My flat

In settling into my flat this evening, I was simultaneously reminded of two unfortunate realities: (1) everything is smaller in big cities (2) everything is bigger in the U.S.

So, combine those two, and I was, um, startled by some close quarters!

It’s not exactly a studio, but I’d be curious to compare the square footage of this vs. my room at the Marriott. I immediately realized that I may not be quite as well set up for guests as I’d hoped (though there is conveniently an Accorr Hotel just down the block if Leigh Ann and I start squawking at each other!).

That trash can takes up approximately 1/2 the depth of the kitchen...

The most hilarious part is that there is a door on the kitchen, but it is totally in the way. So if you have it open you cannot open the dishwasher, but if you close it, you cannot open the freezer. And, for some reason, there is a dishwasher. Honestly, I don’t think one is going to be having dinner parties for large crowds here…but I guess you could if you really wanted to. You’d just have to say things to your guests like, “Hi, would you mind holding the trash can for a minute so I can get these pots out of the cabinet?”

Anyway, I am just being silly, it really is actually quite nice, and I feel lucky to be in such a great location. The river view is super cool, and I am directly across from the Millennium Dome at Greenwich, in case I didn’t mention that before. (However, I may have to figure out how to drag some furniture onto the little balcony.)

After I settled in, I walked to the market, which will be on the way home from work (in the fabulous underground shopping at Canary Wharf). There is an awesome store called Whiterose, which I think must be the British version of Target. (The guy from the housing agency was telling me how I could take a bus from about halfway there to a cheaper store, and I just thought, “Um, I’m sorry, I am American, there is no way I’m getting on a bus to buy groceries…Will there be someone available to drive me home in a big ol’ SUV?”) The grocery bill for a bottle of wine, a big thing of tagliarini pasta, tomato cream sauce, arugula (a.k.a. “rocket”), spinach soup, yogurts and assorted other items was about 18 pounds…less than my breakfast at the hotel on Monday morning!

Being at a grocery store in a foreign country is just bliss to me, as there are so many things I’d just love to try. I could really spend all day in there.

Oh, I must also add that they sell these nifty little canned gin and tonics, which I cannot wait to try. And, even if you can get such an item at home, you certainly cannot just pick it up at the Teeter with your pasta!