the 'Date Place'

the madness sets in

Fashion with lattitude

Visited Greenwich on the weekend and was roped into a free tour at the Royal Observatory.

After being entertained and slightly embarrassed for a very theatrical tour guide we got to the Gift Shop and to the best purchase i have ever made in a gift shop. A pair of socks that illustrate a different hemisphere on each foot.

They were £5 and being from the North I had to pick myself off of the floor before buying them, but they have earned their money and entertained us and many other teams of Y&R as me and Gem made our own meridian line. Who needs a theatrical tour guide you can learn it all from a pair of socks.

Buffet and book weekend

It was an idea that had been banded about our various offices for months, often cast aside as 'silly' or 'ridiculous' but last weekend it became a reality. We brought together two things held dear to our hearts, our book and the humble Buffet ( must be pronounced 'buff-et'). The thinking is brain bendingly simple, our brains needed some 'time alone to be creative' yet we couldn't leave our poor little stomachs unattended. The Buffet was the answer. Taken from observations at Christmas and various birthdays and funerals we'd deducted that the science of the well craved Buffet allowed not only for a varied and interesting array of day-to-night time nourishment but also almost eliminated unwanted kitchen time during length of time that could stretch to a weekend. So we toddled off to Asda and gorged on 'brain food' in the shape of crisps and dips, little sandwiches cut into triangles, scotch eggs, chip sticks, quiche (oh yes, were posh) and cheese and pickled onions on sticks. Actually we forgot the sticks so Lisa cleverly substituted them with dry spaghetti, its little acts of genius like that that make me glad shes my creative partner. Did we get much work done? yes, after much fussing over sandwich fillings and plate arrangements. Success.

The armpit of the country is once again recognised on national TV

Last year it came straight in at an impressive 6, its eye watering 60's architecture and zombie like locals being the things that won over Kirsty and Phil. Now as we head into 2008 Mansfield has once again made it into the top 20 worst Cities to live in. Its impressive because its not even a city. Though saying that it has done a lot better, falling in at only the 9th biggest shit hole in the country. Nottingham is in at a respectable 4th (an improvement because last year it was runner up) which i think is a little harsh. At least Nottingham has got some nice places. Mansfield on the other hand has probably got a square meter of park that hasn't been graffitied or got a tramp living in it. You know a place is bad when all the postcards for the tourists (poor sods are cursing robin hood for choosing that particular tree) have nice pictures of the sky and the odd railing because the photographer was too scared of accidentally catching a bunch of Chavs in the shot and then been a witness to something. Don't get me wrong, I'm born and bred in Mansfield and that means it will always have a place in my heart. It doesn't mean however, that i have to be happy about it.
So thanks Phil and Kirsty. The mayor will once again curse you in his weekly newsletter and your show will probably never again be watched on stolen plasma screens in unkempt council flats in Ladybrooke. But your message will help the er.. tens of people who were considering a move to change their minds and go and live somewhere more picturesque like Baghdad or something.

Have a go Tuesday

Well today is Tuesday. Which means someones been 'Having a go' at Advertising!

ok so this week we've got a man painted like an envelope and a dog sleeping in a tree.

"theres Philipino children sewing Nike signs onto trainers for more money"

Were in a room full of lego toys, magazines and a SPACE HOPPER. Its like when they put small children in front of some sweets and say 'im leaving the room but don't eat them'. Only everyone can see us, all the time. Anyone who knows us will understand what a potential problem this is. Thankfully we seem to have unlocked the small malnourished 'mature' section of our brains and resisted temptation...so far.

Theres a lot of talent at Y+ R . Though so far we've only got hold of two sets of briefs. Really good briefs, so good i think its more likely Matthew Fox will turn up at my flat wearing nothing but a smile and carrying a pot of Ben and Jerrys than we get anything through.

I felt poor for the first time this week. I mean really poor, not student poor , poor. I got to work with wet feet because my trainers had holes in them then i sat down and saw my top had a hole in it, and for the first time i knew i couldn't afford to replace them. Then i rang my Mum and asked her if she could give me some money for new shoes. I feel like Oliver. 'Please Mr Roalfe can i have some more?'