London (3)

A few more photos from London. We stayed in a flat in Camden, which was pretty awesome. I don't like staying in hotels and am too picky to stay in hostels, so renting a flat was the perfect option. Plus then you don't have to eat out all the time!

London (2)

These are the only photos I could manage since I was pretty much freaking out the whole time.

The highlight of my trip to London was definitely seeing Blur at the Brits, which was the main motivation for my going in the first place. I know they got a lot of negative press afterwards, and yes, I might be a bit biased, but I thought they were amazing and the most exciting performers of the night.

A few days later, we went to the National Portrait Gallery, where there was a Lucian Freud exhibit. I was really struck by the following quote from him: What do I ask of a painting? I ask it to astonish, disturb, seduce, convince.

It reminded me of what I look for in the music and made me consider what it was that I that I love so much about Blur (and all my favourite bands/musicians). I'm not just interested in something that's easy and pretty and safe. I want music that excites me and challenges me and maybe even scares me. Sure, their performance wasn't the most polished of the acts that night, but it wasn't staid and choreographed. It was full of excitement and energy and enthusiasm.

And to be perfectly honest, I was so caught up in everything and excited to be there that I really enjoyed all of the performances, even though I don't listen to any of the other artists and didn't know the songs.

Okay, I always feel super pretentious when I try to talk seriously about music and this happened nearly two weeks ago, but I just felt the need to share this.

London

Just a few photos from my trip to London. I had a really fantastic time. I was feeling a little guilty travelling all the way to Europe and not spending any time Berlin (the first time ever), but, to be honest, I'm glad I didn't try to squeeze both into the little over a week I had. I feel like whatever time I spend in London is never enough. There's just so much to see and do and eat and experience. But mostly I kind of just like visiting different areas and wandering around.

I did bring home an awful lot of tea and vegan sweets. Including a bag of peach flavoured gummy candies, which I tried to savour and only eat a couple a day, but I ended up finishing the bag in 3 days. Now I'm trying to hunt them down online.

London Loves

Doing some last-minute, late night packing (is there any other kind?) for my trip. I'm off tomorrow for a week. A week without checking work emails, which is a first. I'll have internet access, but I'm flatly refusing to do any work while I'm away.

A week without work is exciting enough, but I'm seeing Blur (and the other artists performing...) at the Brits on Tuesday! I can't even express my excitement about this, you guys!

Well, I should finish up my packing and try to get some sleep. See you when I get back!

Cut Your Hair

Yet another phone photo of a drawing, which is why the colour is so weird.

I forgot to mention in my last post that I chopped my hair off a couple weeks ago. Or rather, I had it chopped off. It's taken some getting used to because I've never had hair this short before and I still find myself reaching back to fix a pony tail that isn't there. Mostly it's meant I have to actually brush my hair now because otherwise it sticks up all over the place.

These Days (2)

Things have been rather crazy with work lately, and I've been neglecting this blog and spending time on tumblr instead...but here's a quick rundown of some things that have been going down lately:

- Breakfast with co-workers across the street from our office. There aren't many choices for non-meat-eaters, but I go mostly for the company. And the hashbrowns. Maybe more for the hashbrowns, if I'm honest. (I'm kidding. Sort of.)

- A Blur t-shirt I got off ebay. It was a men's XL, but I cut it down to fit me. I was nervous about messing it up, but I'm super happy with the results and kind of want to wear it all the time. But apparently I couldn't be bothered with making sure it wasn't wrinkly for this picture. Oh well.

- An excellent package of stuff from a friend in Berlin: candles, a matchbox from kaufbar in Berlin, a photo album and a book on Braunschweig - the city he's from and the city my father's side of the family is from.