Shopping!

The past two days have been good days for shopping- in both traditional London Style and extremely modern-deluxe-style ways.

This week, due to unseasonally cold weather in London, I have become painfully aware that my new (and very lovely) H&M coat (and my old coat for that matter) are not warm enough. Walking anywhere has been causing me pain - but I have realised, after seeing the new coat Phebe ordered online- that this does NOT have to be the case. Some coats (albeit puffy ones) are very VERY warm.

So, for the past week, i've been searching online for THE perfect Jacket. But due to my increasing size (yea.. I'm a fatty now), I was reluctant to purchase one online. Coats are a big investment and I was too cold to wait for delivery.

Thus, when Gemma (one of Phebe's 9 housemates) declared her intentions to go to Westfield on Friday, I immediatly decalred my intentions to tag along.

Westfield (at Shepherds Bush) is London's only "shopping centre". Everywhere else, shopping is done on the very cold streets. We took the tube over and froze our ways in the door. Once inside, it was obvious that I wasn't in Brisbane anymore. This Westfield shits all over any Australian shopping centre I have ever seen. You are met at the enterance with a champagne bar, sitting between the Prada and Louis Vuitton shops. At this wine bar, snooty people sit drinking posh champagne before midday for no particular reason. The size, the shops, the aesthetic - this is the world's poshest shopping centre. The food court does not have fast food - but deluxe vendors that serve food on plates. I had a deluxe kebab - no sorry "chicken wrap" from the deluxe kebab (ahem) Wrap shop.

Gemma and I wandered aimlessly amongst the terrifyingly expensive shops, searching for our own "price range". I had my heart set on a Superdry Coat.. but unfortunately, the decision was made that the coats at Superdry were not long enough, as it is apparently important to keep the derierre warm.

I am very happy with my eventual purpose- a very nice semi-puffy jacket from Bench. I tried to find a picture of it online.. but it's only in white on the website and doesn't look as cool. I also got a pair of thermal gloves. I'm officially set for winter.

That evening Phebe, Jed, Ali (phebe's cool NZ work friend) went out for 2 for one cocktails and steak in clapham. it was AWesome.

Yesterday, after a late rising due to the cocktails of the night before getting a little out of contol, we went shopping LONDON style. We went to the Borough Markets - the greatest food market in the world (in my opinon). Amazing fresh food booths line either side of the walkways selling every different kind of food you could imagine. Amazing cheezes beside fresh seafood beside the most beautiful cuts of meat you've ever seen.

We started our cullinary adventures with pork rolls all round. Roasted pork and stuffing with apple sauce in a crispy baguette. Awesome. We then wandered around sampling dips and oils (one dip tasted exactly like the chips from Grill'd). We then went to the oyster stand and chose our own oysters - which were then opened up for us and consumed on the spot. there's nothing like a fresh oyster! then we went to the cheese shop. this shop was amazing. wall to wall cheesemania - and the woman helpig us knew SO MUCH about cheese. we must have sampled at least 10 different cheeses before getting a hard orange cheese and a beautiful soft cheese from wales. Phebe then kept sampling some kind of spanish aged pork legs and eventually (after more oysters) we left, full and contented.

Last night we stayed in with hot chocolates and watched X factor (ugggh) and the final of "i'm a celebrity-get me out of here"- nice to see it's raining in QLD.

oh I should add that on thursday night I went out for drinks with the lovely Hannah douglas! It was nice to see that curly haired friend once more.

CUrrently we're sitting in the room drinking coffee and eating the cheeses we bought yesterday. it is actually sunny outside and I want to go there very soon.