DAH – LING

Is what Christine Townley (now Christine Lane Fox) calls her husband and the most British accent I have ever heard. Yes, that is right Pi Phi’s in London – woo woo Rock Chalk! My long lost sorority sister who I had not seen since she moved to London in 2004 is happily married to an Englishmen, Charlie, and living in Noting Hill. They had us over last night for dinner and my other sorority sister – Brab Kral-Hasty came as well! Bard is studying at Durham, which is about 3 hours away. Funny story, when Barb first told her mom she was going to Durham for her MBA her mom said “Durham, North Carolina?” – oh no Mom Durham, Great Britain.

*Side Note 1 – Someone PLEASE tell me you watched Gossip Girl on Monday night and heard The Blair Waldorf re-name NC to “North Caro-LIAR” – it was hysterical! Take that Roy!

So Burr and I LOVED dinner at the Lane Fox’s house – it was SO fun, but not so fun this morning (we stayed until 12 and finished approx. 4 bottles of wine for 4 people) so needless to say this morning Burr said “You don’t look so good this morning!” and that was after I had showered, done my hair and makeup – YIKES!

Tomorrow night we are off to Amsterdam to visit the Cooley’s! We are really excited to see them and Amsterdam, of course. I think they were a little puzzled why we are going tomorrow as you see, the biggest celebration of the year is happening in Amseterdam today/tonight and Burr said we would go for it….except we booked our tickets for tomorrow for some reason…I think its either (1) Burr really did forget and just thought it was tomorrow night or (2) Burr feels the need to be at PwC (or related client) site 24-7 just in case there is a dire emergency.

*Side Note 2 – I mean what kind of dire emergency can really happen in public accounting?! HELP HELP! My 10K – the balance sheet does not balance…RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!!! (Like its on fire or something)

So, I think its more of number 2 than 1, but whatever. I’m still really excited to go! Bring on the mini pancakes and fries (no mayo please).
Holla for Holland !

London Barbie

Do you know those emails that go around that are “Charlotte Barbie in Myers Park” and “Wichita Barbie in Eastbourough” – well I definitely met “American in London Barbie” last night, OMG!

I had my junior league meeting and while walking in a met, Barbie’s friend who was carrying a HUGE Hermes bag and had and Hermes belt on, and a Hermes bracelet…come to think of that she either works there or keeps the people at Hermes working, but prob. the latter. Anyway, e and Barbie’s friend walk in together and there is not 1 of 5 doorbells to choose from, infact there is only 1 doorbell…hmm this seems a little odd, this place is 5 stories high! Once you walk in you realize quickly that yes, Barbie does in fact live in the 5 story building. It was INSANE. The light fixtures (aka chandeliers) everywhere could have paid for a college education and then some. There were this fantastic floral arrangements everywhere – that rival my offices, but I would have to see the weekly change to truly be able to decide what is better, anyway.

Barbie was also in a Hermes belt

*Side Note 1 the belt is like the one with the "H" on it - like Will Smith wore in the movie Hitch, and I just happen to do a great (makin the pizza, and Q-tip throw-it away move, WAY better than my belly dancing skills - Kacie please come soon, we must dance!)

oh, and the best part was both Barbie and her friend are wearing 7+ carat rings, no I’m not joking, skinny dark jeans, white blouses,

*Side Note 2 – Note to self: buy white shirt, and not a normal white shirt one with features like ruffles, wraps, and pockets.*

and Tory Birch flats – is this some sort of London uniform I was not aware of? Oh, and yes Barbie had big blonde hair and was beautiful with a 1year old!

*Side Note 2 – I think Barbie must be from Texas originally, she appeared to be very “High Class Texas” to me, infact she looks like this girl Stephanie who is Kirsten and Troy’s (my cousin) friend from college or something – and yes lives in TEXAS.

So we walk to the 2nd floor where everyone else is sitting and thank goodness there are no more white shirts but there are even bigger rings, more chandeliers, more floral arrangements and the best part was pictures on the wall of their wedding appears to have taken place in Lake Como! ( I wonder if George Clooney was there?!)

In the end, the girls were so nice and 90% of them were American’s who were working or living here so I’m very glad I went and I’m excited about the new committees I can join.

I have to go now and figure out where to buy said “white blouse”, I think I should start with the shirt because I doubt Burr is going to for a new engagement ring, chandeliers for our tee tiny flat, another wedding but- this time in Como, or an Hermes bag (at least not right now) Wish me luck!

Leggings are NOT pants

That was a quotation from The Blair Waldorf herself (extra bonus for knowing who I am talking about)….which obviously explains that Gossip Girl is not on here in the UK. I mean really, everyone thinks that LEGGINGS are PANTS – but leggings are not pants they are actually just the equivalent of wearing 5 pairs of pantyhose so why do girls insist they are pants. This actually does not happen at work , as everyone at my work dresses very conservatively, but on the streets the leggings are EVERYWHERE.

*Side Note 1 – Of course.... I did purchase some leggings this weekend so I could be “in” but, I will be wearing them with dresses not just little shirts!”

In the office this morning I say this post-it on a heavy-duty stapler “Why do we have this big stapler if we do not stock proper staples for it!!!!?” - This is a perfect example of a couple things.
(1) The English are soooo passive aggressive, I mean they right a mean post-it instead of just complaining
(2) Our office must spend all our money on HUGE flower arrangements every week so we cannot afford such essentials as staples or to even give a stapler to the new girl

*Side Note 2- Yes, I’m still mad that I cannot have actual office supplies (see previous blog)

(3) The word “proper” is used everywhere – do you have a “proper bag?” “ I need a proper chair”, etc. etc…..and the bag question is what the grocery store man asks me because every bag is .05£ (basically 7.5 cents a bag in the US equivalent) so its better to bring your own and not only save the tiny but of money , but better is not to get the TERRIBLE looks people give you when you have not in fact brought a “PROPER” bag – hhmmmph!

Tonight is my first Junior Leauge meeting and its in-house, meaning I get to go to someone else’s house in London and see what it looks like and everything – I’m SO excited. I used to LOVE these in Charlotte because they are always in some fabulous place…and get this….this one is literally down the street from us too! Of course the meeting was “full” but I emailed the host to tell her I was new and asked her if I could “squeeze-in” She emailed back and I said I could in fact “squeeze” in, but I think she might have been mocking me, because I’m pretty sure no one here actually has to “squeeze in” anywhere….

*Side Note 3 – Here is another phrase I must stop using in addition to YUMMY! So, from now on no more “squeezing”

More later
MUUUUUAAAAWWWW (More kisses)!

Achy Breaky Heart

"Don't tell my heart, my achy breaky heart"...come on now sing it with me! No, not really. I had the pleasure of hearing my admin sing this, 60 seconds of it, full out on Friday morning. No, there was not a karaoke contest at work she was just trying to tell the admin next to her about how her daughter likes Miley Cyrus and when the other gal did not know who that was the "Singing Admin" went on about how Billy Ray was her dad and then said "You know that song..." and so it goes.

I mean seriously?! Hearing Achy Breaky Heart with an English accent was absolutely hysterical, but I could not laugh at her!
The only reason I overheard her is because my "desk"
*Side note 1 - remember tiny weeny cubes that come up to waist high EVERYWHERE are equivalent to desks (see previous blog)*

So, my "desk" is moved everyday because they do not have enough space for me so literally everyday I show up and have to sit in whomever is gone or working from home that day desk - its terrible, but at least today I did not have to sit next to the singing admins - yikes.

As you probably read on Burr's weekend re-cap (for those of you who fell asleep half way through it, you're not the only ones - but don't take it out on Burr, he just a little too Mr. Genius to write the kind of stuff I do - thank goodness he has me - haha!!) Anyway, we had a great weekend and I finally got to go shopping with my friend Jessica- yeah! And buy the earrings I wanted at H&M without getting turned away - whew.
*Side Note 2- of course I did have to go to a different H&M because I'm WAY to embarrassed to go back to the other one, what if I was "that" girl there - um, no thanks.*

I realize I have not blogged in a while and think this is for a few reasons
(1) Internet - I no longer have to write all my blogs in Word on my computer and save them to a flash drive to publish them, instead I can wander around the Internet all night!
(2) Phone - I can actually call people on the phone instead of staring at it thinking "How mad will Burr be if I just make one tiny bitty phone call home that probably costs $50?" (Side note 3 - remember we had no GBP's to our name at that time)
(3) I actually have work to do - not only do I have work but I worked on Saturday and I keep having to eat lunch at my desk while trying to understand Sec.382 (any help out there please?!)
*Side Note 4 - Burr will endlessly make fun of me for quoting the tax code, but I really don't care - that is really a true stmt, again HELP please!
(4) No love - yes I have not gotten any "I love Anne's blogs" or "We think Anne is funnier than Burr" or "More anne, please?!" emails or notes or IM's or anything..I mean where is the love? I think I need some love in order to spend 3o-60 minutes a day writing for all my fans.

Well I will continue to blog a little bit more often even without the love. I mean, if Burr is the only one who writes I'm a little scared what will happen to my fans:-) Other than getting a little nap in...
Holla is for Holland
(Points for remembering where that phrase came from!)

Weekend Recap

Hello all. We were more low key this weekend since Anne had a long work week and I didn’t get much sleep upon hearing that the Panthers extended Jake Delhomme’s contract through 2014 following the epic stink-bomb against the Cardinals (kidding – sort of). That said, there was great weather in the city.

After making time for a trip to the UK’s version of Bed, Bath and Beyond, Saturday’s highlight was dinner at Fakhreldine in Mayfair with Jignesh (a senior manager at E&Y that Anne worked with in Charlotte) and Kat (I think it’s with a K). Yes, we are becoming connoisseurs of Lebanese cuisine (when in doubt, go with the schwarma). Being the quintessential Lebanese restaurant, the belly dancer arrived promptly at 10:30 PM. Anne and the cocktails she’d imbibed apparently felt that the aforementioned dancer shouldn’t have to rock out alone.

Sunday morning, we grabbed Starbucks and posted up right outside the gates of Buckingham Palace to watch the end of the London marathon with Jess C. and the Iliffs. The weather was perfect, though the men’s and women’s races were blow-outs. Since the races weren’t close, I was hoping that the rumoured (pretentious spelling I know) attempt of the Tamil Tiger sympathizers to impact the race would lead to someone trying to tackle an exhausted runner near the finish line, but no such luck. As a group, we decided that the marathoners had burned enough calories for us to go and drink beer and eat chips (fries) at our local pub, the Beauchamp. Anne and Jess did a bit of shopping (sorry ladies, you will have to ask Anne for details) in the PM, while I took a nap / worked / tracked the NFL draft online.

We promise a more exciting update after Amsterdam next weekend. Cheers!

No, plastic does not go in the oven

This is the phrase I told Burr tonight when he was starting to cook one of the 2 pound pizzas we bought at the store in the oven. He actually did not even ask, I was looking at what he was doing and said "Hey - that plastic on the bottom - yeah, you can't cook it!" And to think, we almost got kicked out of our adorable flat after just 2 weeks if he would have cooked that plastic....ahhh. Thank goodness Mrs. Genius was around, whew

Work today was alright - Glad to be home. We are still experimenting on what is good and bad from the store - well the microwave meals are NOT good, only the pre-pared ones - in case you are wondering. Burr had the "Chicken and Asparagus Risotto" - sounds good right? Yeah, not so much - ick.

Lee - I ate a Bounty bar today and thought of you! We promise to bring back lots when we come visit.

I am starting to get a serious shopping itch. Everyone keeps telling me about sample sales and these great stores and I would LOVE to go but there are just a few road blocks in my way (1) the stores close at 7 or 8pm - I mean I barely get off the tube at 8pm (2) We still have a mortgage in Charlotte (hopefully for another 3 weeks) (3) I have absolutely NO where to put the clothes unless we want to sit or sleep on them (4) Burr may kill me. We will see if these 4 reasons hold me back, but I'm guessing only #1 is really a problem.

*Side Note - I wish I was a "celeb" so they would open the stores for me only and I could shop peacefully, maybe they would even play the music I wanted to hear while I shopped...ahh how fabulous.

Alrightly, I'm going to go back on watch on-line television now. THANK GOODNESS for INTERNET!!!
Mhhhhuuuuwwww (that is a kissy noise for those who don't know!)
Anne

Would you like smoothie with that?

Its like the UK’s version of “Would you like fries with that?” – Seriously everyone here is obsessed with smoothies! They drink them constantly and with their meals, like water. I do not understand the smoothie craze – and they think they are all healthy. But, if you took the fruit out all you have is a vanilla milkshake – it really baffles me, this smoothie craze.

Last night I finally had my Mexican fix – Thank you Jessica!! We went to this funky Mexican place called Wachaca where they have little miniature Mexican dishes and you order mini tacos and quesadillas, it was not near as good as Carlos O’ Kelly’s or Cantina 1511 (or even Mexicafe) but at least it was chips, salsa, and guac. Whew – I and thought I would never see if for 2 years. That would be terrible.

Now, what is going on with the time here. What I mean is in Charlotte it was perfectly normal to be at the gym at 6am working out. This morning my new gyms (yes the 37 degrees one) first class was at 7:30am. Really?! At 7:30 am in American you should be on your way to work! But here, if I walk in at 9am I am one of the first people in the office….so strange. Anyway, I thought I would go early and do some cardio so I got up and went to the tube about 6:30 – little did I know the part of the tube that is close to us is closed off at 6:30 in the morning and literally it was like a ghost town in the tube so early in the morning, it kind of scared me.

Tonight I am going to the gym to get what is called a “programme” where every 4 weeks they measure you, tell you what types of classes, cardio, weights you should be doing and then they give you a new one in 4 weeks based on your progress, sounds great right?! Well….yesterday I got on the treadmill it seemed to be going SO slow. In the US I am running at about a 6.0 on the treadmill and sprinting at about a 9.0, so I go to 4.0 to walk first, but I’m barely moving. When I am ready to run I go to 6.0 and I’m thinking “wow, I did not realize how much I was walking around London, this is easy – I must be getting in better shape” – then I look over at everyone else’s treadmills and notice there are people walking at 7.0 running about 11/12 – hmmm….what is the problem… Oh these are not in miles per hour they are kilometres per hour – darn! Not in shape after all…. LaDuree macroons do not increase your running speed just in case you are wondering :-)

Yummies in London

BTW - I have picked up the word "Yummy" - you should try it. So while we have been here I have had the opportunity to try some delicious sweets and I thought I would share. In descending order.

4. Percy Pigs - They are these these gummy candies they only sell at this grocery store called "M&S" they are delicious

3. Cadbury Egg McFlurry, yes from McD's - but its the only thing we have gotten here that is fast food and I saw the poster - just had to try it

2. Harrods gelato - Yes, Burr finally took me to Harrods to get some! We did not sit at the bar though and get a sundae, we will sometime. We just got a couple scoops and they were very yummy. I would recommend the banana/chocolate combo!

1. LaDuree Macaroons - are by far the best food I have ever tasted in my life. If I was stranded on a desert island and could only eat 1 thing for as long as live I would totally pick these. We tried the lemon, raspberry, chocolate, Carmel, vanilla, and lady finger with our favorite being Carmel....if you come visit I will buy you one, promise!!!

PS - Thank goodness Burr liked the cookies as much as I did because he could not believe how much cookies cost - but LaDuree is in Harrods, what did you think would happen?! SO WORTH IT.

PPS - Now come visit us so I can have an excuse to go back to LaDuree!!!
Love ya
sugar lovin' anne

What was she thinking?!

Seriously the crack and smack band on Saturday was not even half the fun. There were some ridiculous things going on, most of all people's fashion sense. I will start with the best...this fairly cute purple dress (eggplant), to the knees, good material with the most heinous pair of Keds covered in neon pant I have ever seen....see for yourself.

Yes, I had to sneak behind the girl to take a picture. YIKES! I mean I know its all about comfort here but really?! My Mom needs to tell her the signature line from my childhood "You must suffer for beauty" and buy some shoes that are not TERRIBLE.

Other pictures - are the weird people from the festival walking around on stilts...speaking of stilts its "Environmental Week" at Ernst & Young and I guess in promotion of it the security guards today were in stilts all covered in leafs and trees - I thought I was walking into a circus! Oh wait...its work, boo no Elephant shoes or trapeze artists for me today.

My last blog today is going to be about the amazing delicacies I have had in London thus far...get excited. LaDuree Lovin' Anne

PS - Burr got hit - see the paint on his face?! This lady just came up and attacked him while he was waiting in line for Beer....you can see where his focus is....and she striped him with her face paint at the festival - awesome colors hun!

Greenwich

Isn't that view amazing?! Yes, it was a little bit of a walk up the hill but totally worth it. And...we got to see where the prime meridian so that was cool. Its in this town called Greenich. That is what we did Sunday during the day...it was really nice weather out.

Now its after work on Monday and Burr not only beat me home but started dinner! Isn;t that amazing!!! I was pleasantly surprised :-) The only reason I was not home was because I finally bit the bullet and joined a gym. I attended this class called "Body Attack" - I tried to ask the front desk person what it was before I went and she just said (in a complete cheerleader voice) "Oh, its great fun - really good for people who used to dance, you will love it!"......so on I go.

OMG OMG OMG - I mean seriously who signed me up for the engergizer bunny with wanna-be rockstar Barbie. It was serious. She yelled at me that my high kicks were not "High Enough" - I wanted to say "Hey Lady - All I've done for a year is hot yoga and you just had me do 1000 jumping jacks, squats, and push-ups while running around the room like a crazy person so if you tell me one more time that I can get my leg higher I will kick you!" - I wish I could have taken a picture of her yelling at all these ladies in the class "You need to run faster girls, NOW RUN!" - while doing sprints.

I think Burr may have to buy one of the full size strollers for me so he can wheel me to work tomorrow because I promise I am not going to able to mo've. But, at least I know the expensive gym wasn't kidding when they said the classes were good.

The gym is named "Thirty Seven Degrees" - What is up with that?! I'm sure they mean Celsius but I don't even know what that is in Fahrenheit - like 80 to 100ish - I bet I could look it up , but whatever....I thought it was strange for a gym name.
More to come later.
Hugs,
Anne