Monday, December 12, 2011

Dear Santa,


How would you propose I get all of these presents home?


I guess this is evidence that I’ve been “running” (see previous post)
Please send Rudolph.
Yours truly,
Bailey (good list)



Hey, if I can get this across the ocean, I can get those piddly presents into one suitcase, right?

English word of the day: Is that sorted? = Are you all set? Heard frequently in office vernacular. Often times used in conjunction with, "leave it with me," which is code word for "you're never seeing that again!!" 

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Singing in the rain


It being Christmas time and all, I have taken to planning my runs so that the route conveniently ends at a shopping venue. It’s a great way to explore, it pushes me to run a little farther than I normally would, it gives me a destination to work toward, and as I said before, it conveniently ends at a shopping venue. What happens if I find something I like, you might ask. Easy. I always carry my credit card in one pocket, and my Oyster Card in the other so that I can purchase until my little heart’s content, then hop on the train with my bags of loot for a quick ride home. System’s flawless!

Until the system break down…

So today, I got home from work, and was really not feeling the whole running thing. I started making up excuses; it’s late already, so windy, kind of cold, finale of the Young Apprentice is on…all the usual suspects. Making a compromise with myself I decided on a little run, something short, sweet, to the point and without the laborious process of having to ride the tube back post-shopping (also without the reward of some brand new goods, but I was in a low risk low reward type of place). Off I went with only my keys. I got going for a little bit, was feeling pretty good, pushed it a little more, and right when I got to my halfway point where I decided I had enough for one day and it was time to turn back, cue the waterworks! Torrential downpour. And what did I have with me? Nothing but my keys and my own two feet. Not only did I not even want to go running in the first place, but there I was halfway up the river without a paddle! London is just so silly. Out of nowhere it can just start pouring buckets? What's that all about? What is this, Boston?

That’ll teach me to force myself to run. Or better yet, I think the lesson we take away is that we always end a run at a store and take the tube home. Everyone wins.

English word of the day: When asked, what did you read in university, they are actually asking what you majored in. Easy enough to figure out but I was recently caught off guard by the question and fumbled through my answer until I landed on “economics.” They were probably thinking….yea sure, if you even went to university. Language barrier, gets you every time.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Walking in a Winter Wonderland


The beauty of not having Thanksgiving over here is that nothing holds you back from getting into the Christmas spirit. Christmas decorating in the states has crept up a bit on the calendar, with more and more people flipping the switch on their icicle lights and nativity scenes before they are officially allowed to, i.e. before Turkey Day, but here they take it to that next level. What started with a reindeer in the street…


                   Ended in a Winter Wonderland!!!

 











Deliveries for the Winter Wonderland extravaganza began at the end of October. And at some point between then and November 18th, the elves must have swooped in while we were asleep and assembled this masterpiece! 


Filled with people, this North Pole wonderment is a great place for people of all ages. Sprinkled throughout are games and rides for the youngins, and then shopping and dining for the young at heart. 

Since I missed it in New Orleans I made sure to plan a visit to the rotating Carousel Bar. Much like the one in New Orleans, this one too gives you that spinning sensation while you drink. And yes, it is most certainly the carousel that gives you the spinning sensation, not the alcohol which you are imbibing. 

Now I heard rumor of this famous Bavarian Beer Garden, and when I stumbled on it, I was immediately transported back to my time in the German beer gardens of München. They had das boots. They had beer wenches. They had spätzle. They had potato pancakes. (and great advertising!) 














 And THEY. HAD. SAUSAGES. Boy oh boy, did they have sausages.
White sausages. Red sausages. Curry sausages. Spicy Sausages. You name it! All being cooked on these massive sausage grills. This would be my dad’s DREAM COME TRUE to have this in our backyard.


I can officially say I am in the Christmas spirit now!! And got my fill of German bangers too...


English word of the day: Clothes horse = drying rack. I was watching the British version of The Soup and one of the clips they rolled was a woman “stuck in a clothes horse.” Don’t ask why or how, just know that no animals were harmed in the making.