CREATIVE: London

Tell an American you're from the UK and they always think you're from London. But no, this Yorkshire lass was born and raised 200 miles north in East Yorkshire, the home of green fields, seaside's and flat caps. Even so I've had a couple of trips to London in my time - from my first big city trip aged 15 (a big deal when you're a country lass), art trips for A-Levels to meeting friends and all my visa related travels through 2011. 

When you think British you, me, we typically think London things rightly or wrong from the red bus to the Clock Tower (aka Big Ben). And while I am a Yorkshire lass thorough 'n' thorough, London scenes remind me of the homeland. So when I was reading through the May issue of Cross Stitch Crazy (issue 202) and came across this design I knew it was one I had to get on my wall. 

If you're familiar with either Etsy or modern cross stitch you might be familiar with Satsuma Street designs - colourful designs of world cities highlighting their famous places. Judy Rice the designer behind Satsuma Street created three postcard sized designs for the magazine of which this London scene is one - the others are for New York and Paris.

Working on the big Stitch Along I welcome smaller quick projects for their sense of accompaniment but also for being able to stitch from my stash and use up some of the odds and ends I have laying around. It took a little under a week working on and off it to complete and it's all finished off into a 7" hoop.

Now to find somewhere (other than my random tree) to hang it!

American Q&A About Visiting London

The London Eye from Victoria Embankment

Going along with the Queen's Jubilee theme that's even hitting me here in Michigan I thought I'd share something I received in the post. Joe's gran who lives in Florida, sends me newspaper clippings from her local paper about all things British - this time featuring the Queen. Amongst columns about the Queen's lifetime, where in Tampa Bay you can grab yourself a good cup of tea was a Q&A about "Visiting London". Here's how one Florida journalist writes about London - my responses will be in brackets [all images are my own].

What is the most important thing to remember in London?

[So you think he might mention seeing all the glorious historical landmarks, to look after your personal belongings on the Tube or about buying a map, but no no] "Look right. The British drive of the left hand side of the street, which means traffic is coming at you on the right. There are LOOK right signs everywhere [really? I can't ever remember seeing them?!], but it's easy to forget" [seriously over six months in America and I forget traffic comes from the left].

What is one thing Americans do better than the British?

[Are we seriously going down this route?!] "Serve salads. A simple tossed salad is hard to find". [WTF?!]. 

What is one thing the British do better than Americans?

"It's been said that Britain is a "nation of shopkeepers". Londoners do seem to have a sense of retail courtesy not always found here in the US." [Nah you'll find rude people in England too! I really would have thought us British did public transport much better].

What is surprisingly cheap in London and what is surprisingly expensive?

[Firstly too many surprisingly in one sentence!] "Public transportation - the Tube (sub-way) and buses - is a bargain. Dining out is expensive, but if you're willing to "cook" ... there are markets where you can buy much less expensive sandwich fillings, fruits and snacks". [Just get yourself to Marks and Sparks!].
 

What is an absolute must-do in London?

"After all the shopping and sightseeing treat yourself to afternoon high tea, which is served with sandwiches that have their crusts cut off [oh la la], pastries and warm scones with clotted (Devonshire) cream. If there on a Sunday, go to Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens ... it's a great stroll (if it's not raining, of course)". [Oh you had to get a dig at British weather in!].

Speaking of the weather ...

"It rains. Lots. But that gives you a chance to watch British TV. The BBC channels are commercial-free and you'll hear lots of different British accents" [oh goodie - we're known for our accents not how good the acting is or what the shows are about].

How do you find these assumptions and perceptions of London and Britain? Did the journalist get it right? How do you see the UK/London?

Article and quotes taken from Fred W. Wright's Visiting London; Q&A which featured in the Tampa Bay Times; Life Times April 25th 2012.

LIFE: Sunday Snaps - London Edition

A Sunday wouldn't be a Sunday without my photographs really so I thought i'd take the opportunity to put up some of my London photographs from my trip there last week. Compared to my normal snap happy attitude I really didn't take that many photographs (I even took my old camera!) I guess I was too busy with hitting Oxford Street and my date with the Embassy. I did treat myself to lots of yummy food; Yo Sushi for tea, a trip to The Diner in Soho for some Philly Steak [would highly recommend] and popping into The Primrose Bakery in Convent Garden. The latter was to get a super yummy lemon cupcake, I loved how it came with it's own paper doily it's those little added extras that impress me. When I went to London in August I popped into Lola's in Selfridge's, yet I think Primrose have the edge on yumminess!

One of the fun parts was getting to go shopping, working in York I get bored of seeing the same old and small shops so it was nice having that proper feeling of shopping in a city especially having a wander around Primark no matter how crazy that place always is. I totally splashed out on nail varnish getting some Models Own - spending the last bit of my money on my boots card and getting 3 for 2 on China Glaze in Sallys. I had to grab the American vibe by popping into Forever 21, I do really like that shop, some of the clothes are hit and miss but they are top on jewellery, luckily there's one near Joe so I can't wait to properly check it out.

This week sees the organisation and move getting into full swing, at least that is the plan. First stop getting some things posted out to the boy - things like books and little bits and pieces and then into the more boring but practical stuff like sorting my banking out - where to start with that i'm not really sure. But more excitedly - only two weeks left at work and a date for the wedding!

Part sixteen - the interview

So after all the excitement, perhaps it's time to explain the how's about getting through my visa interview. I guess until your actually there you could read a million web pages and experiences and non of them will be like your own and in reality unless your immigrating you might never ever get to step inside that building. Getting into the Embassy at Grosvenor Square was like going through airport security, you line up with your passport and your interview date ready to hand over, your given a see through bag to empty your coins, belts and keys into [your not allowed to take anything electronic into the building, so phones, mp3 players, key fobs, laptops, batteries are all banned - I left mine in the left luggage in Kings Cross].

After getting through the first line, you queue up for security checks, bags and paperwork go into a box to be X rayed while you walk through the security checking device. Then you walk towards the entrance pass lots of armed guards with very scary guns, but you can understand why. Once your in embassy I was given my identification letter and number, this number is the one I waited to hear being called out to go to my interviews. Until then you sit in what resembles an airport departure lounge, rows and rows of seating all facing screens. After getting into the embassy and sitting down at 8:25am it took an hour before I was called for my first of the interviews. 

The first part involves handing over my original documents - the police forms, birth certificate and my passport, the lady asked me a few questions about how I met Joe, took my fingerprints and went through the immigration process once I land at my "point of entry" [Detroit airport]. Oddly she knew Detroit so she passed on some really useful information about how to sort and where in down town we need to go to do the next steps to adjust my status. After that she told me to sit back down until my number was called again and to fill out the courier form. 

Waiting seems to be what going to the embassy is all about, the second hour wait seemed however to go a lot quicker, and to be honest i did enjoy all the people watching. There was so many types of visas yet along people there, from families, posh city workers, young people, older people, all there to immigrate, and the amount of different passports i saw was amazing. You forget that you're just one person in a sea of millions trying to get to America, I guess it still is a country with a massive draw for people.

An hour later and I was called to see the second person for my more formal interview, checking my fingerprints he got me to swear my details where true, asked about what Joe does for a job, why I was working for Boots with two degrees [I ask myself that a lot] and how we met. He went through my whole file of papers, signing and ticking things - my file is literally one or two inches thick! Than after passing me my documents back and telling me he was keeping my passport he informally just told me go "take your courier sheet to the payment desk because your approved". I walked to the desk with the biggest smile ever on my face.

It will take another 7-10 days to get my passport with all my visa paperwork back then I'm free to enter America and my new life begins. Even two days on from finding out it really hasn't sunk in, next week will be crammed with trying to start sorting everything out. Altogether this part of the "journey" took nine month, we have a couple of months out, we get married and the next steps start all over again.

Thank you to everyone that's ever supported us or wished us well and said well done, it really does mean a lot.

Part fourteen - America calling

Today I woke up with that achy feeling you get after crying too much and from not having enough sleep. Two sleepless nights and feeling pushes to the limit with the visa finally took its toll. What didn't help matters was a comment on the visa forum that the embassy wouldn't be open today because it's and American bank holiday so i wouldn't be able to sort my payment out. Something however made me go later into work, something made me give them a call just to see if they were open. And thankfully, they were! So now i'm all paid up, receipt in hand and I can wander off to London knowing that pretty much everything is as sorted as it ever could be.

The next post here won't be till after its all sorted, whatever the outcome. If anyone has any spare luck going, feel free to send it my way! But if you fancy knowing the outcome sooner then it'll probably be getting posted upon my twitter. 

Wish me luck!

Part twelve; letter letter

Total sods law that the day after ranting and somewhat raving about not having my visa interview letter and therefore date, the next day it appears in the post. For such an important, international thing they always come in such unremarkable envelopes and the most plain looking text - when I got my first letter I actually wondered if it was real they are that plain. After all the hassle and the upset, of suddenley fearing it had all been lost in the post, i'd failed my medical but they couldn't get through to tell me, of them trying to break me and Joe up, i've been summon for interview in London on October 12th.

And you pretty much do get summoned, i've heard it's more then hard to get your interview date and time alletered, luckily it seems a good enough day to me just have to shell out yet another £200 odd pounds for the pleasure. Its also come in one day under the average processing time for this section, a massive 78 days over the average of 79.

So in just under three weeks we'll hopefully know the final outcome. My papers started being processed on January 18th 2011 so it will be just over nine months till we got to the interview date. It's been a long hard, unhappy and challenging process at times but i'm glad we have a date sorted. It helps just knowing you have something to focus towards.

If anyone knows anywhere locker, eurocar or hotels in central London, say around Marylebone across to Kings Cross south towards and around Grosvenor Square where you can leave left luggage that would be an amazing help.

FOOD: SNOG

One thing I was really looking forward to when trying in London was getting my mouth around my first ever SNOG - a frozen yoghurt with a super cool name. SNOG is located in numerous locations around London - I visited the one in South Kensington [between the underground and the museums]. You basically pick your yoghurt flavour [natural, chocolate, green tea - with more added with the seasons] and then add your toppings - the quantity depending on the price your willing to pay. Toppings can be fruity, chocolatey or nutty. I went for the SNOG Special - the classic SNOG with three toppings - I picked blackberries, raspberries and chocolate hearts with which you get a pink spoon. Helpings were very generous and all the fruit looks fresh and tasted lovely and sweet. If your fancying a treat it's well worth a visit. 

I've been eyeing up their recipe book - does anyone have it? Have you ever had a SNOG?

FASHION: Forever 21

One of the things I was getting child likely excited about was visiting Forever 21, half being a sneak peek at American fashion and it's always good at being a nosey. I'd read mixed blogger posts about the store that some of the clothes weren't that impressive, or huge queues and whatever else, but I went with an open mind. I'm always up for a new shopping adventure.  

As an American brand Forever 21 has been open since the mid 1980s originally targeting LA's local Korean population. Since then it's opened stores globally, with shops in Canada, the Middle East and Europe. Following store openings in 2010 in Dublin and Birmingham, Forever 21 opened it's flagship UK in London's Oxford Street. They rival H and M on price but with a Topshop quirky vibe. What they have was a huge range of items across the three floors - a huge denim section, your more Americanised college football tops and hoodies through to your lacy, floral dresses and tops not forgetting, undies, shoes and so much jewellery. I really think there would be something for everyone.

So here's what i got;

 Top one -  £11 something

Top two - £14 something

Dress - £14 something

Necklace - £3.15
(the skirt is from Zara and dragonfly necklace is Topshop)

The dressing rooms were huge, with plenty of hanging space and a very good sized mirror. I was only queuing for five minutes [mind you this was gone 5pm also the downstairs fitting rooms were a lot quieter then their counterparts] but the store was very busy. The only problem is the lighting, as you can tell from the pictures it's not the best and it was very gloomy when your going from the shop floor to the changing rooms. The only other small issues I have is the colour of their bags being neon pink - I don't know I just find it a little trashy. But that is me being very picky. Luckily there's a store in the mall near Joe's house so I don't have to face the fear of now not having anything to wear/buy in America lol

Have you been to Forever 21? What you think of the clothes? Or where's your top fashion store at the moment?

Part ten; the medical

So, I survived the medical! London was wonderful [as ever] and everything seemed to go good. Definately better then I expected, Monday night I was a horror and just was in extrememe panic about it all. I was going to fail, they'd never let me in, i'd loose Joe. But I knew I had to go so on Tuesday morning I rolled up to the private clinic in Mayfair for my visa medical. Everyone aiming to move on a visa who is over the age of 15 has to have a medical - no if buts or maybes. Mine luckily took only 45 minutes and consists of three key parts. 

You have to go along with their downloaded medical questionnaire, another is given to you when you arrive, asking all the questions from have you ever smoked, had a history of depression, ever hurt anyone else or if you're on any medication. [Visa's are all about box ticking.] Then a nurse went through my vacation records. For some reason mine were only recorded since 2000 so all of my childhood jabs haven't been recorded for whatever reason. All was fine apart from somehow missing my second MMR jab [apparently a lot of people have never had the second booster injection] and being a requirement for the visa there was no two ways about it. Injection it was - i'm luckily fine with needles, getting tattooed overcame that horror.

A lot of the time was spent waiting between the checks, so after the second wait it was time to get the X Ray taken to check for TB - all a case of wearing a robe, having to hold a protective lead vest and breathing in and out. Then after even more waiting, it was time to see the doctor. 

Seeing the doctor was the bit I was really dreading, I get very iffy about going to the GP generally so a one to one consultation wasn't on my list of things to do. BUT luckily, she was really nice and very friendly. What they check as far as I can see is dependent upon the doctor your seeing, your age and what you've ticked on the questionnaire. Being 24 and only ticking that I use to smoke kind of limited the things they could check. So she checked my eye sight, ears, mouth, breathing and my heart rate was followed by and abdominal and breast check and taking blood. The latter was the hardest bit - for the doctor at least but they need it to check for HIV and other things. I apparently have tiny veins and my blood flows very slowly. It took a while to fill a vile.

So for 45 minutes it all cost, with the added vaccination £243. Ouch. If I don't hear anything from them everything has come back fine. Now just back to waiting. Gah.

Thank you to everyone that wished me the best of luck for the medical - it really did help.

Image from weheartit.com

So, what is inside my bag? The London edition!

Here I am again jumping on a band wagons doing a "what's inside my bag". It's only taken me two years, but I thought I'd do it with a London twist - everything a girl needs for her medical. So here's a peek inside;

1. Palmer's moisturising cream.

2. All the [boring] paperwork for the purpose of the trip - there's a full page medical questionnaire, my vacation records, photographs, maps and a huge booklet. Plus my letter from the USA embassy.

3. Vintage Life magazine - reading material for the train.

4. My diary - it a National Railway 2011 diary filled with old railway posters.

5. Paperchase notebook - full of scribbles and thoughts.

6. More reading material - Hungry Hill by Daphnue du Maurier.

7. Passport - another thing for the medical.

8. You never know when you might get a headache.

9. My purse - crammed full of old receipts and rubbish really.

10. My umbrella - I go through these so bad.

11. Energizer Lithium batteries - I find these are the best batteries for digital cameras, they last far longer then the normal batteries but they aren't the cheapest [£7.99 from Curries] but the price is worth it.

12. Samsung MP3 player - I swear by samsung  who are also the makers of my phone [which I forgot to photograph]. 

13. Oyster card - probably has nothing on it but i'm glad I don't have to go through the hassle of getting a new one. 

14. Small pot of Lush hand cream - another thing I swear by.

15. Pocket map of London with my train timetables. 

[Not photographed is obviously my camera - a snap happy girl could not go to London without that!]

I guess you could say I was very practical in what goes into my handbag [my H&M one which I blogged about the other day]. You'll never see my bag crammed full of makeup or perfume or fancy things - because that's not me. I do my face for the day and leave it at that. That's not to say I'm not taking any beauty things to London, they are just in my other bag. 

Thank you to everyone that put their two pence in and gave me some wonderful ideas for things to go and places to go whilst in London, I've still got a tonne of ideas and I'm not really sure when i'm doing them all but they do include getting some Lola Cupcakes, checking out Forever 21 and visiting The Diner in Caraby St and having a wander around the area - which were all ideas from you lot! So thank you. I might even try and get down to the Natural History Museum to see the gorgeous butterflies they have there at the moment. I'm still dreading the medical but whatever is going to happen is beyond my control and I just have to go with it and breath deeply. It's just one step, an hour or so of my life to get to my boy.

So I hope you're all enjoying what is left of the weekend, at least at the end of this working week there is a bank holiday for the British among us! I also got an email from an old school friend asking how long i'm in American for [errr?] and wondering if I'd photograph his wedding. Now that I'm totally shocked by that suggestion because I don't think I'm that good and I haven't a clue about how you would! I haven't replied with a definite answer, I think its something I need to totally work on. But exciting no?!

London town

So this time next week i'll be in London town for my medical. I'm hopping down from Yorkshire on the Monday merely for the total excuse to be a tourist, have a good wander, shop and relax before the medical Tuesday morning [still utterly dreading it]. Train tickets were far from cheap £75 and not even rush hour but I managed a sweet bargain on the hotel.

I have some ideas of tubing it down to Westminster, wandering up to Buckingham palace, hitting Regents Street, Oxford Street and the shops while checking out just where the American Embassy in Grosvenor Square is to I have a slight clue where i'm going for my interview. Then having a little peak around Marylebone which is the area i'm staying. 

The Hummingbird Bakery and SNOG [one being my treat for getting through the said dreaded medical] are sights to hit; so too is Forever 21. I've seen loads of bloggers talk [in mixed views] about this store, and while I know it's American - I thought I'd grab a peek to see what the fuss is about! That and its an excuse to buy new clothes for Chicago! 

So now bloggers i'm just looking for any hidden London gems be it shops or touristy things that might be worth a quick look into! Where would you suggest going? Avoiding? Anything and everything would be welcome!

Ta in advance (and all pictures are from weheartit.com don't ya know?!)

Part nine; November 10th

I got my police form back on Tuesday for my visa. I'm apparently not a criminal, or at least they have no trace of me ever being one, which is rather reassuring because it would have confused the life out of me if it had come back declaring some criminal involvement. The arrival of the police form allowed me to book the second to last stage of the visa [ordeal] journey - booking that frightful medical. I borrowed works phone line and rang up this morning after repeated attempts at getting through it took a good half hour for it not to be engaged. The lady on the other end of the phone seemed lovely and talked me through what I need to bring and where to go. So on Tuesday 23 [yeap that close] I have a [somewhat dreaded] adventure to London. I'm planning to go down on the Monday and stay over night, perhaps be a bit of a tourist for the day and after the medical if there's any time left. Need a bit of time away from work and this is a perfect excuse. 

So now all the rest of the forms can be sent off, with police forms, finance forms, relationship evidence, birth certificates, passport copies and endless forms stating your an alien with American passport photos attached. To finish it all off you're advised to send it with a cover letter declaring a wedding date. I've always found this odd seeing throughout the whole process your constantly reminded NOT to book travel plans yet alone anything as substantial as a wedding! I can't really remember why we picked that weekend in November, it just seemed to fit right. If everything goes to plan we want to be married on the Thursday and on the way to Chicago for the long weekend on the Friday. 

It might only be three months away but it seems a lifetime.

Daydreams

Sometimes daydreams are the best way to escape reality .. and sometimes they need to hardly be explained ...

from relaxing in a special London park in the summer ...

having our first mini [weekend away] holiday in Newcastle ...

through being utterly in love together and having London be the start of our life together ...

and being able to show that love over and over ...
being able to say it out loud ...

and sealing it for forever ...

What are your daydreams?

LIFE: Random Wishes ....

... of things to achieve in my life in no particular order maybe most of them by the time I'm 30 [if not 35!]. I'm totally lacking blog inspiration at the moment being ill for the past however weeks gets me thinking;

#1. Move in with JJ. #2. Visit PA & Falling Water. #3. Stay in a cottage by the sea. #4. Own some [tiny] piece of Tiffany jewellery. #5. Be a qualified dispenser. #6. Marry my guy. #7. Finish that book I started writing ages ago [I really must dig that out again].

#8. Learn to knit.

#9. Try and become somewhat green fingered. #10. Own my own vintage shop come traditional English tea room. #11. Honeymoon in London in a posh hotel. #12. Pay off all my debts [practical and somewhat boring I know!]. #13. Visit Russia.

#14. Engage in baking and making cupcakes and cakes on weekends.

#15. Have babies. #16. Dine in the Ritz. #17. Print off all my blog entries and comment and keep them in a folder to keep for the future [I did start this and somehow stopped]. #18. Have that gingerbread man/women wedding cake. #19. Visit the Camden Passage Market. #20. Finally get around to seeing Mr and Mrs Andrews in the flesh [well hanging from the wall]. #21. Own our own 1930s home.

#22. Visit Paris.

#23. Adopt a child. #24. Learn which constellation is actually which. #25. Get my firefly and laurel flower tattoo. #26. Finally sort out and label all my photographs so I have at least some mild idea of who and where they were all taken.

What are your random wishes?

How about afternoon tea in the Ritz Hotel in London's Piccadilly? Get dressed up in a smart vintage suit and link arms with my man and wander through the doors into the grand foyer, greeted by the smartly dressed and perfectly mannered greeter [or door openers - whatever their name is!]

Drink in the atmosphere and the afternoon tea ...

Original post lost to cyberspace

... with posh crust less sarnies, a cream tea and perhaps be tempted with a glass of champagne?

Original post lost to cyberspace

And if your feeling rather rich, or splashing out ....Why not stay over?!

Me and JJ keep daydreaming about our future and the one day we have our honeymoon. We don't want to be engaged long so I guess daydreaming about things now settles out what we want so it makes planning everything much more easily. Spend a week, be together, do posh things like having afternoon tea in Ritz and maybe spending one night there is on our list. Its all just so much an outlandish, crazy and utterly 'us' that I just love the idea!

I'd love to hear if anyone has ever had afternoon tea at The Ritz? Would be fabulous!

All images from google search or The Ritz's website.

Coloured London Blitz

Although coloured photographic film was available, the majority of visual records of wartime life, warfare and people remained captured in black and white with the rare exception coming from magazine publications, such again as Life magazine. Across TV and radio - most especially the BBC there has been a big recent screening of the outbreak of war with German 70 years ago. And I guess to some extent this has increased my interest in trying to hunt out and capture on my blog images regarding the more personal home and feminine side of the war.

Yet as most of the war time images are black and white in nature, it was a pleasant surprise to find these images taken in September 1940 of the carnage and fallout of Nazi bombs upon the streets, landmarks and homes of London by William Vandivert upon the website for Life magazine.

A small number of onlookers peer into the immense crater of the bomb causing a London double decker bus, we can only now assume, to drive into. The bus stop sign perches upright, the only normality in the sea of destruction of the shop fronts in the background.

Smoke from burning fires creates a hazy outlook towards St Paul's, a landscape of burnt out buildings, only the faded and greying cream façades maintaining their domination of the scene. the greying skies matching and the tension and atmospheric scene of wartime London.

Busy flat cap and waistcoating wearing workers try and clear up the rumble from a strike on what seems to be a private dwelling. The sturdy houses either side maintain their upright positioning, seemingly unaware of the hit next door, only the patterned and yellow wallpaper of the fallen house remains attached to the dwelling on the left, the opened doorways. The new space allowing us to look through to what appears to be, yet another bombed out residential street behind the trees. We can only question if the occupiers survived.