The Tale of Galavanting around London

I'm back!

Well, I didn't really go anywhere. I'm still in London.. it has just been busy! Plus, my laptop has been "getting worked on" at the apple store since last tuesday. The good news is I finally have it back, but the bad news is I have to take it back to the apple store again because one of my speakers does not work. It's like a vicious cycle of repairs. 

I honestly doubt I can remember what all I have done or has happened to me since I last documented. My internship is continuing to go extremely well! In fact, I designed a supplement for this weeks issue that is going to be going out tomorrow (and my name is in it under "designer"!) Needless to say, I am excited!

Mom and dad and Dan arrived in London last Sunday! Unfortunately I have not been able to see the sights too much with them because of work, but it's been fun so far. At the end of their very first meal in London, we received the bill (and by "we" I of course mean "dad") to which mom said, "Is that in American dollars? It looks like it." ay ay ay.....haha Since then they have been keeping themselves extremely busy taking tours of London, Stonehenge, Bath, Windsor Castle, Ghost Tours, etc... I have been meeting them everyday after work and we have been trying out some different restaurants. So far we have had a traditional pub/tavern by the London Eye and Parliament, a Portuguese place up the street from where I live, some great Chinese in China Town after an 8:00 show of Spamalot, and TONIGHT, oh man, tonight was great....we went to the Texas Embassy and I had many "1st's" while in London. AKA a little drink I like to call a "Margherita", also Chips and Salsa, and a chicken fajita. A little taste of home was just what I wanted. After dinner tonight we went to Gordon's Wine Bar (AMAZING). It is an OLD wine cellar and part of it is only lit by candlelight and looks like you are sitting in a cave. It was really really cool and I can't wait to go back. Props to the family for finding it on their walking tour the other day! Tomorrow I got off of work, so we are going to go to tea at Kensington Palace, then maybe to Oxford Street for a little bit, and then attempt Wimbledon (dream come true! Well, other than getting to play). Photos to come!

Last week I went to see the musical Wicked with a few girls and it was an experience that left us singing the rest of the day. I highly recommend it! And Spamalot too...both were hilarious and had great songs. 

Today at work my boss, when referring to a design layout, said, "I like it a-lot" just like in Dumb and Dumber and it was hilarious. If you don't know what I am talking about, ask a friend. The funny part was hearing a Brit quote something from Dumb and Dumber. 

Also today, Caroline, Marylyn, and I were riding the tube home when we saw an unfortunate and definitely preventable incident. A man got his head slammed in the doors of the tube. It was one of those things where we saw that he was standing too close to the edge of the train, but all we could do (collectively) is think in our heads, "Is this guy an idiot? Does he not know that his head is going to get hit by the automatic closing doors?" And sure enough, that's what happened. Caroline and I looked at each other and had to hold in laughter (the man was fine...I'm sure he learned his lesson and was quite embarrassed). 

I found this GREAT GREAT GREAT Gelato place in South Kensington called Odonnos (not sure if that spelling is correct..). The cookies and cream is amazing. CONFESSION! I went there two days in a row last week, and then maybe one other time a few days before that. Italy is going to be BAD for my ice cream weakness I have a feeling. 

Hey! speaking of grand ol Italia....Lauren and I booked it! Day by day by day we are getting closer to having everything booked. We like to plan in steps. But these things are final: We are flying to Rome on tuesday (yes...as in THIS coming tuesday!), staying in Rome for 2 nights and seeing all the oldies that need to be seen. Then we are taking a train (yet to be booked) to Naples, and hopping on a bus (we were told we need to do this very quickly because apparently the mob is leaving trash everywhere in Naples? Or something like that). Anyway, hop on a bus to Sorrento on the Amalfi Coast for 3 nights and then fly back to London on Sunday. The weather is supposed to be HOT HOT HOT and no rain!! Thank you Lord. Oh we are just so excited. 

This saturday is also going to be the concert of the year for sure for me. I am going to get to see eric clapton, john mayer, sheryl crow, jason mraz, robert randolph, and others in Hyde Park for an all day event! Supposedly there is a beer garden and vendors. Mix in a few flatmates and sunshine, who could ask for a better London day?

I am having trouble remembering everything, so I must apologize for that. My mind has grown weary in my old age of almost 22 (Yeah...the countdown has begun). My mom got me a plethora of birthday cards, all labeled by date of when I can open them, beginning with July 11th. I'm pretty pumped. 

Pure example of my forgetfulness: I asked my boss the other day if he wanted a coffee or anything from the Cafe because I was going to go buy a "macha". He said "Yeah, that would be great, I'll have a white americano" and gave me 50 pents. When I got to the counter I was flustered..."Do I buy the black americano? the white americano? i think he said black. he said coffee right? Yeah, I think it was black americano." (Ok, side note: I was not talking to myself. I was saying these things to Caroline). When I gave it to him I said, "So what did you want again?" He said, "whiteamericano" (typed in one word on purpose because of the fast talk). I said "ooooo......can you put milk in this? It's black. I have a bad memory, sorry!"

Also, whenever we have stores in America that we need to phone, he has me do it. Until this last time, he was like, "No, I'll call New York and you call London. They love my accent". 

Bottom line: Work is great, i love it. London is fabulous, I really love it. I'm still working on that accent. And it's nice to have some familiar faces in town for the week, and maybe I'll even get to go to Berlin in a few weeks to visit Dan.

Recap:

-I wish laptops could fix themselves. Or I could fix them.

-I'm a designer. 

-Check out "Asos.com", it's a sweet fashion website. My boss showed me some nice jean shorts today on it, and then you can click a button and see a catwalk with a girl wearing the jean shorts. they were cuffed. 

-FAMILY!

-BUSY!

-If you are stupid enough to stand close enough to the tube doors that your head gets slammed by them, than you probably deserve it. As long as you aren't injured bad, real bad. 

-Oh how I love ice cream

-I don't remember anything I just wrote. (Just kidding...my memory isn't THAT bad). 

-So you want a black americano, right?

I miss you all so much! See you in a  few weeks!

Cheers!

-Christy