Although this is almost three weeks late, I figured better late than never! Getting settled back in and organized amongst the holiday craziness has taken much longer than I ever anticipated. Without further ado, here is my final post!
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December 11th, 2010
As I write this, I am on the last 2-hour leg of our flight to JFK. Technically speaking, we’ve officially crossed the pond! I figured I would start off more light-hearted, with a list of all the things I’m looking forward to back in Connecticut, and all the things I’m going to miss in London. I figured it was only appropriate since I’ve been telling everyone who asks about my departure, “It’s bitter-sweet”. So here it is, my “Bitter-Sweet List!”
Bitter: I know you’re all thinking it, so I’ll list it first, the myriad of FOOD; having an exciting enough life to blog about; the expectation of afternoon tea and scones; being able to walk to the grocery store; seeing those adorable British school children in their uniforms every morning; getting lost in Harrods; the ability to explore a new area or see something new every single day; taking pictures of Big Ben every time; “Mind the Gap”; constantly being surrounded by British accents (and just the British culture in general); newfound Wake and JPMorgan friends; and most of all, spending time with Carolyn every day! :)
Sweet: eating healthy again (let’s hope); everything being in dollars!; no more midget bathroom sink; my BED; not living my life out of four drawers; having control over the heat; laundry not costing an arm and a leg (per load); DRIVING!; American television and DVR; manicures & pedicures; no more second-hand smoke everywhere I go; Christmas in Connecticut (and CT in general); seeing Brock and Collin walk!; hearing Audrey talk (and say my name!); meeting Yoseph for the first time; David and Jack’s visit from California; visiting both WHS and BC friends; a cruise in less than 4 weeks; my house; and most of all, my parents smiling faces at the airport exit!
Now, for the sappiness in me. After the hectic morning at Heathrow (re: luggage), I am definitely ready to finally get home. However, at the same time, I did get teary eyed looking out the window as we lifted up from the runway. London has officially become, and will always be, a major milestone in my life. I will never, ever forget it. It’s an experience I am eternally grateful for, and there are so many aspects of the experience I am thankful for: first and foremost, to my parents for funding, but more importantly supporting and encouraging me throughout my entire journey, I can’t begin to thank you enough. To Carolyn, for being the best friend anybody could ever ask for; I could not think of anyone else I would have rather spent the past three, amazing months with, and I am beyond grateful and lucky to have you. To Maggie, Ashley, and Allie, I can’t tell you how happy I am that we met and became such close friends; I cannot wait until our Wake and London reunions; I’m going to miss you all so much! And finally, thank you to all of YOU! Whether you were one of the people who e-mailed me inquiring when we would catch-up on days long-gone past (sorry about those times, by the way) or quietly read on the side, everyday or once in a while, any which way I am so pleased I was able to share my experience with all of you, and hopefully, you all enjoyed experiencing it along with me. I’m also so thrilled that 15 years from now, Carolyn and I will have this to share with our children and (potentially British) husbands (everyone cross your fingers!). Although there were occasional nights when we both were guilty of complaining about writing posts, I can speak for both of us when I say it was beyond worth all our time and hard-work.
So after 102 posts, some better than others, some ordinary and some filled with the extraordinary, and with tears starting to flow down my face (thank goodness I’m sitting by myself), this is the end of my blogging! Thank you, thank you, thank you for the most amazing thirteen weeks of my life. I love you all!
A Final Cheers,
LC
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Away We Go
Saturday, December 11th
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Bags zipped, passport packed, iPod fully charged. It feels like only yesterday Lauren and I were anticipating our arrival in London; I cannot believe it has been nearly four months since our first posts! The time has truly flown by, but in a wonderful way. This has been, without a doubt, the most amazing experience of my life and one that I will never forget. We have gotten to travel to unbelievable places, made life long friends, and lived in one of the world's most vibrant and amazing cities. We are going to miss our life in London so much, although we both agreed last night that we are ready for the familiar faces and comforts of home!
Some of the things we will miss the most: accents (of course), delicious food, and exploring our area of South Kensington and everything around it. Things we will not miss: the fact that everyone and their mother smokes here, slow service, and not being able to drive. Though we certainly have things we will miss, we will look back on this time with nothing but the fondest of memories. There is no one I would have rather had this experience with; Lauren has truly been the ultimate best friend on this trip! We have had so many fun times together, which has made our friendship even stronger - we agreed we're going to have to have sleepovers occasionally because we'll miss each other too much!
Our cab is set to arrive in only a short bit to take us to Heathrow, and everything just seems so surreal. I'm finding myself trying to take mental pictures of everything surrounding me, as I do not want to forget anything about my time here. But we'll be back, I'm sure of it. For now though, we will say cheers to our beloved London and head home to our beloved Wilton, Connecticut.
xo Carolyn
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Bags zipped, passport packed, iPod fully charged. It feels like only yesterday Lauren and I were anticipating our arrival in London; I cannot believe it has been nearly four months since our first posts! The time has truly flown by, but in a wonderful way. This has been, without a doubt, the most amazing experience of my life and one that I will never forget. We have gotten to travel to unbelievable places, made life long friends, and lived in one of the world's most vibrant and amazing cities. We are going to miss our life in London so much, although we both agreed last night that we are ready for the familiar faces and comforts of home!
Some of the things we will miss the most: accents (of course), delicious food, and exploring our area of South Kensington and everything around it. Things we will not miss: the fact that everyone and their mother smokes here, slow service, and not being able to drive. Though we certainly have things we will miss, we will look back on this time with nothing but the fondest of memories. There is no one I would have rather had this experience with; Lauren has truly been the ultimate best friend on this trip! We have had so many fun times together, which has made our friendship even stronger - we agreed we're going to have to have sleepovers occasionally because we'll miss each other too much!
Our cab is set to arrive in only a short bit to take us to Heathrow, and everything just seems so surreal. I'm finding myself trying to take mental pictures of everything surrounding me, as I do not want to forget anything about my time here. But we'll be back, I'm sure of it. For now though, we will say cheers to our beloved London and head home to our beloved Wilton, Connecticut.
xo Carolyn
The Last Supper
Friday, December 10th
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Friday morning had a very strange air to it: our last full day in London. Carolyn and I spent the entirety of our morning packing. It is no surprise to hear that we are returning home with a lot more than we originally left with, but in our defense, we’ve been living in London for over three months! (so hard to believe). Unfortunately, Carolyn’s Crabtree and Evelyn biscuit sampler didn’t make the cut, but it did prove to be a welcomed treat later that afternoon.
Our first outing of the day was very random. Long story short, our friend Lauren Gensler had tried to bring her suitcases to her rented storage unit at 1AM, but it was closed. Leaving at 6AM for three weeks of travel, there was really no other option than for us to bring it there for her. So, Maggie, Carolyn, and I made the journey via cab to Fulham. It didn’t end up being too bad, and by 12:30 we were on the Tube headed to Westminster. Luckily, the station was open, since for the entirety of yesterday is was closed due to the violent student protests. I’m not going to get started on that one, but let’s just say the images of kids kicking and throwing objects at Prince Charles and Camilla’s Rolls was all over the news!
At Westminster, we exited the Tube only to be greeted by Big Ben one last time. You all can appreciate how many pictures I have taken of it since we’ve arrived, so of course, I couldn’t go my last day without taking any! We then proceeded to walk to the other side of Parliament Square to take a few “solo shots” with Ben and the Eye in the background. From there, we walked down Whitehall to Trafalgar Square, passing Downing Street along the way. We also made a quick stop at a kitschy tourist shop to buy last minute souvenirs: London ornaments! Once we had our last glance of Nelson’s Column (being chemically cleaned of the graffiti from student protestors), we walked through Leicester Square and China Town before entering Soho where we opted to have our last lunch at Hummus Bros! Maggie, Carolyn, and I all are confident that if brought to the States (NYC in particular) it would flourish. Such a good idea.
Afterwards, we walked to Piccadilly, then down an always busy Regent Street, where we made a quick stop at H&M. I did buy something, but only cable-knit socks; it’s about the only thing I can manage to fit in my suitcase! Oxford Street was next, where Maggie had requested a stop at TopShop as she needed to bring home something for her sister, so we spent a good amount of time there. Definitely going to miss that store. Both Carolyn and Maggie managed to buy themselves final TopShop purchases before heading to Harrods for some last-minute souvenirs. I opted to go back to South Ken (on what would be my final Tube ride!) to check-in online and print out my boarding pass before the library closed.
Just a little while later, Carolyn returned to our flat and we relaxed for a little while before heading out for the last time. I had suggested getting dinner in South Ken or Earls Court, since the sentimental part of me thought it would be nice to spend our last night in our home neighborhood. On our way there, we got stopped TWICE for directions, and both times we knew exactly where to direct them! I told Carolyn it was definitely a sign on our final night; it was a clear rite of passage moment. :)
We ended up settling on Thai Square for dinner, a great Thai restaurant right near all our other favorite eateries in South Ken. After a fun last supper, Carolyn headed to the Creperie to get ice cream, while I went to Snog for the last time, as I had been craving it all week. Maggie, Carolyn, and I then had a final leisurely walk back to Courtfield, saying goodbye to all of our familiarities along the way. When we arrived back, we did some last-minute packing before Maggie came in our room for a couple of hours of memory recollection and laughs (and biscuit tasting!). Around 11, we said the last of our goodbyes to Maggie; the final three had become the final two. I’m so jealous that Maggie, Ashley, Allie, and Carolyn will all be reunited at Wake in only a month, but I guess it just means I need to start planning my Wake Weekend now!
Tomorrow we have to “check-out” with our RA at 8, followed by the car arriving at 9. As my Dad would say, just a wake-up to go…
Cheers,
LC
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Friday morning had a very strange air to it: our last full day in London. Carolyn and I spent the entirety of our morning packing. It is no surprise to hear that we are returning home with a lot more than we originally left with, but in our defense, we’ve been living in London for over three months! (so hard to believe). Unfortunately, Carolyn’s Crabtree and Evelyn biscuit sampler didn’t make the cut, but it did prove to be a welcomed treat later that afternoon.
Our first outing of the day was very random. Long story short, our friend Lauren Gensler had tried to bring her suitcases to her rented storage unit at 1AM, but it was closed. Leaving at 6AM for three weeks of travel, there was really no other option than for us to bring it there for her. So, Maggie, Carolyn, and I made the journey via cab to Fulham. It didn’t end up being too bad, and by 12:30 we were on the Tube headed to Westminster. Luckily, the station was open, since for the entirety of yesterday is was closed due to the violent student protests. I’m not going to get started on that one, but let’s just say the images of kids kicking and throwing objects at Prince Charles and Camilla’s Rolls was all over the news!
At Westminster, we exited the Tube only to be greeted by Big Ben one last time. You all can appreciate how many pictures I have taken of it since we’ve arrived, so of course, I couldn’t go my last day without taking any! We then proceeded to walk to the other side of Parliament Square to take a few “solo shots” with Ben and the Eye in the background. From there, we walked down Whitehall to Trafalgar Square, passing Downing Street along the way. We also made a quick stop at a kitschy tourist shop to buy last minute souvenirs: London ornaments! Once we had our last glance of Nelson’s Column (being chemically cleaned of the graffiti from student protestors), we walked through Leicester Square and China Town before entering Soho where we opted to have our last lunch at Hummus Bros! Maggie, Carolyn, and I all are confident that if brought to the States (NYC in particular) it would flourish. Such a good idea.
Afterwards, we walked to Piccadilly, then down an always busy Regent Street, where we made a quick stop at H&M. I did buy something, but only cable-knit socks; it’s about the only thing I can manage to fit in my suitcase! Oxford Street was next, where Maggie had requested a stop at TopShop as she needed to bring home something for her sister, so we spent a good amount of time there. Definitely going to miss that store. Both Carolyn and Maggie managed to buy themselves final TopShop purchases before heading to Harrods for some last-minute souvenirs. I opted to go back to South Ken (on what would be my final Tube ride!) to check-in online and print out my boarding pass before the library closed.
Just a little while later, Carolyn returned to our flat and we relaxed for a little while before heading out for the last time. I had suggested getting dinner in South Ken or Earls Court, since the sentimental part of me thought it would be nice to spend our last night in our home neighborhood. On our way there, we got stopped TWICE for directions, and both times we knew exactly where to direct them! I told Carolyn it was definitely a sign on our final night; it was a clear rite of passage moment. :)
We ended up settling on Thai Square for dinner, a great Thai restaurant right near all our other favorite eateries in South Ken. After a fun last supper, Carolyn headed to the Creperie to get ice cream, while I went to Snog for the last time, as I had been craving it all week. Maggie, Carolyn, and I then had a final leisurely walk back to Courtfield, saying goodbye to all of our familiarities along the way. When we arrived back, we did some last-minute packing before Maggie came in our room for a couple of hours of memory recollection and laughs (and biscuit tasting!). Around 11, we said the last of our goodbyes to Maggie; the final three had become the final two. I’m so jealous that Maggie, Ashley, Allie, and Carolyn will all be reunited at Wake in only a month, but I guess it just means I need to start planning my Wake Weekend now!
Tomorrow we have to “check-out” with our RA at 8, followed by the car arriving at 9. As my Dad would say, just a wake-up to go…
Cheers,
LC
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Good Life
While Lauren's and my alarms rung at 7 am this morning, our usual wake up time for work, we were instead getting up to head to our last final exams of the semester. Not exactly something we were thrilled to do, but we knew that after our 2 hour exam we would be free until our Saturday departure! As luck would have it, our Architecture exam was held in the Crofton, the largest of BU's three residences, and the farthest from Courtfield Gardens..of course! At 8:35 we made our way to Queen's Gate, and arrived in our testing room by 8:50. Since it was a 'seen' exam (we were given a choice of questions two weeks ago and only had to answer one) we anxiously looked over our notes we had prepared before opening our test booklets and beginning at 9 am on the dot. We both ended up writing about the same thing: how the Blitz affected the architectural growth and development of London. It was actually really interesting to learn about it in our research, it was truly a defining time for the city. By 10:30, we were both done and rejoiced as we walked out the door of the Crofton - we're done with the semester!! It still seems weird that we don't have just one more exam or paper to complete, but we're learning to love the freedom :)
Unfortunately, our arrival back at Courtfield marked the first of our friends' departures. Ashley left this morning for Heathrow; it was so weird to see all her things packed up and her bed stripped and empty! It's kind of a wake up call that our time here is actually coming to an end. After lots of hugs, we put her in a cab, still in a slight state of shock that people are actually starting to leave. After her departure, Lauren and I spent the early afternoon relaxing and watching movies. By 2 pm, the second block of exams were finished, so Lauren, Maggie and I met Allie and her friend Kelsey at Gloucester Road for one more trip to Borough Market. After a quick switch from the Piccadilly to Jubilee lines, we arrived at London Bridge Station and made the two minute walk into the heart of the market. Lauren and I had only been to Borough on the weekend, so we were surprised to see how empty the stalls were on a Thursday! There were only about 1/3 as many stalls as what we had become accustomed to, but of course we found things to enjoy. I chose to return to the Raclette station Lauren and I had visited before for another toasted cheese sandwich, while the rest of the girls enjoyed what looked liked amazing veggie burgers. After our main meals, Lauren and Maggie tried a Milky Chai Tea while I picked up some mulled apple cider; both perfect drinks for the chilly weather! Top it all off with a brownie, and we concluded that we had successfully covered Borough Market for the last time. After returning home on the tube, we spent a little more time relaxing until it was time to say goodbye to yet another friend, Allie. She is leaving tomorrow for a week in France, and unfortunately has to catch a 3:30 am train to catch her 6 am flight to Dijon, so she went and stayed with her boyfriend who is accompanying her on the trip. It was so sad to say goodbye, but I am so glad I get to see everyone in only a month at Wake! We've already decided we're going to have weekly dinner together, I can't wait!
Not long after, it was time for dinner. Maggie, Lauren and I decided on Mexican, and found a spot in Covent Garden that we wanted to try. Unfortunately, when we arrived at the (delicious looking) spot, the hostess gave us the news that we would have to wait for an hour until we could be seated. Since Lauren and Maggie were both starving, we decided to forgo the wait and try to find another Mexican restaurant. After multiple attempts and numerous fails, we finally found a place called "Lupita." We enjoyed a delicious meal of tacos and burritos, and by the end were absolutely stuffed. We're still debating on what to have for our final meal tomorrow night...tough decision to say the least!
We are now cozy in our beds and looking forward to a good night's sleep. Lauren Gensler leaves at 6 am tomorrow for Nice, so I've had to say goodbye to her, and our roommate Christine is leaving at 4:30 am tomorrow for Geneva, so we want to make sure we get as much sleep as possible since there's going to be a lot of activity tomorrow morning! Tomorrow is our last full day in London and I absolutely cannot believe it. Although we still have to pack, we want to make sure we visit all our favorites around the city, giving us one last chance to say goodbye to our home for the last four months. We're sad to say goodbye, but we are definitely excited to get home and see our families and friends!!
xo Carolyn
I've been listening to this song pretty much nonstop today - it truly has been the 'good life' here!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyoFsv-jcrA
Unfortunately, our arrival back at Courtfield marked the first of our friends' departures. Ashley left this morning for Heathrow; it was so weird to see all her things packed up and her bed stripped and empty! It's kind of a wake up call that our time here is actually coming to an end. After lots of hugs, we put her in a cab, still in a slight state of shock that people are actually starting to leave. After her departure, Lauren and I spent the early afternoon relaxing and watching movies. By 2 pm, the second block of exams were finished, so Lauren, Maggie and I met Allie and her friend Kelsey at Gloucester Road for one more trip to Borough Market. After a quick switch from the Piccadilly to Jubilee lines, we arrived at London Bridge Station and made the two minute walk into the heart of the market. Lauren and I had only been to Borough on the weekend, so we were surprised to see how empty the stalls were on a Thursday! There were only about 1/3 as many stalls as what we had become accustomed to, but of course we found things to enjoy. I chose to return to the Raclette station Lauren and I had visited before for another toasted cheese sandwich, while the rest of the girls enjoyed what looked liked amazing veggie burgers. After our main meals, Lauren and Maggie tried a Milky Chai Tea while I picked up some mulled apple cider; both perfect drinks for the chilly weather! Top it all off with a brownie, and we concluded that we had successfully covered Borough Market for the last time. After returning home on the tube, we spent a little more time relaxing until it was time to say goodbye to yet another friend, Allie. She is leaving tomorrow for a week in France, and unfortunately has to catch a 3:30 am train to catch her 6 am flight to Dijon, so she went and stayed with her boyfriend who is accompanying her on the trip. It was so sad to say goodbye, but I am so glad I get to see everyone in only a month at Wake! We've already decided we're going to have weekly dinner together, I can't wait!
Not long after, it was time for dinner. Maggie, Lauren and I decided on Mexican, and found a spot in Covent Garden that we wanted to try. Unfortunately, when we arrived at the (delicious looking) spot, the hostess gave us the news that we would have to wait for an hour until we could be seated. Since Lauren and Maggie were both starving, we decided to forgo the wait and try to find another Mexican restaurant. After multiple attempts and numerous fails, we finally found a place called "Lupita." We enjoyed a delicious meal of tacos and burritos, and by the end were absolutely stuffed. We're still debating on what to have for our final meal tomorrow night...tough decision to say the least!
We are now cozy in our beds and looking forward to a good night's sleep. Lauren Gensler leaves at 6 am tomorrow for Nice, so I've had to say goodbye to her, and our roommate Christine is leaving at 4:30 am tomorrow for Geneva, so we want to make sure we get as much sleep as possible since there's going to be a lot of activity tomorrow morning! Tomorrow is our last full day in London and I absolutely cannot believe it. Although we still have to pack, we want to make sure we visit all our favorites around the city, giving us one last chance to say goodbye to our home for the last four months. We're sad to say goodbye, but we are definitely excited to get home and see our families and friends!!
xo Carolyn
I've been listening to this song pretty much nonstop today - it truly has been the 'good life' here!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyoFsv-jcrA
Finals & Farewells
Wednesday, December 8th
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It’s hard to believe 72 hours from now we will be on our way to Heathrow, starting the (very) long journey home! Carolyn and I woke up around nine Wednesday morning; Carolyn began her packing, while I dove right into researching for our Architecture final tomorrow. The final is a “seen paper” – we know the essay question, but we have to research and memorize all the information in order to write about it for one to two hours. We’re both writing about the effect of the Blitz on London architecture and urbanism, so there are a myriad of dates and facts to be memorized.
The majority of the day was spent doing work, but at least tomorrow we will officially be done for the semester. Carolyn took a break around three o’clock to head to the Orangery at Kensington Palace for afternoon tea with Maggie and Ashley. Neither of them had been to tea yet, and with Ashley leaving tomorrow, Carolyn and I both stressed to her it was a must-do. I, unfortunately, had to stay back at Courtfield and continue working since I would be leaving just a couple of hours later for JPMorgan’s F&O Christmas Party. The party is at a bar just a few blocks down from the office, so I first went back to the headquarters to say goodbye to a few people before heading out with my boss and coworker. They both wrote me a very sweet card and got me a small gift, which was very thoughtful. It was just the first of many (sad) goodbyes to come…
Cheers,
LC
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It’s hard to believe 72 hours from now we will be on our way to Heathrow, starting the (very) long journey home! Carolyn and I woke up around nine Wednesday morning; Carolyn began her packing, while I dove right into researching for our Architecture final tomorrow. The final is a “seen paper” – we know the essay question, but we have to research and memorize all the information in order to write about it for one to two hours. We’re both writing about the effect of the Blitz on London architecture and urbanism, so there are a myriad of dates and facts to be memorized.
The majority of the day was spent doing work, but at least tomorrow we will officially be done for the semester. Carolyn took a break around three o’clock to head to the Orangery at Kensington Palace for afternoon tea with Maggie and Ashley. Neither of them had been to tea yet, and with Ashley leaving tomorrow, Carolyn and I both stressed to her it was a must-do. I, unfortunately, had to stay back at Courtfield and continue working since I would be leaving just a couple of hours later for JPMorgan’s F&O Christmas Party. The party is at a bar just a few blocks down from the office, so I first went back to the headquarters to say goodbye to a few people before heading out with my boss and coworker. They both wrote me a very sweet card and got me a small gift, which was very thoughtful. It was just the first of many (sad) goodbyes to come…
Cheers,
LC
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Lions in London
This was the first Tuesday we had no class or work this semester, so it was an odd but nice change to have been able to sleep in this morning! After our extra long rests (the Sun was actually up when our eyes opened!), Lauren and I took our time getting up, relaxing on our laptops before showering and getting ready for the rest of the day.
We decided yesterday that we needed to make one more stop at Hummus Bros before our Saturday departure, so it was settled that today would be the day. We hopped on our beloved Piccadilly line to Piccadilly Circus, and from there strolled over to Soho, the location of one of the chain's three restaurants. We arrived around 12:45 pm, and were surprised to see a rather small line as this is usually considered the London lunch hour. We ended up getting there right in time: after we sat down with our meals (Lauren had hummus with chickpeas while I had vegetables with a falafel salad...delicious!) the line (or queue I should say) began to snake nearly out the door. Luckily, we finished before it got too crazy inside, but we were glad to have had one last lunch at one of our favorite discoveries!
After lunch, I made my way to Covent Garden while Lauren returned to Courtfield Gardens. As Lauren was scheduled to go out with her coworkers from JP Morgan, Ashley, Maggie and I decided we would go to dinner tonight and then we would all see different West End shows. I had chosen The Lion King, as that was the one last show on my wish list. I popped into the Lyceum Theatre, the home of the show, to try to snag a ticket. Luckily, I was able to get a Dress Circle (First Mezzanine) seat for only 20 pounds! Ticket in hand, I got back on the tube and met Lauren back at home. The rest of the afternoon was spent avoiding packing, enjoying "Gossip Girl" and even doing 15 minutes of research for my final on Thursday! So productive, I know.
At 5:15, I met Maggie, Ashley and Allie in their room before we headed back to Gloucester Station to go to dinner. Unfortunately, Lauren's dinner plans fell through, but she decided to stay home and be productive (which she definitely was...a lot more packed than I am right now!). Our dinner spot was Carluccio's, an Italian restaurant in between Covent Garden and Leicester Square. We enjoyed a lovely dinner together before we all parted ways to go to our respective theatres; Ashley was headed to "Phantom," Maggie to "Love Never Dies," and Allie "Jersey Boys" (jealous!). I made a quick pit stop at Ben's Cookies before walking to the Lyceum, where I quietly took my seat. I've never been to a show by myself before, but it was actually really nice, it gave me a chance to really look around and take in my surroundings. The show was amazing; it truly is a visual masterpiece - there were points I found myself getting teary because the scenery was just so beautiful. The only thing I had to get used to was the accents; I think I'm too used to Jonathan Taylor Thomas' Simba voice - lions with British accents are just a little off for me. Other than that, though, I loved it. Knowing the Disney person I am, everyone has been shocked when I tell them I have not seen The Lion King yet, but now I can personally attest to how wonderful it is...hopefully I can go see it with the fam soon in New York!
After the show got out at 10 pm, I decided to bypass the nearby Covent Garden tube stop and meander through the streets of "Theatreland" to Piccadilly. The weather wasn't horribly cold, so I thought why not? I love nothing more than walking through London at night; the architecture, the lights, and the people everywhere make it a truly magical place. It's hard to believe we only have three more days here...we're just going to have to make the absolute most of it!
xo Carolyn
We decided yesterday that we needed to make one more stop at Hummus Bros before our Saturday departure, so it was settled that today would be the day. We hopped on our beloved Piccadilly line to Piccadilly Circus, and from there strolled over to Soho, the location of one of the chain's three restaurants. We arrived around 12:45 pm, and were surprised to see a rather small line as this is usually considered the London lunch hour. We ended up getting there right in time: after we sat down with our meals (Lauren had hummus with chickpeas while I had vegetables with a falafel salad...delicious!) the line (or queue I should say) began to snake nearly out the door. Luckily, we finished before it got too crazy inside, but we were glad to have had one last lunch at one of our favorite discoveries!
After lunch, I made my way to Covent Garden while Lauren returned to Courtfield Gardens. As Lauren was scheduled to go out with her coworkers from JP Morgan, Ashley, Maggie and I decided we would go to dinner tonight and then we would all see different West End shows. I had chosen The Lion King, as that was the one last show on my wish list. I popped into the Lyceum Theatre, the home of the show, to try to snag a ticket. Luckily, I was able to get a Dress Circle (First Mezzanine) seat for only 20 pounds! Ticket in hand, I got back on the tube and met Lauren back at home. The rest of the afternoon was spent avoiding packing, enjoying "Gossip Girl" and even doing 15 minutes of research for my final on Thursday! So productive, I know.
At 5:15, I met Maggie, Ashley and Allie in their room before we headed back to Gloucester Station to go to dinner. Unfortunately, Lauren's dinner plans fell through, but she decided to stay home and be productive (which she definitely was...a lot more packed than I am right now!). Our dinner spot was Carluccio's, an Italian restaurant in between Covent Garden and Leicester Square. We enjoyed a lovely dinner together before we all parted ways to go to our respective theatres; Ashley was headed to "Phantom," Maggie to "Love Never Dies," and Allie "Jersey Boys" (jealous!). I made a quick pit stop at Ben's Cookies before walking to the Lyceum, where I quietly took my seat. I've never been to a show by myself before, but it was actually really nice, it gave me a chance to really look around and take in my surroundings. The show was amazing; it truly is a visual masterpiece - there were points I found myself getting teary because the scenery was just so beautiful. The only thing I had to get used to was the accents; I think I'm too used to Jonathan Taylor Thomas' Simba voice - lions with British accents are just a little off for me. Other than that, though, I loved it. Knowing the Disney person I am, everyone has been shocked when I tell them I have not seen The Lion King yet, but now I can personally attest to how wonderful it is...hopefully I can go see it with the fam soon in New York!
After the show got out at 10 pm, I decided to bypass the nearby Covent Garden tube stop and meander through the streets of "Theatreland" to Piccadilly. The weather wasn't horribly cold, so I thought why not? I love nothing more than walking through London at night; the architecture, the lights, and the people everywhere make it a truly magical place. It's hard to believe we only have three more days here...we're just going to have to make the absolute most of it!
xo Carolyn
The Beginning of the End
This morning Carolyn and I were able to sleep in until 8:30, when we were up and at ‘em for our last architecture class. To be honest, we were both dreading the last field trip because it was to Greenwich, a beautiful area in East London, but it takes about 45 minutes to get there on the tube. Not only that, but we had already visited the first weekend as part of our orientation and were able to spend the entire day there… in the warmth and sun. Repeating something we had already done in depth AND in the freezing cold was not how we wanted to spend one of our last five days. However, we love our professor, so we decided to make the best of it.
After a short video in class, we headed on the tube to Canary Wharf, London's new developing business district. It is London’s Manhattan in a sense, but even though the tallest buildings in Britain can be found here, they are no rival to the skyscrapers in New York City! The area also faced a lot of scrutiny (and still does) because it is so out of context from the rest of London and bears absolutely zero historical references.
After a quick walk around the area (including the modern tube station designed by our professor’s husband’s firm), we headed on the DLR (Docklands Light Railway… London’s version of the monorail) to the Isle of Dogs. The Isle of Dogs is a part of east London that is bounded by the Thames on three sides, and for that reason was once one of London’s main docklands and trading center.
From the embankment of one side you have a beautiful view of Greenwich. But how do you get to the other side? There are no bridges at this point of the Thames. No boats for us to take. And I certainly wasn’t going to swim! Solution? We walked under the river! There is a tunnel running the width of the Thames that goes from the Isle of Dogs right into Greenwich, perfect for the purpose of the class.
After successfully walking under the river (only a few minor leaks), we took a tour of the University of Greenwich campus, including the chapel and painting gallery (where they eat and sit for final exams), before heading over to the Queen’s House, a former royal residence in the 17th century. Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian (0° longitude dividing the Eastern and Western hemispheres) and GMT.
Our professor’s plans were to climb up (the steep path) to the Royal Observatory in order to see the meridian and enjoy the beautiful view (except it was pretty foggy); however, by some miracle, the path was blocked off due to icy conditions! I could not have been more excited. Our teacher suggested climbing up the grass part of the hill, but I pointed out that might be dangerous, and she agreed, considering she didn’t want to be responsible for BU getting sued. Thankfully, just as we were all getting beyond the point of numb, we were able to start our long trek back to South Kensington by means of the DLR and tube.
By the time we got back to Courtfield is was a little after two o’clock, so Carolyn and I had lunch at our flat before lounging (and defrosting) for the rest of the afternoon.
Cue 7:30 when Carolyn, Maggie, Ashley, Allie, and I headed out to Covent Garden for dinner. Carolyn and I had both raved to the other three about how incredible Masala Zone was (our favorite Indian restaurant), so they all wanted to try it before they left. No one was disappointed; delicious every time! Our next destination of the night was Somerset House, where they have set up a gorgeous ice skating rink (sponsored by Tiffany & Co.) in the central courtyard. Unfortunately, right as I got to the ticket booth, the woman abruptly informed us that there was only one more ticket left. So instead of skating, we just took pictures, which was half of the fun! We had already had the skating experience at the Natural History Museum, so just getting to take in the beautiful surroundings was great. The best part was a mini Tiffany store housed in no other than a little blue box! Too cute. Inside was jewelry of course, but also Tiffany cupcakes and a delicious assortment of candies, gingerbread, and chocolates. Even the Christmas Tree in the center of the courtyard was placed inside of a little blue box!
After we had gotten our picture-fill, we walked to Trafalgar square where we admired the Norwegian Christmas tree (given annually since 1947, from Oslo, as a "token of gratitude for London's assistance during 1940-45") and Menorah! It was like Christmakuh at my house… only in London! :)
Since we all needed an activity to replace the ice skating, naturally we turned to food. So we headed to Snog, our favorite frozen yogurt place, for a treat. I got natural flavor with hot apple crumble, while Carolyn got chocolate with strawberries and coconut. Luckily we won’t miss our froyo fixes too much, because Pinkberry is waiting for us at home!
After a quick ride on the tube, we were back in our flat by 10:30. It’s so strange how we don’t have anything scheduled for tomorrow! It’s our first free Tuesday in a while. Unfortunately, we have a final essay we need to prepare for Architecture, and the most dreaded word of all… pack!
Cheers,
LC
After a short video in class, we headed on the tube to Canary Wharf, London's new developing business district. It is London’s Manhattan in a sense, but even though the tallest buildings in Britain can be found here, they are no rival to the skyscrapers in New York City! The area also faced a lot of scrutiny (and still does) because it is so out of context from the rest of London and bears absolutely zero historical references.
After a quick walk around the area (including the modern tube station designed by our professor’s husband’s firm), we headed on the DLR (Docklands Light Railway… London’s version of the monorail) to the Isle of Dogs. The Isle of Dogs is a part of east London that is bounded by the Thames on three sides, and for that reason was once one of London’s main docklands and trading center.
From the embankment of one side you have a beautiful view of Greenwich. But how do you get to the other side? There are no bridges at this point of the Thames. No boats for us to take. And I certainly wasn’t going to swim! Solution? We walked under the river! There is a tunnel running the width of the Thames that goes from the Isle of Dogs right into Greenwich, perfect for the purpose of the class.
 |
| View from the Isle of Dogs |
 |
| In the Tunnel! |
By the time we got back to Courtfield is was a little after two o’clock, so Carolyn and I had lunch at our flat before lounging (and defrosting) for the rest of the afternoon.
Cue 7:30 when Carolyn, Maggie, Ashley, Allie, and I headed out to Covent Garden for dinner. Carolyn and I had both raved to the other three about how incredible Masala Zone was (our favorite Indian restaurant), so they all wanted to try it before they left. No one was disappointed; delicious every time! Our next destination of the night was Somerset House, where they have set up a gorgeous ice skating rink (sponsored by Tiffany & Co.) in the central courtyard. Unfortunately, right as I got to the ticket booth, the woman abruptly informed us that there was only one more ticket left. So instead of skating, we just took pictures, which was half of the fun! We had already had the skating experience at the Natural History Museum, so just getting to take in the beautiful surroundings was great. The best part was a mini Tiffany store housed in no other than a little blue box! Too cute. Inside was jewelry of course, but also Tiffany cupcakes and a delicious assortment of candies, gingerbread, and chocolates. Even the Christmas Tree in the center of the courtyard was placed inside of a little blue box!
After a quick ride on the tube, we were back in our flat by 10:30. It’s so strange how we don’t have anything scheduled for tomorrow! It’s our first free Tuesday in a while. Unfortunately, we have a final essay we need to prepare for Architecture, and the most dreaded word of all… pack!
Cheers,
LC
Sunday, December 5, 2010
L is for the way you look at me...
Since Lauren and I had to wake up relatively early for a Saturday morning yesterday, we decided to make the most of this morning and sleep in! After waking up around 10, we both started into our final papers for our internship tutorials. Both of our assignments instructed us to reflect on our experience within our placements and connect what have learned in our offices to our class lectures. Not the most thrilling of subjects, but we managed to plough through them and are now in the finishing stages of editing.
Around 2, I decided to take a break and make on of my last, if not the last (sad thought), Waitrose runs. I tried to plan ahead for the rest of the week and buy everything I would need, but knowing me I will probably end up realizing I forgot something in the near future. Upon my return, I munched on pita and tzastiki while watching The Parent Trap. I have not seen this movie in years, so it was fun to watch it and catch all the little jokes I didn't understand when I first saw the movie at 8. The best part though, of course, was getting to see the London scenes! I made sure to check Elizabeth James' flat and it was indeed the one we got pictures of!! And I can finally recognize all the places Lindsay Lohan passes by during her cab ride to "There She Goes." Needless to say, I loved the movie as much as I always have...such a classic!
The rest of the day has been spent being a total slug. Lauren made a Waitrose run shortly after mine, but other than that we have been in our beds either essay writing or web surfing. On the agenda tonight is final editing, a quiet dinner, and maybe a movie downstairs! Nothing like a lazy Sunday..I just can't believe this is our last one in London! We need to get to bed early tonight, though, as our last week is going to be a busy one!!
xo Carolyn
Around 2, I decided to take a break and make on of my last, if not the last (sad thought), Waitrose runs. I tried to plan ahead for the rest of the week and buy everything I would need, but knowing me I will probably end up realizing I forgot something in the near future. Upon my return, I munched on pita and tzastiki while watching The Parent Trap. I have not seen this movie in years, so it was fun to watch it and catch all the little jokes I didn't understand when I first saw the movie at 8. The best part though, of course, was getting to see the London scenes! I made sure to check Elizabeth James' flat and it was indeed the one we got pictures of!! And I can finally recognize all the places Lindsay Lohan passes by during her cab ride to "There She Goes." Needless to say, I loved the movie as much as I always have...such a classic!
The rest of the day has been spent being a total slug. Lauren made a Waitrose run shortly after mine, but other than that we have been in our beds either essay writing or web surfing. On the agenda tonight is final editing, a quiet dinner, and maybe a movie downstairs! Nothing like a lazy Sunday..I just can't believe this is our last one in London! We need to get to bed early tonight, though, as our last week is going to be a busy one!!
xo Carolyn
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Punting Around
Carolyn and I woke up at 8:30 this morning in order to leave an hour later for our last day trip. We’ve both been wanting to go to Cambridge for months, so with this being our last weekend, we figured it was now or never!
After taking the tube to King’s Cross, we hopped on the 10:15 express train to Cambridge, which got us in a little after eleven. A quick ride on a double-decker dropped us off right in the city center where the crowds were already mounting. Passing many familiar stores and restaurants as we walked further into town, we walked right into a market. We swear we have “market-sense” because literally everywhere we go, we bump into one. After a quick browse around, we headed towards King’s College, one of the constituent colleges of Cambridge University. Before we made it there, however, we were approached by a (cute) recent graduate asking us if we wanted to take a punting tour. Our friend Allie had told us it was a must do (and his British charm didn’t hurt either), so we signed up for the next boat tour at 1 o’clock. Of course we first decided to get a quick bite to eat, so we stopped into Auntie’s Tea House, an adorable little tea house just steps away from King’s College.
After we finished our first food stop of the day, we headed to King’s College Chapel, probably one of the most iconic images of Cambridge (and it certainly did not disappoint). After a few photo ops, we browsed around the area, each picking up a Cambridge University t-shirt, popping into a few shops (including a fudge store where they make it right in front of you!), and, of course, a few clothing stores.
At one o’clock, we headed down to the Backs River (named that because all of the colleges back onto it), where our punter, Johnny, pulled the boat around. Carolyn and I were right in the front, which proved to be a slight splash zone, but at least we had blankets to protect ourselves. The tour provided us with a view and background of the major colleges and bridges, including King’s, Claire, Trinity, and St. James, and the Mathematics Bridge and Bridge of Sighs (modeled after the one in Venice). As an added bonus, Johnny threw in a few anti-royalty jokes (mainly about Prince Charles) which were quite entertaining.
By the time the tour was over, we were chilled to the bone, so naturally, we went to have lunch! I had heard about the Eagle Pub, where, at one of the tables, Watson and Crick discovered and announced their discovery of DNA! Our senior-year genetics teacher would be so proud...
However, since we weren’t really in the mood for pub food, we just took pictures of the plaques, etc., and made our way down to another place we have been dying to go to since we arrived in August: Jamie’s Italian, Jamie Oliver’s restaurant! By this point, it was around 2:45, and I’m pretty sure this was the only restaurant in Cambridge that would have a half an hour wait at that time. Since we figured the wait would be even longer in London if we went there this week, we put our name down, and luckily, within 15 minutes our table was ready. Carolyn and I went all out, ordering the tasting platter of twice-daily baked breads, polenta chips with parmesan and rosemary (incredible), funky chips (with garlic and parsley), and homemade carbonara pasta and pumpkin raviolis as our mains. Carolyn declared it was the best meal she’s had so far since our arrival (which is a BIG statement since you all know how much we’ve eaten!), and I would definitely agree. I’m already itching to go back to the one in Covent Garden…
After a little more time spent browsing in stores and walking around the center, we hopped back on the bus to the train station to catch the 3:45 express back to King’s Cross. Even before 4 o’clock it was pitch dark, which made both of our short naps on the train much easier. After pulling in to St. Pancras around 4:40 (we couldn’t believe it… it felt like 8PM), we made a short diversion to Platform 9 3/4, a kitschy tribute to Harry Potter, so of course I had to see it Unfortunately, all the area around it is covered in scaffolding, which kind of ruined the "magical" effect, but I still managed to get my picture!
After a few (awkward) photos, we made our way back on the tube to South Ken, where we made a stop at Hummingbird Bakery, the American bakery in London, which has gotten rave reviews by the press and is a favorite of Gwyneth Paltrow. I’m too ashamed to admit all that I bought, but let’s just say I bought a sampling of their products...
When we finally got back to Courtfield, we felt very accomplished of everything we had seen and done, but we were also completely exhausted. A lazy evening in our flat was just what the doctor ordered, and I know I’m very much looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow morning. Unfortunately, essay writing is also on the agenda….
Cheers,
LC
After taking the tube to King’s Cross, we hopped on the 10:15 express train to Cambridge, which got us in a little after eleven. A quick ride on a double-decker dropped us off right in the city center where the crowds were already mounting. Passing many familiar stores and restaurants as we walked further into town, we walked right into a market. We swear we have “market-sense” because literally everywhere we go, we bump into one. After a quick browse around, we headed towards King’s College, one of the constituent colleges of Cambridge University. Before we made it there, however, we were approached by a (cute) recent graduate asking us if we wanted to take a punting tour. Our friend Allie had told us it was a must do (and his British charm didn’t hurt either), so we signed up for the next boat tour at 1 o’clock. Of course we first decided to get a quick bite to eat, so we stopped into Auntie’s Tea House, an adorable little tea house just steps away from King’s College.
After we finished our first food stop of the day, we headed to King’s College Chapel, probably one of the most iconic images of Cambridge (and it certainly did not disappoint). After a few photo ops, we browsed around the area, each picking up a Cambridge University t-shirt, popping into a few shops (including a fudge store where they make it right in front of you!), and, of course, a few clothing stores.
After a little more time spent browsing in stores and walking around the center, we hopped back on the bus to the train station to catch the 3:45 express back to King’s Cross. Even before 4 o’clock it was pitch dark, which made both of our short naps on the train much easier. After pulling in to St. Pancras around 4:40 (we couldn’t believe it… it felt like 8PM), we made a short diversion to Platform 9 3/4, a kitschy tribute to Harry Potter, so of course I had to see it Unfortunately, all the area around it is covered in scaffolding, which kind of ruined the "magical" effect, but I still managed to get my picture!
 |
| Hogwarts Express! |
Cheers,
LC
Friday, December 3, 2010
Parks, Markets and Zebras...Oh My!
As I left the Crabtree Christmas party last night, my coworker told me that since there would likely be no one in the office tomorrow, I would not have to come in today - so Lauren and I are both officially done with our internships! I was sad to say goodbye to everyone; although it's been tiring at times it really was an amazing experience - it is unreal how quickly the past nine weeks have flown by!
Since we both had Friday open, we opted to sleep in a bit this morning before going off on our individual activities for the day. Lauren opted to catch an 11:15 showing of the latest Harry Potter film at the IMAX theatre...since it was dubbed the scariest of the series so far, I decided to pass and let her enjoy it without me on her lap the entire time :) Instead, I headed out around 11 to cross some things off my to do list. My first stop was kind of embarrassing as it was not even noon yet, but I had been itching to go since we arrived. Hummingbird Bakery is one of London's best known bakery, and known to be a favorite of Gwenyth Paltrow. I decided now was as good a time as ever, so I sheepishly went in and ordered a vanilla cupcake with chocolate frosting. Without a doubt the best cupcake I have had here to far; may not live up to Crumbs, but comes mighty close!
After my makeshift breakfast, I headed towards St. James's Park, one of the city's royal parks. Sitting opposite Buckingham Palace, the small park boasts picturesque scenery and a stellar location. On my way, I walked by the entrance to Buckingham, where the changing of the guards was occurring. Much less crowded than our visit in September, I was able to get right up to the gate and get a quick picture before crossing the street into the park. Since it was absolutely freezing out (breaking news: the government had an 'emergency meeting' to discuss how to deal with the weather crisis...pah-lease) there were not many people around, which made it all the more enchanting. With snow on the ground and ice on the lake, it looked like a winter wonderland! I strolled the length of the park to reach Trafalgar Square, where they put up one of London's best Christmas trees. I was anxious to finally see it, but honestly I was underwhelmed; compared to the beautifully lit Rockefeller tree, this one seemed bare and extremely small. Granted, it was in the middle of a gigantic square, but it still looked a little puny even for the circumstances...oh well, I was glad to see it! My next stop was yet another park, this time known as Regent. Home to the Gardens of Queen Mary, it is a favorite of visitors, and I can now see why: it was absolutely gorgeous, especially with the snow! I spent an hour roaming around a pretty much deserted landscape save the few dog walkers, it was so peaceful. I eventually found myself at the London Zoo, and since this was also on my list of things I wanted to do, I thought why not! To my surprise, all the exhibits were still open so I got to see everything! As you would guess, the Zoo in the dead of winter isn't that crowded, so I got to see everything up close and personal. My favorites were the camels, monkeys, and the butterfly garden (it was really humid inside, so my feet could thaw!). Overall it was really fun; not exactly San Diego, but a really cool experience to be able to see the animals with pretty much no one around!
With my trusty tube map in hand, I was able to navigate my way to Camden Market, only a ten minute walk from the Zoo. This was the last of the big three markets I had yet to visit, and although Lauren told me it wasn't really "my scene," I thought since I was so close I might as well check it out. Turns out she was pretty correct in hr assumption; it's a little grungy, but I managed to find some cute stalls and even purchased some pretty paisley scarves! After walking around a bit more, I hopped on the tube at the Camden Town station and made my way on the Northern line to Borough, home to yet another market. Lauren's movie was close to Borough, so we decided we would meet there for lunch! We had been a few months ago for the first time, but wanted to return as we had spotted way too many good looking things so only go once. After meeting up, we decided on Raclette cheese sandwiches for lunch...YUM. So delicious and perfect on a cold day. We continued to wander, oohing and ahhing at all the amazing treats. I picked up some hot apple cider before Lauren and I found a bakery that our roommate, Christine, claimed had "the best brownies in the world." Naturally, we had to put this statement to the test. Lauren chose a fudge brownie with caramel while I picked the Christmas brownie, with Christmas cookies and hazelnuts inside. We can now confirm that this statement is correct. With full stomachs and numb bodies, we headed back on the tube to Courtfield where we spent the next three hours thawing...we're still in the process actually.
As dinnertime rolled around, we decided to order in wagamama as we couldn't bear to go outside again. We had a nice relaxing dinner with Lauren, Ashley and Allie. Tonight we are going to Fabric, one of London's most infamous clubs. We've been talking about it since before we arrived in London, so we're excited to finally be going! Can't be out too late though, as tomorrow we have a train to catch!
xo Carolyn
Since we both had Friday open, we opted to sleep in a bit this morning before going off on our individual activities for the day. Lauren opted to catch an 11:15 showing of the latest Harry Potter film at the IMAX theatre...since it was dubbed the scariest of the series so far, I decided to pass and let her enjoy it without me on her lap the entire time :) Instead, I headed out around 11 to cross some things off my to do list. My first stop was kind of embarrassing as it was not even noon yet, but I had been itching to go since we arrived. Hummingbird Bakery is one of London's best known bakery, and known to be a favorite of Gwenyth Paltrow. I decided now was as good a time as ever, so I sheepishly went in and ordered a vanilla cupcake with chocolate frosting. Without a doubt the best cupcake I have had here to far; may not live up to Crumbs, but comes mighty close!
With my trusty tube map in hand, I was able to navigate my way to Camden Market, only a ten minute walk from the Zoo. This was the last of the big three markets I had yet to visit, and although Lauren told me it wasn't really "my scene," I thought since I was so close I might as well check it out. Turns out she was pretty correct in hr assumption; it's a little grungy, but I managed to find some cute stalls and even purchased some pretty paisley scarves! After walking around a bit more, I hopped on the tube at the Camden Town station and made my way on the Northern line to Borough, home to yet another market. Lauren's movie was close to Borough, so we decided we would meet there for lunch! We had been a few months ago for the first time, but wanted to return as we had spotted way too many good looking things so only go once. After meeting up, we decided on Raclette cheese sandwiches for lunch...YUM. So delicious and perfect on a cold day. We continued to wander, oohing and ahhing at all the amazing treats. I picked up some hot apple cider before Lauren and I found a bakery that our roommate, Christine, claimed had "the best brownies in the world." Naturally, we had to put this statement to the test. Lauren chose a fudge brownie with caramel while I picked the Christmas brownie, with Christmas cookies and hazelnuts inside. We can now confirm that this statement is correct. With full stomachs and numb bodies, we headed back on the tube to Courtfield where we spent the next three hours thawing...we're still in the process actually.
xo Carolyn
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