“Ingrid …”
“Davy …., wow, how is New York? I look so much forward to see you again.”
“New York is fantastic, you are going to love it, trust me. And I had a great sailing trip, I’ll tell you all about it when you get here.”
“I can’t wait… I …”
“But as your editor …”
“Ehrm yes ?”
“I know you don’t really do Christmas, but for your readers …”
“What?”
“You need to wish them a Merry Christmas.”
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Well let’s not overdo it, but this year it’s really not bad. I am ecstatic, which has not that much to do with presents and Christmas trees but more with the fact that it is now only 2 days before departure and 4 days before Bill. And there was this other David Hare play …
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After nearly a year with this project, I decided to put the girl on the map. This is just a screenshot, for a zoomable and scrollable map go to the Where is the girl now page.
Not in my wildest dreams could I have dreamed of such a large geographical area being covered by this DVD. It’s one of my best Christmas presents. And people are still signing up, the last location being Lancaster in the UK. You’re very welcome to join if you like.
Thanks to all of you who are participating.
The fog seems to clear up on Monday, according to the BBC. That’s another great Christmas present. The third one is already in New York.
If I told you that I have already scored a date, on Tuesday the 26th at 10 am, with a guy who is going to sacrifice some hours of his Christmas day to show me around in New York, would you believe me?
Of you course you wouldn’t. I don’t believe it either, but it’s true. His name is Richard.
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The Girl on my travel guide
Today the girl learned something about London. Just in time …
You live in London right?
Yeah.
Big city.
Huge city!
So how do you plan to get to Heathrow on Monday?
Oh, easy, tube! Piccadilly Line has a direct connection to Heathrow airport, so smart this tube!
Yes, but it’s Christmas day on Monday.
I know, what’s your point?
No tubes on the 25th.
Ha, ha, this is London we are talking about. You don’t really think I am going to believe that.
If I told you that I spent at least 3 hours totally in a shop to find the perfect travel notebook, would you think I was crazy?
If so, I am not going to tell you.
Oh, you already thought I was crazy anyway.
OK then, I spent at least 3 hours to find the right notebook.
It’s mine and mine alone …
If you don’t care to read about my upcoming trip to New York, then farewell my friend, try again somewhere next year. It is the only thing I can think, dream and probably also write about.
Mmm…
I got internet at home again. Hurrah ! Now, BT, why exactly did it take 2 weeks to get that in order?
I have a little bit more respect for thelondonpaper.com, as they actually had a decent interview in today’s edition. With Kevin. He looks happy on the picture. And I love Kevin just a little more now because he describes London as “one of the most exiting, thrilling, energising and culturally alive cities in the world.”
Exactly Kevin, you got it.
And I respect him even more after reading that he is working in the Old Vic for free, his salary going directly back into the Old Vic. Passion it’s called. People with passion, I love. Living in the same city as the world’s 2 best actors, how good is that. On stage with the both of them.
Right. Class tonight was good, but 2 hours is simply too short, they need to do something about that. We watched a lot of shorts again, and I learned a great deal from that, again. I slowly start to understand how those films are built up. Might become handy later. In the mean time we need to think about a character for our short, and about ideas for shorts in general. They will come those ideas, won’t they? I don’t have to worry that, at this moment, they seem very far away. I need to have a talk with Davy.
I saw 2 films I am going to say something about.
The Queen with Helen Mirren. This film a behind the scenes portrait of how the royal family handled the news about Diana death. Helen Mirren gives an Oscar worthy performance. Another. Fantastic. British. Actress. Another great film. Go see it.
And yesterday I saw The Devil Wears Prada. Talking about great actresses : Meryl Streep is brilliant and hilarious as Fashion magazine editor Miranda Priestley. And Gideon’s Daughter Emily Blunt does well in this US blockbuster. The film is entertaining, recommended if you just want to relax and enjoy, and since it was situated in New York : I could feel the New York fever itching with every New York scene I saw. I am getting restless, I am counting down the days already, I look forward to you, New York. A lot.
And a last thing, I like this picture of Camden, it turns my world upside down. It was nice to be there in the quiet morning hours before the tourists take over the place. And the water is a wonderful mirror. I look forward to see Tina Dickow there next week.
I told you I had a messed up mind. Oh, and I am only kidding. Please do. Both the feeding and the flirting.
But I know what I’m needing
and I’m not going to waste more time
I’m in a NewYork state of mind.
It was so easy living day by day
out of touch with the rhythm and blues
Now I need a little give and take
the New York Times and the Daily News, ohh
Comes down to reality and its fine with me
cause I’ve let it slide
I don’t care if it’s China Town
or up on Riverside
I don’t have any reasons
cause I’ve left them all behind
I’m in a New York State of mind …
I just spent an enormous amount of money.
On 2 tickets.
For a theatre show.
In New York.
Around christmas time.
It has Bill Nighy in it.
IT-HAS-BILL-NIGHY-IN-IT!
I am nearly dying of happiness here.
Christmas time in New York, I wonder how that is going to be.
Now I all I need is a planeticket, and a place to sleep there.
Oh, 2 tickets you might wonder?
Yes. It is for 2 different dates. One time just isn’t enough.
Call me crazy. Go on. I am crazy. Still. Crazy.
Going crazy in an internetcafe gives you a lot of attention…
Wishful thinking
6 months in London. Gosh, time goes so fast !
(Nonsense alert, and Steffen and Bill are there, so be warned).
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The last few times when I had to decide where to travel to on holiday, I had no idea where to go. So I waited. I waited because I knew that the answer to that luxury question would suddenly present itself somehow and then I would go.
That happened about a year ago with Greenland. Greenland had been on my “to-see” list (I am a list person) for a while already, and suddenly a chance popped up. My musical heroes were going to play a concert there, and everything felt into place. I went to see Greenland for a week, and attended the concert in the middle of nowhere in a icecovered Greenland and I had a fantastic trip.
Now on the same list it says “New York”.
I have been wanting to see New York for a while now, but never really got to it. I need a kind of push in the back to actually get going so to speak. I think the push has arrived now:
“I am going to do a play at the end of the year in New York, in fact. I am going to do a play called, “The Vertical Hour”, written by David Hare, with Julianne Moore, directed by Sam Mendes …sounds good doesn’t it, and then there’s me! [laughter] Anyway … I’ll fuck it up. “
If this really is going to happen (and if I can get any tickets at all), I am absolutely going, despite november not rrrreally being the best period of the year to be there, weatherwise that is. But if I can travel to an iceberg in Greenland to see Steffen Brandt, I certainly can travel to New York to see him, on stage. And I will.
Of course he is not going to fuck it up (don’t you just love this guy), he is going to be the star of the play, I’m sure. And the director being Sam Mendes, he is going to be a true American Beauty, with a delicious English accent. Just as long as he returns to London after that, because we like having him over here.