Monday, April 10, 2006
Hello Kitty in London #1
Welcome to my London Blog. I have decided it is TOO difficult to try and keep everyone updated on my adventures via random emails so I am now an official blogger.
I have now been in London full time for 3 full weeks and it is so fabulous. I have to pinch myself so that I believe this is really happening to me.
This city in so full of energy and activity…the opportunities for entertainment are truly endless.
This weekend I visited a lovely little venue just around the block from my flat. They have fabulous selection of tequila. Of course you are wondering how I stumbled upon this venue. Well, it is associated with a lovely eatery called Lucky 7. I read about Lucky 7 in my TimeOut Cheap Eats guide to London. They have really delicious burgers and fries which I have indulged in once so far. Anyway, back to the tequila. The owner of Lucky 7 loves Mexico and decided to open a little tequila bar right next to his hamburger place. I had a long discussion with the bartender about various tequilas and opted for the Herradura Silver in my margarita on the rocks with salt. I also had some yummy homemade tortilla chips with 3 different salsas and some chunky delicious guacamole. When I left it was pouring rain so I ran to my flat.
My flat, sits in W2 which is Bayswater, but it is right on the edge of Notting Hill. I may the only person in London who hasn’t seen the movie Notting Hill as yet. I plan to rent the DVD and watch it on my computer one of these days. My flat is great, it is a third floor walk up and there is no lift. My reception room looks over a beautiful communal garden which is just now starting to show some serious green on the trees. The daffodils and forsythia are just about past their peak so it must really be spring. There continues to be a distinct chill in the air in the morning and seems to almost always get windy in the afternoon.
I fell asleep very early Friday night and slept until 5 a.m. I spent early Saturday morning meditating and practicing yoga while listening to the radio on the internet, in this case I was listening to traditional Iranian music. It was lovely and a nice accompaniment to my practice.
By 9:30 a.m., after a delicious soy latte from the lovely little eatery around the corner, I was on my way to Brighton via train. Brighton is the closest coastal area from London. Just a little over an hour on the train and I was looking at a lovely seaside town and the white cliffs on Dover in the distance. Yes, I kept hearing that Jimmy Cliff song in the back of my head:
“Many rivers to cross
But I can't seem to find my way over
Wandering I am lost
As I travel along the white cliffs of dover”
The song was also covered by UB 40.
Brighton was BRILLIANT!!! It was a very sunny day albeit windy and a little on the chilly side. A lovely little seaside town where they literally sell cockles and mussels. I had some tasty crawfish and cockles. Cockles are very similar to clams, I imagine we would call them clams in the US.
I returned on the train mesmerized by the lovely countryside of the south of the UK. I saw some amazing houses off in distance. Also saw lots of horses, most of whom were wearing blankets out in the field. I thought that was so cute.
Saturday night I found yet another “gastropub” near my flat. This one has a lovely atmosphere with lots of big leather couches. A gastropub is a pub that serves higher end food. I guess Americans would compare to the “fern bar” connotation that started in the eighties. The British style of service is a bit more laid back than USA. In the pubs, nearly everything is paid for as soon as you order it. This pub had lovely young waitresses taking orders as well. Mine spilled my martini on me, brought me the wrong baguette sandwich and then offered to buy me another martini. When I was finally able to track her down to pay my bill, I was charged for the other martini. OK, this pub gets an A+ on atmosphere and D on service. I think I prefer the pay at the bar when you order routine.
Sunday I continued to sort through my clothes from the air shipment as many needed ironing and there are still some that need to be dry cleaned as much of my shipment arrived wet. I am excited about getting my bike and bed when my crate arrives. I believe that should be anytime.
I took a long and restful nap in the afternoon. This is really starting to be a routine for me. I wonder if I can find time for a nap at work? Sunday evening I went to St. Paul’s Cathedral for a chorale performance of The Crucifixion by John Stainer. It was very moving. The cathedral is spectacular and filled with all those lovely voices brought tears to my eyes more than once.
I lit several candles in the cathedral for all of my friends and family including those that have passed. I am truly blessed and thank God for allowing my path in life to take me on this wonderful adventure.
I have now been in London full time for 3 full weeks and it is so fabulous. I have to pinch myself so that I believe this is really happening to me.
This city in so full of energy and activity…the opportunities for entertainment are truly endless.
This weekend I visited a lovely little venue just around the block from my flat. They have fabulous selection of tequila. Of course you are wondering how I stumbled upon this venue. Well, it is associated with a lovely eatery called Lucky 7. I read about Lucky 7 in my TimeOut Cheap Eats guide to London. They have really delicious burgers and fries which I have indulged in once so far. Anyway, back to the tequila. The owner of Lucky 7 loves Mexico and decided to open a little tequila bar right next to his hamburger place. I had a long discussion with the bartender about various tequilas and opted for the Herradura Silver in my margarita on the rocks with salt. I also had some yummy homemade tortilla chips with 3 different salsas and some chunky delicious guacamole. When I left it was pouring rain so I ran to my flat.
My flat, sits in W2 which is Bayswater, but it is right on the edge of Notting Hill. I may the only person in London who hasn’t seen the movie Notting Hill as yet. I plan to rent the DVD and watch it on my computer one of these days. My flat is great, it is a third floor walk up and there is no lift. My reception room looks over a beautiful communal garden which is just now starting to show some serious green on the trees. The daffodils and forsythia are just about past their peak so it must really be spring. There continues to be a distinct chill in the air in the morning and seems to almost always get windy in the afternoon.
I fell asleep very early Friday night and slept until 5 a.m. I spent early Saturday morning meditating and practicing yoga while listening to the radio on the internet, in this case I was listening to traditional Iranian music. It was lovely and a nice accompaniment to my practice.
By 9:30 a.m., after a delicious soy latte from the lovely little eatery around the corner, I was on my way to Brighton via train. Brighton is the closest coastal area from London. Just a little over an hour on the train and I was looking at a lovely seaside town and the white cliffs on Dover in the distance. Yes, I kept hearing that Jimmy Cliff song in the back of my head:
“Many rivers to cross
But I can't seem to find my way over
Wandering I am lost
As I travel along the white cliffs of dover”
The song was also covered by UB 40.
Brighton was BRILLIANT!!! It was a very sunny day albeit windy and a little on the chilly side. A lovely little seaside town where they literally sell cockles and mussels. I had some tasty crawfish and cockles. Cockles are very similar to clams, I imagine we would call them clams in the US.
I returned on the train mesmerized by the lovely countryside of the south of the UK. I saw some amazing houses off in distance. Also saw lots of horses, most of whom were wearing blankets out in the field. I thought that was so cute.
Saturday night I found yet another “gastropub” near my flat. This one has a lovely atmosphere with lots of big leather couches. A gastropub is a pub that serves higher end food. I guess Americans would compare to the “fern bar” connotation that started in the eighties. The British style of service is a bit more laid back than USA. In the pubs, nearly everything is paid for as soon as you order it. This pub had lovely young waitresses taking orders as well. Mine spilled my martini on me, brought me the wrong baguette sandwich and then offered to buy me another martini. When I was finally able to track her down to pay my bill, I was charged for the other martini. OK, this pub gets an A+ on atmosphere and D on service. I think I prefer the pay at the bar when you order routine.
Sunday I continued to sort through my clothes from the air shipment as many needed ironing and there are still some that need to be dry cleaned as much of my shipment arrived wet. I am excited about getting my bike and bed when my crate arrives. I believe that should be anytime.
I took a long and restful nap in the afternoon. This is really starting to be a routine for me. I wonder if I can find time for a nap at work? Sunday evening I went to St. Paul’s Cathedral for a chorale performance of The Crucifixion by John Stainer. It was very moving. The cathedral is spectacular and filled with all those lovely voices brought tears to my eyes more than once.
I lit several candles in the cathedral for all of my friends and family including those that have passed. I am truly blessed and thank God for allowing my path in life to take me on this wonderful adventure.
# posted by Joy and Blues @ 9:50 am 
