Happy November!

How did that happen?

What a whirlwind this week has been! And although there were a few missteps, all-in-all, I must say it was really wonderful. Some chapters of my life that are best kept firmly in the past seem to have finally closed and amazing new ones are just beginning. After hitting a bit of a slump, I’m feeling renewed and more inspired than I have in a long time. There are so many ideas spinning around in my head and I feel energized and ready to make them happen.

It just goes to show, no matter how dire something seems when you’re in the thick of it, often it’s leading you somewhere really wonderful.

I have a mountain of week to get back to, but I didn’t want to go another week without sharing my gratitude list.

This week I’m thankful for…
apropos tarot readings; the most perfectly pillowy gnocchi at Villa Bianca; dreaming of adventures in Paris (one more month!); FaceTime with Henry; planning my own happiness project; getting the perfect part-time job; receiving Gala’s Dare/DREAM/Do letters each morning; a Halloween junk food feast in bed with my flatmate while watching Harry Potter & the Sorcerer’s Stone (the perfect end to a tumultuous day!).

What made you love your life this week? Try using the hashtag #LML on Twitter for spontaneous bursts of gratitude.

Hugs & kisses,

P.S. It’s a day late, but check back tomorrow for my full review of The Happiness Project and the link-up with our other book clubbers. If you’re interested in getting in on the fun, join our Facebook group and pick up your copy of Daring Greatly (I found it at my local library).

I’m so excited for my life to be all London, all the time, but this week has had its fair share of challenges. Settling into any new place, whether it’s around the corner or across the world, can be difficult and with a few more curveballs thrown into my personal life, it’s been difficult to be so far way from the people I love.

Luckily, this city is more than a little bit amazing. If I’m feeling down, there’s always something waiting down the street to cheer me up. It might be a cheeky piece of street art, like the one above, that brings a smile to my face or finding a famous monument around the corner or the (always) free admission to the city’s national galleries and museums – whatever it is, it’s like London’s always right there, waiting to give me a hug. And trust me, London, I’m hugging you right back.

Here are some of the things I’m feeling grateful for this week…
moving into our new flat; reliable access to WiFi; a reunion with mon amour; kind words from across the interwebs; a glass of red wine in a cozy bar; epic wind racing through the trees outside my window & torrential downpours; an exciting interview opportunity with a super inspiring babe; stocking my kitchen with my favourite healthy staples; trashy TV & steaming mugs of tea to nurse me back to health.

What made you love your life this week? If you post your own gratitude list, be sure to share the link in the comments. And consider sharing spontaneous bursts of gratitude on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #LML. Let’s start a revolution of looking on the bright side!

Curled up in bed listening to the rain,

I keep stopping and saying to myself, “Oh my god, I live in London!”

I pictured our week consisting of hours spent in coffee shops responding to rental ads in between darting off to viewings in different parts of the city. In reality, Kari and I actually settled on the second flatshare we saw. We’d done a lot of research beforehand, so we knew more or less what parts of the city we’d like to live in and what was realistic to expect in our budget. The first place we saw was far from homey and had an entranceway that I’d have to describe as creepy.

That made us appreciate the second flat a lot more. Better location. Better rooms. Better building. Better vibe. Just better.

There were two other women there looking at the same rooms (there are 4 bedrooms total, but we were only interested in the 2 that were in our budget). While they decided to take the night to think it over, we took the plunge and told the agents we’d take the rooms. We weren’t excited about the locations of the other viewings we’d set up and felt confident we’d found our little home.

So, on Tuesday, we’ll be moving to Whitechapel! Maybe you’ve heard of it; it was Jack the Ripper’s hunting grounds in 1888.

In typical London fashion, the flat is teeny tiny and doesn’t have any “living room” to speak of as it was converted into an extra bedroom. But the space is clean and freshly updated and the building backs onto a nice little green space. There’s a cute kitchen table where we can hang out and we can cozy up in one of our rooms sleepover style if we want to watch a movie or something.

The hostel we’ve been staying in is clean and quiet and totally acceptable, but I’m really looking forward to all of the conveniences of having my own place again. Like not having to remember to take a key and all of my toiletries to the bathroom every time. A proper kitchen to cook dinner in. A place to hang my clothes. And a door to close behind me at the end of the day.

I can’t wait to have my own little space to start decorating! I need to pick out some linens before we move in, so I’ve been combing Pinterest and home decor blogs looking for inspiration.

And man oh man, I’m so grateful, after all these months of dreaming, to finally be living in London…

rocking the stage for Pravana at the CBS show; getting the news that my rock ‘n roll pinup photos by Camille Porthouse will be featured in Expressions Magazine; a drive to the airport with my parents and tearful good-bye; actually sleeping on my flight; finding my way around on the tube without much trouble; meandering around Brick Lane, visiting old haunts, and ogling street art; celebratory bubbly after finding our apartment; dinner at Mildred’s (my second visit and I need to go back again and again so I can try everything on their menu); Spamalot in the west end followed by a stroll past Big Ben and cakes near Trafalgar Square.

What are you feeling grateful for this week? Are you chasing any big dreams? I’d love to hear! And if you have any tips for decorating and organizing teeny tiny spaces on a budget, help a sista out!