New in Notting Hill: December 2008

Well, it's been several weeks since I last posted, so I now have loads to catch up on. First off, I survived my first illness in London- just a cold/sinus infection- but it took a bit longer at the drugstore to figure out what cold medicines were comparable to those in the States. I was bummed to realize we don't have Nyquil or Theraflu here with stuff to help you sleep! I had to take two and half days off from work...and I was sick at home on Thanksgiving. I think I jinxed myself earlier in the month when my mom asked me, "What are you doing for Thanksgiving?" and I said, "Working." It ended up being fine that I was sick on Thanksgiving because we had planned to celebrate our American holiday on Saturday anyway. Cooking the big meal was a BIG deal since neither of us had cooked a turkey before, but also because we had to convert American recipes into English measurements.

Here is our 8 kg organic turkey! We were SO happy to see

that it had a pop-up indicator so that we would know when it was done!!

November 29th, 2008

We even had American football on TV :)

Our beautiful turkey!! It was, if I do brag on our abilities, DELICIOUS.

Jonelle, me, Christopher, and Adam

Elizabeth-Anne and her mom's famous Dixie Rolls. They were a hit!

With some country music on the iPod Bose stereo, football on TV, and a plate

piled high with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn, green beans, cranberry sauce,

sweet potatoes, and a roll we all felt like we were back home. And, for those of you who say I take pictures of everything, Elizabeth-Anne took this picture.

Megan and Liuba

Trish and Megan (we work together...and Megan grew up where my sister,

Stephanie, now lives in Connecticut. SMALL WORLD!)

The lighting of the Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square

December 4th, 2008

In front of the the fountain at Trafalgar Square

Southwark Cathedral, near Borough Market and London Bridge. I just couldn't

stop looking at it because I thought it was so beautiful. I later read a sign that said it was

built in 606 A.D. That is just amazing.

December 6th, 2008

One of the entrances to Borough Market.

A cheese vendor in Borough Market. All of the booths want you to taste their foods- which is one of the best parts ;)

A bread vendor in Borough Market

Birds for sale...pheasants (?) in Borough Market

A view from the inside of Borough Market

I had my first cup of mulled wine, which is very popular in England at Christmastime.

Sarah, Allison, and Siew-Lian looking to buy some Pâté

Our group at Borough Market:

From left (top) Trish, Megan, Sarah, Siew-Lian and (bottom) Sarah, Allison.

What a beautiful day in London!

After Borough Market Megan, Sarah F., and I went to Covent Garden.

This is the inside of part of the market at Covent Garden.

Entering Piccadilly Circus...I liked the British flags.

Sarah, Trish, and Megan at Piccadilly Circus

Piccadilly Circus

My friend from work, Sharon, suggested I go to Fortnum & Mason to see one of London's oldest tea stores and check out all the authentic British foods/sweets. Megan and Sarah wanted to check it out with me, so we walked to it from Piccadilly Circus. This flagship Fortnum & Mason has been around since 1707- and now it is an enormous, elaborate store with 6 floors. They also have expanded into having stores around the world...but only have online business in the USA.

One of Fortnum & Mason's Christmas windows

The Ground floor, where there is almost any type of tea you can imagine

I went to the Royal Festival Hall to see the World Photo 2008 exhibit. Their mission is to "encourage high professional standards in photojournalism and to promote a free and unrestricted exchange of information"...and they "aim to support professional press photography on a wide international scale".

December 8th, 2008

Some of the pictures at the World Photo 2008 exhibit

I went to the Mayor's Carols Service at Southwark Cathedral. I was so excited to go inside this historic church since a few days before I had seen it for the first time from the outside. It was a really beautiful service.
December 10th, 2008

After the service, they invited everyone to stay for drinks and mince pies. I got really close to the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson (on the right), but I chickened out and took his picture instead of asking him to be in one with me. The Town Crier is on his left.

Looking into the front part of the sanctuary

Claire B., Idalina, and Megan at our work "Christmas-Do" aka Christmas party

at Guanabara, a Brazilian restaurant/bar.

December 11th, 2008

Trish and Claire T.

Jo (my line manager) and Melanie (lead Speech and Language Therapist)

Trish and Lindsay

Free Salsa lesson!

The Salsa instructors

My (very non-traditional) Christmas Pudding. Apparently since we were at a Brazilian restaurant, it was not really Christmas Pudding, which was disappointing since I chose it because I've heard so much about it, but at least it was good! Jo was trying to make the picture more festive by holding up a poinsettia.

Trish and Aoife

December 13th, 2008

Louise and Sanjiv

The Tir Na Nog in Wandsworth, which is owned by Aoife's family. Aoife is from

Ireland and she has lived in London for over 5 years. She says this is the most authentic

Irish pub in London...she might be biased but she would know!

A view of Eton College from the tour bus.
It was so funny because Elizabeth-Anne and I were the only passengers on the bus, plus two elderly women. Anytime the bus driver wanted to point something special out to us, he would stop the bus, turn off the automated tour guide, and come upstairs to tell us.

December 14th, 2008