7-15-06 Flat Specs

Hello Everyone,
I wanted to tell you all about Oxford because I can’t hold it in any longer. I found a flat in Summertown, it is the posh, upper east side, Jewish jappy, Rittenhouse and Society Hill section of Oxford. But it's actually underground hip and cool and not snobby. The professors and doctors live here. It is the place to go if you are a local. My flat is in a small courtyard with other flats. It has a private entrance and has one bedroom, a kitchen, a living room, a purple hallway, and a bathroom. The bathroom has a tub and shower and its bigger than any other I've seen here. In the kitchen there is a washer and dryer combo, where its one porthole for both. Weird right? Also, the floors are cobalt blue and blood red with no carpet, kinda reminds me of IKEA or a kid's playground floor. There is also lots of closet space including a mirrored closet in my bedroom. It is a second floor flat with lots of windows over looking the greenery surrounding it. It’s on Woodstock Road. Next door is one of the 5 best restaurants in Oxford, called The Lemon Tree. Check out their website, www.thelemontreeoxford.co.uk It has a huge outside beer garden/bar/lounge. My flat overlooks this outdoors part, but it is still far away enough not to catch the noise. There is also a HUGE park across the street with a swimming pool and tennis courts. And the bus stop is very close by.
If you turn the corner to South Parade Street, it gets even better. There is a vintage independent DVD movie rental store called Videosyncratic. Also a wine tasting café, a Chinese restaurant, a Mama Mia’s pizza restaurant, an art gallery, a couple more awesome restaurants and vintage clothing stores, a public library, an elementary/primary boarding school, another wine store, dry cleaners, a Bang and Olefson store, a pet society and shelter, and the Oxford vintage guitar store. SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE!
If you think that is awesome, then you turn the corner again and you are on the main street called Banbury which is absolutely amazing!!!! Everything you need is on this street, there are two supermarkets, a Blockbuster video, BBC Oxford, a gourmet deli, all the realtors, a paint your own ceramics shop, lots of bookstores, clothing stores, salons, a jazz café called Joe’s with a giant painting of Mary J. Blidge’s lips on the wall, a pub with a beer garden, a greek restaurant, Indian restaurant, Lebanese restaurant, a bicycle shop, and tons more of unbelievable shops. It will take me the entire year to explore it all.
You will have to see it to believe it! It is very surreal to have found a spot that is this good and actually exists and that I can actually afford. This area of Summertown is a ten minute bus ride which passes all of the Oxford University Science and Engineering Building and all of their residences.
Originally, I came to Oxford on a day trip with my study abroad summer class in 2001. The Oxford I saw then was busy and crowded. Well, I have now found that there are tons of areas outside the main center that are actually better. It's funny that I am moving to the suburb of Oxford when you all know how much I hate Philadelphia's suburbs.
Today, my mum and I went to see another area of Oxford called Jericho. It is THE most expensive place to live. We went to one of the best pubs I've ever been to called Jude the Obscure. It has movie posters as wallpaper on the wall. Scareface, La Dolce Vita, Wizard of Oz, Fight Club, Clockwork Orange, Dirt Harry, Godfather... It was neat! They also collected beer coasters and I told the manager that I'd have to bring him one of mine to nail in the wall, and he said YES!
So, I will live in Summertown Oxford and will go to school in Headington Oxford www.brookes.ac.uk and let's not forget, Oxford city centre is one of the best cities in the world. My mom says I hit pay dirt, whatever that is.... I say I'm the golden child.
Well, anyway this flat is amazing, the town is amazing and I want everyone to come see it to believe it. :)
I will be sending pictures on Monday or Tuesday because I have another viewing to see the flat and I'll take better pictures.
Be home on Tuesday, Cheers and Ciao
Love, Sammy xoxo