A lovely long Saturday...

[fajrdrako]

I dreamed about Malta. Why do I dream about Malta all the time now? Used to be I always dreamed about going to conventions; now I dream about being in Malta. Well. If that's my dream world, I can think of lots worse.

I made an oatmeal breakfast and ate it with maaboroshi, while we filled each other in on our various adventures over Christmas.

Then I did piles and piles of housework.

Then I met commodorified and other friends for tea at The Tea Party on York Street. Is that the same place that used to be on Fourth Avenue? I've always wanted to go there, though we'd wanted to go to the Chateau Laurier (which is, no pun intended, la creme de la creme). But the Chateau was all booked up with High Tea reservations, so The Tea Party is was, and a good time was had by all. We each had an entirely different kind of tea; I went for my perennial favourite, Earl Grey. The sandwiches were exquisite: different kinds of fresh bread, and classic fillings like watercress and cucumber and then, not so classic, red pepper with pesto. Surprisingly delicious.

Then: a little necessary shopping, and I got home about five after Lyn and Beulah arrived at my place, which was moderately embarrassing but they were tolerant, and waited for me in the lobby. We then watched Doctor Who: first "Time Crash" (which Lyn hadn't seen yet) and then "The Voyage of the Damned", which they loved and which I loved even more than the first time.

Random observation: when the Doctor first steps out of the TARDIS onto the Titanic, we see a can of Brasso. I loved that. Can't explain why, even. Am I supposed to understand if there's a pun involved with the Doctor being a stowaway and the Titanic's planet of origin being Sto? ...I loved it that the Doctor finally got to say, "Allons-y, Alonso."

Then we went to dinner at Carmello's on Cooper. We'd wanted to go to The Green Door, but they were closed. I opted for Carmello's because I knew they had creme brulee, my favourite dessert. So they do, but tragically, they were all sold out by the time we got there. Heartbroken, I skipped desert, and just had a cup of tea when we got back to my place.

Then we watched The Sarah Jane Adventures, "The Lost Boy". I think it was the best of the lot - though I haven't seen "Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane?" yet. I continue to love all the protagonists, especially Sarah Jane. Has there been any indication as to when there will be more episodes?

Funny weather today: it was above freezing, so walking was treacherous - a layer of slush on top of ice on most streets. Ugh. I would have walked downtown if it had been nicer - either a little colder, or a little warmer.

Comments

[msp-hacker.livejournal.com]

Sarah-Jane will be coming out for a second series - as the multiple "Julie Gardner is leaving" articles indicated that she'll still be doing producer work on Sarah-Jane and Torchwood.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I'd heard rumours of a second Sarah Jane series (with Julie Gardner at the helm) but the rumours haven't implied when - though I suppose, given the time-frames of planning in the world of television, that means within the next 12-18 months or so.

Whatever - I look forward to it!

[jkluge.livejournal.com]

I imagine you might be dreaming of Malta because Malta is lovely...and, also, it's winter in Canada. Reason enough, I think. ;-)

[auriaephiala.livejournal.com]

So glad the tea was good. I had many cups today while nursing my cold, but no sandwiches. :-( :-(

Tonight I've been watching the Masterpiece Theatre production of Kidnapped from a couple years back, with Iain Glen as Alan Breck and Paul McGann as Colonel MacNab (which I borrowed from the library). It was a bit slow in starting, but by the point Davy's uncle tried to assassinate him for the first time, I was hooked.

Great scenery, too, but I understand from imdb.com that it was actually New Zealand, not Scotland. Was it really that much of a saving not to use the real thing? I think that was a mistake.

I'd forgotten how good a storyteller RLS was -- must read more.

No creme brulee? What a disappointment, especially when you had been looking forward to it.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

The advantage of not having creme brulee last night is that I feel justified in going out of my way to find some in future. commodorified think we should make one of our Wednesday gatherings a sandwich night - it was so good, and it's good food to eat while watching things. I was also suggesting a fondue (messy maybe, but fun). Possibilities abound! It isn't that I'm tired of chicken and salad, but I wouldn't want to be in a rut.

Thanks for the recommendation of Kidnapped, I'll watch it - Iain Glen is the man who was in Tomb Raider, right? The attractive one? And of course I always like Paul McGann.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Ooh, yes, winter in Canada - I think you may have hit on the reasons for dreaming of Malta. The sunny warm Mediterranean - yes! Beam me up, Scotty!

[auriaephiala.livejournal.com]

Yup, Glen was in Tomb Raider. He also played Richard the Lionheart in Kingdom of Heaven.

Paul McGann was one of the English villains, and gave the role substantially more depth than it might have otherwise had. The DVD of Kidnapped was odd: it's very easy to miss the link to Part 2 from the Part 1 menu, and to think that you're missing the second half of the show.

A sandwich night would be great -- one can do a fascinating variety. I have some new chutneys I could try out.

Fondue depends on a really SOLID table -- I wouldn't feel safe having a lit flame sitting on one of your TV trays. But we could do it at my place just fine.

Not being in a rut is a Good Thing.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

He also played Richard the Lionheart in Kingdom of Heaven.

I didn't remember that. Ah well. Kingdom of Heaven was unjustifiable but I'll forgive Glen his role.

Okay, let's do a sandwich night!

I take it my card table wouldn't be solid enough for a fondue?

[auriaephiala.livejournal.com]

Maybe it's just that there's been four house fires in the last 24 hours in Ottawa ... but I would say that anything that's foldable is iffy for fondue.

I don't think Glen's performance was a problem in KoH -- the screenwriters and Orlando Bloom and the director really had much more to answer for :-)

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I'm in favour of avoiding fires.

-- the screenwriters and Orlando Bloom and the director really had much more to answer for :-)

All of that!