Early bird Medal from NIke+

Bird Mug, originally uploaded by tashamck.

Today is an important day. ( Not in history generally but for me). I got the Early Bird Medal on Nike+ app. Okay explanations......
If you like collecting things and hoarding stuff and you also think you should exercise, may I strongly ( and I mean it ) recommend you buy an ipod nano ( if you already have an iphone that would suffice) and get the ap nike+.

As you jog it gives you a voice feedback when you're hit the half way point...and when you press on one button anytime during the run...it will tell you how much you have achieved ....pace and how many more km to your goal. ( You set your goal at the start of the run)

As you sync this with your nike+ account ( which you must create to get all the fun) you get to compare youself to others in the nike+ you see your achievements in a chart form, cumulative kms and speed....AND you get to win trophies:)

I got the Early Bird Medal this morning. How do you get it? By running between 3-6am for five times!!!

Posh meal

IMG_3435, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

Yes, this was one of the many meals in Hongkong ( Circa dec 2012) I can't remember what the name of the restaurant is...wait it will come back to me....okay here it is: Habitu Restarante the Garden. Fine dining!

I chose fish and this was it. The portion was just right. And the fish was done the way I like it. ( But as I generally hate fish I cannot claim to be a gourmet and give an adequate description) It came with this sauce which looked like jam. So I mashed it about a bit for effect. ( And too get that taste of JAM with fish) and this was the result.

Just as we had sat down to order...I nicked someone's wifi and hit the review action on this ap called foursquare where you may "check-in" to your location. And it gives people's comments on theplace.
And here's what I read " I must congratulate self on picking what is possibly the worst restaurant in Hongkong"said someone on foursquare.

Horrors! We had two options. Sit and hope for the best, or stand up and leave. We chose the former. The waiter who served us had a face like death and looked like he may turn hurt us should we do something to upset him. Obviously standing up to leave after ordering would be rude by anyone's standard.

The food truthfully was good:) Not raving good but tasty and served well. Pity there were no smiles to accompany the serving of food.

Not returning any time soon. But if you happen to read unfavourable reviews...they aren't true.

Habitu Restaurant
Lee Gardens Two, 28 Yun Ping Road,
Causeway Bay, Hongkong, China.
852-28983919

A belated Merry Christmas and a Blessed New year 2013

A belated Merry Christmas and a Blessed New year 2013, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

My 2-week long Christmas break was exactly what I needed to rejuvenate for 2013. No work ( despite efforts of bringing laptop back but then I knew this would happen) was done and certainly nothing remotely academic.

This is a picture of my latest painting effort ( mum calls it cheating) ...ie painting with numbers. Nothing to pooh-pooh. It is quite therapeutic and challenging. I dare you to get all the little bits coloured without going into the next available space. ( picture taken 80% finished)

I am trying to remember what is the most striking thing about 2012. What I remember is a sense of loss. I saw two friends lose a parent each.  A dear friend lost a very young niece at the brink of adulthood. There was a loss of two colleagues ( one much older and in another establishment and another slightly older and she was briefly a patient of mine) I also think of the loss of one of many authors I love reading; Maeve Binchey.

But I also remember good friends whom I have made over the years and kind people who have touched me in various degrees.

This new year ( being older and wiser ) I would like to be calmer and be able to gently appreciate life, family and friends without whom life would be rather empty.

Happy New Year 2013 to all who read this blog. Sorry for the big gap I was too busy enjoying my holiday!!)

New balance

341/365 - Hi, originally uploaded by Wayne-K.

Another non-Vienna post this evening. No nike free run for my knee. It swells up after the first jog but not directly. So I'm at a lost, what to do with not one but the TWO pairs of nike free run shoes sitting in the shoe cupboard.
New balance suits my knees just fine. I'm not saying nike isn't good. It's just not what my knees like. ( They're fussy old knees you know which needs a bit of loving) My next big buy would be brooks. Oh but it is so expensive and my fear is buying one....jogging....only to have my right knee swell.

Burnt Out

Burnt Out, originally uploaded by bikesnotscott.

A lovely picture I wish I was one of the matches with the vibrant red tip in the picture. Deadlines are meant to scare you into actually doing work....I don't care what the real definition is. You see that sorry-looking match ...yes that could well be us...in 1 year from now should we choose to focus on wrong goals.

As the year comes to an end...

Near Arcotel Hotel, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

Time flies for some people. For me...it gallops at a super fast pace when I'm not paying attention. And as in the year before I am trying to squeeze in more work in these last few days than humanly possible. So let's have some facts ( and fiction) in bullet form for some light-reading today.

• My Vienna posts shall continue but perhaps intermittently in between daily posts.
• Burt's bee does a MEAN peppermint shower gel you simply MUST consider buying to sooth the body at the end of a hard day working. ( I kid you not)
• I have decided to like the pure leather version of the La pliage Longchamp which only means I'm now possibly going to join the ranks of "those who live beyond their means" yuck!
• The jogging frenzy has fizzled slightly but I don't forsee it dying off completely. Thanks to jogging i am look forward to some nice dresses in the new year.
• Solaris has gone and done what is possibly a very mean move. The lovely carpark rate of RM1 per entry has been hiked up. Parts of the carpark has been designated "PREMIER" parking. My honeydew during a quick dash to solaris costs an extra RM5 thanks to the parking rates.
• I played disastrously in the mini-concert last Sunday. Still cringe when I think of the bars and bars of wrong notes I played that afternoon. Age does not make your skin thicker...old people are still able to feel acute pangs of embarassment. 
• AJ and I have not had regular scrabble matches for a few months now. We're both out of practice. Yes I'm speaking on AJ's behalf.
• My moo cow addiction is dying off slowly. ( do I hear a sigh of relief out there?)

More soon. It's nearly 11pm and I need to lie down 

Cobblestone road

Cobblestone road, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

I found this street while walking about trying to find Mozart's apartment. What I ended up doing was to walk in a huge big loop and returning to find the place incredibly near where I started. I wouldn't want to be wearing heels and walking down this road. I wonder how the folks at Trinity College Dublin walk to lectures. We didn't have cobblestone in Galway. But we did have gale-force- wind to keep us away from attending morning lectures.

Bubbled water in a glass

Bubbled water in a glass, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

I tried googling re" glasses with etchings on them"....but found nothing much apart from musical etchings. If you order water ( at least in the restaurants I ate in) you get served with glasses like this with little numbers at the side. Am I correct in guessing it's also used to serve beer? Picture taken in a rather nice restaurant where I had the traditional Viennese dish served with coins of potatoes. It was nice and warm indoors...:)

BIke for rent!

BIke for rent!, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

This is seen just behind St Stephen's Cathedral. Don't you think the colors are absolutely vibrant? Bikes for rent. That's what they are. I think Vienna is pretty accessible by bicycle. Except for the cold knuckles and frozen fingers you may want to consider it as a decent mode of transport. Pssst.....I read on the net, the first hour is free!!!!2nd hour: 1 euro per started hour
3rd hour: 2 euros per started hour
4th - 120th hour: 4 euros for each started hour. Flat fee for exceeding the hours or loss of the bike: 600 euros

Citybike Info Hotline: Tel. 0810 500 500
www.citybikewien.at

L Heiner

L Heiner, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

Heiner is apparently ( I've only just googled it and most articles are in German) famous for pastries. This was taken super early in the morning. The shop was still closed. ( YOu can see how dark it is indoors) I was attracted to the marzipans. Aren't they lovely? As a rule, I don't fancy marzipans...they're sweet and leave a sugary taste on my teeth.

Music :)

Music :), originally uploaded by ETU!.

We have a mini-concert this afternoon ...I'll be playing Vivaldi's Winter and I hope not to hit more than two wrong notes. As the teacher says...I must feel the music and enjoy playing.

Popcorner

Popcorner, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

It's true! You really should invest in good advertising. And as advertising goes, striking colors count for a lot. This is how I came to be in the possession of just such a picture. It's a small shop off one of the lanes in Vienna. When I walked pass, it was empty but I have since googled the shop and pictures of the inside features loads of colourful popcorn and many more people in the shop. I really should have bought a packet to taste!!! Please click here to visit a website which features more pictures of the inside and what they sell!


Popcorner
Naglergasse 3
1010 Wien