Not Everything is Average Nowadays

Safe and sound!

2009-08-28T15:07:00.003+01:00

Saí de Sutton na quarta feira às 7 da manhã, e depois da travessia Dover-Calais e uma noite bem dormida em Bordeaux Sud, eram 19 horas de ontem quando estacionei o Rover a rebentar pelas costuras frente a casa.

Uma nova etapa começa hoje!!!! Sigam-na aqui!!!!!

Adeus e até ao meu regresso

2009-08-24T20:56:00.002+01:00

Carta aberta a Londres

2009-08-24T19:35:00.000+01:00

Cara amiga, vou deixar-te! 1683 dias depois, largo-te da mão! Ou largas-me tu, talvez!

Cheguei com pouco mas acredita que saio com muitissimo.
Ao longo destes quase 4 anos e meio foram muitas as coisas que vi e que fiz, sonhos que realizei. Muito ficou por ver, por sentir, por conhecer.. mas nisso tu és madrasta, pois tens sempre algo novo a nascer em cada esquina.

Fiz erros de julgamento, decisões erradas e tropecei qb, mas nunca me decepcionaste, pois sei que a culpa nunca foi tua. Devia ter vivido mais perto de ti. Sei que por essa razão perdi muito do que tens para oferecer, perdi a convivência mais em privado com amigos que fiz e que levo no coração. Perdi tempo em empregos glamour mas chefiados por gente tacanha e sem visão. Podia ter feito mais e melhor, mas aprendemos com os passos que damos.
Nestes quase 5 anos ainda não foi desta que visitei o Design Museum, não fui ver um musical e pouco viajei para fora de Londres.

Muito fica para conhecer, mas como do futuro só Deus sabe, espero regressar para ver ainda mais.

Mas o mais importante de tudo é sair daqui com uma relação reforçada, um bebé lindo a caminho e amigos que sei que gostam de mim e eu de eles, e que com 100% de certeza que irei ver muito proximamente.

Quanto ao futuro mais próximo, acho que mereço umas mini-férias na praia e depois a ver vamos!!!

A todos os leitores, um muito obrigado pela vossa visita. Eu depois aviso onde me podem encontrar. Até lá, e como diz o outro, “deixem-me respirar”!

Nice to see you, to see you nice!!!

2009-08-23T11:09:00.001+01:00

Yesterday at V Festival...

Fellow bloggers, be careful with what you write...

2009-08-19T14:41:00.002+01:00

Sky News.com - 1:54pm UK, Wednesday August 19, 2009
"A former Vogue cover girl has won the right to make Google reveal the identity of an anonymous blogger who called her a "skank".
Liskula Cohen, 37, was the target of a barrage of alleged insults on the Skanks in NYC blog. The Canadian-born model, determined to sue for defamation, launched a court bid in January to find out who was responsible.

In an unprecedented ruling, Manhattan Judge Joan Madden said Google must reveal the blogger's name, The Sydney Morning Post (SMP) reported. The judge said it was the blonde's right to take legal action against the author, who wrote on Google-owned blogger.com, Live News.com said. The search engine giant will now be forced to disclose the identity, presumably when the case next returns to court.

Judge Madden rejected claims by the blogger's lawyer that the comments were mere "trash talk" and only factual assertions could be considered libelous. Cohen told the New York Post: "When I saw that blog, it was awful. All I can say for this person is, I really, truly hope that they have more in their life than this." Her lawyer Steven Wagner hoped the decision would send a message that the internet was "not a free-for-all" and said: "Everybody is waiting to see who this coward is."

The blogger's lawyer Anne Salisbury warned the ruling would open the "floodgates" for anyone who has been the subject of a nasty comment online to take legal action.

Pois...

2009-08-18T09:48:00.000+01:00

In the news today... The nightmare of Afghan men!!!

2009-08-17T10:18:00.002+01:00

On today's Metro there was a worrying piece of news that made me become very concerned about Afghan men...

"President Hamid Karzai has published a new law where men can now starve their wives if they refuse to have sex with him".

As great as this law may look for all men involved, I just had one question on my mind: How many Afghan men actually cook? :)

Quick note about London and skirts...

2009-08-06T20:22:00.003+01:00

Two options to all the girls wearing tie-sized mini-skirts on public transport (train, tube, double decker buses):

a) When you are getting ready to leave your house, think about the amount of stairs/escalators you are going to go up/down during your journey and, if you think you will be slightly embarassed, change into something longer or tighter;

b) If you don't have a care in the world about strangers/pervs/the whole world (scratch the ones you don't fit in) and still want to go to work with THAT mini mini-skirt, then behave normally, walk normally... whatever you do, don't freak out.

Because it may happen to you what I saw today: A girl that, when confronted with a flight of stairs at Green Park station, decided the best way to prevent people from seeing underneath (which was not that difficult already), was to start running towards the stairs, so she could reach the top before anybody could have had time to reach the bottom of the stairs. It would have been a great idea if she hadn't tripped on a step and fall down head first (and bottoms up!), leaving everyone behind her to see much more than just a glimpse of her knickers...

PS - I read this morning that the weather people guaranteed Summer in London was starting today again. My soaked shoes/trousers/shirt beg to differ!

Song of the week #4

2009-08-01T20:04:00.002+01:00

Justice are a French DJ duo (Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay) and they are hugely popular all over the world. I love their music and one of my favorite tracks is The Phantom Part II. It's an amazing rock/club piece, and I love it so much I had to put it on my Song Of The Week post.

However, as amazing as the track may be, it is nothing compared with what the Belgium geeks from Soulwax did to it!!! They transformed a 3 minute song into a 7 minute anthem!!!
It's like you taking your nice, fast, sporty Clio Williams to an underground garage and they made it into an Audi R8!!! That's how fucking good the track is!!!!

And if people were complaining I was arrogant about being in a shitty party if Jamie T was not on, then forget about ever attending a party if they don't play this!!!

Dardos em Paddington

2009-07-26T19:36:00.003+01:00

Ontem fomos até ao bairro de Paddington para mais uma etapa do nosso Campeonato de Dardos dos Tugas Bloguistas (e não só) de Londres. Esta etapa teve como ponto principal a "passagem de testemunho" da sua organização, uma vez que foi a última que eu "fiz nascer". A partir de agora, a prova fica a cargo da Filipa. E acreditem que fica muito bem entregue!

Desta feita foi o Nuno Pedrosa que venceu, prova de que não é preciso ter ido a todas as etapas para se ganhar. Basta apontar, atirar e ter sorte na soma! Obrigado também ao Nélio, que apesar de andar por aqui faz poucos dias, se juntou a nós!

Mas como nunca só de dardos se viveram estas 8 etapas (já tantas?), estivemos a tarde toda na conversa à porta do Cleveland Arms (aquilo nem se pode chamar esplanada!) e quando a fome apertou seguimos todos para Brick Lane, para um verdadeiro jantar indiano no restaurante favorito deste vosso escriba, da sua amada e da amiga Lua.

Os resultados:
Not everything is average nowadays - 47 pontos

Pedro Vilela - 35 pontos

Jeff Leal - 32 pontos

The Eternal Dreamer - 27 pontos

Existem designers em Portugal - 25 pontos

O Mundo da Lua - 20 pontos

Cromossoma X - 20 pontos

Sonia Ribeiro - 18 pontos

Zita - 16 pontos

Manuel Arrais - 15 pontos

Nuno Pedrosa – 14 pontos

Maria – 12 pontos

Arnaldo – 10 pontos

Tuga em Londres - 9 pontos

A Minha Vida Dava Um Filme - 9 pontos

Sylvia Gaitas - 8 pontos

Filipe - 7 pontos

Nélio - 6 pontos

Espero que agora que a Filipa toma as rédeas disto vocês não faltem, porque estes nossos convívios mensais são tudo menos uma competição de dardos.

Quanto a mim, a minha próxima organização é mesmo uma tarde de despedida no dia 9 de Agosto.

A estatística como arma

2009-07-22T19:41:00.002+01:00

Quando andava na faculdade, o meu professor de Estatística II, talvez com o intuito de fazer com que uma turma de 40 gajos de ciências tivessem mais interesse por uma cadeira "tronco comum" de matemática, dizia que a Estatística era uma arma mais poderosa que a bomba nuclear. Na altura demos gargalhadas e passamos em frente, mas se nos pusermos a pensar na coisa, até tem alguma razão de ser. Basta pensar nos Governos que caem quando uma sondagem os coloca impopulares na opinião pública.

Mas nada disto me chatearia não tivesse eu pegado hoje no London Lite. A páginas tantas aparece um artigo com um mapinha colorido, onde são mostradas as freguesias (councils) de Londres onde, de July 2008 a Março 2009, houveram maior número de ataques violentos sérios contra vítimas de idade compreendida entre os 13 e os 24 anos. Esses ataques vão desde assassinatos a danos corporais graves.

Diz então o artigo que "o mapa mostra as áreas que a Metropolitan Police considera perigosas e onde estão a actuar com mais intensidade, devido à violência grave promovida pelo consumo de alcool após o fecho dos estabelecimentos nocturnos". E essas áreas são o centro de Romford, Leicester Square e Regent Street no West End, a High Street de Peckham e os centros de Kingston, Sutton e Croydon.

Sutton, onde vivo vai para 2 anos (sem nunca ter presenciado episódio de violência nem ter havido nenhum esfaqueamento mortal) tem, segundo os senhores do mapa, entre 28 a 43 casos neste intervalo temporal.

E é aqui que a porca torce o rabo, e se vê como uma estatística "bem encomendada" por certos councils - centrais e ansiosos em atrair mais população jovem - faz com que a sua zona se assemelhe ao paraíso na Terra, ao passo que os calmos suburbios baratos e com excelentes transportes para o centro sejam piores que o inferno de Dante.

Que eu me lembre, e bastou uma olhadela rápida no Mapa de Crimes do site da Metropolitan Police para me dar a certeza, os mais perigosos councils do Reino Unido (não apenas de Londres) são Southwark, Lambeth e Hackney. Que eu me lembre, e uma olhadela no Google sobre "teenage stabbings in London" confirma o que pensava, não houve alguma morte violenta de jovens em Sutton, Croydon ou Kingston durante os ultimos 12 meses, mas houveram mais de uma dezena em Islington, Hackney, Southwark e Lambeth!

Contudo, Islington, Lambeth e Hackney aparecem de cor mais clara possível no mapa, e Southwark tem "apenas" a espinha encravada da Peckham High Street num tom alaranjado, sendo o resto branquinho como a cal.

Realmente, a estatística tem destas coisas...

Dardos - proxima etapa

2009-07-21T21:02:00.002+01:00

Não se esqueçam que os dardos são já este SABADO!!!! Não apareçam no domingo, ok???

Song of the Week - Semana 3

2009-07-15T22:05:00.002+01:00

Com algum atraso, aqui fica a Música da Semana.
Desta vez, a escolha cai sobre o novissimo single do inglês Jamie T, "Sticks and Stones".
O video foi filmado aqui pertinho, em Wimbledon.

E quem não dançar ao som desta música este Verão, então é porque esteve numa festa de merda!!!!

Dardos - Southwark/London Bridge

2009-07-12T20:48:00.003+01:00

Hoje teve lugar mais uma das etapas do já habitual campeonato de dardos, desta feita no Wheatsheaf de Southwark.

Infelizmente só tivemos sete participantes (a Lua teve lá mas tinha autirização para sair mais cedo). Acho que a malta ainda não percebeu bem que o campeonato é só uma desculpa para estarmos todos juntos na conversa. Tenho pena que muitos nunca cheguem a aparecer (ou até a regressar depois de terem estado uma ou duas vezes), até porque estamos na recta final: o Pedro Varela já fez as malas e segue para Portugal no fim do mês; eu e a Maria iremos pelo mesmo caminho no final de Agosto; e pela conversa que tivemos hoje, parece que ninguem vai querer pegar no trabalho de organizar as restantes etapas, o que me deixa bastante triste.

Ao todo, vai em 17 o número de pessoas que já participou em pelo menos uma das etapas, mas para uma base de dados que tem mais de 80 pessoas, é pouco. Além disso, há seguramente bloguistas tugas de Londres que se dão ao trabalho de ler os posts uns dos outros mas não se dão ao trabalho de aparecer. Tenho pena, mas tenho ainda mais pena quando leio os blogues dessas pessoas e vejo que estão sozinhas, tristes, isoladas. Infelizmente não fazem um esforço para sairem da sua "comfort zone", mas depois não se queixem que estão em casa fechadas a ver a tv no computador ou a encher a boca de comida com gordura. A culpa é vossa!!

Aqui ficam as fotos de mais uma divertida tarde entre amigos que vão ficar para sempre. Porque só faz falta quem está! Até à próxima etapa, dia 25 em Paddington.

Ah, já me esquecia de meter como está a tabela:

Not everything is average nowadays - 42 pontos

Pedro Vilela - 35 pontos
Jeff Leal - 32 pontos
The Eternal Dreamer - 25 pontos
Existem designers em Portugal - 24 pontos
Cromossoma X - 20 pontos
Sonia Ribeiro - 18 pontos
Manuel Arrais - 15 pontos
O Mundo da Lua - 13 pontos

Zita - 12 pontos
Maria – 12 pontos
Arnaldo – 10 pontos
A Minha Vida Dava Um Filme - 9 pontos
Sylvia Gaitas - 8 pontos
Filipe - 7 pontos
Tuga em Londres - 6 pontos

Nuno – 6 pontos

London on fire and Vhils scratching the surface

2009-07-10T21:50:00.002+01:00

The dense black smoke passing outside my window made no mistake: London was on fire! It was not long for Holborn to be deafened by fire engine sirens. Two hours later I was opposite Dean Street, on Rathbone Place, to witness my good friend Vhils (aka Alexandre Farto) first London solo exhibition. You have to go to see it for yourselves, but here are some tasty pics...

É muito bom quando vemos um amigo dar-se bem na vida!

2009-07-08T22:26:00.002+01:00

Desculpem a falta de posts por aqui mas entre montes de trabalho no emprego e castings para os anúncios da Ciencia Viva de Portugal e Londa da Alemanha, o tempo tem sido pouco para actualizar o blog.

Hoje ao almoço dei de caras com um grande amigo meu chamado Alexandre Farto, mais conhecido no meio graffitesco como Vhils. Embora vivamos os dois em Londres, foram raras as vezes que conseguimos estar juntos, para grande pena minha, pois o Alex é daquelas pessoas com quem facilmente passaria horas a conversar numa esplanada qualquer.

Sabia que ele era um talento da Street Art muito antes de tal ser agora reconhecido, por isso foi com extremo agrado que soube que é agora agenciado para o Reino Unido e EUA através da Lazarides Gallery. Isso significa que o "puto" Alex passou a grande nome mundial da arte urbana, não apenas um virtuoso da pintura das paredes de Lisboa ou Almada.

E fiquei igualmente muito satisfeito por saber que está patente a sua primeira exposição em solo inglês, e logo na Lazarides de Rathbone Place.
Larguem tudo o que estão a fazer e dêem lá um salto. Eu vou amanhã e prometo deixar aqui umas fotos para abrir o apetite.

The return of the naked videos...

2009-07-04T12:42:00.001+01:00

Do you remember this post?
I got some harsh words from the ladies, so I came across a new version of the video and could not wait to post it for their delight! :)

Reead "Baby", 3 mecs à China Town, avec NuitSexy.fr
Uploaded by rollrecords - Explore more music videos.

The Fallen Madonna with the Big Boobies by Van Klomp

2009-07-03T22:41:00.003+01:00

You have got to have lived in the 90's to remember this line, but here is proof it is still relevant today :)

"Madonna Nudes" 30th Anniversary Exhibition @ Hidden Village, 19 Earlham Street (Seven Dials - Covent Garden), until 19th July 2009.

E ao quarto número, só mudam as moscas...

2009-06-29T21:11:00.003+01:00

... porque a m***a é a mesma!!!

A Playboy portuguesa continua a rebuscar no fundo do baú dos desejos sexuais do mecânico/obreiro e apresenta desta feita a Rita Mendes. Sim, essa menina, filha do actor Rui Mendes que apresentava o Portugal Radical ao lado da muito mais bonita Rita Seguro. Sexy? Nunca foi.

E continuam as fotos de péssima qualidade, o tratamento de imagem pior que mau, o photoshop escabroso, a produção sem imaginação!!! Essas poses estão mais que vistas!! Dá ideia que esta gente foi a um alfarrabista e comprou umas edições da década de 70 para copiar o género, tal a quantidade de clichés!!!

Se não acreditem, vejam as fotos aqui.

Campeonato de Dardos - Etapa 6

2009-06-29T19:19:00.002+01:00

Porque tristezas não pagam dívidas...

Porque assim ficou prometido...

Porque em Agosto muitos vão de férias...

Porque a Fénix Renascida é uma chata e não me larga do pé...

Por tudo isto, o Campeonato de Dardos (ou a desculpa que damos para nos vermos todos os meses) vai ter duas etapas no mês de Julho.

Espero por vocês lá!

Passeio em domingo solarengo

2009-06-28T19:08:00.004+01:00

Ainda pensei que alguns amigos, "doidos" por estarem connosco depois da novidade, nos incluissem nos seus planos de fim de semana, mas como nenhum telefonema chegou decidimos ir passear sozinhos até Kew, andando ao longo do Tamisa a comer granny smiths e ameixas pretas.

Post escrito ao som de Supafly Inc. "She's Part of History" e a dançar pelo corredor!

Doem-me os pés...

2009-06-27T20:27:00.004+01:00

Mas também quem me manda ir para Londres de All Star e andar como se não houvesse amanhã? Claro que tinha de ficar com eles doridos...

Anyway, o dia hoje começou ao ir buscar o carro da oficina (eu acho que já tinha dito aqui que ele tinha ficado "de molho" estas duas semanas para um arranjo bastante grande, depois de ter-nos deixado ficar mal em plena Londres). Quem me viu guiar de volta para casa deve ter pensado "Mas quem é este gajo que vai ali a guiar com um sorriso enorme nos lábios?". Porque é assim que me sinto, tenho o brinquedo de volta, melhor do que nunca!

Deixei o bólide em casa e apanhei o comboio para a cidade, onde tinha encontro marcado com os outros London Spotters, para em conjunto tirarmos uma foto com um troféu que o site ganhou, e que vinha com uma Paris Spotter de férias por aqui. Eram duas em ponto quando cheguei ao local marcado, a frente do Royal Festival Hall. Pouco depois chegou a Phoebe, uma americana também London Spotter. Quase uma hora passou e mais ninguém chegou! Nem o troféu! :)

Lá disse adeus à Phoebe e fui dar um passeio pelo centro, para tirar umas quantas novas fotos e entrevistar uma loja que vou recomendar no site. Eram 5 da tarde e estava de volta a casa.

Agora estou em frente ao computador com "um olho no burro" (Glastonbury live no site da BBC) e "outro olho no cigano" (Wimbledon live na BBC iPlayer). E chove lá fora!

Post escrito ao som dos excelentes The Gaslight Anthem (com o Bruce Springsteen a dar uma perninha e tudo) ao vivo em Glastonbury. Se puderem, tentem ver a excelente prestação de Little Boots e da surpreendente Lily Allen (e que vestido aquele, homens amigos!!)

12 weeks ago...

2009-06-23T20:04:00.001+01:00

... we were blessed! And today he/she had his/her first photoshoot! :)

De volta ao enublado londrino (e Track of the week)

2009-06-22T20:25:00.002+01:00

Mss também quem é que aguentava o calorão com que Lisboa nos recebeu? Estava tanto calor que nem apetecia sair de casa, nem para ir para a praia!

E como que a relembrar os Verões quentes da minha juventude, a ouvir a música pimba da altura, que é como quem diz italo-disco (quem não se lembra da fabulosa e pneumática Sabrina??), a música da semana vem cortesia de dois jovens irmãos transalpinos, que davam pelo nome de Righeira, e que com o seu "Vamos A La Playa" (que parece ter saído das teclas de um vanguardista para a época Casio PT80) animaram bastante as pistas de dança dos 80s!!!

Enjoy!!!

Summer Resolutions

2009-06-20T13:08:00.002+01:00

Summer officialy starts tomorrow and it seems to have created the perfect opportunity to make some resolutions.
There are new, unknown times ahead, and our brains are working overtime, trying to figure out the best paths, choices, moves...
Some will like them, others not so... but that´s life for you...

Back in London tomorrow, peeps!

Até logo!

2009-06-13T10:40:00.000+01:00

Vou mas volto! E uma semana até passa a correr.

O meu blog tem uma brincadeira nova...

2009-06-11T23:16:00.002+01:00

Todas as semanas (se me lembrar) vai aparecer aqui ao lado o video da minha canção da semana, isto é, a musica recente ou velhinha que toca mais no meu iPod.

Pode ser uma que vocês gostam mas já nem se lembram, pode ser uma favorita de todos ou uma novidade fresquinha. Mas podem ter a certeza que vai dar para dançar ao som delas. E se gostarem muito muito e não a conseguirem encontrar, avisem que eu ajudo!

Depois não digam que não sou amigo.

Para esta semana vai o single de apresentação do disco dos N.A.S.A., com o tema "Gifted". Para ajudar os rapazes cantam Kanye West, Lykke Li e Santogold. Enjoy... e até para a semana!

Tube strike?

2009-06-10T17:27:00.003+01:00

One of the things that make me laugh here in London is the syndrome of "strike-panic". You must know what I mean: people going mad the day before a planned strike, flooding the TFL website to try to figure out "alternative routes" to a route they make every single day and should know how to replace anyway; bosses asking every single employee if they are coming to work the next day, as if the city will be isolated in an hermetic plastic bubble; companies emailing every 10 minutes to remind workers there is a strike and it is "very important to try our best to come to work, even if a little bit late".

This syndrome is also well observed on the actual day of the strike, when 60% of the familiar faces in the station are missing (either went earlier or didn't bother to go at all); the pushing and shoving inside the train is up 25% even though the train is 40% emptier; the 100-metre dash as soon as the doors open at the end station; the sadness in people's faces as they are resigned to wait for a bus together with dozens of others, just to arrive at work and hear that there were actually 9 out of 11 lines working, even if with delays and not stopping everywhere.

As for me, I caught the exact same train but instead of making my way to Victoria (which I knew was going to be chaos on Earth - it always is, strike or no strike) I changed at Clapham Junction to Waterloo. There, I made my way on foot across the lovely Waterloo Bridge and straight into Covent garden, next door to where I work. It took me less 10 minutes than on a "normal", no-strike day, when I commute by tube from Victoria.

PS - I laugh at these panic inducing London strikes because I always lived in Lisbon and often experienced transport strikes. I laugh because when I was 17 there was a transport strike on the day I had exams. And I had to walk to and from my school, which took me more than 45 minutes each way. Lisbon does not have a transport grid like London. When there are no buses, for example, you go nowhere except on foot! When there is no underground (and it does not even cover the entire city anyway), the few buses are packed and you end up walking. London people are spoilt for alternatives... but still they winge!!!

E o peso continua a desaparecer...

2009-06-09T19:13:00.001+01:00

71,6Kg no dia 24 de Maio...
70,4Kg hoje...

... e pela primeira vez em largos anos, a BMI entrou no domínio do "normal weight"!!

Dia de Portugal em Londres - Programa oficial

2009-06-07T16:55:00.003+01:00

Recebi da Missão Católica Portuguesa no Reino Unido um email com a Newsletter deste mês e onde se inclui o programa oficial das Comemorações do Dia de Portugal em Londres. Parece que este ano as presenças são "de peso"!! (Infelizmente não vou marcar presença, pois regresso a Londres apenas nesse dia).

Aqui fica:

Domingo, 21 de Junho
Streatham Common Park SW16

Programa:
10h, Eucaristia, presidida pelo Pe. Luis Borga
11h, Animação com gastronomia e música
animação musical pelo Padre Borga, Docemania, artistas locais, Herman José e homenagem aos atletas olímpicos Rosa Mota, Carlos Lopes, António Leitão e Fernanda Ribeiro.
19h, Encerramento da Festa

Rainy Saturday watching paint dry :)

2009-06-07T12:42:00.002+01:00

Just not in the mood to write a lot today.

Some pics here and the rest on Facebook.

É pá, não me fodam!!!

2009-06-05T19:58:00.002+01:00

Há dias em que desculpo a tacanhez britânica. Há alturas em que engulo a idiotica maneira de ser deles, a prepotência e o desdém por tudo o que não é "british", e que chega a raiar a mais pura estupidez e ignorância. E há dias em que me apetece explodir de raiva e "ir à tromba" dos energumenos que ainda não tiraram a pala dos olhos e continuam a andar pela vida qual burros atrás da cenoura no fim do pau!

Vem isto a propósito do artido que vinha no Metro de hoje. Para quem não leu, era sobre Lisboa. Na secção "Out of Office", um tal de Kieran Meeke parece vir enaltecer a bonita capital portuguesa. Na verdade, não tratou mal a minha cidade, muito pelo contrário. Tem direito a alguns "awesomes", mas no fundo a reportagem perde mais tempo a descrever uma nova empresa de turismo que aluga carrinhos de três rodas com GPS do que realmente a falar muito sobre a cidade.

Claro que não foi isso que me irritou profundamente, ao ponto de me apetecer irromper pelos escritórios da Associated Newspapers Limited ali para os lados de High Street Kensington, e espetar com a cabeça deste senhor dentro de uma sanita recém utilizada. Irrita-me a falta de pesquisa antes de escrever o texto; irrita-me o desconhecimento de causa sobre aquilo que escreve; irrita-me ter de utilizar chavões pró-britânicos para fazer com que o leitor se interesse pelo que escreve; irrita-me a sua ignorância histórica!

Senão vejamos:
1 - O senhor Meeke começa a sua prosa dizendo que, tal como aprendemos na série de tv "Sharpe", Portugal é o mais antigo aliado britânico;

2 - Essa ligação estreita entre os dois países "salta aos olhos pela presença em Lisboa dos mesmos marcos de correio vermelhos que há no Reino Unido" (tinha de ser algo que o Reino Unido deu a Portugal, e nunca o contrário, não é?);

3 - Em caixa colorida, alerta para o facto de ter sido vítima de carteiristas por três vezes no mesmo dia (algo tão estranho e surpreendente quando se vem de um país sem criminalidade, não é?);

Com estas três bocas em pouco menos que uma página de jornal já eu estava vermelho de raiva e prestes a gritar. Mas o senhor não se ficou por aqui. Isso seria muito fácil...
O senhor Meeke consegue ainda descrever o Elevador de Santa Justa como tendo sido desenhado pelo "pouco conhecido" engenheiro francês Gustave Eiffel!!!! Aqui saltou-me a tampa!! Mas este senhor é deste planeta? Pouco conhecido? Eiffel, tal como Torre Eiffel, que aliás foi construída 12 anos antes do Elevador?

Mas se ainda me consegui conter com essa pérola do conhecimento britânico (vulgo "if it's not british I couldn't give a damn"), passei-me de vez quando descreve o Mosteiro dos Jerónimos como tendo sido erguido para celebrar o regresso de Vasco da Gama daquela que foi a primeira viagem de circum-navegação do Mundo. Como é possível dizer-se tal barbaridade (já para nem falar de dois verdadeiros erros históricos) em apenas 20 palavras?

Não aguentei e quando cheguei ao escritório seguiu um email para o editor desta secção do jornal a agradecer o facto de terem decidido figurar a minha bela cidade nas suas páginas, mas que quando voltarem a ter vontade de o fazer novamente, sentem-se numa esplanada e deixem a vontade passar. Os Portugueses e os amantes da História Mundial decerto agradecem!

European Elections

2009-06-04T21:56:00.001+01:00

If Portugal did the same as the United Kingdom and had their European Elections on a week day (instead of Sunday), how many people would actually had been bothered to show up and vote?

Eu tinha que falar sobre isto...

2009-06-01T23:46:00.002+01:00

Peço desculpa a mentes mais sensíveis (ou a quem vê o meu blog no local de trabalho) mas eu já era para ter falado sobre a Playboy portuguesa há um mesito atrás, mas decidi dar o benefício da dúvida. Contudo, e após já ter visto os três primeiros números da dita, não posso conter este post muito mais tempo.

Mas quem é a alminha que decide que rapariga meter na capa? Só pode ser um gajo cego!!!

Eu acredito que o primeiro número tenha sido dificil de fazer arrancar, e que a escolha da Mónica Sofia acaba por não ser muito má... excepto pela qualidade das fotos e produção envolvidos! Já sei que muitos vão dizer que isso não importa para nada, que ninguém presta atenção a essas coisas, mas quem diz isso de certeza absoluta ainda não viu as fotos. Mas como disse, como se tratava do primeiro número, escapa...

No número dois, que devia então aproveitar o balanço da "febre" que foi conseguir-se meter uma revista destas cá fora, escolheu-se a Cláudia Jacques, que até pode ser uma rapariga jeitosa e com atributos qb para este tipo de revistas, mas que já passou à largos anos dos 40!!! E ainda quer ser coelhinha? E de novo a fotografia e produção deixa muitíssimo a desejar.

E eis senão quando aparece o número 3, encimado por esse portento da beleza nacional que dá pelo nome de Ana Malhoa! É pá, tenham lá paciencia! Mas desde quando essa senhora tem estilo/estofo para gracear uma capa da Playboy? E aqui já nem a porcaria de qualidade das fotos e da produção me interessa.

Eu tinha a Playboy como uma revista masculina de classe, com extraordinária selectividade no momento de escolher quem mete na capa, com os melhores fotógrafos mundiais a disputar tão cobiçado espaço... Desculpem-me os senhores e senhoras que dão o litro para a publicar em Portugal (será?) mas o que vi até agora é uma piada de muito mau gosto para quem se intitula guardiã do entretenimento masculino...

Pois este homem perdeu definitivamente o interesse.

Keeping my fingers crossed

2009-06-01T19:11:00.002+01:00

This beauty is going saturday to have its 45,000 miles service done... and I'm dreading what may come of it!

Post written while listening to Transvision Vamp - Baby I Don't Care (so not true!!!)

Because it's Sunday and the sun is shinning...

2009-05-31T20:29:00.002+01:00

... I really really wanted to be having a barbecue afternoon like I used to prepare for the kids back in 1991, with lots of burgers, sausages and corn on the cob, drinking pimm's and ice with my good friends from yesterday and revisiting great tracks on the stereo.

I guess we need to get together more, guys and gals!

Written while listening to The White Stripes - Hotel Yorba (a great song to listen while stretching in the sun!!!)

The first picnic of the year

2009-05-31T11:37:00.002+01:00

Those of you who are looking forward to this post to find out how their place in the Darts' Championship Ranking stands are going to be very disappointed... there were no darts yesterday!
Not because we didn't want to (ok, this is a lie, as you will find out if you continue to read), but because the selected pub changed management one month ago and it looks like the former owner took the board with him.
The fact is, there was never going to be a darts' championship yesterday! We started the day by having a picnic in Kensington Gardens (I still believe that area is still called Hyde Park, but then again I may be wrong) and it was such a lovely day and we felt so good with eachothers company that by 3pm Filipa and me decided to go to the pub and convince all the others waiting there to come back with us to the green grass nearby.
And so, we welcomed a few new faces to our already broad group of Portuguese londoners. We sincerely hope you now start to become a regular feature in our get-togethers (and I promise to email more than once in a month, ok?)

Sorry for the lack of photos on this one, but both me and the mrs were really lazy to take the cameras out of our bags, but snoop around our friends' blogs and you will find plenty of snap-shots of yesterday.

Best track of the week...

2009-05-23T22:54:00.001+01:00

... and a great video to go with it (ihihihihih)!!!!

First results...

2009-05-21T21:00:00.002+01:00

Remember this post?
People that haven't seen me for a month or so started telling me they think I lost weight, but I see myself everyday and the "belly tyre" is still there...

I cannot call this a real diet, because there are days I can't be bothered to have cereals for breakfast and have coffee and toasts with chocolate/peanut butter/butter. I also eat a normal lunch and abuse the desserts more often than I should, and I haven't been to the gym every day of the week either, but the truth is...

... since I started this regime three weeks ago...

... I LOST 1.6Kg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Campeonato de Dardos - Notting Hill

2009-05-20T18:44:00.002+01:00

Afinal já não vamos para perto de Westbourne Park. A Filipa lembrou-me que aquilo ficava perto da sede do Sporting em Londres e eu não gosto nada de misturas dessas :P

Encontrei um pub bem engraçado muito perto da estação de Notting Hill gate, por isso fica assim marcado:

Sábado, 30 de Maio - 3pm

The Hillgate pub - 24 Hillgate Street, London, W8 7SR

Lá os esperamos a todos novamente!!!

Campeonato de Dardos

2009-05-19T14:31:00.003+01:00

Mais detalhes dentro de momentos, mas parece que dia 30 vamos ate Westbourne Park, bem pertinho de Portobello Road...

My day yesterday was driving me nuts...

2009-05-17T14:15:00.002+01:00

... until a phonecall made me think how small and petty we sometimes are with the way little things in life do not go the way we are expecting them to go.

The huge suffering of others made me feel sooooo small....

Ramblings about work, London, life...

2009-05-12T21:26:00.002+01:00

- I love walking through London at 8.30am;

- There are still hundreds of people that cringe and seriously think about moving seats when the person sitting next to them on a train sneezes;

- Londoners were waiting for the sun to wear their most fashionable clothes;

- The majority of people working in the same building as I do (and there are lots) close the window shutter to be in near complete darkness;

- The first thing I do when I get to work is to fully open the shutter and enjoy the London skyline (even though there is really not much to see);

- The best thing I like about my job? the lunch menu!

- I am being lazy about booking the new darts competiton (but will do it this weekend);

- I am looking forward to photographing London this Saturday (anyone wanna join me?);

- I am looking forward to August and the joy it will bring;

- I am looking forward to the joys that life brings;

Crossing the Thames one more time

2009-05-06T22:51:00.003+01:00

I never doubted. I always trusted my judgement. I knew I would cross it again and again very very soon. In the words of one of my favorite bands, how soon is now?

I'm back!

Written while singing along to Air - Alpha Beta Gaga (is there a better song to listen to when you're happy and the sun is shinning???)

back...

2009-05-04T18:41:00.002+01:00

3 days later, one house visit from a computer technician, £10 spent, the demise of my 320Gb external drive, the help of Andrei Ionescu with data recovery over the internet, lots and lots of hours spent in front of the screen saving hundreds of films/tv series onto dvds, the formatting of the stupid external drive and putting back all the mp3s and photos on it, the computer is now lighter and quieter than ever!!!!

Hurrah!!!!!!

Formating my PC...

2009-05-01T16:46:00.001+01:00

Kelloggs slim diet...

2009-04-28T22:37:00.002+01:00

- 1 bowl of Kelloggs cereals at breakfast
- normal lunch (easy on the pasta/chips/sauces/fat/etc...)
- a cup of black coffee (no sugar/no milk) and a dry toast/cereal bar mid afternoon
- 1 bowl of Kelloggs cereals at dinner
- lots of water

... and make an effort to go to the gym from Monday to Friday (2 days full workout/2 days just swimming/1 day just cardio machines)

Let's see what happens after 2 weeks!!!

Books etc...

2009-04-27T10:43:00.001+01:00

Maria was saying yesterday that she thought I was the type of person that liked to read a book. And that got me thinking…

Am I? I love to read, but thinking about it, books come way down in the pecking order. They certainly come after newspapers and magazines. I always have been interested in current affairs more than anything. I like to keep myself informed. I can watch CNN or BBC 24 for hours. My parents always found it puzzling that whenever we were on holiday abroad, I would always have a news channel on, as soon as we arrived at a hotel. Last week, because I stayed at home, I had to control my urges not to go out early in the morning just to pick up the free Metro at the train station. I “feel naked” without that daily dose of information, as stupid and strange as that may seem.

Magazines are my private indulgence. I spend quite a lot every month on the ones I really like (mainly fashion titles) and if you ever visited us it certainly shows. The shelves are packed. And I read them all. I don’t just buy them because they look good.

So why don’t I read books? Well, I do. I just don’t like them that much! First of all, I have a very active person. Nothing gets me going better than doing something, preferably outside. And reading a book means calming down, sitting still, staying at home… and these are three things that are very difficult for me. My attention span drifts away from the book at light speed, if I am not in the mood.

So what kind of books do I read, then? Certainly not fiction! I dread Fiction books as much as I dread Romance films. There is something in them that make it impossible for me to like. I know it will sound stupid but I don’t see the purpose of reading something that is made up, imagined, not real. But I like to see them in movies! For instance, I love the Harry Potter franchise but I can’t read the books. Some of you will say the adaptation to the big screen is never better than the book itself, but for me it’s the only way I get to understand what was written in the first place. 90% of the books I own are non-fiction. They are written about things that happened or are happening. They are investigative stories, biographies, travel books… I love all these.

But do I read them gladly? No. I am currently reading a book I heard about while I was in Lisbon for the Christmas – New Year period. I was driving to dinner one night and TSF was broadcasting the best interviews they had made in 2008. On that particular evening, they were repeating the one Gavin Menzies had done. And I was so excited by it I had to buy the book he was endorsing: “1421 – The Year China Discovered The World”. I bought it but still haven’t managed to finish it, more than 4 months on.

It’s not that I don’t like to read books… I just can’t find it in myself to sit still and read them!

Campeonato de Dardos - Etapa 4

2009-04-26T15:53:00.002+01:00

Os dardistas (essa palavra existe? senão fica já aqui escrito que fui eu que a descobri!!) do costume lá se voltaram a encontrar para mais uma etapa do campeonato, desta feita numa tarde solarenga em Clapham. Desta vez coube ao The Calf a honra de nos receber (uma boa dica da Filipa). E desta feita até tivemos direito a mascote, com o Pedro a trazer a sua linda Martinha (e a esposa Carla, claro!).

Depois de umas renhidas partidas, a classificação geral está assim ordenada:

Not everything is average nowadays - 38 pontos
Jeff Leal - 32 pontos

Pedro Vilela - 28 pontos

The Eternal Dreamer - 24 pontos

Existem designers em Portugal - 24 pontos

Sonia Ribeiro - 18 pontos

Cromossoma X - 18 pontos

Manuel Arrais - 15 pontos

O Mundo da Lua - 13 pontos
Maria - 12

Arnaldo - 10

Sylvia Gaitas - 8 pontos

Zita - 7 pontos
Filipe - 7 pontos

Tuga em Londres - 6 pontos
A Minha Vida Dava Um Filme - 6 pontos

Por volta das 7 seguimos viagem até ao restaurante A Toca, onde matámos saudades de um belo Bitoque de Porco/Chocos/Espetada de Lulas & Gambas/Salada de Polvo, e onde a conversa durou até perto da meia noite (com alguns a terem de correr para Stockwell para não perderem o ultimo metro para casa).

A próxima etapa ficou já marcada para o ultimo sabado de Maio (dia 30) e vamos passear até West London.

PS - Agora que o bom tempo se instalou de vez, era engraçado que mais gente aparecesse, de preferencia quem nunca conheceu este excelente grupo de pessoas (eu diria até amigos!) que tem assiduamente atirado uns dardos à parede.

Alteração de ultima hora...

2009-04-23T10:13:00.001+01:00

O jantar de sabado 25 de Abril passa a ser no restaurante A Toca (343 Wandsworth Road, SW8 2JH). Mantem-se o horario das 7h30.

38

2009-04-22T15:02:00.003+01:00

The truth is... I don't feel them, but I do have them :)

Anyway, I had the pleasure of having my parents over to celebrate them with us and I packed these last 4 days with walks and sightseeing so they could have as much as they could, without repeating places or experiences they had done before.

So between not sleeping on their first night here just to go to Billingsgate Fish Market, driving to Canterbury, Hastings and Brighton, visiting the Natural History Museum or having meals at a Japanese and Mexican restaurants, I think they had a great time.

And to finish off a nice celebratory day, I had the phonecall I was expecting!

PS - many many thanks to everyone that left a message here, by email, sms, pigeon delivery, etc etc etc!! You are the greatest friends we can ask for... and saturday we will be together once again!!!

Canterbury city centre

Posted while listening to: DJ Shadow - Midnight In A Perfect World

Mommy and Daddy are in town...

2009-04-18T20:55:00.002+01:00

... and I can't promise to write anything for the next couple of days.

...but I will be checking my email on Monday, to see who sent me a Happy Birthday message! (wink wink) :)

Missed it? I certainly did!!!

2009-04-17T20:50:00.002+01:00

A couple of weeks ago, Sanne from Spotted by Locals asked me a few questions by email. The result would be published as the weekly Interview With A Spotter on the website.

Well, it was published last week... and I didn't even notice!!!

If you are really really really interested, have a look here.

Quarta etapa do Concurso de Dardos Bloguista... com jantar e tudo!

2009-04-16T17:41:00.003+01:00

Por coincidencia, a proxima etapa do Concurso de dardos calha no sábado 25 de Abril. E como bons e orgulhosos portugueses, achei que era a altura ideal para um jantar civilizado num restaurante tuga! Assim, e por sugestão da Filipa, voltamos a atravessar o Tamisa para a margem sul, desta forma instalando-nos de armas e bagagens em Clapham.

A etapa tem lugar às 3 da tarde no pub The Calf (87 Rectory Grove - SW4 0DR).

A jantarada fica para as 7.30 no restaurante O Moinho (355a Wandsworth Road - SW8 2JH).

Tal como nas vezes anteriores, e para que todos tenham lugar sentado, marquem presença no email vrodrigues37@aol.com

A blast from the past

2009-04-13T21:00:00.004+01:00

In the Summer of 1991 I came for the first tme to the UK. I was working for a company called EF - Colegios Europeus de Verão and, as Assistant Leader, I was in charge of taking care of around 25 boys and girls between the ages of 7 and 12 who were coming to the UK to study English during their holidays. I was also thir translator and guide after they had their morning classes and monitor them during the sports' activities in the afternoon.
The destination of all these courses were seaside villages in West Sussex and Dorset and both teachers and kids lived with host families — who spoke only English — or boarding schools that were empty at this time of year.
My first experience about living in England was 21 days with the Irish family in Bognor Regis.

18 years later, I went to Bognor Regis again this saturday. It's funny how I still remember the places, the roads, the houses... I still remember the way I used to cycle every single day from the Irish family house to the Sea Cadets headquarters, the make-shift school for my Portuguese kids. Butlins is now much bigger and well known, but they still have the 100% covered waterslides that I saw and experienced there for the first time in my life! I am sure the Irish family still lives there, but I didn't gather enough courage to knock on their door, even though I saw it at a distance.
I also took Maria to see Arundel, a small castle village in the middle of the countryside, and rounded up our small trip by visiting Chichester, which I had never been.

ARUNDEL:

BOGNOR REGIS:

CHICHESTER:

There are plenty more photos on my Facebook, so go have a peek...

I love writing...

2009-04-10T11:07:00.002+01:00

I think I already wrote about it but in case I didn't, here it is: I love to write!
When I left uni and while working as a PA for the CEO of a cereal drying factory (no, really!), I started working on a City Hall project to keep kids off the street and preventing them to go into drugs. Every late afternoon, after leaving the office, I would go to my local council headquarters and run a little room full of computers and board games, which would entertain my neighbourhood kids for two hours. I would also organize trips outside of Lisbon, where we would do rock climbing, canyoning and lots more stuff. This was part of a global project made up by Lisbon City Hall and there came a day where they decided it was time to make a magazine about all the activities. And so they invited all the 52 council leaders to undergo a journalim course at Cenjor. I cannot begin to tell you how great it was!! I suddenly found out the joy of writing, and discovered skills I didn't know I had. And to put it short, I was considered so good that the then Mayor himself praised me in front of all my colleagues and representatives of all Lisbon boroughs... and one of my teachers gave me immediately a job at his PR company!

But this has nothing to do with that story, apart from showing my love of writing...

Last year I wrote about being invited to write for a project I absolutely loved: the Spotted by Locals network. When I joined the London team, it was still rather unknown... and look where it is now: we are 80 people spread all over Europe, writing praises about selected spots we love in our cities and the website just won the best group authored blog in Lonely Planet's awards.

Now, we are going to be featured monthly in the Guardian's website!!!!

Man, I love it!!!!

Let the Sun shine this weekend, please!

2009-04-07T13:49:00.002+01:00

Let's get physical...

2009-04-06T19:58:00.001+01:00

There's nothing like doing the gym workout listening to the Best Off from Scorpions loud on your iPod!!!

Spring results

2009-04-03T10:31:00.003+01:00

April Fool's Day

2009-04-01T11:45:00.001+01:00

...whatever...

Weekend plans...

2009-03-30T11:59:00.002+01:00

The Mrs will probably hate me but I already started drawing plans for this weekend coming. I have the opening of a graffiti exhibition to attend and I was invited to the Sam Wanamaker Festival on Sunday, so it looks like I will be travelling to town on both days.

On Saturday a few friends are featured on the "2000 and down" exhibition opening at the Urban Angel gallery. Weather permiting, there will be live graffiti outside.

On Sunday I will have the opportunity to go to the Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. I will be attending the Sam Wanamaker Festival and it looks like it will be quite interesting.

So, all in all, a busy-ish weekend...

Yes, I am that nerd/geek/weirdo...

2009-03-29T23:32:00.002+01:00

I love to listen to Annie Mac's BBC 1 radio show. I think she is one of the best dj's around and I look forward to hearing her whenever I can...

... and now I found I can download her entire programme on mp3.

... and because I am THAT nerd/geek/weirdo, I run it on my Audacity software and cut & save each mix or new exclusive track she broadcasts, so I can have those wonderful sounds without the chit-chat.

... because I love Annie Mac for her taste in music, not her voice :)

Campeonato de Dardos - Etapa 3 - Hackney

2009-03-28T20:46:00.004Z

A melhor etapa do nosso campeonato de dardos aconteceu hoje em Hackney... e nem teria sido preciso jogar! Valeu (e muito) pelo imenso convivio em casa da Lua depois de um rápido jogo no Duke of Wellington.

O dia começou ontem à noite, com a nossa chegada a casa da anfitriã, com o grelhador no porta-bagagens. Hoje bem cedinho fizemo-nos à estrada e fomos até Billingsgate, para comprar peixinho e marisco para o barbecue.

Pelas 2 da tarde encontrámo-nos no pub e iniciou-se a terceira etapa do campeonato. Destaque para o regresso do Pedro Vilela, depois de ausente o mês passado e para quatro novas presenças, o que faz com que o total de concorrentes até agora seja de 16!!

Mas o destaque maior foi da Senhora Cromossoma, que cilindrou todos os restantes e arrancou uma vitória histórica.

A classificação ficou agora assim ordenada:

Not everything is average nowadays - 29 pontos

Jeff Leal - 24 pontos
Pedro Vilela - 23 pontos
The Eternal Dreamer - 20 pontos
Existem designers em Portugal - 18 pontos
Sonia Ribeiro - 18 pontos
Cromossoma X - 17 pontos
Manuel Arrais - 15 pontos
Maria - 12
Arnaldo - 10
Sylvia Gaitas - 8 pontos
Filipe - 7 pontos
O Mundo da Lua - 6 pontos

A Minha Vida Dava Um Filme - 6 pontos

Zita - 5 pontos

Tuga em Londres - 3 pontos

Mas o melhor do dia ficou guardado para o barbecue, com todos em amena cavaqueira até às 7 da tarde, a provar as saborosas espetadas de camarão, cavala no carvão, gambas cozidas, mexilhões e canivetes. Muitos parabéns para a Lua e Andrei pelo trabalho e paciência.

A quarta etapa vai ser no dia 25 de Abril, pelo que vou ter de escolher um cenário adequado!!

Photo by Pepe Escuredo

2009-03-26T09:50:00.002Z

As promised, here is the photo Pepe Escuredo took of me last Saturday.

You can check his work here and here!!!

Dardos - Etapa 3

2009-03-25T20:08:00.003Z

Desculpem o atraso mas aqui fica o flyer informativo da terceira etapa do nosso singelo campeonato de dardos.

Tem lugar este sabado e temos hora marcada mais cedo para depois seguirmos para casa da Lua e afiar o dente num barbecue de peixe e marisco.

Não se esqueçam da carteira em casa porque a rapariga não é rica e logo de manhazinha vamos ao mercado comprar as iguarias. 10 librazitas por pessoa parece um bom valor, não acham?

Mas convem confirmarem presença, para não se comprar nem muita a mais nem a menos!!!

Portrait of a weekend alone

2009-03-23T21:41:00.003Z

With the Mrs away enjoying a girlie trip to Istanbul, I was left to my own devices last weekend. And let me tell you it was pretty dull!! I always complain we don't go out on weekends, but when I get the chance to do it alone, I just can't find the motivation...
Sure, saturday was busy! Went to the office around lunch time to meet my friend and photographer Pepe for a session. Pepe is shooting different people of all ages and ethnic backgrounds, for what he designed the "As we are" series. And I was very happy to be invited to feature!!! (I will post one of the photos tomorrow).
After the shoot and a meal at Yoshino, I arranged to meet an old friend in Shoreditch to watch the Wales x Ireland game with her and her new boyfriend. When I got there, the Water Poet, it was already packed with Irish and a few Welsh, and watching the game there was brilliant, even though Wales lost...
I had a London Pride with them and said goodbye, catching a bus towards Vauxhall. There, I made my way to Cafe Portugal, to watch the Benfica x Sporting League Cup. At least Benfica won, even though they should have lost...

Sunday was DIY day, so I woke up early(ish) and went to town to buy a few seeds I was missing. Then spent the day cleaning my barbecue cart (next weekend is barbecue afternoon at Lua's with the bloggers) and planting onions, flowers, tomatoes, chives, coriander, basil and chillies. Then Lost was on and the time just slipped by...

... I miss my babe!!!!

Spring photos...

2009-03-15T21:17:00.003Z

Spring is upon us...

2009-03-15T21:05:00.003Z

So this weekend was all about walking around. Saturday was spent with Lua, Andrei and Restelo walking through Hackney, Bethnal Green, Whitechapel and Mile End.
Sunday we took this baby out for a ride and walked from Kensington Olympia to Covent Garden, stopping along the way to check out the guests for Mr Mittal's party arriving at Kensington Palace Gardens and catching the sun at Hyde Park. We finished off with a wonderful Mexican meal at Wahaca on Chandos Place.

update...

2009-03-13T16:03:00.002Z

Just showed my nice smile and blushed face to Gemma Arterton (don't thing she is that good), Kate Beckinsale (gorgeous!!!) and James McAvoy (smaller than me and terribly shy!!).

They are casting a project down at the studios and these people (among several other TV stars) have come in...

supa dupa star struck...

2009-03-12T23:29:00.002Z

what do you do when Sienna Miller speaks to you? or Sean Bean? or Olga Kurylenko? If you are me, you just blush and smile a lot :P

Oh happy day!!

2009-03-11T09:50:00.001Z

Sporting made it into the Guiness Book of Records, finally!! And well deserved, too!

Yesterday's request

2009-03-10T09:16:00.001Z

A German client who was pleased with the job I did for the European Elections reccomended me to an American friend that works in the Ukraine and needs British 100 metre sprinters for a Lucozade commercial.

Don't you just love this sense of "one worldness"?

Lunchbox Theatre

2009-03-05T17:46:00.002Z

This is one of the best ideas I have ever seen!
A small theatre in the middle of the City of London, right next to Blackfriars Bridge, that has what they call "Lunchbox Theatre"!!! And what is this? They perform bang on 1pm for 45 minutes only, and you are encouraged to bring your lunch with you!
The result? The 100 seats are always full of city boys/girls that rather spend their one hour lunch watching a play and eating their lunch at the same time than wondering around the streets or eating at McDonalds...
It takes place at Bridewell Theatre (Bride Lane) and entrance is just a mere £5 in advance, or £6 at the door!!!

As for me, I saw the wonderful "California Suite - Part 1" and really enjoyed!!!

maybe one day...

2009-03-03T14:19:00.001Z

No Line On The Horizon

2009-03-02T21:35:00.002Z

Is it just me or is this song (not the album, though) one of the best U2 have ever released?

Guildford, Surrey

2009-03-01T22:10:00.003Z

The afternoon was sunny and inviting for a stroll in the countryside. So we drove south and stopped at Guildford (we visiter Dorking first, but it was nothing special, so didn't even stop).

Three more to add...

2009-03-01T13:28:00.002Z

Yes, That's Emma Watson on the cover of VS. She's featured inside on a wonderful very Cabaret-ish shoot with photographer Ellen von Unwerth.

De fugida...

2009-02-28T17:55:00.002Z

Não tem havido muito que escrever nem que contar...

As if I needed reassurance that I was right...

2009-02-24T09:20:00.002Z

I read on the Perez Hilton blog that series 13 of America's Next Top Model will only feature girls who are less than 5'7 tall... THE JOKE!!!!!!

Here is the full article:
"According to a new America's Next Top Model casting call, applicants taller than 5'7" shouldn't bother sending in their application. In the statement, Tyra Banks says, "There have been top supermodels in the past that weren’t as tall as the industry demands, like fashion icon Kate Moss. So we are changing up ‘Top Model’ for cycle 13 and making it a year for the shorter model!” Let's be real here for a sec. Kate Moss is a very rare example of someone shorter than 5'8" making it in the 'real' modeling world.
TyTy should just admit that her show does a crappy job of finding real models! Can you name an ANTM find who's made it super BIG in the real modeling world? Didn't think so!"

So now you understand how I can NEVER allow myself to see such trash...

Bemvindo, Eduardo

2009-02-23T22:44:00.002Z

Pouco passava das 18.30 quando o rapaz decidiu finalmente ver o que se passava pelo mundo. A mãe está bem e o pai deve estar todo babado. Os tios Vasco e Maria estão concerteza!!!

The best and worst dressed at the Kodak Theatre

2009-02-23T12:33:00.004Z

My winner:
Alicia Keys in Armani Privé, followed by Natalie Portman in Rodarte.

The big losers:
Whoopi Goldberg in a horrible leopard print, Beyonce disasterous on her own House of Dereon, and Jessica Biel in ivory Prada

And what about Phillip Seymour Hoffman with a beany???

The pick of the bunch for this month...

2009-02-22T17:20:00.003Z

Special mentions for the new LOVE and one of 6 different covers for i-D. Still waiting for that special W Magazine to join these ones, probably next week. Thanks to Ana Nicolau for the GQ.

Dardos em Greenwich - Etapa 2

2009-02-22T12:10:00.004Z

Ontem foi dia de voltarmos aos pubs tradicionais e jogar um bocadinho de dardos entre tugas. O encontro estava marcado para o Old George de Greenwich, e depois de uma viagem demorada (cortesia do transito) lá conseguimos chegar com quase uma hora de atraso... para verificar que o pub já não tem alvo! A dona do pub lá me explicou que decidiu substitui-lo por uma tv de ecran plano (o progresso parece estar a estragar os pubs mais tradicionais. Assim, em vez de termos ficado por ali a fazer consumo e a jogar, fomos embora e aquilo ficou sozinho...).
O que vale foi que a Sónia Ribeiro tinha ido à procura de outro e logo na mesma rua encontrou o Prince Albert.
Depois de uns largos minutos à espera que a zona dos dardos ficasse vaga, lá fizemos a nossa jogatana. Depois de adicionados os pontos à etapa anterior (e atribuído 1 ponto à Sylvia, que por termos perdido tempo a mudar de pub teve de ir embora), a tabela ficou assim:

Not everything is average nowadays - 20 pontos
Existem designers em Portugal - 18 pontos

Jeff Leal - 17 pontos

The Eternal Dreamer - 15 pontos

Manuel Arrais - 15 pontos

Pedro Vilela - 11 pontos

Sonia Ribeiro - 10 pontos

Filipe - 7 pontos

O Mundo da Lua - 5 pontos
Sylvia Gaitas - 4 pontos

Cromossoma X - 4 pontos

Zita - 3 ponto
A Minha Vida Dava Um Filme - 3 pontos

A próxima etapa tinha ficado já combinada para Hackney no dia 28 de Março, seguida de uma mariscada... Escrevam nas vossas agendas!!!

Already available...

2009-02-19T22:37:00.001Z

All we need is... LOVE.

2009-02-19T11:13:00.002Z

It's finally out!

Katie Grand must have been tired of POP and decided it was the time for LOVE!

In reality, it was Condé Nast's managing director, Nicholas Coleridge, that lured her and her entire team from rival Bauer in September.

And I for one cannot complaint: Just check out the outrageous photoshoot with Gossip's Beth Ditto and an A-Z of fashion trademarks to see why...

It costs £5 and I have it on my "to buy" list from now onwards!

busy...

2009-02-17T17:10:00.001Z

Preparing a big casting for a new HIV drug.

Trials & Tribulations on a Valentine's Day

2009-02-15T10:36:00.003Z

I promised to celebrate Valentine's Day and so I did!
After croissants with chocolate and strawberry spread for a breakfast in bed, we went out for lunch. I chose the best italian restaurant I have ever eaten in: Merton Abbey's Mamma Rosa. And once again we were not disappointed!

After a quick stop at a nearby friend, we made our way back home. And suddenly, in the middle of nowhere, the car just stopped!! It started with hiccups and I couldn't get it to start. Luckily it all happened right next to a Shell station and I just had enough power to drive it inside and park it. I looked at the dashboard and there was no "out of gasoline" light on, so I guessed it was the battery. It was the logical problem, since it had been giving me problems last month, when it ran out after one week of not using it. Right outside the petrol station was an Halfords, so we run inside and managed to buy a new battery and convinced one of the workers to come replace it (even though it was 6pm and they were closing!). When I tried to start the car, it still wouldn't go!! By this time my mond was running wild with possible problems and contemplating leaving the car there and returning home by bus in the middle of the late afternoon. As a last resort, we decided to push the car towards the nearby gas pumps and fill it with some petrol, just to make sure it wasn't lack of it (the needle was in the red already but the light was not on, so this wouldn't be the problem)... but it was!!! As soon as I finished putting petrol, the car immediately started!!!! THE BLOODY LIGHT THAT TELLS YOU YOU HAVE LOWER PETROL DOESN'T WORK ANYMORE!!! AAAARRRRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!

We then drove back home where I finally relaxed enough to make us a nice steak and chips dinner, with strawberries dipped in melted chocolate and sip some Mateus Rose

I thought I was gonna hate it...

2009-02-13T11:29:00.002Z

... but the truth is I love it!!!

Funny names...

2009-02-12T19:48:00.001Z

Valentine's Day

2009-02-11T09:16:00.003Z

Only if you had spent the latest two weeks in Mars you would have missed knowing Valentine's Day is saturday. The promotions are everywhere, the adverts are more than everywhere.

I have been reading a lot of people saying "I don't like Valentine's Day", and I think it's a bloody lie! Well, maybe not entirely a lie... but people should come clean about it and write instead "I won't be celebrating Valentine's Day this year". Because in the end it's all about having a boyfriend/girlfriend/relationship. 95% of those who say they hate Valentine's Day are currently off a relationship! Because if you have a relationship, you celebrate Valentine's Day! Simple as!

And before you start calling me names, let me just also say I view Valentine's Day as nothing but a commercial gimmick, and rationaly speaking, the amount one spends on a partner should never serve as representation of your love. And that if you love someone, you should show it every day of the year, not just on February 14th. But what a turn-off it would be if on that special date we just did what we normally do!!

And this is why my love can rest assured I will celebrate Valentine's Day on saturday!

Apenas uma questão rectorica...

2009-02-09T16:43:00.001Z

Existirá alguma hipotese de deixarem o Benfica alguma vez vencer no Estádio das Antas sem tramoias e batotas? É que já chateia tanta vigarice!!!

Say hello to my little friend...

2009-02-08T15:11:00.002Z

Rescued on Friday night from Chiswick train station, where it had been abandoned...

It looks much better now, as I have been spending the morning getting rid of all the rust with my amazing Dremel... still not finished, but it's already looking good! :)

Drinks, theatre, house party and a new "friend"

2009-02-08T15:01:00.003Z

This weekend has been all about socializing. It started on Friday, when I met some of my old colleagues from Granada Learning for a drink in Chiswick. And for the first time outside a Portuguese restaurant/bar, I saw Sagres on tap!!!

Then on saturday I had been invited to attend the Italia Conti Theatre School showcase, so we headed to Clapham South and lunched at the Landor Pub, where the school present their plays on its first floor. After that, and because it was still early to go to a friend's birthday/house party, we dropped down at Grelha D'Ouro for a "bica" and "pastel de nata".

The house party was in nearby West Dulwich/Tulse Hill and was excellent! It took place at my friend Angelo's house, where he shares with 5 others. And because he is an actor/singer/dancer, soon everyone was on the karaoke machine!! But the star of the evening was definitely my flamming chorizo Portugal-style!!!

Six Nations Rugby Championship starts tomorrow!!

2009-02-06T15:38:00.002Z

I can't believe it has been a year, but for my delight the Six Nations Rugby Championship starts tomorrow.

Wales hold the title and are favorites to win again but you can never antecipate what happens during each of the 80-minute games!

I will be trying to see as many games as I can (on TV, obviously...) and will be cheering for the reds, as ever!

Another day, another casting request...

2009-02-05T11:16:00.001Z

This time I will be casting for a TV spot for the upcoming European Elections.

Great feedback...

2009-02-04T10:31:00.002Z

In the space of a week I received great feedback on two things I am involved with (not to mention organizing the Darts Championship, that seems to be quite a success...):

One of my reviews for the London Spotted by Locals website was used on another blog, which meant someone read it and liked it enough to inspire him and copy/paste.
Here it is: http://www.bookpatrol.net/2009/01/more-lovejoys.html

Also, I received feedback from the Compal casting I did last week. The Production company in Lisbon was extremely happy with the girl I selected and she did a wonderful job in the Rossio station last weekend. Eyes open for the commercial, to be broadcasted this month and next...

Campeonato de Dardos - Etapa 2 - Greenwich

2009-02-03T15:52:00.004Z

Depois do sucesso inicial do nosso campeonato de dardos, fica já marcada para 21 de Fevereiro a segunda etapa, desta feita para a margem sul do Tamisa, em GREENWICH.

O encontro fica marcado novamente para as 3 da tarde no The Royal George, 2 Blissett Street, SE10 8UP.

Após o jogo os eventuais interessados poderão deslocar-se ao vizinho Greenwich Playhouse, onde a portuguesa Alice de Sousa tem em cena "Aristides – the Outcast Hero", sobre a carreira heroica de Aristides de Sousa Mendes. A peça tem inicio marcado para as 7.30pm e a entrada custa £12 (convem saber o quanto antes quem vai, para que a Alice deixe reservados os bilhetes).

Back to work...

2009-02-03T10:23:00.001Z

280 Bus to Tooting Broadway (my train station remains closed)
Northern Line to Elephant & Castle
Bakerloo Line to Piccadilly Circus

10 minutes late.

When there's a will, there's a way!!!

Update...

2009-02-02T15:55:00.003Z

Gathered some courage and went to the High Street to see how it was...

24cms, almost 10 inches!!!
That makes it very hard to walk...

At least they were saying the trains were on time...

But where were the trains??????

No trains, no buses...

2009-02-02T08:25:00.000Z

... can't get to London today!