Borsch?? No I've never made Borsch!

Current music: The Living End - Modern Artillery

Well, what a weekend. Friday night, after leaving work early and making a mad dash home and back, made it to Towsty's in time enough to get to Ice Skating at Kew Gardens. The ice rink looked absolutely amazing. Lights everywhere, Christmas trees, beautiful gardens.... all of this atmosphere was still not hiding my sheer fear of taking to the ice. The last time I skated I was about 10.. and in Mount Thebarton Ice Arena (probably in the kiddie rink).

This time round I didn't have the naive fearlessness of being a kid. No, fear was definitely with me. This was heightened when, after moments of stepping onto the ice a pile of people came crashing down in front of us. DEAR GOD. I spent the first 15 minutes of the experience clutching to the edge of the rink gingerly making my way round whilst Towsty (a self proclaimed Torville or "no! whichever one isn't the chick!") went off like a madman. Eventually I got the hang of it, didn't go arse up and enjoyed it. Unfortunately, Rachel (Andy's housemates girlfriend) did come crashing down in a rather bad way - and she was the best skater among us - and took Scott with her. Her wrist was swollen and probably sprained, but she made it to the pub with the rest of us.. a true hero in my eyes.

Saturday started with a major pain in my arse. No, not like THAT. Leaving Andy's to get home and then out again (I'm such a social butterfly), I realised that not only were the District and Piccadilly lines down (GRRR), but I could have easily caught the bus to Ealing Broadway in a quarter of the time it took the tubes to fuck around and get there. Eventually I did get to Trafalgar Square (for the first time I might add) to take part in the Russian Winter Festival (to celebrate Russian New Year). What a sight. The square is huge in its own right but there were people EVERYWHERE. I was culturally adventurous and had Borsch, a quirky little national dish.. of beetroot soup. It was actually quite good. I of course then had to further oblige and try some of their beer. Good stuff! Fake snow ensured that the faux countdown was very magical and Red Square like and seeing the Kremlin Guard (who have never performed anywhere outside of Russia before) was something quite special.

Decided to have an early one after that, was absolutely buggered and still haven't shaken the cold I've had since New Years, damn weather.

So, today promises to be one full of aimless wandering and probably too much spending (particularly after I had to dish out another £140 outstanding on rent AND visited Virgin Megastore to buy 4 CDs for 30 quid... whoops).

Here's to mulled wine. Cheers.
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