Ta Ta For Now

Yesterday was a bittersweet day. I woke up to a crisp breeze and the sun shining through my window onto my face. A picture perfect day by any British standards. So where's the bittersweet part come in? 

At this point, I'm writing this from my friend's place back in Syracuse, NY. With your amazing powers of deduction, that means yesterday was my last day in London. Who knew four months would disappear so quickly? I can honestly say, it hasn't even fully registered that I am, in fact, back in the states. Culture shock is certainly not a thing yet, but let me tell you, jet lag showed no mercy. 

Let's just say this pure exhaustion is part of the reason I haven't freaked out about not being in Europe anymore. In my head, I realize I may not be back for a long time, but my brain really hasn't wrapped itself around that fact yet. I know once it does, though, the tears'll certainly be a flowin'. 

There are so many things I accomplished in my relatively short time in London, but still so many things I would have liked to experience. This semester was all about stepping out of my comfort zone, and I certainly took some steps. I did it all, from something as small as giving a toast in a room full of strangers, to just living in a gigantic city on my own. I mastered the streets of Central London, and explored the side streets of Paris, Florence, Amsterdam, and Dublin. I made invaluable friendships, tried quite the array of new foods, and braved the nightmare that is public transportation. Most importantly, I learned to start saying yes to things (insert witty "Yes Man" reference here), and stop making excuses. London taught me to never be bored. Yes, there were a million and a half things to do in London at any given time, but even in homey Syracuse, NY, I'm excited to experience it all. 

Being away, in such an amazing place, gave me a whole new set of eyes back home. Everything's the same, yes, and nothing's really changed much, and I couldn't be happier. 

Anyway, as a parting note, here's what I ended up getting to on my London Bucket List. Shhhh...I know there are quite a few "big" things I didn't see. But hey, it's just reason to go back right?


1. The London Eye
2. The Tate 
3. Natural History Museum
4. Camden Market
5. The British Museum
6. Hyde Park
7. Victoria & Albert Museum
8. Go to Harrod's
9. Somerset House
10. Explore Southbank
11. See a musical/play
12. Sketch restaurant
13. Explore London Coffee Shops Map
14. Ministry of Sound
15. Visit historic London pubs
16. Gingerline
17. Afternoon tea 
18. Take a photo at Abbey Road
19. David Bowie exhibit at the V&A
20. Visit Kew Gardens
21. Portobello Road Market
22. Buckingham Palace
23. See Westminster Abbey
24. Tower of London
25. Go to platform 9 3/4
26. Shakespeare's Globe theater
27. Windsor Castle
28. Explore the English countryside
29. Fortnum & Mason
30. Explore Regents Park
31. Brick Lane Markets
32. Hampstead Heath
33. See St. Paul's
34. Borough Market
35. Trafalgar Square
36. Visit Harry Potter Studios
37. Walk across Millenium Bridge
38. Selfridges & Co.
39. See Stonehenge
40. White cliffs of Dover

&& Some last looks into my journey abroad:

Cheers London,

Thanks for being my wonderful home for four short months. Until we meet again <3 font="">

Blown Away

This past week I've had a wonderful time wandering about the English countryside. Escaping from the stone city that is London was quite literally a breath of fresh air. Don't get me wrong, I love London and everything about it, but every once in a while I feel the need for a little room to frolic.

Anyway, thanks the student life office at SU London, I was able to spend two nights in Dorset, a county in southwest England. The trip, which consisted of numerous walks, hikes, and natural wonders  had been planned for us and even included a cliff-top view of the sunset at Portland Heights. Unfortunately for us, the unpredictable English weather paid no mind to our plans.

With temperatures averaging just under 40°F, rain that fell sideways, and winds that were even pushing me around, we were all blown away. (Too punny, I know) Despite the horrendous weather, the places we traversed had beautiful views, even if they were clouded by fog and mist. Perhaps the most entertaining part of our journey was an 8 kilometer hike along the Isle of Purbeck and St. Aldhelm's Head. We started out down a gated farm path, and eventually made our way to the sea. While we were greeted by cliffs high above the English channel and a view that seemed like the edge of the world, we were also greeted by narrow paths filled with mud, sheep...droppings, barbed wire fences and thorns. We took that road less traveled, and it hurt man! 

*A short interjection, if you didn't get that last reference, you need to watch this video...right now.

Now let's backtrack a bit here, a few days before this trip, I decided to buy a new pair of boots for the hike. I popped into a few stores in Covent Garden, and eventually bought a pair of waterproof Dr. Martens to protect my feet from the elements. The next day, I decided to break those puppies in - MISTAKE. With inadequate sock protection and stiff, fresh out of the factory boots, I got two raging blisters, one for each of my feet (how thoughtful of them...)

Needless to say, those boots were not going to work out for the trip the next day. And, after a few hours of trying on different bandaid, sock, and shoe combinations, I discovered the only shoes I could even walk in were my crappy, falling apart, $15 boots from Charlotte Russe that had absolutely no traction. Thankfully for me, my flatmate Nina had the sense to remind me to wrap a plastic bag around my foot to keep moisture out. I may have slip, slided away the majority of the time, but I managed to stay vertical and dry nearly the whole trip. That is, until we got about 50 yards away from the coach, where both my body and gravity rebelled against me, and I landed firmly in a pile of mud. Hey, I wouldn't be me unless something like that happened, right?

Regardless, I had a fantastic time laughing at the ridiculousness of it all as well as enjoying the beauty that is the English coast. With how much collective cackling coming from our group as we fall flat on our faces time and time again, you would have thought we were off our trolley!

Here are a few more shots from Dorset:

Atop the Iron Age hill-fort, Maiden Castle.

Ruins of Corfe Castle.

The end of the world in Weymouth.

Me and my friends Jill, Dana, and Alissa at Portland Heights.

Our last beachside stop at Studland Beach.

On a much less adventurous note, I spent the morning perusing Kew Gardens in west London. Escaping the city for a few hours before class was just as refreshing as Dorset - without the mud, bitter cold, and wind and plus lots of beautiful trees, flowers, and warm greenhouses. Take a look at this spring eye candy:

Cheers!

U.K. English Phrase of the Week: "of [their] trolley" meaning crazy

London Bucket List

With just over one month left in this lovely city of London, I'm feeling a bit bittersweet about the whole situation. There are many things I'm longing for back in the states - my family, my job, my cat, 24 hour drive throughs (shhh) - but I'm really not ready to leave London. At the beginning of the semester I put together a bucket list for my time here. Looking at it now, I realize I've crossed off a lot from that list, but there's still so much I'd like to accomplish. So in comes the mad dash to the finish line -38 days left, 19 items to go. Let's see what I can do!

1. The London Eye
2. The Tate 
3. Natural History Museum
4. Camden Market
5. The British Museum
6. Hyde Park
7. Victoria & Albert Museum
8. Go to Harrod's
9. Somerset House
10. Explore Southbank
11. See a musical/play
12. Sketch restaurant
13. Explore London Coffee Shops Map
14. Ministry of Sound
15. Visit historic London pubs
16. Gingerline
17. Afternoon tea 
18. Take a photo at Abbey Road
19. David Bowie exhibit at the V&A
20. Visit Kew Gardens
21. Portobello Road Market
22. Buckingham Palace
23. See Westminster Abbey
24. Tower of London
25. Go to platform 9 3/4
26. Shakespeare's Globe theater
27. Windsor Castle
28. Explore the English countryside
29. Fortnum & Mason
30. Explore Regents Park
31. Brick Lane Markets
32. Hampstead Heath
33. See St. Paul's
34. Borough Market
35. Trafalgar Square
36. Visit Harry Potter Studios
37. Walk across Millenium Bridge
38. Selfridges & Co.
39. See Stonehenge
40. White cliffs of Dover



Cheers!

The Halfway Point

Ladies and gentlemen, I've come to a sad realization. This past Monday, March 4th, marked the official halfway point of my stay in London. Cue the world's tiniest violin.

It honestly feels like I've just gotten used to living in London rather than visiting. Here comes the cliche, but time really does fly. Regardless, I'm thankful spring break is finally here - we've been working hard, believe it or not. Anyway, I'll be spending most of the break in London, with an extended weekend trip to Paris next Thursday (...I know right?). Needless to say I'm thrilled.

That being said, having a solid week to meander through the parts of London I've yet to explore is equally exciting. Somehow in the seven weeks I've been here, I still haven't made it to most of the museums and parks, Buckingham Palace, or an official afternoon tea. Let's be honest though, I'm more of a coffee girl, and London's been revealing quite the hidden gems lately.

Most recently I discovered a wonderful little coffee shop just across the street from the building my classes are in. Actually, the shop, called Freestate Espresso, just opened last week and is quickly becoming my favorite spot to hideaway and get work done. With a beautiful glass facade, reclaimed wood floors and coffee bars, and the beauty that is the La Marzocco Strada espresso machine, how could you not just fall in love? Plus, they have mint green coffee cups. What did I say? Love.

Poor little cappuccino didn't even last long enough to get a shot of the latte art.

Interior of Freestate Espresso with wood reclaimed from 1920s railway car boards.

Me and Megan getting our caffeine fix.

Aside from discovering new avenues to fuel my coffee addiction, I've been exploring British pub culture. Somehow, I managed to make it the topic for a project in one of my classes which means I have to have plenty of first-hand experience. Convenient how that worked out if you ask me. So far I've been to a few of London's most historic and eclectic pubs. From The Princess Louise in Holborn to the Black Friar in St. Paul's, each pub has had a distinct atmosphere. 

The Princess Louise in Holborn is definitely one of my favorites so far. Built in 1872, The Princess Louise is an absolutely gorgeous example of a Victorian public house. Although there wasn't room to sit downstairs, there are these fantastic little booths around the bar on the first floor. Regardless, two of my good friends and I enjoyed a pint of cider and good conversation in the upstairs part of the pub. 

Fantastically restored Victorian interior at the Princess Louise.

One of the small stalls surrounding the downstairs bar.

There's something so wonderfully charming about pubs in London - especially the ones labelled as "historic." Layers upon layers of textures, furnishings, photographs and decorations reflect the type of thing you'd expect to see in a well-loved home. Considering pubs (aka public houses) were originally extensions of the owners homes, that makes a whole lotta sense. What I love more than the beautiful ornamentation of the pub itself is the intangible atmosphere you experience. Spending a few hours here creates stories, good times, and a sort of nostalgia - layers of memories and experiences. Plus, I'm finally learning to appreciate beer - Guinness is surprisingly one of my favorites so far.

Speaking of favorites, one of my favorite "local" spots is the Victoria in Westminster. It's only about a seven minute walk from my flat, and it definitely has the neighborhood vibe going for it. It's quite a bit smaller than the Princess Louise, but what it lacks in size it certainly makes up for in charm. The few times I've been, there's been a perfectly balanced mix of tourists, the casual pub-hopper, and a handful of regulars who are definitely starting to remember my face. Plus, the bartenders are fantastic (and not half-bad looking either ladies!) Anyway, I've had quite a few "you had to be there" moments here so far and am sure to have more in the next two months. Don't worry though, I'm not turning into a lush getting pissed* all the time! ;)

Until next time,

Cheers!

View of the bar at The Victoria.

Having a designgasm over the wallpaper.

Enjoying the classic pint.

*U.K. English Word of the Week: "Pissed" meaning drunk

Market Stalls & Castle Halls

Well ladies and gents, here we are. It's been three weeks since my last post, and honestly, I couldn't tell you why! Sometimes the time just gets away from you I guess. Regardless, I apologize for my lack of updates.

Looking back at these few weeks, I can hardly think of just everything I've been up to. Between classes and exploring the streets of London, I know I've been busy. Unfortunately, my whirlwind of a brain has trouble remembering specifically what I've been doing. Double unfortunately, I spent the past week largely in my flat. Let me tell you, the raging common cold doesn't care if you're in London or at home in Syracuse, NY - it'll come for you no matter where you exist. Anywho, a trip to the chemist later, I'm feeling much better.

Anyway, in my healthy moments, I've spent a lot of time exploring the Southwark area of London thanks, in part, to a class project taking place in that area. In my design class, we're looking at some of the local issues in Southwark, and eventually designing a space that will help to alleviate these problems within the abandoned railway arches. My particular area is interesting in that it is located in the direct center of a variety of cultural hubs. Theaters to the west, art galleries to the north, and the famous Borough Market to the east.

A fabulous installation piece hidden in Borough Market.

Speaking of Borough Market, I could honestly say this is one of my favorite places in London. Tons of local vendors set up here to sell there wares, and by wares I mean delicious delectables. Local produce, hand made meats and cheeses, tasty jams and chutneys, and every other food imaginable are for sale here. What's even better about this place? Free samples. You had me at Hello, Borough Market.

Fresh produce from Turnips @ Borough Market.

Monmouth Coffee Company.

Freshly roasted coffee beans @ Monmouth Coffee.

Rabot Estate: Home of the Best Mocha I've Ever Had.

Perhaps two of my favorite aspects of the market aren't actually part of the market - Monmouth Coffee Company and Rabot Estate. Ladies, let me translate - superb cappuccinos and lattes right down the street from the most delicious homemade chocolate I've ever had. I'll give you a moment. I had more than enough of a caffeiene fix between the two. Monmouth roasts its own coffee, much like where I work (Cafe Kubal Represent!) so the espresso drinks are rich and smooth. And Rabot Estate? They do a KILLER mocha (which isn't typically my favorite). The secret to their success? They use their own, handmade melted chocolate in their mochas and hot chocolates. Absolutely to DIE for!

In addition to exploring local wares, I took a day trip to Windsor Castle. Important news flash: Her Majesty the Queen arrived shortly after we'd left that day! To think I could have had afternoon tea with her...

...right.

Central Tower & Gardens

The Long Walk.

The Lower Part of Windsor Castle. 

The town of Windsor was such a refreshing sight compared to the bustling streets of London. This weekend retreat of the royal family sits atop a rolling green hill and comes complete with winding, cobblestone streets. Not to mention it was another one of those rare warm, sunny February days in London, making for some beautiful pictures of the castle (see below). All points of the castle hold beautiful views of the surrounding countryside and the gardens surrounding the central tower brought new life to the grey London I've come to love.

Megan & I with our New Guard Friend.

Oh, and did I mention I finally got to have some fun with the Royal Guard? Overall, a wonderful day trip and a wonderful past few weeks. Although, I'll let you in on a secret, the next few weeks will be full of even more excitement. I'll give you a hint, c'est magnifique!


U.K. English Word of the Week: "Chemist" meaning pharmacist