Author:  Colleen

The Rising Star and the rest of his London Relocation constellation. (From left to right: Ryan, Colleen, Mat, and Anthony)

Have just returned to the UK and my cozy London apartment rental today and am not only delighted at how tidy my husband has kept it while I’ve been away , but at viewing updates from Re:locate Magazine for the recent Re:locate Awards! We’re still giddy and pinching ourselves over Anthony Gallo winning the Rising Star in Relocation award in May, and I’d like to share with you a little of what the judges said, as quoted from Re:locate‘s website:

Rising Star in Relocation is designed to encourage and recognise the emerging talent and exceptional abilities of an individual within any sector of the relocation industry. The winner is likely to be making a positive impact in their relocation role already and becoming an influential player as their career continues to progress.

The judges were pleased to see a number of international entries in this category.

Winner Anthony Gallo owns and runs London Relocation Ltd. The judges described this entry as “outstanding”, and considered the entry statement, in particular, “excellent”. They commended Anthony for the high degree of innovation he had shown in building his business.

“It’s people like Anthony and the previous winners of this award who inspire the rest of us,” said Karen Counterman, of sponsor Roomservice by CORT. “Nothing stays the same in this industry; there are always new challenges on the horizon. There are many talented and innovative individuals who inject passion and hard work into our industry. We believe the rising stars of today will be the leaders of tomorrow.”

On behalf of Anthony and the London Relocation team, thank you, judges! Receiving your recognition has been an honor for us all, and we aspire to ride this momentum and continue providing quality service to those moving to London and in need of a London flat to rent. More than that, through our particular empathy for the London expat’s plight, we aim to provide peace of mind and the right start to maintaining a high standard of happy living in London.

Author:  Colleen

It’s true! London Relocation won last night at the Re:locate Awards!!! Or I should say its founding owner, Anthony Gallo, did as the 2010/11 Rising Star in Relocation. Ever since being shortlisted and now following  his win, however, Anthony will be the first to insist that he accepted that pretty award last night on behalf of the entire London Relocation team. During his acceptance speech (after first apologizing to the predominantly UK/EU crowd last night that he’s a Yank), Anthony pointed to our table with his props to the staff that has helped bring his vision into fruition and will continue doing so as the business evolves.

As I said in my post yesterday, even getting shortlisted was a huge honor for the company, and attending the Gala Awards Dinner last night was like London Relocation getting to step out at its debutante ball for a proper introduction into relocation society. We have officially come of age.

The Gala Awards Dinner was held at the Institute of Directors in London’s Pall Mall, which provided an opulent setting for mixing and mingling among peers. In addition to the excitement of receiving the Rising Star in Relocation award (sponsored this year by Roomservice by CORT), it was a pleasure speaking with other industry professionals, including Alison Van Dalen, one of this year’s judges who chairs ARP, the Association of Relocation Professionals, an organization of which London Relocation has been a proud member. Fine folks indeed across the relocation spectrum, from home-search agents to HR representatives to freight companies. A lot of logistical pieces fit into the international relocation puzzle, so it was valuable to establish new relationships and discuss possibilities for vertical referrals. And celebrity guest speaker Floella Benjamin (pictured) set a positive tone for collaboration with her compelling relocation experiences, charitable endeavors, and utterly charming singing voice as she encouraged us all to “Smile.”

On top of all this, it was simply quite fun to see my boys looking all dashing in their tuxedos and toasting champagne to our teamwork. There was a nice energy all around last night as fruits of labors were recognized and a sense of community established, and we had so much fun with it that we’re left with aching heads today as souvenirs to accompany that trophy. But we’re still smiling.

Author:  Colleen

Tonight is an exciting night, folks, for a London relocation agency that is aptly named, “London Relocation.”

Why? Because tonight is the Re:locate Awards 2010/11 Gala Awards Dinner. Go ahead, check out that link and take a peak under the “Rising Star in Relocation” category…that’s right, London Relocation’s own Anthony Gallo has been shortlisted!!! I’ll be stepping out with my colleagues tonight in our formal wear for a fine evening among relocation/global mobility professionals. Let the nail-biting commence…

To have made the shortlist is in itself an honor. It shows London Relocation is respected among its peers in this industry and has proven itself an effective solution for those relocating to London who need to rent London apartments. It shows that London Relocation is more than just a flat-search service, though; there’s an intangible quality of friendly and outgoing customer service and a genuine  understanding of the London expat’s plight, which motivates London Relocation’s staff to go above and beyond the call of duty to advise and assist prospects and clients alike with their logistical needs, as well as lend an ear to the more emotional ones—hey, no one said relocating internationally is easy, and it can take its toll on the transferee as well as trailing spouses, partners, and other family. And Anthony Gallo is the man that has made this happen.

I’ll share with you an excerpt from Anthony’s nomination:

“An American expat who relocated to London himself, Anthony (“AJ”) Gallo empathises first-hand with the stressors of moving into unfamiliar territory. He learned the hard way, and applies his knowledge of London’s culture, property, and logistics (and how such operate differently from clients’ home markets) to in turn alleviate others’ stress. Most key in achieving this end is London Relocation’s one-day property-placement approach. For international transferees who need to hit the ground running in their overseas assignments, Anthony’s service strategy spares both time and money in the client’s interest and promotes a streamlined business model of efficiency and personable service through simplicity.”

Regardless of this evening’s outcome, we’ll raise our glasses in toast to all present who work each day to assist individuals and families moving to London or elsewhere on the globe. It’s all in the spirit of being a supportive community that helps others succeed in their endeavors, whether they’re moving internationally for a job or the mind-opening experience of it all. This is the role Anthony Gallo has carved out for London Relocation, so hopefully this rising star can one day help you soar toward your London goals as well.

Global disparities in purchasing power - determining your cost of living adjustment. Image via Wikipedia

Author:  Colleen

A family moving to London from the US just inquired on our London Living social network about UK salary comparisons. The husband has received a London job offer, and he and his wife want to know if the salary figure will accommodate London’s cost of living for a family of three children.

This is an excellent question!

And I had no idea how to answer it!

So I turned to my hubby to see if he had two pence he could share on the topic, and this is what he had to share… It seems finding a source for directly comparing salaries within a given field at a given level may not be as straightforward as a Google search, but perhaps you could try. Otherwise, reports published on such could cost a few thousand dollars. (Ouch, really??). But says hubby:

“A big question will be their housing (whether their firm will cover or not), as that will probably dictate most of their cost of living. A fair gauge is to consider the COLA (cost of living adjustment – some websites have information on comparing this) between where they are currently in the US and London. Roughly, this probably means converting a US salary into GBP (so multiply that USD number by roughly 0.625), and then add an additional 40% COLA (could be less of a difference if they are currently in NY or SF). So, for example, a person currently making $250k would probably want to ensure their total comp is roughly £220k to safely match their lifestyle.”

Such an estimate based on current income doesn’t account for extraordinary circumstances, of course, that could come into play, like having to continue paying mortgage on a house back home or going from a dual-income household to a single-income one (at least temporarily) as a result of the relocation, and the like. Much depends on your individual situation that no cut-and-dry answer here could help with.

And as it is, there’s no cut-and-dry answer to be found here anyway. What I can suggest to you, though, as quickie online references if you’re trying to determine how much money you’d need to make to support yourself and/or a family in London are the following links as a start:

Cost of Living Comparison Between Two Countries at Numbeo.com – Offers a free comparison of COL between any countries you select from its down-drop menus. What it will spit back is a comprehensive chart comparing line items of standard living costs right down to what it costs for a liter of milk.

Cost of Living Calculator at Numbeo.com – Allows you to input your specific origination and destination countries, as well as monthly disposable income to determine your degree of purchasing power in another city/country. As an advanced option, you can opt to manually input cost estimates (such as meals and beverages) in your home city to obtain a more precise comparison.

International Cost of Living Calculator at SalaryExpert.com – Offers a similar function to the above, allegedly for free, but requires from the getgo that you manually input estimates for home city variables like rent, food, etc.

Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) Calculator at Xpatulator.com – For a price ($99), you can obtain a report on how much of an allowance you’ll require above and beyond your current salary to cover a higher cost of living. Other services available are the Salary Purchasing Power Parity (SPPP) Calculator and Cost of Living Index (COLI) Calculator.

You can also look into results of Mercer’s Cost of Living survey for last year as a rough idea of how an upcoming international relocation could bode: www.finfacts.ie/costofliving.

Speaking from an anecdotal perspective, if you’ll be earning a salary in GBP, the expense of day-to-day products and services in GBP is essentially relative—housing is going to be the real kicker if you’re unable to negotiate an expat package that obligates your employer to pay for such. In general, bear in mind that as London is one of the more expensive cities of the world to live in, it’s not enough to have procured a UK visa and London job. Be sure you’ll be able to compensate for a different cost of living (most certainly higher if you’re moving to London from the US—though, as stated above, not so different if you’re moving from New York or California) to make your London move feasible.

Image via Wikipedia

Author:  Colleen

A London move or visit can whisk you away to any number of London neighborhoods, and this week with my friend in town, we decided to navigate the posher side of London.

An errand took us to Fulham Road first, so from there we cut over on Old Church Street (where I read that Kate Middleton lived with her sister Pippa) to get to the King’s Road in Chelsea. My Los Angeles friend was surprised by how much more American she considered that area to be—larger stores and wider sidewalk space perhaps giving that effect, as well as stores popular in the States like Anthropologie and Banana Republic. Walking eastward, we popped into the Chelsea Farmers Market for a cold sorbet—pear with bits of chocolate, their special flavor commemorating the Royal Wedding—because it was a hot as heckfire day in London!

Continuing on past the Partridges store loved by so many American expats living in London because of its American food imports like Kraft Mac-n-Cheese, we soon arrived in Sloane Square where the Peter Jones department store (selling the John Lewis brand) stands prominently aside Tiffany’s and the usual assortment of high street shops. I reminisced about how integral Peter Jones had been when my husband and I first relocated to London and needed to supplement our half-furnished London apartment with this-and-that. Anyway, cutting up Sloane Street, we walked several blocks of what reminded my friend of Rodeo Drive in LA. Passing by Dior, Valentino, Gucci, and the like, we knew that with the increasing opulence of the retailers, buildings, and people the infamous Harrods had to be near. And there it was, glistening in the sun on Knighstbridge with its city-block scale and signature awnings striking an impressive pose.

We spent a long time in there.

Now, to tackle Harrods, you probably should have some sort of game plan if you want to make it out alive. One of my peeves with this store is that they don’t have a full-store directory at the Egyptian escalators, so unless you already know the lay of the land beforehand, you’ll be stuck riding all the way up to see what’s where. It is also difficult to see every department in this gargantuan place, so it helps to refine your interests—we opted for hats and pets. The millinery section is gorgeous in all its colorful, feathered whimsy, especially fun after seeing all the hats on display at the Royal Wedding. (Less fun are Harrod’s prices, so unless you really are willing to spend £2,000 on a hat, you might consider a less expensive “fascinator” at Accessorize) And yes, you did hear me say “pets”—Harrods has its own pet shop, along with an entire department of accessories for your diva doggies and couture kitties. And as a timely FYI, an extensive Harrods gift shop has now opened where you can buy assorted souvenirs bearing the store’s logo, and the ground-level perfumery is currently promoting the latest Hermes fragrance, Un Jardin sur le Toit, which is exclusive to Harrods for a few weeks.

And then there was the food. Harrods surely has the most upscale food court you could find—don’t hesitate to plop yourself on a stool at one of its food bars as we certainly did. Our choice was the jamon iberico station, where they had a delightful special of thin ham slices on bread with a glass of Spanish sherry for only £8. My friend ordered that, while I had the carmelized onions and Manchego cheese on flatbread—exquisite! The staff there was incredibly hospitable as well, and it was from the master carver that we learned how this year, for the first time in several, jamon iberico will be imported to the United States from Spain again. Originally facing an embargo due its curing process not being compatible with US standards, there are now US-certified suppliers who are allowed to send this meat over—the pork shoulder has already made its way back across the pond since it only takes one year or so to be cured, but the jamon (the hind leg) requires three years, so this year is the soonest the certified meat can make it over. American chefs must be thrilled, and my foodie friend was psyched to get to taste it here in London first!

As our reward for such hard work strolling around and window-shopping (how do we get through it…), we rounded the bend of Hyde Park Corner from Knightsbridge to treat ourselves to some classic and phenomenally mixed martinis at London’s renowned luxury hotel, The Dorchester, which is celebrating its 80th year. The martinis start at £16, but they’re worth sacrificing dinner for. Aside from that price-tag, this all amounted to an inexpensive day in London’s ritziest district, so even if you can’t afford to live there after your London move, you can still experience it in style.

Moving to London and understanding its royal symbolism - Image via Wikipedia

Author:  Colleen

As an American living in London, I understand the fascination with the monarchy, as it’s simply something we don’t have in the States. I guess our revolution kinda made a point that that would be the case, which is why I found the recent royal wedding obsession so ironic.

At any rate, on previous visits and even soon after relocating to London from the US, I’d always assumed that as long as a flag was waving from a royal palace, it meant the sovereign was present. Well, I was wrong. And I don’t think I’m alone, so I think it’s worth explaining this aspect of the British monarchy. You see, the other day this week when my friend and I had visited Buckingham Palace, I noticed that instead of the usual Union Jack flag that I’ve seen there and at Windsor Castle, the colorful Royal Standard was flapping in the breezes. That is the cue that the Queen is in residence; the Union Jack is raised when she is not.

The Royal Standard is pictured above. Its four quadrants (or “quarterings”) represent the United Kingdom as such:

• England is symbolized by the three lions passant (horizontal) against the red background.
• Scotland is symbolized by the lion rampant (on its hind legs) against the yellow background.
• Ireland is symbolized by the harp against the blue background.

In Scotland, the standard portrays two Scottish quarterings and only one English quartering. Wales is not represented in the standard given that it was already recognized as a principality via the Prince of Wales title.

Britain’s Royal Standard flies not only from royal palaces, but on Victoria Tower (when the Queen is present at Parliament), the Queen’s car, airplane, and yacht, as well as any other building the Queen is visiting if its owner so decides. And unlike the Union Jack, the Royal Standard is never flown at half mast.

The Queen also has her own personal flag, pictured to the left. Whereas the Royal Standard represents the United Kingdom in addition to its sovereign, a personal flag represents the presence of only its particular sovereign and cannot be flown by anyone other than him or her.

There’s a lot of symbolism that you’ll encounter after your London move, much of which is a part of English heraldry that expats in London are likely unfamiliar with. Your experience as a London expat in the UK will develop an important personal symbolism of its own, though, as you establish your new residential identity and freedoms—so set some high “standards” for yourself and let your unique colors fly!

Folks, I’ve got a plane to catch to Chicago, but wanted to pop in and give any French expats or visitors in London the heads-up that Bastille Day (the French Independence Day on 14 July) is being celebrated in London’s Battersea Park this Sunday, 11 July!

Please consult this link for more details, and a happy Bastille Day in advance!  http://www.bastilledaylondon.com

London Living's main page

Our London Living social network has shocked us in becoming a successful online community in just three weeks since its inception!  Present and future expats have already been asking relocation or other London-related questions and sharing quality responses amongst each other on our online discussion forums (topics including where to live and where to play), and some members (including myself) have already started meeting each other in person at local cafes—I’m meeting with another fabulous “Londonista” tonight, in fact, to co-plan our first London Living social outing, scheduled now for Saturday, February 20th.  The specific venue is to be determined, but Londonistas on the forum have chosen the neighborhood of Camden by popular demand–seems to be a locale everyone is curious about getting to know better, as one always hears of the active and diverse night-life to be had there.

When you join London Living, you will be able to create and maintain your own personal profile page where other Londonistas can post comments directly on the page or send private messages to your Inbox (very much like Facebook, but this profile can be specific to your London life).  You can post your lovely photos in and around London, announce local events to members, and add any number of other applications to your profile.  The main page also contains live feeds of our London Relocation Ltd. blog and Twitter tweets, so it’s like one-stop-shoppin’ for all your London curiosities!

Joining London Living in no way obligates you to use London Relocation Ltd.‘s services.  The creation and maintenance of this social network is simply another way in which we wish to help out folks moving to London from the U.S., Canada, or any other nation on the globe outside of England—as well as those already living here who are in the process of settling in, or are settled and simply want to meet new friends and find cool new stuff to do around here!  If there are any questions we at London Relocation Ltd. can’t answer, there’s surely someone on London Living who can.

Cheers to you and your new life across the pond–plan it, live it, and love it!