telophase: (Default)
telophase ([personal profile] telophase) wrote2010-10-08 05:37 pm

Friday

Today was a bit less full of stuff. :) both Toby and I slept badly because a little after midnight both of our bodies went "Why are you trying to sleep? It's six PM!" After a while I succumbed and took half of a Trazodone, but Toby toughed it out, eventually falling asleep at 3-ish.

Yesterday we went down to breakfast before showering as we found that we had no water pressure from other people showering, but luckily, given the state of my morning hair, that was not the case this morning and we were able to shower first.

The morning's entertainment was slowly walking down to a Boots to buy an ankle wrap for me, because AS ALWAYS my feet immediately give out upon entering a foreign country. This time something in the outer side of my right foot hurts with every step. My left ankle is complaining a bit, too, but tightening the strap on my sandal helped.

At 11, wyrdness from LJ dropped by tbd hotel, and we sat around talking for a while. then we set out to find lunch and ended op at a Wagamama's. For those unfamiliar with it, it's a reasonably priced Asian-inspired chain that specializes in noodle dishes. Therefore I had a rice bowl.

Afterwards we talked some more and then wyrdness led us through the Tube to Forbidden Planet, the SF/F/cult superstore, where we whiled the afternoon away poking through books, comics, and various toys and memorabilia.

The last time I was in Forbidden Planet was in 1991, the semester I went to college in Wales. What was so different between then and now is that then, there were so many books and other stuff that I couldn't get in the States. I dropped a ton of money, oops, I meant credit, on books back then, and staggered out with two large bags of books. Today, the vast majority of the stuff I saw was available in the States. I also had decided that the only things I would buy had to be purchasable only in the UK or online, and I had to want them badly enough to carry them with me fir the next two weeks.

The only thing I ended up with was a Moomin wallet.

Wyrdness bud us goodbye in the store and went home to rescue a housemate who'd locked himself out. Toby and I asked a clerk where a place was that sold non-SF DVDs, and were directed to Fopp. We poked about in there for a while, but didn't find anything we wanted enough to buy and take home and rip (to get around the region coding).

After that we made our way back to the hotel and am resting and waiting until we go out to dinner.

Possibly museums tomorrow.


Sent from my iPhone
movingfinger: (Default)

[personal profile] movingfinger 2010-10-08 06:12 pm (UTC)(link)
I also had decided that the only things I would buy had to be purchasable only in the UK or online, and I had to want them badly enough to carry them with me fir the next two weeks.

This is a really good policy! It allows you to go into any used bookstore you like with only the most high-minded reasons. Art books especially can be a great find, IMO.

Moomin stuff is so hard to get in the US! I guess I'm glad that the Moomins have not received the full US marketing press, though.

Allow me to recommend the Guildhall Museum for hard-to-find books. Not only can you buy stuff in the shop, they made a high-quality copy of a print for me for a very modest charge. It is very small museum and not a foot-killer.
thistleingrey: (Default)

[personal profile] thistleingrey 2010-10-08 07:50 pm (UTC)(link)
There's a few UK-only books I've found intriguing during the past few years, but I recall that my last visit to Forbidden Planet left me a bit cold, too. Though it was *neat* (in the cool sense, not only the tidy sense), I kind of miss the darker, down-the-stairs prior location.
green_knight: (Bee)

[personal profile] green_knight 2010-10-09 03:58 pm (UTC)(link)
(I definitely won't come to London to meet up - I've got stomach flu which is not a nice thing to share.)

The problem with UK publishing is that we get very few UK books. Most of what is published here is either first published in the US, or in Australia - many UK authors either get published in the US first, or never get published in the UK. Which is a great shame, because we have so many great writers.

[identity profile] arcly.livejournal.com 2010-10-08 06:13 pm (UTC)(link)
If you go to the British Museum, have a look in Gosh comic shop, it's right by the main entrance and has independent stuff and friendly staff. There's also Orbital not too far away: http://orbitalcomics.com. Hope you're enjoying it here - amazingly nice weather today.

[identity profile] inkblot14.livejournal.com 2010-10-08 08:16 pm (UTC)(link)
My last trip, I still got in trouble at Forbidden Planet. While it is easier to get much of that stuff in the US now, FP still has two advantages: a FULL selection of the Doctor Who toys, and a pretty decent schedule of in-store signings. Might be because many of my favorite authors tend to be British, but even so...lot's of signed books to choose from.

In fact, I picked up a signed copy of "A Writer's Tale" by Russel T. Davies and Ben...someone...last I was there. Reminds me the updated paperback should be out, must go trawling amazon.