The Big Free-Yo (#29)

I landed in London on a cold, rainy Friday morning.  I embraced the wooziness of the red eye with a gin and tonic and a delicious lunch my Dad at the Gilbert Scott in the formidable St. Pancreas hotel, built out of the former train station.  A highlight of the lunch was asking Dad what he was doing the next day and him responding “Well we are going to the bastille day celebrations, then we are meeting back here at 6pm for your surprise birthday cocktails [pause] aaah I suppose you didn’t know that did you?  Oh no, everyone is going to shout at me.  Just act surprised”. 

The next day I met up with Dave and Sarah who surprised me with a day at the spa.  We all had body scrubs and facials, and then spent the afternoon lounging around by the pool and catching up – it was perfect.

After the spa, we met in the bar at the St. Pancreas Hotel for cocktails.  I probably did a questionable job of looking surprised.  Inexplicably a group of twelve of us managed to spend over £500 on liquor in less than an hour.  We then cabbed over to a tapas restaurant where we had the basement and a big round table to ourselves.  I t was the perfect collection of my favourite family members and friends.  A few of us didn’t know when to quit and continued on until the sun came up. 

On Sunday we headed back to Tenbury Wells where I spent the rest of the week.  The night before my actual birthday I honestly found it hard to get to sleep I was so excited and woke up at 5am hoping it was time for presents only to realize I had to sleep for a few more hours, just like when I was little!  Mum, Rosie and I had a lazy morning and did coffee and presents in bed.  We took a little jaunt to Ludlow for afternoon tea and then I went to Dad's for some more presents and the first drink of the day.  Of all the amazing gifts I recieved this has to be one of my favourites:

Mum cooked an amazing dinner at home, Dad brought up great wine and there were even fireworks!  I was exactly where I wanted to be as I welcomed in a new decade.

The week was finished off with Dad and I going to see the British Open at Lytham St Anns.  The weather cooperated, mostly I suspect because Dad bought a new umbrella, and we had a fantastic day watching the greats go around a course with the deepest, scariest bunkers I have ever seen.  After the Masters the British Open felt a little crowded, but Dad and I were mostly basking in the joy of being able to make the comparison.

As ever, time at home went by way too fast.  As I said goodbye to Mum at the airport I felt the usual urge to have a little cry.  I normally exercise mind over matter and kill the urge, but for some reason I decided to go for it and as we hugged goodbye the tears flowed.   I’m so glad I did because Mum and I shared a really sweet little moment. 

By Nicki (aged 30)

Birthday Month Begins (#29)

The birthday festivities officially kicked off this weekend.  Brian asked that I keep Saturday free as he had a day of birthday treats planned.  I resisted my natural inclination to go into detective mode and figure out exactly what he had planned, and instead just relaxed and enjoyed the surprise of it all.  We spent the day at the Ritz-Carlton Spa.  I started with an 80 minute massage and it was one of the best I’ve ever had.  Fully relaxed I stumbled upstairs to the pool which is on the 17^th floor and has amazing 360 views of the city.  I juiced up on mimosas and spent the next several hours mincing around in my robe moving from the sun lounger to the pool to the hot tub to the sauna.  Then in the evening we went for a fantastic dinner at Custom Shop which is one of my favourite Charlotte Restaurants.  We shared a charcuterie plate, an heirloom tomato and buffalo mozzarella salad, spicy tuna meatballs, and duck confit and finished it off with brioche bread pudding and caramel ice cream.  Food and company were pretty close to perfect and we probably should have called it a night, but instead we cabbed over to meet some friends at a bar.

Fast forward to Tuesday, I was returning to my office after a daily meeting and I noticed the lights were all out.  The next thing I knew everyone was shouting, confetti was flying everywhere, and tiaras and badges were being pinned on me from every direction.  The whole department had banded together to decorate my office and throw me a birthday party.  I always make sure we have cards and cakes on people’s birthdays but they really took the celebration to another level.  It made me feel really loved and really special.

I head to London tomorrow to kick off the UK leg of my birthday tour – expect Birthday post #2 later this week if I survive whatever my two debauched high school friends have planned on Saturday...

Parrot Head (#10)

My sweet friend Jenny bought me a ticket to the Jimmy Buffet concert in Charlotte to help me knock another pre-thirty experience off my list.  It was super fun and truly like no other concert I’ve ever experienced.  The fans are beyond diehard; they take the tailgating and the costumes extremely seriously and know every word to every song.  Buffet isn’t a great singer – but the hedonistic lyrics and upbeat melodies make you feel like you are on vacation at the beach.  When it comes to the Jimmy Buffet Concert experience I believe a picture counts for a thousand words – enjoy:

Pinchy (#2)

We had an amazing weekend in Maine over Memorial day weekend to check another item off my list!  We flew from Charlotte to Boston on Saturday, picked up a car and headed North.  The first stop was Ogunquit, which was recommended by one of my friends who goes to Maine every year with her family.  It was a cute coastal town and our first stop was Barnacle Billy’s for a delicious lobster roll.

After that we walked along the Marginal Way trail to a sandy the beach where we paddled in  icy cold water and enjoyed lying in the sun for a few hours.  Then we drove on up to Portland and arrived at the Portland Harbor Hotel by late afternoon.  I took a peaceful nap and then we headed out for some beers and a cheese and meat plate at Novare Res Café to kick off the night.

 

That was followed by an amazing meal at Fore Street.  We had fresh sardines, then mussels, then a pork chop.  On the way back to the hotel there was a live band in one of the bars that caught my attention and a few Jack Daniels later it was time to dance.

Sunday started with a yummy brunch at Becky’s Diner.  After that we took a drive out to the breathtaking Portland Head Lighthouse (as seen in one of my favourite Edward Hopper’s paintings).

Around lunchtime we drove further up the coast with stops at Orr’s Island for the views and Wiscasset for homemade wild blackberry ice cream. 

We arrived at the Hawthorn Inn B&B in Camden in the afternoon and then headed out to explore the town.  Our landlady aka “Nosey Nancy” wanted to be very involved in the planning of the stroll and dinner (this became a theme) but we managed to quickly escape her.  We sat on the deck of the Waterfront Restaurant watching the boats and had enjoyed some oysters in anticipation of Maine lobster in Maine. 

Pinchy the 3lb lobster was freshly steamed and dipped in hot butter. I was impressed with how much better the lobster was in Maine than I’ve had elsewhere.

On Monday we had our first (and last) breakfast prepared by Nosey Nancy.  The food she made was out of this world but the overly formal dining room and awkward forced interaction with the other guests was a pain.  After that we picked up some sandwiches and headed on a hike up Mt. Battie.  It was a hot, rocky scramble but absolutely worth it for the views at the top.

Tired but happy from the hike we read and relaxed in the serene Camden Harbor Park (which was designed by Frederick Olmsted who also designed Central Park in New York). The day ended with a pizza and a movie.

Feeling indulgent that it was my last day of vacation (and eager to avoid breakfast) I went and had a massage.  Around lunchtime we started heading back down to Boston, with a stop at Red’s Eats in Wiscasset for ONE final lobster roll.  It was an amazing long weekend and I will definitely be returning to Maine.

Exercising My Right to Vote (#11)

Politics used to be my passion.  It was what I studied at University, what I used to read about in my spare time and where I thought I’d spend my career.  Then I came to America and I was exposed to the world of business; it was faster paced, more competitive, more innovative and there was room to assume much more responsibility early on compared to a career in the public sector.  My path gradually changed and I picked up an MBA and a career in General Management at a fortune 500 company. 

Since I’ve been in the US my interest in politics has certainly waned. I feel disconnected from the goings on in the UK and EU and have never made a real connection to US politics. That is partly because I can’t vote here and partly because the political conversation too often seems to be about personal and religious matters rather than policy.  In addition, I can’t identify with the values of either major political party here.  There have been some moments I’ve felt re=inspired – for example I will never forget the excitement of the night I watched the first black President being elected and I will never forget the disgust and anger when the North Carolina’s Amendment 1 passed limiting domestic partnerships and defining marriage as something strictly between a man and a woman.

Turning 30 to me symbolizes no longer being a child.  With that in mind – I feel it is my civic responsibility to be an active participant in our democracy so I have registered to vote by proxy in UK elections.  Not to mention the fact that women like Emmeline Pankhurst dedicated their lives fighting for me, as a woman, to even have the right to vote.

The only wrinkle is that my proxy, Miss Rosie Louise Allen, is rather mischievous and has already threatened to use my vote to help the Monster Raving Looney Party rise to power…

Glamour Article: 30 Things Every Woman Should Have and Should Know by the Time She's 30

By 30, you should have:

1. One old boyfriend you can imagine going back to and one who reminds you of how far you’ve come.
2. A decent piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in your family.
3. Something perfect to wear if the employer or man of your dreams wants to see you in an hour.
4. A purse, a suitcase and an umbrella you’re not ashamed to be seen carrying.
5. A youth you’re content to move beyond.
6. A past juicy enough that you’re looking forward to retelling it in your old age.
7. The realization that you are actually going to have an old age—and some money set aside to help fund it.
8. An e-mail address, a voice mailbox and a bank account—all of which nobody has access to but you.
9. A résumé that is not even the slightest bit padded.
10. One friend who always makes you laugh and one who lets you cry.
11. A set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill and a black lace bra.
12. Something ridiculously expensive that you bought for yourself, just because you deserve it.
13. The belief that you deserve it.
14. A skin-care regimen, an exercise routine and a plan for dealing with those few other facets of life that don’t get better after 30.
15. A solid start on a satisfying career, a satisfying relationship and all those other facets of life that do get better.

By 30, you should know:

1. How to fall in love without losing yourself.
2. How you feel about having kids.
3. How to quit a job, break up with a man and confront a friend without ruining the friendship.
4. When to try harder and when to walk away.
5. How to kiss in a way that communicates perfectly what you would and wouldn’t like to happen next.
6. The names of: the secretary of state, your great-grandmother and the best tailor in town.
7. How to live alone, even if you don’t like to.
8. How to take control of your own birthday.
9. That you can’t change the length of your calves, the width of your hips or the nature of your parents.
10. That your childhood may not have been perfect, but it’s over.
11. What you would and wouldn’t do for money or love.
12. That nobody gets away with smoking, drinking, doing drugs or not flossing for very long.
13. Who you can trust, who you can’t and why you shouldn’t take it personally.
14. Not to apologize for something that isn’t your fault.
15. Why they say life begins at 30.

Read More http://www.glamour.com/magazine/2007/02/things-women-should-have-and-know-by-30?printable=true#ixzz1ws0mSQ3c

The countdown begins...

I have 3 months of my twenties left and couldn’t be more excited about the big 30!

Complete (41%)

·         Start a blog (1,253 hits from 10 different countries)

·         Run the Savannah, GA half marathon (have since run another in Nashville, TN and planning my full marathon!)

·         Take my Dad to the US Masters (best day ever)

·         Register to vote by mail

·         Be elected to the board of a non-profit organization (Dean’s Diversity Advisory Council)

·         Complete a mountaineering course (need to get up a big mountain again soon)

·         Have laser hair removal (bald as an eagle)

·         Big Brothers Big Sisters - 2 fun activities a month

·         Tour the White House

·         Move into a two bedroom apartment (Best housing decision ever: deciding to live alone.  Second best housing decision ever: spare room for visitors!)

·         Spend the day at the US Whitewater Center

·         Buy and successfully operate an i-phone (changed my life)

In process (34%)

·         Eat lobster in Maine (May with Brian)

·         Be debt free by 30 (on track-ish)

·         Get my green card (paperwork submitted and pending)

·         Go to Disneyland (June with Emily)

·         Attend a Jimmy Buffet concert (June with Jenny and Britt)

·         Climb Mount Mitchell (July)

·         Go to every museum in Charlotte (seriously behind)

·         Streak the lawn at UVA (graduation weekend – so inappropriate)

·         Attend every class at the YMCA gym once (50% complete – will step it up)

·         Plan a 30th birthday party (got the people and ideas – just need to lock down bookings)

Serious risk of not happening (24%)

·         Visit Barcelona (no time!  Will do trip at Christmas)

·         Watch a Nascar race (conflict with Darden graduation)

·         Go to Bonnaroo (conflict with Disney)

·         Read every Man Booker Prize winner since 1982 (have really embraced TV in my 29^th year.  Grey’s Vampire Diaries, Mad Men, West Wing, The Office, Modern Family)

·         Visit Joshua Tree National Park (will combine with hiking Mt. Whitney by year end)

·         Try online dating

·         See Niagara Falls (will go from Toronto in fall)