Vertigo 42

Champagne with a view

This was another treat over half term. Paul had heard recommendations and wanted to go. I’d never heard of it but got quite excited about it after a bit of googling. Neither of us like champagne, so we were going for the experience and the view rather than the beverage. It needs to be booked in advance and a credit card number given so you can be charged if you don’t turn up. We’d booked a 2 hour slot from 6pm till 8pm on the Tuesday night.

Vertigo 42 is so called because it is on the 42nd floor of the second tallest building in the City of London (it’s the fifth tallest in London as a whole). At 183 metres (about 600ft) it’s definitely high. The bar is basically a circular corridor round the outer edge of the floor. The lifts, kitchen, toilets and so on are in the middle bit.

The windows are floor to ceiling and the wall behind has floor to ceiling mirrors so which ever way you look you are met with an absolutely stunning view. I could easily have stayed all night just gazing at it. Because of the time of year it was dark so we were looking out over a lit London. We were fairly close to St Paul’s and could see the Thames, the London Eye, Centrepoint, Big Ben and lots of other tall landmarks.

To be allowed up to the bar we had to give our names at reception and then go through airport type security, walking a though a metal detector and passing our bags through an x-ray machine. The private lift to the 42nd floor practically flew up and I felt my ears popping. Once at the top we had to give our names again and were led to our ‘area’.

Each window has a low ledge which is used as a table and a couple of egg style chairs. Further round was the area for groups which had a higher ledge and bar stools. Each ‘area’ is labelled with the name of the something in direct sight e.g. Barbican and the direction in degrees and minutes.

We ordered a bottle of the cheapest champagne which was £60. It arrived in a silver bucket and a waiter filled our glasses. The waiters continued to fill our glasses each time they got low. We were drinking quite slowly however as we needed to make our one bottle last the two hours! We ordered some salted almonds to go with it. I’m used to bags of crisps in pubs so was very impressed with the way the almonds arrived in a dish on a platter with a white cloth. They were nice and the saltiness took away some of the taste of champagne so we actually found we were enjoying it. By the time we finished the nuts our taste buds had adjusted and we were enjoying the champagne on its own. Now this is a habit I really can’t afford to develop!

Would I go again? Definitely, despite the cost. I felt chilled, relaxed, comfortable and in awe of the view. The waiters were attentive but not over-bearing. I had worried that the place would either be a tourist trap or stuffily posh, but it was neither. The clientele seemed to be mainly workers enjoying a special night out after a day at the office.

http://www.vertigo42.co.uk/

Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen

One of the best meals I’ve had. Shame the state of the toilets let the place down.

Over half term I had lunch in Jamie Oliver’s restaurant, Fifteen, in London. We made a booking a few weeks in advance and were able to get a table for mid-afternoon (the time we wanted). It is in a part of London I’m not familiar with and although not far from the centre, seemed a bit run-down and not really an area for people to go unless they live or work there. So I suppose Fifteen is, as well as working to help young unemployed people become trained as chefs, also helping to bring people to an area they wouldn’t usually visit.

We were slightly early, but were led downstairs to the main restaurant straight away. We were sat next to the kitchen which meant we were quite warm, but it was interesting to be able to see what was going on.

The restaurant was dark (being in the basement), but lit well enough that we could easily see. Further down the room from where we were sat there seemed to be some kind of booths. On the ground floor is the bar and trattoria and this has a lighter, airier feel to it.

The waiter was attentive and explained the menu. It’s a fixed price menu at lunch time depending on how many courses you have. We went for the two courses plus dessert option for £30 a head.

We started off being served with bread. The restaurant is Italian and so it came with olive oil rather than butter. We then both had the same starter of a gooey warm Mozzarella – the nicest we’ve had – and roasted aubergine.  

For a main I ordered a vegetarian risotto and Paul ordered the lamb. Risottos can sometimes be served in small portions but this was fine and I was full by the end. It was made with fennel and olives and had quite a delicate flavour, despite these being quite strongly flavoured ingredients. Paul’s lamb looked delicious (and I’m a vegetarian saying that!) and he said it tasted as good as it looked. We ordered a side salad and some potatoes as side dishes and were absolutely stuffed by the time we had finished.

We wanted to try a dessert as this will probably be the only time we come here. We had to wait a while and let the rest of the food digest a bit before we felt up to it though. I had the pannacotta which was creamy but refreshing and served with a scoop of chocolate mousse and Paul had a slice of lemon tart. To finish off we had a coffee.

To drink with our meal we ordered a beer. At £6.50 a bottle it was quite pricey so as it was a 500ml bottle we just ordered one between us. It was Junction Ale, a brew made locally and was quite light. I’d expected something heavier. It was so nice and went so well with the food that despite the price we ordered another one.

We enjoyed our few hours here and loved the food. The only complaint I’d have would be the toilets. They obviously hadn’t been cleaned over the lunch time period and so by the time I got to them at the end of the afternoon they weren’t particularly enticing.

http://www.fifteen.net/

2012 Twelve February Review

2nd monthly review of my 2012 Twelve challenges.

Hm, a bit of a rubbish month really as far as achievements go. I’ll blame it on the fact that February is a short month (even with the extra day this year) and I was away for a week of it.

1. Floating in a floatation tank.  I did achieve the #1 challenge on my 2012 twelve list as I went floating over half term whilst I was in London.

3. Taking at least one photo every day of the year. Apart from taking lots of photos whilst I was in London, I haven’t been keeping to my photo a day challenge. I felt quite inspired by the Hungry Cyclist’s project of taking a photo of something he eats every day for a year, and this might be something I’ll do in future years. However, I first need to get in the habit of taking a daily photo of anything, before I can start thinking about making it specific!

7. Learning to use at least 3 new pieces of technology or computer programmes. The ‘Apple in an Hour’ course was postponed at the last minute. It will still happen, but I have no idea when. So I haven’t learnt how to use any new bits of technology yet.

8. Doing a writing course. I haven’t started my writing course yet, though I should have more time this month.

9. Getting at least one piece of writing published. I’ve achieved #9 as I got a book review published (unpaid) in Wanderlust. This is quite a prestigious travel magazine, so I felt quite proud of myself when I saw the review in print alongside a photo of me. As I actually wrote it and got it accepted last month, this is more an achievement from last month but I didn’t want to count it until I actually saw it in print.

So, although I’ve got two challenges ticked off and I’m only two months in and so technically I’m on schedule, I still feel like I haven’t made much headway. March should be better, as I’ll get on with the writing course and I need to make a serious effort to go over my finances to plan for the rest of the year. Once I’ve done this I can start making plans to change my car and for my next house. As the MOT is due on my car in mid April and I’ll be away for the first half of April, I really need to get my car changed by the end of March. So this is the major project for this month.

Watching ice hockey

My first ice hockey experience.

Last night I attended my first ice hockey game. I drove down to Nottingham and arrived in plenty of time to pick up my friend’s daughter and get to the stadium for the 7pm start. Lots of people were walking from the car park towards the stadium,  many of them wearing ice hockey shirts. We presented our tickets and went inside to find our seats. Dead easy. We settled down in our front row seats and began watching the two teams practising and warming up. Then a woman came to our seats and politely informed us we were in the wrong place and that lots of people make that mistake. We’d gone into the right block and were sat on the right seats in the right row, so we were a bit confused.

We couldn’t figure it out so went back out to ask a steward. Easier said than done as it was quite hard to tell who was working there and who was a supporter. Once we found someone, he directed us to another steward in a different part of the block and he found us our seats. Either there are two lots of seats with the same block, row and seat numbers, or the labelling on the doors to the blocks is incorrect. Anyway, our seats were good and we were still in plenty of time.

We sat on the front row at the centre of the rink right next to the box where players sit when they are sent off. They get sent off for two minutes at a time and are locked into this box by a warden type lady who only releases them back onto the rink when the two minutes is up.

Once the warm up was finished the players left the ice and the rink was skimmed and sprayed with water by a big plough type vehicle. I could feel the chill rising up from the ice which I hadn’t expected. A bit stupid of me really, as I was basically sat beside a giant freezer!

The plough skimming the ice. All the photos are this
quality because I was taking them through the scratched
perspex screen.

The players from the opposing team – the Fife Flyers – were then announced and they came on individually. Then the same was done for the home team – the Panthers. The player/coach of the Fife Flyers had tragically lost his wife and unborn twins a few days earlier in the week so of course he wasn’t here. An announcement was made though, offering commiserations.

There seemed to be at least 18 players on each team and the ice was really crowded, but once the game was ready to start most of them went into an enclosure and there were just six from each side playing at one time. There seemed to be no official way of organising substitutions – the players randomly seemed to decide they needed a rest and would come off allowing someone else to come on. Sometimes most of them would change at the same time. Just because a player had come off didn’t mean that he couldn’t come back on again. I’m used to football where once a player has been substituted he can’t come back on, so this all seemed a bit strange to me.

The Panthers are in white

The game was played over an hour in three thirds of 20 minutes each. There were fairly long intervals in between. It was really fast and furious; the players seemed to whizz from one end of the rink to the other, smashing into the hoardings and each other with great impact. The sticks were about shoulder high and were flying all over the place – sometimes without a player attached to the end! I could see exactly why the players were all wearing loads of padding and helmets. It would have been quite lethal otherwise.

At first the Fife Flyers seemed to be doing best and by the end of the first third were 3-1 up. For the next two thirds the Panthers did a lot better and most of the action seemed to be around the Flyers’ goal, though the goalie was good and the Panthers struggled to score. Four times the fracas around the goal was so furious the nets came unstuck and were knocked across the ice. Finally the score was 3 all and it was down to the last minute or two of the game.

I don’t understand what happened next, but whatever it was meant that with 30 seconds to go, the Panthers got a penalty. The ice was cleared of all but the Flyers’ goalie and one Panthers’ player. The puck was set in the middle of the centre circle with all eyes eagerly on it. The player skated up to it, guided it down the rink and straight into the goal. Yay! After a dubious start we’d won 4-3!

The players then all came back onto the ice for the final few seconds. Once the whistle had blown they did a few laps of the rink before lining up to shake hands with each other and have the players of the match announced. Leaving the rink for the final time, one of the Flyers seemed to be having a slanging match with one of the referees. Hm, maybe not too happy about the penalty?

Shaking hands at the end.

The spectators were all very well behaved and were even allowed to bring their beers to their seats. There was some shouting and cheering, but not nearly so much as at a football match. In the intervals there were performances by young ice skating dance troupes but not many people seemed to be paying attention to them. At the far end of the rink were four cheerleaders who performed a few lacklustre cheers every time the music started. I didn’t really see the point to them as they were so far back and out of the way it wasn’t particularly easy to see them and they only performed at times when everyone had all eyes on the game.

The music, which was all corny tunes like the Addam’s Family, YMCA and Amarillo, seemed to be played at times when something was about to happen (the football equivalent of a free kick or a corner) and would stop abruptly once whatever was about to happen began to happen. I’d have thought this would be distracting to the players but it didn’t seem to bother them. I suppose they’re used to it.

So I enjoyed my first ice hockey game, though I didn’t particularly understand any of it. Hopefully I will get to go again, maybe fairly soon when I’m in Germany.

Prague

I’m going to Prague.

At Easter I usually go to Germany for a week to visit my brother and nieces. Then I head off somewhere by train for the second week. Alternate years I go to Amsterdam to visit friends and the other years I try to go somewhere new and different.

I’ve just spent several hours on the internet trying to find cheap flights and cheap hostels and cheap trains and generally put my holiday together. After looking at a whole lot of random places I’ve decided on Prague. I’ve never been here before, not even in my inter-railing days when I had brief stops in cities all over Europe. I don’t know much about it apart from that people seem to like it and it’s pretty popular, so now I need an Amazon browsing session to order a guide book and a few more hours to do google research.

Beaufort – a film

A film about the Israeli’s withdrawal from Lebanon.

I watched this on iplayer recently. The film is about the final part of the Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000. Beaufort is an an old Crusader fortress that has been used by the Israelies as a modern day outpost complete with a maze of underground tunnels and lookout posts manned by dummies (to make it look like there are more soldiers than there actually are).

The film follows the daily routines of the soldiers; their hopes, fears and dilemmas. Most of the IDF has already pulled out and the soldiers at Beaufort are living in a temporal no-man’s land not knowing whether today, tomorrow or a day next week, will be their last day in Lebanon. They dream of what they will do when they are home, their families and girlfriends. The boredom is frequently offset by regular Hizbullah attacks. Although it is common knowledge that the Israelies are pulling out, the attacks have been stepped up so Hizbullah can take the credit and say they were responsible for chasing the Israelies out. At least that what the soldiers theorise. Of course the attacks lead to deaths which seem all the more tragic in light of the fact that a few days later the young men would have been home and safe.

It was often hard to remember that these soldiers were indeed young men, most of them being only eighteen. The commander of the outpost was only 22 and yet bore the huge burden of being responsible for the lives and deaths of those under his command. His final task is to supervise the laying of explosives and the complete destruction of Beaufort as they leave.

It was a moving film to watch and it’s no surprise to learn since that it has won plenty of awards. As far as I can make out the main events in the film such as the actual withdrawal are based on fact, but the soldiers themselves are only loosely based on real characters and the incidents that happen to individuals, although representative of real incidents, are fictionalised accounts.

The film is in Hebrew with English subtitles and runs for just over two hours.

Floating

I spent an hour in a floatation tank and ticked another challenge off my list.

Last Wednesday I went to Floatworks near London Bridge for my floatation tank experience. I’d been at the Hockney Exhibition at the Royal Academy beforehand and had a bit of rush across London to get there in time so wasn’t feeling particularly relaxed when I arrived. The building looks like a warehouse and I wasn’t sure how to get in. The door, when I found it, looked like a tradesmen’s entrance on the side of the building and I had to ring the bell to get buzzed in.

I went down the not particularly enticing stairs to the dimly lit reception area. It had a fish tank and there was new age relaxation type music playing. Very cliched. As I sat waiting I thought about how depressing it would be to work down here in nice weather. I had to fill in a form and was given a pair of flip flops to wear.

After a few minutes I was called through. The rooms are private and each have a shower, a chair and a big egg shaped floatation tank in them. I was given instructions on how to use it – pretty simple really: button on right is emergency button; first button on left is for the light inside the tank; second button on left is to control the lid. There was also a spray bottle of fresh water on the inside of the tank in case I got salt water in my eyes. Luckily I didn’t need it.

I was told to have a quick shower and in five minutes music would start playing and the lights in the room would go out. The shower had gel, shampoo and conditioner and I was provided with a towel. There was also vaseline in case I had any cuts (it’s recommended to put vaseline over them to prevent stinging) and earplugs. These aren’t for noise prevention, but to prevent too much salty water getting in your ears.

I got undressed and showered pretty quickly so I was in the tank before the lights went out. I got myself stretched out in the water and put the neck pillow under my neck. I checked out that I knew where the buttons were and that I knew how to control the lights and lid of the tank itself.

The music started low and got slightly louder as the lights dimmed. It plays for the first 10 minutes. Then there are 45 minutes of silence before a final 5 minutes of music to let you know your time is almost up. I turned the light out in the tank and lay in complete darkness listening to the music and trying to get comfy. Although I was floating I wasn’t really letting all my muscles relax, particularly my neck muscles. I moved around a bit too. I’d only realise I’d moved when my head or feet would touch the end of the tank or I’d touch the sides.

I didn’t put the lid down at first as it was completely dark anyway. But then the part of my body that was above the water line started to feel a bit cold, so I lowered the lid and warmed up straight away. It was a bit stuffy, but better than being cold.

I did manage to relax and felt quite drowsy but didn’t actually nod off. When the music started to play again I was surprised that the 45 minutes were already over. I raised the lid and sat up. Then I lay down again, but this time without the neck pillow. It wasn’t any better. If I was to do this again I don’t know what I could do to help my neck feel comfortable.

I got out of the tank (easier said than done with such buoyant water) and back into the shower. As I was in the shower the tank lid closed and gurgling noises emanated from it – no doubt it was being cleaned ready for the next user. It took a while to feel that I’d got all the salt off my body and out of my hair. Once I was dry and dressed I went to another room where there are mirrors, hairdryers and spray deodorants. Then, apart from paying, my experience was over.

So what did I think of it and did it live up to my expectations? I think it was pretty much what I expected it to be. I enjoyed it as a one off experience but don’t think it was any more relaxing than a spa pool, jacuzzi or steam room. For less than the £45 this cost me, I could have spent several hours in one of the spas in Baden Baden in Germany and would have left feeling much more relaxed than I did from here. I’m glad I’ve done it and sated my curiosity and I would recommend it as a chance to experience something a bit different. However, it’s not something I’ll likely do again (not unless it was a lot cheaper!) and even if money wasn’t an issue it doesn’t appeal as something to do on a regular basis.

One plus though, is that for several days afterwards my skin felt really soft. Even after I’d had other showers the effect still lasted.

Altitude training

The thing that worries me most about climbing Kilimanjaro is the altitude. I may have found a solution.

I was just browsing for tents and came across this. Ellis Brigham in Manchester have an altitude training centre. It seems that you pay 30 quid to sit in an egg chair, strap a mask over your face and get a readout on how well you deal with altitude. I’ve always felt as though I slow right down in even relatively low altitudes and so this could be an interesting test for me when I start my preparation for Kilimanjaro. It’s not being able to deal with the altitude that worries me most about the climb and if I don’t complete it, it will probably be due to this.

The site also mentions that you can book a series of training sessions before you embark on a high altitude trip. It doesn’t say how much this would be, but I imagine it will be quite pricey. I do like the idea of working out on the cross trainer with an oxygen depleting mask stuck to my face though. I wonder if this is what they mean?

Ice hockey

I just got tickets for my first ice hockey game.

This isn’t on my list but it will be a first. I’ve just booked tickets to see an ice hockey game. I know nothing about it but it sounds like fun. The 15 year old daughter of a friend is coming with me and as she’s a fan who goes fairly regularly, I’m hoping she’ll explain it to me as we go along. 

The game is in Nottingham which is where my friends live. We’ll be watching the Panthers (the local team) play the Fife Flyers on the 3rd of March. It’s a Saturday so I’ll probably make a weekend of it and try to fit some other stuff in too.

Apparently ice hockey is big in Germany where my brother lives so I may get to go again when I go to visit at Easter. This is going to start seeming like a habit!

2012 Twelve January Review

How did I do on my 2012 Twelve challenges in January?

As we’re now into February I thought I should review how I’m doing on my 2012 Twelve. I’ve only mentioned the tasks I’ve actually done something about.

1. Floating in a floatation tank – I’ve got this booked and will be floating a week on Wednesday.

3. Taking at least one photo every day of the year – I’ve done this for about half the month. I’ve started carrying my snappy camera around with me all the time, but most days just forget about it.

4. Coming up with a fitness plan and sticking to it (the start of my training for Kilimanjaro, though I may not actually climb it for several years yet) – I haven’t done anything about the fitness plan yet, but I did attend a talk on Kilimanjaro.  

7. Learning to use at least 3 new pieces of technology or computer programmes (not counting my new camera) – I’m booked to do an ‘Apple in an hour’ course at school just after half term. This will be the start of me learning to use an Apple Mac.  

8. Doing a writing course – I’ve enrolled for an online course with the London School of Journalism and received the first two lessons. I haven’t had time to start them yet though.

9. Getting at least one piece of writing published (paid or unpaid, as long as someone else makes the decision to publish it and it’s not self-published) – I wrote a brief book review for Wanderlust and they’ve accepted it. I’m not getting paid, but will be published in a prestigious travel magazine.  

11. Buying a car/van that I can sleep in (and doing any necessary conversions/adaptations) – I’ve started researching vans and how to convert them.