Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Monday, August 28, 2006

the 850,000 Pound car....And i mean Sterling not in terms of weight

So apparently this car is owned by a prince of the UAE. There are only 20 in the world and is the fastest road car in the world. 260 miles and hour. The Burgatti Veryon. It has 1001 horsepower!!! Dont believe me?

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Features/articleId=108032














Sunday, August 27, 2006

My life is over....

Google SMS doesn't work from London!!!!

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Sent from my BlackBerry wireless handheld

First experience at a London KFC

Things learned:

Drinks are served without ice unless asked for

There are very few choices for meals. About 4

The fries have no salt and are otherwise terrible (still crushed them all)

They don't serve mashed potatoes OR biscuits!! Probably the reason I go to KFC in the US

Tax is already included in the price that is shown on the menu boards

They still use genetically enhanced birds. 'Chicken' is no where to be found on the menu (that's for you B Dizzle)

Lastly, its still tastes as good as it sounds...DELICIOUS!!


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Sent from my BlackBerry wireless handheld

Friday, August 25, 2006

Thursday, August 24, 2006

Bad News...

Found out this morning that the flat i wanted is only to be let to a female! After 2 days of back and forth he now reveals this critical bit of information. Bollocks!! Apparently a couple had also put in an offer for the place and they were also denied. Dont feel so bad then i guess but WTF?! He probably should have made this known a tad bit earlier dont you think?

Equal rights my A$$. Damn Title IX....

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Sloane Apartments

You now know where i sleep...(at least for the next 2 weeks)




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Opening day at Stamford Bridge...

My second day in London i decide to head down to witness the scene as the 2 time defending Premiership champs in their opening match. Not knowing where exactly to go...and being a man and not wanting to ask directions....i just hopped on the tube and headed to the most logical place. The Stamford Brook station (i mean they play at a stadium called Stamford Bridge). I ended up being completely wrong in that assumption as they play right off of the Fulham Broadway stop. Luckily the stream of fans in blue Chelsea jerseys were easy to spot and lead me in the right direction.



Getting to Fulham Broadway, the road street was on, was incredible. People chanting, Screaming, and showing full on support for their team. I have been to many sporting events in my time but honestly I dont think i have seen anything like this at any other game i have ever been to. It was great.





















I cant wait to actually make it into the stadium one of these days! Instead I watched the game at pub. Not as packed as i thought it might be but maybe i was just at the wrong place....there is always next week!



Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Flat Hunting. Help me choose!!!

#1 - 3 maxwell court Northbourne Road SW4 7DP - 170 Pounds per week

Spacious studio with fold out bed (dont laugh). In a nice area but not in the center of Clapham.






#2 - 182a Clapham High Street SW4

Great area. Right on High Street. A very bustling area. Nice bars an restaurants all along the street. The Park is 100 feet away



#3 - 9 Killyon Terrace SW8 2XR

Nice apartment. New and clean. Within gated area, but not a gated complex like you think. Fully furnished. 10 minutes to Clapham High Street.






#4 - 45a Salcott Road Sw11 6DQ

Very nice studio in a very nice area. Directly off of Northcote road. a very busy and bustling street.






Alright. Your mission. Should you choose to except it....tell me where i should live!!

Monday, August 21, 2006

Last days in Greenwich before jumping the pond

The last days in Greenwich consisted of a great final showing in softball where once again my hitting prowess was on display. I did go 2 for 3 in my last ever GA softball game but that wasnt the story. The story of of the night was the combined distance those 2 hits went a combined........4 ft!! It was incredible. Just shows im not paid for my offense. Defense on the other hand i did make a couple nice plays. Thank goodness cuz i didnt want to make Koz's choice to put me in the infield backfire.

The night was finished off appriopriately with a a visit to Makenzies and Beach House with a burger and Buffalo tenders, respectively. And on the note of buffalo tenders, what the hell am i going to do without them? Anyways. The night was of course capped off by a shout out from the night market band at makensies, ending a five year run of drunken thursdays...This night was no different. 3 shots at the Makenzies (including a shot of jack - thanks Dalski) and 1 red-headed slut shot with Oz at the Beach House.

Thanks all for a great night...here are the pics from the night. Thank you guys so much for sending me off right....wait. Where was Byron?!?




The day of the flight was hectic. Wake up (slightly hungover) at 8:30 , pack and move out of the apartment with Ben, drop my stuff off to be shipped at the office, do a LITTLE bit of work, clean up my desk, and head to the Greenwich train station for the drive to the airport. There were some definite tears as i left fairfield county. Despite the fact that this opportunity is incredible, I know what im leaving behind in a very good life with good people surrounding me. Good friends are hard to replace and i am leaving behind VERY good friends here in the States....

Apologies

Sorry everyone if it seems i have been been neglecting my responsibilities in making entries into the good ole blog here...I have been very busy with the move to the new country, but i def do have some good stuff to pass along. New post to come soon:

Last days in Greenwich before jumping the pond
First hours in the new digs
First Night in London (Great Night btw)
Chelsea V Man City (opening premiership game)
Flat hunting

Wednesday, August 09, 2006

Road Trip - Stamford, CT to Houston TX

12:00pm - Journey begins from 150 Southfield Ave. Mileage starts at 113456 miles with RB driving.



12:02 - Doccs remembers that he leaves his phone on the floor in the apt. Have to turn around.

12:06 - Journey re-begins (Eminem's Crazy in Love gets us re-started)

12:08 - Brown forgot his BlackBerry. Have to turn around again. Journey is once again at a halt.

12:40 - Leave the grocery store.
Menu: 8pk of Riptide Rush Gatorade
6pk of Water
2 Ham and Cheese Sandwiches
8 plums

Doccs packing the cooler



12:48pm -
Enter New York State

1:00pm - Still in NY. On our way to NJ aka Dirty Jersey, New Jerusalem



1:15 - Enter NJ



1:50 - Brown almost puts us 6ft under a truck. Mike yells "YO YO YO YO YO YO" as his he sees his life pass before his eyes...

2:00 - Town of Clinton, NJ. First stop for gas....and a tin of Kodiak for Doccs.

2:15 - Leave the gas station with an Iced Coffee for RB, but sans dip for Doccs. Driver change. Mike is now behind the wheel.





3:00 - I-78 in Pennsylvania. Doccs still driving. Talking to one of his players (who he mentions is TERRIBLE)

3:45 - RB taking a quick nap. Wakes up to MM singing "We aint got no AC" to Tom's Petty's You dont know how it feels

4:00 - Harrisburg, PA - Listing to Slick Rick

5:00 - Cross into Marlyland. Despite seeing a state line warning sign, Mike passes the the "Welcome to Maryland" sign. The first sign missed of the trip.

5:28 - Miss the "Welcome to Virginia" sign. Since this would be 2 in quick succession, we decide to turn around and catch it on the way back. STUPID

5:40 - On the return this is the pic we end up with

You can see the VA sign behind the roadwork sign...

6:00 - In Virginia still. Mike still driving. Listening to Can't Stop, Won't Stop by Young Gunz. Mileage Check - 113820/364 Miles Driven

6:40 - Brown takes over behind the wheel. Talks the Michael Grins about driving to Nashville (150 miles off our route) to possibly stay the night with a friend of ours from high school. Mike says "this could get ugly"

7:00 - Somewhere in VA

7:20 - Mike puts on the movie Four Brothers

8:00 - Cross into West Virginia. 7 Hours into the trip. Not even close...



9:00 - Just finishing Four Brothers. Still going strong. Do we stop, or keep going through the night....

9:15 - Van Wilder goes in

10:00 - 20 miles from Bristol TN, 200 miles from Knoxville. Still going strong




10:11 - Pull over to take a pic of the "Welcome to Tennessee"



11:00 - Gas Up/Driver Switch (MM)/Bathroom break/coffee break



11:30 - Wedding Crashers

11:50 - Just pass knoxville and hit our first stint of traffic

12:00am - Still in traffic. No end in sight. "True love is your soul's recognition of its counterpart"

12:22 - Finally out of traffic

1:00 - At Exit 52 on our way down to exit 2. RB wakes up from a quick nap to Mike reaching into his lap to grab the pad to log the 1am mark. (note: the notepad was in Brown's lap. Quite a way to wake up...)

1:45 - Ace Ventura

2:00 - 59 S Just crossing into Georgia headed to Birmingham




(CROSS INTO CENTRAL TIME ZONE)



1:50am -
Stop to eat at a Waffle House (the only thing open) in Fort Payne, Alabama. Mike orders a double order of hash browns with cheese and a grilled cheese with bacon. RB orders a sausage egg and cheese (He had on for breakfast about 15 hours earlier...)

2:00 - Leave the waffle house and head back on the road. Mileage count - 114387 (931 miles in.) Over halfway there. Brown is the new captain of the ship.

2:10 - Its warrior time. Gladiator is now playing. Mike says Brown needs to tighten up. I have no idea why.

3:00 - Doccs sleeping. Still in Alabama



4:00 - We stop for gas and re-snack up for the remaining 10 hours. 15 hours into the drive ans we look like we have been driving for an hour. True Warrior style...1048 total driving miles. About 700 more to go.

-- Brown sips on a low carb, Monster energy drink. He thinks its going to work but little does he know, our bodies are working on their own

-- Mike packs a lip

-- The moonlit night in Alabama is Bea-uti-ful

5:00 - Brown wakes up from a short nap only to miss the picture of the Mississippi sign!!

6:00 - 114668 (1212 miles in)

6:30 - Brown takes over

7:00 - Still on 59 in Mississippi. Cash Rules Everything Around Me

8:00 - I-12 West. 20 minutes from Hammond, LA. Mike wakes up.



8:35 - Mike is impressed with Brown's driving time. 2 hours at this stage is very impressive. That's the way to step it up

8:40 - Stop at McD's to energize our bodies.

9:00 - Mike starts the home stretch after deciding to go to BK instead because the line at the Golden Arches was crazy long. Breakfast of choice for RB? A sausage egg and cheese. His third in 24 hours.

11:00 - I-10 W headed toward TX. State line anytime now....Still Tippin by Mike Jones is playing on the ipod



11:17 - Enter Texas! Only a couple hours remaining. 115049 (1593 miles driven)
22:26 hours driven, 24:26 total travel hours



11:36 - Second traffic jam of the trip. In the TX heat and no AC, this jam could not have come at a worse time. SWEATING BALLS!!



11:48 - Out of traffic. Home free? We will see....

12:00pm - Brown takes over behind the wheel and if he keeps texting and driving, we will be dead.
12:10 - Speak with Naida who lives in Florida (about 5 hours late). She tells Mike that Tracy is coming to RBs party. Mike cannot wait....

12:30 - We are now over 24hrs into our drive and Mike is finally starting to fall apart. Its raining and that doesn't help the drive. About an hour left in our drive though. The end is near but can we make it without anymore delays?

12:40 - Mike wants an AC and a bed

12:41 - Htown 30 miles away. Hips Dont Lie is playing. We want to meet Shakira.

1:00 - We are now in Houston





1:17 - We finally arrive at Garrett's House. Norma meets us to let us in. We can now shower, and sleep. Most importantly, in AC.




FINAL MILEAGE: