Be the Ball

Today on our walk to the center of town we saw football players encased in plastic bubbles.  "Be the ball."

Be the ball football on Parker's Piece.

Last night was the Emma Wine Tasting.  The first hour was a huge number of wines to taste, as much as one liked.  Followed by a buffet dinner for 2+ more hours.  We sat with all the Italian fellows and had a jolly time.

Saw my first tulip earlier this week, was very excited until today when I saw some pictures of spring and cherry trees in Seattle.

Even older (800 years for the Magna Carta), on the occasion of Emma Black Tie #2

There seems to be a black tie event once a term.  When we were here last May, it was a (formal) guest night.  This year it was the annual Gomes Lecture and Dinner. which celebrates the College's connections with the USA and Harvard and the late Minister at the Memorial Church there, Peter Gomes.

The speaker was Linda Colley (Professor of History at Princeton) speaking on "A Changing Magna Carta:  Memory, Inventions and Politics."  The talk was quite interesting, focusing on how the Magna Carta and what it means has been co-opted both locally and internationally (including by the US and our federal constituion) since it was written. The Magna Carta's 800th anniversary is this year so it is in general receiving a lot of attention.

After dinner there was a high table on steroids event.  Reception with champage in the Old Library,  dinner in the Hall (but with a seating plan, a choir singing the Latin grace, a fancier menu written in French rather than English, and fancier academic doctoral robes involving scarlet over the normal black), and then dessert in the Gallery (a totally awesome room, painted deep green and hung with portraits, with one huge long table covered in silver swag ) rather than the Parlour.

Unlike the unexpected "Black tie and gown" dinner in May (which I thought we blogged about, but looking back I guess not), I came prepared with clothes this time. Given that academics are fashion-challenged, the skirt I already owned was fine.  Mark didn't get to come to this one, so didn't have to rent a tux.  The guests were some Fellows, largely interesting alums, as well as seemingly rich and/or titled people.  A crib sheet of guests was sent out in advance.  I was seated across from an Emma Fellow who is a practicing vet and seated next to: "Mrs Edna Hunnable Schneider is a friend of Peter Gomes, the Rossanos and Professor Ffowcs Williams. Her late husband, Tom Hunnable, was like Professor Ffowcs Williams a governor of Felsted School and imported Volvo cars into the UK. She has since married Rolf Schneider, who followed his father in working for Lobb’s bootmakers in St James’s Street, where he was given charge of the Royal account and became a director of the firm."  They seemed to be of the rich variety, owning horses that compete in the Olympics and numerous residences in the country as well as London.

New Perspectives on "Old"

Hilliard Emmanuel College Charter

As part of Emma's 1584 dinner, there was a special exhibit where the College’s charter (yes, from 1584 - and Emma isn't even one of the oldest colleges), first statutes, grant of arms and early admissions register were all on display.

The charter was beautiful, all illuminated (including Elizabeth I), in Latin, and connected by silver thread to Elizabeth's seal which was quite large, several inches in diameter?  

College Arms

As for the arms, the coat was granted in 1588 and was based on the founder's but different: Argent a lion rampant azure holding in the dexter forepaw a wreath of laurel proper and above its head a scroll azure bearing the word EMMANUEL in letters of gold. Sir Walter Mildmay's (the founder) arms were, Argent three lions rampant azure.

The admissions register showed John Harvard's signature, who is associated with a university bearing his name in another Cambridge.

The exhibit itself was in a very interesting room in the library (The Graham Watson Collection) with a flora and fauna and travel and other book collection highlighting hand-coloured plates, in mahogony bookcases that each had its own name.  (Houses here often have names in the UK, but bookshelves was new to us.)

7 for 7:30

7 for 7:30 is British invitation lingo. It means that dinner is at 7:30, but show up at 7 for drinks.  These were our instructions for this term's "Informal Guest Night" at Emmanuel College (where informal means jacket and tie, as opposed to black-tie).  Unlike normal high table dinners, fellows are encouraged to bring their partners; the evening is more socially-oriented and the food and wine more elaborate.

First snow - River Cam

This being my third variant of an Emma high table dinner, I think I am finally getting the hang of things.  The evening begins with drinks (either sparkling eldeberry juice or champagne)  in the Old Library, with fellows distinguished from the rest of the crowd by their black academic gowns. Apparently a gown is not a perk of a visiting fellow, which makes me stand out like a sore thumb at these events.  At 7:30 the pounding of a gavel causes everyone to proceed to the formal dining hall, where after the recitation of a Latin benediction,  a fixed menu of seafood/meat/vegetables/dessert and white/red wine is served to all.  Upon completion of the meal and another gavel, everyone rises for a closing benediction, then we retire to a new set of tables in the parlour next door.  Here we do more eating (fruit, cheese, chocolates) and drinking (port, sauterne, claret, coffee and tea) and conversing.  Besides the food (or probably better than the food which is quite British, i.e. note the black pudding on the menu) is the opportunity to meet interesting people. For example, the first people we met were a political economist specializing in Ukraine/Russia and his wife who is a fellow at another college in Economic Sociology and recently wrote a book about Michelin restaurants which sounds like a must-read for us: The Cultivation of Taste: Chefs and the Organization of Fine Dining. 

atest scholarly interests are haute cuisine restaurants/chefs in Britain and Germany. This work expands her interest in economic sociology with that of cultural economy and sociology of culture. - See more at: http://www.joh.cam.ac.uk/professor-christel-lane#sthash.GbXRLEDv.dpuf

latest scholarly interests are haute cuisine restaurants/chefs in Britain and Germany. This work expands her interest in economic sociology with that of cultural economy and sociology of culture. - See more at: http://www.joh.cam.ac.uk/professor-christel-lane#sthash.GbXRLEDv.dpuf

latest scholarly interests are haute cuisine restaurants/chefs in Britain and Germany. This work expands her interest in economic sociology with that of cultural economy and sociology of culture. - See more at: http://www.joh.cam.ac.uk/professor-christel-lane#sthash.GbXRLEDv.dpuf

Prof Lane’s latest scholarly interests are haute cuisine restaurants/chefs in Britain and Germany. This work expands her interest in economic sociology with that of cultural economy and sociology of culture. - See more at: http://www.joh.cam.ac.uk/professor-christel-lane#sthash.GbXRLEDv.dpuf

Prof Lane’s latest scholarly interests are haute cuisine restaurants/chefs in Britain and Germany. This work expands her interest in economic sociology with that of cultural economy and sociology of culture. - See more at: http://www.joh.cam.ac.uk/professor-christel-lane#sthash.GbXRLEDv.dpuf

Earlier in the day we awoke to the first real snow that stuck.  OK, compared to Pittsburgh  it was more of a dusting, but the locals were still out making snowballs and building snow people.

Snow!

It has actually been snowing here, which seems to make people a bit giddy.  Although by snow I mean some squalls when you look out the window.  It hasn't been sticking which is too bad because I've seen pictures and it is lovely.  The most we've seen is some snow sticking to parked cars. As previously noted, it rarely gets below freezing here.  Despite this it does seem rather cold which is a bit puzzling.  Is it the wind?  Perhaps the damp?  We are not sure why but even if it hasn't rained, when we go out in the morning the streets are soaked.

On Friday we went to a string quartet at Emma.  Someone subsidized a free recital every term, and this time it was the Cavaleri Quartet playing the Mozart Quartet in D minor K. 421 followed by the Shostakovich Quartet in C minor, op. 110.  Despite being free and told to get there early as it fills up, it was rather empty.  We thoroughly enjoyed the program of two very different pieces.  We then went to the Chinese restaurant from the week before for dinner, but without our local host we didn't order as well.

On Thursday we went to the Microsoft Distinguished Lecture talk to hear Tony Hoare.  He is known for amazingly many things (he is a Sir after all) - including the Dining Philosophers problem which was influential in my choice to go into computer science.  Microsoft Research is in a fancy new building which is actually on the same street as our flat and reminded us of the new CS building at U of Edinburgh. After the talk there was a very good canape and drinks reception where Mark's inner grad student went crazy and free dinner was obtained.  The "canapes" were all sorts of Asian inspired hor d'oevres and were admittedly quite tasty as these things go.

Decent Chinese Food, and other things

One of my officemates - a grad student from Taiwan - organized an expedition to his favorite Chinese restaurant.  Mark and I had done our own Chinese restaurant exploring back in May but were disappointed with our choices.  This meal, in contrast, was great and we will definitely be returning.

Mark pondering the strong beers

Dialogue Systems Group Dinner at Seven Days

The next evening we went to the Cambridge Winter Ale Festival, where we even got a discount with our university IDs.  I am not particularly a beer drinker but do like British styles so had a half-pint (Imperial sized though!) followed by a cider.  I tried the Perry (pear cider) but preferred the apple.  Mark went overboard and regretted it the next morning.

Neeps, haggis, and tatties for Burns Night

Sunday was Burns night and being in the UK we could actually eat the real haggis with all the banned (in the US) ingredients.  Macsween haggis seems to be imported in mass from Scotland so that's what we had, along with neeps and tatties and Scottish beer with a whisky brewing aspect.

Today the Emma historian took me on an hour history tour of Emmanuel College.  I learned it was founded by Puritans, the very same ones who then moved to the new world.  Hence Cambridge Massachusetts, duh!  John Harvard was amongst them.  There have been lots of pretty impressive faculty in the last 500 years, including the mathematician who invented logarithms to base 10.

The other day whilst walking home we heard the distinctive sounds of what we now know (due to the guild-member in the family) to be change ringing.  Here is a short excerpt from the Catholic Church.

Another time there was a funeral at the church.  Maybe I am not very observant in the US, but the hearse seemed quite different - there were huge windows in which to display the casket to the outside.

And finally, while talking about safety, Mark forget to mention the weekly fire alarm testing at 9:30 am or so every Wednesday in the flat.

More Emma

My dinner last week was preceded by a lecture sponsored by the Emmanuel Politics and Economics Society.  The speaker was Charles Clarke on "How politics needs to change."  I had attended since the talk sounded interesting and it was conveniently right before dinner as Clarke would be attending High Table.  I had no idea until someone told me a few days later that Clarke was a former Home Secretary (a big deal cabinet position) for Tony Blair.  Well, at least I figured out that Clarke was of a liberal bent from his remarks.  The lecture was held in the modern Queen's Building (architect's blurb).

Family Sunday Lunch

On Sunday I took Mark to the Family Sunday Lunch.  Rather than using the normal dining area, this was held in the partially medieval Old Library.

This week we also took advantage of one of the perks of being a Fellow - our own wine concierge. Fellows receive  a quarterly wine ordering list ("at favourable pricing") and associated tasting notes from the faculty wine steward. Chargeable to either my personal or entertainment account, and delivered right to my college mailbox. We just placed our first order (the cheapest bottles of white and red, and a port).  We tried the port and it was delicious, way better than what we normally drink at home.

High Table Expeditions

In addition to the free flat provided by my hosting college in Cambridge University (Emmanuel - founded in 1584!), I also am entitled to daily free lunch and dinner if I so desire.  I tried out both this week.  The meals are about a twenty minute walk each way from either my office or our flat. Everything in fact seems to be about a 20-30 minute walk to everything else in Cambridge.  Fellows (faculty) sit at High Table in The Hall (the horizontal table in the pictures when you click on the link).  Just like Hogwarts.

You don't need to make a reservation for lunch. You just show up and then either use the salad bar or choose from two or three hot entries.  The "butler" and his staff basically have huge trays of the hot food ready, and after you tell them which thing you want they bring you a tray and you serve yourself.  They also bring by a tray of cooked vegetables. I had soup followed by mackerel/vegetables.  Then there is dessert, I had some chocolate mousse thing.  Then you walk upstairs to get coffee/tea and read the newspaper, or you take your drink to another room if you wish to chat with someone.

Dinner requires a reservation by the morning of and is much more formal (jacket and tie) and time-consuming (two hours or so).  While lunch seems to be highly attended, dinner is not.  Fellows again sit at High Table but now wear their black academic gowns.  However, even though a visiting fellow, I don't get a gown. The presiding fellow (the most senior person) opens with a Latin Benediction (all stand).  Then you have the meal off of a set menu (see photo). When everyone is done you have the closing Benediction (all stand).  Then we move to the parlour, a very nice room with a roaring fire, with chairs placed around the fire in a semi-circle.  There seems to be some sort of seating protocol for who sits in at least some of the chairs.  The presiding fellow (the "Master" that particular evening) is in the center chair and always gets served first.  There was fruit, chocolates, port, and claret.  The most junior fellow apparently was in charge of refilling people's glasses.  I still haven't figured it all out.  For example, it is not clear to me if spouses are really welcome.  And even if they are,  only my meals are covered and it is not cheap.  There are special events though, we are going to the "Family Lunch" tomorrow.

Even though I ended up meeting The Master at my Wednesday dinner, my host had previously arranged to introduce me to her on Friday.  We went over to her very nice house that is provided by Emmanuel and had a cup of tea and chatted. The current master is Dame Fiona Reynolds, who previously ran the National Trust and is very charming. 

Righty Ho

Another weekend, another expedition.  Today we took the bus to Anglesey Abbey, Gardens and Lode Mill, a National Trust Property.  We also joined/revived our National Trust membership for the year. Although the weather forecast was iffy, Mark was informed that there are no bad weather days, just bad clothes.  So we set off. It was the seemingly usual mix of sun and clouds with high winds and occasional rain and temperatures in the 50-60s range. The property was huge and we spent about 5 hours there, wandering the grounds and visiting the house and having tea on deck chairs in the garden.  The Lord's mother was actually an American oil heiress, all very Downton Abbey.  As Mark has noted in his post, they do amazing lawns here.  Hedges too.  We seem to be between flower seasons, bulbs are mostly gone (there was an awesome hyacinth formal garden that we just missed) and perennials are not quite there (irises and roses are just starting).  The mill was open as it was National Mills Weekend and they even turned it on while we were there.

Yesterday Steve (my host) took me to lunch at Emmanuel College (aka Emma).  We sat at the high table although unlike other colleges the table isn't actually elevated.  You start in the cloak room where all the academic gowns are kept, although those aren't used at lunch. They have a buffet or you can order off a set menu (soup, main, dessert). Then we retired upstairs for coffee.  Emma is where I will be a Fellow when I return in January, and can eat there for free every lunch and dinner (if I could survive that).  Steve said Emma  used to be known for rugby and drinking but its academic star rose when Diana and Charles were breaking up as the Master was an expert on constitutional crises and was on the news everynight, giving the College loads of free publicity.  After lunch we walked around the lovely grounds which includes a pond with ducks and currently ducklings, and a modern building called the trolley.  It is really amazing how one walks in from the main drag of the city into this walled enclave of greenery and quiet.

My big dilemma is that Steve has invited us to go to a Emma Feast, which are very special and won't happen when we return next year.  The only problem is that it is black tie.  I brought only one dress which is more work-appropriate, and only casual sandals.  Hence my dilemma, what to wear!  Mark has never worn black tie, not even for our wedding.  That is easier as one can rent, but now Nicole is flying in during this event.  Still deciding, maybe Susan (who is staying at our house) can fedex me some of my clothes!  Hmmm, we just looked and that will cost like $200, guess I'll go frock shopping tomorrow!

Meanwhile, we have just watched Eurovision, which the other people returning to Cambridge at the bus stop alerted us to.