WEEK SIXTEEN

Week 16 was big. That's why it's coming to you a couple of days late...

I like my Mondays pretty low-key. It's my time to catch up on (American) Sunday shows from Hulu Plus, run errands, grocery shop, get coffee, read, clean up the flat, catch up on blog-related duties... I just don't like to schedule any major outings until later in the week; it's my thing.

If you've followed along with the blog, you know that I pushed back going to the V&A Museum for over a week due to laziness, sleepiness, etc... Well, I am happy to tell you that I finally got it together and visited it last Tuesday! It was great! It is a beautiful building in a great part of South West London and is very easy to find.

I will have a separate post for the V&A Museum, but here are a few teaser pics!

After all that walking, I was pretty spent, so I stopped into the 'World's First Museum Cafe' (just found that fact out from one of my new London books!) to refuel and get ready for round two.

I signed up for Meetup.com when I initially moved to London as a way to meet people. Duh! I haven't really done anything with it, but Tuesday morning I saw an email for a Ladies in Blogging meetup. I probably would have ignored this because I, myself, am not really a "Lady in Blogging," but the meetup was located just a couple of miles from the V&A and the timing seemed to work out perfectly, so I signed up! It's amazing the things you will do to meet new people when you live outside of your comfort zone. I am doing things that I would have NEVER done in Charlotte, but it's so cool and liberating at the same time!

I got to the restaurant a bit early and just posted up at the bar and waited. 

Once everything was situated, the Head of Social Media for O2 (my cellphone carrier) started a presentation about O2's social strategy. It was very interesting, but it was wayyy over my head. Many of the bloggers that attended have their own businesses. Since I don't have a business, I just sat there, shaking my head and "uh huh-ing" at the appropriate times. I literally went to this meetup to MEET people, AKA make friends. I am a baby-blogger, with no business and very little social media experience.

The good thing is I met some very nice people, and I might have even made a new friend! Sophie owns her own business and we hit it off right away. I think we even have a date to experiment with some blue cheese stuffed olives!

First meetup? Check! 

First British friend? Hopefully we can check that one off too!

this is how Ladies in Blogging learns about social strategy... rose' and prosecco for days :)

You might be wondering, "Where's James?", "Where's that sweet baby face?" Well, James has been a very busy boy with work and he was on a work retreat Wednesday-Friday. We will pick back up with him later in the week!

Wednesday, I met my friends Ali and Alejandra for lunch at Pizza East in Shoreditch. Just call us the A-Team. Since moving to London, I am now 'Blonde Alex' because almost everyone I have met is either named Allison, Ali, Allie, Alexandra or Alejandra. Bizarre, I know.

These ladies love pizza and mac-n-cheese as much as I do. I think that is a great foundation for any friendship. 

Pizza East was delicious and the Shoreditch area is very cool and hip. I will definitely be doing a walkabout in that area very soon!

Later that night we all met back up for our weekly Bachelor bracket. Pizza twice in one day? I think so!

Thursday I had plans to meet up with a new friend whom I reached out via blogging. See, Rebecca is an American expat, living in our area, who has a dog named Sir Oliver and they have gone through the process of bringing their dog over to London. A match made in heaven! I reached out to Rebecca before the holidays and she was very sweet and open to meeting with me.

We met right around the corner at a Restaurant/Bar/Cafe combo called Vivo. There we got to know each other, drink wine and then walk home in the rain. Standard Thursday night!

Since I was living like a single college student for the past three days (cue: pizza and alcohol), I had to get rid of the evidence of me living in squalor. That my friends was about 5.5 hours of cleaning. My hands are still raw.

James and I decided to stay local and try out an Austrian restaurant nearby. The food was great and we were finally able to catch up and share a beer together after a whirlwind week for James.

We all know that James works weekends. Just assume that he is working every weekend until I tell you otherwise. Grr.

The girls and I had big plans for Saturday night. My friend Ali recently reached out to a club promoter who was able to hook us up at the club Mahiki. Clubs are not really my scene, but free is, so we put it on the calendar!

Oh, dear god, this is happening.

Saturday, I worked on blog stuff and then later started the exhausting process of trying to find something to wear. This would be the second time that I attempt to wear heels in London (the first, left me swollen and blistered for weeks). Luckily, a lot of the stores in the area were having sales and I was able to grab something for cheap. I packed up some back-ups and head over to Ali's to get ready.

Yes. Ladies and Gentlemen, I wore sequin pants instead of my leather leggings. WHAT IS HAPPENING??!

Mahiki was a blast! I will be posting more pictures from Mahiki at a later date.

Needless to say, I was under the weather Sunday.  My sweet husband went out and got me breakfast before heading into the office. He knew I needed something in my belly! I rested until James got done with work and then we went out to watch the Manchester United vs. Chelsea match. Ouch! That one hurt. But, on the bright side, that Bloody Mary did help with my headache!