a beard coincidence

While I was away, not one but three of my friends grew beards. Okay, one is an acquaintance and I haven't seen him for a few months anyway and thus cannot be sure exactly when he grew his facial hair.
However, the other two newly hairy friends have embraced the bearded look for two completely different, but equally fantastic reasons.

One is going to be a wizard extra in the next Harry Potter movie and the other is going to shave his beard into a crazy handle bar mustache for his 'dress like your favourite popstar karoke 30th birthday party'

Ignoring commas blatantly redundancy

I arrived back to London after an really really good fun trip to Canada. I like Toronto in a very gut feeling simplistic kind of way. It really just feels good. I can breath. I can walk down the street and day dream. I can have lots of normal coffee. I can just exist.
However I feel a bit guilty for slagging off London while I was home. I arrived back to a really sunny warm london day. John bought me flowers. I had a text inviting me to a film noir dress-up/ murder mystery party.
We also went to this really cool restaurant/bar for someone's birthday. Music: a bizarre mix of columbian/80s hip hop/punk. And then an odd odd thing happened. It's quite bright for a club and it was packed. There's a long wooden bar and when the DJ played 'Springtime for Hitler' (if I had a dollar for every time I heard that at a club) this guy dressed in all black started marching/dancing the length of the bar. (I think it was supposed to happen because he didn't get unceremoniously kicked out and everyone was cheering.) At that moment I realised two things: that I'd never seen anyone actually dancing on a bar outside of bad movies and that London might be a okay.
Also the bar had a sign saying 'No Tequila'. I know that Tequila is generally trouble but to ban it outright. that's just mean!

The New Pollution launch party: A journalist's investigation goes terribly, horribly awry

I've had a talking to by more than one person about my sporadic posts. I promise to do better from now on. Starting with pictures from the very fun, very fabulous New Pollution launch party.



Megan working and Jer looking slightly evil. Just what dastardly plan is he hatching?




WAIT, random guy, don't eat that tasty looking New Pollution muffin!!! They could be part of Jer's dastardly and evil plan OR filled with some kind of 'buy New Pollution serum'. Look at how nonchalant Bryan is pretending to be, eyes hidden behind his uber cool sunglasses!
oblivious to the dastardly scheming going on around her, our intrepid reporter enjoys a Canadian beer with the enemy (just what does a music magazine need with a canister of helium anyway? hmmm). And Megan's smile. just a little too innocent, perhaps.
















Wait, something's not right. Everything's going blurry. They must have slipped something in one of the six beers I had. Not to mention trying to put me off the trail with lots of bands and fireworks and swag. They must be stopped...

fishy

It's been quite the week.
Yesterday was our one year in london anniversary. I definitely won't say it's been easy or particularly fun and the jury is out on if it was a smart move, but I will say this: finally, after 365 days of dealing with london, I feel quite comfortable here. I know how to get around. I know some cheap, good and non-touristy restaurants. I don't need to beg for a bank account, National Insurance Number or a job.
To celebrate our one year in london, we went to a great sushi restaurant made more remarkable by its cheapness -hard to find cheap sushi in london.
On Thursday, I went out with a few people to celebrate the job (I've gone from thrilled, to feeling dubious, to wanting out, but suspect that's just me --tend to be a bit scared of not being able to scarper if I want to)
But then Greg (friend from John's school) invited us back to his house, where the most famous chef in all of Spain made us dinner. it's true. He was taking classes at the school and staying in the student house for a week. I don't think I've actually ever had proper paella before...
Oh, also on thursday, I was taken to a stall that sells cheap magazine --all the really good expensive design and photography ones for 80p each. Good day all round.

On Saturday John went to Salisbury for Wayne's stag fishing party and he caught a fish that was 8 pounds!
And while Wayne and John et al were fishing away, Patricia and I finally went out on the town. It's been a really long time since I've had proper night out and despite Patricia refusing to let me get her really drunk, I think we did a decent job.
But have to say, I think the Canadian guy wasn't actually that drunk and maybe had a good point.
unfortunately going to see grim surgical implements while hungover may have been a mistake.
live and learn