We Interrupt This Blog...

...for a special news report!  Check out my newscast style digital story that I created for my students back home.  I plan on doing a few of these to show to them at the start of the school year. I hope you all enjoy!

All of the photos are my own, I'm actually getting pretty good at this photography thing. I also created the music using Photo Story.

I Don't Wanna Grow Up...

and today proves that I don't have to.  My mom always told me, "you have to get older, but you don't have to grow up," advice that I still follow!  

Today was the perfect day to follow that advice. We spent our day as "lost girls" having a (mostly) Peter Pan themed day.  There is something so fun about indulging your inner child, and you could tell by the looks on their faces that the kids waiting to get into the playground were jealous of the fun we were having! We did not let the rain stop us from enjoying the playground and the surrounding park.  In fact, it might have helped us be kids again because there was a lot of puddle stomping going on!

Diana Memorial Playground - Kensington Gardens

After a half hour of "working" at the playground, which in case you couldn't tell, had a Peter Pan theme, we walked through Kensington Gardens to the Peter Pan Statue.  The statue was commissioned in 1912 by J.M. Barrie. The coolest part about it is that Barrie had it put in the park in the middle of the night!  He wanted everyone to think it had appeared by magic.  

Peter Pan Statue - Kensington Gardens

Unlike Peter Pan, we all had to grow up for the afternoon tea in the Orangery at Kensington Palace.  It's been a few years since I have had a British High Tea, but it was just as delicious as I remembered.  There were several types of tea to choose from, but we all enjoyed finger sandwiches, scones with jam and clotted cream, and a selection of mini desserts.  All were delicious!  

Even with the rain it was a great day!  It was so much fun to act like a kid again and still get to enjoy grown-up tea time in the afternoon with the wonderful ladies of FSU Multimedia 2012!

Melissa & Brandy's Epic Adventure

"I would walk a thousand miles..."

          ~The Proclaimers

We might not have walked a thousand miles today, but it sure felt like it.  Brandy and I walked almost 8 miles around London today and have the blisters to prove it.  I'm used to doing stuff like this back home when I visit NYC, but I never thought it would happen in London.  

Today, I discovered that it is very easy to walk far in London and not even realize it.  The day started out with a leisurely breakfast at Onion Cafe near our flat. We decided that today should be a restful day of shopping and picture taking near where we live so that we can work on some class projects.  We also wanted to visit the Olympics store in John Lewis and thought a walk down Oxford St. would be nice.  Somehow, that stroll to buy some Olympic t-shirts had us wandering down Regent St. towards Picadilly Circus.  We bought some wonderful chocolate at Liberty's.

Liberty's

After doing some window shopping at Gilly Hicks and Hollister we kept heading towards Trafalgar Square for some photos of the decorated phone booths. At that point we thought, "Wouldn't it be great to tour the Globe Theatre today?!" So we kept walking and took a fantastic tour of the recreated Globe. I'm a huge Shakespeare fan so that was a real treat. We even got to watch some of the Richard III rehearsals.

On our way to the Globe, we passed by Somerset House and stumbled upon a wonderful photo exhibit on the Rolling Stones.  The exhibit was put together to celebrate their 50th anniversary and the new book that is coming out about them. Finding cool things like this exhibit are why I love to wander big cities - you never know what you will find!

After a fantastic dinner at a Greek restaurant next to the Globe, we decided to cross back over the Millenium Bridge and start the 2 mile hike home.  We were in for a treat as we crossed the bridge.  Flame Proof Moth was playing an impromtu gig under the bridge for everyone to enjoy. When it got too cold to stand and watch anymore, we headed for home.  A last minute stop at Scoop for some Cookies and Cream gelato was a perfect end to a fun day!

Friday Fun Time!

We had an assignment for today, but no group field trip, so Liz, Brandy and I decided to have a leisurely day wandering around Bloomsbury and Covent Garden.  What an adventure we had!  

The day started with a visit to the British Museum to finalize our project for the day.  But before we could go inside, we were delayed by the crepe truck.  They were so delicious I had two!  The first crepe of the day was Nutella and sliced banana, followed very quickly by a maple syrup covered one.  Before you judge - I was not the only person who had two!  Feeling fortified we ventured into the museum.  It was my third time there, and while my project was already completed, I wanted more time to explore.  The museum is so large there is no way to truly take in everything in one visit.  

Here are some of the highlights of the visit:

2012 Olympic Medal

Ram in the Thicket

After a lovely morning in the museum, we decided to walk to Covent Garden. There is a wonderful open-air market there and we thought an afternoon of people watching and shopping was just what the doctor ordered. It was definitely a lot of fun, and a relaxing way to spend the afternoon. Three things happened that made us realize we have completely adapted to life in London:

1. We automatically walk on the left side of everything, and are annoyed by people who don't.
2. We no longer need to analyze every coin to figure out what it is. I know just by the shape, which I guess is really the point.
3. We no longer run out of the rain. At one point we realized we were just standing around outside chatting and it was raining. Even when we realized, we didn't move.

We popped in and out of a lot of shops and bought a few things, including Ben's Cookies. The best cookies in the entire UNIVERSE!

We also went to The Icecreamists, a boutique ice cream store in London.  It was a trip we will never forget for two reasons; the deliciousness of the ice cream, and the oddness of the flavors.  These aren't all of them, but pay attention to the one in the middle.  Yes that is what it is made from!  I had two scoops of some tamer flavors - peanut butter and popcorn.  They were both amazing!

 

On Authors and Pubs

No matter where you go in London, or England really, you will find crazy amounts of history.  Every street corner has some secret history if you look close enough.  I knew that the pubs in London had a long and storied history, but I never realized the role the literary crowd played in that history.  Remember when I posted about Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese and the literary crowd that used to hang out there?  Well, that was nothing!  

Today I visited the Eagle & Child, known as the Baby and Bird by a group called The Inklings who used to hang out there.  

History of the pub name

Oxford, England

                                                  Who were The Inklings you ask?

Sign above the booth they sat in

How amazing is that? There is actually a sign where they sat that says, "The conversations that have taken place here have profoundly influenced the development of 20th century English literature." You can visit pubs around England and put your bottom where some seriously talented author bottoms have been! The only thing I can think to compare it to is when I went to Pete's Tavern in NYC. Pete's Tavern is the oldest continuously operating restaurant & bar in NYC (which means by London standards it's a baby). Pete's Tavern is where O. Henry sat in a restaurant booth and wrote The Gift of the Magi. But that was one author writing one thing. So far on my trip here, the pub has been the scene of conversations between many literary geniuses.

If visiting the pub for lunch wasn't enough, we started the day at the Bodleian Library.  The Bodleian Library was founded by Sir Thomas Bodley and opened in 1602. I couldn't take pictures inside, so check out this site for more information.

The day ended at Christchurch College.  Commonly referred to as Christchurch or "The House," Christchurch is where Charles Dodgson taught math.  Name not ringing a bell?  How about Lewis Carroll?  Well Charles Dodgson used the pen-name Lewis Carroll to write his Alice stories.  

There was so much to take in while at Oxford, I could write all night.  However, my bed is calling, as tomorrow is another long day of learning.  I apologize for the lack of pictures today, but my camera battery died before I could take too many.  Here is my favorite picture of the day.  It is part of the Bodleian Library.  I admit I did enhance it a bit using Picasa, but it is too pretty not to share.

Mary Poppins, Sherlock Holmes, and The Beatles! Oh My!

At first glance, visiting Primrose Hill, Regent's Park, Abbey Road and Baker St. don't seem to have much in common.  However, they are all very iconic, recognizable names.  There are few people who don't recognize at least one of those places.  It was very exciting to be able to visit them all in one day!

This might be my favorite day of touring so far.  I know there is a lot left to do, but Mary Poppins, The Beatles, and Sherlock Holmes all in one day, I'm not sure what will top that!   

Here are some of the highlights...

I got to fly my Buzz Lightyear kite just like the Banks children and Mary Poppins. 

Trying to get Buzz Lightyear
off the ground 

We spent some time in Regent's Park and Queen Mary's Garden enjoying the beautiful flowers.  I took a lot of great pictures today - I love my new camera!

See the rain drops from the storm we got caught in?

We had a lot of fun crossing, and re-crossing Abbey Road.  After dodging cars to get a few photos, we stopped in front of the Abbey Road Studios and left our mark on their wall.

I'm the photographer for this
particular crossing

Some of us also visited the Sherlock Holmes Museum at 221b Baker Street! Who knew that a made up museum for a one of my favorite fictional characters could be so much fun!

Entrance to Sherlock Holmes Museum

Sitting in the famous arm chair at the
Sherlock Holmes Museum

Check out my new hat!

A "Real" British Drink

While some people love visiting wineries and attending tastings, I enjoy trying new beers.  Some friends and I have occasional tastings and we brew our own beer.  So when I realized I would be coming to London for a few weeks, I brushed up on my "real ale" knowledge.  Real ale is a traditional British drink and is a pub staple here.  I have enjoyed the few real ales that I have tried here.  I have been able to sample real ales from the Adnams, Sambrooks, Morland, and Fuller Breweries.  However, by far my two favorites are, Old Brewery Bitter by Samuel Smith Old Brewery and Doom Bar from Sharp's Brewery.

For those of you not familiar with real ales, I have created this podcast.  I hope it inspires you to find some real ale in your area!

Podcast Powered By Podbean

I would like to thank the following sources:

"Pouring Beer" by 10kilo Records accessed at Sound Cloud  http://soundcloud.com/10kilo-1

Background Music: "12/8" by Andrew Michlinski accessed at Soundzabound

Real Ale references:

Campaign for Real Ale - http://www.camra.org.uk/aboutale
Cask Ale - Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cask_ale