A Day in the Field

Lineup

Just like I've been wanting to see Matilda, I've also been wanting to go to a summer music festival. And so... Field Day became a thing.

Field Day seemed like the Bonaroo of England but definitely not as intense. It is a two day event but we only went for Saturday. There were five stages placed in Victoria Park with carnival rides and numerous food vendors set up throughout the area. The main stage featured more alternative bands and DJs filled the surrounding stages. Normally, I don't like DJs but these people were good and so into their music, which got me into their music. "Hipsters" flooded the festival, which made for a very different crowd compared to who we had been around the past few weeks. 

It was ten hours of non-stop music, dancing, people watching and of course, eating. Now that I think about it, I definitely ate more than I did anything else. 

As I already stated, I haven't been to a festival in the States but I'm assuming it's all pretty much the same thing. Regardless, the rain cleared, the sun shined and it quickly became the perfect day to spend outdoors with good music and great people. 

Pigtails and Chocolate Cake

If you didn't think of Matilda when you read those words... then I don't even know what to do with you. Nevertheless, after a year of trying to see Matilda on Broadway in New York, I finally saw it in the West End in London! 

The set of Matilda

Granted, I didn't watch this movie very much when I was a child (yes, I realize I was a child not too long ago) but for some reason when anyone says Matilda I get excited and a bit nostalgic. Maybe it's because Mara Wilson, the original Matilda, stared at the audience with those big, innocent eyes or maybe it's because Matilda and Miss Honey's relationship filled my heart with so much love. Either way, I was ecstatic to have finally gotten tickets to the show. 

It was everything I expected it to be -- swinging pigtails, chocolate cake and all. Oh, and everything was in a British accent so naturally, it was fantastic.

The set design was easily the best, most impressive part (aside from the tiny ginger boy who had the sweetest voice). The stage was made up of block letters and the transitions between scenes were seamless and very interesting. There was even some magic involved!

I don't consider myself a "Broadway junkie" by any means but I always forget how much I enjoy going to shows until after I go to a show. Some of the last ones I saw where Peter and the Starcatcher, Lucky Guy, and Wicked. After every single one, I felt so happy, content and blown away by all the talent that I rarely make time to see. The same goes for Matilda. 

This makes me wonder... I really should find things that interest me and actively engage in them. This is something I have always struggled with. Food and Netflix can no longer cut it.

Until next time, friends and family xx (<-- everyone does that here)

P.S. We indulged and took our first cab ride home tonight. A silly photo can be found to the left.

Interning

I'm back! And with a very boring blog post title but at the moment, my brain is fried. 

First day! Many thanks to Professor Elins who was diligently waiting outside to take our pictures before we left. 

This week we started our internships. Some of you may not know this but the entire purpose of this trip is to intern at companies in the public relations, magazine journalism and advertising fields for five weeks. Some of us are placed at Michael Kors, Mindshare, Marks & Spencer, The Daily Mirror and so on. I am so thankful to be at J. Walter Thompson in account management!

We were all very anxious to experience the London workplace after hearing about the many differences between the UK and the US. For me, I was even more anxious because I had not seen "agency life" yet -- you know, like on MadMen?

But my first week was nothing short of wonderful. I sat in on meetings, worked on competitive analyses, and somewhat carried a conversation about the World Cup at the tea station (yes, they have a entirely separate station for tea). At first, the analyses seemed like mundane work but it is actually incredibly helpful when it comes to learning all about UK brands.

As for "agency life", it is exactly what you would expect it to be (except that the smoking takes place outside) -- an open floor with bright, colored walls and hundreds of sticky notes forming elaborate "to do" lists. People are constantly clicking away on their Mac computers in teams such as design, account management and video production. The comm, or cafeteria, is bustling with fun conversations and informal meetings. In addition, the f bomb is dropped after every other word... but I've heard that's just a London thing :)

The coolest part for me is to see how one advertisement can start and finish at one location. Because JWT is an agency, they have the resources to plan, shoot, copyright, design and edit their work all under one roof. Previously, I have worked at places that specialize in one or two of these parts.

Overall, I think I will be able to survive here for five weeks :)

In other news, this song has been on repeat in our flat for the past three days so it's only natural that I share it with you all. 

I hope everyone's summer is off to a great start! Will post more soon xo

Camden Munchies

Five days in and we have already experienced Portobello Road Market, Oxford Street, Changing of the Guard, Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, Kensington Palace, Big Ben, London Eye, Westminster Abbey, Hampton Court Palace and Camden Market. We bought groceries at Marks & Spencer and ate peri-peri chicken sandwiches at Nandos. In addition, we have gotten very few hours of sleep. But what I really want to talk about is the food we ate at Camden Market.

Camden Market is in an area called Camden Town. It is completely different from all other areas of London. Graffiti fills the sides of buildings and tattoo parlors occupy every street corner. The neighborhood is known for shopping, crafts, various foods, and an exciting mix of people. I guess you could say it is the equivalent of the East Village in Manhattan. 

Different ethnic food stalls were set up in the market. After doing a lap (and picking up a yummy smoothie along the way), I decided on Russian perogies filled with potatoes and cheese. My roommate, Allix, got a gluten-free meal consisting of pork meatballs, quinoa rice, and pita. My other roommate, Shelby, got a Spanish chorizo and manchego cheese bocadillo! We didn't even make it to the clothing section of the market -- partly because the crowds were out of control and partly because we were so overwhelmed with food options. 

 

For my Vancouver-ites, this is similar to Granville Island. For my New Yorkers, this compares to Smorgasburg. For my North Carolinians, well...

Something I have noticed is that the food here is so colo(u)rful. Maybe it's because I'm eating more fruits and vegetables rather than pasta (as I cook ravioli for dinner tonight). But I swear everything looks much more vibrant and tastes fresher. I can't wait for my dad to come... he is going to go crazy! 

P.S. More photos are located in my "Travel" tab -- captions and all! :) 


Landed

Hello family and friends,

I successfully landed in London! Here are some of my inital takeaways: 

  1. The tube, London's "subway" system, is the cleanest, easiest, and most pleasant local transit experience I have ever had. I will never see the NYC subway the same again. 

  2. The men. They are so well put together. And handsome. And nice. Their accents don't help at all. Swoon.

  3. I now understand when people say London is a lot like New York City. There were very brief moments when I didn't feel as if I was in Europe. However, London is clean and it makes us "feel" something. We're not quite sure what it is yet but the number of times we have all said "we aren't leaving" so far says something. 

  4. For those of you who know me very well, you know that I stress easily. In my defense, that behavior is only normal after living in New York City for two years! But after living here for 48 hours, I am a changed person. All of a sudden I am not power walking down the street or planning out the next two days. Of course, there are various factors that contribute to this ABSURD behavior of mine but nevertheless, I am thoroughly enjoying "going with the flow" and "rollin' with da homies". I don't want it to end. 

I start interning on Tuesday so until then, I will be exploring, eating, and admiring (the men). I will be in touch soon! Love to you all. 

P.S. Thanks to a fellow roommate, this song has been stuck in my head all day. Enjoy.