Thanksgiving day (London style)

Wow what a week it's been! I've been battling a cough and the flu this week and ended up taking today off so I could recover before next Monday. I only have two more weeks of school before my Christmas holiday!  

Anyways while all you Americans were enjoying time off of work yesterday, I had to stick with my normal routine! Thanksgiving but still a normal school day for me. After work, I came straight home to meet Adam and cook a Thanksgiving meal here (London style). Christmas dinners here are absolutely huge - that's when they do their turkeys, stuffing, and all the fixings. SO I wasn't able to find a turkey to cook. That was okay though. I ended up getting a roast chicken that had sage and onion stuffing (so yummy!); all the things for green bean casserole, roast potatoes, parsnips, sweet potatoes, and butternut squash. For dessert, we made a pumpkin pie.  

yes I put post-it notes on each thing with how long they needed to cook and at what temperature! didn't want anything to burn...

Adam helping out in the kitchen

fresh out of the oven…smelling so good!

my plate - definitely couldn't finish it all!

i was one happy camper!

mmmm pumpkin pie

Are you drooling yet? It was SO good! It was nice to have a bit of home here in London. I also got to Skype with my mom and dad, cousins, aunts, and grandparents last night! What a treat. Yesterday, we took our students to the British Museum for the day. I am really thankful for my job. I feel incredibly lucky to work with such a great group of kids.

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! I've been doing a little Black Friday shopping this afternoon online...I'm sure all of you people back in the US have been doing the same today! 

xx

Kristen

weekend recap

The weather in London is getting colder and colder by the day but this year I'm not hating it! It actually feels like Christmas and winter here.

This past week flew by and dragged on at the same time. I think I am so looking forward to being home with family and friends in just 3 short weeks that time seems to be moving in slow motion. But I have been so busy with work and seeing friends that the weeks fly by.

On Friday night, I went to after work drinks with friends at our usual spot on King's Road - the Big Easy. After that, I met up with Adam and his work friends in Farringdon at a pub called the Smithfield Tavern. When my friend Whitley came to visit earlier this year we went to dinner at this pub and the food is seriously good! But Friday night was just for drinks and celebrating. It was packed full of Adam's co-workers who are a bunch of really great people. I adore his work friends!

much needed Sol after a long work week

the Christmas tree at Big Easy (do you see the American flags?!)

On Saturday I skyped with mom & dad right before decorating my little Christmas tree. With all the decorations everywhere in London I couldn't hold off any longer on putting up my own decorations! Last year I bought a little fake tree and even though it's nothing special, it makes me happy. The rest of the day was filled with relaxing and watching tv. Then Adam and I headed to St John's Wood to walk around and get dinner. We hit up the Duke of York pub before grabbing dinner at Cafe Rouge. After a yummy dinner, we went to Hyde Park to meet friends at the Winter Wonderland Bavarian Beer Village. It was packed and such a fun atmosphere. It was only open until 10 so after leaving there we went to a pub in Kensington called The Wilton Arms. After a drink there, everyone was ready to head home. 

My little Christmas tree

love this chandeliar in St John's Wood 

the big wheel at Winter Wonderland

inside the Bavarian Beer Village tent at WW

3 North Carolinians in London + 1 Brit :)

Me and Alexandra

Allison and Warren

The girls

Overall another great weekend! I'm so lucky to have great friends here in this big city. I'm definitely missing my family and friends back home though and wishing everyone a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

xx
K

work friends and weekend fun

This past weekend was so lovely! I got to spend lots of time with friends from work and friends from North Carolina. I am so lucky to have good friends here in this city! It took me a while to get a good base of friends here - especially girlfriends. When I first moved here I was so busy trying to settle into my job and my masters program me that I rarely had time to meet new friends. Now that's a priority! 

Friday night I went out with my work friends! We had so much fun together! I work with a young group of people from all over the world. My co-teacher is from South Africa, two of the therapists at my school are Australian and one is Irish. Then we have several other teachers and teaching assistants who are from the UK. They are all so lovely and such a fun group of people! We are all 30 and under which is great.

Albert Bridge in Battersea

Fish bowling

Steph, Ciara, and Kirsten before we went out in Clapham

I was super lazy during the day on Saturday…literally sat on the couch and just rested and relaxed all day! We had plans to meet up with two couples from North Carolina - my new friend Alexandra and her hubby James and my friend Allison from UNCW and her husband Warren. Alexandra and her husband just moved her a couple months ago and we never knew each other in Charlotte but have lots of mutual friends! She reached out to me a couple weeks ago and I'm happy to have a new friend that reminds me of home! Allison and her husband moved here the same time as me. They LOVE London and had only planned on staying here for a year but they've just renewed their visas to stay for a while longer. After we went to dinner at The Duke of Cambridge pub in Angel, we went to meet another couple I'm friends with here - Ali and Paul. The big group of us met for drinks and had a  blast just dancing and being silly! 

Adam and Paul looking cute

Me, Ali and Emily

On Sunday, Andrea and I went to Bond Street to do some Christmas shopping and to see more Christmas lights. I swear I'm obsessed this year with the lights! It just makes me so happy! :) We had a great time…got some Ben's cookies and yummy lattes at Costa. I bought a Christmas sweater - this is a huge thing here in London - and Adam got a matching one!

Christmas lights at Selfridges on Bond Street

Adam in his Christmas 'jumper' :)

it's the holiday season

I am absolutely loving the Christmas lights all over London! I know it seems a bit early to have all the decorations up but things are different here. Right after Halloween (which isn't a big deal here anyways) all the lights and decorations go up all over London. There's no Thanksgiving here so no reason to wait until the end of November! I am going to put up my Christmas tree tomorrow so I can enjoy it for a month before I head back to Charlotte! 

Duke of York Square in Chelsea 

Oxford Street 

Regent Street

Our weather has turned now too and it's cold and dark. Luckily there hasn't been much rain at all but I have no doubt that it'll come soon…this is London after all! I'm enjoying wearing my big coat, hat and cozy scarves! I do love this time of year because it is magical. Expect lots of pictures over the next few weeks of fun times and beautiful lights!

Love from London,
K

for the dreamers

every great dream begins

with a dreamer.

always remember

you have within you…

the strength

the patience

and the passion

to reach for the stars

and

to change the world.

- harriet tubman

half term break

Hi! My half term break is now over and I go back to work tomorrow. I've had a great two weeks of relaxing and going out in London. I've eaten at some great restaurants, been to a cabaret, went to the opera, carved pumpkins and walked around enjoying the beautiful London fall weather! Here are some picture of what I've been up to.

St Paul's Cathedral

View of the Thames River from London's Blackfriars Station

English National Opera at the London Coliseum

Me and Adam at a pub called The Slaughtered Lamb

The Atrium at the London Coliseum

Me and my pumpkin! 

Me and Andrea after carving pumpkins! 

Piccadilly Circus - like London's Time Square!

Me and Adam at a restaurant called Meat Mission - SO good!

The ceiling at Meat Mission 

Lots of love for now

K

xx