Blog Tag!

My sweet friend, Cara (former neighbor in Atlanta), tagged me in a little blogger game. And because I’m “it” you get to find out 11 fun facts about me 🙂

The Rules:
1. You must post these rules.
2. Each person must post 11 things about themselves on their blog.
3. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post, and create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.
4. You have to choose 11 people to tag and link them on the post.
5. Go to their page and tell them you have linked him or her.

The Questions:
1. If you could have someone do one chore for you for the rest of your life,
what chore would it be?
Washing clothes, dishes, or windows. Hate each and every one of those.

2. Which song do you always sing at-the-top-of-your-lungs-super-loud-yelling style in your car?
Any power ballad or Beatles song. Most likely, something I’ve recently heard on Glee.

Sing seems to do the job.

But other past contenders have been Unwritten

Don’t Stop Believing

and, of course, Defying Gravity.

3. Publix or Kroger?
Publix all the way.

4. What instrument do you wish you could play?
Guitar. I can only barely play piano after years of lessons 100 years ago.

5. What did you eat for breakfast?
…nothing… I should probably get on that.

I’m a local at a little coffee shop around the corner. The guy that owns it with his wife is from Cambodia and he’s always smiling. He begins to make my usual caramel latte and hot buttered croissant when he sees me walk through the door and he gives me half off because I come in most days. It is so nice the simple joy of being a local and having your usual favorite every-day order ready (and 50% off!).

6. If you had to buy your clothes from one store for the rest of your life,
what store would you choose?
Banana Republic (I’m such a prep.)

7. What is one quirky thing you do that others may find strange?
I bite my nails. Grant hates it!

8. What TV show is your guilt pleasure?
So many…. Dawson’s Creek, Felicity, My So-Called Life… are we sensing a late-90s trend… anyone…? Bueller?

9. What is your favorite season of the year?
Autumn. All the colors, the turning leaves, and the fashion: layers, sweaters, boots, scarves… need I go on?!

10. When was the last time you felt homesick?
All the time–are you kidding? London is a fun place to visit, but it’s a difficult place to live. I miss the slow Southern drawl, smiles, charm, and kindness, the sense of community and unapologetic evangelism of the South. I miss the warmth of the weather and even more so the people. Lord, take me home!

11. If you could be best-friends with a celebrity, who would he/she be?
Jennifer Aniston. We’re practically besties already.

TAG YOU’RE IT!
Stephanie @ All Dressed Up in Dreams
Jordan @ The Guerra Gang
Mandy @ Keeping Up with the Kimseys
Sal @ Baby Bukes
Jessica @ Jacob and Jessica

And here are your 11 Questions:
1. What’s your favorite Christmas/ Birthday gift or story (good or bad)?
2. What’s your favorite memory from college?
3. What’s your favorite place you’ve been?
4. What’s the next place you’d like to visit?
5. Lake, beach, mountains, or dessert?
6. What’s your favorite cuisine/ meal?
7. Would you rather be on Survivor, American Idol, or Jersey Shore (they’re about all the same to me)?
8. Would you rather head up a flash mob dance party or sing along?
9. What’s your favorite childhood movie? (You know I love me some Disney!)
10. What’s the best thing you’ve learned from your mother?
11. What’s your favorite pic (please post and add a caption)?

I fell flat out… twice last week… true story!

1. Ice skating at Somerset House. I was mid triple-sow-cow when I was suddenly flat on my face. It was funny and my sweet hubs was right there beside me to help me up and laugh about it over hot coco later. {pics to come!}

2. Wet steps in the rain. True. It was pretty spectacular, actually. I had just gotten a coffee… so when I slipped, fell backwards, then continued down several steps, my backside was wet and dirty from the steps, my front was wet and dirty from coffee–in the hair… down the coat… on my knee… into my boots. Spectacular is the only word for it.

Word to the wise: be careful around me in cold and or wet settings. {nothing was even remotely hurt… except my pride.}

Masquerade Pics

I’m a little bit over facebook right now, so I’m posting stuff on here, 
rather that setting up new albums there. Enjoy!
Alex, Martin, and Shara
Dancing Divas 
{friends from church} 
Alex, Martin, Shara, and me 
{my mask was a big hit, but it looks ridiculous in most of these pics. Oh well.}
Alex, Martin, Shara
Dance floor 
{upstairs}
GG, GG’s friend, Charlie, and Me
{GG’s mask had feathers!!}
Katie and Me
{love}
Our table
{downstairs}
Shara and Me
{two americans in london. love her!}

London… and Paris!

We’ve been busy!

Halloween came and went with several parties (people here love Halloween… who knew?). Hult rented out a bar near the Gherkin for a full-on costume party.

{Grant was a 1970s soccer star. He was a big hit!}

We went to a Swedish birthday party from my classmate Elin–so fun!

I attended a Hillsong London Sisterhood event and met Mrs. Anna Smith, got a signed copy of her book(!) and explored Surrey (perfectly English!).

Wednesday we had dinner first at Wahaca (the only decent Mexican food in London) with Grant’s Peruvian classmates, Alejandro and Fiorella. Then we made our way to the dazzling Lyceum in West End/ Covent Garden.

Grant and I have had a packed week with school, but managed  to see The Lion King at the Lyceum Theatre (beautiful, moving, powerful, and awesome).

             

Tomorrow night Grant has tickets to see Incubus at the Alexander Palace (aka, “The People’s Palace,” aka, “The Ally Pally”) with a fun group of guys from church.

I am attending Hillsong’s VELOCITY Masquerade Boat Party!! The tickets sold out earlier this week!! {There should be 300+ people at this kick-off event!!} I have several classmates coming! And the usual fun crowd from church. It should be amazing, with drinks, nibbles, a DJ, masks, and fireworks on the Thames as we cruise from Embankment to Putney Bridge!!!!

And now for the best bit: WE’RE SPENDING THE WEEKEND IN PARIS! Yep. Can’t wait. We’ve booked our eurostar tickets from King’s Cross/ St. Pancras to Gare du Nord, Paris {from the center of London to the heart of Paris!} Oui oui!

We’re staying in the Eiffel Tower District and plan to see as much as we can before returning Sunday night. I can’t wait! I’ve written too much already. I’ll give you the details of Paris when we get back!

Lingo

Forgive me, but I must write these phrases down so I don’t forget our funny and sometimes embarrassed or flustered transition into the local lingo.

British : American

Jumper : sweater
Pants : underwear
Trowsers : pants
Ice lolly : popsicle
Knickers : ladies’ panties
Left luggage : baggage check (a good one to know!)
Chips : fries
Crisps : potato chips
Fag : cigarette
Frogs : French people (ha!)
Fanny : vagina
Mate : friend (boy or girl) this has replaced the old-fashioned “bloke”
Bangers and Mash : sausage and potatoes
Scottish egg : hard-boiled egg, wrapped in a sausage meat mixture, coated in breadcrumbs, and deep-fried
Holiday : vacation
Let : rent
Flat : apartment
Lift : elevator
Loo : toilet
Toilet : bathroom/ powder room
Licenced : restaurant that sells alcohol (ie, all of them. And yes, Mama, that’s how they spell it 😉
Off-Licence : liquor store
Afters : dessert
Snogging : making out
Rubbish bin : trash can
On offer : for sale
Torch : flashlight
Wellies : (rain) boots
Petrol : gas
Pissed : drunk
Half eight : 8:30 (not 7:30)
Cheers : hi, bye, thanks, and many other conversational uses (when in doubt, say Cheers!)