Elf’s Drinky Links (II)

Unless you live under a rock you’ll know it’s Cheltenham, and I’m pretty sure it doesn’t have its own cocktail, its not really a cocktail event….

however in the horsey theme The Kentucky Derby has its official cocktail, The Mint Julep!

Very easy to make, and might be a nice change for those that like Mojitos!

That’s the Drink… now for the links……

Xbox makes the newspaper for the second time in as many months

Gingerpixel too!

Macawilliams First photo from his new camera

Swiss Miss’s four rules more to be found on Notes to self

Proof that the Duck (like the man) is not for turning – have to say I laughed at the Registers heading for it “Bloke-Duck-Mounting”

The Guardian post Wendy Richard’s Chilli Recipe - I love the commentary on this recipe and recipes in general, which says a lot for our culinary blog friends.

“A recipe isn’t just a set of instructions for cooking, it’s a personal gift.

When someone gives you a recipe, they are not teaching you how to do something, but wanting you to experience something they loved.”

Sticking with food, the ever wonderful lady that is Grannymar has shared with us most graciously her favourite sandwich recipes  – now these hit the spot in terms of my culinary prowess…

The influence of Desked, our new favourite blog is can be seen all over the place - ok so maybe not Desked influenced but it is a gorgeous desk!

On the topic of cool things on Design Milk, this is a fantastic idea for families with power hungry kids , although you would have to find a way to ensure they cant just unplug it and toss it to the side.

Don’t forget to vote for Irish man George in his attempt to get the Best Job in the World

And OF COURSE for our own Rick O’Shea in the Meteor’s

And to finish with something sweet!

What you talkin bout Willis

Things to do…. Things not to do…

Things to do….

The Lives of others has a cunning plan for all your secret rants and wishes…
Try it, I’m sure you’ll like it….

#133: Envious
Originally uploaded by Stacy Magallon

Things not to do…..

Or at least not to replicate on *your* scanner…

Scanwiches, an archive of scanned sandwiches, as you do!

via SwissMiss

Spring has Sprung…

What a wonderful day today.

It was a real pleasure to cycle to work this morning, and I promised myself that I will take a morning/day off and do my route to work with a camera soon. There are so many cool shots to be had in the morning bike rush, if I can get my hands on a decent camera I know I’ll make some of the photo-bloggers mouths water.

All topped of with plenty of stops along the way… I especially want to go back here for breakfast on that day!

(Of course this day off can be scheduled with anyone’s visit, just pick a weekday morning and bring nerves of corrugated iron, if not steel, and we will have a blast)

So imagine my delight when the sun was still shining at 5.30pm, I took this as a sign I was not to work late and quickly donned my very glamorous cycling gear (Trackie bottoms and a sweatshirt) and hit the streets to cycle home. It wasn’t as much fun as this morning, obviously people we no longer “sunshine happy” after a day at the office, and the good will and smiling of the morning commute had petered out.

All strains petered away as I cornered onto my street and heard the first Westerkerk Evening Carillon of 2009!

Westertoren

I haven’t heard it since October, at which point I did video it with the aim of sharing it here, but like many blog posts at the time it gathered dust.

So now I’d like to share this magical thing with you. It might be the memories of the notes flowing across the summer warmed canal that makes it so special to me but still I’d like to share.

To me it rings out in such a way that if you sit and listen you can imagine living here in another time, I think of all the historical figures that would have listened to its melodies, Anne Frank and Rembrandt van Rijn as examples.

Of course this is where the “beauty” of single glazed wood frame windows come into their own, it plays throughout my 3rd floor apartment, as if only for me

The Westerkerk stands pretty much at the top of my street (if you don’t count the Prinsengracht separating the two) and as I got off my bike and chained it up was beaming listening to the tune. I looked down toward the the end of the street and noted I wasn’t the only person enjoying it. Many of the patrons of one of the local bars, Cafe Chris were out with their beertjes listening too.

I quickly went upstairs and tried to capture it on my rubbish camera phone, so forgive the orientation of the video, and the sub par picture, but the sound really does work! Had to take it several times as it picked up every conversation had on the street.

And here is an inside view of what is going on when a carillon is played

And last but not least, a little clip of Tulips from Amsterdam, taken from the top of the Westertoren when it was being repaired in 2007.

I want to climb the tower soon, its 85 metres high and was completed in 1638. In fact the local bar I mentioned earlier played a part in its construction, and was reputed not only to be the local bar of Rembrandt, who stopped there for a tipple or many on rout from his studio, but it was also used as the payroll office of the workers building the tower.

There is a unique gents restroom in the premises which I am happy to show you when we go for a beertje sometime!

See you there, hopefully the bells will be chiming!