Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Thursday 7 March - To the USA!






Current location, Somewhere over the sea
11.11am, On a plane (thank goodness!). I was sitting next to Rianne, who was sitting next to Andy, who was sitting next to a very chatty stranger (lucky Andy), and we were on our way to AMERICA! We came SO close to missing our flight, the closest I've ever been, and it was a horrible feeling! Our taxi driver (I won't say which company, as I haven't decided if it was entirely their fault yet) arrived late, then got lost, and then we got stuck in a giant traffic jam. Though they said the journey would take 45 minutes, it ended up being about 2 hours 15 minutes, and I was panicking. By the time we got there (with a Home Alone-style run through the airport), we had six minutes to check in and get to the gate. Phew!

It was a pretty uneventful flight after that, with a couple of films making the journey to Charlotte go quickly. A quick drink at our stopover destination, and we were on our way to Phoenix. And Becky was there to meet us! Excited to explore, and not feeling too tired, we headed out to The Parlor for pizza and wine. I forgot my ID so I was stuck with soda (which I have learnt is not soda water!) – I went for root beer (which I have learnt is not beer!) and drank about three pints of it before I realised the waitress was going to keep refilling my glass if I emptied it.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Wednesday 6 March – Birthday Italian






Current location: On the train
11.11pm, Heading home, a bit later than planned. Tomorrow morning we (Andy, Rianne and I) are going to AMERICA but tonight was Pottsy's birthday dinner in Angel. We had a lovely time, good people, good food, good times. Happy birthday lovely girl x

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Saturday 2 March – Treating myself



Current location: Lee
11.11am, At the beautician. In preparation for our upcoming holiday to the US (woooooop!) I am getting all sorts of treatments done: nails, massage, wax, haircut, spray tan! It was a lovely day today, pottering around London going from one appointment to the other. What a nice, indulgent thing to spend money on.

Friday 1 March - Fold Gallery



Current location: Farringdon
11.11pm, In the beer garden of a pub in Farringdon. Our lovely friend Kes had curated (and starred in) an art show in Fold Gallery so we went to the private view. It was so good! His art is really cool, and there were lots of friends there (plus MacKenzie Crook) so the night turned into a bigger one than I intended! The pub was awesome and we just had a lovely time (plus I got very overexcited when netball was featured on the front page. So proud, despite the subject matter!)

Thursday 28 February – Andreya Triana, dream woman



Current location: Soho
11.11pm, At an Andreya Triana gig. If you haven't heard her, I strongly recommend you give her a listen and, if you EVER get a chance to see her live, do it do it do it! I'd seen her back in September 2010 and, looking back on that blog post now, I obviously loved her then but I'd forgotten that... I was looking forward to seeing her again but I just didn't realise HOW amazing she would be. Her voice is insanely beautiful. She is insanely beautiful!

Gigs in small venues are always described as 'intimate' but that would do a boring disservice to how personal the gig seemed. Not only was Andreya singing about some really personal stuff (yes, there were tears) but she was so chatty and open with everyone, too. By the end of the gig, she had come down off the stage and was just wandering around the dancefloor, singing along and dancing with people. The girl crush has reached epic proportions.

Wednesday 27 February – Pottsy gets engaged!










Current location: Covent Garden
11.11pm, Homeward bound from Charing Cross. Three of my five uni girls were out celebrating because one of our bessies just got engaged!! She's the first one of us all, and we were super excited for  the wonderful news, as she's had a pretty full-on year so far. Will, the fiance, is a lovely and funny guy, and I couldn't be happier for the two of them. Cue champagne, balloons, banners, and telling strangers the exciting news!

Saturday 23 February – To the moors!




















Current location: Dartmoor
11.11am, Going for a walk on the moors! Twelve of us made the trip to Dartmoor yesterday to celebrate Nicky's birthday and we're all staying in a massive, amazing house in the middle of nowhere. When we arrived, at about 9ish, the wine was already flowing (beer for me, still giving up wine for Lent) and we all immediately began a long-overdue catch up. Before long we cracked open the games, and had a fab and silly evening of laughing, drinks, sitting by the fire, and relaxing.

The next day we were up pretty early, and set to work making bacon sandwiches for 12, using only the Aga. I have also given up bread for Lent so made myself a weird breakfast of bacon and tortilla chips (brekkie nachos?!). With full bellies, we headed onto the moors for a walk and some fresh air. It was so beautiful up there! I forgot how much I love the English countryside – I'm all about the seaside usually, but there is definitely something revving about wrapping up warm and being out in the wind. It was pretty weird to look around and not be able to see anything in any direction other than hills, bogs and animals. 

After walking up an appetite, we arrived at a local pub, and indulged in local cider and pickled eggs (and maybe a Jägerbomb or two?!). This set the tone for the evening really, as the girls hopped in a taxi home (it was dark!) and the boys decided to brave the walk home over the moors on the pitch black. We set to work making dinner for everyone and, aided by an evening gin or two, started dancing and singing our way around the kitchen. It was so much fun and one of my favourite parts of the weekend… Until the lights went out and some people charged into the kitchen screaming. Even though we were expecting the boys to do something like that, we all shrieked like the girls we are, then carried on the party with the boys too. 

Margaritas were drunk out of teapots, bright blue make-up was thrown at faces and multiple games of sardines were played, until we all went to bed, tired and happy – in the way you only feel when you've spent the day in the fresh air, and the evening drinking and being silly. 

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Thursday 21 February – Negril Brixton




Current location: Brixton
11.11pm, In the White Horse pub in Brixton. Andy and I had come out to celebrate his birthday with two of our favourite Londonders: my sister Kate and her husband Jim. Andy and Jim had had a particularly boozy, fun night out in Brixton a while ago so they decided to let us join them this time, and we went to eat at Negril in Brixton. After hearing about it for ages, I was pretty excited to finally go, and it definitely lived up to the hype. It's a Caribbean cafe/BYO restaurant and the food is sooooo good (and cheap). We ate like kings, laughed like hyenas and drank like fish, then went on to the pub. Amazing nights like these are such a high point of living in London.

Ps, I also got my first ever business card today!! Go Apptitude Media.

Sunday, March 3, 2013

Wednesday 20 February - Work bessies




Current location: Soho, London
11.11pm, Realising the time and going home. Clare and I decided to go for a drink tonight, after a crazy  couple of weeks at work. I miss sitting next to her every day, and it's strange to have to arrange to hang out, but nice too. So off we went for some drinks, and were joined by our work bessies, Craig, James and Olivier. I bloody love these peeps. We went to Barrio Central for some half-price cocktails, then our hunger got the better of us. We schlepped off to Soho Joe's and I tried to find something on the menu that didn't have bread in it (in a pizza place) as I've given it up for Lent. A fun, late, drunken night with four of the best.

Monday 18 February - Book club across the seas



Current location: Soho, London
11.11am, Emailing Australia. Tonight we have Book Club but, since our last meeting, one member of our lovely group, Robyn, has moved to Australia! Determined not to let that change things too much, we got Robs on Skype and talked happily to her about the book, life down under and general chit-chat; us with wine or cider in hand, Robs with a morning cup of tea.