i know, i know

i'm in this crazy beautiful, historic city with tons of great scenery and colorful crowds and i'm posting a picture of an omelette. but look at how beautiful it is! the best thing i've eaten in days! and the most perfect one i've ever made probably. it's full of spinach, tomatoes, onions, and feta cheese. it is the breakfast/lunch (because i woke up late and they merged into one) of gods. a wonderful start to a thursday.

yesterday i made helen weigel tuna pasta. it's spiral-y pasta (which i'm sure has a better name and i'm sure mercedes will correct me on it) with tuna and onions and peas and carrots mixed up with ranch dressing. i'm not crazy about carrots so i skipped that part and added extra peas (love me some peas). ranch dressing was hard to come by and the one bottle i did find actually has a picture of the american flag on the side. the description also says something about 'the smoothness of america's favorite dressing'. i felt ultra patriotic. this wasn't even authentic amurrican ranch- it had this cheesey, peppercorn flavor that wasn't bad at all but it wasn't exactly the hidden valley i grew up with.

other than these two meals, i've pretty much been existing on cereal (<3 muslei), toast with peanut butter (which is wayyyy grainier than the skippy i've grown accustomed to) and bananas, pasta & pesto, yogurt, and the occasional spoonful of nutella (not occasional because i have self control and only dip into it once and a while, occasional because i know i have no self control and will eat the entire jar in one night so i just don't buy it.) i'm also in looooovveeee with the clementines here. they seem to be more tart than the ones from the 717 and i literally eat about three a day. so good.

i'll probably do another post later today about the actual things i've been doing (though i've been pretty sluggish lately . . . ) as opposed to the things i've been consuming. . .

portobello market

did anyone watch that movie bedknobs and broomsticks when you were little? because every time someone mentions portobello market, i immediately think of that song they sing. then it gets stuck in my head and i start to resent the place. i also always associate the song with my aunt karen's awesome bed- it's a thousand feet off the floor and the frame is beautiful brass and it kind of looks like a giant loaf of bread in the sense that it's puffy? i don't think i can really do it justice. but it's a sweet bed. and since that song is from a movie that has bed in the title, i think of that particular bed. so strange.

ANYWAY i dragged my butt out of bed early (-ish) on saturday morning to go to the market. since it's only a tube stop away, i decided to forgo the waiting and just take the shoe leather express. it was a really nice day outside and it's not like i'm going to the gym or anything so i can use the exercise. making my way around the market was INFINITELY easier by myself. keiran, christine, and i tried to go a few weeks ago but it gets so crowded and people walk so slowly we gave up pretty early. but as a solo shopper i could weave in and out of the slow walkers and tourists and i had a much easier time navigating the stalls. lots of pretty antiques. lots of pretty silverware and fur coats and purses. lots of purties in general. also, they cost lots of money. but browsing is equally as fun (especially when i consider the logistical nightmare of trying to take pewter teapots back on the plane). i eventually found a craft shop and picked up some yarn (it's getting chilly here which puts me in the mood to knit some stuff. . . i think this shall be the season i learn to do socks. i need more socks.) and i found the necklace i've had my eye on (clock necklaces are super popular here) for £5! as opposed to £10! holla! I walked the entire length of the market and things defintely get cheaper as you go on. there's also more street performers and yard sale-esque cheap stalls and generally better people watching and less people (if that makes sense. . . ) there's also a ton of good (smelling at least) food that i definitely want to go back for (the line were waaayyy too long.)

three hours later, i walked home from the market, and went for cupcakes with my roomies at hummingbird bakery. that damn song was still stuck in my head.

(also: this is just a sidenote, but my roommates are both video chatting right now and giggling like crazy and it's really adorable. i love rooming with these ladies in our tiny cruise ship room.)

hanging round the shopping district

i took myself on a field trip to oxford street today. oxford is the main shopping drag with a massive topshop and h&m and monsoon and blah blah blah. everything. of course, i initially bypassed all those places and hunted down the salvation army location i had found online. it was majorly disappointing. couldn't hold a candle to central pa's stores. i bounced out of there pretty quickly and moved onto h&m (beautiful silhouettes, terrible fabrics) then the ENORMOUS topshop. i was freaking out in there. they not only have a massive accessory section but they also have an in-store cupcake counter and candy galore! and the shoes! and the bras! i spent two hours in there just getting lost and oogling everything. the prices don't really jive with my wallet but i decided to splurge on a beautiful two-finger ring. it's gold and has little birdies! i debated the purchase for a solid half hour before making my decision and i'm so pleased. it hasn't left my fingers since. i hit up urban outfittters next and gave myself a complimentary manicure with their tester nail polish. (my nails are supah dupah long these days and they look neat all painted up!)

overall: good day out so far. the rain even stopped! i'm also reading the hitch hiker's guide to the galaxy and i can't get over how hilarious it is. so good.

globetrotter

last night we went to the globe theater to see the merry wives of windsor for my travel writing class. and may i just say, right off the bat, it. was. awesome.

we stood in the groundling section, which is obviously on the ground. it's strange to stand at a play. at a concert? sure! that's just kind of the setup. but i'm so used to theater being an elevated art form, something that requires you to slap on a cardigan and sit your butt down in an assigned seat. but this was just like in billy shakes time- theater is supposed to be for the masses! everyone is supposed to get in on it! and that's what being in the groundling section felt like- like this was something for everyone. most of the other groundlings were students (we all po' people!) and we leaned our arms on the edge of the stage. there isn't a ceiling so you can see the sky and watch it turn from blue to black. so incredible.

the play itself was HILARIOUS. lots of gay jokes and french jokes. kind of base, but right up my alley. and the main guy looked like tim allen from the santa clause. chrissy got sick and went home (apparently another girl in our program actually passed out! all the standing does get to be a bit much . . . ) but lauren and i stayed til the end. so worth it! i had a giant goofy grin plastered across my face during the entire second act. the two female leads were hysterical and there was a lot of good physical comedy. they even had a few modern elements (or what seemed to be more in the vein of modern comedic devices) and end of the play was full of singing and dancing and the audience clapping along. the only thing better than the show and the atmosphere was the people watching! so many people were smiling and laughing and their faces were all lit up, half from joy and half from the lights around the top of the theatre. the players actually walk into the audience on little boardwalks and it was all just done so well!

i felt incredible leaving the theatre. that is probably my number one london recommendation so far. if you get here, you must must must go see a show at the globe.

this and that

weekend recap!

• i took myself on yet another date friday. i headed to camden to explore the markets (which is a nice solo activity anyway) and took my time moving from stall to stall. camden is the 'alternative' part of town where all the punks and colorful folk hang out. there were some sweet street musicians (especially two guys doing awesome, funky beatles covers by the tube). there were so many beautiful things- stackable rings with gemstones, leather-bound journals, dresses screen-printed with vintage ads- but i ain't no captain moneybags. i've found that a good general way for me to keep from making impulsive purchases is to snap a picture of the item i'm lusting after. so then i can still remember it/have a part of it? and if i really really am pining for it, i'll go back. but this is rare. i did pick up a pair of sunglasses for £4. they make me look like a giant bug (in general, i just don't like wearing sunglasses. i always feel like a jerk when i wear them because people can't see my eyes and they just seem like a snooty thing to wear even though they protect your eyes and serve multiple purposes. i just can't shake that hoity toity feeling.) but meh. what can you do? i also picked up a SWEET alligator brooch. it's massive and it's tale moves and it has beautiful blue eyes. i'll have to take a picture of it. i was super pumped. annnnddd i figured out what i'm getting people for christmas this year. so, generally a productive trip. we spent the night hanging out with our flatmates at the imperial college student union (our program is associated with the school and there's a cheap bar there) and sipped on some ciders. we finished off the night at the weird bar down the street that recently became a nightclub. it was essentially a basement (very college-esque. we felt right at home) and our group made a circle and danced to all the strange pop-punk hits they were playing. it was literally like, 7th grade playlist night. we knew all the words and sang along, despite how strange it was, and we threw in some very tribal dancing. everyone was keeping there distance. they weren't ready for our moves.
  
• we had plans to attend our friend jerry's rugby game, saturday afternoon, but something was wrong with the field and the game ended up getting canceled. undeterred, we set out for london's open house weekend (a weekend once a year where the city's famous buildings/historical buildings host tours and open houses), hoping to get into kensington palace or a cool movie theater in notting hill. unfortunately, neither place was participating in the event even though they were listed on the website. bogus. we got gelato instead and spent come time perusing a sweet little bookshop. i picked up a beautiful paperback from the penguin 'great ideas' collection, called "an apology for idlers" by robert louis stevenson. we picked up some wine and cheese and spent the night in, playing card games and catching with our flat mates.
  
• sunday was curry festival! it was in banglatown, running the length of brick lane. we got some delicious dumplings and i picked up some pumpkin curry for my second round. giant, soft chunks of pumpkin? yes. please. we saw people on stilts and smelled so many good foods. there were lots of good market stalls for browsing as well. and the people watching! so many interesting looking people all over london! after eating, we hit up another market. while we were walking around, we realized we were about to sink into a food coma, so we hightailed it back to hyde park and all settled in for naps. we're a pretty exciting crew.
• today, i had class (meh.) then christine and i went to a local 'charity shop' where i picked up a sweet dress for £5. it had a front zipper AND pockets so i knew it was fate. we hit up primark afterward to buy towels and i also managed to pick up a snake ring and a sweet vintage-looking headband. primark is always a war zone. i took video today to prove how packed/scary it is. i literally start hyperventilating in there. but primark shall be a whole other post. now we're just chilling in our room, watching british tv online and writing. again, super nerds.
  

before i forget

1. i am obsessed with earl gray tea. i like to put a little milk in the bottom of my mug than pour the tea in. so. good. i'm going for my third cup today.
2. i saw a girl about my age give up her seat to a pregnant woman on the tube today. she then struck up a conversation with the woman about how far along she was (34 weeks) and if this was her first child (yes). the woman looked so relieved to be sitting down and genuinely happy that someone was taking an interest in her day and how she was doing. it was extremely heartwarming to witness. (<--i'm so corny.)
3. it occurred to me that i've been on the tube every single day since i arrived here. getting the most out of my oyster card that's for sure.
4. i accidentally gave two people wrong directions today. i felt extremely bad afterwards. the first was a girl abour 13 or 14 who wanted to transfer lines and i told her to go up the stairs. then it occured to me that we werent' in a transfer station. dur. and the second one was an older british lady, probably in her early 60's, who asked which was knightsbridge was. i had just gotten off the tube and was a little disoriented and sent her in the complete wrong direction. both of these things could have been prevented if i'd only taken the time to really think about the question before answering. hopefully karma realizes i feel really bad about it and doesn't come back to get me.
5. i've noticed that the inhabitants of london have this terrible habit of exiting buildings and forming a solid wall of bodies spanning the sidewalk, then walking at a pace that would make sloths cringe. it's impossible to get around them. and they're going painfully slow. it's like they have no concept of the world around them and it severely irks me. not that i'm some speedy walker, but i like to maintain a brisk stride and these folks just aren't allowing it. no bueno.
6. the people watching here is incredible. and the street musicians? glorious.
7. even though i have no problem whipping out my camera at home and snapping pictures of absolutely everything, i'm really self-conscience about it here. i feel like the second i pull it out everyone is going to turn and point and chat 'TOURIST TOURIST TOURIST!'. i know this won't happen. and even if it did, so what? i kind of am a tourist. i just find it strange that i'm more comfortable taking pictures like a tourist in philly, where i live, than abroad.

just had to get that stuff out there before i forgot. commuting on the tube provides ample time for reflection.

cupcakes & dinosaurs

before i tell you about the cool stuff i'm doing, can i mention some of my nerdier endeavors? mainly me watching mighty boosh all the freakin' time. i'm seriously obsessed. i'm watching it online and sometimes it takes FOR-EV-ER to load, but it's so worth it. totally ridiculous characters and jokes and plotlines. and the songs! my favorite characters so far have been the spirit of jazz and charlie, the hubba bubba nightmare. and i looooove naboo and fossil's description of animals. for those of you unfamiliar with the boosh, here's a small taste. it makes me miss my brother actually- i feel like he would loooove boosh.

in more exciting news: i got a delicious cupcake! on wednesday, we went to hummingbird bakery (i thought i passed this on the street, but when i looked it up i realized it wasn't on any street i had ever been on before . . . maybe i dreamt about it? i've been having extremely vivid dreams lately so this wouldn't be a stretch.) and it was incredible. keiran got a lavender cupcake, christine got some crazy rocky road chocolate covered marshmallow mountain thing, and i got something called a 'black bottom'. i had no idea what to get and just kind of panicked and randomly ordered it but thank god i did. it was chocolate cake on the bottom, choco chip cheesecake on the top, and cream cheese icing on the top. yes yes yes. there was a serious lack of baked goods in my diet and this really hit the spot.

yesterday, i hit up the natural history museum solo. (i'm digging this whole 'museums by myself thing'. i'm trying to make it kind of a regular deal.) while the exhibits were a little juvenile, i'm a total sucker for taxidermy and captions and just museum layouts in general. the dinosaurs were incredible (and i'm always amazed by how large they are and the fact that they lived on earth! and yet we still don't know everything about them. so interesting. also, they were talking about how this one dinosaur had a kind of built in horn in it's head that it could blow to warn other dinos of danger. dinosaurs had so many cool features.) and i loved the mammals as well. whales? totally crazy. huge. there were a bunch of weird captions/exhibits in the museum that made me laugh out loud, which in turn made me look like a crazy person since i was by myself. the one that really got me, was about camel's body temperature compared to humans. it was cute little narrative with little wooden figures in a diorama. when the sun came out and they started to sweat, little clear beads popped up above their heads and when it got too hot, the wooden man figure just fell over. so cute. i was hysterical.

i also started my internship last night! i'm working with this guy, Dylan Emery, who is super involved in London's impro scene (sidenote: did you know that london's scene is relatively young? it only got swinging about 5 years ago. and it's pretty small too. . . interesting, since london is such a major city. . .). i saw a catch23 show (3 impro teams of 2 players each must do 4 scenes totaling 23 minutes. points are awarded yadda yadda yadda. super fun) everyone was super nice and the show was so much fun to watch. it made me miss doing improv at home. i'm excited to get into it here though. there's a guy, tim, from chicago (he's on the musical team baby wants candy) and he's going to do a couple workshops while he's in town so hopefully i'll get to go to some of those. it was so nice talking to another american as dumb as that sounds. i missed that american connection! and i feel like he understood some of the things i was going through with culture shock.

so overall: yay for the past few days! good things abound! this weekend = curry festival! and sara walsh gets here! and open house weekend! i'm looking forward to exploring.

adventures

so many adventures in the past few days! here's how things have been going down:

friday
i went to the british museum solo. it's an absolutely massive building- there's no way you can get through it in a day. my favorite parts were the rosetta stone (duh), the exhibit on watches and clocks, and this excellent exhibit on death & illness in other cultures. (one village in africa makes coffins shaped like people's passions or hobbies or dreams and they had a coffin on display that looked like a giant camera and another one that looked like a big phoenix. it was incredible. they also had an exhibit laying out all the pills people take in their life. very interesting stuff.) at night, we headed to ye olde cheshire cheese which is one of Dicken's old haunts (he even wrote about it in a tale of two cities) We were pleasantly surprised to find that pints were a mere £1.90 which is the cheapest we've come across so far. the pub itself was full of small rooms, some gloomy and wooden, others cozy and full of antique-y red couches. it was originally built in the 1600's, but burnt to the ground in the great fire and was rebuilt shortly after. so old! very cool.

saturday
woke up later than we wanted to (**for the most part, when i say 'we', i mean my roommates and i. occasionally my fornwald is thrown into the mix or lauren or pat, but it's mostly just us three stooges.) and headed out for portobello market. it was PACKED but full of good people watching material and neat antiques and good smelling food. we headed out pretty early, vowing to drag our butts out of bed earlier next weekend to try and beat the crowds. then we headed to brick lane for bagels (we accidentally walked through the film set of the new x-men movie! we saw a crazy powered wheelchair zipping around! and motorcycles! it looked legit.). brick lane is full of vintage stores and indian food. literally, that's all it is. it's kind of like my heaven. we browsed some vintage shops and markets and got cheapy, fresh bagels with cream cheese & lox. we then decided we were exhausted and headed home.

sunday
we took it easy. woke up and tried to go to speaker's corner (every sunday morning, people show up there, stand on soapboxes and talk about whatever. mostly political and religious rants, but still very cool and something we wanted to see.) however, after walking half an hour through hyde park, it occurred to us that we had no idea where we were going. so we sat by the marble arch for a while, people-watching and discussing our thoughts on the trip so far. then we headed back to do homework (because i am still at school, though i often forget) and catch up on sleep. sunday night we headed out with a huge crowd of temple kids to check out the thames festival. i got really good thai street food and wandering around. it was packed and there were all kinds of stalls and performers. very cool. we ended up on one of london's many bridges to watch the fireworks. and while the fireworks were incredible (they filled the entire sky!) it was so strange- the crowd was completely silent the entire time. they just watched. it was almost reverent. and a very different experience than i'm used to. very enjoyable.

monday
my creativity in advertising class went to the tate modern for a field trip. a guide lead us around and lead us in several discussions on the art and gave us creativity exercises (my favorite was playing the game telephone with a ball of clay. you had to sculpt something behind your back, show it to the person next to you and they had to replicate it and so on. then we all shared and it was strange to see how much the shape changed.) i'm normally not a huge modern art person, but this museum was incredible. our guide was very good and got me thinking about art in a lot of new ways, including the value of process or process as product. afterward, i had my travel writing class and we were sent out onto the streets to observe people and try to act as a flaneur (a key term for the course, and a very interesting concept.) i really like the teacher in that class and i feel like we have some fairly good discussions about our experiences and how we experience tings.

tuesday
had my interview for my internship, that was less like an interview and more like just a meeting. he told me all the things i'll be doing and i'm very excited. it sounds like a lot of working from home (exciting in the sense that i get to set my own hours) and seeing free improv! i'll keep you updated on details as i learn more/start doing more. i start thursday night! the rest of the day was spent lounging around and catching up with people. i do miss everyone at home, but don't worry folks! i'm having a good time! again, it's just a transition period. happens to us all.