Weekend Wrap-up

Sunday is always the worst day of the week...back to classes...back to work...and never enough time to recap all of the exciting weekend events before closing out those few days off...

My weekend started on Friday with great news...I'll be going with Arcadia to Wales in October for an outdoor adventure trip! We'll leave London on Thursday night for the coast of Wales, where we'll spend the next few days in a cabin, mixing our drop-dead-hectic days with surfing, sea kayaking, and cliff jumping! I ask, what could be better?! I'm already looking forward to it, and trying to figure out what layers I could possibly combine to keep myself warm enough for a weekend like that...
Yesterday morning after a much overdue skype date with J, I headed off to Notting Hill (no, I didn't catch a glimpse of the ever-too-debonair Hugh Grant, sorry to disappoint) to tackle the rumored crowds of Portabello Market. I found everything I needed to know about the market here, http://www.portobellomarket.org/, and hit the ground running (figuratively...there was no running involved after another quick jog through Chelsea yesterday morning). This was by far the least disappointing tourist attraction I have yet to participate in Londonside. Blocks and blocks of endless antiques, followed by stalls stuffed with leather and paper goods, capped with food, fresh veggies and fragrant fruits a few miles down Portabello Road. The most perfect Saturday. There were even boutiques that spilled out from their stores and onto the sidewalk, and I found some great potentials for MER's rehearsal dinner...I'm thinking I'll have to head back that way next Saturday. I saved myself the trip from another market jaunt this morning, and loaded up my arms with a weeks-worth of produce yesterday.
Inspired by the bruschetta bar at the market (yes, ENG, a bruschetta bar in broad daylight with any topping you could imagine, chopped courtside, right in front of you), I dipped into my new purchases and heated up the oven to make bruschetta for dinner. The ciabatta I bought at the market was fabulous...the best bread in London so far. After inhaling my dinner, I headed out to the Picadilly Institute to meet up with some of the girls from Sotheby's for an expensive evening filled with tres-mal music and cavernous rooms far past capacity...I sure am missing those $5 covers at Hennessey's for a guaranteed-good-time sing-along with Road Sodas. I think all of us agreed not to go back, and hopefully next time they'll heed my hit suggestion for a night at Tiger Tiger.
This morning I woke up bright and early to my first arrival of 19 within 24 hours! We got this kid settled into his flat, and made the trek up Earl's Court Road to get him outfitted with a sweet Spiderman duvet cover and matching pillow set. I mean, it was 9GBP for that set, or 25GBP for the standard, solid, adult duvet. I'm thinking he made the right choice, and expect to see him down the street at O'Neill's later this week using that saved cash as any self-respecting study-abroad kid should be...on a pint of Fuller's.

I have 18 kids arriving tomorrow, so Monday promises to be a hectic and haggard experience. I'm condensing my twin-room spread back into my suitcase, and I'll move into my permanent flat in a few hours! Yes, yes, pictures to follow! Stay on the edge of your seats over there...

In patriotic news, I could hear bells from down the street chime at 1:46pm, and learned that many churches throughout London took part in this to honor the tenth anniversary of September 11th, as New Yorkers and Americans everywhere paused with moments of remembrance. It's still unreal to think that we've spent the past 10 years of our life developing into adults, products of the "post 9/11 generation." Conscious and continuous thanks for all of those that have fought for our safety and continue to serve for our freedoms every day, while we have the beautiful luxury of living proudly (and loudly, in the UK) as Americans.

Tonight I'm heading to the South Bank to watch fireworks, celebrating (or mourning, depending on your seasonal preferences) the end of summer at the Thames Festival (http://www.thamesfestival.org/). I'll be pretending it's July 2010, celebrating the 4th from the front seat of MJZ's car, cruising down 24 at XXX miles per hour (yes, that's three X's, oops).

Hope everyone had a lovely weekend!

Cheers!