I have friends, who for years have been telling me I should read this Scottish author Iain Banks, both fiction and Sci-Fiction books and for some odd reason I have not, until now.
Only the book I picked up years ago was neither. It was a non-fiction book on whisky, to be precise on finding the perfect whisky whilst driving up down and all around Scotland Raw Spirit; In search of the Perfect Dram, and including in his story telling are tales of cars, friends, escapades and many miss-adventures.. I have been laughing A LOT while reading this book, out loud and over and over... his style is exactly right for my funny bone.
So in honor of not even finishing the book (yet!) and planning a wee trip to the West Coast of Scotland (very very soon) I bought a bottle of Bowmore Single Malt 12 year old en route to the UK last weekend. A quick note on the Bowmore, from Islay. Salty is my first impression. I little more peat than my usual Speyside favourites but still a very nice whisky non-the-less.
Which has since become well dented after an evening in the Kelly-Moxham household on Friday. Several beers, 3 bottles of wine and rounded off with the lovely single Malt, between 4 adults and a house full of kids the bright and early the next morning was a great way to introduce a good hangover to all 4 adults involved. However, I could not think of a nicer birthday morning to be had as I was sung happy birthday in Spanish, English and the Sun will come out tomorrow by two enthusiastic kids, Gabriella and Tallulah. A very lucky me indeed!
I am hoping that whilst in Scotland I can find another bottle of the 1990 Clynelish Signatory Vintage which has been one of my best (and most expensive finds to date in Whisky). But other favourites as Dalwhinnie or Aberlour (which my friend Fiona introduced me to a few years back). But as I am discovering there are hundreds to choose from and not being a huge fan of a lot of peat I am guessing I could be still tasting whisky's for years before trying them all.
And other than that I will begin on the Wasp Factory as it has been sitting on my shelf for several years now (also courtsey of Fiona) as soon as I am done this book.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Saturday, May 16, 2009
I Don't mean to be rude, BUT!
I had yet another delightful in-sight into the Fabulous and Fantastic Dutch Customer Service recently.
I was in a shop in the Hague called STEPS, I had bought 2 dresses not knowing which one I preferred and took both knowing Helen would have a answer for me.
Have checked carefully the return policy I brought the dress back within the 8 days they allow, having tried both on a total of twice.
As soon as I brought one of the dresses out of the bag the sales clerk started going over it with a fine eye picking at minuscule specks and then informed me because I said specks she could not return the dress but would have to ask her manager and if I would be so kind as to come back in 10 min. Which I did.
The manager seemed to be informed of my return and started humming and hawing over the condition of the article, checking the receipt and counting off on her fingers how many days had passed and then took the dress into the back room, for what I do not have a clue. Returning a few min later saying to me,
"I would normally not give you your money back as the dress is in this condition and ask you to take a coupon for the shop".
To which I said, "but I already bought another dress from here and do not want anything else."
She then said "I don't mean to be rude, BUT it smells!" My reply being that it has been sitting in the bag you gave me since I bought it and well the smell is not my problem.
Her reply was "No, I mean it smells of you!".
My mouth agape I said "Excuse Me!?" She said well some people have that 'problem'.
I will take my money thank you, later wishing I had told her that she was being bloody rude and she could then return both dresses.
Having to share such a wonderful experience I called Helen. Who told a story of the same manager in the same store a few weeks earlier that she was also looking for a dress and one of the sales girls was being very helpful and the manager had come along and in hearing distance said to her sales girl. "Don't waste so much time on her, She is not worth it I can tell".
Good management training program Steps has got. I find it shocking how rude and un thoughtful some people can be. And if this was a once-off experience I might not be so amazed. But things like this happen all the time in the Netherlands, so when you find a great sales team, shops, restaurant and so on, you keep going back. I written to Steps and complained, not that I expect anything to happen but it is better than stewing in the anger. They incidentally enough did not have an option for complaints, unless I missed the translation in Dutch and Compliment is the same meaning.
On the other hand I then went across the road to the Beijnkorf to have some shoe therapy and meet with a friend and was helped by a really nice sales clerk whom I have dealt with before. After finding by coincidence a really great pair of red wedge sandals I made sure to tell her it was a pleasure dealing with her as I had just had a terrible experience with someone else and she is and has always done a great job.
So my Hague friends, if you are tempted by the new Steps collection, be forewarned! It's a jungle out there.
I was in a shop in the Hague called STEPS, I had bought 2 dresses not knowing which one I preferred and took both knowing Helen would have a answer for me.
Have checked carefully the return policy I brought the dress back within the 8 days they allow, having tried both on a total of twice.
As soon as I brought one of the dresses out of the bag the sales clerk started going over it with a fine eye picking at minuscule specks and then informed me because I said specks she could not return the dress but would have to ask her manager and if I would be so kind as to come back in 10 min. Which I did.
The manager seemed to be informed of my return and started humming and hawing over the condition of the article, checking the receipt and counting off on her fingers how many days had passed and then took the dress into the back room, for what I do not have a clue. Returning a few min later saying to me,
"I would normally not give you your money back as the dress is in this condition and ask you to take a coupon for the shop".
To which I said, "but I already bought another dress from here and do not want anything else."
She then said "I don't mean to be rude, BUT it smells!" My reply being that it has been sitting in the bag you gave me since I bought it and well the smell is not my problem.
Her reply was "No, I mean it smells of you!".
My mouth agape I said "Excuse Me!?" She said well some people have that 'problem'.
I will take my money thank you, later wishing I had told her that she was being bloody rude and she could then return both dresses.
Having to share such a wonderful experience I called Helen. Who told a story of the same manager in the same store a few weeks earlier that she was also looking for a dress and one of the sales girls was being very helpful and the manager had come along and in hearing distance said to her sales girl. "Don't waste so much time on her, She is not worth it I can tell".
Good management training program Steps has got. I find it shocking how rude and un thoughtful some people can be. And if this was a once-off experience I might not be so amazed. But things like this happen all the time in the Netherlands, so when you find a great sales team, shops, restaurant and so on, you keep going back. I written to Steps and complained, not that I expect anything to happen but it is better than stewing in the anger. They incidentally enough did not have an option for complaints, unless I missed the translation in Dutch and Compliment is the same meaning.
On the other hand I then went across the road to the Beijnkorf to have some shoe therapy and meet with a friend and was helped by a really nice sales clerk whom I have dealt with before. After finding by coincidence a really great pair of red wedge sandals I made sure to tell her it was a pleasure dealing with her as I had just had a terrible experience with someone else and she is and has always done a great job.
So my Hague friends, if you are tempted by the new Steps collection, be forewarned! It's a jungle out there.
Friday, May 08, 2009
Metric - Melkweg Amsterdam
Ahh Metric, metric, as any Canadian roughly the same age as me can tell you we suffer from the old cross over of Imperial and Metric from being neighbours with the US, being part of the UK commonwealth and wanting to be a modern country. Most Canadians I know will still quote height and weight in feet and pounds we drive kilometers and measure our recipes in Cups and tea spoons, but somehow this confusion and angst fits with the one the only really super cool band from... well lets just say Canada. 
Their gear on stage is ridiculously Low Fi (in the coolest way possible), they use stage monitors, analogue key boards and effects and the guitarist has two Super huge Marshall Amps to feed back his super cool grungy punch pop sound back at him.
Any way you slice it though, this band rocks my socks off.. well I wasn't wearing any but if I did they would do it.
The gig started a little late but with some of the great new numbers from the new album Fantasies, when I first heard it online I was already hooked to the track Help, I'm alive but so many of the other songs are even more punchy, poppy and powered then you could ever imagine. Considering that the previous album Grow Up and Blow Away was great but much more subdued in comparison.
The average age of the audience at the Milky Way in Amsterdam was about 25 and a great deal of those were not Dutch, it was interesting to hear when I was asking some of the 'kids" around me how they came to know the band they almost all quoted Grey Anatomy.. but I guess in all fairness if it was not for 90210, The Barenaked Ladies would never have hit mainstream and if not for The OC neither would Death Cab for Cutie (who I still think are boring as frac live).
Anyway back to Metric, I saw them in Rotterdam at a similarly small venue RoTown in 2005 and loved the performance and the energy (check this blog 2005 for the entry). This gig though however, kicked some serious ass. Emily seemed more relaxed, feminine and sure of her beautiful self. What a treat to see her smile so much as well... Only one question remains, why do they not play Combat Baby? People love that song.
I hope you enjoy the photos as much as I enjoyed taking them. I was still so wired after the gig it took me ages to actually get to sleep, and that was also after meeting so many other Metric fans on the tram and train on the way home. Interestingly enough almost all the people we met came alone since their friends did not know the band and they loved them enough to make the effort.. right on.
I hope you enjoy the photos as much as I enjoyed taking them. I was still so wired after the gig it took me ages to actually get to sleep, and that was also after meeting so many other Metric fans on the tram and train on the way home. Interestingly enough almost all the people we met came alone since their friends did not know the band and they loved them enough to make the effort.. right on.
All I can say it does not matter if it is feet or centimeters I still Love Metric!
Monday, May 04, 2009
The Greatest Boar in the world
And if you don't know what I am talking about you obviously have not cast your eyes on Voinic (The Greatest Boar in the WORLD) & the symbol of the French Ardennes. Well it made a one 3 year old I know very very happy.
The rest of Champagne make the other 4 adults of the party quite happy also.... what could be better than supping some of the the best bubbles in the world in the company of good friends and lots of Sunshine?
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