New Office

My office was moved over the weekend and this week is our first in our new location. We're ten minutes' walk further from London Liverpool Street than our previous location, so my walking time doubles.

The facilities are a big improvement. They're not extraordinary, though definitely swankier than most of the Portland and Seattle offices I've worked in. But just not having the shortcomings of our previous facilities (like having, oh, clean windows, elevators that work consistently) is a welcome step up. The lobby is quite smart, it's staffed so I don't have to deactivate an alarm when I get in, and we even have glass doors on the lifts.

I like our location less, however. We used to be on the edge of the Square Mile, the City, the area around London Liverpool Street containing much of London's financial offices, including the Tower 42 and The Gherkin buildings. Now we are in a more mixed neighbourhood, with council towers nearby, some offices, some small businesses, and a mix of pubs and restaurants (Jamie Oliver's is nearby).

Along the way I'm getting familiar with the pedestrian walkways under the roundabout at Old Street - there are 8 exits. Fortunately for us, our office is right next to the Moorfield Eye Hospital, and there's a green line painted in the sidewalk starting at the Old Street Tube station to the hospital. Definitely helpful in my bleary-headed pre-coffee mornings.