London Weekend: Part I - Friday

This has been a strange weekend. For the first time in longer than I can remember, I have had nothing to do yet wanting to do something! Hmm...that sentence probably needs some explanation. It is true that sometimes even an International Woman of Mystery like myself has nothing to do, but usually this is time of “nothing to do” is an event of my own creation born out of having way too many days/weeks/months of “too much to do.” Even I need my downtime and generally with my busy schedule, I really relish weekends with nothing to do but sleep and read.

However, this weekend I realized that I didn't want nor need a weekend of “nothing to do” since I essentially had such a weekend last weekend (aside from the boat trip and the Chuck Bass Swede). This weekend I was up for an adventure. But sadly, I realized that I was greatly lacking in any London-based adventuress co-conspirators. In fact, I it kind of dawned on me that I’m sadly am greatly lacking friends in London!

Since I moved here, I have obviously felt a big difference from Sweden in the sense that here in London I have approximately 4 friends versus the 20 + friends in Sweden (I’m using the friend term here rather loosely to imply people that I would make plans to go out with). But up until now, I have yet to feel too lonely since I’m either a). working and traveling for work too much to notice or care and needing my weekends to catch up on sleep b). traveling to Sweden to meet my Swedish girlfriends c). traveling to other places in Europe with friends or to meet friends cuz the rest of Europe is so accessible from London d). traveling back to the US to meet friends and family there. To put this in perspective for you in a total of 11 weekends from the end of May to the beginning of August, I will have spent 2 in London (this weekend and last).

But I approached this weekend with the knowledge that not a single one of my few friends was available (this has been made worse by the fact that some of my fellow colleagues and London transplants who I would hang with have left London). Basically, I was preparing myself for a lonely weekend.

Well now that I have painted that dreary and lonely picture for you.... I will say it’s not completely true. On Friday night, my favorite couple M and T were around and they invited me to meet them for drinks.

Before I explain the rest of the night, I need to explain that I live and work in Chelsea. It’s a rather posh part of London and a very nice place - if I do say so myself. I have often been accused of “not leaving Chelsea.” This is both true and not true. I will leave Chelsea if I’m invited to leave Chelsea. But if you want to hang with me and I’m the one making the plans,we will inevitably be hanging out in Chelsea or possibly South Kensington (which is essentially the same). Why? Well partly because I’m scared of the subway and refuse to take it lazy. And partly because at the end of the day, I like the scene in Chelsea. I feel most comfortable in the bars and clubs around here. When I go other places, I don’t have as much fun and I have to pay 20 - 30 GBP for a cab ride there and another for the cab ride back... Not worth it (although the friends who invite me are the reason I go and therefore it is actually always worth it).

But M and T invited me out of Chelsea, so I went. First to East London to a Pub on the water near Borough Market. The only problem was... I didn’t have M’s number (I forgot it at home) and T was a bit tipsy (to say the least) and didn’t have good control over his phone. So, I arrived and was standing on the street trying to contact M and T for close to 15 mins without knowing where to find them. It was a nice night and it really shouldn’t have been a problem. Except, that it was about 9 pm at night and I was a single gal in a skirt standing alone on the street in London. And I was therefore literally fresh meat for all the drunk British men exiting the pubs. I was harassed like crazy! What is it about a single girl standing alone that just invites men to comment on/talk to/hit on/approach? It’s not like if a guy was standing on the street alone I would find it acceptable to start to hit on him!

Anyway, I finally managed to find M and T and we had a nice time at the pub. They unfortunately declined my offer to continue the night in Chelsea and instead convinced me to follow them to their current London home: Clapham. So, I went with them. So, see all yee naysayers who claim that I can’t leave Chelsea. I rocked Clapham on a Friday night. Take that biatches!

Ok. I might have over-dramatized. I didn’t exactly rock Clapham. I went to Clapham reluctantly and wished I was in Chelsea. Don’t get me wrong, I approached Clapham with a positive attitude and in no way do I regret going. But a dinner of horrific tapas (kind of our only option at the late hour and in no way by the fault of M and T who in their defense did issue a strong warning that the food was bound to be crap), the under 25 crowd, and the trashy young women dressed in tragically cheap tight clothing got on my nerves after awhile and I found myself longing for the pretentious well-dressed investment banker crowd of Chelsea. However, I did appreciate the cheap drink and club entrance prices Clapham had to offer.

Also, let me note that hanging out with M and T anywhere in the world (and believe me our little threesome has hung out literally all over the world) is always awesome no matter where.

Anyway, it was an interesting night and I did see a bit more of London. Oh and in case you are wondering... there are no boys of note on this Friday night other than the drunken boys harassing me in the street. Too bad! Sorry to disappoint you but Clapham just didn’t bring it on this July Friday night.

Stay tuned for London Weekend Party II where I meet a boy from Match!

Off now for brunch with a friend (outside of Chelsea) an then to explore London! Laters...