Twin Restaurant Dartford

Went out with Debbie, Claire and Angela on Firday. We went to Twin Chinese Restaurant in Dartford and overall had a great time. The restaurant is a 'all you can eat' restaurant, but much better than some of the buffett restaurants where you can tell they are using the same base for all the dishes and just put different vegetables/meat in it. This restaurant is different as you pay one amount (£15.90 at the time of writing) and can eat as much as you like, but you still order it from a waiter. Desserts and Drinks need to be paid extra.

We went there at 8pm, it is surprisingly big inside. We had ordered a table, but I think one would get away without ordering, as there was space (not a lot though). The waitress came promptly, and so did the food (within 10 minutes).We had a platter of starters and duck/lamb wraps, after which I was basically already full. For the main course, you have the choice of over 50 different dishes - all the usual Chinese dishes eg black bean, sweet and sour... too many to mention. Again, you can order as many different dishes as you want, and we ordered about 15 different ones who all come in small(ish) dished, a little bit like a tapas restaurant really where you can share all across the table. I guess this setup is particularly good if you are with a crowd of people. The service was very efficient , quick and never pestering all throughout the evening.

Than, around 9pm, the restaurant pulled a few tables together to make some space in the middle, and a small band started to play for entertainment (1 man on keyboard, 1 man on guitar, 1 woman singer). Music was mainly 70s/80s, plenty of ABBA. The singing was good in my opinion, and as there were also quite a few birthday parties in the restaurant, the atmosphere was relaxed and happy, people were singing along (including us!)and started to dance - the happy mood was catching.

Two small minus points for me: Once the band started playing, it was almost impossible to hold a conversation, it was just too loud. And we all felt that we had quite a bit to drink (I think I had about 7 or 8 Barcadi with Cola), and we were still completely sober. This is not necessarily a bad point - I don't want to be legless going home, but I guess the drinks must have been watered down a lot which is not really fair as you pay for it, and it is not cheap.
 
All in all though I will definitely be back.

Sunday

Went out with Nafees on a Bonnie walk to the lake - doesn't happen often, and now already twice since we are back from Pakistan.


Kept reviewing all the writing software, and me thinks that I don't really want/can afford to spend money on this particular item at this moment in time ! But made a start hand-writing notes for the autobiography. Maybe notebook (the traditional one that is, not the electronic version!) and pen are the future for me.

In the news: terrorist attack Pakistani Airforce base in Karachi. What is so shocking for me is that we visited the Airforce museum next door when we were there a few weeks ago, and apparently the terrorists got access to the airbase via the museum - I know the layout, it is very close and can see it clearly in front of me. Still, I wouldn't hesitate going back to Pakistan.

Audrey Niffenegger 'The Time Traveler's Wife'

From the blurb:

'This is the extraordinary love story of Clare and Henry who met when Clare was six and Henry was thirty-six, and were married when Clare was twenty-two and Henry thirty. Impossible but true, because Henry suffers from a rare condition where his genetic clock periodically resets and he finds himself pulled suddenly into his past or future. In the face of this force they can neither prevent nor control, Henry and Clare's struggle to lead normal lives is both intensely moving and entirely unforgettable.'

This story was well advertised and publisised, so I was aware of what it is all about - not sure if this was or was not helpful when reading. On one hand, I think had I not known tbeforehand how Henry does this time travel thingy, I think it might have been too confusing for me to read the book, especially the first few chapters. But maybe it would have been better to get me into the story if I hadn't known so much about it without reading it. Not sure here, and this may be the reason why it didn't grip me as much as I hope it would. However, what an idea for a story! I have to admire the story telling idea and how Niffenegger puts it all together. Gosh, to do any sort of timeline when writing the novel for this must have been an absolute nightmare, and maybe this is where I got myself into a pickle with this story as I kept looking for some sort of coherent timeline. But nonetheless, this is a wonderful and endearing story which will have a steady place and libraries and reading circles.

Cross stitch update

Here we go - not much to show but this is what I was working on last week when I did had time for my hobby which is hardly ever during the week.


-- Post From My iPhone

Updates on my work - cross stitch

I worked on this whilst in Pakistan and on the plane - in Pakistan whenever I could sneak a few minutes to myself LOL. It's one of the 'Tiddles' cartoon cat designs from Peter Underhill of Heritage. While I usually do not like any stitching to do with cartoon and/or cute, I like these - they make me smile. Not that easy to stitch though surprinsingly, as they have tons of thos 'squashed stitches' so typical in Heritage designs

Now I finally start to get a bit enthusiastic about the wedding picture. You can really see Nafees' face emerging!

Well, I'm going to be forever and a year on the backstitch for the Lilliput Lane, it just doesn't move. Need to put in the hours on this me thinks.

Back from Karachi

and here is the blog I created only for the Karachi pictures:
http://karachiadventure.blogspot.com/2011/04/karachi.html.

I have not edited any of the pictures, no photoshop or anything done... for lack of time, as many people have asked for the pictures. So, there they are, an undiluted view - and I will be adding more throughout the day.

We had a crazy, wonderful, exhausting time in Karachi, were we (DH Nafees, DS Imran, DD Ruby and me) stayed from 01. April 2011 to 15. April 2011. So many relatives who wanted a piece of us LOL. The weather avaraged around 35C, but a very dry heat, so we didn't feel it that much. Though, on the last day, I got really sticky and hot, so we managed to escape just before it becomes the really hot season now.

OK, back to normal life now! Managed to do some cross stitch in Karachi and on the plane, and will post some updates on recent work later.

Ruby's textile work and a view from the Thames

 First of all, I want to show this cushion cover which Ruby made in school (textile lessons). I think it's fab - I've never been able to sew so I admire her even more for it, and it's nice and colourful which I like. Oh, and I haven't done any embroidery for ages, just too busy at the moment with other things.

It was lovely weather today, so I took Bonnie down to the Thames for a walk.

It is a lot of fun to take pictures with the new camera, and carrying it is no problem whatsoever. I'm also now seriously trying to grips with Photoshop. I've bought one of those 'The Idiot's guide to...' books for Photoshop, but it is massive and very technical  - I found it too hard for a complete beginner like me. I mean, I'm usually quite good with the computer and with new programmes, but Photoshop is just so vast. There a quite a few online tutorials around thanks goodness, and this one is an excellent one for absulute beginners: http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/photoshopcs2lessons/Photoshop_CS2_Basics_Online_Course_Index_of_Lessons.htm

I'm slowly working my way through the lessons, and while I still get stuck sometimes, I think I finally get the hang of it. The pictures above are not edited with Photoshop, only in the Canon's ownZoomBrowser EX software, so only basic edits like cropping, levels and Tone Curve were done.