I cannot believe I missed watching Bruce Springsteen’s Glastonbury headline set in favour of one of the most dreadful movies I’ve ever seen. The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw, whose film reviews I always rush to look up after sitting through something particularly loathesome, describes Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen as “at once loud and boring, like watching paint dry while getting hit over the head with a frying pan… [for] two and a half hours.” The only thing I can think to add was that it felt like twice as many.
So we only caught the last five minutes, but at least the BBC’s online coverage is pretty comprehensive and I’ve got plenty of catching up to do. Shame the Boss won’t be covering Joe Strummer or playing with the Gaslight Anthem in Dublin or Glasgow, but that taster has gotten me pretty excited.
And at least those shows will be free of the execrable Jo Whiley, who the BBC still wheel out to spout inanities during their live music coverage…
It’s been a really good weekend, in no small part due to my favourite Kiwi’s first visit to Scottish shores. Finally getting to meet people in the flesh after months or years of chatting online is always brilliant, but when it’s one of your oldest and dearest friends it’s even more special. This weekend I got to buy Ness her first Irn Bru, and show her some of my favourite bits of Glasgow and Edinburgh. Also, inadvertantly, quite a few dodgy back alleys. And we did a lot of walking.
It rained on Edinburgh yesterday, but there were plenty of shops to pop in and out of. We weren’t keen on the castle – thirteen quid for a visit, when you can take a photo from the street? No thanks – but sheltered from the rain in a seventeenth century tenement. Later we got our photo taken with a teddy bear that is currently travelling from Lands End to John O’Groats (and his friends, two policemen cycling for a cancer charity) in the oldest pub in Edinburgh, and I found a fantastic red cordoroy bomber jacket in Armstrongs. It looks like a Michael Jackson tribute and smells like patchouli oil and charity shops. I love it – not bad for a fiver.
Good times, people, good times. But it’s Monday again and I feel as if I’ve been hit in the face by a train. Back to work.
I’ve read so much anti-Jo Whiley stuff over the weekend that I’m actually starting to feel quite sorry for her, which is a novel feeling, for sure.
Really? The movie was that bad? Wow.
Transformers really was a load of old bollocks. But my sister and I saw Year One last night and it was…disappointing, so we woulda lost either way, I reckon.
THANK YOU SO MUCH for my awesome Scottish weekend. You are an angel and a wonderful host and tourguide! I am now completely addicted to Irn Bru and this may prove problematic when I get back to NZ. Also, I took your advice and had a bacon roll at that place at Glasgow Central, and it was HEAVENLY.
Kate: Yeah, I have a horrible feeling we started that particular Twitter meme
I am, of course, just jealous because I want her job.
Ari: God, yes. That bad. We had gone to see Drag Me To Hell but it was sold out. The thing is, both Jay and I really liked the first Transformers movie but neither of us had any interest in seeing the second. We should have gone with our instincts, really
Ness: I will trade you Irn Bru for Eskimos, since my other half polished them off last night before I got the chance to attempt to make lolly cake! Apparently, Rich Tea are the rough UK equivalent of malted biscuits…
You are awesome.
Hullo, I am Nessa’s sister, thanks for showing her such a good time! I have made lolly cake here using malted milk biscuits (the colour is not the same but it tastes almost identical) and these funny ‘foam shrimp’ lollies you get at Sainsbury’s (they are the closest to Eskimos… but not as good). Vanessa is right, Year One is mostly bollocks so don’t bother. We should have seen a Bollywood movie!
Chloe: I hear you have lots to choose from since the Amazon man has been good! I know the shrimps you mean, that might be worth a try…!