The London Era Begins

A year-and-a-half later and I'm back in London, this time on a more permanent basis!  Last year I was so consumed with finishing the Masters of Tax program at Ole Miss and passing the CPA exam that it barely registered with me how much I was missing being in the city.  I am beside myself that I am getting such a wonderful opportunity.  I know that the coming years will provide endless adventures, which I hope to share with all of you through my blog.

Getting settled into life in the city has been a little more strenuous this go-round.  Last time I was in London I was here on a three-month internship, and I was living in corporate housing for the duration of my stay.  This time I am living in my very own flat!  My roommate, Ann, who is both a co-worker and an Ole Miss Rebel (Hotty Toddy!), arrived in London three weeks before I did and was able to find us a wonderful two bedroom flat in the stylish and sophisticated area of West Kensington.  Since arriving in London last month I have spent most of my spare time running around the city looking for just the right things with which to furnish our new space.  So far I've been able to purchase most of life's basic necessities, but I'm still in search of several nonessential items.

When people talk about finding the perfect location I imagine they must have been talking about West Kensington because location, location, location is exactly what we've got!  We live within walking distance of several of London's most popular attractions (Kensington Palace/Gardens, Hyde Park, Royal Albert Hall, and Notting Hill's Portobello Road).  We also have the largest Whole Foods in London just a few minutes walk down the street, as well as two other large supermarkets and an unlimited wealth of shopping opportunities (please don't tell my parents that part).

Below is a picture of the outside of our building.  

I am in love with the bright red door!  The style of our building is very much indicative of the style of buildings in our area.

Through our various furnishing efforts our flat is already starting to feel like a home.  As I'm still in the midst of unpacking I've been unable to include pictures of my flat's interior, but hopefully I'll have everything set up within the next few weeks and will then be able to share photos of my bedroom, the kitchen, lounge, and bathroom so that those of you who are interested can get a better picture of where I'm currently living.

Apart from trying to get settled in London, I've also started work.  My first week was mainly spent training and completing various administrative tasks.  I managed to arrive after the summer busy season so the office is in a little bit of a lull right now; I'm going to enjoy it while I can because I know that it won't last!

My second weekend in London was both peaceful and productive.  I spent some quality time at the Portobello Road market with my roommate and several other friends from work.  

This market is one of my favorites in London, and I always have the best time exploring the various stalls and shops.  I was able to find a beautiful raincoat and a warm blanket for my bed at a Scottish shop, which specializes in wool and cashmere accessories.  Now I'm actually looking forward to the rain so that I can wear my new coat!  After leaving Portobello Road we headed over to Oxford Street and Regent Street to eat lunch and do some more shopping.  Ann and I came home loaded down with home goods!

I also took my first run since moving to London.  The weather this weekend was perfect and provided just the catalyst I needed to push me outdoors.  This was decidedly the most breathtaking run (no pun intended) I've ever been on.  I ran down several streets in our neighborhood and into a park not too far from our flat.  The park had a bike trail that I took lined with trees changing color for the fall.  I also was able to run through a beautiful garden filled with flowers and expertly manicured topiaries.  As I was leaving I was already looking forward to my next run!

Thanks for stopping by to see what I've been up to while here in London.  I'm going to go now and do a little more unpacking and get some sleep before the workweek starts tomorrow.  Hopefully I'll have more London adventures for you soon.                                                                                                                                               

                                                                                                            Caitlin