This place is paradise I’m sure, here’s my reservation

Sunday 23 September 2007
I’m coming home to the lights and buzz
Streets look the same, still nothings as it was
This place is paradise I’m sure, here’s my reservation
I’ve gotten lost here once before inside a good vibration
[“Lights and Buzz,” Jack’s Mannequin]

Man, has it only been a week? I won’t go as far to say it feels like time is moving slowly, but it feels like I left Boston months ago, not just three weeks. So much has happened during that time that it doesn’t feel like it could’ve possibly only been that short.

Anyway, I started working at BLEND full-time this week. Truth be told, I’m pretty ambivalent about it right now. I of course like the work and the people I’m working with, and I’m having a great experience by being so intricately involved in real account management. That said, I haven’t met anyone new by starting work there, and I won’t. The company consists of myself and three other people. Also, one of my goals in returning to London is to create new experiences, and working at Blend – despite its perks – is something I’ve already done.

On Thursday, I met with Mark and Holly, from AKA, the arts marketing agency that handles the marketing for a majority of the West End shows. We chatted about my potential internship – work assignments, hours, my goals, etc. It was a really interesting meeting because they told me that based on my degree and my experience, I would have more responsibility than their usual interns (well, perhaps its better to say fewer “administrative” duties, such as data entry, contacting winners of promotions, all the day-to-day type stuff. Still good news, though!). This is partially because I’ll be spending fewer hours there, so to assign time-sensitive work to me would be pointless. Rather, they said they’d be interested to have me work on some “one-off projects,” and Mark asked me if I was a fan of the National Theatre. Um, YEAH, I am. I left with a renewed sense of confidence because it seemed like they really wanted to bring me on board – and not just because I’m free labor (labour, actually), but because I was so enthusiastic about working in marketing and theatre (at the same time!) and that I had the skill set to actually achieve success. Good feelings all around. Mark called me Friday afternoon, and in about two weeks, I’ll start working 10 hours per week at AKA on Thursday and Friday afternoons.

The bad news with this, though, since they can’t pay me at AKA (here’s to hoping anyway!), is that I’ll be missing out on pay for 10 hours per week. The internship, I admit, will have to be on a probationary period (in my mind, that is). Ten hours will amount to £100/week (before taxes, naturally), which basically amounts to weekly rent. Ugh. This might seem foolish to most of you, but you also have to realize that most people are only making about £6-7 per hour (minimum wage is currently just about £5.50), so I’m still actually doing well, comparatively.

Also, another thing I’ve wanted to do, though, and have been considering, is applying to work front of house staff (ushering) at the Young Vic theatre. They had applications set out during the Open House last weekend. This would be a good opportunity because I’d probably get to meet theatre-minded people close to me in age, it wouldn’t be stressful work, I’d get to see some shows, AND get paid! It might prove to be too many hours at work, though, so we’ll see. I have my application mostly filled out, so I might drop it by this week and see what comes of it.

What else? I did my first little bit of London shopping last week. I forgot how wonderful/dangerous it is to work right near Oxford St. So many stores! I still have to shop very modestly, as you can imagine, but I did buy two sweaters (“jumpers”) for £20 combined (love those Dorothy Perkins deals) and a pair of dress shoes and a pair of flats for £25. Not bad, I say! Of course, I did manage to buy the wrong UK size for the shoes, so I need to exchange them. Half sizes aren’t as common here. I think I’ve determined I a 6.5 or 7. The ones I bought were sixes. They fit if I stand still, but the second I walk… Damn.

My mini shopping spree was to part celebrating my return to employment and part necessity. It turns out that I’ll be attending a greater number of client meetings at Blend (went to The Times on Tuesday, and would’ve gone to Asset, our creative designers, on Thursday if I hadn’t had my meeting with AKA), so my attire can’t be as informal as usual. The dress code, officially, at Blend is “come as you are.” Unofficially, it’s this style I secretly call “cool casual.” But ‘cool’ doesn’t even really begin to describe it – it’s this creative yet professional chic-ness that I completely admire but can’t quite pull together for myself. Yet. I’m workin’ on it. Again, modestly. The funds. Examples to cool casual are to come.

I met up with Will and Courtney last Monday, and we went to a pub near Covent Garden called the Porterhouse. A friend of theirs, “Gumby,” (you know, I didn’t actually ever get his first name.. huh..) came as well. It turns out Gumby lives near me in Angel, on City Road, probably less than 10 minutes from me. He’s working in the City, if I remember right, and works in the financial sector. Oh, and he’s from Milwaukee. Went to Marquette, I think. (Joe, have I found my temporary Wisconsin fix?)

On Wednesday I met Barbara for a drink after work at the ever-popular On Anon. Unfortunately, Luke, On Anon did not hold up to its standards. I think our bartender was new. She had to ask the other bartender step-by-step how to make my drink (a bramble), and Barbara ordered a shabby-looking Pimms. The happy hour options weren’t what I remembered them to be, either. Hmm.

I suppose the biggest victory, well maybe, of the week was going out with my flatmates this weekend. On Friday, Adam and his girlfriend, Jemma (Jemms), and I met up with Sam (the flatmate I replaced) and some of their other friends. We were going to go to the Nag’s Head, on Upper St., but ended up around the corner at The Agricultural (near Chapel Market) because the former was crowded. The rugby games were on, of course, and Ireland was playing someone. I couldn’t see the TV from where I was sitting, and the boys weren’t too interested in that particular game. After The Agricultural, the others were going on to an Old Street bar before hitting up Fabric (ahh!!). Adam, Jemms an I went home instead, drank some wine and made pizza. Ahh, more my speed.

Then, last night, I met up with many of the same folks again plus also Charlie (flatmate) and some of his friends. We went to the Winchester Club, which is on Essex Road, parallel to Upper St. Here, Adam (affectionately referred to by his friends as “Kaz,” being a Polish Kaczmarksi) met some guy at the bar (buying my round, actually!) who was from Liverpool originally but was working in Kansas City! Adam sent this guy, Dominic, my way to chat up the midwest. He was living in Warrensburg, Missouri, working for NBC. He’d been there a while, I guess, because he’d seen the Plaza lights and spent St. Patty’s day in Westport. He said he really liked Kansas City. And, yeah, how could you not?! There had been some technicality in reissuing his visa, so he and his friend were wrapping up a two-month long trip around the world and were heading back to good ol’ KC this week. Crazy! Man, there are so many things I’d do if I were in Kansas City right now. Plus – PLUS – the whole country would be on a half-off sale, relatively speaking.

Today I met up with Will again. We met at the Liverpool St. station, intending to visit Spitalfields Market. Little did we know the Spitalfields area is closed/”relocated and crappy” for construction. Instead, though, we walked through the booths surrounding the area, and then stumbled across Petticoat Lane and then onto Brick Lane. We saw the coolest stalls filled with more clothes, shoes, electronics, wallets, bags, food, jewelry and junk than you could possibley ever need. We also saw some very hip stores off Brick Lane, namely “Rough Trade,” a vinyl/cd/café store/warehouse/place. Very, very hipster but in a cool London-not-Allston way (no offense intended, mind you). We also passed this unique, large-scale installation demonstrating creative workplaces that was cool. (Pictures if I can find them online because I didn’t take a picture). From Brick Lane, we walked to Old St. to find Hoxton Square (also very trendy, eclectic nightlife) with the intent of returning sometime soon. From Old St, it’s a short 15 minute walk to my flat, so I gave Will the grand tour of the “House of Stag.” Did I mention I’m the first Stag-ette? I am. Will seemed genuinely impressed with the place, despite its post-party look and haphazard charm. He and Courtney are sharing a studio near Bayswater, which I think they had to furnish; I lucked out because I didn’t have to buy a bed, wardrobe, shelves or dresser. I also have decent kitchen (though it’s a far cry from 1193) and a cushion-filled living room. (Not ‘cushy,’ – cushion-filled. We have a lot of ramshackle cushions.)

I’ve outdone my own rambling again for this week. We STILL don’t have Internet (I talked to Sky broadband myself today, and despite my pushing it’s going to take three weeks because of a glitch on their part, which is aggravating and stupid. Bah. While it is one less bill, I’m slowly making up for it in Internet café costs, though I found a very nice one down the street.) As soon as I’m back online, I will be posting pictures and staying in better touch. Meanwhile, I’ll continue this way, I suppose.

Not much planned for this week. There is another BUNAC pub meet on Wednesday. There’s a jazz club at Liverpool St called “The Spitz” that I’ve always wanted to go to. Well, evidently it’s closing down on Thursday and there’s a big concert bash. I’m supposed to have dinner/drinks with Michael this week, but we’ll see. He’s pretty swamped/otherwise occupied. I might also try to catch “Carmen” at the English National Opera on Saturday, if I can get some cheap student/rush seats.

--JV

PS: Yesterday I booked my flight to Germany to visit Aunt Kerry & Uncle Bill while Mom & Dad are in town. Oktoberfest will be wrapping up, and I think we’re going to take a trip to Salzberg!