The Mega Post

[vixalicious]

Hello all! I've been feeling like I've been ignoring you all lately, hope I haven't really. Between work taking me on a tour of America's parks - which are less than technologically equipped - and my vacation and getting sick, well, I've been a bit preoccupied. So now I shall endeavor to tell you all the things I've meant to tell you before, in a list because I am, well, like that.

1. Le vacation:
Some of you may be aware that I have recently celebrated my last birthday. No, I'm not terminal-just 29. One of my former co-workers has a birthday the day after mine, and this year was his 30th, so a few of us decided to go to London to celebrate with him. Plus, hello, London + birthday= pretentiously being able to say "Oh, I spent my birthday in London this year." to complete strangers who will then be impressed by my cosmopolitanness :) However, since I am generally a dork, I went on vacation and left my brain behind, as you will soon learn.

It was kind of a whirlwind trip, just 4 days which went as follows:
Wednesday: J'arrive. Je suis stupide. Ok, so prior to leaving, I emailed my hotel info to everyone involved in this little soiree (sorry I watched a French film tonight and am francophiling like mad) so you'd think I could've managed to write it down somewhere and bring it with me. But no. So I wandered around Bayswater for an hour looking for it, finally finding it thanks to the help of a couple of really nice desk clerks at other hotels. And then I went shopping on Oxford Street. Now prior to this trip, shopping in London has always depressed me, as the clothes never fit right even if I managed to find something in my size. However, I must have finally shed enough fat, cuz I now have London clothes - a pair of courderoy pants, a pair of sparkly jeans, and a really cool military-looking coat, which I bought because despite having a conversation with the_grapevine about the need to take a jacket while I was packing, I forgot to bring one with me. Then I met L (the birthday boy) for a drink before heading off to hang out with the fabulous sparktastic, during which we drank loads of wine and had great conversations and watched pretty boys make out. It was lovely! Then back off to the World's Tiniest Hotel Room, pictured below.



Located on Floor One-and-a-Half, my palatial accomodations.

Thursday: My birthday. Awaited the arrival of the_grapevine and our friend R by wandering around Notting Hill and then heading over to Leceister Square where they were showing the Olympics

Once they arrived, we had lunch in a pub, wandered down the Embankment, did some shopping, etc. And then that night we went out for a nice curry to celebrate my birthday.

Friday: Sightseeing day! We started with breakfast at Cafe Diana near Hyde Park, then took a long walk through the park. I have a great pic of me and the_grapevine, but since I haven't asked her permission, I won't post it. We were searching for the new Diana memorial, and it took a while but we finally found it:

1. A Child Playing by the Fountain 2. Me


3. Lovers Under a Tree

Then we went to the Tate Modern, and to the Globe Theater, where we ran into this cool cat:


Before heading back to our hotels to get ready for L's birthday party, which was in Clapham and was great fun. We took a taxi back at one am, which was quite the adventure what with the driver trying to convince the_grapevine to marry him and R trying not to throw up in the back seat and me chowing down on my McDonalds because we had forgotten to eat dinner.

And then finally on Saturday, having gotten almost no sleep, I trudged my way back to Heathrow to fly home. Which would have been great, except I was supposed to be flying out of Gatwick. D'oh! So I missed my original flight, but sparktastic kept me entertained by laughing at me texting me as I rode the bus to the correct airport, and I ended up on a direct flight so I made it home an hour earlier than I was meant to. So all's well that ends well.

2. I was sick all last week, with a head cold or sinus infection, I'm not sure which. But I'm mostly better now. And I was in Ohio, so it's not like I missed out on much. Oh, and I went to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, so now I have no reason to ever return to Cleveland. Ever.

3. Labor Day Weekend. I actually got Monday off so it was a real holiday weekend for me! Saturday eeeevil_genius and I met up with some friends and crashed DragonCon for a bit - just the hotel bar so we could check out some of the costumes, people really go all out! Then we went to another bar. And another bar after that. And then to Jungle to dance the night away! It was great fun, and so bizarre that they are now playing 80s music instead of 70s. I actually danced to "Come on Eileen," so strange! It was a great night, but I had such a hangover on Sunday that I spent the day trying to recuperate. I treated myself to Chinese food and Harry Potter on the IMAX screen (sorry, quailquill, I couldn't wait - but you should still come to Atlanta, I'll go again :) ). And then today, eeeevil_genius and I stayed in and watched all of season 3 of Queer as Folk, and the movie L'Auberge Espagnole which was quite good, while the effects of Hurricane Frances rolled in.

And that's pretty much what I've been up to lately.

Oh, oh, oh! And we bought tickets for a music festival next weekend - Franz Ferdinand, The Killers, and Scissor Sisters - I can't wait!!!!