Posts Tagged ‘London Relocation’
Friday December 16th, 2011
Author: Colleen
Continuing on with our London Relocation version of “The Twelve Days of Christmas” to make your international relocation to London festive, the next line in the original is: “On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me three French hens.”
Please join me in now singing our London Christmas carol:
“On the third day of Christmas, London gave to me…
PRETTY FRESH HENS…”
The UK Hen Do - London Relocation Services
I don’t mean poultry, although there are often feathers involved. I’m referring to the human species of female that dolls up in crazy and/or slutty fancy dress and steps out with her bride-to-be pal and their pack of flashy kindred spirits. You probably know this best as a “bachelorette party,” but here in Britain, it’s called a “hen do.” The male bachelor party equivalent is the “stag do.” Whichever “do” you’re doin’, you can expect to do it big. They’re pretty entertaining to encounter, although I haven’t yet seen the hens outdo the stags where outrageous humiliation of the guest-of-honor is concerned. I’ve heard of a London stag do that entailed shaving half the groom’s body (half his head and one eyebrow included) and sending him passed out on a train up north to Scotland. Or slipping Viagra in the groom’s pint and having him wrestle women in bikinis in a baby pool of KY jelly. And they always entail a costume….be it a Mexican wrestler, ballerina, race car driver (“The Stag” versus “The Stig” from Top Gear), whatever, as long as it’s conducive to mooning later on (if you watch the TV documentaries Booze Britain or Boozed up Brits Abroad, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about). I’d say the ladies approach it all a bit more civilized, but the Kaiser Chiefs “Angry Mob” video implies otherwise: www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Z5kEqRFPwo.
If you’re looking for hen party ideas after your move to London, there are plenty of websites like www.henheaven.co.uk, www.gohen.com, www.hennites.co.uk, or www.thestagandhencompany.co.uk. On second thought, maybe you should just play it safe stay nestled inside your new London apartment. 
And now, to continue caroling:
“…sea turtle tanks,
and a cartridge to hunt in country.”
Tags: christmas in london, international relocation, london apartments, London Relocation, london relocation agents, london relocation companies, London Relocation Services, Moving to London, office relocation London, relocation company, relocation in london, Relocation service, rent london, twelve days of christmas
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London Language Barriers, Moving to London: Tips & Culture
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Thursday December 15th, 2011
Author: Colleen
Continuing on with our London Relocation version of “The Twelve Days of Christmas” to make your London move festive, the next line in the original is: “On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me two turtle doves.”
London sea turtles - London Relocation Services - Image by Getty Images via @daylife
Please join me in now singing our London Christmas carol:
“On the second day of Christmas, London gave to me…
SEA TURTLE TANKS…”
If you’re relocating to London with a family, the SEA LIFE London Aquarium is a must-”sea” for certain! Located across the river from Westminster and right next door to the famous London Eye, London’s aquarium featured in a scene between Julia Roberts and Clive Owen in the film Closer and with good reason—it is visually stunning with its massive tanks that span an entire wall. Sea turtles mellow out there along with twelve species of sharks and five hundred species of fish and other marine life; it’s one of Europe’s largest collections, in fact. If you’re making your international relocation in time for the holidays and moving to London with kids in particular, take them to see Father Fishmas in his icy grotto. 
Afterwards, you can stroll further down the South Bank to visit its Christmas market and carousel.
And now, to continue caroling:
“…and a cartridge to hunt in country.”
Tags: christmas in london, international relocation, london apartments, London Relocation, london relocation agents, london relocation companies, London Relocation Services, Moving to London, office relocation London, relocation company, relocation in london, Relocation service, rent london, twelve days of christmas
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Moving to London: London Sightseeing, Moving to London: Tips & Culture
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Wednesday December 14th, 2011
Author: Colleen
If you’re relocating to London in time for the holidays, there’s no end of merriment available here to keep your spirits bright. As for me, I’m jingling all the way home from London to Chicago today for the holidays! This is my fourth time doing so since moving to London in 2008.
As you search for your London apartment with your London Relocation agent and work to get settled in, these upcoming days will no doubt be busy for all of us, so I thought I’d keep things in the holiday spirit by “singing” a Christmas carol to you—because it’s back for a second year, baby! London Relocation‘s very own “The Twelve Days of Christmas“! Let me preface by explaining that, yes, I know the original song represents the days between Christmas and the Epiphany on 6 January. For our purposes here, though, it’ll serve more as an expat countdown, from now until Christmas Day.
To review the original verse: “On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me a partridge in a pear tree.”
Image by Getty Images via @daylife
And now for mine *ahem*:
“On the first day of Christmas, London gave to me…
a CARTRIDGE to hunt in country…”
* * *
As in gun cartridge. (Festive isn’t it?) It isn’t a custom relegated to royalty or the past—the traditional images that British hunting evoke of foxes and hounds are certainly still going strong today. It’s true, however, that fox hunting has become controversial in the UK, and killing foxes with dogs is illegal as of a few years ago. Hunters are still allowed, though, to exercise their hounds and use them for tracking scents and flushing foxes out of hiding places. Fox hunting in particular is part of the Boxing Day tradition, which is coming up the day after Christmas. Apparently in Britain, “hunting” typically refers to this type of hunting with hounds for fox, hare, or stag, whereas those using guns are called “shooters” or “guns,” not hunters. Hunting for game or fowl here serves many purposes, be it pest control, providing food, or good ol’ camaraderie. You might picture old gentlemen of the Gosford Park variety heading out into the rolling hills beyond their grand estates, but it’s something quite a few younger folks and those of modest means partake in as an excuse for getting up with the dawn and taking in some fresh air, bonding, and definitely day-drinking. It’s no stereotype to do so in your tweeds, Wellies, and Barbour jacket, and if it’s a formal shoot, a collar and tie are essential. To shoot in Britain, it’s advised that you join the British Association for Shooting and Conservation. And if you’re not feeling partial to hunting animals, per se, but are keen to wield a shotgun, try clay-pigeon shooting! (I discussed my experience doing so last year in my post, “Plot, Sikhs, & Two Smoking Barrels“). It’s all in the spirit of British tradition and getting outside your London apartment rental for some rural adventure.
Tags: christmas in london, international relocation, london apartments, London Relocation, london relocation agents, london relocation companies, London Relocation Services, Moving to London, office relocation London, relocation company, relocation in london, Relocation service, rent london, twelve days of christmas
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Moving to London: Tips & Culture
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Tuesday December 13th, 2011
Author: Colleen
2011 was a year of global media attention for London - London Relocation Services - Image via Wikipedia
If you haven’t yet confirmed when you’re moving to London, you missed quite an eventful year here. 2011 was certainly a year that channeled global attention toward the UK. We had the Royal Wedding, of course, in spring, when Prince William and Kate Middleton exchanged their vows and ushered in a modern era for Britain’s royalty. It wasn’t all festive pomp and circumstance, however. July saw Murdoch take a cream pie to the face while on trial for News of the World‘s flagrant abuse of privacy, and soon after was the passing of London’s own Amy Winehouse, giving silence to an incredibly talented and unique voice. In the wake of last year’s student protests over tuition, London’s streets experienced yet more controversy and violence as looters rioted in August. And, following “Occupy Wall Street”‘s lead, protesters have been camping out in front of St. Paul’s Cathedral since autumn. Prime Minister David Cameron also shocked the world (and his own coalition partner) when he used his veto to block a revised EU treaty as the euro stares down potential demise.
It’s no question it’s been a rocky year for the entire world, but I promise you the experience of living in London hasn’t felt all gloom and doom if you’re planning an international relocation in 2012. Morale is still good here overall, and with the city’s constant events and thriving shops and venues, you’d never know there was a global recession going on. “Keep Calm and Carry On” was Britain’s motto during WWII; a country that has seen much devastation in its history knows how to keep perspective and chin-up through thick and thin. And the New Year holds much promise as London prepares to re-enter the world’s center stage as host to the 2012 Summer Olympic Games! June will also see the major celebration of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee recognizing her 60 years of reign. Where will YOU be when London yet again consumes the media? Hopefully on your way here or already settled into your London apartment—contact a London Relocation agent to start your bright new year TODAY!
Tags: Amy Winehouse, international relocation, Kate Middleton, london apartments, London Relocation, london relocation agents, london relocation companies, London Relocation Services, Moving to London, office relocation London, relocation company, relocation in london, Relocation service, rent london
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Relocation to London
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Monday December 12th, 2011
Author: Colleen
Researching UK visa solicitors - London Relocation Services - Image via Wikipedia
If you’re seeking to make an international relocation to London, the first thing you’ll need to make it happen is your UK visa. Easier said than done, right? Yet the effort is not only worth it but imperative. Without your visa, you will not be permitted to live, work, or study in the United Kingdom, dashing any dreams of moving to London. And while our London Relocation agents can do a lot of the work for you in finding where to rent London apartments, negotiating rent and lease terms, referring you to utility service providers, and assisting with other aspects of settling in, the London Relocation company itself unfortunately can’t assist with your visa process—other than to answer general questions on which visa you likely need (Tier 2 is most common for professionals, Tier 4 for students), how to contact the UK Border Agency, etc.
So, do your research and keep patient with the time it may take. It’s also in your interest to inquire with service providers specializing in UK visa applications. If you simply Google the phrase “UK visa solicitors,” a number come up that you may be able to initially inquire with online and ask them to call or email you back. A few of such are listed below:
www.rlegal.com
m.legalcentre.org
www.globalvisas.com/countries/uk_immigration.html
www.ukmigrationlawyers.co.uk
www.sunrisesolicitors.co.uk
www.pklaw.co.uk
www.mulberryfinch.com
Contact a few solicitors and gauge which ones seem most responsive and helpful. Ask around for recommendations from friends or colleagues who have already made the London move. If you’re relocating to London for a job transfer, your employer’s HR will likely automatically assist you in the process or designate a third party to do so. Otherwise, if you aren’t transferring but your employer does bring over employees from outside the UK, it’s worth asking HR what services they use to get UK visas for those expatriates’ London jobs. It never hurts to ask, right? Especially when what’s on the line is your relocation to London—make it happen!
Tags: international relocation, london apartments, London Relocation, london relocation agents, london relocation companies, London Relocation Services, Moving to London, office relocation London, relocation company, relocation in london, Relocation service, rent london, UK Border Agency, Work permit
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Moving to London: Tips & Culture, Relocating to UK: Visas, Banking, & Other Logisitical Issues
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Saturday December 10th, 2011
Author: Colleen
Find old-school, Old World elegance at The Gilbert Scott - London Relocation Services
Moving to London is a dream come true when you realize that some of the world’s greatest treasures are right in your backyard. Yesterday, I started chronicling the history of one such treasure that is among the most beloved of structures in London, St. Pancras (see “Moving to London – The Preservation of St. Pancras (Part 1)“). Whatever neighborhood your London Relocation agent takes you to for searching for London apartment rentals, you’ll likely end up close to a tube station that can ultimately connect you to Kings Cross, a major hub of Underground and Overground rail transport. Well, Kings Cross is right next door to St. Pancras, so you can access its international rail station for high-speed UK trains or the Eurostar to Paris via a pedway. This classy and enormous brick rail station also houses dozens upon dozens of places to eat, drink, and shop. I, however, simply love to visit St. Pancras for its atmospheric Renaissance Hotel.
Originally the Midland Grand Hotel from the 1870s to 1935, today’s Renaissance owes both its internal and external stately grandeur to designer Sir George Gilbert Scott. He went out of his way to allow as much natural light in as possible by giving the rooms large windows, Gothic fanlights above the doors, and arched stairwells. Arguably the grandest staircase in England is the aptly named, “Grand Staircase.” (Tip: take the elevator to the third floor to get an amazing vantage of the staircase from above and walk down the steps from there to really feel like royalty!) This stairwell and the hallways are notably wide to allow for two women in wide dresses to pass through side-by-side. And when you gaze upward at the vaulted ceilings throughout this impressive structure, it’s no wonder that Scott had helped to design hundreds of Britain’s churches and cathedrals.
Among the lavish Victorian decor are intricately painted ceilings, grand fireplaces, carved stone, and limestone and granite pillars. This site has hosted the likes of Johnnie Walker (yes, as in the Scotch), Commodore Vanderbilt, inventor/industrialist George Pullman, and Jesse Boot (as in the Boots pharmacy stores found on every high street today—for Americans moving to London, Boots is the UK equivalent of Walgreens). Places where you can sit and take in the wondrous eye candy are the hotel’s sweeping lobby (furnished with seating where you can order a beverage), the Booking Office Bar (serving Victorian cocktails, light bites and meals and with direct access to the international rail platforms), and The Gilbert Scott restaurant and bar.
The Gilbert Scott restaurant is run by celebrity chef Marcus Wareing and exists in the space of the original exotic Coffee Room. The Bar at The Gilbert Scott occupies the former original entrance to the Midland Grand Hotel where one of the first revolving doors was ever installed in the UK (provided by the actual inventor of the revolving door, Theophilus Van Kannel, in 1899). This is where I hung out Thursday night with fellow expats who moved to London from the US, and in addition to a fine wine and cocktail selection, we were enchanted by the colorful patterns painted on the ceiling and large-scale bell chandeliers. It truly transports you into a glamorous, romantic past, and I cannot recommend it highly enough for a pleasurable day or evening out after your relocation to London.
Tags: international relocation, london apartments, London Relocation, london relocation agents, london relocation companies, London Relocation Services, Moving to London, office relocation London, relocation company, relocation in london, Relocation service, Renaissance Hotel, rent london, St Pancras railway station
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London, England History, Moving to London: Tips & Culture
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Friday December 9th, 2011
Author: Colleen
The romantic Victorian facade of St. Pancras - London Relocation Services - Image via Wikipedia
When you make a relocation to London, you don’t merely live inside your London apartment—you dwell in the city’s very history. There aren’t many London locations that don’t have an interesting history attached; I’m reminded of this every day and was last night in particular when I met fellow American expats for cocktails at the St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel. Housed in the same structure as the St. Pancras International rail station (this is where you catch the Eurostar to Paris and UK high-speed rail services), the hotel is situated conveniently next door to Kings Cross Station and just a block from the British Library, where I love to visit the manuscript room and gawk at Charlotte Brontë’s original, handwritten Jane Eyre, among other fascinating literary treasures.
St. Pancras rail station was designed by William Barlow in 1863, and construction began in 1866. The building’s most distinctive feature is its red brick Gothic Revival facade, which was designed for a competition in 1865 that called for a 150-bed hotel that would “add lustre” to the rail station. Before it was the Renaissance Hotel, it was the Midland Grand Hotel, which was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott (after whom the present restaurant and cocktail lounge is named) and constructed from 1868-1876. All stone and brick used in its construction came from England’s Midlands.
The hotel only lasted until 1935, however; it proved too expensive to maintain, and the building’s solid foundations prevented plumbing routes that would allow for modern en suite bathrooms at the time. At this point, the facility was used as railway offices. During both WWI and WWII, St. Pancras played a significant role: it was a meeting point for troops and used to transport soldiers as well as evacuate children out of London to the countryside. The station itself was bombed during the London Blitz (three times in one month, in fact), but the strong structure remained relatively unscathed, and the railway was brought back into working order; .
Despite this history and the intricate grandeur of its facade, I’m horrified to discover that St. Pancras was nearly demolished by the British in the 1960s. The idea was to re-route St. 
Pancras’s trains to the neighboring Kings Cross and build an office tower in its place. The fact that we can still enjoy the station and hotel to this day is attributed to the public outcry in 1966. Euston Station had already undergone such a hideous makeover in 1962, which helped fan the flames of protest against it happening again. The poet Sir John Betjeman was a notable figure in its preservation, and a bronze statue of him stands in the station today. (Among other artistic artifacts to be found in the station are sculptor Paul Day’s nine-foot bronze statue “The Meeting Place” and the re-constructed St. Pancras Clock at the apex of the Barlow shed.)
Join me next time for more historical and architectural tidbits on St. Pancras to further your appreciation of this London gem and hopefully encourage you to visit it as a guest, diner, or traveler when you make your international relocation to London.
Tags: Eurostar, George Gilbert Scott, international relocation, london apartments, London Relocation, london relocation agents, london relocation companies, London Relocation Services, Moving to London, office relocation London, relocation company, relocation in london, Relocation service, rent london, St Pancras railway station
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London, England History, Moving to London: Tips & Culture
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Thursday December 8th, 2011
Author: Colleen
Travel registration for Americans relocating to London UK - London Relocation Services - Image via Wikipedia
If you’re making a relocation to London, you’ve already got enough to think about, surely, but safety should be a #1 priority at all times. When it comes to searching for London apartments to rent, your London Relocation agent will only show you properties in safe neighborhoods so that your every day can feel secure. When it comes to all those fabulous international trips you’ll be taking after your London move, you should likewise take care via travel registration.
I was just having lunch yesterday with a fellow expat who moved to London from the US, and she educated me on the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). STEP is a service provided by the US Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs. If you’re an American citizen, by registering online, you can submit the details of your upcoming international trips so that, in case of emergency, the US government can provide you with assistance. The service also provides routine information from the London US Embassy for Americans moving to London. You can enroll and submit your travel details at the following site: https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/ui/
More often than not, your trip should go smoothly. But the fact that there are any chances of illness, accidents, crime, terrorism, natural disaster, financial difficulties, or civil unrest while you’re traveling abroad (or perhaps occurring at home and loved ones need to contact you) warrants travel registration so the US Department of State can find you and assist. At the time of applying for help if in need, you will need to have evidence of your US citizenship via your passport or birth certificate—online registration through STEP alone does not prove your citizenship to the government.
If you’re an American relocating to London to live for a while, you will register as a “Long-Term Traveler.” This then allows you to provide the address of your London apartment rental and receive local embassy/consulate information in addition to your foreign travels. Use this address as your “Personal Information Address” if, following your London relocation, you will no longer have a US address. If, on the other hand, you will be maintaining a permanent US address as many American expats moving to London only temporarily often do, you would instead register that US address as your Personal Information Address and list your London apartment address as “Long-Term Trip Address.”
If, on the other hand, you only want travel information for any given trip, you don’t have to register—relevant information (like travel advisories, announcements, and consular information sheets) can be found at http://travel.state.gov.
Sorry to add another item to your lengthy international relocation checklist, but it’s worthwhile for your safety’s sake if you’re an American moving to London and want peace of mind while living and traveling abroad.
Tags: international relocation, london apartments, London Relocation, london relocation agents, london relocation companies, London Relocation Services, Moving to London, office relocation London, relocation company, relocation in london, Relocation service, rent london
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Americans Moving to London, Moving to London: Tips & Culture, Relocating to UK: Visas, Banking, & Other Logisitical Issues
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Wednesday December 7th, 2011
Author: Colleen
Embracing change for an international relocation to London - London Relocation Services
First of all, if you’re making an international relocation to London and excited for the useful goodies in store at the London Relocation agency’s new website, sorry that I got your hopes up for Monday. The new site obviously hasn’t launched yet, and all I can say is *fingers crossed* it will by the end of the week.
In the meantime, if you’re like many expats I know, you might be blogging about your international relocation experience. Check out our London expat blogroll at our London Living social network for a sampling of several expats who made the London move, blogged about it, and continue to blog about their experiences living abroad. It’s a great means of sorting through all the factors involved in an international move, cheering for your steps forward in the process and perhaps cursing at unexpected steps back. And once you’ve moved to London, you’ll want to chronicle your adventures here!
At any rate, a big part of the expat blog is not only about embracing adventure but embracing change. Change is inevitable; change is what helps us grow. Change also is intimidating and might not seem for the best at first. We all approach it differently; some of us are more adaptable than others, and some of us have different expectations of what change will mean. And change can have a funny way of surprising us with what it really has in store.
In celebration of embracing change, then, I’ve joined the virtual book launch for author Cherie Colyer‘s debut novel, Embrace. Here are the details from her author blog:
To celebrate the release of Embrace
I’m throwing a Virtual Launch Party and I’m inviting everyone to come!
Will you join me?
When: December 20, 2011
Where: On Your Blog
What: A celebration of the release of EMBRACE
And did I mention there will be prizes?
Here’s How to Join the Party (pick one!):
1) Write your own post about embracing change.
Share a story like the ones above about embracing change. It can be something small, like a new hair style that helped you feel like a whole new person to something big like a new job or moving away from home for the first time. I’m hoping these posts will brighten everyone’s day as they get ready for the holidays.
2) Hop around the virtual party and just hang out.
Sounds fun, doesn’t it? And it sounds terribly appropriate to me as a topic for us folks who have or are going to make the relocation to London. If you’re in the process of it, your life is definitely about to change—so join me here on December 20th as I share my personal story of how my London relocation prompted me to embrace change. And, even better, take Cherie Colyer up on Option #1 up there: WRITE YOUR OWN POST ABOUT EMBRACING CHANGE on your blog. You can sign up here: www.embracenovels.com
If you don’t have a blog but would like to share your relocation experience with everyone here, you can also submit it to me as a guest post for the London Relocation blog at colleen[AT]londonrelocation[DOT]co[DOT]uk.
Tags: author cherie colyer, embrace novel, international relocation, london apartments, London Relocation, london relocation agents, london relocation companies, London Relocation Services, Moving to London, office relocation London, relocation company, relocation in london, Relocation service, rent london
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'London Literacy' - our poet's corner!, Moving to London: Tips & Culture, Relocation to London
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Tuesday December 6th, 2011
Author: Colleen
Shopping for classic London gifts and fashion - London Relocation Services - Image via Wikipedia
Ever since moving to London from the US three years ago, Facebook has been an essential connection to friends and family back home. It has even reunited me with people of the past I would’ve never seen otherwise simply because it made them aware I now live in London, and London is a hub of business and pleasure travel that seems to bring everyone here at some point (see my post, “This is Your London Life” to see what I mean). In any case, I just received a Facebook message from a high school friend informing me that her husband is in London on business this week. She wanted my advice on any London “must haves” that he could bring back for her—aside from the usual tea and biscuits, she’s thinking fashion accessories. Well, tastes can vary, and I’m admittedly not expert enough to exhaust quintessential London items, but from my brief expat experience, here’s what I suggested beyond the usual souvenir stores…
First of all, it was funny she should mention tea and biscuits because, honestly, the first thing that popped into my mind was digestive biscuits! Milk or dark chocolate. McVities are all right (found anywhere), but Marks & Spencer’s brand at their Simply Food grocers are my personal favorite. And if you’re in the City centre and keen to buy tea, I recommend the original Twinings shop where Fleet Street turns into the Strand (just across the street from the Royal Courts of Justice)—it dates back to 1706 and has a massive selection.
But to get more into her line of thinking…my favorite department store here is Liberty of London. Just walking through it is an experience, filled with pretty fabrics, designer clothing, and vintage-inspired this-n-thats for gifts (like teacups, etc.) and home furnishings. They’re famous for their fabric prints and sell all sorts of items featuring them like cosmetic cases, tea towels, blouses, Wellies, and whatnot. As other department stores go, the major ones here are Harrods, Harvey Nichols, and Selfridges; Harrods has a floor selling self-stamped gifty items but otherwise, like the other stores, more or less sells the same designer brands you’d find at home. Top British designers, though, include Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood, Stella McCartney, and Paul Smith. Mulberry and Aspinal of London offer luxury handbags, and Cath Kidston has cute vintage, kinda kitschy stuff. For men, Charles Tyrwhitt—along with the previously mentioned Paul Smith and Aspinol—is nice for business wear and accessories.
Portobello Road in Notting Hill is always a cute spot for finding really good deals on trendy little dresses and accessories in both the boutiques and street stalls. It’s not high-end stuff but fun. There’s a shop there where I’ve bought bags for every female in my family—it’s called Oi! and sells handmade fabric purses in different shapes and sizes with an eclectic mix of patterns that always changes. Also in Notting Hill is a string of really posh boutiques along Westbourne Grove selling higher end clothes, boots, etc.—particularly within the first couple blocks east of Portobello. On the corner of Portobello and Westbourne Grove, actually, is another favorite store of mine, All Saints, but as of recently it’s now in New York and Chicago, too, so maybe not as unique to London anymore. They’re stuff is cool, though, so worth checking out if you’re still in the States!
So that was my off-the-top-of-my-head two pence on the topic. I of course look forward to shopping more in London to get better acquainted with its other “must haves,” but in the meantime the above locales make for great gift ideas for when you’ve made your international relocation to London and want to treat those at home or yourself!
Tags: best places to shop in london, international relocation, london apartments, London Relocation, london relocation agents, london relocation companies, London Relocation Services, Moving to London, office relocation London, relocation company, relocation in london, Relocation service, rent london, shopping in london, where to shop in london
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Relocation to London, Shopping in London Places
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Saturday December 3rd, 2011
Author: Colleen
London Relocation's new website will feature a London Neighborhood Guide to aid your London move - Image via Wikipedia
If you’re moving to London, I’ve been mentioning for a while now that the London Relocation agency is redesigning its website. Well, it seems the looong wait might at last be coming to an end, and we can’t wait to share the results with you (heck, I can’t wait to see them myself!).
The NEW London Relocation website is tentatively scheduled to launch this Monday, 5 December.
We reeeaallly hope you like it. The aim is to provide a more user-friendly resource that comprehensively covers what London Relocation‘s services are all about and who our team of expatriates really is. There’s no shyster standing behind the curtain boasting to be the Great and Powerful Oz. We put ourselves right out there for you to get to know, and it’s no facade that London Relocation is indeed the great and powerful wizard of London lettings for those making an international relocation to London or simply moving within the city (which, as any Londoner can tell you, is not necessarily all that simple even when you know the lay of the land).
In any case, this website has given me opportunity to contribute in new ways beyond the blog. In the new website, I’ll still be blogging on London lifestyle and tips, but I’ll also be splitting my time between that and updating our new “Expat Chat” page with logistical advice for international relocation (I’ve kick-started it so far with things to consider in general as well as with regard to choosing a London neighborhood and relocating a pet to the UK…but stay tuned, as there’s tons more to come!). I’ve written the new website’s other pages as well and a London neighborhood guide that will be available for you to download as a PDF when you complete one of our online web forms. And apologies in advance that you’ll be stuck with my mug in our new London Relocation promotional video outlining how this unique relocation service works.
Beyond that, we’re psyched about London Relocation’s new logo and look! And there will be video testimonials to accompany our written client feedback; we’ll also speak to how the London Relocation agency‘s services cater to your personal needs whether you’re relocating to London as a professional, student, or family. And we’ll have a frequently asked questions feature that will hopefully check off some question marks prompted by your London move and what London Relocation can do for you.
When it comes down it, winning Re:locate Magazine‘s 2010/11 Rising Star in Relocation Award this year hasn’t gone to our heads—it’s only motivated us to work even harder and better to bring our clients first-rate relocation services. And as expatriates who have moved to London ourselves, we bring a lot of empathy to the table; we’re personable and accessible, and we hope the new website conveys that to you. Fingers crossed that we can all see it Monday! And in the meantime, the London Relocation agents are available to you every day of the week to tailor their expertise toward your London move.
Tags: international relocation, london apartments, London Relocation, london relocation agents, london relocation companies, London Relocation Services, Moving to London, office relocation London, relocation company, relocation in london, Relocation service, rent london
Posted in:
International Relocation, London Relocation & What People Say About Us, London Relocation Agent
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Wednesday November 30th, 2011
Author: Colleen
Mmm...turducken...A little something to whet your appetite for your relocation to London - London Relocation Services - Image via Wikipedia
Sorry for my ghetto title if you’re making an international relocation to London and simply looking for some helpful information for that. Well, I still can’t promise that you’re going to get that in this particular post (please utilize our search tool to find good stuff on London apartments, London neighborhoods, why using a London Relocation agent is so imperative, how to prepare for a London move, etc.), but there’s a topic that I’ve been itching to write about since Thanksgiving, and while I know this is belated, I’m slap-happy today, quite frankly.
Why? Well, allow me to derail the London Relocation Blog to selfishly announce that today I became a NaNoWriMo winner—wooHOO!! NaNoWriMo is a portmanteau for “National Novel Writing Month.” You know from my London Literacy category on this blog that I’m a literary dork who taught high school English before relocating to London from the US, and since then I’ve indulged my passions for reading and writing in London by working freelance as a fiction editor and writing for the London Relocation agency‘s blog and upcoming new website. Well, I also do a lot of fiction writing, and this year was my virgin NaNoWriMo experience, and I was panicked because I’d started the challenge to write 50,000 words of a novel in only one month twelve days late, and, and…as of this afternoon, I did it. And I think I actually managed to not write a bunch of absolute crap. Yay.
So, in case I lost you at “portmanteau,” that’s a single word that is made of two or more words—similar to the aforementioned “NaNoWriMo,” though the term is probably more intended for words like “smog” that derive from “smoke” and “fog.” Anyway, it’s also like what the media loves to do these days with celebrity couples: Bennifer, Brangelina, etc. *barf*
But sometimes the portmanteau is pretty darn fun. As in the case of what I’ve been dying to write about for a week: Turducken, the portmanteau for turkey + duck + chicken. As in stuffing one right inside the other like Russian dolls. All right, now I had never heard of it, but I do now understand that this has become a known novelty in the States for Thanksgiving. But it’s a relatively recent novelty for us Yankees compared to its centuries-old tradition in Europe. In the UK, the concept of a multi-bird dish is probably most well-known in the form of the historic Yorkshire Christmas Pie. According to Hannah Glasse’s classic recipe in Art of Cookery:
“First make a good standing crust, let the wall and bottom be very thick; bone a turkey, a goose, a fowl, a partridge, and a pidgeon.”
The end result looked like a massive meat pie and weighed several dozen pounds. (If interested in reading more about the history of Britain’s meat pies, see my previous post, “Move to London and Eat Yer Humble Pie“). The turducken, then, is not a far stretch for the Brits to consider as a holiday meal, and I’m already seeing pre-made frozen versions of it advertised by the Iceland grocery store by the name “three bird roast” (http://youtu.be/okCvRGrm0E8). Apparently, another common form of the three-bird roast is duck stuffed with chicken stuffed with pigeon. And there are some folks out in Devon who really go nuts and up the ante by doing it with at least a dozen—this article is four years old, but reports on their TWELVE-bird roast and ambitions to go for twenty-one the following year…I could not find documentation on whether they did this, but figure the BBC would’ve known if so. Anyway, here’s the link: http://news.bbc.co.uk.
And if you’re still not grasping just how fun a portmanteau can be, how do ya like this: a vendor at London’s famed Borough Market near London Bridge is selling a variation on the turducken with four different birds. It consists of a goose, pheasant, duck, and chicken…which renders it a “Gophucken.” *blush* (Don’t get it? Try saying it out loud and remember the “ph” = “f”-sound rule from your early reading days. And if you’re offended, blame your own dirty mind and not the London Relocation agency. I’m only reporting on a multi-bird roast, after all; what’s your damage?).
So. If I haven’t made you gag by now with this heart-attack on a platter (I know—I already had you dry-heaving back at “Brangelina”; I’m with ya), here’s to trying new foods as you move to a new country. The turducken might not be regarded as distinctly British, but they seem a lot more open-minded to this sort of thing around here; they still indulge the fruit cake for Christmas, if that’s any indication. A friend of mind is already laboring over this weeks-long process, so perhaps I’ll blog about that next if you’re moving to London, England in time for the holidays and interested in traditional British Christmas fare.
Tags: Buying agent, international relocation, london apartments, London Relocation, london relocation agents, london relocation companies, London Relocation Services, Moving to London, NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month, office relocation London, relocation company, relocation in london, Relocation service, rent london
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Americans Moving to London, London Food & Beverage, Relocation to London
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Wednesday October 26th, 2011
The mother of all clocks will be changing this Sunday from BST to GMT, so make sure yours is, too! - London Relocation Services - Image via Wikipedia
Author: Colleen
I remember years ago, well before my relocation to London, I was visiting the city with my sister as a tourist. It was spring, and our watches were set to US Central Standard Time (CST), so we absolutely would’ve missed our return flight had the receptionist at our hostel not happened to mention that morning that the UK’s clocks had just changed overnight. Gah! Thank goodness for that bit of small talk!
We hadn’t even considered a time change simply because clocks weren’t changing at that same time in the US. The discrepancies between Daylight Savings Time changes across different countries is a good thing for you to note, then. Yes, when you’ve moved to London, you’ll hopefully be in the know when you hear everyone talking about it days in advance, but it’s also worthwhile to take advantage of any windows in which the time difference between London and home is shorter.
For instance, the clocks sprang forward in spring this year on March 13th in the States and on March 27th in the UK. So, for two weeks, instead of recognizing a six-hour difference between London and Chicago (where my family lives), there were only five. This may not seem like a big deal to you, but once you relocate to London and start making long-distance phone/Skype calls or conducting business, perhaps, with your home office, an hour is everything. I have monthly conference calls usually scheduled at 8pm CST that I can never Skype into because that’s 2am here in London! Yet when it was 1am in March, that somehow was a lot more feasible.
In any case, even our Virgin Media TV guide has been reminding us this week that the UK clocks change this weekend on October 30th; the program schedule displays “BST” (British Summer Time) after each half-hour, just as a noticeable heads-up that those times will convert to GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) soon enough. The US’s clocks, on the other hand, won’t be falling back an hour until November 6th.
If Daylight Savings in general leaves you scratching your head like I am right now (actually, I’m just frowning and shaking my head in annoyance, despite being thrilled to catch an additional hour of sleep soon), here’s a useful history of BST and time changes provided by the National Maritime Museum, which is situated in the part of London where time begins, Greenwich: www.nmm.ac.uk. See also my previous blog post, “Moving to London: Time Will Tell…But Can YOU Tell the Time?” for other factlets about UK time.
In the meantime, the clock is ticking closer to your London relocation, so get your gears turning and start preparing—ready or not, here you come! Oh, but let’s not be silly…of COURSE you’ll be ready, because your London Relocation agent‘s help in finding a London apartment fast is putting time back on your side!
Tags: British Summer Time, Greenwich Mean Time, international relocation, London Relocation, london relocation agents, london relocation companies, London Relocation Services, Moving to London, office relocation London, relocation company, relocation in london, relocation jobs London, relocation to london, relocation uk
Posted in:
Americans Moving to London, Relocation to London
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Wednesday October 26th, 2011
Relocation to London – You Don't Have To Do Everything - Image via Wikipedia
Your relocation to London means that you are going to be living in one of the world’s biggest and busiest cities. You are probably moving to London as part of an international relocation jobs program and you are going to be on the go as soon as you touch down. You do not want to waste your precious weekends with grocery shopping and cleaning; not while you have all of London to explore. Consider getting some domestic help to make sure that your free time is free to enjoy the city after your international relocation.
Hire a Charlady to help out at home
Some people may consider employing a part time domestic employee
or ‘char’ as they are sometimes known in the UK, as slightly extravagant. I think it is a worthwhile investment and it will save you masses of time on cleaning your London flat. Employing a cleaner once a week or even once a month will help save your weekends for items that are more important; like relaxing and exploring your new city. The first few weeks of your London adventure should not be spent cleaning windows.
Make sure you check references before you hire a cleaning person; your best bet is to ask around your building or neighbourhood for a standard price range. Prices range from about £10 per hour for a minimum of two hours per day. Even if it’s just to handle the laundry or some ironing, hiring help will give you the time you need to explore the city after you arrive.
You can ask your London relocation agents to recommend a good cleaning service when you arrive and even get your place thoroughly cleaned before you start unpacking your crates and boxes after they arrive. Having a bit of help just after you arrive will be well worth the price. Once you are sorted out you can dispense with domestic help, but as a stranger in a new city, getting all the help you can could make the difference between a stressful relocation to London and a successful one.
Tags: England, international relocation, London, London Relocation, Moving to London, relocation jobs, relocation to london, things to know about london
Posted in:
Americans Moving to London, International Relocation, Relocation to London
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Saturday October 15th, 2011
Author: Colleen
Moving to London from the US isn’t by any means going to cause the same culture shock as moving to a country with a vastly different language and culture, but it isn’t exactly in your backyard either. There will be changes to adjust to, and you must remain open-minded and accepting of those changes. Otherwise, there’s no real point in travelling any further than that backyard of yours. Honestly.
But speaking as an American expat living in London, I wasn’t overwhelmed so much as annoyed by the differences to which I had to adapt, including figuring out the London property market, where to shop in London for our necessities, how to get our US appliances to work with UK voltage, and so on and so forth. You notice such differences after first relocating to London, but you really notice them when you visit home after living in London for a while. I’d mentioned last week that I’m presently in the States for a family DisneyWorld vacation; I’ve also gotten to spend a little time in Chicago and a lot of time on the road driving through Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida. This vacation has accentuated the differences in landscape and climate within the US and between the US and UK—the UK is fairly uniform with its rolling green hills and relatively cooler, damper weather, whereas on this trip a couple days’ drive took us from fields of corn to pecans to cotton to orange groves, and then onward into the warm swampland of Florida. And, being October, it was also a journey from brittle leaves burning red and orange to their exotic, lush and green counterparts.
It’s wide open land that you do see so much of in the UK as well, yet, since moving to London, it never ceases to surprise me how much of England’s population still squeezes into the small living spaces of its cities and villages. A small home is typically expected of urban living, but even when you travel outside, London’s suburbs are still filled with little duplexes and its countryside with small-scale cottages. Clearly, the mentality there has not been to take up space just because it’s there, whereas in the US, Manifest Destiny has not only expanded our nation’s territory, but enlarged its homes, autos, and stores as well. Seeing the superstores of the US like Target and Walmart, I can’t help but salivate over the extensive inventories and selection to be had. The one-stop shopping was always something I looked on with disdain as part of our country’s excesses, and yet, my God, is it convenient! I could do without the enormous portions of food served here, but, make no mistake about it, when you’re moving from the US to London, you are venturing where your dollar doesn’t stretch nearly as far…bid adieu to free refills, wide lanes, huge vehicles, large parking lots, drive-thrus, stores that carry everything you’re looking for, etc., etc….Nonetheless, you certainly see what you can live without and begin to live a more streamlined, efficient way of life that is less about the stuff and more about the experience.
At our Tennessee hotel last night, I watched a couple episodes of Househunters International, and I had to laugh at how the realtors in the respective countries said the same thing our London Relocation agents tell our clients in order to manage expectations appropriately. I watched how a Dallas, Texas woman’s face fell when told her $1,000/month budget wasn’t going to go far in Paris, particularly not in the district where she wanted to live just because it was located near the Eiffel Tower. An Iowa woman with two dogs was likewise daunted by the small (or nonexistent) yards, stairs, and narrow and slanting spaces of homes in central Amsterdam. Well, if you’re relocating to London or another popular world city and looking to live in the heart of it, obviously you’re going to have to pay more for less—these places are in demand! As your London Relocation agent will explain, if you want more for your money, you have to live less central and commute. Contrary to what you see on TV and in the movies, London apartment rentals don’t all have a view of Big Ben, not any more than all Parisians live near the Eiffel Tower! And even the typical middle-class American home is huge compared to the houses Europeans are accustomed to living in both in the city and out in the country, so even venturing out of London won’t necessarily deliver you the equivalent of your existing home.
As these ladies of Househunters International had to remind themselves repeatedly, the sacrifices in property they were about to make were all part of the trade-off of having an enriching international experience. It takes work assimilating to a new lifestyle, but weigh your reasons for relocating and accept that you can’t have it all, yet keep faith that what you’ll gain from what you’ll lose will be worth it. We expats all come into the international relocation situation quite naive—like the aforementioned individuals, I was no exception, and trust me, you won’t be either. But this is how we grow, and it’s healthy to be kept on our toes. A little moaning and groaning is inevitable, but those are growing pains that will subside. Just have a good chat with your London Relocation agent, and you’ll be educated on the optimal options for a London apartment and neighbourhood that’ll become the home-base of your new London life.
Tags: Buying agent, international relocation, London Relocation, london relocation agents, London Relocation Services, Moving to London, relocation in london, relocation to london, relocation uk
Posted in:
Americans Moving to London, Moving to London: Tips & Culture, Relocation to London
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