I FOUND A GYM!

k! so are you annoyed by the lack of p hotos! sorry, but my laptop has a hard time logging on to the internet, so i use a school computer to post on this blog - and i don't feel comfy uploading my photos on here. BUT boy oh boy you have GOT to see my photos from today. so fabulous! i had plans to work all day today but got caught up with a bad influence: laila! she's a close friend of mine and we spent the day eating and shopping (with no money by the way.) stay tuned for them.

also, are you ready for the BEST thing that ever happened to me? I FOUND A GYM! it's for students, right in my neighborhood and soooo cheap! it's like 75£ for three months or 125£ for six months and no sign up fee. i can't wait to sign up next week. okay! i'll try to upload photos tomorrow.

xo, zb

STILLETO PUMPS

so thank god i wore heels today. made me feel like i belong. i am used to students rolling out in uggs, sweatpants and a longchamp bag. but the ones in london are dressed to thrill every single day. for a second this a.m i thought about wearing sneakers and instead opted for my block heel, patent leather calvin klein ankle boots. good choice. it made me feel sexyl...

today in class we talked about the history of haute couture and how it was impacted by the advent of mass clothing. dope stuff. okay, i promise more pics coming this weekend. my computer doesn't log on to internet, so makes it tough.

BACK IN BUSINESS

sooo.....i am back in london. i arrived yesterday morning around 11 a.m. i had class at 10 a.m so i pretty much missed it. instead of rushing to school, i just went straight to my dorm and slept for the rest of the day. got up in the evening to come to the computer cluster and then went back to bed. i was even late for school today....how does it feel being back? schmeh. i'm back to missing new york and my fam and my b.f all over again. but my f inancial aid counselor - and therapist, lol - says it's normal to feel this way. she says i'll warm up to the city soon enough.i hope so...

MY THANKSGIVING - LONDON STYLE

me and hampus bernhoff, a womwenswear designer who i am shadowing.

in true zandile fashion, taking notes and listening in on a critique of georgy, a menswear designer i am also shadowing.

those bags i am carrying are from, guess where? marks and spencer. i'd just bought my dinner and some water and was heading right back to the library. i made the security guard take the photo. LOLZ!

an apple pie from mcdonalds. this is really better than crack. or maybe crack manifested as a tasty treat. or maybe a cocktail of crack, heroin and arbor mist wine cooler (which i am addicted to). but i digress...this pie is really good.

me on a class assignment to discover more about the designers, 6267. i tracked down a store that sold their clothing and tried it on. looks good and feels fabulous. but at $3,000, it's a bit out of my price range.

hey guys! wow! i got so excited about my lace front weave that i just forgot about updating you on other parts of my life. my third week in london was fabulous. i am really starting to get into the groove of my life here. on days i have class i get up early, run, check email then head off to school. after that, i spend time with two saint martins designers, who i am shadowing for a project then go off to the library to work on my articles and blog for the blay report. on days i don't have class, i get up early, run, check email then head to straight to the library. it sounds nerdy. but i am enjoying myself and enjoying the steady rhythm of work and school.

i'm discovering some really cool stuff too....LIKE MCDONALDS APPLE PIE! ofcourse, i knew about this in america. but why is the one in london tastier and crispier. i think they deep fry it - so you can imagine the cholesterol filled goodness that it is. i'm working on my fitness, so i don't over indulge. but trust me, i'm tempted everyday! oh! and my love affair with marks & spencer is growing. why did the cashier there tell me yesterday that tescos is more affordable. i said, "i know. but marks & spencer is my weakness. i'll just eat less." lol! for real.

do you want to know what i bought? well, since it was thanksgiving, i decided to have myself a merry little dinner to give thanks for all my blessings. soooooo, of course, i had to buy a bottle of wine, some AMAZING rustic bread which was just baked (tasty and soft!!! omg!), cheese, cured salami and fresh salmon. ALL FOR 19 pounds - which is really $40. but still a bargain! and i got some breakies - which are smoothies with oats. mad good.

so today is friday, i have loads on my plate. i have to catch up on email, i have a meeting with a web designer for my school project and DRINKS IN THE EVENING with a wonderful woman i met two weeks ago. she's a friend of my friend laila and invited me out for drinks. can't wait. will have pictures for you. in the meantime, enjoy the ones above.

MY LOVE OF LACEFRONTS

before: looking beautiful, but still needing that extra oomph.

here it is in a flawless, natural looking and feeling, indian remy, lace front weave.

a part that shoes a natural scalp.

my side burns with baby hairs

had a fabulous weekend. still can't believe - and totally thanking god - that i'm having fun here. saturday i focused on articles all day, and then in the evening went on a "date" with my boy nicholas who lives downstairs from me. for a girl that likes to walk, it was an evening from heaven. we literally walked from bankside in southeast london , where we live, to north east and west and west west -lol. we found ourselves in hackney, shoreditch, and a bunch of other places i'm learning to know. it was pretty cool. sunday, went to church and then spent the entire rest of the day eating jerk chicken and getting my lace front wig put on. see the photos above! if you are interested in buying on, reach out to me at zandile@zandileblay.com.

UNIQLO IN LODON

a really bad shot of me and the uniqlo guy. but you get the point.

a super busy oxford road (?) where uniqlo and other major stores are located

the opening night of uniqlo's london launch was something fierce. my classmates snuck in and said the had a fabulous time. the next day, i was running errands on oxford street and bumped into a bunch of the workers outside. ofcourse, i started convo with them. and above is my picture with one of the guys. they got paid $120 a day, just to hand out uniqlo flyers. not a bad gig.

i noticed some really cool stores on that stretch as well: i forget the names now, but one sold express sushi. it was amazing. salmon roles - individually wrapped for $2. edamame $2. almost everything was $2. it was a cute concept, a really clean store and a nice way to have a healthy meal or a cheap snack.

i'll take a photo later and post.

THE BEST MEAL EVER

i only remembered to take a pic after i'd wolfed everything down. it doesn't look that savory, but trust me it was de-li-cious. (as my momma would say.)

okay with this much focus on food, doesn't it sound like i'm fixin to get fat out here? no such worries. i'm wathing what i eat like immigration watches mexicans AND i'm working out daily. but since we are on the topic, i had the best meal ever the other day. ofcourse, it was from marks and spencer! i bought whole wheat pita bread, organic hummus, and fresh scottish salmon and carrots and paired it with a sparkling bottle of spring water. SO YUM! i took a picture to share. don't worry about the presentation, just salivate over the description.