Ola readers!!
I know, I know, I said I was back but I never really returned! I'd love to say I have some legit excuses, which I probably do, but the truth is I could have probably kept this up had I really put my mind to it.
But none the less, I am back giving this another whack with a brand new format.
So you know what I have been up to, I've started my own business and since I last wrote, have been studying in the USA and now living in London - but more on that later.
Also, my sweet grandmother passed away a few weeks after my last post. Sad yes, but it was time for god to have some better company. He told be he was getting bored with everyone else and needed someone more exciting. I haven't heard from him since, so I guess he's pretty happy having her as a guest! :)
A couple of weeks ago I celebrated my birthday in London. It actually went over a whole week which was really nice! Many people took me out for many a drink and some lovely London experiences.
So without further waiting... lets get into it that story...
I hate organising parties for myself. I mean, I really hate it, which is sad because I am really good at it. I think it comes from having stage managed a number of theatre shows and also working as a event manager for a number of years. If I need to do it for someone else, or for work, thats no problem because I like seeing how it makes everyone else happy. But I am happy sitting in a room with my friends and some wine and good music... so I do question the return on the effort.
None the less, my flat mate was getting annoyed at me and sent me a list of restaurants and basically told me to pick one. I had been sick for about a week and a half, so cared less than I normally would about my birthday, but settles for a nice turkish restaurant in Leicester Square called Souk Bazaar (website here). I was really impressed with the area we were given. It was "semi private" but was a reasonable sized room sectioned off from everywhere else by a heavy curtain. There were two set menu's to choose from which basically amounted to small and large, the larger obviously just having more on the list.
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| Souk Bazaar |
The food was actually really good, and being a Friday we got a free belly dancing celebration. I had no idea women could do such movements with their breasts! I was expecting shaking hips (which our dancer didn't really have much off) but she replaced that with tittie thrusts! It kind of reminded my of Nicki Minaj in "Pound the Alarm"...
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| Pound that alarm, Nicki!! |
The only thing REALLY annoying about this place was the service. Noone at my party knew anyone else, common problem when just moving somewhere and you bring together all your random friends, and there is only one solution to that little pickle... Booze. Lots of booze coming fast and hard. Unfortunately, it was always a mission to get anyone to bring us anything, so as soon as we had finished eating we decided to go to Freedom Bar in Soho to decrease the level of blood in our alcohol!
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| Everyone together at Freedom!! |
Not only did Freedom bar have an actual bar, it had a dance floor, "shot man" who kep giving me shots because it was my birthday (or maybe someone was paying for them later in the night - who can remember) AND THE BAR HAD DANCING POLES!!!!!
Later the next week, two of my friends invited my to their house for dinner, as they double booked on my birthday, and thank the god of winter cold they did because my present as a pair of ugg boot like slippers acquired... someone foreign. Thea had bought them for Jock but his feet were too big so I scored them! Cheering!Here I am wearing them like an absolute champ in my wife beater and pink jeans!! ... :D
It's called fashion people.
Then, my final birthday celebration involved me being taken out to dinner at a restaurant called Burger and Lobster. You can check this awesome place out here. Burger and Lobster has three menu choices, all costing 20 pound: a burger, lobster or a "lobster roll". The lobster roll looked a bit too much a a mixed seafood sub from subway for me (though in much better bun and better ingredients) and well, lobster trumps burger anyway. Each menu item is served with chips and a salad. The only small issue with this restaurant was the wait - nearly two hours. Luckily, this venue also has a bar, so we could sit, drink a bottle of gossip, order our next one and an espresso martini before sitting down.
It was definitely worth the wait though, and anyone wanting a bite in Mayfair should definitely check this place out! Just get there earlier than 6:15 on a Friday evening.
After this we checked out a local bar and headed home. Running down Regent Street for the bus I slid over in my newly heeled boots. My feet came completely out from under me and I slid off the cobblestone path, out in front of a taxi which needed to swerve to miss me while I was dragging myself off the road. How does one receiver from that? I just stood up, looked the police officer, who happened to be standing next to me, right in the eye, quipped "wow, that was lucky" and faced the other way!
Anyway, that is all from me. But what about you?
What have you ever done to celebrate your birthday overseas? (and did you nearly die?)
Until next time,
Daniel
Twitter @TheDanFactor
Facebook: www.facebook.com/travelleroftaste
