25 March 2006

I am supposed to be in Birmingham right now. Have to spend one day this weekend at the 'Memorabilia Show' but couldn't manage to get up this morning and so I'm forced to spend my Sunday there instead. I am afraid it is going to end up being a convention of crazies and I am going to run away scared, but they're playing some of my trailers in the 'cult DVD theatre' so I need to go check it out. I hear they have good Indian food in Birmingham, although before you ask I have not yet figured out where Birmingham is...a few hours north somewhere I think. This is the (dis)advantage of no longer driving anywhere -- I don't really need to know where it is I am going, I just go to whatever train station and fall back asleep.

On Thursday, I went out to a farm (yes, a farm!) in the country to meet with Tesco Supermarkets in a place called Welwyn Garden City . I still have no idea where I was (Herfordshire??), but it was quite pretty. They're a pretty interesting account, and growing like crazy - kind of becoming the big Wal*Mart over here and taking over the world! They absolutely love all of the BBC product I have, so that went over well. The day before I went to HMV (luckily they're just a walk down Oxford Street), which is by far my biggest account (almost 1/4) and had a little brainstorm. Really liked them a lot and they're going to take me out this week to show me around their flagship store at Oxford Circus and talk about some things we can do with Playback. It's really nice to sort of have this blank canvas to work with for the business.

I've actually been managing to have a bit of fun, finally, too. A friend from Variety in LA kindly hooked me up with a couple of her London-based colleagues (Tommaso and Alberto) and we finally met up a couple of weeks ago. They took me out for a really nice meal with a few of their American friends, and we all made a fun night of it, topped off by playing billiards (!) in a pub - very badly I might add. :-) Went out with them again this week to a private media club/bar place called Soho House and then went dancing in a pub with a very bad DJ. Very silly but also very fun to finally have some nice people to do things with. As luck would have it they're also going to be in Cannes at MIP and said they'll introduce me to some people while we're there. It will be nice to know some people there, as the whole thing sounds pretty overwhelming. I have 10 meetings set up already, and am supposed to double or triple that amount before I go. Yikes!

The Arse have been having a good run since I last wrote (knock on wood..or 'touch wood' as they say here). We amazingly knocked Real Madrid out of the Champions League in our second match against them. It has gone down in history as 'the best nil-nil draw ever seen.' David Beckham even cried afterwards. It was incredible. I was on such a high that I decided to try to nab a scalper ticket to the next match against Liverpool on the 12th. I met up with Johnny Harber and his friends before hand and had a really hard time getting a ticket (there was such high demand tickets were going for over $500 equivalent!) but about 3 mins after kickoff I got lucky and got one - then had to run around the entire stadium to get to my seat! It was electric. Liverpool are ahead of us in the table and we were expected to lose--or draw at best. We won 2-1. It was an amazing game, and I had an amazing seat - it was worth every penny (pence?) to be able to scream 'Dennis!!' and him actually be able to hear me!

This week, we will need more than a bit of luck, when former captain (and Gunner for nearly 10 years) Paddy Viera comes back to Highbury to play against us in the quarterfinals of the Champions League for the first time since he left us last summer for Juventus. They're one of the best in Europe, so keep your fingers crossed!!


Last Sunday I had a nice surprise in that the famouse Zoe T from Disney was in town - she's now in film school at Columbia in NYC - and was here on Spring Break. So we got together on Sunday - went for a nice pub lunch in Hampstead then wandered around the Heath (it was sunny!!!!) and did some shopping. Hadn't seen her in 3 years or so, so that was fab. She helped me take a few pics in front of one of my favo(u)rite areas, which I've included below.


The music scene has also been good - John Murray, Adrian and friends came down to see The Bluetones at The Garage on the 15th who were great. And Adrian and I went to see The Crimea at the Bar Academy in Islington last night. I can't complain about being able to actually walk to gigs! This Sunday sees Depeche Mode at Wembley, the night before I leave for France. Can't say better than that...

I have a few more pictures to share--like Johnny Harber in a big Guinness hat on St Patty's Day and scenic pics from Hampstead Heath--but I can't figure out how to get them off my camera phone. I'll add them when I do. Until then, I am off to sleep so I can get up at the crack of dwan and trapse through the rain to the crazy convention...Nighty night...




posted by Eleanor @ 3:01 pm 0 comments

07 March 2006

Very sorry for the delay in updating - I haven't had another good Starbucks session to just sit down and write as before, and work seems to be too hectic. Plus, I didn't think I should just write and complain about the horribly unfriendly people I seem to encounter on a regular basis, or the fact that I have been here now for seven weeks and have yet to make a single friend. Really, not everyone is horrid, but I do seem to encounter my fair share. But...in between the bad there is always, always good...here are just a few from the past few weeks:


  • Opting to hop on a bus to go home after work one night instead of taking the tube -- it takes longer but you actually get to see the city -- and nabbing the front seat on the top of the double decker! (it's the little things...)
  • Watching Arsenal become the first UK team EVER to beat mighty champions Real Madrid at the Bernabau Stadium 2 weeks ago (yes, the team that features David Beckham, Ronaldo, Robinho, Zindane, Caro (you get the picture...). It was truly amazing. We need to do it again tomorrow, so keep your fingers crossed...
  • Spending a Saturday afternoon with my delightful US colleague Robert Read exploring new London neighborhoods and having a lazy lunch in Islington
  • I joined a gym last week near work. It is smack in the middle of Oxford Street, which is kind of funny. It's on the second floor above a bunch of shops. It has a steam room, which makes all the working out worth it! :-) And while I was there tonight I had to smile...'You know you're really in London when': you're on the treadmill, trying to decide between the MTV hits, EastEnders, and live Champions League football on the TVs in front of you...and running on the treadmill next to you is 'Jason' Turner from the show 'Footballer's Wives'!
  • Drinking wine at lunch during the week!
  • Having XFM play all day long at work (don't think I will ever tire of this!)
  • Sitting at my desk (which is near the TV/couch area where people watch things) and hearing these excrutiating noises and very strange music. Peer over to see our Managing Director and one of his product managers laughing hysterically (and singing??) to all of these men running around a farm field while being chopped up by combines! Blood and body parts everywhere - all put to the music of the 'Wurzels' - a 'Scrumpy and Western' band from the West Country of England. I encourage you to check out their music here so you can get an accurate portrayal of what I am talking about. I highly recommend the 'combine harvester' track...
  • Finding out I'll be spending a week in Cannes at the MIPTV conference next month! Before I could even say thank you, I was told "and you better not pronounce it like all of the other Americans do..." :-) I am so excited - sounds like it is going to be pretty full on 24-7, meetings starting at 8am (in increments of 15 mins I am told...), conference in the afternoon and dinners, drinks, etc every night, and again the next day. Better get caught up on my sleep now!

Let's hope there is more to come...until then xoxo...

posted by Eleanor @ 10:05 pm 1 comments