Happy Wednesday!

Good Morning!

Today is a beautiful day in the city (not that I've been outside yet).. I've been in a great mood and the sky is the perfect color blue. The past days have been spent organizing and getting used my new schedule.

My new fabulous pleated plaid skirt I picked up in a vintage shop on Saturday. The label says it's a real school uniform. I wore it with a black crop top and sneakers to my classes on Monday. 

(And felt totally studious doing so.)

Monday I had Fashion Public Relations class for the first time. The professor once did PR for Burberry *gasp*. She's a really wonderful woman and I think I'm going to get a lot out of the class. Monday evening I had my photography class. The professor gave a very intense lecture on the details of a camera and I learned so much. He also projected one of my pictures and complimented it in front of the whole class! We weren't even talking about our personal photography, but he was really drawn to one I posted for his critique. I was so incredibly flattered.. He said he would hang it in his living room! The picture is below, I took it in Maine last summer.

Yesterday Bianca and I took our first yoga class at the gym.. it was really incredible and has filled me with so much positive energy! We have been really focusing on our diet and eating well. Even though we've been eating very healthy meals, we've begun experimenting. 

Maybe these pictures aren't the best examples.. but last night I made steak and potatoes with spinach and red peppers. My body is so happy with me today.

Packing has begun for Beligum- where I'm spending this weekend. I'm really excited to start seeing more around Europe! Bianca and I have also officially booked our week in Scotland. Now I have to choose whether to spend a week in Paris or half a week in Paris then jet down to Barcelona. Life is hard...

Brick Lane

Yesterday was a beautiful day in the city so Bianca and I set out on an adventure. We headed to East London, where we heard there were some amazing vintage and thrift shops. Brick Lane, to be exact, and the place was INCREDIBLE.

The street art was everywhere, and so beautiful. I even found a portrait of myself!

This was inside the coolest little coffee shop. The ceiling was black board and people had signed it. In the picture on the right, right above where I was sitting, someone had written "ROSE 2014". 

So basically I signed it...

 Inside one of the vintage stores off of Brick Lane. The first floor was typical antiques and general stuff, but the basement was piles and piles of books.

 This is in the basement of a coffee shop that I was forced to buy this iced tea in because I had to pee that bad... The lady was rude but the decor was cool!

 Walking to Boxpark - a collection of pop-up restaurants and shops in one cool little package.

 

After a long day of vintage hunting, we sat on the rooftop of Boxpark and enjoyed a cider :)

P.S.

Last night Niall Horan of One Direction had a 21st birthday party with family and friends before returning to their tour in the U.S. We knew about the party, and knew he was flying friends in from Ireland. My roommates saw his brother, Greg, his wife, Denise and their son, Theo out in London yesterday- when they weren't even looking for them! We also knew that the party was supposed to be in East London, but we didn't know any exact locations. While stalking social media hardcore last night, I discovered that his party was across the street from where Bianca and I had our ciders. We were actually looking at the building that Niall and his friends and family were in like 2 hours later.

We keep getting closer and closer to them! Every little bit just means the next step is to actually meet at least one member while we're here!! (Hopefully Harry)

american apparel underwear

It was a busy week...

This past week was the first week of classes so there was a lot of time spent figuring out how to get where and not a lot of time thinking about updating this blog.

So here is a summary of my week!

Monday!

Monday was the first day of classes. In the morning was our main lecture class, with all of the study abroad students. Here is my first day outfit while waiting for the tube.

Outside the front doors to school.

In the evening I had my photography class, which is going to be a really incredible learning experience. The teacher is a professional photographer and has been working in fashion and music for a very long time. He began with film and obviously now uses digital but I understood and agreed with everything he had to say. We're already beginning to work on our first photo shoot, which will be a beauty shot.

Tuesday!

My usual Tuesday class doesn't begin until this week, so I had the full day off. Bianca and I joined the gym that day, and had a killllerrrr workout. I had been two weeks since I had been to the gym, and I think I made up for them in that one session. I was sore until friday... This is our post workout shot, when I could barely lift my phone.

Wednesday!

On Wednesday the camera on my phone decided to entirely stop working, so I have no photographic evidence that the day existed.. BUT I had my first British Cultural Studies class. This is the one that tours a different part of the city each time we meet. This class took us to Big Ben, the London Eye, Houses of Parliament and Piccadilly Circus. Places I had been before, but the professor Michael taught us a lot of different things about each. 

Thursday!

Thursday was one of my favorite days in London so far. I had my Fashion History class at the Natural History Museum in London. I arrived in a fluster after getting confused on the tube and lost between the two entrances. But after meeting up with my flatmate and friend Sinead, I won tickets to a concert that night! (It was a really crazy 15 minutes in my life.) Sinead and her roommate had already gotten tickets the day before, so I was the only one waiting on them. I struggled to focus on the butterflies and dinosaurs at the museum because I was too excited for the evening!

The concert was the band 5 Seconds of Summer, who opened for One Direction on their past two tours. This was my third time seeing them live in less than a month. If you don't know who they are, they sing the song She Looks So Perfect. The show was apart of the iTunes Festival, which takes place at the Camden Roundhouse every September, with a different act each night. I have been looking forward to coming to the iTunes festival for the past two years. The tickets are always free, just difficult to get. But we got them!!

The other two had a class later on, so I met them at the school, then we traveled to Camden Town together. The line was already impossibly long, because the venue is entirely standing room. We waited for about an hour, and realized we were probably the only Americans there.

Once we got in, it was a really great time. It was a small venue, so the show was fairly intimate. I felt so close to them. And of course, pictures from the show:

(I will always be a fan of the pre-show stamped-hand picture)

The entire festival is live streamed through iTunes. I watched the videos and found myself! 

(Don't argue with me I am absolutely positive these are my arms.) You can go on iTunes and watch a couple songs if you so desire.

Friday!

My first styling class was on Friday. I had heard a lot of good things about the class and professor. Unfortunately I didn't feel the same way.. He has been a celebrity stylist for a long time and works with Kim Kardashian. He seems like a cool guy, but kind of has a big ego and I felt belittled and dumb when I left class. I understand that this is the fashion industry, but in the role of a professor, I think he should support us and understand that we don't all read indie fashion magazines that are only sold in one bookshop in London, and don't know every fashion stylist and designer.

I had to hit the gym right after to get my endorphins flowing.

Saturday was an adventure, so I'll save it all for one post!

Sunday in the Park

On Sunday, after all of our errands and grocery shopping, my roommate and I went to check out the nearby Regent's Park. We had heard good things about it, but had no idea how magnificent it truly is. We made a little picnic in a corner of one of the gardens. There's not much to say though, because we walked around in awe most of the time, so enjoy my pictures of the park.

xoxo