Picnic at Primrose Hill

Because we enjoyed our picnic at Regent's Park yesterday so much and we wanted to take a full advantage of the beautiful and warm London weather, we decided to go for a picnic also today. This time we went to Primrose Hill, which is even closer from the bus stop than the Regent's Park. I've never been there and it's the place to be. If you know the second Bridget Jones movie, the opening scene when Bridget and Mark Darcy are running on the hill was filmed exactly in that location. It is a hill of 78m, so there is an amazing panorama of central London with London Eye and the City.

On the way there, I texted Dom-dom and even though it take her a while, she got there and we spent an amazing time together joking, laughing and simply talking. We even came up with little business idea, which will hopefully flourish to something big, as both of us are unhappy in the situations we're currently in - she is unhappy with her job, I am with unemployment. So I think we're gonna be partners in crime. Exciting!

From nappies to vodka

Today was the day of the total contrasts. In the morning we went to Kent to visit AW and her newborn baby son - C. He is adorable. I was so scared of him, that I can hurt him and brake his neck or something else! I also thought that he's going to be only sleeping-eating-screaming-sleeping-eating-screaming, but he was actually aware and awake most of the time. It's also amazing to see him out and about, no longer in AW's belly. I honestly can't believe that he's here - present, as a person. Boyfriend was so good with him - C. has fallen asleep in his hands and unlike me, he was not scared of the baby. 

AW is obviously tired, but so happy and she's keeping herself up. He has some help from her mother-in-law, sister-in-law and her mom flies in for a week, one week later her father will come and visit too. The nearest opportunity we'll have to see C. again is going to be after Easter, so it's good that we got a chance to meet him yesterday. He grows so fast, that some of the clothes no longer fit him (it's good we bought him some toys - actually Boyfriend bought him, because I didn't know what to buy - instead of clothes). AW and her husband also got little gifts, so they wouldn't feel left out. 

We spent six hours there and we didn't want to leave! But we were supposed to go to North Finchley (so all the way through London) to Dom-dom's flat and celebrate AP's birthday. It took us 2 whole hours to get there and I can only say that Dom-dom has no sense whatsoever of how to direct people to go to the right bus stop.

When we got there, the girls were still in the dressing-gowns (AP had a silk one and Dom-dom had pink fluffy one with the teddy bears), but already with full make-up on and after few drinks. Because I'm taking anti-depressants, I am not allowed to drink alcohol. I was a little bit freaked out by how I am going to manage a whole night without the alcohol, when everyone else will be drunk. But I had a great mood and it was great! We ordered some pizza (I feel guilty because I ate two slices instead of one) and AP blew the candles from her Thortons chocolate birthday cake (still in the dressing-gown). 

turquoise BarryM mascara - fan.tas.tic

When we finished to get ready, they prepared take-away (vodka mixed with coke in the empty bottle after water) we went to the club. It was Kanaloa and I have really good memories from this club. It was where I celebrated AM's birthday and her after graduation party. There was great music and a good dance floor. BUT this time unfortunately it wasn't as good as the previous times. I didn't like the DJ and Dom-dom was stressed out because one of her bosses had his stag-do there. I mean, WTF?! Seriously, like there aren't enough clubs in London.

Me and Boyfriend decided to go home on the last tube, so we left around midnight. We were also very tired, because we left home early in the morning. We managed to catch literally the very last train, because one of the girls, M. got so drunk, it was unbelievable. I was seriously scared that she won't get home, but as far as I know, she did, in the end. 

Fun day cycling with London protests in the background

Today was the perfect Saturday. It was just perfect, despite the fact that there were huge anti-government protests in London, we were in the middle of them and had few encounters with anarchists on the way. I was seriously scared a couple of times, but there was A LOT of police, so that made me feel safe a little bit more. 

1 1/2 house

But the day started with meeting Dom-dom at Finchley Road, walking to St John's Wood (longer walk than I expected!) and enjoying the warm and sunny day. Dom-dom has never cycled in London before, so she was major scared, because our plan was to cycle from St John's Wood to Tottenham Court Road. Of course buying Boris bike pass was not problematic and it took us around 20 minutes (!!!) to buy one for each of us (3 people in total). We didn't know the latest trick in the book aka when you pull the bike from the docking station, press both brakes simultaneously and then pull as hard as you can. Easy. Right.

trying to buy bike pass

In the end, with the little help of a guy who was returning his bike, we went on and cycled all around Regent's Park to the British Museum. We made a little stop there. In the original plan we were going to see The Eagle at Odeon on Tottenham Court Road, but we were so hungry, so the decision was to eat some lunch. 

We spent few ours eating, laughing and joking. Dom-dom had her first encounter with the Nintendo DS  - me and Boyfriend have one each (mine is pink of course), so we played against each other and it was so much fun! I forgot how great Nintendo is - usually I'm going through the gaming phases like playing The Sims, Caesar, etc. and then the circle overlaps. Anyway, Dom-dom now wants to buy Nintendo too, so we're be playing together aka even more fun.

I won

When were were talking, I said that I want to go to the Selfridges today and buy MAC lipsticks. I had my eye on both Lady Gaga ones and also the hottest spring trend - orange! I've found on the MAC website a great colour called Morange and I knew it had to be mine. Dom-dom claims that she also wanted to buy orange lipstick for quite some time, but of course we all know that it was my idea. 

not a good photo, but I will write another posts about the lipsticks and post better pictures.

We went all the way from the Tottenham Court Road to Bond Street. We didn't take the main road (Oxford Street) because of the protest and it was very good idea, because when we were passing Topshop on a parallel road, there was madness - shop closed, paint on the walls, windows smashed. Anarchists had a really good time out there. It was rather shocking to see all these people with banners, shouting and in black hoodies and then enter Selfridges and pass Louis Vuitton, Prada, Marc Jacobs and Chanel. Two completely different worlds.

We bought our lipsticks and parted our ways. Dom-dom went home to get ready for a friend's birthday drinks (I was also invited but didn't want to go) - in the end she was so tired (we can really make people suffer) and went to sleep! Score Dom-dom!

Me and Boyfriend wanted to go to the cinema badly, but when we saw that the earliest movie at the Odeon Marble Arch is in over an hour, we were stuck. Our bike pass was still valid (it lasts £1 for a whole day and then £1 when you use bike for over an hour), so we cycled back to Tottenham Court Road to the Odeon we were originally supposed to go to and see The Eagle. Because there was still a little bit of time and there's a HUGE Paperchase store (aka my heaven - I LOVE stationery!) on the other side of street, I have a new mug and notepads (pictures to come soon). 

The Eagle was better than I expected. I don't want to put spoilers, so I won't write about the essence of the movie, I will only say that it's much more than fighting and blood on the scree. Of course there are battle scenes and nasty usage of the knives etc., but as my usual reaction to this is hiding behind my jacket, I don't remember it after leaving the cinema. It was an interesting movie and I'm glad we went to see it. It gave me a chance to not only salivate over Channing Tatum, but also remind myself about honour and true friendship.

Smelling spring in the air

Today officially the spring has begun. You could smell it in the air - it was so sunny and warm. Just one of these perfect London days when you're happy and strangers actually smile at you on the streets. Some of them are already wearing flip-flops and short sleeves - that's what happens when the temperature reaches over 16 degrees. I truly hope that it's going to stay like that, because I want to go cycling over the weekend (even Dom-dom agreed to come!).

I went to the gym today and I was pretty let down when I stepped on the scales. It's just my stupid body resisting to any change even though I'm forcing it. I just have to survive. But it's really unfair when I think that I haven't eaten ANY chocolate or crisps for more than 3-4 weeks and although my stamina improved, I don't see the results.

Yesterday I sat and read One Day by David Nicholls. I was gripped by the story of two people who meet after their graduation and we follow their lives from then on to the same date every year. It's amazing how people change and yet remain the same. How their priorities and desires change over the years. This book helped me to put some things in perspective. I also talked to Dom-dom for over 2 hours today and she kept repeating the thing she always tells me - that in few years I'll forget about this period of not having job and just simply move on.

Fun day - Just Go With It

AW has given birth to her son yesterday at 10.34pm. I am so proud of her and I cannot believe that she is officially a mother. It's so scary to think that she is responsible for a real human being! I can't wait to see her and hug her but right now she is still in a state of shock and for a while she'll be getting used to a new role.

I - on the other hand - had a fantastic responsibility-free day with Dom-dom. It was so great to see her - I've missed so much, because we rarely see each other since it's winter (BLEH!) and we don't go out clubbing as often as in the summer (aka almost every weekend). I went to her place and the journey wasn't as bad as I thought it would be - good news for future! We ended up gossiping, laughing and talking about diet and gym. She has the exact amount of kilos to loose as I do, which is motivating. Usually, when I want to eat something or I don't want to go to the gym I simply tell myself that Dom-dom is doing it, so I don't want to be behind. 

We also went to the cinema and saw Just Go With It with Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler. I am a huge fan of Miss Aniston, even though to me she is an actress of one role only - Rachel Green. I envy her body and her hair - she is just perfect! We were both salivating during the movie and just nudging ourselves to say how amazing she looks. I was very positively surprised, because I liked the movie! Usually the movies she's starring in are so predictable it's too boring for me to watch it (I think the worst of the worst was The Switch), but this one was even funny and her acting was really good - she played to different persons and you could see the difference.

Today was a good day

It's been a good day. I went to the recruitment agency and the lady was very, very nice. She has already forwarded my CV to one job advertisement, so it's good and hopefully she won't forget me easily. It's all thanks to the job experience I'm (randomly) going to - I've put on my CV things which I'm not really doing every day, but they will give me a great reference and confirm everything I say when I need it. Also, I have to call my aunt's friend today, because she may have a contact in a law firm over here. I'm not keeping my hopes up or anything, but would be great to find a job in my area of interest. I need to keep dreaming for now.

Tomorrow I'm going to work experience office, on Thursday I have personal training session at the gym (8am so I actually NEED to get up and go there) and on Saturday I'm visiting Dom-dom. She's not feeling really great, her work makes her depressed and yesterday she deleted the entire content of her Ipod. 

On the way home I went to the Selfridges to visit MAC counter and buy newest Lady Gaga VIVA GLAM lipstick in a nude shade. Unfortunately this new collection comes to stores on 3rd of March and they only shade they had was from the last collection - pink, extremely similar to MAC Saint Germain, which I already have. So I left the store empty-handed.

Selfridges window display

NYE report

O M G. My feet hurt. They hurt like crazy. My feet are numb. I danced like crazy person. Honestly, like if there was not going to be tomorrow. I'm thankful to Santa that he brought me a Body Shop foot mask, which will be very helpful today.

NYE party was fun. The music was loud, the drinks were strong and the girls were great as always. The balance is: drink spilled on me: 5 (three by Dom-Dom), drinks spilled by me: 4 (it's not my fault that Monx pushed me through the crowd!). Drunken messages sent: ONLY one!

I just have one question: Why is that your boyfriend is always the worst dancer? OK, considering what I saw yesterday, maybe not the worst, but very near.

At least the tube was working all night and we came back around 5am. We slept, we ate some breakfast around 2pm. I am tired. On the outside I try to convince everyone that I'm happy, but on the inside I'm sick to my stomach - I'm scared that even in New Year I still won't find a job. I'm afraid of what will happen next.

Planners

I just got off the phone with Dom-dom. She is usually calling me when on a bus and coming back from work. We agreed that this weekend (the latest!) we simply HAVE TO find something and book it for the New Year's Eve. We're already afraid that every club in town may be booked and we don't want to end up in some borough's disco. There are so many other plans - what to do for Christmas, Boxing Day, Christmas dinners with friends... And as always we're both just talking and planning how wonderful it will be, but then actually doing nothing. No more. I know! I'll use IPad to plan all these big events! Boyfriend brought it yesterday from work - apparently he borrowed it aka took it for playing etc. as it belongs to his IT team. Fun!

We have party on Saturday, but I suspect that Dom-dom will be too tired from working and I'll make any excuse not to go there (it's in a remote place and far away from my pad and Boyfriend doesn't want to NOT drink and drive again). So we'll probably meet on Sunday for XFactor. Due to the constant lack of money and (her) hard-working and (my) shame of  unemployment we are like two 80-year old grandmothers - NOT twenty-something girls! I just hope that the New Year will bring a lot of a positive change!

Boyfriend's 24th Birthday

I don't want today to be only marked as a date of my failed interview, so I decided to write about something more cheerful. Yesterday was Boyfriend's 24th Birthday! Poor thing is really excited and terrified at once when this day comes every year. Because I am 6 months younger than him (and Mother sent me to school one year earlier; I was am smart and intelligent), I tease him by saying: "You're sooo old". He reacts VERY aggressively and immediately after makes a sad face and noises which I can only describe as "Sniff, sniff".

Yesterday was our little celebration. Boyfriend got his presents - extremely modest this year due to my non-working - but because I know what he likes they were spot on! I also chose a very nice card, from the series we follow for various celebrations - anniversaries, Christmas, I-like-giving-you-a-card days, I-am-so-in-love-with-you-it-hurts days etc., etc. Boyfriend was happy and immediately got suck up in the surprise book. It was a lazy Sunday, but I like those. It's the time when you can relax, we can eat BIG breakfast sitting together - and Boyfriend prepares everything. In the evening there was my guilty pleasure - Xfactor and looking out of the window to admire a full moon*.

On Saturday we had a little birthday celebrations linked together with the housewarming party of Dom-dom and AP. There was a lot of champagne, food and vodka. We certainly know how to party! But because I had stupid interview today and Boyfriend was driving (Dom-dom and AP's crib is not far away, but to get there by tube takes around 1-1.5 hour, because you need to go to Central London first to change to the Northern Line) - i.e. not drinking except very little champagne and beer (we are strict on Driving = Not drinking; that's how Boyfriend's Father had a small car accident) - we decided not to go clubbing. Everyone was already wasted and clubbing was in North London - not Central where all my favourites are. I truly have fabbest friends who understood, so off we went, to bed and to get some beauty sleep.

* I've recently found a new admiration for the moon when I learned that it is made of SILVER! How cool is that?! I hope one day to have my very own Moon Silver pendant, earings and bracelet! And a ring to match!

What to wear: Halloween Edition

Every day is a never-ending saga of What to wear (My wardrobe is full and I STILL have nothing to wear!). There is only week and a half before a special edition of this programme: What to wear: Halloween Edition. This is serious. Dom-dom reminded me yesterday that we didn't discuss any possibilities! This year, like usually, we're going to be dressed up and clubbing somewhere in central London. Apparently, there is this girl which is organising a party and our Group Elite is coming. I need to think fast and make decisions even faster. I do NOT want it to be like last year.

Last year I was so busy with my studies that I put off buying my costume for the last minute. It was a very bad decision and I regretted it dearly. I was constantly on the telephone/texting/BBM with Dom-dom, AM, Monx and AB about which outfit to choose and what is SHE wearing. In the end I've chosen to dress up as a Marie Antoinette. Sexy one. I mean barely-there dress, white stockings with blue ribbons and extreme silver heels. And what did I get? Certainly nothing like that.

Me and Boyfriend decided to venture to the biggest and most-well-stocked costume shop in London. They say that it has 6 floors for crying out loud! I was so excited! So off we went, on a Saturday afternoon. My dreams were crushed and reality hit me when we were standing in the queue OUTSIDE of the shop for about 40 minutes. Inside was even worse, cramped like sardines in a tin I was beginning to feel like this is a fight for survival. Of course my natural instincts of preservation and finding a good piece of prêt-à-porter kicked in and I delegated Boyfriend to his floor to find something* for himself. I didn't have time for it!

When I finally got to the last floor (stairs and the place is tiny) - because OF COURSE ladies' costumes must be in some "dark" corner - I've found out that EVERYTHING from my prospective list of Items To Buy When There Is No Marie Antoinette Costume is sold out! After spending painful 2 hours trying to get attention of sales people I gave up and chose a fairy outfit** with last minute addition of sparkly wings. A far, far, FAR cry from my FABBEST choice.

Still, we did have an amazing night, but for the whole year now all I can think about how amazing I would will look in the costume I wanted. And now I've visited the website and some of them are already out of stock on the website! No way. On Tuesday I'm going there and I'm not leaving without a fight.

* He also had a bit of a problem, because some costumes were sold out, but in the end he settled for Robin Hood. He was not impressed.

** I panicked and it was a safe choice. No-one can try the items on, because it is one-of-a-kind-very-expensive-and-child-labour-stuff-from-China. Packed in a sealed plastic bag. Apparently if you have spare £70, you can become an owner of these amazing pièces de résistance.