Notting Hill Carnival 2010

 Will write about it tomorrow but enjoy the photos...

I hope you can feel the festive atmosphere!

Such a clever poster, I love it!

Crazy amount of crowd, of course including me!

I was obviously stopping the parade!

Mississippi Mud Cake

I did get myself to bake 'Mississippi Mud Cake' today.
It was the weather for it, so so so so wet and muddy!
I got totally soaked on my way home, but had to 
dropped in for a quick visit and the client was not in...So typical!
I wanted to cheer myself up with something...
and a cake can't go wrong!

This is my recipe book, I started last year (my personal design!)
I collect various recipes from anywhere. 
I've tried a number of them. 

Already ate some chocolate whilst taking this photo!

  























The result is 'Good'! 
It could have been sweeter. The recipe said 400g of sugar, 
I thought it seemed a lot so I only went for 300g... still not bad. 
Maybe if had sweet cream, that would have done the job for me! 
Will get cream tomorrow and indulge again. 
I'm a happy bunny:) Good night friends!



.

Student Social Worker

London was wet all day long, the heaven's open!
Well, it started off sunny as you can see.

I had a student social worker shadowing me all day at work. 
So I went in early and did some preparations...
a chair, some case files for her to read, and some text books. 
I had a joint visit with a colleague, which gave the student a
good insight of what social workers actually do. It was rather a 
complex case but I think we achieved what we wanted. 

There are quite a few elements to pass a social work course in terms of practice related areas;

1. Shadowing (3-5 days)
Goldsmiths College, University of London, where I was trained, I had to organise 5 days of shadowing in my first year (I've done a BA course.) I remember so clearly how daunting it was to make the first phone call!

2. 200 days of practice placements
This is normally arranged via the practice tutor in each universities. Goldsmiths ensured that one of the placement to be a statutory one. I was fortunate to have two statutory placements and my current work was one of them! I guess my previous work experience was all voluntary sector so it worked out very well.
The 200 days are split between 2nd and 3rd year for the BA course and 1st and 2nd year for the MA. (Most MA course in the UK are one year but Social Work is two years because of placements.)

I have very surprised how much I remembered and most of the theories came naturally. But when I went through some of the text books, it was so strange and I couldn't get by fingers around it easily. I just thought how much I wanted to go back to studies and when I actually start the 'Practice Teaching Course' to become a practice teacher on placement, it may give me a clearer direction for my doctoral topical area. 

All social workers have to undertake post-qualification course to keep up with the changes in practice and legislation. As part of this I can train to be a practice teacher on placement to guide students through their 100 odd days of placement. I heard from my two colleagues that it is rewarding and keep you at your toes with the latest practice issues, but challenging to fit all in with the normal caseload! Tough! 

It was very empowering day and really enjoyed it! And I think she liked the day too. I think I painted well in the morning for her to be relaxed and feel comfortable :)

Monday! Monday!

I somewhat hate Mondays..so tiring though I rest

over the weekend. I almost got to my office on my bike 

this morning thinking it was Sunday!

I had so much paperwork to catch up,
but I was so sleepy and tired.
Not sure how much coffee I had, obviously it didn't work.
I did manage to get a decent amount of work completed...
My mind was drafting somewhere far far away...let it be!

   

           **********************************

These runner beans are from a service user's garden.

 

She insisted and I didn't want to be rude not to pick any 
so I just picked these. They were big! 
Below is her garden that won the Best Front Garden in Southwark!
My photos are crap!
But she had graps, squash, cucumber, rose, sunflower in 
such a small space and all in harmony. Really pretty!

Today reminded of her who I visited last Monday, 
so tempted to postpond the visit as I did not really
feel like going and it was in Peckham as well. 
(Mind you, I have not cancelled or postponded any visits 
unless I'm not well...)
However, it turned out that she was so inspirational that 
I gained energy through her, so glad to have visited her. 

She made an interesting point that I was the first non-white
English social worker she has met (when social worker are so 
divers, but I guess it's still quite a white middle class profession?).
And she feels comfortable with me to discuss her issues and 
she was a black woman from Trindad, very strong minded person. 

I remember my last interview question for this post was, 
'What are your strengths and weaknesses?'
I answered, 'Strength...my non-Englishness, being a Korean, 
which I can understand and empathise better of the divers 
group of people living in Southwark.' It seems to have paid off. 
Of course, the weakness is the opposite side of the coin, 
not fully understanding the Englishness.

PROM 44

Nearly missed today's PROM as it was so so so popular!

 The queue was all the way to Imperial Collage London, 

student union means it is a dame long queue!

But met some really funny tourists, borrowed my bike 

then caught by the police and told me stories of Micheal Fagan

who broke into Buckingham Palace in the 1980s!

So random but entertaining!

I got in by the skin of the teeth!
ticket no. 593...there were only a few more who got in 
and quite a number of people were turned away.

It was such a popular Prom, 

Rachmaninov and Nikolai Luganski
It was exquisite! not only Rachmaninov but all three pieces. 
It was irritating people were coughing or making noise almost 
deliberately between the movements. 
Anyway, it was a fubulous night! 

• Beethoven Overture 'Coriolan' (8 mins)
• Rachmaninov Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini (25 mins)
• Tchaikovsky Suite No. 3 in G major, Op. 55 (38 mins)

• Nikolai Lugansky piano

• Russian National Orchestra
• Andrey Boreyko conductor 

********************

Views to and from today's Prom

Wellington Arch

 

Hyde Park Corner....OOPS! this man....

Apsley House

Night view of Wellington Arch

Reform, Changes, Cuts....

Public spending cuts are announced almost everyday.

Local authority saving of 25 % was announced few months ago.
Strategies and mechanisms have been introduced but
we shall wait and see whether it will actually work.
As we are already finding faults in the system.

Minsitry of Justice was all over the news last week,
Department of Work and Pension is on today regarding
the reform of the universal benefits,
Winter Fuel Allowance and Child Benefit.
Cutting Winter Fuel Allowance for over 60 and raising the age to 65. Child Benefit may be reduced? or Means-tested?

Click here to read more....BBC News

Why do I do this to myself during my lunch time?
Reading these news....
Maybe I cannot get away from my work! I'm sure not!!!!


.

TANGUERA

A must see for Tango Lovers!

The End

An hour and half of live Tango music with powerful dancers

will surely blow you out!
Sexy, thrilling, seductive, dazzling!
I loved it!

The Musicians appeared every now and than 

to add spice to the show. 

Most of them were quite old but played fabulous music.

Post-show Tango lesson.

It was super busy and hitted but great fun 

just to wear my dancing shoes again. 

My photos should be on its way!

I think I will try to Tango again.

Sadler's Wells

Sadler's Wells

London's Dance House

 Look at the date

26th & 27th Jan 1849! 

The old posters

 The night view.

Do you see people on the 1st floor Tangoing away?

What a night!

Sadler's Wells

Rosebery Avenue 

London 

EC1R 4TN

Mémoire

 Strand
(watch the weather- sunny) 

 

Routemaster Bus 15

이제는 추억의 버스가 되어버린 Routemaster 버스들...

차장이 티켓을 검사하던 버스들이 내가 런던에 처음 왔을 

2002년도에만 해도 거의 반이었는데 인건비와 안전상의 

문제로 이젠 완전히 철수했다. 

하지만 주요 관관구간인 Trafalgar Square-Tower Bridge를 

다니는 15번은 가끔 다니며 많은 이들에게 추억을 선사한다.

다름이 아니고 내 앞에 앉은 아들 둘과 엄마가 나눈 대화가
너무 따뜻했다. 런던에 한 10년만에 다시 방문하는 거 같았다.
'작은 아들이 3살 생일 파티를 런던 남쪽의 야외수영장에서 
했었는데 거기는 지나왔냐, 16살 생일은 어떻게 해달라...
엄마는 창문을 바라보며 여기는 아빠가 공부했던 학교, 
저건 새 건물이네, 저골목에서는 채식 핫도그를 사먹었었어'
라면서 그들이 공유했던 추억을 되새기면 행복하는 모습에
나도 웃음이 절로 났다. 눈이 마추쳐서 따뜻한 미소로 답했다.

아마도 내가 재원이와 엄마랑 싱가폴을 다시 방문하면
저렇지 않을까 하는 생각을 했다.
아빠는 우리가 한국으로 돌아온 후에도 출장을 여러번 가셔서
그다지 그립지 않다고 하시더군...
내년쯤에 한번 다시 가보고 싶다. 나의 어렸을 적의 너무도
exotic했던 추억들과 경험들이 지금의 나를 만든거 같다.

towards The Mall, London and Trafalgar Square
(watch the weather- extremely cloudy)

 

Admiralty Arch

(watch the weather- Start raining)

 

Trafalgar Square and National Gallery

(Watch the weather- Heavy shower)

Trafalgar Square and National Gallery

영국의 엄청난 날씨의 변화를 느꼈는가?
첫 사진부터 마지막 사진까지는 불과 3분의 시간밖에 경과하지 않았다.
하지만 변화의 속도는! 엄.청.나.다!

Love Calls!

 

Are you tempted when you see these stickers?

Can we have these stickers on people?!>!%#$%#

 .................

Hahahahah! Sorry! Cheeky me!

.

Apple Store- Covent Garden

What more do I have to say about Apple!
I am not a gadget person,
but Apple products are so beautiful and
the 2nd store in Covent Garden is far more
cooler that the Apple Store on Regent Street.
Regent street store also has it's charm with its
simplicity and space in a very historical building.

2nd Apple Store in London, Covent Garden 

No. 1-7 The Piazza London,  
WC2E 8HA  

    Mon - Sat: 9:00 am - 9:00 pm

Sun: Noon - 6:00 pm

+44(0)20 7447 1400 

Rain Poncho

오늘 아침부터 소나기가 오더니 거의 하루 종일 
비가 왔다 갰다 왔다 갰다 했다! 
작년 오늘은 정말 날씨가 좋았던거로 기억하는데
어김 없이 어느 펍에서 술을 마시고 있었을 것이다.
오늘 같은 날씨를 위해서 며칠전에 희경이의 
기발한 발견으로 우비를 한벌 샀다.
H&M에서 £1.99 (약 4천원)! 
너무 마음에 드는 색깔과 아주 착한 가격까지!
손바닥만 하게 접혀서 가방에 비상용으로 갖고 다니려고 한다. 
가격의 25%를 AIDS 기관에 기증하는 훌륭한 일까지 한다.

오늘 출근하기 전에 헬멧+장화와 함께 우비를 입은 모습!

희경이가 보더니 기다려 보라면서 사진을 찍었다. 

정말 웃기는구나...아니나 다를까 많은 사람들이 

쳐다보면서 웃거나 황당해하는 표정을 짓더군!

It more or less rained all day today! 
Not suprising for London weather.
I don't cycle in the rain but it eased up a bit 
when I left home this morning and I've bought a 
really cool rain poncho! At H&M for only £1.99!
They donate 25% of the price to AIDS organisations, even better.
I do look funny! No wonder people was looking at me like a wiredo 
or smiling as I was cycling away. 
Anyway, it was a happy day!

Fidel Castro's Cuba

 photos from BBC website

내가 방문하고 싶은 나라 중 하나인 Cuba 하지만 

Fidel Castro의 Cuba를 방문하고 싶은 것이다.
그리고 Buena Vista beat!
그의 생전에 가야하는데, 그가 얼마나 더 버텨줄지를 모르니...

Cuba 하면 Che Guevara를 먼저 떠올리게 되지만 Fidel Castro를
빼놓은 Che는 글쎄... 나의 정치적 성향을 논하고 싶지는 않다.
Fidel Castro를 향한 다양한 평들이 있지만 그가 있었기에
현재의 Cuba가 있다고 하면 비약일지는 모르겠으나
난 그렇게 생각한다.

BBC Website에서 뉴스를 보다가 링크가 있어서
갑자기 생각이 났다.

Castro's revolutionary hideout

How Beautiful!

A Gift from a couple I assessed...

We can't really accept gifts, 

but I couldn't say no to these lilies!

It was so kind of them....

I must have done something right!

In my room! It has brigthen up my room and smells so gorgeous!

Future Generations...

I read an interesting article at my lunch which I would like to share. Below is a quation to remember.

'......At this point you may think I've completely lost the plot.
Of course, you'll say, we protect the elderly, and the NHS.
And of course most of its Budget gets spent on people
at the very end of their lives. But that's what
the welfare state is all about -
not one generation stealing from another,
but one generation doing for their elders
what they hope their children will do for them.....'


Click below for the full article.
BBC- Stephanomics
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/stephanieflanders/2010/08/spreading_the_budget_pain_2.html

Chocolate feast!

동료의 60살 생일 케잌!

팀이 삼삼오오 돈을 모아서 케잌과 작은 선물을 마련했다. 

우리와 함께 오랫동안 동료의 환갑(!)을 챙기는 따스함...

한 10분 후의 모습!

얼마나 맛있었는지의 흔적.... 항상 마지막 조각은 오래간다!

나의 당직 책상의 케잌 접시...순식간에 사라졌다.

저 초코렛 덩어리는 천천히 즐겨주었지!ㅎㅎㅎ