clairesays’ blog

I'm not sure what the papparazzi really made of me asking if they wanted to take my photo at the launch of 944 magazine. But here we are David Tokheim and I - last minute guests, and well accustomed red carpets walkers. So pleased I had notice to glam myself to the max - damn that glasses decision

So a few weeks ago I posted about the new business cards. Last night I had my first opportunity to drop one. Who was this lucky recipient? .

Gavin Newsom, Mayor of San Francisco.nope. not joking

So, am feeling mildly tearful having just heard news that my title as Alcock family geek has fallen to my youngest

brother who just got a 1st from Bristol.

"i was so shocked. i only went in to see how good/bad 2:1 i had got. i read the list and had to check with the receptionists that i was reading the right number. they said they didn't need to check cos they knew. i fell on the floor and then got up and as good as molested the women that work there. i have had a stomach ache due to shock all day now. i am just so relieved because all the times i said no to going out/pissing around and people telling me i was lame have paid off. wish you were here to celebrate with."
xxx

well done Nie-Pie you win!!

 

 

My lovely  friend Jake told me all about Treasure Island last time I was here. Naturally my simpleton's mind conjured

images of pirates and buried treasure naturally. In fact Treasure island is a man made lump in the middle of the bay built in 1938 for some sort of exhibition. It's 5 mins from the centre of town, it escapes most of the fog and  it has the most beautiful views of the city and both bridges. It should, to all intents and purposes, be a hideaway for the rich and famous. Instead it is a dumping ground for the city's unwanted. Apparently next time there is a quake there is every chance that the island will return to the sea floor from which it was made. The place is littered with car parks and projects, and of course the netball court of wonder!

Today's netball was accompanied by the delights of the practicing of a marching band. A group of about 100 musicians provided the musical back drop for our weekly game. It was almost as if the city had got fed up with all their racket and banished them to treasure island. It was one of the most surreal sights, watching this group being choreographed in a massive concrete car park with nothing but a small motley crew of Brit, kiwi and Aussie netball playing ladies to appreciate their performance. The strangest thing was that the percussion section seemed to have to barred from the main practice and were in a separate car park practicing on their own.

Did I say I had been to see Adele by the way? well I did and my God can this girl sing. If you have the chance to go and see her take it, take it, take it. This was a show I will never forget for its sheer fabulousness...and she is only 19! hence the album title me thinks - ha! Not only am I living in the Sherlock Holmes house I am in fact becoming a first class detective.

This is Adele singing Hometown glory. Of course she is talking about London and oh how I wept. See you if can here me being told off by officious bouncer for videoing at the end!!? ha.

So landlord and "buddy"Dave did me the favour of telling me that Arthur Conan Doyle and his buddies were lodged here to

investigate the paranormal. Thanks Dave - just what a girl living on her own in a big old building needs to hear.

Sadly this evening I took the opportunity  to watch Guillermo Del Toro's "The Orphanage", about paranormal events in a big old house.

I.....am....terrified...wait....what was that? oh God it's gonna be a loooooong night.

It was a long weekend this weekend, not that we could decide which soldiers we were commemorating, we were still very grateful to them. Thanks.

This weekend glittered from its very conception. Friday afternoon arrived with only a vague plan to vaguely go vaguely south. The suggestion of public transport reared its ugly head at one point but was swiftly put to bed. 45 minutes south in the love wagon later I arrive deaf in one ear and with no circulation in one hand.

Chez Lanman in the depths of Los Altos is one of the most awesome households imaginable. These kids do family on a huge scale - Fritz has 4 bro's, all as big and one mother who should be knighted on the 2009 round. With no warning Fritz arrived with 3 friends to stay the night and Mrs L just smiled and made us feel welcome.

I now have an encyclopedic knowledge of every injury incurred by each Lanman boy, which I have categorised chronologically and in order of severity/trauma. James's "touching-the-void-esque" broken leg episode may have pipped the others for melodrama at least. Perhaps I will start a Lanman injury blog next - there is just so much to record. It took them roughly 3 hours to expand upon most of them and I still get the impression there could have been many more. In short it was an hilarious start to a weekend from which I returned with many more smile lines than I left with.

The trampoline of death was one of my favourite moments - watching Franzi defiantly refusing to yield her rolled "popcorn" position to the force of 5 massive Lanmans on the trampoline - this girl is tough!

z  

My establishment in SF had a double boost today.

1) Social Security card arrived! horray! I'm not quite sure what it is for but everyone seems to think it is extremely important so that is great - I am on the database now at least

2) I got my first business cards EVER! Sadly my camera is too crap to capture them in their full glory.

OK - so it's the wrong city - perhaps Eduardo "nosE" Vea could do one for the golden gate bridge next.

I love this! Eduardo you are very clever - please come and see us here in SF!

Never, EVER have I cried so much in a movie! My second Netflix movie (first one was Maria Full of Grace, also pretty

upsetting - note to self - aim for romcoms on a Monday night) was The Sea Inside with Javier Bardem - oh how I luuuurve him. Sadly he plays a quadraplegic determined to take his own life - but he can't because he can't move - pretty tough. But defintely worth a watch - in fact it is a must see.