The sun and the sea...

Just got back from Croatia!!!

I can't recommend the Sail Croatia trips enough - it was an amazing week of sun and gorgeous waters and the most fantastic group of people. There were about 35 of us on board, and I feel so lucky with the group we had. There were about 23 Aussies, 5 Kiwis, 5 Brits, 1 Frenchman and me, the lone American. I went with my co-worker, Tim, and it was really nice to have a buddy on board, although it's definitely the type of trip you could go on by yourself and have an amazing time. We had young married couples, dating couples and singles, all somewhere between 21 and 35.


Here's our gorgeous boat, the Emanuel.

Other than that, I'm not really sure where to begin, so for now, I'll just put up this slideshow of my pics and write more later. I just wish I could have brought you all with me. But if you're considering any kind of trip like this - definitely do it!



Now I still feel like I'm moving a little bit today - haven't quite let go of my sealegs, so it's back to bed for me. (i wasn't seasick exactly but was a little queasy...but it didn't get in the way of an amazing holiday)

Holiday - it will be so nice

Hey all,

I'm off for my week at sea on the Croatian coast so I'll be offline for a bit. It's been a nice gentle week at work and everyone is back to their normal fun-loving selves, which has been great. Hopefully the next picture I post will be a tanner version of my normal self.

In other news, Matt and I celebrated our 4 year anniversary (dating anniversary, that is - just to avoid any confusion about secret elopements and such) which is a pretty awesome milestone. Hopefully this will be the only one we have to spend so far apart. He's off to a wedding in Chi-town this weekend and then starts his new job on Monday, which I'm very excited about for him.

I just caught up on the gymnastics Olympic coverage and I'm wishing I understood how the scoring works now. It was so much easier when it was all based on a 10 point scale. Those top 3 ladies were phenomenal, though - I can't even imagine. So awesome.

Email me before 3pm my time if you're hoping for a Croatian souvenir of some kind. =) Talk to you soon!

chop chop

I've been working like crazy this week, so the only news I have to report is that I got my hair chopped. I expected a big reaction, since I was pretty freaked out about how much was taken off...but even the one person who I know hates me with short hair (wait - "hate" is too strong a word, he has "strong objections") was like "oh, it's not that short. it looks cute." And there hasn't been much comment at work either. So either it's much worse than I think and people are just trying to ignore it, or it suits me so well that people aren't quite sure how different it was two days ago.

Anyway, I'll let you be the judges with this very fuzzy computer snapshot...


and please, if you think it's really bad, you have to tell me! It's just hair, it'll grow back but I need to know not to go back to that salon. I think I kind of like it...at least it's something new and it's low maintenance. I'm just still working on how much and what kind of product to use to make it work.

So the London screening is tomorrow, which means that my hell period is over. Then Friday I'm off to Croatia for a week. Yay for sun and sea!

I'll try to blog more before then. Laters!

Fancy Pants - i mean, Dress

For those of you who don't already know, "pants" here means underpants, not trousers...although all the Brits know what an American means when they say pants, they still like to make fun of me whenever I say something like "fancy pants" or "ants in your pants"...which to be honest are pretty ridiculous phrases for me to be saying anyway.

But to get to the story, Helen had a fancy dress (in regular speak, costume) flatwarming party this past weekend, with the theme circus/carnival/burlesque - so basically anything a little wackier than usual. I get really excited for any costume party and love that there seem to be so many more of them here throughout the year than there are in LA. Of course I've been thinking of a costume for weeks and was very excited about my idea... a knife-thrower's target... fake blood, fake knives, possibly a cardboard multi-colored wheel on my back.

The unfortunate parts are that I haven't had a day off for about 3 weeks so I had no time for costume parts gathering, and a dozen of Helen's friends went out of town "on holiday" that same weekend. Which meant that middle of last week, completely understandably Helen changed it to costume-optional so that no one's attendence was affected by a costume requirement. =)

But once I get stuck on a costume idea, I have to do it. So yeah, I was the geek who was by far the most dressed up at the party. But that's ok, I didn't mind. Plus, I don't get many excuses for fake blood these days, so I went for it. No cardboard wheel though - I didn't have time for arts and crafts.

Here's Helen and me:


It was really great to meet some of Helen's friends, her place looks amazing, and I was super happy to have some of my extra fun co-workers there too. An excellent gathering and a much needed night o' fun in the middle of this crazy work crunch.

I just found out my fam is coming out last week of August/first of September - so over Labor Day, and I'm really excited. We may try to go to Scotland for a couple days or take the train to Belgium (Brussels or Bruges maybe) If anyone else is considering a visit, any time in September is really good because work will be slower for me. The first part of October might be ok too but they're talking about our next screening being sometime in November.

I'll close with a pic of the Sunset I took last Tuesday. We were out on a deck by the river at Riverside Studios. It was a lovely little evening.

Shaken and stirred

So rumor has it there was a little earthquake back home. Actually not so little - long and shaky and about a 5.6 or something?

Anyhow, from those of you I checked in with, it sounds like everything's a-ok, no major damage or injuries...which is a huge relief. But please, if anyone hears or experienced otherwise, let me know.

And thanks to everyone who emailed or called yesterday to let me know they were in one piece.

No earthquakes here, although I do have a shaky head from a bit too much tippling last night. Should wear off any minute now and then I'll get back to working.

xo.

Dum de de dum...

There have been some very understandable complaints about my long absence from my two loyal readers (both with names beginning with K). So I'll try to make up for it today.

I got overwhelmed by wanting to type a huge entry with everything I've been up to for the past two or three months and then ended up typing nothing.

First, per request, a couple somewhat recent photos...


This one was taken at a boat party on a Mississippi paddle wheel boat which cruised down the Thames and had amazing DJ's. Plus they opened up Tower Bridge for us as we passed under which was pretty awesome.


My friends Tim, Kat and Tom had a flatwarming party about a month ago and the theme was cult movies. Lori was visiting from LA and Helen was game for my brilliant idea - we were from Heathers (2 Heathers and a Veronica, to be exact). So very.


And this last one is from when Juliet, Luke and I went to Ham House, which is a national trust property in Richmond (just outside of London). We're in a hedge maze part of the garden. Except you couldn't get lost - so less of a maze and more of lots of very tall hedge-walled pathways. It was a gorgeous day, and in addition to Ham House and exploring the gardens, there was a boat race down by the river so we just sad on the banks and watched that for a while.

I've also been to 2 music festivals in London: I saw Ben Harper and the Counting Crows at one day of the O2 Wireless in Hyde Park. It was supposed to pour down rain all day but we got really lucky and it managed to only rain when we were in tents seeing some of the smaller bands we'd planned on seeing anyway. There was also a comedy tent and we went to watch Jamie Kennedy's set (i have a little loyalty from my stint on his show). He was not a happy camper and the set went really poorly, oops. My favorites were Ben Harper (of course), Donovan, and The Delays. The Counting Crows disappointed, I have to say...I patiently listened to their new stuff which they played for the first 5 songs and then Adam refused to let the audience sing along to Mr. Jones by changing the tempo, the lyrics and generally screwing with us. I didn't appreciate that.

Then just this past weekend, I went to one day of the Ben & Jerry's Sundae Festival in Clapham Common, which is in London, east of Fulham. It was a gorgeous day (!) which was very exciting and for a mere £12 entry fee, you got 6 bands, all the free ice cream you want and and a super fun day. It was a very family friendly festival - they had lots of games and activities going on everywhere and I had the best time. I've been working at least 6 day weeks since my last guest left, so it was great to get an afternoon in the sun with fab company (the lovely Kat), great music, and free freaking ice cream. =) After the festival, we went back to her flat for games night (Cranium was the game of choice) and it was so much fun. I know it sounds lame - I'm in London and am excited about playing boards games, but just to be hanging out with such fab people for a "normal" night with friends was really, really nice and it was ridiculously fun. Especially after such a great day. But I did discover that English Cranium presents some problems for the American (and sometimes for the Kiwis). We had to go through about 8 Humdinger cards everytime to find a song we all knew. And have you ever heard of the phrase "as different as chalk and cheese"? No. Because it's ridiculous.

Unfortunately I won't be able to go to any of the big weekend festivals - I missed Glastonbury, Latitudes and a bunch of others just because I can't leave London for a whole weekend right now. But the truth is, I might be too old to camp with 30,000 other people for 3 days in questionable weather. Maybe.

After our next screening (mid august), I have an awesome trip lined up though - going sailing around the coast of Croatia for a week! I can't wait! One of my co-workers is going too and it's going to be the best time. We don't actually help with any of the sailing, just relax, swim off the boat and stop in different towns everyday. A bunch of my co-worker's friends have gone on the same trip, with the same company, Sail Croatia, and only had good things to say. We're doing one of the Navigator boats, which means it'll be about 25 people, all aged 21-35. And the weather is supposed to be reliably, fantastically sunny and warm. Plus, how random is Croatia? Woop woop.

Ok, now that I've spilled my coffee all over me as I type, I have to get back to work. But, before I go, one of my favorite weird London moments from 2 weekends ago...
I'm on the tube and two elderly, definitely drunk older men get on. They're talking loudly (and slurringly) but otherwise seem pretty harmless. One of them's seated and the other one is standing a few inches from me (swaying, really). So a couple minutes in, the one closest to me, pulls out a container of strawberries from a Tesco bag. After struggling with the lid and dropping a couple (but picking them back up, i might note), he proceeds to offer them to everyone in the tube car, very politely and generously. I didn't take one, but it amused me to no end. And it's much more pleasant than my other public transport story involving the night bus in Soho, a guy getting kicked in the face and a girl puking across from me.

Still not sure when I'll be moving to Toronto - it could be before the end of the year, but I'll know more after our August deadline.

Things I miss this week: Poquito Mas, Anthropologie, and all of you. xoxo

Jerky jerk me

I'm a jerky slacker blogger. Sorry. It's been a very busy few weeks - things are picking back up at work, some of my fab friends were in town over a 10 day range around memorial day weekend and then the following weekend I went to Madrid for a quick 48 hour holiday. I have a brand new arrival today but I'll try to blog something exciting next week.
Miss you, dear readers!
xo
In the meantime, I leave you with this choice pic from our trip to the IceBar (exactly what it sounds like)...

No Vacancy (for a few weeks)

I'm very excited to say that Maurissa Dee's B & B is open for business and will have guests staying for the next few weekends. I can't wait to show my friends my favorite spots, have them meet some of my London friends and have people to play with all weekend! (i mean, if they want to)

Yesterday my first new set of guests came in. Hurrah! Carrie and Michelle were here for just 16 hours before they left again for Ireland. They must have been exhausted from the flight from the LA to London but did a great job of hiding it. After settling in, we went to a pub near my house, The White Horse, for dinner and drinks. I hadn't been before but my editor Catherine had and strongly recommended it. It was pretty packed but they were able to seat us at a back table in the restaurant part and the food was freaking delicious. Carrie and I also had our first Pimm's-es. It's kind of like a slightly tea-flavored sangria...the summer version is Pimm's, Sprite, and various chopped up fruit and cucumbers. (there's also a winter version served warm) I'm still not sure if I like it or not but Carrie's already a big fan. It's a great pub and I definitely want to go back for their Sunday BBQ (which I spied today when I was laying on the green and smelled delish!).

We had a quick brunch at The Beach, which is literally on my street. Then I helped them set off to Stanstead for their flight. So fun, but too short. Luckily I'll see them again next weekend...even though they won't be staying with me....

That's because on Friday Bordy comes to stay with me! Hurrah again!

Next weekend, Bordy, David, Carrie and Michelle will all be somewhere in London. Aaack, so much awesomeness I can barely stand it.

The rest of the day today, I joined the local library (yay for free travel guides!), lazed around on Parsons Green - tiny but also a 5 minute walk - and finally saw Iron Man. I really really really liked it. How's that for a movie review? Hope you're all well!

More sun...and in London!

What a wonderful surprise when I got off the plane from LA and it was sunny and warm back here in Londontown. And it stayed that way - for a whole week!

That meant lunches out on patios, drinks by the river, and a weekend of suntime funtime...

Saturday I met Helen in Hampstead Heath, an enormous park on the north side of London. It's a gorgeous park with tons of hills and meandering paths through lovely shady trees. There are also public bathing ponds - one for men, one for women and one mixed. I didn't go in any of them, but I definitely want to swim at some point this summer. The women's one is down a private path, enclosed by a fence and tons of foliage, so it's nearly impossible to see from the main pathway. Even though it was man-made at some point, it's the most natural looking little pond, with a few innertubes stationed in the water so you have something to hold onto when you're tired of paddling around. And there were women of all ages there, it was such a cool community feeling. In addition to the ponds, the Heath has everything you could ever want from a park - tennis courts, playground, a specific hill for flying kites. And it's so enormous...I was worried that since it was such a gorgeous day and I didn't get there til early afternoon that there would be no place to sit. Yeah, not really a problem. When Helen took me on a tour of the park later, we walked along some paths along huge lawns where there were maybe 6 people within sight. It's awesome.

In the "evening" (which i put in quotes b/c it's light out here until like 9pm) I went down to Clapham Common to meet up with Tim (one of my co-workers), his brother and a bunch of their friends. Clapham is almost straight east of my house and almost due south (but quite a bit) from Hamstead. The Common is a big green with a few different sections. There are a couple of ponds - but totally manmade, not all natural seeming like in Hamstead - but it's a great expanse of lawn and there were still tons of people out playing football (the non-US type), reading and lots and lots of drinking. Did I mention that yet? In all the public parks you can drink to your heart's content. In some of them (like the Heath) you can also bring your own grill and BBQ. This seems like a dangerous combo to me, but I guess it works here. So anyway, I was clearly way behind on the drinking when I met up with the Clapham group but it was still a super fun evening for me.

Sunday I went to Brighton to spend a day seaside. Not what I had pictured. I had been warned it was a pebble beach but I'd still never actually been on one. And because it was the first beautiful summer weekend, the train and the whole town were just totally insane. Streams of people on both sides of the street making their way from the train to the sea. It was odd. Also it was way more international than I was expecting from a day at the British seaside. I mean, I should have known, since London is totally international and obviously a ton of Londoners are going to head out there on the weekends, but still, took me by surprise. We did eat at this amazing vegetarian restaurant in town called Terre a Terre, which two of my co-workers had recommended. Yummy and the most creative vegetarian food I've ever eaten. Tim's roommate Kat was directing a play in Brighton for the Fringe Festival so we went to the play in the evening before the train home. It was a series of shorts about "American life", which I found really amusing. It was a really fun play and everyone did an amazing job. We rode back with Kat and her producer and a few of their friends. It's always fun for me to hang out with new people and it was a great day, even if it wasn't what i had pictured. I had wanted to go to Brighton a month or so ago and it was way more fun to go with friends than by myself (not to mention when it's sunny and 80, instead of rainy and 50). I'd definitely love to go back to Brighton when the crowds thin out a little.

It was seriously, the best non-visitor weekend I've had so far in London. This city is a totally different place when the weather is nice...everyone is so happy to be outside and it's fun to explore all these great outdoors spaces.

Home again

Most of you know by now that I got a chance to come back to LA for a few days a couple of weeks ago. It was such a wonderful trip - I got to see so many friends, had great weather and a much-needed refresher in the amazing life I have back home.

Some highlights:
-Dinner with Matt, Melanie and Carrie at my favorite tapas place, The Courtyard
-Lunch with Katey and Jason, where I got to meet their new darling girl Maia
-Another great lunch featuring a few of my fave co-workers and cheese fries
-A super fun baby bowling shower, with yet another cheese fry appearance
-My roomie's birthday party filled with fab friends
-Sunday farmer's market and beach bocce
-An extremely hospitable host at this lovely little Venice B&B (Bed and Beer) I know

Thanks to everyone who included me in their plans and went out of their ways to see me over the weekend. It was really the best visit I could have ever hoped for. Even though I miss you now even more, I wouldn't trade a minute of it.

Here are some pics from the trip...
(if any of you don't want your pics on this blog, just let me know and I'll remove)