Weekly Recap

I am trying to start a weekly recap because I feel like I always do small things here and there that don’t necessarily deserve their own post, but also don’t deserve to be forgotten. So here it is – I just have to force myself to actually do it weekly!

 
On a very rainy Sunday last week, we did some furniture testing at John Lewis before visiting some family I have in London. While we still do not have a sofa, it was lovely catching up with my family over tea and cakes! We’ve also decided to use their house as inspiration for if we end up wanting to expand in a couple of years. I didn’t snap pictures, but the kitchen and basement they’ve designed are amazing!

  
I had a nice hump day meal with two of my flatmates. We are trying to start a trend of treating ourselves every other week – it gives us the opportunity to actually hang out with each other and catch up properly, and will be incredible valued time once I move out. We went to Banana Tree and I had the BEST sweet & sour crispy chicken. I actually devoured the entire plate and cannot wait to go back and do it all again!

  
Yesterday was one of my colleagues last day at work. I’ve worked directly with Justine since coming back to Thriev this year and could not have asked for a better colleague/friend. For her last lunch, we went to Pizza Union which is INCREDIBLE and SO CHEAP! Definitely a place I will be returning to. 

  
We finished the night at The Gable, a bar/club which is part of Late Night London. We were finally able to gather the majority of the team (and former team members) for a nice night out and it was lovely seeing everyone under one roof again. However, I am left with no voice today as a result of screaming over the music to try to have a conversation. 

Lastly, this video. Every time I have sneezed today, I’ve asked Sean “am I as cute as the Pomeranian?” Not sure how to interpret his lack of response….

The Next Move: Flat Hunting in London

So…we’re buying a flat! And it’s stressful. The real world is upon us.

Anyway, Sean and I were debating moving in with each other and stumbled upon the opportunity – his landlord decided to sell his flat, meaning he was getting evicted, and I conveniently had a friend interested in living in mine! We took this opportunity as a sign and decided to start looking. When we first started, we had plenty of time and it was fun. We got to be picky, only view the best places, and had no pressure to settle for anything less than what we wanted.

Fast forward and month and we still haven’t found anything. It’s getting down to the wire and it seems like there are literally NO flats on the market. We’ve also switched from renting to buying which means the options are even fewer. So we accepted that we won’t get everything we want and decided to make a list of priorities. These are the essentials, in order (at least in my head!):

1. Location

This is where we should probably be more flexible, but where we have no desire to be whatsoever. The SW4/SW12 bubble of Clapham is perfect for us – young, full of restaurants and bars (and important stuff like grocery stores, too!), and close to transport links. It is also off of the tube line that takes me direct into work which is a major plus. We both know that we could get something cheaper and larger with a bigger garden and so on if we move further out, but this is the area where we have both chosen to be inflexible. It’s definitely the #1 priority.

[This is my area map, made with Zoopla – my new favorite site until we find a place!]

2. Budget

This should be number one, but I’ve never been good with money. Just kidding – well not, but that’s not why it’s number one. We both have parents that we can fall back on if need be. Obviously it’s not ideal, but it allows us to be flexible in the area that is normally the most restrictive. To start, we are looking at places much cheaper than either of us can actually afford. I would feel much better if I save money by moving in with Sean, and I know he feels the same way – however if we have to spend a little more to have a place we can truly call home, I’m willing to put off a shopping spree for a couple of months!

3. Storage

This one is mainly for me. I have a lot of…stuff. And not just clothes and makeup and that silly stuff, but things such as suitcases.  I mean, I moved over here from America, so did not have many options for bringing my stuff (shipping is so expensive) so now my suitcases just sit in a corner and it drives me insane. In this new house, we are looking for some built in storage so everything can have a place and the flat can remain tidy (hopefully).

[This was one of the first flats we viewed – it ended up being a bit too small for us, but I loved how they made such great use of the space with built in storage!]

4. Large common area

We both love having friends over and I’ve always dreamed of having a place where I can entertain – everything from a chilled movie night to a full on dinner party. If we can find a flat with a large living room/common area, I know that this is possible. I prefer open kitchen/living room combos because it makes the space feel larger and also space is not wasted with walls. However, I am also happy with contained rooms if we can find something that is not cramped. I hate spending time in my bedroom during the day, so it is important to find a flat with space large enough to hang out away from the bedroom.

5. Garden

This is the dream – and the thing that is starting to seem more and more unlikely. A garden flat in central London. The flat I lived in last summer had a garden and it was just so nice to sit out there for an evening drink or a meal on the weekends. Even just to escape outside to read a bit seemed like a huge break from the city. Plus, this adds to the possibility of entertaining – hello garden parties! Once again, a dream, but you never know what we might find!

[Dream – this was unfortunately taken before we had a chance to view it. But so much grass, I love it!]

Tube Reads

[I got this photo from the Guardian because I felt too creepy taking my own!]

One of the things I had to sacrifice while at university is reading time. I absolutely love to read (always have) but could never find the time between studying, having a job, and doing all those things that college students do.

Since moving to London, I’ve thankfully gained this time back in my morning commute. I think I’ve finished more book this year than I did throughout the entirety of my time at BU! I have 20-30 minutes in the morning and evening where I honestly have nothing better to do than read. And this has resulted in me reading more in my free time at home, as well. Now, I’m just powering through book after book.

So…..my favorite reads? Here we go:

Time Out

Oh how I look forward to Tuesdays. For someone like myself, who loves trying new restaurants and bars and knowing about all the random pop ups in London, Time Out is the place to go. Granted, it also compels me to spend more money going to more restaurants than I need to, but it’s still my favorite nonetheless. Not to mention – these people can read my mind. I swear, their feature is always exactly what is on my mind at the moment (boozy brunch and rooftops recently!). I always feel “in the know” after my Tuesday commutes…..and have a full calendar!

Stylist

Where Time Out can appeal to the masses, I find that Stylist appeals directly to me. From successful women to fashion events and general beauty tips, Stylist gives me the motivation to conquer the rest of the week. It’s issued on Wednesdays – the perfect Hump Day read! I also love how they stalk celebrities as much as I do – check out their Instagram roundup (it makes you feel like you’re friends with the celebs, doesn’t it?).

Chick Lit

I’m a huge advocate of reading novels which are 10 years below my reading level. That’s what makes reading fun! Chick li has always been my favorite and I love that new novels are popping up that are meant for adults but still have the funny, easy style associated with young adult chick lit. They leave me laughing out loud, tearing up, and often reluctant to get off the tube. My most recent read was The Royal We and I am looking forward to starting The Knockoff next (I am currently reading A Hundred Summers, but it does not quite fall into the YA chick lit category!).

News

I never have time to read the news, or at least that’s what I’ve convinced myself. My favorite morning read is The Skimm, but that comes around 11am UK time, so in the mornings I like to catch up on news by reading the Economist Espresso (short snippets covering the most important stuff…it also allows me to check exchange rates so I can determine whether to use my $ or £ accounts on a given day). If I really want to be informed, I refresh the NY Times before heading underground and that can occupy me for quite awhile.

Emails

Although I hate to admit it, there’s something about having no service to receive new emails that makes it so much easier to answer old emails. This is more of a plane thing than a tube thing but I love going through and catching up on emails and drafting responses when I am without cell service. It’s a distraction-free method that leads to much better responses on my part…and I can get through so many so quickly!

Nothing

Sometimes I’m just too tired. And sometimes it’s so nice to just say “forget it”, put the kindle away, and listen to my music with my eyes closed or just watch people. The only downside of this is when the train changes destination and I don’t hear the announcement…its always exciting for a morning commute to end up in the wrong place!

Newly Grad

My most recent trip was home (well, one of my homes) for graduation. It was probably the best weekend I’ve had in awhile. I only went to one out of my two graduations, but it was so nice being with family and friends again that I didn’t even care about that. Or about the fact that I wasn’t even over my jet lag before flying back. This is so photo heavy because I absolutely loved all of the pictures we took that weekend – and the background provided for the perfect backdrop!

[We attempted – and failed at – the typical cap throwing picture]

I absolutely loved being on campus again, in my old apartment, with all of my favorite people. Sean joined me on Friday night (he came for only 48 hours – what a trooper!) which made the weekend even better!

Upon my arrival in Boston, I ordered Uburger for delivery and I am not even the least bit ashamed. Sara and I absolutely feasted on our burgers and fries and then I passed out….only to wake up at like 5 am.

Friday was graduation day (the one I actually went to, the one where I got to walk across the stage). I showed up and immediately ran into all of the people that I hadn’t seen in so long. I was even stopped at one point in line directly next to one of my closest friends who I hadn’t seen since December so we had a nice catch up.

[A cap, a gown, and some cords – I graduated! And the Hogan family was there for the occasion.]

After graduation, in typical Hogan family fashion, we headed to the bar (my very last trip to Sunset Cantina) and then to dinner in the North End. Rabias is a seafood/Italian restaurant and probably my favorite ever. They have this incredible white whine from New Zealand that I highly recommend. After dinner, it was more drinking at Battery Park Bar and then more along the water at Salvatore’s. That’s where Sean met me, suitcase and all! We went for the full night out and ended up at Lorettas in Fenway before grabbing Fenway Franks and walking home.

[Suitcase in tow at Salvator’s on the waterfront.]

On Saturday, we continued the trend with Harpoon Fest which was unfortunately a huge disappointment. To make up for it, we went to Legal Harborside for snacks and drinks before a Mexican dinner at Lolita. Except before dinner we went for starters at City Table….and by starters I mean essentially a full meal which means I didn’t eat my dinner. Good news is that Lolita leftovers make a great breakfast!

[The group after some afternoon drinks at Legal Harborside.]

Sunday was the day I decided to skip the all university graduation. It was an absolutely gorgeous day and I preferred walking around enjoying it over sitting on a field with thousands of other people. We headed back to City Table for brunch (fantastic mimosas!) where I was reunited with my best friend, Marisa. Then, we pranced along Newbury Street into the Public Gardens. My dad then suggested a beer garden, which are surprisingly lacking in Boston, so we just headed for a pub in Beacon Hill.

[My favorite part of Boston – The Public Gardens]

We raced back home for a quick graduation photo shoot before Sean headed back to the airport…and I followed a couple of hours later.

[Probably my favorite picture of us EVER!]

[Another cliche we attempted and failed (and we were left with very smelly stairs!)]

I arrived back to a rainy London, sat in two hours of traffic, and walked into work.  9-5 has me missing Boston (and the U.S.) like crazy!

Next stop: Florence

Puddle Jumping

Today I jumped two puddles- one literal and one figurative.

The first “puddle” is actually much more than a puddle, or a pond, or whatever you want to call it. It’s the Atlantic Ocean. And I jumped it by sitting on a plane which actually just  flew over it during normal service.

The second puddle is figurative – the barrier between graduating from college and starting a life; the hurdle you have to jump into the real world. I’m officially in the real world!

Today begins a jet-lagged day of running errands, preparing my room, and ordering anything I could possibly need using Amazon Prime. I may crash and burn around noon, but I’m hoping the adrenaline of being on my own will keep me going through the day. I cannot wait to meet my housemates, see my boyfriend for the first time in seven weeks, and begin to make a new place feel like home.

The living in London journey starts today!

Adult Stuff: Moving

My last day of college crept up on me all too soon and suddenly I had to be an adult. So, here is a series I will be doing for probably the next year until I can no longer get away with being shocked at the fact that I am now an adult. Adult Stuff – where Kelly figures out the ins and outs of real life.

It’s one thing to coordinate the move out of Boston (I’ve done it too many times now) but a completely foreign concept to coordinate a move abroad. I thought it was tough to fit four months worth of stuff in two suitcases – this time, I had the same two suitcases but had to cram in a whole year. My entire life in two suitcases! Side note: who knew it costs $400 to ship one box to England?!

Moving Logistics: So the past couple of weeks have consisted of me dealing with phone plans, packing, student loans, and last minute appointments….all while getting over the flu. I am now gone from DC permanently and I still can’t tell you what my UK health plan covers or why my hip keeps hurting; I should probably find out if my UK health plan covers emergency hip surgery.

I had finally given up on appointments (why the hip didn’t get addressed) and endless phone calls to various people (thanks mom for dealing with AT&T) and I was left with the small task of packing.

Packing: What you would assume would be a very easy thing for me at this point proved to be impossible. I was set to leave Friday; on Thursday I found myself with nothing but clothing packed, suitcases already approaching the weight limit, and a list of items I still needed to get. Yet, my friends won my time over the daunting reorganization that packing required, and my flight got pushed back two days.

With my extra two days, I continued to put off packing and would be productive for about an hour before taking a (well-deserved) three hour nap and attempting to pack again. Two (probably way more than two) items pushed a 40 lb suitcase up to 58 and I was left with more reorganization. I reached the desperate point of taking out any item that didn’t scream “Wear Me!” and finally nailed the weight limit – 48 lbs for one suitcase and 51 for the other. And then I found the pile of stuff I forgot to put in.

A day later, I had finally accomplished it. One suitcase was 49.5 lbs. The other was 50.0 – I’ve never been more proud in my life. It wouldn’t be possible to cram a piece of paper into my full carry on and I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be able to lift it into the overhead bin (thanks gate check for not making me try!).

So, $450 later ($400 for the box I sent and $50 for my second bag on jetblue) I made it to Boston and then to the British Airways check in today so I’m done!….until the inevitable move back to America.

Money: Thanks to the above, I watched all three of my bank accounts die this week. Literally die. Here I was at the beginning of this month, so proud of how much money I had saved and ready to budget my life away. I was ready to spend my paychecks in lieu of my savings, leaving thousands of dollars in an account ready to be pulled as travel expenses at any spontaneous moment. Now, I’m still planning on only spending my paychecks, but mainly because I no longer have savings. Seriously – why do landlords need to hold six weeks rent untouched for a full year?

So, to conclude, being an adult is expensive and I haven’t even had to pay any bills yet! I’ve got my budget spreadsheet (which I was supposed to start using January 1) and a small sum left in my bank account, so I’m ready to wing it. I’m predicting a call to daddy in about 10 days.

Trekking Ahead

Last Friday, I turned 22.

On Tuesday, I will take my final finals of my college career. I’ll be done.

On Saturday, I will pack up my bags and leave my beautiful apartment in Brookline.

From then, I will be forced into the real world, to build my own career and become an adult and make important life decisions. And I’m terrified.

My current situation is the following

• I have a place lined up to move into…in London
• I have an incredible and wildly supportive boyfriend…in London
• I have a job that will provide me with a ton of opportunity for growth…in London
• I am making my final adjustments to my plans to leave on January 20…for London

I cannot say that enough. Where will you be next year? In London. What are you doing after graduation? Moving to London. Where did you get a job? In London.

I’m supposed to be excited. And I am. I’m so excited for the new adventures and growth that lie ahead. But I’m so scared. I’ve never been homesick and I’ve never been happy just sitting in one place for an extended period of time, so getting up and moving across the Atlantic seems perfect for me – and I think it is perfect. But there is still so much about being an adult that I know absolutely nothing about. There is so much uncertainty regarding my job and the exact position I will be working in. There is so much that can still fall apart. So, as I try to get excited, I find myself remaining hesitant because I am so scared that something will not work out, that I will risk it all – my employment, my money, my sanity – and end up right back in America within a couple of months.

But, this is my adventure, which I shall now set out on. I’m the young, 22-year-old, corporate vagabond, trying to figure out how to grow up and make it in the world of business while simultaneously experiencing the wonders of the world. And I’ll get to do it with people I love by my side.

Three days. Monday – cram for exams. Tuesday – take exams. Wednesday – this adventure starts. Three days and it all begins.

Introduction

I find my life to be a bit of an oxymoron. I try to stay up with the latest fashions when it comes to my purchases but end up throwing on leggings and a top every single day. I truly enjoy fine literature but tend to opt for trashy young adult novels when I get a few minutes of free time. I constantly dream of fancy soirees that require nice dresses, but dread the thought of wearing heels. I’m well beyond my years in terms of professionalism but care more about traveling the world and would give up a career to do so in a moment’s notice.

Most importantly, I love blogging, but  I’m so terrible at keeping up with blogs. This is my sixth I believe. The good news is that I can hold onto a blog longer than I can hold onto a relationship, but that’s not saying much anyway.

So this is the introduction message that I’ve written too many times to count, introducing my new blog–a fresh start. But this is the one that is the most me–a place to write about traveling and wandering around cities but also to write about my professional discoveries, my entrance into the real world, the struggles of a twenty-something. I guess I shouldn’t use the word “corporate” yet since I am still technically a business student, but that’s the other thing to note about me: I think about three years in advance.

So here I go!