Hi Nostalgiacs!
Goodness it's been a busy week! We've done five states in a week. I don't think even NKOTB do that (OK, they probably do more!) So my state count has gone up by two as I've now added Maryland and Virginia to my list of states that I've visited, not to mention my first ever visit to the nation's capital. D.C. baby!
DC far, far, FAR exceeded my expectations. The White House, Lincoln Memorial, The Capitol... symbols of America that I'd grown up seeing on TV and in newspapers and now here they were right in front of me. Mr. D had only ever been to DC once on a school trip, so our visit brought back memories for him of that trip.
My sore and aching feet told me that we'd done a lot of gallivanting but in reality, I know that there was so much more to explore. I'm also disappointed to have missed my friend and former colleague who was visiting my home city while I was in hers. Typical! I am definitely hoping that there will be a next time.
And I have to mention the delicious seafood platter I scoffed while in Maryland. It's true - you can't go to Maryland and not try the seafood, especially their world famous crab cakes. I got the platter from Bill's Seafood in Maryland, which wasn't the take away shop or restaurant that I thought it might be. But rather it was a fish market where you can buy fresh seafood or freshly cooked fish dishes to take away. My seafood platter consisted of that crab cake, broiled shrimp, broiled fish, breaded oysters, macaroni salad and my fave crinkle cut chips. Everything was very enjoyable... but not one hundred per cent sold on the breaded oysters although they weren't terrible. Would definitely go back again. And thanks to my mate MJ for giving me the idea to visit Bill's Seafood - the best fish n' chips I've ever had!
Photos by Angel Noire
Our most recent date night was completely, totally, and utterly right up my street (quite literally as well!) as our local drive-in was hosting a Retro Movie Weekend, screening movies from the eighties and nineties. The choices available were Back To The Future, The Goonies, Jurassic Park, and Jaws. Talk about spoilt for choice! There was even an opportunity to take pics with retro movie props! Wow! Had I just died and gone to retro heaven???
It goes without saying that I was totally in my element, and decided to go all out on an eighties vibe, with the dress - that reminded me of what my style-conscious aunts used to wear in the decade that style supposedly forgot - accessories, and even scrunched hair, which I haven't done since I was fifteen. And it was while I was scrunching my hair that the thought occurred to me that I needed to invest in a set of hair crimpers if I wanted to do that full-on eighties' thing!
Unfortunately it was because I spent so long doing my hair, that by the time we got to the drive-in, the queue to take pics with the movie props was way too long and we'd have risked missing the start of the movie. Hopefully there'll be another time but Mr. D and I had a great time watching The Goonies and Back To The Future again. And coming from a country where we don't really have drive-in movie theatres, I can say nothing beats watching a movie on the big screen in the open air - even if the sound is a tad bit fuzzy!
And special shout-out to my little nephew as I borrowed his playmat to take a snap of my outfit. Hasn't it got just the right amount of eighties fluorescent!
Photos by Angel Noire
In 1999, I made my first ever visit to America, fulfilling my childhood dream of visiting the mythical, magical place that only existed in movies and TV shows and finally seeing what all the fuss was about! One of the things that my family and I did during that visit was make a very brief stop in New York to have dinner before getting back on the road and heading back to Chicago. Twenty years later, I made another brief visit to New York when I made my first ever visit to Yankee Stadium last weekend to watch the New England Revolutions take on New York FC.
As most people know, I don't have a sporting bone in my body. This is the girl who lived five minutes down the road from Wembley Stadium for nearly twenty years and never went to a sporting event! But it was a very interesting experience and I'm glad I did it - even if the long coach journey did make me feel ill, and the Revs lost! I hope that one day I will be able to have the full 'tourist in New York' experience. Maybe in 2039! And incidentally, I first went to Portland, Oregon in 2009 when I started dating the fella. perhaps all good things for me happen in America during years that end with a '9'...
Photos by Angel Noire
After almost three decades, it is so good to see Gayle and Gillian Blakeney back in the spotlight. The ladies made their long-awaited return to Neighbours on Friday, reprising their famous roles as Caroline and Christina Alessi.
Fans are marvelling at how the Blakeney twins have barely changed let alone aged since they were last on Ramsay Street, but after years of living in Los Angeles where they're currently based, I can definitely detect an American twang!
And the few promo appearances by the twins I've seen are a reminder of the times when Gayle and Gillian were the hottest thing since um, something really hot, and were absolutely EVERYWHERE!!!
Unfortunately they're only in Neighbours for a couple more episodes but I have really been enjoying this blast from the past. Hopefully it won't be long before they make another visit - and not another twenty seven years!
Photos from YouTube
Word Cloud by Angel Noire
Oh dear! It looks as though Gillian and Gayle Blakeney have succumbed to LA's obsession with cosmetic surgery.
We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to DC. We just wish it had been longer.
I remember our school trip to DC. We had the best time. Would love to return someday.