Just my luck.

After a stressful and whirlwind of a semester, I was very much looking forward to coming home to relax, run, and party with friends for a few weeks before work starts in June. I wanted nothing more than to hit the gym every morning, watch tv, read, and then head to local bars or to the city each night to meet up with friends. 

Well, at least I can do two of those things while elevating my leg on the couch. Yep. I broke my ankle. How? Well... I was being attacked by two mad dogs, so I hopped a fence... after I landed on the dumpster and jumped down a taxi came out of nowhere and ran me over... 

That's the real story. It is totally NOT true that I was walking to the train station in the rain and slipped on a west stone in the pavement. And it is NOT true that a guy who looks just like the obnoxious, skinny, blonde guy on How I Met Your Mother helped me up and I "walked it off" out of embarrassment. 

So anyway... no more running, no dancing, no walking, no wearing jeans or any decent-looking pants, no driving, no shopping, no high heels, no drinking - can't be drunk while operating my vehicle (crutches / swivel chair / hopping around on my good leg). Going to be a fun time! 

And that is all the complaining I will do. That's IT! Done. Now it is time to be positive and focus on recovery and figuring out how to live a normal life with one leg. I have to move into a new apartment. Get oral surgery. Start work. Commute to work. Walk around at work. Get myself to meetings at work. Figure out how to hold something while walking - i.e. lunch at work. Not completely destroy my other leg while hopping around on it. And, lastly, stop worrying myself to the point of sickness that I will never be able to run at full strength again. Oh, and cancel my entry into the NY marathon. 

Positivity starts now. (I'll post when I find the bright side). 

Nae Drinks Ootside Efter Neene

... Written on the inside of a door to a fabulously dingy, cheap, Scottish pub that was pretty much everything I wanted Scotland to be. Translation: No drinks outside after 9. And the seemingly dodgy bar had some of the best live music I've ever heard. Any decent cover of a Jim Morrison tune by a teenager in a Dr. Seuss hat has my vote. 

Edinburgh is exciting, quaint, and charming. The people are genial, warm, and like to have fun. What more could anyone ask for? From start to finish, our holiday was perfect. Quiet, clean, smooth 4-hr train ride, and a surprise from Andy, who was waiting at the station! 

The hotel was on Princes Street right in the center of the city. 5 minutes to the botanical gardens, 10 minutes to the Edinburgh Castle & the Royal Mile, and smack inbetween the 2 main spots for night life. We did the whole touristy sight-seeing thing during the day, and walked along the Royal Mile a bit before heading out in the Grassmarket. 

The Royal Mile is a mile-long street with tons of restaurants, pubs, and shopping. We were noticing that every single place we passed was somewhere we wanted to go. For every meal, we passed about 10 places that we said, "that looks great... stop or keep going? let's just look at the next place..." I'll admit it... I didn't try haggis (traditional Scottish meal... sheep bladder, liver, and other body parts). I wanted to! But not enough to actually do it...

The Grassmarket was filled with clubs, lounges, and pubs. I absolutely love the crazy names that pubs have, especially in Edinburgh. In London, too, every pub is a noun beginning with "The." The noun is always something having to do with Britain or royalty. My favorite was one on the Royal Mile called "The Malt Shovel." After a few drinks, I thought it was called "The Manure Pusher." The place we went to was called The Three Sisters. It was a massive lounge/club with a DJ who was using a fake headset to look cool. Just as Andy predicted, about an hour after we arrived, all of the guys that had been standing at the bar drinking were suddenly forming awkward packs on the dance floor and spinning around in circles with their arms in the air... really innovative dance moves. 

Word of caution - don't go to the Scottish House of Parliament. The only things in it are a gift shop and carpeting swatches from the Parliament House. It's not even worth getting out of the rain... which is the only reason we went in the first place. 

So who knew that the best place to find Mexican is in Edinburgh? We went to Miro Mexicana on Rose St. (right before the pub with live music) and had the best fajitas I have ever had. Good mragaritas too. But, if my Mom were to have tried them, she would have taken one sip, smirked, shook her head, and muttered "weak." After the pub, we went to a really nice whiskey bar, since apparently Scotland is known for their whiskey. So naturally, I had a strawberry beer. The length of time it took Andy to finish his whiskey (about an hour) is proof positive that my beer was a good choice. 

So, other than some rainy weather, a fabulous trip! If I could spend every other weekend in Edinburgh, I'd be a happy lady. I guess Edinburgh is a bit of a hike from NY for just a weekend... 

Going for the Gold

Just wanted to mention... Andy and I ran the Newham Classic 10K on Sunday. And now I can officially say I have run around the 2012 Olympic Stadium in London (even though it is only half built!) 

How cool is that?! Also got to see Andy's school (very nice!). I ran it in somewhere around 50 minutes. Andy ran it in 47. He is a running machine! 

I will be home in 22 days. But I'm not counting or anything.

Plan of action upon return:

1) eat pancakes at Grandma and Grandpa's

2) tell my life story to friends (and Kay) over an excessive amount of wine

3) get wisdom teeth out 

4) try not to die

5) get an apartment

6) shop til I drop 

Speaking of shopping, I'm off to the DSUK designer sale on Brick Lane. Cheers!

a much needed update.

It has been forever. I haven't had a moment to post! Every time I think about posting, I remember how far behind I am in my reading and how many essays I was supposed to write and haven't written yet.

BUT since I have so much work to do tomorrow I am going to be super productive and... run a race. I'm running the Newham Classic 10K run (for charity I think?). Let's hope I can keep up with Andy! I've done a bit too much drinking and a bit too little running this semester to be in any condition to race. Nutritionists don't generally recommend diets of meat pies and late night sausages while training. It will be more of a leisurely jog for me. 

I meant to do lots of essay writing today, but it was 60 degrees and sunny! I read Oscar Wilde in Gordon Square instead. Definitely a much better use of my time. 

So... quick update. I went to Sicily. and my parents took their very first trip to London. Sicily first: Italy = paradise. I don't think that Sicily is my favorite spot in Italy, but it is still beautiful. It seems that in Italy everything and everyone is just beautiful without any effort. Even something that is not supposed to look beautiful... like a desserted alley with old laundry hanging on it... looks like a work of art. While we were there we ate pasta, pizza, gelato and panninis, drank wine with every meal, walked around the piazzas, went to the beach, and shopped. So basically, the ideal holiday. And we were lucky enough to get there a few weeks before the summer season really begins, so not too many tourists and really reasonable prices. What more can you ask for?!

Only downside to Sicily, as with the rest of Italy... completely inefficient. Train is supposed to come at 9:00, you're lucky if it's there at 9:15. We waited an hour for a train that we were running late for in the first place. And, of course, the trains stop running at 9:30 p.m., so to get home from the city, a pricy cab ride is the only option. But all in all, a wonderfully relaxing break from the fog.

Holiday number two: being a tourist with Mom and Dad in London. We did so many things that I haven't done before (even after 3 months), like Shakespeare's Globe, Tower of London (pointless), and St. Paul's. St. Paul's was absolutely breathtaking... I'm surprised I didn't know  that sooner since I work across the street. We saw Les Miserables, which was absolutely unforgettable... something I will remember forever. And supposedly the London theatre is ranked higher than NY's broadway, so it's very possible I just saw the best show in the world. But my favorite has to be Shakespeare's Globe, only because I am a Shakespeare dork. It was great to see where all the magic happens. And very typically English. Our tour guide told us everyone would come in drunk, watch a vulgar show, be sloshing around in the rain, probably get into a few fights, and then do who knows what after the show. Yep, that's the English for ya. I'm actually going to go back and buy this beautiful decorative masque (like the kind you might wear to a masquerade) from the globe and hang it in my apartment when I get home... just so I can say "oh that's from Shakespeare's globe" very nonchalantly when people ask about it. 

Only downside of the trip... not the best weather London has ever seen (not that London ever sees great weather). But, my poor Mom who so looks forward to holidays of sun and cocktails on the beach was stuck dragging her suitcase through puddles while trying to hold onto her umbrella with the other hand. At least we did have two days of sun. So Dad fell in love with the pubs (obviously) and made it perfectly clear that he wanted ale and a meat pie for every meal. Mom found the cute streets with the restaurants that I had been searching for (of course) and even found probably the only mafia hangout in London. Leave it to Mom to travel to a city she's never been to... where I live... and teach me things. For example, now I know that if I'm feeling sick I can legally stock up on Advil with Codeine since it is OTC in the UK. 

AND the best surprise of the trip was Andrew! Based on a five minute chat late Friday night, he hopped on a plane and met us at Camden markets Saturday morning. I know my parents were so glad to catch up with him, and I was ecstatic! Definitely made the night life more exciting for the week. And, of course, Andrew showed me the best view of Big Ben at night from Trafalgar Square that I had never seen before... If everyone keeps teaching me things when they come to visit, I guess that means I'm super oblivious? 

Only thing missing from the trip was Kay, but I plan to photoshop her floating head into some photos... which is really all that matters on vacation anyway ;)

And on that note, I'm off to watch Ocean's 12. Cheers. 

March Madness

Finally! Kay and Case get here tomorrow and I cannot wait! So here is how it goes.

Pubs

strawberry beer

Buckingham Palace

St. Patty's Day

High Tea

Football match

English mates

Camden markets

Full English breakfast

London eye

Oxford Street

Roller disco... and 80s dance clothes obviously

Leicester Square

AND I finished my 9-page paper so I don't have to do it while they're here. beat that.

Please Sir, I want some more.

We would be hard-pressed to find an author more beloved, famous or renowned than Charles Dickens, the wonderful Boz who entertains and delights the rich and the poor, the old and the young, the Londoners and the foreigners alike. It is Dickens's London that captivates even the disinterested reader with characters so over the top and yet so like everyone around us that they can't help but jump off of the page as we read. But the intrigue of Dickens novels... the addiction, the seduction... is London. London in all her glory... corruption, poverty, vice, mystery, and danger. 

We read of the sufferings of heroes, the triumphs of villains, and the injustice of humanity with every page... but we put the book down with an even greater sense of humanity and compassion than we knew of before. For Dickens, this magic can only function within the city of London. He relishes in the personality of the London fog. London is a character like any other... both the protagonist and the villain. We walk down the streets of London and see what Boz sees. Dickens lifts the veils from over our eyes and smacks us in the face with everything we don't want to think about. But we are far from angry with him for it. Instead, we become bound by a commonality, we are united against human suffering and injustice. 

It is this intangible bond that permeates the magical city of London. We are all personally acquainted with Pip and Oliver and love to hate Scrooge, a now integral character in a religious celebration. In London, even the mundane and unspeakably low can sparkle. Charm is everywhere and around every corner. For Dickens, London is a character. It influences the story and has capabilities of its own. The dark streets with yellow lamps, the puddles, the fog that makes London somehow unreadable, the chill... it is as much a part of the story as Miss Havisham and Darnay. 

For Dickens, time is diachronic... it simultaneously progresses and stands still. As the days pass by, we see a frozen image of the action of London's streets. The normal, the absurd, and the monotonous is somehow so captivating that we must freeze it to observe it, understand it, and bask in it. London is a real-life photo.

Samuel Johnson writes, "When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life. For there is in London, all that life can afford." A different version of London exists for everyone. But, as Dickens does not let us forget, London has  a presence we cannot escape. And we would not want to. Please, Sir. I want some more.

"Studying" Abroad?

I use that term very loosely. So it's been a while since I've posted anything... there's just no time to spare! Between school, work, and living in London, I hardly even have time to catch up on 30 Rock. I cannot believe I've been here for over a month! Let me recap some things I've done... 

I went to the London Philharmonic Orchestra, which was wonderful. I'm not gonna lie, I wouldn't voluntarily go to the orchestra without a reason in NY, but NYU was subsidizing the tickets, so a bunch of us went and I'm glad I did. The Orchestra performed all Beethoven, so it was very energetic. Definitely a worthwhile time... especially the bridge we crossed near Embankment to get to the theater. 

The Thames is just so beautiful to walk across (there are a bunch of bridges to do that)... it really breaks up the city in a good way. In my Writing London class we learn a lot about the geography of London, as it relates to the various stories we're reading. In the beginning of the 19th century, before bridges over the Thames, central London was much smaller and the Thames served as the boundary between the country and the city. It's really interesting to learn about that kind of thing as we read... so much of English lit takes place in very specific areas or even streets of London that are referenced so regularly. I hadn't realized that before I came here, but now it is great to be able to picture the road that Dickens's characters walk along or understand why Evelina doesn't like staying with her cousins in Snow Hill. I'd love to take a course about Writing New York... I hope they have that back home!

I also went to an absolutely fabulous tapas place in Islington. That is pretty much the hot spot for restaurants (according to me). Sangria, DELICIOUS food, and the added bonus of watching a salsa dancing class. A seriously wonderful time with good company... And also our waiter had the longest sideburns I've ever seen. I'm already thinking about when I can go back next... Sunday to Wednesday it's unlimited tapas for a tenner (10 pounds)!

This weekend it finally hit me that I am actually going to school here. I wrote my first paper, but for the first time in a while I actually didn't mind writing it... the paper was about van Dyck's English court portraiture, of which I had seen a lot first hand on field trips with my art history class. It really makes a difference when you're completely immersed in the subject and can see how it's applicable, rather than just considering it some history that has no real world implications. I've begun to walk around the city noticing the classical features of all of the buildings that were based on Inigo Jones's style. It's funny how you can learn about something that seems so inconsequential, but it can change the way you see things every single day.

This weekend was a very Spanish weekend... after doing tapas at La Tasca, I did Mexican at Desperados on Saturday, and went to Camino for drinks. Camino was also fabulous... we've concluded that Camino is what would happen if Spain became hipster. Funky, jazzy, and hip. Plus sangria. Basically... everything I look for in a bar. 

Watched a rugby match at a bar... but next weekend I get to go to a match! If you're wondering how rugby really works... don't worry. No one really knows the rules. We talked to some English people also watching the match, and they said it's too complicated to bother trying to figure out. But basically, it's a combination of soccer and American football. It looks like football b/c they don't wear padding and run around with the ball and tackle each other. But it's like soccer because play doesn't actually stop. The only inhibiting rule is that you can't throw the ball ahead of you. You can progress up the field by punting it or running with it, but can only throw it backward. And then people tackle you and steal the ball and run the other way. You have to run into the endzone and slam the ball on the ground to score a "try," then you kick a fieldgoal like in football. It's pretty dangerous / cool.

I'm also taking a day trip to Portsmouth and Wincester on Friday... it's required for my English class, but I'm not sure why. Apparently Jane Austen is buried there, but I'm not sure it will enlighten me to see her grave. I'm just mad that I have to be there at 7:45 a.m. Ew!

That's all for now. Work / class tomorrow. And now... Great Expectations.