What a difference a year makes. This time last year, I just arrived in NY, fresh from a month-long break and full of hope and promise about life in NY. This time this year, no month-long break but here I am, back in London, full of hope and promise about life in London.
Not going into details about why I decided to move back, but I think overall London offers a more sustainable pace long-term. And please, I offer no guarantees on where I will be this time next year.
So to follow up on a couple of things...
1) Eligible men in London - Hmmm, this one hasn't quite worked out. Eligible Bachelor 1 turns out to be a commitment-phobe possibly also with a fear of letting people get close. Eligible Bachelor 2 has taken a leave of absence and will only be back in London in August. And Eligible Bachelor 3, we are probably better off as friends. So if you know of any other eligible men in London, I scrub up well, am able to make fairly interesting/funny conversation and can tell my martinis from my whiskeys. Do let me know!
2) I now have a flatmate in London. He's French, Jewish and most definitely a ladies' man. At the time of writing, he was last seen getting ready to go "hunting" and that was about 48 hours ago. He will definitely be an entertaining flatmate...
3) In the past year away, I actually grew closer to a couple of my friends in London than when I was actually in London. Talk about absence makes the heart grow fonder. Anyway, now that I am back, I have managed to catch up with most of my friends. Some of them have moved on, getting married or settling into very long-term relationships. And whilst they remain interesting people and good friends, they're ermm...kinda...less fun to hang out with. So I am on the look-out for new friends in London too. If you know of any interesting and fun singles in London, do let me know!
4) Boy have I missed the English capacity to take the piss! Being back here made me appreciate the English self-deprecating sense of humour more than ever.
5) The restaurant scene around Bayswater has improved like 300-fold! And that is significant given that they already had Gold Mine* when I left for NY. There is now a great little Italian takeaway joint, Arancina, which has fresh pastas and pizzas. There is Bodean's, a great American-styled ribs joint. There's Cafe Anglais, Rowley Leigh's latest venture after Kensington Place. And there is Hereford Road, which has been touted as the St John of the West. Hardly surprising given the chef (Tom Pemberton) used to work there and the menu is strikingly similar. But I have a lot more confidence in the place as it occupies a great space in a very good location; I think it will mature into a very fine restaurant which I will be proud to call 'my local'.
And last one for today, in a NY-LON comparison, London flats seem to be poorly heated or poorly built for heat conduction. I'm freezing!
* In my opinion, the best Chinese restaurant in London.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Friday, February 1, 2008
February 1st
Last night, I had drinks with some friends who have been in NY for a while and are contemplating their next moves. I also had dinner with a friend who lives in Boston but works in NY for the week. I am not sure if it was because of my earlier conversation at drinks or what, but I just realized that all the comments I subesequently made at dinner about NY and America were pretty negative. How did it get that way?
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I had one of my best nights in NY last Sun. I had a bunch of people over for dinner, as I do every so often. What made it different on Sunday was I somehow assembled a group with the right chemistry. The night ended at 1am with 4 of us (out of 7) still at the table, after seven bottles of wine and an evening of great conversation, with many references to "Judith". (There's a looooong story behind that)
Perhaps the food was a sign of how the night would unfold. The food was, if you don't mind me boasting, beautiful! I definitely outdid myself this time. Loosely based around a Mediterranean theme, the dinner menu consisted of tapenade, parsley salad, white bean puree, roasted carrots and the piece de resistance, slow-roasted harissa-marinated lamb shoulder. (Boy I wish I had taken a picture of the lamb when it was served.) We finished with an incredibly light olive oil and Muscat cake served with Muscat Love.
Or perhaps I should have known when W burst into the room, overhearing a conversation fragment about Moscow, and went "I have a great Moscow story". W's personality dominated the evening. It was inevitable considering that he was the oldest at the table, lived in NY the longest and was not a banker/corporate type. The quieter personalities fell away quietly in W's wake, leaving W, K (W's gf), A (next oldest person at table) and myself at the table, or in W's words, "the interesting people".
It was one of my best nights in NY because not only had I managed to achieve some kind of culinary success, but I had also managed to bring together a bunch of strangers to share in a great evening. I definitely cannot say that my time in NY has been all that bad. I have managed to pursue my interests to a greater extent - practicing my culinary skills much more often, even going as far as to take a class at the French Culinary Institute. And even though I have been here only nine months, I have met such a wide range of people, some more interesting than others, many friendly but flaky. I have learned to cope on my own, away from friends who have tried-and-tested and thrust amongst strangers.
****************************************
I had one of my best nights in NY last Sun. I had a bunch of people over for dinner, as I do every so often. What made it different on Sunday was I somehow assembled a group with the right chemistry. The night ended at 1am with 4 of us (out of 7) still at the table, after seven bottles of wine and an evening of great conversation, with many references to "Judith". (There's a looooong story behind that)
Perhaps the food was a sign of how the night would unfold. The food was, if you don't mind me boasting, beautiful! I definitely outdid myself this time. Loosely based around a Mediterranean theme, the dinner menu consisted of tapenade, parsley salad, white bean puree, roasted carrots and the piece de resistance, slow-roasted harissa-marinated lamb shoulder. (Boy I wish I had taken a picture of the lamb when it was served.) We finished with an incredibly light olive oil and Muscat cake served with Muscat Love.
Or perhaps I should have known when W burst into the room, overhearing a conversation fragment about Moscow, and went "I have a great Moscow story". W's personality dominated the evening. It was inevitable considering that he was the oldest at the table, lived in NY the longest and was not a banker/corporate type. The quieter personalities fell away quietly in W's wake, leaving W, K (W's gf), A (next oldest person at table) and myself at the table, or in W's words, "the interesting people".
It was one of my best nights in NY because not only had I managed to achieve some kind of culinary success, but I had also managed to bring together a bunch of strangers to share in a great evening. I definitely cannot say that my time in NY has been all that bad. I have managed to pursue my interests to a greater extent - practicing my culinary skills much more often, even going as far as to take a class at the French Culinary Institute. And even though I have been here only nine months, I have met such a wide range of people, some more interesting than others, many friendly but flaky. I have learned to cope on my own, away from friends who have tried-and-tested and thrust amongst strangers.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
NYLON. I meant New York - London rather than the synthetic fibre. It is a relatively easy crossing to make. From NY, leave in Fri evening, arrive Sat morning, leave Sunday evening and arrive Sunday evening, in time for work the next day. From London, leave Fri evening, arrive Fri evening, leave Sunday evening and arrive Monday morning in time for work. And because you're going for such a short period, you don't need more than a cabin bag's worth of clothing/stuff so you're out of the airport as quickly as customs will permit it.
It does get a little absurd though when you've done your fourth NYLON crossing in nine months. And in the case of the last crossing, I only told less than 5 people because I feared friends were getting a little sick of seeing me back in London again. I was afraid people would figure out that I wasn't all that happy in NY and that's why I keep going back to London to seek refuge.
It does sound a little crazy for one to say that they are not enjoying NY. I mean, what is there not to enjoy about it? The fact that my dry-cleaning gets picked up and dropped off at my building without me ever having to go to the dry-cleaners? The fact that I can get any food I want delivered to my doorstep? The fact that cabs are cheap and plentiful? The fact that I have been on more dates in the last nine months than I did in four years in London? The fact that I have an amazing apartment with an amazing location?
I *have* enjoyed NY. But I have also come to realize that my heart is in London. I have become far closer to some of my friends in London over the past 9 months in NY. And I miss them terribly. I also miss the stoic English sensibility. And I feel superficial and uncultured over here. People seem to be too busy chasing the next better thing. Oh and I also shop waaaaay too much over here - combination of convenient Internet shopping and proliferation of pretty things around. Oh and the boys in London - well, that's for another entry...
I am not sure how many more NYLON crossings I will be doing or where I will end up, but I just wanted to put this down for now.
p.s. yes, I am alive!
It does get a little absurd though when you've done your fourth NYLON crossing in nine months. And in the case of the last crossing, I only told less than 5 people because I feared friends were getting a little sick of seeing me back in London again. I was afraid people would figure out that I wasn't all that happy in NY and that's why I keep going back to London to seek refuge.
It does sound a little crazy for one to say that they are not enjoying NY. I mean, what is there not to enjoy about it? The fact that my dry-cleaning gets picked up and dropped off at my building without me ever having to go to the dry-cleaners? The fact that I can get any food I want delivered to my doorstep? The fact that cabs are cheap and plentiful? The fact that I have been on more dates in the last nine months than I did in four years in London? The fact that I have an amazing apartment with an amazing location?
I *have* enjoyed NY. But I have also come to realize that my heart is in London. I have become far closer to some of my friends in London over the past 9 months in NY. And I miss them terribly. I also miss the stoic English sensibility. And I feel superficial and uncultured over here. People seem to be too busy chasing the next better thing. Oh and I also shop waaaaay too much over here - combination of convenient Internet shopping and proliferation of pretty things around. Oh and the boys in London - well, that's for another entry...
I am not sure how many more NYLON crossings I will be doing or where I will end up, but I just wanted to put this down for now.
p.s. yes, I am alive!
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Tuesday November 20th
So I think I am supposed to be making new friends and making a life for myself in NY. Last weekend was decidedly a London weekend though.
My Greek friend from London, bless him, with pinhead and hair loss and all, tried to put the moves on me again. This was after I had to text L to save me from my last encounter with The Greek. He tried very hard this time, even offering to do the NY-LON commute in order to see me. But...definitely not enough love there for me to get over the pinhead and hair loss. honestly, I am not a superficial person.
I also hung out with a visiting London colleague. I floated the idea of going back to London earlier than planned?
Which may not be such a bad idea. I've been meeting attractive men from London (not the Greek!), outside of London and after I moved away from London. That says something doesn't it?
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As depicted in Lust, caution, sexual intercourse is the most honest form of communication where both parties are in their most raw primal forms. It is weird then when the lights come on, and clothing worn, it is as though you've woken from a dream. That honesty is no longer real, but surreal.
My Greek friend from London, bless him, with pinhead and hair loss and all, tried to put the moves on me again. This was after I had to text L to save me from my last encounter with The Greek. He tried very hard this time, even offering to do the NY-LON commute in order to see me. But...definitely not enough love there for me to get over the pinhead and hair loss. honestly, I am not a superficial person.
I also hung out with a visiting London colleague. I floated the idea of going back to London earlier than planned?
Which may not be such a bad idea. I've been meeting attractive men from London (not the Greek!), outside of London and after I moved away from London. That says something doesn't it?
************************
As depicted in Lust, caution, sexual intercourse is the most honest form of communication where both parties are in their most raw primal forms. It is weird then when the lights come on, and clothing worn, it is as though you've woken from a dream. That honesty is no longer real, but surreal.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Friday, November 16, 2007
Friday November 16th
Rejection is a bitter pill to swallow as I have learnt this week.
I went on a date on Monday night with someone who never called me back. I even swallowed my pride and text-ed him on Wed to say what a good time I had. Big blow to the ego because I thought I had that one in the bag. Admittedly I was a little harsh on him. (I am really not an easy girl to date, but more about that in another post.)
And that's after what I thought was a date on Sunday night turned to be not a date. He just sees me as a friend and is comfortable enough with me to tell me almost his entire dating history. I don't want guys to be comfortable with me, I want them to be slightly nervous in my presence coz they want to win me over. I want both of us to be slightly nervous initially coz we both want so much for the other one to be fond of them.
Anyway, by the end of the week, my ego was feeling rather fragile and I was feeling like a worthless human being.
But God works in funny ways. On my way to pilates, some guy came up to me and pulled the cheesiest pick-up line ever. "Excuse miss, do you work in fashion? Are you interested in fashion? You look like a very stylish type who must be somehow connected to fashion." It was painfully cheesy but it did the trick. It made me smile for the first time in the day. A girl just needs a compliment every now and then. :)
So this guy, just to add to the cheesiness of the encounter, is an aspiring writer. He is supposed to email me some of his writing for me to critique. Heh.
Thank you, God or whoever out there, for havin some humour.
I went on a date on Monday night with someone who never called me back. I even swallowed my pride and text-ed him on Wed to say what a good time I had. Big blow to the ego because I thought I had that one in the bag. Admittedly I was a little harsh on him. (I am really not an easy girl to date, but more about that in another post.)
And that's after what I thought was a date on Sunday night turned to be not a date. He just sees me as a friend and is comfortable enough with me to tell me almost his entire dating history. I don't want guys to be comfortable with me, I want them to be slightly nervous in my presence coz they want to win me over. I want both of us to be slightly nervous initially coz we both want so much for the other one to be fond of them.
Anyway, by the end of the week, my ego was feeling rather fragile and I was feeling like a worthless human being.
But God works in funny ways. On my way to pilates, some guy came up to me and pulled the cheesiest pick-up line ever. "Excuse miss, do you work in fashion? Are you interested in fashion? You look like a very stylish type who must be somehow connected to fashion." It was painfully cheesy but it did the trick. It made me smile for the first time in the day. A girl just needs a compliment every now and then. :)
So this guy, just to add to the cheesiness of the encounter, is an aspiring writer. He is supposed to email me some of his writing for me to critique. Heh.
Thank you, God or whoever out there, for havin some humour.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Sunday 11th November
It has been a while.
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My romance with San Francisco has finally ended. I am glad that I decided not to move there. Maybe it is the realization that SF is too 'granola' for me? Maybe it is the fact that I have finally given up on him? Maybe I am over-reacting after having one bad weekend in SF on my own with a 4-hour delay to get back to NY? Whatever it is, I thank that tarot card reader at Camden Market for guiding me towards the right decision.
I am not sure how much of her advice was based on her reading of my state of mind and how was of it was based on her reading of the tarot cards. I think she definitely could see that I wasn't convinced about my decision, especially if I was consulting her about it. And she told me what anyone else who saw that would tell me. She told me to do nothing for a month and then make my decision after that> She told me it didn't matter if I'd told people about my decision already, I could still change my mind if it was the right thing to do.
And that's what I did. I enjoyed summer in London, hung out with my nearest and dearest and then decided that I wasn't going to move to SF. The job was all wrong. I would be too far away from my support network. And it was the wrong reason for wanting to move there.
I went to a tarot card reader again when I first moved to NY. This tarot reader told me that there were people who were jealous of me and I should keep as much as possible to myself, be patient and everything will work out from December. She also told me that in terms of romance, there was a guy, M, whom I liked, and a guy, J, who is tryin to get into my life.
So far, the first bit has been kinda true. I am still not sure who I can trust at work but I do believe that things will somehow work out after December. As for the second bit, M is him I think, and I am still waiting for J to show up. I'll let you know when he does.
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I learnt tonight that in New York, a guy asking you to the movies on a Sunday night is probably not asking you out ona date. Shame that. He was well-travelled, funny, intelligent, decent-looking and (my Mom would love this) Asian! Ah well, at least I know for certain that tomorrow night will be a date. And no, his name is not J.
*****************************
My romance with San Francisco has finally ended. I am glad that I decided not to move there. Maybe it is the realization that SF is too 'granola' for me? Maybe it is the fact that I have finally given up on him? Maybe I am over-reacting after having one bad weekend in SF on my own with a 4-hour delay to get back to NY? Whatever it is, I thank that tarot card reader at Camden Market for guiding me towards the right decision.
I am not sure how much of her advice was based on her reading of my state of mind and how was of it was based on her reading of the tarot cards. I think she definitely could see that I wasn't convinced about my decision, especially if I was consulting her about it. And she told me what anyone else who saw that would tell me. She told me to do nothing for a month and then make my decision after that> She told me it didn't matter if I'd told people about my decision already, I could still change my mind if it was the right thing to do.
And that's what I did. I enjoyed summer in London, hung out with my nearest and dearest and then decided that I wasn't going to move to SF. The job was all wrong. I would be too far away from my support network. And it was the wrong reason for wanting to move there.
I went to a tarot card reader again when I first moved to NY. This tarot reader told me that there were people who were jealous of me and I should keep as much as possible to myself, be patient and everything will work out from December. She also told me that in terms of romance, there was a guy, M, whom I liked, and a guy, J, who is tryin to get into my life.
So far, the first bit has been kinda true. I am still not sure who I can trust at work but I do believe that things will somehow work out after December. As for the second bit, M is him I think, and I am still waiting for J to show up. I'll let you know when he does.
*************************************
I learnt tonight that in New York, a guy asking you to the movies on a Sunday night is probably not asking you out ona date. Shame that. He was well-travelled, funny, intelligent, decent-looking and (my Mom would love this) Asian! Ah well, at least I know for certain that tomorrow night will be a date. And no, his name is not J.
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