Let them have plane-shaped cake!

Dearies, I know I've been awfully quiet in the past two weeks - partly due to heaps of guilt for abandoning my studies for an entire week when I went to Berlin and trying to make up for it by being extra swotty and going to the library with Lauren, and partly because the weather has been absolutely stunning these past few days, and thus a fair bit of socialising in the sun was required. Plus, I've had a couple of visitors - first, my sister graced my humble abode with her presence (bringing along her friend Saskia) and then my friend Linda kicked of the stream of visitors from Leipzig. Again, I know you're only in it for the pictures, so here they are:

My sister in front of Big Ben (I know, I know, it's not the tower, it's the bell etc. etc.)

This is Teresa and Saskia in their shiny new Primark glory, minutes before Saskia had to go see "Grease" at some Westend venue. Please pay special attention to how Teresa spent twelve quid on the dress and the skirt and then proceeded to wear them both at the same time, thus making sure she had a totally original outfit that cost next to nothing in a way THAT I COULD NEVER PULL OFF? Also, the denim shirt that her friend is wearing is from the men's department and still looks effortlessly stylish. Sometimes I think my fashion gene got lost in the mail.

I felt that a trip to England is not complete without a visit to the pub, so after the Oxford Street maration (on a Friday afternoon! I ask you!) we nipped into one of the Leicester Square tourist traps that guarantee a "genuine English experience" for a quick drink before Saskia had to see Grease.

Unfortunately, none of the pictures I took with Linda are any good (lots of satan eyes and red shiny fizzogs on my part, I'm afraid), but since her visit consisted mostly of shopping, I suppose they wouldn't have been worth your while anyway.

The other really good piece of news that I have for you is that my flatmate Lauren might have got me a bar job in one of her locals, the Old Suffolk Punch in Hammersmith. The money is poxy and bar work is tough (I vaguely recall from previous experience), but it's walking distance and beggars can't be choosers, right? I'm pulling a trial shift this afternoon, so I suppose we'll see how it goes.

Other random tidbits of information:

• Last weekend I went to Oxford to see my friend Andy. It was pissing down pretty much all day, so I didn't see to much of the town (what I saw was lovely though). Nevertheless, lunch was bought for me and dinner cooked, and Andy let me watch House and Bones and drool over David Boreanaz. He would have let me drool over Jesse Spencer as well, but his new barnet makes that pretty unnecessary.

• Steve had another Man vs. Food challenge the other night. He made a chicken curry with no less than 8 red chilis in it and ate the entire thing. He didn't even cry (although there was a fair bit of sweat on his forehead).

• Two more people told me I sound Australian. Yesterday a Kiwi told me I sounded English. I'm getting more and more confused.

• I went to have Thai food with my friend Jess and had a chicken curry. When I got home, Steve told me that the place we went to was entirely vegan. I have no idea what we ate.

• Steve and I were watching the food network channel and there was something about a bakery that makes these really special cakes. Delta Airlines (yak!) was one of their customers, and they wanted a cake in the shape of an aircraft for the launch of the "NYC goes orange" campaign to end world hunger. Is it only me or is that slightly disturbing?
  

Again, I hope I haven't swamped you with too much information. Have a lovely week everyone!