All posts by Lar

30 August 2012

Cath and Lar and Tattoos

Such a misleading blog title, isn’t it? Did you guys know there was such a thing as a military tattoo? And that a military tattoo has nothing to do with indelible ink on muscly soldiers?

In fact, if someone asked me, “Lar, would you like a tattoo?” I’d say, “I lack the commitment.” But if you said, “Lar, how’s about a military tattoo?!” I’d say “Yes please!” I mean, just look at all those bagpipers set against a massive fortress of a castle on a beautiful balmy night in Edinburgh. Isn’t that way better than permanent Chinese characters and tribal arm bands?

And look there’s even comic projections in case bagpipes and drums aren’t enough (as if!).

And it all ends with a bunch of beautiful fireworks over the Castle. Oooo!!! Ahhhhh!!!

And of course of the best way to see the Edinburgh Military Tattoo is with your twin:

Hope you guys have a wonderful, smarvelous weekend. If you are in Decatur (I will be in spirit – sniff, sniff) do make it down to the Decatur Book Festival, and tell us what you see, do, read!

—–

Dear Cath,

I still am so happy we went to see the tattoo. I thought it would be touristy, but good — it was touristy, but fantastic (apart from some of the “jazz hand” moments), didn’t you think? I still really appreciate how much they tried to make their jubilee and old comics theme work together 😉

You should start a tattoo in Decatur. I guess we just call those parades, and it’s not so much military as anyone-who-wants-to-wear-a-costume. Still ;).

Miss you more than ever!

xoxoxoxo,

Lar

Category: Edinburgh
7 Comments
23 August 2012

Cath and Lar: Behind the Scenes on a Film

Three out of the 10 days of Cath’s trip to visit me in Edinburgh were spent on a film set. Sounds exciting, doesn’t it? Did I mention I made Cath wake up at 6:30 am every morning (as she was jetlagging) and work 10 hours each of those three days. for free?! She’s a star of a twinie for sure.

We were working on a short film called “Good Luck With That“: a sweet romantic comedy that takes place in a school auditorium during a science fair. Cath and I were recruited by the lovely Lindsay McGee to help out with the set design/art department. So the days leading up to the filming, I was covered in spray glue and glitter, and researching ways to make things foam and explode (a.k.a. science experiments).

We made a number of science display boards, gummy and toothpick molecules, and a time machine (who knew it just took a bit of paper and old ethernet cable wire). I think my hubandoo and his bio/engineering PhD were totally not impressed:

During filming Cath and I were on hand to do the glamorous jobs: hold felt up to block light (see below), stand in for the actors, and set up foaming bottles of yeast (ewww).


Photo by Iain Robertson

We even got to help out with a freeze frame shot. This little boy is getting ready to shoot a scene where he is supposed to look like he is frozen in time while juggling:


Photo byIain Robertson


Photo by Iain Robertson

The film is in post-production now, but we’ll let you know when it’s out for your viewing pleasure. If you want to know more details about the film, cast and crew, visit Good Luck With That’s facebook page and Indiegogo site.

—–

Dear Cath,

I still can’t believe how heroic you were allowing me to wake you up at 1:30 am your time for three days straight — and you were so sweet and helpful. I can’t believe that was just a few weeks ago. You’ve been gone soooo long already – booo0.

Hope you are having a smashing time in LaGrange, GA (who doesn’t?). Will you be on skype laters? Miss you soooo much.

xoxoxoxox,

Lar

Category: Edinburgh
8 Comments
22 August 2012

Cath at the Bollywood Box

When Cath was here in Edinburgh, I had to take her to my favorite neighborhood haunts. The most important stop being The Bollywood Coffee Box.

When I first wrote about this place back in February I described it as an undiscovered gem. And gem it still is, but undiscovered it is not. The evening Cath and I stopped by, there was a hefty crowd of devotees lining up for a taste of owner Nutan’s famous chai and curries.

Cath and I agreed that the reason this place is so fantastic is that you aren’t just nourished by Nutan’s cooking, but by her wonderful warm and generous spirit too. Do you remember that Holi party, that she threw for all of Edinburgh?

And now The Bollywood Box is more than a place to eat delicious food, it’s become a mini-cultural institution and art installation. Nutan made one of the exterior walls of the box a gallery to share the work of local artists. Nutan herself is an artist (she has a masters in sculpture from Edinburgh College of Art), and the exterior of the box has been painted by her:

And even if you don’t stop by for a chat with Nutan herself, a passerby can have a chuckle at her pun of the day or feel inspired by the quotes she posts and changes weekly:

Art, culture, laughter, delicious food, and generosity of spirit all in a teeny blue box! I’m convinced that every city needs a Bollywood Coffee Box equivalent, don’t you agree? Do you guys have similar gems in your ‘hoods? Cath and I would love to hear about them!

—–

Dear Cath,

I think Decatur would be a perfect place to have a Bollywood Coffee Box, don’t you? Too bad we don’t have any abandoned police boxes stateside. I guess it’s equivalent to a stationary food truck, huh?

I’m so glad you got to meet Nutan when you were here! Argh, I still can’t believe your visit is already over though.

 

Category: Cath's Style, Edinburgh
8 Comments
15 August 2012

Cath and Lar Together Again. at the Fringe!

Don’t you just hate when life gets in the way of blogging?  Sheesh! Priorities, priorities! In all seriousness though, this has been the longest hiatus Cath and I have taken from AsianCajuns since we started this here bloggity-bloop 5 years ago. It was totally unplanned and unexpected (on our end too), so thank you for your patience, readers (aka mom and dad)!

Cath was here (yes, “was here” — sniffles abound) in Edinburgh for 10 glorious days. And I do mean glorious. Scotland pulled out all the stops: sun and warmth and sun (sun, sun, sun, sun, SUN! UVA makes us Scotland residents a bit loopy). Barely a raindrop to be seen.

Being the wonderful twin* that I am, I kept Cath properly fed and watered and entertained: delicious cafe lunches, late evenings at the pub, and toddling around the Edinburgh festival (aka The Largest Arts Festival in the World).

That’s Cath enjoying her Swedish sandwich at Peter’s Yard: imagine a bakery in Ikea, but better (and more expensive). Any bakery that does gluten-free options for us poor, wheat-intolerant souls is a winner in my book. This was delicious (and I didn’t whimper once at the lack of wheat):

Once fed, we hit the Fringe Festival. For those of you that don’t know, Edinburgh hosts the largest arts festivals (plural) during the month of August. There is a jazz festival, foodie festival, book festival, the International festival, and the Fringe festival and I’m sure I’m missing a few. The Fringe is the largest, craziest, and generally cheapest of all the festivals and it happens at hundreds of venues all around town. There’s comedy, dance, theater, fine art, music and. Jane Austen improv (yes, pretty much the best thing ever invented). It’s called Austentatious:

These actors (men and women alike) were swoon-worthy in their hilarity. For those of you in town for the Fringe, it’s still playing every day at 1:30 at the Counting House until the end of the month. Oh and did I mention, it’s free! Get thee to Austentatious if you can!


(thanks for the photo, Sara!)

Most of Edinburgh festivaling entails lots of crowded rooms and streets (the city swells to twice it’s size population-wise), and feeling hungry and then thirsty and overwhelmed at what to see. While walking around town, flyers are thrust into your hands with beseeching looks and you are constantly second-guessing yourself once you finally commit to a queue to see a show. There is also a giant, overturned purple cow (the Underbelly venue — yup, you can see shows inside the purple tent/belly!). Disorientating indeed.

Cath and I don’t do well in crowds (over-stimulation gahhh!), so we mainly ambled around less crowded streets and stopped to eat when it got to be too much (this happened frequently).

Overwhelmingness aside, you must visit the Edinburgh in August at least once in your lifetime. Preferably with your twin.

At this very moment Cath is flying over the Atlantic somewhere (in the wrong direction) toward Atlanta. So things are returning to normal (boo!), so there will be more time for blogging (yea!). I hope you guys have had wonderful summer vacations (or staycations) too!

*Full disclosure: when I say “wonderful twin” I should also mention I roped Cath into working (for free) for the first three days of her visit on a film shoot. Yup. I made her wake up at 6:30 am every morning during her worst jet-laggy days here and glue glitter on to things and stand by hot lights and cameras. I have photos for proof, but I’m waiting to get the the go-ahead to be able to tell you more.

—-

Dear Cath,

I hope your flight is going well. I know you must be exhausted to the core. I can’t believe we squeezed so much into your visit, and I can’t believe YOU’RE GONE again! Harumph! That was far, far, farrrr tooo short of a visit. And I will be cranky for at least the next week (sorry, Matteo).

I miss you so much. Edinburgh is definitely not the same without you. For one thing, it’s really cloudy again. Oh and there is a missing twinie.

Love,

Lar

Category: Cath's Style, Edinburgh, Experiences, Lar's Style
16 Comments
29 July 2012

Lar in Istanbul

Helloooo, Lovelies! Right after finishing my set design course, Matt and I hopped on a plane to Istanbul. Sounds so faincy doesn’t it? In reality we had bought super cheap tickets back in April because Turkish Airways just started a direct route from Edinburgh (bless!). Never in a million bijillion years did I think I would get to travel to this gorgeous city (I’m irksomely a perennial pessimist), and before we left, Matt and I were so busy we hadn’t thought much about the trip (for shame, I know). Now that we are here, I am 100% in loooove.

We haven’t been so much culture-shocked (Matt grew up in the middle east) as weather shocked. Our poor Scottish-whitened skin and cold-sharpened lungs are still in quasi-shock over the feel of billowing Bosphorus breezes and temperatures roughly 20 degrees hotter than the hottest Scottish day ever on record.

I’ve Scott-ified so much that I don’t really own proper attire to wear here, and I haven’t wanted to shop because as a full-time UK resident these days, there are only about 2 days out of the year when I can comfortably sport bare-legs. Also, we’re here during Ramadan so I’ve tried to be respectful about baring too much in Istanbul even though it is a liberal Muslim country. I usually carry a scarf and socks in my purse whenever we are out and about (that long-skirt in the photo on the right was presented to me at the mosque):

Matt and I are hitting the touristy sites, but our main goal during our seven day stay is to eat as much delicious Turkish/Anatolian food as we possibly can — oh and also stock up on our vitamin D (we spend much of our days blinking in the sunlight and we can’t believe that foreign, golden orb thingy stays out all. day long! Amazing!).

What’s lovely about the food here is that it’s fairly healthy. You start your meal with a mix of cold salads (mezze: couscous, stuffed grape leaves, yogurt, spinach, roasted eggplant, etc.) and then move on to the meat. If you need to be gluten-free or vegan it would be a little tricky, but really not too bad. We’ve found it much easier to eat on a restrictive diet here than when in Paris.

We mainly just amble about and stop at wherever looks tasty (including any/all street food — seriously delicious!), but we got a ton of tips from a blog called EatingAsia. If you are planning a trip to Turkey or want to live vicariously through some delicious foodie times, do stop by.

Next up? Three days after we get back to Edinburgh, Cath comes for a visit. Could this summer get any better?

Hope you guys are having a wonderful time too, in whatever part of the world your gadding about in!

—–

Dear Kitcath,

I canNOT believe I get to see you IN PERSON in a week! Do you realize that? It’s Sunday! Next Sunday you’ll be on the right side of the pond! It’s difficult because as much as I’m loving Turkey, I really can’t wait for next week to get here.

Can’t wait to talk to you on skypie sooon!

Love,

Lar

p.s. You would love Istanbul, Kitcath, but I think it’s only fair that I mention there is a slight eau de Murcia every once in a while. The people here are much more friendly, and everything is beautiful, so that’s where the similarity ends. Still, every once in a while when the wind blows, I’m right back in Spain in 2003. Miss you!!!! xoxoxox

Category: Experiences, Lar's Style
13 Comments
22 July 2012

Staging An Opera

I have three more days of set design courses and then it’s off to Istanbul! So I totally apologize for just cramming this blog full of set design, set design and more set design. But as I say, only three more days. and then you’ll get to experience a massive number of mosque and falafel photos!

While doing all these things, I will not be dressed in interesting ways, so forgive me for not putting any outfit photos up. I’ve been totally panache-less these past few weeks. My brain power has been devoted toward using mechanized scenery flats in a Brecht opera, and deciding what to pack for a place that’s literally 20 degrees hotter than our hottest Edinburgh summer day.

So do you mind seeing a few more models of set design? Last week I worked by myself on a Tennessee William’s one act, this week I worked with my classmates to design Bertolt Brecht’s The Threepenny Opera. This is what we used:

A model opera house!

Do you guys know Brecht? I feel so dramaturgy and theater-y (the-ate-TAH) when I say his name. I didn’t know diddlysquoo about him before Monday, but I’d love to see an actual performance of The Threepenny Opera now (opera usually intimidates me because I get tired during all the singing and then feel like a philistine by the end of it all, cross-eyed and blinking).

There are nine scenes total in the play, and we had to figure out how to make the scene changes work and where to place things, and most importantly WHY. We had to get inside Brecht’s head a bit. I felt like I should have been wearing all black, smoking a cigarette, and sounding like Marlene Dietrich.

When we weren’t busy Brecht-ing, we were drawing whores. Mine are the ones that are wearing too many layers. I blush when I have to draw people in under things. or less.

I also drew a massive version of Queen Victoria’s head for the final scene:

Before hearing the opera, I had no clue that the song Mack the Knife was from The Threepenny Opera. I’d only ever heard Ella Fitzgerald sing it — and mess up the words (so good! Listen here). Who knew it was originally written in German!

Voila! Opera designed! What do you guys think? Are you crazy about set design yet? Any new Brecht fans? If you are totally not in to all this stuff, I promise to take some photos of full-scaled, real life things in Istanbul for the next post.

—-

Dear Cath,

Oh so good to talk to you on skype today! I can’t believe the next time I talk to you we’ll be in Istanbul and THEN I’ll be seeing you in a week!!!! SO awesome!

Sorry I’ve been so distracted with this course. I can’t wait to finally see my sistah in just a few days! 16 to be exact! Woohoo!!!

xoxox,

Lar

Category: Uncategorized
9 Comments
16 July 2012

Wannabe Set Designer

So while Cath goes to work full time, takes difficult stats classes, and keeps up with AsianCajuns, I’ve been doing about a third of that — and still can’t keep up! Kitcath, I don’t know how you do it! I’m starting my fourth and final week at Scenehouse next week (sniffles), so things should settle down a bit after that.

I’ll spare you any outfit photos because my limited closet would bore you to tears, and I’ve been wearing whatever is comfortable so that I can sit and make models of teeny tiny theater sets for hours. Here’s my model for a Tennessee William one act play set in a farmhouse in the Mississippi Delta:

In theater design in the UK we work in a 1 to 25 scale (it’s 1 to 24 in the states), so everything is carefully measured to be 25 times smaller than reality, including each individually cut, glued and stained floorboard. You can see how teeny the table is next to a mug and roll of masking tape below:

We get breaks during the week to visit theaters around Edinburgh and Glasgow. I loved going to the Lyceum. Lovely isn’t it?

So apart from touring some lovely theaters and sitting in a studio passively inhaling wood glue and white spirit for hours on end, once in a while I get to toddle outside and enjoy the cloudy, cool July days in Edinburgh. Rushing around town, I usually forget how much this beautiful city looks like a Harry Potter set:

Doesn’t this photo below look wintry? I took it yesterday, which we considered a balmy sunny day. Scary isn’t it?

Hope you guys are having a wonderful July so far. Is it hot where you are? If so, please send some of that this way! I still wear at least two layers and boots every day. I keep catching myself thinking it’s March. Turns out the phrase “Scottish summer” is an oxymoron.

—–

Dear Cath,

My brain has been so full of theater stuffs that when the cobwebs clear and I remember you’ll be here in three weeks I do a little happy dance each time!!! Can you believe it?! I’ve been told August will be at least slightly warmer and sunnier, which means maybe 60 degrees and an hour of sun twice a week. gulp.

SEE YOU SOON!!!

Love,

Lar

p.s. I’m listening to Classic FM as I type this, and the Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1 just came on. It always makes me think of that ABT video (VHS!) we used to watch for hours on end: Ethan Steifel and Ashley Tuttle. Don’t our ballet days seem like another life?

Category: Edinburgh
7 Comments
9 July 2012

My Favorite Restaurant in Edinburgh

‘Tis not the fanciest restaurants nor Michelin starred, but Spoon is by far my favorite place to eat in Edinburgh. It’s not crazy expensive, the atmosphere is warm and inviting, the wait staff uber-friendly (but not in a cheesey, b.s.-y way). and the food! Delicious and nutritious (lots of veggie and gluten free options)!

Isn’t it sweet? It’s homey without being too “done” and sugary sweet looking. It’s what I want my home to feel like (and smell like). It also happens to have great views of Nicholson street because it’s up on the second floor (first floor in British) of a lovely old building.

Here’s what we ate:
(p.s. Cullen skink is a savory, aromatic smoked fish soup — kind of like clam chowder)

And this is why we went:

My husbando just found out that one of his papers will be published soon — and (sorry for the mushy cheese) I am so very proud of him!

When you guys come and visit, I’ll take you to Spoon — just let me know when 😉

—–

Dear Kitcath,

As I said on skype, we are definitely going together! I AM SO EXCITED that you bought your tickets. So we have what 27 days until you are here!!!!!! EEEEE!!!! Hope you have a marvelous Monday!

xoxoxox,

Lar

 

Category: Edinburgh, Lar's Style
12 Comments
4 July 2012

Sheep Heid Inn and Skittling!

Sometimes living in Scotland makes you feel like English is not your native language after all. “For goodness sakes,” you say, “what is a ‘heid’ and what is a ‘skittle’?!” Luckily it doesn’t really matter because you’ve already tried haggis and actually liked it, so you intrepidly move into the land of other new Scottishy words. It turns out that “heid” (rhymes with “need”) means “head” and “skittles” isn’t colorful candy bits, but old school bowling. Growing more Scottish by the minute, you are!

This weekend, Matt and I decided to embrace the Scottish and go play skittles at the oldest pub in Edinburgh, the Sheep Heid Inn, for my birthday.

Here’s how we got there:


(Errr. or maybe it was more of a take-two-buses-and-then-walk-15-minutes kind-of-a-situation, and then Matt posed in front of this Mini because I asked him to and it was my birthday so he did).

And this is what I wore (sensible as always) to crassly stand on the bowling lane:


Wannabe Balenciaga dress by Primark and shoes by Mango.

And here are all the dapper gents that came to my party:


Okay, maybe these skittlers weren’t at my party, but they were at a skittle party in 1913 at the Sheep Heid. Just 99 years too early, gents!

Isn’t it a lovely old place? Legend says that there was a pub in this very spot since 1360 and that Mary Queen of Scotts and her son James loved to stop here for a wee rest and skittle game on their way to Holyrood Palace from Craigmillar Castle (tough life, those royals). The name “Sheep Heid” came from the gift James gave to the inn keeper: the head of a sheep. yum? Poor sheepy.

Lovely spot, isn’t it? I highly recommend a visit if you’re in Edinburgh. Not only is the inn chock-a-block full of historical lore, but the wee village of Duddingston where Sheep Heid is located, is so charming. Nestled just at the foot of Arthur’s Seat and spitting distance to downtown Edinburgh, Duddingston still looks much as it would have in the 17th and 18th century when Bonnie Prince Charlie stayed the night, and later J.M.W. Turner and Sir Walter Scott.

Seriously, what could be a better way to spend an afternoon but skittling and rubbing shoulders with British ghosts?

Oh gracious! I just forgot today is the 4th (Matt and I are being uber British and forgot all about our independence). Hope all you American readers are having a lovely day of fireworks and hot dogs! xoxox

—-

Dear Cath,

Oh I so wish you could have come skittling with us! We’ll have to take you to Sheep Heid if you fancy it. The atmosphere is lovely and I wouldn’t mind more of a toddle around Duddingston.

I cannot believe how hot it is in the ATL. I mean I should be able to remember what that is like, but I can’t! Today felt warmish — maybe in the 60s– and I actually wore a skirt (with tights)!

We will properly celebrate our bdays when you come into town. I know I sound like a broken record, but I cannot WAIT!!!

LOVE,

Lar

p.s. Our instructor today actually said the phrase “Easy, peasy, lemon squeezey” and I almost squealed in joy, but I reigned it in and looked calmed while saying “difficult, difficult, lemon difficult” in my head.

Category: Edinburgh, Lar's Style
8 Comments
2 July 2012

More Oxfordness

I hope you had a lovely weekend, readers! Here’s a second recap of our trip last week to Oxford (so glad you liked the first post!). Again, I was only there for a wee 24 hour trip, and I spent roughly five of those in a pub with Matt and friends (one being a tipsy Oxfordian getting his doctorate in Classics — I highly recommend having a drink with one when you visit).

I’ll keep this short and sweet and let the photos (and my obnoxious arrowing) do the talking. Needless to say, Oxford is beautiful, lovely, and exceeded my already lofty expectations. The elusive British sun came out the second 12 hours I was there — just look at the Bodlien basking in its brilliance:

Matt and I have two friends, both are former Oxfordians, that showed us around. A good tip when visiting Oxford? Look up! There are stone faces and gargoyles and doodads (yes, doodads — my art history studies are paying off) clinging to the stone on every cornice, gable, and drain pipe:

The interiors are just as good:

What surprised me the most was that Oxford is even better in person than what you see in the movies. You know how you think “ahh, they’ve obviously just shot the pretty bits in every scene” whenever you see fancy places in films? Well, Oxford is made up of just pretty bits that comprise an entire town surrounded by fields and the Thames:

Isn’t it just annoyingly wonderful? It’s not as if I wasn’t jealous enough of people who get to study amongst massively impressive old libraries and eat in dining halls that are straight from Harry Potter (literally filmed in the Christ Church dining hall) — post-trip I’m a lovely deep shade of forest green.

p.s. Thank you all for your wonderfully encouraging comments about my career explorations — you guys made my week! xoxox

—-

Dear Cath!

I hope you had a wonderful birthday yesterday! I can’t wait to celebrate with you properly in a MONTH!!!!

Isn’t Oxford wonderful? I loved Agnes Scott, but I would have left in a second if someone had given me a ticket to study here (a ticket to Oxford? That’s how it works right? ;)).

xoxoxoxoxox,

Lar

Category: Experiences, Lar's Style
6 Comments