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virginia_inLondon
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Name: Virginia
Birthday: 1/23/1983
Gender: Female
Interests: european adventures. california. celebrity gossip. 19th century french impressionists. new environments. instigating. compulsive lying. adaptation.
Expertise: distraction. addictions. self diagnosis. hating. xanga stalking (yes YOU- i have no shame).
Occupation: Account Executive
Industry: Public Relations
Message: message me
Website: visit my website
AIM:  VRoC118
Member Since:
9/15/2005
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| it's okay, UCLA... 
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| Okay, so I lied. The previous entry was not my last post as virginia_inlondon. I had no idea I´d have such easy access to internet while I was backpacking. I felt compelled to update a little. I´m currently at Kabul Hostel in Barcelona. I´m feeling the pressure to speed through the use of this communal computer by the other travellers, so unfortunately I will not be updating on my recent adventures just quite yet. But I am confirming that there will be a lengthy post complete with sexy Europe pictures upon my return. Just a little side note though: this is an utterly eye-opening and amazing experience. I have never in my life felt more sure of myself and my capabilities. I´m slowly figuring out exactly what things I truly value in life and what my ultimate goals are. Plus, I´m rediscovering certain passions in life. Classical music, impressionist art, hiking, being sober, not being sober, meeting new people, reading for pleasure - I´m newly into Haruki Murakami. Dave Eggers may be the literary love of my life (meaning he´s funny and I want to make out with him), but Murakami can completely take my breath away. I never thought text written in other languages could be so beautifully translated. He is a master at creating atmosphere. Anyway the point is, everyone should take time before they get distracted by the real world to indulge completely in themselves and their personal growth. Whatever the means (though I highly recommend traveling) isolation from bad influence and cutting yourself off from the comforts of home will surely contribute to building a character that defines your true self. Fucking get off your ass and see the world, dammit. I am having the best time of my life.
Given this is the tail end of my trip, I am admittedly running a little out of steam. Backpacking is all about endurance. Each new city has it´s novelty in the beginning, but there´s only so many museums and bars that will keep you amused. Yesterday, Christine started feeling sick so we had an exciting night out at the cinema. Yes, we are in Barcelona and we went to see a movie - complete with Spanish subtitles. We watched Pride and Prejudice and oh my God - I had never been moved more by a romantic movie. Plus Kiera Knightley is hot and Jane Austen is funny en Espanol. You guys know I can appreciate the occasional feel-good romantic comedy, but those Love Actually, The Notebook, etc type movies have never been my favorites. However, this movie was SO GOOD. It was so poetic and romantic that I actually cried. Why can´t modern love be as simple and pure?
Mr. Darcy: "You must know... surely, you must know it was all for you. You are too generous to trifle with me. I believe you spoke with my aunt last night, and it has taught me to hope as I'd scarcely allowed myself before. If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes have not changed, but one word from you will silence me forever. If, however, your feelings have changed, I will have to tell you: you have bewitched me, body and soul, and I love... I love... I love you. I never wish to be parted from you from this day on"
Anyway, my loathing of long-winded British literature is pretty well known. It´s freakin boring! But this book plays out so well on screen, me thinks I should give it another chance. Pride and Prejudice´s early feminist thought and subtle emotional undertones are pretty nice. Maybe I was too young to appreciate Jane Austen when I read the book the first time, so I think I´ll revisit it sometime soon.
"Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us."
Ahhh, someone save me from my vanity.
I´m coming home this Monday. That´s right kids, you´ve all got just a few days to prepare for me and Christine to cause some havoc. I can´t wait to see you all again!
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| This will officially be my last entry as virginia_inlondon  . I originally started this online journal as a way to chronicle my time in Europe and London. Now that I'll soon be back home, I no longer see a use for it. I haven't decided yet if I will start a new Xanga but seeing as my life will probably be extremely uneventful, it looks like this will be the end of my blogging career.
As of February 9th, 2006 I will officially no longer be a resident of the UK. Christine and I are doing the backpacking europe thing through Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Venice, Milan, Barcelona, and Madrid. What better way to kick off our eurocrawl than a weekend in Amsterdam? Weed and hookers for all! I'm so excited. Getting to travel Europe was the whole point of coming out here and that chance has finally arrived. We will be back in Los Angeles on March 7th, so get the beer, Mexican food and US Weeklys ready for us!
There were many high and low points about London. Honestly, I'm a California girl at heart and that will never change. I'm never leaving Cali again. The sun, the food and the people will always draw me back home. However, there are still things that I will definately miss about ye olde Londontown.
- Mark and Spencer's peach almond tart
- efficient and safe public transportation (mind the fucking gap!)
- big, red double decker busses
- strong draft cidar
- london menswear
- skinny jeans, boots, military jackets, tights and flats (Sienna Millers everywhere)
- shopping
- Harvey Nichols
- shopping in Harvey Nichols
- portobello road market
- lazy afternoons in Primrose Hill
- beautiful, clean city streets
- the fact that every black person here is classier than me
- Harrod's cheesecake
- afternoon tea
Yeeeah, that's about it.
Things I will NOT miss:
- the money/ quality of life issue
- fact that you can't find anything in the supermarkets (I miss diet 7up!)
- fucking Camdentown
- shady "charity" people that claim to be collecting donations for sick children or the homeless or whatever but are really just exploiting a fake cause. I'm sorry, but unless you specifically name your epileptic terminally ill foster care quadriplegics organization, I'm not giving you any money.
- bad tv
- bad teeth
- bad hygeine
- the weather
- the food
I will miss all my dear English friends and partners in this lost-in-translation-kind-of-experience we call Bunac. I've certainly grown and learned more about myself in the time I spent here. But yes, I'm definately moving onto bigger and better things. Lots of new places to explore and life lessons to tackle. So as my farewell, I'd like to end with an inspirational and highly fitting quote by the eloquent Dr. Suess:
"Today is your day. Your mountain is waiting so get on your way."
As virginia_inlondon, I'm saying goodbye. I'll catch you on the other side of the pacific.
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| Good lord! This week has been a total blur. Just as I'm seriously
starting to look forward to going home, I'm really starting to enjoy
London. I'm gonna miss my lovely friends and the quaint tendency
to drink at 3pm here. My conflicted love affair with this town
seems to just be getting started.
Last Sunday we went to Chinatown for Chinese New Years. We stuffed our
asses with hah gow. It was good times. New Years here isn't nearly as
good as it is in San Francisco. There was about one weak, little lion
dancing guy and the entire fucking city of London had gathered to see
him.
We went with these COOL GUYS. Hahahah
Jason and Mike also took us to a London Towers game. The Towers are
apparently London's premiere basketball team. Let me be the first
to tell you, they are the shit. HAHA. They're also all Americans for some reason. When I first walked into the stadium I was like whoa... black people!
These are the 5 "cheerleaders" of the London Towers.
Hahahhahahaahahahaaahahaha. I don't know what to say about these girls.
It was kind of like in junior high when you don't have to try out to be
on the squad. It was also kind of like not good at all.
We hang out with these knuckleheads too much. We got bored one day and
wanted to watch "Munich". There were no showings when we got to the
theater so naturally, like any other reasonable movie-goer, we bought
tickets for "Fun With Dick and Jane" and hatched a plot to hop
into Munich afterwards. I found Fun With Dick and Jane pretty
amusing. I probably enjoyed it more than the rest of America, but
whatever. We were feeling pretty confident about being able to sneak
into the next movie, but our plans were foiled when we saw a big black
guy gaurding the door. Seriously- we even created a distraction and hid
in the bathrooms for a few minutes. But like fucking Bay of Pigs, our
poorly executed plan and underestimation of the enemy forced us to buy
another set of tickets.
We've also been hanging out way too much at Tony's ridiculously FAT
APARTMENT. Check our Christine's Xanga for more pictures. This
past week it's become like our second home. After living in
squalor for the last 6 months, this place is like a black hole.
We just can't leave it. Well the place is nice but I'm sure it's
no better than average spreads in LA. In London however-
this guy is pretty much living like a king.
My favorite shameless bboy groupies/loyal Thai Square customers at Opium Club.
So I also acquired this free voucher thing from my hair salon. With the
promise of a free manicure and facial, Tine and I got suckered into
doing a photoshoot. I don't want to bore/scare you guys with the 50
million pictures, so here's a little taste. The pictures turned
out descent. Which means Christine looks beautiful and I look
fat. Yay.
 
Like a freakin JCPenny catalogue, huh?
 
Uh oh. Alright, alright getting a little crazy now.
 
WhoOOOO we are whores. Hahah.
 
Yes, we're matching. The photographer said we looked like National Lampoon's Vacation in our cheesy Ciao Bella shirts. Haha
I just stayed up until 4am so that I could watch the Superbowl. Damn, Eastern Standard Time!
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| So Monday was my 23rd biiiiirthday. I wanted it to be mellow this
year but I knew it was the only chance I'd get to celebrate it in
London. So I decided I had to do something truly LA. Korean
BBQ! It's no K-town-after-clubbing-drunk-food but it still felt
a little like home. Since I knew I was gonna end up trashed, I decided to
take everyone else down with me.
Not everyone was experienced with the art of sake bombing so I thought
it'd be a good sneak attack. You know how it is. No matter
how much beer you think your ass can handle it still creeps up on you.
My happy London family
The coolest UCLA/London kids (other than me and Tine of course )
Everyone was such a good sport. We went round after round and it
got crazy like it always does. After a fantastic meal of
Bimbimbab and Kalbi we stumbled over to the nearest bar we could find
in Soho. Turned out to be flaming gay but after the massive
rounds of sake bombs no one even noticed till two trannies tried to
pick up on Christine.
Man, this night was out of control! Check out the collective drunk eyes
Had to throw in a picture of Kelly cause she missed my birthday 
She said she had to go to a good-bye party her work was throwing.
Blah blah blah. But since she happened to be the one that they
were saying goodbye to, I guess I can forgive her.
Last Saturday my high school friend Shannon, who's working in
Switzerland, came to stay with me. We know each other from..
um... symphonic band (cough). Hahah. We spent the weekend
reminiscing and I ended up spending an hour myspacing marching band
people. Damn, I'm a loser.
This girl managed to finally drag me to the Tate Modern. I had
successfully refused everyone else up till now due to my well-known
distaste for modern art. But, since she was an old friend, I went. It
actually turned out to be pretty damn amazing. If you avert your eyes
from the nasty Picasso and Pollack you can actually catch some great
contemporary work. I loved the Dali, Worhol and many others I wasn't too schooled on but I'm excited to learn about.
After the Tate, we wandered Old Street and Camden Town. These are
some random guys we met on the tube that tried to get Lizzie drunk.
We also spent a Saturday in Oxford:
It was fun getting out of London and going to a college town.
Amanda and I are trying to look smart but actually looking confused in
front of Christ Church- home of Alice in Wonderland and Harry Potter's
great hall.
Outside of the Eagle and Child Pub- where C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien
met every Tuesday to discuss their latest novels. Oh man, the
literary nerd inside me was freaking out.
These
last couple weeks in London have actually made me kinda feel like I'm
gonna miss it. It was a fabulous birthday and hands down one of
the best nights we
had in London. I'm so grateful for good friends that are always
down for good times!
And thanks to the rest of you on the other side of the ocean for all the birthday wishes and gifts. I love you guys!
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