Come Dine with Me...

is a British television show where four strangers get together, cook each other a three course meal and judge the dinner all in hopes for the £1000 prize! Well, it wont be televised nor is there a cash prize, but three of my friends from work and I are all getting together to do our own Come Dine with Me and I kick off the event tonight! Since much of British "cuisine" (if you can call it that) is meat and potatoes, I thought I'd broaden their palettes and go for some things I experienced in the southern states of the US. Corn bread with roasted rep pepper and artichoke dip to start, Louisiana Jambalaya as the main course, and key lime cake to finish off! All of my preparation was done last night, including dessert and the dip, and tonight I just have to put it together. I'm really excited and hopefully setting the bar high for my friends! The only downfall to this situation is the fact that I'm booting the boys out and banishing them to the pub or elsewhere whilst the girls take over the flat! A bit rude perhaps - however, I will make it up to them and do a fantastic meal for them on Sunday - three courses and all! I do appreciate their cooperation by agreeing to not sit beside us and play Xbox while we eat...! These dinners are spaced out over the next few weeks and I will let you all know who comes out victorious!

Last Saturday I went dress shopping. If you can call it that. Obviously I have never been, so I don't know the protocol - especially in a big city. So many of the places said "you need an appointment" (said with a snobby, posh English accent). Needless to say, I only ended up trying on a few dresses at the big department stores. However, it has helped me weed out the things I don't want! For fun I tried on a £15,000 Vera Wang dress and Jimmie Choo shoes (£££). I looked ridiculous. The dress looked like an over decorated cupcake! Terrible. It had to have weighed at least 45lbs as well! I did take a few pictures but to be honest they are not great. NONE of the dresses fit me. Most sample dresses are UK Size 10 - Can size 6-ish. They were all too big so it was really hard to get the right idea. I could be complaining about worse things, however. I have an appointment at a place on Friday after school so hopefully that narrows things down a bit more. I am realizing I may have to leave London and check other smaller places to get a dress in my budget as well! Holy camoli they are expensive...

In other news - I've taken the plunge and joined facebook. It has proved pretty handy I suppose and is not stopping me from blogging. Partly because I can't be bothered to change my status or make notes about what I am up to... it's just too much. I haven't used my full name because I don't want the most random of people looking me up - so anyone reading this blog is more than welcome to be my facebook friend! Look for Amy Louise if you are interested! I think I have 50 friends and I know each and every person - so I'd like to keep it that way.

We have rebooked our Ireland trip for our February Break so I am really looking forward to it! If it snows - I might lose my mind!

Work is busier than ever - I've taken on more clubs and other things around school so I'm constantly running around. Literally - this morning at 630am I was off for early morning running club at a nearby track with 18 keen students. It's really an excellent start to the day however difficult to get out of bed! I'm also going swimming with a year 2 group on Mondays so I'm getting in some extra exercise on top of my regular business. I also have two art clubs after school. I'm definitely earning my pay I think, but I don't think I'd have it any other way.

I hope you are all doing well getting through the cold month of January - I do not envy your minus whatever temperatures. I've become a wuss but I don't mind!

All my love,
Amy