Introducing...Sergey Petrov...

Family,

And a good evening to you from across the Pond. Today was another great, uber-productive day, but I apologize in advance for any poor spelling, as JT and I have had way too much tonight. It's really amazing how the UK brewski's creep up on you...however, no complaints, as we were all smiles and laughs. Case in point, check out my beautiful bride with Liz (sorry Mirza - you made the cut again tonight).

So after work, we rolled home and dropped off our bags before rolling over to Baker Street, where we met Sergey Petrov, the man responsible for getting both JT and I our visas to emigrate to the UK. Sergey hails from Russia, and we had an absolute blast. This guy was hilarious, especially with the description of how London was "boring." I'm sorry, what did he just say? In truth, we later found that he meant it as a compliment to the city, as Moscow was just too hectic, be it the Kremlin or the burbs.

We drank at the Volunteer (can you tell that I am ready for football season?) , which is the bar right beside 221-b Baker St (yes, there were about 10,000,000 tourists who took photos as we watched and chatted from the outside seating).

Dinner tonight was Indian (imagine that, Tom Price…) at our new favorite local curry house – Ranjoot. I went for the Vindaloo again, and it absolutely cooked me this time around. MAN, that is one hot dish. That being said, they do it perfectly. Jenny went with the Ceylon, which was quite tasty (and made for a jealous husband). Plus we were the only cats in there, which means that service was, for a change, fantastic.

Okay, sorry so short tonight, but I drank everyone else at the table (including the Russian) under the table, and I’m feeling it now. Plus we have to board a ferry in 9.5 hours, so I have to get to bed.

That’s all the news that’s fit to print. Chat tomorrow!

Love,

Sam and Jenny

P.S. If you are reading this as of Saturday morning, you are getting a slightly longer (and better) version. For those of you who read this late last night, sorry that it was like reading a four year old's "What I did this summer" essay. But hey, it just shows I love you guys and am committed to daily blogging!!!

The joys of curry, Covergirl, and staying afloat in a sea of estrogen…

Family,

And a good evening to you from across the Pond. Today was another great one, but before I describe it, it’s worth noting what my good buddy Tom (T-Rowe) Price said about the nightly Taylor family blog. Tom basically said that, rather than retyping the blog every night, I could drop the highlights into the following template:

1. Here’s how poorly I performed in the gym and how out of shape I am

2. Here’s what food I ate that’s so spicy I no longer have an esophagus

3. Here is the new pub I went to

4. Here are the new beers I tried (notice the plural)

5. Here’s how much weight I’ve gained

6. Here’s now my 18 year old plaid shirts are holding up in the Mother Country.

I found this quite amusing until I sat down to type tonight, when I realized what the day had been:

1. I skipped the gym today because I drank too much last night

2. I went to a Thai place and had a curry

3. I tried a new pub (we’ll get to that)

4. I drank 2 different kinds of beer

5. I am fat as a damn bear

6. My clothes reek before I refuse to wash them until I get 3-6 wears out of them…even if I occasionally forget deodorant.

So looking up at #1, we hit a Thai joint called Srinam with Madeha Qureshi and Liz. So Madeha has turned my wife onto this 8 dollar mascara called “Lash Blash” (gotta love the Volunteer orange tube - the stuff she's holding is a bit fancier, but you get the picture - LITERALLY), and that was the starting point of the conversation.

After that, it was a steady wade through estrogen throughout dinner, during which time I could only locate the waitress for a single beer (Becks Vier – very tasty). I had the wok-fried duck, which was tasty but no Golden Dragon in ChinaTown. Newcomb – get over here and feed me some crispy aromatic duck and fish flavored air.

After that, I was in desperate need for a pint, so we found a new pub called the “Cock and Lion,” where we both threw back a Kronie (aka Kronenbourg 1664) – very tasty. We sat outside and enjoyed the people watching on Wigmore street, listening to a pair of Canadians, a pair of Brits, and a South African talk about life and working in America (which, for the record, NONE of them had done).

After that, we rolled back home, where I looked at how round my face is and wondered how my cheek bones were coping with the excess weight.

Random side note – in the UK, every citizen pays something called “Council Tax,” which is the cost for maintenance of your neighborhood. It covers sewage, trash pickup, cleaning, and…wait for it…wait for it…all the flowers you can handle hanging from street lights. Yes, they are beautiful – but are they really worth 4,000 USD a household per year? Do they rain gold on Thursdays or something? Medidate on this, I will…

Okay, that’s all the news that’s fit to print. Chat tomorrow. Happy Friday!!!!!!!

Love,

Sam and Jenny

A great night at SCUK...and an inevitable loss...

Family,

And a good evening to you from across the Pond. Today was a mixture of highs and lows, but let’s definitely start with the highs first.

So after a GREAT and uber-productive day at work, I shuffled off the island that is Canary Wharf with Lord G (aka Mark Goodyer) and Liz Mirza (you might recognize both names from the Great British Beer Festival) to meet Governor Harwood (aka Andrew Harwood – a mate from Chester) at the MOST AMERICAN (for you, Deano) place in the UK – Sports Café United Kingdom (aka SCUK).

Honestly, I’ve never really liked this place. It sells (typically) bad beer (meaning there are no cask ales), it’s always crowded, I find it to be a bit kitchy American, and there’s a dude in the bathroom handling out paper towels for tips (which, for the record, normally means I just walk about without washing my hands – bring on the Swine Flu). However, knowing that I won’t taste Wild Wings, Hooters, or Picasso’s for another year, tonight I rediscovered this place as a lowly expat searching for a taste of home.

Yes – England got throttled by Holland in a footy friendly. Yes – it was so hot in there (because who needs air conditioning when it’s a BILLION degrees ouside – I was sweating like an absolute BANSHEE). The wings, however, were FANTASTIC. Mix that with a GREAT burger (I asked for Medium rare, and she actually LAUGHED IN MY FACE – CLASSY…) and 3 pints of Beck’s Vier (I’d never tried, and let me tell you – quality on draft), and you’ve got a recipe for a great night out.

The classic bit – in the UK you sit at tables like it’s Roxy’s Delicatessen, meaning that you are sitting beside cats you don’t know who talk as if it’s the last speech they’ll give before Armageddon. Tonight, an African and an American were talking American politics for 2.5 hours. Honestly, listening to them was hilarious. They couldn’t remember Karl Rove’s name, so he was just “that White Devil that worked for Bush,” they couldn’t remember what state Bush was from and called it “The big one where they all wear cowboy hats,” and they yelled about Obama for 2 straight hours, explaining how he was going to fix EVERYTHING (Sean and Ray – if you are reading this, I was tempted to lean over and ask if he’d painted any fences or mowed any lawns lately, as I know that’s the precursor to socialized medicine – where’s Kevin Woest when you need him?).

All in all, a great night. Also, we can now finally call out from our balcony! That is GREAT news, and it means a few more random phone calls, friends and family, so beware.

But I must take a moment for the low as well. Family, after 18 wonderful years by both mine and my father’s side, the last of the “gap animals” passed away this morning. Dad found Useless in the grass in the rain just before leaving for school. The good news – she passed quietly (she ate a full dinner last night). The bad news – it’s the end of an era for dad and I, as “Uley” was a great companion for 18 years, be it in the trailer or back on Cain Mill. Gal, you will be missed – here’s hoping you find an England Stove in Heaven that keeps you every bit as warm as the one at dad’s…

Okay, that’s all the news that’s fit to print. Tomorrow will end happier – I promise (knock on wood)!

Love,

Sam and Jenny

Birthday Bevies...and a heapin' help of San Isidro...

Family,

And a good evening to you from across the Pond. Today was another great day – first off, we sawed through many a “to-do” at work, which always makes me feel good. Secondly, we went for “birthday bevies” for Lisa Placks (aka Money Penny, whom you’ve all met before) at a place called the Young Vic.

This is a neat spot – it’s a theater that’s just down the way from the “Old Vic,” a theater owned by Kevin Spacey (who happens to be the artistic director as well, by the way). There’s a bar and a restaurant, and Lisa booked out the Patio. So we had a Bitburger (very tasty brew) and chatted with her and her fella Dan for a bit. I also got a chance to catch up with Laura, her old roommate whom I met on the night of the famous “Lisa burned a hole in the carpet with a sheesha pipe and then lost her wallet and jacket and walked home in the snow” incident. The fella in the picture? Her boyfriend Dan, whom she'll soon be living with (in 14 days time, actually!) in the British Virgin Islands. Best of luck, guys.

I will say that Laura has quite intrigued me, as she pronounced the cheese spelled “gruyere” as “grur.” And so I ask the masses – is this correct? If not, now in the WORLD do you spell that cheese? I only ask because I order it all the time and would like to say it correctly¸even if my TN accent usually earns me a pass no matter what I say.

After that, we hopped back on the tube and headed home, where we had our second installment of “La Tasca,” the Spanish tapas place. Okay, Okay, I know, I know…I have protested over and over again about how I simply cannot stand Spanish food. But cats, this is NOT Spanish food – this place ROCKS. Add in some tasty (and fresh!) San Miguel and a 50% off coupon (thanks, Money Penny for the discount voucher web site!), and you’ve got a recipe for a good night. We sampled (of course) a plate of Jamon Serrano, some Patatas Bravas (with cheese!), Mushroom croquettes, chorizo, bread with garlic dipping sauces, and a small Paella. It should be noted at this point that Brits pronounce the last dish as “Pi-Ela,” which causes no end of amusement for me and JT.

Other than that, not a whole lot else to report. I’m 35 pages from the end of “Freakonomics,” which I have enjoyed. I will say, however, that this book has shown me I am no longer a man of academic only tastes. Going forward, anytime I read something “intellectual,” I am going to ensure there’s some Fiction along for the ride as well (to keep me balanced).

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

Love,

Sam and Jenny

I guess I just needed a good cry…

Family,

And a good evening to you from across the Pond. Okay, so last night, after the blog, I started “For One More Day,” by Mitch Albom. It’s a small book, around 190 pages, and I read it in a sitting. It’s about a guy who’s basically made a mess of his life and really wants one more day with his mom, as he knows she can help fix everything. Halfway through, I was not terribly impressed. In fact, compared to “Tuesdays with Morrie” and “The Five People You Meet In Heaven,” I felt like Brother Mitch was really off his game.

One hour later, Jenny looks up as I finish, and I am SOBBING. I mean, someone call this guy a prescription of valium…the last 5 pages more than totally made up for the rest of it. I’m not saying it’s his best story, but the ending was right in line with his other works. As for me, all I could think of was: “Sometimes you just need a good cry.” So for all my dude friends out there reading this, I still love basketball and think Kate Beckinsale is hot; For my dad – I am still tough and can “gut-divorce it;” and for my work peeps, don’t worry – tomorrow I’ll be the tyrannical ogre I always am. For mom, however – I love you.

So today was another great day – nothing exciting happened, but I realized today that some days you don’t WANT things to happen. Today was just a normal, average day…and it was absolutely perfect.

JT and I ate a veritable smorgasboard (Is that really how you spell it? Is that some form of Medieval Teutonic German?) of food tonight, ranging from a quiche to a microwave pasta dish to carrots to Red Leicester Cheese to a bottle of 3 pound wine (half of which we enjoyed on our balcony), all of it tasty. And now, as I sit here blogging and preparing to read some of the new book I’ve taken off the shelf (“Freakonomics”), I can’t help but think about how I love the new normal.

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

Love,

Sam and Jenny

A much needed (and very Productive) lie in...

Family,

And a good evening to you from across the Pond. Today has been fantastic. We started off by sleeping until noon (insert the Chuck and Cat Powell comment “and that would be different from any other day how, exactly?” here), which was much needed for two reasons. First, we’ve been going pretty hard each weekend so far, and secondly – some recovery time was required after yesterday’s “festivities.”

We spent the early part of the afternoon handling travel arrangments and researching some stops for our upcoming Germany/Switzerland trip. I should throw the public service announcement out there right now – if folks have got “must do’s” and travel tips for Bavaria and Switzerland, please shoot those over to us. The first 5 days are pretty well scheduled. The last half, however, is a bit more fluid at the moment.

After 3 hours, we could no longer stare at the PC, so we stepped out for a walk through Regent Park. Talk about a best kept secret! This place was gorgeous, and we had a terrific two hour stroll across some beautiful landscaping. The weather couldn’t have been any better, and so there were cricketers out all over the place. Check out these “batting cages.” I was mesmorized…I mean, observe the stylish shin guards!
The park was beautiful today, and there were TONS of folks out, laying on blankets, drinking wine, throwing frisbee, and just taking it easy.

Early on we came across "Tango al Fresco," where two folks were demonstrating the different versions of Tango - REALLY cool, and the music was awesome (straight out of a movie). We walked through the Queen’s Rose Garden, as well as through a mini-Japanese tea garden in the midst of the park (there was a wedding going on just on the other side of this waterfall).

We also walked up to Primrose Hill, where we were treated to a SPECTACULAR view of the city. From that spot, you can see the Eye, the Wharf, the Gerkin, Westminster Abbey, St. Pauls, you name it – we sat on a bench at the summit for about 20 minutes, just chilling out.

Dinner tonight was uber- tasty: a mixture of British blackberries, hummous and carrots, spinach and ricotta pizza, and cheese and crackers. And the best part – we have returned to our AFD ways.

I’m starting a new book tonight whilst waiting for Jenny to finish book 3 of Twilight. It’s really, really sad how much I’m looking forward to the third installment of this series…

Okay, that’s all the news that’s fit to print. Chat tomorrow! Back to work, everyone!

Love,

Sam and Jenny

I have found my Mecca...the Great British Beer Festival...

Family,

And a good evening to you from across the Pond. Today, dear family¸I had a religious experience. Today I spent six hours in what is, pretty much, my vision of Heaven. Today I found my own personal Mecca. Today – I attended the Great British Beer Festival.

Imagine 450 ales, many of them room temperature casks (could there be anything better), spread throughout a space the size of Neyland Stadium. Picture 1/3 pint pours (which were actually half pint pours) for 90 pence (around $1.50 USD), followed by hearty Bangers and Mash (aka Sausages wedged into a three pound plate of potatoes, COMPLETELY covered in gravy). Imagine Sam Taylor ordering beers in Welsh and practicing the phrases he learned from Owain Morgan all week. What do you have? A recipe for one of the BEST DAYS since I joined Bank of America.

So I kept a running talley of all the beers that JT and I drank. I had 14 one-third pint drinks from various ales around the region (although they usually ended up as half pints, but we didn't argue). Some of the key ones:

1. Landslide – this was, simply put, THE BEST brewski we had at the festival – talk about LIFE CHANGING.

2. Criffel – Welsh, and so guuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuud.

3. Celtica – Same thing

4. About 10 billion other Welsh brews

5. BOONDOGGLE – Ray – I couldn’t resist. I had to order a 1/3 pint and drink it in your honor. After all, we are livin’ the dream – SHAKE AND BAKE!!!!

This place was great. We spent most of our time hanging around the Welsh cask ale section (check the dragon and the two ladies enjoying the finest ales the Western nation of Britain has to offer), but we did wander about over the course of our 6 hours (best 8 pounds I’ve EVER spent), hitting lots of different spots. Each “section” of England had a set of tables, and the funniest bit was the section entitled “USA and the Rest of the World.” The beers of choice from the US? Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and…wait for it…wait for it…Terrapin Rye! How ‘bout those boys from Athens! Go Dawgs!

After we left the GBBF, we had a pint at some pub near the station (I had Staropramen from Prague). We then crossed off a spot that’s been on my list for ages – Kare Kare (Southern Indian). Kare Kare was on the original map that JT and I used to maneuver around London, as we’ve still got it (and look at the advert for Kare Kare every time we open it). Let this be a public service announcement – this place is AMAZING. TONS of sauce, tons of meat, cooked perfectly – if you like Indian – put this on your list.

Other highlights from the day:

1. We saw Liz’s flat – talk about the bomb diggity. This place absolutely rocks the party that rocks the pinata.

2. I met Katy Rowland, who is da bomb and was great company.

3. I finished Twilight book 2 (“New Moon”), which was WAY better than I expected and WAY better than the first book. I will admit – I’m addicted now and cannot WAIT to read the third installment. Muffin Puffin – hurry up.

Now we’re back at the flat and preparing for bed at 10:30 (yep, another romantic night in the Taylor household). Tomorrow will be a QUIET day, but hopefully we’ll get a lot of stuff booked and crossed off the list.

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

Love,

Sam and Jenny