We managed through the heatwave. Please could we not have another one for a good long while.
My son’s graduation was really nice – both the AM school ceremony (small-ish – maybe 40 people out of 160 graduating showed up – more came to the big ceremony) and full uni later in the day (in a rugby stadium – with fancy pyrotechnics at the end – my pictures are mediocre, but such is life).
I wish I had some funnies to relate about the two days but alas no.
The train journeys were disrupted for a variety of reasons (heat, accidents).
The hotel, with its stupid mark-up due to it being graduation time, which was rated 4 stars looked more like what I expect hotels in Eastern European cities looked like in the late ‘70s. I kept expecting the secret police to come into the breakfast room and take someone away. And the hot buffet was so so sad-looking. I wrote a scathing review on Google and wasn’t particularly nice in the one the hotel itself asked for (basically said they need to gut the room and start again). Below is a pic of our view out the window.
I parked myself for an hour between the two ceremonies in the Apple store to charge my phone – and because it was air conditioned. And drooled over the new machinery.
The dog was pleased to see me when I picked him up at 6:30 AM on Thursday from the neighbours.
The rental car company sent an email confirming that I was not responsible for damage to their car and the damage case was hereby closed.
I made a belated birthday pudding for my son – that watermelon, rose and cream thing I showed last week. I was sceptical the whole way through (it was one of those weird puddings that feature during British summertime: sort of caky, a bit mushy, fruit soaked in something, in this case rosewater and sugar). But it was awesome even if it looks like pablum, with some red decorations.
The rosewater made me think of rose perfumes – it actually smelled that good. So, I pulled my one rose out of the box, SL Rose de Nuit, and wore it to celebrate. Rose and fruit is such a good combo, in this case apricot. And it also made me think of a long-ago friend who wore YSL Rive Gauche very well and then another who wore YSL Paris in the 1980s. And that sent me off thinking about getting dressed up to go dancing in the 1980s. Which led to thinking about the backless black angora dress I had …
Anyway, hope your week was good, that your weather was reasonable, and that you are able to avoid hotels that look like there are secret cameras in the palms in the corner.
Pics: The VW is Pexels. Everything else is me.
That dessert looks like it smelled delicious. I can’t stand sogginess, so I would have to pass on tasting it though. I love rose scented things. In Turkey they serve rose jelly which is lovely. It’s my area’s turn to be in a heatwave now. Thank goodness for air conditioning.
Definitely soggy. I love Rose flavoured Turkish delight. Always have a box at holiday time. I hope your weather shifts soon.
Oh, lordt! That room view reminds me of the Overlook Hotel I stayed in during that ill-fated trip to St Louis late last year. Alas, hotels in cities usually end up looking over some really manky vistas.
Glad the heat broke – and delighted that graduation ceremonies were successful and pleasant!
That dessert……. um……. well. What. Portia. Said.
And also, desserts that look like that are all too often TOO delicious! And I end up eating way too much of it.
xoxoxo
I think this was the worst view I’ve had. The whole vibe was awful. Dessert is now gone and I won’t be baking again for a while. I’m incapable of not eating baked goods when they are in the house.
I was thinking about you and hoping you weren’t melting, glad it went okay! That cake looks absolutely DIVINE, we don’t really have those cakey / mushy / fruity things here and I think they’re delicious … and I love that you followed up with some rose perfume!
Tuesday we absolutely melted. It was so uncomfortable. Indeed, those sorts of desserts are so British. Very comforting.
Embarrassing truth coming at you Cinnamon: I absolutely LOVE looking out over trains; and having them pass right under the window is nearly as good as a 34th story water fountain view room at Bellagio for me. Seriously. No, I have no idea why but i love it.
Poor buffet breakfast though, that can piss off.
Glad the graduations were fun. Did the graduating student love that you came?
That cake looks like a car accident. Bet it was bloody delicious.
LOVE roses in perfume, with almost anything.
Portia x
OMG! with the ‘cake looks like a car accident’!!! I have to remember to not drink anything while reading your post(s) or comment(s), P. Omg.
xoxoxo
Any specific reason why on the trains? I mean I like trains but tracks etc not so much. I would far rather watch people going about their daily lives. It does look like road kill but it tasted wonderful.
I’m glad for you that the weather broke. Oh that hotel, nice depressing view, I can just imaging how nice the rooms are.
I love those creamy English fruit desserts. They might not be as dainty looking as some other they are delicious.
The US looks like it’s baking.
The hotel was unpleasant and weird. I really do wonder if the good reviews are from people who work for the company and visitors who don’t go to hotels much.
I am not partial to things like trifle, but this was actually really good. Recipe is going into the clipping book.
Congratulations to your son and to you. The Apple Store is always very entertaining but the prices of everything not so much. I live on the east coast and the weather has been hotter than Hades.
All the students seemed very cheerful about the big ceremony. His uni isn’t that well organised but they managed this ok.
Oh, the Apple store …
Been watching East Coast weather. Looks unpleasant. Is it due to break soon?
I suspect I know where you stayed. Well one of two potential hotels. I recognise the skyline. I lived, worked & studied in the city though latterly I commuted from out in the sticks.
Don’t blame you hiding in the Apple store, it was scorching & the pollution there is suffocating.
The British soft, creamy summer desserts with soft fruits, cake, meringue or even stale bread are delicious. Though yes, once started, they can look like pavement pizza.
I wish I could have witnessed the reading of you review by the hotel manager, bet it doesn’t make it to their website
Really? It’s such a weird place — at least IMHO. My son was fine there but I felt very twitchy about it after the first visit.
As I said on Tom’s comment, I don’t like trifle, but this thing was wonderful. I prefer things like sticky toffee pudding and cream teas. Love clotted cream on anything.
Congratulations in your son’s graduation! It’s still over 100 every day here but we’re hoping for some rain at the end of the week. And I have a fascinating writing project to work on, so staying indoors isn’t terrible. Hope your next week brings only good things (and good weather!)
Tx. Fingers crossed for rain. Hope the grid is holding up.