The return of Qin Shi Huang

It’s been awhile guys, winter is here and it’s time to do something with my time spent warm indoors.

Who is Qin Shi Huang?

Qin Shi Huang was the founder of the Qin dynasty and was the first emperor of a unified China. What’s the relevance here.. Chinese Brian is back!

So, in true Brian style he informs me on Friday night at 11pm that he’ll be landing from Beijing to London Heathrow 10am on Saturday morning, so let the games begin.

Before we get to a Christmas’y weekend, maybe a look at a few things that have been happening this month in London.

Revellers in Santa costumes set of through the streets as they takes part in the annual “Santacon” in central London on December 14, 2013. AFP PHOTO / JUSTIN TALLISJUSTIN TALLIS/AFP/Getty Images ORG XMIT: 2756

Well, tis the season to get smashed and invade London.

Santa Con – Because what screams Christmas more than thousands of cheery young professionals storming London on a Saturday morning, then stumble back early Sunday morning.

Well my Saturday was going to be a bar crawl anyway, so what was an extra £20 for a crappy Santa outfit!

Ended up getting my ticket bought for me which was great, but I was unable to use my phone to contact anyone I knew there by the evening. Santa says that port you left out for him really did him in!

London really has outdid itself.

It doesn’t matter where you are in London you’ll always find something to get you in the Christmas spirit.

Ask any single guy what he’s been doing in the evenings this month and he’ll reply ‘ice skating’ with a scrunched up face, then blurt out how many times he’s been followed by a sigh.

What better ice rink to spend those tinder dates at then the natural history museums in the expensive area of Kensington! (I’ve been 3 times and I can barely skate… Sigh)

So what should have I been doing since I can hardly skate.. well here are a few alternatives…

One of the many Christmas markets

Eating Cinnabon, INDOORS, it’s bloody cold.

I guess take her shopping so she can help with gifts for my mom and sister.

On the topic of gifts, we head back to Brian. I guess I got a gift myself, Brian had come back to claim something he’s worked 5 years towards, with a little written English help from yours truly.

Brian now has a masters and goes off to New York to shop/look for a career, it’s good to know I have another buddy over there when I arrive. He’s also became a partner in a gambling company in China and I’m left thinking… if Brian can achieve this… Shit… I’ve got to learn Mandarin.

See you soon buddy!

 

Photo of the author and his mate.

 

Bachelor party… Madrid

DISCLAIMER:- WHAT HAPPENS ON STAG STAYS ON THE STAG, NO JUICY GOSSIP CONTAINED IN THE BELOW

Now that we’ve taken care of that…

This has been massively delayed but I’m pretty excited to put my visit to Madrid up on this blog. I’ll be there again pretty soon, so I smell a #2 in the works.

Lets segment this and cut the talking…

Firstly, what a city…

Madrid has an interesting hole in the wall bar or old rustic tapas bar around every corner and alley way.

If you’ve ever yearned for the lifestyle where you wake up on a weekend and just sit in a beautiful cafe, catching the sun and have zero cares in the world, this is where you’ll find that feeling.

Boys pic:-

Street art!

I’ve got a thing for street art and there is no shortage here.

Easily missed, but if you take the time to look around when you wonder around Madrid, you’ll be glad you did.

Boys pic 2:-

 

Eat.. sleep.. rinse and repeat…

 

Bottle service… good call gents…

Now.. three awards that were given out…

No.1 Asking for a vegetarian pizza and getting margarita with a tin of precooked veg dumped on it. Carrots.. Peas…? Ladies and gentlemen.. the ‘I couldn’t give a fuck’ award, goes to the chef at the Irish bar we visited.

No.2 The ‘douche bag of the year’ award goes to anyone with dreadlocks. Of course this guy was found in a hostel.. and to be fair to him, I bet he cleans up with all the foreign female travelers, maybe the male ones too, looks the type..

No.3 The ‘saddest superhero’ award, goes to this overweight spiderman, that couldn’t save his lunch money from an elderly person never mind saving the world.

Boys pic 3:-

 

So again, there’s no author picture today, but.. we have two videos, enjoy!

Job update from the front lines

Well, I’ve bedded myself into this new job and there’s a lot to catch up on, apologies for the radio silence.

SanFrancisco.. well I’ve had time to digest this place and here’s my trip, my thoughts and my future plans.

Well first off, my new company is a blast, to reiterate what I said in my leaving my old job post, I wanted a company with the same kind of people, good incentives, more opportunities but less of that type of management.

Here comes the checklist; Same kind of people, CHECK! Good incentives, DOUBLE CHECK!, More opportunities, YES! and the kind of management that act as a fellow colleague and hence get the most out of you, FINALLY!

A really great bunch of people who are all very ambitious.

My old colleagues were definitely winners, I’ve no doubt in that, but our office seemed to sap away the motivation for people to want to do well. It seems to be changing somewhat now, which I’m hoping it continues to do so. UKteamFamily is not an exaggeration.

There is a clear path to success at my new company and it ignites everyone, the earnings are great and have gave me the confidence to sign off on a new house with a roof top garden. (More on that in future posts)

 

SO what are my options, well I’ve got alot to think about. We have offices dotted all over the USA, more to come in Europe and honestly I’m undecided.

If you do well they don’t want to lose you, its the simple way every company should view things. New York interests me as well as San Fran.

From stunning park walks, city cruising and random abandoned churches.. San Fran is just abit special.

The lifestyle there would suit me well.. maybe less herb would be an idea but I guess I’ll shut my mouth up about that.. as I don’t want to be the uncool one at the party ¬_¬ ha

 

Naked Cycling anyone?

So the future isn’t decided just yet, but all I know is.. wherever I plan for next… it’s going to be fun.

A video this time, of your author in an abandon Church with an Irish model..

Leaving leads to injury :(

“I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I will be sober and you will still be ugly.”

Winston Churchill

Well that’s a fitting way to start this one, a drunken quote from a great man. It’s also fitting that this man had a English father and a mother from the USA, half and half eh!?

 

Well Friday night was my leaving party (2nd) and the way I left was the way I always imagined it… that’s right, I fell down 20+ stairs and I’ve injured my arm (Tricep/Shoulder)

So after an eventful night out to see out my time at the company (I outdid myself with the drink) I end it all by deciding kissing stairs might be a nice hobby.

Nothing broke or torn thankfully but I can’t move my arm in certain directions… Great!

Gua sha (Chinese: 刮痧; pinyin: guā shā), meaning “scraping sha-bruises”, is a traditional Chinese medical treatment in which the skin is scraped to produce light bruising. Practitioners believe gua sha releases unhealthy elements from injured areas and stimulates blood flow and healing.

So I went and got scraping done today. How can I describe this to you all… It’s like someone rubbing and digging a rock into your skin for an hour… oh hey! that’s exactly what it is!

It works by irritating the layers of skin that are sore so your body sends bloody to ‘help it out’ I guess. This gets the bloody circulating properly and helps heal the affected area.

I’m hoping this will get me back to the GYM by Friday, so I can get back at it before California. (Fingers crossed)

After the scraping Derek my sports therapist applied decompression tape that lasts 7 days and will help my muscles not be so tight, again to help the blood flow.

Do I absolutely loath the mugs that got me to the point where my legs failed me…

Do I fuck! Oi oi!!!

This will be my last blog before San Fran guys, enjoy it. I’m sure I’ll have a lot to post about over there!

Stay turned for sunshine, girls in bikinis and massive food portions!

No author photo.. Saving my photos for the new post…

Moving on

Last week I signed a new contract with a new company and it’s been a bitter sweet process.

I never wanted to leave my current company, however aside from the internal reasons for moving, the office as a whole isn’t performing like it should and for my own financial future I needed to make a change.

This week is my last and I’ve got plenty of take-away from the past 1 year and 3 months.

Sir Bobby Robson – Former England international and manager of;

Ipswich F.C, England, PSV Eindhoven, Sporting Lisbon, F.C. Porto, F.C. Barcelona and Newcastle United F.C

The great man above once said “No body wins everything on their own, even Tiger Woods has a caddy”, and wasn’t he right! During the course of my time at my current place of employment I have so many people that have taught me, advised me, let me fail and in essence afforded me opportunities that made me money which in turn allowed me to enjoy my personal time more.

All good things must come to an end and as I close the door on this opportunity, I open the door to another.

So off I go, I pack my bags and I try out a new city, a new adventure with a company very similar to this one. I’m lucky in that I can take what was good about my current company, which is the level it cares for/rewards employees and marry that with the earning potential and potential lifestyle switch my new company gives me.

As I leave I take with me a whole host of new friends, some sales mistakes I can learn from and the hope that my now ‘former’ team will succeed in every aspect of their lives.

Don’t be afraid of change guys, for better or worse there is always lessons to be learn’t.

A photo of the author preparing for a tasty Mexican

Respite from words #4

So another weekend in London and it’s sunny AND hot!

Suns out guns out!

 

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Enjoy your weekends guys! If you’re in London, make the most of the sun!!!

Summer in London.. Yes please

Lets educate you lot on what summer is like for a Londoner.

I’ve been here around 5 years now and I know a thing or two!

Rule #1 – Rooftop bars are home to the most beautiful young professionals in the city. Still drinking at ground level?? Wise up! you are missing out!

Rule #2 – Shorts and boat shoes will get you everywhere in this city. With so many cultures on offer, the safe play is to ‘do as the French do’… turned up chinos, boat shoes and English it up with a fitted T-shirt. (Get to the GYM bro)

Without further or do, here are 5 top bars to go to while enjoying a perfect London summers day!

#1 Notch

Why Notch? Well…why not?

Notch takes over what was known as Roofnic. This one hasn’t lunched yet but expect fancy cocktails, light snacks, a view of oxford street and upper class/successful professionals.

Expect the cost of this bar to be higher than normal for London.

#2 Frank’s cafe

Now we’re talking!!!

Frank’s is for everyone! A heaven for Students, young professionals, family’s stopping for a drink. It’s a really nice chilled vibe, somewhere you’ll find me this summer.

Cocktails and beer is the name of the game here. The cost is average for London so it won’t empty your pockets over a long afternoon.

#3 Dalston Roof Park

Again, another hang out you’ll find me in!

This is a 4 story former factory which is now used as a popular drinking spot.. and when summer hits, this place comes alive!

Expect gigs, parties, random events, weekly movie screenings, supper clubs and even yoga!

Average cost for London

#4 Proof

I really can’t do Proof justice, so I’m quoting Timeout magazine directly for this one.

Reaching dizzy new heights of hipsterdom is Playground and Proof, a combination of street food market down below and rooftop bar up high, just off Martello Street in London Fields. Nearby Italian joint Lardo still runs a section of this roof for summer pop-up Coppa, a pretty space kitted out with fairy-light-strewn beach huts. Even though Coppa is only active for private events, it does seem a shame that Proof doesn’t occupy its own space. This new bar looks fairly minimal by comparison, but at least it’s in keeping with the Hackney aesthetic.

Do not miss out on Proof during the summer!

Expect very reasonably priced drinks and normal food market prices below the bar.

#5 Radio rooftop bar

For the last one I’ll put another expensive one in here.

For me you need to experience bars like this and Notch, however personally they will never be my regular, because I still need to be sensible with finances. I can’t fully enjoy myself If I know the next time I stand up to get a drink it will cost me £15 for a cocktail or £7 for a beer.

It is however, hard to make a case not to attend the Radio rooftop bar, as the 360 degree views of London are breathtaking. The venue itself is so classy that it makes you feel like your Bentley is waiting for you just outside.

Drinks prices are high for London, but for a one off drink during the summer, you will not be disappointed.

 

 

No photo of your beloved blogger this time.. just a great quote from Geordie shore that tickled me this morning.

Confidence not arrogance

A quick post while I have some spare time.

There’s an thin line between confidence and arrogance. Nobody enjoys being in the company of an arrogant person. Even arrogant people will admit they are disliked.

The problem is that most people have difficulty differentiating between the two. You need to exude confidence, not cockiness. So what defines a confident person? What does arrogance consist of? And most importantly, how can you be one without falling in the other’s trap?

I consider myself a confident person. I changed from shy and ‘too nice’ to confident when I started training. I was actually surprised to hear that my closest London friends were much the same as me.

Phoebe was unhappy with her weight and the GYM sparked her confidence boost and the same with Zed.

So how do you know if you’re are arrogant or how do you stop yourself from becoming arrogant.

Well for me I always try to uphold certain values in life:

• Try to forgive a little more.
• Think before making knee jerk situations.
• Remove myself from situations where I could hurt someone.
• Always be the first to offer rather then wait to receive.
• Work hard.

Vanity comes into this too… I really struggled to think about how I managed to get some of the girls I did when I was young… they were way out of my league, but it’s all confidence. Humour, humble and happiness go along way in life.

Whether it’s meeting new people, flirting, building rapport.. it all adds up and ‘WILL’ get you places in life.

Well this one was a massive ramble about a topic that was brought up in work… Hopefully you can get some sense out of it, enjoy!

 

Respite from words #3

This weekend…

Roaming around Shoreditch… Watching Batman vs Superman… Becoming the greatest ping pong player in living memory… Mountain biking with a good friend… Adam Johnson being sentenced to 6 years in prison for offences to a minor and bestiality… On site meetings that will earn my colleague a good healthy amount of cash.

 

Photo of the author walking around Canary Wharf

Where are my travels taking me?

Key –

Green circle – Where I’ve been

Orange – Where I’m going

Red – Where I want to go

Kenya in November this year.

Morocco, Egypt and South Africa (Cape Town) are on my ‘to do list’

Yep… no plans to ever head there…

Hong Kong China in April 2017 and Japan in 2018 are planned.

Thailand, Vietnam, South Korea and Malaysia (where my aunt places English teachers to teach abroad) are on my ‘to do’ list.

I have a number of friends in Australia, conveniently all around the east coast.

Gold coast where my friend Kelly lives, Sydney where Sam & Franny are working for a year. and Newcastle, just because they stole my cities name.

Been to; England (London, Cornwall, Reading, Newcastle, Sunderland, York, Sheffield, Leeds, Durham, Darlington, Bristol, Bromley, Berwick), Scotland (Edinburgh, Glasgow), Ireland (Dublin), Neatherlands (Amsterdam), Norway (Bergen), Denmark (Copenhagen), Germany (Berlin), Poland (Warsaw), Czech (Prague), Austria, Croatia, Greece (Corfu, Kavos, Malia, Zante, Mykonos, Santorini), Turkey, Italy (Venice), Switzerland, France (Paris, Lille), Spain (Gabraltar, Alicante, Benidorm, Barcelona, Girona, Mallorca, Magaluf, Tenerife, Canary islands), Portugal (Lisbon), Cyprus.

Iceland 2017, Madrid (in Spain) June, Czech Rep again, Sweden, Hungry are all planned.

Been to; Iowa, Minnesota, Chicago, Milwaukee.

Dallas (2016), Calafornia (San Fran, June) planned.

Washington, Las Vegas, Arizona and Florida (Orlando) are on my ‘to do’ list.

A pretty short one here.

Nothing planned for South America, although we have talks of a lads holiday to Mexico or Brazil.

Photo of the author traveling years ago!