Catching up on another eventful weekend...
Friday - Nick and I went to the Imperial War Museum. Saw a couple Holocaust exhibitions. Looked around the tanks and planes. Ate mac and cheese. Did not buy anything from the gift shop. Went to Cabinet War Rooms and Churchill Museum. Saw rooms where Churchill & Co. planned WWII. Bought postcard at gift shop. Walked to No. 10 Downing Street. Saw police officer with a gun - only time that's ever happened in London.
Saturday - Nick and I went to Hampton Court. Walked around the palace gardens. Saw people dressed up as Henry VIII's friends. Bought something for the parents at the gift shop. Came back to London. Saw La Cage aux Folles. Laughed.
Sunday - Went to Spitalfields Market. Bought yet another scarf. Nick and I went to Leceister Square. Walked around. Ate Chinese food in Chinatown.
Monday - Went to Kensington Gardens after class. Saw Collaboration after that. Enjoyed both.
Tuesday - Saw Hamlet with Jude Law. Amazing.
Superlatives:
Worst part: Too many things to do, not enough time.
Best part: The best is yet to come.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Summertime in the city
We visited Oxford on Saturday. It’s a cute British town, and the colleges were all beautiful. But what did we all want to see most? The Great Hall from Harry Potter. We hung around for a couple hours after our guided tour ended to see this famous, glorified dining hall (we compared it to Collins). It’s a lot smaller than in the movies, but we all got a kick out of it. We also stood on the stairs where Prof. McGonagall stood for one scene. Sarah insisted on getting her photo taken.
On Sunday I stopped by the Victoria & Albert Museum. I only had an hour so I went to their famous fashion exhibit. I was looking at an 18th century dress when two women walked by and said, “How lucky are we that we don’t have to wear that.” It looks like a worthwhile museum, so I’ll try to stop by again. There’s a courtyard with a huge fountain where you can sit and dip your feet. If I ever get rich/change my major, I’m going to buy a house with a large fountain where I can sit.
On Monday Elvia and I walked around Holborn during our class break. We stopped in this communist book store, and I found a copy of Getting Open: The Unknown Story of Bill Garrett and the Integration of College Basketball. I’m still confused as to why a communist bookstore in London would carry a book about NCAA college basketball’s integration. But hey, it’s always nice to be reminded of IU.
Nick and I went to the British Library after class. They have an exhibit called “The Sound and the Fury”, which lets visitors listen to different speeches given throughout history. Some were pretty famous (Winston Churchill’s “We will fight on the beaches…”), but others were new to me (Ernest Hemingway’s Nobel Prize acceptance). My favorite was Earl Spencer’s eulogy to his sister, Princess Diana. It seems like people in America have sort of forgotten Diana, but people in the U.K. still remember her, 12 years after her death.
We also saw some original Beatles lyrics. John Lennon wrote one song on his son’s 1st birthday card. Also, on one of lines for “I want to hold your hand” it said “I want to hold your thing.” Nick and I enjoyed that.
We’re going to the ballet tonight. Should be interesting…I hope.
Daily superlatives:
Worst part of the day: Drinking too much coffee
Best part of the day: Summer weather
On Sunday I stopped by the Victoria & Albert Museum. I only had an hour so I went to their famous fashion exhibit. I was looking at an 18th century dress when two women walked by and said, “How lucky are we that we don’t have to wear that.” It looks like a worthwhile museum, so I’ll try to stop by again. There’s a courtyard with a huge fountain where you can sit and dip your feet. If I ever get rich/change my major, I’m going to buy a house with a large fountain where I can sit.
On Monday Elvia and I walked around Holborn during our class break. We stopped in this communist book store, and I found a copy of Getting Open: The Unknown Story of Bill Garrett and the Integration of College Basketball. I’m still confused as to why a communist bookstore in London would carry a book about NCAA college basketball’s integration. But hey, it’s always nice to be reminded of IU.
Nick and I went to the British Library after class. They have an exhibit called “The Sound and the Fury”, which lets visitors listen to different speeches given throughout history. Some were pretty famous (Winston Churchill’s “We will fight on the beaches…”), but others were new to me (Ernest Hemingway’s Nobel Prize acceptance). My favorite was Earl Spencer’s eulogy to his sister, Princess Diana. It seems like people in America have sort of forgotten Diana, but people in the U.K. still remember her, 12 years after her death.
We also saw some original Beatles lyrics. John Lennon wrote one song on his son’s 1st birthday card. Also, on one of lines for “I want to hold your hand” it said “I want to hold your thing.” Nick and I enjoyed that.
We’re going to the ballet tonight. Should be interesting…I hope.
Daily superlatives:
Worst part of the day: Drinking too much coffee
Best part of the day: Summer weather
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Sorry Princess
The title of this blog is from my encounter with a construction worker earlier this week. He was carrying a big piece of lumber, and we almost bumped into each other. I apologized, and he replied, "Sorry, Princess."
Now, if people on the street think I'm a princess, do you think I can get one of those diamond tiaras I see every day as I walk to work? NB: I live in the diamond and jewelry district of London.
Anyway, this week I got to experience one of the worst things about living in London, a Tube strike. Since my parents and I grew up watching reruns of a famous British comedy, "Are You Being Served," I already knew that it wasn't uncommon for conductors to go on strike. But while hilarity always ensued onscreen, I saw it wasn't that funny waiting 45 minutes for a bus, only for it to be full when it got to your stop.
I worked from home for two days and was surprisingly productive. I also visited the Tate Modern for a little bit and discovered it's within walking distance of our flat. Thursday I went to St. Paul's and climbed to the Stone Gallery where I got the best view of the city. I also saw the tombs of Lord Nelson and the Duke of Wellington. My dad's a big fan of British naval history, and I loved seeing monuments of people about whom I've heard so much.
A friend of ours from the IDS came in town on Thursday night. On Friday we visited Abbey Road and luckily survived crossing the street multiple times to recreate the famous Beatles photo. It's such a busy intersection - I wonder how the hell George, Paul, Ringo and John managed to do it for an album cover. Seriously, it's so easy to get hit if you're not paying attention. Don't worry Mom, I'm OK.
After that we went to Brick Lane for some Indian food. It was my third time at Brick Lane, which probably has the best food in London. We also witnessed a street fight break out. After a few minutes, the police (a bobby) intervened. Crazy stuff.
After that, we split up. Jay and Elvia went to the Tate Modern, while Nick and I went to the Tower of London. We spent about 3 hours there and then decided to walk home. It only took us an hour, which I guess shows how close we live to the heart of London.
Anyway, we're heading to Oxford today. Should be interesting.
Daily superlatives:
Worst part of the day: Tube strike all week.
Best part of the day: Tube strike ended.
Now, if people on the street think I'm a princess, do you think I can get one of those diamond tiaras I see every day as I walk to work? NB: I live in the diamond and jewelry district of London.
Anyway, this week I got to experience one of the worst things about living in London, a Tube strike. Since my parents and I grew up watching reruns of a famous British comedy, "Are You Being Served," I already knew that it wasn't uncommon for conductors to go on strike. But while hilarity always ensued onscreen, I saw it wasn't that funny waiting 45 minutes for a bus, only for it to be full when it got to your stop.
I worked from home for two days and was surprisingly productive. I also visited the Tate Modern for a little bit and discovered it's within walking distance of our flat. Thursday I went to St. Paul's and climbed to the Stone Gallery where I got the best view of the city. I also saw the tombs of Lord Nelson and the Duke of Wellington. My dad's a big fan of British naval history, and I loved seeing monuments of people about whom I've heard so much.
A friend of ours from the IDS came in town on Thursday night. On Friday we visited Abbey Road and luckily survived crossing the street multiple times to recreate the famous Beatles photo. It's such a busy intersection - I wonder how the hell George, Paul, Ringo and John managed to do it for an album cover. Seriously, it's so easy to get hit if you're not paying attention. Don't worry Mom, I'm OK.
After that we went to Brick Lane for some Indian food. It was my third time at Brick Lane, which probably has the best food in London. We also witnessed a street fight break out. After a few minutes, the police (a bobby) intervened. Crazy stuff.
After that, we split up. Jay and Elvia went to the Tate Modern, while Nick and I went to the Tower of London. We spent about 3 hours there and then decided to walk home. It only took us an hour, which I guess shows how close we live to the heart of London.
Anyway, we're heading to Oxford today. Should be interesting.
Daily superlatives:
Worst part of the day: Tube strike all week.
Best part of the day: Tube strike ended.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
There's a cat outside my office
Quick recap of Liverpool: I went inside the Cavern Club, probably one of the most famous music clubs in the world. I think I spent more time in the Beatles gift shop though. One of my purchases was a guitar pick – I’m hoping the historical significance will inspire me to play more next year.
I got back to London Saturday night and hit the ground running on Sunday. I went to the National Gallery and the British Library’s exhibit on Henry VIII. It’s the 500th anniversary of him becoming king, and a lot of museums are honoring his legacy. It was actually pretty interesting seeing his love notes to Anne Boleyn or the documents surrounding his divorce.
I stayed up late on Sunday to watch the Lakers game. Missing the NBA playoffs is the only bad part of being in London. Tonight the game starts at 2 a.m. and will likely end at 5. Plus, there’s a Tube strike that starts at 7 p.m. tonight and will go until Thursday at 7. It already takes me 45-50 minutes to get to work so I hate to think how early I’ll have to get up tomorrow. Maybe I just won’t go to bed after the game…
Lately I’ve been planning like a madwoman. We have so few days left, and the opportunities to see everything we want are dwindling. I’m leaving work in a few minutes to head to the British Library. We have a class project that’s due Monday, and I’m not looking forward to doing homework. Bleh.
Daily superlatives:
Best part of the day: Planning more of my time here.
Worst part of the day: Checking my bank balance.
I got back to London Saturday night and hit the ground running on Sunday. I went to the National Gallery and the British Library’s exhibit on Henry VIII. It’s the 500th anniversary of him becoming king, and a lot of museums are honoring his legacy. It was actually pretty interesting seeing his love notes to Anne Boleyn or the documents surrounding his divorce.
I stayed up late on Sunday to watch the Lakers game. Missing the NBA playoffs is the only bad part of being in London. Tonight the game starts at 2 a.m. and will likely end at 5. Plus, there’s a Tube strike that starts at 7 p.m. tonight and will go until Thursday at 7. It already takes me 45-50 minutes to get to work so I hate to think how early I’ll have to get up tomorrow. Maybe I just won’t go to bed after the game…
Lately I’ve been planning like a madwoman. We have so few days left, and the opportunities to see everything we want are dwindling. I’m leaving work in a few minutes to head to the British Library. We have a class project that’s due Monday, and I’m not looking forward to doing homework. Bleh.
Daily superlatives:
Best part of the day: Planning more of my time here.
Worst part of the day: Checking my bank balance.
Friday, June 5, 2009
I shattered the windows of the Liverpool train station
I don't remember the last time I screamed so loud in public - save for a basketball game. I hadn't seen Rachael in two years, since high school graduation, so last night was scream-worthy.
We went out to a few places in Liverpool. Right now we're about to get ready and pick up a friend of hers who's coming to visit. Apparently the largest church in England is in Liverpool, and we're going to climb it...
Daily superlatives:
Worst part of my day: The brief freakout I had before getting to the train station.
Best part of my day: Yet to come...
We went out to a few places in Liverpool. Right now we're about to get ready and pick up a friend of hers who's coming to visit. Apparently the largest church in England is in Liverpool, and we're going to climb it...
Daily superlatives:
Worst part of my day: The brief freakout I had before getting to the train station.
Best part of my day: Yet to come...
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Has Scotland suddenly become independent?
Nota bene: The title of this blog was not said by me.
Last night I went running in Regent's Park. I'd never been there before and expected to see a simple jogging trail.
Another wonderful London surprise.
Regent's Park is filled with a variety of flowers, including several massive gardens, manicured bushes and Roman classical fountains spewing water as birds sing and chirp.
It's a runner's dream.
I stopped a few times to absorb the beauty. Well, that and to catch my breath. It's been a while since I've run, and I definitely felt out of shape. There's a 5k later this month, and I'd like to be able to run it in a respectable (i.e. less than 45 minutes) amount of time.
I probably spent half my time running or walking and the rest sitting on a swing in a middle of a rose garden. I couldn’t believe I was in a middle of paradise.
I’m leaving for Liverpool in a couple of hours. I’ll be there til Sunday morning. While I feel pretty comfortable with London, I’m excited to be in a strange place. I’m staying with a girl who went to our high school senior year and goes to university in Liverpool.
Anyway, I have to go pack, last minute as always.
Daily superlatives:
Worst part of the day: Sitting in almost complete silence at work.
Best part of the day: (hopefully) arriving in Liverpool!
Last night I went running in Regent's Park. I'd never been there before and expected to see a simple jogging trail.
Another wonderful London surprise.
Regent's Park is filled with a variety of flowers, including several massive gardens, manicured bushes and Roman classical fountains spewing water as birds sing and chirp.
It's a runner's dream.
I stopped a few times to absorb the beauty. Well, that and to catch my breath. It's been a while since I've run, and I definitely felt out of shape. There's a 5k later this month, and I'd like to be able to run it in a respectable (i.e. less than 45 minutes) amount of time.
I probably spent half my time running or walking and the rest sitting on a swing in a middle of a rose garden. I couldn’t believe I was in a middle of paradise.
I’m leaving for Liverpool in a couple of hours. I’ll be there til Sunday morning. While I feel pretty comfortable with London, I’m excited to be in a strange place. I’m staying with a girl who went to our high school senior year and goes to university in Liverpool.
Anyway, I have to go pack, last minute as always.
Daily superlatives:
Worst part of the day: Sitting in almost complete silence at work.
Best part of the day: (hopefully) arriving in Liverpool!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Ian, it's the policeman again
The wonder of this trip hasn’t gone away.
So far classes have been good, but Monday's was probably the most fun. First off, we had a mouse in the classroom. I would’ve been more freaked out like the other girls, but fortunately I was a safe distance away from the rodent.
My allergies kicked in recently, and they didn’t go away when I visited the British Museum during our lunch break. I sneezed in the Elgin Marbles exhibit, and it carried the echo of my sneeze through the entire museum. The mummies probably heard me.
After the break, we had a guest speaker in class, James Brabazon. He’s probably one of the coolest, most inspiring journalists I’ve ever met. He was the only journalists in Liberia filming the civil war. I’ve always wanted to do international journalism, but hearing him talk about how he went to rehab after he returned is making me wonder whether I could physically handle – and survive – such a trip.
I finally visited the Sherlock Holmes Museum on Baker Street. I’d been once before with my parents, but as Elvia can tell you, I really love Sherlock Holmes. I’m not sure if it’s the clever plot, witty dialogue or consistent characters, but SirArthur Conan Doyle wrote some of the most thrilling detective books ever. I need to read more of his work when I get back home.
The best part of the museum was the guestbook where they keep letters people send Sherlock Holmes. There were a few asking Holmes’ help in solving their problems, but my favorite was a kid who had to write to Holmes for a school project. He’s smart enough to know Holmes is dead. “I think my teacher is loosing it,” he wrote. Adorable.
We went to see “As You Like It” at the Globe Theater. Despite the large column blocking part of my view, I still loved the performance. I haven’t read “As You Like It” but it was still hilarious. They did a group dance at the end that had everyone in tears. Side note: The actor played Oliver was also in “The History Boys.” If you’ve seen this movie, you’re my new best friend.
I only realized Monday night I’m a 20-minute walk from the Tate Modern and the Globe Theater. I’ve made a list of 20 things I have to do or see before I leave, and the Tate was one of the few to make the cut.
So far my list includes:
Tate Modern
Hampton Court Palace
Madam Tussaud’s
London Eye
British Library
Imperial War Museum
National Gallery
Victoria & Albert
Hamlet – with Jude Law
Waiting for Godot – with Ian McKellen and Patrick
La Cage aux Folles
Les Miserables – perhaps Susan Boyle will sing in it?
visit Abbey Road
Jewish neighborhood – no idea where that is
afternoon tea somewhere posh
Wimbledon – even if Rafa loses
cricket – found a match for only £20
climb Big Ben
Platform 9 ¾
bookstores
take a tour of Jack the Ripper’s murder spots
I met up with a friend from Memphis yesterday. We got some Pizza Express, which didn't live up to its expectations. I'll go back one more time to see if this was a fluke.
Daily superlatives:
Worst part of my day: The humidity on the Tube.
Best part of my day: Ruthless prioritization.
So far classes have been good, but Monday's was probably the most fun. First off, we had a mouse in the classroom. I would’ve been more freaked out like the other girls, but fortunately I was a safe distance away from the rodent.
My allergies kicked in recently, and they didn’t go away when I visited the British Museum during our lunch break. I sneezed in the Elgin Marbles exhibit, and it carried the echo of my sneeze through the entire museum. The mummies probably heard me.
After the break, we had a guest speaker in class, James Brabazon. He’s probably one of the coolest, most inspiring journalists I’ve ever met. He was the only journalists in Liberia filming the civil war. I’ve always wanted to do international journalism, but hearing him talk about how he went to rehab after he returned is making me wonder whether I could physically handle – and survive – such a trip.
I finally visited the Sherlock Holmes Museum on Baker Street. I’d been once before with my parents, but as Elvia can tell you, I really love Sherlock Holmes. I’m not sure if it’s the clever plot, witty dialogue or consistent characters, but SirArthur Conan Doyle wrote some of the most thrilling detective books ever. I need to read more of his work when I get back home.
The best part of the museum was the guestbook where they keep letters people send Sherlock Holmes. There were a few asking Holmes’ help in solving their problems, but my favorite was a kid who had to write to Holmes for a school project. He’s smart enough to know Holmes is dead. “I think my teacher is loosing it,” he wrote. Adorable.
We went to see “As You Like It” at the Globe Theater. Despite the large column blocking part of my view, I still loved the performance. I haven’t read “As You Like It” but it was still hilarious. They did a group dance at the end that had everyone in tears. Side note: The actor played Oliver was also in “The History Boys.” If you’ve seen this movie, you’re my new best friend.
I only realized Monday night I’m a 20-minute walk from the Tate Modern and the Globe Theater. I’ve made a list of 20 things I have to do or see before I leave, and the Tate was one of the few to make the cut.
So far my list includes:
Tate Modern
Hampton Court Palace
Madam Tussaud’s
London Eye
British Library
Imperial War Museum
National Gallery
Victoria & Albert
Hamlet – with Jude Law
Waiting for Godot – with Ian McKellen and Patrick
La Cage aux Folles
Les Miserables – perhaps Susan Boyle will sing in it?
visit Abbey Road
Jewish neighborhood – no idea where that is
afternoon tea somewhere posh
Wimbledon – even if Rafa loses
cricket – found a match for only £20
climb Big Ben
Platform 9 ¾
bookstores
take a tour of Jack the Ripper’s murder spots
I met up with a friend from Memphis yesterday. We got some Pizza Express, which didn't live up to its expectations. I'll go back one more time to see if this was a fluke.
Daily superlatives:
Worst part of my day: The humidity on the Tube.
Best part of my day: Ruthless prioritization.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
I said "that's brilliant" and Elvia called me British
God bless this country. They sell scarves for 5 dollars (when it'd be 20 at Urban Outfitters) and waffles on the street with chocolate syrup and strawberries. And they don't vote for Susan Boyle for Britain's Got Talent.
Anyway, this country is awesome.
Today we went marketing, my new favorite hobby. There are few things better walking around a market with your friends looking around at things you can actually afford to buy (and then waiting 20 minutes for some people to make a decision).
I'm trying to make more of an effort to do more on the days I work...we'll see how that goes.
I leave for Liverpool on Thursday for a couple days of Beatles-stalking and hanging out with a friend of mine from high school who goes to university there. Can't wait. It'll be nice to spend a couple days in a different city.
Daily superlatives:
Worst part of the day: Attending the Taste of Spain festival that had no free food.
Best part of the day: Getting some cool trinkets at the market.
Anyway, this country is awesome.
Today we went marketing, my new favorite hobby. There are few things better walking around a market with your friends looking around at things you can actually afford to buy (and then waiting 20 minutes for some people to make a decision).
I'm trying to make more of an effort to do more on the days I work...we'll see how that goes.
I leave for Liverpool on Thursday for a couple days of Beatles-stalking and hanging out with a friend of mine from high school who goes to university there. Can't wait. It'll be nice to spend a couple days in a different city.
Daily superlatives:
Worst part of the day: Attending the Taste of Spain festival that had no free food.
Best part of the day: Getting some cool trinkets at the market.
Oasis on a rainy day makes me feel English
Work was pretty standard this week. It's strange working for a monthly newsletter. I've realized how much I miss daily news and the rush of adrenaline I get working on deadline.
On Thursday I went to the National Portrait Gallery for the second time. The Elizabethan exhibit was closed, but I'll try back next Thursday. I sat in Trafalgar Square for a while, just enjoying the 70-degree weather, the two large fountains and taking in the Londoness of the moment.
We went to visit the BBC and the Guardian on Friday. The Guardian's newsroom was contemporary and people-friendly, with comfy couches and chairs. I spent an hour talking to their Head of Sports aka Sports Editor, who gave me some good advice on becoming an international sports writer. We also talked about Memphis, the differences in the U.S. and U.K. and whether or not an NBA franchise based in Europe could work.
Friday night a few of us headed to Camden for a concert. The bands were good, and Elvia and I accidentally forgot to pay the cover charge. It was an early night though, because we had to be downstairs at 8 a.m. for a visit to Dover and Canterbury.
We saw the Dover Castle and a brief glimpse of the famous White Cliffs. The Castle was amazing though. It's seen hundreds of years of warfare and been a refuge to many. I love visiting art galleries and museums, but visiting a castle seems more meaningful.
Driving up to Canterbury, we visited the Canterbury Cathedral and stopped by a pub to watch part of the FA Cup. Small English towns have become a favorite for me.
I'm pretty sure I, like most of the country, am glad Britain's Got Talent is finally over. If I see one more headline about Susan Boyle, I will be tempted to return to the States.
Not sure what our plans are for today (Sunday). The weather looks beautiful, and there's a Taste of Spain festival on Regent Street. The stereotype of rainy London has thankfully not been true this trip, or at least on the weekends. Let's keep the streak going.
Weekly superlatives:
Worst part of the week: Realizing I have so much I want to do and see and so little time to do it.
Best part of the trip: Taking it all in, as slow as molasses.
On Thursday I went to the National Portrait Gallery for the second time. The Elizabethan exhibit was closed, but I'll try back next Thursday. I sat in Trafalgar Square for a while, just enjoying the 70-degree weather, the two large fountains and taking in the Londoness of the moment.
We went to visit the BBC and the Guardian on Friday. The Guardian's newsroom was contemporary and people-friendly, with comfy couches and chairs. I spent an hour talking to their Head of Sports aka Sports Editor, who gave me some good advice on becoming an international sports writer. We also talked about Memphis, the differences in the U.S. and U.K. and whether or not an NBA franchise based in Europe could work.
Friday night a few of us headed to Camden for a concert. The bands were good, and Elvia and I accidentally forgot to pay the cover charge. It was an early night though, because we had to be downstairs at 8 a.m. for a visit to Dover and Canterbury.
We saw the Dover Castle and a brief glimpse of the famous White Cliffs. The Castle was amazing though. It's seen hundreds of years of warfare and been a refuge to many. I love visiting art galleries and museums, but visiting a castle seems more meaningful.
Driving up to Canterbury, we visited the Canterbury Cathedral and stopped by a pub to watch part of the FA Cup. Small English towns have become a favorite for me.
I'm pretty sure I, like most of the country, am glad Britain's Got Talent is finally over. If I see one more headline about Susan Boyle, I will be tempted to return to the States.
Not sure what our plans are for today (Sunday). The weather looks beautiful, and there's a Taste of Spain festival on Regent Street. The stereotype of rainy London has thankfully not been true this trip, or at least on the weekends. Let's keep the streak going.
Weekly superlatives:
Worst part of the week: Realizing I have so much I want to do and see and so little time to do it.
Best part of the trip: Taking it all in, as slow as molasses.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Recap overload
I haven't posted in a few days so here's a recap...
Thursday - After work, I stopped by the National Portrait Gallery. They have so many famous portraits there, for free too. My favorite exhibit was one of this Christian saint Fabiola. One man collected paintings and drawings of her over a few years. So it's about a couple hundred depictions of the same woman - all different. Really teaches you about perspective.
Friday - Nick, Elvia and I went to Brick Lane (an Indian neighborhood) for some famous curry. The restaurant is one of Prince Charles' favorites, and it was wonderful. Someone here said Indian food is the only food with flavor in England. They might be right. After that we walked on Tower Bridge to the other side. Nick got a milkshake that disappointed him immensely. Then we headed to Buckingham Palace and spent some time sitting on the steps of Queen Victoria's statue. That night I saw "Madame de Sade" with Dame Judi Dench. I have rarely been so shocked at a play (it was very sexual), but I loved it. Judi was amazing, and I'm so fortunate to have seen her live. A few of us went to a pub at night. It was a busy day, but very fulfilling.
Saturday - CJ had planned a walking tour of the city so we followed her. She's like the Rick Steves of our trip. We walked to St. Paul's which is about 10 minutes from our flat. (We went to a Sunday vespers service there too). Again, more picture-taking. Then she led us to the Somerset House, a beautiful estate owned by my future husband (no idea who that is...I just want to live there). There was a fountain that Sarah and I ran through barefoot. It was a child-like experience. We might go back there to picnic. After we went to Covent Garden, an overpriced, touristy market. We were not aware of this at the time, and a few of us made some poor shopping choices. Oh well, you live and learn. We walked along the Thames for a couple hours after leaving the market. We went down to the shore, where a few people were having a techno-dance party. We also saw some skater boys, random animal/nature photographs and chairs made from fake grass. Saturday night I went to a dub-step club (reggae-type music).
Sunday - We went to the Old Spitalfields market on Sunday, which was a drastic change from Covent Garden. The goods were unique, artsy and creative. I bought some stuffed owls (not real duh), a necklace, jewelry and a raincoat. We spent a few hours there, mostly enjoying the range of vendors. My wallet and I enjoyed the visit and hope to return. Like I mentioned earlier, we went to the evening service at St. Paul's. It was a nice trip, but it made me want to visit a synagogue for shabbat services. I might go this Friday to one near Brick Lane, where a lot of Jews used to live.
Monday - We had a group visit to Al Jazeera today. It's an interesting news outlet. It's funded by an Arab who gives them full editorial control. They have few ads and full freedom to pursue the stories other news outlets ignore. After that we went back to Brick Lane for more curry. I came home and took a nap before going to see "39 Steps," a detective comedy. Tomorrow starts week 3 of work. I'm determined to write more this week. Yay for clips.
Weekly superlatives:
Worst part of the week: Spending money.
Best part of the week: Loving London even more.
Thursday - After work, I stopped by the National Portrait Gallery. They have so many famous portraits there, for free too. My favorite exhibit was one of this Christian saint Fabiola. One man collected paintings and drawings of her over a few years. So it's about a couple hundred depictions of the same woman - all different. Really teaches you about perspective.
Friday - Nick, Elvia and I went to Brick Lane (an Indian neighborhood) for some famous curry. The restaurant is one of Prince Charles' favorites, and it was wonderful. Someone here said Indian food is the only food with flavor in England. They might be right. After that we walked on Tower Bridge to the other side. Nick got a milkshake that disappointed him immensely. Then we headed to Buckingham Palace and spent some time sitting on the steps of Queen Victoria's statue. That night I saw "Madame de Sade" with Dame Judi Dench. I have rarely been so shocked at a play (it was very sexual), but I loved it. Judi was amazing, and I'm so fortunate to have seen her live. A few of us went to a pub at night. It was a busy day, but very fulfilling.
Saturday - CJ had planned a walking tour of the city so we followed her. She's like the Rick Steves of our trip. We walked to St. Paul's which is about 10 minutes from our flat. (We went to a Sunday vespers service there too). Again, more picture-taking. Then she led us to the Somerset House, a beautiful estate owned by my future husband (no idea who that is...I just want to live there). There was a fountain that Sarah and I ran through barefoot. It was a child-like experience. We might go back there to picnic. After we went to Covent Garden, an overpriced, touristy market. We were not aware of this at the time, and a few of us made some poor shopping choices. Oh well, you live and learn. We walked along the Thames for a couple hours after leaving the market. We went down to the shore, where a few people were having a techno-dance party. We also saw some skater boys, random animal/nature photographs and chairs made from fake grass. Saturday night I went to a dub-step club (reggae-type music).
Sunday - We went to the Old Spitalfields market on Sunday, which was a drastic change from Covent Garden. The goods were unique, artsy and creative. I bought some stuffed owls (not real duh), a necklace, jewelry and a raincoat. We spent a few hours there, mostly enjoying the range of vendors. My wallet and I enjoyed the visit and hope to return. Like I mentioned earlier, we went to the evening service at St. Paul's. It was a nice trip, but it made me want to visit a synagogue for shabbat services. I might go this Friday to one near Brick Lane, where a lot of Jews used to live.
Monday - We had a group visit to Al Jazeera today. It's an interesting news outlet. It's funded by an Arab who gives them full editorial control. They have few ads and full freedom to pursue the stories other news outlets ignore. After that we went back to Brick Lane for more curry. I came home and took a nap before going to see "39 Steps," a detective comedy. Tomorrow starts week 3 of work. I'm determined to write more this week. Yay for clips.
Weekly superlatives:
Worst part of the week: Spending money.
Best part of the week: Loving London even more.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
I walk the streets of Japan til I get lost
The title of my blog comes from an Audioslave song "Doesn't Remind Me." That's how I feel walking around London, nothing is familiar, nothing is the same, nothing reminds me of anything.
And I love that. I love being surprised when I walk down the street. I walk the same way to the Tube and to work, but I love the walk. It seems new and fresh every day.
This is the first time in my life I'm entirely responsible for myself. Skipping class at IU is not the same as waking up in time for work. Or grabbing food from Collins - or god forbid Gresham - is not like packing your lunch in the morning.
And I love that. That's one reason I don't want to go back. I want to keep being surprised, I want to stay in awe and I want to sustain this feeling. I feel like a five year-old girl at Disneyworld ... but I'm a 20 year-old in one of the world's greatest cities.
Samuel Johnson once said, "When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life."
I can understand getting fed up with the Tube or the cost of everything, but to be alive in this city has to be one of the best things I'll ever do.
Gnight y'all.
Daily superlatives:
Worst part of the day: Working on my budget some more
Best part of the day: Walking around Big Ben and Parliament with Elvia, taking photos and enjoying how gorgeous London is at night.
And I love that. I love being surprised when I walk down the street. I walk the same way to the Tube and to work, but I love the walk. It seems new and fresh every day.
This is the first time in my life I'm entirely responsible for myself. Skipping class at IU is not the same as waking up in time for work. Or grabbing food from Collins - or god forbid Gresham - is not like packing your lunch in the morning.
And I love that. That's one reason I don't want to go back. I want to keep being surprised, I want to stay in awe and I want to sustain this feeling. I feel like a five year-old girl at Disneyworld ... but I'm a 20 year-old in one of the world's greatest cities.
Samuel Johnson once said, "When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life."
I can understand getting fed up with the Tube or the cost of everything, but to be alive in this city has to be one of the best things I'll ever do.
Gnight y'all.
Daily superlatives:
Worst part of the day: Working on my budget some more
Best part of the day: Walking around Big Ben and Parliament with Elvia, taking photos and enjoying how gorgeous London is at night.
Hey Nick, remember that time you got stuck in the Tube?
We all took advantage of sleeping in on Sunday. Once we finally got up, we headed to the Museum of London. The museum kind of curves around the road so we almost got crushed several times crossing the street. How much could I get in a lawsuit if I got hit by one of those double-decker busses? Would Ken Nunn save me? Just wondering…
Class, so far, has been eye-opening. We watched a live broadcast of Parliament where the MPs heckled the speaker of the house, all live on national broadcast. Today it was announced he’ll be resigning, first time in 300 years a speaker has been forced out. I love English politics. We might go to a protest at the Houses of Parliament on Saturday. Hopefully we (or Nick) won’t get killed in the angry mob. Fingers crossed.
Our classroom is five minutes away from the British Museum so we stopped by yesterday. Because it’s free, I think I’ll just go a little bit each week during our two-hour lunch break. I saw the Egyptian and Assyrian exhibits yesterday, and I felt like I was in the Mummy. Except if someone popped out of a sarcophagus, I'm pretty sure you'd be able to hear me all the way in Indiana.
After dinner, the entire group went to see “Burnt by the Sun” at the Royal National Theatre. It’s the story of a family who gets caught up in one of Stalin’s infamous purges during his reign. I’d seen bits and pieces of the movie, but the play was captivating. I felt like I was watching real people, not actors on stage. We’re going to the theater every Monday night as a group, but I think I’m going to see a few more shows on my own (or not if I can convince anyone else to go with me).
I bought my tickets to Liverpool. I’m staying with a friend from high school (she’s English and goes to university there) for a couple days. It’s my only independent trip while I’m here, and I’m glad I’ve chosen the home of the Beatles.
The Chelsea Flower Show is this week so we might pop by to see some expensive flowers. My dad would be proud. Saturday we might go to Brick Lane for the outdoor markets. It’s been pretty windy lately though so not sure how much fun outdoor shopping will be.
Daily superlatives:
Worst part of the day: Sticking to my budget
Best part of the day: Sticking to my budget
Class, so far, has been eye-opening. We watched a live broadcast of Parliament where the MPs heckled the speaker of the house, all live on national broadcast. Today it was announced he’ll be resigning, first time in 300 years a speaker has been forced out. I love English politics. We might go to a protest at the Houses of Parliament on Saturday. Hopefully we (or Nick) won’t get killed in the angry mob. Fingers crossed.
Our classroom is five minutes away from the British Museum so we stopped by yesterday. Because it’s free, I think I’ll just go a little bit each week during our two-hour lunch break. I saw the Egyptian and Assyrian exhibits yesterday, and I felt like I was in the Mummy. Except if someone popped out of a sarcophagus, I'm pretty sure you'd be able to hear me all the way in Indiana.
After dinner, the entire group went to see “Burnt by the Sun” at the Royal National Theatre. It’s the story of a family who gets caught up in one of Stalin’s infamous purges during his reign. I’d seen bits and pieces of the movie, but the play was captivating. I felt like I was watching real people, not actors on stage. We’re going to the theater every Monday night as a group, but I think I’m going to see a few more shows on my own (or not if I can convince anyone else to go with me).
I bought my tickets to Liverpool. I’m staying with a friend from high school (she’s English and goes to university there) for a couple days. It’s my only independent trip while I’m here, and I’m glad I’ve chosen the home of the Beatles.
The Chelsea Flower Show is this week so we might pop by to see some expensive flowers. My dad would be proud. Saturday we might go to Brick Lane for the outdoor markets. It’s been pretty windy lately though so not sure how much fun outdoor shopping will be.
Daily superlatives:
Worst part of the day: Sticking to my budget
Best part of the day: Sticking to my budget
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Finally, I can be a tourist
Friday we took a tour of Thomson Reuters and met with the editor-in-chief, a really chill guy despite his job title. He had some interesting tips for the aspiring print journalists in the room aka everyone who will be jobless come graduation.
After that, we headed to Westminster Abbey. I'd always wanted to go there to go see Queen Elizabeth's tomb. That probably sounds morbid, but she's one of the most interesting historical figures. To see her tomb was like coming full circle.
Before Friday, it hadn't really hit me that I was in London. But after taking about 230 photos of Big Ben and Parliament, it's beginning to sink in.
After that, we went to The Red Lion for dinner and drinks. I had treacle sponge with pudding for dessert - first English dish I've really enjoyed. Hopefully more to come.
Today we went to Stonehenge and Bath. I'd been to both places before, but I really enjoyed visiting the Roman baths again. I took Latin for five years, so I'm a bit of a nerd when it comes to Roman history.
We tried going to a club after we got back to London, but I left my ID at the flat so we just went home.
Not sure what our plans are for tomorrow...more sightseeing I think.
Gnight y'all.
Daily superlatives:
Worst part of the past two days: Not getting into the club
Best part of the past two days: Having a full English experience
After that, we headed to Westminster Abbey. I'd always wanted to go there to go see Queen Elizabeth's tomb. That probably sounds morbid, but she's one of the most interesting historical figures. To see her tomb was like coming full circle.
Before Friday, it hadn't really hit me that I was in London. But after taking about 230 photos of Big Ben and Parliament, it's beginning to sink in.
After that, we went to The Red Lion for dinner and drinks. I had treacle sponge with pudding for dessert - first English dish I've really enjoyed. Hopefully more to come.
Today we went to Stonehenge and Bath. I'd been to both places before, but I really enjoyed visiting the Roman baths again. I took Latin for five years, so I'm a bit of a nerd when it comes to Roman history.
We tried going to a club after we got back to London, but I left my ID at the flat so we just went home.
Not sure what our plans are for tomorrow...more sightseeing I think.
Gnight y'all.
Daily superlatives:
Worst part of the past two days: Not getting into the club
Best part of the past two days: Having a full English experience
Thursday, May 14, 2009
This office needs Pandora
Somehow I never feel like I have to go to bed early here. This is a problem since I have to leave my flat at 8:30 to get to work at 9:30. I don’t really enjoy the long distance, but riding the Tube in London is way more fun than driving 25 minutes to work in Memphis.
This morning I stopped by EAT, a café near our flat, for my now-favourite small hazelnut latte. I picked up a water bottle too, and then realized after exiting that I hadn’t been charged for it. What’s the punishment for stealing a £1.50 worth of water? Hope I won’t be extradited back to the U.S. for that.
For some reason, the Tube – as much as I love it – doesn’t have any trash cans (or bins as they call them here). Seriously, where are they??? I don’t want to litter, but I don’t understand how there are no places to throw away your used coffee cup. Londoners, please explain this to me.
Also, the coffee here hasn’t been waking me up. I don’t know what it is. Is it all decaf, and they’re just not telling anyone so the country won’t be hopped up on caffeine? Maybe this will be an investigative piece I will work on… “The Mystery of London Coffee.” Three-part series, I think.
The keyboards here are way different. For example, the “ is equal to @. And whatever the 3 is in America (I’ve forgotten) is the £ sign. Which looks quite pretty and elegant compared to the $. Stupid Puritans probably came up with that. Even € looks nice.
I really want to go to a football match while I’m here, but I’m scared of pissing off the wrong crowd. In today’s “Sun” there was a story about a teenager killed by a raucous Aston Villa crowd. And y’all know how I get during a sporting event…
I’m trying to make a list of things I have to do/see while I’m here. I’ve got the usual Westminster Abbey, Tower of London, etc. on there, but I’m also trying to find other things. Like a ghost tour or a cruise on the Thames. Or maybe I’ll crash Parliament during their Wednesday “let’s yell at Gordon Brown” sessions. Field trip?
I have a story due today at 5 p.m. Like American PR people, English ones never seem to understand the word “deadline.” I know they’re very polite here, but right now I want to phone them up and say “hey, I’ve got do this carbon-zero sustainability story for my environmental newsletter, and if you don’t give me some information I’ll write up something completely false and damaging.” I wonder what libel laws are like here…
I think I’ll start working on feature ideas next week, which should be vastly more interesting than doing news. I mean, sustainability’s great and all, but this job might turn me into a gas-guzzling tree-killer.
Morning superlatives:
Worst part of the morning: The weather.
Best part of the morning: … Yet to come. Stay tuned.
This morning I stopped by EAT, a café near our flat, for my now-favourite small hazelnut latte. I picked up a water bottle too, and then realized after exiting that I hadn’t been charged for it. What’s the punishment for stealing a £1.50 worth of water? Hope I won’t be extradited back to the U.S. for that.
For some reason, the Tube – as much as I love it – doesn’t have any trash cans (or bins as they call them here). Seriously, where are they??? I don’t want to litter, but I don’t understand how there are no places to throw away your used coffee cup. Londoners, please explain this to me.
Also, the coffee here hasn’t been waking me up. I don’t know what it is. Is it all decaf, and they’re just not telling anyone so the country won’t be hopped up on caffeine? Maybe this will be an investigative piece I will work on… “The Mystery of London Coffee.” Three-part series, I think.
The keyboards here are way different. For example, the “ is equal to @. And whatever the 3 is in America (I’ve forgotten) is the £ sign. Which looks quite pretty and elegant compared to the $. Stupid Puritans probably came up with that. Even € looks nice.
I really want to go to a football match while I’m here, but I’m scared of pissing off the wrong crowd. In today’s “Sun” there was a story about a teenager killed by a raucous Aston Villa crowd. And y’all know how I get during a sporting event…
I’m trying to make a list of things I have to do/see while I’m here. I’ve got the usual Westminster Abbey, Tower of London, etc. on there, but I’m also trying to find other things. Like a ghost tour or a cruise on the Thames. Or maybe I’ll crash Parliament during their Wednesday “let’s yell at Gordon Brown” sessions. Field trip?
I have a story due today at 5 p.m. Like American PR people, English ones never seem to understand the word “deadline.” I know they’re very polite here, but right now I want to phone them up and say “hey, I’ve got do this carbon-zero sustainability story for my environmental newsletter, and if you don’t give me some information I’ll write up something completely false and damaging.” I wonder what libel laws are like here…
I think I’ll start working on feature ideas next week, which should be vastly more interesting than doing news. I mean, sustainability’s great and all, but this job might turn me into a gas-guzzling tree-killer.
Morning superlatives:
Worst part of the morning: The weather.
Best part of the morning: … Yet to come. Stay tuned.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
You got to party Thursday night. Or Friday night.
Things I love about my internship:
- It's an hour-long ride on the Tube, which means I'll finally finish reading Light in August.
- I get to write, report and edit. I have a story due tomorrow at five, but no one's called me back for it.
- My boss is three years older than me, and she's the nicest person ever.
- I discovered a cute gift shop a block away. Its motto: things for lovely people. I will probably spend a lot of money there. I already found a photo album and small duffle bag I want to purchase (I bought a candle holder today). Damn you cute, English gift shops.
- One of my co-workers told me today, "I've been to Memphis. I had ribs there."
Worst part of the day: Not getting a lot of work done on my story due tomorrow.
Best part of the day: Being invited to a party by our neighbors. It was actually kind of annoying, but hilarious nonetheless. He kept ringing our doorbell asking us to hang out.
Press releases will be the death of me
I've just spent five minutes watching a rugby match between the Harlequins and the London Irish (not sure of the names...). I love rugby. Spegele, if you're reading this, I can understand why you love rugby.
Generally, I'm in love with London. I love the Tube - even if it skipped Oxford Circus this morning, and I had to figure out how to get onto the Bakerloo (I love that name) line.
Luckily I still got to work on time. The first day was a little boring; I tried to learn more about sustainability and found a few story ideas. I'm working on an article due Thursday about carbon-free houses. Yay clips.
When Alice from work learned I was from Memphis, she said "Isn't Elvis from Memphis?" (See England, you might have the Queen, but we have the King).
On the way back from work, I got off at Oxford Circus and window-shopped. I'm happy I've found at least one H&M in London.
When I got back to the apartment, I found out we were moving up to the fifth floor to a new flat. Our new flat has bigger rooms (so Sarah and I can actually both stand at the same time and not touch each other) and more importantly, HOT WATER. I cannot wait to take a shower.
Tomorrow begins my first day of budgeting my money. As much as I love the Hazelnut latte at Costa, I can't afford it.
Anyway, I'm going to take a lovely, hot-water shower.
Gnight y'all.
Generally, I'm in love with London. I love the Tube - even if it skipped Oxford Circus this morning, and I had to figure out how to get onto the Bakerloo (I love that name) line.
Luckily I still got to work on time. The first day was a little boring; I tried to learn more about sustainability and found a few story ideas. I'm working on an article due Thursday about carbon-free houses. Yay clips.
When Alice from work learned I was from Memphis, she said "Isn't Elvis from Memphis?" (See England, you might have the Queen, but we have the King).
On the way back from work, I got off at Oxford Circus and window-shopped. I'm happy I've found at least one H&M in London.
When I got back to the apartment, I found out we were moving up to the fifth floor to a new flat. Our new flat has bigger rooms (so Sarah and I can actually both stand at the same time and not touch each other) and more importantly, HOT WATER. I cannot wait to take a shower.
Tomorrow begins my first day of budgeting my money. As much as I love the Hazelnut latte at Costa, I can't afford it.
Anyway, I'm going to take a lovely, hot-water shower.
Gnight y'all.
Daily superlatives:
Worst part of the day: Reading articles about sustainability and not understanding them.
Best part of the day: Getting a new flat.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Sense of direction? Check.
So remember how I said I didn’t have an internship? Well luckily that all changed. We had our first British Media class today, and during class they told me I had to go meet with my prospective boss. So after Sarah, Nick and Elvia made sure I found the Tube station, I proceeded to go South (I think - I’m terrible with directions) to West London.
About 30 minutes later, I finally arrived to my stop. But then I had about a 10-minute walk to the building, which is a renovated chapel that’s made of frosted glass walls. There’s a Brazilian restaurant and a Turkish knickknack store nearby - both of which I plan to visit.
I’ll be working for a publishing company that creates environmental newsletter. Not really a topic I’ve covered, but I’ll get to report and write. Maybe I’ll get a couple good clips?
My boss seems really nice, and the dress code is lenient. The only downside - the ride from my flat to the office is an hour long. But this could be good - I brought several books on the trip to compensate for my lack of reading this past semester.
We stopped by a small neighborhood pub tonight called Ye Olde Mitre. I ordered a gin and tonic, while Sarah, Nick and Elvia all got coke and rums.
After the bar closed, we went home and finally found a funny and understandable British show, “The Sunday Night Project.” I had watched “Coronation Street” earlier, but had trouble following the five various plots.
Anyway, I have to leave the flat no later than 8:30 tomorrow so I’m gonna go to bed.
Gnight y’all.
Daily superlatives:
Worst part of the day: Learning we don’t have hot water in our flat.
Best part of the day: Not getting lost on the Tube.
London called. I arrived.
I’ve been waiting to go back to London since the summer before junior year. This journalism trip was one of the main reasons I came to IU.
And now - I can’t believe I’m finally here. I’ve unpacked all my clothes (you don’t want to know how many). I’ve bought groceries. I’ve got my Oyster card - not for seafood - for a month’s worth of trips on the Tube.
Tomorrow we have class and orientation sessions. Hopefully I’ll figure out where my internship is.
I’m not sure what I’m hoping to get out of this trip. I don’t know if I’ll get any clips out of this or if I’ll lose my passport in two days, but I think I came for the uncertainty.
Gnight y’all.
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