London-bound

Monday, September 01, 2003

September 1, 2003…I feel like I am doing MTV’s “Diary”. So much to do in two days. It still hasnt set in yet…well, it is starting. It’s hard to say goodbye to a summer that was actually good and drama-free! Ah, but alas, everything must eventually come to an end for something else to begin. So I have too much to pack. And I dont want to take half my wardobe, because I know I will just buy more stuff once I am out there. But what do I take and what do I leave behind? IT’S SO HARD! I feel like a dodgeball captain, trying to figure out who will outlast the others. Do I take the gym shoes that will last longer, or the ones that look the cutest?? And is this all I am worried about? (wouldnt that be nice for a change?) Seeing as it is only 4:15 pm…I should start packing. Cheers for now!

Mixed Emotions

Wednesday, September 03, 2003

I am sitting here, an hour before I have to leave for the airport, and I am a mix of emotions. Staring at these beautiful roses, looking at the room around me, I cant help but feel lucky. I have had one, if not the, best summer of my life…which is unusual for me, seeing as most summers are filled with drama angst. I am anxious about leaving for another world..literally, but excited. I am scared to leave my comfort zone of Chicago. It has helped me realize how much I love it here, and wonderful it is to be able to still come home and feel that way…so, even though I must say goodbye to a wonderful summer, I cant help but smile at how great it has been, and all the wonderful memories I have of it. And how many memories I will have from London. I knwo the first couple of days of confusion will be rough, but I am looking forward to starting yet another chapter of my already crazy life! The next time I write, I will be in London! Cheers for now!

Getting to London

Sunday, September 07, 2003

Well, top of the morning to you all! I am finally in jolly old London, and finally gave in and paid the pound to get some computer face time at the internet cafe…it only took three days!! So much to tell, so little time…So I arrived on Thursday morning, after a long flight, to London…we were taken to the flats, which are unbelievable…they were supposed to have housed us in Clerkenwell, a good 15-20 minute walk from our school, but they ended up putting us up in flats that are literally two minutes away in a great little area called Bloomsbury. Across our street is a famous writer’s club called the Penn Club, so the area is quite nice. I lucked out and got flat B with Jen and Faralyn, both of my good friends, and we ended up not having to lug our overly stuffed bags up the stairs…where everyone else is living. It is a flat consisting of four apts…and its fabulous. The place looks like an IKEA catalog, and although we only get five BBC channels (complete with Murder She Wrote and Columbo reruns) I dont think I will have much time for TV because…I’M IN LONDON!

The first night we busted a move at this little tiny pub that became our party central. They were playing BonJovi and Beyonce, and it was just a great time. The pubs around here close at 11:00, but then the clubs start opening up. They ended up locking us in the pub until 1am, where we then journeyed to a nearby club filled with all sorts of boys…but no British ones! Wasnt that the whole point of the journey? (J/K G) My boycrazy comrades all made out with someone from Europe, but alas, no Brits It was a grand time though.

We have had some walking tours and coach tours…today we saw the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. I am excited for the Rhetoric of London class because it is based on everything in London, so we will be travelling around instead of having class…which is so easy here using the Tube (the subway). We have mostly walked around and I swear I will lose at least 10 pounds by the time I come back to the States…we walk everywhere, and although I miss my baby Celica, I am glad for the change of pace…I havent shopped yet, that is tomorrow…I am trying to pace myself! But the london fashion out here is incredable…I absolutly love it! And the British men really know how to wear their jeans! I have no idea why, but it is true. Its only the third day here, but I feel like I have been here forever! I am loving it, and I am just excited about everything, which is great, because I havent been this excited about school since I started college way back in 1999…so, its just been great.

I have a schedule that I love (Tues 2-5pm, Wed 10-5pm, Thurs 10-5), so I think I may be travelling to Italy and Germany and Scotland soon…that I cannot wait for. The only complaint is that I havent gotten any mail (hint, hint) and that things are two times as much here…but alas, i would rather be in debt now and enjoy myself than the other way around…We are going to visit the Baths and Stonehenge, and then Paris in November…in-between are are seeing shows at the Globe and musicals in the West End…and I have even eaten the Weetabix cereal, and its not bad! I still have yet to venture into clotted cream, but that is another story…I have taken up drinking tea in the morning, and so far, so good! I have stayed away from pub food as much as I can, but not away from the pub beer! That and the Cadbury chocolate out here are going to be the end of me…

So that is all for now, I will write more when I can…the student internet is going to be open 24 hours, so catch me online when you can! Email me if you want my schedule, otherwise, keep checking back for more stories!

Cherrio for now! -LondonChik

Clubbin’ in London

Tuesday, September 09, 2003

Well, its 3:24 am on Tuesday morning, and I find myself at the computer lab at the school with Jen. We just came back from yet another club in London, and man, am I tired of dancing until the wee hours of the morning…yeah right It was a club in Piccadilly Circus called Tiger, Tiger, and the DJ did NOT know how to spin…but it was still fun jamming on the dance floor with my crew, and checking out all the hot British men…I spotted a few fellows sittin in the corner and invited them to dance…turns out, they were gay! I know how to pick them, dont I?? But it was still fun. I did some damage on the shopping end…shopping from 11am-6pm, then clubbing from 9pm til 2am…I dont know if I can keep up with this lifestyle! But it has been so much fun…although reality strikes tomorrow, as I have classes! AHH!! So, I will let you know what happens next in the continuing adventures of the Chik!!

My website is pretty screwed up, so you might not be able to see all the pictures I am trying to upload…hopefully you will see some..they are awesome!

And Trish…get your ass out to London!

Thats all for now folks. I am actually starting to get tired

Cheers for now!-LondonChik

Sightseeing London

Wednesday, September 10, 2003

Ok, so I just experienced London weather…not bad, started out a mild autumn sweater weather, and quickly turned into COLD! I had class today with my first British professor from Oxford in my Rhetoric of London class. Its mostly about the history of London and whatnot, and was interesting if it wasnt for the fact that most of us didnt get to bed before 2am, so we were all falling asleep to his powerpoint…but the class itself should be good, nevermind the text is 1,000 pages long! Then we went on a field trip all around London…today was to St. Paul’s Catherdral, walked across the Millenium Bridge (the one that closed when it started swaying because too many people were on it!), and finally the London eye, a kind of enclosed ferris wheel where you can see all of London (or lose your lunch..which thankfully, I did not St. Paul’s Catherdral was beautiful as usual… but this was the third time I have seen it, so it wasnt that exciting…but I am still in awe that someone built that thing! Actually, it was the first time that I climbed the 550 steps to the top of the dome…only to almost lose my lunch at the top! The windy staircases and narrow (I am talking about a 2 foot passageway) didnt help much, but man, did my bum burn!!!! (Like the fact that I am using British lingo now? So, after my bun toning, and having vertigo on the way down the steps, we walked across the Millieum Bridge, which was cool because I never got to do that, but it was cold! We walked along the river, and got to the British Airways London Eye, where enclosed capsules take you up way too high for way too long..but it was fun and I got some good piuctures…I just forgot NOT to look down…so besides a quezy stomach and people playing by the doors that say DO NOT LEAN ON THESE DOORS! I was all good. Now I am back home, and am probably going to relax tonight. I have yet to get a spiral or any sort of supplies resembeling school, partly because I cant find any, and partly because it is freezing outside and I dont want to walk Tomorrow we are going to see a production of Taming of the Shrew at, get this, the Globe Theatre…the actually theatre where Shakespeares plays were performed!!! I am sooo excited…even though we have tickets in the standing trough, and it is at night, and it is outdoors…so even though I will probably be tired, wont see a thing, and freezing cold, I will have a smile on my face:):)

Hope y’all are doing well. Email me or better yet, send carepackages full of food and FEBREEZE!!! The one thing about Europeans…even when their cigerrette pack reads “Will cause harmful death”, they still smoke!!!! I am too lazy to do laundry, and all my clothes smell! So, if u are thinking about sending a package (which I know you all are!) send me a febreeze

Cheers for now! -LondonChik

Lounging in London

Sunday, September 14, 2003

hey all-it’s been a while since I have written, and, of course, so much has happened! Thursday night we all went to see an all women show of Taming of the Shrew at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. It was rather cool, well, until we realized we had ‘lawn’ tickets which meant we had to stand for it all…that would have been fine had I not worn the 3 inch heels I thought would help me see better, which actually made me see less, and then made my feet hurt. The production was ok, although I like shakespeare, this production was nothing special. there was a really good actress, but the rest was meadiocre…plus I could hardly understand what they were saying admist their thick accents…but alas, it was an adventure!

That night I think we all stayed in, I actually dont remember…must’ve been good…:)

Friday I spent all day lounging around and walking around London with Jen (my roommate) and just seeing what was going on in our hometown Friday night we went out AGAIN to a club…I CANNOT keep up with this group! But I did end up dancing on a bar, showing up some New York girls who thought they owned the place…psh! Yeah right! Not when I know all the dance moves to the Christina Aguliera mix! We partied until I couldnt party anymore, and went home.

Saturday we just lounged around really. I was feeling under the weather, so we all walked around Portabello Road in Notting Hill…its an outdoor market with goods and fruit…looks nothing like the movie…but speaking of movies, since I have been here, I have seen more celebrities and more fights than I have seen in LA. Case and Point: We saw Minnie Driver at Portabello Road, Jiles (from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) at the pub we frequent, and Rupert Everrett the first day we got here. I have also been witnessed to a nasty bloody head banging at portbello road with mobs of people (I do NOT do mob scenes), where they guy ended up bloody, and the women ended up screaming…and a traditional Irish fistfight outside a pub on Friday…I was never in danger (ok mom? but saw it from afar…but come on! Celebrities and violence? Dont I get enough of that at home?

Today we went to Camden Market, notorious for punk rock and fetish boot…along with a guy selling homemade ‘brownies’ on the side of the road…it was a nice market though, but I will definitly be buying my shoes from Covent Garden if u know what I mean…next weekend, I am planning a trip with a few girls to Brussels, Belgium for some chocolate, some waffles, and maybe a day trip up to Amsterdam! Why Brussels, you say? Becuaase it was only $35 roundtrip! And the hostel (private room) we have is only $20 making the grand total for my first official trip outside of London to a whopping $55!!! Can you believe it? If only Italy were like that….

thats all for now. Catch up with y’all later! Cheers for now-LondonChik

Buckingham Palace

Wednesday, September 17, 2003

It is a heat wave in London, folks! Just got back from the annual wednesday tour of london…we went to Buckingham Palace to see the state rooms…which closes in two weeks, so we were lucky! I saw a Remembrant! What is that? It was amazing, these rooms were huge and stately, and filled with gold, and silver, and original paintings and sculptures, and grand hallways, and stairways…it was a sight to see…I just could not imagine living in such a place…it seemed a fairy tale, none of the gold or sculptures looked real…but they were! this one table made out of porcelin took 7 years to make!!!! They also showed some secret passageways into the rooms that the queen used. It was a sight to see. it was nice to journey into the rooms instead of just looking on the outside. Very cool. I got myself a shotglass to mark the occasion

I also saw fame the other night. Mediocre singing and dancing, and a lot of Brits and Irishman who could not carry the NY accent…it sucks being hyper-critical because you just know you could do 10 times better…but whatever. i know london has better theatre somewhere…

It is 80 degrees outside and I brought no flipflops or short skirts…I am just going to have to go buy some!