#264 Swobo Swapo - Tea for Shirt

The other day on my clicking travels round the internet I stopped by the Swobo website, they are located in Northern California and sell bikes and nice clothing. I have a couple of their merino wool cycling jerseys.

Just as I visited, they proposed a competition to win a T-shirt by guessing the drummer on a Thelonius Monk Quartet record. As chance would have it, I'd just posed for a Monk Sleeveface (see#254) with that self same album - so I knew that the drummer was Jackie Dunlop.

After a few false starts I was granted the prize of a Swobo T shirt - but, as the shipping by UPS to Spain would have cost them over 80 bucks, I suggested it would be more economic to send the shirt to my friend Susan in Chicago.

This is the bizarre bit, only a day or two before I had mailed Susan and asked her to send me a packet of Celestial Seasonings Morning Thunder Tea (which I can't get in Spain), serendipitously I could now repay her good deed with an organic cotton Swobo T-shirt. Circle completed! Loose ends tied up! Profit and Loss balanced! Tea for T!

It's like that old Seinfeld episode where every time Gerry loses $10 he finds another $10 for free. This might be the start of a whole new economic lifestyle, after all I just got cloves from Bali and sent back Chorizo sausages (#244).

What else can I barter? Does anyone in Eastern Europe want to send me some pickled red cabbage in exchange for, say, a few second hand (long valve) inner tubes? Or is there anyone in France who would trade me half a dozen free-range Bresse hen's eggs for a kilo or two of unsprayed Spanish oranges . . . . . . anyone? . . . . anything?

I'll put the kettle on while you think about it.























As a p.s. to the Tea post, I also received from SN of Chicago, a greeting card made by the Borealis Press which, quite rightly, says "If You Rest - You Rust".

But, more interestingly, information on the back of the card reads; Made in the USA with soy inks on acid-free, recycled, chlorine-free paper, which produces no dioxins in the mill waste. Printed using wind-generated electric power by workers dressed in second-hand flour sacks, sporting full beards, Aztec silver nose rings and shod in organic hemp high heeled sandals (and that's just the female staff).

Additionally, all the workers at Borealis Press are requested to defecate daily into a methane gas digester designed by the pioneer of sustainable energy, Ram Bux Singh, at the Gobar Gas Research Station in Aiitmal, northern India. I believe the gas is used to power the company's fleet of Humvees.

#263 Snapper

Sorting through a box of stuff, the other day, I came across this photo I took during the European Duathlon Championships in Birmingham (UK) back in 19 hundred and something. I was also the race organiser so the day passed in a blur - as did so many other race organising days (RODs) - now they go nice and slowly :-)

Mike Trees is in the lead and, funnily enough, a few months ago I called him up to blag a pair of Newton running shoes (he is the the UK importer). The blag didn't quite work but I did get a discount, hurray! Well done, Mike!

#262 Bloody Noisy Neighbours on YouTube ;-)

I shouldn't say bloody and they were more musical than noisy and anyway they aren't our neighbours - although they were playing outside. Can you see the little girl having fun :-)

#261 Digging for Victory

My wife has taken it on herself to dig a vegetable patch. She's planted all types of potatoes, carrots, onions - almost anything edible in the veg line you can think of.

Already she has her first crop! A Bunch of Radishes :-)

So, its radish for tea, radish for dinner, radish breakfast and even, maybe, a light radish lunch - well, they are organic, you know.

#260 For Sale

This bike started out in 1987 as my Ironman Hawaii triathlon bike (see pic on #231). Then it had a rest for 20 years before it became Tom's Barcelona Beater.

We've had a swap round and now its for sale (It's too fast for me).

#259 Sculpture

My daughter, Carrie made this Thin & Fat sculpture :-)
She usually makes pots as a hobby but got the chance to sculpt.
Good, eh?

#258 This Year's Ride

I was out on my bike and saw this sign so stopped to take a snap.

I got so enthused by it that I decided to pick one of the destinations and this summer I'm going to put a bag on my handlebars, pack a credit card and go touring.

After all, the world's my lobster ;-)

#257 Film Review - Repo Man

This could be a Tarantino flick . . . . it's weird :-)
or even X Files (apparently) but in a nice surrealistic '80s way.
It's Intense . . . . .

#256 Oranges & Almonds

Very pleasant 55km ride to-day. Even more pleasant 'cos it's almond blossom time.

We also have oranges in abundance. Some groves get harvested and the oranges get sent away on big trucks and some are left to rot and fall to the ground . . . odd isn't it?

#255 Sea Food and Eat It

We went round the corner to Casa Federico for various types of sea food, viz: Cuttle Fish, Tuna, Langoustines, Hake, Monk Fish, Sea Bass, Sole, Muscles and various Prawns.
O, por mis amigos españoles: Sepia, Atun, Langostinos, Merluza, Rape, Lubina, Lenguado y Gambas variadas.
Et mes amis francais: Seiche, Thon, Langoustine, Merlu, Lotte, Loup de Mer, Sole et Crevettes divers. (Voila!)

It took two of us, but we ate it all :-)

#254 MonkFace

Big grin, my Bryan Ferry got put on Sleeveface.
http://www.sleeveface.com/ (look on 10 Feb).

So now - even more!























Here's the Body and Soul of Thelonius Monk.
He's thinking about something Sweet and Lovely,
or has he got the Bolivar Blues?
'cos he's Just a Gigolo, working at the Five Spot.
No, that's not it - it's only Monk's Dream of a
Sweet Mississippi.
Bye-ya!

#253 Jazz number 7

Seventh jazz compilation - the Amy Winehouse track, phew!












I know I've got My Funny Valentine in twice, they're both. . . . . .
. . . . . rather good :-) In fact there are dozens and dozens of versions. I did a search and found all the usual Jazz Suspects but the two that caught my eye were versions by Harpo Marx, on harp obviously, and Eartha Kitt who's voice you might think had been put through some sort of weird vibrato machine. Both worth a listen, just for the grin :-)

I'm looking for a song called Concrete and Clay by Unit 4 + 2. I know it's on iTunes but if anyone can point me towards a cheaper option, I would be most grateful. TIA.

#252 Card y Mons

Our friends Jose Luis and Beatriz went to India and when they were down in Kerela they bought us a bag of cardamons for our larder. Usually I separate the seeds from the little green pods, which is somewhat of a chore, having to smash them up and pick out all the little black seeds. So I got to thinking, do I *really* need to do this?

As an experiment I chewed up a pod - ok, quite pistachio like.
Then I chewed a (little) seed. Pow! what an explosion of flavour.

Conclusion: Carry on separating.

#251 Two New Shoes

I bought a pair of Camper shoes in the sales. Even better than the two thirds price reduction, each shoe has a different map of Barcelona on the sole. Excellent!

Now I won't get lost going up and down the Ramblas and I can direct strangers to, say, the Parc Guell or the Museum of Sexual Waxworks by doing an Irish Jig à la Michael Flatley and letting them do their own map reading.

Of course it makes my Nokia smart phone with its built-in GPS redundant. Oh well.

#250 Bali Wedding

Ref #244: Monsieur et Madame Dominique Guiet were so pleased to receive my parcel of Spanish Chorizo Sausage, Manzanilla Olives and Boquerone fishes that they went straight out and got married!

#249 All 64

Explanation. This is a compilation of (mostly) my photos.
Some have been Photoshoped, others are bits of graphic art.
I started by making four, then another four, then another.
Now I've put them all together in one mass of 64.

#248 More or Less

This is the seventeenth Four.
So, either throw one set away, or create fifteen more.
. . . . . . . (thinks) . . . . .

#247 More fours

Recently Renovated - three of the sixteen Fours series.
Changed a few positions and brought some subs off the bench.

#246 Ferry Face

My Bryan Ferry contribution to Sleeveface.
Click here and also see Flickr's Sleeveface group.

#245 More Soul

I made a new soulful playlist. . . . . . . . it's cool man.

#244 Cloves from Bali

I happened to ask my old school chum, Snowy, who lives on a beach in Bali under some coconut trees, if he had any cloves or black pepper in his garden. A little while later a packet arrived on my doorstep (covered in Indonesian stamps to the value of 166,000 Rupiahs - don't worry, that's only about 12€) containing the afore-said buds and berries. Big Grin. And Pretty Powerfully Pungent they are too.

Actually, equal if not more thanks to Snowy's neighbour Dominique who sent them as Snowy had gone off to Oz and delegated the job to Dom. Dom runs the fabulously, wonderful hotel Gaja Mina in Bali which you should make an effort to visit when you are next touring Indonesia. Snowy's niece has a new house in his coconut grove for occasional rent, so you will never need to sleep on the beach when in Bali.

I'm posting some Chorizo sausage and Spanish olives to Dom - depending on how hungry the postmen are - he might get them next month.

Good to have friends!

#243 Personal Plastic

I liked this pic so much (it's me being escorted into Guerande by the local bike club boys - see #215) that while I was still in France I had some postcards printed and sent them out in the mail - like you used to do before e.mail.

I also set it as the wallpaper on my MacBook. Then I put it on my phone and I now have a personalised bank card with the same image. Next . . . . . maybe a tat . . . . . ?

#242 Toys - they're good, aren't they!

I'm doing my best to improve the economy of the Western World by spending my way out of the crisis, to wit, a new mobile phone :-)

Although I'm not spending too much. Thanks to the boys next door in Muswell Hill and Sterling equalling the Euro, this lovely Nokia N82 came in at about half price.

Now I won't get lost in the middle of France, thanks to its GPS. I'll be able to keep up to date with the latest score at the Emirates (for free) while using the WiFi connection. Chat to mates in Oz via Skype. And loads more stuff that I haven't figured out yet.
Toys - they're good, aren't they!

#241 Gomiso!

On the c/Balmes in Barcelona there is a wonderful shop called Dong Fang full of Asian foodstuffs. It's an Aladdin's cave of interesting, bizarre and unusual comestibles.

I bought: Green Tea, unsweetened Peanut Butter, Glutinous Black Rice, Gomiso (sesame salt), Asafoetida powder (this smells like sulphurous farts but when cooked in a lentil dish adds that je ne sais quoi to the dish :-) Sesame Seeds, Wasabi Powder to spice up Sushi, Koh-Kae (crunchy peanuts covered in wasabi - they are hot!). Also nice red Szechuan Pepper which, if you wish to be pedantic, is not really a pepper - anyway, I forgot to include them in the photo - so there.

Embarrassing story #99.
I was taking photos at Ironman Hawaii, years ago, and was giving the runners a cheer. Some Japanese runners came by and to each one I shouted Gomiso! confusing it with Gam ba le! (courage). They must have thought it a bit weird being encouraged to take sesame flavoured salt half way through an Ironman marathon . . . . . . or maybe not . . . . . .

#240 Some Christmas Books

I bought, and was given, some books:

Le Passage de la Nuit par Haruki Murakami
to improve my French.
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
not read since I was at school.
On Wine and Hashish by Charles Baudelaire
wine yes, blow no, he says.
Leonardo da Vinci by Charles Nicholl
to be read with an enigmatic smile
Arthur Miller by Martin Gottfried
he had a famous wife.
The Dharma Bumbs by Jack Kerouac
for reading on the road.














I sent an e.mail request to dine at the most famous restaurant in the world, elBuli. However, along with a few million others was declined :-( Have to make do with the book!
Barcelona - authentic recipes looks molt bé and Sri Owen's Indonesian Food will be consumed with relish, ha ha.













And if I had a catalan dog, I would have to leave it here:

#239 Two more Movies

Vicky Christina Barcelona - file under Girly.
Film was ok, Penelope Cruz was super.

Slumdog Millionaire - file under Gritty then Bollywood.
Went from sour to sweet. Highly recommended.

From the films I've seen this year, the winner is (see post #223)
. . . . . . . In Bruges . . . . . (clapping). . . . .
and runner-up Pedro Almodóvar's - Hable con Ella. (#208)

#238 Barcelona for Christmas

Bought a Bird in Barça,
50€ in the Market!
To be roasted on Boxing Day,
We'll be having a Banquet :-)















But on Christmas Day we went to restaurant Niu Toc, on Plaça Revolució.

Starting with Amanida amb Formatge (goats cheese salad) then Arrós Negre and Sucos Llamantol. The arrós is a paella, coloured black with squid ink, brim full of mussels, clams and other little bits of black sea food.

Sucos Llamantol is a lobster dish, sloppier than a paella, more of a high class soup. The paella was marginally the better of the two, sorry to say, the photo does not do it justice.

#237 London Calling

We have come to London to visit my mum. On Friday we went out, together with her next door neighbours Ian and Robert, to a gastropub, The Clissold Arms in Muswell Hill.
10/10 for everything and everyone.















Saturday we took the tube from East Finchley and went to see an exhibition of Chinese Modern Art at the Saatchi Gallery which is just off the Kings Road in Chelsea, also 10/10. The striking picture (which is huge) is by Feng Zhengjie.


























Then to Covent Garden to buy stuff. We ended up at the Rouleur Photography Exhibition in Grays Inn Road (next door to Condor Cycles). Only 6/10. In fact their main pic seemed to be out of focus (and not in a good way). I liked this photo - b&w always seems so evocative, don't you agree?















Sunday - not much, it was cold and damp.

Monday by bus and coach to Broadstone to stay with Judy and visit Arthur.
Judy is in the middle of making this mosaic:

#236 Freak Out!

No, it's not a Frank Zappa lp cover. Just that
Carrie's Skype webcam has gone psychedelic.
Peace.

#235 Filming

Some chaps came round filming in our bario. They put some new flowers in our window and asked me to sit on a chair by the front door while they filmed. I had to sit, turn the pages of a book then look at the camera and smile.

Sit - Pretend to read - Turn pages - Look up - Smile . . . phew!
Not easy being a film actor, you know ;-)

#234 Duck!

I'm trying to go Paleo - Duck breast and green beans, or Magret de Canard avec Haricots Verts if you were to be in the subjunctive part of France ;-)

Plus a glass of red wine followed by a square or three of 85% chocolate. I don't think neolithic man had nice re-cycled portugese green glass to serve his wine in, but still.

#233 Jean Paul Gaultier suit for sale

I'm hoping to sell my vintage, circa 1988, Jean Paul Gaultier pour Gibo men's wool suit. A real collectors item but also still very wearable. The shape, the design, even the humour of this suit is in the unmistakable style of the l'enfant terrible of French fashion, Jean Paul Gaultier.

Jacket
Iconic late eighties Gaultier design with big square shoulders.
Very dark blue wool with an interesting lining.
Single breasted jacket cut to be worn open.
Beautifully made (in Italy) and still in excellent condition.

33 inches from collar to bottom, chest about 40 inches.
Two patch pockets at waist, breast pocket and an inside pocket.
Three metallic grey jacket buttons.
Matching cuff buttons which are unbuttonable.
Extra details, lapel buttonhole plus a loop hanger on the back.
Contrasting ornamental art deco style stitching on front and back, lapels and pockets.

Something more to make you smile; the inside lining (rayon?) has been screen printed with a silver and black 'skeleton' motif. The backbone is in the middle and arms at each side, a little Gaultier joke, I suppose.

Trousers
Pleated trousers approx 32 inch waist, 28 inch inside leg.
Could be lengthened by couple of inches.
Button fly. Hidden belt tunnel.
Italian style side pockets. One rear pocket.

I bought this suit at Jones in Floral Street, Covent Garden, London in 1988. I've worn about half a dozen times. Recently dry cleaned.

A Gaultier suit from the same era can be seen in the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Mine is much nicer!