A Birthday and an Anniversary

I've said it before and I'll say it again, time goes so fast. I've already been in my dorm for a week (hence the one week anniversary), I feel like I've done a lot in that time!

First of all, my room. Since I posted those last pictures I have been to Ikea, so it's a bit different now! I've decorated the wall with a huge map of London (see Birthday), new bed sheets and some re-arranging of furniture. Don't worry, I'm definitely getting new curtains. It feels a bit more at home now, I've just got to fill it with knick knacks and 'stuff' then it'll be perfect. If anyone was thinking of visiting an staying with me, you can see I have minimal space, but you could curl up in the shower or something.

Next, London! I've done a fair bit of exploring already, as I have a lot of time on my hands, no job and uni doesn't start until Monday! I've been to:

•Columbia Road Flower Markets, so amazing, a street lined with Cockneys trying to get you to buy their flowers "you should be mobbin' us at these pwices", and one that Mary heard once "so cheap you can buy 'em for a bird you don' even like!

•Victoria & Albert Museum Lates, which is a Friday every month, no kids allowed, and you can look at all the exhibitions whilst drinking wine, and they have unusual demonstrations, like hula hooping. The museum is an art and design one so it has some very cool exhibits.

• Shopping on Oxford Street. This is crazy and a bit stressful but you can get anything you could ever want here.

• More markets: Covent Garden, Spitalfields and Brick Lane.

Between my London Lonely Planet, and my two new books, the London Coffee Guide 2012 (see Birthday), and the London Style Guide, I have a long list of things to do, and I will keep you duly informed of how I'm going.

BIRTHDAY
21! 21! Had a great day in my new home, the first half was spent opening cards from parents and grandparents (thank you once again for their contents!), skyping Brittany, and shopping. I looked around Oxford Street and spent a good hour at the huge Piccadilly Waterstones (5 levels of books) and bought myself some gifts! I got a jumper, some jeans, the London Style Guide and a Moroccan Arabic phrase book for my upcoming trip to Morocco! I then met Mary and Malesa at The Wolseley for lunch, which is a very fancy restaurant in the heart of London, and the fact their wasn't a celebrity there when we were was rare! Last time we walked past and saw Michael Parkinson having a spot of lunch, it's the type of place where you take one sip of your water and the waiter refills your glass. So anyway, I sat down and had gifts rained upon me by Mary; the coffee guide, the lovely map, a gluten and dairy free cupcake, and some bacon jam (it's delicious)! Thank you again Mary for my gifts I love them! I ate the chopped chicken salad and some
chips, and the girls hot eggs hollandaise. Then, after I asked for the bill, the waiter said "I'll see what I can do", then he came back and laid out some knives, which made me a giggly and wandering what was about to happen, then they bought out a plate of macarons (how did they know!?) and presented me with The Wolseley breakfast recipe book, which they had signed happy birthday on the inside cover! And all the waiters were wishing me happy birthday and I was embarrassed but chuffed at the same time! Afterwards Malesa and I went to Whole Foods Market, which is a mecca for people who like food and have food allergies (*ahem*), and wandered around London some more. I was knackered at the end of the day, but I still had two more presents. A) a call from Mum and Dad who got to Manchester that day. They're coming up to London next week, THANK GOD, they have my computer after all. And B) I read Jacinta's blog post she wrote for me! I haven't seen her since she left for New York in November last year, and I miss her a lot. After I read the post I think the room got all dusty because my eyes were watering, weird huh. Thanks J.

Lots of exciting things coming up, I'm seeing Temper Trap (again) tomorrow, Freshers Fair on Friday, classes start Monday, Joni and Sophie get to London Tuesday, Mum and Dad get to London Thursday, (probably) watching England play San Marino at Wembley Stadium Friday, seeing the Michael Jackson musical Saturday, and going back to Manchester with M&D the following weekend! So expect some blogs X