I'll be home for Christmas (I'm singing this)

I can't even write anything substantial because all I can think about is coming home. I am dreaming of Kiku and yoga and Zico and lots and lots of hugs. I know, I know, but I can't help it at the moment. I am even trying to get a head start with the jet lag and going to bed late and sleeping late. Hopefully traveling will be relatively painless, cross your fingers.

Here are pictures from Mike's last night. The fire was really hot (hence the melting) and amazing and it was snowing that night. What's better? I almost died because they had cider and I got it with a shot of bourbon (Gary, are you ready for our Christmas drink and naps??). However, it was sort of gross cider, but none the less, it was a lovely and cozy night.
Shauna, me, Nick, and Jade. Nick is just here for the semester from Minnesota, Shauna and Jade study fashion. They are all in my hall. Shauna is my new buddy whether she likes it or not.

Don't read The Elegance of the Hedgehog.

Book club today was a Sunday lunch (my first!) and a baby book club shower for Liza, who is due in February. We all got her kids books- I chose an old favorite, Good Night Moon.

Two exciting things came out of it.

1. I tried Yorkshire pudding for the first time. While the name still makes no sense to me, it was delicious! It's like a popover. Mom, you'll love it. I like Sunday lunch because it has the same idea as an American brunch- lots of food, drinking, and lounging. They don't rush you at restaurants here either (which is usually partly because the service is crappy and slow, but sometimes it works in your favor). The food is also heavier but I'm usually hungry after brunch anyway. Not so much after Sunday roast.

2. I finally took some pictures of Lee, Rebecka, Liza and Glen to show you. I think I posted one at Ikea of Lee and Liza but it was far away.

Rebecka went to Cornell with me and we were friendly then but didn't know each other that well. It has been so great having her and her husband, Spence (see haptic cow post) here and becoming friends. They live not far from me so we get to hang out often.

Liza and Glen- the expecting parents! Is that a phrase? Liza is American and her and Lee met at a nail place in London. Classic. Glen was our token Brit at book club. Don't challenge him to trivia, cause you'll lose. Glen also gives me American magazines like New York and the New Yorker = brilliant.

This is Lee! Lee actually went to Cornell too, but is a year older and I didn't know her. I feel like I have known her forever though.

All I want for Christmas is you.

All of my classmates now know that I love Mariah Carey for her one Christmas hit. I sang it non-stop at our party, to the point where my quiet, sweet studio mate ran over and laughed and pointed at me when it came on. Ok well she is quiet and sweet but draws some very graphic pictures in our studio space, so I wasn't that surprised. But, I digress. Back to Christmas parties. Everyone brought some food, including Chinese stewed chicken which literally transported me back to China by smelling it, Jamon from Spain, and Stilton that made the whole studio smell. Kayde and I got some sparkling Shiraz and Cava. Red and white bubbles! (JP- add this to your list!) We even had a tree, art school style. I think the tree may actually be Jude's artwork, not sure (she is on the left).

There were massage trains (of course I had to get in on that) and group photos. I threatened caroling, but after all the Mariah singing it was vetoed.

Why is my mouth always open in pictures? More partying to come. Big weekend planned- Carla's opening, Sleepover with Natalie, Broadway market, Party with Mags, and book club sunday lunch! Oh my.

Haptic cows and Turkish food

Yesterday Natalie, her boyfriend, Mark, and I went on a field trip to the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) just north of London to get a tour of Spence's lab and a demonstration on the Haptic cow.

What is a haptic cow? Good question. "The Haptic Cow was developed to help train veterinary students to palpate a cow's reproductive tract, to perform fertility examinations and to diagnose pregnancy," says the Haptic Cow website. We all got a turn, here is Natalie:

After a turn on the cow and tour of Spence's lab, where they study animal locomotion, we had very cheap drinks at the RVC bar and headed to Dalston for some amazing Turkish food.

Yogurtloo sis with chicken- a garlicy, yogurty, buttery sauce. YUM.

Followed by, of course, a nightcap at a bar nearby.

Spicy tuna heaven.

Finally, some decent sushi!

I can't say that I have tried a lot, but Yo Sushi was unacceptable. I have done a lot of research and was having trouble finding sushi that was supposed to be good but also not cost you a month's paycheck (which I don't have to begin with!).

Thanks to Chris, my friend, classmate and personal London guidebook, I went to Pham Sushi on Whitecross St. It was delicious! And £20 got us a lot of sushi, sashimi, sake, and edamame. Rebecka, Spence, and Liz also enjoyed it (more on them later) and they have all lived here for a while. It is even in walking distance from me. Though I am still hoping that Kiku is open when I get into Brooklyn on the evening of the 21st. If not, Moe's will do.

Paris: "Something fancy is happening" or "I'm going to be a eurostar"

I just returned to London from a 4 day jaunt in Paris (sorry, but that sentence makes me jealous of myself). Andrew Bevan was to be in Paris for the annual debutante ball at the Hotel de Crillon. So when he suggested I join him I naturally jumped at the chance to have a reason to be in Paris and to see a friend from home. I even mustered up some art ideas for the trip to make it part of school (= no guilt).

I arrived in Paris on Wednesday morning and stayed until Sunday. In 4 nights we stayed at 3 hotels, which may sound crazy but it was actually sort of great because we had three different home bases and thus could explore different areas with ease. We were also lucky that they were all awesome areas to explore. As you can imagine we did lots of walking, eating, and drinking. We went to galleries in the Marais, walked St. Germain, and window shopped in the 1st arrondissement. While the Centre Pompidu was closed due to a stike (how French), we went to a show at the Palais de Tokyo and I saw Monet's waterlilies at the Musee de L'Orangerie, which were actually amazing to see in person. They are huge and displayed in two oval rooms with a symphony playing (Monet picked it out so it was purposeful).

The first two days were typical tourist days of walking and eating and viewing. The second were great but also surreal, as you can imagine witnessing the preparations and execution of a debutante ball. It was like Gossip Girl goes to Paris, except we were with the Whitakers, lovely and generous people, and not B and S, so it was a lot of fun. Here is picture of Andrew and I in the suite before the ball eating pumpkin pie and drinking champagne (we did photo shoots in all the hotels, obviously):

It was great trip overall and I am now:

1. Obsessed with the Eurostar.
2. In need of detox from cheese and sugar (mainly croissants avec gluten and macaroons from Laduree)
3. A little sad to not be in Paris anymore, though a lovely dinner at Natalie's last night with my classmates helped ease the pain.
4. Planning my next trip to Paris.

Here is a snack for the road and click here for more pictures.

It's not that I don't like London, but this is funny.

http://gawker.com/5410486/british-sunday-times-writer-who-thinks-new-york-city-pretty-much-sucks-a-formal-response

"pants = underwear (how did we forget this one?)" -Lee

Reckon = think (I reckon this word sounds sort of ridiculous)

On offer = on sale

Cash point = ATM (I even say that now without thinking about it)

Queue = a line

Double 8 = 88 (as in Double 0 7!)

Swap out = to switch on and off.

Diversion = detour

Polo neck = turtle neck

Plaster = band aid.

Bill = check

Antenatal = prenatal

Jumper = sweater

Cinema = movie theater

Compulsory = mandatory

Fringe = bangs

Mine = my place, "come over to mine"

Till = cash register

Bank holiday = national holiday

Public school = private school

Post = mail

Joiners = carpenters

Thanks to Lee and David!

I enjoy (not necessarily in this order, though I do love M&S a whole lot)

1. M&S, Pret, and the general good quality of chains.
2. New friends
3. Not dreading Mondays
4. Markets- even though I haven't been to that many yet. I know they are out there!
5. Location, location, location. Paris in November, Brussels in January, Copenhagen in Feb and Berlin in May (so far).
6. Low buildings
7. Off license shops- you can buy wine pretty much anywhere, anytime and there is usually at least a bottle or two that is drinkable. Brilliant.
8. The gluten free carbohydrate options (of note: pita! french bread! crumpets! dinner rolls!)
9. Pubs.
10. The self-directed nature of education system.
11. The generally dry humor.

I miss

1. You.
2. Brunch.
3. Zico.
4. Going out to dinner.
5. Brook vin, Kiku, Moe's and Beet.
6. Jaya yoga.
7. Cooking.
8. One stop shops like bed bath and beyond or home depot.
9. The subway- though I never thought I would say that.

Anything you say can and might be used in my artwork.

I have been using text in my artwork for the past year or so and am continuing to do so, which makes all things possible source material. I just don't want anyone to be surprised. Though taken out of context, you may not even realize it! For example, this is something I am experimenting with:

I used an adhesive film on a mirror, cut out the words, then sandblasted the mirror leaving just the words as mirrored. I took the text from an email and changed the font. Sorry for the not great picture. I have done some on glass as well and have now started using handwriting instead of a computer font.

Now for some Scottish (rated PG).

I am making a distinction between words and phrases I learn from Natalie because some things are the same in England but some are exclusively Scottish. For example, 'jobbie' in Scotland means a poo and in England it is just a small job.

I was more or less yelled at by Natalie for saying Fanny pack. Fanny, in Scotland, means vagina. "It's a bum bag!!!" she yelled, horrified. And you can call someone a "pure fanny" and it is a major insult. I think this holds true in England as well.

Another favorite is a hill walk. "A what?", I said, "...Oh, you mean hiking?" She did mean hiking and then asked if I had proper hill walking shoes. We are going to go hill walking outside of Glasgow when the weather is a little less freezing there.

Last night Natalie asked me if I wanted to boke when talking to someone in our course. When I looked perplexed she said it was like a reflex for vomiting. Gagging! Yes, I wanted to boke.

Guy Fawkes, more introductions, and my first job!

Last night was Guy Fawkes night:

Guy Fawkes Night is an annual celebration on the evening of 5 November. It marks the downfall of the Gunpowder Plot of 5 November 1605, in which a number of Catholic conspirators, including Guy Fawkes, attempted to destroy theHouses of Parliament, in London, United Kingdom. (Wikipedia)

Basically, he tried to blow up Parliament, so now they blow things up (fireworks) to celebrate his failure. Above are Lauren (blue hood) and Sooim with sparklers.

It was also the first Thursday of the month, where galleries in east London stay open until 9. So, we (a mass of school people, it was like a field trip and I realized after actual field trips with small children or big children, I have no patience for big group travel) went to openings and then a performance in Hoxton Square (right near where I live) and there were lots of fireworks.

This is Carla (left) and Natalie (middle) and me. Due to the quality of this photo, I promised not to post on Facebook, but figured the blog would be okay. Carla grew up just outside of London and Natalie is from Glasgow, Scotland. I spend most of my time with them at school. Carla works at a gallery and has recruited Natalie and I to work there on the weekends as "invigilators." This means we stand around and watch the gallery. It will probably be long and boring but at least it is art related and Natalie and I can chat and already have plans for post- work mulled wine (we worked at the opening and had it after, delicious!).

Laughing with him.

Mike has me laughing non stop and I thought it would be fun (mostly for me) to compile a list of quotes. Oh, and he knows how funny he is!

1. When complaining about walking to the bar in the rain without an umbrella: "Do you know what it is like to have gel dripping down your face?"
2. When talking about how his room always seems to need cleaning and how the dust and dirt is grimy: "Maybe it's from all the hairspray I use."
3. "You should have seen his purple shirt. It was a production. Like, you need tickets to see this thing."

Mike decided that he wanted to eat better and we went to the market. This was his list:

Too cool for art school.

Overall, I am happy with my decision to come to Chelsea. I like my classmates and the vibe of the school, which is pretty much that you do what you want, when you want. While I chose it because I wanted the opportunity to be self-directed, the very relaxed and unstructuredness (I made up that word) of it is taking a bit of getting used to. So was the very small studio space. I am actually now happier in my space after adding the little wall you see below. I also use the wall opposite.

For some reason, it is just nice to have a little corner for my desk. Just across the way is a room with a bunch of people who I hang out with often. Natalie is below, she is from Scotland and great. Chris, from England, is behind her, and also great. He is organizing a trip to Berlin in the Spring for a gallery weekend. Booking tickets soon. Woohoo.

Now that I am starting to make some art and figure out what I want to work on, school is definitely falling into place.

Classic: Eddie Izzard on Language (he pronounces aluminum!)

This and That.

Our clocks changed Saturday, so for a week we are 4 hours ahead instead of 5. Not confusing at all. Oh, and it is pretty much pitch black outside right now. It is 5:15 pm.

You have to swipe your oyster card (=metro card) when you are exiting the tube. After a month of it being a surprise every time, I am finally remembering before I walk into the turn style! Actually, there are little doors.

London is so much bigger and spread out than New York. Taking the G to Long Island City seems like a day in the park.

Friday and Saturday nights are similar as in New York, too crowded at the "cool" places, eg: most places in my neighborhood. And the pub-like places close early (12ish = bummer).

Kenneth: I never even had a dog because, as my mother would say, “you can’t eat love.” And as my mom’s friend Ron would say, “The donkey died. You’re the donkey now, Kenneth.” I have successfully watched all of my TV shows so far! And then some.

Hickledy Pickledy and Tickity Boo (this is getting long, scroll down- Lee's additions are in red.)

This an actual phrase that people in the UK use. And not as a joke! It means something that is sort of slapped together or random. That was the meaning I extracted from it anyways.

Tickity Boo = Lee told me about this and gave me the context:

L "She was like, ill just review the contract and make sure it's all tickity boo."

Haberdashery is also a word (proof below!). It means things that have to do with sewing and crafts. I had to ask some British friends what it meant. They laughed.















Here are some more British/UK sayings:
Are you alright? = How are you/can I help you?
It's okay = You're welcome
Lary = Obnoxious/loud/aggressive
Lift = Elevator
Rubbish= garbage
Tidy = neat
Hob = stove top
to key = press a button
Fancy = like/want
Loo/toilet = bathroom (obviously, but they don't say bathroom or restroom)
Chips = fries (thanks for reminding me Jim! I've gotten used to that one!)
Crisps = potato chips, or any chips.
Cheers = Hi, Bye, Thanks, You're welcome. Like the British Shalom!
Get tucked in = dig in (as in food. This may be Scottish but others knew what she meant and I did not).

More from Lee:

Buggy/pram = stroller

dummy= pacifier

Nappies = diapers

Hard shoulder = "the side of the road"

Dipped headlights = high beams

Corgettes are zuchinni
to book in is to make an appointment
anesthetist = anesthesiologist
trainers are sneakers

and this next one is my (Lee's) FAVORITE
to do "keep fit" is to work out - "keep fit" is a noun
they aren't keeping fit they are going to do keep fit and some guy at a party actually asked me if i like keep fit, cause he enjoys his keep fit with a trainer every weekend.

Urinal is pronounced Ur-I-nal. Okay, it's the same word but it sounds a lot different when they say it. Also, when someone said 'aluminum' it took me about 3 minutes to know what he meant and it was in a metal workshop, which is the only reason I figured it out. I can't even say it again in the same accent.

Frieze Please.

I suppose its fitting that I started school a week ago, haven't written anymore since Day 1, and feel to tired to now. Needless to say, it's been a busy week. Last week consisted of dividing up the studio space and people presenting their work to the group and it went on for 3 very long days. We were "knackered" as they say. My studio space is okay, it seems like it will be fine for me to work in. Apparently, I am not here for the studio space. Below is the group waiting to start the presentations and before we realized we should go get chairs. The building we were in is a triangle and used as an exhibition space.


Today we had the first of the inductions- to the workshops and digital studios. The workshops were AMAZING. Wood, ceramics, casting, wax, metal, and an actual foundry. The way it works is that there are technicians there and you just go in and tell them what you want to do and they help you do it. Learning is specific and self-directed. Excellent. The digital studios are editing, large format printing, AV equipment, etc. Also an impressive array and seemingly helpful staff. As a classmate, Chris, said today, we are going from red to amber to orange today with how we feel about the program.

In other news, I went to the Frieze Art Fair on Sunday, which is held in tents in Regents Park. It was quite a people watching scene, which may be a bad sign that that was my first impression. Though overall I felt it was a worthwhile trip, art fairs feel commercial (because they are) and monotone to me. Nothing really stood out in the cramped and visually monotonous space. The outdoor area was my favorite part- it was a beautiful day in Regents Park.

Louise Bourgeois
This had a sound bit as well.

Day 1

After two and a half weeks of being on a pseudo vacation in London, I have finally started school. I have to say, despite the craziness of a lot of it, it was very exciting. I feel like I have been waiting since my senior year in college/my whole life to do this and am so happy that I finally am! It is a big group of students (45-50 or so) and they are from all over the world: from Europe (England, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, Germany, Spain, Portugal and France) to eastern Europe (Poland and Russia) to Asia (Japan, China, Korea) to the Americas (Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, and the US).

We got our schedule for the entire year, which is erratic, to say the least, but full of time for art making and travel.
For example, here is our schedule for the first month:

Don't understand what any of it means?! Don't worry, me either. I'm 60% kidding because they have filled us in on some of it, but the other 40% is still a mystery.

The first two weeks are "Inductions" into the various resources that they have. The British are very big on "Health and Safety" and we all have to be schooled in the procedures. Should be a blast but at least it is only an hour or so a day so I can set up my studio. Speaking of studios, the space is interesting (by interesting I mean small) and we, the students, are meeting tomorrow to try and figure out how to best assign spaces and meet peoples needs without much help from the administration. Yipes!

Just in case you forgot what Chelsea looks like...

Londoners, They're just like US.

1. They run into people they know on the Tube.
2. Crazy people preach on the street.
3. They go to yoga classes. And arrive late.
4. They talk about transportation (though not as much as us).
5. They rush through the tube stations, almost knocking people over.
   
6. They drink Starbucks.

Not so much like US:

1. They don't complain all of the time.
2. Taxi Drivers are friendly and don't talk on their cell phones.
3. They are slower in general. Actually, everything here is slower.
   
4. Tipping is rare at bars, added at restaurants (usually) at 12%, and only for good service in taxis.
5. They take buses over the tube when possible.
6. They buy things is small packages and not at Costco (not that there is anything wrong with Costco. Has anyone seen the last episode of Modern Family? You should watch it). On that note, everything here is smaller. It is Europe, after all.
   

I'm sure I will keep adding to this one!

Feels like Home/ Red Hook or Wembley?

What is better than drawer organizers, Swedish meatballs, and friends on a Friday night? Not much.














My new friend, Lee (on the right), took Mags (Cornell friend), Liza (on the left) and Glen (more new friends), and me to...IKEA! As most of you know Ikea is one of my favorite places and now I like it even more because it totally felt like I could have been with Christie and Tim in Red Hook. It is laid out the same, has the same products, and is just as fabulous. Being in a place where literally everything is brand new, from the people to the gluten free pasta brands, it was really nice to be somewhere familiar. Thanks, Ikea.

I was trying to get some "colorful" items to brighten my room (you know it is hard for me) but my main goal was organizing.
Notice green boxes and a new lamp. The old one was black and horrible and made a irritating buzzing noise. The frame needs a picture, obviously.



New rug and pillow. I'm leaving out the pictures of my organized closet and top draw. You're welcome.

Well, how can I forget you, girl? When there is always something there to remind me...

I have noticed that everyone here reminds me of someone. In some cases it is justified, some not even close. We were discussing how maybe we notice it more because we are searching for the familiar in an unfamiliar setting. I am not using the royal "we," I was actually talking about it with Shauna.
Shauna looks and talks a bit like Liz Greenbaum (Jason's call on the looks).
Mike reminds me of Levin sometimes- which might just be the Canadian accent sounding similar to Minnesota. How he says "Oooooohhhh."
Rebecka, a friend from Cornell, looks a little bit like Heidi from the nose down (which means not including the nose), and which also means I stare at her awkwardly sometimes.

Speaking of things being familiar, coming to London from New York I kept thinking, it's another big city and they speak English so how different will it be? The answer is VERY. I think that because I was downplaying the cultural adjustment it has been surprising me. The look, feel, and people are all very different. The architecture, for example. Things here are actually old. Oh and they drink. A lot. Like, way more than we do.

This one goes out to the Tapeworm (and Lizzie).

I really haven't eaten anything to write home about yet. Pun intended. The first week I had very little appetite (though it is coming back) and I have not gone out of my way to find restaurants (YET).

A couple things of note, however, were:

• Some very good thai food on Hoxton Square, right near me and a cute venue with lots of outdoor seating that was heated.
• A surprisingly delicious caesar salad at the pub down the street. Fresh grilled chicken, big shavings of parmesan cheese.
• Very cheap chips for late night. As I said, not okay.

One major thing is that they don't seem to have a lot of the brands I am used to at the major supermarkets. There is a whole foods apparently, so I am going to try there. I haven't seen rice crackers (blasphemy!! [shut up Jason, in advance]) or rice pasta. There is a "free from" food line at Sainsbury's that has GF pasta but it is corn based. That line has a wide variety of GF breads too- even pita!

Like I said, a culinary snooze so far, but I will set up to bat soon. I am cooking my (by my, I mean Emril's) linguini with cream, peas, and prosciutto for the group tomorrow night.

Cast of Characters

So far I have spent most of my time here with Tore, Mike, and Shauna.

Tore is from Norway and I wish there was a sound insert on here so I can pronounce his name in Norwegian. We call him "Tori" (as in Spelling). Tore is at the London College of Fashion doing a BA in Fashion PR.
My favorite Tore quote is in reference to a story of some kid smelling a drunk girls hair on the Tube through the window that divides the trains: "I somehow missed the smelling of the hair."
Meet Tore:

And these are his shoes!

Mike is from Newfoundland, Canada and is here doing an MA in Fine Art (like me) but at a different school called Central St. Martins (CSM).
Meet Mike:
It is hard to pick a favorite quote from Mike because he is hilarious. I warned him not to get offended if I laugh at everything he says and that I am just a really good audience. But really, he is so funny and hardly means to be. Sort of like Gerber! In the best way possible.
Some favorites:
"My camera does have a zoom. There is just sand in it."
"My mom doesn't chew food. My dad has given her the Heimlich 6 times this year. We won't let Mom eat meat if Dad isn't around." (Okay this is not funny but Tore and I cried laughing. His imitation of her is also worth discussing).
Something to the effect of "This is the longest I have gone without gravy." Apparently cheese and gravy on fries is big in Newfoundland. The other night we got fries on the way home at 1 am. Not okay. I told them never to let that happen again...I really am back in college...oh boy.

Shauna is another Canadian who is here doing a foundation course in Fashion Design- she is a reformed science major and starting over.

Back to School

Chelsea!


I am officially enrolled in the MA in Fine Art at Chelsea College of Art and Design. I don't start the course until the 13th of October, so it was nice to be there today and see the school and remind myself that I am actually here to do something other than socialize, drink wine, walk around, and buy things for my flat.

The buildings were a military hospital and are arranged around the square. There is a gallery space that I believe was added on.



The neighborhood is pretty quiet. It is literally next door to the Tate Britain and right on the River Thames. I took a bus from school to Oxford Circus and it was my best bus ride yet- past Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, and the National Gallery. My bus obsession continues...(after I swore off buses this morning whilst stuck in traffic for an hour). If you ask Mike or Tore, all I talk about is the bus and Marks and Spencer (M&S). I miss Bed, Bath and Beyond and Home Depot but M&S is helping me get over it.

Onward and Upward, literally.

I have moved for the second time in a week. To a different room in the same residence hall (though literally the same exact layout-just the mirror image).

I am now on the top floor (6) with older (22-25ish), international students=much more my speed.

I am still not quite sure why I decided to live in the halls, but moving on...

Oh, and my room is not as drab as it looks in the picture! But it definitely needs some work. More on that later.

"If a lot of your friends are married, does that mean you have come looking for a husband?"

The above question was asked by my flatmate's friend, Lucy. Lucy is 18. Yes, my flatmates are 18 and 19 years old. I am apparently going to be the house Mum. Lucy also kept saying "I can't believe you are 10 years older than me." Neither can I Lucy, neither can I. But, on the upside, they seem very sweet and so I am trying to embrace the return to my youth. For now. I am going to come home looking and acting like a 19 year old Brit.

In other news, I opened a bank account today, bought some food (I love Marks and Spencer) and a plant. Next on the agenda is unlocking my iPhone so I can hook it up to the 02 network here. Which, I might add, is way cheaper than AT&T and the service is supposed to be better. Most of you know how I feel about AT&T: not good.

Also on my agenda is trying to understand what people are saying.

T-one week.

I have been urged by people to keep a blog while I am in London (okay, one person, but still, it was a good idea). So, here goes! It will hopefully be an eventful year filled with short and witty blog postings and pictures.

But for now, packing...(which stirs up a lot of dust. So, I sneeze constantly and should really invest in a mask. An said I sound like a pug.)