Best Xmas Ever!!!

To be perfectly honest I normally dread the holidays. Don't get me wrong, as a child I loved it because my parents adopted all the practices that came with Christmas and allowed us to participate whole heartedly. We had the tree, stockings, lights on the house, and tons of presents. As I entered my teenage years things changed. The tree stayed in it's box, we didn't put the lights up on the house, and the presents stopped completely. Then as an adult Christmas was this weird time of year because my family became divided. Some Christmas's I didn't even see my family but spent it with friends. All the while I would see or hear about my other friends wonderful celebrations they had with their families and I was so jealous. All I wanted was a happy, no drama, spirit-filled holiday.

Ok, enough with the sob story, now comes the happy part. I can honestly, say with 100% confidence that I had the best Christmas ever this year!!! It was filled with great friends, delicious food, fun presents, fireworks (yes, real fireworks), and dance party USA in my living room. Tenielle and Robyn spent hours and hours in the kitchen Christmas day whipping up an incredible meal- we had the works; turkey, mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, salad, gravy, pecan pie. Everything was from scratch. Those girls killed it in the kitchen. Here's our lovely bird, which is the traditional main dish in England for Christmas rather than ham.

People are what make the holidays special, and I couldn't have asked for a more fun bunch. It was a bit of a mixed crowd and sometimes when you mix friends it can get a bit hairy but not this time. Everyone got along so well and it turned out we were all LA orphans!

From left to right we have: Robyn, Desh, Desh's brother in law and sister, me, Vladi, and Tenielle. A mixed bag of nuts!

Now you may be wondering what are those crowns we're wearing??? Well, one of the traditions here in England during Christmas is crackers. I had never heard of them until I came here but they're basically party favors you "crack open" and there's a little gift inside and a paper crown. The way the crackers are opened is what makes it so fun and of course the popping noise!

We all know it's not a party unless there's dancing. So after our meal and dessert we cranked up my IPod and blasted the tunes. At one point, we thought we were Irish and started doing the river dance. I think that was more the alcohol than anything else.

We ended with the night with a bang, literally. Tenielle had purchased these mini sparklers the day before and we thought it would be safe and totally normally to light them indoors. No, fire hazard their!

Seriously, best Christmas ever! I don't know how I'm going to top that come New Year's but don't think I'm not going to try come tonight.

Merry Christmas

Or as they say here Happy Christmas. I wish all my friends and family a wonderful holiday and I miss all of you. I hope you are all having a wonderful day with your families. I was really hoping for snow today but no such luck, instead I woke up to this on Christmas morning. A typical rainy London day.

Today I have a group of friends coming over for Christmas, a mix of old and new. We're doing the full on meal, don't worry I'm not cooking. It should be a great time! More to come later.

Tis' the Season

Christmas time in London is so magical. People celebrate the holidays like it's going out of style. The decorations are probably the best part of the whole experience. It's hard not to get caught up in the spirit. We're not just talking about lights in front of people's house but mini trees lite up on every light post, giant rings of ribbon hanging from buildings, lite up signs that read "Enchanted Christmas in London", and even all the bridges are decked out. I'm not a big Christmas person but when Santa's thrown up on every corner and in every store you want to join the fun. Even my office is all decked out. Not just the lobby folks, but every floor and every cubicle. I'm so glad I chose to spend Christmas in London, even though I miss my family and friends. I plan on having my own little Christmas celebration here with Robyn and T Liz. So, to get things started I decided to get a tree of my own. It's nothing special but it's my way of getting into the spirit.

Isn't it cute!? It still needs a little sumthin' sumthin' on the top but otherwise I love it.

Pictures Are Worth a Thousand Words

One of my besties, my sister practically, Sahana was in town this week. As I mentioned in my previous post it was a somewhat last minute trip for her and it was for business not pleasure, but luckily she was able to swing in one free weekend. There's a lot I could say about this weekend, and trust me there's a lot I'm still saying, but as the title of my posts indicates, a picture is worth a thousands words. I will say this, I still got it (see last pic)! And I had a blast with Sahana and I can't wait until she comes back next year.

Slow Going

All in all it's been a quiet week over on this side of the pond. Work has been crazy busy with meetings, dinners, conferences. It's the end of the fiscal year thus the mayhem at work. The weather isn't helping matters much either. That, London fog they speak of, well it's here and I've been told it's staying for another three months. Everyday it's the same backdrop; grey, dark skies with non stop rain and wind. The sun has peaked out at chosen moments, but they're far and few in between. On the plus side, I'm getting a lot out of tread out of all my coats and scarves. I have a few visitors in the books that I'm really looking forward to. Unexpectedly my best friend Sahana is coming to London on an assignment for work. She arrives tomorrow and stays until next weekend. I won't see her much during the week but we have lots of fun things planned for next weekend;including a holiday party with none other than Sandy. After she leaves, my old roommate Robyn and her friend Monica arrive on the 22nd of December. We will be celebrating Christmas and New Year's together. I'm hoping for a little snow, so I"ll get to experience a true white Christmas. We plan on doing some sightseeing, for instance Stonehenge, taking in some shows, and of course doing a lot of shopping. The next couple of weeks should be action packed so stay tuned.

An Ideal London Weekend

When you think of London certain things come to mind - theatre, shopping, rain, rugby, futbol, museums, great restaurants, just to name a few. I'm happy to report that I was able to experience almost all of those things all in one weekend. It's weekend like this one that remind me why I choose to move here.



Friday, Tenielle and I went to the theatre. We went and saw Avenue Q. For those of you that haven't seen it, go see it! It is one of the funniest, well written, and "real" shows I've seen. The story was simple yet so insightful and I haven't laughed that hard in ages. We had great seats which made the experience even more incredible. Six rows back from the stage in the center. What struck me later that night was how accessible things like the theatre are here. If I were back home, I would never leave work on Friday, hop a 20 minute train to the city and catch a world renowned Broadway show. It's more like getting in my car, going down to the Edwards Theater at Fashion Island and seeing the 8:00 showing of 40 Year Old Virgin.



Saturday, I was fortunate enough to be invited to a Rugby match by the President of KFC. If you don't know what rugby is (FYI.. my mom had no idea), imagine American football without pads, men with thighs like trunks, a really high goal post, and only two 4o minute quarters. Before the game started we were wined and dined in a private restaurant where we served a never ending a buffet for lunch. I'm serious, the amount of food they kept bringing out for lunch was out of control. I got there at noon and didn't stop eating until kick off, which was at 3. The game of rugby is actually really fun to watch. It's fast paced, easy to understand, and short. I just couldn't get over how aggressive the game was. These guy tackle each other to the ground with such force and they have no protection. No pads, no helmets, nada! I'm sorry to say this, but football players back home are wussies! Rugby is a true man's game. Speaking of man, or men, rugby games are a great place to meet guys. I've never seen so many good looking men in one arena. Note to self, go back to a game but next time leave the president of KFC at home. I think it's safe to say I've now experienced all London has to offer in the way of sports; first futbol and now rugby.



Sunday, was all about shopping! My place is adjacent to one of the biggest shopping areas in London called Kings Rd. It's got every store you can think of and more. A girl could go broke and I think that girl is me. I was on a mission for some boots and a nice big handbag. The purses I brought here don't cut it in term of their size. A giant handbag is necessary because you need to keep a scarf, gloves, umbrella, water, etc with you at all times. I had no luck finding a bag, but I did manage to score a great pair of brown boots and a cute wool dress.

Definitely a memorable weekend in my book and I look forward to many more.

My New Digs

I have made the move to the big city. After eight miserable (ok maybe not miserable but boring) weeks in Woking I arrived in Chelsea on a Sunday. Somehow Tenielle and I managed to stuff all our crap, which was about six suitcases, boxes galore, trash bags full of clothes, a giant fan and ourselves into a sedan. A sedan people, like a Subaru wagon. What we needed was a proper moving van. Poor Tenielle was stuffed in the back under a pile of duvets and pillows. All you could see was her the top of her hat. Moving day is never fun, but add rain and wind to the mix we're talking a whole 'nother ball game. Not a very fun one at that. We got everything into the house as quick as possible. Most of it managed to stay dry, thank god.

Over the next few days, Tenielle and I unpacked. I had to be at work during the days so Tenielle was a god send and did most of the unpacking. I'd come home everyday and another box was tackled. If it wasn't for her I'd still be living out of my boxes. The best part of moving to the city was receiving all my things from home. My pictures, my dishes, my clothes, my shoes, oh and my bed. Yes, I brought my bed. It's one of my favorite possessions. I'll admit right now bringing that bed was a huge mistake. The damn thing wouldn't fit up the stairs to my place. No matter how the movers tried to maneuver the thing it was stuck. At this point I had two choices, chuck the bed I loved so much or find a way to get it through the door. So I did what any sane person would do, I asked the movers to saw the bed in half. I know I'm crazy!!! But, it worked and while my bed isn't in the best condition I get a great nights sleep still. Lesson learned, don't bring a bed from the states to London. It's like putting a square peg into a round hole. No I remember why I hate moving!

My place needs a little work in the way of decorating and storage. I'm working on it with Tenielle slowly but surely. She's got some great ideas on how to spruce it up. All in all I love it. It's an awesome location, it's got London written all over it, and best of all it already feels like home. Here are few pictures of my new pad. Enjoy!

Kitchen for one!

Bathroom all organized, thanks T!

My favorite room in the house, my family room!

My bedroom, a lot needs to be done with this room.

Hangers left over from all the clothes I won't be needing here.

Guestroom for all you peeps who are coming to visit!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Turkey day to all my friends! I hope all of you are having a wonderful holiday with your family and friends. I miss you all so much! It doesn't feel like Thanksgiving here today at all. I had to work, they don't sell turkeys in the supermarket, and worst of all no Black Friday tomorrow. But don't fret my friends, T liz and I have created our own Thanksgiving celebration. More details to come later.

Also, quick update on the housing situation. I have left dreaded Woking and moved into my my own flat; finally!!! I absolutely love it. I will post a ton of pictures to soon. I'm just in unpacking hell so things have been crazy. I promise to post tons of new stuff soon.

Winter Olympics Here I Come!

In addition to tea on Sunday T Liz and I thought what the hell lets go ice skating too. Cause that's how we roll! We also decided to invite "V" to join us. As Christmas gets closer, ice rinks begin popping up all over the city. At home you usually see them at the mall or in front of a big complex but not here. They go big! This puppy was in front of the Natural History Museum. It was gorgeous. Picture it lights all over the trees, winter white tents, and a ten thousand year old museum as your backdrop. Behold!

I have been skating once in my life so let's just say I was a bit hesitant to get on the rink. All I could think of was falling on my ass in front of V and hundreds of other strangers. After procrastinating as much I could I got myself on the rink and held onto the side immediately. I didn't let go for a good half hour. Next thing I know I'm doing double axles and spins, J/K! Here's a short clip of my so called moves. I'm no Oksana Bauil but I could give Tanya Harding a run for her money.

Once I got the hang of it I enjoyed every minute. V got on the rink and showed us some of this moves as well. Now the moment you've all been waiting for, a picture of V. Here are the three muskeeters at the end of our skating session.

Two for Tea

Nothing says Sunday in England like afternoon tea. What better place to try this tradition then at the one and only Harrods. T Liz and I took a train to the city on Sunday and made a beeline for Harrods. We also wanted to take in all the Christmas stuff. Harrods is known for their Christmas shop and now I know why. The shop was ridonklous! Room after room of decorations separated by theme. There was Candy Candy Land, Black and White, Log Cabin, Toy Story, etc. It was like Santa threw up! I wish I had pictures to share but they wouldn't allow any photography in the shop.

We sat down for tea in this beautiful room called the Terrace with windows all lined up on side with views of the London skyline. The only word I could use to describe it is enchanting. The tea service itself was amazing. You got to choose from six different types of teas and then the food; they're not kidding around with their tea sandwiches and pastries. It was a smorgasbord of delights. I felt like I had eaten a meal for six by the time were done. We had little cucumber sandwiches, egg sandwiches, ham sandwiches. then scones, then chocolate eclairs, tarts, etc.. the list goes on and on. Even though I wanted to puke afterwards I would do it again in a heartbeat. So whoever comes to visit, guess what we're doing :)

Only When T Liz is here...

Tenielle or as she now likes to call herself T-Liz made it through her first week in Woking. She was a great sport and made the best of it. All in all we had a great first week. We caught up on the last five years of our life, motivated one another to work out, attended our first pub quiz together, and watched lots of trashy British TV. Some of you may be asking, what is a pub quiz? I had no idea either. It's basically playing Trivial Pursuit while you drink in a bar. It's a big to do here. People go every week, play the quiz, and get pissed (aka smashed). Both T and I sucked at the quiz but not so much the drinking part. Exhibit A.

The real fun began this weekend. We headed into the city Friday night. T Liz got the first train she could out of Woking , poor thing she was ready for the city, and I met her there later in the evening. Our plans were all set for the weekend. Dinner/drinks Friday night with a friend/old colleague of mine who was visiting from home (Andrew Still from DraftFCB for those of you know him), going to the famous Borrough Market Saturday morning, then doing a little shopping, Bonfire Night (big British holiday) Saturday evening in Blackheath and finally lunch in Chelsea on Sunday and a quick stop by my new flat so she could check out my new digs. I'd like everyone to know that we ONLY managed to accomplish one of those items and you know why??!! Two words for you; champagne cocktails! Exhibit B.

Friday night was supposed to be mellow. Just dinner and a drink or two afterwards with Andrew and his friend Brant. Well dinner was had, along with two bottles of wine and a glass of a champagne to top of our meal. Exhibit C.

Then we all were having so much fun we decided to hit a pub. Drank some more there, ended up chatting with some randoms on the street and got kicked out of the pub at closing time 12:30. After bidding farewell to Andrew and his friend Brant, I figured T and I would stumble back to our hotel. Somehow, and I still don't remember how, we ended up in a club dancing until 4 am. Club Umbaba to be exact. Everyone there was either Eastern Europe or African American- and then there was T Liz and I who owned the dance floor. Naturally, we fit right in. What killed me was the Europeans couldn't dance to save there lives and all the AA just sat at their tables and watched everyone else dance, they didn't even get up when Snoop hit the sound system. All I know is , after what I think was 5 glasses of champagne cocktails at the club, T Liz and I made our way back to the hotel and didn't emerge until Sunday morning.

When did I get so old? I guess, when in Rome...

Drink up Mate!

When your boss is yelling that in your ear all night this is what happens. She's Australian by the way.

Last night I attended a Marketing Awards dinner with a couple of people from my work including my boss. KFC had been nominated for a marketing effectiveness award based on having turned around the business over the last year. It was basically a great excuse to get dressed up and party at a fancy hotel in the city. And that is exactly what I did. I sported the latest trend in evening wear, got my hair did at the TopShop (19 pounds gets you a blowout at the blowdry bar), and put on my dancing shoes. The award show itself was a snooze fest like all awards show but the champagne and the goodies bags more than made up for it. Let me just say peeps here in London love their champagne. I thought champagne was only drunk at that rate during New Year's Eve, apparently not. It tastes so good going down but not so good the next day. The best part of the night was when the dancing began. I had to learn to get down with more disco and pop tunes than I would have liked but it was fun nonetheless. It was also a great way to bond with my boss, as you can tell from the photo above. She's a blast after a bottle of champagne, then again who isn't!? The fact that we didn't even win award we were up for didn't phase her one bit. I could get used to nights like this :)

In order to redeem some of my self respect here's a photo from the start of the night..

My boss Jennelle and I

Two Slices of Home

I've told many of you over the last week how homesick I've been. So to remedy this I have two exciting things to report.

First, I'm coming home sooner than I had originally anticipated. I was trying to hold out until March but I was kidding myself. So, I've booked a ticket home for January 19th-27th. Mark your calendars people! Turns out January is the perfect time to go home since the weather here is awful and its pretty much dark for most of the day. It also falls in between two sets of visits from my friend's Robyn and Arisara. I can't wait to see everyone then!

Secondly, starting next Tuesday I will have a temporary roommate. A really good friend of mine from college is coming to stay with me for awhile. Some of you have meet her or may have heard me talk about her. Her name is Tenielle. We were best friends in college (Tri-Delts for life) and she actually lived with my mom for a short awhile while attending Pepperdine Law School. After graduating law school she practiced law back home in Bakersfield at a cut throat law firm. After two years of working her ass off she decided to quit. Over the last year she has been living the dream. Traveling the world, hanging out on the beach, just enjoying life. While she tries to find her way and figures out what her future holds she will be living with me in London. She arrives next Sunday. I'm so excited to see her and to have a friend to explore Europe with. We have a ton of exciting things planned, starting with moving into my new place. It will be like Sex in the City minus two girls and in London. The last time I saw Tenielle was at my 25th birthday- five years ago! Here's a picture of us from that party. Soon I'll have pictures to post of our times in London.

Halfway There

My time in Woking has reached the halfway mark. Thank the lord! My goal is to get through these next four weeks as quickly as possible. I'm still trying to find some redeeming quality to this town. I plan on doing so before I leave. I've gotten into a bit of routine during the week, which helps the days fly by. I come home from work by 6:00; yes people, 6:00 they really do believe in work life balance here, go for a run on the treadmill downstairs at my the gym, cook dinner, and watch re-run after re-run of Friends. As much I love Ross, Joey and Chandler I'm in desperate need of my shows back home. So I've succumbed to I-Tunes and shelled out the $1.99 an episode to get my Grey's, Desperate Housewives, and How I Met Your Mother. Thank you Steve Jobs.

I did get to visit Wimbeldon on Sunday. It's a really quaint town. You feel like you're in a small village but with all the amenities you'd find in the city. Today was the perfect fall day, even though I felt like it was winter. It's amazing to see actual seasons. I took a picture of the trees changing colors in Wimbeldon.

Sorry, I don't have any exciting stories to tell from this weekend. I promise to make up for it as soon as I get my butt back into London but wanted to let all of you know I'm doing well.

My First Visitor!

My friend Rina came into town this weekend on her way to India for a business trip. She couldn't have come at a better time. As I told you guys I was feeling homesick this past week so seeing a familar face couldn't have come at a better time. When I saw her I practically tackled her to the ground, I was so ecstatic. She only had Sat day and evening in town before heading to India, so we made the most of it! On a side note, I was fortunate enough to get into stay in a hotel in the city starting on Thursday night of this week until Sunday since I had work in the city during the week. Let me just say staying in a hotel is the way to live. Someone cleans up after you, you gets meals in your room- a girl could get used to this. Also, it was a great to get a break from my apartment in Woking and be part of city life again.

Back to Rina and I.. We had the best day/night one could have in London. We did it all! We shopped, we dined, and we danced. We were both on a mission to find boots for ourselves so we hit Selfridges, which is one of the top department stores in London. This place was ginormous! I got some sassy boots and my first Ted Baker piece, unfortuntately Rina was not able to find any boots- she did get some cute hats! From here we got all gussied up and were ready for a night on the town. We had plans to go a Marleybone for drinks and dinner but by the time we got there everything had closed. Rina and I spent so much time catching up in the hotel room we had lost track of time, oopps! We were planning on meeting up some with people in Soho for dancing so we decided to head straight there and see if we could find something there instead. We were in luck, the cab driver dropped us off right in front of a swanky looking japanese restaurant that was still open! This place was gorgeous and the food was amazing. Here are some pics of Rina and I in the restaurant.

I'm wearing my Ted Baker piece and Rina is sporting one of her new hats!

From here we went to a salsa club down the street called Floridita where we meet up with some friends I've meet through my friend Sahana. This place was a blast! Although I'm not a big fan of salsa the place was jumpin and there were quite a few good lookin' men! One in particular...

Bachelor #1- Sandy- hedge fund banker, lives in Chelsea, from Pittsburgh, plays in a band and can dance!
I'm smitten, Sahana I can't believe you held out on me! Now I need to reel him in, the question is how?

Rina left this morning and though I was sad to see her go I needed to catch up on sleep. She is going to try and come back in December for a week. So whose next?

My First Star Sighting!

My boss and I went to dinner tonight, her treat, at one of her favorite restaurants near Notting Hill. It's called E&O. Pretty swanky and she guaranteed me a star sighting. She did not disappoint. Half way into our dinner who comes and sits down at the table next to us- Ewan McGregor! I was so star struck and kept staring at him. I think I started to embarass my boss cause she asked me politely to stop staring. Good thing I didn't pull out the camera and take a picture- cause trust me I was thinking about doing it, she probably would have got up and left. Not bad for my first star sighting. He is super cute in person and but he could have done with less eyeliner.

Good news folks, I'm in London today through Sunday and my friend Rina from home is coming to visit for the weekend. We have a lot of fun things planned, so something tells me come Sunday I'll have lots of fun stories to share.

Homesick

It was bound to happen. It arrived unexpectdly and lasted only one night. I don't know if it was the seven straight days of rain, coming home to my empty apartment, wanting to see my friends, missing my old work, or missing my mom. Perhaps, all the above. At least I lasted a month, right!? If you all start getting a ton of emails from me or calls you know why. Ok, time to cheer up- I live in London for gods sake!

Are you ready for some futbol??

I warned you guys my posts would be few and far in between due to my new living arrangements. You didn't miss much this week. Here's a quick update:

- All settled into my flat, it's feeling like home
- I got a horrible case of food poisoning from bad scallops at a pub- rule #1 in London; never eat seafood at a pub
- It rained everyday this week and it's gotten cold, apparentely winter has decided to come early. I guess that's supposed to be nice little gift for me:)
- I had my traditional weekend outing with "V". I helped him buy a new wintercoat and then we had dinner at this new mexican restaurant in Covent Garden. You know, the kind of thing you do with your girlfriend except she lives in Turkey.
-Woking is still a shithole!

Ok, on to more exiciting news. I attended my first futbol match this weekend. I was invited to go to the Chelsea vs. Fulham match by some friends I have meet here through my friend Sahana. Chelsea vs. Fulham are home town rivals so it would be like the Lakers playing the Clippers. Being someone who doesn't care much for going to sporting events, unless I'm guaranteed a star sighting, I could have turned down the offer easily but thought I should experience a true London past time. Plus, I figured the stadium would be full of men, so the odds would be in my favor. So, off we went to the game, but not before a stop at the local pub (where I stayed away from any type of shellfish) for a drink and some food. The stadium's here don't offer much in the way of food and you can't drink in the stands due to security reasons, so everyone goes to the pub first, then the game.


Suprisingly, the game was really entertaining. Futbol (soccer for you Americans) is a really fast paced gamed so you really can't get bored. And the best part is they only play 2 rounds, each 45 minutes long with a 15 minute intermission. I'm convinced that a women made these rules. It's the perfect amount of time to watch a game without getting bored. I'd have to say the best part of the game was the fans. People here LOVE their futbol. The term "fan" is taken to a whole another level. The spirit these people have for their teams is amazing. The entire game they are chanting, singing, on their feet, rooting for the team. I attempted to capture the magic on a short video using my camera. It is like this the whole game, they don't quit!

I definitely plan on going back to watch another game. Maybe next time I can figure out what the hell they're saying and join in on the singing! I did understand all the foul language though, I've never heard the f bomb used so creatively in my life.

Eight Weeks and Counting!

I've arrived in home #2 as my first month in London comes to a close. It was hard saying goodbye to my place in Chelsea. I had grown quite accustomed to my little flat and the 10 flight of stairs it took to get up to my front door everyday. The hardest part was saying goodbye to the area. I feel in love with Chelsea from day one, hence the reason I'm living their permanently! My flat was right behind Kings Rd, which was the main drag in Chelsea. I had already established my favorite stores, restaurants and hangouts. Before the cab came to pick me up I took one more stroll down Kings Rd. The nice thing is I'll be back eight weeks from now to enjoy it all again.

My new digs are located in Woking, the town where my offices are located. It wasn't my first choice to come to Woking but it turned out to be the best option. The biggest draw back was going to be how far away I was from the city. I would probably liken Woking to living in Bakersfield, sorry T if you're reading this! When the cab driver tells you that the place you're about to spend eight weeks in is a shithole you know it's not good.

While the town itself blows my apartment is great! I was pleasantly suprised when we pulled up to the complex. It's a brand new complex, built last year with all the modern amenities. Here a few pics of the inside.

Not too shabby. The best part of my apartment is the balcony pictured above. The view is beautiful. I love sitting outside and just staring at the trees. Good thing, considering that's the most exciting thing to do here! Here's my view.

And they say the sun doesn't shine here. Let's just say I plan on spending the least amount of time in Woking, aside from work, these next eight weeks. I still can catch a train into London it just requires more of an effort and planning on my part then it did when I was in Chelsea. I already went back last night and had dinner with "V". We seem to be doing that a lot, I keep asking him when we're going to go to a club! He promises me we will next weekend.

Since my life may be a little tame these next eight weeks I probably won't be blogging as frequently. Wish me luck in Woking.

Liquid Lunch

Nothing like drinking from 1 until 10 at night. Yesterday my work threw a going away lunch for the girl whose job I'm taking over. We went to this private club called the Soho House, that my boss Jennelle belongs to. It's a members only restaurant/bar. We ordered a couple of bottles of wine at lunch and after lunch was over the team decided to grab a drink at a bar near by. Soho is the gay area of London full of great shopping, bars and restaurants- go figure. We sat down at a bar called La Boheme and the bottles of wine just kept coming. I couldn't keep up with my co-workers. They were puttin it down like I've never seen. The best part of the night was bonding with the girls on my team. They reminded me a lot of the girls at Taco Bell. We had a lot in common, more than I realized. They are really fun and we've already made plans to do a ton of fun things in the coming weeks. After our sixth bottle of wine, yes six, I stumbled home on the tube. The only bummer of the whole night is I didn't pull. New term for the week by the way. It's british slang for talking to a guy and getting his number. When you're hanging out in gay town there's a ton of browsing but no purchasing to be done :)

I move to my new flat today, in Woking. Far from the city but close to work. I'll post some pics of my new digs tomorrow.

There is a God!!!

The last couple of days I've been working from our ad agency's office in the heart of London rather than in the burbs' where our offices are located. Our ad agency is what most of you would imagine an ad agency to look like. The office is extremely modern with very cool furniture, an open layout with flatscreen after flatscreen, the inside is all glass walls so you can stand in the lobby and see all three floors. They even have a free coffee bar inside. I'll have to take some pictures, I'm not doing it justice.

Today, we finished up early and I had some time to kill in order to wait out traffic on the tube. Because the offices are in the heart of London it happens to be on the most famous shopping street in London- Oxford Circus. I figured shopping would be a good way to kill time :) I'm not sure how many of you have heard of a store called TopShop, I hadn't until I came here. It's similar to H&M. Everyone kept telling me I had to go the TopShop on Oxford St. I didn't understand what all the fuss was about. NOW I DO! This place is my mecca. It's unlike anything I've ever seen before. I spent four hours in there tonight and I barely scratched the surface. This is there flagship store so it's got everything. When I say everything I don't mean accessories, shoes, and clothes, that's childs play. I mean a nail bar, a place to get a blow out, a candy shop, a grooming salon, a concierge, and a restaurant. I was amazed, this place was a one stop shop! You could get your nail dones, get your hair done and find a fabalous outfit all in one place. Whoever designed this store is a genius! It's every girls fantasy, including mine. Don't even get me started on the clothes. Four levels of the most fashionable coats, dresses, pants, shirts, shoes I've ever seen. It took all the will power I had to not max out out my credit card in this place. I walked away with only a scarf (cause it's getting colder each day) and a pair of tights. But give me two months and I'll be the poster child for this store. Bye Bye Banana hello TopShop!

Brrr!!!!

Today was officially cold in my book! I walked out of my flat this morning and saw the air coming out of my breath. All I could think of was the warm California sun. Everyone was bundled up and ready to brave the cold except me. All I have right now is a thin jacket. All of my stuff is still in storage damn it! I would have given anything for my wool coat, scarf, and gloves. To top it off when I get to work everyone tells me this is nothing?? Help me!!!!!

Sunday Funday!

This was one the best weekends since I've been here. The weekend started out dim since I had no plans to speak of. Then Saturday night around 8ish I got a text message from this guy Neel who my friend Tenielle (girl i went to UCSB with) had introduced me to. He and I went out in an area called Balham/Clapham South. Very young, fun crowd and tons of bars! My kind of town. Our first pub was called George. Nothing special as far as pubs go but it was a good place to start the night. We watched a little rugby, which is quite the violent sport! From here we headed to a great bar called Clarence. It was voted Bar of the Year. It was very vintage looking, had great music playing with tons of people inside and out. Four vodka tonics in I noticed Neel and I starting to flirt. Funny, what a couple of drinks can make you do. I kept thinking I'm in this bar in London, flirting with someone who is practically a stranger, and having the best time. This is exactly why I came here! After the bar kicked us out I was ready to head home but not before Neel and I partoke in some late night munchies. At home, that would consist of Taco Bell, Jack in the Box, whatever fast food joint is open. In London, people go to these really shady fried chicken and kebab houses for their fix. Let's just say a kebab is a sure fire cure for a hangover.

Today, (Sunday) I spent the entire day with "V". It was the perfect day- dim sum, shopping, a walk in park. What else could a girl ask for! We started out with dim sum in the Baker St. area of London. This place had delicious dim sum, it reminded me a lot of the places I've been to San Francisco, which in my opinion is the best dim sum ever! From here we decided to catch a movie. Whatever you do, do not go see Shoot Em' Up. It has got to be one of the worst movies I'v ever seen in my life. I blame "V". I wanted to see Bourne Ultimatum. "V" then suggested we go shopping so I forgave him for his bad movie choice. We walked along Regent and Oxford Streets which are the major shopping areas in London. Every store you can imagine is on these two streets. I was loving it. The day ended with a walk through Hyde Park. We walked by this one area of the park called Speakers Corner. Basically, it's a forum for people to speak their minds. They get up on a stool and start saying whatever they want. It could be about religion, government, entertainment, war, whatever.. It was fascinating to watch. And then, we feed squirrels. Who does that?

It was a bit of a surreal moment for me, as I was walking through the park with "V" today. I'm not sure why but this feeling came over me that my life was beginnning to change and I was starting to change as a person. I guess I should feed squirrels more often :)

Fried to the Bone!

I don't think I've ever worked harder in my life then I did this week! Whoever said frying chicken was easy, was wrong! Did anyone even say that? Maybe it was me...?? I was assigned a KFC restaurant inside one of the biggest train stations in London- Victoria Station. It's essentially in a giant food court with a ton of other eateries. Naturally, we're next to a McDonalds. Here's a picture of the outside.

The goal is for me to train on every facet of the restaurant for the next two weeks. Day one was centered around what we in the biz call the back of the house. Basically, where all the magic happens. If you've ever wondered what it looks like in a back of a restaurant here's a glimpse.

After getting a brief overview of the Back of the House I learned to make all the sandwiches on the menu. Here in the UK they call them burgers even though they're all made with chicken not beef. By the end of the day I was master at making Zingers, Fillet Towers, and Mini Fillets. See I can cook! After day one I was ready to pass out by the time I got home and I did. Being on my feet for 8 hours straight was no small feat. I'm so used to sitting at a desk all day that my entire body was drained of all energy.

The next couple of days were focused on the chicken, the bread and butter of the business. They prepare the chicken from scratch everyday from start to finish. After I was trained on quite an extensive process of how to prepare the chicken, beginning with how to make the seasoning to using the fryer I was ready to do my own batch. By the way I'm now privy to the Colonel's secret recipe of 11 herbs and spices! Let's just say it was 10x harder than it looked. Look at me go!

My batch turned out pretty well if I do say so myself. After one batch I was ready to turn in the towel. I personally didn't enjoy handling raw chicken, having to break bones, and dealing with the blood. I was ready to move onto something new. Their is one crew member in the restaurant who does this every single day(M-F) for 8 hours. What amazed me was how much he geniunely enjoyed his job. He takes pride in making the chicken and wants the customer to get the best chicken possible. I really admired him for his attitude and work ethic.

By weeks end I was exhausted. I still have one more week to go. Monday, I tackle the front counter. It's all about serving the customer and learning the cash register. Let's hope I don't screw it up.

P.S. A lot of you have been asking me what's going on with "V". We went out to dinner earlier this week and tonight we're going out again. He's been a great friend, I'll leave it at that.

First Day of Work

I thought the day would never come.. I was dying to start work after being on hiatus for two weeks. It's funny how not having a routine can make you wish you did. For some reason I thought I would love being lazy, but that only lasted 3 days.

Those of you that know me, now how much I detest public transportation so you'll be surprised to know that not only do I take a train to work but a bus too!! And I love it.. There's something carefree and relaxing about having someone else take you somewhere and not having to worry about traffic. Every morning I walk two minutes down the road to my bus station, catch the 319 to Clapham Junction, then I take the overland train to Woking. From the Woking station I walk to my offices. Door to door it's about 40 mins total. The train here is really well maintained. It's clean, air-conditioned, and has really comfy seats. I listen to my Ipod and the time flies. I'm so metropolitan! I just need the giant glasses and the big purse.

So work itself.. It's not Taco Bell but I knew it wouldn't be. The office itself is like any corporate building. The only difference is they don't have traditional cube like offices. It's more like an open classroom setting. The only people who have offices are the executives. My desk is out on the open with everyone else so there is zero privacy. Not even a divider.. So something tells me I'll be getting to know my co-workers quite well and vice versa. Speaking of my co-workers the entire team is all girls except for one guy Luis, who coincidentally works for me. All the girls are around my age and very sweet. Everyone is friendly, which doesn't surprise me since this entire nation is.

The most difficult thing at work has been starting over.. It's been over six years since I started a new job. I forgot what it was like to be the new girl. I have such a learning curve to overcome thse next few months. I went from knowing so much to now being completely lost. It's a hard thing to accept. The other piece is not having friends at work. I went from having an incredible group of friends who I went to lunch with everyday and chatted with throughout the day, to watching everyone else chat with each other and go to lunch without me. It's like the first day of school all over again. Overtime both these things will get better, but getting through this part is never easy. If anything this makes me appreciate Taco Bell even more than I already did. There's nothing like it. If any of you are reading this I miss you!

Tomorrow, instead of going to the office I start in-store training. That's right ladies and gentleman, I will be serving fried chicken to the lovely people of London. One of the requirements of this job is to work in a store for three weeks. At first, I thought it was a joke they were playing on the rookie but when my uniform arrived on my desk I stopped laughing. Don't worry I won't let you guys miss an opportunity to have a few laughs at my expense. I'll be taking plenty of pictures to commemorate this once in a lifetime experience and will post them on this blog.

By the way, everytime I pick up a new word out here I'll be sharing it with you. Today's word- WONKY! Don't u love it.

Mission Accomplished!

My goal was to start making friends and I did just that today. Before I left California my friend Desh introduced me to his friend Trishna via email who he met during his undergrad days . I emailed her earlier this week and we made plans to meet up for brunch today. She suggested this placed called Caramel in the town of Victoria-it was only one tube stop away from my place! It was a great place. Very quaint, great menu, and affordable. It reminded me of brunch places I had been to in New York. Trishna and I ended up talking for fours hours. Turns out she is originally from San Francisco and went to Berkeley so we have mutual friends. Small world! Immediately I could tell we were going to be friends. We had a lot of common interests and we related quite well to one another. She was also a great resource on tapping into British culture. She is married to a Brit so she shared with me some great insights on people's values, choices and essentially the reasons they do the things they do.

When Trishna and I were talking one of the things that we discussed was how increasingly difficult it becomes to make friends as you get older. At this point in my life I have had friends for so long and they know everything about me. The good, the bad, all the history and drama. Therefore the nice thing is you dont have to spend time getting people up to speed on your life. They get you and so when you say certain things or do certain things there's no explanation needed. The question becomes do I want to start investing in people or will people want to invest in me knowing that I'm here for a limited time? At the end of the day if I don't make a circle of friends here I know this experience won't be the same so I have to be willing to invest. Maybe I need to make a Cliff Notes version of my life.

Last (Wo)Man Standing

My mom left today so now it's just me. These last two weeks really flew by. I can't believe it's already September. I had mixed emotions about my mom leaving. Part of me was ready to be alone because it had been so long since I had "lived" with my mom. She was driving me bananas. Now I know why I moved out over 10 years ago and will never move back home. The other part of me knew I would miss her because it's so nice to have someone to come home to or someone to talk to or watch TV with. And I would be lying if I didn't say someone to cook for me :) Her and I had gotten into this routine over the week and it had felt nice. I promised myself I wouldn't cry when she left and I was okay until she started crying. For those of you who know my mom, she never cries. So , seeing her breakdown like that made me awful so I started to cry too. The poor driver who was taking my mom to the airport was quite uncomfortable. He was just hired to drive to the airport, not take care of two sobbing grown women on the corner of the street. I know she was crying because she would miss me and is worried about me being here alone. I kept telling her to stay strong and I would be fine. I'm more worried about her being alone then me. I have never been more than 2 hours away from my mom. We talk to each other everyday, I see her at least 2 or 3 times a month. That is what she used to and has relied on. That is all going to change now. I really want her to make a life for herself and be more social. I'm praying she doesn't get depressed and retract from the world. She's not the best at reaching out to people but I kept reminding her while she was with me in London she should call people and make plans when she gets back. I realize I can't force her to do this, it's utlimately up to her.

I thought I would feel weird being alone in my place but I don't, rather I feel a sense of calm. I have a feeling that will all change by tomorrow. It hasn't hit me that my mom's left. So friends, be prepared for some phone calls! I'm not riddled with plans for the weekend which is unfortutunate, but I am going to try and do my best to stay busy. Although, I do have plans to meet up with a friend of a friend for brunch tomorrow which I've very much looking foward to. My goal is to establish a friend circle as fast as possible. That's what I need to be happy so I gotta get to it!

A Familar Face

I realize I told the majority of you that I knew no one in London.. that wasn't entirely true. Turns out I know one person but before I tell you about him I need to give you all a little backstory.

Let's take a trip back in time to 1997 on my first day of classes at UC Santa Barbara. It was Day 1 of Economics 101- gag! I had just walked into this huge lecture hall on campus and I spot this cute guy in one of the rows so naturally I proceed to sit myself right in back of him. Cause you know the view was so great. Seriously, was I always this retarded when it came to guys???!! So I stare at the back of his head all through class cause I could care less about the theory of demand and supply. Two days later I'm walking into section for that class and whose sitting front and center but cute guy! I was ecstatic that he was in my section. I plopped down right next to him. All I remember from class that day was how smart he was.. cute and smart! I had found a winner :) Naturally, being the player I was I played dumb and told him how hard this econ stuff was and that I was going to need a study partner... and thus the relationship began. For the next two years cute guy, let's call him "V", and I began a great friendship which started with economics. I ended up having two boyfriends through college but V and I always had a close bond and I secretly had a crush on him. He would fill in for my boyfriends when I needed dates for my sorority functions, we would meet on campus for lunch, he would tell me about his girl problems, we would shamelessly flirt, it was the perfect friendship.

Fast forward three years.. "V" graduates college and moves to LA. By the way, he was two years younger than me. We end up hanging out post college quite a bit, hitting the club scene, etc... making out once.. ooops did i let that slip! Again, just friends but the school girl crush remained plus I had a boyfriend. The last time I heard from "V" he was off to Oxford to get his MBA. That was three years ago.

Now the present day.. I had found "V" on Linked In, that social networking site, so i reached out to him a couple of months ago hoping he might still be in the UK. Turns out he was, living and working in the city. We agreed to meet up once I had moved to town. Well, last night we finally did. You know when you're about to see someone you haven't seen for a long time the first thing you start wondering is do they look the same? Are they just as cute? Did they get fat and bald? Do I look fat and bald? Those thoughts were spinning through my head as I walked to meet him at the tube stop. Let me just say the man did not disappoint. Out walks this tan, dark haired slicked back, Hugo Boss suit wearing god! On the inside I was hyperventalating and naming our two kids, on the outside I was as cool as a cucumber. We walked to a bar and proceeded to catch up for three hours. It was so nice seeing a familar face in a new town. I immediately felt like I belonged. It was also great to hear about his experiences when he first moved to London and how they were so similar to what I was going through. It was nice to hear the shin splits and the back aches I was feeling were not my old age but signs of walking around so much. During the course of the conversation the topic of our love lives emerges. I tell the depressing tale of being single, J/K! and he casually mentions he has a girlfriend whose not in London. I immediately try to figure out a way to sabotage the relationship. J/K, not really.. Turns out his girlfriend lives in Turkey and is some hot model/buyer for Harvey Nichols. Just my luck! Who the hell can compete with that? Anyhow the night ends with him asking me to go to dinner the next night which I can't cause moms is still in town so we make plans for early next week. He's already agreed to introduce me to his friends, we've talked about traveling Europe together, going to his favorite rests, etc.. Basically we're right back where we started, great friends who are shamelessly flirting. Except this time he has the girlfriend and I'm single... Let's see what the future holds.

Sorry for the long post, but I thought it was too good to cut short. I will say last night was my first night going out to a bar in London and it was fabalous! I think I'm going to be very happy here :)

Housing Update

Sorry, the posts have been so far and few between.. The last couple of days have been hectic with my sister leaving and figuring out my housing situation. Last time I posted I had my heart set on a cute flat in Marleybone and had actually won the bidding war. The place was as good as mine. Not so fast, between then and now one of my co-workers who is getting married this weekend offered me her place for rent. She decided that it was best that she and her husband should move to the country but she was keen on keeping her flat in the city. Even though my heart was set on the flat in Mareleybone I figured I would go check her place out, it couldn't hurt. Boy was I wrong, it hurt quite a bit... Her place was perfect. Awesome neighborhood, great commute to work, she had recently re-done her kitchen and bathroom, and the biggest plus of all was the boatload of closet space!! Let's not forgot the 1000 pounds I would be saving living at her place. She was willing to charge me nothing. However, since I had won the bidding war on the other place I was asked to put down a deposit for one week's rent then and there. So, now I had money on the line and my word to this landlord. On top of that, turns out my co-workers place wasn't available until November 20th. I was so confused!!!

I had to discuss all these details with my HR director and realtor. After numerous phone calls, several negotiations, and losing out one week's rent I've finally found a home. My permanent residence will be in Chelsea- my co-workers flat. I've come full circle. For now I am still living in my corporate apartment in Chelsea and will be moving out in two weeks to another permanent apt for 2 months until I can move into my flat. I can't wait until I have a home. Living out of suitcases gets old.

Other then that, I've been shopping, unfortunately not for clothes, but for electronics, I went to a pub today and had fish and chips (delicious!), and my mom and I hit a huge museum. I plan on hitting the town tonight, I know, it took me long enough!!! Let's hope it makes more a great post tomorrow.

Today I was a Tourist!

Even though I'm offically trying to blend in with the locals I was convinced to go sightseeing today. London has a lot to offer in the way of tourists attraction so my mom, sister and I decided to hit them all in one day. My sisters friends Sarah who lives here was our tour guide. It was another gorgeous day in the city if you can believe that, at times I was sweating! I know this isn't going to last long but I'm getting used to the nice weather. I'm sure it will rain eventually....

We took a bus (that's my prefered method of travel by the way) to Picaddilly Circus, which is essentially the Times Square of London. It was bustling and loud just like Times Sqaure. Shops and cafes galore, not much else. From here we walked through a beautiful park, London is full of parks, towards Buckingham Palace. Although the palace was beautiful I was a little underwhelmed by it. I think I was expecting something much more grander and majestic based on what I had seen on T.V and in movies. Don't get me wrong it was really pretty just not what I expected. From the palace we went to Trafalagar Square. There was a festival for disabled people being held in the square so it was complete chaos. We took a couple of pictures and headed to the London Eye. This was my favorite part of the journey. We walked across a bridge with the Thames River underneath us towards the Eye. On both sides of the bridge were skyline views of different parts of London. There were loads of people out lounging on the grass or walking along the river. It was very much like Venice. Street vendors, people playing guitars, people dressed up, etc.. The London Eye was spectacular! The line was way too long though so after a brief rest, we decided to keep walking. We crossed the river again, this time on a different bridge and visited Big Ben and the Parliament House. Our last stop was Westiminster Abbey. I can't even describe this building in words. It's breathtaking.

At this point I thought my legs were going to fall off and we had seen every top attraction so we hopped on another bus and rode home. All in all a great day as a tourist. Now it's time for me to find some local hangouts!

London Observations Week 1

Having been here almost a week now I have made some interesting, albeit early, observations regarding this city.

1. Everyone here is fit (aka skinny). I haven't seen one overweight person and it's probably because you have to walk a gazllion miles to get anywhere

2. The "fashion do" right now is tights underneath shorts.. so000, not for me but these girls pull it off quiet well.

3. I thought we were a texting nation, these Brits are crazy for it- they just don't stop! People are texting as they walk, as they ride the bus, as they sit in a bar, etc.. You get the idea.

4. Supermarkets here are marketing masters... they make celery look sexy.

5. Speaking of supermarkets, only here can you buy your underwear and milk in the same store. Can you imagine going to Ralphs and picking out a bra to go with your Cheerios?

6. Big Brother is on TV 24/7.. you can even get a live feed streaming straight to your cell phone. It's a sick addiction apparentely.

7. The water here is nasty, it tastes like chalk. Thank god for Evian!!

8. They better have TIVO here, the amount of commercials in between programs is ridicolous! And it's the same ones over and over again for hours and hours. I can act them out if you'd like.

9. I haven't seen a single SUV yet.. just lots of Puegots..

10. They don't believe in cold beverages. No ice with your water (that i knew), soda in machines is lukewarm, fridges don't get your milk cold enough.

Watch in three months none of this will even phase me.. or at least I hope it won't!

Home Sweet Home! (Maybe)

I put an offer on a place today, I'm so excited. I know it sounds so official but even when renting they require you put in an official offer. After looking at a ton of places all day today and yesterday, it turns out the very last one I saw, was the one! Of course.. The last two days I was sure I would end up in Chelsea, since I fell in love with it from day one (the fact that my temporary accomodations are here I'm sure played a role). I could see myself walking around the town, I loved the shopping, the people, the vibe. But then I happened on a village today called Marlyebone. It's in Central London and has a very village like feel. There's your local deli, local cheese shop, and even your local butcher. But then around the other corner is a Starbucks and tons of brand name shops and boutiques! It basically has it all. The place I found is the perfect mix between the classic London looking flat on the outside but completely modern on the inside. It's a 2 bedroom (see, I thought about all you people coming to visit me) and 1 bath. The commute to work is doable and it turns out one of my co-workers lives in the same neighborhood. So keep your fingers crossed that the realtor accepts my offer and if so I'll put up pics soon so you can see my fabulous new digs!

P.S. There are so many hot guys here!!! To bad my mom is ruining my game!

P.P.S. I miss everyone so much!!!

Say it with me people, 8 hour difference!

Ok i love all of my friends for calling but the 3 am wake up calls are starting to become all to frequent!! I'm not saying don't call but let's try around 9 am. your time from now on :)

First 48 Hours!

My mom and I arrived safely on Sunday afternoon in London. The flight was a piece of a cake. I had never flown business class before and it was quite the treat. My seat actually turned down into a bed.. I slept most of the flight (an ambien and two glasses of wine will do that to you!)

First impressions of London are it's huge, majestic, culturally diverse and amazing!! The moment we started driving into the city I could tell I was going to love it. So many cute neighborhoods, people walking everywhere, and it didn't hurt that the sun was shining and it was 75 degrees! I guess I brought the So Cal weather with me.

We had a bit of adventure getting the keys to my flat. No one was around to help us get in, I guess they forgot I was coming,. So my mom, our driver and I sat on the street for a good hour trying to figure out what to do. Finally, someone walked by and happened to be entering the building and let us in. I was able to call the management company and have them locate the keys. My temporary accomodations are cozy and in a great area. I've attached a picture of the outside. I am a stones throw away from sloane square, the main drag in Chelsea. It's filled with amazing shops, restaurants, cafes, etc.. I have a feeling I am going to go broke here, the fashion is to die for!!

After we caught up on much needed sleep today was spent sightseeing. The weather is still holding up so we thought we would head out to Hyde Park. It's very similar to Central Park, only bigger if you can imagine that! But before going to the park I insisted we go to Harrod's. I was blown away. This has got to be the mecca of department stores. Not only was the food court insane, and the merchandise top notch, but inside the store is a memorial for Princess Diana and her late boyfriend (he was the owner of Harrod's). It was a very memorable experience. We then took the tube, which I will admit was a bit overwhelming, to High Street Kensington. It's kind of like the Downtown of London. Great shops, lots of hustle and bustle, and a gigantic Whole Foods! They're not kidding when they call it Whole Paycheck, I went a little crazy in there. It did make me miss home though.

Tomorrow I stop by KFC offices for a quick introduction to the new team and then my mom and I are off with the realtor to go house hunting. I hope I find something soon.

I'd say the first 48 hours have been a success and an adventure.

T Minus 2 Days!

Wow, I'm really leaving California in 2 days. It still hasn't hit me and I don't think it will until I get on the plane and land at Heathrow. Today is my last day of work, I can't believe it. This place has been my second home. I have such mixed emotions as I think about leaving Taco Bell. It's been an amazing ride but deep down inside I know there is something else out there for me. I can't wait to find out what it is!!!???

I can't believe I'm doing this...

I mean the blog not moving to London.. well actually maybe that too. Since so many of my friends and family have requested that they be kept in the loop on my new adventure I figured what better to communicate with tons of people all at once then a blog! It's all the rage right, everyone's doing it... and even my mom can figure out to use it :) I promise to keep this updated as much as possible and include photos when available.

Cheers!