Grrrrrr

I thought I'd finished the dress. And then noticed that the zip is all wonky at the back. And not because of my crap sewing, but because the zip itself - which I even bought at bloody John Lewis. Not happy.

I now have to buy a new zip and do it all again :-(

School discos and Pretty Woman

Happy birthday, Richard Gere! (65!!!)

Walk 10

Weather forecast predicted clouds but no rain. But of course it started raining literally 10 minutes before the walk around Hampton Court Palace started. Fortunately it just drizzled and didn't last long either. It certainly didn't dampen our spirits!

Together with about 900 other people in yellow Marie Curie Cancer Care T-shirts we set out. Volunteers along the way made sure we went the right way, provided water and encouragement. After the half way mark, I did start to feel my thighs and a little later my feet, too. But overall it was much more manageable than I thought it would be and I am also feeling fine today. The route was really beautiful and scenic.

The night ended with a picnic and fireworks. Fireworks always make me sentimental and emotional. I think primarily because it reminds me of New Year's Eve/my birthday/things coming to an end and new beginnings. Add to that a short speech by one of the Marie Curie nurses - and thinking about those who passed away because of cancer... So, if you can, please make a donation.

Most of all, I would like to thank A, S and T for walking and fundraising with me. A great way to celebrate our 'anniversary' of meeting in Lisbon nearly exactly a year ago - so happy to have you guys in my life! xxx

Poppy & Georgie

I absolutely LOVE this new comedy series: check out Almost Royal.
Here they are on Graham Norton:

Stuck

It's been another busy week, filled with a little bit of craziness. Well, quite a lot of craziness actually. And it's the loveliness around me and towards me that has (so far anyway) kept me (relatively) sane. I hope the people in question know just how much this means to me :-)

But no more moaning, cause it's the weekend!!!! And it started with strawberry-peanut butter milkshake, brunch burger, fries and onion rings at The Diner. And continued with my first ever Appletini (I used to religiously watch all Scrubs episodes - can't believe I didn't try it sooner!) mixed by a very nice barkeeper at Prague Bar.

On my way home on the DLR, my bag strap got stuck at the side of the seat. The nice lady next to me - apparently having had similar experiences before - tried her best to rescue it, but with no success. I of course missed my stop. Fortunately, the DLR driver (conductor - what are these people called? I still don't understand what they actually do, given the DLR drives itself) managed to pull it out. I admit that I had already pictured myself being stuck on the DLR in an endless loop... Londoners are very helpful after all! :-)

The pancake + syrup comes as part of the brunch burger
following the advice of the waiter, I had mine served on the side

I'm easily impressed: check out the straw stuck to the glass! Cool, right?
And the art: they have monthly rotating exhibitions of local artists - loved the paintings!

My brain

I've been reading Your Brain At Work by David Rock. It's been recommended by my coach and while it's really interesting, I'm finding it difficult to make time for it. I think I am generally not used to reading non-fiction. And I have a terrible memory when it comes to remembering facts. Which really is a shame, as there is a lot of very interesting stuff in the book.

The book follows a couple in their daily work life and looks at how they could do things differently. Essentially, if you know how your brain works and are mindful of it in daily life, you can address certain shortcomings and/or use it more efficiently.

One of the chapters deals with how our emotions get in the way. David explains two methods on how to deal with this: 1) labelling: by actually labelling the emotion that comes up, it can help to address it. And 2) reappraisal: by re-interpreting a situation we can address the emotions that were caused by our initial interpretation of the situation.

I especially find the re-appraisal interesting. It's based on the fact that everything is our interpretation and to realize that it is our brain that makes sense of a situation, also means that we can choose to interpret a situation differently. Research apparently shows that people who see things through slightly rose-coloured glasses are happiest. Interesting, isn't it?

The example in the book is about giving a presentation and then being asked difficult questions. The character initially assumes that her new colleagues don't trust her and are being overly critical. Her interpretation makes her very nervous and worry about the outcome. Whereas, if she assumes that they are just doing their job and simply don't know her well enough at this stage, puts things into a different light.
Makes a lot of sense, doesn't it?

Always more growing up to do

... now's a bad a time as any...

Summer is gone

Two days. I had two days leave last week. And I've come back to two inbox craziness. And it's bloody August, too!

Anyway, on the upside: just three more days until the weekend! And thus three more days until my charity walk for Marie Curie Cancer Care. The charity provides free care to terminally ill patients either at their homes or in hospices. If you can, please make a donation! We'll be walking 10k and the weather forecast is predicting rain. I better start taking vitamins and will otherwise rely on the power of positive thinking! :-)

Oh, and the English summer seems to be over. Certainly feels very autumnal. Which also means I can soon get all my boots out. And put away my sandals, many of which I didn't even wear ONCE this year...

Bloody darts again

Of course it's been pissing down with rain today - just like it would on a bank holiday Monday. On the upside, I had no excuse not to work on my latest sewing project. I have to say that the instructions for the lining seriously confused me. It didn't help either that I was reading the instructions for a different version of the dress... oops!

I'm still struggling with darts and pressing them into place - I blame the fabric! I'm rather pleased how the pattern of the skirt fits pretty much exactly the pattern of the bodice. Entire coincidence though... as proven by the back where the pattern does not fit at all. I still need to do the neck facing and put in the zip. Having pinned the dress to my dummy, I have the feeling that it will be very tight around my bum. I did try it on before sewing in the darts on the skirt, but something must have gone wrong. Probably also didn't help that I didn't bother to compare my measurements with those on the envelope. After having sewn a few New Look dresses, I assumed it would be the same. At least, I very wisely cut a size bigger as the fabric isn't stretch. Looks as if that didn't provide enough ease though.

Anyway, fingers crossed the dress will fit once it's done! Otherwise another good incentive to a loose a little bit of weight...

As a side note: how on earth do I manage to knock over my box of pins EVERY single time I sew? Soooo annoying... As annoying as always pricking myself with the pins - I'm a real pro after all...

And no, I am not THAT short:
the dummy didn't want to stay put at my actual height...

Wembley. Finally

Nearly exactly 15 years to the day. That's for how long I've known D. We did the same course at uni and met during Freshers' week. He lived in the same student accommodation (Grange Halls - now renamed 'The village') and was one of the first people I met. And the only person from those days that I am still in touch with. When I first moved to England, I was very much doubting my own sanity: I was crying my eyes out on the flight to Manchester - what was I thinking??? It's safe to say that D played a major role in never even being homesick (once I'd dried those tears...)!

Nowadays he works for the Rugby League and after I was busy getting my tattoo last year, I was able to accompany him to the Rugby Challenge Cup final this year. Admittedly, I would have preferred watching Germany play football at Wembley - but hopefully that day will also come!

I'd never watched a rugby (league) game before. But I can say I thoroughly enjoyed the experience! The game came with a whole VIP package: drinks reception followed by lunch in the Great Hall. Welcome speec by Brian Barwick; a Sky Sports reporter was compering (forgot the name, of course...) and interviewing Jason Robinson, Paul  Sculthorpe and Matthew Lewis. I really should have tried to get photos with or at least of all of them... Too bad, that I only googled them now...

Then we were off to watch the game. I'll be honest: I cannot see the appeal of PLAYING rugby: getting tackled hard every time you get the ball... But it was fun to watch. My favourite moment was of course when of the players got his pants pulled down! ;-) The atmosphere was amazing! I'd of course never been in a stadium this big - and 77,900 spectators can make much more noise than the ~25,000 at Falmer. I had goosebumps! And for those who are interested: Leeds Rhinos (23) won against the underdog Castleford Tigers (10). Finally - after Leeds having lost in the finals a few times...

We then returned to the Great Hall for coffee and cake. And beer, of course.

The cup being carefully guarded!

Leek and blue cheese tart; roast beef; white chocolate pannacotta

A beautiful day, too!

;-)

The importance of sleep

And lots of it.
I haven't been sleeping well for the last week or so. I keep waking up throughout the night and also wake up surprisingly early. The latter is great for making the most of the day but in combination with the former, I feel tired all the time. In addition, I have a sore throat (and yes, I do feel sorry for myself) and basically feel as if I didn't sleep at all last night...

It's a good thing then that I have no plans for tomorrow. So, I shall rest and drink tea and hopefully feel better soon. And of course I will also tell you everything about my fabulous day at the Rugby Challenge Cup final at Wembley!

window views

views from my living room window - nowhere near as beautiful as it is live

August Birchbox

Number 4: Super Comb Prep & Protect - leave-in conditioning spray: I still have so many hair products in my drawer

Wild about beauty: creme eyeshadow: don't like the colour

Nude: Progenius omega treatment oil: I find the idea of putting oil on my face a bit strange - surely that's for dry skin only?

Vasanti: Brightenup! Enzymatic face rejuvenator: my exfoliator is running low, so comes in useful

Supergoop!: Daily correct SPF35 CC cream: I don't use foundation

Chapter one of The Proposal - really???

I've had better boxes...

Excited, VERY VERY EXCITED!!!

Nearly exactly a year ago, I got my first tattoo. And since then I've been thinking about what to get next. It's taken a while but I finally know what I want and had a consultation with Emanuel yesterday. And I got even more excited just talking to him and seeing how he has several ideas already. And he liked both my ideas :-)

I sent him some pictures for inspiration and am now waiting for his drafts.

Londontown

St. Helen's Bishopsgate and the Gherkin and the London clouds

On Upper Street; saw this from the bus: Yes! we do mainly black, but we do black very well.
My kind of shop!

Angel; Not sure what they were promoting - but you don't see a dancing robot about town very often 

Pause, please

Lovestruck - the online dating platform - and Pause Bar - part of the Swizzlestick group and according to their website the 'City's first private hire only venue' - teamed up for singles night. I got an invite from Pause (no, I am not signed up to lovestruck) and a friend suggesting going (S, where were you, by the way??!;-)). I've never been to a singles event but with a free cocktail included and going with a group of friends - why not?

And here's 'why not':
It got busy quite quickly. And incredibly hot, too. I'd say there were more women than men around. And it very quickly felt like being at a meat market. Be careful not to have eye contact for too long with somebody you really don't want to talk to! Admittedly, it must be much harder for the boys who did a good job at chatting up the girls. You then of course have a dilemma: how long do you at least pretend to be vaguely interested and have polite small talk until you gently turn them down? And also: how do you turn them down? Or should you just be very direct quickly so not waste anyone's time?

I really do like meeting new people. But not with the sole intend of hooking up in some way... The chat up lines ranged from weird to cringe-y. Also, I don't do just drinking - I need (and like) dinner!!!

Having said all that: it clearly works for some! And H's courageous move to approach the guy she liked paid off. His friends then got stuck with the rest of us... And it wasn't all bad (well, I mentioned the free cocktail already!) - I ended up having a really nice chat with one of the friends. As we ended up chatting due to other people's circumstances, it was just a nice friendly conversation rather than a forced attempt at flirting and you can never have too many friends (he did ask for my number ;-))!

On my way out, I had to ask for directions (I was too lazy to get my phone out, and the two guys looked like city boys so I thought they'd know their way around). As it happened, they had also been at Pause. Slightly awkward moment, when the girl that one of them had chatted to (and whose number he got), also came by. And I'm not sure whether at first she thought that he was taking my number - which he wasn't, he was showing me the map on his phone (turned out, that they didn't know the area....). They were going for dinner (it was 22:00!) and I was actually tempted to join them. But I also started to have a headache, so I decided to go home instead. And the girl actually took me to the station in the end. There were definitely nice people at the event! :-)

Mixing it up

I had another massage booked at MSH Wellbeing. On arrival I was informed that Arturo wasn't actually in, so somebody else would be doing my massage. I was a little disappointed - but his replacement was brilliant, too! A bit of a different style though. There was a lot of very vigorous massaging. And I had my face massaged for the first time. Not my head, but my face. Interesting experience, culminating in him placing both his hands on my face. Not hovering just above my face but actually putting them ON my face. I nearly laughed out loud...

I left feeling very relaxed and in a very good mood, too. And will definitely be booking my next massage soon!

Random

While I was waiting for somebody at Canary Wharf station, I got approached by an elderly lady. Judging by her accent, I'd say she was Italian. She had a tube map and asked how to get to South Quay. So, I explained which DLR to take. Not what she wanted to know though: she wanted to walk. Fair point, as it's only two stops on the DLR and really not far to walk. If you know the way, that is.

Given my relatively recent own experience of getting completely lost in Canary Wharf, I really didn't think it would be wise for me to give her directions. So, I apologized and said, I didn't know. She gave me a quizzical look and asked: But how did YOU get here??? Ahem: on the DLR and also from the opposite direction!!!! I wonder whether she thought I was deliberately withholding information...

Not sure whether I missed the point, but I can't work out why just because I'm AT a station, I have to also know the entire area around it.

Lining - a first for everything

I've started my next sewing project and it's the first dress I'll need to use lining for. Feeling a little nervous...
On the upside, there is enough fabric left to make a skirt - so not all will be lost even if the dress doesn't work out!

before - and ideally after

Let's just cut some holes in it

While my bathroom leak seems to have been fixed, it kept dripping from the ceiling on the ground floor in the corridor. And if anything, it kept getting worse with water running down the wall. When I checked with the concierge, it turned out that the flat below me also had a leak. And that there were some flats they hadn't been able to check as tenants weren't in. The manager clearly hadn't taken this very seriously when it first started a few weeks ago...

Anyhow, at the end of the week, I came home to this:

no worries: that's in the corridor, not inside my flat!!!

No idea what they did or why they did it, but making holes in the ceiling seems to have done the trick!

Return of the Rudeboy

I had never heard the term 'Rudeboy', let alone was I aware that they had returned... If you want to find out more, visit the photo exhibition at Somerset House - still on until 25 August and free!

The main reason for visiting Somerset House was their Tattoo Art Today exhibition though, also free and still on until 5 October. All the art on display was specifically commissioned for the exhibition and artists were asked to produce a piece on the theme of 'time'. And there were some very cool interpretations. Nothing I would necessarily want tattooed on my skin, but there were certainly some elements I'd consider.

After doing the culture bit for the weekend, we were enjoying pastries and the sunshine on the Somerset House Terrace. And as I've once again given up on going to the gym, I decided to walk back to Tower Hill. I've just checked, and that's not even 3km! only 2 more weeks until the 10k charity walk. I'm beginning to doubt that I am fit enough to do it... It really didn't sound like very far when I signed up.

Somerset House

randoms along the Northbank

Blood swept lands and and seas of red - poppies at the Tower

My favourite landmark

Stockings and suspenders at the Spiegeltent

London Wonderground is back at the Southbank. And as part of it, the House of Burlesque has returned to the Spiegeltent and Time Out offered tickets for just £10: great show! It's still on until September, so go and check it out!

The video is from last year but it certainly gives you an idea of what to expect:

Medea and Jason

Jason is certainly not a name I would have associated with Greek mythology... £15 for a ticket to see Helen McCrory as Medea at the National theatre. No interval, running time 90 minutes - perfect for me and my short attention span! Fabulous stage set, great music, gripping tragic story. I really enjoyed it! The only bit I didn't like was the weird, modern dancing of the people of Corinth. It just seemed unnecessary - but maybe I missed the point?

And before that a quick dinner at Auberge just outside Waterloo station and another Tastecard restaurant:

Asparagus with hollandaise and Steak Frites

What's with the queuing?

I'd heard about this restaurant chain before and especially in Germany where the first restaurant opened back in 2002 in Hamburg and is very popular. Vapiano serves freshly prepared Italian food - pasta and pizza. The twist is in the fact that they don't have table service but you have to queue up to order your food. They then prepare it right in front of you. You pick the kind of pasta you like and can customize your dish to a certain extent (add chili? top with cheese? etc.). I of course picked the slowest queue.... And waited for more than 30 minutes. While my dinner companion was watching my bag and our table. As she was having pizza, we wouldn't have been able to queue together anyway. I honestly cannot see the appeal. I don't have any desire to see my food being prepared and even less so when it means standing about for flipping 30 minutes!!!

So, you can see, the evening got off to a good start! ;-) But despite the food queuing and the fact that the pasta was ok but not spectacular (slightly overcooked and a bit dry due to too little sauce), the evening was lovely! I really enjoy getting to know people and discovering you share similar experiences. Moreover, it gave me new perspectives with regard to a work issue. And an added bonus to be able to speak German - I don't get that opportunity very often these days. :-)

Tagliatelle in salmon carbonara

'Round Midnight

A year! Can you believe it? It's a whole year ago, that I went on the wonderful fam trip to Lisbon. Time has flown by, but when I think and look back (I was scrolling through my blog to find my Lisbon entries) so, so much has happened. This probably sounds a bit lofty and dramatic but I am incredibly grateful for all the wonderful experiences (a lot of them presented to me through my job), all the amazing people that crossed my path and I'm also proud of myself for making a lot of this happen and for trying to take a good and honest look at myself.

Last week, I met one of the guys from the trip who I hadn't seen in nearly a year and we had a lovely evening. It felt very familiar and not at all as if we hadn't seen each other for so long. I had this weird feeling of not actually having changed at all since but also having changed a lot. I put that down to still being very much who I am and was back then. But just a much happier more content version.

We had cocktails at 'Round Midnight (happy hour until 19:00!) a Jazz and  Blues bar in Islington. An interesting place which started to fill up when the band came on. Which is when we moved on to Wagamama for dinner. I have to admit that the food was very disappointing. Not that I expect high quality food at Wagamama but I've certainly had better food there before. But having good company always makes up for any disappointment in the food. :-)

Chicken Katsu with curry

Art and food

I went to the House of Illustration last Sunday. It only opened last month and is currently hosting a special Quentin Blake exhibition. While I recognize his illustrations, I didn't grow up with them nor the/his books. The exhibition is super small and I was a little disappointed. There are so many signs and adverts - and then there are only a few small rooms... I guess, we are spoilt here in London with all the free museums. But it was very nice anyway. I could see the illustrations working really well as tattoos, too!

The exhibition finished with Michael Rosen's Sad Book. A sad ending to an otherwise happy exhibition.

We then went round the corner for brunch at the Grain Store - a new restaurant by Bruno Loubet and the Zetter Group. The restaurant is on Granary Square - the newly developed bit behind King's Cross station. It's a really cool and quirky place - cool decorations, unusual menu and great service.

On the left: my potato pancake with creamed leeks and duck egg - yummy!

Out and about

And unfortunately too busy and/or tired to blog... Updates to follow soon(ish).
Hope you are all having an awesome, fun week, too!
x

it's been crazy-weather-week: Sunday clouds over Canary Wharf and the o2 Arena

I need more space!

If my sewing motivation continues like this, I will soon run out of space in my wardrobe... Another sign that it's time to move! ;-)

I started and finished this dress over the weekend. The fabric is stretch again, but not as flimsy as the last dress which made it much easier to sew with - even when sewing through many layers at the collar and the cuffs. I used the same pattern but this time without the collar and 3/4 sleeves. So, sleeves like on the blue dress, but without the pleats.

I cut a size 8, but had to make it smaller on the top, especially under the arms is was too big. Unfortunately, I think I've taken it in a tiny bit too much, so it's a little on the tight side. Best to hold my breath when wearing it... I also had trouble with the neck edge. The understitching did nothing to keep the facing on the inside, so I decided to stitch it into place. Doesn't look all that pretty but it helped. I'm also still struggling with getting the darts right. The bottom of the waist darts look dodgy and I'm glad I decided not to even bother with bust darts... as I think they would have just ruined the look, too (based on me just not being able to get them right!). Last but not least, the hem didn't turn out great. I think I might have pulled too hard on the fabric and thereby stretched it too much. I might try again and make it a bit shorter in the process.

I'm rather proud that I even overlocked (well, zigzag stitched) some of the seams. Not all of them of course - let's be realistic: it's still lazy-me...

Only place to take a photo: standing on my bed;
button and cuff and fabric in a close up

*cringe*

I'm listening to German radio and one of their features is 'pop translator', where they translate a song's lyrics into German with the song running in the background. That in itself is not the issue, but the woman reciting the lyrics is reading with so much pathos and misplaced conviction that it makes me cringe....

All fixed

While meeting a friend for lunch and an impromptu quick visit of the National Portrait Gallery (I'll be honest - I just needed the loo....), I missed a call from the concierge. I could hardly understand the voice message he left me but was expecting the worst...

I came back and the situation seemed to have gotten worse in the course of the day. They had switched off the water for my flat, but the wall/wallpaper on the GROUND floor was absolutely soaking and it was still continuously dripping into the bucket - even though I hadn't been home and thus the water hadn't been running.

I called my landlord again to make sure that he was aware that he really urgently had to come by. And so he did and assured me that he'd seen much worse. His plumber friend fixed it (and while he was at it, also fixed the hot/cold water problem I've been having for a while!) while I was catching up with my landlord.

Water is back on and apparently it's all fixed. 

Next time, I shall have (more) faith in my landlord and will resist fretting. 

A pity that I had to cancel my evening plans :-( 

But what a relief that it was sorted within the day. 

Bring on the weekend!

Morgenstund hat Gold im Mund

Or maybe not so much.

Not surprisingly, I was up early on my day off. And also not surprisingly, I was having my shower, when the concierge and the plumber guy showed up to check whether the leak on the ground floor (my flat is on the 6th floor...) was coming from my place. And yes - you can probably guess it - lo and behold, this is what they found underneath my bathtub:

I of course couldn't see any of this, as it's hidden underneath the tub and behind the tub paneling...

Pretty, hm?! My landlord didn't seem particularly worried when I told him. That was before I sent him that photo though... And I haven't heard from him since then.

According to the concierge, I am still lucky as they had a similar problem in another flat in the building, where the whole bathroom was flooded basically and the carpet soaked. He then reassuringly added that the whole place, which is only about 6-8 years old, was falling apart. Brilliant....

I sincerely hope that this will get sorted quickly. And I will just assume that the mould didn't cause any health damages. F*ck knows how long this has been there...

LA Street Food

I had read about Kome LA street food having a residence at The Star of Kings pub in Time Out and had been meaning to go for a while. But with a lot of my restaurant plans, it takes forever to get round to them... Too many places here in London!

Anyway, first of all the pub is great - it has an outside area and quirky decoration inside, including a pinball machine and sofas. But the menu disappointingly consisted only of four options - and not all the yummy things listed on their website. But Thursday is also 2-for-1 cocktail happy hour from 17:00-19:00. Judging by the size of the cocktails though, I wonder whether they simply mix ONE cocktail and pour it in two tiny glasses...

Delicious Bulgogi Fries:
Fries topped with bulgogi marinated beef, cheese, spring onions, sour cream and kimchi

the canal and narrow boats near King's Cross (and The Star of Kings)
one last sunny day before the rain returned to the city... I love how the clouds are reflected in the water

Pretty in pink

I wore my newest dress today and I got so many nice comments! And even better that they thought it was a newly BOUGHT dress - how cool to then be able to say: yes, it's new: I made it :-) I have to admit though that I'm always a little nervous that the seams will rip and it will just suddenly fall apart...

My colleague recommend watching the 80s classic 'Pretty in pink', which I hadn't even heard of! But apparently the girl in the movie makes her own prom dress. With a title like that I of all people should really watch it - and I shall, if he remembers to bring in the DVD!

Independently I've been wearing different shades of pink this week. And not only but also on my nails:

£6.95

For starter and main. Pretty cheap lunch deal at the little Turkish place across the road from the office.

I've certainly had better Turkish pizza but the rest was nice

Gulasch und Palatschinken

This week has been a bit crazy. Some things I will just never understand. And maybe I should stop even trying to understand them.

But life is good after all and yesterday I had a very nice evening with C at Kipferl - an Austrian restaurant that I've been meaning to try in forever and somehow had never gotten round to, even though it's just a 10 minute walk from the office....Nice food, nice company and a good moan and I was feeling much better.

Memory Lane

cute, right?
No idea why I slept with a hat on...

My dressing gown dress

I made a short sleeved and no-pleats variation of the blue dress. I like it and as the fabric is super-stretchy, I didn't have to sew a zipper in. On the other hand, the fabric was a bitch to sew with and kept slipping around. If you look closely enough, you can see how all the seams are wonky. Besides, the material looks and feels quite cheap and a bit like a sort of dressing gown fabric (from another decade...). Well, in all fairness it was super cheap (less than £3 a metre).

But I like it nonetheless - primarily as it fits AND I made it! :-)

Afternoon tea with a delicious difference

I'd been pestering my friends for ages to check out afternoon tea at Asia de Cuba, the restaurant of the 5* St Martin's Lane hotel (Covent Garden). And FINALLY the day had come - and it was so worth the wait!

Service was great, the decor in the restaurant is quirky and cool (plants, framed photos and books draped around the columns; specially designed crockery by Shoreditch based company Luna & Curious) and as it wasn't very busy, it wasn't too noisy to have a conversation. Plus the sweet selection gets served after the savoury selection with a very welcomed break in between, too. And all with lovely company :-)

And for just £25 including a glass of champagne it doesn't break the bank either!
Beware though that the hotel doesn't have any signs outside - apparently they are following an Alice in Wonderland theme which means that finding it, is part of the fun. Not sure that makes much sense to me...

Variations of a nautical theme

I had enough fabric left after making the dress, to also make a skirt. I can't quite decide what to do with it though. The white frilly bit at the bottom is sewn on and I do like it. Everyone I asked thought that sewing on the white bits on the side wouldn't do much for the look though. Instead, I then ordered some nautically themed buttons from ebay. I really love the both the red ones and the silver ones. But I'm not sure I like them on the skirt... I will need to play around with them a bit more or might just keep them for another project. Such as the sailor dress.

Getting my face stroked

After a week inside a convention centre my skin was suffering a bit so my facial booked at H'Ettorre Beauty Clinic at Brasil Hair came just at the right time. Brasil Hair have taken over the Smooth You hair and beauty salon which seemed to have decided to move all their business to their new Dalston site.

The hair salon seems to only employ Brazilians and it also seemed that only the receptionist speaks English. So she had to repeatedly translate between the hairdressers and the clients. Slightly weird, if you ask me. On the other hand, probably ideal for someone like me, who dreads the hairdresser small-talk...

It didn't start off well, as I was made to wait 15 minutes. Which always makes me grumpy, especially if nobody keeps me posted on what's going on. But I worried needlessly. Bruna made more than up for the late start and I got nearly 30 minutes extra in the end. And what can I say: I like getting my face stroked :-) It was very relaxing and Bruna very easy to talk to. She even offered that I could come back for free, should I have an issue after the facial. For just £25 for 60 minutes on Wahanda, it's a real bargain (plus I had a £10 off voucher - feeling nearly a little bit guilty about paying just £15!).

Taking time for the important things

Again and again, I find myself making excuses for NOT doing the things that I know will do me good or at least make me feel good. I might end up mindlessly surfing the internet for hours - instead of finishing that book, doing some sewing or tidying my flat (ok, admittedly, tidying my flat will ALWAYS come last on my priority list). Literally every Tiny Budhha newsletter I've read, offered me some insight, some comfort, some words of wisdom. And somehow, I have 20+ newsletters sitting in my inbox unread. I don't get it.

The article I read yesterday seemed to summarize exactly what's going on in my mind: why is it that I still haven't figured out what I want to do with my life? I've asked many people this question, especially over the last 6 months or so. And reassuringly, a lot of people have encouraged me to keep exploring but to also not beat myself up over it. The other day, somebody (in a senior position) said: who ever knows what it is they want to do? Relax, it's ok!

And here is the article about 7 simple (and surprising) tips to help you realize your dreams by Lisa Esile.

Let the right one in

At the Apollo theatre and thanks to Time Out for just a tenner! And we had brilliant seats, too! I wonder whether they are struggling with selling tickets after the unfortunate incident with the collapsed ceiling.

Anyhow, I didn't know much about the story, haven't (yet) seen either of the films (American and original Scandinavian version) but had heard good reviews (just headlines) and I like going to the theatre.

Ceiling and stage at the Apollo

It was really good. Sad, and funny and shocking. Having just watched the movie trailer, I expect the movies are more scary than the play was, but that's probably a good thing, given how jumpy I am. I loved the atmosphere they created on the relatively bare stage. I loved the Scottish accents. I loved all the actors. And it even had some humour. Go and see it!

Schnitzel time

I'm not keeping up with my life anymore....
A couple of weeks ago, I had dinner at the Northbank restaurant. A bit more posh than the places I usually go, to. Great views as situated on the Thames and great food and cocktails.

my starter - sweetcorn filo pastry thing - and main - Schnitzel - on the left

the beautiful city I live in :-)

Dressy

I have to say I'm rather proud! Sewing outside my sewing class has been going surprisingly well. Admittedly, the black dress looks a bit funeral-y but I do love the collar. I equally love the collar and the pleats (which look much nicer when worn) on the blue dress, which I've already worn at a work event.
It is sooooo cool to be able to make my own clothes!
May my motivation last for at least a little longer....

Resting bitch face

I wasn't familiar with this term until my (young and hip) colleague explained this to me: apparently 'The Little One' (her affectionate nickname for one of the delegates) suffers from resting bitch face, which basically means that his 'natural' facial expression is one of utter discontent and/or mean and judgmental. I have to say that I never saw it, but I can say that it must be in stark contrast to his very friendly expression when you talk to him. I'd go as far to say that he's got a cheeky twinkle in his eye.

Anyhow, it's safe to say that I suffer from the same problem. Can't remember whether I mentioned this before, but I've started my (work) coaching sessions and the first meeting was all about my communication skills. Or rather lack of. In particular my non-verbal skills. On the upside, I can be rather good at communicating when I choose to. Only that in the office environment, more often than not, I choose not to make much of an effort. Not that this is generally a conscious decision though.

So, for now it's been my 'homework' (well work-work really) to at least pay attention to what my face does, my posture and my gestures. I'm finding it quite interesting and also easy to make changes. Well, I'd least I like to think that I've made changes. It remains to be seen whether they are recognized by others.

The week in food

Top: Korean beef buns for me and noodle soup for T at On the bap near Old Street
Bottom: Wantan soup and noodles in soya sauce at Rasa Sayang in Chinatown
both cheap and cheerful and very yummy!

Less than £8 including a pepsi: only possible at Whetherspoons...
It's been a while since the Whetherspoons was one of the nicer pubs. Only in Hull...

Without photos (need to be more disciplined again!): one of the best pizzas I've ever had in London: check out Great British Pizza in Exmouth market. I had one with peperoni, red onion and pear (replacing the mushrooms, that I don't like). Not cheap at £9 for a small pizza but definitely worth it! And a quirky, cool place, too, if you decide to eat in.

And mac 'n cheese at the Island Queen near the office. Mac 'n cheese is always great but especially lovely by having lunch with a colleague who I hadn't really spoken to (aside from work) for a while.

Shark cat

Feeling down? Sad? Or just bored?
This will cheer you up:

A day out at Ascot

Invited by Titanic Belfast, I spent last Saturday at Ascot. Complete with viewing from and dining in a private box and access to the award ceremony for the race sponsored by Titanic Belfast. 

I'd never been to Ascot, not sure what I expected but it was somehow more grand and pretty. Unfortunately, I didn't win any of my bets... I really should have stuck with my instinct! Next time, I shall decide who to bet on before I go and then stick with it. Which of course is no guarantee for winning either.

Anyhow, except for the fact that A got a migraine and spent 2 hours or so in the medical room and thus missed out on half the races, it really was a great day!

'My' horse and jockey before the race. That they didn't win...
And the Titanic Belfast team congratulating the winning jockey