partners in crime

the dynamic duo... we hoped to extinguish all sour American stereotypes... I think our mission was a success

wearing denim makes you 100% American

( i love London more than this kid likes his ice cream... believe ittt)

3.7.10

As Big Ben was striking the hour and I was standing in the majestic shadows of the House of Parliament with Winston's menacing trenchcoat glare hovering over me watchfully, I felt indescribably content. Its beyond me. I know there are places all over the world that send yours and others' heart beats into a rising tempo of an ER gone circus. But somehow instilled in me from birth was the jazzy fizzle I get from London. the breezeway from my eyeballs to my memory bank is a literal sponge. Me and Log took pictures but it doesn't do this town justice. I got a feva baby, and the only prescription for it is more London. so hit me with an umbrella Ms. Poppins, lets fly this joint. Navigating the concrete jungle of polished prestige I am amazed at how not even the tourists look commercially tacky. Europe is purely refined and nothing less. It makes me want to change my typical regiment of a bikini and flips for mile high stilettos a trench coat, leather gloves, and sleek sunglasses... but only for a second. Me and Log are the renegade rebels of our travel group and while they left for organized bus tours we scavenged the city. We are in love with this city and I would walk my legs off for its sake. side note- you know how the slang in America for our dollars is "bucks"? I keep wondering what the slang for England's "pounds" and "pence" would be... just sayin I am so thankful for legwarmers, my mom's mittens, and my sister's cashmere scarf, otherwise i am HATING my denim coat... I feel like I might as well wear an American flag for a coat... its so funny. Here is our tallies in the "w" column: West Minster Abbey, House of Parliament, House of the Calvaryguards, St. James' Park, Trafalgar Square, St. Martin-in-the-fields, brass rubs, Notting Hill, Portabello Road Market (got some greaaat antique finds and some BANKSY art- YES!) Picadilly Circus (had a God conversation with a buddhist currency exchanger named Cham) Knightsbridge, Harrods, Leicester Square, WAterloo (got dinner for a bum outside the station) Sitting here typing this my legs presently have an electric current running through them and the thoughts in my head are coming with a strong British accent. London is already needled on my heart, maybe I'll get a memoir tattooed on my skin... I'm wiped so I am spelling everything wrong because I'm seeing double, but I'll sleep when I'm dead, there is sooooo much more to cover for tomorrow CHEEEEEERRRS!

london's redemption

3.6.10

4,421 miles... would you have walked that far Vanessa Carlton? what? ha lets just say the first British accent Logan and I heard (which was from the customs officer who stamped our passports) literally almost made us hit the floor. We made it a few steps until we straight giggled until she wet her pants and I had tears streaming down my face. rewinddddd let me start at the beginning, so when Log and I were boarding the plane, we realized we didn't even know where we were supposed to go after we got to heathrow. Sooo, our mom's had to google search the name of the place we were staying and get us directions... so much for being organized or prepared- whoops! By the time I set foot in London I hadn't slept a wink from scouring the travel books and notes my mom had drawn out for me all night on the plane. At this point I have to be honest, my entire mind was still consumed by the somewhat unjustified fear of being trafficked. I swear every shady dude I saw, I thought was a trafficker and was ready to throat punch a homie if he even looked at me and Log. Regardless we found our hostel *ahem* hotel (HA!) and checked in, then walked all over Russell Square and Covent Gardens. We found a hip green market in Brunswick Square and talked to Turkish boys selling olives, the one made sure to inform us that the market would close promptly at six, not sex. Good joke, I thought anyway. We shmoozed 2 free Churros from a british latino which still throws me everytime people who look anything but English talk with a British accent. side note: London has a great organic game, everything here is au naturale and there is so much awareness of FAIR TRADE. loveee that! Sooo I started this day as a determined 1, and ended at a thrilled 9.5. We got a nasty free dinner from our tour group and Logan and I are freezing but I am lovingggg London so far. After dinner, Log and I went down to the pub to get a hot chocolate and two Italian men were tryin to hit on us. One was already so smashed that he couldn't remember his English so his friend kept trying to translate. Two younger British boys watched shaking their heads from a few feet away. Log and I were sure they would try to come rescue us after the Italian Stallions were getting too friendly and the drunk one even kissed my arm and logan's hair (ha!) when we finally shook the shadeballs Log called out the Brits for leavin us hangin and all they had to say was "that WAS awkward" ummm FAIL! wrappin it up: our hotel is weird, our travel group is weirder but Logan and I are rockstars and ready own London. awwwww yeaaaahhhh giRLLL

iminence

{12.21.09}

There is something about a young girl revisiting the places where her mother once pranced about as a young twenty something.

Sitting on my mom's bed watching her get dressed and ready in the mirror of a vanity each morning, as a little girl, I inexorably determined that my mom the most beautiful and fascinating thing that I would ever know. I knew her so well yet so much of her life before I came into existence was/is such a mystery.
Pleading with my mom to tell and retell stories of her young essence, I was mesmorized sorting through her childhood books, college jewelry, black and white photos, and adventured collectibles from her travels. I proudly absorbed every compliment from her friends declaring I look just like her. I am captivated by all her stories of love and loss, and completely enamored by her and my dad's story of coming together as they are still completely in love today.

Which brings me to the ultimate adventure on my to do list. My mom lived in England for 2 years during college and it was always a given that I ordained to also. Although her wealthy parents were able to underwrite such a juncture, I was fated to sweat out summer jobs on the beach by day and scoop ice cream on the boardwalks all night to save every last tip and lost penny in the street to afford such as semester in London. I could never muster up enough funds (although one summer was enough to unite me with my first car and first love: my 1992 white jeep wrangler) to send me over the channels and trade winds to wander down portebello road shopping for plates that now sit stacked in our kitchen cabinets peruse down the cobble stone streets that led to the London Bridge where my dad got down on one knee to give my mom her engagement ring.

Europe is marvelous in itself, yet I still have sent myself on a life mission to see what my mother saw at this age. What esoteric sights danced in her eyes and fueled her transcendental dreams that out poured into the woman that chased me around the neighborhood playground?

I finally graduated college and worked my first couple months of a "Real job." 9-5 desk clad and all I lived to see my first student loan payment as well as.... drum roll... my first major purchase of a ticket to Heathrow airport!!!!
Lest I be so careless as to not purchase travel insurance? NOTHING CAN HOLD ME BACK!
Soho, Covent Garden, Picadilly Circus, Big Bend, London's West End, The Louvre, Arc de Triomphe, Chateau Versailles, the Vatican, the Pantheon a thousand men have gone before, but this is MY turn! The well worn streets where I so aspire to entreat and sit at a corner pub in a hat, boot, scarf, and leather jacket, with my notebook to document every timeless vibe that saunters through the air.

Half the fun is getting there and the anticipation could kill me. Dreams come with difficulty and delay, that much is guaranteed... so I chased this one and here I go! Either I will see how much I can keep with me or there will be no definitive number to how many times I return. Anyway... trip to Europe. CHECK. Unwrap the mystery of my heritage/legacy/disposition? on my way...