Success! I have just received confirmation that as of today, I am in charge of UK development for a fascinating, international theatre company. This news is especially welcome as a perusal through yesterday's Guardian revealed that its Media & Arts jobs section has shrunk to a page. A PAGE! But, more important than any financial gain that may result from this is having once more a project to sink my teeth into and to distract me from PhD decisions, as well as a new group of interesting theatre types with whom to discuss, work and collaborate.
(Quick aside: Paul has just come into the room and begun reading over my shoulder. He points out that the company is composed of foreigners, not Brits, which may explain why I've been successful.)
This news comes on the heels of an absolutely lovely UK weekend, which began Friday with a visit to John, Sarah & Beatrice in Oxford, where the rain forbore long enough to go for a walk to a charming pub, a pleasant Easter Sunday that included a trip to St. Paul's Cathedral followed by a delicious Paul-created dinner with Andy and then a luxuriously lazy Monday, which consisted of brunch at Harlem on Westbourne Grove at 3.30 in the afternoon, the discovery of a classic black All Saints skirt at Traid for a tenner, the acquisition of inoffensive sunglasses (mine being broken), white wine in Richmond with Bran and a late-night curry at Kathmandu Inn. Who knew such bliss was possible?
I should say more of brunch, before signing off to go bask in my success for a few hours before I am confronted with the amount of work I actually need to do and begin to go a bit frantic. Harlem's schtick is American Soul Food – collard greens, corn fritters, BBQ chicken, cobb salad (!!!). We've been meaning to go there for ages, but have been repeatedly distracted by a pizza restaurant on the same block that does the most fantastic, New York style pizza I've ever had outside New York. Anyway, yesterday we finally made it. We toddled in for the Sunday brunch menu (held over for Easter Monday) at 3.30 and found ourselves sitting next to a table of late twentysomethings whose conversation was extremely eaves-dropping friendly and quite improbable. Things we learned:
- One of them, who was being messed about by some guy not worth her trouble, was a former Miss Singapore, who competed in the Miss Universe pageant.
- There is a facebook group and world-wide network of former Miss Universe contestants and whenever Miss Sing goes to a new city, she endeavors to meet up one of them.
- A serviced flat across from Selfridges costs £4000/month.
- Even if you're on the guest list for Mahiki, sometimes you still have to wait.
As we were leaving, I said to Paul that it's good to have these encounters every now and then. One thinks one is living a relatively pleasant life, full of friends, travel, yummy food and sartorial goodness, with some left over to share, and then you encounter the world of former Miss Universe contestants and begin to wonder if you've ever lived at all…
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