Little Princess

Madeleine prepares for a weekend birthday party (10/3/05). for those not familiar with Frances Hodgson Burnett's 1905 book 'A Little Princess', the fable describes a pampered little rich girl who suddenly finds herself a penniless orphan after her father's business venture fails and he succombs to jungle fever. In the end, the father's business partner tries to right the wrong of his poor financial advise, buys a house in London and rescues the Little Princess from a life of 'scullery drudge.' Hey, wow - this a story that could have taken place in Silicon Valley.

The kid's got game

Madeleine, Eitan and I spent Sunday afernoon practicing our soccer (8/5/06). Madeleine inches the ball up to me, the goal-tender, and insists forcefully: "Don't move!" A mighty kick sends the ball thru my stationed legs followed by a squeel of delight - Goal! Eitan was disgusted.

Space 1999

In 1975 I was hooked on Space 1999 with Martin Landau and Barbara Bain. When the moon is blown out of the earth's orbit following a nuclear explosion, the colony of Moonbase Alpha fight for their survival while meeting alien mystics and cosmic hippies. The program was influenced by 2001: Space Odyssey and the clothes are 1970s far-out with plenty of bell bottoms and polyester. The special effects were terrific for the time and my favorite was the space transport craft - or Eagle. I was so enamoured that I went to Mr Mopps toy store in Berkeley to purchase the model kit, which hung from my bedroom ceiling by a piece of clear thread until the series was cancelled in 1977.

Cone

Madeleine enjoys a favorite treat on a hot day in the 'burbs (15/6/04). Her favorite today remains strawberry - one wonders how or why life becomes so much more complicated as we get older.

What big eyes you have

Eitan's first experience with a magnifying glass (10/10/02). He was quite fascinated by the effercts for a while, then moved on to other natural easily experienced phenomena like gravity. I imagine the glass will come back into use at about the same time he discovers snails and slugs.

Lake Alpine I

This photograph taken on a warm July dawn in '04. The lake was 'discovered' by us in the 1980s and is located near Bear Valley and my parent's house in the Sierra Nevadas. It is 2,227 meters above sea level, and cut off from the world for a good part of the year due to snow and the closure of route 4. The rocks warm up during the summer day and provide an ideal spot for sunning. The lake offers a good swim across too, with beautiful views in all directions.

Bath

Photograph taken at our friends the Claydon's house in Bath (7/8/05). Located in the South West, the city is famous for its natural baths which are fed by three hot springs. The waters were certainly popular with the Romans, who believed them to be a cure for many afflictions and lovely for a spa - a legacy which remains today for the Knightsbridge crowd. From Elizabethan to Georgian times, Bath was a holiday spot for the wealthy (Charles Dickens' book Pickwick Papers is also set here, and satireses the town's social life). Consequently the city contains fine examples of Georgian architecture, most notably the Royal Crescent.

A Million Bucks

San Francisco friend and Sr. Analyst at hedge fund Passport Capital Laurance Narbut visits London to raise the Big Dollars for his latest money making play: rigs (11/5/06). Our friendship was formed during the technology go-go years when Laurance was investing on behalf of a weathy family, and starting an internet company. Now he walks to work in 13 minutes, wind-surfs in the San Francisco Bay and relaxes on the Eel river in Mendicino county where he is building a house.

Squeeze

More bathtime antics (6/2/06). Both kids wear their high-tech goggles, which have been a main-stay for at least 3 years. Could there be an 'All-American' 500 yard freestyler in the making?

Let there be...

The West Coast gang, including Simon and Devon and Sophie, check out the Light spilling through a fallen 2,000 year old Giant Sequoia in Big Trees National Park. The Sequoias (not to be confused with Redwoods) grow to 112 meter by 7 diameter and thrive in only a handful of moist locals including Northern California. This particular grove is home of General Sherman, the largest living organism on earth with a a volume of 1,487 cubic metres (52,510 cubic feet).

Pie

Madeleine tucks into a favorite meal (26/9/04). Pizza ranks up there with McDonald's chicken nuggets and chips and Sunday waffles. Unlike her brother, Madeleine is a slow eater and always the last to clean her plate - if at all. Wisely she has come to realise that food avoidance equals attention, and many an evening I have spent shovelling a 'choo choo' or 'space invader' of food into her mouth. Other nights it's the tried and true classic: 'No desert if you don't eat your broccoli!'

Sonnet

The kids and I are greeted each day with Sonnet's happy face. This photo taken one fall evening at Richmond Park whilst taking the holiday photo.

Summer hats

Madeleine and her pal Katie hang out next to the St. Mary Magdalene church where the Montessori school is located (6/5/06). They are not wearing black eye shadow or smoking ciggies but, inevitably, they will be teenagers (3,103 days but who's counting?).

Omelette anyone?

Stephen Jansen, a member of my poker table and partner at a hedge fund in London, spends his life quantifying circumstances (7/5/06). In short, he's a numbers guy. I was happy to catch him in his natural habitat preparing an angel cake for his beloved wife Jennifer's 35th birthday.

This is your brain...

... and this is your brain at Dulles Int'l Airport awaiting a connecting flight with two kids under age four. Photo taken at gate C-21 after our flight delayed four hours due to thunder storms (18/7/04).

Angel's Camp

Madeleine at the Giant Burger in Angel's Camp, California, on our way home from the family cabin in Calaveras County and the spot of Mark Twains 'The Celebrated Frog of Calaveras County'(Jul'04). We spent three weeks in the mountains, which was a perfect, and restorative break from England. The cabin has been in the Orenstein family since 1984 and is filled with fond memories, now to be experienced by Eitan and Madeleine and their friends.

Madeleine in the tub

Bath is a time for the kids to go nuts, and they have never resisted the call to water (213/03). The two share this time playing with an assortment ot toys including dinosaurs, insects, various fowl, cars, trucks, squirters, empty shampoo bottles, kitchen items, wood spoons, sponges, and anything else that is a) smaller than the tub, and b) un-anchored. This picture captures Madeleine post scrub and pre-PJs.

The Cat in the Hat

Madeleine wears a purple statement, made for her with love by Auntie Katie (18/6/02). In Madeleine's hands is 'doggy', who has been by her side since any of us can remember. Doggy was initially a gift from Kelly Nolan to Eitan, who did not take to him straight-away. Madeleine moved in, and quickly the two became inseparable friends. Without doggy, there would be no bedtime story, no peaceful sleep, no morning cuddle and thumb suck. In short, the world would be a much harsher place.

Big Mouth Strikes Again

This is a posed photograph, taken in front of the Orangery, Kensington Palace, following afternoon tea and biscuits (20/1002). When prompted, a rather bemused Eitan gave me his widest smile, while I snapped away with my Camedia. For a while I used this shot as my screen-saver, which somehow seems an appropriate 'gate' into my computer.

Duck

Eitan is three days old (2/10/00) and already has formed a bond with the yellow duck which is still located in the bathtime toy bin. Eitan, when asked now about the photo as I write, notes 'my willy looks bigger than it is now.' He also comments that he is 'a bit smaller.' His hair calic already evident.