Abe in London

[Abe Sargent]

Sorry that I've been away from the board of happy for a while. I turned into a lurker in the past two months, and probably will be for at least a while longer.

For those who followed my Operation: Big Ben dynasty, this may be a treat.

On Wednesday, Sept 19, one week from tomorrow, I will be leaving Michigan and the states for London. I will be getting a second Masters degree in Contemporary Critical Reasoning at Middlesex University. (code for philosophy)

I have a flat in Leyton for a couple of months and then I can try to find something else or stay there if I like it. Everything is ready to go, and now I'm going over the pond in eight days. Thought you folks would want ta know!

Goodbye US, hello UK.


-Abe

[st.cronin]

Sorry that I've been away from the board of happy for a while. I turned into a lurker in the past two months, and probably will be for at least a while longer.

For those who followed my Operation: Big Ben dynasty, this may be a treat.

On Wednesday, Sept 19, one week from tomorrow, I will be leaving Michigan and the states for London. I will be getting a second Masters degree in Contemporary Critical Reasoning at Middlesex University. (code for philosophy)

I have a flat in Leyton for a couple of months and then I can try to find something else or stay there if I like it. Everything is ready to go, and now I'm going over the pond in eight days. Thought you folks would want ta know!

Goodbye US, hello UK.


-Abe

Congratulations and good luck! I miss playing werewolf with you.

[Abe Sargent]

Congratulations and good luck! I miss playing werewolf with you.

Thanks! I miss WW and I have every intention of coming back after everything settles and I have time again.

[Buccaneer]

Wow. Will this open up job opportunities there? I wonder how you were able to quit your job and go back to school, overseas nonetheless.

[Abe Sargent]

Wow. Will this open up job opportunities there? I wonder how you were able to quit your job and go back to school, overseas nonetheless.


Financially able? Some money saved up, sold some stuff, some loans from Sallie Mae, a scholars award.

Had to fill out a bunch of forms. Done a metric ton (or tonne) of research.

Hardest part - finding a flat when you aren't in London. Easiest part, getting accepted into the program.

-Abe

[hoopsguy]

Congrats, Abe. Hope you have a great time over there and do well with your studies.

[Lathum]

Congratulations and good luck! I miss playing werewolf with you.

+1

[path12]

Have a great time, Abe! Looking forward to your WW return also.

[Abe Sargent]

Thanks guys. For those who know the area, it looks like I'll be about a seven minute walk from the Leyton Orient football grounds, so I can easily enjoy a little local football while I'm there.

-Abe

[SirFozzie]

Does this mean you'll be able to buy FM2008 when it comes out for all of us?

[stevew]

I was wondering what you thought about the Leftwich/Garrard thing, and noticed you had been absent. Good luck.

[3ric]

Great news!

[Abe Sargent]

I was wondering what you thought about the Leftwich/Garrard thing, and noticed you had been absent. Good luck.

Leftwich had abondoned the Jaguars lastyear when he opted the have a surgery despite, according to his claims as recently as a few weks ago, the fact he could still play. What if the team had needed him later, a la Drew Bledsoe? what if byron was able to come back inteh second half of the Titans game which was Garrard's meltdown game and bring us back, and then we make the playoffs. what if Garrard goes down and Byron is needed to take us the rest of the way in the playoffs? The team was doing very well at the time, and Byron quit. there was zero loyalty there.

They should have cut him sooner, and then drafted a certain Brady Quinn. Make Garrard the official hard core starter fo rhte year, no matter what al la Carson palmer and jon Kitna, and then takin it from there.

That's are my thoughts.

[oliegirl]

I think you should do a dynasty like Izulde is...that would be very interesting to read....

[rkmsuf]

Do the ants over there have an accent?

[Abe Sargent]

This is my final post before leaving in a little bit to get on that plane and fly over yonder.

Who knows when I'll get a chance to swing on by here and post again, but I Will be back!

-Abe

[riz]

London...Bad food, worse weather, Mary f***ing Poppins....London !

Welcome to the hood :)

I'm only around until Friday though, can't really stand London for extended periods :D

[cartman]

Helsinki? When did you move there, riz?

[Mustang]

Do the ants over there have an accent?

Just Adam...

[Lathum]

Just Adam...

zing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[riz]

Helsinki? When did you move there, riz?

Last summer already. I'm just back at the London office this week to work locally on-site for a change.

[cartman]

Last summer already. I'm just back at the London office this week to work locally on-site for a change.

Wow, so you've been through a complete winter and are willing to go back? :) I was there in Jan/Feb of 2004, and that was the coldest weather I had ever experienced. I found out first hand that -40C is the same as -40F.

[Marc Vaughan]

Wow, so you've been through a complete winter and are willing to go back? :) I was there in Jan/Feb of 2004, and that was the coldest weather I had ever experienced. I found out first hand that -40C is the same as -40F.

Do bear in mind that Riz is Finnish so thats pretty much 'normal' for him ... he's probably the only person at SI who might consider English winters warm ;)

[Marc Vaughan]

London...Bad food, worse weather, Mary f***ing Poppins....London !

Welcome to the hood :)

I'm only around until Friday though, can't really stand London for extended periods :D

Oi leave Miss Poppins alone ;)

(although I agree with your view of London as a whole - can't handle large cities for any length of time)

[cartman]

Do bear in mind that Riz is Finnish so thats pretty much 'normal' for him ... he's probably the only person at SI who might consider English winters warm ;)

Ah, makes much more sense. :D

[riz]

Oi leave Miss Poppins alone ;)

(although I agree with your view of London as a whole - can't handle large cities for any length of time)

That was a legendary movie quote, you should have picked that up in no time :)

I like working in London but I don't think I'd like to actually live here. Hence living outside of London while I was living in the UK.

Do bear in mind that Riz is Finnish so thats pretty much 'normal' for him ... he's probably the only person at SI who might consider English winters warm ;)

True dat. I love the "warm" English winters compared to the polar bear weather we occasionally get during winter in Finland :D

[Abe Sargent]

Posting this from a cyber cafe so I;ll be quick. London had its amazingly bad parts (a landlord who pulled a bait and swtich on me and virtually doubled the price on a flat I had rented when I arrived is absolutely one of the all time worst expereiences of my life) and it is very easy to feel alone with so many people around - it's odd. No one talks to each other at all. Not to say excuse me, not for anything. How do they meet people, then?

Also, Irn-bru rocks. just wanted to say that for the record. THe coke here tastes filmy, but Irn-Bru is really good, so I'll br driniking it as my ormal coke I suspect.

I'm at this flat now for just two weeks, ebcause of the whole double rpice cost, I gave my two weeks notice immediately. I'm also in Walthamstow, not Leyton, as part of the bait and switch - which isn't that bad. I think I like this place better than Leyton, so there is that.

I'm tryign to get a residecne hall room and sent out e-mails and whatnot to the acommodation office Friday afternoon. Hoping for good results there. That may be my way into a community. My housemates are all of the same nationality (Hungarian) and hang out solely with other Hungarians, only one of them will even talk to me int eh hallway or lounge.

Gotta go (again, cyber cafe, paying for the time and all that) Sree ya later!


-Abe

[Marc Vaughan]

No one talks to each other at all. Not to say excuse me, not for anything. How do they meet people, then?
Thats largely an 'english' thing - my theory is that because the country is fairly 'packed' people wise we give more privacy to people than in some countries ... hence people tend to be a little more 'stand-offish' when it comes to talking etc.

(its also why I find the friendliness in America somewhat 'fake' - in England if someone greets you warmly then chances are that you know and are friends with them, in America I find everyone is my 'best friend I haven't met' which tends to feel a tad odd because I'm used to the English standoffishness ... its what you are used to which feels 'right' imho)

PS - Please drink some Ribena for me, getting hold of it here is a nightmare ;)

[Abe Sargent]

Whats Ribena? I'd be willing to, but frankly, some of the stuff here is gross. Jellied Eels? Sickening! That it is advertised on a street here in Walthemstow as traditional London faire? Yuck. I had no idea that Englad had such nasty habits.

Also, none of my flatmates has a toothbrush in the bathroom. I've seen them go to wash up, no toothbrush id hand. Are they bruihing inside their roos without a sink, or just not brushing at all. Ick.

Is black and gold the universal sign of a pub? Every pub in Walthemstow that I've seen has that color scheme.


Marc, I'd be more likely to believe you if I lived somewhere with a lot of natives. Walthemstow does nto appear to be a place where a lot of native londoners live. Nobody talks in English here. I'd say Arabic is the primary language of choice.

Imams talk to everybody, Arabic or Non-Arabic. They say excuse me, and hello. They are the only ones I've witnessed to do so. Maybe Londoners need a little more of an Imam in their life.

I was waiting in a queue at Middesex with maybe 12 other international students and we all ahd problems enrolling online. Other British students would come by and gleefully ask what the queue was for, looking disappointed when it appeared that it was not something they needed. One local British student even joined us, thinking that she could get a couple of non-related questions asked.

Does everybody in Britian just love waiting in line? That's crazy.

Preview - a few of these things I will also be noting in my weekly Magic article over at SCG. (www.starcitygames.com) on Thursdays look for yours truly.

-Abe

[Abe Sargent]

Guy next to me in teh Cyber Cafe is listening to Depeche Mode. Don;t think I've ever heard someone I didn;t know just listening to Depeche Mode. That's awesome.

[Buccaneer]

Also, none of my flatmates has a toothbrush in the bathroom. I've seen them go to wash up, no toothbrush id hand. Are they bruihing inside their roos without a sink, or just not brushing at all. Ick.


Ah yes, those wonderful British teeth.

[Desnudo]

Guy next to me in teh Cyber Cafe is listening to Depeche Mode. Don;t think I've ever heard someone I didn;t know just listening to Depeche Mode. That's awesome.

I think you'll end up hanging out with other ex-pats. That's the way things seem to go. Good luck, I'm sure everything will work out.

[StarBuck]

I'm reading your thread with such interest. Hopefully you will consider it your online travel journal. :)

I loved in London for a summer, went to drama school for that time. I stayed in Parson's Green in Chelsea and the school was in Kensington. I lived with a family and it was terrible. They were so unfriendly. They had daughters my own age and would have parties and let me know not to be home or to stay in my room.

I loved the food though,especially the dairy products, they have a completely different taste, very rich, and I loved the city itself. Compared to NYC it was clean, easy to get around and it's history was interesting. The people were 50/50. The men were friendly and the women I found very unfriendly. So, if I had been a guy, I would have experienced everyone to be unfriendly.

The British can't be as unfriendly as eastern Europeans though. Wow.

Friendliest people I ever met were the Irish. Very friendly, warm people.

[Abe Sargent]

London is totally better than NYC, I agree about that.

I had Ribena last night - that's very potent tasting stuff - very strong. Not for me, but I can see why people like it at least.

Irn-Bru is something you can have too much of as well. I'm trying out some new drinks and currently I;m fond of Mirinda. I can only find it in Walthemstow and it has foreign lettering, so I'm not sure how domestic it is, but as a tangerine-orange-ish cola, it suits.

I'm currently in the basement of the campus library. The campus is out in the countryside it seems, despite being in London. There's flat grass as far as the eye can see, and a treeline in the distance. Crazy.

Still no wireless at my flat or at the campus student union. At least I have this for now.

I am still considering going home, to be frank. There is still too much in the air, especially housing. If I get this residence hall at Wood Green, I'll stay, but if I don't, I really don;t want to be spending all of my time in London worrying about there I will be staying the next month, if that makes sense - going from lease to lease like a moth failing to decide on a flame. I'm in a much better mood than I was on Thursday when I arrived. At the beginning of that day, i was all, Yay London! Then I became very upset as the day was a disaster.

Now on a cool Monday morning, those emotions are gone, but also a lot of the glow of London from afar is gone as well. i see London for what it really is. Now I need to see if I can even stay.

No e-mail yet from the on campus Accommodation office returning my query about space at Wood Green.

-Abe

[Abe Sargent]

I looked down and saw that only 8 people were on at the moment and I wondered - where is everybody? Then I recalled that it's just 5 am on the east coast right now and earlier than that as you go west.

[Passacaglia]

Good luck, either way! At the very least, it'll have been a cool couple of weeks!

[Abe Sargent]

Just got some unfortunate news from the Accommodation office on campus. They are all full.

I did a search of all of the flat websites and sent out e-mails to the handfull that I can afford, I qualify for (female-only flats typically run less than normal flats in my searching experience, so when you look at the lowest prices, you see a lot of flats you don't even qualify for), and that are feasibly close to where I need to be, with the ability to waffle on that last one a bit.

If I cannot find accommodation, and quickly, it looks very dim for Abe.

[DaddyTorgo]

abe...i might be able to talk to a friend over there and see if she knows anyone, etc. etc.

let me send an email out for ya

[Abe Sargent]

Thanks buddy. Saw someone with an open flat here in walthemstow, so I sent out an e-mail to see if we can hook up. Got a couple of nos yesterday fromthe contacts I sent out. Still waiting on another three or four to get back to me, but they don;t always get back to you - many get dozens of people calling or e-mailing about flats, and they don;t even bother.

[Izulde]

Rough luck on the flat search, Abe.

I've noticed here in Granada that most of the advertisements for flats specifically request a female. Makes me glad that the program I went with obtained housing for us ahead of time, as I can't imagine the hassle it'd be to try and find a place to live without any Spanish, like a few people in other programs have been forced to.

Look on the bright side: At least you know the language. :D

[Yossarian]

Sucks to hear you're having problems getting settled.

I've been in London now for about 9 months. A few friends have found flats through gumtree.com - might be worth a shot?

[Abe Sargent]

Sure, happy to take a look at it. Thanks.

[Abe Sargent]

Had lunch today at this restaurant called Rice and Spice. I had my first curry there a few nights ago since it is one of the places that is open a bit later in teh evening - when a lot of places have a tendancy to close down around 5 or 5:30 (the outside booths begin closing at four in the afternoon)

I told the propriator it was my first curry, that I just got into London and wanted to try it, and that it was really tasty (it was pretty good actually).

I went back for another entre yesterday and today I went there for lunch. They know me ther already, and we talk about various things. They even gave me an extra piece of chiclken for lunch today.

I found the whole experience very...American, in this area of Walthamstow. The owner's nationality?

Don't know the country, but he's Arabic. One of the few around who still dresses in full Islamic clothes and who I've seen at a table, facing Mecca and prayign with beads in hand. Very devout Arab, and one fo the few friendly faces that I've met here in London.

Yesterday I had a long conversation with an Imam who was walking past my house. Today I saw an Imam at a local Islamic Book Store with a walker, and everybody was coming up to him and talking to him like he was a celebrity. Maybe he was.


Websites are bombing out, including the gumtree one suggested above. Barring an 11th hour reprieve, I may be back inteh states on Tuesday.


-Abe

[DaddyTorgo]

i suck. just sent the email right now

[Buccaneer]

Unfortunate. The second time you leaped before looking.

[Klinglerware]

I'm hoping the situation works out here.

Have you approached your program to see if you could defer your matriculation? If they will hold your place in the program, it might be a reasonable option to think about coming back in a year. Now that you have some experience with what you are up against, a year will give you the time to generate the necessary cash and to work through the logistics of resolving your housing situation.

[Abe Sargent]

I can reapply and they will accept me. I already have a Masters so I get automatic admittance for a Masters.

I made a bad call. I didn;t apply for university housing. I thought that I was right in deciding to make my time in London aout more than just the University. That I wanted to experience London and live in it,outside of a small university setting. That's why I wanted to live away from campus.

I still understand that desire. I made an agreement with a landlord over a month prior to my arrival. had I not found anything in the next week or two, I would have taken that option.

I failed to consider the possile shadniness of the landlord, so now, instead of getting half of London in a dorm room, I'm about to get no London.

I haven;t heard abck from some of my best prospects for rooms here. Tomorrow I have an orientation for my Masters and I will go. I also have a major Magic event in London pn Saturday, and perheps I will make some contacts there.

Way life goes I suspect.

[Abe Sargent]

Unfortunate. The second time you leaped before looking.

Second time?

[Super Ugly]

Hey, sorry to hear you're having a rough time. As someone who's just had an unfortunate experience with a landlady, I can sympathise. With luck, something will come through at the last second.

Don't let your experience with Londoners sour you, either. Reading this thread has reminded me why I don't like the place, but if you get a chance to see other parts of the country then you'll see why it's not all bad. :) Just don't eat the jellied eels, and try not to drink any more Irn-Bru.

[Buccaneer]

I can reapply and they will accept me. I already have a Masters so I get automatic admittance for a Masters.

I made a bad call. I didn;t apply for university housing. I thought that I was right in deciding to make my time in London aout more than just the University. That I wanted to experience London and live in it,outside of a small university setting. That's why I wanted to live away from campus.

I still understand that desire. I made an agreement with a landlord over a month prior to my arrival. had I not found anything in the next week or two, I would have taken that option.

I failed to consider the possile shadniness of the landlord, so now, instead of getting half of London in a dorm room, I'm about to get no London.

I haven;t heard abck from some of my best prospects for rooms here. Tomorrow I have an orientation for my Masters and I will go. I also have a major Magic event in London pn Saturday, and perheps I will make some contacts there.

Way life goes I suspect.

I think the part about getting half of London vs no London was pretty insightful. Also, past experiences found that making contacts at events do work out.

[Abe Sargent]

I was told about another website I've not used via pm from DT. I'm about the check it out now. Hopefully good news and all that will follow.

-Abe

[Abe Sargent]

Not much from that website, unfortunately. They are all mostly upscale flats with a serious price tag. Ah well.

[Abe Sargent]

When doing research before coming to London, I remember reading tha a lot of students and professionals look for flats this time of the year, just before winter, when they don;t want to move, and when teh school year begins. As such, there is supposedly a lot of competition at this time of year. That's why I had gotten my flat for two months - enough time to get past the rush and look for something then.

[DaddyTorgo]

Abe,

I've got one more London contact I just remembered. And she's pretty...cheap, so she may be of more use

[cartman]

Another option you might consider, if you have time, is looking into places outside of London that are on one of the rail lines. The lower price of rent might more than offset the price of a monthly rail pass. I remember that the housing costs were out of control when I was living there in 2004. My one bedroom flat in South Kensington was 700 pounds per week. :eek:

[Marc Vaughan]

Another option you might consider, if you have time, is looking into places outside of London that are on one of the rail lines. The lower price of rent might more than offset the price of a monthly rail pass. I remember that the housing costs were out of control when I was living there in 2004. My one bedroom flat in South Kensington was 700 pounds per week. :eek:

For comparison where I lived in Royston (south of Cambridge but on a very fast commuter rail link - 40 minutes to Kings Cross) you could rent a 3 bedroom house for a MONTH for £700.

[Yossarian]

I know a few people who've had no problems finding SOMEWHERE to stay within their budget.

It's easier if you can commit to 6 months but even if you can only do 3, you might be able to take a 6 monther providing you yourself post the 'flat available' ad on gumtree (what one friend did).

Really, there are shitloads of places here. It's expensive sure, but my place is very very central and - yes, it's a studio (fancy word for a cupboard with a bed and en suite) flat but at 600 a month, it's worth it for me. A colleague pays 400 a month to rent a room from some old biddy near Finsbury Park and another about 450 for a room in a flat with two ladies near King's Cross.

We all found our pads on gumtree - so whilst yes, finding the right place can be hard, finding just somewhere to base yourself for a few months shouldn't be that hard - unless your budget is really tight

What is your actual budget / requirements?

[Yossarian]

My one bedroom flat in South Kensington was 700 pounds per week.

That must have been a nice pad - it's also a real good area.

My flat is.. well small but it's fine for sleeping in and it's a 15 minute walk from work, which cuts down on my travel bills.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidfarrell/sets/72157594495563418/comments/

[cartman]

That must have been a nice pad - it's also a real good area.

My flat is.. well small but it's fine for sleeping in and it's a 15 minute walk from work, which cuts down on my travel bills.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidfarrell/sets/72157594495563418/comments/

It really wasn't anything special. It was in a 20 story building on Cromwell Road, next door to a Sainsbury and across the street from a Holiday Inn. It was also on the inside of the building looking down into the center courtyard.

I think the bulk of the price was due to the location. It was right by the Glouster Road tube station and South Kensington is right next to Knightsbridge and Hyde Park. Our office was 100m from Wellington Arch, so it was a short commute.

[Abe Sargent]

I want to be at or below 400 pm.

[Abe Sargent]

It also appears that I am able to post from my house for the first time - wireless is back up after only being down a week....

[Abe Sargent]

I had student orientation for the philosophy program tonight. It was okay, met some blokes. None of them seem like the sorts of people I'd normally hang out with, but I socialized nonetheless. We all went to an on-campus bar and had drinks after hte orientation.

the coursework is very hard and very fast. I would love this if I remain - I am raedy for a challeneg academically after the snooze fest that was my first Masters.

[Abe Sargent]

Just sent another e-mail to the Accommodation Office to see if there any cancellations. Let's leave no realistic stone unturned.

My editor lives in leeds and he offered me his unused spare room if I weant to commute to school. Thats not feasible, and here's why.

I am not here to go to Middlesex. Middlesex is a ticket. Sure, I'd love to study Philosophy, and getting another Masters is cool, and maybe I'll like it enough to keep going at the ph d level, but this has never been about Middlesex.

This is about London. This whole journey is about living and expereincing all London has to offer. Living significantly outside the city and coming to town on class days and weekends to shop is not an option. I can live out in the burbs anywhere in America. This is about living in a large city with that expereice, in a wholly different way than any American city. It's about following my parents who came to London and lived and worked here for three years while my dad got a Masters. This is about the dream of being in London, not near London or London-ish. I'm here for the city, not for the university.

That's why I never wanted to be totally involved with just Middlesex. I wanted it all. In my greed and hubris, I may get nothing.

-Abe

[Abe Sargent]

I just was pointed to a website with a metric ton of listing s(or metric tonne in London). Emaisl are being sent out now (can't call at 11 pm obviously)


EDIT : I just sent out e-mails to two in Walthamstow. Let's see what else I can find.


Thanks Kalypso!


EDIT 2: Found potential flats in Southgate, Finsbury Park x2, and one in Wood Green so far. Let's see what else I can coax out of this site.


EDIT 3: Islington, Tottenham one each as well

EDIT 4: And another in Seven Sisters

[Ryan S]

My editor lives in leeds and he offered me his unused spare room if I weant to commute to school. Thats not feasible, and here's why.

It is not feasible because it is 200 miles away from London. You would spend all of your time and money travelling.

[Abe Sargent]

We'll call this next post, consumables I like/dislike in London:


Irn-Bru - A solid drink from Scotland, cross between Cream of Soda and Bubble Gum with a kick. Liked it at first a lot, still do, but diminished over time.

Fanta Lemon Soda - American label but have never seen in states. Basically carbonated lemonade. Tasty. Have some right now. Note non-caffinated, which I generaly prefer to steer lcear of barring late night.

Bigga Cola - Jamaica's #1 soda. Imported here. Boring. Nothing great, nothing bad, just a hum-drum sweet soda tasted like weak Irn-Bru.

Jamaican Fruit Punch Soda - Pretty good but can only find it at the Jamaican food store. Imported as well. Tastes like American drink Tahitian Treat only sweeter and less carbonated. Sort of has teh hint of carbonation.

Ribena - Black Currant soda is too strong for my tastes. A little too much Black Currant flavor.

Cheddars - Cheese Biscuits for 95 p that are quite simply the best tasting cheese cracker I've ever had. tastes like the cracker alraedy has cheese whiz on it.

Red Peppers - Never know why I hadn't ever eaten a red bell pepper plain before coming here, but they are everywhere. I picked up 5 for a [pound, and let me tell you - good.

Shepherd's Pie - If it is not made in a normal British Isles place like an Irish Pub or a Scottish Restaurant or something, do not get it. Shepherd's Pie from the Indian store had mushrooms and red peppers (which do not belong here) and was too small of a portion. The bigges tinsult was that the plate included peas and potatoes BESIDE the Shepherd's Pie. I was quite upset. (For those who do not know, mashed potatoes are teh base of Shepherd's Pie, and peas are almost always included)

Curry - Only had it once, and that was chicken curry. Still, it was quite tasty. Picked it up from a place called Rice N Spice. I can see why Londoners are obsessed with it.

Fox's Golden Crunch Creams - Your normal cookies in a wrap for 69 pence each. Solid enough cookies, but nothing spectaculr. Will porbably try something else next time.

Fried Chicken - I've now had it from two different places. Not high quality. Steer clear.

Lamb Doner - Tons more meat than I can eat in a setting. Need more other things to go with meal. I got cheese on top specially for me.

Sandwiches - Found a place that serves with butter. Yum. Had Tuna (with butter) and Ham (with butter) for several lunches. I love it.


EDIT: Karibbean Kola - Another import. Tastes like Bigga, an Irn-Bru lite drink. Nothing special.

[cartman]

Order a Supreme pizza from Domino's. You'll be stunned at some of the toppings. :)

Other must trys are the pub foods.

Fish and Chips are the old standby, and I also quite liked Bangers and Mash. Each pub seemed to have a different type of sausage they used, so it was always a new adventure.

[Kalypso]

You are most welcome... I'm about to send you some more!

[Abe Sargent]

Order a Supreme pizza from Domino's. You'll be stunned at some of the toppings. :)

Other must trys are the pub foods.

Fish and Chips are the old standby, and I also quite liked Bangers and Mash. Each pub seemed to have a different type of sausage they used, so it was always a new adventure.


Heh, I've had both when I first came to London almost two years ago for vacation. In a pub called Adam and Eve's, if I remember rightly.

[Marc Vaughan]

I second 'fish and chips' and also 'bangers and mash' - there's a 'sausage and mash' restaurant in Islington which serves just bangers and mash (about a million varieties of both), definitely worth visiting.

Other foods I'm missing currently (hey you have to live out my culinary dreams for me ;) ) are:

Jacob's Crackers
Baked Beans (with tomato sauce the way they're meant to be ;) )*
Dime Bars
Sour Wine Gums
*Have these served on toast which is buttered with Marmite on it - yum :D

Things to try (which I can make here ;) ):

Welsh Rarebit (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_rabbit)

[Yossarian]

Irn-Bru


I love the stuff. I kind of *have to* almost, being brought up on the stuff in Glasgow, Scotland.

For most of my youth, you heard that Scotland was the only country in the world not to have a cola varient being the #1 soft drink. Then Coke and Pepsi started buying exclusivity rights in cinemans / drinks machines etc and according to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irn_bru)it's about equal just now.

It has long been the most popular soft drink in Scotland, outselling Coca-Cola, but recent fierce competition between the two brands has brought their sales to roughly equal levels (perhaps leaning to Coca-Cola).[2] It is also the third best selling soft drink in the UK, after Coca-Cola and Pepsi, outselling high-profile brands such as Tango, Fanta, Dr Pepper, Sprite and 7-Up.

People often seem to either really like it or think it's totally rank.

They also have the funniest ads:
* Burger ad that caused overly sensititve types to complain (http://www.asa.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/B7741DC6-0A2C-454D-BB51-FC929FA90176/0/irn_bru.jpg)
* We'd go straight... (http://nuggets.mu.nu/wp-content/images/irn%20bru%20straight.JPG)
* One place to look... (http://www.irn-bru-usa.com/myspace/ad1.jpg)

[Abe Sargent]

Marc you are crazy. Glad you didn't suggest the Jellied Eels.

I bought a digital camera the other day. Took a pic of this place on the Walthamstow High Street. take a look:

http://img467.imageshack.us/img467/4602/walthamstow011af8.jpg


es, that's right, advertisign teh jellied eels. Yuck

[Yossarian]

Hey man,

Could you try to make that image bigger? It doesn't quite fill my 1600x1200 screen.

k, thx.

[Abe Sargent]

No prob buddy. :)


in other news, got an e-mail for a landlor dthat I emailed last night. We are going to see if we can hookup for a viewing of a flat, I beleive.

[Marc Vaughan]

Marc you are crazy. Glad you didn't suggest the Jellied Eels.

Actually now you mention it the Scottish do a little dish called Black Pudding which is very nice :D

PS> There is actually a 'white pudding' also available (complete with 'brain matter') but I have to admit I've never tried that:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_pudding

[Kalypso]

It's Operation Keep Abe in London- I am enjoying your posts So a few things...
1. Yes it was Adam and Eve's
2. Great pic
3. If you end up with a flat from one of my links, I do charge a head hunter's fee- a custard tarte if I'm ever in the London area.

[cartman]

The one food name that threw me for a loop was "spotted dick". Never did give it a try. :)

[Abe Sargent]

At the end of teh day beggars can't be choosers. Today I've sent out a bunch more e-mails to available flats in my price range that aren't anywhere near where I want to live.

[Abe Sargent]

The one food name that threw me for a loop was "spotted dick". Never did give it a try. :)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spotted_dick

[Abe Sargent]

Nothing new to report. The eleventh hour cometh

[RPI-Fan]

Even though it's looking like a longshot, good luck!

[Abe Sargent]

Has the eleventh hour brought reprieve?

About a half an hour ago I was in a bloke's flat here in Walthamstow. We hooked up this afternoon. His price is 33% less than the place I'm living in now. It's not far away from everything here. No internet, which will take some serious getting used to unless I can convince him to broadband us up. It's his house, so I'd be renting from him. No people to socialize with, as he's older than I am, so we may not have much in common.

He'll be getting back to me tonight. I wanted to bring down the lease time to three months from the nine he was asking, and he seemed amenable. I would accept a thee month lease if it meant I got to stay here for the right price. Then I have the hope of finding a more active or internet friendly place later.

Some people came and visited before I did. One is interrested for sure.

What will happen? In two days, I'm either in London or America, and I don't know which.

[Abe Sargent]

There's a websit ethat does exclusively Magic podcasts, and they were at an event yesterday, and interviewed me there because I'm this writer from the web who came over. It's a two and a half hour podcast, broken into 30 minute schunks. Here's my chunk. I begin roughly 20% into the podcast:

http://www.moxradio.co.uk/media/lorpre3.mp3

[Abe Sargent]

Got this e-mail a short period of time ago:

Hi there
I am sorry to tell you that i have decided to let the room out to the other person .
Good luck with your studies

[JeeberD]

Tough luck... :(

[Kalypso]

The podcast was great- of course, I only understood about 20% of what you said...

What is going on with the housing??? This is crazy- have you considered putting off your return ticket for another couple of weeks and staying in a hostel (some places are VERY cheap)? You might meet some people there you could get a flat with or get a lead on a flat once classes start?

[kiwiLB57]

Good luck mate, I hope it works out.

To spur you on, I can show you some ye olde pubs on the Thames that are superb places to while away an afternoon if you are successful.

Cheers

kiwiLB57

[Abe Sargent]

It's almost 6 pm here. No call from teh goivernor. In a couple ofhours, I'm calling it.

[Abe Sargent]

It's 7:30m and I'm calling it.

I even found a possible job opportunity here in Walthamstow in the last few minutes, but no flat.

I actually shed a tear or three on the High Street, walking back from dinner.

I'll post more later when I get a chance. Now I have to send out some business e-mails.

[Passacaglia]

I'm keeping hope alive for you until you post telling us you're actually in the US.

[Abe Sargent]

Well, I have no job and no school. I guess I'll have time for WW.

[Ryan S]

How much (in pounds) were you hoping to pay per month?

[Abe Sargent]

How much (in pounds) were you hoping to pay per month?

400 but I could go higher. That one guy would have been at 430 or so and I would have taken it.

[DaddyTorgo]

i'm baffled that there's not one place in your price-range that you can make work, or even something temporary while you look!

[Ryan S]

400 but I could go higher. That one guy would have been at 430 or so and I would have taken it.

Aah, I can see why you are having trouble.

I reckon that you would probably need to be paying closer to £600-700 per month to easily find properties fast. Anything at £400 per month will be taken up quickly and there will be no shortage of takers at that price.

[digamma]

why don't you stay at a hostel for a few days and pound the pavement?

[Abe Sargent]

Allow me to quote from my article for this week:

Why am I going home? Couldn’t I find some temporary accommodation until more permanent accommodation arrived? Sure. This was a financial decision. In order to come to London, I took out $28,500 in loans. I can cancel the $20,500 from Sallie Mae without paying a cent extra if I go home before school begins. I have an $8,000 loan that I have already deposited, and I can pay that back right now with a 3% reimbursement fee, or 240 dollars.

If I delay going home for another month, if I decide to leave, then I will have used my loans to pay for an additional month of flat hopping plus half of my tuition for the year, which would be about $9,000-$10,000. That’s how much it would cost me to stay for another few weeks.

How much have I paid so far? $2000 to the school to secure my placement. Almost 1k in plane travel. $725 for my laptop. Almost $600 for rent for two weeks. About $200 in living expenses and things I needed when I arrived like soap, a fan, blankets, and food. Around $100 in miscellaneous expenses like my subway faire or things I bought to take with me. $100 for a digital camera and memory stick.

In all, I’ve shelled out around $4750 with an additional fee of $240 to pay back my loan, which I would owe eventually anyway. That’s around five thousand dollars that I have invested. And in a month, I’d have invested another nine or ten thousand dollars in books, cell phone, rent, and tuition.

In life, you have to know when to not throw good money after bad. Don’t be the gambler who expectedly lost at Blackjack for an hour, so decides to gamble even more money to win it all back. Know when to say goodbye.

Yes, this is the end of a dream. But, my life goes on, and you’ll still see me writing this column from week to week, so don’t fret. For those I met in London, from Matt and Klaude to Rich and Martin and many more, have a great time! You really do live in the greatest city I’ve ever been too.

[Izulde]

Tough luck :(

But at least you went for it.

[DaddyTorgo]

that sucks abe!!

[Yossarian]

I still can't figure out wh you couldn't get a place. I pay 600 a month but my two colleagues pay about 450 each and they found places in DAYS on the web.

I can't 'get' why it's so hard.

On gumtree now, there are many offers in the £75pw range which I would imagine you could cover?

There are 'hunners' of places in your range. I don't see the problem.

?

[Yossarian]

I still can't figure out wh you couldn't get a place. I pay 600 a month but my two colleagues pay about 450 each and they found places in DAYS on the web.

I can't 'get' why it's so hard.

On gumtree now, there are many offers in the £75pw range which I would imagine you could cover?

There are 'hunners' of places in your range. I don't see the problem.

?

[Yossarian]

I still can't figure out wh you couldn't get a place. I pay 600 a month but my two colleagues pay about 450 each and they found places in DAYS on the web.

I can't 'get' why it's so hard.

On gumtree now, there are many offers in the £75pw range which I would imagine you could cover?

There are 'hunners' of places in your range. I don't see the problem.

?

[Abe Sargent]

As you can tell, I'm back and in Ann yicky Arbor.