Here Comes Santa Claus

MERRY CHRISTMAS FOLKS!!
I am terribly behind in the blogging, for a while I had nothing to write about or interesting to share with you, then all of a sudden there was a overwhelm in stories and I couldn't find the time.

It is currently 3:05am. I can not sleep, I never seem to be able to sleep in this city these days! So please excuse me for any mistakes, or paragraphs that don't make any sense

So I feel I should re count the past few weeks and go backwards from Christmas....

Christmas:
What a let down! Worst day of my life....Some how it was worse than the day I found out Mark Ronsan got married and is no longer single.
I woke up and wanted to go back to sleep straight away and sleep through until the next day, but I knew this was not going to happen, so skyping the family and Anya were the only things going to cheer me up. Thankfully every one in my house was feeling the same, everyone was missing their families and sharing stories of what they do on Christmas day.
Anyway Christmas was spent with the house mates and neighbours and everyone made food, drank champagne, ate mangos that were not ripe, and dressed in summer dresses with the heaters turned up to make us feel like we were all back in Australia.

Christmas Eve;
I woke up next to a cute english boy.
I shall rewind and go back the night before Christmas eve and share with you the most romantic story that has ever happened to me.
So I work in a pub, as I have probably mentioned, and now that I know what I am doing I am having a lot of fun work there, and making friends with all the locals. Occasionally you get the odd good looking guy that comes in (but very rarely).
Anyway there was this one good looking guy having drinks with his friends and it took me a few hours to actually notice him, by this stage he was already pretty drunk with his friends. I was laughing and chatting away with them, while they got me to make random drinks like a black velvet and kept buying me drinks while I was working. Anyway eventually the guy I liked asked me for my number and asked what time I finished work to go out for a drink with him and his friends. (let me just share with you how much I dislike going out after work because after spending 11 hours at a bar you tend to smell like a alcoholic from all the beer that spills on you) so I declined his offer but invited him to our house party we were having the next night.
He was keen on this idea until the next day when he realised where Leytonstone was and ended up declining the offer. During the night of the party I also dropped my Iphone in water during a texting conversation I was having with him. The only thing I was worried about was getting his number from that phone. So for three hours I sat in my room watching it dry in rice - blow drying it- and watching it sit on the radiator in the hope it would work again (Three days later it is still broken may I add)
So this ruined my night pretty much and I thought I would never be able to see this guy again.
If you are still reading things do get a little more interesting in this romantic novel now....

The next day at work feeling hungover and not sure how I was going to get through a shift that started at 11am and finished at 11:30pm I look like crap and in the worst mood. All of a sudden the boy from the bar walks in with a friend, I am so shocked and happy to see him that I quickly run out the back and hide for like 3 minutes and fix my hair. I eventually go out to say hi and explain/complain about what happened to my phone while he continuously apologises for not coming to the party, then he pulls out a little Christmas present for me wrapped beautifully. I quickly go out the back to open it and jump up and down with excitement at how cute it was.
Then I go back to work talking to him and his friend in between serving people, the night is dragging on and eventually I have a break at 6pm and I sit with him and his friend and talk for half an hour (at this point they are both very drunk and I am so hungover I could vomit any second) during this conversation I find out that his name is Chris, he is a Lawyer and grew up in Kent in the country. He has a very posh accent like Colin Firth in Bridget Jones Diary, and could pass as Harry Potter but taller and older and without the awesome magically powers.  After half an hour I go back to work and before I know it Chris has paid my manager to let me finish work 4 and a half hours early. HE PAID THE MANAGER TO LET ME LEAVE WORK AND HAVE DRINKS WITH HIM!!
That does not happen in real life! I am so shocked and all the girls I work with are dying of jealousy, the other customers in the bar are all staring at me smiling at how funny and ridiculous the situation is.
We have now left my work awkwardly and we see Hamleys up the road (I have never been there before) so he is running me into the store and letting me play with all the cool Harry Potter toys and Barbies feeling like a little kid. Then we go off to another bar, where I find out that this boy has a studio in central London pretty much opposite Hyde Park, he has horses at his parents house (Judy Miller - HORSES!) and casually went to Oxford University.
Then we went off to a Blues bar, which was pretty cool I felt like I had gone back in time to the 1950's, for some reason we settled on going back to Leytonstone for drinks probably the dumbest idea because all I had to offer this boy was Tesco vodka (It cost me 7 pounds) and my house was covered in rice and destroyed from the party the night before my room looks like a rice field in my attempt to save my Iphone the night before.

So there you go guys sorry for boring you with all my lovey dovey talk, but I needed to share with you my cute romantic story.


Number 4 Privet Drive:
Casually hung out at the Dursleys house... Well old house. Anyway some of us girls left London for Bracknell and on the way went to see the house they used for the Harry Potter films. Unfortunately it isn't as exciting as it sounds as normal muggles live in the house and there were cars out the front instead of broomsticks, but it was still pretty cool. We danced around fist pumped outside the house and took millions of photos like pure freaks.
The area in general was really beautiful - we made friends with the locals at the Tesco and asked everyone if they were friends with Dudley, there responses were generally  laugh and thought we were mental. I am now looking forward to doing some travelling outside of London, it was so beautiful and everyone has lovely accents.

Christmas Party:
We had another party at Clarendon 9, which was even better than the last one..Minus the phone breaking and our house getting destroyed. Majority of the people I didn't know and there was a massive turn out seeing as most of us are all new to London.

Last week Rachel and I got our stalking on and went to see a band that had played at Winter wonderland that we thought were really good looking. It was meant to be a simple night of going to the club seeing them play and then in our minds we imagined they would spot us in the crowd and end up wanting to have a few drinks with us. Only the night didn't end up anything like that, we got off in Holborn and to get to the club all we had to do was follow the map on my phone, it sounds like a fairly simple task but was far from it. Some how we end up in all sorts of crazy places and actually made it to the club just as the band were leaving....So in classic Renee style we decide to follow them for a bit until I realise that all we are going to achieve from this is them realising two girls are stalkiing and following them and forever know us as the stalking freaks. So we give up on that and decide to head to one of our favourite clubs Vibe, what should have been a 10 minute walk turned into a hour and 15 minutes walking around London city in -4 degrees weather. My legs honestly felt like ice, and I was not impressed at our lack in sense of directions, eventually we decided to be losers and jumped in one those embarassing bike tuktuk things to get to the club,  you would typically see these in Thailand or Bali, but for some reason the Indians feel the need to ride them around London in the evenings and charge tourists a ridiculous amount of money  for taking you on a 2 minute ride. By the end of the night when we eventually got home I thought it would be a good idea to speak to my family on skype at 5:30am after having a few Jagger Bombs and skittle shots.

Saturday 2pm: I wake up.
So sick. Not hungover just sick with probably pneumonia from walking around London in the middle of the night. But my theory is there is nothing alcohol can not fix so by 10:30pm we were out of Leytonstone and heading to Brickalane after a few glasses of Jacobs Creek (clearly I am missing Australia just a tad) Bricklane has turned out to be my favourite place to go out to during the week and weekends, We headed to The Big Chill for my friend Pencils birthday and his cousin happens to be the cute looking guy I fell in love with when I arrived so convinently he was there which made the night a lot more fun.
Ps TD:  These boys live where they film The Inbetweeners! AHHHH! They also have a friend called Fred who I think looks like Neil.... He was not impressed by this statement and at one point threw me to the ground and sat on my face.
So anyway we started off at two bars in Bricklane, then jumped in Taxi's to a place called Frabric which I really don't like because it is crazy drum and bass music but is very well known and popular here.
On the way a police man pulled us over, some how during the conversation and questioning us on how we got there he mentioned that I looked like Jessie J, so in my drunken state I came up with a brilliant idea to try and convince this police man to be my "body guide" so we could skip the  30 minute line, (to get into character I put on a fake essex accent and I danced all gangsta like her) It is at times like this I question the decisions I make in life.....The police man didn't escort us into the club but we did manage to get straight to the front. The night ended at 5:30am when the boys left our place and within a few hours us girls had to be awake again  to get the train to Earls Court Arena to see T4 Stars of 2011. We had all been looking forward to this day for a while now, but when 9:30am arrived we couldn't have been any less keen.
The concert was amazing, with performances by Jessie J.... Who I just want to mention is the coolest and most gorgeous looking girl in England, she is a amazing dancer and I suggest you all see her perform live if you get the chance, There was also Ed Sheeran, The Wanted, Example, Professor Green, Dappy, Rizzle Kicks, The Only Way is Essex cast, Made in Chelsea (The  blonde hair w**ker guy ran straight past me actually) and cast of Skins (the lame season)
I can not even explain how exciting and fun the day was.


So that was my weekend... Usually I work on a Saturday or Friday night so not all my weekends are eventful and exciting hanging with celebrities. During the week I do work 11:00am - 11:30pm at a bar/pub for pay that doesn't even cover my rent.

The pub I work at is very cute, in St James which means the customers are usually buisness men on their lunch breaks or who have just finished work, but because we are such a small pub it means I sometimes have to do the cooking... I use the word "cooking" loosely as it is usually making a sandwhich toastie (pretty exciting I know) or reheating what the chef has already prepared. I have learnt how to pull a pint and pour drinks, I was very hopless at it on my first day but eventually got the hang of it, living with Mum and Stephen did mean that I did have a excellent  knownledge on my wines and how to make a proper Gin and tonic so I wasn't all that bad. Unfortunately we don't make too many tips here but I learn that if I put on a really stong Australian accent I tend to make enough tips to pay for my transport to get to and from work, and flirting has pretty much become part of the job description.
I am also doing some reception temp work which I LOVE! I get sent off to different real estate agents all over London, and usually get paid really well for doing nothing, the other day I had to put flyers in envelopes all day sounds boring but it is such easy pay and I get to be involved in office drama and gossip. Sometimes I feel like I am working at the sitcom "The Office" The other week I got paid to sit on the computer watching gossip girl and read my book because the office had their Christmas party and they needed someone in the office incase anyone called or came into the office.... Life can be hard I know!


I tried getting in the Christmas spirit and bought a tree with Rachel a few weeks before Christmas, I also bought fake snow in a can and then went  crazy spray painted the house with it... and our stray cat... We also have "Suck Em" spray painted  on our wall from Pencil and his hot cousin - Suck Em is apparently another english word we learnt from the boys they tend to use frequently.











I think I have mentioned too many times the fact that my room has a roof that goes off it from my window so I thought I would share with you all what it looks like

I intend on having a huge party up there some day. Not sure how safe the idea is though.

So Anya gets here today.
Knowing us it will be a few days of classy photos and endless drinking, making friends with freaks or models in London. I don't know what I will do when she eventually leaves Europe, I am looking into kidnapping her.
New years eve is just around the corner...What is everyones plans? I am looking at spending it in Edinburgh but this will be officially decided on this week.  Hope you all had a lovely Christmas, please come on skype or facebook video and chat with me!

SO THIS IS CHRISTMAS

There has been 20 years of very hot Christmas's spent on the beach, wearing summer dresses, BBQ's, Pools, Seafood, Summer Cocktails, and this year I have to exchange it all for snow, cold, fires, heavy coats and more cold!

I was dreading Christmas up until 2 days ago, I actually intended on sleeping the whole day pretending that the day didn't exsist I was that upset. Christmas is by far the best day of the year for me, and my family all know I get well into the celebrations, but this year to have it change completely and spend it with no family was just too frightening. My mind set changed when I entered Winter Wonderland the most magical and amazing place you have ever seen! It honestly is a Wonderland, the way I will attempt to describe it will do no justice to it.  First of all you get out of the station and you see beautiful Christmas lights everywhere so high up in the sky! To enter you walk under these amazing decorated huge arches in Hyde Park from here you are over welled with neat little cottages that have Christmas stalls, Christmas lights elegantly dangling from trees and hanging everywhere, crowds of people dressed in their warmest clothes, little Christmas pubs set up that make you feel like you are at the North Poles Ski lodge, then there are the rides... think Easter show but instead of irritating rave music, Christmas songs, Christmas themed rides and colours and more romantic. Best of all is the massive Ice skating rink decorated in lights with a huge Christmas tree and a band playing in the middle (Bonus the singer of the band was EXTREMELY good looking)

Spending the evening at Winter Wonderland made me realise how beautiful London is at Christmas and how exciting the month to come is going to be. In saying this as of yesterday I have also decided to spend Christmas in Italy with one of my closest friends and her family. So lets hope Italy is just as amazing.

I also bought myself a early Christmas present today. It was well worth every penny. 

The Scribblings of a Madcap Shambleton by Noel Fielding. I advice you to all go out and buy it if you are interested in contemporary art. Plus there is a few sexy photographs of Noel being good looking.

     

Sadly one of my house mates Brooke, leaves this Friday so this was our last weekend to party and make a mess of London with her. We began by hosting a party at our humble home. Some how or another word got out and majority of the people at our house we didn't even know. Needles to say it was a awesome night and was even better waking up to the most immaculate house I have ever seen (Canadian boy who just moved in decided to wake up hungover and go crazy cleaning the house top to bottom.. which is 3 1/2 levels might I add)

Rachel and I have started Sunday dates where we usually end up at Bricklane being super trendy and cool, then end up at Winter wonderland, this Sunday for some reason (possibly because of what I was wearing) every second person thought I was Lily Allen, people were double looking at me, I felt like I had something on my face until a few people came and questioned me and a few shop owners at the markets pointed out how similar I look to her. It is the weirdest feeling walking around having people think you a celebrity/A different person. So after hours of this we decided to go along with it, until we realised Lily Allen had a baby two days ago and clearly wouldn't be wondering the streets drinking and shopping with a child at home (Although she has done a lot worse so it wouldn't be that much of a surprise) 

This week I worked with the photographer Steven Hoskins again on a photo shoot at his studio, I was a tiny bit star struck when one of the owls that features in the Harry Potter films turned up, the animal handler also works on a lot of TV shows and films, and spends a lot of time on the show Never Mind The Buzzcocks, as discrete as possible I tried hinting how much I love Noel Fielding on the show, and how I would love to tag along with him one day, maybe pretend to be his assistant even though I hate animals... unfortunately there is no discrete  way in asking this question.... Back to the photography, I am looking at turning my basement downstairs into a studio, it's the perfect place for a studio although the roof is very low. I can easily fit in there because I am a midget like my mum, but I don't know how I'll intend on getting tall models in there.

NOTE* Anyone reading this from Petersham house,  my basement is a smaller version of spliff/rape dungeon. I was so scared to go down there for a month but when I did so many memories from Petersham house came back to me.

I also have a possible pub job lined up, if all goes well tomorrow I could be working at a really cute pub near Green Park (close to Buckingham palace) the area is full of beautiful art galleries and designer shops, most of the men who go to the pub are what we call "London suits" which will make working a lot more entertaining than working with Australians. I do miss  home a lot and I love it every time I see Home & Away or Neighbours on TV but working and living with Australians is a bit ridiculous while in London, and kinda defeats the purpose of moving here.

ALSO about 5 minutes ago my friends and I just bought tickets to T4 stars of 2011, which is similar to MTV music awards, but in Earls court with guest such as Jessie J, Example, Ed Sheeran, The Wanted, Professor Green and wait it gets better.............. The cast of MISFITS, MADE IN CHELSEA ANNNNND THE ONLY WAY IS ESSEX. With more people to be announced, It is all too over whelming, going to this concert will feel like Christmas, I will be that happy.
I am also super happy because I am the owner of a Onsie the most ridiculous piece of clothing as well as the best thing ever invented for adults. It's a Christmas onsie which makes it even funnier, It's so comfy I even wear it to the shops.

My Onsie.

While living with a house of Australians + 2 Canadians I have not only picked up the British language and expressions but also learnt so many other Australian sayings I didn't even know existed. One night I had a friend over who is very typical Australian from the Gold Coast. When he spoke to my flat mates I honestly had to interrupt them constantly to ask them what particular words meant and laugh as I didn't think people actually spoke like that in Australia... Apparently they do, and according to him and my flat mates I have a typical "Posh Sydney Accent" ....That is not a thing guys, just because I don't use the words "USE" when taking about a group of people.

Renee's Guide to the London Language.

These are words or expressions I have picked up and embarrassingly sometimes enter in my new English Vocabulary 

Well Shattered = Tired

Mint. =  Hot

Mortalled = Drunk (Hey it's better than Maggot) 

Necking On or Snog = Kissing

There isn't too much more to mention or report on in London, but I did find out some  useful information about Leytonstone, the place I hate to now call my home;

The band Iron Maiden are from Leytonstone. There was a Jack the Ripper murder 1 block away from my house and lastly the only evidence to prove that Leytonstone isn't just the home of drug dealers and freaks is that Alfred Hitchcock was born here! Yes the genius of cinema was born only a few streets away from my house.  

Ps; Please continue the skype dates guys. Especially the drunken ones
Miss and Love you all x

HIGH KICK.

I am a little bit behind in the blog posts these past few weeks for a number of reasons. Mainly because my favourite person in the whole world, Anya came to stay with me! and what was meant to be a few nights in London turned into a extend week of drinking and partying together. I have also been extremelly sick, and been busy on photo shoots.

The Roxy.
A club in Central London that we go to on a Tuesday night with cheap drinks really good music and usually very cute guys!
On this night we experienced; Typical Italian boys being sleezy, Aladdin, losing each other and having to find our way home alone, Jim Chapman, Naked Model in the house, and lots of alcohol.

Camden.
A night I will NEVER EVER forget this day/night, it was possibly one of my favourite nights outs in London with Anya and her cousin Jack.
Waking up on Wednesday not feeling the best we headed to Camden for what we thought was going to be one or two drinks at a pub while Anya catched up with her cousin and I tagged along. We were extremely wrong because once again at 5am we find ourself stumbling home.

Eventually we leave Camden, for drinks on the streets of London from a off licence (Smirnoff with the girls) after being trash bags here we eventually move onto a few bars in Central London, where we meet some of Jacks friends. This is when the night got interesting and before we knew it they were buying us shots and a endless supply of drinks. I am still un sure if publishing the photos from the night on facebook was a great idea or terrible idea, because I think my family and friends will forever look at Anya and I in a different light. I just want to remind everyone a lot of alcohol was consumed and I do not usually look like such a freak! We had one of the best nights with so many laughs and a typical Nya Nya and Nay Nay night.

Last week I also spent two days on a photo shoot for the pet food Purina. One thing I discovered is that I never in my life want to do animal photography, and that models seem to spend a lot of time on shoots complaining about nearly everything and get paid a lot of money to sit around on their Iphones and Ipads.
I learnt so much from the fabulous animal photographer Steve Hoskins. Although the days are long with early starts and a lot of running around, and sometimes hours spent doing nothing, I had so much fun and luckily been asked to come back as a paid Photographers assistant next week. When I got the phone call from Steve I had no voice and sounded like a frog, I was so un well that I had to spend a few days in bed, while Anya had to spend her time in London with my flat mates, thank god they all loved her and endlessly tried to convince her to stay longer in London.

I couldn't seem to let Anya leave without another night out in Camden, so in true Anya and Renee date style we went to a gay and lesbian pub for dinner and then ended up at a few bars with Kismet and Brooke, once again the camera was out and I seem to be always captured at my worst! The night wouldn't be complete without a few cocktails at a Salsa dancing club where we clearly didn't fit in but I do intend on taking up Salsa dancing in the near future, making friends with Polish drug addicts (We do attract freaks where ever we go) and attempting to Pole dance, actually more like failing at Pole dancing, it's a extremely difficult task and not elegant in the slightest. But the favourite part of the night was at the end singing and dancing away to Chaka Khan Aint Nobody, blaring away in the taxi, I have honestly never heard a voice quiet like Anya's before and witnessed some dance moved that should probably never be tried out on the dance floor.

Eventually Anya did leave London, but things are a little awkward and strange without her here. There was only one thing to do without her and that was to continue drinking and partying which we did do this weekend. I intended on having a quiet night in with some vodka and roasting marshmallows on the fire, but of course I have no will power and got dragged out to Bricklane and the night ended at a Warehouse party near London Bridge. When someone says to you "Oh the walk from Bricklane to London Bridge is only 10 minutes" Don't ever believe them because it is NOT! I have experienced this first hand and the walk in high heels is over a
hour long. Decpite going to sleep at 5am I managed to get up super early and head out to Portobello markets with Rachel and then to the Bricklane Markets. Both are my new favourite places in London, and I intend on becoming a regular every Sunday. Some how the English manage to do everything so effortlessly cool, and all look so stylish and trendy. I felt like the biggest dag in my new favourite Jack the Ripper cape that I wear religiously and red dress. The people at Bricklane can wear a brown paper bag dress and still make it look like it's the best outfit invented.
The markets were deadly, for some reason I kept trying to convince myself that I needed weird antiques and vintage clothing that I will probably never make use out of. I did buy a few pressies for the family and some posters for my room to brighten it up a bit.

So that is about all to fill you in on folks. This weekend is going to be very exciting as some of us girls are off to see Example and Ed Sheeran perform in Hackney. I am also off to the Winnie The Pooh forest which is a hour out of London and an actual place, we are all dressing up in characters packing a picnic and re living our childhood memories. On the way back we will stop off to purchase/steal/cut down a Christmas tree for the house. Then there is also the house party we are having to say farewell to the lovely Brooke who goes back to Melbourne. Ice skating at the Winter Wonderland and hopefully another visit to Bricklane markets.
Missing you all a lot and haven't spoken to most of you in a while. I love my little skype dates with some of you so we must make it a more regular activity and for those who were asking for my address it is; 9 Clarendon Road, Leytonstone, London E111BZ.

For Mum and anyone else of your age reading this interested in the normal and general information on London: It is cold. Not snowing. The sun goes down at 3:30 this is not a joke by the time it hits 4pm it is pitch black. I feel I could possibly pass as a vampire I am so white.
City has gone crazy over Frankie getting kicked out of X Factor for his drug and sex antics.
One day I thought I was going to turn into a giant tea bag because I drank/drink so much tea here.
I have new house mates a girl from Canberra, a Canadian boy and girl.
I am planning on taking a trip with Anya to Brighton at some point, and no idea on plans for Christmas as of  yet.
Feel free to come visit me...........Anyone.

xoxo

Pumped Up Kicks.

Love. Love. Love.

I fell in love with a british boy.

Apparently it is the worst thing to do, but it's very difficult not to fall in love with their accents and british charm.

The first time was at work with a guest; 

Before I go on, one of the rules is to not speak to the guest because most of the time they are celebrities or VIP guests. I on the other hand kinda forgot this rule while I was serving a table of 8 young guys. I was serving bread on the wrong side, laughing and joking with them, I think at one point I mentioned how terrible I am at working in the hospitality industry and quote; "I am surprised I haven't spilt your wine on you yet" 

I am so bad at my job that I have finally singed up with a recruitment agency who will find me work in my experienced area of retail or admin. 

I think I realised I defiantly wasn't fit for the job when a guest asked me what wine I was serving I replied; "Um expensive and good wine??... Wait it's red wine so I think it is a bordeaux, either way i'm sure it's nice" Thankfully he laughed took the glass and I never saw him again. 

On Thursday night there was tears and a 3am call to Australia to tell my mum I want to go home! I was very close to getting on the next plane, I missed Sydney and everyone too much and I keep remembering I am here to LIVE! which can be really scary thinking you have to start your life in a foreign country.

Friday night I cheered up and went to Shoreditch with some friends, along the way we made some friends who some how convinced us to go to this secret cat party, full of Uni students and only happens every 3 months. So we tagged along with them questioning why we were following these crazy kids through back alleys and side streets until we arrived at a secret little warehouse club thing.

We had to have cat faces drawn on us, but other than that it was A LOT of fun. I am convinced we were the only Australians in the club which was good because we are so used to meeting Australians where ever we go.

This night we also lost my flat mate. To lose a friend in London, is the scariest thing possible, so we were running around Shoreditch trying to find her, while her phone was off with no battery.  Thankfully she was sitting at home after a hour of looking for her. 

The next day was Bon Fire night, a night to let off lots of fireworks for Guy Fawkes.  (Basically a night to go out and drink and let off fireworks in your garden) We discovered that it is a lot better to see the fireworks from my roof that comes off my bedroom window, except getting in and out of the very small window is VERY difficult and awkward. We plan on having a party from this roof but before we do I will practise the art of climbing in and out of windows elegantly so I can impress my new lover.

 

After watching our neighbours fireworks some of us wanted to go out for a quick drink to Bricklane, before we left I said to Rachel "I really don't want  a late night so i'll probably get the late night bus home at 1am." Turns out I was wrong and before I knew it, it was 8am and I was still dancing away at a club.

We went to Vibe a huge outdoor and indoor club, on Bricklane and had a few drinks there dancing to gangsta music (so not our scene) and drinking way to many vodka and redbull. While we were there I saw a guy who I thought was gorgeous, so Brooke and Rachel were being great wing men, embarrassing me by pushing me into him and spanking his bum, until he obviously thought they were weirdos and they went outside. So Brooke thought this would be a great time to follow him and his friends and ask them for a cigarette to start up conversation. Happened to work out well because they invited us to the club across the road from where we were, and we all went there for drinks and a dance.  

Some how or another I lost the girls and was left with the guy I thought was good looking from the previous club. So we were there talking and I was falling in love with his accent and him AND the fact that he works in the fashion industry, then we were dancing away to dubset (For people like my mum reading this it's dirty music that people here call Drum and Bass and it's something you would listen to in a rave)... again not my scene AT ALL! but was having fun.  

Oh before I go any further, I just want to point out that those who know me really well, would have thought I would have learnt my lesson giving out the wrong name when I meet people. Well I haven't, because the other night I was Lula, and my friends all took on different names too...anyway my crush thought Lula was the coolest name he had ever heard and said; "What was your mum on when she named you?" my reply; "Well actually she is a huge fan of the film "Breakfast at Tiffanys and got the name from one of the characters"

So before I knew it a group of us were in a taxi off to another club that has music so loud that deaf people can go there because they can dance to the vibrations and there was about 5 different huge levels. On the way lover boy and I are discussing Australia and how everyone in England, believes it's a suicide mission to swim in the ocean in Australia because of Sharks, I am picking up the lingo like "Jog off" actually half the time him and his friends speak I honestly don't understand a word they are saying. On that note please look at this photo of a Cockney cash machine. 

 

Yep so these are the kinda things people find normal, and I have to deal with every day.

Ok so after much cultural talk on our home towns/countries we end up at this club called Fabric. I don't think I ever want to go back to that place again because before you know it, you are walking out of the club at 8am to broad day light and doing the train-of-shame home. The only good thing about leaving at this hour is that you are late enough to get the train home instead of the night bus which takes a hour or more to get home. 

So that is about all that happened in London town this week, tonight I am meant to be seeing Justin Bieber turn some Christmas lights on at my local shopping Centre....But right now I can actually think of better things to do than hang around a bunch of screaming teenage girls, and hear him sing. 

GUESS WHAT! Tomorrow I get to see my best friend in the whole world. ANYA! 

If I thought this week was big nothing will compare to the week to come with Anya, my partner in crime, my Serena and Nya Nya

Love you all. Thank you for all your text messages this week. I'm sorry I can not write back but send me love. 

Seeing Red.

This week was all about spooky, scary and red.

First of all I want to say I am very sorry Mum......
Today I went back to red hair! Lets say it is nothing like last year when I first got off the plane from Europe, and it is a lot more red at the ends from where it used to be blonde which makes it look super cool.


Leytonstone kept up to his creditability and reputation by being the creepiest and dodgiest place to live in London.

Walking home at 3am on Tuesday  night was a experience I would like to never be in again.  
First of all I was harassed by a bunch of guys doing rail work at the tube station. They were just being idiots thinking that their sleazy pick up lines would make me interested in them,  but eventually that lost interested and stopped following me.
As I headed up the street a black car drove past and then came to a sudden stop and reversed back to where I was walking. At this point I was close to having a heart attack and I was convinced I was going to die. It got worse when the creepy man with no teeth told me to get in his car then Quote; "Come here I won't hurt you I just want to talk to you" 
I could see the headlines in tomorrows newspaper reading "Stupid Australian girl walks home in Leytonstone on her own and gets herself kidnapped" Anyway I did manage to get home safe and sound and just ignored the guy then used the line "No it's ok my dad is waiting for me at the door" did the trick and he drove away.

Apparently this kind of stuff happens all the time to the girls I live with, on their way home from work but you get used to it and realise it's just weirdos who have nothing better to do. 

This night wasn't all bad because I had just spent the night with the lovely Rosie a friend I met in Sydney and her gorgeous friends at a place called The Roxy. Which I will defiantly be attending again soon, the music was awesome with a mix of Joy Division, The Smiths to The Klaxsons. 

A quick little visit to Westfeild was also made during the week. Not sure how safe it is being 2 stops from my house and a 5 minute train ride. Anyway as a present from the Richardsons I brought a cute red, vintage 60's dress, that I will probably end up wearing till I can no longer get anymore wear out of it cause it is so amazing and very me.  I also had to get the most amazing high heels to replace the ones James brought me and I lived in till they literally fell apart. They are deep red suede, and really high, just the way shoes are made to be.

I also experienced my first house party here in London. I was un aware that this house party was to held at my own house until I walked in the door from work at 9pm and heard The Artic Monkeys blaring from our lounge room. 
The nights you are not in the  mood for a drink or party always end up being a big one, and this night really was! 
It felt like I was back at Petersham house with; Weird things laying around the house, shoes on the kitchen bench, doors were broken, glasses broke, shots of Jager bombs in Brookes room, couches taken outside of the house, my bathroom can no longer be used without showering with the door open, (For those who were at schoolies with me. I was tempted to put up one of our famous signs on the door but it defeats the purpose when no one understands what it means, and instead think they are living with a weirdo)

So things were broken,  a lot of alcohol was consumed, people were falling down and up our many flights of stairs...some how or another I wasn't one of those people. At 5am I found myself back in bed trying to get to sleep over the loud music, then woke up pretty late Saturday morning only to do it all again for Halloween and Hughs pre birthday party.
HALLO  WEEN!
I fell in love with Halloween this year. Mainly because so many people got into it, not like in Sydney. The one thing that made me love it even more was that you hardly saw any girls dressed as a naughty nurse, cop, or school girl. People were genuinely dressed in scary and really good costumes. I dressed as a Vampire, and headed to Camden which I felt was defiantly the place to be on Halloween.  
Caught up with the lovely Hugh and Peter for drinks, then continued to party with the roomies until some of the girls wanted to head home and I wasn't prepared to walk home solo from the bus station after my experience on tuesday night and my new heels also didn't permit me to walk any further, so the night ended fairly early.
There were some very interesting people out including one girl from Essex who wasn't a fan of us Australia's coming to London to steal  her men, her jobs, and also couldn't possibly understand why anyone would want to come to London. This is a girl who thought Paris was shit, The Tate Modern shit, London shit, and had nothing positive to say about the city. Remember she did say she was from Essex and was friends with the cast of "The only way is Essex"........ That is all I am saying.

London wasn't all about partying and drinking this week, I also need to pay my rent and so I had work training at the W hotel in Oxford circus, just one of the hotels I work at. 
Those who know me, know I am REALLY clumsy, fail at carrying food, pouring drinks and walking in general as gravity and I don't get along. So when you think of posh silver service and working in 5 star hotels you wouldn't really think we mixed well and that I belong.... Well sadly I don't, but I still have to work there.


Unfortunately my job is in hospitality and the concept of carrying three plates at a time to guest who pay hundreds of pounds and are sometimes celebrities scares the S**t out of me. 
At the Hilton hotel we have to serve using a fork and a spoon placed in our hands like tongs, sounds easy but it's not when you are trying to serve someone peas and only capable of grabbing one pea at a time. You have under 60 seconds to pour and give someone their drink, serve alcohol by showing off the label and holding the bottle from below and elegantly lean over them and pour it into their glass while NOT touching their glass. 
Apparently there is all sorts of cutlery that I didn't even know existed, and the spacing between them when laid out must be exactly one inch!

Before we enter the hotels we meet our manager at the train station so he can check over our uniform and if one single thing is wrong or missing he will send you home and get someone to replace you. For me this is a struggle, as I am someone who has always worked in retail and used to turning up in some of the most ridiculous outfits that people would actually come up to my mum in the street and tell them how unusual my style was. 
The only thing besides the fact that I need this job to survive here in London..that makes me want to go to this work everyday is that celebrities are frequently in the hotels and we have to serve them. Anyone who knows me knows I am a huge groupie. 
My room mate was working on room service and had to deliver fruit to Orlando bloom while he wasn't wearing a shirt and had a conversation with him. Last year the girls got to go around with Sarah Jessica Parker and carry her bags for her while she shopped and apparently we can expect to see the likes of Alexa Chung, Emma Watson, Helena Bonham Carter, Boy George and Colin Firth.... Knowing my luck the whole 2 years I will be working here the only celebrity I will see, is someone off Big Brother or I will freak out and embarrass myself like the girl who fell over on her face in front of Madonna, or their is the creepy girl who kept all of Johnny Depps cigarette butts and napkins.
Thanks to my dearest mummy I also have some work as a Photographers assistant at a amazing photography agency. Will have some new  photography photos up within the next few weeks. (Apparently for this job I need my licence) Not looking forward to learning to drive in London, seeing as a I failed at doing so, learning on the Northern Beaches.


Some exciting news is that it looks like I could be off to New York early December, just for a cheeky little get away and to do some photo shoots, seeing as the airfares are so cheap over here to travel to America, and to be there for Christmas has been one of my dreams since a little girl! So for my dearest friends who can't make it to London to visit come to New York instead. Please. I beg you. I dare you.


Last of all I want to say that despite my efforts, my love life sucks and can not seem to find any normal british guys like I had expected to actually be here. 
Plenty of Australians from Brisbane, and a lot of Irish but where on Earth are the Tonys and Chris from Skins. The hot musicians, and artists, Harry and Ron and most of all Pete Doherty! 

I am missing you all like you wouldn't believe. Can you all seriously save up and come over and stay with me. Thank god I get to see my other half Anya soon. I don't know how I have survived so long without seeing her. 
Love you all. 
Ps I am buying a cheap phone tomorrow to put a international sim card in so I can text and call you all for really cheap. Seeing as you family and friends are lazy at skyping/vibering me.

Skype; reneew21

Ph; +447770790295

By the way, It is the 1st of November today which means Christmas is very soon. Feel free to send me presents even though I am on the other side of the world. Just email me for my home address and I will be more than happy to give it to you if i get some love from Australia in return. 
Pps; This Christmas I intend on buying the most ridiculous Christmas sweater I can possibly find and wear it all day... and probably in the lead up to Christmas. The hunt has begun to find something amazing like this.