Deadlines

I apologize to you, faithful Blond reader. My life has been a mix of travel, professional deadlines and full speed wedding planning. I promise to update you on my trip to Palm Springs and my Avantoure assignments this weekend. Happy Friday!

Stuck in The Snow

Up at 4:30 this morning along with my faithful daddio, we made it to the airport at 5:30, an hour before my red-eye flight. No troubles through ticketing and I stripped dutifully through security removing my jacket, boots and scarf.

The hang-up began about 10 minutes before take-off.

I was slumped in my seat, at the back of the plane, across from the smelly bathroom, trying to get some shut-eye. The pilot announced an "electrical failure" on the plane. Noooo. He said the mechanics prescribed a power-down and we patiently waited. 10 more minutes tick by and we get the word: they can fix the plane but we need to de-board. I've been through this before so I grab all of my gear because I know there's a chance we won't see the inside of this plane again.

It gets later and later into the morning and finally the Delta representative announces the plane will leave before 8:30 (2 hours after scheduled departure). That puts us in (they say!) at 11am. I checked with the rep and she said I should be fine with my 11:15am connection to Eugene. We land in snowy Salt Lake City, Utah at 11:30 when the plane is leaving. Big frowny face here: :(

There's only one more flight leaving SLC late in the evening so I elect to stay in a hotel and get some shut-eye. I'm not feeling too well and I need food. Delta is putting me up at the Crystal Inn downtown with a free shuttle and food vouchers before I leave the airport. At least I have my connection to you and my other online friends. This way, travel isn't too lonely. I'm also reading a great memoir by Patricia Harman, The Blue Cotton Gown. Always helps when you have a good book...and gorgeous scenery. The snow-covered mountains here are awesome.

Quick Trip to California

My mom and dad are in Palm Springs for a business convention (my dad's this time). They invited me to come down for the weekend so I couldn't pass up the chance to relax in 70 degrees weather. Today was sunny and clear and we sat by the pool for about an hour.

Tonight we dined at Clint Eastwood's Hollywood inspired, Hog's Breath Inn.



We are staying at the La Qunita Golf Resort and Spa and it is gorgeous. The mountains set a beautiful backdrop for the dry landscape. We even saw a road runner (bird) while walking back to our casita this afternoon and we picked grapefruit for our breakfast in the morning.

We Have Some Really Cool Friends

Kingsley and I are very blessed to have a group of lovely friends in London. When we first got engaged, there was talk of an engagement party when I traveled back to the UK. Even though I made plans to visit Kingsley again, there were no plans for a party. Little did I know...

On the Friday night before I returned to the US, Kingsley said he had booked a restaurant for dinner for 2. Sounded romantic and I was happy. We got ready and ended up at Chakalaka in Chiswick. As we were walking up the stairs, our 'song' started playing. I looked at Kingsley and he had a huge smile on his face. Coming round the corner, we were met with "Surprise!" from about 20 of our closest friends.

My girls (L - R) Margaux, Clare, Desiree and Sabina even put together a special dance for us and performed it before Kingsley gave a short speech.





Kings showed his suave moves on the dance floor...and I laughed and laughed!



I just felt so special being surrounded by people who wanted to celebrate our engagement and went out of their way to plan a fabulous night! Thank you!

Not to mention the food... Chakalaka serves traditional South African dishes such as a Poiki Pot or Potjeikos (pic below). It's a one-pot-meal cooked in a cast iron pot. The chef does individual servings at Chakalaka and I ordered the lamb. The meat is slow cooked with veggies in a delicious broth and served with a yellow rice, almonds and dates. Wowee!

Fish Works, Richmond

When Kingsley and I went to Brighton on the coast of the United Kingdom, we went to the most romantic, wonderful restaurant called Fish Works. It was a lovely dinner with oysters and seafood. So, Kings decided to take me to the Fish Works in Richmond for lunch for a little re-make of our lovely weekend in Brighton.

I had the fish soup (savory with buttery crutons and creamy, sharp cheese),

he had the muscles...

...and we shared calamari.

This was our lunch before the surprise engagement party! We really enjoyed ourselves and our time together.

Arrival, South London

The flight over to London from San Fran was uneventful but tedious. I ended up sitting next to a young guy who had been on holiday to Sydney and California for about a month and he really wanted to talk about the entire trip. No worries...until about 3 hours into the flight and I wanted to get some shut eye. Finally, I just told him "I need to sleep a little bit so I'm not too tired when I see my fiance!" With that, I turned on my iPOD (God's gift to travelers who don't like to gab on the plane) and got some shut eye.

Landing at Heathrow, I was shocked to see there were no...NO lines at immigration. The officer was polite... even friendly... and I whisked through. My bags seemed to float along on the conveyor belt and in no time I was high stepping it to arrivals. Kingsley was waiting there for me as he always is but I saw him before he saw me. He was reading the paper (thinking it would take me at least an hour to get through the process) and looking sooo cute. He jumped up, rushed over and (my fav part) grabbed my bags and handed me a bottle of water. He just knows I'm thirsty after a long flight. What a darling partner I have!

It seemed like the ride on the Tube to Richmond went so quickly and soon we were lugging 2 suitcases up the stairs to Kingsley's place. He surprised me by having Champagne chilling and popped the top when we got settled. Such a glorious week and I'll be sure to continue the posts.

This is the view from the terrace behind Kingsley's apartment. Beautiful but grey and rainy!

"We Are Ready to Lead Once More"

This is a momentous day in the history of the United States and the world. I am proud to be an American and thrilled to watch a new president, one who believes in diplomacy and reason and intelligence step into the leadership of the free world. Mr. Barack Obama ran an excellent campaign, one of hope and change and found support amongst millions in the US and the world.

I'm watching Joe Biden being sworn in right now. I will trust in his experience, his obligation to protect our country and his faith in the duties of the office. He spoke with confidence but sobriety, perhaps considering the immense task ahead of restoring respect to the White House and putting the out-of-control economic train we are riding back on track.

This is an early morning for me (9AM Pacific). I'm going on four hours of sleep but as a colleague said last night, the least I can do is get out of bed early and watch the event live. The sheer crowds of people pushed into the lawn for 2 miles surprise me. I guess it is similar for other inaugurations but this day seems full of unity and joy amongst the masses.

Yes, there are the nay-sayers, the haters. I hear them on the radio, on the telephone and certain cable news channels. We get emails everyday to our station addressed to the "Ignorant Liberals" listing the conspiracy theories of why Barack Obama isn't really a US citizen and others who spend hours, days, weeks propagating that his personal prayer leader is a terrorist. When I see those messages, I ask myself who is truly ignorant? Someone without tolerance, knowledge, hope, the ability to accept change, the intelligence to accept the reality that a great deal of Amercians would never change the course of this hour...and in fact hoped and prayed for this day?

As I listen to Obama take his oath while I type, he seems nervous, young but solid. The happiness of this moment is hard to describe. Congratulations to this great nation! People are chanting "Change has Come." President Obama says the time is here where people in our country are equal. For this, I'm thankful. Hopefully in the United States, my children will know more about freedom than I do, grow up knowing less of racism, less of hate, and more of tolerance and love.

President Obama says in his speech, "We must dust ourselves off and begin again the re-making of America." He says he'll work on the economy, restoring science to it's rightful place, making health care affordable, and harnessing the wind and sun to run our cars and factories.

Listening to his speech about the place of our nation in the world and our hopes for the future, I feel he is listing my personal dreams: tolerance and acceptance of ALL religions in our country, changing indifference to the injustices going on outside our boarders, allowing Iraq's people to work on their own future without the heavy hand of the West, bringing peace to Afghanistan without using bombs and sacrificing more and more of our forces, and close Guantanamo Bay and free those who have never been charged with a crime. He said we should grow strong again as a nation built on hard work, brotherhood, loyalty and patriotism. I hope to see less leading through aggressive, close-minded militarism.

President Obama spoke to the countries around the world, in city capitols, in tiny villages saying "We are ready to lead once more!"

Stop Over in San Fran

On my way to London-town I had an 8 hour layover in San Fransciso. I called Kingsley who said "If I was stuck in one of the greatest cities in the US, I'd go exploring!" I thought to myself..he's right! I've traveled all over the world alone...why not San Fran? So I texted Elissa (she used to live there) who suggested the Embarcadero BART stop (public transist) and off I went.



I didn't have quite enough time to take an extra bus to the Golden Gate bridge but I did get to walk along the water, people watch, shop in a local market and walk through the Ferry Building Marketplace.









I also splashed out and ate 6 Sweetwater Bay Oysters (Tomales Bay, California) at The Hog Island Oyster Company. Along with the sweet but salty oysters, I washed down a Blue Star brew. Lovely! It was an excellent stop-over on my way to London. Can't wait to go back.

I Can't Make It In, I'm Getting a Boob Job

UK employees at the Tameside Council in Greater Manchester are now cleared to ask for unpaid time off for cosmetic surgery. The METRO reported on this trend on Friday.

Managers admit a boob job is a "stressful experience" and that offering support in the form of time off would encourage a higher performance level from staff members.

Should employees have the option to take time off for cosmetic surgery?

Surprise!

Wow.

That's all I can say.

Kingsley wooed me to a romantic dinner for two tonight. On the way there, we (supposedly) got lost and I was a bit testy saying "We know where we're going darling we looked it up on the map!" Come to find out... Kinglsey was stalling. He finally led me to the restaurant after a couple of strange calls.

As he and I were walking upstairs to the bar, our song came on "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" and we walked into a room with our closest friends yelling "SURPRISE!" My dear friends Margs and Des arranged a lovely engagement party complete with decorations and notes where friends had signed their wishes. I was so shocked Kingsley had to shove a glass of champers into my hand and say "drink this, honey!" I've had the most glorious evening and I promise to post pictures soon.

Rejection

Before I left for London I received my first rejection letter for the book I'm working on. The concept isn't quite what one agent is looking for. I was disappointed but not too down about it. Since I've worked in the literary world since 2000, I've seen both rejection letters and acceptance letters. Luckily, I understand the process and the motivation that can come from rejection but it hasn't always been that way.

My first painful experience of rejection came in 6th grade when I tried out for cheerleader at Powell Middle School. I practiced endlessly, bought a cute outfit for tryouts and after the results were posted, my parents dropped me off at the front door of the school to check the list. I walked quickly toward the door alone full of hope and excitement. That was short lived. Another candidate passed me in the corridor and said "Oh, you didn't make it either." Ouch.

Keeping up my pace, I continued to walk to the door and looked over the list twice. Nope. Didn't make it. I tried not to cry and got back into the car attempting to hide some of my disappointment. Rejection is painful even when it isn't direct.

Over the next few weeks I asked myself why over and over again. Why not me? Eventually, I used the experience to drive me to get better. Later in life, when I was applying for my first TV job after my internship at CNN, daddio gave me great advice. He said a rejection is one closer to an acceptance. I've tried to live with that positive attitude and use a "No" as motivation to earn a "Yes."

What lessons have you learned from rejection?

Something to Talk About

The watercooler news in London is:



1. Amy Winehouse's husband threatens to file for divorce from prison. Sources say she's having an affair with someone she met in the Bahamas. The story I'm linking to says Blake was upset over a long meeting she had with record producer Mark Ronson. Scandal!



2. Of course the Brtis HAVE to obsess over the latest with the Royals. Seems Prince Harry has had a couple of embarrassing moments. He is on tape 3 years ago calling an Army colleague a "raghead" and another officer "our little Paki friend." Now this morning it comes out that his father, Prince Charles refers to his Asian friend as "Sooty." Ouch. Does this language show just how out of touch they really are? Some say racism is behind the comments. Drama for sure.



3. Another big story circulating the air waves in the UK is that of a more serious and sad nature. A full-term pregnant woman collapsed in her bedroom following a brain hemmorage. She was rushed to the hospital but died upon arrival. Doctors kept her on life support for 2 days while they injected steroids into her blood stream to help the baby develop as quickly as possible. Then, specialists delivered the little girl. She weighed 2lbs but is expected to live.

Squirrel-Flavored "Crisps"

Britian loves chips...referred to as "crisps."

LONDON (AFP) - Chilli and chocolate, crispy duck with hoisin sauce and Cajun squirrel are among a tastebud-testing new range of crisp flavours launched in Britain on Friday.

The flavours, chosen by the public and developed with the help of top chief Heston Blumethal, also include fish and chips, builder's breakfast and onion bhaji.

"The complexities of flavour fascinate me and to watch the British public get so excited about taste has been absolutely inspiring," said Blumenthal, chef of the Michelin three-starred Fat Duck restaurant.

"We've had an incredible response and sifting through the entries has been quite incredible. I can't wait to see which one the public choose as their winner!" he said.

The six flavours were chosen from more than a million suggestions sent in to crisp makers Walkers after they launched their "Do Us A Flavour" campaign last year to find out the British public's snack tastes.

They will be sold until May, after which there will be a vote to decide which flavour stays on sale permanently. The creator of the winner will get 50,000 pounds (77,000 dollars, 56,000 euros) plus one percent of future sales.

Of the six finalists, only one was proposed by a man: Cajun squirrel is the brainchild of Martyn Wright, 26, who said he was inspired to enter when he saw squirrel on a restaurant menu.

"This gentle Cajun flavouring will be delicious for the public and although the idea might sound bizarre, it really works," he said, while underlining that no squirrels were harmed in making the crisps.

Blond Across The Pond

In September 2006, I boarded a plane to a new destiny. My dreams took me to London to study for my Master's degree. While living there, I met my fiance, Kingsley. Since March 2008 we've been apart with visits in June and September while he emotionally supports my decision to get back into my television journalism career. In May, we'll marry and live together in Eugene, OR but until then, it is so difficult to be apart.

Luckily, I have the resources to fly to London and visit for a week. I promise to take lots of pictures, a few videos and make memories to share on the blog. Till then, won't you please post a comment (it'll provide some updated content)?

Review of The Nines in Portland, OR

If you like to walk into a space and see fresh, exotic flowers, The Nines in Portland might interest you. From striking arrangements of green and fuchsia orchids to creative art in the shape of shoes and dresses, luxury grows in the form of the unexpected in this hotel.

The lobby is flanked by sleek black and white mannequins positioned in a trio, overlooking an interesting installment of plastic chains that remind me of costume jewelry. The instant I walked into The Nines, my mind was tickled with the scene and I enjoyed being a little bit confused and a little bit wowed.

In a place as fancy as this you might think the people behind the front desk would be a tad stuck-up. Perhaps they wait a beat or two before checking you in. Not at all. The hosts not only helped us immediately, they smiled and offered directions and recommendations.

But how about the room...?

Small but luxurious. The king bed is framed by a large white, vinyl headboard and matching modern lamps. The wallpaper is damask in a medium-gold with a darker overlay.

The drapers were lovely and heavy and our favorite piece in the room was the above chair. Just enough of teal to pop. You can't tell from the picture but the teal design was a raised velvet. Very pretty.

There is an ice machine on every level, a small office area, a decent-sized closet and of course, 2 plush robes.

Even though the full-length windows did not open, we had a nice view of the courtyard. A downside is the lack of outdoor space and natural light from windows. The room was dark but it seemed to add to the luxurious feel.

The courtyard contains The Nines' restaurant and bar, Urban Farmer. The design supports the unique name of the place with cowhide covered booths and corn stalks that appear to be growing out of short walls. The restaurant also supports local and west coast farmers. We didn't try the food but next time I'm planning on it.

Overall The Nines exceeded my expectations. Even the price was excellent. For a four star status, I paid $92 (including taxes and fees) for one night...booked on Priceline. Parking is additional.

Henry's Tavern

Your head could be spinning. (First, she posts about wine tasting...then she posts about mothers who kill their children...now about a bar in Portland...is Denae okay?) I know my blog has hosted very bipolar posts lately but I must say, my love for books goes hand in hand with travel food
and the occasional adult bevy.

So... back to Portland and my day with Kate. We stopped in at Henry's Tavern because I do love supporting the locals. Henry Weinhard began brewing beer in Oregon in the late 1800s. I even found a picture of the demolition of the old brewery before it come the popular Portland hangout: Henry's Tavern.





That was then. This is now:

The restaurant has an impressive bar with 100 beers on tap.

We sampled several "tastes" (they are served in these sweet little cordial glasses). My tries included: Bridgeport Blue Heron Pale Ale (brewed in Portland, OR) and the Cascades Blonde Bombshell (didn't really like it - too bad, am looking for a Blond Across the Pond sponsor.) I finally went with a favorite: Leinenkugel's Sunset Wheat from Chippewa Wall Falls, Wisconsin. It has a strong blueberry taste and like a Blue Moon, it is served with an orange.