Tis The Season

It's that time of year again...when everyone is hustling and bustling to find presents, have parties, prepare for the Christmas season. We had our Christmas party on Sunday night. It was fabulous as always. It was at the Klontarf Castle on the north side of Dublin...all inclusive, everything from tranportation, appetizers, a poker tournament with a prize pool per table, tarot card readers, cartoonists, free flowing mulled wine and whiskey, a 5 course meal, open bar, dancing and DJ, a cigar roller, etc. Quite amazing!

I met some of my neighbors over the weekend as well. One works for Google and the other is a landscape architect and I went out with them and their friends on Saturday afternoon into Saturday night.

Last week, I had a nice dinner with Christine & Lisa one night and another really late night after a dinner with Christine, Aaron, & Kevin...I ended up out all night with Gavin & Brendan and was wrecked for the next two days from lack of sleep followed by an early work day the next morning.

Other than that, just settling into the new place, bought some new bedding for the 2nd bedroom and towels and trying to pull it all together.

Still need to sign up for a new gym closer to my new place...and getting ready to come home for Christmas, yay!

BTW, I don't think we will have a lunch at my mom's house after all, unless anyone was interested...if you were let me know so I can arrange but I didn't really hear from anyone about that so I assumed we wouldn't do it.

Let me know if you are.

xoxo.
ness

There's No Place Like Home

I moved into my new place right after my last blog,


and went to London for my birthday weekend. That Friday night we went to watch jazz...it ended up being hilarious...12 saxophone players, playing badly all at once.


Then Bobby, Natalie and I went to a nice bar in a hotel and then back to Bobby's. Saturday I ate breakfast at a quaint pastry house accross from Harrod's, had sushi for the first time in months,




did some shopping and had people over with Bobby & Natalie on Saturday night. Sunday I had my first Starbucks since I left LA, and no it is not as good in London as in LA. I did the tour of Harrod's which I formally refer to as "SHOE HEAVEN" but it was a nice family weekend and great to see Cai and Tao for the first time as well.


On my birthday night, a few friends from work suprised me and took me to Acapulco's as I have been craving Mexican food since day one of arriving here...it's like a drug addiction that I've been in remission on...need MEXICAN FOOD now, haha.

Spent the next weekend partying with the FTP players that were in town for an event in Dublin and with Gavin...my neighbor and friend from work.

Went back to London for Thanksgiving weekend to have Thanksgiving with Bobby which is right about when the crazy homesickness kicked in and lasted all week until Karen finally saved me on Wednesday with a three hour phone call. I did get to visit the Tate Modern Museum



and see Big Ben



and Parliament, etc while in London this last time...and spent a day pampering.

Last night I went out by myself (most of the guys from work left early this morning for a "boys" trip to Amsterdam) and met some new people from outside of work which was nice....two of them live in London and are visiting for the weekend, 2 were Greek, one was African, one was a Dubliner, and one was confused (she's moved alot). Had a blast, all very nice people....good times...still miss home.

But I will be home in 20 days and cannot wait.

Traveling

There is up to 60 mile per hour winds outside...it is scary. I won't leave the house until this dies down a bit. So I've been keeping myself busy with silly things...like thinking about where I have travelled to and where I would like to visit while I'm here so here's the list of where I've been.....

And the list goes on and on and on and on:

Born: Los Angeles, CA

Raised in: Chatworth, CA (San Fernando Valley)...yes, I'm a valley girl

Places I've Lived:

Chatsworth, CA; Barstow, CA; Canoga Park, CA; West Hills, CA; Glendale, CA; Pasadena, CA; Sherman Oaks, CA; Studio City, CA; Woodland Hills, CA; Dublin, Ireland;

Places I've Visited/Vacationed:

California: Los Angeles (Hometown), San Diego(mostly college & weekend vacations), Santa Barbara (love wine country), Ventura (childhood summer beach vacations) Lake Tahoe (Skiing & Summer Vacations); Big Bear (skiing); Catalina Island (summer camp & camping trips)

Washington: Seattle (visiting family & friends)

Vancouver, BC: (World's Fair)

Texas: Houston (visiting family)

Nebraska: (visiting family)

Iowa: (visiting family)

Bahamas: Nassau & Eleuthera (visiting family)

Utah: Salt Lake City (skiing)

Colorado: Vail (skiing)

Hawaii: (family vacation)

New York: New York City (visiting college roommate)

Illinois: Chicago (21st bday)

Mexico: Rosarito (college partying); Ensenada (hate it); Tijuana (mostly just passing through as quickly as possible); San Miguel (surfing); Cabo San Lucas (summer retreat)

Nevada: Las Vegas (too many times to count and what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas)

Ireland: Dublin (live here now); Galway & West Coast

London: (twice visiting family)

Total U.S. States Visited= 12

Total Countries Visited: 5

Hmmm...seems like it would've been more, I'd like to see how this list grows now that I'm living in Europe:)

***Update on 4/12/07:
Paris: in February 2007 with Caroline
London: in March 2007 for St. Paddy's Day

Total U.S. States Visited: 12
Total Countries Visited: 6

Upcoming:
Los Angeles: April 2007 for Coachella
Barcelona in May 2007
Las Vegas & Los Angeles: June 2007