Adventures in London: Issue 6

It is me again, here to report on another week of fun in London. Thisis going to a brief newsletter as I am writing it from my blackberry.I am without internet - which basically means that I am lost.Thankfully though, I have some accessibility on my blackberry. Will behappy to be connect to the worldwide web again!

Last Monday was the Notting hill carnival and moving day!!! A friendfrom work and I went to the carnival for a little while. We left waybefore the mini riot and the 300 person arrest. We managed to order acar and traveled to clapham and my flat!!

I am quite pleased with my move to clapham. The neighborhood is fun,the commons are only a 10 min walk and the gym is pretty close. Thecomplex that I live in has a young crowd which is good. No scary oldlady as my neighbor.

This week was rather low key. I hung out with friends from san fran onTuesday. Was really nice to catch up on things and hang out again.Other than that, not too much. Last night the Americans welcomed a newaddition by trekking to camden town for burgers!

Wish there was more to share. I will try harder for next week. I amkeen to hear how you are - anything new? Folks starting school?Finishing up projects? Any baby firsts that I am missing out on? Anyholiday plans to London I should be prepared for?

Miss you all dearly! For those that live in NYC, I am going to be inthe area in mid-sept, let me know if you around. Would love to catchup.

Xoxo

T

Ps: sorry no photo this week.

Adventures in London: Issue 5

What a week and weekend has it been (and it is still going). This weekend is Bank Holiday weekend (long weekend). I need to write this email rather quickly as I am quite late for a "labor" day BBQ in Borough....so with that said, here we go!!!

The work week was filled with gym sessions during the lunch hour break. I went spinning twice and running on Friday before starting the long weekend. It really feels nice to be working out again. Even if I socialize post work, at least I've done the healthy bit :-) I know that as I start to settle in the socializing will slow down, but right now it is my time to meet you people and explore the city. I do need to mock-up a training schedule for the marathon and determine how to incorporate running with spinning, weight and yoga. Yes that is right, I think I am going to give yoga a try over here. Can not hurt, if anything it will help from getting injured.

I met with my landlady and her boyfriend on Thursday. She is so very incredible and sweet. We signed the tenant papers and yesterday I dropped of the bank check and picked up the keys and code to the complex :-) I am extremely excited to move tomorrow. I am all packed up and all ready to get out of this temp apartment. I was going to move today, but I watched the Men's Marathon from 12:30-4:00a this morning, so I slept rather than packed.

Today and tomorrow is the Notting Hill Carnival. I think I am going to try to swing by before I move out of the neighborhood. It is supposed to be a sight to see during the day time. At night though I have not heard the best stories - good thing by then I will be in my new flat!!! Yippeee!!!! I met a lady who just moved from SA (south africa) on the tube last week (she works for our sister company), so we may go together and check it out.

Yesterday after dropping off the paperwork in Clapham, I went up to Borough and met a friend for a celebratory brunch. He then took me to Borough market, which can only be described as heaven! There are no words for this place. I could try to describe it, but you truly need to see the place to grasp what a market should be - hint hint!

At night, I went to East london for another friend's 30th birthday party. If you thought the themed parties I threw were out there - I am normal here. The theme of this party was "I spy with my little eye something that starts with the letter B" - meaning that you had to dress as something that started with the letter B (butcher, bubble bee, etc). I went as a Boston Red Sox fan as I really was not prepared for the party when packing. Was quite interesting to walk the streets of London in Boston gear. You couldn't tell if I was in fancy dress or a hard core American - hahaha.

After that party I went to SoHo to meet some dear friends that were in town from San Fran. They reminded me that it had only been a year since they moved to the west coast from NYC - I swore it was longer, but they were indeed correct. Guess a lot has happened in a years time. It was so nice to see them. It is amazing how you can just pick up right where you left off with true friends.

Speaking of friends visiting, one major reason that I am looking forward to moving into my flat is that I will finally be able to have visitors over! And I already have my first visitor planned at the end of Sept! I am so very excited. It has been ages since her and I have spent alone time together. Will be like the days of 824 Beacon - no PJ Kilroy's though - bummer.
Well I need to run. Off to M&S to buy loads of cheese :-)

Please continue to write and let me know what adventures you are up to! Even if it is just going to brunch at Duke's, enjoying Mac N' Cheese anywhere in the USA, eating ice cream at Stewart's, having a Mexican martini at Trudy's, I want to hear all about it. And why, even if it sounds basic, I wish I was there!

Love you and miss you all.

xoxo

T

Adventures in London: Issue 4

Another week come and go. I don't know about you, but I have come to look forward to Sundays so I can write you all. It also means that the work week starts (I realize that sounds odd, but at least I know I am going to see people mon-fri). Weekends have been rather isolating as I am still building my network, but I am sure that will change once I move. I have been socializing much more, went to my first media party on Thursday sponsored by mySpace, which was a great deal of fun - wine, food, music and dancing (what more could you want).

A few of us went to this wine and cheese bar before. It was established in 1890 and thought to be the oldest wine bar in London. It is a very traditional bar - they have not changed the decor one bit since it opened. They do not serve any beer or spirits. They have serve sherry and port directly from the barrel!! Did I mention they have cheese?!?! I reckon this will be a "local" post work bar (helps that it is on my route home).

Last night I went over to Angel for a cocktail party which some work people. It was definitely nice to be hanging out with a "regular" crowd over here. Still trying to sort out my network, but have no doubt that the "family" that the Americans have made here will be in integral part of my network in London.

So what have a learned this week? I am still adjusting to the English customs and phrases. I have been told my a couple of people that I am not very American as I do not say "like" a lot. But then I say something that I think is quite normal and they all look at me as if I have 3 heads. One thing that I am going to have to get accustom to the lack of ice here. Brought the ingredients for Micheladas last night, but you cannot buy bags of ice like you can in the States. Although it was not as refreshing, it served it's purpose.

So other than that, work has been going well. Starting to settle in and wrap my head around what I am supposed to be doing. I have been glued to the Olympics the last couple of days - especially since the Athletics portion has started. This morning (at 12:30a) I tuned in to watch the Women's marathon live with a friend from NYC on email. I was very grateful to have friend (even if they were 4,000mi away) that understood how amazing the pack of women running the marathon were. And also understood that crying when Kastor bowed out at the 5K was normal cause it was completely devastating.

Well, I am off to eat some lunch and go for a run. I finally get to join a gym this week - I am extremely excited about this. Unlike NYC, I will actual be able to go. There is a group that goes 3x a week during lunch. It is a normal thing to go to the gym/run during the lunch hour. How perfect will that be for me - will now have the time and allowance to train for my first marathon :-)

Miss you! Hope you are treating the US well! Send me a note if you can, love hearing from you!

xoxo

T

POW (photo of the week): this is actually from last week, do not have a great photo from this week to share. hope you enjoy this one.

PS: Download Skype (skype.com). My username is Tini Sevak (just search for my name under contacts and I should come up). This is a great application for video conferencing and it is free. Would be nice to hear and see you!

Adventures in London: Issue 3

What a week?! The realization that I have moved has certainly started to settle in. Within a day I had a UK blackberry, UK number, and a UK address. That is right - I have found myself a flat! My let agent called me at 4:30p saying that there was a new property on the market. I went to see it at 6:30. Saw it is with another couple who equally like the flat. All of us went back to the agency and placed a silent bid on the apartment - best and final offer. Within 20 minutes I received a phone call saying I go the apartment :-) I will be sure to send more photos of the place, but it is a modern one bed room with dishwasher, washer/dryer, full size fridge and freezer. I have a small balcony and communal garden. I am approximately 3 minutes from the tube station. I am quite excited for it (especially after a few of the places I saw) and even more excited to have company from the States!!

Other than that, I do not have much to share. I am starting to adjust to living and working in London. I have gotten close to the fellow Americans at MindShare. They have made a family over here in London and they truly have each other's back. It is nice to have some acquaintances here that have already gone through what I am going through right now.

Last night a co-worker from MindShare NY who moved here about a year or so ago and I went to see Dark Knight and then we went for Scotch in Notting Hill. It was strange to be hanging out with new people. He and I knew each other in NY, we hung out a couple of times, but that was about it. Here though we have already started to build quite a friendship and I am pleased that he is over here.

I have been watching the Olympics thinking that would help me miss the States a little less. I was so very mistaken - they do not show the American athletes :-( They may mention them, but rarely do you get to see any footage. Focus is on the GBR athletes, which I totally understand, just would like to tune into my fellow Americans and see how they are. I am more concerned about 17 Aug - I know the focus will be on the the Brit, but I am hoping that the American is next to her.

Well I am off to London Bridge for dinner and a movie.

Hope things are well with you. Tell me about the Adventures in NYC, Austin, Cali....I want to read them!

xoxo

T

PS: Attached is a photo of the place...

Everytime you walk away...

...you take a piece of me with you.

If you know where that is from, then you truly are a dear friend of mine. 

I am sitting here in my flat catching up on some good ole american TV via YouTube. Thank the stars for YouTube. London may be behind with American TV, but at least YouTube has my American favorites :-)

So if you have not figured it out, I am watching Gossip Girl online. In particular scenes of Rufus and Lily. It got me thinking - do you ever get catch the catch? Do you ever get a chance to live out that love story that is 10 years in the making? 

Adventures in London: Issue 2

Well I have made it through my first week in London and what a week it was. Work has been in full force, which has been both really good and quite tiring (took me a while to get over my jet lag). So let's see what do I have to show for my first week...

On my third day of work I had a business pitch up in Manchester with a bank. The pressure was definitely on as depending on how well I present they were either going to sign or pass on us. I am glad to report that they decided to sign and we kicked off the project on Friday :-)

The work week was pretty filled with work, and socializing with various people in the Brain Drain. I met a nice group of people who are fairly new to London (moving from the US, Canada, etc) and they have been helpful with guiding me as to where I should live.

Last night I met up with an old random "friend" of mine from BU over in London Bridge. I will have to admit, as awkward as I thought it was going to be to see him again it was actually nice to see a familiar face that was non-work related and to meet other people outside of MindShare. We went to the National Theatre after dinner for drinks which was really cool - Right on the river, you have view of the the eye...(guess the only parallel that I can think of is having drinks at the MET cafe and looking over Central Park).

In terms of apartment hunting I am torn between two lifestyles. A part of me would like to do the London Bridge/ Old Street (similar to SoHo) area, which are convenient to work, and quite central to London and the sites. The downside is that the apartments are matchbox size and pricey. Pretty much going for the NYC Manhattan life style again. On the other side, I would like to travel outward to what the foreigners call the "burbs" and rent a proper size place with a terrace/ garden, modern kitchen/ bath, etc. It all comes down to who I plan on hanging out with to be honest and what my priorities are....

More to come as I continue my slow hunt for a flat.

On another note, I have come to realize how isolating London can be when you don't know people. Truly miss my friends and family today. I left my apartment briefly today to do some grocery shopping and then came back. I am still having a difficult time with just leaving the apartment to explore. I went running yesterday and I was all out of sync as I had no clue to where I was going. Had to stop every couple of minutes to check the map to ensure I was going in the right direction - if you know me you know that was quite annoying and made me quite sad.

Well I am off to prepare some dinner and watch rubbish TV.

Miss you all! Hope you are well. Please drop me a line and let me know how you are.

xoxo

T

PS: I have attached a photo of the view from our floor.
PPS: If you would like to be removed from this list, please let me know and I will...