Basic Updates – Drew and Jen go to London

It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday

Jen — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 22:59:19 +0000

A moment of silence while you give it up for Boyz II Men….

And scene.

We are going to miss this modern city flat with its Le Corbusier influences. Its modern furnishings have given us a true taste of urban life.

My little intimate kitchen has been a hazard and a haven. Cakes have been made here.

The tiny bathroom, with the weird European shower – that always reminds me of how hard it might be for my mom to get in should she ever come to visit – will always be special to me somehow. Yes, the pink toilet paper, too, Stinky.

And the view that made us feel like real city folk might be soon sorely missed, but the street noise will not.

This was our first flat in London. This was the place that I got the worst news I had ever heard – and the place in which I resigned myself to conquer everything I feared. It was the place where our guests stayed our first year in London… No value can be given to the memories we have in this simple brick and mortar. But I can tell you that I know we’ve made the right decision in choosing to move on.

Our offer on the canal side flat in King’s Cross has been accepted; a beautiful two bedroom flat is officially ours to let from 20 Feb 2010 to 19 Aug 2011. Please make plans to stay in the upgraded Huddleston B&B before we change our minds. There are so far only two bookings for 2010… Couldn’t you stand to spend some time with me? With us. With London. With a bit of history.

But before you come, get versed in the lingo on the website.

The Great Beer Pull

Jen — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 14:30:54 +0000

I have blogged at length about our friends at The Marksman, I believe. But did I tell you that the landlady operates a barter system on a chosen night about once a month? A patron may make an offer to the landlady, usually for an item on her Wish List. If she likes what you offer, she might just buy you a pint! Apparently, an unnamed food stuff from the states and a few certain cds are a valuable trade indeed. The landlady graciously agreed to allow me to pull beer for myself and my lunch guests, Drew and Lauren, in exchange for her overseas treats. I am not sure she came out ahead in the deal, but I am really pleased to have memories (and photos) to share with you – and some day my kids.

Speaking of kids, the pitter patter of two more little feet are soon to be heard at The Marksman! Dawn and Gary do make a beautiful baby, so I look forward to meeting the January babe when mom and baby are out and about.

Why beer pulling? Yeah, I understand why you might be confused by my desire to learn this skill. It’s all part of my quest to understand the culture of the community pub. I couldn’t think of a warmer, more fun place than here among these people to learn about the art of pulling beer and pub ownership.

Just look at the glow. Doesn’t it just look like “the old” and “the new” got cozy here together in this pub?

First, there was a brief lesson on glasses.

Then, we started with the most complicated pull of the day: Guinness.

And then I waited for the Guinness to settle.

Lauren ordered a Red Stripe. Easy. (Please, forgive the face that I am making.)

David, Gary – I can’t thank you enough!

Thanks also to Michael for the unexpected lesson in cocktail making! Can you bring the crew ’round to our new place for dinner and another lesson? Let’s say… housewarming party? I’ll provide dinner and materials.

My little blog is not much in the way of PUB-licity (hahahaha!) for my friends at The Marksman, but I am pleased to sing their praises nonetheless.

Hey there facebook friends, check out our entry on the web to really make my day! (Oh, and become a fan of The Marksman on Facebook.)

A Room with a View

Jen — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 23:08:36 +0000

Iâ€ll make it simple for you to figure out – without the gushing and tears. This is the kind of thing I might be doing today, right now, if we hadnâ€t taken the crazy train to London in October 2008.

So. What do color guard addict-turned-fans do with their weekends?! This addict-turned-fan filled the day with flat hunting, job training, and educational activities. (Snicker.) Sort of.

Because youâ€ve told us that you need to know where youâ€ll be staying when you come, I understand how anxious you are to hear the flat hunt update – so weâ€ll talk about the job training (wink, wink – right Lauren?) tomorrow. But I am going to tell the story the way I always do; the long way.

Estate agents are generally accepted to be on the social hierarchy beneath the feet of tax collectors and lawyers. (Drew and I have had our frustrations with a few agents who shall not be named.) You might remember, also, that flat hunting in London is a bit of a pain. Taking all of this into consideration I must say that we have had the pleasure of working with some really sweet estate agents. But Mumzad is tops. He took us to see at least 5-8 properties in October 2008; he was terribly kind even when I told him we had found something with another agent. When we were ready to move this time around, I gave him a call. He has shown me at least 15 flats. Bless his cotton socks, for real though. I am a pain to work with, having a long list of requirements and tastes outside my budget. Mumzad totally took it in stride. I am relieved to say that he may have just found the right place for us today.

Do you remember contestant number nine with the balcony overlooking the canal? Yes, this one.

photo courtesy of Foxtons

I didnâ€t ask to take photos inside the flat because the current tenant is still in and that seemed like an invasion of their privacy. However, we did snap a shot of the entrance.

We also wandered through the London Canal Museum a few doors down. Itâ€s a cheap school lesson on a very interesting topic if you ask me.

The flat â€œticks quite a few boxesâ€ for us – great location for transport, open plan reception/kitchen, washing machine, quiet, good light, secure, good floor plan, two good sized bedrooms, nice size fridge, freezer, good amount of storage… It also has some extras that are worth a lot – like the nearby nightlife, the balcony and the super cool kitchen/dining area. (Previous guests of the Huddleston B&B might be pleased to know that a full shower curtain is in use in this flat. Brilliant, right?!) Really, my requirements are largely relative to my desire for people to enjoy staying with us – having a space in which we are comfortable entertaining.

By the way – did you know that you can rent or buy a place on a houseboat or barge? Not kidding.

Yeah, so. We talked about it at length. We put in an offer. There isnâ€t any reason that the landlord wouldnâ€t accept a realistic offer from two people as nice as us, except that he doesnâ€t know what ridiculously good tenants we are. Thatâ€s what references are for, right? Weâ€ll know something as soon as our agent does. And when I know, you will know. Thank you in advance for the good vibes.

By the way, when you visit the website it tallies our “hits”. It gives me a good cheap thrill to see the numbers. No pressure.

A Bog for My Blog

Jen — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 22:15:24 +0000

Snow flurries in London have brought to my mind the most ultimate of questions. “Which one of these things is not like the others?” Do take your time to see if you can spot it.

You are right! One of them is street art!

Or not.

In other news, flat viewing 2010 visit two is complete. Contestant number two is very quirky cool in person. It is in the front running for an offer. After tomorrow I should be able to narrow it down to the one and the runner-up. Either way, I think we’ll be really happy in our new place.

Surreal Life Begins Again

Jen — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 22:48:07 +0000

I. Am. A flat hunting maniac (having been recently promoted from â€œflat finding enthusiastâ€; thank you kindly – but do hold your applause). Now those things they have said to me about Londoners pouring their hearts into choosing property is beginning to make sense… It is an emotional thing to choose the right little space to hang your clothes and your head at night, let alone choose the right neighborhood. Barbican has been my home for just over a year, but a sinking sensation in my gut tells me I am cheating on the City of London proper in viewing a flat south of the river. Yes, I said south. South, south, south, south, south. So there. And itâ€s southeast to boot. Please excuse me while I vigorously wash my mouth out with soap.

The west side is greener and may well be cleaner, but the east side calls to my inner artist. Besides, my search has barely even extended outside zone 1! Stick any post code you want on it – I must argue that SE1 is absolutely borderline central. Donâ€t judge.

And there are properties on the north side of the river that I am booked to see as well. Lovely, sweet, good sized, nice places. Close to the canals and the Vue Cinema… Trust me, I am torn. In such a good way.

Itâ€s not just the neighborhoods that tear at my heartstrings. Those dang neighborhood pubs loom on the map – beacons of big piles of mash and mushy peas on lazy Sundays, over a game of Jenga on an uneven planked table with friends all around… Really. I said it. Itâ€s a big factor. But bigger than that is the tug-of-war between the well planned out conversion and the spiffy new purpose built.

Ultimately, I am sure I will know the one. Can you pick it out of the line-up?

Contestant number one is ten minutes walk from Borough Market.

photo courtesy Chesterton Humbert

Contestant number two is impressive with the loft style- warehouse conversion vibe.

photo courtesy Kinleigh Folkard and Hayward

Contestant number three certainly entices in the could-be-a-warehouse-refurbishment department.

photo courtesy Chesterton Humbert

Contestant number four is charming and quaint.

photo courtesy Chesterton Humbert

Contestant number five comes in strong with a view.

photo courtesy Chesterton Humbert

Contestant number six just looks so cozy.

photo courtesy Chesterton Humbert

Contestant number seven seems to belong on an episode of Dr. Who. Enough said.

photo courtesy Chesterton Humbert

Contestant number eight does not fail to impress in any way.

photo courtesy Foxtons

Contest number nine makes me swoon with the waterside balcony.

photo courtesy Foxtons

[Commence with applause.] These contestants really are quite a delight, wouldn’t you say?!

We have been lax in updating the website, but you miss it anyway donâ€t you?

Red Nose Day

Jen — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 18:40:42 +0000

Today I had a lovely afternoon tea at a cafe called Allans near Bond Street Station. Â It is truly lovely, with a comfortable atmosphere. The patisserie was extremely busy, but the staff were attentive and friendly nonetheless. Â I appreciated the inviting decor and was thoroughly impressed by the quality of the sugar. Â It might sound snobby, but I really didn’t realize what I was missing…

This evening Drew and I are meeting my friends Cassi, Cayla, and Mr & Mrs Holmes for dinner at Caffe Uno. Â I am so excited that they are getting to visit my new home! Â I might get to meet the extended family before they head home! Â (Mrs. 007, if you think about it, please be sure to tell your parents that I got to see the Holmes/Clark family while they were here!)

A Beautiful Birthday Story

Jen — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 06:59:40 +0000

Long ago (yesterday, the 11th) and far, far away (use google maps) in a land called London, there a lived a girl who had a beautiful birthday. Her day began when a handsome prince, and an uncharacteristically cheerful sunrise, woke her.

A box came.

A very sexy bunch of flowers lay inside â€“ from queens of neighboring realms. (Thank you Mrs. Buffy and globetrotter Kassi! It was almost like you were here laughing with me, except we skipped the part where we all pretend there are not tears in our eyes when we have to say goodbye. And seriously, just look at how these sunny ladies work the camera!)

The birthday girl had lunch with her handsome prince, the king and queen of a magical land called South Carolina (cue Emily and Kerry), and the princess of a place called Kensal Green (that’s you Janita…). Unfortunately the prince, the king, and the princess were kidnapped from Covent Garden to an ugly place called Work. The queen rescued the birthday girl and whisked her to the Primrose Bakery where the safety of tea and cupcakes awaited. (Didn’t she do a fabulous job? Â I am sure this makes my family very proud!)

After tea and cupcakes, the queen took the birthday girl to a play called Plague over England, at the Duchess Theatre where they considered very deep issues and a complicated historical tale.

Just before twilight, after the queen left the birthday girl entering a misty clearing called Leicester Square, bright lights and the sound of music drew the girl toward a large crowd. There she helplessly snapped photos of Kiefer Sutherland and Reese Witherspoon â€“ being trapped in a crowd of Monsters vs. Aliens premiere enthusiasts.

(Pictured above, that’s Kiefer’s ear in the middle there, mom.)

(Stay focused on the partial face there in the middle…)

(Yeah, in the middle there, barely recognizable.)

(At about 2:30 you might catch a glimpse of someone famous and/or handsome… wink, wink)

Monsters vs Aliens from Drew Huddleston on Vimeo.

When the girl escaped she ran home, relieved to find the prince waiting with the lovely ladies pictured below. (Pay no attention to the sweet post-it notes he left me last month for no reason…)

Alas, the girl looks not one day older this year. (You nod and close the book even though I have already told you about the grey hairs this adventure has given me.) And she lives with her prince happily ever after. (In a place where you can visit â€“ all the cool people are doing it.)

There’s No Place You Can Hide

Jen — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 11:55:10 +0000

I can find something nice to say about anything.Â Donâ€t test me.Â You. will. lose.

Hereâ€s the conundrum:Â I just saw STOMPÂ at the Ambassador Theatre in Londonâ€s West End.Â You need to understand that I did not, at any moment, find myself searching for something nice to say.Â Rather, I worried that mere words could not possibly express…Â Words fought each other in my head for the chance to describe… Â

Infectious. Hilarious. Personal, heartwarming, instinctually conversational, unbelievable.

Praise for STOMP is not a kindness.Â Itâ€s natural â€“ and unavoidable â€“ like the beat.Â The audience dancing in their seats and the long-running success of the show are evidence enough that you should get tickets.Â Before even getting comfortable in my seat I was impressed by the fantastic set, a serious piece of art in its own right.Â If I had come across it in a gallery I might think it a monument to our â€œsociety of stuffâ€.Â In use though, the meaning changes to something much more celebratory and simple.

STOMP is a show that is proudly representative of a relatively new genre in theatre, comprising the live performance of a musical composition, characterization, dance or movement, and clever use of the audience as the final performer on the bill.Â It is surprisingly funny; the average audience member will laugh more at this show than they will have all of last week.Â And the talent of these performers is phenomenal.Â They must at once be musicians, actors, dancers, and conversationalists â€“ without the muss and fuss of words.Â Mm, Mm, Mmmm.

And before it goes seemingly unnoticed, the lighting designer deserves a round of applause.Â Performance glue meets icing on the cake.

I took away the following message â€“ we take music for granted.Â Our heartbeats, the tide, the mathematical language of the cosmos…Â We are living within song.Â Listen for it.Â Feel it.Â Celebrate it.Â Share it.

I think Gloria Estefan may have said it best (finally, knowing this song is useful), â€œthe rhythm is gonna getchaâ€.

Slow As Molasses

Jen — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 16:41:52 +0000

Yes, this is what you think it is.Â My question is, “why?”

On my way to Borough Market today I passed another peaceful protest.Â Ah, London…

There is still no news on the job front at the moment, though I continue to actively pursue work that doesnâ€t involve measuring detergent or chasing dust bunnies.Â Soon.

Let’s Do Lunch

Jen — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 11:03:04 +0000

Ah, the joys of lunching in Central London!Â The crowds are thick, queues are long, and real Londoners never look at the menu.Â You should walk in and fire off your order, like aÂ round from a machine gun, as soon as any person behind the counter makes first eye contact with you.Â Donâ€t wait to be asked if you want salad on your sandwich, soldier!Â Have your money ready to throw (think grenade-style toss and dash) at the site of your napkin being slipped in the bag.Â Ok, ok…Â I admit itâ€s not quite like that; ordering lunch in London just felt to me â€“ upon first arrival at least â€“ like entering a war zone.

Weâ€ve now slipped into a more comfortable dining routine.Â It is also the case that we have come across some great places to eat and meet.Â If you find yourself in the smack dab center of the city for lunch, dive off the high street for a real experience.

If you are a vegetarian in the mood for something like traditional fast food, Sohoâ€s Red Veg has a creative menu to please your palate.Â Vegans (and most omnivores) can also enjoy a burger wrapped in paper like everyone else.Â Check out the menu on the website and give Red Veg a try the next time you are in the neighborhood.Â I have already decided what I will have the next time I meet friends for lunch! Â

Just minutes away, Govindaâ€s boasts a buffet full of curries, veggie comfort food, salads, and teas â€“ all made without meat, fish, eggs, onions, mushrooms, or garlic.Â If your taste buds appreciate international cuisine, youâ€ll want to become a regular here.Â Choosing your meal is the hardest part.Â Enjoying it is easy.Â Invite a friend to lunch and share one of the great desserts from the sweet dish counter!Â And then go back again tomorrow.

South of Leicester Square and a stoneâ€s throw from the National Gallery or Trafalgar Square is the cavernous but cozy Cafe in the Crypt at St. Martinâ€s In the Field Church.Â Itâ€s a great place to find an affordable English lunch, to meet friends for afternoon tea, or to people watch over an Apple Crumble.Â You wonâ€t be the only one who knows about this place, so avoid the lunch rush by arriving a little early or a little late.

Cheers!