Sunday, October 30, 2016

Spaciousness



OK, yesterday was AMAZING. A full Saturday with nothing to do! The spaciousness of an unplanned, unscripted day -- well, it's something to revel in.

I took Olga on a long walk around the neighborhood, where we enjoyed the autumnal sights. The creeper vines along the trash path were blazing brilliant orange, and the path itself looked cleaner than usual. Apparently there was a public cleanup effort not too long ago. (Also, I've learned this is officially called the "Black Path," bordered as it is by black walls -- a slightly more dignified-sounding name than mine.)


This house has some terrific Chinese lantern plants growing out front. (I could not for the life of me figure out how to take this picture without including the recycling bin!)

We also found some colorful advertisements in the window of a shuttered cafe near Fortune Green:


We had a good walk.

Then I read two New Yorkers and about 75 pages in my book, which I hope to finish today. I did laundry and repotted that orchid I found on someone's trash pile last week -- I'm not sure it's going to make it, because the roots don't look too healthy, but we'll see.

Finally, last night, as an early birthday celebration, Dave took me out to a hotel bar purported to have the best martinis in London. (My actual birthday is this coming Wednesday.) It was quite a glam place, with low lighting and stylish music. The table next to us kept ordering drinks that came in weird glowing boxes or mounted on what looked like very expensive toy Transformers. I stuck with the more traditional gin martini with olives, accompanied by snack plates of spiced tuna tartare and avocado tacos, and tĂȘte de moine cheese, fig and walnut. Dave teases me when I drink martinis -- he says I get chatty. We spent the evening pondering travel plans for next year. Sri Lanka? Brazil? South Africa? We'll see what the budget permits!

10 comments:

Yorkshire Pudding said...

"I could not for the life of me figure out how to take this picture without including the recycling bin!" Having considered this challenging question for several minutes I may have come up with a solution. You could have knocked on the door and asked the owners of the recycling bin to shift it temporarily. This is called, I believe, lateral thinking.

PS I think you'd love Sri Lanka. Safe, cheap, beautiful in parts, historical, lots of English spoken, plenty of photo opportunities... but check rainfall charts first.

Shooting Parrots said...

If it's lateral thinking you're looking for, you could have climbed in the green bin and taken your photo from there.

I'd got for South Africa, Cape Town in particular and a road trip to Port Elizabeth which will take you from high cosmopolitan through small town Afrikaner and some of the most glorious scenery.

Ms. Moon said...

Sounds like the truly perfect day.
Martinis make me chatty too. And happy.

Red said...

Well, for a day of "do nothing" you did many different things and managed to have some fun as well.

jenny_o said...

I live for unstructured days :) Beautiful colours there - gorgeous Chinese lanterns.
I had to smile at YP's and SP's suggestions!

Sharon said...

Sounds like a perfect day, all the way down to those martinis.

John Going Gently said...

Drinking martinis?
Must be New York then

Catalyst said...

I love the floral color along the "trash path" and surrounding the trash bin.

Alphie Soup said...

I decided the green bin was a deliberate inclusion. Trash bins (rubbish or garbage here) are often a feature in your photos....

Alphie

Steve Reed said...

YP: Lateral thinking...hmmmm. In the states, it would be called "Annoying people on their private property and getting shot."

Parrots: Or is that more "contained" thinking? Thanks to both you and YP for the travel recommendations!

Ms Moon: They don't call alcohol a "social lubricant" for nothing!

Red: It was definitely a good day. :)

Jenny-O: I love those Chinese lanterns. I photographed them last year, too. I'd like to get some for our own garden.

Sharon: The perfect end to a perfect day!

John: New York IS where I developed my martini habit. But then, they're made with gin, and that seems very English, doesn't it?

Catalyst: We're at a perfect time of year for color. Another week or so and we'll be past it.

Alphie: I shouldn't have mentioned it! Rats!