Wimbledon - Day 8
Really hard to believe I have been in town a week, but my pile of dirty clothes definitely shows it!! I bundled all of it up and decided to see what my chances were across the street. If you remember from yesterday's post, I had concerns about whether or not I could actually afford to use the laundry across the street. Turns out that was completely unfounded. It was only 8.50 GBP for a week's laundry, as opposed to 7 GBP for a single pair of jeans at the hotel. They are also open on Saturday, so I can pick up my duds without worry about running across the street naked. Let me just say for the record I will avoid hotel laundry service like the plague any more. Of course, thinking about the venues I have done in the last couple of years, I am not sure many have the option of a laundry across the street, so avoid like the plague is subject to interpretation.
I popped back into the grocery for some more almonds, some macadamias, and cereal bars. Tasty stuff really. I did determine I could use my card to pay, though I have never understood those digital signing pads. The signature was not even close to what mine looks like, and I suppose in theory I could contest that I never made the purchase, but it was only 7.62 GBP and I wouldn't actually do something like that. I just find it amusing. The guys at work that handle the shipping have something similar and when I sign for a package, I am always amazed at how crappy my signature comes out.
Today was a banner day for me in terms of celebrity worship (or as we call them, brushes with greatness.) We started this morning almost running down (literally) Dick Enberg, since we came in a direct broadcast centre entrance. I was stunned, as there he was. I grew up listening to that man on TV for all my breakfasts at Wimbledon and to actually almost have run into him while walking to work was really a treat! Then, during lunch, it was John McEnroe and Mary Fernandez in the cafeteria. Now, apparently McEnroe sightings are not uncommon, and we have gone to just putting a check box on our reports to indicate we saw him, but for me it was a treat. He is looking old, but then again, he is!! Mary Fernandez (I guess she dropped the Jo when she became a serious commentator) does look like she's aging well, and ate quite healthy, while Mr. McEnroe was stuffing his face with sausage and chips. For shame!! This brings up an interesting point for me. I am hard pressed to not feel a bit of idol worship. These are tennis players I idolized as a kid, and seeing them brings out the fan in me. I am working, however, and I don't want to raise any eyebrows, so I generally will not approach them, but it is so hard to resist.
Well, I spoke too soon. I managed today to exceed my badge limit, though I am not really sure how. I had to pay 3.60 GBP out of pocket. Oh well, still well below the meal allowance, so not exactly strife.
We left late, again, and chose to catch the tube straight back to Earl's Court. That allowed us to pop into the King's Head, a pub right around the corner from our hotel. Here's a picture of the front:
As a free house, they also had a variety of beers, and despite being in a country famous for its pride in beer, I chose a brew from another country that takes great pride in its beer. Germany's own Paulaner Brewery makes unquestionably one of the better German lagers and the King's Head even did it the honor of serving it cold. That means American cold, not English cold, as I have learned those are two different standards. Unfortunately, the King's Head closes at 11, so we worked our way back up and found The Prince of Teck. It wasn't bad, and they were another free house. I am getting quite a sample of beers this way, and the noise factors are significantly lower. The drunk factors are significantly higher, but since it is just the three of us, I don't really mind dodging drunks. The second night in a row we did find the strength to have more than 2 pints, which is apparently something our 3rd line manager wants us to do more often.
Back to the hotel and bed. Play starts earlier tomorrow as the juniors make their appearance. I, of course, get a bit giddy about that because now Kevin Botti will be here. He is still stinking it up on the junior circuit, but he has managed to show at every slam I have attended, so he can't be that bad. I hope to capture some photos of his match.
Cheers!
I popped back into the grocery for some more almonds, some macadamias, and cereal bars. Tasty stuff really. I did determine I could use my card to pay, though I have never understood those digital signing pads. The signature was not even close to what mine looks like, and I suppose in theory I could contest that I never made the purchase, but it was only 7.62 GBP and I wouldn't actually do something like that. I just find it amusing. The guys at work that handle the shipping have something similar and when I sign for a package, I am always amazed at how crappy my signature comes out.
Today was a banner day for me in terms of celebrity worship (or as we call them, brushes with greatness.) We started this morning almost running down (literally) Dick Enberg, since we came in a direct broadcast centre entrance. I was stunned, as there he was. I grew up listening to that man on TV for all my breakfasts at Wimbledon and to actually almost have run into him while walking to work was really a treat! Then, during lunch, it was John McEnroe and Mary Fernandez in the cafeteria. Now, apparently McEnroe sightings are not uncommon, and we have gone to just putting a check box on our reports to indicate we saw him, but for me it was a treat. He is looking old, but then again, he is!! Mary Fernandez (I guess she dropped the Jo when she became a serious commentator) does look like she's aging well, and ate quite healthy, while Mr. McEnroe was stuffing his face with sausage and chips. For shame!! This brings up an interesting point for me. I am hard pressed to not feel a bit of idol worship. These are tennis players I idolized as a kid, and seeing them brings out the fan in me. I am working, however, and I don't want to raise any eyebrows, so I generally will not approach them, but it is so hard to resist.
Well, I spoke too soon. I managed today to exceed my badge limit, though I am not really sure how. I had to pay 3.60 GBP out of pocket. Oh well, still well below the meal allowance, so not exactly strife.
We left late, again, and chose to catch the tube straight back to Earl's Court. That allowed us to pop into the King's Head, a pub right around the corner from our hotel. Here's a picture of the front:
As a free house, they also had a variety of beers, and despite being in a country famous for its pride in beer, I chose a brew from another country that takes great pride in its beer. Germany's own Paulaner Brewery makes unquestionably one of the better German lagers and the King's Head even did it the honor of serving it cold. That means American cold, not English cold, as I have learned those are two different standards. Unfortunately, the King's Head closes at 11, so we worked our way back up and found The Prince of Teck. It wasn't bad, and they were another free house. I am getting quite a sample of beers this way, and the noise factors are significantly lower. The drunk factors are significantly higher, but since it is just the three of us, I don't really mind dodging drunks. The second night in a row we did find the strength to have more than 2 pints, which is apparently something our 3rd line manager wants us to do more often.
Back to the hotel and bed. Play starts earlier tomorrow as the juniors make their appearance. I, of course, get a bit giddy about that because now Kevin Botti will be here. He is still stinking it up on the junior circuit, but he has managed to show at every slam I have attended, so he can't be that bad. I hope to capture some photos of his match.
Cheers!
posted by Derek Botti at
6:33 AM
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