19 posts tagged “london”
It is that time of year when winter is ceeping in and the hours of darkness are increasing. I ended up leaving work quite late on Monday, the daylight had long gone as I walked down Long Acre towards Leicester Square station. Most times when leaving work and it is dark outside it can be quite depressing, but that night I felt something quite amazing in the air. It was incredibly busy with people everywhere, leaving work, rushing to the station to get home, on their way to meet friends for dinner or drinks, going to the theatre or the ballet. There was definitely a very good buzz and an obvious energy in the air. I am going to miss that about London. The streets are always fairly busy at almost any time of the day or night. I felt quite apart of it all at that moment...
On Tuesday night Rishina and I were treated to red wine at a very unique location called Gordon's Wine Bar (possibly the oldest wine bar in London), delicious indian food and fantastic company by Liesa (whom I hadn't seen in almost 2 years). I would definitely recommend checking out Gordon's as it felt like stepping back in time to the 1890's.
I just have not been able to blog these past few weeks. I've been wanting to but just can't seem to get the words out. Sometimes there is just too much going on inside. Feels like time is running out. I guess it is in a way. Just a few more weeks of work left and then some time to wander around the UK and then back to SA.
I've been feeling very conflicted. On the one side I want to travel more and live in different cities and not be tied to one place. On the other side I want to have a home, a base, have a stable life and build a career (an area of my life that has been neglected, mostly because up until recently I had not found what it is that I want to do).
Unless I know that I am going to settle in the UK, this is not my home and nothing I do will let me feel like it is. I don't know if I am going to feel that SA is where I want to be when I'm there... but more of myself feels that is where my home is or should be for now.
Yesterday we had a wander around central. Started with a bus ride in to Tottencourt Road, walked towards Covent Garden. Rish stopped at Coffee, Cake & Kink to get some kinky cards to send to some friends back home. Had to get some of the most delicious ice-cream at Scoop. I try to taste a different flavour each time, yesterday's was Hazelnut and well okay I always get a scoop of Pure Chocolate. I am a sucker for chocolate and pistacchio flavours. Wandered over to the Thomas Neal Centre and then through Neal's Yard.
Decided to head over to the National Portrait Gallery but it was just about closing so changed direction to check out the Tate Modern Crack installation. Instead of crossing over the the bridge at Embankment like we usually do, stayed on the north bank this time and walked through the Victoria Embankment Gardens, a beautiful peaceful well-kept park. I love walking through London. You just have to take a different route or turn somewhere to get a whole different feel of the city or just to see the buildings, the river, the people in a different light. Walked along the north bank of the river thames and crossed over at Blackfriars bridge. The sun was setting by the time we reached the Tate Modern and in time to see the Louise Bourgeois 'Spider' on display outside the gallery.
Then in we went to see the crack. It was quite incredible, spanning the length of the Turbine Hall. It always amazing being inside the Tate Modern, I can't explain why...
Was not feeling my best yesterday, spent half the day in bed. Eventually psyched myself up into getting out of the house and at least walking down the street. Took the first bus into central, then the next bus that came by. It was a long journey due to the millions of pedestrians and general Saturday traffic. Lazy weekend bus rides can be a good way just to think and clear one's mind besides exploring the city. Ended up in Ladgrove. Backtracked to Portobello Market. Walked to Nottinghill and caught the tube back into Central. Had dinner at the Hong Kong Cafe across from Leicester Square station then ice-cream from Scoop in Covent Gardens. Walked towards the British Museum and then in the general direction of Camden. Stopped at the Black Cap pub for a beer and to rest my now very sore feet. Made my way home, and back into bed before 9:30pm.
Six weeks left till my contract ends, thereafter I will be free for a month. May roadtrip around the UK since my schengen visa would have expired by then and I can't be asked to get another.
Some of my photos were shown at a club event as a slideshow at the Rex cinema last week along with another photographer and film maker. Also the photos that I had taken of Julius Reuben a few weeks ago were used in an online article about him.
Otherwise it's all good.
At work after a long weekend. So far it is quiet. Yesterday was the summer bank holiday (a public holiday) Amazingly it actually was a sunny summer's day unlike the rest of the "summer". A recap of the weekend. Went to Cargo on Friday night with Nisha, Rish and Luiza. Was a beautiful warm night. Saturday, cleaned the flat, afterwards went for a long walk through hampstead heath,
came out at the other end in Belsize Park, walked to Hampstead and got the best chocolate brownies ever. From Hampstead took 2 buses to East Finchley to have a BBQ in Nisha's garden.
Sunday, ventured into and around Camden. While there had to get Nutella chocolate crepes. YUM! Back home, evening, Kate and Nisha somehow both ended up wandering to my place. Psyched myself up and the others to going to a club. Had a relatively good night.
Spent all of Monday at home, most of it in bed... woke up feeling anxious, restless which later turned into deep sadness, feeling of emptiness which just hits me out of nowhere it seems at the time, some chemical hormonal imbalance every week or so. Perhaps it is a deep pain that has not healed and is trying really hard to get my attention so that I address it's healing... because time is definitely not helping in the healing that's for sure. Thankfully, journalling and replies to my desperate emails/messages with kind reassuring counselling words helped me out into the light again as well as some good pad thai noodle takeout that rish ventured out into the world to bring back home.
Finished reading the Harry Potter book earlier this week. The ending was not as expected. Seemed a bit rushed. But definitely entertaining.
Bank holiday weekend, Nottinghill carnival, possibly and hopefully a summer weekend.
Did a photoshoot last weekend with Julius Rueben modelling clothes from designer Gavin Pierre Medford. The shoot was very candid and spontaneous at Liverpool Street Station and surrounding areas, just the camera and available lighting on a very cloudy day which threatened rain the whole day. Quite an experience for me as I've not done anything like it before. Take a look at some of the pics on Flickr and let me know what you think.
Its cloudy today... unlike the weekend we had which was sunny and beautiful.
We talked about going on a day trip out of the city on Saturday but did not get it together. Instead went to IKEA ("where dreams come flat-packed"). That seemed like a journey, its own day-trip. If I had money and a home to furnish, the IKEA experience would be much more fun perhaps.
Went out later that night with Nisha, Jess, Rish and Kate. I wanted to go clubbing (which is incredibly
rare for me). Ended up at Trash Palace in Leicester Square. Its so cool
going out now with the new smoking ban. Definitely a more enjoyable
experience. No more of the awful smoke smell over all your clothes and
hair. Left Trash Palace and wanted to go elsewhere but the queues
seemed endless.
Sunday was chill-out day for me. The last few weeks I've not had any time to just phaff around the house, play with photos, journal, watch some movies... the days are longer but still is not enough time. Is it because the end of the year is approaching quickly and my London future is uncertain?
Ventured to Camden, chocolate nutella crepes for breakfast and freshly squeezed orange juice to wash it down. YUM!
I've been thinking about things I want to do when I go back to SA. Work-related, holiday-related, family-related. Ideas ideas, but how to make it reality...? Do I have the initiative, drive and skill to make things happen... things that sometimes seem so out of reach? I know I do. It may take a long while, but it will eventually. I trust that the universe will conspire to bring it all together.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows has been entertaining me the last couple days. I find it not to be the most well-written book, but JK's imagination is enough to keep you reading and wanting more.
The weekend of London Summer 2007 was great! Wow, an entire 3 days of sun. Most of it was spent at Hampstead Heath eating and relaxing and soaking up the sun.
I burned my right arm on Sunday. I hadn't had any injuries for about 2 weeks so I had to make up for it in one go with a crazy oil splash/splatter while making french toast. The burning sensation lasted for about 2 hours and I moaned the whole way through. By Monday blisters had formed. One blister is heart-shaped. Could it be a sign of some sort that my next love is going to burn me??? or something to that effect?
Living with Rishina has been cool so far. It was a bit cramped last week because Tina (landlord) was with us as well but she left yesterday. Rish is moving into Tina's room today w.hich I'm sure will be more comfortable for us having our own space.
Otherwise all is well in Sheriss' world right now. I have a feeling it may change soon. Not sure if for the better or worse, lets hope for the better. The end of the year is closing in really quickly. Feels like it is speeding up a little in fact. Im about to start reading the final Harry Potter book. Yay!
I've been having some ideas about possible ways to earn a living when I'm back in SA. Everything is feeling a bit uncertain, but definitely more hopeful as if anything and everything is possible and within reach.
Last weekend was a bit of a downer. But it also had its good moments. Since then I've been surprisingly well, except for a cold, a cough and an ear ache. Also I have quit smoking. You'd think that that would have helped the cough, but it hasn't, apparently the cough is a sign of recovery.
Rishina is arriving in London tomorrow and will be staying at my flat. We may rent out the whole flat until I go back to SA. We'll see, take it a day at a time. If everything works out, I will return in November. But who knows, my mind changes all the time in regards to this. May travel, may stay, may leave, may meet someone wonderful and get married.... haha.
If anyone's been wondering, the flooding has not been in central London and we've been mostly unaffected, thankfully.
Don't remember what I did this week really, but I definitely did keep myself busy.
Went to a performance art thing last Friday at the South Bank Centre called Stan Can't Dance. The music was eery and very Lord of the Rings, the performance was different, very structured but interesting. There was a lot happening in different parts of the centre, people abseiling down the side of the building, people climbing jumping off the walls and this dome shaped metal structure, people singing very opera type music, flying man with wings of fire, fire poi and and...
Here are some pics, and there are a few more on my Flickr site.
I may have mentioned in an earlier post that I was at the StokeFest a couple weekends ago and there was a group of people doing Capoeira which is a "Brazilian fight-dance, game and martial art". The next day I did a search online to see where the various Capoeira clubs are around London and there happened to be a group that is literally across from my flat at the local primary school gym. I figured that must be an encouraging sign that I should try it out.
So I went to the beginner class yesterday evening. It's great! Fun, different, exhausting and energising all at the same time. I could barely walk back home after and today I am sore all over my legs, arms, stomach, bum. Am definitely going to go for the rest of the course.
I've been finding myself to be a bit anxious/restless these past few days as September approaches quite quickly. Why? because there are decisions to be made. My contract comes to an end, my lease agreement also ends in mid-august and not sure whether I should try and stay in London longer by applying for a different visa or go back home to SA and start anew.
Just had a look through my camera and found a whole lot of pics that I have not downloaded off it yet. Over a 150 pics from the last 2 weekends. Will need to make some time to go through them. Sure there are some interesting ones in there somewhere worth uploading to flickr.
Had some friends over for poker on Saturday. Most didn't know how to play and had to be shown the ropes except that no one was really interested in paying attention to what was going on. Turned out to be a fun interesting evening nonetheless. I sorta zoned out a bit mid-way which I seem to do when there is a lot of noise and a bit chaos. There were a lot of laughs though and even a girls giggle big contagious laugh session as well.
Sunday I got convinced to go to the StokeFest in Stoke Newington. Bands playing in different areas, the reggae tent which seemed the most popular, food stalls, queues for the toilet, drinks, food, rides, stalls selling arb things, people of every creed, colour, culture, race, nationality. I really am not into festivals and a lot of people around and a lot of (what seemed to me) awful music coming from every direction. But we found a spot in a semi-quiet area and got to watch some really good Capoeira which made it all worth it. Was sad I didn't have my camera on me though. I missed out on some amazing shots I'm sure.
