Happy Christmas everyone!!! Gosh, wasnt it just Christmas last year and I was in Lithuania?! Its hard to believe that two Christmases have gone by since I’ve been back home in the U S of A.
This Christmas is a bit quite for me this year, first time I’ve spent it alone! It sounds like a pathetic story, but so far its a nice, quite relaxing day. I’m currently listening to some festive music and have just had a delicious mug of hot chocolate and marshmellows, complete with a Tim Tam (an Australian cookie you use as a straw for hot drinks). I’m all geared up for a day of relaxing and watching Christmas movies…. Elf, The Polar Express, and Home Along (appropriate I thought?!) are all on the line up! I seriously havnt just relaxed and not left the house for an entire day since before my mom came… so August?! All the buses, trains, and tubes arent running today anyways, so I’m forced to stay in which is fine.I need therest! I went to sleep at 9:45pm last night and didnt get up until 8am!!! That is nothing short of a Christmas miracle for me.
But perhaps some reviews on my past month since I last posted?? Alright, sounds good. The majority of the rest of November was spent busily working on projects for work. I love to be busy! I really like the office, so I dont mind spending all the extra time there. Its so friendly and homey. Being an editor is fabulous so far, I absolutely love it. Straight up. Finally get to get the creative juices flowing…and i love tackling all the new challanges, whether thats technically, creatively, or dealing with clients. Anyways, those weeks were sprinkled with a few fun activities here and there. Some friends of mine at work and I have started a monthly visit to My Old Dutch once a month for their £5 Monday Madness pancakes. Americans would call them crepes… but oh man are they amazing! Words can not describe. They are the size of a hub-cap and they have the most amazing flavours, savory or sweet. One guy called it a religious experience, another said she experienced first hand that scene in Ratatouille where they visually animate the sensations of the tastebud’s experiences. I’ve been three times now – irs brilliant! And just a fun evening out after work.
At My Old Dutch with my “Amsterdammer” Pancake
Speaking of food, for thanksgiving my American friend at work and I went to Subway for lunch and got Turkey subs. She made a pumpkin pie and I made a chocolate chip pecan pie and we brought those in on the Friday. Then on Saturday I went to her Aunt’s thanksgiving dinner she put on for 40 people. She prepped the main dishes, then the rest was potluck style. I spent 5 hours that morning making 40 handmade rolls… but dang they turned out good if i do say so myself. The dinner was fun, a bit impersonable as it was held at a school her aunt works for to accomodate all the people, so it didnt have that cozy thanksgiving feel. But still good fun and lots of yummy food!
One night two friends and I went to be audience members for the taping of The Graham Norton Show, which is a late night talk show here similar to Conan OBrien or Jay Leno. Format is a bit different (all the guests are on the couch with Graham for the whole show, which makes for interesting dialogue). The guests that night were Jimmy Carr, Catherine Tate, and 50 Cent. Then Graham Norton himself is very, very camp. So bascially it was hilarious. And never in a million years did I think I’d ever see 50 perform live. It was my first time to attented the taping of a talk show and i really enjoy it – interesting to see how they do it! Here is a link to the episode if you’re interested: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xntv7uqdy8I&feature=related
On a Friday night early in December a group of 10 or so of us went ice skating at Somerset House in central London, which is one of the more famous places to skate in the city. Its actually put on by Tiffany & Co. I’ve never been ice skating outside before. There was a huge Christmas tree, and a live DJ playing songs, and the rink was surrounded by beautiful old building. Very Picturesque! (click here for a photo)
The highight of the season though was when my cousin Zach arrived on December 11th to visit me! He stayed until the 22nd. It was so great to see him and I had a lot of fun showing him around! Hanging out with him reminds me of home so much – and makes me miss it and my family even more! He arrived on a Friday and I went and picked him up at Heathrow. I brought him back to my place, got him some food and bedding, then let him sleep! He was out by 5:45pm when I left to go to my Company’s Christmas Party. That was a good night as well… they go all out! We hired out a venue in west London and had a reception of mulled wine and canapes, followed by a posh dinner (i chose the traditional christmas roast dinner), then a fancy dessert (I went with the blueberry creme brulee). After that was dancing! It was fancy too, everyone in suit and ties and cocktail dresses.
Saturday morning started Zach and my tourist marathon. First I showed him the London Eye, Southbank, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and Buckingham Palace. After that we journeyed to St Pauls Cathedral and climbed all the way to the very top for the panoramic view of the city. Then we ventured to China Town and had the BEST Dim Sum of my life. It is quickly becoming my favourite food. This was a creme custard kind with the fluffy sticky bun outside. Heaven! It was like a cinnabon without the cinnamon. I got some really good noodle soup too unlike any I’ve had before. It was authentic thats for sure! The waiters didnt speak much english and wrote everything down in Chinese characters. After that we wandered around Oxford street and did a bit of Christmas shopping. The Christmas street lights are up which are always pretty, we went and saw this years display on Carnaby street too. Next we made our way to the Comedy Store where we queued outside in the cold for 1.25 hours to get tickets to that night’s show. We easily got in and placed ourselves in the 2nd row for that evening’s Stand Up comedy. I’d been twice before, and its always brilliant. SO funny. Its pretty famous, lots of people got their start there, such as Robin Williams. We sampled the ciders for an hour and a half until the show at 8pm. Big shocker that Zach was that guy who shouts out very loudly when they ask if anyone is from overseas. The comedian singled him out and lets just say he didnt make too many friends that night, lol.
Zach and I with Big Ben
On Sunday we started in Trafalgar Square where we had to get our photos on one of the lions. Those suckers are NOT small. I failed misserably when my mom was here to get up on one. And this time I needed a boost from Zach – but I made it! I’ll give him the satisfaction of saying that he did get up all on his own (well done Zach), and I have a video to prove it. Then for some reason next we went and queued in the massive line to get into Hamleys, the world famous Toy store thats been open 250 years. Its a madhouse, like something out of the movie Jingle All The Way. When we went by Saturday night and you had to queue to get in, and they closed off part of the road to accomodate the overflow of people. So we went in to check out what all the hype was right when they opened Sunday morning. It was pretty neat! Bit of nostalgia going through the floors of toys. We continued with a bit more christmas shopping, and made a trip to Selfridges which I had never been to (another famous department store thats not quite Harrods, but along the same lines). Regardless, their yearly Christmas window displays which span the length of the store (a very large block) are always interesting to look at! We also stopped to buy and eat some Chesnuts from a street vender that were roasting on an open fire. I’ve never had them! Very delicious, and nothing like i expected. After a light lunch we went to Hyde Park to visit the Winter Wonderland fair that goes on every year. I went last year, but it seemed a bit bigger this time! Theres tons to wander around and look at, a German Bavarian village with all sorts of food and drinks and crafts. Hot bevarages are a plenty, including mulled wine, hot toddys, and hot chocolate and rum. Theres ice skating and rides as well, and of course lots of pretty lights! It was good fun. When we got home I made Zach some Winter Pimms (they werent selling it this year in Hyde Park), which he loved… I forgot how good it was! A nice warm treat.
On a Trafalgar Square Lion
Monday evening after work Zach and I just hung out, watched some Family Guy, and I made some of the loose cinnamon tea I bought in Turkey back in June but have never tried. It was a nice relaxing evening. During the day Zach had ventured to see Stonehenge all buy himself! He made me proud! I figured he traveled with me in Costa Rica, Egypt, and Jordan… I thought i’d trained him well, and apparently I did! Tues-Thurs he went up to Edinburgh all by himself and stayed in a hostel there. He went hiking in the highlands which sounds like it was quite the picturesque adventure! He even went to a pub with some guys he met in the hostel. On ThursdayI guess there was a freak snow storm when he was visiting the castle in Edinburgh, and they made everyone leave (with a refund luckily!) So he came back to London a bit early and came out to dinner with myself, Lina, and Carey and her Mom who were passing through london on their way to Tunisia for Christmas. We had some delicious Turkish food. Then Friday of that week Zach met up with me at a pub near my work where everyone came for a colleague’s ‘goodbye drinks’ since she was leaving the company after 3 years. This was Zach’s true pub experience with the English! After an epic battle with public transport and the freezing cold tempuratures afterwards, we got a good nights rest for the weekend’s activities ahead.
Saturday began with a trip to Greenwich Park which was quite pretty in the moring sun and dusting of snow. Here we visited the Royal Observatory and a did a Planitarium show that included a bit on the Christmas star. Here we also got to visit the Prime Meridian, or the “center of time and space” as the plaque reads! Its the line where all of the earths clocks and spacial coordinates are based off of. Next we made our way to Harrods to revel in the amazing scale of everything. Man was it bustlin’ with Christmas shopping madness! We had Afternoon Tea and Scones in the very lush and posh Georgian Restaurant. We were seated out on the indoor balcony with a window view of the sun setting over the London landscape. If that, combined that with the tea and fancy restaurnt, wasnt the most quintessentially British experience/setting, I dont know what is. This all took a large chunk of the day, after which we headed home for a fun movie night complete with Pimms.
At the Prime Meridian, “center of space and time”
On Sunday we got up and went out to get Zach a Traditional English Breakfast. This even included some infamous Black Pudding (type of sausage made by cooking blood or dried blood with a filler until it is thick enough to congeal when cooled), which I ventured to try! The lingering iron/metallic flavour doesnt make for the most pleasant aftertaste. Next we went and climbed The Monument for a nice 360 view of London in the beautiful sunny (but very cold) weather. We made our way to the theatre to then see Stomp. I have never seen it, but always wanted to. It was SOOOO good! I could watch that stuff all day. Zach really liked it too! (it was even his idea to go!) He said it was way better than the video. They advertised it as new and faster and funnier… I dont know what it was like before but this was great! Sure makes me miss tap dancing. Next we stopped back in China town for some stuffed lettuce leaves and very authentic Bubble Tea which was fabulous. Next it was time to brave the bitter cold and join the queue again for over an hour to get into The Comedy Store, this time to see Improv. I’ve never seen it there, and luckily it didnt dissapoint! The things they come up with are rediculously impressive.
Christmas on Regent Street
Monday after work Zach and I met for one last meal at My Old Dutch. I finally tried a sweet pancake with bananas, chocolate sauce, and ice cream which rocked my world. Zach had the asparagus with cheese and some sort of pesto which was also amazing (you just cant loose with that place!). We went back home, packed up, then hung out a bit more until it was time for bed. He left Tuesday afternoon – so sad! I got home that night and was sad when I walked in and there was no Zach there on the couch to say hello to! I really enjoyed his visit, it was so great to catch up and hang out and show him where I’ve been living for the past year and a half.
The last two weeks of work have been a bit slow unfortunately, as the Christmas rush is over and projects are scarce (ie non existant) as clients are all off enjoying the holidays. Unfortuantely January is doomed to be quite as well! So the days will drag. But I have february to look forward to! Woo! It snowed one day in london for a few hours which was so pretty! It influenced my team and I to dawn our festive hats for the afternoon! Here is a picture of us at our desks at work (a bit like working at Pixar maybe?!):
My Team at in the office and at the Christmas party
After completing a very slow week at work, they let us leave at 1:45pm on Christmas Eve. I went to Subway and got the Chicken-Stuffing-Cranberry Sauce – Gravy sub on Honey Oat for my Christmas Eve dinner. Surprisingly good! Later last night I went to a concert at the Royal Albert Hall called Carols By Candle Light. It was pretty neat… the orchestra were all dressed in white wigs with the frilly suits, and the singers were in just as fancy gowns. The Hall it self was absolutely stunning (see a picture outside and inside). The music was very pretty, and they even handed out sheets with all the lyrics on it to follow along!
Well, I hope everyone out there has a wonderful, jolly, and festive Christmas! I’m thinking of you all today. Seattle is in less than 6 weeks, cant wait to see everyone!
