Update
Sorry it's been awhile since I gave a proper update. Just been busy touring around with friends before they leave for Christmas break (as we still call it that over here in England).Let's see where do I start . . . Well you've seen Amanda's birthday party photos from this past Wednesday evening. I'll start from there and work towards today. We had our exam on Wednesday morning - class average was 25/60! This exam doesn't count for anything, just to see where you are as far as studying in concerned, but I was above average :) which made me happy!
That afternoon I went out to lunch with Sasha & Susan - we grabbed a sandwich on Store St, just down the road from school. We returned to school for a 12.45 Immunology seminar - which was very interesting. From there we went to stand in the LONG queue at the post office. There is always a long queue at the post office!! I think it's b/c the post office offers way too many things aside from stamps. You can exchange money, get car insurance, travel insurance, postal orders, bank accounts, phone cards, and top up your mobile pay-as-you-go phone. After that mission was accomplished I jumped on the tube at Russell Sq and headed home to buy 2 plates and a few forks/knives/spoons for dinner!
Around 17.30 Rob & Jim came over so Rob could frost the cake & Jim could play on the internet (some of you probably received emails from "me" - LOL). Around 18.00 Susan arrived, 18.20 Heather & Amanda called to say the surface train was really late and they needed help with food shopping. Dom arrived around 18.30 and we set off with the shopping list in order to find all the items needed for dinner. Might seem like an easy task, but with Rob, Dom, Susan, and me all in the lead it was a mess. We were able to get everything and return to find Jim (still on the computer) with Heather, Amanda, Gareth & Claire. We started to organize the dinner food - dividing up who would cut what & where, since we're limited on space in my little studio!! Rob, Jim, Gareth & Claire buggered off to the pub.
Let me tell you about how hot it can get in my tiny little kitchen with all 4 burners going, oven on, 1 chef with her 3 assistants!! We all had red cheeks like we'd been out sledding or something!
We all sat down for dinner around 18.45 - everyone loved it I could tell b/c it got very quiet all of the sudden! We had 2 choices, spicy chicken or non-spicy chicken with rice and tortillas with avocado & melted cheese. It was PERFECTION!!! Luckily we had just enough for everyone to have seconds who wanted it.
Jim did the washing up, with minimal help from me (again not much room in the kitchen), while Rob put candles in the cake. We sang Happy Birthday to Amanda and all got a piece of cake. From the photos you can tell we had a bit of a frosting fight as well - boys will be boys and why leave the hostess out of all the fun, right?!?!
After the three of us had washed our faces everyone headed down to my local. We stayed till closing, probably only about an hour. From there everyone jumped on the tube or walked home. All in all it was a fantastic & fun night! Will miss these guys during the holidays, they're my school family.
Thursday, I went to Katie's graduation from LSE. Simon and I sat together through one of the shortest graduations I've ever seen - 1 hour 20 minutes!! It was ideal!! Glad I was there to support Katie and see her get her masters - very exciting. Katie had her work Christmas party so that evening I had dinner with Rob at an Indian place near Archway tube stop - we were looking for Chinese but couldn't find a sit down place.
Friday I met everyone at Leicester Sq tube for Dim Sum in China Town - see photos - from the photos you can probably tell that we walked to Covent Garden after lunch for a little window shopping and then on to school for drinks with the MBID and a few IID students. From there I came home to get ready for Bianca's birthday party in Camden Town. (Bianca one of the barmaids at my local). Rob, Louise, Mark & I met at the pub for dinner before heading down to Solo Bar in CT. It was a good night, but Louise and I were tired so we headed home early!
Saturday, Susan, Louise, Rob & I met at Camden Town tube station for a walk to Hampstead Heath. It was a brisk morning, but wonderfully sunny & clear for walking. We found the heath eventually, after a few wrong turns here and there. Lots of kites being flown and dogs running around. It was nice to see forested areas in London. Parks & heaths aren't the same!! A "park" is the same as we think of in the states. A "heath" is more of a wooded area with paths & more overgrown forest like. On our way home we stopped to buy food for dinner. Rob cooked pork with cocannon (potatoes with cooked kale and spring onions) and sued. We had strawberries with creme fresh for dessert. Heather & Lauren showed up around 19.10 so we could head up to Highgate Village to see The Wiz at a pub theater. It was great fun!
Today, Louise came over around 11.00 for breakfast and a trip to Harrods! Not of course the greatest of days to plan a trip to such a tourist trap, but I'd yet to be in all my time here so we fought the crowds. We walked around through the different sections of Harrods before getting in the queue for the Chocolate Bar - we had melted milk chocolate (drinks) with cookies as a little snack - it's absolute heaven!! On our way home we stopped off in Camden to hit Wolly's (Wolworth's) and get some last minute supplies for Christmas - stockings and wrapping paper! From CT we walked back to KT. Stopped over to see Rob & Jim to say Merry Christmas & Happy New Year, since Louise is leaving tomorrow at 07.20. Then back to my flat for left over dinner from last night and to watch Good Will Hunting on the laptop.
posted by Sara @ 9:12 pm
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