greenspan

Just finished Alan Greenspan's The Age of Turbulence. I found the first half much more interesting than the second half.

In the first half he walks you through his life and how that shaped his view of economics and economic policy. It includes his early beginnings as a jazz musician, he spent a year at Julliard and even played with Stan Getz. During WWII he was a member of the Henry Jerome dance band playing sax and clarinet.

It offered insight not only into his economic perspective, but the economic perspective of the US and the globalization of the economy as well.

In the second half he's a bit more philosophical, opining on world economic forces and our future. It was definitely a bit drier, but I found it thought provoking nonetheless.

It's definitely not for everyone, but I'm glad I read it.

cornwallrocks

In the UK, as in most of Europe, Good Friday and Easter Monday are national holidays. Joe and I didn't really know about this until late February, but we managed to come up with what turned out to be a great plan for a long weekend getaway to Penzance in Cornwall (aka the West Country).

We headed out on Friday to Paddington Station for the 5.5 hour train ride from London to Penzance, which is the last stop on the line. Thanks to some brilliant advice from my colleague Neil we were able to take the holiday upgrade to first class for just 10GPB per person. Unfortunately, because of the holiday there was no dining car on the train, just a snack car (what the Brits call a buffet, pronounced boofay). This was a bit of a theme for the weekend we didn't anticipate...closed for the weekend since it's a holiday and we're going to a holiday resort. Car rental services were closed, many restaurants and shops were closed, the tourist information centre was closed and the spa was closed. After all those years of waiting for Easter weekend to go to work at the Jersey Shore it gave a bit of pause.

The train ride was beautiful. Amazing British countryside, big manner houses, lots of sheep and some cows, ruins of all sorts and a couple of amazing runs right on the literal edge of the coast. The train staff were so nice and friendly and really welcoming. We had a chance to talk with a few of them and they really helped make our journey fun.

We arrived just after dark in Penzance and headed to our hotel, the Hotel Penzance. It was really nice for a beach hotel. Excellent staff and service, in particular the Slovakian couple that we spent some time talking with. She was a front desk manager and he was a manager in the restaurant. Our room had a great view of St. Michael's Mount, as well as the beach so we could watch the tides.

The first night we dined at the hotel in their really great restaurant called The Bay, dinner was tasty, but it had been a long day and we were ready to head to bed.

On Saturday, we started out by wandering around town. I picked up some nice hand made soaps and we asked the shopkeeper where to go to get the best pasties. Cornwall is where the pastie originates so it's a must have. She said she gets hers at W C Rowes. They were really delicious. We picked up some others in town at one point and the difference was really noticeable, don't miss this treat...but make sure you eat at Rowes! We also has some hot cross buns, a Cornish Easter treat that was available in the many bakeries, these were very good as well, great spicy flavors, not the gacky, doughy sweetness I was used to in the States.

Then we headed over to Land's End, which is the most western point in Great Britain (not the island, just the country). We went by public bus, a double decker trip that took over an hour to go the 15 or so miles up and down hills and often single lane roads. The views were just amazing. Land's End itself isn't much, just a hotel, with a weird sort of entertainment zone on the edge. But walking along the coast, watching the sea, is breath-taking. Also, the 30+mph winds from that day added to the experience in a fun and positive way for us.

That night we had dinner at the Navy Inn, which we highly recommend. It's on Lower Queen Street in Penzance. Joe had some great smoked trout and the cod and I had a really delicious fresh pea risotto. Cornwall grows lots of food and of course is renowned for its dairy products. Many restaurants like The Bay and the Navy Inn pride themselves on serving food locally sourced.

Sunday we started out walking the three miles or so along the coast to St. Michaels Mount. The Mount was a pretty cool thing. Once the tide went out we were able to walk the causeway to the Mount. At the base is what is left of a tiny village. Clearly a couple of still occupied private homes, a restaurant for the tourists and the like. Up the walkway and the steep, sort of slippery climb to the Mount is the old monastery turned manor home. Was cool to tour and catch the views from the top. The Mount is actually in the town of Marazion, which we really liked. If we ever return we might consider staying there instead of Penzance as Penzance is very town while I'd describe Marazion as a nice village.

From there we caught the bus to St. Ives. Not nearly the dramatic views on this trip, just a quick ride down the hightway. The town though was really picturesque. Our primary target was the Tate St. Ives museum. The Margo Maeckelberghe exhibit was particularly striking. The colors and motions evoked a real emotional response that brought my love of the beach and the ocean vividly to life. While there we had lunch in the cafe and then headed over to the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden which is managed by the Tate St. Ives. This was a great experience. One moment you are in this hundreds year old town where pirates used to hide and the next minute you are in the studio and the sculpture garden of a 20th century creative master. Just a wonderful juxtaposition.

We decided to skip the bus and take the train home, which included a beautiful run along the coast before heading inland to the other coast. The engineer turned out to be one of the train staff we had met on our ride to Penzance. He stopped by our seats for a quick chat. He had been great fun on the ride to Penzance wanting to know about America.

For our last night in Penzance we had a great time eating at St. Michaels Bar & Bistro where the owners and their son made us feel right at home and were very happy to talk about life.

We would definitely go back, primarily to see if we could find some more iron age ruins as well as to have a serious hike or two along the coast. There's a hiking trail that covers the entire wrap around from Penzance to St. Ives via Land's End. It would be incredible.

skylon

It was a year ago this week that Joe and I made the decision to move to London, so we went to dinner at Skylon restaurant to mark the occasion. Skylon is located in Royal Festival Hall, which is part of the Southbank Centre. Its location means great views of the city through it's HUGE windows and we can walk from our flat.

We had been twice before for cocktails at the bar. They make a perfect scotch old fashioned that starts with a cube of raw sugar slowly stirred in club soda until it's completely dissolved. We of course have snacked on the bar food which was excellent, but mostly it was the atmosphere and the service that persuaded us to take the plunge. Dining out in London is a bit on the outrageous side if you stop to think what you can get for the same cost in other cities, in other countries, irrespective of the Dollar because it works in Euros too, as we have proven on several occasions.

The international staff - we couldn't find a Brit among them - includes Poles, Serbs, Portuguese, Italians, Fins and French, which just adds to the atmosphere. Their individual commitment to service is uncommon for what we've seen in England to date. They also wear very cool "uniforms" that remind me of something out of 2001: A Space Odyssey.

We started our meal with a glass of champagne from the champagne cart. This is a common thing in Europe...the glass of champagne as an aperitif...that I've not really seen in the States. My starter was a goat cheese mousse with red cabbage and Joe had the most amazing looking duck pate that he said was incredible. It was accompanied by a red thing that we initially thought was sun-dried tomatoes or red peppers, but turned out to be spiced pears and apples - very tasty. We had a New Zealand Pinot Noir for the wine. For mains I had the saffron linguine which included the most perfectly flavored pieces of artichoke hearts I have ever eaten in my life, just incredible. Joe had a lamb stew which fails to describe the true meaning of it.

It was around this time that the staff began to realize that they had a couple of foodies on their hands. We asked quite a few questions about the food and they were more than happy to fill us with details. Shortly thereafter Norman the assistant manager stopped by and he was just a really great guy who sent us a round of champagne at the end of the evening to thank us for our enthusiasm.

After relaxing with our glasses of wine we had the cheese cart. I haven't had a cheese cart like this since Cityzen at the Mandarin Oriental in DC. Huge selection and they all smelled and looked really good. Our server went into inspiring detail about each. Joe had a nice glass of Port (our server let me have a small splash to taste) and I had a nice Rioja. Really, really amazing cheeses.

We were having so much fun, Joe decided we should have an after dinner drink at the bar so we could visit Kasha the bartender and have one of her amazing cocktails. While there we got a chance to meet the bar manager who turned out to be Serbian. Joe was really happy to be able to talk with someone else about Slivovic.

Then came my highlight of the evening. As the things were winding down in the restaurant I saw a woman step out of the kitchen and I was pretty sure it was Helena Puolakka the executive chef. Joe encouraged me to go over to her and introduce myself. I gushed a bit, but we had a great conversation about her food and how she makes her goat cheese mousse...a little bit of DC Mini-Bar magic as it were. She was so charming, but I think the idea that she had a fan was a new concept for her. Great fun for me!

Before I close, I have to mention that they have a "grill" that is much more relaxed that Joe and I want to eat at too! If you plan to go, make reservations. They offer a short menu from 5:30p and the full menu after 7:00p.

39steps & the taxman

More "West End" theatre this week. We went to see The 39 Steps, a staged version of the 1935 Alfred Hitchcock movie. Great fun. Four actors played more than 100 roles. With fast paced action and lots of laughs it was a nice way to wrap up a week of expat infrastructure annoyances -- we've entered week five of struggling with Barclays over a US$500 error on their part, they again denied us credit cards since we are "flight risks" and it's time again for our every other month "fault" on the phone line issues with British Telecom. But I digress.

The play was held in the Criterion Theatre which was built in 1873. It's right on Piccadilly Circus, which didn't even exist at the time the theatre was built. I like the idea of being in a threatre with a 130 year history, just makes all of it more fun. Joe and I indulged in the very British intermission past time of ice cream. I had vanilla and he had ginger.

I have gotten really good at zipping over to the TKTS Half Price Tickets booth in Leicester Square to get same-day, half-price tickets. As their Web site warns, beware other offers. Every ticket reseller says half price, but TKTS is the only officially sanctioned, half-price ticket agent. It is operated by the Society of London Theatre. It's only about 20 minutes via Oval on the London Underground's Northern line from our neighborhood, which also makes going to the theatre easy since most shows are in that area.

On a different note, earlier on Friday, I met with Gerald, our tax "guy" and Founding Member of BBL Services which is always more fun than it seems. In addition to being the co-author of the Zurich Tax Handbook, which helps make sense of the UK tax system for the average person, Gerald is a wealth of local knowledge and full of erudite cultural banter. I always feel a bit out of my league.

In addition to reviewing our US returns this time we talked about William S. Burroughs, Laurie Anderson, 20th century American literature, Peter Gabriel/Genesis and how the City Lights bookstore in San Francisco isn't what it used to be. Well, he talked, I listened and learned. He's also preformed with the Royal Shakespeare Company, now how many tax guys do you know that can that? His offices are in Trinity Square with great views.

nec birmingham

Joe and I had a quick business trip this week to Birmingham. Well, not Birmingham proper, but the National Exhibition Centre. The place is HUGE. Joe and I both felt this was a great place to see a real cross section of the English population as opposed to the international citizenry of London. Everyone, and I mean everyone, everywhere walks on the left. In London the left/right thing on the sidewalks and stairs is a bit chaotic as different cultures literally converge.

The best non-business part of the trip was the train ride. We road Virgin Trains and got to see some nice British countryside. We also got some more train travel chops for our upcoming trip to Penzance. Ever since the privatization of British Rail things seem a bit complicated and the Brits we've spoken with agree. But, the more we travel the better we get at it.

It's also one of those things where as a US expat you expect to be able to easily get everything you need online, at least the information, but as we've found with so many things here, it's much easier and better to actually go to the counter in person.

felix

Friday night my former MDB intern, and now friend and colleague, Felix came to visit. He had meetings in London on Monday and Tuesday, but wanted a change from Berlin for the weekend. He kept himself busy, attending a football game and just walking around the city. On Saturday evening, he came home with a pile of Family Guy videos, including the Blue Harvest DVD. We had a great time OD'ing on videos on Saturday and Sunday night.

tatemodern

Went to the Tate Modern last Friday and it was a great visit. I started out by visiting the Maison Tropicale. The building is much more interesting from the outside as it is essentially an empty building on the inside. Just some exhibit related information, but not a house or home per se. Interesting architecture though and worth a stroll around the outside.

Then, even though my goal was the Duchamp, Man Ray, Picabia exhibit, I made time to finally see Mark Rothko's Material Gestures, also known as the Seagrams paintings. They are all in one room that has nothing else, in the middle of the building. Words fail to explain just how much these incredible paintings convey. While it might have been nice to see them while dining at the Four Seasons, their availability to the public for free makes them one of the most amazing gifts of art to the world in the 20th century. Go, sit, stay awhile.

Then, in sort of loud contrast to Material Gestures, was the Duchamp, Man Ray, Picabia exhibit. First off, it's a big exhibit. There's room after room after room of things to see as well as three films. There's an interesting section called "the intermission" that looks that the artists' friendship, which added a depth to their works and Dadaism in general that I hadn't understood before.

My understanding was greatly enhanced thanks to the time I had taken in 2006 to visit the Dada exhibit at the National Gallery of Art in Washington.

The Tate exhibit goes through 26 May and I will definitely go back.

theboxman

Try number two about the reading thing. Since June of 2007 I've read more than 20 books! More than I've read in the last 20 years, which makes not having traditional TV at the ready worth any inconvenience. I've just finished reading "The Box Man" by Kobo Abe, a Japanese author.

Where do I start about this incredible book. First it was fascinating to read what is essentially contemporary Japanese literature and that's worth the read in and of itself. The juxtaposition of dreams and reality doesn't really communicate the read. I read if often before going to bed and the dreaminess of it all often bled into my dreams in a surprising way.

As someone who is a loner, the idea of being a box man was really intriguing, but the point about the lack of solace in isolation was also well taken. Not for everyone, however if you're looking for something different with an international lean that both stretches and bridges the cultural gap, I'd recommend this quick read.

tvless

I started this entry to write about all the reading I've been doing, but I can't do that without talking about not having a TV and more importantly why we don't have a TV and don't intend to get one at this point.

When we moved to the UK we decided that one project we could easily push to later, was making TV happen. It was an easy decision up front for a variety of reasons. First you have to pay about US$250 per year for a TV license to actually just have a TV in your home, even if you never plug it in. Check it out at the Welcome to TV Licensing web site. Now, having declined this opportunity we have given up a significant right to privacy, which also rubs my US sense of privacy the wrong way. We are subject to unannounced, warrantless searches of our home by the TV authority any time of day or night, failure to comply is subject to a fine of about US$2000. Sounds pretty authoritarian to me.

So that's obstacle number one. Then its just a matter of not being able to psychologically accept the cost of the equipment. A 26" flatscreen starts at more than US$1000 for the crappy kind (did I mention that for all the "green" there are no CRT TVs available) and up from there, forget the DVD player or the other equipment you might need, like a FreeView box if it's not digital ready.

Now here's one thing they've got right in the UK. The switch to digital radio and TV happened a few years ago. Digital radio is readily available and digital TV -- coming soon to the US -- known as FreeView in the UK delivers almost 30+ free (BBC + commercial supported) channels to watch on a regular TV set.

So that's all about the old fashion way to watch TV and it wouldn't be fair to paint this picture without fessing up to what I do watch. First I'm totally obsessed with catching The Daily Show online...cultural diplomacy at it's finest IMHO. And of course there's YouTube and Google video, but I don't actually bother with those much. But the BBC has BBCiPlayer which runs most of their mainstream program as web streams and downloadables. If our Internet connection is running as promised you can watch TV on demand, but that's a bit iffy, just another reminder that we're not in the US...sometimes it works, sometimes, not so much.

And there's one last point of no TV. We would've gotten cable or satellite, but customer service is just such a regular nightmare here -- cablevision customer service is like a spa visit in comparison to what we deal with here -- it was easy to bag TV altogether.

And now a little post script: Just to fess up, we have 2 internet connections, one personal provided by British Telecom and a second one thanks to ESI (our employer) via Twang.net. Both promise "up to 8 mps", but they range in service from about 300kps to 5mps, which isn't in the end very reliable since there's no predicting when you'll get high and low bandwidth levels. Regardless between that and online opportunites and DVDs we get our fair share, but I still have more time to read than I've had in long time.

matt.terry

Matt, a friend of ours from DC's Different Drummers, and Terry, our favorite wine manager from Schneiders on Capitol Hill in DC, were here for a week's visit. It was Matt's first trip abroad so it was great fun to introduce him to the joys of international travel (aka jet lag). Terry had been on a work/buying trip touring Spanish wineries the week before so when he arrived shortly after Matt he had great stories and photos to share with us about the Spanish country side and his tastings.

Their first day we focused on keeping Matt awake. He was a great trooper. While they were off aggressively touring it was just a regular work week for us. But we did get to have some terrific times together, which seemed to be all about food and wine...big surprise. One night I made a cheese souffle and salad for dinner. Another night, Terry cooked and made a great meal featuring loads of mushrooms and a perfect black truffle polenta we picked up at Borough Market. While there we found some very fresh venison and rabbit, but the carnivores weren't up to all the prep work. For dessert we had up an awesome plum tart that we bought from a very pretty vendor who had a lilting French accent. These little moments are some of the things I relish most about our expat life.

For their last night in town we went out for what has to be the best northern Indian food I've had to date at Chor Bizarre near Green Park. The decor makes it a great visual moment too...almost everything in the restaurant is for sale. Reservations are probably a good idea as there aren't many tables and a relaxed dining experience is encouraged.