Halloween night sucked, as well as the day in general. Don’t want to go into detail, except we went to Camden but did not get into Electric Ballroom so went down the road to The World’s End for shots and drinks, then The Underworld to dance. Took two hours to get home. Went to bed around 4.
Nightlife
Night in Leeds
Leeds, NightlifeQuick because I am so smashed right now I can hardly type. Went out to Browns for drinks with Jeff and James and got a Rum Punch. The place was very posh because guess what was on the menu!
We left quickly for dinner at the expensive-but-worth-it-because-you-only-live-once Piccolino (rigatoni and tomato sauce and garlic bread and so, so filling). Later went to some place for more drinks for a girl’s birthday before going to Ha Ha Bar to get MORE drinks and James bought me two shots (one jeagermeister and one black licorice thing) and I am drunk right now it’s kind of ridiculous. Went back to the apartment after closing time at 2:30/3am to hang out with the housemates and watch some prank videos they took of the apartment.
I took a few pics but nothing good. An absolutely PRICELESS time spent with locals from Leeds–I would have spent more money (and worth it) coming here than all the time traveling England and Europe together. It’ truly a genuine and fantastic and unforgettable experience. James treated me so well and even invited me back for another weekend which would be fantastic and hopefully possible if we can coordinate our schedules. Tomorrow I’m going to take the 11:40 train to London and have enough time to sort things out for Monday–my first day at internship. More updates soon, along with some mediocre pictures! Time for beddddddddd.
Mom & Dad visit: Day One
Iconic Sights, London, Nightlife, PhotographySo I realize I haven’t posted in a few days. I promise I haven’t been slacking, I’ve just been so busy with things. So on Thursday, I went to the Press Complaints Commission with my journalism class where we talked about the code of privacy and the English press in terms of photography. Our class of 20 girls (and one guy, the poor thing) were hanging on edge to the lecture of one young and good-looking British man, but we kept ourselves mostly composed. Afterwards, I headed to a store called Neu and bought some necessities (black flats, cardigan, jeans, shirts), then sped home for my internship briefing. That night, a group of the usuals went to Vendome—this club with amazing decor and landscape design to die for. The dancing was fun but the free drinks are always the best part about knowing the right people. A good night.
Today, mummy and dad arrived! We went out for breakfast and then traveled to St. John’s Wood on the Jubilee Line to see Abbey Road and take the appropriate pictures of walking across it. Which was harder than I thought it would be–the road is really busy!
The studio and some graffiti from the wall outside it:
Dad taking a stroll.
And me!
Also to note: Kris Allen was there doing the same thing which was really cool. For the confused: he was the winner of the latest American Idol. I saw my first celebrity! (alas, I was too shy to ask him for one personally)
Then we went to Baker Street to browse the Beatles store and got to observe the outside of the Sherlock Holmes museum.
By that point Mom and Dad were exhausted so they went back to sleep and I took a trip to Westminster, where I walked from Parliament to Shakespeare’s Globe. Although they had no tickets left for the show that day, I bought myself an As You Like It programme and button. Went back, took a shower, then napped till dinnertime.
Parents in tow, I took them to Notting Hill Gate to walk down Portobello Road and peek through the antique shop windows. Eventually we found ourselves seated at the Earl of Lonsdale pub for a spot of dinner. I ordered Toad in the Hole, a traditional English dish of sausages laid in Yorkshire pudding with gravy and peas&carrots. It was really good! (I’m easy to please when it comes to Yorkshire pudding) Then we took the Tube to Westminster to see downtown at night–Big Ben and Parliament, the Eye, the bridges, Trafalgar Square.
I LOVED that the Eye was purple that night.
A collage of the fountain’s changing colors.
Back home, we stopped in Stanhope Arms pub (my usual spot) for some spirits and then went back to our respective rooms to recuperate.
Tomorrow: more time with Mum&Dad (where that will lead–only time will tell) and a bit of studying.
on anon
Nightlife, QuotesI almost wish we were butterflies and liv’d but three summer days–three such days with you I could fill with more delight than fifty common years could ever contain.
~John Keats
Went out for Rachel’s birthday to On Anon, which is a nice club except for the cover charge of £7 = the suck. Danced for a while with friends, was stalked creepily, met a boy named Tom, came home late. The end.
Egg & Peter Pan
London, NightlifeInterview went wonderfully. Shopped at Primark and H&M. Got some cute stuff. Then went clubbing at Egg. Met Michael, a Londoner born Romanian who adores Tolkien and thinks 9/11 was a conspiracy. Talked about Romanian men being perverts but the country as a place needing to be traveled to. Also made a point of remembering my name = <3. Tall and skinny with swept hair to the side, covering most of his face, white t-shirt, tight jeans. Way back home was too cold. Took the bus but got off early. Met Jamie, a blonde and perfect looking gay 18 year old from Wimbledon who escorted us to Piccadilly Circus. He had a Waldo shirt on (he made it himself) and a big bulky brown suitcase from which he extracted a jean jacket for me to wear. He used to practice ballet, but hurt his back and couldn’t do it anymore, so now he works at a bar and will soon be going to Disneyland to be Peter Pan! (Side note: I later suspected he might have been lying to cover his real identity: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamie_Campbell_Bower). He kept jumping up and down and laughing at how American we were and how British people were just as rude and loud. People we meet here are SO exciting. I just wish I had more time with them other than a drunken night out or walking down the street.
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London, Nightlife, PubsDay was filled with book buying and class. Not so long after all. Grocery shopping, Hanging out with Antoine, cooking my curry for dinner, then drinking wine with roommates while getting ready for the party. Going to the party, taking pictures, getting drunk off three pints of Beck’s.
A few of the girls at Longacre, where the party started.
With Dave, our Social Programmes manager. He’s double parking!
Then we wandered off to Verve to get our free admission and shot then headed to O’Neills to dance with very British and German boys, one skinny blonde named Chris who twirled me all night. Good times.
Us closing out the place.
After they spit us out onto the street at 3, we walked around Piccadilly and eventually went home on a double decker. It’s four in the morning and I’m just realizing that I drank with my RA’s, screamed with my week-long friends, and danced with boys I couldn’t understand. Walking around dizzy on Piccadilly is the weirdest experience I’ve had to date. I’m sure it won’t be the last. The British are the best.
Lindsey Olander 