When the less fun practicalities of writing for food rear their heads.
“Surprisingly freelance life management wasn’t ever covered in my Art History of the Northern Renaissance class.”
“See, if we’re talking about the usefulness of our university coursework, I can tell you I definitely utilize my saxophone-performance-with-secondary-study-in-ballet-performance EVERY day. You should have been more practical when choosing your major, like I was.”
– C. and Katarina
When one of us is writing a YA novel and the other is bad at sympathy.
“So, I have put off revising (or completely rewriting) my synopsis for [name of project redacted to protect the author], but in order to query the next few agencies on my list I need to have it. And I SERIOUSLY am hitting a wall here. Everything sounds incredibly dumb when boiled down to two pages in the third person.”
“Boiling down the theory of the multiverse, the best way someone ever explained it to me was to compare it to either bread slices or Swiss cheese. But that doesn’t make it dumb!”
– Katarina and C.
“Whenever I travel to the South, the first thing I do is visit the best barbecue place between the airport and my hotel. An hour or two later I visit the best barbecue place between my hotel and dinner.”
― Jeffrey Steingarten, The Man Who Ate Everything
Carnaby Street is justly famous, but running parallel to it is an equally fabulous path called Newburgh Street. This gem is stuffed with excellent stores and, what else, food. Welcome, kittens, to Pitt Cue, an actual barbeque joint in the heart of Soho.
It’s paradoxical perhaps, but it’s quite a good idea in London to pick a place to eat based on how long the line is – in reverse order. If no one’s trying to eat there, there’s probably a reason. And if you have to stand in line for 30-45 minutes, it’s generally well worth the wait. Pitt Cue is no different. This small (almost unbelievably tiny) rib place accepts no reservation and operates on a first come, first serve basis.
The table markers used to confirm your spot on the waiting list are also kind of adorable.
When Jeff and I made plans to meet up with Adam for dinner (lo these many months ago, and I’ve just now got around to writing about it…), we had a decent wait before they managed to squeeze us inside. This almost was worse than waiting outside because due to lack of standing space I was crammed up at the bar entrance, almost behind the counter, and having to dodge the waiters and their trays full of truly heroic/suicidal amounts of whiskey – which Pitt Cue stocks in famous amounts and which I had no desire to see spilled all over me. It was a narrow escape. But the food immediately made up for the danger, we snacked on an order of pig’s crackling which promised good things to come, and checked out the scene.
Which, due to the aforementioned tininess wasn’t very viewer friendly…I was about seven feet away from the door.
Except for this gentleman and his heavy use of plaid, which tickled us all to no end. Where does his shirt end and his jacket begin, we wondered!
In the end we were served a delicious twist on slaw, heavy on the spice, and a plate each of brisket. Jeff and I became brisket snobs in Utah of all places, where we discovered a magnificent hole in the wall of a place that ended up supplying at least one meal a week during high summer. And my parents in Virginia certainly have access to their share of tasty meats for us to enjoy, so how would a London attempt hold up?
The fact that I got to this point before even thinking to snap a picture ought to tell you. My line theory is confirmed: this place is worth a wait!
“Stay is a charming word in a friend’s vocabulary.”
― Amos Bronson Alcott
Another big week wrap up, and best of all my friend Lauren is coming into town! Lauren and I met at a summer Young Global Leaders program when we were 15 and we’ve stayed in touch ever since. She’s currently conquering the world of media and is flying to London from Hong Kong for work because fabulous is her middle name. I’ve got lots of food and wandering planned for us. How are you guys spending the weekend? Let me know in the comments and add any links that you think the minion coterie has to know about.
Let’s get a new look at some of the world’s old favorites, shall we?
WARNING. Do not read if you’re caught up on Game of Thrones, there are spoilers and I cannot stress that enough. Seriously. Don’t click through if you don’t want secret knowledge you’ll be angry to have. ‘K? Alright. If the modern media reported on “that thing that happened” on GoT.
Gorgeous find. What else is hiding under plaster elsewhere, I wonder?
Twitter friend and entrepreneurial girl crush Bethany of Love Grows Design wrote a really good piece on the fundamentally edited nature of online writing and social media that’s really worth the read. Something to think about both creating and ingesting content.
Behold, the thing that made Jeff burst into the loudest, most hysterical laughter I’ve heard all week. Do make sure the sound is on.
Channeling love for the old Batman TV series, now for the low, low price of $2200.
Huh, does this guy do house calls? Across the Atlantic? I’m pretty chronically sleep deprived these days…
The British Museum recently opened one of the biggest new exhibition in years, Vikings. We haven’t seen it yet (and we’re BM members, the shame!) but I’m enjoying the heck out of the many campaigns and bonuses the museum is running. Here – Viking yourself! (I kid you not, I got “Cadence the Little.”)
Friend and Friend of the Blog Caitlin Kelly writes about her recent experience in Nicaragua, and the lessons learned while working with WaterAid for Rewire Me.
“Friendship,” said Christopher Robin, “is a very comforting thing to have.”
― A.A. Milne
In a typical work environment you’re thrown in together and meeting new people all the time. You’re making friends (or not making friends, as it happens) with all sorts, tackling projects, exchanging information and swapping ideas. When you work from home, that rapport simply doesn’t work the same way and if that sort of connection is important to you, it’s largely up to you to find ways of creating it.
Freelancing for me, based on the nature of the majority of the sort of tasks I do, is largely a one-person show. I don’t mind this exactly, I’m a nice mix of introvert and extrovert who is perfectly capable of amusing and entertaining herself, or going out and enjoying the crowds. But I’ve found that long term, the solitary nature of my work affects me in interesting ways that I have to be proactive about noticing and correcting.
One of the reasons I decided to seek some volunteer work, apart from experience in a field I love and hope to support in some capacity in one way or another for the rest of my life, was that I was realized I was becoming emotionally and verbally out of touch. Six months into living in London, I was working from home six days a week and doing the bulk of my communicating via email. 99% of my conversations were happening with my husband – who is a great person to talk to, I stress lest you think otherwise – and I was noticing that in a very real way, I was losing the skill of being able to meet and connect with new people. In short I was becoming awkward. Not awkward in they shy and retiring way, awkward in, “Oh hi, so nice to meet you, let’s be friends immediately!” hyper way that instantly throws many off. With some people, such enthusiasm can be cute. I am not one of them…
Luckily, working at the museum is staggeringly fun. Not only am I feeling re-socialized, I’ve also been introduced to a number of publications I’m considering pitching. Most importantly, I’ve made some lovely new friends (like Georgina – another up and coming novelist and all around whip smart girl who I genuinely adore. We bonded over classics and Roman history, which is always a stable foundation for buddy-hood). Having friends, whom I not married to an interact with in places other than my flat, has been tremendously important in keeping my life happy and balanced.
Speaking of, another thing that’s been interesting to recognize is how much inspiration comes from other people. “Duh, C., you idiot,” I hear you say. But I’m not just talking about big ideas and big inspiration, I’m talking about the often small things that jumpstart you and keep you motivated as a person.
I met Alanna at a networking event a couple of months ago and I instantly thought she was one of the neatest people I’ve come across in a long time. She runs a consulting service that specifically works with social innovation, women’s development, and international development. We’ve started co-working together about once a month, and I always look forward to it because it’s easily one of my most productive days in that week. Just being around another person engaged in solid, innovative work is inspiring in and of itself and having another person in the room helps keep me accountable and not goofing off. Not only that, we’re able to swap ideas. Last time we worked together I helped her develop possible pitches to different publications about one of her upcoming projects and she introduced me to a number of sites and online tools that have made her life as a freelancer easier and more productive. Oh, and that swanky new blog logo I’m enjoying? She whipped that up in five minutes just for fun, without my even asking, just because she said she needed something creative to do as a break!
Simply being around people who succeed at freelancing, entrepreneurship, writing, blogging, design work, or just learning new skills personally gives me a tremendous boost of confidence. Seeing others succeed encourages me to think that I can too, in a way that I don’t always feel slumped over my desk grudgingly at one in the morning.
Another example. The other week Andrea and I finally got the chance to meet up (she’s been in Morocco, I’ve been in Paris – I know, our lives are such a trial, right?) for a long overdue hangout. We took in a free photographer’s gallery and then spent a couple of hours sipping tea and swapping stories and our experiences with freelancing and expat life. It’s amazingly relieving to hear that, even though your work might be solitary, your personal problems definitely aren’t unique! Not only that, about every ten minutes one of us said to the other, “That’s a really interesting story, you should pitch that.” Just by chatting and enjoying one others company we were coming up with really great ideas left and right, I came home and scribbled down half a dozen. I can’t wait to go on another girl date with her, not just because she is everything hilarious, delightful and interesting, but seeing her work ethic really gave a boost to my own.
I always believed that people are important to me, personally and professionally. I just never realized how much until this first year of freelancing.
Sharing time! Who are your people, and how do they inspire you? Are you an introvert or an extrovert? Have you had to get proactive to change unforeseen emotional adjustments due to self-employment? I’m nosy and want to know!
“London was so rich, and also so green, and somehow so detailed: full of stuff that had been made, and bought, and placed, and groomed, and shaped, and washed clean, and put on display as if the whole city was for sale.”
― John Lanchester, Capital
Regent’s Park is the brainchild of George the Prince Regent, later George IV, but the land on which it sits had been in royal hands since Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries and snapped up the property for himself. As he was wont to do.
George (who it must be said is being hilariously downplayed in the poster campaigns around the city as a number of exhibitions and events celebrate the 300th anniversary of the rise of the house of Hanover) was pretty useless as a regent and monarch. In fact he consistently ranks down among the worst king in British history in the sorts of polls that historians run. Corpulent, lazy, unimpressive, and obnoxious, we nevertheless still need to thank him since a number of his building projects helped create London as we know it today.
At some point you just get the feeling the park’s showing off.
So, thanks George IV! We’re still iffy enough about you 200 years down the road to awkwardly disregard you on signage, but frankly you helped make London gorgeous. For that, we thank you.
You were still a terrible king, a bad father, and a truly hideous husband.
“London is on the whole the most possible form of life.”
― Henry James, The Complete Notebooks of Henry James
Katie and Adam are about to jet off to the next stage of his business program in San Francisco, but luckily we get to keep them for a while longer now that they’re back from Paris. Since it had been a few weeks since our last gossip session, weekend Katie and I met up in Camden to explore the lock and markets.
Which turned into food introductions (Katie met bubble teas for the first time, they clearly hit it off).
Which turned into a wander along the canal.
Which turned into a quick hike up Primrose Hill, for one of the best views in London.
Which turned into a long ramble in Regent’s Park…which is going to get it’s own post because it was stunning.
Let me tell you, as far as weather goes, when London gets it right, London gets it right! Spring has officially arrived. Outdoor vendors are selling Pimms by the pitcher, the city denizens are hauling lawn chairs up and down slopes to replenish their Vitamin D stores, and puppies are everywhere.
“Seize the moment. Remember all those women on the ‘Titanic’ who waved off the dessert cart.”
― Erma Bombeck
I mentioned that we took Caitlin to the Southbank Real Food Market, a delicious weekend affair that absolutely everyone should try. It’s not a large event, but it’s dang impressive.
We wandered through stalls looking for something to tempt each of us. Jeff, who lived in South Korea for a couple of years, gave into his curiosity at Koritto and Caitlin was swayed by the aromatic siren call of fresh pasta, but something altogether more involved moved me.
Roasted duck meat, flavored with duck crackling, topped with blue cheese and truffle honey mixed together as they melted on the grill, on a bed of rocket, with a homemade horseradish spread. That picture above is purposefully floaty and vague to better imply the gourmand deliciousness of that concoction. All minions crashing at our flat in the near future will be summarily marched to the South Bank and obliged to ingest.
“A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you.”
― Elbert Hubbard
Future bestselling YA author, friend of the blog, and buddy IRL Caitlin came into town Wednesday and frankly, it was a nonstop adventure. Caitlin is married to one of Jeff’s old college flatmates who now works for the NBA in China – we know such interesting people! Terry, the flatmate in question, was at a basketball conference in Monaco (his life is such a trial), so after spending some time in Paris, Caitlin took a train north to visit us. We probably went overboard in the entertaining, but she was our first visitor in London so we naturally had to put out all the stops. Which included:
Food (Holy mother of chocolate, so much food!)
An exhibit on the Cheapside Hoard – a staggering amount of Elizabethan jewelry that was buried and abandoned.
Sightseeing around London
Hitting up the West End for, count ’em, two shows
The Tate Modern
Fantasy shopping
The Southbank Center’s Real Food Market (like I said, lots of food)
Waterloo Book Market
Markets
The National Gallery
Parks
Wandering in Soho
John Snow’s cholera pump (she was a public health major)
and a small taste of the London Marathon (mostly the crowds)
The gastronomic highlight was the hours we spent lingering over an afternoon tea at Liberty talking history, culture, tales of university days, exchanging expat life stories, and encouraging one another in our writing pursuits.
And after the multiple hours spent digesting this, we hopped straight over to Burger and Co. since the caressing taste of ground beef hadn’t crossed her lips in months and this was a situation that had to be rectified immediately. Then we dashed to the theatre. Which was frankly the tone of her entire visit.
Sometimes it’s just so relaxing and wonderful to talk to a person who gets what’s going on in your life without a lot of context. She can grumble over issues with her flat (and I can commiserate), while I confess my troubles with some of my novel plots (and she can laugh and provide much needed perspective. She recommends books, I recommend theatre, we fit in both. She’s seriously the perfect guest and we were so lucky she came up to crash on our (newly purchased just for the occasion) air mattress to inaugurate our guest bedroom (read: living room minus the coffee table).
I’m hugely lucky to know so many interesting, marvelous people, scattered across the globe but still wonderfully accessible via email, Skype, and letters. And visits! Here’s hoping we can get to China in the next few years to return this stellar one.
“Good friends, good books, and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life.”
― Mark Twain
Just a quick batch this week kittens. My future bestselling YA author buddy Caitlin is in town – from China, by way of Paris. We’ve been swapping stories of the expat and writing life, taking tea, and going to the theatre. And if you’ll excuse me, we’re off this evening for more of the same (you can follow along on our adventures here until the official recap in a couple days)! Here are your links and tell me what you’re up to this weekend!
In honor of Caitlin, who for a time worked as Winnie-the-Pooh at Disney World, I’ll just leave this thing here. Oh bother!
Amanda Brooks is an author and former Barney’s fashion director who switched up her life and career plans to move to a farm in Britain with her family. She blogs about it here (and her instagram feed is beyond worth following), cataloging her rural life. I loved this recent post on the hunts she and her family participate in. Blood sport is controversial, and I’m not making an argument about it here, but I have to admit the tweedy, old fashioned, country elegance of the participants makes for some beautiful photography! Lady Mary, is that you?
Excellent advice for writers, #8 resonates with me particularly lately.
Remember, you have the same amount of hours each day as Beyonce. And Beethoven. And Balzac.
When we were in Paris we saw that a cottage industry had sprung up around “love locks,” but apparently they are quite literally putting some structures in danger.
Baby naming phenomenons are interesting to me. This time, let’s hear it for the boys. h/t Savvy.
Hilarious and awesome writer and friend of the blog Sunny from Sunny in London, put together a great post today on tips for aspiring bloggers and writers. I took notes.
NO. Not okay! Unbelievably not okay!
I often get slightly annoyed when I hear people rave about how much they “love a British accent,” because I want them to specify: which one? Because let me tell you know, not all regional dialects are equally sexy and what most people think of as a British accent is a clipped form of speech developed almost entirely in the upper class halls of learning to be used in the new medium of radio.
The internet is a strange place, the oddest things can be linked. Often weirdly successfully.
Small Dog Syndrome 
