Carol of the Bells

(Sorry the video's blurry, I just found it on You Tube, but it's more so you get the tune).

One of my favourite Christmas Carols... we don't have it in Australia. It's originally Ukranian. Here's the lyrics...

Hark how the bells,
sweet silver bells,
all seem to say,
throw cares away
Christmas is here,
bringing good cheer,
to young and old,
meek and the bold,
Ding dong ding dong
that is their song
with joyful ring
all caroling
One seems to hear
words of good cheer
from everywhere
filling the air
Oh how they pound,
raising the sound,
o'er hill and dale,
telling their tale,
Gaily they ring
while people sing
songs of good cheer,
Christmas is here,
Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas,
Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas,
On on they send,
on without end,
their joyful tone
to every home
Ding dong ding... dong!

It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year

There are 12 months in a calander year and if I have to chose a favourite, it's December. I think... no, I know why I choose this month - it contains both my birthday and my favourite holiday of the year - Christmas.

Last year I had the absolute pleasure to spend Christmas in New York City and it's just like it is in the movies - Carolers, Santa's shaking that bell asking for money donations, and the city is lit up like... well, a thousand Christmas trees. I know it's a hard time to be away from your family, but if you ever get the chance, put Christmas in New York City on your 'things to do before I die' list.

This year, I am in London. No snow, but it is cold. I have to admit, although it's nice to be in another city at Christmas time, I don't think anything will come as close to New York City. They go all out there - the window displays, the lights, the Rocketts at Radio City Music Hall. Here, I feel the lights aren't that great and I don't even know where the 'tree' is. Sorry London. That being said, I have tried to take a few photos while being here... here's some of them...

Christmas Markets, which I don't think we have back home, but they're everywhere in England. These markets were just down the road from where I live. This stall sold a wicked Chocolate Brownie... the best I've ever had!

Selfridges (sort of like 'Myers' in Australia or 'Macys' in the USA) lit up for the festive season. Selfridge's is on Oxford Street, Londons main shopping street.

This photo was also taken on Oxford Street, but I am looking in the opposite direction (Selfridges is to my left and behind me).

The brass band outside 'Boots' on Oxford Street. 'Boots' is the place for all your pharmacy needs in England. This one is 2 or 3 levels.

Debenhams - one of the many department stores that you'll find on Oxford Street.

Jack Black and a Love Song

I skipped a movie premiere last night to do my first 'hotel wait'. The premiere was for 'It's a Boy Girl Thing' and I didn't really know the actors and I really needed Jack Black's autograph on a photo. I missed Jack at the Tenacious D in the Pick Of Destiny premiere in London about 7 weeks ago. He stopped signing at the peron to the left of me. I did get Kyle on it that day, so Jack was my mission. I had heard Elton John was going to be at the movie premiere (inside information - in truth, I can't remember where I heard it but it was weeks ago). Turns out he did show and apparently he signed a few autographs. I wasn't fussed, as I'd seen him at the James Bond premiere in November.

So, I went to the hotel and waited for Jack Black. I felt so ashamed of myself... waiting at a hotel like that. I don't mind premieres, the celebrities are meant to be there, but hotels and restaurants and stuff, that's their personal time. One of the 'dealers' (ebay) guys I met the other day, was nice and liked me because I'm australian, so he told me what hotel Jack was going to be at. Lucky, because I would've waited at another one, where he's stayed at the two previous times he was in London. Anyway, my friend gave me the number plate of the car and I waited. I waited til 7pm and figured, well, I must've missed him because he'll be on stage in a hour or so, plus my friend had the licence plate, so I guess that means he'd seen him.

So, I went off to do some Christmas shopping, then went to stage door for the play 'Love Song', where I got Kristen Johnston (3rd Rock From The Sun and ER), Cillian Murphy (Red Eye, 28 Days Later, Batman Begins) and Neve Campbell who I loved in Party of Five. She was quick and only did about 3 autographs. I said to her 'Don't you miss Toronto?' and she looked up at me and smiled. I said 'I used to live in Markham' and she was like 'Oohhh...'. (It's not so much that I lived Markham - a suburb of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) - but I have cousins there, and I always go to stay with them for 6 weeks at a time... poor them, but they're lovely for putting up with me!) I then asked Neve if I could take a photo of her and she obliged. She seemed to be in a bit of hurry, but she was very sweet.

I then went back to the hotel and got there about 9:40pm... and waited... and froze... and waited... and froze. The doorman asked who I was waiting for and I told him 'I'm ashamed to say, it's a celebrity... I've been collecting autographs for 4 years, and this is the first time I've done a hotel'. At 11:20pm his car pulled up and his bodyguard (typical big black American dude who was like 'stand back... stand right back...') got out of the car and then Jack's wife got out and the nanny (? I'm guessing) and Jack got out holding his baby boy. I was like Shit... I'm not approaching him if he's holding his child. He totally ignored me and I thought it was clever of him - using his child so he wouldn't have to sign - but I was the only person waiting. They started to head in the hotel and the bodyguard held me back (I had no intention of going into the hotel, but I guess he didn't know that). He was inside and the bodyguard waved me off and the wife and nanny were heading in and I was like 'Are you serious? Please, I've been waiting here for hours. Genuine Fan. I just want to put the photo in a frame' (All true). By this time the women were inside talking briefly and I was about to walk off and the nanny came out and was like 'Give it to me, I'll get it for you'. 'Oh.. really? Thankyou SO much!'. She took the photo and my pen and came back a minute later. I was like 'I'm so sorry, I've never done a hotel before. Thankyou so much. I'm really looking forward to the concert tonight... oh sorry, I mean tomorrow night' (I think the cold froze my concentration but made me seem like a genuine fan, plus the concert was sold out, but I had tried to get a ticket on ebay a few weeks ago, but wasn't paying £100 for a £25 ticket. I do however have the Tenacious D CD - it's very funny, but vulgar at times! Rock and comedy... it makes for an interesting listen!).

I didn't take any photos of Jack though. As soon as I saw the baby I was like, nope, I don't want the flash to go off in the childs eyes... considerate, I know! I got to bed about 12:30 this morning! So there you go. It paid off, but I'm not in a hurry to do that again. Hotel waits are VERY boring! On the plus side, it was a chance to see the usually arrogant and self-absorbed Mr Black being all sweet and tender with his baby boy, carrying him out of the car and into the hotel. That's a side you don't see much of him in the movies.

Above is a photo of 'the photo'. Kyle had signed it a few weeks earlier at the 'Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny' Premiere at the Vue Cinema, Leicester Square, London. That little scrawl in the top right hand corner is what I spent 3 and a half hours in the cold waiting for. Sad, but true. But like I said, it'll look nice in a frame!

So Here's My Gripe...

Why, oh why, must people stop when they get to the top of an escaltor, the bottom of a set of stairs, as soon as they've exited an elevator...

Why, people!?!

It's not just rush hour it happens, but it's worse then. Tourists, or people in tourist mode, walking along as slow as anything.... I've seen snails move faster people!!!

Please, please, can you just keep moving... or plant your nose on the direction board so your out of people's way. Know where your going, think ahead... it's called 'Forward Planning' people, it doesn't take much effort, but the people behind you sure appreciate it. A little common sense goes a long way.

Stupid people shouldn't breed.... EVER!

aaarrrrggghhh!!!!

Birthdays are a funny thing, I find.

Not haha funny, but unusual funny. They're both a joy and depressing. It's an annual reminder to go 'Look, you're one year older... what did you achieve this past year?'. I find, for the most part, the answer is always the same... nothing.

I have a birthday next week. Not a big one, but not a small one. Somewhere between 25 and 30. I'm certainly not getting any younger, but I'm in the same boat as everyone else... none of us are.

For someone my age there is much I should've achieved by now. A lot of my friends have settled. They're in committed relationships, some married, some have houses with the white picket fence, some have children, they have careers. I'm the flipside to the coin. I have none of that. That's not to say I don't want it. There's a definite yearning for it. And God knows my mother wants more grandchildren, she's not afraid to say that out loud.

I wonder if I've spent too much time travelling the world. Is that possible? I took my first trip in 2002-2003 and spent 11 months backpacking through the UK, Europe, Canada and North America. My second trip was quicker - 4 1/2 months in 2004. Just Canada and North America. By the time I was 23 I'd seen 21 countries. I am now on my third trip, though I know this'll be my last 'big' trip. I left home 53 weeks ago. I spent 6 months travelling through Canada and North America (I have family and friends there) and took in a new country this time around - 3 weeks in Mexico. Now 22 countries. I wonder if the travelling has been more of hindrance than a help. Though I find the cultural learnings I've gathered along the way cannot be taught to me in a classroom, nor can I read about it in a book.

I know there's a lot I should've done with my life by now and there's still a lot I should do. I don't know where my life's going, though I know where I'd like to be. It's not just this time of the year that I assess and re-evaluate my life and my achievments (or lack thereof) but I do tend to do it more around this time in December.

I don't believe in New Year's resolutions, let's be honest, does anyone ever stick it out longer than a month? Maybe this New Year's resolution should be to believe in New Year's resolutions. Maybe when I blow out the candles this year, maybe I should wish for something realistic. Maybe I should wish for something attainable, something I can look back on this time next year and feel a sense of accomplishment. Maybe I should wish to see my dreams come true. Maybe.

Birthdays are a funny thing.

'Click' Movie Premiere, London

I have to apologise for not writing more. I've had quite the social life in the past few weeks, which is why I'm so far behind with my blog! I wonder if I'll ever catch up. Even, my mum's wondered what's happened to me, I hardly go out when I'm in Australia. The girl at work says I've been 'Londonified'. (Yes, that's a made up word, but you get the gist). So here's the next post...

This premiere's going back about 8 weeks, but I hope you can all forgive me for the delay. On Wednesday 27 September, 2006 at the Empire, Leicester Square, was the movie premiere for 'Click' which stars Adam Sandler, Kate Becksinale and David Hasselhoff and all three turned up to the premiere. I went after work and I arrived after 4pm. There were no front row barrier spots, but thankfully my friend had and her mum saved me a front row spot (thanks 'L'). Mind you, they mentioned the crowd only started to build up about 3.30pm so I did't feel bad jumping the queue. Had it'd been busy at 1pm, I would've stood where I arrived. By 6pm it was pretty full as the tourists had gathered to do a bit of celeb spotting.

I was interviewed by a TV crew and they asked me who I was there to see - the wanted The Hoff to be the answer, so I played it up for them... 'Don't Hassle The Hoff' I said. They laughed. I'm sure they aired it, though I never knew what station it was for. The premiere was well worth the wait, especially as you don't know who's turning up, so it's all a guessing game.


The Hoff being cool saying 'Aussie, Aussie, Aussie... G'day, G'day, G'day'. Whoever 're-invented' this man, I would like to sit and have a few words with them! Sorry, the photo's blurry, he was moving too fast.

When 'The Hoff' turned up, he gave out photos that he'd pre-signed earlier. He had these little postcards that he was giving out and stuff - just flicking them into the crowd. He didn't sign for anyone and he thought he was the coolest guy there, you should've seen him posing for the paparazzi, giving them the thumbs up and stuff, he was an absoloute tosser! Good thing I wasn't waiting for him.



Frank Coraci, the director came over and signed my 'Click' mini poster (it was in a magazine, the size of a piece of A4 paper). I later had it signed by both Adam and Kate. All three of them were very nice. Adam Sandler had turned up first, but he took ages to reach me as I was near the paparazzi, so he had to work his way up. Adam spent a good hour, more even, signing for the fans and posing with them aswell.

When Adam got closer to me, I got my friend 'L' to take my photo with him and I took a photo of her with Adam. He was really nice and very sweet. Very gracious of all the fans, I think he was rather surprised by how many people were there, but he was great and stopped for everyone. If people didn't have anything, he shook their hands; he was a genuinely nice bloke. The photo my friend took on her camera is a bit blurry (but not really noticeable) andthe photo I took of her on my camera turned out good. That'd be right! I don't mind though, at least I got a photo with him. Just before I got my photo with him, I said to Adam 'Thanks for being so funny' and he was like 'Oh, hey, thanks dude'. He was calling everyone dude. He was a super nice bloke!


(The photo of Adam and my now cropped friend)

Kate turned up after Adam and she spent almost an hour signing and posing also. Kate and Adam were super lovely. I think I appreciate both Kate and Adam more than I did before meeting them, and I thought highly of them before. As for David, I think he's a bigger douche than before I'd met him, and I already didn't think much of him then. As Kate was approaching, I said to her 'I loved you in Serendipity' (it's one of my favourite films) and she looked up at me and was like 'Ohh.. thankyou!'. Her handler tried to pull her away for photos and interviews and she was like, 'I'll come in a minute, some of these people have been waiting since 11 o'clock'. How nice was that! I was there about 4 hours waiting for the celebs, and I got some photos of Kate on the way out again. Kate had said she'd pose with me, but as I moved after she went in, I lost my spot and missed out on the photo. Not too worry, I got some nice pictures of her as she was doing the autographs for the fans.



(Sorry, I have turned into my friend Hughe and have gone 'Paparazzi' for this and am 'represented' for the photo, hence the watermark for CitizenImage).

After it was all over I ended getting one of the poster boards off the barrier. I went to get another one - just in case I ripped this one when I take it off the cardboard (has happened twice to previous posters) - and I was showing it to my friend when I got back home and I was like 'Oh wow, it's signed'. Adam has signed it in pen and it's a big signature- not like the smaller quicker one on my 6x4 photo. It was a good premiere and I'm glad I met Adam and Kate as they were really nice and they were great with the fans!

Guy Fawkes Night, 2006

I am now here in England (for those of you that don't know me, I'm originally from Australia) and they still celebrate Guy Fawkes night or Bonfire night, as it's sometimes known. We stopped celebrating this back home when I was just a child. I'm sure it was because too many accidents occured with people and their DIY fireworks. The selling and purchasing of fireworks in Australia is illegal. It is only permissable to those who do it as a profession - for example the people that do the awesome display on Sydney Harbour every December 31st, which, sadly I am still yet to witness with my own eyes.

So these are some photos I took just from looking out the window of my room. My (basic) digital camera has a setting specifically for 'fireworks', so I had to have a steady hand (actually, I just leaned it against the brick wall). If you don't mind me saying so, I'm quite pleased with how they turned out.




For those that don't know what Guy Fawkes night is, here's the explanation I took from Wikepedia - 'It celebrates for some the failure of the Gun Powder plot (to others the attempt), in which a group of Catholic conspirators, led by one Robert Catesby, and including Guy Fawkes, attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament in Westminster on the evening of 5 November 1605, when the Protestant King James I (James VI of Scotland) was within its walls.The celebrations, which in the United Kingdom take place in towns and villages across the country, involve fireworks displays and the building of bonfires, on which "guys", or dummies, representing Guy Fawkes, the most infamous of the conspirators, are traditionally burnt. Before the fifth, children traditionally used the "guys" to beg for money with the chant "Penny for the guy", although this is now rarely seen'.

'The Devil Wears Prada' Charity Screening & 'Hoodwinked' Movie Premiere.

Hi Readers... I had two waste of time premieres about a month ago. By waste of time, it means no one in the movie turned up. Infact, I don't think anyone who worked in the movie turned up - not even the boom operator - hence, it was a waste of (my) time.


(Anthony Head of 'Buffy' and 'Little Britain' fame. He was nice enough to walk all the way around the barriers and signed for every fan!)

The first was premiere was for the movie The Devil Wears Prada on Thursday 21 September 2006 at the Odeon West End. I can only remember who turned up as I've attached the photos throughout. I do remember Graham Norton (sort of like Jay Leno and Letterman... except gay) turned up, but he was too nasty to sign an autograph for the waiting fans. And too quick to even pose for the 'paps'.


Keisha from 'Sugarbabes'

Keisha Buchanan from the girl band 'Sugarbabes' turned up and I got her autograph. She was having trouble standing up and had just told us she'd only had 3 hours sleep after the music awards last night. There was literally a lady with her, holding on, to make sure she could stand straight. There was a young kid standing next to me who was yelling at people the whole night - he just wanted an autograph from anyone and was constantly asking me the names of people. I'd tell him and he'd yell really loud for them to come over. He managed to call Keisha over and he asked for a photo with her. She said he was just adorable and asked how old he was, '15' he said. She pulled an 'oops' face and then left. Lady Victoria Hervey turned up, but I've no idea who she is. Wait, I just googled her, she's a wannabe actress.


Lady Victoria... yeah, I have no idea either!

There was a lady in white dress that turned up, she's in a new group and the boy kept saying how good looking she was. I told him to call her over and he said 'I will, what's her name'. I said I had no idea and jokingly said 'Lady in the white dress'. He then yelled at the top of his lungs for the 'Lady in the White Dress'. It got a laugh out of the crowd. He must've called her about 10 times and she eventually came out of the cinema and over to us. It was her first movie premiere.


Lady in the white dress - don't know her name, she's in a new group.

After all the lesser known celebs, Kimberley Stewart (daughter of Rod) turned up last and very late. I think she was the only 'celebrity' I'd heard of. Sorry for the bad photo... trust me, it's her.


Kimberley Stewart, famous for being Rod's daughter.

The next premiere was the following Sunday the 24th at the Vue, Leicester Square for the kids movie 'Hoodwinked'. This too was a waste of time as I don't even think the coffee runner turned up to this one. There were a couple of British celebs who I've never heard of and didn't pay much attention to. The only one I'd heard of was Caeser from the Big Brother show - no one special, I'm sure he'll be asking if I 'want fries with that' in 5 years time with all the other '15 minute famers'.


An actor dressed as 'Granny'

This was an afternoon premiere and they'd hired some actors to dress up as the four main characters from the film. There was Granny, Red, Big Bad Wolf and the Woodsman. Other than that, it was 3 hours of my life I can't get back.


Red and Wolf battling it out at the Hoodwinked London Premiere.



Red and the Woodsman getting in their '15 seconds'...

I will write something more interesting next time...

London Lunchbreak

I was out on my lunch break on Wednesday and I stopped by Jubilee Gardens to take some photos of the London Eye. Actually, I heard there was a film crew down there, so that was the real reason I went down (me and movies...).


The Houses of Parliament and Big Ben



The film crew for either 'The Bourne Ultimatum' or 'Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer' or 'Run Fat Boy Run'. All are currently filming in London.



The helicopter in the background is taking aerial shots for 'Fatastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer'. That I know for sure as I received an email mentioning why there was a helicopter flying over the River Thames. I imagine it'll be a scene where Johnny Blaze or the Silver Surfer is flying through the sky, with London as the backdrop.



It was a lovely clear day, the sky was a perfect blue and the sun was out and although you can't tell by the photos I think the weather was about 7C and it warranted the wearing of a long wool jacket.

Is It A Cultural Thing?

I have been living in London now for 5 months and becoming a regular commuter, I have started taking the Tube to work. The first thing that struck me about the tube was that I'd just come from New York City, and their subway had no problems dealing with the 8 million locals plus the extra 2-4 million tourists there on a daily basis. London has a population of 7 million and I wonder why, oh why, is there never a day when every single tube is running as it should be?!

And when did it become acceptable to try and push through the travellers who are trying to get off the train, so that they can get on first. Even if the announcement comes over the loudspeaker to let passengers off the train before boarding, there are still those selfish a$$holes who thinks it's acceptable to be impatient.

And another thing, when did it become ok to not stand up for your elders and give them a seat on the train? I have given up my seat a few times this week and have noticed the other commuters looking at me, wondering what I'm doing, then proceed to bury their heads in their evening paper. It's like a seat becomes available and thre's this mad dash to get there first. Why not look around and see who's more deserving of it, like the pregnant lady on my train yesterday.

Finally, when did the sentence 'The (insert train line name here) is having delays at the moment, due to a person on the tracks' become ok to be announced out loud?

I am 5 1/2 months into my 2 year working visa... I wonder if I'll last the distance...

Children of Men Premiere

On Tuesday the 19th of September at the Odeon in Leceister Square in London was the premiere for the UK film 'Children of Men'. I wanted to go to this premiere because it stars Clive Owen and Michael Caine and both being British, I knew it was guarenteed they'd turn up. They proved me right.


(Saffron Burrows turned up and signed for the waiting fans)

I got there after work and managed to score a front row spot right opposite the cinema entrance. I couldn't believe it, it was going to be a great view. After waiting a few hours, the celebs started to arrive. Michael Caine turned up with his wife. Two of the minor stars, Claire-Hope Ashitey and Charlie Hunnam, also turned up as did the director Alfonso Cuaron. Clive Owen arrived after all of them. I first got an autograph off Michael Caine (arrived with his wife) who I thought was a bit of grumpy, rushing his signatures and going 'Ok, who's next' and things like that. (I have since met him again and he was quite nice). Unfortunately, the girl next to me had a big red marker, and that's the pen Michael used to sign and you can't really see he signed on my photo. Oh well. Michael didn't sign as much as the bottom of the red carpet, but after he did his interviews, he came over and signed on my side of the carpet. The paparazzi cameras can zoom that far, so the stars have to look good for them.


(The gorgeous Clive Owen signing before heading into the cinema)

After Michael, Charlie also came over and he signed quite a bit for the fans. I didn't get Claire-Hope or Alfonso's autographs, but that's ok, I was hanging out for Clive Owen's. After much waiting and a lot of 'is that him? Can anyone see?... is itClive?', he finally made it to where I was standing and I got him to sign a photo (about 10cm x 15cm) of him in 'Inside Man', which is a film that I just love. I got some nice photos of him before he made his way to the end of the red carpet to pose for the photographers. After that he headed inside.


(Clive was nice enough to come out and sign for us again before he left)

I was reviewing my pics and only managed to take three ok shots of him, because the flash takes forever to re-load. I was hoping to get some more pics, but they don't usually sign twice. When they were done introducing the film, a lot of the people who were behind me for arrivals had disappeared, and Clive stood at the door entrance waiting to leave. HIs car was running late, so he just had to wait for it. We all started to yell out to him 'Clive... Clive' and he finally came over. I managed to get another autograph on a 'Children of Men' photo and I got some better photos of him. It was good too, because there weren't that many people there - maybe 25.



(Charlie Hunnam talking to the fans)

Michael had also come out earlier to sign before he left, but I was moving around and missed it, which is a shame, because it would've been nice not to have it in red pen. It was a good premiere, and I'm surprised four of the movie's stars plus the director turned up. I did get some good photos though... and I finally met Clive Owen. Even George Clooney thinks he's got talent!

Miami Vice London Premiere

I haven't uploaded my pics from the London Film Festival as I'm a bit busy at the moment. This is going back a few months, but here's some reading about the Miami Vice London Premiere... On Thursday 27 July 2006 was the 'Miami Vice' premiere at the Odeon, Leicester Square. The premiere was taking place in Leicester Square park and there were probably about a hundred people spread out around the park. I hadn't seen a premiere like this before, so I didn't know where to stand. I ended up getting a spot at the front of one of the barriers which was lucky. It was a warm day and sitting in the sun for a couple of hours wasn't the most fun I had, but what can you do?

One of my friends, came down because she loves the Irish accent and wanted to meet Colin Farrell. I met him a couple of years ago at a baseball game in Toronto and got my photo with him then. At the time I only had my baseball ticket stub to get signed, so I was hoping to get something better signed today. I had a photo - about 10cm x 15cm -that I was hoping to get signed. At about 5.30pm Colin arrived and the car stopped on the opposite side of the park to where I was standing. That'd be right. He signed some autographs, posed for the photographers and then did the interviews about the movie. It must've taken him almost an hour before he reached us, but by that time, it had started to softly rain, so he was moving quicker than when he was on the photographers side. Because of the rain, it had gotten darker quicker too, so by the time he got to me, I took a photo then had to wait for what felt like 10 minutes while the flash on my slow and simple digital camera re-loaded. By the time I took my next photo of him, he was already on the other side of me.

I was going to try and get another photo with him, but my friend pulled him and said 'Can I borrow you for a photo?' and she got her photo with him. I noticed that if he posed for someone, he wouldn't pose again for another 5 or 10 people, so I didn't get a photo with him... but, I did get the photo signed I wanted, plus, there was another photo I had of Colin and Jamie Foxx taken at the L.A. premiere of Miami Vice that he signed as well. I was hoping Jamie would sign it when he turned up.



( Colin and my friend who's face I have blanked out)

Michael Mann, the director arrived about 20-30 minutes after Colin. He did his bit over in the corner on the other side of the park (now I know where to stand for next time), did lots of interviews, but with all the yelling we couldn't get him to come over and sign on 'our side of the park'. Oh well. When Jamie finally turned up it was about an hour after Colin and he wasn't outside for long - maybe 20 minutes. He only signed over where the photographers could get a photo of him doing so. He walked around the park and waved to us - Whoop De Doo - and then he stopped before going up the stairs to sign about 5 autographs about 15 metres from where I was for some fans. After that, he did a quick interview, then walked over the bridge that had been set up and made his way to the cinema entrance.

So, unfortunately he didn't sign the photo of him and Colin that I had printed up. I figured no one else was turning up, so I made my way to the other side of the fence and got near the cinema entrance to see Jamie walking inside. He didn't sign any autographs over there, just shook peoples hand. A lot of the crowd dispersed after this as I don't think anyone else from the movie was turning up. Oh, Li Gong also turned up aswell, complete with English Translator.






I was hanging around for about 10 minutes, as were about 50 other people, when Samuel L Jackson came walking down the stairs. I had to fumble for my camera and only got one quick photo of him. He was wearing a T-Shirt which on the back was shamelessly advertisting his new movie 'Snakes on a Plane'. This was the photo that made the paper the next day - the back of Samuel L Jackson's T-Shirt. After he went in I left as I left and heard screaming as I was walking away. I saw a photo in the paper the next day that Ewan McGregor had turned up. I think that explains the screaming. Turns out he went because he and Colin are currently in London filming a movie.

Filming of 'The Bourne Ultimatum'

On Monday (October 30th), at about noon, I was sitting at my desk at work when one of my colleagues informed me that 'she thought she just saw Matt Damon filming at Waterloo'. Her not being a big film buff like me I asked 'What do you mean you thought you saw him?'. I quickly 'googled' Matt Damon on the internet and found out that he's currently filming 'The Bourne Ultimatum', so figured it must've been him.

I went over there armed with a camera and was scouring Waterloo Train Station looking for him, but I couldn't see him, just a hundred extras who looked bored senseless. I had about 15 minutes of my lunch break left and I hoped I'd get to see him in that time. I took a photo with me (just in case) that I would've like autographed, but he was working and I didn't really want to disturb him. Plus, all the Police officers were a bit of a turn off to approach him.

I did however manage to capture him filming a scene for all of about 7 seconds. I won't post it on this webpage because I was asked to remove it. I still have it. Also, the movie's 'in production' so I don't think it's fair to post photos when they're actually filming. Candid shots on set I think are ok, but had I acutally have taken one while filming, I don't think you'd see it here.

I will however put up the photo I took of him as I was walking past. Sorry it's not straight. I had it on sporting motion and I was walking when I took it so I wouldn't get stopped. Paranoid, I know.

When he was filming the scene he walked right near me - about a metre away. There were a few police officers and a lot of crew, but as they didn't close down Waterloo station, lots of regular people were mixed in with the paid actors. He was laughing and joking with the director at the end of the scene and had a great smile - I didn't get a photo of the famous Matt Damon smile though.

I have added this photo because I'm sure plenty of people took them as they were walking past Matt Damon - and he wasn't filming at the time - so I think it's fair game. I think that's the director - Paul Greengrass - in the background. He also directed 'The Bourne Supremacy'.

View from the Golden Jubilee Bridge, London

On Thursday night (the 19th), I was walking back from The National Film Theatre in London. I was walking along the Golden Jubilee Bridge with a friend when I stopped to take some photos across the River Thames. I have to apologise for the quality, because I used a basic digital camera and had to lean it against a pole to keep it still when the shutter went off. That being said, I don't think they're all that bad.

Talladega Nights Movie Premiere

On Tuesday the 12th of September 2006 at the Empire, Leicester Square in London was the premiere for 'Talladega Nights - The Ballad of Ricky Bobby' which stars the ever funny Will Ferrell.I turned up to the premiere after work and got there just after 4pm. All the front rows of the barrier had been taken, so I had to settle on a 2nd row standing position for the next few hours, which I imagined would become the norm, now that I'm turning up there later after work. Two months ago I wasn't working, and a spot in the front row was very easy to get.

Just before Will arrived there were some dancers that came out and did some cool moves and danced individually on these podiums. They even incorporated car tyres at one point (the movie is about American NASCAR racing). When Will finally arrived he got out of the car and was wearing a white England Football (soccer) jersey, with blue shorts, knee high sock and footy boots. He gets out of the car, spreads his arms as if to say 'Yes, I am here'. He got quite a few laughs when the people saw him, which I'm sure is what he was aiming for. He spent about 40 minutes on the red carpet doing interviews, posing and signing a little bit. His PR was limiting his time, so he didn't sign as many autographs as I thought he would. I thought he would sign all the way around the barriers, but he didn't.

Where I was standing there were a bunch of us calling out to him - 'Will... WILL.. WILL!'. He looked at us a couple of times and then back at the photographers where he was heading. It looked like his PR was ready to take him to do an interview when the screaming got a little louder, he looked over at us and then pulled away from his PR person, jogged over to us, did a little jump and signed some autographs. It was in the second that he turned towards us and jogged that I was thrust from the second row to the first, with all the barrier space I needed. It was actually pretty bad, as the barrier started to move forward and I was waiting for it to topple. I hadn't been in anything that bad before. I did however manage to get his autograph on a photo that I printed out (he's in his Ricky Bobby NASCAR uniform) and it looks pretty good.

After he signed he went and did an interview on the stage at the end of the red carpet, then went to pose for the photographers, where he proceeded to side step up the red carpet, doing a little jog infront of them and the photographers could all be heard scream 'Will... Will.. could you keep still please!'. It was quite funny. I didn't worry about waiting for him to come out (the actors are usually only in there 30 minutes introducing the movie - they don't usually sit through and watch it). I got some good photos of him when he was signing - one he looks like a stunned mullet as my camera flash has gone off.

A Blog, eh?

So, it seems, I have finally taken to catching up with the internet world and decided to embark on creating a Web Log - Blog as it's called. Sadly, I only just found out on the weekend what 'Blog' was short for.

I have two friends - one back home in Australia, another in New York - whose blogs I have made a habit of reading, especially in the past weeks. I think it's a great way to keep up to date with the happenings of life. And I love the fact that I will be able to ramble on about this and that and speak of things I may not normally have the courage to. Certainly cheaper than a shrink if you ask me.

After spending a good hour and a half setting up my blog, changing settings, trying to figure out how to remove the automatic question (no idea!), and silently cursing the computer, I'm all set up. That is until I want to post a picture which I'm sure will take me another good hour all together.

So here it is, my first blog post... about posting on my blog.

It will be interesting to see how long I manage to stick this out, considering I am travelling and don't have a laptop. I will have to take to finding the time to make my posts and upload my pictures either at work, in the library or at the internet cafe.

I'm not sure where this blog will take me (if anywhere), but I look forward to the travel stories I'll be able to write... wondering perhaps when the words will actually be printed in ink in the daily paper. You will also find this blog will contain photos of all the celebrities I see. I attend a lot of movie premieres and as I'm not in Australia (my home country), I am meeting quite a few of them in my travels. Most find the flight far too long to go 'Down Under' and I don't have the opportunity to meet them. Here in London alone I've meet so many already.

And to think, my time here is pretty much just starting....