At Semester's End

Most of my classes finished up last week, so this week, I'm just trying to get a paper, problem set, and program done before I leave for the continent. In fact, this blog post is really just me procrastinating. I'm about half done with my paper, and I plan on finishing it today, doing my problem set tomorrow, and getting part of my program done on Thursday and Friday.

Abbey, Sarah, Cate, and I had a movie night with cupcakes on Sunday, and yesterday was also pretty low key. Also, yesterday was the start of Passover, so Abbey wasn't around much and I missed her. Today, I decided to try making chips in a pan in the hopes of enticing Abbey over for a bit. The chips were rather successful, both in that they were tasty and they got Abbey to come over!

On Friday, we're having a wine and cheese picnic at one of London's parks as a good-bye before we part ways for April break. The problem is that it's supposed to rain, so we're trying to find a park with a bandstand or pagoda or something under which we can eat.

On Saturday, I leave for the continent. I will NOT be bringing my computer (GASP) but will be checking email from my iPhone and various Internet cafes. I will be traveling between 6 cities/countries in 15 days, namely Brussels (April 3-6), Amsterdam (April 6-8), Paris (April 8-11), Vienna (April 11-13), Prague (April 13-15), and Berlin (April 15-17). On the 17th, I fly back to London to meet my family, and we're heading straight to Bath. Thus begins a whirlwind tour of the UK, ending in London on May 1.

I will try to update as much as possible, but it's highly unlikely that I'll be able to upload photos until I return (I still don't have the cable).

Carnivals and Queens

This past week was the last week for many of my classes. I only have Linear Circuits and a revision session for Operating Systems this week. Which is good because I have a ton of work to get done before April 1 (the official last day of classes), then next Saturday, I leave for Brussels.

On Friday, Ed and I went to the Natural History Museum. The museum is incredible! The building's architecture is very beautiful, and the collections are very extensive. We stayed until closing time and afterwards headed to a chocolate festival at the Southbank Centre. It was fun, but very small and a bit pricey. Ed and I only got a brownie at the festival.

Abbey's friend, Sarah, and her boyfriend came down from Edinburgh to visit this weekend, so that evening, I met up with them to hang out. Since they had been traveling all day, it was pretty low key, and we agreed to meet up early the next day to explore London.

Originally, Abbey and Sarah intended to meet up for waffles at My Old Dutch, but the place didn't open until 11 (and the changing of the guards started at 11:30) so we ate at Smiths of Smithfield instead. SOS is probably my favorite breakfast/lunch/brunch place in London. We grabbed the nearest bus after and arrived at the palace a few minutes late, but we didn't miss too much. There were lots of tourists, so it was a bit hard to see, but halfway through, it started raining and a lot of people left. Typical London. The weather forecast predicted a 20% chance of precipitation, and of course, it rains half the day.



After the changing of the guard, we walked to Harrods. We got cupcakes and Abbey tried on some hats. It was a lot of fun, but at this point, I was already a bit tired out and thirsty. We left Harrods to catch a bus to Battersea Park for the carnival. Honestly, I was a bit disappointed by the carnival. Even though it had been open for a couple days, half the advertised rides weren't set up and there was barely anyone there. Still, we each got tokens for the rides and arcade. Abbey blew most of hers on a shooting range game, which I tried (and failed terribly), but Sarah still had enough tokens to go on one of the rides with me.



I ended up going on the carousel by myself, which was a little awkward because it really was me and two kids. Still, the carousel was really cool because each of the kings and queens of England were painted above the horses (and every horse had a name painted on its neck -- I rode Joby). Afterwards, we grabbed the bus back, and for the life of me, I could not stay awake. When we got back, it was downpouring. HUGE SHEETS OF RAIN.

We parted ways for the evening (to make dinner and dry off), but Abbey and I met up later to watch Something Wicked This Way Comes, which is a really fun, obscure Disney movie with Jonathan Pryce.

My camera battery died, so I will grab some photos from Abbey later.

Alas, Poor Yorrick...

On Friday, my professor didn't show up for class, so Simone and I headed over to the Borough Market for lunch. As usual, I may have gotten a bit carried away by all the exciting food. I ended up trying some falafel (best I've had in England) and a kangaroo burger. Yes, kangaroo. It was distinctly red meat but tasted gamier than beef. It was rather pleasant, but I think I'll try ostrich next time.

Abbey is off to Amsterdam for the weekend, and seeing as how Friday is traditionally our "girl's night", I was at a bit of a loss for what to do in the evening. Ultimately, I ended up eating cheese and watching a bad horror movie. Classic.

Yesterday, however, I decided that I actually needed to do something. I was supposed to meet up with Holly at 1PM to discuss our trip to Brussels/Amsterdam, so I decided I would head down to the London Bridge area and see some of the sights there. I originally intended to go to the Clink Prison Museum, but on my way over, I kept seeing signs for the Globe Theatre and decided that seeing the Globe would be more worthwhile than the macabre.


The Golden Hinde, Sir Francis Drake's galleon, which I encountered on my walk

I wandered around the outside of the Globe, but the tour was kind of pricey (at £8.50 for students). Instead, the theatre was advertising £5 tickets to see the Scottish play in late April/early May, so I will hopefully return with Abbey for a performance. At that point, it was getting closer to 1PM, and I didn't want to pay the £3.50 entrance fee to the Clink if I wasn't going to be there very long.


NB: Ice Cream Truck!



I headed over to the Crossbones Graveyard, a burial site that was unearthed during construction. The unconsecrated ground was a burial site for prostitutes in the 16th century but recent studies revealed that 11% of the 148+ bodies were children (apparently, it later became a burial ground for the poor). Today, the location is a bit of a shrine and locals have decorated it with ribbons, flowers, and all manner of offerings. The Southwark area has turned up several interesting mysteries, including the tomb of a "female gladiator" (which despite my best efforts, I have not yet been able to find).



You can see some of the offerings left at the graveyard gate.



The graveyard was only a quick stop, and at this point, I was a bit hungry for lunch. As I had been to the market the previous day, I just wanted to get a sandwich or something cheap and referred to my Not For Tourists guide in the hopes of finding something nearby. The Not For Tourists guide only gives a line or two of review, and they can be a bit snarky, so when I saw El Vergel (under £10 and reviewed as "Oh. My. God. Soooooo good." AND on a street near Holly's dorm), I set out to find it. I eventually found its listed location although a sign on the door informed me that it had moved to a new location on a nearby cross street. I turned right on the cross street and walked the entire distance to the Thames to no avail. I thought maybe I had misread the sign (it had given no specific address), and I began to walk back. As it turns out, the new location was about a block in the other direction. At this point, I was running late, so I just got takeaway and met up with Holly.

Holly and I will be traveling to Brussels and Amsterdam together (although she arrives a day before I do). We spent a few hours planning out some details of the trip before I had to leave to meet up with Ed at 4PM. As per usual, random tube lines were closed for the weekend, and I ended up being rather late meeting up with Ed and walking most of the way anyways. At this point, it was getting closer to dinner time, and we walked over to Chinatown for dinner. We stopped at the HK Diner because it has good bubble tea (and good prices).

Now, this past week, Abbey received a care package from her family with all manner of snack food, including two boxes of Peeps. With Easter quickly approaching and the immense popularity of Cadbury, I've been trying to explain to my British friends the joy of microwaving Peeps (and Peep jousting), but seeing as how Peeps are not sold in the UK, I have no way to demonstrate. However, as Abbey doesn't like Peeps (I don't like the taste either), she gave me the two boxes from her care package and I've since begun a campaign to bring Peep Dueling to the UK.

...Consequently, the rest of Saturday was spent microwaving Peeps and watching movies.




Some graffiti from Brick Lane

Today, I met up with Jeff and we went to Brick Lane to find some decent Indian/Middle-Eastern/Southeast-Asian cuisine. It was a lot of fun, and Jeff introduced me to a lot of interesting Bengali culture. We bought a box of sweets and later tonight, when Abbey returns from Amsterdam, we're going to hang out and snack!

So, to sum things up (i.e. tl;dr), this was a pretty food-centric weekend. And a lot of fun.

Celebrity Encounter

Today, I saw Freema Agyeman (Martha Jones on Doctor Who) filming on Fleet Street. I walked within a foot of her and did a classic double take when I realized who it was. So exciting!

Marge & Marissa's Excellent [Pub] Adventure

Earlier in the semester, a few of my friends did a small pub walk in their neighborhood. It sounded like a lot of fun, as they learned a bit about the area and sampled the local ales and lagers. Pub walks seem relatively popular and there are whole tour books dedicated to topic. It seemed like a fun, interesting adventure. I decided it would be a good send-off for Marge, but I wanted something that would appeal to our interests as well, so I began looking/Googling for pubs with unique, historic atmospheres. As Marge and I had to get up very early (6AM) the next morning to see her off to the airport, we kept the drinking to a few samples, but we took notes at every pub and ranked them based on atmosphere and their selection of ale and lager.

5) Seven Stars
52-54 Carey Street

Built in 1602, this pub is nestled right at the edge of Lincoln's Inn Fields and right behind the Royal Courts of Justice. The area is quiet and quaint, and the pub itself is rather small and homey. It seems to attract a crowd of regulars but not a lot of newcomers. There were only a couple small rooms with a very cramped bar, and I couldn't imagine coming here with a large group. Playing off its proximity to the Royal Courts of Justice, the place is decorated with a sort of 'law' theme. There are several portraits of judges hanging around the bar. Additionally, the bar is home to Roxy, the bar cat, and there are pictures of Roxy and even drinks named after Roxy.

I really wanted to like this place, and I can imagine I would like it a lot more if I lived next door and frequented regularly. While the pub boasts a variety of real ales, the only menus were wine or food, so we sort of had to guess at the selection. On tap, there was mostly Sambrook's Brewery ales. I tried the Wandle, a light amber ale, which I found to taste rather watery although it had a strong, wheaty aftertaste. It was pleasant enough and very light, but it was comparatively lacking.

4) Old Bank of England
194 Fleet Street

The architecture of this building is simply incredible. Originally built in 1888 as a law courts branch of the Bank of England, it was opened as a pub in 1995. The decor is very lavish, and I could imagine the place being frequented by the cream of Victorian society. Its major shortcoming was the slightly modernized feel. Both Marge and I agreed that it felt like a modern bar trying to mimic an older feel. Regardless, it is totally worth a stop-in just for the architecture. When we arrived, there were very few people at the pub. Perhaps the large space is deceiving, but it seemed the most empty.

The bar stocks almost exclusively Fuller's. I tried the London Pride and Marge tried the London Porter. The London Pride is a pretty standard, very popular London brew. It's a rich, red amber in color and has a strong malt taste without being too bitter. However, the London Porter was Marge's top pick for the evening. It was a dark ale, strong and heavy but not overpowering with an interesting coffee undertone.

3) Ye Olde Mitre
1 Ely Court

The building was built in 1547 but first opened as a pub in 1750. It's apparently the hardest pub to find in London, but it was still pretty crowded when we got there. Marge and I ranked this place rather high on account of the atmosphere. The tiny alleyway that leads to this pub is somewhat hidden, but the pub itself sits in a small courtyard. I almost felt like I'd walked through the wardrobe into Narnia; coming off some empty side street into this bustling pub. It was rather warm and a lot of people were enjoying their drinks in the courtyard area. The inside is warm and homey with a fireplace by the bar. There is an upstairs room and although the rooms are quite small and the pub was quite crowded, it wasn't stifling; instead it felt cozy.

The selection consisted of the basic Fuller's ales, but they had two 'special' ales that seem to change weekly. The food selection was limited, but apparently their toasted sandwiches are very good; however, they weren't serving when we arrived. Marge and I each tried the special Seafarer's Ale, which I ranked as my favorite. It was a light, amber ale with a very subtle taste and aftertaste and is somehow reminiscent of the sea. Marge and I were trying to put a name to the flavor but failed.

2) Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese
145 Fleet Street

I've been here before, but I really love the atmosphere and we included it as the last stop on our walk. The entrance to this pub is off a small alleyway and as soon as you step off Fleet Street, it's like stepping back in time. There are 4 bars in the building and each has its own feel and character. There's one small bar near the entrance with a cozy fireplace and an almost hunting lodge aura. The main bar feels the most like a traditional pub bar. Another bar on the lower level is a homey cellar bar and the upper level bar has a more sit-down, restaurant feel. While the current structure was built in 1667 (after the original burned in the Great Fire), there has been a pub at that location since 1538 (and apparently counts many famous historical figures among its regular clientele, from Charles Dickens to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle), and it feels as though it's changed very little since that time.

The bars serve ales and lagers from Samuel Smith's brewery, which we also enjoyed at our #1 pub. I had the Alpine Lager, which was a golden lager that had a very subtle, crisp flavor. It wasn't strong or hopsy and very refreshing. Marge had the Extra Stout, which was a dark, rich ale, but not as heavy as the London Porter.

1) Cittie of Yorke
22 High Holborn

This was far and away our favorite pub. The location has been a pub since 1430, and it's really a step back in time. The main bar has a high, raftered ceiling and huge wine vats above the bar. There's an interesting triangular fireplace in the middle of the bar area, and there are several booths tucked into nooks around the outside of the main bar. A separate (quieter) cellar bar serves inexpensive, and relatively tasty pub food (we had dinner here).

This pub also serves Samuel Smith's, and I tried the organic cider with dinner. I was very impressed by the cider (I could actually taste a bit if apple) and tried a wheat beer at the main bar. It was pretty inexpensive and very good (especially for the price). It was refreshing and crisp with a cloudy, golden color, but while enjoyable, it wasn't a favorite. Marge tried the Old Brewery Bitter, a nutty ale that was pretty standard.

Whirlwind London

Last Saturday, Marge and I ventured to Portsmouth to see the HMS Victory (Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar). We arrived a little before lunchtime and grabbed food at a small pub overlooking the water. The town feels very small and quaint (although it has its fair share of shopping centers and tourist sights), and it's easy to imagine what it must have been like over the many centuries that it's been a naval port. There are not many high-rise buildings, but there were lots of little shops and casual eateries.



After lunch, we bought tickets to the "Portsmouth Historic Dockyard." We decided to visit the Victory first to allow Marge the most time to gawk at it. The Victory was very impressive, and we were able to tour almost the entirety of the ship.



Unfortunately, flash photography was prohibited inside the ship, and all my interior photos came out a bit blurry; however, here's a photo of Marge standing on the spot where Nelson supposedly fell.



We spent about an hour and a half on the Victory and decided to catch the 3PM Harbour Tour. Pretty much, we just floated around the harbour in a large ferry and were told about the ships and sights of Portsmouth. It was fun, but the coast was very, very cold and it was even colder on the water.

Next, we toured the HMS Warrior, but by that time, it was getting close to closing time. As we were wandering about, Marge and I encountered the TARDIS! We both did a bit of a double-take (and our camera batteries were dead so we played battery roulette to find which combination of dying batteries would power my camera).



After the Dockyards closed, we wandered around Portsmouth for another hour or so before hopping the train back to London (and dinner).

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NOTE: For right now, the Portsmouth photos are the only photos I have to post. I got a digital camera from my family but not the cable to connect it to my computer. I've been putting my memory chip into Abbey's camera (her cable doesn't work with my camera) to download photos, and Abbey just left for Dublin...

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On Sunday, Marge and I met up with a couple friends at the Camden Market. The market is really extensive and always interesting. It was a beautiful day, and we had a takeaway lunch outside. Then, we headed over to the British Museum and wandered around there until it closed. In the evening, we joined Abbey for an Oscars party (which both Marge and I left early to go to sleep).

On Monday, I had classes from 10AM-6PM, so I gave Marge a map and let her wander around London as she pleased. She went to Greenwich for the National Maritime Museum. We wanted to do a quiz night at a local pub, but as it turns out, we needed reservations so our team instead went for milkshakes at Tinseltown.

Marge came to class (Early Modern Britain) with me on Tuesday, and afterward, we walked to Trafalgar Square to go to the National Portrait Gallery. Similarly, after class on Wednesday, we went to the Imperial War Museum, had fish & chips for lunch, and continued on to the Sherlock Holmes Museum.

Thursday was relatively low-key, as I had class from 2-4PM. Marge met up with a friend of mine for lunch, and after class, we met up with another friend at Oxford Circus. We went to the beautiful Liberty Store. After dinner, Marge, Abbey, and I went for bagels at Brick Lane (the ONLY place in London that BOILS their bagels!), but we came back relatively early because Abbey had to catch a flight to Dublin the next morning.

So, on Friday, Marge and I went to the Whitecross Street Market for lunch, then I went to class, and after, we went to the V&A. The V&A is quite an impressive museum. We were there for almost 4 hours and we saw such a minuscule fraction of the exhibits. We wandered through part of Europe, an interesting exhibit on fashion through the ages, some sculpture, jewelry, portrait miniatures, and an incredible theatre & performance exhibit. Before I left for London, Marge and I met up in New Haven for pizza, and while we were there, we went to the Yale Center for British Art, where they were having a special exhibit on Henry Walpole and Strawberry Hill. Coincidentally, this SAME exhibit opened at the V&A just that week!

In the evening, Marge and I went on a historic pub walk. The subsequent review will have its own post.

MAAAAARGE!

Yesterday, I picked up Marge from Heathrow airport, bright and shiny early!

We grabbed a £5.50 buffet lunch at Cafe Saffron around the corner and went off to explore London! We pretty much just walked around Covent Garden, the banks of the Thames, and Fleet Street. It was nice! We got cupcakes from Bea's of Bloomsbury (best cupcakes ever?) and chips from the Rock and Sole Plaice (best fish n chips in London).

We headed back in the early afternoon, as we were both rather tired, and in the evening, we had the most pretentious dinner. I made lambchops and spinach, we had paté on little slivers of toasted baguette, a nice Bordeaux red wine pairing, and a chocolate pud.

Abbey's been working furiously on a paper, but she stopped to come by to meet Marge (and probably to laugh at us, sprawled out on the floor with our classy dinner -- I don't really have a table and there wasn't enough desk space for two).

Anyways, Marge and I are going to Portsmouth today and the Camden Market on Sunday. I'm not sure when I'll be able to post again, but I will try to get some updates and photos up when possible!

Hair Today, Gone, well, Today...

I got my hair cut about 6 weeks ago, and while I liked it, I wasn't really happy with it. I'd wanted it a little shorter, and there just wasn't anything, well, interesting about the cut.

I wanted something different, so when my hair started to get a bit long again, I found a style I liked and decided to go all out. I got it cut pretty short, and I have bangs ("fringe"). This time, I'm really happy with it.