FINALLY!!!! Dinner at Ishbilia....and with KNOCKOUT, no less!!!!

Family,

And a good evening to you from across the Pond after another GREAT DAY in the Mother Country. It's cold but still dry, and so this country boy can't complain too much. Actually, I can complain, because buying a scarf in this damn town is a FORTUNE! Seriously, I will agree that it's my fault for losing my other scarf in a karaoke bar in Copenhagen, but still - 40 quid for a scarf and having only 100% cashmere as a choice? COME ON!!!!

So the Land's End challenge officially crossed the halfway mark today, with Sammy the Bull logging 27KM in 45 minutes. It felt good, and so we'll see how a nice run goes tomorrow. I might try and tackle the great outdoors, but that's TBD based on how cold it is. Since right now it feels like walking around the Falklands in July, I'm NOT terribly hopeful.

The highlight of the evening was (FINALLY) a visit to a place I've wanted to try FOREVER - a Lebanese joint called Ishbilia. A little back story here - I tried to go to this place twice in 2007, but both times I was shot down on the basis that "they were too busy" (translation - "you are not welcome here on a Thursday, white boy - go eat with your own kind"). We actually did get a table in August this year (with Stacey, Tripp, and K-Wall), but I was busy dealing with a "personal matter" in Charlotte, and so I had to cancel. This evening, however, I was DETERMINED to make it happen. Consequently, I booked a table in advance and showed up 5 minutes ahead of schedule.

Dinner that night was with the greatest Canadian timekeeping specialist out there - KNOCKOUT!!!!! It had been FOREVER since we'd seen her, and so it was SO GREAT to catch up. Unfortunately, Istvan (her husband) didn't make it, but Istvan, fret not - we did 44 shots of palinke each in your honor. My insides will NEVER be the same...

We had a GREAT meal, churning through all kinds of mezzes (hummous, shwarma - Yazz style, halloumi, falafel, you get the picture...) and splitting a GREAT bottle of house red (from France, so it was quality). It was a PERFECT night, and it just FLEW by.

We then headed to the Tube together, at which point we learned that the Piccadilly Line was suspended due to a "passenger action." They then explained further: "There is currently someone UNDER THE TRAIN at Green Park who's been there FOR 2 HOURS." Sure enough, this was the SAME DELAY that had slowed Muffin's journey to dinner. Owain - I am betting you that within the week we have another call for a strike because "the stressed drivers and their miserable working conditions." SERENITY NOW!!!!!!

All the same, after 2 changes we made it back to the flat, where it's now time to PASS OUT. Only 36 hours until Cracker Tsunami washes over Britain - I CAN'T WAIT!!!!! And, um, if you have NO IDEA what I'm talking about, fret not - you will. :-)

Okay, that's all the news that's fit to print. Chat tomorrow!

Love,

Sam and Jenny