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it is nice to be in london for such a long time, mostly because it circumvents those back-to-back itinerary days, and lessens the guilt re: bumbling around the north-east.
yesterday, i had a nice walk - went to (one of the many) h+m at oxford circus to exchange something and then walked to st. paul's cathedral. wikipedia informs us that the current church was built in the 17th century and is the seat of the bishop of london. it was beautiful inside - evening choral services were due to start in about 15 minutes, but i was due to cook dinner and worried that i would be late, so didn't stay.
courtesy of wiki, st. pauls circa 1896.
in cavendish park. did you know pigeons like to sunbathe too?
but, on the way there, i stumbled upon this gorgeous garden, right off of holborn circus. finding little tucked-away nooks in cities is one of my favorite things. i sat there for a bit, enjoying the sunlight and surreptitiously looking at my map.
on the way home, i wandered up brick lane to go shopping at this grocery store - ramadan special on dates, 3 for a pound! delicious. we had a spinach/potato curry for dinner with mango chutney - it turned out pretty good. is it weird i work supermarkets into sight-seeing objects? probably. i love foreign markets - tesco or taj, it's all good.
tomorrow : an excursion to south kensington and thrift shops? maybe.
hey muffins!
apologies for the lack of posts - we've been on the ground here, getting settled and then moving, settling, then moving . . . being poor is hard work.
so far i have :
- frolicked about oxford cross
- bumbled around chinatown
- drank in stoke newington
- picnicked in brixton
- wore some good outfits but neglected to take pictures.
i am living in a council flat in hackney for the next couple of days, then on to stoke newington.
i promise pictures soooon! but i feel like such a tourist whipping the ol'camera out . . .
enjoying the air india terminal at jfk, relaxing with a gin+tonic.
see you in london!
in the best interest of furthering humanity's knowledge, i present the travel list for the style-conscious backpacker. it may come to no surprise to some of you that i love lists. and planning. and being neurotic about both.
upon embarking on this adventure [short story=adam+i are living abroad next year, teaching english in a yet-to-be-disclosed location], i explored what the interweb had to offer me in regards to a packing list. after all, a year is a long time to be living out of a backpack, and adam was very adament that i must pack light. so we're looking at about 30 lbs or so. plus a carry-on.
now, some sites suggest such things as teva/chaco water sandals or some sort of convertible garment in line with this. fine, i can understand the appeal of quick-drying, rugged clothing. and if i were, by chance, cliff-diving in acapulco or rappeling down k2, great. get me some patagucci.
but i would rather shoot myself in the face then walk down the champs-elysses or head to a show in shoreditch wearing something that is tan polyester. so i present to you, the fashionable backpacker.
i'm bringing ::
`(4) dresses - one black silk, one blue cotton, one blue silk tunic, one blue shirt-dress
`(4) skirts - one green floral cotton, black american apparel nylon, one pink cotton, one blue wool
`(4) t-shirts - black, green, (2) grey
`(1) pair skinny jeans
`(1) pair nice black straight-leg trousers
`(3) long-sleeves, one grey, one purple-striped, one cream
`(2) cardigans, one black, one cream
`(1) silk blouse
`(1) silk cami
`(1) trench coat
`(3) pairs shoes - one pair silver sandals, one pair black/gold ballet flats, one pair gold peep-toes
`many necklaces
`many silk scarves
this gives me at least a couple of weeks of outfits before i need to start washing things and i can be seen in public.
i should supply you all with pictures, but I'M LAZY. sorry.
next stop: jfk for a 7 hr layover. then onward! on air india to heathrow. will let you know if we get to watch bollywood!
listening to : apples in stereo, her wallpaper reverie. LOVE ME SOME ELEPHANT SIX.
i get a lot of comments on how i am usually in a skirt or a dress; how "dressed-up" i always look. i hate to look slovenly or overly casual but i am fundamentally lazy; the cost-benefit of looking pulled together vs. spending hours doing so results in non-pants. i feel people do not understand the pure easiness of throwing on a dress in the morning; there's nothing to match to each other, no worries about body-images [i find dresses/skirts are generally miles more flattering than pants, on me at least], and you instantly look nice! BAM.
in addition, i believe very strongly in the enduring power of oldey-timey things, such as, but not limited to, watch fobs, gloves, heels, pencil skirts and veiled hats; one feels and acts better when one looks more put-together. in particular, i LOVE vintage hats as no one wears hats anymore . . .
i found this one at the flea market this morning - originally 18$, marked down to 10$, and then i only had 9$, so it became mine for 1/2 off. JACKPOT. the guy said "you never know, maybe those willl come back into style" and i said i was doing my best.
hat : vintage, flea market
shirt : h+m, boston
skirt : aa, montreal
shoes : uo, montreal
i originally had balked at buying this skirt - it was what? like $40? i don't remember now - but i love it. i prefer to wear it with tights over bare legs - it is a bit short - but i love the fabric, the cut, the silhouette and the elastic waist. LOVE ME SOME ELASTIC WAIST.
twoooooo more days until adam and i leave for the old country . . . . blergh. packing.
dear citizens,
i challenge you, my fellow americans, to formalize your life!
please! no more sweatpants, white sneakers or other sloppy attire in public. coif your hair! wear side-button gloves and veiled hats! consult a pocket-watch! don a skirt or dress! free yourself from the tyranny and general discomfort of bifurcated garments!
hear me! i appeal to a greater sense of aesthetic and a common love of beauty! for the sake of your fellow man, apply care and thought to your garb, speech and life; treat every outing as a special occasion, worthy for preening and praise!
until then,
i remain yours,
anna
a week has gone by! yowza.
i. thrift stores! honestly, i prefer them to "real" clothes store. i love that weird funk of old lady and dust, i love spotting fellow ladies searching for gems [or rather it makes me anxious because OH MY GOD what if they take something neat?!? because the good lord knows that EVERYTHING is a competition for me], i love paying 10$ and getting a skirt, belt, shoes, and two books. i love spotting interesting fabrics or neat clothes shapes on a rack from miles away now.
ii. miniature toiletries! i am getting packed to leave [on tuesday! ack!] and all the mini scaled-down bottles are uber adorable
iii. tattoos! despite some negative backlash from the dentist today ["why you have tattoos! that's why you're not married!"], i can't wait to finish my chest-piece and to start brainstorming and stewing about a possible half sleeve. bme is a real inspiration, although i believe the piercing part of my life is over.
iv. sasquatch! um, apparently some people "found" him in appalachia! but, sadly, it was all a hoax. someday. someday he'll pop up. i wrote an academic term paper on the possible existence of the 'quatch - short answer? oh yes my friend. it's possible.
v. adam! he is my boyfriend and i love him very much.
the original tilt over here
courtesy of wiki, st. pauls circa 1896.
in cavendish park. did you know pigeons like to sunbathe too?
