December 4, 2009

• Oxford October 2009

  A few photos long overdue from the Oxford trip at the end of October. Another week of working with the technology guys out at the mother office, spending the weekend doing—what else?—work, and then joined by the rest of the US law editorial team for US-UK strategy meetings. If it wasn’t for their arrival, I would have most likely spent my entire time there working. To be honest, if any one of us was out there alone, we would’ve spent the entire time working, such as it is with the workload right now. I guess social is as social is.

  
  “Cheapskate Sausage” at The Big Bang on Friday

  The cheapskate sausage, made up of “two of our less delicious sausages,” a wonderfully apt description! None of us ventured to try that one, although the rest of the menu of bangers and mash were delicious. Located just up the street from OUP, the Big Bang was a nice, casual and fun place if you enjoy sausages and potatoes.

  
  The Old Parsonage
  
  A bike left for a week, whose parts were being slowly scavenged.

  I took a stroll down Banbury past the Old Parsonage, glimpsing to capture some photos of the charming hotel on a rainy Saturday morning and possibly some other parts of Oxford before heading into the office to prepare for next week’s meetings. Out of all my days there, this was the rainiest, chilliest—the rain came down sideways as the wind whipped up loud banging of opened windows while I was in the office—and thus did not afford too many good photo opportunities.

  Sunday came, and after attending Sunday service at Emmanuel Church Oxford (see separate post), I trudged over to the Old Parsonage to check-in and meet up with the rest of US Law Division. With Ebin and Mark, we walked over to the Lamb & the Flag for a pint and lunch (delicious beef pie!). As they went back to the hotel to check-in, I joined Peter, Michelle, Ninell and Kevin on Peter’s very, very short, impromptu guided tour of Oxford. It was getting dark fast as this was day one after end of daylight-savings time, and thus very few opportunity for scenic photos.

  
  An ant’s eye view southward on St. John’s Street from Wellington Square.
  
  Kevin said “Look, it’s the moon!”

  Monday night, after an extremely long day including skipping breakfast and hectically finalizing presentation—and then presenting and then trying to do more of my own project there—I was able to spend some good quality “wandering Oxford” time with Ebin, Ninell, Mark & Chris. After a dinner and a pint at the famous Gardeners Arms first, of course!

  
  Guinness (and Michelle) at the Gardeners Arms
  
  Ninell (and Kevin’s seemingly ginormous hand)
  
  The Authoritative Ebin
  
  On Broad Street
  
  Ninell and Ebin at the King’s Arms

  Tuesday night, after another long day of meetings and project work, a company-sponsored pub time at Jude the Obscure and then dinner at a tapas bar (odd choice for an “English” dinner, I think) along with some additional pub time (at the Royal Oak) later.

  
  Tapas!
  
  Sarah
  
  Ninell and Vicky @ the Royal Oak
  
  Alfresco dining at the Old Parsonage’s courtyard.

  What a long trip…walking back to the Old Parsonage in the drizzly night. Time for bed, a morning’s worth of meetings and looking forward to going home to see Simone & Isabelle!

  
  Turning in for the night, the restaurant at the Old Parsonage.

  In hindsight, it appears drinking beer was a lot of my non-work activity there. “When in Rome!” All kidding aside, though, I’m not an advocate for drinking until you’re trashed or excessive drinking of any kind. For me, alcohol—mostly wines—enhance meals, especially meats, so well. Beer, in a different way, really accompanies a heavy meal such as burgers or fish-n-chips, for example. As I’ve written about before, my parents brought me up “European” in that at a young age, they introduced me alcohol, like beer and wine, so that I’d learn how to drink. In high school, I couldn’t understand why all my classmates were bent on getting their hands on beer and getting drunk. You drink with food, you idiots! HAHA! Happy Advent!

  • 3:43 pm
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