What Happened on Sunday?

Lots!

First of all, we saw The Last Station:

I also perused a few pages of the Mrs. Tolstoy's book: The Diaries of Sofia Tolstoy while at Blackwells.  The book looks so intriguing!

We also experienced a ridiculous mess -- our flat flooded. We're now officially homeless, but that's hopefully getting sorted out today. I'll be back with pictures to show the utter destruction -- it's a big, uninhabitable mess! Think: fire hydrant busted inside your home. There was no small trickle!

The Next BIG Thing?

Have you seen this?

What do you think of being "nexted?"

First Coast

Last night MBA and I went to dinner with the Browns at First Coast.

The place has great ambiance! But even better food!

Even as a Michelin-starred restaurant, the bistro is not stuffy. Instead, it just offers really yummy, creative dishes. 

 

Pictures courtesy of First Coast

The Browns have been talking about this restaurant for quite some time, and I'm so glad we finally tried it with them. If you're ever looking for some nice, Scottish fare in the West End, you should definitely check out First Coast. But make sure to book a table. It was completely packed on a random Wednesday evening! 

You're Really Getting More Snow?

I hear many of my American friends and family are getting more snow. What better time to share some snowy Edinburgh pictures with you?!?!

Here's a view of our castle from my favorite place to work and stay warm:

Starbucks on Princes Street -- lined with huge, floor-to-ceiling windows -- and a view of the castle!

I hope you and yours stay warm and dry today!

Exclusive

Do you enjoy Exclusive First Listens on NPR? I do!

Why Do I Look So Happy?

Because Kampong Ah Lee's food is so yummy! Dare I say .....  it's a "delight"to eat!

Last night, MBA and I had dinner with some good friends at Kampong Ah Lee, Malaysian Delight, after we attended a Gifford Lecture given by Terry Eagleton at the Playfair Library in Old College. 

 

Old College, University of Edinburgh

Picture copyright © The University of Edinburgh 2008. 

While the above picture is of the Playfair Library in Old College, yesterday the room was set up for a lecture and not a banquet. Statues line the room alongside antique bookshelves filled with presumably collectible, historic books. The room is over 190 feet in length and has barrel-vaulted ceilings. It's quite an ornate room; yet, the acoustics are a bit lacking. Thus, you have to concentrate to understand the speaker. 

Yet, with such a fascinating and witty lecture, it was quite a pleasure to listen to Eagleton speak on The God Debate. Known for coining the term "Ditchken," Eagleton has been a dialoguing partner of the New Atheists. If you're interested in hearing Eagleton share on similar subjects, you might consider listening to his lecture series given at Yale in 2009: The Dwight H. Terry Lectureship given by Professor Eagleton.

In Honor of Johnny

Yesterday would have been Johnny Cash's 78th birthday. In honor of the occasion, I bring you this:

(Hat tip to my friend Nigel for sharing the video!)