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A Room with a View
Saturdays can wear a girl out. That’s not including the laundry that I haven’t started. Laundry. I knew I forgot something today…
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Surreal Life Begins Again
The terminology one must learn to successfully navigate flat hunting pitfalls is daunting. Is it fully furnished and fully fitted or are those the same thing? The underwear on the floor – are they included? Would be the price be negotiable either way?
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Of Bridges Burned
While Drew was busy today, I joined Emily and Kerry for a walking tour of the area near St. Paul’s Cathedral, on the south side of the City of London. Apparently Emily has become friends with some credentialed London tour guides, Keith and Gordon, whom I had the pleasure of meeting. It is amazing the…
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What Day is it?
On Sunday Drew and I decided to wander down Brick Lane. It’s famous for the groups that have historically lived in the area, the Indian and Bangladeshi cuisine offered every few feet, and the vintage shops and street market. The significance of Brick Lane’s history has been featured in novels and films. I had hoped…
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Reconsider Everything
While walking through Green Park today on our way to take photos of Buckingham Palace, I heard a terrible commotion in the distance. It sounded like someone giving a heated speech to a noisy and responsive crowd–like you see in old history films. A detour down Piccadilly towards Piccadilly Arcade led us to the source…
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Don’t Look Now…
All this time I have had to make Christmas cards was foiled by my ignorance. I’ve been searching for craft stores in London and I have pawed through stationery stores for the supplies I would need to glitter your mailbox. Today I discovered something wholly new to me. Haberdashery.  Mostly it indicates sewing supplies, but…
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Would You Like to Dance?
Where to begin… With a sequence of events not entirely unlike a roller coaster ride–the kind you wait in line nearly half a day to ride and get off feeling sick, exhilarated, and thankful to be alive–it’s hard to know exactly how to begin to tell the story of the last two and a half…
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Is Your Mouth on Fire, Too?
Yesterday I got a new broom, cloth handkerchiefs, and a silicone device used in a frying pan to prepare foods like eggs or pancakes. (I didn’t have to wait long to test out my new cooking tool.)  You would think Londoners never saw someone carrying a broom down the street before… How did they get…
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You’ll Need to Bring This Back With You.
Term of the Day: Bits and Bobs Odds and ends A good portion of normal, everyday Londoners order groceries online and have them delivered; they pop in to local stores for the random bits and bobs. Within my frame of reference, that would have seemed very posh two months ago. After discovering the challenges simple…
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We Came, We Saw, We Chugged Hot Apple Cider
So how about this new look, eh?! Props to a gorgeous webmaster and designer extraordinaire… More changes and updates to come, we hope you enjoy! If you don’t have something to drink and more than just a few free minutes on hand, go make yourself some refreshments and come back with a comfy chair. The…
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When You Put it That Way…
Word of the Day: Biscuit (UK) Cookie–and sometimes cracker (US) Small, savory, bread-based food item eaten most commonly at breakfast A girl (and hopefully a boy) can be happy anywhere by creating little bits of familiarity around them.  What else is a house wife to do, then, besides make familiar foods?  I’ve tried something like…
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You Ought to be Ashamed.
Words of the Day: Philately, Philatelist Philately: The study and collection of stamps Philatelist: Someone who collects stamps Correct use of these words in a conversation: Hey, have you seen Dr. Philately? I heard he had a Philatelist on the show the other day; apparently they are working through his addiction to that stuff on…
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Stylin’
Word of the Day:Â Brolly umbrella (slang) I have a weekly run to the post office on Mondays; it’s always packed. Â What was so special about today’s trip was that there may have been a Senior Citizen’s Center meeting to have just let out ’round the corner. Â If you know me, you know I quite adore…
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A Tradition Begins
Word of the Day: Minging (rhymes with ringing) Offensive, disgusting (I left a glass of milk on my desk for a few days and it is minging.) Thing I miss: color guard rehearsal and winter programs camps I am not sure why I am feeling so very tired. Â Maybe it’s the cooler weather or the…
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Uncommon
Word of the Day: Prawn Basically, shrimp. Today’s Most Missed Thing: my mixer  You know what’s strange?  The baking section in city grocery stores is very small, if it exists.  I wonder if people don’t have time, don’t have space, don’t have space to store the tools, don’t like cake, or generally get confused…
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Camping in the Big Wild City
Living in our cool new flat in London, which seems pretty modern and art deco in the photos, is not entirely unlike camping to a very spoiled southerner. Â Although we were really excited to have the big open ceiling in the living area and the cool little office space that closes off, I underestimated how…
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“Remember, Remember…
the fifth of November Gunpower, treason, and plot. I see no reason why gunpowder, treason should ever be forgot.” There are fireworks booming outside and I was a little excited about it at first. It felt a little bit like London was celebrating just for Drew and me because we voted. When I researched the…
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Was this what I ordered?
Word of the Day: Sultana A sultana (also called the sultanina or sultani) is a type of white, seedless grape of Turkish or Iranian origin. It is also the name given to the raisin that is made from it. Today’s Most Missed Thing: holding beautiful babies Mom, I might invite a few extra folks for Christmas, but the little ones don’t eat much–the…
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Music to My Ears
Oh, Kassi, this one’s for you. (I hope I can name at least one band you don’t recognize.) Last night Drew and I attended the UK Festival Awards 2008 at the O2.  The Awards Ceremony was actually held in a smaller venue than the main stadium, called the IndigO2. Headlining the show was a band…
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Almost Home
Today was a very busy day for us both; I was purchasing home goods for the new flat and Drew is hard at work as business booms at the new echo office. I also managed to drop of some applications and CVs today at the University of the Arts London… Although we both had very…
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Sunday, Sunday
It’s amazing the things you can find on You Tube… Just try typing in “Dr. Who and the Daleks remix” and see what you come up with. Â Please also search for “the funniest cat video ever“. Â This one only gets better the more you watch. Â (Mom, you can just click on the link to see…
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The Saturday Evening Post
Today we were on the set of the 2010 Dr. Who series 6 (play along with me). We got some great promotional shots and read through the script for one of the upcoming episodes; sorry no spoilers here, but I wouldn’t rule out a cameo of yours truly… Please do rifle through the shots, but…
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Friday I’m in Love
(Just so you know I have written, published and mysteriously lost this entry already this evening–but here it goes again.) We got the keys to our new place today after meeting an inventory specialist to sign off on the evaluation and take a last look at the place. Â There are several reasons why we have…
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The Saturday Evening Post
After a very full week of emotionally and mentally exhausting work, we ponder what to do with our night. Â The evening has passed already, but the streets are still full with people and the restaurants will be serving for hours… Â It’s Saturday night–we should be tearing up the town–but we’re very tired. Â We’ll definitely eat.…