The Swiss, the Beau, the Hangout
The days are flying by and the torch will be lit before you know it.
It has been a while since the last post, so here are three shorts to make up for it.
The Swiss
By Leah,
The sun is out!
On Friday, the House of Switzerland ski jumped into my neighborhood. They have indoor space in Glaziers Hall, a riverfront building next to London Bridge, and spread their Red Zone into part of Southwark Cathedral’s churchyard. They brought over an outdoor stage, a pop-up radio studio in a bus, and lots more branded with their red and white flag.
Swiss House is open to the public, but some national hospitality houses are not. Some charge admission and others are free. During the Games, countries’ houses are used for medal celebrations, meals and parties, live broadcasts of Olympic events on big screens, and to serve as a meeting spot outside the Olympic Park for teams, their families and friends, and VIP sponsors and partners.
Some countries are based in parks, and some are even on boats on the River Thames. Brazil has been given space at Somerset House – an enviable location for the 2016 Summer Games hosts.
Team USA set up shop at the Royal College of Art in Kensington, West London. I will try to get over there over the next couple weeks!
The Beau
By DM,
I had the pleasure to meet Andrew on Tuesday night, making me the first on my block to check out Leah’s boyfriend.
Let me say straight out that he is a top bloke (I may have stolen that line): nice guy, great sense of humor (he’ll need it, they are planning a trip to Cornwall) and a gentleman. We had great food (at the Brigade), a couple of pints (at the Shipwright) and laughs throughout.
Best meal by far in the short time I have been here. The Brigade is a repurposed firehouse not too far from Leah’s place near London Bridge. A fun and lively little neighborhood.
I don’t want to go all TMZ on you here, but it is good to know a little background on your bloggers:
Leah and Andrew met at the Chocolate Factory. No not Terry’s place, the theatre in Leah’s part of town, where she is a volunteer and he worked as a sound engineer. Their trip to NY could be an eventful one and not just because he will be given the third degree by Suzette and the clan. This Australian’s bucket list includes wanting to ice skate in NYC, see an ice hockey game, and convincing Orange County Choppers to let him take one out for a spin.
I hope to see the happy couple again before I leave.
The Hangout
By DM,
I was at the Aquatic Center the other day checking out the place and taking some photos and ran into my three buddies from my Google+ Hangout. For those who may have missed it, The Times had a series of Olympic Hangouts a couple of weeks back, live videos chats over the internet broadcast on Google, YouTube and NYTimes.com. You can see it here.
I bring this up mostly because I have pictures of the Aquatic Center and feel there needs to be some tie-in to the post.
So enjoy the pictures and we’ll be back soon.
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- front_of_stage_Gherkin_background
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- Glaziers_Hall_entrance
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- in_the_churchyard_Southwark_Cathedral
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- leah and joe
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- mobile_radio_studio
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- sign
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- Swiss_House_stage_riverfront
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- Swiss_Smart_Car
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- Cassidy Krug from the Hangout
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- Kristian Ipsen from the Google+
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- From 10 meters
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- Andrew and Leah at the Brigade
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- Train station near my hotel
Eat at Joe’s 
What great posts by both of you! Sounds like the air there must be absolutely electric! Glad you all enjoyed a nice dinner before the real craziness starts. Glad to hear that Andrew is the kind of wonderful person Leah deserves; looking forward to meeting him on Maple Street. (Note to Leah and Andrew: Ask Joe about the first time he brought Anne to Cornwall. It MAY have involved a typed questionnaire. Always the good sport, Anne answered them all in writing (correctly, I might add). Happy to see the pictures of the divers…I feel like we are all old friends by now! I am enjoying the blog so much already!! Great job so far by both of you, and thanks for keeping us so informed and entertained.
Great pictures! So happy to hear that the three of you could spend some time together. It’s hard to believe that Amy will also be there in just a few days.
Just like #2 Sister, I am also enjoying the blog and look forward to every post. However, (unfortunately) I do realize that your first duty is to the NYT and not to keeping me entertained and informed!! 🙂
Leah went to a dress rehearsal of the opening ceremony tonight but they are supposed to keep it all a secret. But i got the distinct impression that she liked the show. Perhaps you can get more out of her.
@#2 sister. Don’t think the subject of the questionnaire didn’t come up over dinner. I was warning Andrew as best I could about what may await him.
I hope he knows that Suzette the Mother and I both own fascinations, and it’s likely that we shall don them when he arrives!
Silly autospell! We own fascinators! (Although we are pretty fascinating in our own right!)
Almost a year ago I told Andrew on our first Skype that he was an answer to prayer! I haven’t changed my mind. I have had to depend on my scouts-the three Melrose girls last summer, Elizabeth Bradt and now Joe-for feedback. It has all been good so we may even waive his oral and written entrance exams. Thank you both for the great short stories and pictures.
I certainly hope I am not the “craziness” #2 sister is referring to… See you in a few days!!!!! 🙂
If any of you have seen Danny Boyle’s movies, you can somewhat know what to expect from the Opening Ceremony. I am so glad that Andrew Lloyd Webber and Cameron Mackintosh didn’t get the gig!
What I saw was stunning and I was in the 4th row. They didn’t do the full rehearsal, so there will still be some surprises tomorrow. I could not tell at all where the torch cauldron will be, and they didn’t tell us.
Danny Boyle came out on stage and asked us to Save the Surprise so I’m following orders!
@DM, one of the divers (not Kristian or Cassidy) needs to point his toes, right?
And safe flights Amy!
Wishing you a bon voyage, Amy, as you embark on your personal Olympic caper! Remember, your teammates await you.
First I would just like to take the opportunity to say…Leah, I love your dress! Also, I should note that the other day on the Today Show I heard a report that the London volunteers are some of the nicest they have ever met in any Olympics. Love those diving pictures! Can’t wait to watch it all. DM, I realize it’s not Olympic related, but can you elaborate on your best meal in London? While the sports part of all this is important, the local cuisine is also rather intriguing!
BON VOYAGE AMY!!!!
Questionnaire? I would prefer the oral exam. However I am not above faking a broken arm with the answers slipped up the cast (Dan Aykroyd style) naturally.
Cheers,
Andrew
(proofread by Leah)
P.S. Joe is a great bloke definitely have a few more pints with him later on.
Welcome Andrew! I love all the comments and even though I detest the ditty it makes me want to break into song and start wailing …”We Are Fam-mu-lee”.
@CANDT2ANDJ I had the flaked pork shoulder, which is apparently British for pulled pork. It came with a melted shallot and thyme tart. Best pork shoulder, flaked or otherwise, that i have ever had. My dessert was a cherry macaron with some cherry mouse. DEELISH. you can check out their menu here: http://www.thebrigade.co.uk/
Leah had the fish and chips and Andrew had the Wascally Wabbit, although Andrew doesn’t know that the last time a Bugs Bunny reference was made during a dinner out, Vyse Guy had baked beans come out his nose.
@Andrew I spent some time at the athletes’ village today and ran into two divers from Australia. In exchange for my Times pin, I received an Australian Olympic pin, kangaroo and all.
Post and pictures to come. (tomorrow that is; its late here)
Hi everyone. Thanks about the dress, Trisha. Good old Marks and Spencer! I made an unexpected trip out to Stratford yesterday evening to collect some tickets. Tickets keep going on sale and I bet the box offices wish they would just finish selling them already. I didn’t stay as there must have been almost 2000 people in line, but Lori went early this morning and was able to get them. Lori, Lucia, Tim and the Beau are all at Tower Bridge right now watching the torch arrive on the Queen’s fancy barge (some of you saw it in the Jubilee flotilla coverage) for photo opp with the bridge and its rings, and a new flat barge with huge Olympic rings is anchored there too. And I’m at work. Boo.
Enjoy the ceremonies tonight!
CHEATING, Andrew???? Well, I don’t blame you; Leah is worth it. Amy, bon voyage! And DM, glad you got some time to enjoy London and the residents therein. SO psyched for tonight!
Glad you’re eating well. What else would you expect from a firehouse?!
Hi Uncle Joe! That is why I picked that restaurant. In your honor, and all Ward/Albarino and Kiernan firemen past/present/future! And the food is good. British food can be delicious everyone – come on over!
Hello Andrew and All,
I just wanted to mention that not only was I given a questionnaire, but I was surrounded by about 70 or 80 Wards/Albarinos/Fornuseks (Joe has 72 cousins!) who intently watched me as I filled in said document. Andrew, you are aware that the Wards live next door to the Hershbergers and they’ll probably join in the on the questionnaire festivities. Being that they are the nicest people in the world (a shout-out here to my favorite mother and father-in-law) is what makes it not the most embarrassing thing you’ve ever done.
I’ll be working tonight and looking forward to all the great opening ceremony photos.
p.s. ok, so I exaggerated. there were only about 15 Wards/Fornuseks/Albarinos watching me fill out the questionnaire.
Thanks for the baked-beans-coming-out-of-John’s-nose visual, DM!!
NEWS FLASH: DM has scored a ticket to the opening ceremony. There now.
THAT IS AWESOME!!!!!!!
THAT’S AMAZING!!!!!
WOW!!! THAT’S GREAT!!! ENJOY!!
Some fun facts about the ceremony will be sprinkled throughout the evening.
1. @Andrew (our resident soundie) 500 speakers and 50 tons of sound equipment used in the million-watt PA system — more than double the amount of the speakers on the main stage at the Glastonbury Festival.
Stay tuned for more.
About an hour away from the start. the rhythmic clapping and the wave have begun.
Oh, and the sheep have arrived. Don’t worry i wont give much more away.
Fact #2: 7,500 volunteer members of the cast , which is about the number of flashbulbs going off right now . . . and still an hour before it starts.
SHEEP?? Oh my – this will be interesting! Must be incredibly exciting to be there!
Just leaving to take Amy to the airport!
WOW! well done Brits!
Not sure how it will play on TV but great fun in person. in the middle of parade of athletes. 965 volunteer drummers have been drumming nonstop for an hour and we are only up to the M’s. my arms are tired watching them. Pictures to come. After you have seen it tho.
Can’t wait!!!
Has the OC party kicked off yet?
i think there are countries here on Tracy has heard of!
cx: “only” not “on”
Starts in about 20 minutes. If I knew how, I’d post pix of the decor and food. Perhaps a young person will help me! I’m sure Tracy also knows their capitals and what their flags look like!
Latest interactive from the Times on Dana Vollmer: One With the Water.
and then she just tweeted this:
Dana Vollmer @danavollmer
Really cool video from the @LondonLive of how I do the butterfly! nyti.ms/MKscDB I swim the 100fly in 12hrs!! #London2012 #fb
USA just entered to a huge ovation. Wow they have a lot of athletes.
and now the brits. deafening!!!!
Did you see Mr. Bean?
A blizzard of paper. 7 million pieces of it. one for every person on earth
I did. don’t give too much away for the TV watchers. very funny.
CX: make that billion
Amazing!! Can’t wait…dying to know who lights the torch.
as my colleague Andy Das tweeted, you better watch on the biggest TV you can find.
Surround sound wouldn’t hurt either.
Enjoy Everyone
Here I come!!
That was a great opening ceremony from the couch! Must have been amazing in person! Can’t wait to see pics. I hope London is ready for you Amy!
It was wonderful! I can’t imagine experiencing it in person. I LOVED the way they lit the Olympic flame. So impressive. @ Amy- I hope you got some sleep on the plane.
So cute! I did feel like I was reading TMZ!