Friday, January 30, 2009

cell block tango.

We just saw Chicago! It was fabulous. We sat in 60 pound seats, but we only paid 25 because we bought them 30 minutes before the show started. We walked around Covert Gardens and got drinks at this cool Aussie bar where the Rolling Stones played, way back when. We got these delicious cupcakes at this amazing cupcake place. I, unfortunately, didn't have my camera with me.

Guess we'll have to go back and do all those things again so I can document it...

<3

Thursday, January 29, 2009

frank.


Just went to a small little in store show at Banquet Records and Frank Turner stole a little piece of my heart.

We met him after and he signed our CDs. He said I had a pretty smile. =)

Then we went shopping for a little bit after the show. Nothing great about the store except that I got a cool clutch for 3 pounds. Lindsey and Dana weren't done looking around, but I was so I went outside to call James and tell him about the show. Just as the phone started ringing, Frank Turner walked by, guitar case in hand. He smiled, said "Cheers for coming," and I melted. It was magical. By the time James answered the phone I was having trouble breathing.

Still floating on a cloud...

<3 Rd

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

modus & museum.


Natural History Museum, check.

That's me hanging out with Charlie Darwin. =) The museum was very interesting... The architecture was amazing... But my favorite part was watching loads of little English school kids running around in their uniforms and shouting things out in their British accents.

I got the internship I wanted!

Modus Publicity is the company I will be working at for the next few months. They are a fashion & beauty public relations and marketing company. Their client list is huge! I will be helping out in the show rooms... keeping all the collections organized. I will be assisting photographers, editors and journalists of major newspapers and magazines when they come in to take a peek. I will be helping out at big events, store openings, photo shoots and runway shows. I will need to start a couple weeks early because London Fashion week is in February and I have to absorb as much industry knowledge and information as I can before then. Therefore, I am going to have to turn into a sponge.

Cheers mate,
Rach
xx

Sunday, January 25, 2009

camden town.





Just got home from Camden Markets. It was another tick off our "Things To Do" checklist.

There were a bunch of cool vintage shops and tables set up with handmade items and artwork. I bought two pairs of boots and I was really tempted to buy these beautiful painted light bulbs... but I figured I didn't need them here and I would probably break them before I got them back to the States...

The ethnic mix at the markets was comparable to Epcot.. seriously. We had Chinese food for dinner and it was delicious. The local artists in London are amazing. They see the world in ways I never could have imagined. I'm going to buy some canvases before I leave.. and I will hang them in my room for inspiration. I want to always be reminded of how beautiful life is, and how every one sees it so differently.

I think I enjoyed Camden so much because we went at night after it had just rained and all the bright lights reflected off the misty cobblestone streets. It was stunning.

<3
Rd

Saturday, January 24, 2009

bristol.


We didn't make it to Stonehenge and Bath this weekend. I think it was a mixture of cold weather, too much stuff packed in to one day and a a general lack of interest and excitement. We did make it to Bristol, though, and had loads of fun. We meet a bunch more English people, and learned a bunch more English sayings.

When we got into Bristol, Jules' two mates met us there and took us out to dinner. Their names were Nick and Tom, they were really great - and they watched Summer Heights High so we talked about that for a while. Jules and his friends loved showing us around. We all had a lot of fun together. We laughed the entire time. We ate our meals at some great restaurants, and I learned some new games that I will definitely be bringing back to Boston. We went to this cool club and got to hang out with the deejay. We stayed in a really nice hotel and I slept better last night than I have since I got here.

Oh, I saw my first Banksy in Bristol, too!

The photos are of Paddington Station.

One thing that I have been increasingly noticing about the British, especially after hanging with them all weekend, is that they live in the moment. They are quite laid back and are dead set on having as much fun as they possibly can. I can't tell you how many times I heard, "You only live once, Raychool." Even our British Culture Professor was lecturing us on seizing the day and making the most out of every solitary thing we do... and that really is the most amazing lesson to learn.

<3
Rd

Friday, January 23, 2009

bummer.

Let's just say, good thing we got that back up credit card...

(I lost my wallet last night... I don't want to talk about it, but really, is anyone surprised?)

We're headed to class for the day then taking an afternoon train to Bristol. Stonehenge and Bath are on the itinerary for tomorrow. And Camden Market on Sunday. Posting details and pictures when I get back.

<3&miss
Rd

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

youz guyz.

I am missing everyone at home a lot right now!

I hope you are all in my dreams. <3

Goodnight.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

flat g.

So, I took some pictures of where I live...

This is our gate.


These are our outside stairs.


These are our inside stairs.


This is the view out the front window.


This is our door.


This is my lame cell phone.

This is my desk.



These are the weird outlets.


The hallway.

The wallpaper.


This is our kitchen.


This is my closet.

These are mine and Lindsey's beds.
We squished them together because the 4 of us pile on them and watch movies all the time.

This is the view from our room.


Hope you enjoyed your tour of Flat G in Montford House at 25 Queens Road, Richmond, Surrey, England.

Monday, January 19, 2009

portobello.









We went to Portobello Market this weekend. It was a street filled with stuff. I loved it. I took so many pictures and bought a bunch of random things. When Kristen was looking through my camera on the ride home she said, "Looking at the pictures you take reminds me that all things in the world can be beautiful." I thought that was really nice and have been thinking about that sentence a lot. At the market we bought a baguette and mulled wine. We tried on gorgeous scarves and crazy sunglasses. We danced to music being played by people on the street and dropped a few pence into their guitar case. We basked in the sun. It was the first sunny day.

Since then, we have gone on a boat cruise, to another exclusive club, to a cool restaurant for a big English breakfast, food shopping, had our first class, saw Piccadilly Circus at night, got lost a couple times, gone to a few different pubs and met a bunch more people. All of which have been incredibly fun.

People are so excited for the Inauguration. Our university is having a huge party for it, bars and pubs are having huge parties for it. The English are mostly conservative in their political views, but everyone (really, everyone!) adores Obama. They can't wait for change. I can't wait for change.

We're going to buy some plane tickets and book some trips right now... later gators.

<3 Rd

ps. I've been saving smiles for you.

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Friday, January 16, 2009

wowzah.








I had an absolutely amazing day today. Here's what happened:

Woke up. Ate breakfast with Dana & Scott. Waited at the bus stop to go into town. Bumped into Jules (the one from London) who spontaneously decided to come with us. Met up with Lindsey & Kristen who were already in the city. Ate lunch at this cute place called Giraffe. Went to a meeting with the internship advisors (will explain in more detail once I know what's happening for sure). Got rained on. Did a little window shopping. Walked around London. Photographed some major sites. Had a cocktail at the this trendy restaurant. Made a list of all the things we hope to do. Walked across the Tower Bridge. Came back to Richmond. Ate dinner. Talked to James. Uploaded some photos. And now we are figuring out where we want the night to take us...

My heart skips beats sometimes because of how much fun I am having.

Tomorrow we are going to Portobello Market, which is in West London and is one of the most famous street markets in the world. And then on a Night Cruise down the River Thames, which flows right through the city. One of my heels broke last night... that's a good enough excuse to buy new shoes for me. ;)

Please send me updates on your lives.

Roomates are cracking up in the other room... need to go join.

Love & Miss,
Rd

ps. I wore a floppy black hat today which reminded me of someone I know. ;)

Thursday, January 15, 2009

london bridge.





I made it to London. This city is amazing.

My flight was good, despite the two annoying little boys and the turbulence. I didn't really sleep on the plane, but I did eat a gross pasta dinner. We actually arrived 30 minutes early which was nice. I was the only person from the Boston flight staying in Richmond so I had a taxi all to myself. I felt important. The man carried my luggage for me and said little tidbits of information about things we were passing and roads we were on. Fog greeted me upon arrival, though, making it difficult to photograph my drive from the airport to the campus. That first drive was nuts, by the way! The whole other side of the road thing is hard to get used to. And London drivers drive fast!

I got into Richmond at about 8 in the morning - it was 30 minutes from Heathrow - checked in, and was taken over to my flat. Mail can be sent to me at:
Richmond Campus
Queens Road, Richmond
Surrey, TW10 6JP

My roommates are awesome. There are 5 of us living in this flat, all from the States. Boston, Pittsburgh, Austin, NYC and Detroit. We get along so well and we already have a bunch of code names for the boys we have met. Everything here in Surrey is quaint and cozy. Picturesque, really. There are rose bushes everywhere, I can not wait for them to bloom. Soccer fields everywhere, too. The center of Surrey is Richmond, which is where we live. The center of town is about a 10 minute walk for us. There is a village there with pubs, restaurants, cute little shops and cafes, a grocery store and a pharmacy. Richmond is where we get on the Tube to go into central London, and that is about 20 minutes away.

Richmond is an extremely affluent community and the kids who grew up here and attend the university are very well off. We are letting them show us around, and they are being very gentlemen-like and chivalrous. So far, we haven't had to pay for a taxi ride, meal or drink.

Last night we went to a few pubs in town to see what they were like. It was really fun! We drank cider and danced to British music, which all kind of sounds like the Killers. Then we took a taxi into central London where the boys had reserved a room at a club that cost 900 pounds! The owners came in to check on us, "Anything else we can do for you, Mr. SoandSo. And how about you, miss. Everything alright?" We were VIPs. The club was so tasteful and chic. There were a lot of people there and everyone looked so stylish. When I heard "Live Your Life" I thought about back home. <3

Besides the study abroad interns, there are maybe 30 students living here already - because they never went home or because this is their home. University doesn't start back up for regular students until next week sometime so more people will move in then. Everyone so far is chill... and extremely interesting. I have already met people from all over the world. This school is has 1000 students from over 100 different countries, which is an incredible statistic.

Every time I breath this English air I get reminded of how amazing this experience is. It still hasn't really hit me that I am going to be living in England for the next 5 months.

We went on a tour of London yesterday before dinner. It was stunning. The history and awesomeness (not the cool awesome, but the grandiose awesome) of the buildings and landscape is incredible. I am applying a lot of what I learned in art history to the things I am seeing. Speaking of art.. there are 5 museums I want to go to in the city, all of which are free. And, there are art galleries around every corner. Also, the fruit and flower vendors melt my heart. And the tea here taste so much better than it does in the States.

The food and weather haven't proved themselves to be quite so good, not that I was expecting them to be... Its about 40 degrees here, damp and foggy.

My roommates have all gone down for a nap, and I am about to fall into the temptation. Still not sure if I'm cured of jet lag because that whole thing really confuses me, but for now, some shut eye seems prettttty appealing.

Update more soon!

<3 Rd

ps. I bought a cell phone which gets free incoming calls: 011 44 75 5193 3869.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

logan.

My journey has officially begun.

I am sitting in the airport, which I have decided might possibly be the saddest and most exciting place on earth. My flight is one day later than planned. I am not sure why it was delayed, but I am not complaining. Getting to spend one more day at home was sort of nice.

I am hungry but I don’t feel like eating. It’s 5:15, two more hours until boarding, two and a half more hours until departure. My wallet is filled with a mix of dollars and pounds, which makes me feel happy and cool.

I am people watching and eavesdropping. I have met two people going to London, Amanda and Mark. They seem nice.

Having my house filled with all the people I love last Saturday was quite lovely. Saying goodbye to my friends and family was tough, though – especially here at Logan. I definitely wasn’t expecting my dad to cry, but it was no surprise when my mom and brother did… I was glad Kate was here to lighten up the mood. And I was glad to have a little movie-goodbye moment with James in the center of a globe that was painted on the floor.

These last few days… these last few weeks… actually, these last few months in the states have been really great. I had an amazing fall semester and winter break. I am leaving a piece of my heart on a hill in Boston, hoping its still there when I return.

Right now, I feel a happy-sadness. I’m nervous about starting over, making new friends, living in a new city and creating a new routine. I’m anxious to become a more cultured, experience and knowledgeable person. I’m scared about missing things back home and not being part of my friends’ memories that they will make over the next 6 months. I’m excited to dress up and wear high heels everyday… and to perfect my British accent.

Just met another person, her name is Ellen... she likes vampires.

I am thinking about how happy I am that I went sledding the other day. Also, I am thinking about how happy I am that I have 3 midnight milky ways in my backpack. I’m going to go eat one now.

Miss everyone already.

<3 Rd

ps. i forgot a toothbrush.