Update: What's Going On

Sorry for the brief absence but that art fair took a lot out of me. It was so much fun and we did really, really well. We're hoping to move up to bigger and better galleries where some of our higher-priced artists. We also moved into an actual gallery space on Old Street. I really love it. I was a bit afraid it would be a little too industrial since we were hoping to go for a stream-lined look. It's actually very cozy. There's a couch, and a rug, and wood floors, and a rustic table. There's also a lot of light which is great for days like today where the sun finally came out to shine it's face. It's still not as warm as back home (80 degrees!) but it's slowly getting there. I was in such a good mood that on the way home I stopped by this little boutique that's right by our apartment and bought a few skirts so that I can get spring-time ready.

I probably should be packing instead of writing this little update, but there's always more time later! I'm starting to get really excited because tomorrow I leave for Germany! I'm meeting up with my step-mom Julie after she's been working there all week and we're going to spend the weekend frolicking around Baden-Baden. I'm expecting a happy atmosphere, good beer, and a lot of amazing food that will probably contain words that have "nitzel" in them or foods that start with "sp." Either way I can't wait. She told me to pack a swimsuit so it sounds like we might get some swimming/spa-ing in before my little holiday is over. Has anyone else been to the Baden region? Again, I love London, but it will be so great to have a little time away.

And next week is my birthday!!! I always get excited and this year I feel like I might actually have a little party which is a pretty big step for me. Parties usually make me anxious since I usually spend the entire time worrying if people are having a good time. Not this year. I'm just going to worry about myself and let them deal with their own amusement. I'll definitely have to keep you posted (maybe even some pictures). I might do another post, but if I don't, I hope you have a good weekend (I know I will!).

Eggs Bloomsbury

 

So I'm a college student studying abroad in London for a semester. You might be asking: Carly, what do you eat? Going out over here is wicked expensive, and it just doesn't make sense to me to spend 10 pounds on one meal when that could buy me like three. I'm not going to lie, there are definite times when I'll eat pasta, sauce, and shredded mozzarella cheese because it's cheap and easy. I also eat a lot of smoked salmon (right Austin) because that's also yummy. I've dabbled in other family recipes like chili or baked ziti because I can get the most meals out of those. However, the other day I was hungry and I wanted something new so I made up this recipe a la Casey. She's always just throwing things together and it looks so yummy. I chose a slightly simpler route since my recipe only has four ingredients, and three of them are proteins. I'm sure it's not healthy for you, but it's delicious and easy and I feel pretty chic. So here it is Eggs Bloomsbury!

I'm not the biggest breakfast fan. I do the bad thing of skipping breakfast more times than not. When I do eat it,  I prefer savory dishes like Eggs Benedict. I don't mean to brag, but my Pops makes a mean Hollindaise sauce that is so yummy. I didn't have the resources for that so here's what I used:

1 Slice of Toasted Bread
Goat Cheese
1 Slice of Salami
1 Poached Egg

First toast the bread and cover it with spreadable goat cheese like so:

 

I was torn between cheeses for this because I also had a yummy Halloumi as well, but I went for this since it was easier to spread and has a tangier taste as opposed to the salty (but delicious) Halloumi.

 

Then add your piece of salami. Again, this was something I just had hanging around so you could probably use any sort of lunch meat on hand. The salami added a really nice subtle smokey flavor which I quite enjoyed.

 

At the same time (or before/after your bread/salami step) poach your egg. Back home we have this uber fancy egg poaching pan thing. I do not have such luxuries abroad, but the other day I was in Sainsbury's and came across these little poaching pods. They are amazing. I love a good poached egg and after some practice I got the technique down. I'm sure they sell something like these in the States so you should look into it.

 

After the egg is poached to your liking (I like mine very runny so I can sop up the the yolk with my bread) flip it over on the top and enjoy! It doesn't look like much, but it is delicious! The cheese adds a familiar tang like the Hollandaise sauce but is much easier to make. I decided on the name since it is a complete rip off from Eggs Benedict. We live right by Bloomsbury so I thought it only fitting to adopt the name. And it makes total sense! It is the quintessential I-don't-want-to-spend-money-on-food-because-I'm-studying-abroad-but-I-got-to-eat food. I have one egg left and I just might go and make another one. If you try it out tell me what you think!

Affordable Art Fair Battersea 2012

 

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I just wanted to do a little shout out to anyone visiting/living in the London area for the next few days. As I briefly mentioned in this post, Go Figurative has a stand at the Affordable Art Fair in Battersea Park. Tonight was the preview night so I went over to help the finalizing touches and make everything purty and check out the "competition." There are over 120 galleries participating and there's so much art galore. It's in the great space that they just put up over the week. If you're looking for something to do for the next few days, you should probably check it out. Who knows? Maybe you'll walk out with a great new piece of art. The fair is from the 15-18 of March in the Park (there's a bunch of signs, you can't miss it!). For more information, visit: http://www.affordableartfair.com/battersea/home/

Go Figurative

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How great that one of my things to do while working is blogging?! My colleagues decided to put my in charge of trying to recruit new artists under our representation. I've been fortunate enough to intern with this great company for the past semester and it's been such a great learning experience for me. I've been meaning to do a Go Figurative post so this seems like a great opportunity to get the word out and hopefully start relationships with new artists who might be reading this blog.

This is an oil painting (that's right, painting) by American David Eichenberg

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But first the facts. Go Figurative is an art company based in London that specializes in selling art to corporate clients and private collectors. It was started in 2008 by my colleagues Janine C. and Sally P. and has grown exponentially since. Go Figurative (get it? like go figure? Ha!) promotes a range of figurative art from painting, to photography, to graphite, to sculpture. We really do it all. We see it as our mission to get contemporary artists out into the public sphere. Right now is a very exciting time at the office since we are in the process of moving from our building on Liverpool Street to a more open gallery environment on Old Street near Shoreditch. Although we will still run as an art company working at computers and running to meetings with prospective clients, we are definitely toying with the idea of displaying some of our artwork on the walls so that everyone can  enjoy and appreciate all of our artists' hard work. We are also going to participate in the First Thursday event in east London where art galleries are open later so people can explore the contemporary art scene at night. It's going to be a great experience and I cannot wait.

David Downes does thee wonderful cityscapes that I can't get enough of. They're so full of life!

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We are also getting ready for the Affordable Art Fair Battersea which is from 15-18 March. I know I sound a bit like a giddy school girl, but I can really not wait to help out there. There will be various artists and galleries selling work that can be no more than £4000. We've been to the one at Hampstead and sold quite a lot of work so it was a really great opportunity, and we'll hopefully have a similar experience.

I see a lot of Anita Klein's work around London and I just love her use of line.

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I think what I'm most excited about though is our recent success with the Savoy Hotel. One of the artists that we represent, McAlpine Miller, has been commissioned to do a series of portraits for their famous Thames Foyer. The Savoy is finishing up a refurbishment of their a large part of their hotel and this includes the Foyer. He's already completed one of the portraits and I think it is absolutely wonderful and will really bring the tea room into the 21st century. Right now there are a few older paintings which are fine and inoffensive, but I think these are really going to be beneficial for all. I really love the way his paintings don't seem to need a light source since they exude their own glow. Here's an example of the type of work he does (note: this is not for the Savoy).

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See what I mean? I love the overlay (underlay?) of comic images. I don't know what technique he uses, but I personally find it very interesting and Lichtenstein-esque.

This beautiful work was recently sold. By Alan Coulson.

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We represent a range of artists from different backgrounds, ages, genders, and nationalities. Since we are a business we are constantly striving to grow while still retaining our great relationships with the artists. I've actually been put in charge in recruiting fresh new artists to add to our arsenal. If you are reading this and think this is a great company, as I do, then please visit our website at www.gofigurative.com. If you have any friends that are artists this also might interest them so please spread the word. From where I'm sitting, only beneficial things can come from getting in contact with Sally and seeing what happens. Again we're looking for any age and from any nationality or medium. As long as your work is of a figurative subject, you're probably just what we're looking for. Whether you're an artist or not, you should still check out the website. We also run an online gallery where other artists upload their work to be sold and shown to the world. If you have any other questions please contact me if you would like any other information. Thanks and keep being creative!

Happy Leap Day!

*insert frog joke with accompanying "boing" sound effect* I just wanted to write a quick note today because how often is it Leap Day? Well I mean it's every four years, but you get my drift. It sort of just feels like a fake day all day. I don't know if I really remember the last time it was leap year although I should because I was 16, but I guess 16 year-old Carly had more important things to do than focus on whether our year had an extra day or not. Apparently in Great Britain there's a tradition that on the 29th of February it is custom for women to propose to men. Like it's against the "rules" every other day of the year? Oh well, I kind of like the tradition. I don't think we have that in the States, but I could be mistaken. Is it only a British thing? Are there other cultures you know of that have something similar? I'm really more excited for tomorrow since that means it's March. That's right. In 30 days I turn 21! I'm kind of freaking out because I'll really be in my twenties soon, but I'm ready to make my 21st year the best one yet (and now I sound like some uber-happy cheerleader, but you get my drift).

Portobello Road!

It's just so nice to get a moment to breathe! Phew. These past couple of days have been pretty busy from schoolwork to work work and everything in between. Amanda and I decided to actually do something this weekend since our time in London is slowly winding down. Yikes. I don't think I'll ever be ready to leave this place. We decided to go down to the ever famous Portobello Road Market on Saturday. Now it's really no secret that I love Disney films. Not just the cartoons either. I was brought up on such gems as Mary Poppins, Blackbeard's Ghost, That Darn Cat, and Bedknobs and Broomsticks just to name a few. Seriously the entire time I kept singing the Portobello Road song from Bedknobs and Broomsticks. It's been going through my head since this weekend so I even figured out how to put music up in my post so everyone can sing along.

That's Casey with the pink dress and green/grey coat on the right

So much fun. I went with Amanda and Casey and we just sort of walked around. I absolutely loved the market and I could have stayed there all day. A few weekends ago we went down to Camden Market which was fun, but I just felt like there were too many people and too many stalls selling the same generic stuff. It was just too overwhelming and I still haven't grown a backbone to haggle correctly. Portobello was much more my speed. Things might have been more expensive, but I'm willing to pay more for good quality things with history than less money on something that will break in a week. The shops smelled of history and I almost died. All of the sellers were really nice and I just kept thinking that it would so great if I had my own little London home that I could furnish with all the wonderful candlesticks and tchotchkes that were around there. I also saw a lot of Wedgewood (some of it was fake but whatever). And I love Wedgewood pottery, I think it's so pretty and delicate while still being interesting and regal. I might have been in Carly heaven. I had to reign in my spending so I only got a few things (some for me some for others).

I picked up this Cadbury chocolate tin from Queen Elizabeth II's 1953 coronation that I'm using as an earring holder while I'm here since I've been living out of plastic bags for the past multiple weeks. I just loved how kitschy it was. I also like thinking of The Queen as a younger person at beginning of her reign. It's so nice to leave with a bit of English history to take with me. I also found this fish necklace which is completely up my alley. It moves like a real fish and I just can't get enough of his fishy lips. I've yet to wear it out because it doesn't lay quite as I would like, but maybe I'll go more for the three dimensional accessory look. We'll see how that goes and hopefully soon.

I really hope I'll be able to go back and just take my sweet time looking at all the antiques. On Sunday we went to the Victoria and Albert Museum which was a lot of fun. Fun fact: Did you know that they have a central hallway dedicated to sculpture and a large majority of these sculptures were Rodin's? 'Cause I didn't and I was so excited to see them all and appreciate just what an amazing man he really was. Hope everyone's weekend was great!

I'm Obsessed!: Top Gear

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This post is a long time coming. I feel like it's been awhile since I've done a "I'm Obsessed!" post and I thought I would get back into the swing of things by mixing my love with living in London. I am completely and totally obsessed with Top Gear. My American friends might not even know what this is so I will enlighten you. Top Gear is a television show that originated in great Britain that specializes in cars. I know what you're thinking. A car show? Seriously. Give it a chance. I probably wouldn't have found this if I hadn't been talking to my friend Kelly back home about cars. He was trying to explain the mechanics of them, but he suggested I should probably just watch this. Imagine a stew of Monty Python and Car Talk and you've got Top Gear. It's on Netflix, which is great for me since I've been watching it nonstop. Some of the first few series might be a little slow for some people who are not completely car-obsessed, but the later series has a lot of races and challenges that are just really fun to watch. The commentators (Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May) have this great chemistry that just makes you feel good all over. Even when they bicker it's such a good laugh. Then there's the illustrious Stig who drives fast and might be half-machine. It's also made me much more aware of cars and what I want/lust over for my future. As of right now I'm thinking of a yellow Fiat 500 since they just recently came to the states and I love the little power and size. In London, there are so many fantastic super cars zooming around that I think I might be in heaven. So whether your're a boy, girl, mineral, or vegetable, you'll enjoy this. It's just something relaxing, yet informative, to watch before you go to bed! Love my Top Gear Boys!

The Day After: Valentine's Day

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Hello everyone and welcome to another rendition of the day after. I hope your Valentine's day went smoothly and lovely. Personally I don't really understand the holiday because why in the world do we have to designate a day to tell each other we love them. Shouldn't that be every day? I feel the same for days like Mother's and Father's day. I love my parents. They know that since I tell them a lot so why do I need to stress about giving them presents on one specific days when I'll send them little gifts (usually metaphysically) all the time? This year came and gone and lo and behold... I did not have a "valentine." I decided that instead of being cynical Carly, I would take my life into my own hands and do something. So after class, I got on my nice black and grey dress (I'll do a picture post later), did my makeup well, played with my hair until I decided that down was the best choice at the time, and I was ready to go out on the town!

I took the tube from Holborn to Green Park switching at Oxford Circus onto the Victoria line and it was only a short walking distance to my destination. Once I saw it, literally this wave of warmth and wealth moved over me. I opened the doors to Christie's Auction House on King Street and climbed the stairs to the auction room. It was my first art auction ever and I had a really nice time. I was completely by myself and didn't know anybody there, but at the same time I felt very at home. Everyone was there to either buy or watch the money fly. I could not believe the sums that some of these pieces went for. The star of the night was this Francis Bacon portrait.

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Want to take a guess on how much this went for? 3 million? 8 million? Nope this Portrait of Henrietta Moraes from 1963 went for £19,000,000!!!!!! And I was there! I looked today on the website at the results and after taxes and auction fairs (I'm guessing) it was a little more than 21 million. That's an absurd amount of money. They were just going back and forth and it was so exhilarating, and when it was all done, I just felt like applauding (I know a bit childish). They were going back and forth arguing over £500,000 like it was child change because when we're talking prices that high it is. It was just such a lovely time, and I can't wait to go back again. I didn't get a real seat in the auction room, but I stood outside in the anteroom with a whole gaggle of other arty people. Drinks were free and I got a beautifully printed catalog as well. Now this is going to sound soooooo cheesy, but it almost seemed like I was spending a night with my valentine: art. Yep I said it, I was in love, and I don't care who hears it!

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I ended up leaving early after a bunch of the big ticket items since I hadn't really eaten that day and was starving. I came home, made myself some baked ziti, ate it, and finished off a good half of a bottle of wine as an end to the celebration. It was one of the best Valentine's Days I've had in quite some time. I just went to bed happy and content and happy to be in such a great city like London. How did you spend your day of love?

Hey Mama Welcome to the 60s!

So it's the weekend, which is wonderful! I guess by now it's the end of this wonderful time of the week, but who really cares. It's been pretty laid back. Friday I went to Queen Mary College on the East side to spend the night with my very good friend Missy. It was quite a fun time and I hope to do it again very soon. It's so nice to have her so close as opposed to back home where I'm in PA/MA and she's all the way to the west in Minnesota! Saturday, I felt a little under the weather so I stayed in bed for a large portion of the day, but then at night Amanda and I went to see a play. I absolutely love that she works for a theater promotional firm so she's able to get a lot of free tickets and she graciously invites me along. Last night we saw Hay Fever written by Noel Coward. It was very funny and very British which made us feel very sophisticated. I'll do another post about all the shows I've been seeing here later. After the show we were in deep need of some really greasy food so we stopped by a pub and got some fish 'n' chips and a hot spiced cider which was absolutely delicious. The entire night I was rocking a pretty voluminous top knot which Amanda thought was a hoot and a half, but I felt very chic (and a little happy that the height of my hair might be obstructing the view of the person sitting behind me). I got home and took a nice lovely bath with one of my new Lush bath melts (more about my little surprise package later).

Today has been another low-key day so I thought I would get a little post done. Amanda and I are planning on going to Primark which might be the best shop in the whole wide world! Of course I had some time to get ready and whenever I have time, I usually try to play with something different with my hair. A lot of times this will turn into "I just wanted to feel pretty!" cry fests that all of my friends laugh about, but not today! So I did this. I've been getting so much inspiration for what I'm finding on Pinterest especially all the hair pictures that are up there (if you want you can follow me here I'll be sure to follow you back!). Anyway, I came across this pic of a girl with a bouffant shape in the back with a braided headband. I basically got out my trusty comb and started to tease away at the crown of my head. I then smoothed it all back and pinned it into this lovely 60s beehive shape. I was so in love. I could have left the bottom part of my hair down (which I think I'll do at another time). I decided to do two small braids instead and pin them into a headband shape. I'm really happy with the result! Amanda opened the door and thought I had busted a nut loose or something, but I'm really digging the vintage vibe and she can stuff it.

Seriously? I feel like a million bucks and just wish I could go back to the time of Hairspray and go go boots. This might be a new look for me, but we'll see. I'm still toying with the idea of getting a fringe while here. I think I'm going to do it, hopefully this week. What do you think? I haven't had real bangs since before I was 10, but I think I want a change, and I love my long hair too much to cut it off. Anyway, since we're not doing anything too exciting today, I kept my outfit pretty simple with my staples of Gap jeans, a j. crew cardigan, and a asymmetrical green top. It's from Gap from a couple of years ago, but I really love the subtle color and details so I've been wearing it a lot recently. I wanted to showcase my hair/neck so I chose these bird earrings from Francesca's Collection. And since a lot of my neck is showing, I went with a small (and cheap) matryoshka necklace from Forever 21. I'm pretty happy with the outfit especially since I paired it with my favorite pair of Big Buddha shoes to pull everything together. It just feels nice to have another outfit post up. Again, I apologize for the quality of the photos as well as the state of our room, but these things happen when you share a small washing machine with six other girls. Hope everyone else had a good weekend and have a great week. I know I will!

They're Here...

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I know I might sound a bit melodramatic, but those "cute" bugs that you always see in your garden are starting to really freak me out. It's probably because of the fact that they are really the only creatures in London that have done me any emotional harm. Seriously, they are out for blood. It feels like one of the plagues in my bedroom. The other night we had the window open because it was a little stuffy, and they apparently don't believe in screens for our flat so apparently things get in. I was lying in bed when I look up and there are like six ladybugs on our ceiling light. I'm pretty sure I saw two getting it on and trying to start their own colony. This would usually only be a little odd. What was weirder though is their obsession with me. I've woken up at least three times to a ladybug crawling on my bed mere centimeters from my face. I usually just flick them out the window and can handle them in small numbers. But this larger group of bugs seemed almost too biblical for me to bother with. I just didn't walk directly below the lamp and tried desperately to sleep with my mouth closed (for fear of an adventurous one finding it's way down my esophagus). Amanda was equally freaked out. We have now not opened our window for a few days (it may smell a bit like death in our stuffy room) and all of the ladybugs have since died. There might be warmth in our flat, but there's also a surprising lack of aphids. It's really morbid to find their crispy little bodies fallen on the floor. At the same time I'm glad I don't have to deal with anymore live ones. I don't really love insects, but I prefer ones that climb. Once you add the flying element, they are infinitely more terrifying. I'm told these bugs bring good luck, but they seem more ominous than anything. They also kind of bring to mind a pact I have with my mother about a certain ladybug tattoo, which again is creepy. I don't know. Maybe I'm just paranoid. You think? Well you don't have to deal the onslaught so there!

Also, ladybugs here are slightly different since they are more black with red spots. Like so.

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London Ho!

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So I've been in London now a couple of days, but it feels like so much longer. This is the first time that I really feel I have time to sit back and relax! I'm only going to start out with the first day and slowly work my way through to the other days in other posts. This wasn't meant to be a travel blog, but I think since I'm living in London now there might be more posts about where I've been and where I want to go. And isn't that what documenting your life is all about? Enough existential musings.  Wowzers so much has happened. Let's start with the very beginning.

Amanda and I decided to get here a day earlier so we wouldn't have to worry about being jet lagged and exhausted when everyone else showed up. I raced to finish packing before we had to leave for our 6 o'clock plane. I finally got to the airport, said my tearful goodbye to my dad, and met Amanda and her family. Obstacle number one: I'm checking my bags at the counter and the lady informs me that I need to purchase a return ticket if I was going to London for three months. My heart literally stopped because I was really not ready to drop any serious money on another ticket. Luckily that sorted itself out since I had a visa already and could prove that I was leaving. I really turned into a day where everything worked out but in the most inconvenient way. Obstacle 2: Amanda accidentally had a tiny swiss army knife in her backpack that set off the security alarms. It definitely was not hers and they handed her bag back to her sans knife without too much worry. And then there was the plane flight itself. I'm one to pride myself on my sleeping abilities, and I can pretty much sleep anywhere. There was just something about the placement of the windows and where my head would lean against that did not mesh well. I was going to have to turn into a Tetris piece to get comfy. When I did manage to fall asleep, they would turn the lights on and it was time to eat breakfast. In my sleep deprived brain, I came up with this really great analogy comparing a plane ride to prison where everyone has to be on the same schedule in a cramped space without any real exercise outlet. But I digress.

We landed in Heathrow ahead of schedule at 6:30 am. Which would have been great if I didn't have to wait to go through immigration for the next two hours. I was so hot and miserable and uncomfortable, and cranky. I feel for Amanda in those first two hours. I was not a happy camper and she managed not to beat me senseless. Luckily we made friends with an awesome red headed american who was in front of us. We didn't get her name which is unfortunate because it would have been pretty neat to run into her and just hang. There was also this guy in line with one single dread lock and a brightly colored belt. Later that day, Amanda and I would run into him three more times in a completely different part of London. Tres bizarre. Anyway we finally made our way up to the immigration desks when news flash! We needed these papers saying that we could study abroad. Neither of us knew about such documents and we started freaking out and thinking they wouldn't let us into the country. The man I was dealing with wasn't very nice although I did flash him my best friendly smile. I guess the charm didn't work on him.

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We finally got out of the airport after some pleading and paid a taxi to take us all the way into Bloomsbury where we were living. 70 pounds later, we were in front of the housing people's office and ready to walk inside and check in. When we entered, they looked at us like we were monsters (truthfully I felt like one). Apparently the two rooms we had booked earlier (and paid for) were not on record. That quickly blew over and they said that we could be in our flat by 2 pm that day. While I was happy to have a roof over my head, it was only 9:30 in the morning and all I wanted to do was shower and sleep. Instead we were forced to walk around our neighborhood. Now I would have originally loved a good walk to familiarize myself, but there's something about you not having a choice or say in the matter that made it seem like a chore. I was also still in my rain boots (which I wore on the plane so I didn't have to pack them). They're very comfortable, but not something I wanted to walk around in all day. Especially since I was wearing puffy short socks instead of the tall ones I should have been wearing. We started walking around Tottenham Court Road looking for a cafe and phone store so we could at least be connected. We found a Cafe Nero and hunkered down with some tea for the next half hour, but how slowly time moved. We then found our way to Oxford street which was very lively and had a whole bunch of great shops, but I was so tired by that point that I didn't want to do anything.

After some time we decided that it was probably time for us to have lunch although neither of us was hungry for food. We stopped by a pub to buy some sandwiches that neither of us really ate. By this point my rain boots were rubbing my calves raw and I was in so much pain. As we sat there the time ticked away until it was finally 2. We went to pick up our luggage, which luckily the office was holding for us until we could get into our room. They then gave us our key and we were off on the last leg of our journey. After struggling with the locks (which turn to the left here, not to the right) for a few minutes we climbed with all of our luggage up some very steep steps up to the third floor of the building where our flat was. There's also another flight of stairs in our flat, but we decided that sleep was more important than moving in. When we went up to our rooms, our beds weren't made. Not only were they not made (because I'm a big girl and can make my own bed), but there weren't any linens. This was about the time that I almost lost it. I just couldn't believe I was in a new city and all I wanted to do was feel clean and nap, and I was robbed of that liberty. I fortunately held it together and walked down to the office to ask for the linens. The man on duty said that the cleaning crew would be around shortly and do it. I just wanted the freaking linens! I would do it myself if it meant I could sleep faster. Instead I went home and luckily had a small pack towel on me (thanks daddy!) so I was able to hop in the shower and start to feel like a human being again. When I was done, the people came and made our bed. Then started the most epic nap of my life.

I slept from 4 until 11 that night. Amanda woke up and went out with our friend Kate and her boyfriend went out for drinks and I just kept sleeping. When I did eventually wake up, Amanda was downstairs and we chatted a bit before heading up to bed again. Now you might think that I wouldn't be able to sleep, but you would be sorely mistaken. I read a bit (Game of Thrones) and by 1 am I was ready to sleep for the night. We then woke up at 10 to screaming in our flat as the rest of the girls eagerly and excitedly discovered the ins and outs of our flat. There are six girls in the flat. Three from Clark, the other three from Sienna. It would have been very exciting to chat with them, but because of all of the struggle the day before, I had not consumed enough water and was severely de-hydrated. Some water fixed that, and the day started looking up.

(silly tired Amanda after our day of ordeal)

Although that first day was a big tranny hot mess, the rest of my days have been nothing but adventure and wonder. I'm almost thankful I got my worst day out of the way in the beginning of the trip so I can just enjoy all London has to offer now. This weekend we went on a few touristy trips and I even met up with a friend I haven't seen in two years. Those adventures will have to wait for another post. Sorry for all the words, but I needed to get that day out of my system. I'm just excited to experience school and my internship in this great city!