Hide and Seek

All the noise and chatter have stopped. You cannot hear a sound. Melanie and John have gone into hiding. They are busy preparing for their next adventures and changes to their lives. Please come back soon and you will learn where they have gone, what they have been up to, what and whom they have seen, and where they are going.

Answers to Madonna Quiz

MK: Well, it looks like our readers are not up on their pop culture! So for those curious minds, here are the answers:

1. Lucky Star (Madonna)
2. Dress You Up (Like a Virgin)
3. True Blue (True Blue)
4. Who's that Girl (Who's that Girl)
5. Keep it Together (Like a Prayer)
6. Something to Remember (I'm Breathless)
7. Erotica (Erotica)
8. Secret (bedtime Stories)
9. This Used to be my Playground (Something to Remember)
10. Don't Cry for me Argentina (Evita)
11. Frozen (Ray of Light)
12. Music (Music)
13. Die Another Day (American Life)
14. Isaac (Confessions on A Dance Floor)

Seeing the Material Girl Live.... At Long Last

MK: Thanks to Janet (one of NART's original members), my life long dream and passion (well, one of them at least!) came true on Monday night. I ventured to Amsterdam and saw Madonna's Confessions Tour.

Instead of going into how artistic, creative, flexible, amazing, and wonderful Madonna and her concerts are, I have decided to do something interactive with you.

Guess what songs and album these lyrics are from:

1. "And when I'm lost you'll be my guide. I just turn around and you're by my side."
2. "Let me cover you with velvet kisses. I'll create a look that's made for you."
3. "You're the one I'm dreaming of. Your heart fits me like a glove."
4. "Her heart is on the street, tu corazon es suyo. Now you're falling at her feet."
5. "When I get lonely and I need to be. Loved for who I am, not what they want to see."
6. "But you gave me something to remember. No other man said love yourself."
7. "Once you put your hand in the flame. You can never be the same."
8. "Since you came into my life. You found a way to touch my soul."
9. "This used to be the place I ran to. Whenever I was in need."
10. "Couldn't stay all my life down at heel. Looking out of the window, staying out of the sun."
11. "Love is a bird, she needs to fly. Let all the hurt inside of you die."
12. "It's like ridin' on the wind and it never goes away. But she's everything I'm in got to have it everyday."
13. "I think I'll find another way. There's so much more to know."
14. "Wrestle with your darkness. Angels call your name."

Here is a hint: They are in chronological order from each album she has produced.... And NO cheating!!

A Belgian Beer Fest

For those interested in beer, there are very few countries that can compete with Belgium for the production of quality brew.
M&JK: While the Belgians are normally very modest, they are quite proud of their brewing tradition. So what better festival to organise than a beery one in the heart of Brussels.

We made our way down for what we thought would be a simple afternoon beer sampling adventure. In the end, we (mostly John, "the beer drinker in the family") spent hour upon hour there, consuming incredible and wacky beer upon incredible and wacky beer. Many mates joined us over the duration of the event, making it a superb Saturday!

Has it Really Been One Year Already??

M&JK: On Sunday the 3rd of September 2006, we passed the one-year hurdle (of marriage, that is). It doesn't seem so bad afterall! We still talk on occasion! ;)

Here is a (JK: rather cheesy but fun ;)) collage showing some of our best memories together:

To celebrate we convened some very fine folk a few days later for a drink at -- where else? -- the Grapevine in Place Lux (formerly known as "Place Petros", until the bugger picked up and moved to London). The sun was shining (we're having a bit of an Indian Summer -- and we deserve it after the August we had) which made everyone particularly giddy.

So, on we go for year two. Let's see what surprises await us!

A Bacchian experience

JK: Dionysios Trigylidas, aka "Denis", "Trigger" or "The Dionetian", blessed us with his legendary presence last Thursday night.

The visit started on a peculiar note. After a 3.5 hour wait for us to finish work, Denis was forced to sit solo for another 30 minutes at a bar, beer in hand, unceremoniously abandoned by John, who ran off in a panic looking for his set of keys (which were inadvertently left in the front door of our apartment building).

Triumphantly, the night was redeemed by a beautiful dinner at "Le Cap" (Marche de Vieille Halle aux Bles -- a very neat and undisturbed square near the Grand Place).

But the greatest highlight -- and yet another chapter in Denis and JK's shared sport viewing history -- was the Greek victory over the NBA-based US national team at the World Cup of Baskeball. They watched the game in a jam-packed and cigarette smoke infested Greek resto-bar across the street from the EU Commission (Kafeneio). The game was rather early in the morning, as you can see by their sleepy eyes in the pic above.