the weary traveler

so, if we were keeping score, it would look something like this: JANUARY – 100, EMILY – 0. so much for leaning slowly into this new year. twenty-four days into 2012 and i’m already ready for a break. should i be worried?!

work is insane, in the best way possible. SO much happening, and i know that one day i will look back and be thankful for this season of growth and challenge and all of that good stuff that shapes and strengthens us. but being smack in the middle of it is simply exhausting. last week i averaged 4 hours sleep / night. in one twenty-four hour period i found myself in prague, nuremberg AND london. and while that may sound fabulous and goodness, what a jet-setter! it was more like, someone, please carry me through the airport before i drop in a heap and curl into fetal position. 

ok, to be fair, i AM being a bit of a martyr. while all of the above is true, i did get to have a few lovely, inspiring, beautiful hours to play in london with my friend from work, jen. oh, how i love london. the accents, the cute little nicknames for every inanimate object (“brellies!” aka umbrella), the darling shops in covent garden. wen & i are planning on taking the chicklets to london sometime this spring/summer, so it was perfecto to get a chance to explore and plan some of our upcoming adventures.

we packed quite a bit into our limited time – we weren’t going to let tired eyeballs stand in the way of our journey through london. a few of the highlights:

J.SHEEKEY: we had a long, ‘gala’ lunch with the creative director of an agency that we work with. he took us to the “see and be seen” j.sheekey in covent garden. it was one of those 3-hour affairs with lots of food, giggles and chatter. at one point the words “barfing pixie” were used, and we laughed so hard our cheeks hurt.

MAGMA BOOKS: i died over this book shop. every corner of this tiny little gem is filled with inspiring books, images, cards. at one point i think i had about seven HEAVY, LOVELY books in my arms, and only when i remembered the unfortunately small proportions of my carry-on bag did i regretfully start putting some of the books back on the shelves. i did walk out with a few amazing books for the girls, and 1 killer book about creative branding for myself. heeeavven.

ENGLISH BACON, BABY: in america we would call this “canadian” bacon. english, canadian … potato, potahto … it’s freaking good. jen (who’s conveniently british, much to my advantage!) took me to a traditional “greasy spoon” for a traditional english breakfast. eggs & english bacon on toast … although i was slightly disgraceful as i opted for a bagel instead of toast. gotta be true to my roots, even in london. photo text to wen during b’fast: babe! check out my english breakfast! and his reply: oh, bugger! i bloody want gobs and gobs of that! so cute, my wanna-be brit.

HOTEL CHOCOLAT: i’m still dreaming of the champagne truffles. so good. so so good.

BOND STREET: i think i’ve mentioned a few times how much i’m loving our simple life in germany. these seven months away from home (and away from my saks fifth avenue discount) have literally cured me of my american consumerism. i no longer dream about handbags and shoes, and actually read books instead of using saks.com as my source of entertainment and inspiration. well, that was then. 5 minutes on bond street was enough to REIGNITE THE FLAME OF GREED and MATERIALISM. i want i want i want echoed through my brain as we wove in and out of my old friends miu miu, louis and chanel. thankfully i kept it in check and managed to escape with just one little trinket which wasn’t too damaging. jen, on the other hand, was left unchaperoned at louis vuitton, and … well, you can imagine. neil – huge apologies. i promise to stay glued to her side on future trips! 

it took every ounce of energy for jen and i to navigate the planes, trains & automobiles required to get us from london back to nuremberg (note to fellow travelers: AVOID THE FRANKFURT AIRPORT AT ALL COSTS. IT IS EVIL). as much as i love love love london, there truly is no place like home. 

especially when waiting at home are these two little chicklets. even gala lunches in covent garden can’t compare w these lovelies.

wishing you a laugh-till-your-cheeks-hurt kind of day. xo from germany.