28 September 2007

THE ART OF ITALY

© the queen
There is a really nice exhibition at the Queen’s Gallery at the moment and not just because it’s got something to do with Italy. Although it’s quite small and intimate, there’s quite a lot to look at and the colours are very vibrant. There are even two Gentileschi paintings, père et fille, which I liked very much. Definitely worth a visit.

24 September 2007

RWC - III

© bbc
Another interesting week at the Rugby World Cup where the gap between the northern and southern hemispheres is widening still further, with each being top of their various pool tables, and the littler nations still throwing themselves into games wholeheartedly. However, the word this week for England is ‘composure’ since they managed to win their game against Samoa 44-22, and this when it appeared that all could well be lost after they nodded off for a bit during the second half. The last of the pool games are played this week, which will decide who goes through to the Quarter Finals and who goes home. Ooh, it’s nailbiting stuff!

23 September 2007

EMMITOUFLER

© noahgrey
Today is the first day of autumn, when day and night are of equal length and henceforth it will get darker earlier and earlier and I’ve learned a suitably apt new word which I am going to throw in to my conversations at any appropriate, and maybe even inappropriate, moments. So, heed my advice: emmitouflez-vous!

19 September 2007

RWC - II

Since the last update, there have been two weeks of World Cup rugby. In this time, Italy have played Georgia (after just a few days’ turnaround from their All Blacks game) and Romania this evening. They won both games the hard way. But at least Mauro scored a try! Things which I’ve liked from these two weeks are the so-called ‘minnows’ giving it their all and upsetting the ‘natural’ order of things; the breathtaking power and speed of the All Blacks; handbag fights at rucks and France’s strong performance against Namibia. More to come and a good week-end in prospect :)

18 September 2007

DOUBLE HEADER

The English Premiership kicked off on Saturday with two all-London games, back to back, at Twickenham. (This, by the way, is unlike the French, who are quite sensibly holding off starting their Championship until the end of the World Cup.) It was a wonderfully sunny day, apparently the last sunny week-end of the summer and even though the teams were missing their internationals, the games were still enjoyable and I was glad that Harlequins won their game (even if David Strettle’s metatarsal still hasn’t healed ;p)

One slightly disconcerting thing I noticed was that the stadium seemed to have borrowed my ipod for songs to entertain the crowd. Should I really be admitting this and thereby demonstrating just how much rugby may have infiltrated my life? :/

14 September 2007

NUL POINTS!

© RWC
England 0 - South Africa 36
Too slow. Loss of mental edge. Good spanking. 'Nuff said. Bah!

10 September 2007

RWC - I

Having spent the week desperately trying to recover from some horrid bug, the week-end didn’t start too promisingly and it was actually debatable whether I would make it down to Marseille. But being the determined yatje I am, and not wanting to miss out on any exciting World Cup action (especially when Mirco’s in the team), off I flew. The opening night was remarkable, to say the least, with an upset for France, who were fair and squarely beaten by Argentina. Even watching it in the hotel, the wretchedness was palpable.
Anyway, no time to dwell on that defeat, onto the next match: Italy against New Zealand. I have never been to Marseille before and was wondering whether all the rumours I’d heard about it and its people were actually true. Yes, the town is a little scruffy and I can definitely confirm that it is HOT! However, the Marseillais are not even half as rude or unhelpful, or even as undecipherable in their accents, as one would have you believe.
As for the match, the rumours about the All Blacks are true: the Haka is quite scary and those boys are awesomely quick and clinical. They also play on the edge of the rules a little bit. However, two positives at least from the game: Mirco scored a try! And he has a lovely tidy new haircut.
So, all in all, quite a good first week-end of the World Cup with lots to look forward to and a feeling that anything could happen, maybe even England pulling their socks up. Oh, and I was even able to get the new Dieux du Stade calendar ;p

06 September 2007

THINGS TO LOOK FORWARD TO - VI

© rwc
Be warned, if you don’t like rugby, you may wish (temporarily, of course*) to tune out of yatje-blog now as it’s just one day until The Rugby World Cup starts and all normal life gets put on hold for a month and a half. This week-end, me and Mirco flag are off to Marseille to watch the Italy-New Zealand match and I can’t wait! Go Mirco! And Mauro! And Italy! And England! And the rest!
Here are the teams:
ITALY
1 Salvatore Perugini 2 Fabio Ongaro 3 Martin Castrogiovanni 4 Santiago Dellapè 5 Marco Bortolami (c) 6 Alessandro Zanni 7 Mauro Bergamasco 8 Sergio Parisse 9 Alessandro Troncon 10 Roland de Marigny 11 Marko Stanojevic 12 Mirco Bergamasco 13 Andrea Masi 14 Kaine Robertson 15 David Bortolussi
Replacements:
16 Carlo Festuccia 17 Andrea Lo Cicero 18 Valerio Bernabò 19 Manoa Vosawai 20 Paul Griffen 21 Gonzalo Canale 22 Ezio Galon
NEW ZEALAND
1 Tony Woodcock 2 Keven Mealamu 3 Carl Hayman 4 Chris Jack 5 Ali Williams 6 Jerry Collins 7 Richie McCaw (c) 8 Rodney So'oialo 9 Byron Kelleher 10 Dan Carter 11 Sitiveni Sivivatu 12 Luke McAlister 13 Conrad Smith 14 Doug Howlett 15 Mils Muliaina
Replacements:
16 Anton Oliver 17 Neemia Tialata 18 Reuben Thorne 19 Sione Lauaki 20 Brendon Leonard 21 Aaron Mauger 22 Leon MacDonald
* Normal service will resume on 21st October. Maybe.

04 September 2007

HISTORY LESSONS

Well, it’s la rentrée, my friends have gone back and I’m exhausted, indeed it would be far easier to tell you where in London we haven’t been. Actually, by the end of the week, I was beginning to buckle slightly under the weight of our tourist industry which seems to revolve around and emphasise anything and everything royal. However, we all had great fun and it was a wonderful end to the summer holidays.

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