The Hamburger

Ok, so I am just going to get the food accounts out of the way first.

Filed under the best ever food category:

- Hot dog with this special tomato sauce
- Peanut butter flavoured chips (2 large packets inhaled)
- Mr Kebab - oh, I love you Mr Kebab. Best Kebab place in the world. I'm going to claim it right now. It's so much more than a kebab, it's more like a mecca of Turkish food. Mmmm, Turkish mecca.
- Pastries- I don't need to say anymore
- Hot chips - tomato sauce and mayo, again, surely no explanation is needed
- Snickers icecream that's like a Magnum
- Bar nuts (yes, I am aware of the germ statistics) so crunchy and better yet, free and endless.

Hamburg was nice. It was a little like Amsterdam, but not as good. It was cute and the area we were staying in was littered with little bars, pubs and places to eat. Unfortunately the rain from London followed us, so with much reluctance, we had to dedicate quite a bit of time to eating. It was hard, but someone had to do it.

Coming from London it was really strange to be in such a quiet city. We couldn't work out where all the people were! It made me realise how hard it will be to go home after London. Especially seeing as though Hamburg is bigger than little old Adelaide!

I tapped into my year 8 German lessons and surprisingly, I didn't do too badly. I must have been ok cause people would talk to me in German and I'd whip out a 'ja, ja' and nod my head. However, when they expected more of an answer, like other than 'yes' or 'no' I got into trouble. Or when they say 'do you know where x is' and I'd say 'ja'and then they'd expect me to elaborate. Hmmm. Mum, I even did a spontaneous 'sehr gut' after a meal!! There was no occasion to do my usual phase 'I don't have any pets but my neighbour has a dog which was unfortunate.

As for sights, we saw some really big stature of some dude who we named Dave, went into the city, hung around the student area which had some cute places to eat and funky bars, went to the red light district (Reeperbahn) and went to the art gallery. There is this section of the Repperbahn which is sectioned off, and if you walk through it (you'd have to be a complete dummy to do it cause there is a massive metal sliding door across the street) the pros throw stuff out the window. We saw neither pro nor a throw but we heard about this from a reliable source i.e a German person and my sister.

I think that's probably it. Oh, and I had to put my hand down a toilet to retrieve my favourite hair clip from Tokyo. It was a liberating experience.

Back to another week of work, next trip in 3 weeks when I will be celebrating my entry into the next tick box category. Ugh.

Mmmm, I have eaten so many naked men gummy lollies that I brought back for the team from Hamburg. Is it wrong to pig out on presents you bring back from other people? Ha, yea probably!

Hamburger

I'm going to Hamburg tomorrow!! Yay. That's all really.

Why, oh why is there no BBQ City for I?

I just wanted to share that I had the WORST Chinese in Covent Garden last Friday night. It was gross, and usually I like to see the best in food. It was even in China Town. Agh, so disappointing, but before you all start worrying about this life threatening disaster in my life, fear not, Cassie is bringing me a BBQ City menu when she comes in August. I plan to stick it on the wall and maybe lick it from time to time. Umm, too much information?

In other news, Anna, Megs and I went to Loughborough or Loogabooga as it is apprently referred to by some Aussies. We went for numberous reasons:

1. It was totally random
2. TV Rock were playing
3. Can't think of a 3rd reason

So word got around that there were 3 Aussie chicks around so that got us free entry (ok, so it was only £10 - or maybe less to get in but still, VIP baby!)into the club. We must have been hanging out in London too long (or maybe just way uncool) but we left this pre club bar at 11 to go to Rapture (yea, I know, dodgy name) and asked for directions. We got told that no one goes there til 1 and we'd be the only people there. So when went back inside and then decided that the security guy was wrong and headed off there anyway. He even shook his head at us as we walked away! So, we got there and yes, we were the only losers who got there before 12. But soon enough the cooler people of Loogabooga came and joined us and it started to get busier. TV Rock rocked and I think we boogied for about 5 hours straight. So Anna, Megs and I limped back to our hotel room which consisted of one smaller than average double bed. We decided sleeping across the bed was the better option and it was ok until the church bells went off every hour (not good when you get home at 5). So anyway we ended up checking out and having the best breakfast at a local cafe and then heading home. All in all a very good night.

This week has been pretty uneventful. The following things have happened:

- I learnt that you shouldn't always go for the cheapest Indian takeaway (not deterred though)

- My team leader has figured out I love food (well, duh)

- I saw our stupid real estate agent outside the tube stop. I couldn't work out who he was, then it clicked so I looked back and so was he so I gave him a mega glare and swore at him (yes, so I had turned around at this stage and I kind of muttered it under my breath but still, it was very street fighterish). Agh, stupid weasly idiot

- Tweens of today have no hope when a) they are called tweens b) read magazines called Go Girl and c) watch brain destroying Disney things like Hannah Montana, High School Musical and the Suite Life of Zack and Cody. The only trouble is, I am contributing in this descruction of positive self image and domination of American crap on the screens by writing ads for it. I think I need to go and build an orphanage or something...

- I used the word 'fab' in copy this week. It's sooooooooo English. Argh, I need to go srub my brain out

- I got paid out for saying yooooogurt not yogot. I'm just adding it to the list of stuff I am going to refuse to say such as 'hiya, trousers, you right and fella.

Tonight I am up in the country for my nephews party which is tomorrow. So I will no doubt be gorging on party food as well as two servings of cake as Anna and I have been talking up Cou Cou to Skinner so another round of cake will be had. Lucky we are heading to Shoreditch on Saturday night.

Hamburg this Thursday - yay, although none of us can remember why we are going.

I'm having trouble using my brain

I had a latish night last night and trying to form words is a little difficult. Oh, and I probably should have settled with one style of drink last night instead of changing each time I went to the bar. Ugh.

Yesterday arvo/night we had the summer forum for work. The place I am working for are seriously such a great company. They hold a forum twice a year to let everyone know what's been going on in the agency. They also show some work that the agency has done and show some stuff from around the world to inspire everyone (ok it sounds naff but it's cool). Then they put on dinner and drinks, oh, and there were carnival sideshows to match the theme of the day. What's better was this morning they put on a hangover bar for everyone with pastries, chocolate, red bulls, fruit and smoothies. I stuffed myself. Yea, yea, I know, it's a given. I'm dangerous around any kind of buffet. It was a wrong move though to eat two lots of kit kats.

This weekend Megs, Anna and I are going to Loughborough. I'm not exactly sure where it is other than it's in the Midlands and we have to get there by train and it's a college town. We're off to see TV Rock at a club, I think it's called Rapture. Ok, that sounds a little dodgy, but it's so random and it's going to be so much fun!!!!

Tonight I'm heading to Covent Garden for a drink after work, ohhhhhhhhhhh and guess what! I'm going to Edinburgh for my birthday!!

Ummm, news. Well, last Saturday we went to Brighton which was really cool. There was a bit of sun, and although it was very windy, we managed to lay on the beach which was more like someone's driveway with the amount of rocks (not pebbles)but was enjoyable nonetheless. We got the magical milkshakes - I went the apple pie with custard and cinnamon and seriously had the best chips ever!! They were so perfectly deep fried.

Oh, and Friday night I got to watch a bit of tv at Megs' house. It's too bad there was nothing on. Obviously only losers watch tv on a Friday night. I still got a fix though, and managed to stuff a double coated caramel magnum in my mouth as well as a frozen dinner. Yum.

Sunday Megs joined us for our Sunday night Party of Five dinner. We had chili con carne. It was really, really good.

Ok, gotta go, heading out to Convent Garden.

xx

Cultural confusion

Ok, this country is messing with my mind.

Chicken chip packets are pink. I couldn't believe. I was all ready to go and get a packet of chips from Cafe Choice (our building cafe) and I asked what flavour chips they had. First I was accosted for saying 'chips' instead of 'crisps, then I saw that instead of a chicken flavour chip coming from the green packet they were indeed salt and vinegar! I am shocked and dismayed at the backwardness of this country. However, to make up for it they do have micro chips that you heat up in the mircowave. That's brilliant. Oh, and you can go to this milkshake place that make milkshakes with flavours such as:

Apple cruble with custard and cinnamon
Crunchy nut cornflakes
Strawberry cheesecake
KitKat chunky
Spotted dick (hehe)

I could go on. I am hoping that an excursion to Brighton will be happening so I can drink the goodness that only a milk drink with some kind of cake can bring.

Mmm, we had strawberries with cream and chocolate sauce for Wimbledon which was great. Plus I ate someone else's too cause I am a pig. Plus I had strawberries on my museli this morning so I kind of have a stomach ache. I also had a massive roll and cookie at the markets so I need to lie down BIG TIME!

I found this food porn site which is now one of my favourite web sites. This chick just takes photos of her food. I love it. We may be kindred spirits.

Yay, it's Friday. The weeks are going so quickly I can hardly believe it.

Mmm, cheese wheel

I just wanted to share that I ate the most amazing thing at the Borough Markets on Saturday. Imagine a huge cheese wheel that was being burnt over a fire. Then the melted cheese is dripped onto a pate of baby potatoes and gerkins. Mmmm, well, that was my lunch on Saturday. Yes, I suffered from massive cheese related stomach cramps that night and afternoon. But it was worth it.

The weekend was action packed. Went to the Punch and Judy pub at Covent Garden (minus the punch and judy, then ended up at a pub called the Porterhouse. I don't think I've ever seen such a big pub in my life. I think there were about 4 levels and a million beers to choose from. Then on Saturday, cheese goodness, watched AFL in Clapham Common and then headed out for a night at the various locals. As always in this bloosy country, Bon Jovi was danced to. Sunday was spent with my friend Sarah who I met travelling last year. She was in London for about 8 hours so we managed to meet halfway between my house and the airport for a whirlwind catch up.

Last night I cooked dinner for our usual Sunday night Party of Five dinner. My Asian roots were out in full force with my stir fry concoction and my homemade 'asian fusion' sauce. It was followed up with flapjack appple crumble and custard. Go me. I'm going to make some man a great lil' wifey one day.

I can't believe it's July already. It's scary how quickly time is flying. Hamburg in a couple of weeks!! Yay!!!!!!

Weather report: pissed down all weekend.
Current weather: cold but not raining