Hooray for Humans!

I re-entered the world of human beings today for a whole eight hours and returned to work at the fine establishment Ellis Brigham. I was all smiles because despite the good company of my flatmate Tom, it was sooooooo nice to see friends again. Sure, I have to zip jackets a million times and tag racks of clothing and answer phones. But it was great! I probably won't be singing this tune all the time, but working at EB has possibly been one of the best decisions I've made out here in London. I feel more at home in the store than I do at LSE and for sure, I see a lot more friendly faces. This isn't to stress that LSE is crap; it isn't. It's to stress that EB is great, at least for me (since I only work 3 days a week).

Yesterday I went out and took advantage of some winter sales that made London prices seem almost as cheap as the US. I bought myself a Christmas present or two and it felt damn good. I'm seeing a friend from high school tomorrow, which is yet another crazy example of how I see more friends passing through London than DC. Cheers.

Hipsterville

Despite crap health, I ventured out to Spitalfields with flatmate Tom today. I feel like I've been ignoring a treasure for the entire first term, because I've been eating on Brick Lane almost every week while missing the boutique-y and music shops that populate the surrounding streets. Spitalfields, apparently an abbreviation of "Hospital Fields," has hinted at being hipster paradise. I've seen many a young adult in overly tight jeans and baggy cardigans with unkempt, swept aside bangs lingering by the Ten Bells pub. But who knew it was literally an oasis for hipsters? Fair trade coffee, indie music, fixed gear bikes, and the like provide ample feeding ground.

I'm not kidding myself. I'm not super into fashion, but Spitalfields offers things I can enjoy looking at... like unique screen-printed t-shirts and cool sneakers. There's also a skate shop or two. Not only are the items interesting but it seems to be a haven for pleasant aesthetics. I've been following some graphic design blogs lately and I can definitely see a reflection of that in Spitalfields: artists that happen to use t-shirts and totes as canvases. I'll go back sometime when I'm in better health. Doctor tomorrow... again.