This time next week I will be entering my very last half-hour of work at Aspire Style. I'm feeling absolutely terrified but trying to stay at the Excited end of the scale. As of yet, I have no job and nowhere permanent to live, but I shall nonetheless be packing up this weekend and moving up next Tuesday*.
I viewed a couple of places at the weekend, one of which was so hilariously gross that we couldn't believe the woman was even showing us around; it was a serious health-hazard. The other was gorgeous and I got through to the final phone call of paying the deposit and then bottled it because I could not justify that rent on my freelance incomings if I couldn't find a job.
So I'm now looking into house-shares which will save me at least £200 a month. Has anyone done this before, just looked up online for spare rooms and moved in with strangers? Hit me with stories: success or horror - I need to be fully prepared!
*I just need to check this with my friend as it was a "yeahhhh sure come and stay with us <glugs more alcohol>" moment.
Monday, 16 May 2011
Sunday, 8 May 2011
Wedding Dancing: Brilliant!
We woke up yesterday to find it pissing down with rain after months of not so much as a spit, so I felt all gloomy on the bride's behalf and had to completely change my planned outfit. Naughty rain. By the time we'd driven down to Buckingham it was glorious sunshine so while I was delighted for the happy couple I began to regret my tweed dress and black tights - everyone else obviously felt more optimistic and stuck to their floral summer dresses with bare legs so I felt rather silly.
The service was perfect - a stunning bride, Naomi's own church choir singing beautifully, some rather teary vows and lots of confetti. Then it was on to the reception where I consumed wine, soup, wine, champagne, wine, and vodka. Which is why I assume that somewhere, someone is currently watching video footage of the evening and laughing at one rather sweaty, drunken lady in a tweed dress doing something a little bit like dancing.
Needless to say by the time we got back to the hotel I was feeling pretty queasy and this morning I was in a world of pain. Lunch was a fairly zombie-like affair at Jamie's Italian, although I was just about present enough to be able to remember that the Italian Nachos in an angry Arrabiata sauce were a) barely even irritated, but b) delicious.
Sadly I was far too busy on the dancefloor to take any decent photographs, but here's one of a very shiny and very, very happy little giraffe:
Verdict: Lots of fun, lots of love.
The service was perfect - a stunning bride, Naomi's own church choir singing beautifully, some rather teary vows and lots of confetti. Then it was on to the reception where I consumed wine, soup, wine, champagne, wine, and vodka. Which is why I assume that somewhere, someone is currently watching video footage of the evening and laughing at one rather sweaty, drunken lady in a tweed dress doing something a little bit like dancing.
Needless to say by the time we got back to the hotel I was feeling pretty queasy and this morning I was in a world of pain. Lunch was a fairly zombie-like affair at Jamie's Italian, although I was just about present enough to be able to remember that the Italian Nachos in an angry Arrabiata sauce were a) barely even irritated, but b) delicious.
Sadly I was far too busy on the dancefloor to take any decent photographs, but here's one of a very shiny and very, very happy little giraffe:
Verdict: Lots of fun, lots of love.
Friday, 6 May 2011
Weddings. Season 4, Episode 1.
Tomorrow morning I shall be getting up and getting ready for my lovely friend Naomi's wedding - my first of the season! I really hope it stays dry and sunny as she (and Ben) are very lovely and deserve the very loveliest day possible.
Plus it will make my outfit decision very easy as I will throw on this bad boy:
(available here) with some little navy heels and navy clutch. If it rains, this very much won't work as the dress is linen and the shoes are suede. Barely even splash-proof, let alone puddle-proof. I also don't have a navy umbrella - only black or Tinkerbell.
I (very optimistically) haven't got a rain outfit planned at all, but I fear it would be altogether a very drab ensemble by comparison - what wouldn't be?!
So...wish me luck with the weather! Ahem, I mean, wish Naomi and Ben lots of happiness for their special day and their future together. Yes, that's better.
Plus it will make my outfit decision very easy as I will throw on this bad boy:
(available here) with some little navy heels and navy clutch. If it rains, this very much won't work as the dress is linen and the shoes are suede. Barely even splash-proof, let alone puddle-proof. I also don't have a navy umbrella - only black or Tinkerbell.
I (very optimistically) haven't got a rain outfit planned at all, but I fear it would be altogether a very drab ensemble by comparison - what wouldn't be?!
So...wish me luck with the weather! Ahem, I mean, wish Naomi and Ben lots of happiness for their special day and their future together. Yes, that's better.
Bingo virginity: POP!
Last night I did something I never thought I would do: I went to Bingo. Not only did I go, but I had to sign up to be a Gala Bingo Member, and as such I now have a bright yellow Gala Bingo Membership Card in my wallet. Mortifying.
In my head I imagined that I would meet up with my friends and we'd all have a natter and a catch-up and we'd win lots of money and laugh at some of the hardcore Bingo-ers. But...er...you have to be silent at Bingo, otherwise you get told off. So there was no nattering, no catching up, just hardcore Bingo-ing! And d'you know what? It was brilliant! Lots of secret whispering and innuendo - "I'm close" being suddenly the most hilarious two words invented.
Shall possibly be going back next week, if only for the fun of the Bingo Pen.
Has anyone else ever induldged? Bingo: discuss!
In my head I imagined that I would meet up with my friends and we'd all have a natter and a catch-up and we'd win lots of money and laugh at some of the hardcore Bingo-ers. But...er...you have to be silent at Bingo, otherwise you get told off. So there was no nattering, no catching up, just hardcore Bingo-ing! And d'you know what? It was brilliant! Lots of secret whispering and innuendo - "I'm close" being suddenly the most hilarious two words invented.
Shall possibly be going back next week, if only for the fun of the Bingo Pen.
Has anyone else ever induldged? Bingo: discuss!
Thursday, 5 May 2011
Zumba virginity: POP!
How is it even possible that I haven't blogged about this yet?!? On Tuesday night I lost my Zumba virginity with one of my very bestest friends in the whole world, Sally. We went with:
a) an open mind
b) the intention to just get as sweaty as possible
c) lots to drink
d) little towels - see b) for details
*I promise I am still talking about Zumba
...and Sweet Jesus was it fun. I think it could be one of my all-time favourite hours ever. It's definitely one of those things where you get out what you put in, and man did we put a lot into it. At the end of the session the instructor said how brilliant I was! Well, she said was "wow!", although on reflection she probably meant "wow, your ass nearly had my eye out". But still.
Absolutely brilliant, shall be going back every Tuesday until I move and then immediately scouting out a York session. Anyone else do it?? For those of you unfamiliar, I'll put a video in. Obviously not of me, that would be horrendous.
JOIN THE PARTY!!
a) an open mind
b) the intention to just get as sweaty as possible
c) lots to drink
d) little towels - see b) for details
*I promise I am still talking about Zumba
...and Sweet Jesus was it fun. I think it could be one of my all-time favourite hours ever. It's definitely one of those things where you get out what you put in, and man did we put a lot into it. At the end of the session the instructor said how brilliant I was! Well, she said was "wow!", although on reflection she probably meant "wow, your ass nearly had my eye out". But still.
Absolutely brilliant, shall be going back every Tuesday until I move and then immediately scouting out a York session. Anyone else do it?? For those of you unfamiliar, I'll put a video in. Obviously not of me, that would be horrendous.
JOIN THE PARTY!!
Interviewing for the new me.
Gosh, what an odd, odd morning. Has anybody else ever had to be part of the recruitment process for their own job? You want to get the right person and make sure it's somebody who will enjoy it and who will do well, but you also want *anybody* just so that you don't feel guilty about leaving your team-mates to pick up the slack.
In other news, the Stratford Herald came out today along with the May issue of Focus magazine in which my feature features. The editor dropped off a copy this morning and said they'd love me to do something next month, too! Wondering if there is anything similar in York and whether I can find somebody who knows somebody who knows somebody who could get me some work there.
If anybody would like my job then please email me here. If anybody would like me to write/edit/proof for them then please email me here.
In other news, the Stratford Herald came out today along with the May issue of Focus magazine in which my feature features. The editor dropped off a copy this morning and said they'd love me to do something next month, too! Wondering if there is anything similar in York and whether I can find somebody who knows somebody who knows somebody who could get me some work there.
If anybody would like my job then please email me here. If anybody would like me to write/edit/proof for them then please email me here.
Sunday, 1 May 2011
Lovely York and Terrible Food.
Just got back from my future homeland, York. England is just so perfect when the sun is shining and you don't have anything to do other than wander around and enjoy yourself. I'm hoping that when I pack up my life here I will find all of my old cameras so that I can start taking lots of photographs for the blog. I've got an instant and a couple of lomos somewhere....any lomo fans out there? Anyone from up North who knows where I can get films developed?
Yesterday we spent the afternoon in a beer garden in Heslington playing giant chess, which I won! Well, he won, then I won. But the main thing is: I won. It was perfect and sunny and brilliant. Nothing quite beats afternoon drinking and game-playing when the sun shines, does it?
Last night we ate at "The Go Down" - mains are about £16 and the food sounds promising so we've been meaning to go for ages and thought it would be really good. I'll warn you now: it's not.
I went for a starter of goats cheese, expecting little pieces all lightly crumbed and warm and melty. I got a huge piece that was cold, had no flavour at all and was coated in very thick, very hard breadcrumbs.
I tried to order mushroom risotto for my main (other veggie option was an omelette?!) but they couldn't do it so I had to have pea and sundried tomato. It was actually quite nice because it just tasted of cheese, but no sundried tomatoes in sight.
Boyfriend's melon and prawn starter was what it said on the tin, really - prawn mayo sandwich filler with two slices of melon. His main of fishcakes and lobster sauce was remarkably similar to my goats cheese starter: a giant fishcake caked in burnt breadcrumbs, cold in the middle, pretty tasteless, more potato than fish.
Speaking of potatoes, we were also served some surprise sides: roast potatoes (no, really), carrots, and grey peas and cabbage. The carrots were the only item that got finished.
Basically, it was a huge disappointment and not recommended, but at least we tried. Next time we'll just go to J Baker's so that I can write something nice, as that place is effing amazing. Anyway it didn't spoil the weekend, I had a brilliant time and I can't wait to move! All suggestions for places to try (or avoid) welcomed!!
Yesterday we spent the afternoon in a beer garden in Heslington playing giant chess, which I won! Well, he won, then I won. But the main thing is: I won. It was perfect and sunny and brilliant. Nothing quite beats afternoon drinking and game-playing when the sun shines, does it?
Last night we ate at "The Go Down" - mains are about £16 and the food sounds promising so we've been meaning to go for ages and thought it would be really good. I'll warn you now: it's not.
I went for a starter of goats cheese, expecting little pieces all lightly crumbed and warm and melty. I got a huge piece that was cold, had no flavour at all and was coated in very thick, very hard breadcrumbs.
I tried to order mushroom risotto for my main (other veggie option was an omelette?!) but they couldn't do it so I had to have pea and sundried tomato. It was actually quite nice because it just tasted of cheese, but no sundried tomatoes in sight.
Boyfriend's melon and prawn starter was what it said on the tin, really - prawn mayo sandwich filler with two slices of melon. His main of fishcakes and lobster sauce was remarkably similar to my goats cheese starter: a giant fishcake caked in burnt breadcrumbs, cold in the middle, pretty tasteless, more potato than fish.
Speaking of potatoes, we were also served some surprise sides: roast potatoes (no, really), carrots, and grey peas and cabbage. The carrots were the only item that got finished.
Basically, it was a huge disappointment and not recommended, but at least we tried. Next time we'll just go to J Baker's so that I can write something nice, as that place is effing amazing. Anyway it didn't spoil the weekend, I had a brilliant time and I can't wait to move! All suggestions for places to try (or avoid) welcomed!!
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