Resuming transmission

A whole separate blog would be required to describe what we've both been up to over the past 4 weeks. Let two things suffice:

1. Here we are with (most of) our favourite girls, fulfilling the last challenge (well, Gem never did show me how she had incorporated Penny Crayon into the peacock costume, but I forgave her on the grounds that she out-strutted any peacock I've ever seen...)



2. I'll leave it to Gem to relay the other exciting news...

Love, ali x

Week 33: John Rolfe's bit of skirt

To fulfil this weeks challenge you have to incorporate a little of the Indian Chiefs daughter for P in the Park.

Week 33: Penny Crayon

....can do ANYTHING she likes!


And so can you, Gem, if you incorporate an element of Penny Crayon-esque style into your outfit for P in the P.

Love, ali x

Week 33: the homecoming

This week's challenge requires some background, for our dear reader(s) out there. By sheer good fortune, my impending trip back to the UK happens to coincide with THE social event of the Broughty Ferry calendar year i.e. P in the P. For the uninitiated, P in the P is an annual (debauched) celebration of all things Parkinsonian, this year even more so than usual, since the Parkinson matriach has reached the grand milestone of 60 years of age, and we all shall celebrate!

There is a fancy dress theme for this year's bash, and everyone must come dressed as something beginning with the letter P. So, this week's challenge is for each of us to come up with a costume suggestion for the other. The well-prepared among us have already planned their P-themed outfit (Gem), but they still must incorporate some element of what they are challenged. Be nice, people!




Love, ali x

Week 32: "Sydney style"

It does speak volumes when YOUR nod to style is attending a glamourous celebrity-ridden bash in central London and looking beautiful, and MINE is an impromptu dressing-up show in the living room on a Monday night with Tom and the rabbit. My bare legs are on camera here for a shocking amount of time, I must say - but those are the lengths I am willing to go to to play Kate Moss for the masses.



Love, ali x

Week 32: The Broadcast Awards

On Wednesday night, I went to the Broadcast Digital Awards 2010 which is basically our industry's Oscars. We were up for 8 awards in total, three of them directly relating to me and my work with the company, sadly we only came away with 1 award in the end but it was a great night. There were a few stars including the young chap from The Inbetweeners who I secretly have a crush on, Davina and the lovey Rufus Hound.

Denise and I pictured enjoyed some champagne, London style!

Gem xxx

Week 31: the maestro

I was very fortunate this week to witness the debut live piano performance of Ms Katie Fincher. She rarely plays in public, so this was truly a special event. In tribute to the Queen's Birthday, she insisted on donning the diamond crown that you can see in this footage; privately I thought this was a little OTT, but with performers of this calibre, it's very difficult to say no.



Love, ali x

Week 32: Sexier than Sex in the City

In homage to Sex and the City 2, I thought this week we could sex up our own style by taking inspiration from our great cities and creating a vision to represent it (although you're not allowed to rock the druggie, hobo look!).

At least something good can come from the film, even if we have to create the plot line ourselves.

Gems xxx

Week 31: The Summertime Ball

This couldn't have been planned any better. My ex-flatmate Tracy called to offer me a VIP press pass to the Capital FM Summetime Ball at Wembley to which I happily accepted. This included free drink all night, free food and some of the best seats in the stadium.

We jumped the queue,entered by a 'secret door' and wore oversized sun glasses to look the part. We also made friends with two very handsome chaps who were reviewing the gig for Icon mag, mwah mwah darlin'.

Playing were Usher, Rhianna, and the lovely Cheryl Cole: challenged well and truly completed - albeit by a stroke of luck.

Gem xxx

Week 31: drop the beat

This week's challenge is so easy, I can't believe two sharp gals like ourselves haven't thought of it already.

Witness some live music. Enjoy it at the same time. Report back.


Love, ali x

Week 30: say cheeeeeeeeese

"When the sun shines on Sydney, Sydney shines for the world."

This is superficially pleasing but, scratching the surface, reveals very little meaning. In that sense, it is the perfect quote!

I hope it's original, though I can't guarantee I haven't copied it from some Sydney tourist board campaign circa 1987....

Love, ali x

Week 30: The Streets

London is that strange paradox where you can find extreme wealth and extreme poverty in the same postcode. Life can lead you down the street yet it's your choices and determinination that opens the right doors.

Week 30: And you can quote me on that

Oscar Wilde once said 'London society is full of women of the very highest birth who have, of their own free choice, remained thirty-five for years'.

This week's challenge is to inspire others with your own poetic wisdom. Write a quote which best encapsulates your city's charms or otherwise.

Gem x

Week 29: Me me me

While Will was cycling round the beautiful lake of Loweswater I was held up in the local pub reading the paper. My bottom was so sore I couldn't go with him but I relished the time to myself where I caught up on the news from around the globe.

Gems xx

Week 29: no boys allowed

....and, because my video-wielding skills are so poor, a supplementary picture:



Love, ali x

Week 29: I want to be alone

Last week was all about "the lads", bless their cotton socks. This week must be ONLY about you. You must go on a hot date, with yourself. No boys allowed - nobody at all allowed, in fact. Be brave and alone, like Carrie from Sex and the City in that episode where she finally plucks up the courage to go out for a meal by herself, WITHOUT EVEN her sunglasses or a book to hide behind (....just try not to be as idiotically neurotic as she is).

x

Week 28: Comic geek chic

Should it be cause for great concern that the prospect of sharing some of Tom's most loved pastimes did not fill me with joy? The premier league, computer games, and comic books are three things that I have learned to live my 26 years without, and I feel I've done ok. But this week, in the name of the blog, I dipped my toe into the fantastical misogynistic adventures of Conan the Barbarian (I'm not being offensive, that's his real name).





As you can see, I was not impressed enough by his graphic tales of barbarianism to convert to comic geek status (from my regular, non-comic reading geek status). But I shall not lose hope; a common interest that we can enjoy together can't be too hard to find. There's always ballroom dancing.*

Love ali x

*shoot me first.

Week 28: Player two has entered the game

This week I consulted my No. 2 as to what he felt was an apt way to achieve this challenge. He gave me three options 1 - Go on a bike ride with him (in London are you kidding me? I value the use of my legs thank you very much), 2 - Brave the Finsbury Park council gym (at the moment I am cultivating a very cute and cuddly tummy, I didn't want to be steered off track so I respectfully declined and 3 - To join him in playing his new computer game 'Batman: Arkham Asylum' to which I accepted and kicked his royal ass, grrr. I believe Tom would have approved.

Player two has now left the game...

... and may I add thank god.

Week 27: too little, too late

Summary Report
Item Number Origin Destination Event
EA011852830AU AUSTRALIA UNITED KINGDOM Your item was delivered - UNITED KINGDOM at 10:49 on 07 May 2010.

This is an excerpt from the online tracking report of my Express Courier-ed ballot paper. Arriving in the UK at 10.49 on 7th May 2010, it never stood a chance. And now look where we are - on the verge of a Tory/Lib Dem coalition of doom.

I JUST WANTED TO HAVE A VOICE. But I was silenced.

Yours, silently,

Ali x

Week 28: How the other half live

This week the challenge is to try and bridge the divide between you and your partner's interests. Join in something they love even if you have always thought it juvenile, indulge in some extra curricula activity of his choice even though you deem it boring. It's good to share and it's even better to do something for the one you love.

Gem x


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-M3AjO1F-vo&NR=1

Week 27: Islington North

Well I exercised my democratic right and voted Liberal Democrats for the first time ever however we got the same old Labour councillor spinning the same old rhetoric.

It was an exciting episode although I'm now watch the enfolding events with trepidation.

Gem xx

Week 27: women of Britain, take up your votes!

This week's challenge is simple (if you happen to live in the UK). Just vote in Thursday's general election, and persuade everyone you know to do the same.

Without wishing to sound too zealous, I didn't realise how much I valued my right to vote until I realised that I might not be able to use it (though I realise this is through my own choice to be living abroad, of course).

I will fulfil the challenge as best as I can from here, perhaps by casting a text vote in "Australia's Got Talent" or some other worthy contest.

Love, ali x

Week 26: What the F?*K???

First of all I would like to bloody apologise for my arsing late blog entry. No excuses I am just shite but in case you didn't realise I gave up swearing for the week which was actually pissing hard.

Here is me venting but without the expletives!!

Gem xxx

P.S. Don't worry I am now back to using bad language and inappropriate swearing at strangers!

Week 26: status update - Ali is giving up Facebook

Despite my initial misgivings, this challenge turned out to be a walk in the park. After all, I've already had to give up so many of my favourite things (cigarettes, Gem) that one more temporary denial couldn't hurt too much.

So I took the plunge and gave up Facebook for the week. Being an assiduous Facebook checker/stalker, this left me with literally MOMENTS of spare time every day, which I mostly spent browsing the guardian.co.uk pre-election coverage, and getting depressed about it. I am looking forward to some soothing Facebook indulgence this morning, to take my mind off the potential awfulness of an imminent Conservative Government.



Love, ali x

Week 26: Can you live without...?

The challenge for this week is to give something up, whether that may be alcohol, fake tan, watching TV or coffee: the vice is yours.

Gem

Week 25: the power of Facebook, I hope

Facebook has the details:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=4423483&id=525992469#!/profile.php?id=36814783

Love, ali x

Week 25: The Chester Effect

Last Wednesday morning I was focused on work: I had things to do and stuff on my mind. I saw the weekly charity collectors at my station, bowed my head and scurried on by. Half way down the ramp at Finsbury Park I had a pang of guilt and more importantly a blog challenge to complete so I wandered back to the top to be greeted by a patient and ever-so-cute dog called Chester. He posed for the photo, then I posed with my badge and went on my merry way with a spring in my step (it must be noted that this is possibly to do with the lightening of my purse ).

Challenge fulfilled and it felt good.

Gem xxx

Week 25: give it away, give it away, give it away now

In a nice balance to last week's challenge, this week's task is to give something* away for free.

*must be material object, not abstract self-concept e.g. dignity, pride.



Love, ali xxx

Week 24: Red Eye Of The Jedi

The real scrounge of the week was getting Will into this very swish cocktail party that I went to on Friday night with work. The theme was red and everything served had to have a red element including the cocktails. All the food and drink was free and boy did we indulge. I have no documentary evidence of this so I swiped a pic of the venue: Shanghai Blues off the Internet, it was pretty gorgeous.



The only photographic evidence I do have is blagging a free flower that I stole from Kensington Gardens when Will and I went on our 7 mile walk around London on Saturday, lame but true

Gem xxx

Week 24: a middle-class kind of scrounge

Now, strictly speaking, Australia never went into recession during the "GFC" (as chicken-loving financial analysts like to call it). This is my advance defence for the fact that this week I didn't really blag something in the usual sense of the word (i.e. relying on nowt but my copious natural charms to get something for free). Instead, I took advantage of a leaflet that was posted into our letter box, promising "free coffee"* at a new cafe opening nearby...



*smallprint, for the less eagle-eyed readers - "...with any purchase from the cafe".

All of which means, I didn't get that warm buzz that comes with a bona fide scrounge. Did you?

Love, ali x

PS the coffee tasted alright.

Week 24: A job fit for a scrounger

This week's challenge is to blag or scrounge something for free, it is still a recession after all.

Gem xx

Week 23: Parliament has been dissolved therefore a Councillor will have to do

FOR THE ATTENTION OF:

• Cllr Richard Watts
• Cllr Daniel Hulls
• Cllr Catherine West

Tollington

Sunday 11 April 2010

Dear Richard Watts, Daniel Hulls and Catherine West,

This is the first time that I have contacted my local Councillor even though I am 27 years of age and have lived in the area for four years.

This is my attempt to understand fully the role that politics and my local representatives play in the development and infrastructure of my area

As a young female professional who works late in Central London I often arrive home in the dark weaving my way through the back streets behind Finsbury Park. At present there is low lighting on the streets and many dark alleyways which creates a tense walk home. Further lighting developments around this area would be very beneficial.

In addition, I have enjoyed playing netball since moving here from Scotland but my last two venues have closed down due to redevelopments which has caused me to move further away from my home in order to keep playing. Will there be any new investment into sports facilities, particularly netball courts/clubs, in the near future?

Thank you for taking the time to read my email.

Yours sincerely,

Gemma Parkinson

Week 23: strong words, from one ineligible to vote

Here it is, in all its mundane glory:

Transport in Sydney‏
From: Alison Gowland (ali_172000@hotmail.com)
Sent: 12 April 2010 07:09:34
To: heffron@parliament.nsw.gov.au

Dear Ms Keneally,

This is the first time I have contacted you as my MP, and I would like to first of all thank you for the hard work that you do in representing this area.

I'm writing to you about the transport infrastructure in Sydney. I feel that there are some very basic improvements that could be made that would make a real difference to the ease of travel around the city, such as posting a route map at every bus stop so that passengers can see where each bus will go. Currently, there is no such information at any bus stop I've seen, and only very limited information displayed on the front of the bus.

Secondly, I'd like to add my voice to the body of support for better cycling infrastructure. Proper cycle lanes, separated from the main body of traffic, would help people to feel safer on the roads and encourage greater cycle use, with all the secondary health and environmental benefits that would bring.

Thank you for taking my views into consideration.

Yours sincerely,





Ali Gowland
12 Young Street, Redfern 2016

Get a free e-mail account with Hotmail. Sign-up now.

Love from, a poorly-off-work-lying-on-the-sofa-feeling-sorry-for-herself ali x

Week 23: in which we change the world

This week, you must write to your MP. Words of praise, or pleas for change, it's up to you. Exercise your democratic right!

Love, ali x

Week 22: Does this wig make me look fat?

In all its splendour, this bronze statue would not have comedy wigs on and fluffy arm bands but I quite enjoyed the evolution of a seemingly completed piece of art.

Last Monday, my team had an 'away day' for my channel Yesterday at the Imperial War Museum. From there we walked through Lambeth north towards the Thames and then right along the south bank to an old pub called The George where Dickens used to write in London Bridge (I feel this is a claim invoked my numerous pubs along this stretch of London to play on the tourists hunger for the authentic and romantic, suffice to say we too succumbed to it's old English allure).

This statue crossed my path outside the BFI and although I am not sure of its meaning, its awkward and exaggerated features grabbed my attention.

Gx

Week 22: Sydney snaps

I rocked up to the Australian Photography Centre (http://tmp.acp.org.au/current/) on a rainy Sunday morning to find myself the first patron of the day (it took me 12 more hours to realise that this was because I'd forgotten to turn the clocks back the night before....).

There are three (free!) exhibitions there at the moment; Zed Nelson's "Love me", a series themed around our relentless pursuit of beauty at any cost (leg-lengthening operations in China; 9-year-old girls wearing lipstick in pageants); Olivia Martin-McGuire's "Sleeping", created by fixing a camera to bedroom ceilings and taking shots of people at slumber; and "Domesticated" by Amy Stein, which won the Saatchi Gallery/Guardian prize recently.

The Amy Stein stuff was my favourite. What I especially liked about "Domesticated" was the kind of surreal aspect of every photo, even despite the necessary realism of photography as a medium. Here's a taste of her work....



Until next time, art fans,

Ali x

Week 22: Some public art please

To celebrate my dear brother's new public art installation you are challenged to discover the artistic treasures hidden within your city.

Gem x

Week 21: Still waiting...

Here is the book which I surreptitiously placed on the seat next to me on the Piccadilly line on my way to work. I have read it and enjoyed it, I am not so fond of it as to feel the need to hang on but I liked it enough to recommend to a complete stranger - let's hope they are just taking their time and planning what they will say before blogging.;

Come on people it's all fun!!

Gem

Week 21: renegade librarianship

For this challenge, I selected a book that already had a long, sad history of being abandoned. It had been left in our house by our friends Anja and Anton, who had picked it up in a secondhand bookshop somewhere on their travels. Without wishing to offend the author and any fans of said book, I do not think it was a book that one would fall instantly and eternally in love with. It was not, as they say, a keeper.

So, yesterday, I surreptitiously left it in the cafe where I was having breakfast, and managed to take a few sneaky snaps of it before the couple opposite started to get alarmed about why I was taking pictures under the table in their direction....





If anyone reading this happened to find this book, please say hello! Oh, and I didn't mean what I said about it, it's a delightful read.

Love, ali x

Week 21: spread the word

This week:

1) Take a book that you own (one that you don't mind parting with in the service of this blog).

2) Write today's date in it, then inscribe it with the following: "Take me, I'm yours! On one condition: you must inform my previous owner, by visiting http://aliandgem-taleoftwocities.blogspot.com/ "

3) Leave said book somewhere in a public place, then simply walk away, and entrust its destiny to fate...

Love, ali x

Week 20: 'Hey, I put some new shoes on and everything feels alright'

I guess it depends on how you judge a bargain but for me these shoes fitted the bill. Bought them on Tuesday and wore them out on a Netball night out on Friday. Danced my head off until my feet gave up in my new shoes. Went to a bar called Strawberry Moons: cocktails for £8 and cheesy music all night, thought of you a lot and how much I wished you were there.

Good night was had by all, we have a new team so it was a good bonding session for the newbies. We have just joined the training sessions which start tomorrow night so we will be pros by the time you get back.

Love Gem xx

Week 20: what is need?

Need is a relative, and therefore very nebulous, concept. Did Tom really need a new t-shirt with a pointless slogan on it from our local vintage shop? Probably not. And I think Pa Parkinson would have agreed with me on that one. But there's no denying the bargainous nature of this purchase; 6 shiny Australian dollars was the asking price, and we got away with paying $5.60, because it was all we had on us. We then realised that one of the dollars we'd handed over was a New Zealand dollar, so technically we paid just $4.60 in legal tender. This may not have been very moral, but when you're bargain-hunting, morals go out the window.




Love, ali x