Another work-week over!
With the exception of today, it's been a beyond beautiful week in London! And that is a rare statement to make. This week has made me realize that this city is not prepared for hot temperatures in anyway. It has been quite funny to observe how a city that is used to eternal rain handles 85 degree sunshine.
The Londoners don't own summer clothing for one thing. Most men here do not own a pair of shorts, and women do not have work-appropriate summer clothing, since the only time they purchase anything sleeveless or short it's with vacation in mind. So, you see men walking around with strange alterations made to their ensembles in attempt to dress for the weather, and women belting their beach cover-ups and pairing them with heels for the office.
What I've found problematic is that no form of public transportation is air conditioned, so if I need to enter the bus or tube I have to be prepared to bake until I get to my destination!
Finally, there is a complete lack of cold summer beverages available.
Lemonade, Iced Tea, and Iced Coffee do not exist in London.
They have something yellowish in color and bottled which is called "lemonade" but I'll eat my hand if there is actually any trace of a lemon in the concoction. Their version is carbonated, sour, and has pulp in it. It is the least refreshing thing I have ever had a sip of and bears no resemblance to real lemonade at all.
Iced tea cannot be found aside from the occasional place that sells bottled, imported Arizona Iced Tea. How, I must ask, it possible that the country that is so obsessed with tea that they schedule tea breaks into their daily agenda, has not managed to figure out that this beloved beverage they all consume daily can also be refrigerated and served cold with a slice of lemon?
If I mentioned my favorite summer beverage, an Arnold Palmer (half iced tea, half lemonade) to an English person they would look at me baffled at the inconceivability of it and I think their head would explode.
Iced Coffee is just as elusive to the English. You cannot even order an iced coffee in Starbucks here. Iced Latte or Mocha, yes - the 'Bucks can do it, but they do not sell just plain Iced Coffee nor does anyone else.
I start every winter morning with a vanilla latte, and every summer morning with an Iced Coffee, so this is really sort of a problem for me. There is a little coffee shop in our building which makes really amazing lattes, and so I thought I might ask if they had figured out that coffee could be sold chilled and happened to have some on hand.
"No, sorry" replied by Barista buddy. "But I think the cafe next door makes them."
"Brilliant," I thought. "A place to get my morning fix!"
So I skipped over the cafe next door and asked, and sure enough the man behind the counter nodded and said "that'll be £3."
Now I can get an iced coffee for a buck in New York, so the idea of a $5 iced coffee did not thrill me, but I proceeded to dig out £3 from my purse, paid in advance, and then stood, helpless in shock and horror as this man spent the next 10 minutes making an "iced coffee" using the following steps....
Step 1: Pour 1 gallon of milk into blender.
Step 2: Add approximately 3 ice cubes
Step 3: Blend
Step 4: Make 1 shot of expresso
Step 5: Add expresso shot to the gallon of iced milk.
Step 6: Add 1 more ice cube
Step 7: Blend again
Step 8: Pour tinted milk into world's smallest plastic to-go cup, put on lid.
What I got for my $5, was a small glass of expresso-flavored milk with a gross frothy top that was a result of the blending. Lesson learned - I will not be ordering any more iced coffees in England.
Yesterday made 4 straight days of 85 degrees and sun, and tomorrows forecast is thunderstorms - just in time for the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics.
I have been enjoying every moment of this unnatural occurrence. I've worn my bikini in lieu of undergarments to work everyday this week, so that I can walk right to the park, lay down my towel and sunbathe for a full hour. My co-worker thinks I am nuts, but also brilliant - and she did the same thing today.
Yesterday my sunbathing was cut short however, since the Olympic Torch Relay was passing by the street outside our office and I figured it was a once in a lifetime chance, so I joined the cheering crowds to watch it pass by.
It was oddly exciting! I find myself suddenly interested in the Olympics for the first time in my life.
I think it is largely to due with the fact that's it's all happening here, and the city is a buzz with Olympic fever. I also couldn't help but jaw-drop at the sight of Tower Bridge in the sunset with the Olympic Rings.
I think it's really good that I am suddenly interested and excited, because the Games are going to cause massive inconvenience to my life here in the following weeks - and maybe it will help me remain calm and understanding.
The postman was walking around our office distributing this flyer saying, "just a leaflet warning about the chaos that's going to ensue."
Lovely.
It is definitely going to be chaos. Josh escaped just in time, leaving yesterday morning to go back to America. I waived goodbye as I watched him walk into the station towards the tube, tear eyed behind my big sunglasses. We had a wonderful London stay-cation the past 3 days, the grand finale Wednesday night was dinner at the Delaunay and tickets to Svengali, the West End mentalism show by the famous Derren Brown, who I have long heard Josh rave about but had never seen.
Since I started dating my own real-life Harry Potter, I have become quite the critic of magic shows and extremely difficult to fool. I was less than thrilled with other acclaimed magic shows I've seen in New York and Vegas - but this, was amazing. Svengali is only running for another few weeks, so if you are in London and fancy a fun night out - get yourself to the Novello Theatre! If you are in America, then sit tight because there is chatter about Derren bringing his illusions to Broadway in the near future.
So, with Joshua gone and Greece now behind me - I am a little pouty and puffy eyed. But thankfully, next Friday I am meeting my parents in Munich for ze pretzel eating and ze bier drinking! So I won't be lonely for too long.
And although the weather is due to return to the 60s and rain next week, I suppose that's the perfect excuse to snuggle up on the couch with some tea and biscuits and watch the Olympic Games! With 3 countries to support, my celebratory odds are looking pretty good!
With the exception of today, it's been a beyond beautiful week in London! And that is a rare statement to make. This week has made me realize that this city is not prepared for hot temperatures in anyway. It has been quite funny to observe how a city that is used to eternal rain handles 85 degree sunshine.
The Londoners don't own summer clothing for one thing. Most men here do not own a pair of shorts, and women do not have work-appropriate summer clothing, since the only time they purchase anything sleeveless or short it's with vacation in mind. So, you see men walking around with strange alterations made to their ensembles in attempt to dress for the weather, and women belting their beach cover-ups and pairing them with heels for the office.
What I've found problematic is that no form of public transportation is air conditioned, so if I need to enter the bus or tube I have to be prepared to bake until I get to my destination!
Finally, there is a complete lack of cold summer beverages available.
Lemonade, Iced Tea, and Iced Coffee do not exist in London.
They have something yellowish in color and bottled which is called "lemonade" but I'll eat my hand if there is actually any trace of a lemon in the concoction. Their version is carbonated, sour, and has pulp in it. It is the least refreshing thing I have ever had a sip of and bears no resemblance to real lemonade at all.
Iced tea cannot be found aside from the occasional place that sells bottled, imported Arizona Iced Tea. How, I must ask, it possible that the country that is so obsessed with tea that they schedule tea breaks into their daily agenda, has not managed to figure out that this beloved beverage they all consume daily can also be refrigerated and served cold with a slice of lemon?
If I mentioned my favorite summer beverage, an Arnold Palmer (half iced tea, half lemonade) to an English person they would look at me baffled at the inconceivability of it and I think their head would explode.
Iced Coffee is just as elusive to the English. You cannot even order an iced coffee in Starbucks here. Iced Latte or Mocha, yes - the 'Bucks can do it, but they do not sell just plain Iced Coffee nor does anyone else.
I start every winter morning with a vanilla latte, and every summer morning with an Iced Coffee, so this is really sort of a problem for me. There is a little coffee shop in our building which makes really amazing lattes, and so I thought I might ask if they had figured out that coffee could be sold chilled and happened to have some on hand.
"No, sorry" replied by Barista buddy. "But I think the cafe next door makes them."
"Brilliant," I thought. "A place to get my morning fix!"
So I skipped over the cafe next door and asked, and sure enough the man behind the counter nodded and said "that'll be £3."
Now I can get an iced coffee for a buck in New York, so the idea of a $5 iced coffee did not thrill me, but I proceeded to dig out £3 from my purse, paid in advance, and then stood, helpless in shock and horror as this man spent the next 10 minutes making an "iced coffee" using the following steps....
Step 1: Pour 1 gallon of milk into blender.
Step 2: Add approximately 3 ice cubes
Step 3: Blend
Step 4: Make 1 shot of expresso
Step 5: Add expresso shot to the gallon of iced milk.
Step 6: Add 1 more ice cube
Step 7: Blend again
Step 8: Pour tinted milk into world's smallest plastic to-go cup, put on lid.
What I got for my $5, was a small glass of expresso-flavored milk with a gross frothy top that was a result of the blending. Lesson learned - I will not be ordering any more iced coffees in England.
Yesterday made 4 straight days of 85 degrees and sun, and tomorrows forecast is thunderstorms - just in time for the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics.
I have been enjoying every moment of this unnatural occurrence. I've worn my bikini in lieu of undergarments to work everyday this week, so that I can walk right to the park, lay down my towel and sunbathe for a full hour. My co-worker thinks I am nuts, but also brilliant - and she did the same thing today.
Yesterday my sunbathing was cut short however, since the Olympic Torch Relay was passing by the street outside our office and I figured it was a once in a lifetime chance, so I joined the cheering crowds to watch it pass by.
It was oddly exciting! I find myself suddenly interested in the Olympics for the first time in my life.
I think it is largely to due with the fact that's it's all happening here, and the city is a buzz with Olympic fever. I also couldn't help but jaw-drop at the sight of Tower Bridge in the sunset with the Olympic Rings.
I think it's really good that I am suddenly interested and excited, because the Games are going to cause massive inconvenience to my life here in the following weeks - and maybe it will help me remain calm and understanding.
The postman was walking around our office distributing this flyer saying, "just a leaflet warning about the chaos that's going to ensue."
Lovely.
It is definitely going to be chaos. Josh escaped just in time, leaving yesterday morning to go back to America. I waived goodbye as I watched him walk into the station towards the tube, tear eyed behind my big sunglasses. We had a wonderful London stay-cation the past 3 days, the grand finale Wednesday night was dinner at the Delaunay and tickets to Svengali, the West End mentalism show by the famous Derren Brown, who I have long heard Josh rave about but had never seen.
Since I started dating my own real-life Harry Potter, I have become quite the critic of magic shows and extremely difficult to fool. I was less than thrilled with other acclaimed magic shows I've seen in New York and Vegas - but this, was amazing. Svengali is only running for another few weeks, so if you are in London and fancy a fun night out - get yourself to the Novello Theatre! If you are in America, then sit tight because there is chatter about Derren bringing his illusions to Broadway in the near future.
So, with Joshua gone and Greece now behind me - I am a little pouty and puffy eyed. But thankfully, next Friday I am meeting my parents in Munich for ze pretzel eating and ze bier drinking! So I won't be lonely for too long.
And although the weather is due to return to the 60s and rain next week, I suppose that's the perfect excuse to snuggle up on the couch with some tea and biscuits and watch the Olympic Games! With 3 countries to support, my celebratory odds are looking pretty good!
No comments:
Post a Comment