Face to Face with an Online Friend in London

Eeekk. I had a day out in London. On my own. But I’m a cool London chick or at least that’s the image I was trying to portray as I mooched from Victoria to Parliament Square to the Embankment uttering the mantra ‘I am not a tourist . . . I am not a tourist.’

I'm not a tourist. I'm not a tourist.

And I’m not a tourist. Even though I’m no longer living in London, I still regard myself a Londoner. Even though I’ve more years living out of London than in, (grrrrr) I’m still a Londoner. Hubby doesn’t get it. He hates London and can’t think why I still regard myself as a Londoner. Maybe that’s why. It’s inside. You can take the girl out of London . . . I get a buzz as the train pulls into London. I see excitement everywhere.  And that’s why I didn’t mind travelling up to London on my own.

 The cool London chick didn’t last long as I was busy snapping landmarks on the glorious sunny day. First was Big Ben. As I approached, it let out its first bong so I stopped, waiting to hear more. Ditzy moment alert!!! I love the bongs and being right under Big Ben at the time was exciting. But no other bongs came. Where were the bongs?  Why wasn’t there anymore bongs? I looked up at the clock. 1 pm. That explains no more bongs so I marched off.

                     

Second ‘I’m not a tourist’ mistake was taking a selfie. Oops. Do Londoners have time to take selfies as they zip around the capital? Or, as I found along the Embankment, jog around London. This obviously is where I stood out as a tourist because I wasn’t dripping in sweat, pounding the pavement whilst wearing Lycra . . .  taking selfies.

Soon, I left Joggers Row and was on The Strand, the point of my solo trip to the capital. I was meeting a friend for the first time, a friend I met online. I did toy with the idea of posting this on facebook but thought again.

However, my imagination  got the better of me as I approached the hotel, thinking about meeting a tall, dark, handsome stranger and ended up posting to that effect. And great minds think alike my friend made a comment suggesting a story here.

'This could be the blurb for your next book!' Jan Fuller

Selfie with my online friend

And into the posh hotel lobby where I recognised my online friend immediately and with rather loud and exciting squeals, we ran towards each other and hugged. I’ve known my online friend for a few years now, in the writing world so meeting her in the flesh was like meeting an old friend. And with linked arms, we hot footed it to Covent Garden and found a cute cafe (which was organic but that wasn’t important at the time but should have been) and sat outside as the weather was gorgeous. Ditzy moment alert two . . . We ordered two diet cokes from the cute waiter who reminded us it was an organic cafe. Ah. Ordering a chemical shit storm in an organic cafe wasn’t our brightest moment but hey, we just met and was beyond excited. And our non stop babbling was proof of that. And another selfie to mark the occasion in Trafalgar Square.

So does organic mean no cup handles?

And then it was over. After a few hours of non stop gossip and laughter, with the odd swear word thrown in, my friend was back at her hotel. I carried on my bimble round London as cool London chick trying not to stand out as a tourist. Which went embarrassingly wrong when I wanted to get off the bus, expecting it to stop but it didn’t. Since when do you have to press the stop button to get the bus to stop? Why doesn’t it automatically stop at a bus stop? Have I been out of London that long that buses no longer stop unless you ask it to? Maybe a Boris Bike next time. Miles out of my way I managed to get off at the next stop as another passenger pressed the bell (thank you). And it wasn’t miles. It was one stop. But you know; busy person with places to go and people to see, exaggerating at the inconvenience of a missed stop as I strode down the Kings Road to visit my aunt. Maybe I’m not so touristy after all.

                                      

I'm not a tourist she says, checking in on Facebook

                           

The Adventures of Katie Button Pt 4 J-M

J - M

Continuing with the A-Z of Katie Button, we're here at J through to M where you can have a sneak peek into Katie's life. If you want to read more, hop over to  Amazon US Amazon UK where you can buy Katie Button for 99p/99c for a limited time.

J

James and Jack, the two love interests in Katie’s life.

James and Jack are brothers who also successfully run a branding company together alongside their father, John.

Jack is the oldest and a bit of playboy. He has a naughty twinkle in his blue eyes which attracts Katie’s attention. Whisking her away on luxury mini breaks, Katie is hooked and ready for flirty fun.

James on the other hand is dull compared to James but he does bail her out a few times when Katie has a few mishaps. He is also the subject of Katie’s romantic and sexy dreams which leaves Katie blushing in his presence.

Another J is for Johanna. She is super bitch and really doesn’t warm to Katie, or anyone for that matter. Stomping over everyone to get where she wants to be, is Johanna’s strength as well as belittling Katie and Alana as part of her everyday role.

K

Kisses and Katie

There’s plenty of kissing going on in Katie’s life and dreams.

Katie

Here’s a few words readers have used to describe Katie: quirky, passionate, kooky, funny, a regular girl who could be awkward at time but who the reader could relate to. witty, compassionate and loyal. She loves chocolate, pastries and brownies. She is always writing lists, some of which, if in the wrong hands could get her into a lot of trouble. She adores shoes and boots to distraction. Oh, and she loves mojitos and cheese strings. But she’s not perfect. On the wrong side of her line manager, Johannah, Katie finds herself justifying her every move losing her confidence. She’s a bit of a daydreamer and chatterbox, thinking about Hollywood movies rather than the business in the boardroom. And she hides Heat behind her work papers; looking conscientious but far from it.

London!!!

L

Love Lust

London  

The Adventures of Katie Button is a chicklit/romance so love features heavily as well as lust. In her dreams, Katie experiences the power of love where when she wakes up, she still experiences the feeling. Lust is reserved for Jack. He’s not the man you;d take home to your mother and Katie knows this but can’t help the attraction of his playful, sexy nature.

London is the main setting of Katie Button. I love London and have lived and worked in London so it seemed natural to have this marvellous city as the backdrop to Katie’s life. However, Katie’s dreams take her further afield . . .

M

Mojitos

Mentioned earlier, Katie loves them so much, it seemed perfect for M. It’s her favourite drink; elegant, sophisticated and rather yummy! A few messy situations occur after a mojito or several . . . 

Music

There's a playlist to accompany Katie Button. Katie Button Playlist . Enjoy. x

Rum based cocktails, mojito on the left. Yummy

Bird's-eye View from the 15th Floor

This post is for Six Word Saturday where you describe your life in six words- don't you just love the little hyphen, making one word :-) .  You can then elaborate if you wish and seeing as I like words and can use thousands instead of 10 or 6, I have elaborated. I decided to share some pics from last Sunday when we had a family get together in Chelsea. I would've loved to have visited more of the places I knew so well as a child but once the photo albums come out, there's just not enough time. 

Birds-eye View from the 15th Floor

Ok, not quite a bird's-eye view but as close as you'll get without flying into Heathrow. Standing on my Aunt's balcony, last Sunday, on the 15th floor on the iconic World's End estate in Chelsea, SW10, you can see right across London. In the distance is the Wembley Arch, below, the streets of Chelsea.

I used to stand on this balcony as a child and that excitement of the view has not diminished even though the views have changed.

But one thing has never changed and that's seeing Chelsea football stadium, Stamford Bridge, from the balcony on the 15th floor.

            


Turn in another direction, you can see The Royal Albert Hall (bit blurred that one). Then in another direction, you can see across the Thames to Battersea in 'Sarrrf' London.

I love visiting London. And will never tire of it; the buzz, the noise, the excitement, and especially those places that mean so much and were a huge part of my childhood, like the 15th floor on the World's End estate.

Source

                                                    


                         http://www.showmyface.com/ hosted by Call Me Cate

#Blog Flash 2013 Day 19 City

I've written many pieces on London so not to want to bore you (again) with how fabulous the city is, I have decided to write about another city . . . . 

Any reason to go to London and I am there. I love the thrill of the city; the noise, crowds, smells and tempo. There is one city I haven’t had the pleasure of but it is on the top of my list to go to; New York. When we see pics of it on TV, I’m instantly filled with excitement and an urge to go, where as my husband sees a concrete jungle of chaos and his worst nightmare. Needless to say, when I eventually get to experience this wonderful city, I will be going without him.  J  

97 words

For more blog flash please visit http://terriglong.com/blog/

Sun Down

#Day 7 Sunset

Sun Down

As the fiery oranges, glowing reds and bright yellows of the glorious day bled away into a dull night sky, life stirred in the abandoned warehouse by the rundown riverside.  The setting of the sun was the beginning of the day for Juliana and her followers as they rose above the iconic white chimneys, ready to descend, causing chaos and anarchy in their search for the perfect fix.

 But fear made the once bustling night life of London a desolate place as Juliana swooped, searching desperately; a victim of her own success by the imposed curfew to save the innocent. . . .

 100

Day seven of the jump-on-board-for-blogflash2012-30-days-30-prompts-30-posts/ coutesey of Terri Giuliano Long. Pop along to her page The Art and Craft of Writing Creatively for wonderful tips and advice on writing and for reading the entries from wonderful writers.

Blue is the Colour #BlogFlash2012

Day 3 of the jump-on-board-for-blogflash2012-30-days-30-prompts-30-posts/ coutesey of Terri Giuliano Long. Pop along to her page The Art and Craft of Writing Creatively for wonderful tips and advice on writing and for reading the entries from wonderful writers. Today is Colour .

 I have been stumped. My first piece was deleted because Hubby didn't like so I have been thinking extremely hard and then I thought back to a wonderful time back in May when I should have blogged about it but didn't. So here is my take on colour when a certain part of London was filled with this colour and I was so proud, happy and over the moon! xxx

                                                                                                                                                                    


Day 3 Colour

'Blue is the colour!' And it certainly was in a certain part of London on 20^th May when Chelsea paraded not only the FA Cup but the Champions League Cup too. We reign supreme in Europe and made history as it was our first win!

The parade was awesome! The noise of the crowd cheering was amazingly loud! The atmosphere was electric and the air filled with songs, cheers and celery! Yes Chelsea supporters do like their celery- not to eat you understand but to throw.

I got this fab pic of Luiz

I love blue. But the Royal blue worn by Chelsea is my favourite.

Love my Football team.

100 words (captions not included in word count)