Adventures in London: Issue 203

It has been an interesting week. The previous weekend wasn't the easiest, but as Chumbawamba once sang, "I get knocked down, but I get up again. You're never gonna keep me down." Life is a tricky thing and it doesn't come with a rule book or a restart button. We need to take each lesson as they come and learn from whatever comes our way. We are all human and we make mistakes. We forget what is important and what is right, but what makes it all is having people around you that help you take a step back to remind you why you care. Why you bother in the first place. I am so thank you for those people in my life.

This week has been about getting clarity on things. One of which was my view on  the situation before me, the second my immigration options. Seems like I have had some options....just wasn't aware about it. After the good news it was off to the theatre to see Wah Wah Girls. I didn't do any research on the show except to know that it was a Bollywood dance musical.  The musical is about a girl who moves to London with a dream to dance at the famous Wah Wah girl studio. The music was a blend of Bollywood movie hits and original songs. Overall I was thoroughly entertained and glad that I went to see the show :-)

Work has been a bit hectic lately and it has been YEARs since I did a 4 hour lunch, but this week we went for lunch and didn't come back :-) Friday club has become a tradition lately, but this time we decided to just stay at lunch. Stay laughing, stay joking and stay enjoying the company of one another. Monday will soon come and back with it the mundane duties of managing our clients and answering their every whim of a question. I think we all deserved a few hours break from it all. It was a great afternoon. Jagger Bombs at 3 o'clock were probably not required, but there were had :-)

Finally came the weekend and with it, a beautiful 35 mile bike ride along the canal. Our friends Rebecca and Michael moved up to Bronbourne so we decided to make it a sporty Saturday for a catch up. We biked up and met them at a pub for a DELICIOUS lunch. One grand benefit of biking 20+ miles is that you don't feel guilty for ordering dessert and demolishing the entire Eton Mess alone. From lunch we biked over to see their new house which is the cutest thing I have seen. I want a house so very much. A large kitchen, dinning room, living room and rooms!! One day....some day I hope to be able to do so. It was a great Saturday and such a delight to catch up with Rebecca and Michael. The ride back through the rain and wind however was a bit less fun. The fall at the end was not desired at all.

On Sunday we welcomed a new guest for the week. I don't quite know what the average 14yr old is into these days, but going to need to channel my inner-teenager this week. Don't tell anyone, but I am rather excited about it :-)

Hope you all are well. Miss you dearly and truly

xx

T

Adventures in London: Issue 202

 It has been a pretty chill, but active week. On Tuesday we had a surprise birthday dinner to celebrate our dear friend Steve. It was great to see Steve and celebrate his special day. It was even more delightful to see Naomi as this was the first time seeing her since she moved back from Australia. It was great to catch up with Naomi, Steve, Diane and Holly. It was like old times in some ways and it was nice that we could all be together, laugh and enjoy one another company. Thank you Naomi for thinking of me and allowing us to share in the celebrations :-)


 The following evening I took my first official photography class. It was a night photography class to learn how to use the manual settings and tripod. It was a brilliant class and I am so very happy that I took it. It was a wicked evening of learning what ISO, f-stop, shutter speed and exposure were and how to change and adjust them for the "right shot". The teacher also reviewed our photos and helped us learn to tell a story from our photos and how to compose a frame. I really come alive when I am behind my camera. I don't know how to describe it, but it was pure joy and magic. Cannot wait to take another class. Below are a few more shots from the evening. Here is a helpful trick; with a long shutter speed (20 sec), once you've release the shutter zoom in slowly and then stop. It is wicked :-)

 Finally came the weekend and with it Power's Hen's Do! It is so amazing to see how happy she is and to celebrate in her upcoming nuptials. We all have had our share of adventures and stories here and I am pleased that she is starting a new happy chapter to her adventure. Amazing how much life can change in just 4 years. I look back to where we both were the summer of 2008 and a part of me feels like it was just yesterday and another part of me feels like it was a lifetime ago. All said and done, I am glad that we both are here, got to properly know one another (and move past the rumors) and best dearest friends in each other's lives!

The weekend has its up and downs, but sometimes it doesn't matter what course you take...just matters on how it ends. For me, the weekend ended with a smile on my face. I sold my bike (so sad to see that bike go as I did truly love it), but I know it is going to a happy home. I am loving this eBay stuff. Going to scrummage around the flat and see what else I can sell :-)

Hope  you all are well. Miss you dearly

xx

T

Adventures in London: Issue 201

Being home and spending time with my nephews has been so much fun. I thought that moving to the UK during the earlier years of their lives meant that when I moved back I would get to enjoy the fun part. What I failed to know was that every year is the fun years. I cannot believe how much Kadin has grown and the fact that he is able to write and carry on proper conversations. When I play with Parker I cannot help but wonder if he will grow up and know who I am or will I just be another person to him? I know the consequence of me moving to the UK was that I would not be apart of their lives. I understand that fully. My life is here in the UK, I know that, but that doesn't change the fact that I don't think about them often.

It has been a nice family visit. Every time I come home and return to London, I see things in a new way. I see how life has moved on (I am not delusional in thinking that it would stop just for me). We have all moved on in our own ways, but I am glad that when we are together we just share and cherish those moments. It funny the things you realize when you visit home. The things you realize you miss and the things that you realize you are pleased that you live thousands of miles away. If I had to pick between London and New York I don't think I could. I love both for different reasons and both mean the world to me. That all said, I know that come 28 July I will be 100% TEAM USA! May have taken me 8 stores of hunting, but I finally found my official TEAM USA olympic gear so I am counting down to the Opening Ceremony of the London Games!! BRING IT BABY! Been waiting for this day for 4 years :-)

I am so happy and thankful for my years in New York. I have learnt so much from them, but I need to accept that my life is here in London. I need to accept that I have learnt and gained so much through living here. Will I have a place in New York...well let's hope so. Do I have a place here in London...I sure do think I do. Both will always be my homes. Just as Niskayuna is and as Boston once was. From each city I have lived in they have molded me into the person that I am today and for that I am forever grateful. I  may live miles and miles away and I may not see K as often as I once did, but I am glad that despite all that he and I still have our special relationship.

Bhai/Bams thank you very much for a lovely visit. It was a pleasure to see you, to spend time with Kadin and to meet Parker. Thank you for a visit that will stay with me for years to come :-)

Returning back to London was rough. Not only was I suffering from jet lag and missing New York, but my brother thought it would be a GREAT idea to share his flu with me (not very nice), but thankfully it only stayed in my system for a few short days and I bounced out of it. Over the weekend I did something naughty and bought another bike (I know this makes it the third bike in 2012). I needed a proper bike that would also me to keep up with my team members. "Don't Force the Pace" had our first official training bike ride. We did 14.5 miles around London traveling south through old street, across the city of London, over Tower Bridge (thought of Kristin as we biked over) and then back up. It was a great bike ride with friends, sunshine and especially enjoying the pint and burger post-ride meal :-) Great day ladies, cannot wait until our race.

Miss you all dearly and truly

xx

T

Adventures in London: Issue 200

I cannot believe that we are on issue 200....unbelievable :) Who knew when I started this blog that

1) I would make it this far (yes I know there are gaps to be filled and

2) that I would be introducing you all to the newest Sevak!

Everyone, I would like to introduce you to Parker Nitin Sevak! One of the cons of living abroad is that it has taken me nearly 4 months to meet this little man. What a little man he is. He is such a happy, smiley baby!

Its the Queen's Jubilee this weekend in London, so rather than taking the opportunity to spend it celebrating the Queen 60 years, I took advantage of the long weekend to spend some time with the two Princes of the Sevak family. I arrived Wednesday night just in time to give Kadin a hug before his bed time (my bedtime was not too far after as jet lag was getting the best of me). The next day, I had my traditional morning the with Kadin... joys of the both of us waking up at 0530 :) I love those couple of hours when it is just the two of us. We just sat on the floor playing with the various super hero toys and chatting. It is unbelievable how much this kid talks :)

The only item on my agenda this week has been to spend time with Kadin and Parker and boy have we. On Thursday Kadin and I played in the photo booth.... who knew you could have so much fun making faces and pretending you are taking a roller coaster ride. It is a brilliant application if you have an Apple. Highly recommend that you check it out. Can spend hours taking silly photos. I don't know who was more entrained by the app...me or Kadin. I suppose the other question is between the two of us, who is actually the older one, cause I think the jury is still out on that one.

That afternoon Mom came so it was only natural that we introduced her to the Photo booth fun! See it is great fun for all ages :) We even got Parker in on some of the fun.

That evening (and sorry I was too engrossed with catching up to spot and take a photo) I caught up with LC at the Gingerman. It is always great seeing LC. Just puts life in perspective really. I am really glad that it worked out for the two of us to spend some time together. Had been a while since I missed him during his last London trip. Jealous of his BBQ - - need to find a way to ship a proper American BBQ back to London :)

 During the rest of the evening I spent catching up with Kim and Molly. It was such a delight seeing the girls and spending some quality time together. It is amazing how much our lives have changed over the last four years and how we are just able to pick up like there has been no time past at all. That is really the sign of a great friendship. I miss these girls so very much. Don't get me wrong, I love my London family, but I wish I could have it all. Who doesn't really!?! Molly I am so very happy for you and Gary. Cannot wait to celebrate your big day next May... May the Fourth be with you :) Sorry...cheesy joke, but what else do you expect from me.

On Friday, Bams and I kicked off the weekend in fashion.. mani and pedis! Earlier in the afternoon, I had my traditional haircut. Been going to the same place for 8 years now, even with moving to London that has not stopped me from getting my haircut by the same group of people in NYC :) Kadin came with us to the nail salon and cheeky chap managed to get himself a 15 minute massage. Doesn't like to be touched AT ALL, but for a massage in the spa...he was all game. Who doesn't love a little pampering?!

Finally the official weekend started and with it came a bike ride through NYC. The ride was certainly not fair....Bhai rode his proper road racing bike (thankfully he used the "slow" one) and I was stuck with the rental bike which weighed like a ton of bricks and only had 7 speeds. Nevertheless, we went from a ride through NYC going via Central Park (boy did riding through CP remind me of the the great memories I had running various NYRR races) to Riverside Bike path up to GW Bridge. We did think "should we cross it", but we opted to turn around. All and all we managed 17.5 mile in about 2 hours (we were not biking the entire time as some of it was stop and go). It was a great afternoon with the big brother! Glad he pedaled backwards so he could keep up with me :) After our bike ride, we went back to the apartment to pick up Bams for our massages. Oh I could get used to this lifestyle...sports and massages :)

Thankfully I woke up on Sunday not in pain from the ride. I was worried that I was going to be, but the legs and especially the ankle felt great. Didn't really matter as the agenda for the day was Brunch. Don't really need legs for that :)

I went to the traditional Duke's with Granny, Kristin and Joseph. My friend Ruth from London (who literally just moved to NYC) joined us for a good ole American afternoon of pancakes, mimosas, followed by beers and wings at the Wharf. I love afternoon like this. Just a simple meal that turns into an afternoon of laughter and chatting :) Miss you guys so very much. Wish I could bottle you up and take you back to the UK with me.

That evening I chilled with the family; painting with Kadin, "chatting" with Parker and catching up on the TV & celebrity gossip with Bams. Enjoyed a lovely home cooked meal made by Bhai.

It has been a great week with the family, seeing friends and especially meeting Parker. Below are some more photos of Parker & Kadin cause I am sure if you are like me you cannot get enough :)

Miss you all dearly

xxx

T