Hehehe...I just got this great image of Norm MacDonald cracking up at all his own jokes - good times. Those were the days when Saturday Night Live was actually funny - sadly, that's not the case anymore. But I have British TV to watch, so I don't care. :)
So this weekend was a lot of fun. I can't really remember when I last updated, but I'm sure this should cover it. Despite getting to bed pretty late on Friday, I woke up on Saturday really early. I took advantage of the early hour (okay, it was 10) to go see the Robert Frank exhibition at the Tate Modern. It cost a bit to get in (gasp!), but it was definitely worth it. There were 12 rooms of photographs, most from London, the US, and Peru. I could have done without the bizarre experimental films, but the proof sheets from Frank's book The Americans more than made up for it. I spent about a half hour looking at the wall of tiny little pictures - probably a few hundred in all. It was great to see the shots that made it into the book, and the ones next to them that just didn't quite catch what he was going for. There were a lot of good unpublished ones, too, which was incredibly cool to see.
Ok, since that paragraph is really only interesting to me, more about my day. I headed over to Portobello Road to check out the market there. After pushing my way past all the antique shoppers, I found the fruit and vegetable stalls, and got more than a week's worth of food for about £4. I love the markets here - I think I'm really going to miss them when I head home. It's like Dreyer's, but cheap. Incredibly cheap.
Unfortunately, the same doesn't exactly go for the clothes farther up the road. I had to push my way through tons of stalls on my way to the Tube, and wanted to buy something from just about every one of them. They have the most beautiful skirts with embroidery and big, full, skirts - arg, I need to go shopping. But not until the 2nd month at least - I want to try out my budget and see how it goes for at least a month.
Saturday night brought the house party, which was quite fun. I think about 30 people came over, but I really only spent the night hanging out in my housemate's Joe's room. Tons of fun ensued, as I got quite a bit drunk. Luckily, I only had to crawl up the stairs and fall into bed.
I got up at around noon on Sunday (thankfully without a hangover), and just did a bit of shopping. I took my first try at making Mom's tomato sauce with British ingredients, and while it went pretty well, I think it'll actually cost me less to buy prepared sauce here. No giant 40-cent cans of Red Pack tomatoes in London. :( I also watched two movies with my housemate Nick - Cold Mountain and the Girl with the Pearl Earring. Cold Mountain was ok - just interesting to see Jude Law and Nicole Kidman pretend to be Southern (who cast that movie?). The Girl with the Pearl Earring wasn't as good as the book, but was gorgeous - it really looked like a Vermeer painting. Also, any movie is improved by the addition of the wonderful Mr. Darcy (Colin Firth, of course).
Ok, think I've written enough for now. Will try and update tomorrow, too.
= :)
Jan 26, 2005
Jan 22, 2005
So, just when I thought I'd never make any friends in London and have to spend every night in watching Eastenders on the telly (it's a nighttime soap opera, kind of like England's own telenovela. Of course, I even utter the word "telenovela" and people start looking at me funny, but that's what it is, so that's what I'm going to call it. So there.), my social calendar has been filling up at an alarming rate. But it's good. So not really "alarming." More like "fast."
This week I actually went out every night of the week except Monday, which, like all other nights at home, was spent watching many, many episodes of the OC (the new season starts next week here - yaay!). But then on Tuesday, my hosuemates grabbed me as I walked in and dragged me out to the pub. It's a local place with cheap drinks (my housemate works there) and the BEST CHIPS EVER. Made with cheese and chilis...mmmmmmmm.
Wednesday I made plans to meet up with the Harvard guy I met last week at the ballet. We went to go out for drinks, saw La Fille Ma Gardee at the Royal Opera House (which is GORGEOUS, by the way) for £4 (woohoo!) and then out for a (very late) dinner. And before you go jumping to conclusions, John (the Harvard guy) is approximately 65 years old. But fun nonetheless.
Then last night Abby (from college - lived in Lowell House) texted me about going to an American meet-up thing (there's a bunch of American expats living in London who are on Meetup.com and meet once a month for drinks and such). The meet-up was a bit lame (it was at TGIFs - why do they even HAVE one of those in London?) and it was incredibly loud inside, but I did get to catch up with Abby (who's doing a planning degree at UCL) and meet a few cool people. And I might have a Superbowl party to go to, now, which might be fun. You know, buffalo wings and all. And, by the way, the area between Leicester Square and Picadilly Circus, where the TGIF is located, is like America Land. There's a Baskin Robbins, a McDonald's, a Burger King, a Pizza Hut, a Subway, a Ben and Jerry's, a Hard Rock Cafe, and at least one Starbucks. It's like walking through a weird outdoor food court that purports to be "America." Weird.
And a side note - after reading the blogs of several friends, I have realized that I'm not quite as...entertaining a storyteller. And so I apologize to my audience and promise to work on being more quirky/exciting/avant garde. Yeah.
Off to what should be an interesting weekend - my house is hosting a Rocky Horror-themed party, and apparently a) I need a costume and b) there are quite a few people invited. So yeah, most likely going to spend Saturday night looking like an idiot in front of lots of people I don't know. But at least I'll have an excuse to buy some fishnet stockings. Yaay.
= :)
This week I actually went out every night of the week except Monday, which, like all other nights at home, was spent watching many, many episodes of the OC (the new season starts next week here - yaay!). But then on Tuesday, my hosuemates grabbed me as I walked in and dragged me out to the pub. It's a local place with cheap drinks (my housemate works there) and the BEST CHIPS EVER. Made with cheese and chilis...mmmmmmmm.
Wednesday I made plans to meet up with the Harvard guy I met last week at the ballet. We went to go out for drinks, saw La Fille Ma Gardee at the Royal Opera House (which is GORGEOUS, by the way) for £4 (woohoo!) and then out for a (very late) dinner. And before you go jumping to conclusions, John (the Harvard guy) is approximately 65 years old. But fun nonetheless.
Then last night Abby (from college - lived in Lowell House) texted me about going to an American meet-up thing (there's a bunch of American expats living in London who are on Meetup.com and meet once a month for drinks and such). The meet-up was a bit lame (it was at TGIFs - why do they even HAVE one of those in London?) and it was incredibly loud inside, but I did get to catch up with Abby (who's doing a planning degree at UCL) and meet a few cool people. And I might have a Superbowl party to go to, now, which might be fun. You know, buffalo wings and all. And, by the way, the area between Leicester Square and Picadilly Circus, where the TGIF is located, is like America Land. There's a Baskin Robbins, a McDonald's, a Burger King, a Pizza Hut, a Subway, a Ben and Jerry's, a Hard Rock Cafe, and at least one Starbucks. It's like walking through a weird outdoor food court that purports to be "America." Weird.
And a side note - after reading the blogs of several friends, I have realized that I'm not quite as...entertaining a storyteller. And so I apologize to my audience and promise to work on being more quirky/exciting/avant garde. Yeah.
Off to what should be an interesting weekend - my house is hosting a Rocky Horror-themed party, and apparently a) I need a costume and b) there are quite a few people invited. So yeah, most likely going to spend Saturday night looking like an idiot in front of lots of people I don't know. But at least I'll have an excuse to buy some fishnet stockings. Yaay.
= :)
Jan 19, 2005
Work is progressing quite well - I really feel like I'm getting the hang of the job, AND I've already whittled my morning commute down to a half hour. I'm working on shaving time off of that, but I don't think it's going to happen.
Today is a "cold" day in London, meaning it's about 40 degrees Fahrenheit and windy. Granted, that's cold, but generally balmy when you compare it to Cranford (15 degrees, feels like -1) and Boston (10 degrees, feels like -7). This is like a vacation...except for the cloudy weather, of course.
Although, I've come to the conclusion that London is like Florida. Stick with me on this one. There are generally storms (thunderstorms in Florida, rainstorms here), but they come along with plenty of sun. Granted, Florida has beautiful tropical weather and London has some grey, not-so-beautiful weather, but they both have humidity. Ok, I'm not being so clear, but basically what I'm trying to say is that it doesn't rain in London as much as I thought it would. And that's a good thing. But of course, it isn't actually the spring yet.
Ok, so quick update...moved into my house this weekend and am loving it. Everyone's really nice, and we've bonded over our O.C. DVD collection...hehehe. The market's just around the corner and I've been able to cook for myself, which helps to save a little money. I also got to go to IKEA (which is kinda stange because the layout of all IKEAs are apparently the same, no matter what country you're in - I could have been in Elizabeth once I got inside), but also fabulous, because IKEA is fun and cheap. After an incredibly meandering way home, I finally got all my stuff into my room and made it beautiful - hooray!
Ok, just about to leave work, so I'll sign off for now. Will update soon!
Today is a "cold" day in London, meaning it's about 40 degrees Fahrenheit and windy. Granted, that's cold, but generally balmy when you compare it to Cranford (15 degrees, feels like -1) and Boston (10 degrees, feels like -7). This is like a vacation...except for the cloudy weather, of course.
Although, I've come to the conclusion that London is like Florida. Stick with me on this one. There are generally storms (thunderstorms in Florida, rainstorms here), but they come along with plenty of sun. Granted, Florida has beautiful tropical weather and London has some grey, not-so-beautiful weather, but they both have humidity. Ok, I'm not being so clear, but basically what I'm trying to say is that it doesn't rain in London as much as I thought it would. And that's a good thing. But of course, it isn't actually the spring yet.
Ok, so quick update...moved into my house this weekend and am loving it. Everyone's really nice, and we've bonded over our O.C. DVD collection...hehehe. The market's just around the corner and I've been able to cook for myself, which helps to save a little money. I also got to go to IKEA (which is kinda stange because the layout of all IKEAs are apparently the same, no matter what country you're in - I could have been in Elizabeth once I got inside), but also fabulous, because IKEA is fun and cheap. After an incredibly meandering way home, I finally got all my stuff into my room and made it beautiful - hooray!
Ok, just about to leave work, so I'll sign off for now. Will update soon!
Jan 14, 2005
Good times at work continue. I'm starting to get familiar with the place, and people were even friendlier the second day - of course, I'm sure the wine at the midday party (yes, office drinking is allowed, and quite possibly encouraged, in my new workplace) for the girl I'm replacing. I actually look forward to going to work in the morning - it's just a very pleasant place to be, and everyone's a lot of fun.
Also, it's been bright, sunny, and clear for the last few days (and is expected to stay that way through the weekend), so that's made my mornng commute to work all the more pleasant. My bus crosses the Waterloo Bridge, and I get a gorgous view of the sun hitting buildings up and down the Thames. We all gathered round the windows today at work to see a particularly beautiful sunset - I guess it's a rare enough occasion here to merit the excitement. Ok, off to meet some friends at the pub!
= :)
Also, it's been bright, sunny, and clear for the last few days (and is expected to stay that way through the weekend), so that's made my mornng commute to work all the more pleasant. My bus crosses the Waterloo Bridge, and I get a gorgous view of the sun hitting buildings up and down the Thames. We all gathered round the windows today at work to see a particularly beautiful sunset - I guess it's a rare enough occasion here to merit the excitement. Ok, off to meet some friends at the pub!
= :)
Jan 13, 2005
I'll keep this one short because it's late and I'm tired. :)
Today was my first day of work and it was wonderful. The people I work with are incredibly friendly and a lot of fun. I get along quite well with them. We're all going out this Friday already, and I'm very happy I accepted the job. The actual work part (hehehe) also seems much better than I initially thought - there seems to be a lot of interesting things going on in the department, which basically pairs promising recent graduates and academic advisors with businesses to help them find new and innovative ways to improve their companies. See - I already sound like a brochure. :)
Plus, the office is incredibly relaxed - I can listen to music on speakers and probably get to download my pictures off my camera - yaay! And since it's one big room with a workstation plan, everyone just throws comments back and forth - it's very informal.
To make today even better (as if the HUGE noodle bar lunch didn't cover that), I got cheaper-than-expected (£5!) tickets to see the English National Ballet's production of Romeo and Juliet, originally choreographed by Nureyev. AND my seats were good. Hooray for Wednesday performances. It was a very good production, and really unlike any other ballet I've seen so far.
Ok, off to bed, so that I don't fall asleep at work tomorrow!
Today was my first day of work and it was wonderful. The people I work with are incredibly friendly and a lot of fun. I get along quite well with them. We're all going out this Friday already, and I'm very happy I accepted the job. The actual work part (hehehe) also seems much better than I initially thought - there seems to be a lot of interesting things going on in the department, which basically pairs promising recent graduates and academic advisors with businesses to help them find new and innovative ways to improve their companies. See - I already sound like a brochure. :)
Plus, the office is incredibly relaxed - I can listen to music on speakers and probably get to download my pictures off my camera - yaay! And since it's one big room with a workstation plan, everyone just throws comments back and forth - it's very informal.
To make today even better (as if the HUGE noodle bar lunch didn't cover that), I got cheaper-than-expected (£5!) tickets to see the English National Ballet's production of Romeo and Juliet, originally choreographed by Nureyev. AND my seats were good. Hooray for Wednesday performances. It was a very good production, and really unlike any other ballet I've seen so far.
Ok, off to bed, so that I don't fall asleep at work tomorrow!
Jan 12, 2005
Working Girl
Today was my first and last day as a temp worker - sadness. Judging from how today went, though, I'm glad I have a more permanent job.
I worked at Nova Capital, some kind of financial firm, as a receptionist/admin assistant type. Highlights of my incredibly slow day include balancing precariously on a pile of printer paper as I tried to reach the highest shelves in the stock room, making endless cups of tea and coffee for visitors, and requiring a full-length tutorial to figure out how the phone system worked. So yeah, maybe I'm not cut out for the PA/Admin assistant kind of position. Too bad that's what I start doing tomorrow. :)
Tomorrow's my first full day of work, and we'll see how well that goes. The people seem really friendly, and I'll have the current job holder to guide me through for three days (until she leaves). I'll get back to you on how it goes.
Random observations: The more time I spend in London, the more sense Harry Potter makes to me. "Cellotape" is the brand of Scotch tape they have here, making "Spellotape" all the more understandable. Also, at the Post Office, I saw an Owl Brand post box - very clever. :) Also, speaking of the post office, it's the weirdest place. It seems to provide just about every service you'd ever need, from selling car insurance to providing a phone plan to selling lottery tickets. And they have these cute little cartoon ants to advertise each of their services - so, for example, the phone ad features a cute little ant talking on a huge phone, or the win a vacation ad has some ants lounging on the beach. It's weird that the post office has an ad campaign that's so...adorable, but it's nicer to see than the characters from Shrek, who were gracing American post offices last year.
Also, globalization = not so great. Sometimes when walking through London, I feel like I might as well be in New York. The place is covered in KFCs, McDonald's, Starbucks, Niketowns, the Starbucks look-alikes Costa Coffee and Caffe Nero, and most inexplicably, Subways. Subway like the sub-par sandwich shop. At least KFC has some tasty mashed potatoes to justify its presence.
= :)
I worked at Nova Capital, some kind of financial firm, as a receptionist/admin assistant type. Highlights of my incredibly slow day include balancing precariously on a pile of printer paper as I tried to reach the highest shelves in the stock room, making endless cups of tea and coffee for visitors, and requiring a full-length tutorial to figure out how the phone system worked. So yeah, maybe I'm not cut out for the PA/Admin assistant kind of position. Too bad that's what I start doing tomorrow. :)
Tomorrow's my first full day of work, and we'll see how well that goes. The people seem really friendly, and I'll have the current job holder to guide me through for three days (until she leaves). I'll get back to you on how it goes.
Random observations: The more time I spend in London, the more sense Harry Potter makes to me. "Cellotape" is the brand of Scotch tape they have here, making "Spellotape" all the more understandable. Also, at the Post Office, I saw an Owl Brand post box - very clever. :) Also, speaking of the post office, it's the weirdest place. It seems to provide just about every service you'd ever need, from selling car insurance to providing a phone plan to selling lottery tickets. And they have these cute little cartoon ants to advertise each of their services - so, for example, the phone ad features a cute little ant talking on a huge phone, or the win a vacation ad has some ants lounging on the beach. It's weird that the post office has an ad campaign that's so...adorable, but it's nicer to see than the characters from Shrek, who were gracing American post offices last year.
Also, globalization = not so great. Sometimes when walking through London, I feel like I might as well be in New York. The place is covered in KFCs, McDonald's, Starbucks, Niketowns, the Starbucks look-alikes Costa Coffee and Caffe Nero, and most inexplicably, Subways. Subway like the sub-par sandwich shop. At least KFC has some tasty mashed potatoes to justify its presence.
= :)
Jan 11, 2005
The Job Hunt
I had two job interviews today, and nearly ended the day in disaster. How, you ask? Let me explain.
The first job was at London South Bank University, and entailed filling an administrative post for the Centre for Knowledge Transfer, a government-funded project that pairs academics with businesses to...well, maybe I wasn't listening that hard. I'm pretty sure it's for bringing new academic methods and discovery to businesses to help them run better, but hey, I could be wrong.
Anyway, the people there seemed very nice and the interview went reasonably well, but I wasn't too impressed. The area is a bit run-down, and the job's duties seem fairly boring - receptionist-style tasks, market research, scheduling meetings, etc. I DID get to meet up with Peter the architect, though, who is friends with my mom's student's father. Yeah. Anyway, we had some nice mid-morning tea and croissants (and I think I'm getting the hang of the "right" way to take tea...it's a lot tastier with milk) and a good talk about American and British politics, and "royal families" on either side of the Atlantic.
I set off to the second job interview of the day, at University College of London's Pharmacology school, for a job assisting the head of curriculum there and helping him to edit a pharmacology journal. Despite the pharmacology aspect, it really seemed like a great job, with a lot of different things for me to be busy with, a large group of grad students working nearby, and some great bosses. That, and I already knew I liked the neighborhood - it's about 5 minutes from Goodenough College.
So, Job #1 at LSBU promised they'd get back to me by Tuesday. This boded (bade?) well for Job#2 at UCL, which was supposed to get back to me by 6pm, and which I decided I liked much better. Problem is, Job#1 called me back a whole 24 hours early and offered me the job at 3pm today. Panicked, I told them I would like a little time to think about it. They told me the latest I could get back to them was 5pm.
So now I'm watching the clock (while also trying to run errands - in the pouring rain, no less), waiting nervously for Job #2 to call me back, because of course I want that one much more. I begin to weigh the odds of me getting Job#2 (25%, as one out of four applicants) and wonder if I should gamble and just turn down Job #1, for the chance of getting Job #2.
Frantic, I start pacing my room. I can't decide whether to turn down Job #1, because if I'm NOT offered Job #2, I'll end the day with no job and no future prospects. However, calling Job #2 to tell them I had another job didn't seem too smart, either. Did I wait for Job #2 to call before 5pm, or do I give in and call them? So rather than start from the beginning all over again, I relent and call Job #2 at 4:45 and explain my situation to them - that I have another offer, but would much rather have their job - did they know their decision yet? I was told that the woman responsible for the decision had just stepped out of the office, but would get back to me as soon as possible. I pace a little more, wondering just how long past 5pm Job #1 will wait for me. At 4:52, I get a call from the woman at UCL (Job #2), telling me I didn't get said job. Disappointed, but somewhat relieved, I call Job #1 at 4:55 and accept, at which point the woman there said SHE was getting nervous, since she were convinced I was going to turn them down for some other offer because I was making them wait for so long. Of course, that was the truth, but I just told her I had to make the decision, but then got stuck in traffic on the bus and couldn't call till then (which was also the truth...sort of). She congratulates me and tells me when to show up, and I hang up the phone, and promptly collapse on the floor. I work well under pressure, but THAT much pressure is ridiculous.
So, that's how I started the day with two great interviews, and almost ended the day with no job at all. Except I do have a job, and it pays quite well. There are some things to be thankful for.
= :)
The first job was at London South Bank University, and entailed filling an administrative post for the Centre for Knowledge Transfer, a government-funded project that pairs academics with businesses to...well, maybe I wasn't listening that hard. I'm pretty sure it's for bringing new academic methods and discovery to businesses to help them run better, but hey, I could be wrong.
Anyway, the people there seemed very nice and the interview went reasonably well, but I wasn't too impressed. The area is a bit run-down, and the job's duties seem fairly boring - receptionist-style tasks, market research, scheduling meetings, etc. I DID get to meet up with Peter the architect, though, who is friends with my mom's student's father. Yeah. Anyway, we had some nice mid-morning tea and croissants (and I think I'm getting the hang of the "right" way to take tea...it's a lot tastier with milk) and a good talk about American and British politics, and "royal families" on either side of the Atlantic.
I set off to the second job interview of the day, at University College of London's Pharmacology school, for a job assisting the head of curriculum there and helping him to edit a pharmacology journal. Despite the pharmacology aspect, it really seemed like a great job, with a lot of different things for me to be busy with, a large group of grad students working nearby, and some great bosses. That, and I already knew I liked the neighborhood - it's about 5 minutes from Goodenough College.
So, Job #1 at LSBU promised they'd get back to me by Tuesday. This boded (bade?) well for Job#2 at UCL, which was supposed to get back to me by 6pm, and which I decided I liked much better. Problem is, Job#1 called me back a whole 24 hours early and offered me the job at 3pm today. Panicked, I told them I would like a little time to think about it. They told me the latest I could get back to them was 5pm.
So now I'm watching the clock (while also trying to run errands - in the pouring rain, no less), waiting nervously for Job #2 to call me back, because of course I want that one much more. I begin to weigh the odds of me getting Job#2 (25%, as one out of four applicants) and wonder if I should gamble and just turn down Job #1, for the chance of getting Job #2.
Frantic, I start pacing my room. I can't decide whether to turn down Job #1, because if I'm NOT offered Job #2, I'll end the day with no job and no future prospects. However, calling Job #2 to tell them I had another job didn't seem too smart, either. Did I wait for Job #2 to call before 5pm, or do I give in and call them? So rather than start from the beginning all over again, I relent and call Job #2 at 4:45 and explain my situation to them - that I have another offer, but would much rather have their job - did they know their decision yet? I was told that the woman responsible for the decision had just stepped out of the office, but would get back to me as soon as possible. I pace a little more, wondering just how long past 5pm Job #1 will wait for me. At 4:52, I get a call from the woman at UCL (Job #2), telling me I didn't get said job. Disappointed, but somewhat relieved, I call Job #1 at 4:55 and accept, at which point the woman there said SHE was getting nervous, since she were convinced I was going to turn them down for some other offer because I was making them wait for so long. Of course, that was the truth, but I just told her I had to make the decision, but then got stuck in traffic on the bus and couldn't call till then (which was also the truth...sort of). She congratulates me and tells me when to show up, and I hang up the phone, and promptly collapse on the floor. I work well under pressure, but THAT much pressure is ridiculous.
So, that's how I started the day with two great interviews, and almost ended the day with no job at all. Except I do have a job, and it pays quite well. There are some things to be thankful for.
= :)
Jan 10, 2005
How to Survive in London on £3 a day...
Yes, it's possible...provided you have a Travelcard, first, that is.
Ok, so last night I decided to check out another big salsa place in London - simply called (appropriately enough) Salsa! (complete with exclamation point...hehehe). It's a lot more lively than Ronnie Scott's, which I think is for more serious salsa dancers. Salsa! (I love that exclamation point) plays a lot more merengue, samba, and club mixes, and has a much larger, younger crowd. Good points: live band, bad points: too much smoke (it's also a crowded bar), too crowded of a dance floor, feels too much like a hookup scene. So yeah, left that pretty quickly. I had a lot of fun while dancing, but was pretty miserable when I wasn't. That's what sucks about going dancing alone - there's no table of friends to retreat to when you get bored with dancing. Plus, I lost one of my earrings - my favorite pair, the one I got with my sister - and that made me really upset. So not the best of evenings.
Luckily, today was a lot better. I had to switch rooms (still within Goodenough College - and it IS pronounced "good enough" - go figure), so I woke up early, then headed out to an early Mass at Westminster Cathedral - not the famous Abbey, but right down the road. It's gorgeous inside - the ceiling was supposed to be covered in mosiac tile, but instead is just a dark brick, which makes an amazing contrast with the light streaming in through the high windows and the light marble decorations below. Plus, I went to the Mass sung in Latin by the choir, so that was especially beautiful. After that, I had some proper tea and biscuits in the parish hall, and took a walk around the (gorgeous) neighborhood, in which I found this great vintage store where I wanted to buy every hat and every pair of shoes (they had Christian Dior velvet pumps!) but restrained myself. Prices were pretty reasonable, though - I grabbed a flier and will probably be back.
I headed off next for St. James Park, which leads to Buckingham Palace. All pretty impressive, but the park is a nature preserve for a huge amount of birds, and they insist on doing flybys RIGHT over the heads of pedestrians. So that was nice, if mildly terrifying. One thing that's interesting is that several plants and flowers are still (already?) blooming, because the winter's not quite as cold as it is in NY/Boston. I'm used to seeing everything dead in the winter, and the grass here is green, and people have flowers blooming in the windowboxes. Weird.
So then I headed over to my new neighborhood, Camden Town, to check it out. Along with the wonderfully cheap (and slightly ghetto) supermarket, Woolworths, and Internet cafe (and my personal favorite, the Tennessee Fried Chicken place), I discovered shoppers' paradise - the Camden markets. Forget about H&M, I'm only shopping here from now on. There are about 5 markets total in Camden, I think, making for an endless amount of stalls and small shops carrying everything from vintage clothes to books to furniture to handicrafts. It's amazing - the stalls just go on and on. I found a little store with the most beautiful clothes I've ever seen (unfortunately, they were all incredibly expensive, but that didn't stop me from looking) and a shop that was giving a huge African drum lesson/demonstration. Probably the coolest market is the Stables Market, which houses its small little stalls in an old brick (you guessed it) stable. I felt like I could be in there for hours - and I probably will be, in the future. Hooray for shopping. This bodes badly for my wallet. Oh, and the selection of food is also amazing - there are stalls selling every kind of dfood imaginable. The best part is at the end of the day, when they start selling off huge portions for less money, in an attempt to get rid of the food. Hence the £3 - the only money I actually spent today - on a big, delicious plate of chicken lo mein. yummy.
And then I headed off for my final destination of the day, a chamber music concert, held in a theater only a few minutes from my college. It's part of a series held every Sunday evening - and the best part is, it's free for students. So that's mainly the reason I went, but it was quite nice all the same. I like all this free stuff - it definitely suits my budget.
I have two job interviews tomorrow, both with colleges, serving as an administrator. Here's to hoping my dress shirt has somehow magically unwrinkled itself while I was out gallivanting around town. :p
= :)
Ok, so last night I decided to check out another big salsa place in London - simply called (appropriately enough) Salsa! (complete with exclamation point...hehehe). It's a lot more lively than Ronnie Scott's, which I think is for more serious salsa dancers. Salsa! (I love that exclamation point) plays a lot more merengue, samba, and club mixes, and has a much larger, younger crowd. Good points: live band, bad points: too much smoke (it's also a crowded bar), too crowded of a dance floor, feels too much like a hookup scene. So yeah, left that pretty quickly. I had a lot of fun while dancing, but was pretty miserable when I wasn't. That's what sucks about going dancing alone - there's no table of friends to retreat to when you get bored with dancing. Plus, I lost one of my earrings - my favorite pair, the one I got with my sister - and that made me really upset. So not the best of evenings.
Luckily, today was a lot better. I had to switch rooms (still within Goodenough College - and it IS pronounced "good enough" - go figure), so I woke up early, then headed out to an early Mass at Westminster Cathedral - not the famous Abbey, but right down the road. It's gorgeous inside - the ceiling was supposed to be covered in mosiac tile, but instead is just a dark brick, which makes an amazing contrast with the light streaming in through the high windows and the light marble decorations below. Plus, I went to the Mass sung in Latin by the choir, so that was especially beautiful. After that, I had some proper tea and biscuits in the parish hall, and took a walk around the (gorgeous) neighborhood, in which I found this great vintage store where I wanted to buy every hat and every pair of shoes (they had Christian Dior velvet pumps!) but restrained myself. Prices were pretty reasonable, though - I grabbed a flier and will probably be back.
I headed off next for St. James Park, which leads to Buckingham Palace. All pretty impressive, but the park is a nature preserve for a huge amount of birds, and they insist on doing flybys RIGHT over the heads of pedestrians. So that was nice, if mildly terrifying. One thing that's interesting is that several plants and flowers are still (already?) blooming, because the winter's not quite as cold as it is in NY/Boston. I'm used to seeing everything dead in the winter, and the grass here is green, and people have flowers blooming in the windowboxes. Weird.
So then I headed over to my new neighborhood, Camden Town, to check it out. Along with the wonderfully cheap (and slightly ghetto) supermarket, Woolworths, and Internet cafe (and my personal favorite, the Tennessee Fried Chicken place), I discovered shoppers' paradise - the Camden markets. Forget about H&M, I'm only shopping here from now on. There are about 5 markets total in Camden, I think, making for an endless amount of stalls and small shops carrying everything from vintage clothes to books to furniture to handicrafts. It's amazing - the stalls just go on and on. I found a little store with the most beautiful clothes I've ever seen (unfortunately, they were all incredibly expensive, but that didn't stop me from looking) and a shop that was giving a huge African drum lesson/demonstration. Probably the coolest market is the Stables Market, which houses its small little stalls in an old brick (you guessed it) stable. I felt like I could be in there for hours - and I probably will be, in the future. Hooray for shopping. This bodes badly for my wallet. Oh, and the selection of food is also amazing - there are stalls selling every kind of dfood imaginable. The best part is at the end of the day, when they start selling off huge portions for less money, in an attempt to get rid of the food. Hence the £3 - the only money I actually spent today - on a big, delicious plate of chicken lo mein. yummy.
And then I headed off for my final destination of the day, a chamber music concert, held in a theater only a few minutes from my college. It's part of a series held every Sunday evening - and the best part is, it's free for students. So that's mainly the reason I went, but it was quite nice all the same. I like all this free stuff - it definitely suits my budget.
I have two job interviews tomorrow, both with colleges, serving as an administrator. Here's to hoping my dress shirt has somehow magically unwrinkled itself while I was out gallivanting around town. :p
= :)
Jan 9, 2005
In Search of the Elusive Trombone Shop...
Today was nice in that it consisted of nearly straight conversation with another human being - Dominic, to be exact. After another nearly sleepless night (could it still be the jetlag giving me problems?), I awoke to a sunny, but cold day. London is far less rainy than I thought it would be...the sky threatens a lot with this whitish color, but it hasn't really rained that much yet. I think it was rainier in New Jersey for the past few months. Not that I'm complaining or anything - I like sun. I guess I was just bracing myself to expect something completely different.
So, after meeting Dominic at King's Cross Station, we headed off for a day with about three goals - go shopping, eat lunch, and find a trombone store so Dominic could find sheet music. Simple enough. So, shopping. It's pretty hard for me to walk around London these days. Why, you ask? Maybe just the fact that the city is immersed in the January sales, where the ENTIRE CITY is on sale. It's not just like one or two stores, it's every store. And even the supermarkets and drugstores get into the act. So, knowing how I act around sales, I've been pretty well-behaved, considering. However, today I bought a sensible pair of boots, and am glad for it. Will buy nothing else, though - at least not until I get my high-paying job. :)
So, shopping. Dominic got what he wanted at H&M, and we headed off to Chinatown for lunch. After almost being trapped in some shady lunch buffet (we were the only people there, and it was up on the 4th floor of the restaurant - it was hilarious....the buffets got less and less expensive as you traveled up the tiny staircase) we actually got a nice (and cheap) lunch special at a small restaurant on Gerrard (I think@?) Street, the thoroughfare complete with cheesy Chinese gates for tourist photo ops. After picking up a sweet bun for breakfast (mmm, sweet bun), we headed off for the trombone shop, which I believe was to be the highlight of the trip for Dominic. After walking twice down the street it was supposed to be on, we concluded that it must have closed. The trip was almost rescued by a stop into a crowded chess store promising an appearance from Gary Kasparov (sp?), but after only seeing some weedy little British guy cracking jokes about chess moves, we quickly headed out. Plus, that place was giving me the creeps - it reminded me too much of Chess, the Musical. Ahhh, bad memories.
So, that being a bust, we headed over to Foyles, a fabulous huge bookstore near Tottenham Court Road, where I longingly looked at sale books (and mostly the beautiful, expensive architecture ones) before trying out two new sweets (for me) - mincemeat pies (on sale at Sainsbury's), and Indian sweets. We were in Sainsbury's to look for pasta sauce ingredients - don't laugh, Denis - because I had explained to Dominic that it would be hard for me to make my mom's sauce here, without Hunt's tomatoes and all. But he showed me something that I actually forget the name of right now but which I think starts with "P", so that should be helpful in the future (if I can remember what exactly it is, of course).
So yeah, that's about the extent of my day. And I think that's the most I've written in this blog so far, which should give some idea about the poverty of my social life thus far. I see another person I know and go beserk. That seems about right. Everyone - come visit!
Oh, and good luck to Virginia, who leaves soon to study abroad in Italy. Lucky, lucky girl.
So, after meeting Dominic at King's Cross Station, we headed off for a day with about three goals - go shopping, eat lunch, and find a trombone store so Dominic could find sheet music. Simple enough. So, shopping. It's pretty hard for me to walk around London these days. Why, you ask? Maybe just the fact that the city is immersed in the January sales, where the ENTIRE CITY is on sale. It's not just like one or two stores, it's every store. And even the supermarkets and drugstores get into the act. So, knowing how I act around sales, I've been pretty well-behaved, considering. However, today I bought a sensible pair of boots, and am glad for it. Will buy nothing else, though - at least not until I get my high-paying job. :)
So, shopping. Dominic got what he wanted at H&M, and we headed off to Chinatown for lunch. After almost being trapped in some shady lunch buffet (we were the only people there, and it was up on the 4th floor of the restaurant - it was hilarious....the buffets got less and less expensive as you traveled up the tiny staircase) we actually got a nice (and cheap) lunch special at a small restaurant on Gerrard (I think@?) Street, the thoroughfare complete with cheesy Chinese gates for tourist photo ops. After picking up a sweet bun for breakfast (mmm, sweet bun), we headed off for the trombone shop, which I believe was to be the highlight of the trip for Dominic. After walking twice down the street it was supposed to be on, we concluded that it must have closed. The trip was almost rescued by a stop into a crowded chess store promising an appearance from Gary Kasparov (sp?), but after only seeing some weedy little British guy cracking jokes about chess moves, we quickly headed out. Plus, that place was giving me the creeps - it reminded me too much of Chess, the Musical. Ahhh, bad memories.
So, that being a bust, we headed over to Foyles, a fabulous huge bookstore near Tottenham Court Road, where I longingly looked at sale books (and mostly the beautiful, expensive architecture ones) before trying out two new sweets (for me) - mincemeat pies (on sale at Sainsbury's), and Indian sweets. We were in Sainsbury's to look for pasta sauce ingredients - don't laugh, Denis - because I had explained to Dominic that it would be hard for me to make my mom's sauce here, without Hunt's tomatoes and all. But he showed me something that I actually forget the name of right now but which I think starts with "P", so that should be helpful in the future (if I can remember what exactly it is, of course).
So yeah, that's about the extent of my day. And I think that's the most I've written in this blog so far, which should give some idea about the poverty of my social life thus far. I see another person I know and go beserk. That seems about right. Everyone - come visit!
Oh, and good luck to Virginia, who leaves soon to study abroad in Italy. Lucky, lucky girl.
Jan 8, 2005
I may not seem like a person in a position to turn down jobs, but that's exactly what I did with two offers of employment today. Basically, they were both too low-paying to cover my expenses - or at least provide me with any money outside of food and shelter. The two jobs I'm interviewing for on Monday are much more promising - and offer much more money. AND I have a one-day placement through the temp agency I registered with for Tuesday - so at least I'll get a little money in my pocket somehow.
In other news, the receptionist job with the architecture firm seems to have fallen through. :( I had been pursuing it all week, since it was something I really wanted, but when I first sent over my resume (on Monday), I got a reply that told me I was overqualified and would be bored. This made me completely angry, because all the other architectural jobs I was looking at told me I was underqualified. Grrr.... So I immediately emailed her back, trying to convince her that I was really interested in any job at an architect's office, no mattter in what capacity. When I got no reply to my second email (and the first came in about 2 hours), I proceeded to call the company, but the woman wasn't in. And then she wasn't in the next day, or the next. After being promised that she'd be in today, she was sick yet again (and she CAN'T be avoiding me, because they always tell me she's not in before I give my name), AND the position had been closed. This REALLY pissed me off, because I had been trying to apply all week. How is it my fault if the woman responsible for hiring is never there? I'm going to try again on Monday, but I really don't have any hopes for the job. Sucky, sucky, sucky.
Anyway, in more uplifting news, Dominic of CSA choir fame is coming to visit this weekend, and I'm going to treat myself to a £4 movie at the Prince Charles Cinema on Sunday (that's for you, Shelley!) Fun times. Okay, off to dinner.
= :)
In other news, the receptionist job with the architecture firm seems to have fallen through. :( I had been pursuing it all week, since it was something I really wanted, but when I first sent over my resume (on Monday), I got a reply that told me I was overqualified and would be bored. This made me completely angry, because all the other architectural jobs I was looking at told me I was underqualified. Grrr.... So I immediately emailed her back, trying to convince her that I was really interested in any job at an architect's office, no mattter in what capacity. When I got no reply to my second email (and the first came in about 2 hours), I proceeded to call the company, but the woman wasn't in. And then she wasn't in the next day, or the next. After being promised that she'd be in today, she was sick yet again (and she CAN'T be avoiding me, because they always tell me she's not in before I give my name), AND the position had been closed. This REALLY pissed me off, because I had been trying to apply all week. How is it my fault if the woman responsible for hiring is never there? I'm going to try again on Monday, but I really don't have any hopes for the job. Sucky, sucky, sucky.
Anyway, in more uplifting news, Dominic of CSA choir fame is coming to visit this weekend, and I'm going to treat myself to a £4 movie at the Prince Charles Cinema on Sunday (that's for you, Shelley!) Fun times. Okay, off to dinner.
= :)
Jan 7, 2005
Jobs #2 and #3
So I've gotten through with job interviews 2 and 3, both of which I have to say went much better than the first one. Job interview 2 was with Tay Associates, who are a temping and secretarial placement agency. Kinda boring stuff, but temping actually pays the best out of all the jobs I've seen so far - £8/hr. for the lowest rate. I was there for about 2 hours, which was kinda ridiculous, but I guess they had to test me on all my skills and such. I had an extremely long interview with an extremely friendly interviewer, in which we went through every. single. detail. of my resume. But hey, at least I got to rehearse my answers for later (and possibly more important) interviews. Then I took about an hour's worth of tests, for typing and Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. I was a little apprehensive, but I did better than I thought I would Typing was 45 wpm (and if you've ever seen me type, you know that's good for me), and luckily, the Microsoft Office applications are fairly self-explanatory (or maybe the test's questions were just really transparent), because I was able to fudge my way through the questions I didn't know, ending up with a pretty fair 80-something percentile in each. Hooray for me. Now I just need to wait for them to call me...they said they'd look for secretarial jobs in architecture (the strictly architecture temping firm already turned me down), but would just look for anything for right now. Even if I don't take a job with them for the whole six months, it could be a good filler job for the meantime, as I search for something I really want.
Job #3: Sales Assistant at the Westminster Abbey Bookshop. So, basically, continuing what I was doing at the farm for another 6 months, only it would be a. inside, b. dealing with irritating tourists, and c. selling things like a "Chopin Liszt" shopping list (cheesy) and Westminster Abbey chocolate (even cheesier). But they DID have these cool little mini crowns and coronation sceptres...very fun. The job actually seemed pretty good, and they even had a schedule where you got three days in a row off every few weeks, so that you could travel, but the rate (a piddly £6.27/hr., £250 a week) probably won't cover expenses, especially with the giant chunk taken out by National Insurance and taxes. Ick.
So yeah, that's where I stand in jobs. In other news, I explored the neighborhood a little more, going incognito into UCL buildings in order to look at their bulletin boards and steal jobs away from the actual students going there. So far, unsuccessful. But tomorrow is another day.
Also, bought a suit jacket on sale at H&M at the advice of the woman at the temping agency. It's pretty cute. Yaay for clothes.
That's about it for now. Bye!
= :)
Job #3: Sales Assistant at the Westminster Abbey Bookshop. So, basically, continuing what I was doing at the farm for another 6 months, only it would be a. inside, b. dealing with irritating tourists, and c. selling things like a "Chopin Liszt" shopping list (cheesy) and Westminster Abbey chocolate (even cheesier). But they DID have these cool little mini crowns and coronation sceptres...very fun. The job actually seemed pretty good, and they even had a schedule where you got three days in a row off every few weeks, so that you could travel, but the rate (a piddly £6.27/hr., £250 a week) probably won't cover expenses, especially with the giant chunk taken out by National Insurance and taxes. Ick.
So yeah, that's where I stand in jobs. In other news, I explored the neighborhood a little more, going incognito into UCL buildings in order to look at their bulletin boards and steal jobs away from the actual students going there. So far, unsuccessful. But tomorrow is another day.
Also, bought a suit jacket on sale at H&M at the advice of the woman at the temping agency. It's pretty cute. Yaay for clothes.
That's about it for now. Bye!
= :)
Jan 6, 2005
People!
Yes, people. People who talk back to me. People who - dare I say it - actually sit and have a conversation with me. Not yet friends, but at least I'm finally meeting people here.
It kind of all happened at once, too. Tonight was the pub meet for the BUNAC program, so I kind of expected to meet people there. But before I was running off to the office to check for some more jobs, I was stopped by a new student in the courtyard, who asked me where the dining hall was. I explained, and then ran off. As I was coming back for dinner, I ran into the same guy, we had dinner together, and actually had a good conversation. And if that wasn't good enough, I met two girls tonight at the pub meet (one from Newport Beach, CA - hehehe - and the other from Morristown, NJ - weird) and exchanged numbers for when I decide to go out salsa dancing again. It was nice - I really didn't expect to meet anyone, and then 3 people in one night. Hooray for finally meeting people - the college was getting a bit lonely. Silly grad students. Night!
= :)
It kind of all happened at once, too. Tonight was the pub meet for the BUNAC program, so I kind of expected to meet people there. But before I was running off to the office to check for some more jobs, I was stopped by a new student in the courtyard, who asked me where the dining hall was. I explained, and then ran off. As I was coming back for dinner, I ran into the same guy, we had dinner together, and actually had a good conversation. And if that wasn't good enough, I met two girls tonight at the pub meet (one from Newport Beach, CA - hehehe - and the other from Morristown, NJ - weird) and exchanged numbers for when I decide to go out salsa dancing again. It was nice - I really didn't expect to meet anyone, and then 3 people in one night. Hooray for finally meeting people - the college was getting a bit lonely. Silly grad students. Night!
= :)
Jan 5, 2005
Scary buses...
Is it just me, or are the bus drivers here absolutely crazy? I've almost fallen over about five times now as my bus has lurched to a start, accelerating from about 0-40 in a few seconds. At least that means they might get me to work in time...if I have a job, that is. Interview #1 proceeded miserably today, in which I tried to explain to an investement publishing house why I was interested in working for them, and how this fit into my career plan. When they asked why they would want me in the office, the best I could come up with was "I'm very personable." PERSONABLE?? Who even SAYS that? But the best part had to be when he asked me to describe my "Excellent Communication Skills" (as stated on my resume) and I tripped over the first 5 or 6 words. Awesome. That combined with me trying to make my sociology class final paper into some kind of market research equals no job for Anne. One down, three more scheduled so far.
= :
= :
Jan 4, 2005
Bus Tour Of London - For the Cheapskates
So, people have been saying that I should get out and see more of the city while I still can (i.e., before I have a job). A bus tour has been the most commonly-recommended way of seeing more of London. So I checked out the prices in my trusty LG: London, and found that a bus tour would set me back about £17, or over $30. Me being the person who has a hard time spending more than £4 on dinner, I decided instead to go the cheap way - buy an all-day bus pass and explore the city using plain old double decker city buses.
This actually worked out quite well. I was able to see a lot of the city, traveling back and forth and hopping on and off. (I even got to visit two museums - the Tate Modern and the British Museum, allowing me to check out the Islamic art collection and the Japanese sword exhibition at the BM, and the requisite Frank Stella at the Tate. When I can stomach paying the extra exhibition fee, I'm going back for the Robert Frank exhibit. I have to say, all the free museums here are great - it's given me so much to do with my time, and hasn't cut into my funds at all.)
I also got to familiarize myself with bus routes, which is useful for the next few days, what with job interviews and all. I actually have some of those! Two, to be exact. Nothing glamorous, though - an editorial assistant at an investment publishing company and a shop assistant at the Westminster Abbey Bookshop. Got to check that one out today - it seems busy, but really, what can't I handle after the farm? :) Hopefully more places will get back to me after their ridiculously long vacation - it was a bank holiday today and most offices don't open up until tomorrow. Lazy Brits.
Ok, off to bed so I don't sleep through my alarm like I've done the past two days. I think I still haven't gotten over my jet lag, which is ridiculous, since it's only a 5hr. time change. Will post back soon.
= :)
P.S. Oh, and Barb, I didn't get attacked by any large flying insects in Hyde Park - although I did think some over-friendly squirrels were going to launch a planned attack on my picnic lunch.
This actually worked out quite well. I was able to see a lot of the city, traveling back and forth and hopping on and off. (I even got to visit two museums - the Tate Modern and the British Museum, allowing me to check out the Islamic art collection and the Japanese sword exhibition at the BM, and the requisite Frank Stella at the Tate. When I can stomach paying the extra exhibition fee, I'm going back for the Robert Frank exhibit. I have to say, all the free museums here are great - it's given me so much to do with my time, and hasn't cut into my funds at all.)
I also got to familiarize myself with bus routes, which is useful for the next few days, what with job interviews and all. I actually have some of those! Two, to be exact. Nothing glamorous, though - an editorial assistant at an investment publishing company and a shop assistant at the Westminster Abbey Bookshop. Got to check that one out today - it seems busy, but really, what can't I handle after the farm? :) Hopefully more places will get back to me after their ridiculously long vacation - it was a bank holiday today and most offices don't open up until tomorrow. Lazy Brits.
Ok, off to bed so I don't sleep through my alarm like I've done the past two days. I think I still haven't gotten over my jet lag, which is ridiculous, since it's only a 5hr. time change. Will post back soon.
= :)
P.S. Oh, and Barb, I didn't get attacked by any large flying insects in Hyde Park - although I did think some over-friendly squirrels were going to launch a planned attack on my picnic lunch.
Jan 3, 2005
And the sun still shines...
It may be cold here (and "cold" is a relative term - it's nowhere near as cold as Boston or NYC), but for some bizarre reason, it's only rained once since I've been here - and I've been here for almost an entire week.
Today was nice - I headed out to Hyde Park for a walk around while the sun was still out. I got to see Kensington Palace, the Italian fountain and the Peter Pan statue - all very British indeed. I'm also loving my new camera - it seems that most of the pictures I take turn out nicely, no matter how awful a photographer I am.
A little bit about where I'm staying - Goodenough College (and it's still a mystery to me whether the pronounciation is "gooden-o" or "good enough," although the second just seems like a cruel joke) is a residential college for students living in London. I'm currently subletting from a student here, and it means I get full use of the facilities, including the pub downstairs where dinner goes for only about £4. Very nice. My room looks out over the courtyard, and it reminds me a lot of Lowell, what with the brick and the arches and all. The neighborhood's pretty fabulous, too. Russell Square is home to the British Museum and about a million "blue plaques," markers showing that a famous person lived at that address once. It also seems to house about the entire Italian tourist population currently in London. I've heard more Italian at my tube stop than English. Do all the Italians take over the Russell Square hotels? Or do they all go traveling for New Years'? It's a mystery to me, but I've gotten some Italian practice in just eavesdropping on the lift in the Tube. :)
Today was also my expedition to the supermarket to see what I'll be able to afford to eat, once I get a kitchen. I think I went up and down every single aisle in my local Safeway - I must have looked like a crazy person. Or a very picky eater.
Ok, off to dinner...one thing about walking everywhere and being on a budget - you're always starving. In the words of Eric, I think that London may be the most expensive diet I've ever embarked upon. Or the only one, really. :)
Bye!
= :)
P.S. Just saw a poster today for 2046 (Wong Kar Wai's new film that's taken ages to come out) in the Tube. It comes out Jan. 16th, and I can't wait to see it! Ok. I'll stop being a nerd now.
Today was nice - I headed out to Hyde Park for a walk around while the sun was still out. I got to see Kensington Palace, the Italian fountain and the Peter Pan statue - all very British indeed. I'm also loving my new camera - it seems that most of the pictures I take turn out nicely, no matter how awful a photographer I am.
A little bit about where I'm staying - Goodenough College (and it's still a mystery to me whether the pronounciation is "gooden-o" or "good enough," although the second just seems like a cruel joke) is a residential college for students living in London. I'm currently subletting from a student here, and it means I get full use of the facilities, including the pub downstairs where dinner goes for only about £4. Very nice. My room looks out over the courtyard, and it reminds me a lot of Lowell, what with the brick and the arches and all. The neighborhood's pretty fabulous, too. Russell Square is home to the British Museum and about a million "blue plaques," markers showing that a famous person lived at that address once. It also seems to house about the entire Italian tourist population currently in London. I've heard more Italian at my tube stop than English. Do all the Italians take over the Russell Square hotels? Or do they all go traveling for New Years'? It's a mystery to me, but I've gotten some Italian practice in just eavesdropping on the lift in the Tube. :)
Today was also my expedition to the supermarket to see what I'll be able to afford to eat, once I get a kitchen. I think I went up and down every single aisle in my local Safeway - I must have looked like a crazy person. Or a very picky eater.
Ok, off to dinner...one thing about walking everywhere and being on a budget - you're always starving. In the words of Eric, I think that London may be the most expensive diet I've ever embarked upon. Or the only one, really. :)
Bye!
= :)
P.S. Just saw a poster today for 2046 (Wong Kar Wai's new film that's taken ages to come out) in the Tube. It comes out Jan. 16th, and I can't wait to see it! Ok. I'll stop being a nerd now.
Jan 2, 2005
Just got back from a night of salsa dancing. Very fun, but perhaps not the best idea when my feet have been tired from walking anyway. That, and I still have some more flat-hunting to do tomorrow. Hooray. But at least I got some fun in tonight. Even though everything else is different, the salsa club still felt the same as one in Boston - the same regualrs, the same sketchy guys, the same music, the same ballroom virtuosos... But going out just wasn't quite the same without Kristel and Dennis there - aw, college days. Ok, bedtime!
Jan 1, 2005
Happy New Year!!
I couldn't go to bed without wishing everyone a Happy New Year. Maybe a few hours early, but you get the picture...
So I spent a decidedly low-key New Year in London, but a pretty fun one, nonetheless. My search for friends at Goodenough College (where I'm currently staying) unsuccessful, I set out alone. I planned to see a movie and then go out to dinner, but all the theaters closed early tonight. Sadness. So instead I got some yummy pastries from Chinatown and set off walking around the city, just mingling with the crowds.
I finally made it down to the Thames around 10:30, where I was able to stake out a good spot between the Eye and Big Ben. I passed the hours away people watching and intermittently talking with the friendly but somewhat odd Spanish grad student sitting next to me. I can only describe the New Year's fireworks as possibly the best Fourth of July ever. It even beat Boston's showing this year. (Sorry, Nina, Shelley and Jody). It was ridiculously excessive, apparently all because London has a bid for the Olympics coming up. Very entertaining, though. Then I just followed the crowds all the way back to Russell Square - home sweet home. So yeah, nothing huge, but pretty entertaining, anyway.
But the best part had to be counting down to the New Year. It really made me realize that I was in a different city, starting a whole new part of my life. So here's to the new year in London, in all its fabulousness.
= :)
So I spent a decidedly low-key New Year in London, but a pretty fun one, nonetheless. My search for friends at Goodenough College (where I'm currently staying) unsuccessful, I set out alone. I planned to see a movie and then go out to dinner, but all the theaters closed early tonight. Sadness. So instead I got some yummy pastries from Chinatown and set off walking around the city, just mingling with the crowds.
I finally made it down to the Thames around 10:30, where I was able to stake out a good spot between the Eye and Big Ben. I passed the hours away people watching and intermittently talking with the friendly but somewhat odd Spanish grad student sitting next to me. I can only describe the New Year's fireworks as possibly the best Fourth of July ever. It even beat Boston's showing this year. (Sorry, Nina, Shelley and Jody). It was ridiculously excessive, apparently all because London has a bid for the Olympics coming up. Very entertaining, though. Then I just followed the crowds all the way back to Russell Square - home sweet home. So yeah, nothing huge, but pretty entertaining, anyway.
But the best part had to be counting down to the New Year. It really made me realize that I was in a different city, starting a whole new part of my life. So here's to the new year in London, in all its fabulousness.
= :)
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