a brand that "celebrates Singaporean food culture"... on shirts! I love nasi lemak. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyhFoiWysv-XIVkjbRpuu2Pd7AyHXVi1_RRrwq44-PNfopnNAQ1H54Cd-6tdMMZZel73bAoRnTnWyLrh6dyCCEaJ6KNiBIF266lzD3dlq8EpwcXU1TXgosuLGok6vXHClUHu3Yx6WwitW0/s1600/IMG_3049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyhFoiWysv-XIVkjbRpuu2Pd7AyHXVi1_RRrwq44-PNfopnNAQ1H54Cd-6tdMMZZel73bAoRnTnWyLrh6dyCCEaJ6KNiBIF266lzD3dlq8EpwcXU1TXgosuLGok6vXHClUHu3Yx6WwitW0/s640/IMG_3049.jpg" width="478" /></a> </div>
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We also fell in love with this tiger rug from Nepal. It wasn't outrageously expensive (it cost SGD1000, which is about $800 or £500), and if we hadn't been off to Thailand and Myanmar next, I might have tried harder to convince Elliot that we needed it...</div>
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Next time... (If anyone is heading to Singapore and feels like bringing something back to London, let me know!)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuNjf0y1j4fimr7voxHt-daERvHZyEUV0hWDLVJ4X3BUIklSJkf6p1c7ziEA26ua9ZKGghcISdbOZs23wcXGKBnBUypPDw6ctIkglmr9YdGnhGckVBOfg32InXK8cCSOl9040h-oOZbL8x/s1600/IMG_2961.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuNjf0y1j4fimr7voxHt-daERvHZyEUV0hWDLVJ4X3BUIklSJkf6p1c7ziEA26ua9ZKGghcISdbOZs23wcXGKBnBUypPDw6ctIkglmr9YdGnhGckVBOfg32InXK8cCSOl9040h-oOZbL8x/s640/IMG_2961.jpg" width="478" /></a></div>
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A last look at Haji Lane.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKL0JQKznxQzfdeQjdwwrUWfD-uAwSrumNtxxTGuc8qgGf5WfgwrXNLcyhF2ZCQOjIiXLhVYho4opzGHn44F3AAly8NOS4IWNVu8nELFv6QuJv4dbA2SQXdH3cEYqHMOQYqUwfcpZ8JHLD/s1600/IMG_3054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKL0JQKznxQzfdeQjdwwrUWfD-uAwSrumNtxxTGuc8qgGf5WfgwrXNLcyhF2ZCQOjIiXLhVYho4opzGHn44F3AAly8NOS4IWNVu8nELFv6QuJv4dbA2SQXdH3cEYqHMOQYqUwfcpZ8JHLD/s640/IMG_3054.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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A final highlight: a trip across the causeway to Johor Bahru, Malaysia, where we stopped for some <i>bak kut teh </i>before heading to the mall. </div>
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A lot of Singaporeans head to Malaysia for shopping (the exchange rate works in their favour - so much so that the Singaporean government requires you to fill up your gas tank to a certain level prior to crossing the border to discourage people from going over just for petrol), which we did too, but the pork bone / spare rib soup at this little restaurant was the tastiest I've ever had and, on a trip full of incredible meals, still one of the most memorable!</div>
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Me too busy getting ready to eat to look up at the camera!</div>
Rebecca Tayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10853889549294495867noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8228183908862528779.post-25669665791994005732012-09-23T21:43:00.001+01:002012-09-23T21:44:16.189+01:00Tay sisters on vacationFound these funny photos from my sister's visit to Mallorca (her and her boyfriend took a very welcome, three-week sojourn to Europe in the middle of their <a href="http://3roadblog.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">year-long tour of Africa</a>).<br />
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Typical Tay sisters on vacation. :)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1M7KF6Tg1z9LmDZK-n1iPlXmpnyR-dHcdkKIRYiEEqvZTF6IJPA6XVlYqDqJ7yN74CtdWoINX5GJcinrvWSYUfE-4wjVJ2kILX-SWt8OcbuGUWj33w9ip08bySU7zcT-eM5axXUCEJ9Ji/s1600/042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1M7KF6Tg1z9LmDZK-n1iPlXmpnyR-dHcdkKIRYiEEqvZTF6IJPA6XVlYqDqJ7yN74CtdWoINX5GJcinrvWSYUfE-4wjVJ2kILX-SWt8OcbuGUWj33w9ip08bySU7zcT-eM5axXUCEJ9Ji/s640/042.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Rebecca Tayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10853889549294495867noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8228183908862528779.post-59959510515709083762012-09-18T22:59:00.004+01:002012-09-18T23:00:27.863+01:00Mallorca, Trip 47: Es TrencAfter over two years of being in a long distance relationship between Europe and Canada, I moved to London... and Elliot and I are still doing the long distance thing. But hey, London is a hell of a lot closer to Ibiza/Mallorca (what's two hours compared to 11?), and really, there are worse places he could be based for me to visit. Many, many worse places.<br />
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Anyway, I have just one last visit planned for the end of September, so I thought I'd share some Instagrams of my last two summer 2012 trips to the sunny isles:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir-faXO8a1NZosoSvQJ4ePuoXscyrlQRFW90EXuYIu3eApuZrSpdE4IOx8grGD6tDnPSRSkUyoCKKJlz4F94eOH5aNX9T36eoD1j9R-fYb5_wCNWvcESoMoaYnylDTmxMqpaETtOAZg_lp/s1600/photo+3-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir-faXO8a1NZosoSvQJ4ePuoXscyrlQRFW90EXuYIu3eApuZrSpdE4IOx8grGD6tDnPSRSkUyoCKKJlz4F94eOH5aNX9T36eoD1j9R-fYb5_wCNWvcESoMoaYnylDTmxMqpaETtOAZg_lp/s640/photo+3-2.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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A weekend destination: Es Trenc, Mallorca</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY14KPHXpxgc0CPyB3mahwFFKpVOInYXRR0g_Oc1pZuQLC06pfWy7hppnTKikz06IQJztueEiB1O6DrDlLtwlSLY3Dzl0muYuBusM7jmWHQNYh95LCR6k-Ljwu7AqDuBTo_nOboXkSuHos/s1600/photo+1-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY14KPHXpxgc0CPyB3mahwFFKpVOInYXRR0g_Oc1pZuQLC06pfWy7hppnTKikz06IQJztueEiB1O6DrDlLtwlSLY3Dzl0muYuBusM7jmWHQNYh95LCR6k-Ljwu7AqDuBTo_nOboXkSuHos/s640/photo+1-1.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The walk from the parking lot at Es Trenc to the beach itself involves passing by several decrepit houses that were nearly finished before construction was halted: apparently, you can't build houses on the beach. Not sure what the whole story is here—you'd think the developers would have gotten the permits first, but then again, it IS Spain—but here's the result. </div>
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Something about the fact that thousands of people pass the development each summer somehow makes it less depressing and ugly.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib4ESBm4zcn1s-avZ2a-xMW4dszJv-t0viPJ5NkYvbt_irfnxOEiDZ5PBwCDXCxyi1ff0-LncqnyarQe3tJ3gQbVZYFp-izDm9ZQmt3YPXiJ9eGtGQkXZ4mOIOmlGekyyQtR0HHx6Saxsm/s1600/photo+3-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib4ESBm4zcn1s-avZ2a-xMW4dszJv-t0viPJ5NkYvbt_irfnxOEiDZ5PBwCDXCxyi1ff0-LncqnyarQe3tJ3gQbVZYFp-izDm9ZQmt3YPXiJ9eGtGQkXZ4mOIOmlGekyyQtR0HHx6Saxsm/s640/photo+3-1.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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But why not?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihMLBc7IVadN2RBlQqAu_RvwGizRNAeINa1USKMSyVV6vg7elViZCEWV0NDP21WVyAHGPXCzSjsuiT0amsozAKIlnVQ8AZfWmPJ5r_TiaGNS0lgAHkEaS04YjR_4x3Gv2UgopW4ktP41dK/s1600/photo+1-3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihMLBc7IVadN2RBlQqAu_RvwGizRNAeINa1USKMSyVV6vg7elViZCEWV0NDP21WVyAHGPXCzSjsuiT0amsozAKIlnVQ8AZfWmPJ5r_TiaGNS0lgAHkEaS04YjR_4x3Gv2UgopW4ktP41dK/s640/photo+1-3.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Our beach umbrella. We have gotten a LOT of use out of this little number.</div>
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More graffiti on the beach. Great colours and cheeky kids!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguz-7n58-RmTxJdxKFE0DeH1Zm7F07bbtJjeOSqMR0NsrbXRjUtJ5I50GPOr5uoqVTcLZWxnJm4gYJwPxt9jc8vZFFU8p2Qa4_fAGPnMQBZC4ZToKhlRYhTDqOrNmi3T7g47sqJK8GeF_Q/s1600/photo+1-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguz-7n58-RmTxJdxKFE0DeH1Zm7F07bbtJjeOSqMR0NsrbXRjUtJ5I50GPOr5uoqVTcLZWxnJm4gYJwPxt9jc8vZFFU8p2Qa4_fAGPnMQBZC4ZToKhlRYhTDqOrNmi3T7g47sqJK8GeF_Q/s640/photo+1-2.JPG" width="478" /></a></div>
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Taking photos in front of the graffiti wall.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNR07F_Du7Z1RYwdxioDF-RJnibtIogrB4SI3SxVZPxY0UoqnCr_r-_IcP8Vge8ZG24dhI-HVSs_iamr0eAdYiQaWC5te94QWfC5w9wL1SUzZ8xKbUcBfI7bshOMFiRwTdlVtDfytUSa8S/s1600/257051_10151199918818428_2111675370_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNR07F_Du7Z1RYwdxioDF-RJnibtIogrB4SI3SxVZPxY0UoqnCr_r-_IcP8Vge8ZG24dhI-HVSs_iamr0eAdYiQaWC5te94QWfC5w9wL1SUzZ8xKbUcBfI7bshOMFiRwTdlVtDfytUSa8S/s640/257051_10151199918818428_2111675370_o.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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Elliot lifted himself up to look inside...</div>
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And I got a leg up. </div>
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(My butt looks quite large in this photo.)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibuggQ68v_quB1Flc19Ca-GDhBm_31CLb4zjSjfq25J0o0B-yPdeknHTVicVy4jBSeuJhUpXaOD1fsExpdyCjbEKb2FRoiDkligdxlpKT7ioAekddkGIBpLpKKhOgs1bK6RJ4wftlWabMO/s1600/photo+2-3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibuggQ68v_quB1Flc19Ca-GDhBm_31CLb4zjSjfq25J0o0B-yPdeknHTVicVy4jBSeuJhUpXaOD1fsExpdyCjbEKb2FRoiDkligdxlpKT7ioAekddkGIBpLpKKhOgs1bK6RJ4wftlWabMO/s640/photo+2-3.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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My favourite beach snack. </div>
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You just can't resist buying one while saying "Magnum G-O-L-D???!!!!!"</div>
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Another weekend destination: the city beach in Palma. </div>
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Testing out my new <a href="http://www.tuckerbygabybasora.com/" target="_blank">Tucker NYC</a> jumpsuit on the beach. I had the opportunity to meet the designer, Gaby Basora, during a trip to London in the summer, and it was a true privilege. She designs all of her own prints and is SUCH a lively, gregarious person—a true pleasure to be around.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTp8O-QT2eEeJzj2qHbi3j_evp3VMvVWXAEME2EwzWhvmNYWq83bI3mWaQcTT4xZqRfr6uz2b2V6JhRLiWV8iTlXvaIsVnjT-YMse7PTtw6ihevYtvLsHO_wToVgGG-7BVg2ucQlZg9Rfa/s1600/IMG_2184.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTp8O-QT2eEeJzj2qHbi3j_evp3VMvVWXAEME2EwzWhvmNYWq83bI3mWaQcTT4xZqRfr6uz2b2V6JhRLiWV8iTlXvaIsVnjT-YMse7PTtw6ihevYtvLsHO_wToVgGG-7BVg2ucQlZg9Rfa/s640/IMG_2184.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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My teeny weeny leopard print D&G bikini. This got quite a bit of wear this summer.</div>
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That day, at city beach, we also saw a set of butt implants. Very bizarre.</div>
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One of our favourite little restaurants in Camp de Mar, which does a good paella.</div>
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Spanish olives are the BEST.</div>
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Rebecca Tayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10853889549294495867noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8228183908862528779.post-33797211619708990482012-09-05T22:06:00.002+01:002012-09-05T22:08:52.104+01:00A 5-second August recapA quick recap of the last, er, MONTH!<br />
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First there was the Olympics...<br />
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I saw Quebec's Alexandre Despatie dive at the Aquatic Centre...</div>
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These were Despatie's second Games and he didn't do very well - but the guy cracked his head on the board and had to get 20+ stitches not 6 months before the Olympics, so let's give him a break, shall we?<br />
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I also walked around the Olympic Park again...<br />
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I even got chicken mcnuggets at the world's largest McDonald's (which isn't actually this one, but the OTHER one at Olympic Park - see second picture below)...</div>
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I wandered the London 2012 Megastore (but didn't buy anything)...<br />
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And then I went back to Vancouver for the amazing, super gorgeous #AdrianxMalania wedding, which took place in the massive forest-backyard of one of Adrian's best friends, Tim.<br />
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Here's my friend Paul looking quite dapper, taking it all in:<br />
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And then I came back to London and started a new job! </div>
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How's that for a super-quick update?</div>
Rebecca Tayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10853889549294495867noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8228183908862528779.post-22746448740689641222012-08-16T20:09:00.001+01:002012-08-16T20:09:05.321+01:00Mallorca favourites: Sa ForadadaElliot would probably disagree with this, seeing as I grumble about it every time he suggests it, but Sa Foradada IS actually one of my favourite places in Mallorca.<br />
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About a 5-minute drive from Deià (in the north of the island), getting to Sa Foradada means a 45-minute hike down a winding gravel road. It's easy and I usually do it in flip flops, but the 35-degree heat definitely makes it a bit more challenging.<br />
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Here are some photos from the top of the mountain, pre-hike. You can see the winding road on the side of the tip of the island that is basically the last 10 minutes of the walk. (That's my sister and her boyfriend on a recent European sojourn from their travels through Africa.)<br />
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The start of the walk involves climbing over an iron gate (the only cars allowed on the road are those belonging to the restaurant owners at the bottom). This sign makes sure you're heading the right way:</div>
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There are plenty of olive trees during the first 10 minutes of the hike. </div>
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Ever eaten a raw olive picked off a tree? I don't recommend it.</div>
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There are also loads of sheep during the first 15 minutes. They roam the dry land eating grass and they run away from you if you approach them. The big collars around their neck have big cowbells around them.<br />
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And then, once you get to the bottom, we usually go eat at the family-owned restaurant first. This man, who is in his 70s, has owned the restaurant for over 40 years, and still spends his summer days cooking paella for appreciative tourists.<br />
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My favourite paella in the world.</div>
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See? We have brought quite a few people here—at least four different groups of visitors, that I can think of—but Sa Foradada remains a favourite. </div>
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After lunch, there's a little rocky cove where you can sunbathe (though to be honest, it's not the most comfortable as there's no sand...). Usually, though, I end up splashing around in the tide, trying to avoid being smashed over the rocks. </div>
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Last time we went, we climbed up the side of the small mountain, but I got a bit scared once we got to the very tip of the cliff and had to hang on to the peak-marker. My palms were very sweaty (and they're getting sweaty now just thinking about it again)!</div>
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It doesn't look so scary here (I just look flipping ridiculous), but Elliot is taking the picture about 2 feet away from the edge of a 100m-high cliff. I won't be doing this part again!</div>
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Rebecca Tayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10853889549294495867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8228183908862528779.post-56571169567802438642012-08-03T18:09:00.002+01:002012-08-03T18:11:51.954+01:00Canada Olympic House... and more BritishismsToday, a Canadian woman asked if I was Canadian... because she said I had a bit of an English accent. The horror! Seriously, I'm heading back to Vancouver in late August for a week, so if I have ANY SYMPTOMS of Madonna English, y'all had better tell me.<br />
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Anyway, this Canadian woman was at Canada Olympic House, which is at Trafalgar Square (also where the annual Canada Day celebrations are held). The house is, unfortunately, closed to friends and family, but I got a little tour of it and, I must say, this actually gives it more of a comfortable feel.</div>
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The Canadian sponsors are there - Petro Canada, Molson Canadian, and, of course, P&G, which is not Canadian but is a big Olympics sponsor and owns Crest, Pantene, Pampers, and Secret, among a few other beauty brands. P&G's Olympics campaign slogan is "Thank you, Mom", which is officially the biggest tearjerker campaign of the Games. If you haven't watched it, YouTube it. </div>
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Anyway, they've set up a lounge where friends and family can, in true living room style, watch CTV-streamed Olympics content... which is such a relief. The BBC is wonderful, but their Olympics coverage has (obviously) been SO British-centric - yesterday, I was shouting at the TV in frustration as they named the gold, silver, and bronze winners in some sport, OMITTED ANY MENTION of the Canadian team in 4th, and then focused in on the Brits in 5th. Bah.</div>
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Canadians watching Canadians compete at the P&G "Home away from home" lounge at Canada Olympic House. There is Molson Canadian beer and poutine (although they make it with mozzarella... sacrilege! Apparently you can't find cheese curds in London).</div>
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There is also a Hudson Bay Company pop-up shop! Love.</div>
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Anyway, a few more random Britishisms to start your weekend:</div>
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<li>When buying coffee, if you want a "drip coffee" (as we would say in North America), you have to ask for "filter coffee" here (although many cafés don't actually have this). Basically, they're referring to a French filter coffee - i.e. coffee made using a Bodum.</li>
<li>When ordering an Americano or a cup of tea, you have to specify whether you want it black or white. Essentially, white means it comes with milk in it - hot milk. Cafés here don't have Thermos' / carafes full of a cream, half-and-half, skim, or soy milk by the sugar and other condiments.</li>
<li>The middle finger: it is used here, but it's much more common to use a two-fingered salute, with your palm toward you and a type of swipe-upward motion. Basically, imagine yourself saying "up yours" with two fingers in a backward-peace-sign, and you get the idea. (<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19093328" target="_blank">Apparently</a>, this tradition derives from the Hundred Years War in the 14th century: English archers that had been captured by France had two fingers cut off their right hand - the fingers that drew the bow - so by flashing those two fingers, you were effectively showing a gesture of defiance.) </li>
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That's it for now.</div>
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Happy weekend!</div>
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</div>Rebecca Tayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10853889549294495867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8228183908862528779.post-60718927082017956142012-07-29T21:21:00.001+01:002012-07-29T21:21:15.320+01:00My Olympics so far!I LOVE the Olympics. I get teary eyed whenever I see someone win, love hearing the stories of how far the athletes have come, love everything about them.<br />
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Here, then, are a few highlights of my Olympics so far - they've only been on for two official days, but we had the amazing chance to watch the Opening Ceremony dress rehearsal on Wednesday (two days before the real deal), so my Olympics experience has been going on a tiny bit longer. :)<br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Hello from Olympic Park!!! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">(I need a "fringe" trim...)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0WcJFoCURjTHrmNFJ4NAMzeGaNElFr2UG0u0yZTIaGq4KkV-ZqiUHXR39GTeDDQAf9ba_KEGkJfzbbASxbRJC4HlROkYaLotFKfUyWLePoM4Z-p_5zZi3_RfW2hY6DwEDI17SjVrALgDB/s1600/IMG-20120725-00164.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0WcJFoCURjTHrmNFJ4NAMzeGaNElFr2UG0u0yZTIaGq4KkV-ZqiUHXR39GTeDDQAf9ba_KEGkJfzbbASxbRJC4HlROkYaLotFKfUyWLePoM4Z-p_5zZi3_RfW2hY6DwEDI17SjVrALgDB/s640/IMG-20120725-00164.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The pastoral scene, before the Opening Ceremony rehearsal began... </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWh_RrbklpnHiCNrMeW7q8GR2YhyqcB9eqJTq7kpweNV2zZKBBuoeonooBhXuIFJeD573wSdVSm1UB1k1N2S-eiKzRwaW9jwzOfrc4yuEH04eOSr7xO3VOBrAxlfGpbZ6fEiK9zdVWl3Xw/s1600/IMG_2330.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWh_RrbklpnHiCNrMeW7q8GR2YhyqcB9eqJTq7kpweNV2zZKBBuoeonooBhXuIFJeD573wSdVSm1UB1k1N2S-eiKzRwaW9jwzOfrc4yuEH04eOSr7xO3VOBrAxlfGpbZ6fEiK9zdVWl3Xw/s640/IMG_2330.jpg" width="478" /></a></div>
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Volunteer performers walking the "clouds" around the stadium.</div>
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One of my favourite parts of the Opening Ceremony - the smokestacks raising from the ground to represent the Industrial Revolution. Amazing.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6TuWhSZmSA_STtfHUQrE9O_iIdU2KAg72dUwVjR54605L6IW04VF0TW-KJQ1_pIqJ447L27fW9qUlfFRTuZ5CHkHNfS1G7Zk1CElV6deT_mLjhzs0OVWyU1GHmgcEk5m0MKI_KY44qMvG/s1600/IMG_2374.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6TuWhSZmSA_STtfHUQrE9O_iIdU2KAg72dUwVjR54605L6IW04VF0TW-KJQ1_pIqJ447L27fW9qUlfFRTuZ5CHkHNfS1G7Zk1CElV6deT_mLjhzs0OVWyU1GHmgcEk5m0MKI_KY44qMvG/s400/IMG_2374.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
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Spotted a few of the 10,000 performers post-rehearsal, still in costume. </div>
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This dress reminded me of these two from Marc Jacob's spring/summer 2012 collection. No? </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglxxnd3c0NZjWOoXElQOenL2Wh6ZWSxJZCLZnhz7Scum_VhWOu9zHzVDvePjlUpDks9AWApg2azhvyOOUswa_AJmG9xf57V3sXeHil2kZ4oqVzfU95BkxaubIavSbx1smxyezOYCpTCeLs/s1600/00390m.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglxxnd3c0NZjWOoXElQOenL2Wh6ZWSxJZCLZnhz7Scum_VhWOu9zHzVDvePjlUpDks9AWApg2azhvyOOUswa_AJmG9xf57V3sXeHil2kZ4oqVzfU95BkxaubIavSbx1smxyezOYCpTCeLs/s640/00390m.jpeg" width="425" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL7CtooVEwrUbhimYVvK-Iikj_uk6LBfk-bggDTxhBM09jvHeFYYdY1IBOtSvhaC7S3BWKeonsTe92x3PLKarQfODc7HQiFrU9_oEONSD3Qh5cNJ0cyHmxxDI03IWUmL2xaYNHBDxhoNl6/s1600/00100m.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL7CtooVEwrUbhimYVvK-Iikj_uk6LBfk-bggDTxhBM09jvHeFYYdY1IBOtSvhaC7S3BWKeonsTe92x3PLKarQfODc7HQiFrU9_oEONSD3Qh5cNJ0cyHmxxDI03IWUmL2xaYNHBDxhoNl6/s640/00100m.jpeg" width="426" /></a></div>
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Source: <a href="http://www.style.com/fashionshows/complete/S2012RTW-MJACOBS" target="_blank">Style.com</a></div>
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I also received a press membership to Omega House (St. Barnabas' House in Soho) for the duration of the Games, which is pretty amazing. Here are some photos of the front room, the "Omega Ladymatic", which I got a sneak peek of pre-opening. Omega is the official timekeeper of the Olympics, and Omega House officially opened on Saturday night, attended by brand ambassadors such as Nicole Kidman.</div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Omega has been good to me... during the Vancouver 2012 Olympics, I got to interview Cindy Crawford (another brand ambassador) for FASHION Magazine.</span></div>
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Me with Cindy. </div>
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My head looks about twice the size of hers.</div>
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Back to London 2012, here's a shot of the blimp that can be seen flying high above Olympic Park. I imagine it has a lot of cameras in it, capturing those aerial shots of the park we keep seeing on the BBC (CTV in Canada).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaoncVeqNpFWbITl-Ql1PRaBY-bOMCb0KcxOTmHjhIgjp9zP70omtLPSv1OnA4FCTUCodQL94akoCZDlUXt0RTnzIV27UCq47_YkMm6ykOcwgyI4F6ycpnnaDMUSxNynyrzp6rl7jMngcU/s1600/DSC_0070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaoncVeqNpFWbITl-Ql1PRaBY-bOMCb0KcxOTmHjhIgjp9zP70omtLPSv1OnA4FCTUCodQL94akoCZDlUXt0RTnzIV27UCq47_YkMm6ykOcwgyI4F6ycpnnaDMUSxNynyrzp6rl7jMngcU/s640/DSC_0070.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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On Saturday, we headed back to Olympic Park for women's handball. I didn't do any research into this game before we went, but after watching two matches (Croatia vs. <b>Brazil</b> and <b>Denmark</b> vs. Sweden; winners in bold), I would describe it as a cross between hockey, soccer, and basketball.</div>
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Brazil in yellow; Croatia in red.</div>
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Seven people play for each team at once (including 1 goalie, who mans a net that's about half the size of a soccer goal). Like basketball, the ball can be dribbled across the court, although players can also run with the ball (I believe up to three steps). </div>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">When they stop running, they then have three seconds to pass or shoot the ball into the net. A few other rules: the offensive team can't enter the dark blue defensive zone (which I think is 6 meters from the net), although if they land in it after 'shooting' the ball, that's OK.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Like hockey, there are powerplays when someone fouls or gets a 2-minute penalty, which happen when someone holds another player unfairly; like soccer, there are yellow and red cards that are granted for certain types of fouls.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Maybe most interestingly, the ball is a bit sticky as a result of the weird resin-y substance that the players rub on their hands. They also put a glob of it on one of their heels, and during the game, you can often spot them rubbing their hands on it to make them tacky again. I imagine this makes dribbling a bit hard... </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">There are two 30-minute periods (with a 15-minute half-time), and as far as I know, there are only a small handful of countries that have teams (competing at the Olympics, anyway) - although apparently, it's a pretty big sport in Scandinavia. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">I don't think there is a Canadian team... so if anyone wants to start one, I vow to join! What better way to get to the 2016 (or maybe 2020) Olympics?!!! (Sure, I will be O-L-D by then, but at least then we can say we went to the Olympics!)</span></div>
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Some keen Denmark fans.</div>
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A keen Netherlands fan in the crowd... wearing a shirt for another weird-sounding sport. Underwater hockey?!!! Seriously? Anyone know anything about this?!!!</div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">On to a brief walk around of the rest of the Park...</span></div>
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Love this pattern on the floor. Reminds me of the Hay rug I apparently love blogging about.</div>
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Anyone who knows me knows how much of a recycling Nazi I am - so this recycling organization system throughout the Park really speaks to my anal side. I doubt everyone is taking it seriously, but at least the effort is there. Thanks, Coca-Cola.</div>
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The Orbit, which, if you have a ticket to another event at Olympic Park, you can buy a £15 ticket for. It's essentially an elevator surrounded by DNA-looking spirals, leading up to two viewing platforms.</div>
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View of the athletes' practice track. We saw quite a few people practising sprints and hurdles. </div>
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I wonder who they were....</div>
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A view of the cauldron on the inside of the Olympic Stadium, which is causing a bit of controversy for its central position (apparently, it is usually moved to one side of the stadium). It will be moved elsewhere in the next few days, I'm sure - before all the athletics (track and field) events begin. </div>
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A view of the City. The Shard (that triangular tower on the left) is the recently completed, Renzo Piano-designed, Shangri-La hotel-containing, tallest building in the UK. </div>
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The slightly phallic-looking building on the right is "the Gherkin".</div>
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And there's O2 arena, where loads of concerts are held. I saw Jay-Z and Kanye West perform there a few months ago. It was slightly controversial when it was built, as its intended exhibition, the Millennium Experience (which was open for all of 2000), had major financial problems—and then failed to attract the number of visitors it was supposed to.</div>
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Thanks for reading my London 2012 recap! More photos to come - I'm heading to the beach volleyball semi-finals next week!</div>Rebecca Tayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10853889549294495867noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8228183908862528779.post-29227130898087169502012-07-16T13:02:00.002+01:002012-07-16T13:07:09.360+01:00A Monday whingeBlame it on the weather, but I'm feeling peevish and cranky. Here is my current list of things that annoy me:<br />
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- weird British pronunciations. Not so much when it comes to names that are not pronounced the way they are spelled (i.e. the town of Reading is inexplicably pronounced "Redding", while Chiswick is "Chissick", but I'm fine with these), but these words:<br />
<ul>
<li>urinal: pronounced here as "ur-eye-nal". Urine is still "ur-in", so why suddenly the long I?</li>
<li>router (as in an Internet router): pronounced here as "rooter". Ugh, although this one is slightly more forgivable.</li>
<li>and many others I will add to in the coming days</li>
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- people who whinge but don't do anything about what they're whinging about (though I guess I could be blamed of this as well, since I often don't inform these people that I am tired of hearing about their problems)<br />
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- THE RAIN<br />
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I do, however, like these photographs of London in the rain. They are so gloomy, it is almost hilarious! Source: these are all from the <a href="http://www.urban75.org/blog/london-rain-six-photos/" target="_blank">Urban 75 blog</a>, which features photos from "Brixton, London, Wales, New York and more".<br />
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Joy!</div>
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A rainy maple leaf</div>
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Fucking car. I swear drivers do this on purpose. Apologies if I have ever done this to you.</div>
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This poor, poor woman! Last thing she needs.</div>
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Happy Monday!</div>Rebecca Tayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10853889549294495867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8228183908862528779.post-75805583321218041962012-06-25T21:54:00.001+01:002012-06-25T21:55:21.085+01:00Weekend update: fashion, music, food, FUN!Weekend recap! On Friday, I met a friend for lunch near Vauxhall and spotted these lovely, colourful tiles at the tube station...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg15Ipw2PfCgA-k1JwdF4tFLbqyT6ER0MYT6aCesnJ42WOLH4FA_RUeGDxD5uJPnstN1WexHyRo-XrZy2qQ_UiGBdiSJUSPsBuFZ9LXpQvrRNdgKNzWjCN9anoJ8zG87IpH5wopDzau0hwl/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg15Ipw2PfCgA-k1JwdF4tFLbqyT6ER0MYT6aCesnJ42WOLH4FA_RUeGDxD5uJPnstN1WexHyRo-XrZy2qQ_UiGBdiSJUSPsBuFZ9LXpQvrRNdgKNzWjCN9anoJ8zG87IpH5wopDzau0hwl/s640/photo+2.JPG" width="478" /></a></div>
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And earlier that week, I headed to Starworks' media preview of the resort collections, which are often my favourite as they are also so colourful. I sense a theme... </div>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">A bit of Nicholas Kirkwood. A bit less wacky (though they wouldn't be Kirkwood if they weren't a wee bit crazy), a bit more wearable. I love those bright pink metallic slippers.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK5AAjOfVHHf3xsrEjwlXqWG-RDfp855py-uMRKW0XDCHNQ72kuFk4rKlf2mUYp3ma7HDO7ZoO5PEI4NMBHC6VLStK0jQkDaa0aPXnYVOvrLsEtJo3mfTTR7UmSGnJJrja6bLsZGQoDcnJ/s1600/IMG-20120619-00103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK5AAjOfVHHf3xsrEjwlXqWG-RDfp855py-uMRKW0XDCHNQ72kuFk4rKlf2mUYp3ma7HDO7ZoO5PEI4NMBHC6VLStK0jQkDaa0aPXnYVOvrLsEtJo3mfTTR7UmSGnJJrja6bLsZGQoDcnJ/s640/IMG-20120619-00103.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Love the swirl, wave detail on the top row pairs (especially the nude flats with his signature rounded heel), and the mix of bright blue and vermilion on the bottom row.</span><br />
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A few of these pairs (i.e. the ones with the laces) look a bit more 'traditional' Nicholas Kirkwood.<br />
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These shoes feature Swarovski crystals, and I bet a few bride-to-bes will be putting these on their wish lists. As someone who owns a few pairs, I can honestly say that Nicholas Kirkwood shoes (even when they are five inches high) are actually, really comfortable. Definitely not as narrow as Louboutins, which I love. (I'm sure<span style="background-color: white;"> my podiatrist back in Vancouver - yes, I have one... TMI? - will appreciate their width, too.)</span><br />
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Starworks also represent Tucker by Gaby Basora, a brand I first fell in love with after buying a blouse at <a href="http://theblock.ca/" target="_blank">The Block</a> in Vancouver's Gastown. Gaby designs all of her own prints - how great is this lipsticked-angry-woman print for Resort 2013?<br />
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Another series by Tucker - love this chunky yellow knit. What a great way to brighten up a drab fall day. I need one of these!<br />
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And on to Roksanda Ilincic, who is probably one of <i>the</i> most beautiful fashion designers and best embodiments of her own brand. I love her signature lantern sleeves and wool crepe - it's a combination that gives her pieces so much amazing volume, but keeps them light and comfortable at the same time. Definitely on my wish list.<br />
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And yes... she is launching a children's line! SO ADORABLE. This little rack of little clothes was enough to make even the coldest heart feel broody (which is what they say here in the UK to describe someone whose biological clock is a-ticking away).<br />
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And on to Jonathan Saunders. How '70s does this coat feel?!<br />
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Let's breeze through the rest - some new, lighter fabrications (seersucker!) but still-sporty silhouettes from Lisa Marie Fernandez swimwear...<br />
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Wild, bright, and always-amazing digi-prints from Peter Pilotto...<br />
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Another amazing piece by Peter Pilotto. This dress is made from layered mesh (with an inner lining), so it feels light and sporty, while its print is nothing if not elegant.<br />
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And then it was the BBC Radio 1 weekend! We got 4 guest list passes (thank you to the BBC, Mallorca Rocks and my flatmate's boss!!!) - wicked fun. The tickets were actually free for everyone who bothered to apply (it was a bit of an arduous process - people had to submit passport-sized photos and provide proof of address as certain boroughs were allocated more tickets than others), with a £10 donation to charity at the door.</div>
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I saw Ed Sheeran recently in Mallorca and Ibiza, but this ginger(bread) man has some serious talent. He is one of the only big acts I've ever seen that has NO ONE supporting him on stage - no drummer, backup singer, nothing. </div>
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Elliot spotted him wearing "Ibiza Rocks" underpants. Quick note - no one really says "boxers" or even "briefs" here; everyone says "pants". And what if you're trying to buy what we call pants in North America? You ask for "trousers".</div>
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Anyway, we got very very drunk, but not so drunk that we couldn't take a picture of this massive #jagerbomb #fail. </div>
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We also saw Will.I.Am, Nicki Minaj, Example, Kasabian, and a couple of other random acts, but the highlight for me was seeing Jay-Z - even though I saw him a month ago at the O2 arena. This time, he brought along Rihanna, M.I.A. (uh, amazing!), AND Kanye West.<br />
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You've probably seen loads of other coverage of Hackney Weekend (Florence and the Machine, Azealia Banks, Rihanna, Lana del Rey and David Guetta all played on Sunday) - so I'll skip over the rest, but seriously, it was amazing.<br />
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The next day, we went for brunch at <a href="http://www.dishoom.com/" target="_blank">Dishoom</a>, a Bombay-style café near Covent Garden.<br />
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This was my "Full Bombay" breakfast, which was a delicious take on a full English breakfast, with Akuri (spicy scrambled eggs that are apparently an Irani café staple) on toast instead of poached or fried eggs. I'm craving this again now.<br />
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And that's my weekend update! </div>Rebecca Tayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10853889549294495867noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8228183908862528779.post-35507475105240040462012-06-20T22:42:00.000+01:002012-06-20T22:42:01.217+01:00More London eats: East StreetI was walking to Tottenham Court Road station the other day (which, before I moved to London, thought was a fictional name from <i>Harry Potter</i>) and chanced upon this big, open space that reminded me a bit of the street markets in Singapore.<br />
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Lo and behold, that is exactly what <a href="http://www.eaststreetrestaurant.com/" target="_blank">East Street</a> is going for.<br />
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As usual, I was hungry, so I went in and sat down. It was a bit empty (it was around 4pm, before dinner and well after a normal lunch hour), but they had a few people sitting there on laptops, using the Wifi.</div>
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In addition to a menu that includes traditional dishes from Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Korea, Singapore, and Malaysia, they have a shelf near the front displaying a few essential ingredients, too.<br />
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I was glad to see that these weren't exorbitantly priced. I bought a very large bottle of sweet chili sauce. Yum!<br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">A blurry photo of a corner of my placemat.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">A shot of my super delicious chap chae. </span></div>
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East Street has an "Eastern Express" lunchtime menu where, for £7.95, you get:<br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">A choice of: </span><br />
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<li><span style="background-color: white;">Korean chap chae, sesame-scented fried glass noodles with shiitake, cucumber, carrot, chili, and optional chicken</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Thai tom yum soup with prawns, straw mushrooms, and glass noodles</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Japanese "gomoku yakisoba", which are noodles fried with prawns, chicken, red pepper, carrot, and bean sprouts</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Indonesian nasi goreng, which is a spicy fried rice (we eat this in Singapore, too)!</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="background-color: white;">AND a choice of:</span><br />
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<li><span style="background-color: white;">3 pork gyoza</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">3 "tod man khao pod" (Thai corn fritters)</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">"goi cuon" (Vietnamese rice paper rolls, or "summer rolls" as they seem to say here)</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">miso soup</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">I don't know how authentic the chap chae was, as it was only the third time I've ever had it, but the servings were enormous and I thought everything was delicious. Next time, I'll try the Singaporean spicy chow mein off the regular menu and let you know how similar it is to the dishes you get in hawker centers.</span><br />
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3-5 Rathbone Place</div>
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London</div>
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W1T 1HJ</div>
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+44 (0)207 323 0860</div>Rebecca Tayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10853889549294495867noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8228183908862528779.post-47858863877648250582012-05-28T21:43:00.000+01:002012-05-28T22:53:57.728+01:00Bad sister, bad friend!Unfortunately, I have been a bad sister AND a bad friend!<br />
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Bad friend because I had to miss my bestie Shannon's baby shower... so "gutted" (as they say here, which I quite like)!!!</div>
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Bad sister because I have been neglecting to read my sister's blog regularly. Today, however, I FINALLY revisited it - and she and her boyfriend have chosen a new Wordpress theme and it looks great!</div>
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Look! It's me!</div>
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JUST KIDDING. That's my sister! She likes food, too!</div>
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(Photo: <a href="http://3roadblog.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Three o'clock road blog</a>)</div>
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So, to try and make up for the bad sister bit (the bad friend bit, I've remedied by dropping something into the mail...), please check out her <a href="http://3roadblog.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">blog here</a>!<br />
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She and her boyfriend both up and quit their jobs (well, she finished her master's: she's smart like that) in January and are spending the next 10 months travelling through Africa. Insane—and way braver than I will (probably) ever be.</div>
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<br /></div>Rebecca Tayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10853889549294495867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8228183908862528779.post-48115450672167970042012-05-24T20:30:00.000+01:002012-05-28T22:53:50.641+01:00Soho Yum Yum: London's first "Temakeria"So apparently, <a href="http://www.loveyoobi.com/" target="_blank">Yoobi</a> is London's first "temakeria". I happily chanced upon this little corner restaurant (38 Lexington St. in Soho) on my way to work in a café—and it reminded me of <a href="http://www.michi-sushi.com/" target="_blank">Michi Sushi</a> in Vancouver, a cute little "sushi on the go" restaurant right at the corner of Granville and Broadway.<br />
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Someone told me (I think it might have been one of the guys working in the restaurant!) that temakerias originate in Brazil... but, er, somehow I doubt that (Japan, no?!). To this person's credit, however, if you google "temaki", there are a surprising number of hits from Brazil.<br />
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Cute branding.</div>
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Brand new interiors—clean and spacious, if a bit sparse.</div>
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They do actually sell other things as well—miso soup (£2), for example. I quite liked this version, which, in addition to miso, tofu, and bits of seaweed, also had broccoli! I went there quite early in the lunch hour so I imagine the broccoli would get soggy by afternoon, but maybe not.</div>
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Temaki! This is making me hungry just looking at it. </div>
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Citrus Salmon temaki: £3.60</div>
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Tuna tartare temaki: £4<br />
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See you there soon!</div>Rebecca Tayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10853889549294495867noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8228183908862528779.post-8102173229363697232012-05-23T22:21:00.004+01:002012-05-23T22:50:55.702+01:00Adventures in London: lost and foundMind the Gap!<br />
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Seven months into living in London and I already barely hear the "Mind the Gap" announcements and am basically immune to the horrible squeal between Paddington and Edgware Road stations.<br />
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But never mind: the tube isn't so bad, otherwise. And check out what we chanced upon!<br />
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(Ok, so this was actually two months ago, but I only remembered my plan to post this after I lost my good ol' Telus BlackBerry and discovered that these photos had somehow made it into my iPhoto anyway.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTPWKt5AEwDNtPo_T7MiCU8jcJxTMtIckFNuFU-YHSG0UdgLSYlFOUAQ00DugOpum0-N1vSnFD_c1vy4Xn2sPZmMuD0QMWQdEpzuj5FN1uVzO92Bcw-xmdKOe45etbWVFKSKonhmDc3T9w/s1600/IMG00433-20120412-1919.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTPWKt5AEwDNtPo_T7MiCU8jcJxTMtIckFNuFU-YHSG0UdgLSYlFOUAQ00DugOpum0-N1vSnFD_c1vy4Xn2sPZmMuD0QMWQdEpzuj5FN1uVzO92Bcw-xmdKOe45etbWVFKSKonhmDc3T9w/s640/IMG00433-20120412-1919.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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The official Transport for London Lost Property Office! </div>
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That wasn't the cool part, though. In the windows were shelves of stuff that had been found, labelled with the year they were found and which station / bus. It was a true mishmash of stuff from different decades... </div>
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Check out the mobile phone from 1993. I'm pretty sure my dad had a similar one—perhaps an even bigger one! Apparently, someone also lost an IRON on the tube, back in 1934. </div>
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A top hat found at Euston station in 1951!</div>
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Here: a telephone lost at Camden station in 1936, and an amazing vintage Mamiya camera lost in Brixton in 1979. Immediately after seeing the camera, I noticed the "things in this window are not for sale" sign. Damn. </div>
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I have yet to lose anything on the tube in London (Elliot did lose a pair of gloves I gave him for Christmas a few years ago, though)—and I doubt much actually gets turned in these days... but what an interesting place nonetheless!</div>Rebecca Tayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10853889549294495867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8228183908862528779.post-38872810437881741682012-05-16T20:26:00.001+01:002012-05-16T20:26:38.539+01:00Wish List Wednesday: Texture!I've been really into the TEXTURE of my clothes lately - I'm not 100% sure why, but I think it has something to do with getting tired of all the high-street, crappy polyester clothes out there. In fact, I've basically stopped going to H&M and Topshop: as much as I appreciate fast fashion, I've completely gone off of it... not such a good thing for my bank account, although it does mean I'm buying fewer items in general.<br />
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Anyway, I think feeling so many crappy fabrics in these types of stores gave me a craving for interesting, more "authentic"-feeling materials.<br />
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The results:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeCES62EEn8mqWSoMy11g7tDWOmTZYigvq7rkkrtwSv1_7E1xSuAkAXsREomgfo8ewZkeOTdiTh6V7F3z5lDLjAjVVE6s4Fn7GAhubPNxKfyoj7EUASKSNhUx0slQmn2ap04CyfygR6zrV/s1600/IMG-20120513-00044.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeCES62EEn8mqWSoMy11g7tDWOmTZYigvq7rkkrtwSv1_7E1xSuAkAXsREomgfo8ewZkeOTdiTh6V7F3z5lDLjAjVVE6s4Fn7GAhubPNxKfyoj7EUASKSNhUx0slQmn2ap04CyfygR6zrV/s640/IMG-20120513-00044.jpg" width="640" /></a>A loopy skirt by <a href="http://www.rag-bone.com/" target="_blank">Rag & Bone</a> from <a href="http://www.theoutnet.com/product/245838" target="_blank">The Outnet</a> that I've been loving ever since I tried on the matching jacket over a year ago. Here's a photo of me at an event in Vancouver's Holt Renfrew wearing it. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN0zXF3DxwZoALYDVVI3xYuOwFmdBGI8wZ3hvAlZ6eNYRNFgdfM7rnMco50qaarhy4su6Hsq_p7RF4LFLX0A5xA12PKKWTYF3xIcW-i7Upb1hk2s_mgxrpj3Nc0QBtOzCWAnR0vlX1Ss1V/s1600/IMG_2729.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN0zXF3DxwZoALYDVVI3xYuOwFmdBGI8wZ3hvAlZ6eNYRNFgdfM7rnMco50qaarhy4su6Hsq_p7RF4LFLX0A5xA12PKKWTYF3xIcW-i7Upb1hk2s_mgxrpj3Nc0QBtOzCWAnR0vlX1Ss1V/s640/IMG_2729.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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A teensy back story: I had interviewed the designers earlier that day and have never blushed so much in an interview. It all started when I said my boyfriend was British and co-designer David Neville said, "Oh, you like British boys, do you?" with his little twinkly eyes, to which I replied, "Yes, but I've also met your wife!" (His wife is makeup artist Gucci Westman, and I met her years ago, backstage at New York Fashion Week). Such "cheeky chappies", as they say here.</div>
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Another photo from the event. Us three girls are all trying on Rag & Bone dresses; I ended up buying that red/maroon one. Our retro-school-picture pose was Joy's idea :)</div>
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More texture: this time via Zara (the one high street store I still do love). This beaded and embroidered clutch was the last one - and I kept such a firm clutch (sorry, couldn't resist) on it that the changing room attendant let me bring it into my room while I tried on a skirt (they never allow accessories in there). Woo!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitBvhBjqIL3bZXGIU9KnuBEcz0V8Di7y1XyPrX5rVxoo0S6bKnUGr_wJtV_9ilulYKdXVkCSmbtK8JANXkPilMaByYfGFizUbZRCz59-yctwFqdNXe330Qb7a5379Gh8hbp8FdD26VQUHs/s1600/IMG-20120513-00050.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="524" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitBvhBjqIL3bZXGIU9KnuBEcz0V8Di7y1XyPrX5rVxoo0S6bKnUGr_wJtV_9ilulYKdXVkCSmbtK8JANXkPilMaByYfGFizUbZRCz59-yctwFqdNXe330Qb7a5379Gh8hbp8FdD26VQUHs/s640/IMG-20120513-00050.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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And my last bit of texture - so I'm pretty sure these ARE polyester, but how amazing are they?! I got these <a href="http://www.isabelmarant.tm.fr/" target="_blank">Isabel Marant</a> beauties at the <a href="http://www.theshopatbluebird.com/" target="_blank">Shop at Bluebird</a>, a gorgeous boutique in Chelsea that has an amazing buy. These are also available in black (though what's the point, when you have black hair). </div>
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Love!</div>Rebecca Tayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10853889549294495867noreply@blogger.com0