IT'S 18TH CENTURY FRENCH HUGUENOT

Tomorrow, I'll fly home to Chicago for the holidays. Things I'm looking forward to (aside from family/friends, of course):

*Watching the ref at least 3 times, per my family's christmas tradition.
*Birthday cake...with mom, with dad, with friends, I can count on at least 3 in my immediate future. whee.
*twinkly Michigan Avenue
*cold walks with my dogs
*documentary on the Helvetica font at the Gene Siskel film centre. YEAH.
*wandering wicker park with ryan, pool & beer in pubs
*horse-back riding with my aunt
*snow........???? I came out of Harrod's yesterday and for a full 5 minutes, twilit Knightsbridge went a-glow with snow flurries. all of the tourists gaped open-mouthed at the sky, pointing and exclaiming. I texted my friends to let them know it was snowing, but no one else saw it. Unless it was some magical winter wonderland PR stunt, I swear it happened, though of course I did not have my camera with me. It was pretty magical, and was over by the time I walked to the tube station.

beautiful primrose hill.

Christmas (chrimbo) feast at mark's party last nite. i learned what BREAD SAUCE is (behind the brussel sprouts), and jesus christ, it's fucking delicious. also i had parsnips for the first time, which were LIFE-CHANGING.


an entire store dedicated to ukuleles. awesome.

deadweight on velveteen

One week to go, and Christmas parties every nite....



Believe it or not, Big Ben. London on my night-tripping camera.

Trafalgar Square tree-lighting ceremony! We couldn't hear anything, and could barely see thru the crowd, but 'twas a glorious sight when the Norway-donated tree went all-a-twinkle.




My new favorite 30-pence meal.

Ah.

empty as a pocket / with nothing to lose

I met some friends at a pub tonight, ordered a bowl of hummous for dinner for 2 quid and told the bartender I didn't need the bread on the side, because it costed an extra pound.

"Wait, really? You sure? You don't want the bread? At all?"
"...Yes."

Instead, we scooped the hummous with a leftover baguette from breakfast that was still in my bag, covertly ripping off little pieces and spreading it around the table, one watchful eye on the servers. Stealthy Broke Graduate Student Hummous tastes way better than the regular kind.

I FEEL THE SAME WAY.

hahahaha several viewings later....ah god. so brilliant. Since I don't get how to upload a video on here, just go here. And laugh.

Ahem. Prezzies.

I'm now obsessed with Bona Drag.
I want every item on this website, forreals. Their photo styling is brilliant, and I covet their lovely models' hair.

Look at and love this rad plum jumper by Mooka Kinney, a design duo whose rogue-meets-girly jumpers I've been coveting for awhile:


Um, I want nothing more for my upcoming birthday than this dress. Not even money to eat nicer things than tinned baked beans when I get back to London after break! I would RATHER HAVE THIS DRESS THAN FOOD. Mom, you reading this?? Take heed. Someone make this dress mine and make me into the prettiest party ballerina there ever was!

A Momentous Occasion

TODAY MARKS THE FIRST TIME IN 3 WEEKS THAT I CAN FULLY HEAR OUT OF BOTH OF MY EARS!!!!!!! Huzzah! This has been the longest-running cold of ALL TIME.

I even called the NHS helpline this morning to see if the nurses could affirm my suspicion that I am, indeed, going deaf. The constant underwater swimming sensation in my clogged ears have shifted from right ear to left, not to mention the nose keeps on a-running like it's the god damned Boston Marathon up in this piece.

Apparently, that friendly nurse has magical trans-telephone-wire-healing powers, because a few hours after she gave me the illuminating advice to see a doctor again or continue taking Sudafed until the cold was over, my ears finally fully popped and I could HEAR AGAIN.

Tra-la-la! Now I don't feel guilty about going to see what's sure to be a very loud concert tomorrow nite, courtesy of the Klaxons & Simian Mobile Disco. The Klaxons requested that glowsticks not be brought to the concert, and any glowsticks found at entry will be confiscated. Hahahhaha. Guess they don't want to be known as a Nu-Rave band anymore.

Can't wait for eyemakeup and shiny clothing antics tomorrow nite. Whee.