Hello East Belfast

Moved house - check
Re-connected to the interwebs - check
Settled in - ongoing but almost there.

I usually say it's been a mad couple of weeks when we've been busy but the best part of the last 3 weeks have been immensely hectic. Just saying we've moved house hides the fact we've actually moved into a different house to the one we were intending to move to. It also hides the fact that we started moving into the house we now rent the same day the lease, a house just hours before hand we didn't know existed.

The first week was a case of hanging on for things outside of our control to take shape and then jumping into action as soon as answers could be found. The last week has been a case of trying to get things sorted and organised, things that we'd usually do in advance or in a structured way - like getting the phone/TV/Internet installed so as not to leave a gap. To be honest, although stressful, it's been a pleasant enough change, usually we're quite sedentary beside the gym, but the last 2 weeks has had us very hands on and really valuing any downtime we've had. If it wasn't for family, vodka, wine and beer (to all of whom we're very thankful) I think we'd have been nervous wrecks by now - and we're well versed in moving house - 7 times in 10 years for me now - hopefully that figure will space out a bit from here on in. This move was just something else - almost as worrying as the time we moved to Northern Ireland when the van company decided last minute that we couldn't take the van over water even though they'd taken the booking with the destination listed.

Oddly though, as unexpected as events were, I think it's worked out pretty good. We quite like the new place, we've a bit more room and we moved to the area we were hoping for so that we're both close enough to work to not have to have any long commutes.

There is still plenty of hard work to do yet before we can fully relax and enjoy our new surroundings but so far so good. Belfast isn't the biggest city in the world and we know East Belfast a little already but it'll be fun finding out what makes it tick and getting to know our new neighbourhood... not that we'll be far from North Belfast as we'll be running back and fourth a lot, especially down to Seaview for the football.

May is so last month right now

So totally (how's my 'cool kid' act going?), but here is the quick summary in photos:

We were building up to our holiday but there was still time to catch a bit of the Belfast Marathon on the way to work in the week leading up to it.

We also had another Film Festival evening at our friends where it was Joss Whedon night (Buffy/Firefly/Angel/Dr Horrible's Sing Along Blog) and we decorated some cupcakes. Not that we ever need an excuse to indulge but with a cup final, a holiday and my birthday all looming there was time for a little bit of the red stuff.

Then came the Irish Cup Final where Crusaders played away to Linfield at Windsor. The Crues almost managed to overturn the odds but full time football yet again paid dividends for the Blues and that gave us, well, the blues :(

Back at the social club at Seaview after the game, and, even though we lost, it was a heros welcome back for the side after their valient efforts - afterall, win lose or draw, we're all in it together.

Eventually, as you no doubt know by now, we made it to Alcanada (near Alcudia) in Mallorca. More on this later too.

The week after we got back, the wind really picked up and things usually there for safety about town started to get cordoned off as they blew over.

We then had another Film Festival night at our friends where we had a nomy meal, watched a 1988, 3 part Dr Who involving lots of Daleks and had a great laugh.

And yes, cheese deserves sonic screwdrivering!... maybe it'll taste eadible to me after a few years of being sonic'd!

Late in May, I went for a wander around down by the flyover and the edge of the Lagan near the Odyssey. There I found a sculpture celebrating East Belfast called 'Let's Twist Again' that I'd gone past in a motorised vehicle or two before but never had chance to get up close to see.

The brownfield site of the Sirroco Works that will could soon be growing an inner city forest given the size of some of the weeds!

A signpost that wasn't doing too much better in the feeling run down stakes.

A dead, yet still pretty jellyfish... hrmmm, I wonder why it is that some dead things look horrible and others look like they belong in an art gallery... Damien Hirst could probably get it looking all life-like again in no time no doubt!

Last but not least, the weather was showing signs of improvement close to something approaching summer again as I walked home:

...and then it was June :)

Kiss Me Kate at the Strand and Bennets on Belmont

Better late than never, this is a recap of the last of this year's Belfast Film Festival events that we managed to make it to in April. On this occasion it was a trip to the Strand Cinema on the 24th April, the Strand being the only other independent cinema in Belfast other than the Queens Film Theatre. On show was a 2D showing of the 1953 film Kiss Me Kate.

We had made our way to East Belfast and met up outside the Strand then headed over to the row of shops on the Belmont Road to find somewhere to eat. We had just finished work and the movie wasn't due to start for a couple of hours so were eager to get some grub in us. We were torn between the Gourmet Burger restaurant and Bennetts on Belmont. In the end, after some expert decision making using a game of chance, we headed into Bennetts and were seated in a booth by the window. Not one of us had ever been here before so we didn't know what to expect. We ordered from what was quite a varied menu and got chatting. It wasn't long until the food arrived and it was an amazingly pleasant surprise because the setting seems a little understated for the presentation and quality of food we were presented with. The portions were quite big, the chips were delicious and the spiced chicken naan bread sandwich type thing I ordered was delicious too! Everyone really enjoyed their meals and I think the general consensus was we'd be back there if ever we find ourselves out that way again. Though we were eyeing up the desserts we held off in favour of sweets for during the film. We weren't hurried out of the cafe/restaurant and sat there a fair while. After we'd finished some hot drinks we made our way over to the old cinema.

Inside the foyer is relatively small but all nicely laid out, one refreshment counter and one ticket booth. We headed to the latter and were instead directed to the screen. Once we had our refreshments we made our way into the room and paid the lady our money. The room was, how to put this... ermm, quaint.
Its hard to describe but I'll give it a go. The room sloped, both down towards the screen but also about a meter sideways over the width of the room meaning you were sat slanted to the screen slightly. This was a little odd but it kind of added to the experience. The other issue with the room was the ceiling which was coming apart in places but it didn't flake on us so we can't really complain - who looks at a roof anyway?

About 15 people joined us and the movie began. There was a slight technical hitch at first; to begin with the screen wasn't sized properly, we were watching wide-screen stretched people, then it was out of focus but before long it was corrected and we got on with enjoying the show.

I'd never seen the movie before so I wasn't sure what to expect other than being told it was a musical about a musical. I found it very funny but maybe for the wrong reasons. On-stage spanking tipped me over the edge and don't even get me started about the lady being thrown over a donkey. If you fancy seeing the main reason why we all ended up in fits of suppressed and not so suppressed laughter though, fast forward to about 2:06 of this youtube clip...

There was something of a plot, though it tailed out towards the end and was replaced by tap dancing and jazz, which was probably more apt than a meaningful conclusion. It was light-hearted and a 'frolic' throughout though, a post-war happy-go-lucky number worth seeing, even if its not at a cinema. I guess that's what the festival was supposed to be about, getting out there and watching some examples of the films you maybe would not have chance to enjoy on the big screen any other time. So all in all it was a success and left us giggling all the way home like the big kids we are.