Jezza's first day in London

Yesterday my American mate, Jez arrived in London. Jezza and I worked at the same school in Nishinomiya in Japan August 2002 to August 2003. Carrie and I went out to Heathrow to meet him. We hid behind a pole and watched him walk out, searching for a familiar face... it was kind of cruel. We took him back to where he and Carrie will be living in Earl's Court. It turned out to be a beautiful day. We walked through Holland Park to Notting Hill, had a pub lunch at the Prince Albert pub near Notting Hill Gate tube. Then we walked down the Portobello and up to Westbourne Park to the Grand Union Hotel. We sat and had a few drinks on the edge of the canal. All our other friends from Japan were coming to meet up later but Egg and I had to go. We had free tix to see Val Kilmer in The Postman Always Rings Twice. I was sad to leave but the play didn't disappoint.
Welcome Jezza!!!!!

On the way to Heathrow 

On the travelator 

On the tube from Heathrow 

Jez in his new digs 

Blue sky 

Jez, Carrie and me at The Grand Union in Westbourne Park 

I still can't believe he's actually here! 

Last night with The Chemical Brothers

Here we go...
We ran into Georgia Maxwell from my tiny home town (population 1300) in Australia outside Brixton Academy - that was strange. Scalpers gathered 'round offering tickets, "hello ladies, you right for tickets?". Brixton Academy is a great venue, expensive beers though. I was dancing and realised the bass was so loud that my nostrils were vibrating. We caught the night bus home, picking up £1 worth of hot chips on the way, I burnt the back of my throat on the first chip - they were straight out of the fryer. Boy, were my ears ringing as I tried to get to sleep last night.
One year since we arrived in the UK. Happy Anniversary Egg.

What am I, blind and stupid?

I sent this out in an email to my friends last week:

You may be interested to know that last night was my first night in my new night job at the Piccadilly Theatre (I'm not quitting my day job, as yet). Those in London will know that this is where Ewan McGregor and Jane Krakrowski are performing Guys and Dolls, with previews starting on the 19th. The company has moved in and are currently holding full 'technical rehersals'. So, last Thursday night we could hear them singing, but we weren't allowed to look through the doors and disturb the artists. The training evening ended without much fuss, I walked downstairs and was putting my coat on in the foyer while having a lovely chat with the security guard (they're on high alert because of the Star Wars fanatics), I heard someone enter the foyer, looked up briefly, made eye contact with this individual and then continued my conversation, a split second later realising it had been Ewan McGregor and I'd totally 'blanked' him as the kids at school would say. I couldn't do a double take because that would be totally uncool, so I kept talking, the security guard smiled at me with recognition of what had just happened, I smiled back and walked out the door. Next time I encounter Mr McGregor let's hope I recognise him, huh?


My new best mate Corbo sent this in response:

I can already picture the comment on the back page of next weeks TNT [a magazine in London aimed at Antipodeans, that features a 'Desperately Seeking' section on the back page.]

guy and DOLL
Walking through the door of Piccadilly Theatre on the 12th of May, you were dressed in black and talking with security. We made stiff eye contact.... you "blanked" me. If I had my chance again, I would ensure I needed frisking. Give me another chance to make a bigger impression.
Contact me.........may the force be with you
OB1@yahoo . com

I thought it was well worth sharing...

My latest project

Those of you who know me know I always have all these great ideas of things I'm going to do.

Here's the latest:

http://katesteeshirtproject.blogspot.com/

Take a moment to click on the link above and see where I'm up to on this one... Hopefully it won't be like the "hands project" - where I was going to take photos of everyones' hands; "the polaroid project" - where I started taking a Polaroid of myself everyday, I got sick of carrying the camera around after a month; the "eye project" - where I was going to take photos of everyones eyes... oh, I could go on but it's a bit depressing actually.

Last night...

we celebrated our friend Nicole's 30th at the Firehouse in South Kensington, near the Natural History Museum. Nicole looked absolutely amazing as always. It was also the first time I'd been able to catch up with Earle and Scali since they became engaged. The ring is absolutely beautiful! We got to hear the whole ring procurement story which was astounding and made me get a bit teary. Yay for people in love!

You guys are engaged!!!! Woohoo!!!!! 

Scalirino, Nicole, me and Egg 

Kate and Egg's Second DOF

It was a sunny day on the 30th of April, the beginning of a Bank Holiday Weekend. After a lovely sleep in we caught the Northern Line to Embankment where we grabbed two Frappucinos from The Evil Empire (you know that place that's really hard to find with green signage) and seeing it was such a lovely day we went into the park near Embankment station and admired all the flowers and marvelled at the sound of a sprinkler (che che che che cheeeeee che che che che cheeeee). Then we headed to this great little gallery where there was an exhibition of photographs taken by Phil Stern of James Dean. To see some of the images click here.

After that we headed up to Leicester Square (via Trafalgar Square), where we went to see The Interpreter. I've just finished reading Sean Penn: His Life and Times, which is an authorised biography by Richard T. Kelly. After reading this book I am absolutely fascinated by this man, the process he goes through and his commitment to his characters. I went to see The Assassination of Richard Nixon with Bardie the weekend before, then we got Casualties of War from our online DVD rental service and watched that and currently we have Dead Man Walking, The Falcon and The Snowman and Colours sitting on top of our TV just waiting to be watched... anyways, I digress - back to the DOF... oh yeah, after the movie we went to a burger place in Soho and ate, then came home.

Egg and the frap 

Flowers 

another flower 

Trafalgar Square with blue sky in the background 

Yes, the bus actually says that! 

Earle's Birthday BBQ

Egg and I showed up 3 hours late to Earle's BBQ on the 17th (see previous entry, "Michael's BBQ" for reason).

Earle, Bones and Corbo 

Michael's BBQ

Michael had a BBQ on Saturday 16th. The kitchen became a dance floor, chairs became podiums on which exhibitionists danced and Tom went mad.

Blur 

All singing, all dancing 

Michael  

Crazy Tom 

A Life in the Theatre

Starring Patrick Stewart and Joshua Jackson.

On the 15th of April, 3 female Antipodeans (god! I hate that word!) went to see A Life in the Theatre, a play by David Mamet (who's written loads of plays and screenplays - look him up in the IMDb), at the Apollo Theatre in the West End. It was my Christmas present to Egg.

Patrick Stewart was absolutely brilliant and Joshua Jackson stripped down to his undies, numerous times (his acting was good too!).

Highlights included getting busted taking photos of the interior of theatre (before the performance began) and not realising the usher was addressing me - super embarrassing. The play was quite entertaining and Patrick Stewart was really funny, and finally tragic.

Inside the Apollo, Shaftesbury Avenue 

Egg and Liz waiting for "Pacey", it was cold too! 

Joshua Jackson at the Apollo Theatre Stage Door  

Scali's Help Fight Breast Cancer Link

This was an email from Scali - it's a good cause so I thought I'd include it on the web log.

Hello friends, please take a moment to read this - it is important!
The Breast Cancer Site is having trouble getting enough people to click on it daily to meet their quota of donating at least one free mammogram a day to an underprivileged woman.
It takes less than a minute to go to their site and click on "donating a mammogram" for free (pink window in the middle). Their corporate sponsors/advertisers use the number of daily visits to donate mammogram in exchange for advertising.

Click on the link below - you don't have to fill out anything! Just click on the pink button in the middle of the screen.

www.thebreastcancersite.com

Really, shouldn't they just donate the mammograms?? Anyways click on the link. DO IT!