Sprinkles cupcake tower.
blue cheese burgers.
couples.
grill lighting on fire...in a bad way.
Matt's mix cd's.
sisters dancing.
wine.
wine.
mohitos.
wine.
old friends.
new friends.
driveway full of cars.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Thursday, April 10, 2008
twenty-five
My 25th birthday was SO much fun and the beverages were flowing so graciously that I don't exactly remember the details of the night as well as I 'd hope to, so a picture blog will have to suffice...enjoy!
After a massage in the morning and a special delivery from lolo (pretty flowers!! and not a baby's breath in sight!):
I got ready to have dinner at one of my favorite restaurants in Seattle: Purple Wine Bar! I love the atmosphere there and the food is great.
this is what I ate:
this is what we drank(5 bottles!):
this is who came:
From there, we went out to King's Hardware, a bar in Ballard. We continued to take photos and thank goodness because I look like I'm having a lot of fun, right?
Happy birthday to me! Now, go to sleep!
After a massage in the morning and a special delivery from lolo (pretty flowers!! and not a baby's breath in sight!):
I got ready to have dinner at one of my favorite restaurants in Seattle: Purple Wine Bar! I love the atmosphere there and the food is great. this is what I ate:
this is what we drank(5 bottles!):
this is who came:
From there, we went out to King's Hardware, a bar in Ballard. We continued to take photos and thank goodness because I look like I'm having a lot of fun, right?
Happy birthday to me! Now, go to sleep!
Thursday, March 20, 2008
PDX...better late than never!
ok, I'm so sorry. this post is so long over-due. Maybe it's work, the beautiful weather, or the handsome ginger who floats through my mind all day long that's been keeping me busy? All I know is that PDX is still on my mind...
It was a beautiful Friday morning when Megan and I began to anticipate our weekend away to Portland, Oregon. But before we could hit the open road, we stopped for our usual Ladro caffeine fix (she got decaf) and two delicious rasperry scones(actually, they're horrible. Don't go buy them. ever.). After admiring the sexy baristas, we were I-5 southbound! Our only stop along the way was to deliver a cappuccino to JSW while he was slaving away at his desk all day. I couldn't drive by without saying hello, now could I? After a quick chat and a kiss goodbye, we continued the rainy drive south with Kate Nash & Jenny Lewis as our musical guides.
A couple hours later we were crossing the Columbia River Bridge and exiting into the Pearl District, Portland's art district which is filled with sweet boutiques, cafes and beautiful, ivy-covered brick buildings. After dropping our bags at Megan's moms condo, we headed out to explore. After walking just a few blocks in a torrential downpour, my shoes were filled with water and the umbrellas obviously weren't doing their job, so we spotted the best rainy-hideout ever: Whole Foods Market! After a quick bite to eat, a chat with a lovely lady who was visiting from the East Coast for the first time, and a moment to compose ourselves, we headed back onto the rainy streets. I suppose the rain was a good excuse to pop into shops along the way. We stopped into Powell's Books, a knit shop, and a cute French-inspired boutique called The Bubble Boutique where I scored the most amazing party dress - on sale no less! It was the perfect way to start the weekend!
The afternoon escaped us and soon it was time to meet Megan's aunt Liz and brother DJ, for some happy hour sushi and sake bombs! Megan's brother couldn't of been sweeter and her aunt couldn't of been crazier. She kept us all laughing and incessantly made fun of me for being on my iphone too much. Sake was only the beginning of our first night of mayhem in Portland. We hopped onto The Max, Portland's lightrail train and made our way to The Bitter End pub. Much praise should go to PDX's public transportation system. We took the lightrail and the streetcar all around the city so easily. Seattle should get a clue from our southern neighbors. Anyways, back to the drinks and bars: at The Bitter End, we kept the jute box blasting hits all night and played some pool. From one bar to the next we went but our night was not complete until Megan's mom picked us up and took us to the McDonald's drive-thru!
Saturday was filled with exploring all of Portland's unique gems and every eclectic neighborhood we could find. From cappuccinos and pastries at St. Honore bakery, lunch at Elephant's Delicatessen, exploring the Saturday market under the Hawthorne bridge, a raining drive through the Hawthorne district, wine tasting at David Hill and Appeloni Vineyards in the country with Megan's mom and then a pint with Joel, Megan's other brother. It was a long, exhausting, exciting day, but there was no sign of slowing down as we went from one thing to the next and then finally had a moment to take in the memories from the day over one of the best meals I've ever had at a restaurant called Roux. The food was mouth watering, the wine was delicious, and our artistic, Spanish waiter was both. He was cute enough for Megan to slip him her phone number after he had suggested she visit his favorite street corner in NYC when she moves there one day. After dinner, there were more spots in the city to take in and drinks to be drank. We went to Oba and met Arsenio, a handsome bartender who kept our drinks full for the remainder of the evening. If we weren't surrounded by enough gorgeous Oregonians, Megan's mother's friends Bruce and Chris joined us and were comedic relief and homosexual eye-candy all night long. Eventually, we did have to stumble home, crawl into bed and rest up for our next and last day in PDX.
Before we said our goodbye to our weekend in Portland on Sunday morning, we enjoyed breakfast at Rose's Delicatessen on 23rd street where DJ works. The food was yummy and the service was impeccable! ;) After filling our bellies we were back in the car and headed North on I-5, heading out of Oregon and leaving Portland's wonderful charm in the distance. Once again, it was only right that we stopped in again to see JSW, and with the hope of introducing Megan to the best hot dogs I've ever had at The Red Hot, sadly, it was closed for the day and we settled for nachos and beers at Masa. Unfortunately, we weren't entertaining enough, as PDX had sucked up all my energy, so our stay in the smelly city was shortened.
As we drove back into the city, rounding the corner on I-5 where you can spot the Seattle skyline in the distance, I remembered every memory that was made in Portland over the weekend and hope to return there again soon, possibly even to live one day.
The End!
It was a beautiful Friday morning when Megan and I began to anticipate our weekend away to Portland, Oregon. But before we could hit the open road, we stopped for our usual Ladro caffeine fix (she got decaf) and two delicious rasperry scones(actually, they're horrible. Don't go buy them. ever.). After admiring the sexy baristas, we were I-5 southbound! Our only stop along the way was to deliver a cappuccino to JSW while he was slaving away at his desk all day. I couldn't drive by without saying hello, now could I? After a quick chat and a kiss goodbye, we continued the rainy drive south with Kate Nash & Jenny Lewis as our musical guides.
A couple hours later we were crossing the Columbia River Bridge and exiting into the Pearl District, Portland's art district which is filled with sweet boutiques, cafes and beautiful, ivy-covered brick buildings. After dropping our bags at Megan's moms condo, we headed out to explore. After walking just a few blocks in a torrential downpour, my shoes were filled with water and the umbrellas obviously weren't doing their job, so we spotted the best rainy-hideout ever: Whole Foods Market! After a quick bite to eat, a chat with a lovely lady who was visiting from the East Coast for the first time, and a moment to compose ourselves, we headed back onto the rainy streets. I suppose the rain was a good excuse to pop into shops along the way. We stopped into Powell's Books, a knit shop, and a cute French-inspired boutique called The Bubble Boutique where I scored the most amazing party dress - on sale no less! It was the perfect way to start the weekend!
The afternoon escaped us and soon it was time to meet Megan's aunt Liz and brother DJ, for some happy hour sushi and sake bombs! Megan's brother couldn't of been sweeter and her aunt couldn't of been crazier. She kept us all laughing and incessantly made fun of me for being on my iphone too much. Sake was only the beginning of our first night of mayhem in Portland. We hopped onto The Max, Portland's lightrail train and made our way to The Bitter End pub. Much praise should go to PDX's public transportation system. We took the lightrail and the streetcar all around the city so easily. Seattle should get a clue from our southern neighbors. Anyways, back to the drinks and bars: at The Bitter End, we kept the jute box blasting hits all night and played some pool. From one bar to the next we went but our night was not complete until Megan's mom picked us up and took us to the McDonald's drive-thru!
Saturday was filled with exploring all of Portland's unique gems and every eclectic neighborhood we could find. From cappuccinos and pastries at St. Honore bakery, lunch at Elephant's Delicatessen, exploring the Saturday market under the Hawthorne bridge, a raining drive through the Hawthorne district, wine tasting at David Hill and Appeloni Vineyards in the country with Megan's mom and then a pint with Joel, Megan's other brother. It was a long, exhausting, exciting day, but there was no sign of slowing down as we went from one thing to the next and then finally had a moment to take in the memories from the day over one of the best meals I've ever had at a restaurant called Roux. The food was mouth watering, the wine was delicious, and our artistic, Spanish waiter was both. He was cute enough for Megan to slip him her phone number after he had suggested she visit his favorite street corner in NYC when she moves there one day. After dinner, there were more spots in the city to take in and drinks to be drank. We went to Oba and met Arsenio, a handsome bartender who kept our drinks full for the remainder of the evening. If we weren't surrounded by enough gorgeous Oregonians, Megan's mother's friends Bruce and Chris joined us and were comedic relief and homosexual eye-candy all night long. Eventually, we did have to stumble home, crawl into bed and rest up for our next and last day in PDX.
Before we said our goodbye to our weekend in Portland on Sunday morning, we enjoyed breakfast at Rose's Delicatessen on 23rd street where DJ works. The food was yummy and the service was impeccable! ;) After filling our bellies we were back in the car and headed North on I-5, heading out of Oregon and leaving Portland's wonderful charm in the distance. Once again, it was only right that we stopped in again to see JSW, and with the hope of introducing Megan to the best hot dogs I've ever had at The Red Hot, sadly, it was closed for the day and we settled for nachos and beers at Masa. Unfortunately, we weren't entertaining enough, as PDX had sucked up all my energy, so our stay in the smelly city was shortened.
As we drove back into the city, rounding the corner on I-5 where you can spot the Seattle skyline in the distance, I remembered every memory that was made in Portland over the weekend and hope to return there again soon, possibly even to live one day.
The End!
Thursday, March 13, 2008
PDX
I'm headed on a road trip to Portland, OR with Megan (Oregonian native extraordinaire) for the weekend!
Couldn't be more excited about this adventure! I'll post pictures and funny anecdotes of the journey when I return on Monday.
Until, have a good weekend & Happy St. Patty's Day!
Couldn't be more excited about this adventure! I'll post pictures and funny anecdotes of the journey when I return on Monday.
Until, have a good weekend & Happy St. Patty's Day!
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
she's "friendly"
new friends, old friends, close friends, distant friends, friends with benefits, friends with money, little friends, foreign friends, everyone's a friend!
This past week, I've been so incredibly blessed by my friends. I've celebrating the 27th year of birth for a friend (Kate), the arrival of a friend (Lo), the honesty of a friend (Megs) and so much more!
An ode to my friends:
happy day of birth to the hottest 27 year old momma I know!
must've been something good to make us all smile...
Brian...sex wax, sticky bum, comes into town to pay us rainy day kids a visit. welcome.
Lo and our new friend, who I think, resembles Jesus.
Janie makes being sick look like fun! Oh, and I've been elevated to "auntie" status! success!
every moment with my chum is photographic
This past week, I've been so incredibly blessed by my friends. I've celebrating the 27th year of birth for a friend (Kate), the arrival of a friend (Lo), the honesty of a friend (Megs) and so much more!
An ode to my friends:
happy day of birth to the hottest 27 year old momma I know!
must've been something good to make us all smile...
Brian...sex wax, sticky bum, comes into town to pay us rainy day kids a visit. welcome.
Lo and our new friend, who I think, resembles Jesus.
Janie makes being sick look like fun! Oh, and I've been elevated to "auntie" status! success!
every moment with my chum is photographic
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Sunday rituals & drugs
Barnes & Noble is my drug-dealer and Vogue is my drug of choice.
Most Sunday mornings are spent sitting outside of Cafe Ladro on 15th with my chum (Megan). We sip our respective tea and double tall extra dry cappuccino as we watch the people walk by with their cute dogs, hipster threads, hungover stares, in search of the same end as us - caffeine.
After getting "our fix" we go to to the closest literary mecca (also the least "green" place in Seattle)...a book store. I could spend hours in a book store wandering up and down the aisles, searching for my newest addiction. Today was solely for the purpose of attaining Vogue. Vogue is one of the few magazines I continually buy and don't need/care about whether the content is good enough for a purchase. I've cut down on my magazine obsession over the years but Vogue will never be forsaken. I should have a subscription, but there's something refreshing about walking up to it sitting there on display and purchasing. Also, you never doubt the content in Vogue. The issue I bought today has Drew Barrymore on the cover (sold!), 660 pages of spring fashion must-haves (sold!) and it could double as a 10 lb weight for getting my daily exercise regimen completed (sold!). There's nothing better than Vogue on a sunny Sunday afternoon, if I do say so myself. After I purchase Vogue, there is no possible way I will be able to not rush home, curl up on the couch and begin reading. From the moment of purchase, it calls out to me. Yearning to be read and re-read... and re-read.
How do you read a magazine? Front to back? Back to front? Skim it first and then reread it in depth? I have a way of going about reading magazines that never fails me. First, I open it up and skim every single page, front to back. Then I go back and study the advertisements and look at the clothing, font, and colors that are full of inspiration. For the third and not even close to final time, I read every article from beginning to end. The art of reading Vogue can take a couple hours, which is why it's best to save it for a Sunday afternoon.
Most Sunday mornings are spent sitting outside of Cafe Ladro on 15th with my chum (Megan). We sip our respective tea and double tall extra dry cappuccino as we watch the people walk by with their cute dogs, hipster threads, hungover stares, in search of the same end as us - caffeine.
After getting "our fix" we go to to the closest literary mecca (also the least "green" place in Seattle)...a book store. I could spend hours in a book store wandering up and down the aisles, searching for my newest addiction. Today was solely for the purpose of attaining Vogue. Vogue is one of the few magazines I continually buy and don't need/care about whether the content is good enough for a purchase. I've cut down on my magazine obsession over the years but Vogue will never be forsaken. I should have a subscription, but there's something refreshing about walking up to it sitting there on display and purchasing. Also, you never doubt the content in Vogue. The issue I bought today has Drew Barrymore on the cover (sold!), 660 pages of spring fashion must-haves (sold!) and it could double as a 10 lb weight for getting my daily exercise regimen completed (sold!). There's nothing better than Vogue on a sunny Sunday afternoon, if I do say so myself. After I purchase Vogue, there is no possible way I will be able to not rush home, curl up on the couch and begin reading. From the moment of purchase, it calls out to me. Yearning to be read and re-read... and re-read.
How do you read a magazine? Front to back? Back to front? Skim it first and then reread it in depth? I have a way of going about reading magazines that never fails me. First, I open it up and skim every single page, front to back. Then I go back and study the advertisements and look at the clothing, font, and colors that are full of inspiration. For the third and not even close to final time, I read every article from beginning to end. The art of reading Vogue can take a couple hours, which is why it's best to save it for a Sunday afternoon.
Monday, February 18, 2008
cue the violins
sorry for the delay. I've sunk into a lethargic, melancholy state. Seems that SAD has taken over. I thought i had a hold on it. I thought I was making it through this long, dreary, cold winter just fine. I have some bright colored scarves, the sun is shining today, I am in no means alone & secluded, so why all of a sudden has it hit me? The last few days in Seattle have even been sunny and in the 50s! What gives? Has it been building up and I've just suppressed the inevitable? I came to a realization that I was being SADly affected when i found myself driving out of my way to stop by the mini-mart for milk duds or Peanut Butter M&M's just because and if I'm bored at home at night, I'll self-medicate with a large glass of wine and/or Benadryl to sleep through the boring night (averaging once a week.). What will cure this? Tanning? Shopping? One of those big lights you sit in front of for an hour and it's supposed to simulate the effect the sun has on you?
Tell me: How do you beat the winter blues?
Tell me: How do you beat the winter blues?
Thursday, February 07, 2008
lent
I've never been one to give things up for Lent. I can't stick to those kind of forced, socially-pressured rules but I just thought of something everyone should do (especially you, WLA)
Give Britney up for Lent!!
I wonder if I should try and give up reading Perez Hilton for 40 days? Think I could do it?
update: I've given it some thought, and I'm going to give up reading Perez Hilton for 40 days. Starting today! I'm not Catholic but what the heck! It will be interesting to see how my world view changes and what I could spend my time doing instead of reading Hollywood gossip....stay tuned!
Give Britney up for Lent!!
I wonder if I should try and give up reading Perez Hilton for 40 days? Think I could do it?
update: I've given it some thought, and I'm going to give up reading Perez Hilton for 40 days. Starting today! I'm not Catholic but what the heck! It will be interesting to see how my world view changes and what I could spend my time doing instead of reading Hollywood gossip....stay tuned!
wanted:
someone needs to apply for this position ASAP! Even if you're remotely qualified, I'll make sure you're hired. JSW is picking up the slack for both his job and this empty position in his office and it's taking time out of our daily emailing and I've become increasingly bored. Please help me!
https://www.fhshealth.org/job/default_start.asp *click on admin. assistant/ marketing
https://www.fhshealth.org/job/default_start.asp *click on admin. assistant/ marketing
pour l'amour de la France !
along with their food, wine and literature, I happen to adore French films. Amelie, Before Sunrise, Before Sunset tops my list and je t'aime paris is not far along either. The scenery, language and romanticism is what makes those films so appealing to me. Last night I watched the film "2 Days In Paris", which is set in Paris, staring Julie Delpy and Adam Goldberg. It was comedic, romantic, and strangely reminded me of anther cheeky, sarcastic, witty couple I know all too well. It's the story of this couple who have just traveled around Venice and they make a 2 day stop in Paris to visit her family and see her friends before heading back to NYC. What seems like a romantic European get-away trip soon starts to unravel and it becomes hilariously chaotic and dysfunctional. This film is a must-see...and don't worry, this isn't like my "Crossroads" movie recommendation. Trust me...
Along with loving French films, I've decided to learn to speak French for my upcoming trip to Paris and Provence in June. I've been to France so many times before and plan on returning for the rest of my life (maybe even living there one day?) and it would be the most beautiful language to speak. Also, it helps to have someone learn it with you, which is why I've enlisted JSW to learn with me. I found a great album to learn French from on itunes called "Rapid French". They place drum & bass music in the background while reciting French phrases along with the beat. I think it's a brilliant way to learn a language because you know how easy it is to get a song and a beat stuck in your head? - well now you have French stuck in your head all day long and I've already learned so much. They also have a great "Rapid Italian" that I will learn once I've mastered French.
au revoir!
Along with loving French films, I've decided to learn to speak French for my upcoming trip to Paris and Provence in June. I've been to France so many times before and plan on returning for the rest of my life (maybe even living there one day?) and it would be the most beautiful language to speak. Also, it helps to have someone learn it with you, which is why I've enlisted JSW to learn with me. I found a great album to learn French from on itunes called "Rapid French". They place drum & bass music in the background while reciting French phrases along with the beat. I think it's a brilliant way to learn a language because you know how easy it is to get a song and a beat stuck in your head? - well now you have French stuck in your head all day long and I've already learned so much. They also have a great "Rapid Italian" that I will learn once I've mastered French.
au revoir!
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Tom Brady better get some tonight.
...that's the only way this day's going to turn around for him.
I hate football, so excuse me while I don't go into detail about the huge upset or anti-climactic ending to this years NFL season. I just don't get football. I suppose it has a lot to do with a.) I don't enjoy watching many sports on television, b.) I feel that football is a wimpy American version of rugby - where those guys really get the crap beaten out of them and that's true entertainment! and c.) i like to be different. Now that football season's over, my Sunday's just got a lot more interesting. Friends will be coming out of the wood-work like you wouldn't imagine. You know who you are... you can't hide in your home on Sunday afternoons anymore. I won't allow it.
I hate football, so excuse me while I don't go into detail about the huge upset or anti-climactic ending to this years NFL season. I just don't get football. I suppose it has a lot to do with a.) I don't enjoy watching many sports on television, b.) I feel that football is a wimpy American version of rugby - where those guys really get the crap beaten out of them and that's true entertainment! and c.) i like to be different. Now that football season's over, my Sunday's just got a lot more interesting. Friends will be coming out of the wood-work like you wouldn't imagine. You know who you are... you can't hide in your home on Sunday afternoons anymore. I won't allow it.
Saturday, February 02, 2008
and a year went by...
this could be a fleeting feeling, but I've decided to start up my blog again. I've been writing a bit more lately and I feel like my life has become somewhat interesting again so why not broadcast it? Since I haven't written for a year, here's a bit of a catch-up:
- In April of 2007, I moved back to my Seattle home after 5 months and 27 enriching days in Glasgow, Scotland. Left ex-boyfriend, North Face puffy coat and heavy bag of books there - took my independence, fond memories and skinny TopShop jeans with me.
- restlessly lived at home for 2 months while I figured out a living situation back in the city...eventually bought a condo with a view.
- since July I've been working for a card & stationery design company called Pinkerton Design
- cut most of my hair off on a whim (and all those dead ends I've accumulated over the last 3 years of my life)
- Most of my friends have either left the Seattle area or they're engaged/married and have some kids to take care of now. It's a crazy phenomenon, that ticking clock is.
- It's been almost 9 months since I've been to Europe. That's the longest I've gone in the last 4 years.
-still enjoy drinking tea, listening to British music, organic grocery shopping, making coffee & latte art, saying "bollocks", "bugger", "cheers", "bloody-hell", and "ginger"
- these days I'm most likely reading a good book, drinking a glass of wine, texting on my iphone, making to-do lists, dating a ginger-headed guy, wearing black ballet flats and a cardigan and hopefully, blogging.
- In April of 2007, I moved back to my Seattle home after 5 months and 27 enriching days in Glasgow, Scotland. Left ex-boyfriend, North Face puffy coat and heavy bag of books there - took my independence, fond memories and skinny TopShop jeans with me.
- restlessly lived at home for 2 months while I figured out a living situation back in the city...eventually bought a condo with a view.
- since July I've been working for a card & stationery design company called Pinkerton Design
- cut most of my hair off on a whim (and all those dead ends I've accumulated over the last 3 years of my life)
- Most of my friends have either left the Seattle area or they're engaged/married and have some kids to take care of now. It's a crazy phenomenon, that ticking clock is.
- It's been almost 9 months since I've been to Europe. That's the longest I've gone in the last 4 years.
-still enjoy drinking tea, listening to British music, organic grocery shopping, making coffee & latte art, saying "bollocks", "bugger", "cheers", "bloody-hell", and "ginger"
- these days I'm most likely reading a good book, drinking a glass of wine, texting on my iphone, making to-do lists, dating a ginger-headed guy, wearing black ballet flats and a cardigan and hopefully, blogging.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
i've been living in Glasgow for 4 months....4 MONTHS!!!....and these are the first pictures i've been able to take since i've been here. That fact just makes me want to cry. The moment i got here, my camera broke and until a few days ago I had given up hope on it's revival. It still "works" fine and takes pictures, but the screws that hold it together have all fallen out, so basically you just have to hold the camera together, and take a picture and it works! Oh well, at least I was able to capture some moments of my friend Waynes visit to Glasgow. Wayne and I are long-time friends! :) We met 6 years ago in London while Lauren, Whitney and I took a trip to Europe just before I went off to college. He's originally from South Africa but for the last 3 years he's lived in London and the last few trips I've taken over the pond I've been able to visit him. He even came over a few years ago to Seattle and visited me and Lauren! This weekend was a short trip for him due to work but we made the best of it. From drinks out with friends at Brel, a favorite Ashton Lane pub of mine, to sightseeing and being touristy all day long on Saturday. We walked from one end of the city and back - never missing a spot in between - and ended up watching Rugby. Scotland got their butts beat sooo badly, but so did England, so all is fair in the United Kingdom. Saturday night it was off to a Cuban street party where we were on the guest list- which meant complimentary drinks! :) There were cuban dancers, great bands and a famous cuban cigar roller flown in from Havana to roll cigars all night long. It was alot of fun dancing to cuban music and sipping our mohitos! Here are some pictures I took of our weekend sightseeing....
....wayne and I outside Kelvingrove Museum (sorry, you can't see the museum. My arms not long enough.)
...me on top of the Lighthouse, Scotlands center for architecture and the designs of Charles Rennie Mackintosh
....the view of Glasgow city centre from the Lighthouse
....wayne and I outside Kelvingrove Museum (sorry, you can't see the museum. My arms not long enough.)
...me on top of the Lighthouse, Scotlands center for architecture and the designs of Charles Rennie Mackintosh
....the view of Glasgow city centre from the Lighthouse
Monday, February 12, 2007
new loves...
new love #1: Rugby
Currently the Six Nations Rugby Tournament is going on all over Europe i couldn't help but not get into it. As an American, where rugby is such a foreign sport, i knew very little about it. I didn't even know that after the man with the ball was tackled, the game keeps going and they basically rip and tug and pull at each other until the ball's free. It's good fun seeing those boys get all dirty and bloody- no padding mind you! That's a true sport! I don't know what American football fans think they're watching - a bunch a big guys with PADDING running 5 yards then falling, 5 more yards then falling, then maybe 15 more. So what the Six Nations is all about is Scotland, Ireland, France, Italy, England, and Wales will play each other twice, once at home and once away. This last weekend I sat at the pub with my friend Becs, my Rugby guru, for about 5 hours watching England v. Wales and Scotland v. Italy. Scotland WON!! :) In order to keep our seat in a crowded pub we had keep ordering drinks and food so we had a 3 course meal with dessert and drinks! It was good fun!
new love #2: grocery shopping:
I have my cool, eco-friendly, canvas bag that I fill up with my fruits and veg, yogurt, porridge oats and muesli and other nibbly bits and it never cost more than like 10 pounds or so. Such a good deal for organic! I also have loved shopping every few days or so. I'm buying fresher foods and alot more fruit and veg. I think I'm eating alot better since I've lived in Glasgow - besides the endless coffee and occasional, not nearly as many as before, cakes and pastries from work. hehe. ;)
Currently the Six Nations Rugby Tournament is going on all over Europe i couldn't help but not get into it. As an American, where rugby is such a foreign sport, i knew very little about it. I didn't even know that after the man with the ball was tackled, the game keeps going and they basically rip and tug and pull at each other until the ball's free. It's good fun seeing those boys get all dirty and bloody- no padding mind you! That's a true sport! I don't know what American football fans think they're watching - a bunch a big guys with PADDING running 5 yards then falling, 5 more yards then falling, then maybe 15 more. So what the Six Nations is all about is Scotland, Ireland, France, Italy, England, and Wales will play each other twice, once at home and once away. This last weekend I sat at the pub with my friend Becs, my Rugby guru, for about 5 hours watching England v. Wales and Scotland v. Italy. Scotland WON!! :) In order to keep our seat in a crowded pub we had keep ordering drinks and food so we had a 3 course meal with dessert and drinks! It was good fun!
new love #2: grocery shopping:
I have my cool, eco-friendly, canvas bag that I fill up with my fruits and veg, yogurt, porridge oats and muesli and other nibbly bits and it never cost more than like 10 pounds or so. Such a good deal for organic! I also have loved shopping every few days or so. I'm buying fresher foods and alot more fruit and veg. I think I'm eating alot better since I've lived in Glasgow - besides the endless coffee and occasional, not nearly as many as before, cakes and pastries from work. hehe. ;)
Thursday, January 25, 2007
just like Madonna sang...we all need a HOLIDAY!
ok, i need your help!!
For my birthday in a couple months (March 28) I am taking a week's paid holiday to the destination of my choice and I don't know where to go!! I want to get a tan (this girl needs one badly) and go to a place I've never been. here are a few options...let me know where you think i should go, or if you've been to any of these places and you have comments! :)
- Spain: Barcelona, Seville, Madrid, or Toledo
- France: southern beaches like Marseille
- Greece: Mykonos, Athens
- Italy: Tuscany
told you I am having trouble decieding! There are so many great places to go in Europe, and I'll only have a week.
For my birthday in a couple months (March 28) I am taking a week's paid holiday to the destination of my choice and I don't know where to go!! I want to get a tan (this girl needs one badly) and go to a place I've never been. here are a few options...let me know where you think i should go, or if you've been to any of these places and you have comments! :)
- Spain: Barcelona, Seville, Madrid, or Toledo
- France: southern beaches like Marseille
- Greece: Mykonos, Athens
- Italy: Tuscany
told you I am having trouble decieding! There are so many great places to go in Europe, and I'll only have a week.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
So if writing in my blog and sharing info with all of you is the internet equivilent to getting together for coffee then I am fashionably late. :) Sorry about that but life has taken over here and it seems I have fewer and fewer days where I am bored and deciede to go sit at a internet cafe. That's a good thing, right!? If I'm not working 5 days a week, then I'm at the cinema, browsing in town (i have no money to shop, so i just browse) or enjoying a pint or a coffee with friends. The weather hasn't been that bad lately either so I've enjoyed some nice walks around. Some films I've seen at the cinema lately that I highly recoment seeing are "The Holiday" with Jude Law and Cameron Diaz. Such a cute film by the writer of Something's Gotta Give and Father of the Bride, Nancy Meyers never dissapoints me. This last week i've seen "The Last King of Scotland" and "Pan's Labrinyth". "The Last King of Scotland" is based on a true story of the brutal Ugandan dictator Idi Amin's regime. It's a bit gorey at times but has a captivating story line. Pan's Labrinyth was a film I didn't innitially want to go see, but after reading rave reviews about it, and having the company of Kevin, I decieded to give it a shot...and I'm so glad I did. It's in Spanish so the subtitles intrigued me from the very beginning. (My favorite film is "Life is Beautiful" so any film with subtitles I give a shot.) It's a dark fairytale set against the Postwar repression in Spain. If you loved fairytales as a kid, i would recomend this "older fairytale" to anyone.
Other than the occasional film, I've been at work, which has been good. It became aparent to me today that my first couple months working at the cafe has flown by because not only do i know everything to do there and rarely need anyone to tell me what to do, but today I trained someone. I remember when i was a "newbie" there and struggled with things that are ingrained into my mind now. It's nice to have adapted so well. Some exciting things have been happening there lately as well! Working in the tinderbox is the British equivilent to working at the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf on Santa Monica Boulevard I would think....today alone i served Malcolm Middleton (lead singer of Arab Strap - hugely famous Scottish band over here) and Gary Lightbody (lead singer of the band Snow Patrol - hugely famous band EVERYWHERE). A week ago Robert Carlyle( famous Scottish actor) came in, but supposedly he comes in all the time because he lives around the corner. Along with famous footballers, rugby players and other british sports elite (most of whom i do not recognize at all) it's the best place in Glasgow to see and be seen.
Also, we're supposed to have a monthly mix cd with about 90 songs on it that plays on repeat in the shop, but the "october mix" had been playing until about....umm, yesterday! Thank God we got a new one because it was becoming really hard to listen the same songs over and over and know what's coming next. The new mix is great because it has The Cure's "Just Like Heaven" song on it and that's one of my all time favorite songs. Kinda cheesy...yes, but I can't help but dance around when that song comes on.
This is my first blog after the new year so happy new year to everyone! I hope you haven't broken too many resolutions yet. I usually do because as long as I can remember, my resolution has been to "work out on a daily or weekly basis" but here i am, making that my resolutions again! oh well. My resolutions are also to read the newspaper more, eat breakfast every morning and a few other random things that come to my mind daily. So far I've read alot and I've also been really good at waking up a bit earlier to have breakfast. The pooridge oats (oatmeal) they have here are incredible and the organic fruit is as well, so it's worth it to wake up with a yummy breakfast. I've also started drinking more green tea as well because I heard it's good with your digestion, skin, body, and over all health. I drink about 3 or 4 cups of tea a day so it hasn't been hard to incorporate green tea into that system.
the weather is changing here...less rain, more wind, and chillier nights, but i don't mind. It suits me. I have this coming saturday off so I'm looking forward to a walk through the park with a warm coffee in hand. So until then my friends....
Other than the occasional film, I've been at work, which has been good. It became aparent to me today that my first couple months working at the cafe has flown by because not only do i know everything to do there and rarely need anyone to tell me what to do, but today I trained someone. I remember when i was a "newbie" there and struggled with things that are ingrained into my mind now. It's nice to have adapted so well. Some exciting things have been happening there lately as well! Working in the tinderbox is the British equivilent to working at the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf on Santa Monica Boulevard I would think....today alone i served Malcolm Middleton (lead singer of Arab Strap - hugely famous Scottish band over here) and Gary Lightbody (lead singer of the band Snow Patrol - hugely famous band EVERYWHERE). A week ago Robert Carlyle( famous Scottish actor) came in, but supposedly he comes in all the time because he lives around the corner. Along with famous footballers, rugby players and other british sports elite (most of whom i do not recognize at all) it's the best place in Glasgow to see and be seen.
Also, we're supposed to have a monthly mix cd with about 90 songs on it that plays on repeat in the shop, but the "october mix" had been playing until about....umm, yesterday! Thank God we got a new one because it was becoming really hard to listen the same songs over and over and know what's coming next. The new mix is great because it has The Cure's "Just Like Heaven" song on it and that's one of my all time favorite songs. Kinda cheesy...yes, but I can't help but dance around when that song comes on.
This is my first blog after the new year so happy new year to everyone! I hope you haven't broken too many resolutions yet. I usually do because as long as I can remember, my resolution has been to "work out on a daily or weekly basis" but here i am, making that my resolutions again! oh well. My resolutions are also to read the newspaper more, eat breakfast every morning and a few other random things that come to my mind daily. So far I've read alot and I've also been really good at waking up a bit earlier to have breakfast. The pooridge oats (oatmeal) they have here are incredible and the organic fruit is as well, so it's worth it to wake up with a yummy breakfast. I've also started drinking more green tea as well because I heard it's good with your digestion, skin, body, and over all health. I drink about 3 or 4 cups of tea a day so it hasn't been hard to incorporate green tea into that system.
the weather is changing here...less rain, more wind, and chillier nights, but i don't mind. It suits me. I have this coming saturday off so I'm looking forward to a walk through the park with a warm coffee in hand. So until then my friends....
Saturday, December 30, 2006
days like today....
picture this....since i can't physically take a picture to show you, i will describe what i am so desperatly wanting to take a picture of!! It's the most beautiful day in Glasgow today. I fell asleep last night to rain, thunder and lightning and knew that could not be a good sign of what the next day would bring but i was wrong! As i sit in a coffee shop looking out over the River Clyde and the Kelvingrove Park, the sun is shining brightly (where are those sunglasses when i need them?) and the air is crisp and clear. No need for an umbrella or wellies today, it's just a scarf and some uggs and I'm comfortably walking around this city in awe. I love days like these. It's why I suffer through the long winters of rain and dark skies. When you get to days like these, it makes you appreciate them THAT much more.
Although I am working tonight (5 till 11pm!!), I'm glad to have the day to myself to wander and be lazy. I swear, if i would have been stuck inside the cafe working today, I would have curled up and cried. Our big store front windows that look out onto Byres Road usually show us how lucky we are to be inside a warm, dry cafe and most days we're standing there making fun of people and their "run-away" umbrellas and we take bets on how long it will take for the Glasgow winds to take over and turn that umbrella inside out (about 8.6 seconds we've averaged) but today would have been torture!
Speaking of the cafe, my hands are really dry. haha. that only has to do with the cafe because al this manual labor (who needs it!?) and dish-washing has gotten my hands to the point where they closely resemble crocodile skin. I've invested good money into moisturizing hand creams and all that, but nothing seems to work! Has anyone got a rememdy? HELP!
Although I am working tonight (5 till 11pm!!), I'm glad to have the day to myself to wander and be lazy. I swear, if i would have been stuck inside the cafe working today, I would have curled up and cried. Our big store front windows that look out onto Byres Road usually show us how lucky we are to be inside a warm, dry cafe and most days we're standing there making fun of people and their "run-away" umbrellas and we take bets on how long it will take for the Glasgow winds to take over and turn that umbrella inside out (about 8.6 seconds we've averaged) but today would have been torture!
Speaking of the cafe, my hands are really dry. haha. that only has to do with the cafe because al this manual labor (who needs it!?) and dish-washing has gotten my hands to the point where they closely resemble crocodile skin. I've invested good money into moisturizing hand creams and all that, but nothing seems to work! Has anyone got a rememdy? HELP!
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
merry christmas...glasgow style!
Merry Christmas everyone!!
I'll try to sum up what's been going on in my life over the past few weeks since I haven't had time (ok, i just havn't felt like it) to blog. As the christmas season neared, work got busier and busier. With that, i got more tired and more tired, wishing that everyone would just chose to stay home and not come to a cozy cofee shop all day long. But what can ya do? I didn't even try to brave going into town to search for presents this year which was a good choice I think. My sisters and I decieded to just spend our money on a big trip somewhere when i return to the states...whenever that may be. Many of you have been asking when I will return, but to be truthfully honest, I'm not ready to face the fact that I may have to leave after my 6 months is up, which would send me home about the end of April. I've enjoyed my time here MORE than i thought I would. I've made Glasgow my own home away from home and made so many great friends in and outside of my job, it will be a hard place to eventually leave. But I do feel like my journey has just begun. It feels like i've been here alot longer than 2 months, but that's really all it's been. Probally because for so long I've felt settled and at home here that my "adjustment period" only took me a couple weeks.
So let me think of whats been going on with me the last couple weeks.....
The week before christmas my plans got switched around from going up to the Isle of Lewis with kevin and his family, to staying in Glasgow and working over the holidays. Not the happiest change of plans, but I made due. My new friend Erica, a fellow American and north-westerner is living in Glasgow now and even though we'd just met up once before, she was kind enough to invite me over for christmas. I went over there on Christmas eve, with all my presents in tow, ready to spend the night with a few other foreigners. We stayed up late and ate lots of junk food (courtesy of the best cook under the ago of 40 that I know- ERICA!) talked about holiday traditions, and then curled up into bed and fell asleep. Everyone besides Erica slept in till 11 (that never happens in my house on christmas morning so I welcomed it gladly!) and we woke up with yummy coffee and muffins before we started opening all our presents. To my surprise, Erica had stockings laid out for us girls filled with bath bombs, socks, and toothbrushes(her dad's a dentist) Then the girls also bought me lovely presents! Bath products and picture frames! It was the sweetest thing ever! After we had torn open everything under the tree, we started making food and eating food, and making more food and then eating more food. That went on for the rest of the day, until I dragged my full tummy home late christmas night. What I thought would be a sad christmas where i would sit around feeling sorry for myself that i couldn't go home and missing my family terribly (although i do miss them!), my christmas in Glasgow was nothing short of amazing and unforgettable. This christmas was not about the presents, because there were far less this year than years before, but it was about the people around me and adapting to a new way to look at christmas. It's made me appreciate the little things that much more!
The day after Christmas is also a holiday in the UK. It's called Boxing Day, and basically it's just another reason for everyone to stay home from work and everywhere to close up, except for the shops and the coffee shop I work at! Go figure! :P I worked all day, and what looked like a quiet day, the familes and kids came pouring in around lunch time and it didn't stop until I went home at 5:30. Don't these people have left-overs to eat i wondered!? Aren't they too tired and full to leave their homes and come drink coffee and cakes?! I guess not!
All in all, it was a great christmas! Thanks to everyone who sent me presents and cards( especially Whitney who made the best calendar ever- filled with pictures of my family over the last year!) and who surprised me with phone calls on christmas! Those are the best presents ever! I'm looking forward to a few restful days and then gearing up for New Years!! Don't know what I'm doing yet...i have a few options...I'll let you know.
I'll try to sum up what's been going on in my life over the past few weeks since I haven't had time (ok, i just havn't felt like it) to blog. As the christmas season neared, work got busier and busier. With that, i got more tired and more tired, wishing that everyone would just chose to stay home and not come to a cozy cofee shop all day long. But what can ya do? I didn't even try to brave going into town to search for presents this year which was a good choice I think. My sisters and I decieded to just spend our money on a big trip somewhere when i return to the states...whenever that may be. Many of you have been asking when I will return, but to be truthfully honest, I'm not ready to face the fact that I may have to leave after my 6 months is up, which would send me home about the end of April. I've enjoyed my time here MORE than i thought I would. I've made Glasgow my own home away from home and made so many great friends in and outside of my job, it will be a hard place to eventually leave. But I do feel like my journey has just begun. It feels like i've been here alot longer than 2 months, but that's really all it's been. Probally because for so long I've felt settled and at home here that my "adjustment period" only took me a couple weeks.
So let me think of whats been going on with me the last couple weeks.....
The week before christmas my plans got switched around from going up to the Isle of Lewis with kevin and his family, to staying in Glasgow and working over the holidays. Not the happiest change of plans, but I made due. My new friend Erica, a fellow American and north-westerner is living in Glasgow now and even though we'd just met up once before, she was kind enough to invite me over for christmas. I went over there on Christmas eve, with all my presents in tow, ready to spend the night with a few other foreigners. We stayed up late and ate lots of junk food (courtesy of the best cook under the ago of 40 that I know- ERICA!) talked about holiday traditions, and then curled up into bed and fell asleep. Everyone besides Erica slept in till 11 (that never happens in my house on christmas morning so I welcomed it gladly!) and we woke up with yummy coffee and muffins before we started opening all our presents. To my surprise, Erica had stockings laid out for us girls filled with bath bombs, socks, and toothbrushes(her dad's a dentist) Then the girls also bought me lovely presents! Bath products and picture frames! It was the sweetest thing ever! After we had torn open everything under the tree, we started making food and eating food, and making more food and then eating more food. That went on for the rest of the day, until I dragged my full tummy home late christmas night. What I thought would be a sad christmas where i would sit around feeling sorry for myself that i couldn't go home and missing my family terribly (although i do miss them!), my christmas in Glasgow was nothing short of amazing and unforgettable. This christmas was not about the presents, because there were far less this year than years before, but it was about the people around me and adapting to a new way to look at christmas. It's made me appreciate the little things that much more!
The day after Christmas is also a holiday in the UK. It's called Boxing Day, and basically it's just another reason for everyone to stay home from work and everywhere to close up, except for the shops and the coffee shop I work at! Go figure! :P I worked all day, and what looked like a quiet day, the familes and kids came pouring in around lunch time and it didn't stop until I went home at 5:30. Don't these people have left-overs to eat i wondered!? Aren't they too tired and full to leave their homes and come drink coffee and cakes?! I guess not!
All in all, it was a great christmas! Thanks to everyone who sent me presents and cards( especially Whitney who made the best calendar ever- filled with pictures of my family over the last year!) and who surprised me with phone calls on christmas! Those are the best presents ever! I'm looking forward to a few restful days and then gearing up for New Years!! Don't know what I'm doing yet...i have a few options...I'll let you know.
Monday, December 04, 2006
new flat and new friends
i'm soo sorry. I've been a bad blogger. shame on me! The last week here has been busy and inconvienant for blogging - as my new flat doesn't have internet. :( why did I think that would be ok? Well, it has other amenities that make up for it, but more on that later.
I'll start with last weekend. One of my supervisiors at work, Becs is from South Africa and she's lived in Glasgow for 4 years. Within that 4 years she's been home twice! She hasn't been home in 2 years, so in a few days she leaves to go home for Christmas for 3 weeks. Because we all love her and are going to miss her, we got all our friends from work together for a night out on Friday. A true Glasgow night out!! We went to a really swanky, trendy bar for drinks and then to a club to dance. It was all so new to me because even though I've been dancing before, I didn't know any of the music they play over here since it's mostly British singers (except for J.Lo...that was a big hit!) It was nice to go out with a group of girls (and a few guys) for a change. It made me feel a bit more at home and reminded me of a night out with friends in Seattle. At the end of the night, on the way home we got chips and cheese ( thick cut french fries with cheese on top), which is a necessity for a Glasgow night out. Everyone was asking me what Americans eat after a night out and I think either we make a stop by Jack and the Box or we go to someones house and make nachos!! You gotta have some greasy food after a night out drinking, right?
Sunday was moving day! It was the easiest, least expensive and stressful move I've EVER had, and probally will ever have. Since I moved here with 2 peices of luggage and I haven't accumulated much more than that in my couple months here, thats about all i had to move into my new flat with. But with the lack of things to move in, came having to go out and buy all the home necessities that I left in seattle, such as towels, groceries, clothes hamper and all that other stuff. Thankfully my flatmate Linda and her brother Paul (who owns the flat ) have given me loads of sheets to use so I don't have to go out and buy that. I'll tell you a little about my flatmate now. Her name is Linda and she's a 33 year old Irish girl whose a physical therapist. My first impressions are that she's shy and a bit reserved. She loves to cook, is clean and tidy and quite close to her family, as her brother has been over a few times since I moved in. We even have alot of the same music, film and tv taste! As i was looking through the dvds and came across all 6 seasons of sex and the city, friends and films like Chocolat, Love Actually, and The Godfather trilogy. Even though I don't think I'd hang out with her much outside the flat, she's a great flatmate thus far. The flat is 2 bedroom, one bath with beautiful views of the city. It has a huge kitchen, with everything I need to make fancy dinners, and a cozy living room with cable tv. Even though i don't have internet, it's given me time to read, relax, and find some British shows to get addicted to! All in all, I couldn't be happier with the place I picked and I can't wait for someone to come visit me so I can show them what I mean!
Last night, Linda and I took a trip to Ikea. Every Ikea looks the same. Once you enter into the store, you don't have a clue what country or city you're in. I didn't over-spend, as I usually would in an Ikea, but I bought the necessities. As most flats in Britain don't have clothes dryers, everyone hangs their clothes up on a line. I bought the biggest clothes dryer rack I've ever seen. Its the big-daddy of drying racks. I think it could hold about 3 loads of laundry on it, and it looks like a spaceship. After our Ikea adventure, we came back home and decorated our Christmas tree! Its one of those fake, bendy-branch ones, but the ornaments on it are red, gold and burnt-orange round bulbs and tiny boxes of wrapped presents. With the sparkly lights on, I'd say it's the best tree in all of Britain! :) I'll take pictures soon to show you all.
Something I've grown to love and appreciate about the British is that they are extremely conscious of their health and our enviornment. For starters, everywhere makes you pay for plastic bags, which encourages people to reuse the bags they are given or put your groceries in those canvas bags. You know, the ones they sell at PCC in seattle, but i never got around to buying one, but i'm sure that once PCC and whole foods starts charging for thier bags, they'll sell alot more canvas re-usable bags, and really begin to save the enviornment. Even last night at Ikea I asked for a plastic bag, she told me they were 10 pence( about 20 cents) and instead of me paying that small sum, I realized it's not about them charging more money, but encouraging people to use less plastic and make due with what they have. So i carried the clothes drying rack i bought and shoved the candle and cookie jar in my purse. :) Also, at every electrical outlet in the flats here there are on/off switches. So when you're not using the lamps, cell phone charger, or computer, you can switch off the outlet, instead of wasting energy as, even though your lamp is not in use, energy is still flowing from the wall through the lamp, in case you do want to use it. It's simple, but saves soo much energy. Even at night, we turn off the switch with all the plugs for the tv, dvd, cable box, etc. because having that on would use up as much energy as if the t.v. was left on all night. Along with energy saving, the organic health food stores are in abundance here. In Britain, it's cool and trendy to eat organic and fair trade, which is an independent guarantee that disadvantaged producers in the developing world are getting a better deal for their products.
Today is a lazy day. I don't work until 3pm, so I rested in the flat this morning, as I'm trying to kick this cold that came on a couple days ago and then I came out to a cafe to read, use the internet and journal. As my camera broke soon after I arrived, I've been carrying a notepad around with me everywhere (that's nothing new, if you know me! ) and writing down images I see and beautiful things to remind me of this time, so I've been journaling quite a bit.
I'm looking forward to this weekend, as I have saturday off and I'm hoping to get to the cinema to see that new film "Holiday" starring Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet. Looks like a girly, rom-com with a Christmas twist - just what I need!
.
I'll start with last weekend. One of my supervisiors at work, Becs is from South Africa and she's lived in Glasgow for 4 years. Within that 4 years she's been home twice! She hasn't been home in 2 years, so in a few days she leaves to go home for Christmas for 3 weeks. Because we all love her and are going to miss her, we got all our friends from work together for a night out on Friday. A true Glasgow night out!! We went to a really swanky, trendy bar for drinks and then to a club to dance. It was all so new to me because even though I've been dancing before, I didn't know any of the music they play over here since it's mostly British singers (except for J.Lo...that was a big hit!) It was nice to go out with a group of girls (and a few guys) for a change. It made me feel a bit more at home and reminded me of a night out with friends in Seattle. At the end of the night, on the way home we got chips and cheese ( thick cut french fries with cheese on top), which is a necessity for a Glasgow night out. Everyone was asking me what Americans eat after a night out and I think either we make a stop by Jack and the Box or we go to someones house and make nachos!! You gotta have some greasy food after a night out drinking, right?
Sunday was moving day! It was the easiest, least expensive and stressful move I've EVER had, and probally will ever have. Since I moved here with 2 peices of luggage and I haven't accumulated much more than that in my couple months here, thats about all i had to move into my new flat with. But with the lack of things to move in, came having to go out and buy all the home necessities that I left in seattle, such as towels, groceries, clothes hamper and all that other stuff. Thankfully my flatmate Linda and her brother Paul (who owns the flat ) have given me loads of sheets to use so I don't have to go out and buy that. I'll tell you a little about my flatmate now. Her name is Linda and she's a 33 year old Irish girl whose a physical therapist. My first impressions are that she's shy and a bit reserved. She loves to cook, is clean and tidy and quite close to her family, as her brother has been over a few times since I moved in. We even have alot of the same music, film and tv taste! As i was looking through the dvds and came across all 6 seasons of sex and the city, friends and films like Chocolat, Love Actually, and The Godfather trilogy. Even though I don't think I'd hang out with her much outside the flat, she's a great flatmate thus far. The flat is 2 bedroom, one bath with beautiful views of the city. It has a huge kitchen, with everything I need to make fancy dinners, and a cozy living room with cable tv. Even though i don't have internet, it's given me time to read, relax, and find some British shows to get addicted to! All in all, I couldn't be happier with the place I picked and I can't wait for someone to come visit me so I can show them what I mean!
Last night, Linda and I took a trip to Ikea. Every Ikea looks the same. Once you enter into the store, you don't have a clue what country or city you're in. I didn't over-spend, as I usually would in an Ikea, but I bought the necessities. As most flats in Britain don't have clothes dryers, everyone hangs their clothes up on a line. I bought the biggest clothes dryer rack I've ever seen. Its the big-daddy of drying racks. I think it could hold about 3 loads of laundry on it, and it looks like a spaceship. After our Ikea adventure, we came back home and decorated our Christmas tree! Its one of those fake, bendy-branch ones, but the ornaments on it are red, gold and burnt-orange round bulbs and tiny boxes of wrapped presents. With the sparkly lights on, I'd say it's the best tree in all of Britain! :) I'll take pictures soon to show you all.
Something I've grown to love and appreciate about the British is that they are extremely conscious of their health and our enviornment. For starters, everywhere makes you pay for plastic bags, which encourages people to reuse the bags they are given or put your groceries in those canvas bags. You know, the ones they sell at PCC in seattle, but i never got around to buying one, but i'm sure that once PCC and whole foods starts charging for thier bags, they'll sell alot more canvas re-usable bags, and really begin to save the enviornment. Even last night at Ikea I asked for a plastic bag, she told me they were 10 pence( about 20 cents) and instead of me paying that small sum, I realized it's not about them charging more money, but encouraging people to use less plastic and make due with what they have. So i carried the clothes drying rack i bought and shoved the candle and cookie jar in my purse. :) Also, at every electrical outlet in the flats here there are on/off switches. So when you're not using the lamps, cell phone charger, or computer, you can switch off the outlet, instead of wasting energy as, even though your lamp is not in use, energy is still flowing from the wall through the lamp, in case you do want to use it. It's simple, but saves soo much energy. Even at night, we turn off the switch with all the plugs for the tv, dvd, cable box, etc. because having that on would use up as much energy as if the t.v. was left on all night. Along with energy saving, the organic health food stores are in abundance here. In Britain, it's cool and trendy to eat organic and fair trade, which is an independent guarantee that disadvantaged producers in the developing world are getting a better deal for their products.
Today is a lazy day. I don't work until 3pm, so I rested in the flat this morning, as I'm trying to kick this cold that came on a couple days ago and then I came out to a cafe to read, use the internet and journal. As my camera broke soon after I arrived, I've been carrying a notepad around with me everywhere (that's nothing new, if you know me! ) and writing down images I see and beautiful things to remind me of this time, so I've been journaling quite a bit.
I'm looking forward to this weekend, as I have saturday off and I'm hoping to get to the cinema to see that new film "Holiday" starring Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet. Looks like a girly, rom-com with a Christmas twist - just what I need!
.
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