the typical London dinner

I worked late tonight, then rushed to Carnaby Street for quick drink, then rushed to pick up my watch from a friend's apartment that I had left there... finally got on the tube well past 8 pm and was well starving.

Steps to enjoying a typical London dinner at home

i) Drop by your local Tesco

ii) Head straight for the refrigerated aisle.. it'll be the one with all the people in work clothes still, ignore the fresh food section, you're too hungry and not ambitious enough to actually cook tonight

iii) Select your Entree

iv) Go home and carefully take off the wrapping (very important: save the actual packaging so that, if needed, you can consult the instructions on there

v) Heat in microwave to desired temperature (i.e. if it's still lukewarm but you're starving, then go ahead and eat it)

enjoy!

Tomorrow night... definitely will be cooking.




mm... tesco brand chicken korma... yummy

I see you!!

Ok maybe not... but a few weeks ago I was chatting to my favourite Viking about blogs (he has one too) and he said that he gets people from all of the world who stumble onto his blog.

"How do you know??" I demanded

"You just install a blog thingy that tracks that can tell you when people read your blog and where they're coming from"

(* I'd like to point out that he never said 'blog thingy', that's just what I heard and remember)

So when I got home that day, that's exactly what I did. So now, in moments of pure vanity I get to come home and see that now there have been 130 page views on my blog in the last 2 weeks, AND i can track where visitors are coming from, how long they stay and which pages they visit.

Do you know that someone stumbled onto my blog from Chicago because they were doing a search on the words "I snore"?? Well, I'm sure they were disappointed to find my rambles and venting; I just hope they found what they were looking for.

I can see that my favourite Aunt from Colorado has taken time out of her extremely busy schedule to check it out (Thanks Auntie B!), as well there's quite a lot of activity from back home, so it's nice to see that my friends are keeping track of me.

Anyway, one more week of work and then I'm off to my travels! To be honest, I've been so stressed this week with work and trying to plan my trip AND a massive thanksgiving dinner for everyone when I get back, that this weekend I pretty well spent basking in the sun and not thinking about anything. It was absolutely glorious and just what I needed to gear up for what will undoubtedly be a ridiculous next 2 weeks.

Until then, I hope all of you are enjoying your night/day from wherever you are... whether you're a friend from home checking in, or someone who's trying to find a cure for snoring :)

xoxo snoring girl.

another sunny day

another sunny day by belle and sebastien is one of my happy songs. I listen to it when it's a bright blue sky day out and I'm walking down the street at ease with the world.

It's a late september saturday in London and it's warm and sunny out. I'm at regents park with Helen and Tobi enjoying the day just as we had for so many weekends this summer. We feasted on the regular spread of parma ham, proscuitto, cheese, baguette and olives.

It's nice being a creature of habit when you're joined by good people and warm weather.

Travel guru I am not...

One of my clients at work, cheapflights.co.uk has created a new viral marketing campaign. Basically it's an online game called Travel Pursuits. Choose three different levels of difficulty and test your travel knowledge for a chance at winning some really great prizes (ipod touches, Macbook Air).

Is this a plug for one of my clients at work? Maybe... but seriously, check out the game and test your knowledge... and try.. just try and beat my sadly low score of 15,982

Travel Pursuit

Big News

Ok, maybe not so big because I've pretty well sent a mass email to everyone who reads this blog, BUT I got hired on full time by my company!!

Since I'm essentially replacing a girl who's leaving, and they can't double pay us, I have 2 weeks to kill before starting work there... (they generously offered to let me stay as an unpaid intern for 2 more weeks, but I decided after much thinking to decline that offer)

Plans... I'm off to Amsterdam with a group of friends and friends of friends who I've never met for 3 days... then I'm back in London for a day to rest, do laundry, charge my camera before heading off to ITALY!!!

I'm a little nervous going travelling on my own, but I figure I'll meet people during my travels. Can't wait.

I've decided against buying a guide book. I figure I'll print out some information, and then supplement it with whatever I can find from the city's local tourist office. To be honest, whenever I've travelled I never use the guide book that much and it just ends up being a really heavy thing that I have to lug around all day.

I've also bought a moleskine journal... yes, I know it's cliche, but I want to be able to remember exactly how I felt the first time I walked into an Italian restaurant, sipped my first glass of wine in Italy, tasted my first homemade pasta in Italy, spoke Italian, made friends, met new people...

I'll also try and blog while I'm there, but am not sure what my internet availability will be like.

In other news, I put up some artwork and photos up in my room in efforts to make it more home-like. I figure since I'm here for the long run, it's time to make my room less like a place to just sleep and more of a home. Eventually I'll get to the rest of the apartment...

kelly

little confession, I do like Kelly Clarkson.

She may just be another American Idol, Simon Cowell creation, but her songs are good.

this one I'm listening to quite a bit, for anyone who has just fallen out of love, it really just captures what you want to say but can't because you don't have the words for it


Remember all the things we wanted
Now all our memories they're haunted
We were always meant to say goodbye

Even with our fists held high
It never would've worked out right
We were never meant for do or die

I didn't want us to burn out
I didn't come here to hold you, now I can't stop

I want you to know that it doesn't matter
Where we take this road someone's gotta go
And I want you to know you couldn't have loved me better
But I want you to move on so I'm already gone

Looking at you makes it harder
But I know that you'll find another
That doesn't always make you want to cry

Started with a perfect kiss then we could feel the poison set in
Perfect couldn't keep this love alive
You know that I love you so, I love you enough to let you go

I want you to know that it doesn't matter
Where we take this road someone's gotta go
And I want you to know you couldn't have loved me better
But I want you to move on so I'm already gone

I'm already gone, already gone
You can't make it feel right when you know that it's wrong
I'm already gone, already gone
There's no moving on so I'm already gone

Already gone, already gone, already gone
Already gone, already gone, already gone, yeah

Remember all the things we wanted
Now all our memories they're haunted
We were always meant to say goodbye

I want you to know that it doesn't matter
Where we take this road someone's gotta go
And I want you to know you couldn't have loved me better
But I want you to move on so I'm already gone

I'm already gone, already gone
You can't make it feel right when you know that it's wrong
I'm already gone, already gone
There's no moving on so I'm already gone

Runaway

This song somehow ended up on my running playlist. I had never really listened to it before until tonight during my after work run. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs are up there on my list of favourite bands. In fact they're coming to London in a few months to play - but of course the tickets are all sold out.

The song starts simply enough, and then the voice starts, slightly plaintive and melodic. It's slow and melancholy, the lyrics are simple enough, but something about it just fit into my current mood. I could have run to this song for awhile.

Anyway, I'm off to work on my job applications now.


I was feeling sad
Can't help looking back
Highways flew by
Run, run, run away
No sense of time
Want you to stay
Want keep you inside

Run, run, run away
Lost, lost, lost my mind
Want you to stay
Want you to be my prize

Run, run, run away
Lost, lost, lost my mind
Want you to stay
Want you to be my prize

I was feeling sad
Can't help looking back
Highways flew by
Run, run, run away
No sense of time
Want you to stay
Want keep you inside

All along, not so strong without these open arms.
Hold on tight.
All along, not that strong without these open arms.
Lie beside.
All along, not so strong without these open arms.
Ride beside.

Run, run, run away
Lost, lost, lost my mind
Want you to stay
Want you to be my prize

Run, run, run away
Lost, lost, lost my mind
Want you to stay
Want you to be my prize

ever the procrastinator...

It's finally come.

In 2 short weeks, my internship at my company will be over and as it stands I have a 60 per cent chance of getting hired on afterwards.

And with that, I have started to pound the pavement in search for something else. I made the decision weeks ago that I was going to do everything I could to stay in London. But that was when I still had a job of sorts.

Now my time here is looking a bit more precarious. Unfortunately, there's nothing I hate more than sending out my resume and writing cover letters... that's why instead of working on one job application that's due on Monday, I"m blogging about how I need to find a job.

Besides, a very dear friend of mine today told me how much she loves my updates and that I should become a professional blogger... if only my dear, if only!

Right then, I'm sure there will be more updates in the next few weeks as I actively avoid applications, job searches and CVS (in short - reality) by blogging.

xoxo

ps - totally off topic but saw the season premiere of Gossip Girl today! loooove it. Although the whole Serena behaving like a petulant child throwing a temper tantrum to get her estranged father's attention? Not so sure about that one... And when did Lily's mother get cancer all of the sudden? And I'm totally loving the whole Chuck/Blair romance...Chuck still being all sweet and loving, but with a hint of his devious old self - amazing.

chicken noodle soup for the needy soul

I woke up yesterday morning with a terrible cold. The kind that makes you want to stay in bed all day in your pjs, watching old Audrey Hepburn movies and with a box of kleenex close by. (which is exactly what I did)

Unfortunately the medication I took made me sleep all day, which meant I didn't sleep at all last night. Decided this morning when my alarm went off at 6:30 that there was no way I could make it into work. One of the perks of working as an unpaid intern is that it's not a huge deal if you call in sick.

After sending my manager a text, I rolled over and went back to sleep for a few more hours. I woke up much later, with the sunlight streaming into my bedroom and was feeling much better. Yes, I was still a little stuffed up, but I didn't feel like being cooped up my room all day.

Now, yesterday when I went shopping for cold medication, I also bought some other cold fighting essentials... cough drops, OJ, ginger ale... but there was one item I couldn't find. Chicken noodle soup... just inhaling the steam from that soup helps me on my way to being cured.

This morning I decided to make some.

I did a search on the Food Network website, and after discarding a few recipes that instructed me to roast a whole chicken first (who has time for that when they're sick and hungry?) I found this one - the Monday to Friday chicken noodle soup. Just the name said 'hey, this is easy, no frills chicken soup that won't take too much time!'

I never really follow recipes completely, and I like to add some of my own ingredients as I see fit. This one was pretty simple already, so I just added some extra veggies (frozen and fresh) and played around with the amount of water. I found that it was pretty thick and not soupy enough near the end, so I added a bit more water to get more broth.

The only mistake I made was adding salt near the end without tasting first. The broth was a little too salty for my liking, but I figure when I heat up the rest I'll just add more water to dilute it a bit. I have enough left over for lunch tomorrow and dinner another night this week. Hopefully this cold won't last that long.

xo

live from the viking apartment

Just saw my cousin off at the train station and am now hanging out with my favourite viking, awaiting another sunday family dinner.

posts and photos from the weekend to come in the next few days!

wont write much though... this swedish keyboard is way too difficult to navigate.

xoxo

The most labour intensive salad...ever

I'm lucky enough to have a few wonderful friends scattered around the world, and this past weekend I went to visit two of my favourites who reside in Gernany - Fraulein Caroline and Bman. It was a lovely and relaxing weekend, definitely what I needed after a hectic few weeks in London.

Caroline and Bman love to cook and so every night was a chance to try out new recipes or bring out old favourites. On my second day there, they decided to prepare a traditional Germany dish - schnitzel paired with potato salad. Very typical Germany dish, but with a twist, the potato salad would have an asian flair to it (perhaps in honour of their visiting Chinese friend?)

Anyway, when Bman told me that we would need about 2 hours alone to prep the salad, I thought he was kidding.

He wasn't.

I won't even try and recount all of the steps to this recipe, but it involved peeling a lot of potatoes by hand using fancy German engineered potato peelers, chopping then blanching carrots, de-seeding cucumber then slicing and salting it, de-stemming cilantro and chopping the leaves, and making your own mayonnaise and fancy chili sauce

We started at around 5 and sat down to eat around 7:30. Was it worth it? Definitely. I'm actually not a huge fan of potato salad, but this one I couldn't stop eating. How can I describe this salad? It had a perfect combination of textures, from the crunchy carrots and cucumber, to the still-warm mealy potatoes. The flavour was a mixture of sweet, sour and spicy, with a dash of cilantro to finish. And to top it off, we had veal schnitzel that was perfectly tender thanks to Bman's efforts with a frying pan and a little muscle.

Thanks Fraulein and Bman again for a really wonderful weekend. I can't wait to visit you both (and tru luv) again!



Bman using his manly power and strength to crush the poor veal for our schnitzel



Attempting to use the fancy German engineered potato peeler - they have devices for everything, I should have taken a photo of the egg cutter!



Step #17 Caroline chops the carrots...



Step #52 Adding the bean sprouts



Finally we eat!