Mind Your P's & Q's

The Blisters

2008-05-14T22:50:00.001-07:00

2008-05-06T01:09:00.000-07:00

Just because I'm home doesn't mean London stops on squirrel news.

2008-05-01T08:32:00.000-07:00

It's over.

Even though I haven't changed back my clocks, it's only morning time here, and I'm just finishing up my tea and catching up on the news. Unfortunately, not my sleep.

I can't believe how quickly my time flew in London. Welcomed by a brisk January chill, I left in the sweet rainy spring as the magnolia trees bloomed. I feel so much like I did when my plane landed at Heathrow--uncertain and nervous. Only now I'm not greeted by the thrill of an unknown city; I'm greeted by the comfort of familiarity and Mom's blueberry coffee cake.

I've been lucky enough to meet the most wonderful people and even luckier to call them my good friends. It was they who made me feel so much at home in a place 3,000 miles away from where I considered mine to exist. I know it doesn't do any good to dwell, but if I had the chance to do it all over again, I would--and I wouldn't change a thing.

Andrew's mum told me on my last night, "It's time for the next chapter in the journey." I'm excited to see what happens and to have more than a bit of funs along the way.

Thank you for an amazing last week!

2008-04-29T15:00:00.000-07:00

Despite losing a few pictures on my camera card (listen to your friends when they tell you not to transfer photos from a camera that is about to run out of juice), my last week in London was the best ever.

The weather was surprisingly wonderful and warm, and if it did rain, the moisture made everything an even prettier shade of green.

Wednesday was my last day of work. I left a quiet office early, and headed home in the warm afternoon sun. In the evening, I went over to Neil's to have dinner and play a rousing game of Scrabble among my favorites. Neil's wife Joss made delicious Macaroni and Cheese and continued her winning streak. Amber came to visit on Thursday on her way to India. We went on the rounds--Westminster, Buck Palace and some fish and chips. woop! Later it was chocolate scrabble. Technically, I lost, but who really loses when the tiles are edible? Then (Friday) it was time for the all Elgar program performed by the Royal Philharmonic with guest cellist Steven Isserlis playing Elgar's Cello Concerto. From the first milky wonderful lines I was hooked listening to Isserlis and his 200+ year old cello. I couldn't believe I had been hacking away on crummy rental just the week before! We awoke, Saturday, to a beautiful and sunny morning--one of those relax in the back garden until you get a sunburn kind of days--and I ran off to Hyde Park to enjoy some strawberries in the sunshine.

There were a few of us who played frisbee, too. I had a wild throw at some points, but eventually my aim was under control...sort of. That night, my lovely friends threw me a wonderful going away party.

Delicious pasta bolognaise a la Tom, loads of wine, dancing and a private Blisters concert in the shed was everything and more that I could have asked for. I was ecstatic as I climbed into bed and thought about how lucky I was to have met such amazing people. Sunday was such a nice lie-in, and then an afternoon movie at the Covent Garden Odeon: Persepolis. After the film, we walked all the way back to Earl's Court from Leicester Square--I saw the Physic/Psychic Garden (ha!) and Chelsea Bridge at dusk. It was one of those nights when, after you think you've seen enough of a place, you go on a little walk that makes you realize there's so much more and you'll have to come back. And guess what else--Scrabble!

And then it was Monday. Last fully day. And a wonderful one. I met up with everyone from work and we went to lunch at Leon--where we ate on my first day. Later on, I picked my project up from Imperial College (in case you weren't aware, I've also been taking class this entire time), took a stroll through Hyde Park and wandered into Notting Hill, a favorite. The sun that had fought through afternoon clouds was soon replaced by stormy weather. A cold rain bore down on London as I jumped into a bookstore. Tom finally arrived, and we picked out some good reads--Gold, I am a Cat and The Learners, to name a few. Finally, it was time for a drink at the Churchill Arms, a pub I had been meaning to go to upon seeing it four months before.

When we left the pub, this is the sky that greeted us:

Back in Ealing, we had a delicious dinner and an even better game of Scrabble with Tom, Rich and Andrew. I went to bed sleepy and sad, but still completely happy; I couldn't have asked for a better ending to my English adventure.

Mousey, Oh Mousey

2008-04-22T15:00:00.000-07:00

I don't think I've ever mentioned it in the blog, but my friends over here certainly know that we have a major mouse problem. With six girls living in a flat, it's difficult to keep everything clean. There are dishes out, crumbs everywhere and treats galore for hungry little mice. That's a nice way of saying, I basically live in a dump. When we discovered the rodent dilemma, we bought mouse traps. They didn't really work, so we reported the problem to our resident managers, who put adhesive traps down throughout the kitchen. Sure, we've caught a few, but it's been a sticky mess deciding what to do with them after they land on the paper. Needless to say, we've been struggling. I recently faced the difficult task of taking the "next step." Here's what Kristin, my bunk buddie/London bestie wrote in her blog:

Sarah has just informed me that she killed another mouse last night.

In her words: i did. yeah, it was sad. i had just gotten into bed when i heard shannon scream. i walked out of the room and could hear the little mouse crying! his leg and the side of his body was stuck to the paper. he kept trying to pull his head up but he just made himself bleed. i felt so bad for him. i didn't know what to do, and i couldn't smash his head with anything, so i stuck in him the toilet and flushed it a couple times. he's in the happy mouse hunting ground now.

How traumatic. I have never been so thankful to be such a sound sleeper.

And, unfortunately, it was not the fatty that ran over my foot the other night, it was a little baby- probably the fatty's baby. Gross.

After drowning it, the girls placed him in a plastic bag and threw him out the window. Our neighbors are going to think it is raining mice- hell, maybe it is.

For those keeping track- the death toll in flat 5 has now reached 4.

I had nightmares for days.

2008-04-21T17:16:00.000-07:00

Sunday was the Design Museum by Tower Bridge to check out the Brit Insurance awards. There was a giant video screen divided into squares. You could record yourself and apply the video to one block (think Brady Bunch, but the goal is more high-art). Also, no design exhibit would be complete without a Nintendo Wii, but I sucked it up at bowling! I guess I must be out of video game practice, or maybe I was never practiced enough.

After the rain in the morning, the day turned out to be amazing. Cool and sunny, and we walked for a while along the river. It's funny how fishy it smells and how loud it gets. If I closed my eyes I might be in Maine.

I thought you deserved a weekend update

2008-04-19T15:47:00.000-07:00

Since it's been amazing so far!

For a refundable deposit and about 20 pounds I got a crummy beginners cello to keep all week. After a few days of scales I was as good as I could get after being out of practice for four months, so I trekked over to West Ealing for a band practice with the Blisters. We jammed on Thursday night, and I took the day off on Friday to do a bit of recording. Playing again was an amazing feeling--I didn't realize how much I missed it, and after yesterday I'm inspired to practice loads this summer. I'll make sure to post the music file when it's mixed!

And then the festivities began for Jack's birthday. 'Twas Soul of the 60s night at the Phoenix Bar, which meant only one thing: I had no choice but to don my hoop earrings and twist and shout my little heart out to the sweet sound of Motown tunes underneath the synthetic light of a glowing discoball. And the birthday boy got his groove on.

Then it was an adventure to down Portobello road with Kristin. It was freezing too, and the smell of mulled wine reminded me of my first time to the markets. Bought some excellent finds, one that made even a few other shoppers jealous. Later on we dropped the cello off near Piccadilly Circus--the shop's next door to one of my favorites, the Nordic Bakery, and I met Tom, Stewart and Olly to shop around in Covent Garden. Even after a rain that area is teeming with quirks. There's even a street called Cucumber Alley. There are loads of skate and vintage shops, and I was hoping to continue my consumer-driven luck from earlier, but nothing really spoke to me.

Sunday was excellent as well. Kristin and I woke up at a decent hour and headed off to the Wellcome Collection. It's a museum of medicine and health, and it's definitely one of the best places I've visited. We saw an exhibit on death. It was beautiful and moving. A photographer and a journalist interviewed dozens of terminally ill patients living in hospices in Germany. Each person was interviewed and photographed, and shortly after their death they were photographed again. The black and white photos were huge, and the contrast between the pictures was extraordinary.

In many of the interviews, patients told of their struggles and how difficult living can be. Many were not afraid of death, they were afraid of the process. Strangely enough, the photos taken after they had died had such a peaceful quality to them. They looked more alive and without pain than they had when they were just getting by.

Other parts of the Wellcome Collection contain ancient prosthetics, paintings, Dolly the Sheep's doo doo, and ancient sex toys! What really struck was how accessible the museum is to everyone, because we all have bodies, and medicine and health is a part of all of our lives. Art, literature and science are intrinsically connected here; artists' works are displayed as a part of an exhibit on obesity. There was a map of the world made out of mosquitoes, as a statement on malaria. There was a poem based on one John Donne had written. It was refreshing to see health through eyes of science so many creative people.

Later on I met up with my pal Rich to go see Bjork play at the Hammersmith Apollo. Our friend Jerry was nice enough to give us his extra free tickets, as long as I could claim them at the box office pretending to be his sister. Somehow, inexplicably, we got in, and Bjork, well, tore the house down. She was amazing and had fantastic guests. The staging had a regal sense about it, and Bjork was her usual unpredictable self. She wore some crazy gold, flat, boxy, wavy dress thing, and played with an all-female brass ensemble from Iceland called the Wonderful Wonder-brass, which we thought was pretty funny. The show was intense and long and totally worth it, and at one point I looked over at Rich. He had his closed, his arms up, and he was singing all of the lyrics to Army of Me while green laser lights flashed through the audience and confetti from the ceiling *.

It was a wild ride, and two hours later Bjork had left us exhausted, exhilarated and ready for some Ben & Jerry's.

*I'd never been to a concert with confetti, and strangely enough I was told by both Rich and Tom that all concerts in England end with confetti. What have I been missing out on!?

Celebrity polar bears!

2008-04-19T15:26:00.000-07:00

If Knut wasn't enough for you (and I can always do with seeing more baby polar bears), then check out this clan of snowy white babeskis.

I got a dino!

2008-04-19T14:05:00.000-07:00

Along with my squirrel obsession I have an affinity for dinosaurs.

Say hi to Dilly, my new finger-dino-pet!

2008-04-16T12:57:00.000-07:00

My office bought two bags of individually-wax-wrapped Babybels, and all save three were eaten.

I thought the days of this famous little, round cheese were over, and then I came to London. Er, I happened to make friends with people who actually indulge in this strange, rubbery and completely unnecessary wonder--and whose stomachs actually forgive them for partaking!

I remember the days of opening my grandparents' fridge, hoping that, among the mini Hershey's bars with almonds, I'd find a few babybels--leftover golden nuggets from Grandad's airplane trips wrapped in red wax. If I found more than one, and I usually did, I'd grab them all, have a seat at Nonnie and Papa's kitchen table, lay them in front of me, and decide which dairy wheel I'd eat first. As I pealed away the wax tab, a delicious and potential heart attack displayed itself in the form of a little white roundel. Yum.

I'm not sure what happened next. After a few years the Babybels either stopped appearing or I simply realized how disgusting they were. In any case, after a night of drinking in London I had my first in years. A poor choice, indeed. One Babybel, coupled with a foot-long pepperoni stick is a deadly combination. You will inevitably suffer from bad breath and indigestion all night. The next morning I thought I had ordered a McDonald's quarter pounder.

2008-04-15T14:40:00.000-07:00

Squirrels. More squirrels!!

Playing Noah

2008-04-15T02:28:00.000-07:00

This guy is crazy! God speed you shiny black moose!

2008-04-14T16:04:00.000-07:00

Want to know what's more nerve wracking than arriving in London?

Leaving.

I've tried desperately to push back the thought of my impending departure, but it's nearly impossible to ignore the truth: I fly in two weeks.

Time has moved quickly. I blink and a week has begun and ended. Luckily I haven't squandered my days away, but there's so much more I want to see and too much I want to hang on to.

Yesterday we wandered into a tearoom on the Southbank, and while I was disappointed to find they didn't serve bubble tea, it was a nice surprise to hear an American accent from behind the counter. Whoever he was had been to Kansas City before. I think his comment was "Really good barbecue."

We ate our food for a while. It was fun. The tea was delicious. My orange was even better. I was excited for the Design Museum. I was loving London. And then, over the speaker, I heard, "I'm going to Kansas City, Kansas City here I come."

I think it's time to go, said he.

Oh, but it isn't.

Fran + Anntravaganza: The pics

2008-04-14T15:38:00.000-07:00

It's impossible to take a bad picture in Paris.

Warm, wonderful, sunny. It was everything I thought Paris to be. Cafes on every corner, with Parisian men in black smoking cigarettes, deep in conversation with their beautiful French girlfriends. Baguettes. Flowers. Miss Antoinette could have been anywhere. France is for the lovers. Paris, je 'taime.

The weather was a wonderful break from the blustery moodiness of the UK. but after a long day, coupled with the shock (we can't read military time) of missing our train home, it was good to be back in lovely London. I'll take unpredictability any day:

Nothing like a springtime snow in Kensington Gardens. Thankfully the flakes stuck for a while--perfect for a lone Frosty!

Fran + Anntravaganza

2008-04-08T14:03:00.000-07:00

My mom and my grandmother got back to the states on Monday night after a successful five-day trip to visit me in London. We ate too much, drank (maybe too much at times), and had a generally excellent time.

Highlights include and are not limited to:

Tate Modern, Kensington Palace, Nonnie's stories about the Mayan culture, Ann's fascination with the talking elevators, my own discovery of British television (since the tv in our flat doesn't work), missing the last Eurostar train home from Paris, having to stay the night in a Parisian hotel that smelled like curry, a spring snow, and of course, the countless bounding pups in Hyde Park.

Jolly good fun. Photos to come.

Attack!

2008-04-08T13:27:00.000-07:00

This squirrel business is too good...and bizarre.

Ha!

2008-03-23T13:31:00.000-07:00

The incident happened a long time ago, but this is what showed up when I googled:

squirrels + top hats

Hops and a Cadbury Egg.

2008-03-23T13:00:00.000-07:00

Delicious Easter Lunch at Neil's house, and too much wonderful food and drink. It has been (and still is) a glorious four-day weekend!

Tate Modern, Primrose Hill, Tacos, Pubs, New Jumper, Lots of Sleep!

Blisters!

2008-03-22T11:53:00.001-07:00

Some friends of mine who recently played a show in Camden Town for a charity gig.

Journal entries from Berlin

2008-03-20T14:45:00.000-07:00

Berlin has been VERY rainy. I went to the Jewish Museum, which was probably one of the coolest places I have ever seen in my life. The building is all angles and built of dark metals. The trees in the gardens are dead. Bare branches spindle upwards into the rain. Still, there's an oddly beautiful aesthetic when you walk inside. Hallways and rooms are fairly quiet, and the areas leading to exhibits are sparsely filled--it's not overdone. There is also the must unbelievable and moving tribute to the victims of the Holocaust. Down the hallway you hear this massive sound--like bells chiming at random. It's impossible to tell what it really is until you round a corner and look into an enormous grey room with a ceiling that stretches way up high. The floor is covered in cast-iron faces, about the size of a man's hand. Some have scared looks, others have no mouths. You walk through the room, over these faces and it makes the most haunting, ringing sound that is only livened by the deep echoes against the walls. For a breathless moment, no one in the room moved and the faces went silent. You could hear a pin drop.

I think I will always associate Germany with being drizzly, dark and freezing. My feet haven't been dry all day. We've been warming our clothes on the heater, but the hostel turns everything down really low at night. I'm huddled in my blanket now. I've never longed for warmth like this before. I always thought I'd rather be cold than hot, but It's pretty miserable right now.

Today we went to these fantastic galleries and cafes. The sun came out! It's amazing how much the personality of the city changes when there's natural light. There is so much graffiti art here--years and layers of spray paint cover so much--even churches. Later we went to this great used bookstore, owned by a couple of English guys, called East of Eden. It was so warm and cozy, and made me feel very at home. The person at the desk was nice and gave us some ideas for daytrips around England too. He also said that Berlin is a little sad in winter--much better in the summer--but we were lucky to have a little sun today.

The trio unites

2008-02-26T14:14:00.000-08:00

When you move somewhere for a few months, you don't expect others to follow. You end up consumed with ideas of meeting new friends abroad and being a little selfish. You leave your home with a sad goodbye, but it's overshadowed with the knowledge that you will see each other again...soon. This is what I expected when I left my apartment in January. After spending a fantastic New Year with my roommates/best friends Joe and Clint, I was off to England-- exciting, wonderful, foggy London Town--and I see them in May when I'd come home.

Instead, they came to me.

Lucky girl, right?

I love this song

2008-02-16T02:33:00.000-08:00

Check it out:

ignore the strange static picture.

Happy Valentines Day

2008-02-14T11:43:00.001-08:00

I've eaten too much chocolate. Hopefully you have also.

I have a new-found appreciation for plaques, after having assembling them for three hours today. There's a lot of cutting, winding, twisting, and drilling that goes into it! Naturally, I messed up a few, but they were easy to fix.

I'm so ready for the weekend.

There Will Be Blood

2008-02-14T11:28:00.000-08:00

You need to see this movie.

Not only is the story, based on the book by Upton Sinclair, incredible (I was in a state of paralyzed awe for more than two hours), Daniel Day-Lewis has an amazing presence. Just his face tells so much without giving any of the good stuff away. There is no dialogue for the first 30 minutes of the film. The beginning is eerily silent, allowing sound effects and the original soundtrack (written by Radiohead guitarist Johnny Greenwood) to come through, making you wonder what dark road this film takes.

And the ending sequence. Phew! That's worth the trouble it takes to find two seats together.

What a weekend

2008-02-12T12:07:00.000-08:00

Another year older. Another February 10th closer to death. Creepy! Don't worry, I haven't gone cynical.

Even though the age to do anything remotely interesting, including drinking, is 18 over here didn't mean that I couldn't have a wonderful birthday. The weekend started with a wonderful trip to Kew Gardens (mentioned below). Saturday I woke up, showered, and realized my hair was a nightmare so I ran down the street and walked into a salon I stroll past everyday. The only appointment available was an hour and a half later with the owner, Andre. He's from South Africa, and he tried to teach me Afrikans and the click language. He also told me to stay away if I wanted to grow out my hair. Anyway, I did a little birthday shopping in the afternoon, which proved to be a success.

Saturday night a few of us met up at The Big Chill Bar for birthday drinks. Obviously there was no harm done, as I am writing this post two days later. No hospital visits and I am still alive!

Sunday was a trip to Brighton Beach with my roommates, Ambika and Kristin. We took a two hour-ish train ride to the coast and spent a lovely afternoon eating seafood and lying on the pebble beach. There's nothing like a vast ocean to put you back in your place, and it couldn't have been at a more appropriate time. We are so insignificant and tiny--little babies standing on ancient rocks, layered over a dynamic, moving, living Earth. And the sunset wasn't too shabby!

But I wasn't finished with the ocean. Monday morning Andrew, Tom and I drove to Dungeness to see more sea.

This place is desolate.

You think it's the sky as you drive into the town, but it's all vast ocean around you. The sparse sprinkling of trees diminishes the closer you get to water. In the distance the silhouette of a power plant emerges in the skyline. Crummy houses line grassy patches a few hundred yards back from an empty pebble shoreline that stretches out to giant waters. It's quiet enough, save for the pulsing crash of waves and deafening crunch of rocks, to make you whisper. Several fishermen stand patiently, faithfully, by their lines, hoping for a catch.

It's my birthday!

2008-02-10T01:14:00.000-08:00

2008-02-09T02:28:00.001-08:00

I'm going to Germany!

Today was beautiful

2008-02-08T15:25:00.000-08:00

Out of work early on a glorious Friday afternoon, so we went to Kew.

Today felt like February had forgotten to strike and spring was about to come into full bloom. It was that golden-y, sparkly kind of day where the sunlight is perfect in late afternoon, and there are just enough fluffy clouds in the sky. I hope tomorrow's this nice.

Stratford is a crummy tourist trap

2008-02-08T14:54:00.001-08:00

We took yet another Wednesday trip. This time all 81 of us visited the lovely castle of Warwick (pronounced War-ick). The grounds, like Leeds, were really beautiful, but the inside was a disappointment. Wait, I mean, I really love wax figures. That's what I'd have in my castle.

Next was Anne Hathaway's cottage in Stratford. Features included a thatched roof, lumpy floorboards, and the longest gift shop/exit in the world. Oh, and this drawing of a rodent:

We then meandered to Shakespeare's birthplace, skipping through the museum and giftshop to check out where the Bard was born. The visit was followed by a disappointing sweet shop stop, but the situation was later remedied with a mince pie. Delicious!

fat tuesday?

2008-02-05T00:17:00.000-08:00

guess again. happy pancake day!!

industrial windsor

2008-02-03T13:59:00.000-08:00

Birds.

2008-02-03T13:40:00.000-08:00

Audubon and Hitchcock style. They're everywhere.

Smorgasbord is a real word?!

2008-01-27T12:56:00.001-08:00

If you really want a taste of the minimal and well, rye, try Nordic Bakery. From smoked salmon to invigorating coffee to cinnamon buns, the Scandinavian inspired food shop and bakery has enough to keep an American, and Helvetica-obsessed designer satisfied. With little interior decor, aside from custom made furniture (imported from Finland) and gorgeous wood paneled walls, there's really nothing to take away from the experience of trying something new...and delicious. Even my Swedish friend was impressed.

Afterwards we walked down Carnaby Street, looked around in a foreign bookstore, and, much to his embarrassment, saw ourselves some hookers in SoHo. It was a grand day.

I swung by Rymans, and the salesperson looked at me like I was insane when I asked where I could find colored pencils. Apparently Crayola isn't too entirely popular 'round these parts. BUT, Sainsbury's (my local grocery) didn't fail me.

This evening, Kristin and I ran down the street to the laundromat to do about three week's worth of dirty clothes. It was entirely too difficult. The machines only take pounds and 20 p's, so I had to get change twice. Anyway, I now have clean clothes, so that's a good thing. I guess I can hold off on the Febreeze for about a week.

2008-01-26T15:34:00.001-08:00

I'll miss you, Duchess.

Happy Australia Day!

2008-01-26T15:13:00.001-08:00

It's been a busy wrap up to the week. Work was on Thursday and Friday, and while job-related activities were, indeed accomplished, I also managed to try my first Flake Cake (a deliciously rich and, yes, flaky chocolate-y sponge-y delight) and remedy my massive craving for pancakes with a satisfying crepe.

Friday night, my flatmates and I went to the Victoria and Albert Museum for for a late night party. Unfortunately we arrived at the tail-end, but it was still fun. There was a craft area, and I made an exciting postcard involving mince meat. You're excited now, right? Afterwards we tried a few busy pubs and finally found an acceptable one on Old Brompton.

By some stroke of luck I woke up at a decent hour today and headed off to the Southbank. That wasn't before checking out Leicester Square, where I found the original Freed ballet shoemaker store. After having feet like mine--nobby and ruined from pointe shoes (Freeds, to be exact), I was quite excited.

Southbank was great. I went there to find some Banksy street art, but ended up coming across a more-than-heavily graffiti'd area for skaters.

If there was any of the London renegade artist's work, it has long been washed away. I did check out an exhibit on Dali and Picasso at the County Hall, and afterwards spent some time at OXO towers. It has been absolutely gorgeous for the last several days. I'm not sure how long this weather will remain, but I hope I get a few more seriously fantastic sunsets.

To the baths

2008-01-23T11:49:00.000-08:00

Today all 81 of us traveled two hours, utilizing a combination of highways and beautiful country roads, outside of London to the ancient and ever-famous Stonehenge. The pictures do not do the mysterious rock formation justice. It's a little bizarre. You have no warning--the stones just pop up on the horizon in the middle of farmland and busy highway. Cars drive by like it's nothing new (or special), and there are sheep that graze in the adjacent field. I suspect that they may be the most famous and most photographed sheep in the world.

Next was a 45 minute drive to Bath. We entered the city from over a hill, and the view was beautiful. I had all of these preconceived notions about coming to England, and Bath lived up to all of my expectations (and stereotypes). Beautiful streets with houses. Everyone walks. Hardly any cars. Brick and grass courtyards and gardens. A world famous bun bakery. Roman baths (naturally). Terribly English. We went through the museum that houses the ancient baths. The Romans were brilliant--they had separate areas set to very cold and extremely hot temperatures and a zillion different baths. Still, I couldn't get the picture of a bunch of really dirty naked people bathing out of my head.

After the baths, I walked up a bunch of hills to see the city view. Unfortunately it was overcast, so the photos didn't turn out, but, in person, it was a beautiful sight. I'd highly recommend it.

I think I'll go to bed early for work tomorrow morning.

Work it out

2008-01-22T12:51:00.000-08:00

I started my job at Huge yesterday, and don't worry: one of the guys is working on a website redesign--so something better should be up shortly. For now, the place holder is here.

It is a very small firm. There are six of us, but it's great, and just want I need. Today Rebecca brought Cadbury eggs for everyone. Apparently in England the eggs are laid on the shelves immediately after Christmas and until Easter. Additionally, the Cadbury factory is like Wonkaland. We talked of going today, but decided that wolfing down chocolatey goodness would be detrimental to our bodily functions.

Reading over the last paragraph makes me sound like all I "need" is a Cadbury egg. What I need (and thrive on) is an encouraging group of designers, who work as a team. Thankfully, that's what I think I may have encountered.

Anyway, someone brought up how Americans have a lovely snacky-treat called the Ice Cream Sandwich, and how it could be the greatest thing on Earth. No one else (except the two of us had eaten one), so after lunch, we all split delicious sandwiches a la Ben & Jerry's. While it's difficult to compare to the wonder that is the Cadbury Egg, I think the office was pretty satisfied.

But, I guess you might like to know what I'm actually doing (instead of eating) at my job. There are there components of the business: Mark owns Huge design, which does large-scale projects like banners and such for businesses like Sky. Neil owns First Folio which does leaflet and social design work in the public sector. Then there's Binary Colors, the printing company, that everyone is a part of. At the moment, I'm working within Huge, with Mark and Tom, on some theme ideas for a theatre convention that will be held in London during June 2008. Mark will present the ideas to the client on Thursday, and we'll develop them from the decisions of that meeting.

Tomorrow we visit Stonehenge and Bath. I'll have some pictures later this week.

Oh, and Amber, I bought a bottle of South African wine--it's from your Stellenbosch, and splendid.

Science of..

2008-01-20T16:35:00.000-08:00

Can't sleep, but look what I found.

Look outside at the raincoats coming, say Oh

2008-01-20T10:12:00.000-08:00

Vampire Weekend was nearly a bust. A threatening combination of disinterest, stage time (1 am) and the impending doom of the night bus, almost canceled plans. A few people, however, came through, and despite the hour long queue in an alley that reeked of urine and cigarettes, the night was pretty fantastic.

Astoria 2, the huge, 2-story club they played, is an experience in and of itself. Kids stand outside in tight pants and pointy shoes, drinking Carlsberg. A few look like babies--maybe 16--and are already well-versed in the ways of the hipster world. Quite scenius, they say. The place was utterly intimidating, and a little frightening at first, but by the end we (the Americans) had impressed a few Europeans, having heard of the headliner.

Earlier in the day, Kristin and I stopped by the Victoria & Albert Museum. The building is striking, and you could spend a week in and still not see everything. Yet, the exhibits are inviting, and as you walk through the halls it's as if time has frozen. The serenity of the rooms and courtyard make the V&A ideal for a contemplative afternoon, and while you might have plans for later, you certainly won't want to leave.

In other news, doing laundry is expensive! At 3.5-5ish GBP per load, it'll cost an arm and a leg, or at least a shirt sleeve.

Also, I've had the most vivid dreams since arriving in London. For the longest time I couldn't remember what I had dreamed in the night, but the ones I've had lately are eerily realistic and very impacting. Maybe it has something to do with change. They say the alcohol here is stronger than in the states, but I haven't been drinking enough for it to have much of an effect on my REM.

Anyway, work is tomorrow. I'll let you know how it goes.

The squirrels here should wear tophats

2008-01-19T04:32:00.001-08:00

Friday was one of those days when, after it ends, you are happy you woke up early.

St. Martin in the Fields hold free lunchtime concerts every Monday, Tuesday and Friday. Yesterday a 20-year-old Turkish pianist performed. Everything started out pretty rough, and by the Beethoven sonata, there was a homeless man in the corner snoring so loudly that one side of the hall was collectively more stressed out. Luckily, the pianist pulled through, and by the end of the second piece, we applauded loudly enough to stir the derelict. By the time the pianist performed his last piece, he was on fire. It was as if he had grown twenty years since the beginning of the concert. He had the passion of a young person, but the control of someone very experienced.

Afterwards it was time to check out the pop art portrait exhibit at the National Gallery, but admission was a little to pricey. Instead, we went to Bond St., walked a few blocks and found the Timothy Taylor Gallery, where Andy Warhol's personal photographs are exhibited. They were all black and white photos of the banal and often slightly perverse. Half-eaten birthday cakes, lobster dinners, pointe shoes and corpses. It was fascinating to see things how Warhol might have viewed them. His pictures are taken with an "anyone could have snapped that photo" sort of quality, but the artistry and attention to the ordinary let us know that these pictures are only possible because of Andy.

Hyde Park was a fantastic detour back to the flat. There was a woman bundled on a bench, feeding the birds from her collection of about ten loaves of bread. The squirrels are overly friendly. And there are swans! At dusk the park had a mysterious grey tinge that washed over the greenery, muting the vibrancy of everything.

2008-01-17T11:17:00.000-08:00

London keeps getting better and better.

I had my interview at Huge today, which went really well. It is, indeed, a very small firm, which makes it better for me to learn anything and everything I want. Everyone seems awfully great and we will take lunch together everyday. Another plus: I don't have to be at work until 10!

My roommate, Kristin, and I wandered over the Tower Bridge to the Design Museum for the Jean Prouvé exhibit. Check out click the link to the right to be directed toward my design blog, to see photos.

The wind and rain kept us from getting to the Textile and Fashion Museum, but we ducked under a walkway and found ourselves outside a great little cafe with waterfront views of the Thames. Perfection.

2008-01-16T11:10:00.001-08:00

And when I finally make it upstairs, this is where I live:

Also, I went to the Museum of London today, which, I must say is disappointing. I think you can learn more about London just by walking around. It felt a little too much like a jumbled mess than a cohesive history of one of the world's most famous cities.

I was in such a rotten mood afterwards that I exited at the wrong stop and ended up in Tottenham, which was quite a happy mistake. It's a refreshing change from where I'm living Kensington--a stuffy, affluent neighborhood. In contrast, Tottenham is alive and moving and breathing, and there are little nooks and crannies that you'll miss unless you go back more than a few times. I'll be there for the Vampire Weekend show at Astoria 2 on Saturday.

Update

2008-01-15T15:51:00.000-08:00

Sunday was the Russian Winter Festival in Trafalgar Square. Giant men with mustaches, lots of cigarettes and vodka...oh and nesting dolls. That's a festivus if I don't say so myself.

In the last few days I've found out where I'm interviewing:
Huge, it's a design firm, and so far it seems pretty sweet. I talk to the art director on Thursday. From what I've gathered, it sounds like the company just expanded, and it's in a really cool area.

If everything goes as planned, I'll take the District Line west from Earl's Court to the very end. To get an idea just how far outside of the "city" it is, I did a trial run: (click the map to see the graphic)

The sky was clear and sunny when I started out, and halfway there (20ish minutes), things began to look less promising as black skies loomed in the west. When I got off the train it was windy, rainy and terribly cold. There is, however, a fabulous shoe store directly outside of the stop.

Storms and flood warnings were implemented all over England. Today my umbrella opened itself--and it doesn't even make sense to use it when the rain comes from every which way. Waterproof shoes...and socks would really help. It isn't so bad, though. Rain in London is supremely better than rain in Missouri. The Thames looked romantic and stormy today, making it the perfect afternoon to brood. And what better place to ponder 900 years of English history than Westminster, which was incredible. Elizabeth I is buried there with her sister, Mary Tudor, along with other big Brits, like Chaucer and you know, kings. Yikes! There are also terribly quaint and wonderful gardens and walks...and England's oldest door. I think the date on that little guy was 1050.

I also started class on Monday. We went through many of the papers that circulate throughout the city. While I am only starting to become aware of the G. Brown upset, I certainly know more about Britney Spears (the "one woman disaster zone," as the Independent so eloquently wrote) than I did back in the States. Thanks!

Down the Rabbit Hole

2008-01-12T11:25:00.000-08:00

The markets run for blocks on Portobello Road. The ruddy cobblestone road turns to asphalt and continues past the Scottish kilt shop and the crepe stand and fresh fish stall and the handmade journal booth. It never ends. You could spend hours here. And we did.

Love & Death

2008-01-11T09:55:00.000-08:00

It's a touch comforting to know that Mark Twain, a fellow American--nay, Missourian--could be slightly profound:

"The traveler is wiser than he who has never left his own doorstep."

Adam and Eve it, London is a big, bad city (in the most loving sense).

I'm not one for a bust tour, but the one yesterday, led by Debra, was highly entertaining. I never would have thought that for 400 years, public executions were the place to see, be seen and, well, be-headed. Hangings, were apparently something you could take the kids to, but they were sort of slopping. If you really wanted to witness how to beautifully execute an execution, just look for a gleaming sword and a hooligan lot.

Let's see, what else. Changing of the guard. Piccadilly. Johnny Depp. Johnny Depp fans.

I'm here?

2008-01-09T11:05:00.000-08:00

My first steps on international soil were greeted at the passport check, by a beautiful, but altogether scathing British accent:

"You should really take your passport out of the booklet next time."

Next time, I will.

Everything's so green--greener than you can imagine. I guess that's what happens when it rains constantly. The highways leading into downtown London are framed by pretty wooden fences that keep back the rough bramble. There are cows and ponies and really cute houses in little suburban neighborhoods with quaint courtyards. Driving into the city, you can see the red rooftops of thousands of houses--all inched as close as sardines, but tastier--giving way to bigger, taller, grander buildings. The facades lining the street seem ancient and roads wind around. You start to forget you're driving on the left side of the road.

My flat is on Hogarth, on the fifth floor. I have 100 pounds of luggage. There is no elevator.

Photos to come.

Books

2008-01-04T22:50:00.000-08:00

1. Notes From a Small Island; Bill Bryson

2. A Handful of Dust; Evelyn Waugh

3. The Moon and Sixpence; W. Somerset Maugham

4. On Chesil Beach; Ian McEwan