Сил писать пока нету: jetlag наперевес с синдромом с корабля-на-сушу. Скажу только [непредставимую в моей жизни “до”] фразу
А в Баренцевом нас слегка потрепало…
Готовьтесь.
Posted in 2023, tagged в варяги, in transit, travel on September 2, 2023| Leave a Comment »
Сил писать пока нету: jetlag наперевес с синдромом с корабля-на-сушу. Скажу только [непредставимую в моей жизни “до”] фразу
А в Баренцевом нас слегка потрепало…
Готовьтесь.
Posted in 2023, tagged holidays, in transit, travel, Trolls&Fjords on August 19, 2023| Leave a Comment »
Posted in 2023, tagged holidays, seasons, travel on August 14, 2023| Leave a Comment »
That’s just great
Posted in 2023, tagged holidays, seasons, travel on July 13, 2023| 2 Comments »
As the August heat is getting dangerously closer to us with every passing thunderstorm, I decided to spend it somewhere cool. At least part of. Solution, on balance of various factors, came in shape of a cruise along Norwegian coastline. The ship will be stopping at 34 fjords, some of them for 10 min, some of them at earliest morning (like 3am earliest), but I do hope to see enough in 12 days.
Now, comes the bleg part.
Posted in 2023, tagged holidays, in transit, Miami, seasons, travel on April 30, 2023| 4 Comments »
Posted in 2022, tagged architecture, travel on November 25, 2022| Leave a Comment »
а вот в мексике открылся новый, на океанском бережку. состоит из чудных вилл, построенных в стиле немецкого брутального блиндажа. надеюсь и вооружение прилагается, на случай внеплановой встречи с нарко-кабальеро.
поехали? всего $555 за ночь, на 4 дня после х-маса
серьёзно, а?
Posted in 2022, tagged designer's tales, in transit, on the job, travel on August 19, 2022| 7 Comments »
Шоб вы знали: улетаю в тёплые (но дождливые, по прогнозу) края в пуэрте-рике и св. томасе с понедельника по среду. На пляж не попаду: работать надо. На 1йдень запланировано 8 проверок-на-дороге на разных проектах, на 2й-плотных 5 часов всякой-разной адженды, вплоть до отлёта в тот же вечер домой, с пересадкой в Атланте.
подписано: ваш грустный карлсон
Announcement: from Mon to Wed I’ll be out of this here embattled city, traveling on [very tightly-scheduled] business in the Caribbean. 8 punch lists plus site survey and charette await.
Back soon!
Upd.
The trip was difficult – so much so that a day after returning and relaxing my “emergency mode” I fell violently sick. 3 horrible days of semi-conscience and high fever. Yesterday was better, I was able to get out of bed. Today still dizzy and with a sore throat, but able to concentrate and work.
не летайте самолётами (аэрофлота и всеми другими тоже)!
Posted in 2021, tagged life is stranger than..., my precious home, seasons, travel on April 11, 2021|
…вдруг поняла я, надо бы заняться поиском куда б свалить для смены обстановки.
В наше непростое время это задачка ещё та, конечно: столько ограничений!
Во1х, я всё так же не вожу машину. Во2х, хотелось бы избежать масок, вакцинных паспортов с одной стороны, и напиханных как шпроты в самолёт пассажиров, с другой. В3х, Европа , Азия, а т. Африка и Австралия, + Ю. Америка и Канада с Мексикой по вышеперечисленным причинам отменяются; в 4х я не любитель природы, лыж, лесных хайков, походов по горам и весям от слова совсем. Но и города меня как-то перестали привлекать – а то нарвёшься ещё на революционеров избивающих прохожих неправильной расы.
И вот исходя из вышеперечисленных капризов, смотрю я на близлежащие места отдохновения, и что же нахожу на трип-адвайзере?
Posted in 2020, tagged architecture, design, domestic duties, in transit, OHNY, on the job, travel, word on the street on November 13, 2020|
Western cities historically, until now, have been centers of commerce, business, law, science, art and education; all these industries require architectural spaces in the cities to support them. Wave of covid-19 around the globe resulted in transition to work from home (WFH) mode – at companies that can afford it and are still operating, among universal lockdowns. Commercial R.E. experience deep losses, number of new office leases took a sharp dive, and workplace design and facilities industry leaders increasingly use term “new normal” to describe expectations of the future.
On this background there is talk, already, about decline of the cities in general. How can a center of business operate without people at its heart? How much office space needed for 20% of human resource of a company, with the rest operating WFH? How many office floors is worth it for a developer to build if their tenants’ needs fell 80%? Are we experiencing an end to the structure of our cities as we know it?
While contemplating these and related questions, take a look at an online event by Open House Worldwide – a first collaborative effort of many cities to share their problems and ways they approach them. From now to November 15 you can access it for free; see the program here.
Personally, I will filter out glaringly political entries promoting lefty agenda. At first glance, several livestreams look interesting: cinema in Melbourne, urban residences in Osaka, a tour of Palma’s harbour, 3 buildings in Prague.
Enjoy your virtual travels!
Posted in 2020, tagged babushka, childhood trauma, expat conquista, in transit, post-Soviet state, travel on November 6, 2020|
Как я помню эти поезда через всю страну! и очереди за билетами. и унижения блата. В п.я. не жила, и в Будапеште побывала только пару лет назад, остальное – как с меня писано.
Posted in 2019, tagged on the job, people, travel on April 21, 2019|
I will be in Irvine, California on a short business trip – my first ever visit – on Monday, 05/13. If anybody who lives close by wants to meet, I’ll be very happy to and available – on Sunday evening or Tuesday morning. Send a word!
Собираюсь в Калифорнию, впервые в жизни. Буду в Ирвайне с вечера 12 по утро 14 мая. Буду счастлива встретиться со всеми, кто. Пишите!
I know, I know – me too! Wait, that’s not what i meant – aaanyway! Just returned from a place I’ve been to 8 or maybe 9 11 (!) yrs ago – and have so much to tell you! Yes, I went again to… Mohonk.
In a few. Бо я ж с дороги, жутко устала и спааать хочу
from Florida.
It is, indeed, a sunshine state.
That’s one of the very few positives I can say of the past week.
Posted in 2018, tagged travel on April 7, 2018| 3 Comments »
Поняла, почему при всех заманчивых красотах Европы мне ехать туда не хочется.
П.1
опять мучения с телефоном. какая симка, где брать, скоко платить, куда вставлять, а подойдёт ли. а без симки – ещё бОльшие мучения с отсутствием интернета, все эти перемещения перебежками от одного вайфая к другому
П.2
машины у меня нету и водить не могу. отсюда: ужасы общ. транспорта.
после Венгрии, где я натерпелась страстей господних по причине пп.1,2…уже никто никуда не едет, короче.
Posted in 2018, tagged holidays, in transit, travel on March 31, 2018|
Me, I’ll be in Florida, visiting friends for a week [of 4/16]. You?
Кто куда, а я во Флориду.
Posted in 2017, tagged architecture, artifacts, austrian empire, photos, travel on December 31, 2017|
Обещала картинки из венгерско-словенской поездки, да так и не нашла времени за полгода с гаком. Спешу пока год не кончился, вот смотрите!
Posted in 2017, tagged food, fun and games, life's trifles, poem, travel on November 26, 2017|
Полуночный стих:
груди женщины, лежащей на спине,
напоминают холмики братских могил
кто у тебя там? погибшие от любви
так сильно любила, что ни один не выжил
живот её — круглый курган под которым дети
от всех нелюбивших её
дети и тонны пончиков
холмики с возрастом ниже, ветер ровняет мужчин
выдувает из памяти
курган всё выше
потому что пончики забыть невозможно
( Метрокарта)
Posted in 2017, tagged in transit, travel on November 7, 2017|
Going to Vancouver for Thanksgiving week. Tips and meetups welcome!
Еду в Ванкувер на праздничную неделю. Советы и пожелания встретиться приветствуются!
Posted in 2017, tagged artifacts, books, review, travel, turbulences on June 18, 2017|
Какую чудную книжку я сейчас прочла!
Детектива (я ничего другого сейчас не читаю) американской писательницы Michaela Thompson, герои – персонажи Commedia Del Arte, место действия – венецианский Карнавал. Гениальный замысел: герои изменяются в процессе запутанных приключений, надевают на себя личины и каждая высвечивает новую грань их характеров. Это не подсказка сюжета – сюжет совсем о другом – а одна из многих подводных струй (в наводнение?), многих аллюзий и цитат, и какое наслаждение их узнавать.
Posted in 2017, tagged Имперская развалина, photos, travel, walks on June 2, 2017| 4 Comments »
8 утра. Комната в будайском “Модном отеле” сдана, багаж оставлен консьержу, у меня 2 часа до заказанного такси и 5 часов до вылета. Полчаса на завтрак (и какой! ах, эти кокосово-бело-шоколадные шарики к кофе с пенкой!)
Вышла из ворот на улице Ури, пересекла квартал до стены и пошла гулять по периметру.
Тихо, безлюдно. Цветут каштаны, семенят собачки, часы бьют на церкви Матиаша.
8am. The guestroom’s key card is surrendered to reception, a porter stored my carry-on, I have 2 hrs till shuttle to the airport and 5 – till my flight. Buda Fashion Hotel’ restaurant fed me their last breakfast, fit for a squadron of hungry Hussars – oh, those coconut-white chocolate balls with cappuccino!
Out the doors I go, across Uri Utca, along the meter-thick parapet wall, around the castle hill. There are no people, just occasional doggie and his master on a leash. Heady aroma of blossoming chestnuts, breeze, sun and melodic sounds of clock from the Matthias church.
[see Flickr window, bottom right margin. Or click here]
Posted in 2017, tagged economy, in transit, Magyar fever, travel on May 14, 2017| 9 Comments »
, называется. С АйПедика в АйТучку сгружается 877 картинок.
Не пугайтесь, вырежу половину за повторы, потом четверть – за отсутствие эстетической ценности, останется процентов 40 на корректировку в Пикасе, потом порубаю на альбомы… всё равно жуть! Но ведь не удержишься, такая красота…
Posted in 2017, tagged austrian empire, seasons, travel on April 23, 2017| 4 Comments »
I really do need a vacation. Exhausted, slept all Saturday – and the week wasn’t anything special, just a regular step-forward-two-steps-back annoyance. So I have to tick off all chores on the list in one instead of two days.
Weather in Hungary and Slovenia is unseasonably cold, I now have to be very selective and pack carefully. My layover in Helsinki is only 40 min, so I am not taking a big case, only carry-on.
My itinerary is complicated: starting by 5 days in Budapest (Pest side), then on the 29th taking an overnight train to Ljubljana (transfer in Saltzburg), then at 6:30am taking a ride-share van by company called GoOpti to the Adriatic coast, to resort town Portoroz, where I booked 4 nights at spa hotel. Between salt scrub massages and sea mud body wraps I hope to take a ferry across the waves to Venice – no ticket yet. Then on the 4th at 4am – GoOpti van will pick me up and return to Ljubljana train station, this time for a day-long ride back to Budapest, this time to Buda side, where all the famous baths are spread around the Castle and couple of museums. Morning of May 6th should find me at the hotel’s lobby waiting for a shuttle ride to airport, then British Airlines will fly me home.
Frankly, I feel a bit uneasy re: whole enterprise. Logistics have been difficult, and the chain can break at any link, ruining the whole sequence. Doesn’t make for relaxing mood. But…too late to cancel, and all I can do is to wait and see if my nervousness justified or, hopefully, not.
I’ll say good bye now – and you tell me what do you want me to bring from my travels.
Posted in 2017, tagged architecture, fun and games, seasons, travel on March 25, 2017| 14 Comments »
…and so is my cry di jure: Where to go on vacation?
Actually, I do know this time: Magyar! But will be appreciative of recs, suggestions, tips and advice. Have any?
Posted in 2017, tagged gourmet, New York, photos, travel on February 19, 2017| 8 Comments »
I’ll tell you how to enjoy NY Restaurant Week: choose places with min of (4) $-signs to their name. The price is set (although it grew from $25 to $29 for lunch this year), but a good Chef will be a good Chef even on unaccustomely small allowance – and you’ll get a chance to see the insides of a restaurant that is normally out of your league.
That’s how, years ago, I enjoyed my birthday dinner at Jean-George (yep, at one of Trump NY buildings). And that’s how me and a colleague went to a Clocktower at – you guessed! – Metro Life building with its enormous clock atop the tower, the one that gives Madison Park on 23rd St its Deco energy and charm. Personal anecdote – every architect/designer have similar after few years of working in this city: ~15yrs ago the new owners of the building considered converting the top 20-25 floors of the Tower into hi-end apartments, and gave our office some seed money to develop preliminary space planning. We went to survey, then shared with engineers the original base building drawings. I still remember the floor plans, especially of the 25-27, where the clock takes about a quarter of the floor plate. Naturally, when we were in the middle of design process, the owners changed their mind and sold the place to someone else – too bad. Another project that “might have been”.
But I digress.
Posted in 2016, tagged friends, in transit, my precious home, New York, seasons, travel on November 12, 2016| 2 Comments »
Не поехать ли мне куда в гости, размять кости? Хочется разговоров за чашкой, прогулки по бодрящему морозцу, разделённых мнений, хлеба и зрелищ.
А вам? Мой диван, борщ и уши к вашим услугам!
‘Tis the season to be hospitable – and to visit. I’d like to take a train somewhere mid-continent, meet friends (known on or off line), take comfort in shared opinions, food and long walks.
Even better – to see you here, in my humble abode, to introduce you to my borsch and my festive city. My guest sofa’s at your service!
Все ходят-бродят-бегают-рассекают на разнообразных устройствах по деревянному бордвоку. Туда-сюда, полный круг, половину, но главное – серьёзно, шутки неуместны. Это такая работа, что у населения, что у приезжих; ну и я тоже поучаствовала, да раза по 3 в день.
Posted in 2016, tagged in transit, on the job, opinions, travel, turbulences on September 3, 2016| 6 Comments »
The project I’m wrapping up now (planning and supervising renovation, fitout and internal move of ~300 people in a major Broadcast company within their NY headquarters) will be over at the beginning of October.
I’ve been working at my top speed and endurance for about 6 months. I love what I do – but 50hrs workweeks of insane intensity; sleepless nights -you know the kind, when one’s mind is too strained to relax, kaleidoscope of corporate rat race – took a toll.
I need a vacation.
Something to give me a jolt.To take me out of my comfort zone (spa…beach…lazy reading of mystery novels under canopy of leaves…knitting another sweater I don’t need)
So, what do you think – Peru (machu picchu, colonial architecture of Cusco and Lima, Spring at high altitude) or Vancouver (a ferry from Seattle; Fall in a rainforest, Pacific seaside I’ve never seen)? Maybe even in your company? I have about two weeks and I want to return in time for Election.
Advice and ideas are welcome!
Posted in 2016, tagged architecture, photos, travel on July 16, 2016| 2 Comments »
Next installment of hazy phone pictures see here
Posted in 2016, tagged photos, travel on July 10, 2016| 6 Comments »
See first installment: here
Posted in 2016, tagged friends, holidays, travel on June 25, 2016|
3 days of 1st week in July I will be visiting Detroit. If anybody close wishes to say “hi” in person, a drink is on me. Give me a sign!
3 дня первой недели июля я проведу в Детройте. Если кто-то из близко-живущих желает пообщаться лично, дайте знать. Чашка чего хотите – за мной!
Posted in 2016, tagged in transit, on the job, travel on April 23, 2016| 4 Comments »
Has anybody been to? Do you have an advice for me? I will have 2-3 free hrs during a day and same after 9pm every day from Sunday to Thursday. What to see, where to go?
Posted in 2016, tagged artifacts, photos, Portugal, travel, visual wit on April 4, 2016| 2 Comments »
Posted in 2016, tagged in transit, meme, photos, travel on February 6, 2016|
Posted in 2015, tagged in transit, Miami, travel on December 19, 2015| 5 Comments »
Regretfully.
After all, it was just a week; not even a week – 6 days, really. And it fit in so much. (contain multitudes, yes).
I flew two airlines. I lived in 2 distinctly different accommodations. I swam in delightful pools-in-the-skies – and in the Atlantic. I spoke with Northern people (tourists) and Southern people (locals). Ate Cuban, Thai, American, Argentinian, French and “fusion-cuisine” food. I drank mojitos (in variation) and local coffee (in shots). Walking streets of Miami I was unexpectedly transported to place of my childhood and youth in a city-resort on Azov – very different and still strangely similar at the same time. I filled my eyes with bright sun, gorgeous colors, triumphal architecture – and observed [disgustedly] prehistoric spiky spines of the”gators” in the Everglades. I laughed (often) and cried (last sleepless night). All of it – in the word: Miami.
I can compare and contrast, extensively. Traveling sharpens the senses, refreshes appetite for life. Pushes “restart” button.
Which topic interests you? Do you even want me to talk, on any of them? I feel tingly, like my newly-browned sea-salted skin.