Surprise, surprise ... follow-up

Nada! I'm not really sure why you would ask someone else to contact a girl you went out with a couple of times, only not to follow up. Men are sometimes very strange creatures ... Anyhow, not something I should dwell on.

The exciting bit is that these sort of surprises just keep coming! I briefly dated a minor Irish actor last year, after he met M at a yoga retreat in Goa. It was a whirlwind email courtship followed by a spectacular first date, a dirty weekend in Dublin and then ... it fizzled. He is coming to London in a few weeks and 'has been thinking of me' ... What does one do? Do I see him? Do I even reply?

Power tools and pretty ladies

As of recent I am discovering power tools. AlphaChick is the proud owner of a power drill! Yuppeee!

This recent purchase prompted by an email from my Dad with subject line same as the title of this blog. Hmm sure I can manage a bit of drilling! Let's see how much damage I can cause.

Latest Finds

Courtesy of S I got entry to the Preview of this weekend's Designer Warehouse Sale. I only devoted an hour to it but came out with 3 prized items:
* gorgeous Ally Capellino brown leather belt
* Essentiel grey vest knit (in preparation for autumn)
* Moschino Jeans t-shirt (in denial summer is not over)

S walked out with 2 Amanda Wakeley dresses (a steal at around £50) and a Philip Tracy hat. K on the other hand just had to have a wrap around Vivienne Westwood number.

Surprise, surprise

Yesterday I received an interesting text message which read:

Hi Alphachick, this *recent date's brother*. His mobile is in the flat and when I told him you had called, he asked me to contact you. What he's after is an email address so that he can write to you and also to apologise for being stupid and leaving this phone in London.

To put it in context, the guy in question works in Italy. So turns out my difficult behaviour has not discouraged him. I did respond. Definite brownie points for effort!

Gaucho Steak

Tonight was not supposed to be anything special. Dinner with a client, which at the end of a long day, I saw as more of a nuisance than pleasure. But here I was, sitting at the newest branch of the Gaucho Grill, laughing! The company was amusing and the decor was unexpectedly cool. I did manage to pick up some interior design ideas ... and no, not the cow hide upholstery ;)


And the steak! Wow, how can I not mention the steak! It was a perfect medium rare rump. It arrived on a white plate. By itself. No watercress, nothing! The sauce, the sides all come in on separate plates. Nothing is there to distract from the perfect steak! I wish I had taken a photo ...

Chez Gerard at Covent Garden

... perfect venue to dine with out of towners. Good steak and spectacular french fries. And who can go without the Valrhona petit pot, certainly not me!

The guests of honour this evening was Mum's best friend from school and her husband. It had been too many years since they had seen each other, with us living in Australia and then UK and they in South Africa. It was all about cooing over me ... 'oh look at her pretty hair and her long eye lashes'. Some things never change, do they?

The gradeur of the Opera House and the buzz of the Covent Garden market. On a balmy evening like this, it was priceless!

Strange Conversation

Walking home last Friday night - post wonderful Japanese diner at 'new favourite restaurant' (more about this later) and a quick drink 'amongst posers' at 25 Canonbury Lane - M and I had an unlikely conversation. 'Who is most likely to kill you?'

Given that we are not the morbid type, this is an odd topic. Prompted by me being unnerved as I walked past a couple of parked cars with dodgy looking guys sitting in them. This is a regular London occurrence but this time it was around the corner of my new place. Discovering that you live in 'the hood' is never really that agreeable!

Motivated by my fear M pointed out that statistically you are 9 times out of 10 likely to be harmed by someone you already know. As we climbed up the stairs we pondered this thought and then proceeded to draw up a short list. We came up with 2 names. One who would certainly be capable of it, particularly if there was money involved (sad, but true!) and the other who was voted most likely to use poison rather than engage in a violent attack.

Hmmm ... can't say I slept very well after that!