In Ordnung: A Poem

Check the level.

Make the call.

Confirm.

Recheck the level.

Re-confirm.

Construct a reasonable call

To reconfirm.

Fluctuate.

Re-call.

Re-confirm.

Re-check.

Re-confirm

Re-check

Re-check

Re-confirm.

Sly confirm.

And Go.

A Go.

Go.

The Alca

Among the ancient and endless obfuscation of Balkan history, there is a tradition which this summer I might get to see.

The Alca is a tournament between horseriders in full armor, picking a ring off with their lance from a rope suspending it in the air (rather like gauchos in Argentina). The difference here being the weight of centuries-old armor. The exact dates I need to work on...

What I do know is that a few thousand croats (along with some Venetian commanders) went up against a force of some tens of thousands of Ottomans (numbers vary from side to side but the ballpark is the same). It was a hopeless situation for the outnumbered Balkan force until some of the Venetian commanders secretly poisoned the river upstream from the Ottoman camp the night before the battle.

The next day, having informed the rest of their army, the Balkans charged at the depleted Turks to a stunning victory.

At the tournament there is one horse without a rider. It represents the Ottomans.

One-Day in London

Sorry this is up so late - I fell asleep rather unexpectedly ysterday evening. Anyway...

Arrive Heathrow 9 a.m.

Clear customs and go through to the Heathrow Express. Buy a ticket. Get on one. 10.15 a.m.

10.30 a.m. Arrive at Paddington station. Get on the Tube.

Circle Line to Notting Hill Gate (2 stops)

Walk 2 minutes to my house and drop off your bags.

Go back to Notting Hill Gate and get some breakfast - perhaps a Crussh Smoothie?

Cross the road and wander down Portobello, 11.45 a.m.

Waste some money on shawls etc.

Wander back up Portobello, 12.45 p.m.

Buy Coffee on Notting Hill Gate, 1 p.m.

Get back on the Tube. Circle Line Eastbound to South Kensington (3 stops).

Get out at 1.20 p.m.

Go to Victoria & Albert Museum.

Go to Natural History Museum.

Go to Brompton Oratory.

Skip the Science Museum (another time, when you're not rushed).

Back on the Tube at South Kensington, hopefully 3.20 p.m. if you made quick work of it. Picadilly Line to Knightsbridge (1 stop).

Get out, go inside Harrods, wander around and buy something delightful.

Get back on the Picadilly Line, 4 p.m.

Skip Hyde Park Corner, Green Park, Picadilly Circus, Leicester Square, Covent Garden, and Holborn (all offices at that stop anyway), going straight onto Russell Square & The British Musem (7 stops).

Stay there until it closes. Get on Picadilly Line and change at Leicester Square (3 stops) for the Northern Line, going South to Embankment (2 stops), change back to the Circle Line and go to Westminster (1 stop).

Get out, take a picture, get back in.

Carry on, on, the Circle Line back to Notting Hill Gate (7 stops). 8.00 - 8.30 p.m.

Wander into the quaint backstreets and 'Hillgate Village' and try to visit as many pubs as possible. When they all close, go to the Old Swan at the corner of Notting Hill Gate and Kensington Church Street. When that closes, go home.

Wake up early, go for a jog, see Kensington Palace, jog back.

If you really want to do London, you need 1 month + commitment + stamina + plenty money + me to guide you.

This was designed for Ari Melinger-Cohen, who jhas a one day layover in London today.

Find tube maps at http://www.tfl.gov.uk/

This Is My Tiger

He is nameless. I have Georgia O'Brien's talents to thank for this, something childish that I've always wanted. What should I call him? I can't think of a good enough name that would not be a rip off.

Please help.

Blaise

Sun in London

I have said it many times, and so again...

I find few things more uplifting or more beautiful than the sun when it comes down strong on London. Today I am a happy man in a happy city.

xoxoxoxoxo

Taste of London

So we went, and before the rain came down at about 9 got through most of the stands. Le Gavroche was indeed there, as were several other Roux brothers restaurants. There were also live bands, drinks stands, cookery 'development' schools, cookbook libraries, and Chef demonstrations (when I walked by it was Tom Kerridge).

I thought after the ticket price of £26, it would all be free samples - but no. Perhaps because the event was staged in a Royal Park, or any other number of reasons, my brother and I bought booklets of "Crowns" (two to a pound - so essentially a dollar) which we would hand over in exchange for whatever we wanted.

There were average dishes, overdone dishes, unpleasant ones and some that were far too ambitious (the drinks were basically fine though.

A few great discoveries though: the bone marrow hamburger from Riuchard Corrigan's Bentley's was the best thing we ate (although Heston's salted caramel ice cream gets a mention), and something called Modern Milk. Google it, it's delicious.

Tasting London

My brother and I will tomorrow be going to Regent's Park to eat egregious amounts of food as restaurants from around this greatest of cities (I say that without bias but with true feeling) show off their wares.
We have our tickets booked, and obviously (cliche coming) cannot wait.
Apparently Le Gavroche has a stand. Right now that is my favorite restaurant. Granted, Ihave not been to Alinea in Chicago, but I will. However, I have been to The Gage - a great place opposite the Art Institute on South Michigan (in Chicago, IL) and it is fantastic, as is/was the wine list/sommelier. I went several times.

However, what The Gage was trying to do was haute cuisine pub food (incidentally, pubs are English, not Irish, unless you are in a country that is neither of those two).
So tomorrow I am going to be looking for the best of that English (not Irish) food - savory tastes that only the most unadulterated of palates can truly enjoy. I'll leave the sweets to the pathetic whose parents fed them sherbet and Coca-cola.

I'm a big lad, and I can force a lot of food down me. My brother, to some, looks scrawny (he's built), looks weak (he's strong), or looks meek (he is vicious and tough). I can put it away, but there is a limit.

For him, there is simply none. I can't wait.

My Constitution

An individual's right to communicate, enact within reason, or express opinions, and acquire information on the government's nactivities, should be honored, excepting when the informatiojn is classified and exposure threatens national security. The need for stability to help recover the nation's strength to help recover the nation's strength while its neighbors are weak and distracted is inestimable, and those violating it by infringing on another's right to speech, pursuing classified information or having an agenda to do so either commit treason, lest they bring war to us.
Speech or opinion inciting racial hatred, or hatred towards a particular social group and its individual members, is totally banned

*To clarify, this would be a constitution for a country with recent ethnic genocide and ethnic tensions bubbling, and very much alive, just under the surface. It was done as a university assignment

Incidentally...

I got 50 % of the vote. Ludicrous.

http://www.northwesternsexweek.com/1/post/2011/2/northwesterns-sexiest-candidate-1-blaise-hope.html

Starting again

This summer I'll be trying to get this gong again, although with a perhaps more reflective tone. Let me know if there's a style/thing/piece you'd like to see.

Blaise