Tuesday, March 22, 2005
Miranda's Wedding
Weddings for those of you who do not know me are comparable to having my teeth drilled, they are usually boring for everyone but the bride and I now avoid them like several plagues. But this is Miranda one of my closest friends and the first one to get married amongst my chums. She is having a church doo in Italy in May but this Saturday just gone she got hitched in the legal sense at Wandsworth Town Hall. I had originally wangled an invite only to be made one of the witnesses which given my views on marriage struck me as a risky move on Miranda's part. Further more this was going to be the first time Miranda's mother and Oliver's mum and dad were going to meet - so I think really Miranda wanted me there to avert any punch-ups.
The day I am pleased to say was FABULOUS - relaxed, low key and enjoyed (hopefully) by everyone including the bride and groom. We did the ceremony and the weather was very sunny and very hot making us all look and feel continental and glamorous and adding to the relaxed and affable mood. We then went to a lovely French restaurant on Wandsworth common - I was especially please after a gorgeous meal to find Frangelica on the digestive menu my absolute favorite. We then walked back to Oliver and Miranda's house in Clapham looking in all the antiques shops on the way. When we returned Oliver and Emmanuel his friend played a Cello and Violin duet for an hour which we all enjoyed very much then we had a lovely supper before I had to get back and fight South West trains. All in all it was a really nice day and I now have very high expectations of the ceremony in Italy.
The day I am pleased to say was FABULOUS - relaxed, low key and enjoyed (hopefully) by everyone including the bride and groom. We did the ceremony and the weather was very sunny and very hot making us all look and feel continental and glamorous and adding to the relaxed and affable mood. We then went to a lovely French restaurant on Wandsworth common - I was especially please after a gorgeous meal to find Frangelica on the digestive menu my absolute favorite. We then walked back to Oliver and Miranda's house in Clapham looking in all the antiques shops on the way. When we returned Oliver and Emmanuel his friend played a Cello and Violin duet for an hour which we all enjoyed very much then we had a lovely supper before I had to get back and fight South West trains. All in all it was a really nice day and I now have very high expectations of the ceremony in Italy.
The Families - after hearing lots about Miranda's mother I met her for the first time (in white) a very nice lady. The other lady and gentleman are Olivers parents.
Yep that is me at a wedding. Miranda in her wisdom made me one of the witnesses (risky decision).
Miranda and Oliver - Now Mr and Mrs Brockhaus
New York Three Musketeers Style
NYC - let me count the ways I loved thee. Lets put it this way there was a reason NYC had not been visited by me until now, I never had a burning desire to go and now I can not imagine a time when I would not jump at the chance to go again. It was not the city they advertised- it is noisy, smelly and dirty - but all in a good way. It was also friendly, cosmopolitan and exciting - I loved Greenwich village where we stayed.
Background first. My friend Jane (in the fabulous red coat) has been in USA for 7 months at Penn State University as part of the very grand Fullbright scholarship, Jane was near enough to New York to make a trip out to visit her obligatory. Miranda who had never been to the US before decided to come too and so the three Musketeers from Royal Holloway were reunited. What fabulous things did we have planned, well culture of course and lots of sitting in cafes (what we do best) and plenty of drinking and eating (also what we do best).
Jane booked the three of us in to the Washington Square Hotel in Greenwich Village, which turned out to be a gem and we had the best time. Plenty of shopping of course, and tourist stuff too - Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Time Square, Tiffanys etc... And while I enjoyed all this it was the unexpected stuff that blew me away - I LOVED the Frick Gallery- it is an art gallery but in the original home of Mr Frick a coal and steel magnet including all those paintings you have heard about but never seen - Gainsboroughs, Turners, Constables, Romneys and most interesting Whistlers' - but what made them more extraordinary was the setting a beautiful house, with sympathetic furniture and statues the whole place had an amazing atmosphere of calm opulence - did I mention I loved it!!! I also loved Central Park a fantastic space to take a picnic and simply potter about for a few hours. We also loved Rockerfeller Plaza, Metropolitan Museum (MET) and Miranda loved MOMA (museum of Modern Art).
All in all we had a fantastic six days in the big apple, but hopefully what these photos show is we had a great time playing catch up and I can tell you it was a delightfully gossipie few days.
Background first. My friend Jane (in the fabulous red coat) has been in USA for 7 months at Penn State University as part of the very grand Fullbright scholarship, Jane was near enough to New York to make a trip out to visit her obligatory. Miranda who had never been to the US before decided to come too and so the three Musketeers from Royal Holloway were reunited. What fabulous things did we have planned, well culture of course and lots of sitting in cafes (what we do best) and plenty of drinking and eating (also what we do best).
Jane booked the three of us in to the Washington Square Hotel in Greenwich Village, which turned out to be a gem and we had the best time. Plenty of shopping of course, and tourist stuff too - Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Time Square, Tiffanys etc... And while I enjoyed all this it was the unexpected stuff that blew me away - I LOVED the Frick Gallery- it is an art gallery but in the original home of Mr Frick a coal and steel magnet including all those paintings you have heard about but never seen - Gainsboroughs, Turners, Constables, Romneys and most interesting Whistlers' - but what made them more extraordinary was the setting a beautiful house, with sympathetic furniture and statues the whole place had an amazing atmosphere of calm opulence - did I mention I loved it!!! I also loved Central Park a fantastic space to take a picnic and simply potter about for a few hours. We also loved Rockerfeller Plaza, Metropolitan Museum (MET) and Miranda loved MOMA (museum of Modern Art).
All in all we had a fantastic six days in the big apple, but hopefully what these photos show is we had a great time playing catch up and I can tell you it was a delightfully gossipie few days.
I think there is a song about this- Something about they all rolled over, I will let you guess the rest...
Lets just say those cocktails on the table probably were probably not the first of the night but I guarantee we were enjoying ourselves.
A littlle picnic in Central Park done Three Musketeers style.
You know when a girl goes to New York she simply MUST go to Tiffanys!!
Jane and Miranda looking like international film stars outside Radio City Music Hall
