Last week was hideous. Truely hideous. Except for our resident witch's birthday of course. A beacon of light in the pitch black pit of depression that was week 12 of 2011. Thankfully the hideousness ended with me running out of work at 1.30pm to prevent myself from jumping out the window although would make little sense as we are on the ground floor and I'd probably just scrape my knee and ruin a perfectly good pair of trousers . Later I also shipped my parents off to the Canary Islands which means I have access to their washing machine while watching cable tv (I don't own my own washing machine and am forced to use the dingy laundry in the basement) and sipping lattés plus driving around in their boxy beloved Toyota Corolla Verso that fits 7 people. You'd think I finally found my Tigerblood groove because surely you'd think I was duh winning! starting to get back on top.
Things had just worked so well up until then because I'd gotten my Kylie tickets, plane tickets and I'd spent a lot of time finding the hotel I wanted to stay at in New York.
First of all, thanks to MJ for scaring the shit out of me me senseless with her friendly mention of bed bugs which seem to have taken over the world Manhattan. It's strange how people don't mention them but once you mention them, everyone has a bed bugs story or two. It's very unsettling. It was quite traumatic but thankfully the Kimpton properties in Manhattan don't seem to have any bed bugs problems according to the Bed Bugs Registry. Yes, there is such a thing. Again, scared senseless. All those red dots in Manhattan. Ick!
As I mentioned, I had picked the hotel I was going to be staying at. It was a lovely Kimpton Hotel right by Time Sq. called The Muse. In the end though, I had planned for so long, that there were no more available rooms at the hotel, so the joke was on me. Frankly, if they couldn't accommodate me then they weren't worth me even batting my eyelashes. Still, it threw me off a bit because I'd booked it on Tuesday or Wednesday, I can't remember, and got the bad news on Thursday at work. On the very day when I first suggested jumping out the window and a colleague said I could just walk out the emergency exit instead and spare my trousers. I can't help it but think I really missed out as it looks a bit European and doesn't have those hideous bedspreads that seem to be doing the rounds at a lot of hotels.
In the end, I ended up booking a Premiere Kings room at another Kimpton Hotel called 70 Park Avenue. You may ask, if I get kickbacks every time I mention Kimpton Hotels on this blogpost, but alas I do not. I wish! However I do have previous Kimpton experience as I stayed at one of their hotels in San Francisco in August 2009. A hotel with a view over San Francisco Bay and Bay Bridge. It was a wonderful experience and I have every hope that I will indeed be looking very much forward to arriving at 70 Park Avenue on May 2.
Yesterday I also happened to discover that my ESTA Visa whatever thingymabob I need to enter the United States does not run out until June 2011 which, as far as I am aware, means I won't have to re-apply and can just edit the one I have. WIN! I will have to read more about it though, because there could be some rule or something that says that I must re-apply. Another WIN was when the insurance company that I have my travel insurance with called me young. Apparently I qualify for a YOUTH policy. I feel so young again. A mere kitten.
I am a little bit sad, that I am missing Fleet Week.
So, all in all I am very excited about this whole PeteNYC2011 project. I still need to pick a broadway show to watch - any suggestions peeps?
Possibly meeting some lovely NYC peeps for cocktails - fancy a cocktail?
Hooking up with other lovely peeps from around the world - fancy going shoe shopping and out for drinks?
It's never too late, as someone very fabulous once sang, so while it's still the divine mr. IDV's birthday we here at SayHey would like to send him our salutations and wishes for a fabulous year. To celebrate, we asked the fabulous Miss K. to do a couple of songs, especially for him (and you)
and while we would have preferred some nu-di-ty from him over at Miss MJs we will let it slide, this time.
We here at SayHey watch it, so you don't have to. You should know the drill by now. Otherwise, do have at look at my previous Not-so-live-blogging events . Let me present to you, the most recent remake of the movie FAME!
Oh, bell's ringing. It's time for class!
It's 120 minutes of FAME!
Uh uh, Fame costs, and right here is where you start paying. In sweat!
Audition day, someone's spitting on the floor.
Eww Kelsey Grammar. Don't worry, he's not on screen yet.
The music isn't very engaging. Or good.
PEPSI truck. Wow, product placement.. Especially with the huge banner afterwards.
They've got ballet dancing. I think I may prefer Black Swan to this.
I'm not feeling this. We are 5 minutes into this.
They are auditioning, and ew there's Kelsey Grammar.
I haven't seen one guy I'd give a second look.
More Pepsi. I hope they paid through the teeth for that, but I seriously doubt it.
I like this Pepsi commercial better
It's also less long.
Ok. So Malik is not bad looking.
Karen from Will & Grace is in it. Can she be anything but bitchy?
Oh, was too busy reading Stefano Gabbanas tweets on Twitter.
Kelsey Grammar is probably worst dressed actor in this movie. Oh my!
They are in the cafeteria all groovin together.
This movie is trying to be so kool, that it really isn't.
They are jammin' and it ain't slammin'
1 hour and 40 minutes to go.
More Pepsi machines.
Malik is not as attractive as first expected.
This is really slow paced, and I'm so grateful I didn't go to the movies to watch this.
Ok, Karen is a little bitchy only less over the top.
I know I've paid £2.90 to watch this, but I doubt I'll finish it.
Fame anno 2010 (or whatevs) is really dull.
This makes me wish I'd rented A Single Man instead. At least I know that is a beautiful movie.
Right, this is too painful. I thought I'd be able to at least mock it.
It's unmockable, that's how bad it is.
I apologise for taking up your time with this.
Now THIS is more like it
Or this
Now, Spice World the Movie is a delightful movie.
I don't actually care how Fame ends. It was sucking the life force out of me. So, I guess you will have to watch it yourself if you want to know how it ends.
I had a plan. To be modest honest, it was a great plan. As with my travel plans they always end up becoming spontaneous. I either start checking things out online and end up planning and planning and well, planning or I just book something. If I don't book something within a week, I'll never end up going. Most of the times these trips are spur of the moment things where I leave fairly quickly after booking.
The only time I didn't do that, was when I went on PeteUSA2009 and while it was an amazing experience going to America it wasn't a complete win for me. Dullface went with me and we have very different ideas about well, everything. The tour was planned down to the hour and I am not really that type of person. While I do appreciate being on time (always being 10 minutes late myself) I don't like having everything planned down to the last details. On PeteUSA2009 we had a schedule before leaving, and I'm telling you that if there had been a tropical storm, we'd still be on The Santa Monica Pier on that day if it was on the schedule. There was no changing things around because Dullface was ademant that if we switched two things around he'd be cheated somehow.
I'm not doing the whole schedule thing on my next trip. It'll be very spontaneous, and if I miss something then so be it. The most important thing is that I'm experiencing my holiday destination.
Plans change all the time and you just have to deal with it. What it really meant was that I had plans to go to London and Norwich for my birthday in late September. I was pretty excited about it and then I changed the plans a bit. I'd go to Manchester and Norwich in April. Of course I started looking for plane tickets and hotels. The hotel thing was pretty easy for Manchester but as I know nothing about Norwich that was a little more difficult. The 4 star hotels seemed to be outside town. Then I discovered that the airfare for Manchester was outrageous.
For the hell of it, I checked out airfares for Las Vegas and New York as well. This is where I discovered that for £100 extra (I ended up paying more because apparently when you snooze, you lose) I'd be flying to New York in May. I realise that I'll be disappointing a fair few of lovely people that I love dearly. However I had to go with New York. Mostly because the airfare was dirt cheap and the timing was just right.
In Denmark our vacation year runs from May to May which is pretty ridiculousinsane odd but that meant that at the earliest I'd be able to go in May. I would actually leave tomorrow if I could because things are not all that brilliant of late, but I have to wait. The timing works so that I get to see Miss K live in New York at the Hammerstein which is a treat I'm sure.
So, I've got the Kylie and plane tickets booked but I still need to find a suitable 4 star hotel which is dirt cheap and smack dab in the middle of Manhattan.
Also, I need suggestions of what to see, and do while there. It would be lovely if we could go for cocktails too. Do come meet me. I'll be in town from May 2 to May 8.
We've got to remember that love is love is love is love is love. Which is why team Sayhey is spreading some love here today. Be loud, be proud and be happy.
Today we are especially happy for Miss Scarlet who is celebrating her 29th birthday, and since there's no birthday without a little song, I caught up with my good friend Kylie and she sends this message to Miss Scarlet and the rest of us.
Or, if you prefer this..
PS. Don't forget to check out my previous post in which you will be introduced to the inner workings of my mind and that of those involved in the making of the movie Knight & Day.
SayHey at the movies on the sofa watching Knight & Day starring Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz (my two least favourite actors) so you don't have to. And believe me, you don't have to. Like in my previous post about the Oscars, I'm using the Twitter format so you'll get the random comments, insights and what else comes through my mind during these next 110 minutes. I've decided to rent it on my fabulous YouSee box and am paying 5 quid on this, you'd better be appreciative bitches! Here goes.
Wow, this HD thing is awesome on my TV. Better get a BluRay player soon. The Twentieth Century Fox logo was gorgeous. So far, massive win.
Welcome to an airport. It's starting the same way as The Terminal. An actor I don't like in an airport. This is not boding well for the rest of the movie.
Tom Cuise's glasses were crooked and he was eating an ice cream. Ugly sunglasses.
Oh, wow. Celia Weston is in the movie. We LOVE her! She's not on screen, but rather her name popped up as part of the credits.
Cameron Diaz is looking a little farm girl'ish and ooopsie! She bumped into Tom Cruise.
Tom Cruise's nose is MASSIVE!
Well, they are at least speaking English in this one, rather than some weirdo pretend language like in the Terminal.
OH, they bumped into each other again. Can't be an accident, can it?
They are keeping an eye on Tom Cruise. And by they, I mean the suits.
Cameron Diaz made it on to the flight with Tom Cruise despite her initial problems of getting on the flight. Something is fishy.
This is moving along quite slowly,
Cameron Diaz is telling us about her father dying and how she restores cars and wants to restore one of his old ones. For her sister who's getting married.
Tom Cruise ishas a weird left nostril.
Turbulence made Cameron spill her drink, and she's going to the loo. Leaving Tom Cruise alone with the 5 other people on the flight.
The other people are attacking him while she's jammering on at her reflection in the loo mirror.
The people die. Including the pilots.
It most certainly isn't Cameron Diaz first rodeo. She's looking like it's her 100th.
He tells her the pilots are dead and she laughs.
You'd think gunfire in an airplane would be more than a bit dangerous. I guess this is like Mission Impossible II where nothing logic has any relevance.
Tom Cruise of course lands this massive airplane in a corn field. Bad CGI galore.
Cameron Diaz moans.
You can say what you want about Tom Cruise and his acting. He is fit, no doubt about that. He took his shirt off.
She's drugged.
The jokes are lame.
Airplane explodes - thankfully we don't see much of that. Could have been another CGI travesty.
She wakes up at home. He's made her breakfast and little notes.
The safe, friend who wants her shows up. Rodney, a firefighter with an unfortunate moustache.
Cameron Diaz is taken into custody or whatevs by the so-called FBI. She's not safe.
She realises she's not safe, but the Chevrolets are unavoidable. First proper product placement.
How does it work with people who die driving. Do their feet really press down hard on the speeder pedal? Or is that to make his hideously lame car chase thing exciting more lame?
The blue screen effects are hideous. You just KNOW that Tom Cruise wasn't on top of a car for any moment during the movie.
I know you are just dying to know what the clothes are like. Well, dull would be one way of looking at it.
The movie reminds me of a really lame version of the Mel Gibson and Goldie Hawn movie Bird On a Wire. I loved that! Although all that Goldie did was run around whining and screaming.
Cameron Diaz fire fighter friend is a little bit adorable. I think it's the nose.
Tom is wearing the hideous sun glasses again.
He shot the dorky fire fighter but it's all OK apparently. Another car chase.
The banter is poor at best. They may have chemistry, but the dialogue is awful. This is only one third through the movie.
Oh, look! SHELL service station. How much did they pay for that?
They are explaining the plot. Apparently it's all about a little battery that has lots of juice. TC (as I decide to call him from now on, or until I find a more fitting nickname) was protecting the battery and the guy who made it. Someone 'inside the agency' wants to steal the battery and sell it.
Exciting stuff huh? No, I know! It's not really. Maybe I should have picked Did You Hear About The Morgans? Can't be worse than this.
They are visiting a so-called 'safe house' now. You just know there'll be soldiers attacking from all sides and TC will kill'em all any minute now.
The soldiers are taking their sweet time attacking.
BINGO!
It's all very exciting noisy. Correction Cameron Diaz is very noisy.
Am thinking about what to have for dinner. Maybe pasta and gorgonzola sauce.
Oh, Cameron Diaz was drugged again.
They are captured. TC his dangling upside down with his shirt off. All the 40-50 something women are drooling.
Hell, it was a bit drool worthy.
She was drugged again.
Waking up in a bikini on a beach far away from people shooting. That's any girls dream right?
TC trying to pull a Daniel Craig in Casino Royale. It's not working for you honey.
Board shorts and a dead fish. No thank you.
He is fit though.
While TC teaches Cameron Diaz to protect herself and they frollick on the beach, I went to get a pudding cup. It's lovely, contrary to the movie.
Now this is sort of a what's that movie called moment. Um, Anne Heche and Harrison Ford like.
She's drugged again. Or at least wakes up somewhere else.
On a train in Austria and she's hungry.
I can't blame her for thinking of food. So do I.
Could really do with some pasta right now. Yum!
There's the classic scene of being followed through a train.
Fight scene! For someone who doesn't know how to fight, she really does know her way around a train kitchen.
They all unite. The inventor of the battery, Cameron Diaz and TC.
The fight continues. Now the super human aspect from Universal Soldiers where a knife in the heart doesn't mean you die.
Ridiculous!
Now they are in a luxury hotel in Austria. They are smitten.
Cameron Diaz playing spy now. She's jealous of mysterious and attractive woman who is meeting TC.
I understand why. We all saw the tired looking Cameron Diaz with her small and saggy boobs.
Now she's been summoned by the FBI. The evil guy is with this kool black woman who is his boss. I think.
They are trying to make her give him and the battery up.
Suddenly Cameron Diaz has lovely clothes. The black coat is gorgeous. It's so wasted on her.
I don't know what to think. TC is running on roofs. Now I watched The Tourist, and I don't know if I'd rather watch him or Johnny Depp Captain Jack Sparrow do it.
Venice is prettier than this Austrian city though.
TC was shot and fell in the water. Bless.
Speaking of water, I'm thristy.
Too bad, it doesn't end here. It actually continues.
Fitz, is and this is no surprise at all, a bad guy and he is taking the battery maker somewhere unsafe we are betting.
CELIA WESTON! The ONE redeeming quality of this entire movie.
Miss Weston is TC's mother in this and doesn't know her son is still alive. Bless. She looks like she really does miss him.
I can't for the life of me understand why.
Another sort of car chase. It's getting boring, it's oh so boring and I don't recognise the zombie I'm turning into.
Drugged. Again.
They are in Sevilla, driving Mercedes now.
Dinner would be lovely right now. Still, 20 minutes left.
The plot thickens and there's an exchange of battery creater and some evil Spanish guy. Antonio something. He looks charming.
TC is obviously alive.
It's an HD quality which I've got to say is worth it. It looks lovely.
There's shooting going on and it's about as exciting as the Acapulco Heat action scenes from the 1990s
More car chase with the added feature of them riding a motorcycle and bulls are running after them.
More poorly done CGI for the bull fighting arena and blue screen stuff.
The Mercedes Benz logo is very prominent though.
Suddenly Cameron Diaz is like master shooter and it's very Mission Impossible II again.
Bad advertising for Mercedes Benz because battery maker just did something the car from the trunk. Not sure they are keen on that at Mercedes HQ.
Evil Fitz wins over TC in the sun glasses category.
KABOOOM! Dodgy battery. Fitz and his plane just blew up.
From golden treats to Australian treats, here's exclusive footage from our Lam cam.
In case you are interested in seeing how you make Lamingtons you can catch Nicko whipping up a batch right here.
I know you are all running to the kitchen to make a batch of Lamingtons but if you like Kylie and have 11 minutes to spare, I'm inviting you to catch a rare glimpse of her in this brilliant interview.
I don't know about you, but I had a little sniffle there.
