Friday 4 September 2009

Journey to the centre of the earth

For various reasons I am not working in central London at the moment- still in London and it's still lovely but not in the centre.

The move back might be soon and it's got me thinking about the good and bad things about that.

Bad things- getting up earlier and getting home later, public transport issues, the other people on the public transport, the cost- both for travel and inevitable increase in spending on food and sundries I am tempted by at the shops- and especially the station (a magazine here, a whole new wardrobe there)

Good things- proper coffee roasting and ready at early o’clock in huge cups that don’t spill all over my hands, that feeling you get as you cross the Thames however many times you do it, shopping at lunchtime, spending less on the internet, being able to justify those magazine purchases

6 comments:

The Daily Connoisseur said...

It sounds like the good things far out weigh the bad... getting that feeling walking across the Thames is something all of us are envious of! xo

Tania said...

I know what you mean. I've worked central, and not, and somewhere in between. Now I'm 'in-between', which means that I can't shop for anything much because I only get a half-hour lunch break, and the shops are too far. But I shop on the net instead, so I still spend too much!
The good parts are: less of a commute, not having to use the tube at all, and a bracing 15-minute walk twice a day. Bad: if I want a decent lunch I have to pack it myself, there's really nowhere to go at lunchtime.
As for coffee, I have bought a one-cup coffee-filter thingie from Whittards. If I buy coffee at the station, it's nearly cold by the time I've done that 15-minute walk to the office! ;-)

Rose said...

Hi Daily- it's true, that feeling is priceless.

Hi Tania- I will need to investigate the coffee thingy from Whittards it sounds excellent. I moan about the fact there are so many coffee chain shops everywhere but then I moan when there isn't one near work- I should make my mind up!

Jayne said...

I've worked in and around London Fields, Oxford St, Notting Hill, London Bridge, High St Kensington and am now enjoying the pleasures of Harrow. Everywhere I have worked has ups and downs - the worst was probably Notting Hill as it was tricky to get to the office and had too many expensive temptations everywhere. The best is probably, and surprisingly, where I am now - I would never have thought that until I took this job, either!

Tania said...

Rose,
it's made by Boden but I'm pretty sure I bought it in Whittards. Or possibly Debenhams. ;-) Whatever, it's very handy, and has pretty much paid for itself already. I don't need to go to coffee shops any more (which keeps me away from the temptation of muffins and chocolate croissants, too - win/win!) All I do is pick out a nice ground coffee, and I'm set for a week or two.

Rose said...

Hi Jayne- interesting, I've worked all over south and central but not really North- so that's interesting it's your best yet. I always think Farringdon and Liverpool St areas seem fun when visiting friends. My best yet is Victoria St/ St James' Park I think. A nice mixture of offices, eccentrics, aristocrats and tramps- Scotland Yard for safety and the parks for when it all got too much!

Hi Tania- ooh thanks, I do love a Boden product! and I like to support Whittards. Still I fear there is something quite addictive about the cardboard take away cup in the morning. Do I just buy into the marketing that makes me feel special if I have a take away coffee? yes probably.