Interesting Story Suggestion post regarding the Ditch or Date Service…..

“There are very few such events within the CIty targetted at city workers. Ditch or Date organises very relaxed and informal evenings. Ideal for those looking to meet new potential dates under a non-pressurizing environment. They’ve also got a new evening called Speed Friends. I went for the first one and had a really great time as everyone was really nice.” - anon

Next Event

Wed 08 Nov ‘06 07:30 PM
Address: Aldermary House, 10-15 Queen Street EC4N 1XT
Age Group: 25 - 42
Price per ticket: 20.00 - 15.00

I’m sure you’ve already heard about the giant slides that are the Tate Modern’s latest Turbine Hall-filler.

My mate told me about how you need to go and queue for a free ticket for a specific time later in the day, when you will return and queue again with the other ticket-holders for your ride. No, you can’t pre-book online. Last weekend it was a pretty lengthy experience for him…an hour in the first queue at 10:30 on Sunday morning, then a half hour in the second. However, his review is that it was well worth it!

If you need to be convinced, check out the photo slideshow at the Guardian and see what you’re missing.

Floridita will be hosting the best of the Cuban Music Awards on 29th Oct. They are not only bringing in bands from Cuba, but they will also be showing Cuban-made films that can’t get distribution elsewhere.

Acts on the night will include this year’s winners of the Havana Masters Prize Yoruba Andabo,Changüí Santiago, Papo Record and DJ Alain…

Also at Florita on the 30th is the Awards Dinner with a delicious looking Menu including -

• avocado, Palm heart & orange salad
• shrimp & tarragon croquettes
• Potted spiced pork rillette
• spit roast suckling pig
• spice blackened fillet of red snapper
• acai (amazonian Palm berry) & banana sorbet

Unfortunately I doubt I’ll be able to meet the tick price of NINETY quids….

Floridita
100 Wardour street
Soho, London
W1F 0TN

OK… I think everyone knows I support the Hammers - however The Other Half is a ardent Chelsea Fan and currently is residing in the local boozer celebrating the 1 - 0 Champions league Victory over Barcelona at the Bridge earlier this evening.

So congratulations to the Boys in Blue - and good luck for the replay in Sofia ……

So it would seem that the Australian Consortium that has bought Thames water for over 8 Billion pounds are set to rise the price of water.

Great -

Yet again we are going to face huge price hikes for basic fundemental living resources.

Last week I received a 66% rise on my rent, as did the whole Council Estate I live on as we have communal heating and hot water. On the letter it was nicely stated that they realised that nobody can afford it and gave out all the numbers for the debt Association etc - however if you do not pay you will lose your flat.

Fortunately, they cannot turn off the water….

I’m not usually a fan of knee-jerk America-bashing but in this case, I’ll make an exception.

The US embassy now owes over £1 million in congestion charge fees–it refuses to pay the charge on the grounds that it’s a tax, from which diplomats are exempt.

Other C-charge rebels, such as the UAE, have caved to the charge. And US embassies apparently pay similar congestion charges in Singapore and Oslo. UK embassies walk the walk in the US by stumping up for road and bridge tolls.

What’s the scoop, US ambassador Robert Tuttle?

Maybe he’s idealogically opposed–he does own a car dealership in Beverly Hills.

TOP DIPLOMATIC OFFENDERS
US - £1,016,200
Angola - £543,300
Nigeria - £504,120
Sudan - £449,220
Tanzania - £233,630
South Africa - £214,640
Kenya - £208,610
source: London mayor’s office, October 2006

A funny little editorial in the Bankok Post about former Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra’s sojurn in our nation’s capital.

With definitively Thai understatement, it ecourages Shinawatra to make his visit a long one:

London is said to be interesting and colourful in the autumn. Mr Thaksin should be encouraged to discover the truth of that claim.

You can check out more opinions from Bangkok at Metroblog Bangkok.

Today I had to put maggots on our actress’s body. I just kept saying “sorry…sorry” each time I chucked another handful on. They stink! Apparently there are white maggots and red maggots. Our color scheme for the film is black, white and red. I just found out about the red maggots today else I would have used them in the previous maggot scene we shot last week. On that day, I also used lentil soup for vomit. Tonight I ate lentil soup. After working with maggots today, I just didn’t give a flip. Oh, I also used oatmeal and strawberry jam for vomit as well. Had a nice discussion with the lead actor (for whom I was making the vomit) about how he had never seen white vomit before. I invited him to take a stroll through my neighborhood in the early hours of a Sunday, and he would encounter a rainbow of vomit colors.

I’m losing my mind.

My spies have brought me this photo of London Fields Lido, full of water and ready to swim!

Blinked if I know when the thing’s opening–info being few and far between as usual with the council–but, here’s to an October opening!

Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights is around the corner and Wembley is the place to be if you want to be a part of the celebrations. Though the big day falls on October 21st this year, the gala kicks off a week in advance. To start with, there’s a Rangoli exhibition held at the Ealing Road library, Wembley. This event begins at 1.00 pm.

Later on, there’s a special parade that starts from the Alperton tube station at 6.40 pm. The highlight of the day is of course the fireworks display. This is going to be held at Barham Park, from 7.15 pm onwards.

Have a wonderful, safe Diwali, everyone!