Out of ideas?

Yesterday, I was watching a little TV - Pretty Woman to be specific - and I saw this ad for Comparethemarket.com.



Remind you of anything? If you're from the US it will.

Geico, an insurance company, has been using a British gekko in its ads for years now. The first ads featured a gekko explaining the mistake that many make by confusing Geico with the word and animal gekko.

I can't find the oldest ones which are a lot like the Meerkat above but here's an intro to the Geico Gekko anyway.



Point is - we've run out of ideas.

I even heard Pepsi shamelessly used their new logo as the 'O' in 'HOPE'. Sound like a familiar campaign? US Presidential campaign? Sigh......

The 44th Inauguration

I was watching the inauguration for Obama yesterday.....like the rest of the world.....and as I stared at the overwhelming production, something struck me, aside from the insane number of people who descended upon D.C. yesterday.

I read somewhere that the event was around the $160 million price tag. Ouch! And that doesn't include the 10 balls and additional events held that day for Obama.



I can't help but think that this money could have been used for something else a bit more pressing. Bailing the government out of their hefty investment in economic recovery is just one of the hundreds of things that I can think of.

I can't lie - I was completely drawn in by the performances and readings and speeches. I am all for celebration (i.e. splurging a little) when it comes to big events in our lives.....birthdays, new jobs, promotions, weddings, etc.....but somehow this just seems a little irresponsible.

Regardless, I'm looking forward to the 4 years to come.

London Fog

A few morning ago I woke up and thought it was snowing!! You that white but gray glow you get first thing in the morning when it's still snowing?

But no. It was fog. Check it. From my terrace.....

I want Wonton soup......

Please please please.....anyone who knows where I can get plain pork Wontons in broth, let me know. I'm on a never ending search for good Chinese takeaway. Also - I'd love some steamed broccoli and tofu (NOT FRIED).

I thank you.....

A charity for everyone

DonorsChoose is a fantastic and truly accessible charity. I love it!

As we all know, most people donate to charities to feel a bit better because they are giving back to the world's less privileged. And during times of great tragedy....Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans or the infamous tsunami in the South Pacific.



But have you ever wondered if that lump sum you've donated makes a difference. What does it go towards? Food for the starving? Supplies for a new school?

This is exactly why DonorsChoose is fantastic. You can give to a specific educational project (art, reading, photography, etc.) or a specific school or even a specific teacher.

The way it works....
Teachers can upload a project they'd like to do in their classrooms - whether it's new reading program or computer learning program or just art supplies for a school in a high poverty area. You - the donor - go on and search by subject or location and select the projects you'd like to donate to.

It may not be the most important charity in the world - especially given the cholera spread in Zimbabwe, etc. - but, as all know, the children of today are our future. We should give them all the opportunities we can because one day they'll be taking care of us.

Bloggers' chain letter

Remember chain letters? I remember when people used to trick me into taking them but then once you touched it.....bad luck if you don't pass it along. So you're stuck tricking others.

Andy just 'tagged' in a blogger chain letter.

So now I shall share 6 but things about myself....

1. My middle name is Ann without an 'e'
2. I can't stand when people don't move to let others off the tube
3. I've taken a sushi making course but never used those skills
4. I have a soft spot for Britney Spears
5. I imagine falling down stairs daily
6. I'm TERRIFIED of cockroaches so much so that I can't even look at cartoon ones like Wall-E's friend

Now, I'm not even sure I know 6 bloggers to tag.

Let's try Hasi, Abbey, Michelle....ok that's all I know.....

PIZZAAAAAAA

Ha.

My American friend Julia (who is from NY) introduced me to a place that has fantastic pizza!

Rossopomodoro on Monmouth Street in Covent Garden. Not only is it in London but it's also a chain. Crazy. It's perfect though. Nice crispy crust, just the right amount of cheese. Love it. In fact, I might even say it's better than NYC pizza. Don't hurt me. It just doesn't have the excessive flour covering the bottom of the crust which NYC pizza always has and the crust is a bit softer but still has that crispiness. Anyway, I highly recommend.

Only bad thing is it's still a restaurant where you go in, sit down, do the whole meal thing. I miss my drunken slice on the way home after a night out in NYC.

All you can get here is Kebab or Chips (a.k.a. basket of fries).

I still haven't had a kebab on the way home from a night out. I suppose I should add that to the 'to do' list.