The Healing Process & Busta Rhymes

A huge lump of ginger. Photograph courtesy from global-b2b-network

When I was younger, my dad used to make me ginger tea when I was sickly. Dad would chop up lots of ginger, boil it in water and give it to me to drink. It was the grossest thing ever and made me want to throw up. I never did drink a full cup as I’d pretend to sip, wait until it was cold then feed it to the plants when dad left the room.

Even now, anything with ginger in it I won't go near. On the rare occasions it sneaks into a meal I’m about to munch, it takes me back to that feeling when I was younger and being sickly.

But sometimes things change...

With only a matter of weeks to go until I start off the Fashion Week’s with my NY Fashion Week debut, I caught a cold! My thing to get better from illness is to rest, laugh, deny I'm actually sick along with eating and drinking loads of healthy stuff (well mostly healthy). I was never into going to a doctor unless it is for something major and I absolutely need one. Especially my doctor as it takes forever to get an appointment and by the time my appointment rolls around, I’m already better! Grrr.

Stephanie Cordoba. Photograph courtesy from Storm Models and Merle Moustafa

The other day, model friend Stephanie Cordoba and I went for a long walk. I was at my worse at that time so only could do something chilled with her. We walked from Notting Hill all the way to Oxford Street where we settled in Selfridges for a smoothie and a pie from Square Pie.

Stephanie and I with the "Energiser"

I’d been craving healthy drinks so at the smoothie place I wanted something nutritional as well as boost my energy and immune system. There was a drink called the "Energiser" but it had ginger as one of the ingredients! It put me right off but Stephanie told me about the goodness of ginger so I ordered the drink with a big bit of ginger in the drink. It was actually quite nice! Not to say I love ginger now but at least when I think about it, I won't want to puke.

Artichokes, I'll never like…ever! I puked from eating them so there's no chance.

Stephanie Cordoba playing piano in Selfridges

After our pie and smoothie in the Food Hall, I took Stephanie downstairs to play piano. I played for Stephanie the latest song I was learning, "Heaven" by Bryan Adams. She liked it lots and ended up spending the next 3 hours in the basement of Selfridges playing piano…I even taught her some of the song.

This is a drawing I did of Stephanie. I don't draw much as I stick to painting but I love drawing, especially in pen as I always smudge the pencils.

Stephanie Cordoba. Drawing by Albie Espinola

Our view from Zoe's flat overlooking London

I spent the last 4 nights at Zoe’s flat (Georgia’s old school friend and my friend too). At first I thought I'd only be spending one night there but after 2 and a half days of wearing the same clothes and not bothered to go home and get some, I did a little shopping! The flat is in Holborn so Oxford Street was 5mins walk down the road which is swank. On my mini shopping spree, I bought a pair of black jeans, 3 pairs of socks, 2 boxer shorts and 2 T-shirts (one black, one grey). The socks and boxers were colourful with cartoons and cool graphics on them.

Ahmed Jaber doing Capoeira in Kensington Gardens. Photograph courtesy from Joseph Bassery

Ahmed Jaber (old school friend) was celebrating his birthday at Paper. For his present I got him a pair of the funky socks. A bit random but I thought he’d appreciate them as he does Capoeira so his feet are always black! I gave him my present but then he turned around and said he got me a present too! I was thinking, "Huh? You got a present for me on YOUR birthday!?" He actually did and got me a jumper!

Georgia and I. Me wearing the jumper Ahmed got me for HIS birthday

Was well cool…twas like a granddad jumper but a funky one. Georgia says I get spoilt. I was feeling sickly most of the day but after I got my jumper it cheered me up loads!

At Paper, US rapper and legend Busta Rhymes came down about 2am and partied. He must've been on American time because he kept the club open until 6am! I left there just after 4am as was knackered.

Busta Rhymes is in town promoting a scheme where teenagers are being encouraged to do community service in exchange for concert tickets. Yesterday, Busta and volunteers helped “to clear, clean, paint and refurbish facilities used by Sports Action Zone (SAZ), in Lambeth.”

Over 60 similar schemes are set up around Britain before the concert where Busta Rhymes will be performing at the Royal Albert Hall on the 26th September.

Busta is so cool. This is my fave song of his....

Give it a few more days and I'll be 100% again but feeling so much better...

xx

Albie!!