LONDON LOOP

I just discovered the London Loop.  I came across this link on Facebook, and after reading it and researching the route a bit, I'm actually really excited by the idea of walking the entire route - all 152 miles of it.  Hear me out...

BOROUGH MARKET

Heyo, say hi to my sister in the first photo, because this post comes all the way from back in June of last year, when my sister came to visit me in London!  Yeah, I know, I suck at keeping up with stuff.  That is not new information, and to be honest, it likely won't change anytime soon.  It's who I am, so love it or leave it.  :p  Now, this is going to be a short and sweet post, though I assure you that Borough Market is anything but short and sweet.  Okay, it's sweet among other things, but my point is that you could spend all day there, and this post doesn't feel like it does that justice, but that's what I get for posting this about nine months late, sooooo...

A LONDON MARKET AND A BIG OL' SHIP

Holy crap, guys, I completely forgot I had this post already drafted!  Well, that is to say I had the photos uploaded but nothing written.  So I suppose I ought to write a bit about Greenwich now - better late than never, eh?  (Aaaaaaand I just said "eh"... I'm not Canadian, but apparently all I needed was a few days in Canada to become an honorary one.)

FRIGHT NIGHT

(both versions of above photo © Helena Miscioscia)

 So this past Thursday was Halloween, and as I have mentioned, it was fairly low key because I essentially celebrated my Halloween in a big way quite early this year at the Globe's end of season party!

THIS TIME IS DIFFERENT AND I DONT KNOW WHY

As I write this, I'm sitting on a train, nearly at Glasgow, having just left London a few hours ago.  Tomorrow I go back to the States.

A LITTLE EXCITING, AND MORE THAN A LITTLE SAD

The sad news:  This was my last week at the Globe.  I'm officially done working there.  The end of season has arrived, and the past two days have been filled with Globe time, watching the closing performances of three shows, and the fourth and final one later this afternoon.  Friday was my last official day working, and while I still have some duties to carry out between shows, this weekend is mainly about enjoying the final bit of time there, watching a lot of great theatre, hanging out with work friends, and tonight, partying it up Fright Night style in the theatre with everyone else from the entire season.

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BUILDING IN LONDON (or one of...)

 A little while back I had a day off from work and was having one of those restless sort of days, where I stayed in my pyjamas until about two in the afternoon, really wanting to go do something but not really knowing what or where.  Then I thought, hey, wait a second, I've not actually been inside the Natural History Museum in London!  So there I went.  I got actual socially acceptable clothes on and hopped on the tube straight to South Kensington for a mosey round the museum.

THE BREAKFAST CLUB

Confession:  I've never seen the movie.  I know, I know...  But there are a few of these American-style restaurants around London and one not too far from where I live, so last Sunday (yes, I'm ages behind, I'll get to that later), I went with three friends to get some good ol' 'Murican breakfast. 

WHEN I WENT TO HAMPSTEAD

 

I'll be honest - I really can't be bothered to recount in proper writing my day spent in Hampstead in North London, so please accept bullet points of the main... well, points.  (I know, I'm horrible for being lazy, but really I'm afraid it'll turn into a ramble fest and make no sense because most of my brain is elsewhere at the moment.  If you see it, give it a scold and a push back my way, would you? Cheers.)

ONE YEAR

Exactly one year ago today, I embarked on an adventure that has completely changed my life.  One year ago today, I got on a plane bound for Heathrow in London to start a semester abroad at Regents College.  One year ago today I had no idea of the impact this journey would have on my life, or that it was the best thing to have ever happened to me.

By going to London, I realized that that was where I wanted to be.  I fell head over heels in love with the city, with the country of England as a whole, and with Europe in general (or at least the several countries I was lucky enough to visit).  My ambition to move to New York, previously uncontested, was suddenly and completely upturned, and London was all I could see in front of me.  It still is.  By going to London, I got to travel to the most amazing places, see some truly beautiful and awe-inspiring things (from the moors of Wales on horseback to the Louvre and all the art within to Edinburgh Castle to the vibrant autumn in Norway), and eat some truly delicious food.  And by going to London, I had some very personal new experiences and discovered a lot more about myself as a result.

A year ago today was the start of the experience that completely altered the course of my life.  If I hadn't gone abroad, I would likely now be living in Seattle, hoping to move to New York in the near future to try and find some theatre work while working at Starbucks. Perhaps I'd already be there doing that.  But because I went to London, I've landed where I am now, living a dream I didn't even dare to dream.

For the entire past year, and for the future that it has brought me, I am so, so grateful, and mostly, I am so, so happy.

ROLLING DOWN THE DISCO

There are a few blogs I follow that are London-based, or written by people in and around London, to get ideas for things to see and places to go.  One of these is The Londoner.  Rosie always is a reliable source for the happenings of London both on her blog and on Twitter, especially if you want to find the best burgers in London.  But more on burgers later.  When she posted about Skate Kings Cross, an 8-week long pop-up roller skating disco just behind Kings Cross station, I was all over it.  So I pitched the idea to my friend, Claire, and we headed over to Skate Kings Cross last Friday for some roller skating fun.

PARTY AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE

I'd been anticipating the royal birth for quite a while, especially over last week - high alert time!  So when I found out through the alert on my phone Monday morning (yes, I get the alerts on my phone), that Kate had been admitted to hospital for early labor (or labour here in the UK - there were many a political joke about that one), I was very excited!!  We were here for study abroad when we got the breaking news from Buckingham that she was pregnant, and as soon as we both found out we'd be here for the birth, it was the perfect bookend and Kelly and I promised we would be at Buckingham Palace for when it was announced.

GABRIEL

(All photos from the Shakespeare's Globe Facebook album)

Last night was Press Night for Gabriel at the Globe - the big night!  Gabriel has been the show that we've been working primarily on while I've been here, and the sheer size of the project and all that entails was the main reason I was invited to come intern.  But before that leads to some news I have, I just want to try to put into writing how incredibly proud I am of this production.

MIDNIGHT MATINEE AND A LONDON SUNRISE

Every Tuesday I look forward to grabbing a copy of that week's edition of Time Out London.  It's a simple pleasure, I know, but really, that magazine is just so handy!  Bored?  Check Time Out London and you're guaranteed to find something to do.  One of the things I had remembered reading about were these, I dunno, walking tours I guess?  Basically an organized group that would meet in the early morning hours to catch and photograph the sunrise as the group walked from Point A to Point B.  Now, I'm not about to pay to join a walking tour, especially just a photo walk, when I can grab Kelly and we can do our photo walk thang, ya know? (Don't let me ever say "thang" again.  Please.)  So I suggested we photograph the sunrise sometime.  She was game, as I knew she would be!

Now, the Globe does this thing called a Midnight Matinee.  Each of the three main shows gets one, and it's literally just a showing of the performance at midnight.  I wasn't about to miss out on it, especially since this one was Midsummer Night's Dream, and how perfect is that to see on a warm summer's night at Shakespeare's Globe at midnight?  Pretty damn perfect!  So what we ended up doing Friday night was catching the midnight matinee of Dream, then sticking around for the after-party in the theatre (which apparently went until half past ten next morning!), before heading out to walk along the Southbank towards Westminster, taking in the dawn and the peaceful serenity and emptiness that is so uncommon in that area.  It was truly magical.

LET'S PLAY A LITTLE CATCH UP...

In the, oh I don't know, month since I've been back in London, a lot has been happening.  A lot a lot.  Some things on a large scale and some on a smaller one.  For example, I've become a tea drinker - this classifies as large scale, because anyone who knows me can tell you that my body runs on, like, 75% coffee.  So to say I now drink tea (in addition to coffee - don't worry I haven't replaced it!)....

LATELY

These are just a few photos (of the many hundreds (over a thousand?)) that I've taken in the past several weeks.  Eventually I'll get the basics down on this here internet corner (why is it always a corner of the internet? If everyone on the internet had their own corner, the internet would basically be round and we wouldn't have corners at all!).  ← Fine example of my brain going off on one of it's tangents right there.  I need to keep reminding myself to stay on topic, but then that requires my brain, which is elsewhere... it's a vicious circle.

ANYWAY.

It's been quite hot over the past weekend in London Town, and is supposed to stay this way for a bit longer.  I don't know whether it's the heat or what, but lately, I've just been wanting to take the first day I have off and go out into the countryside in a loose flowy dress with a crown of fresh flowers in my hair and gallivant about the hillside like some sort of hippie Sound of Music.  I want to wear as little as possible as I lie back and eat British strawberries with cream and drink a big iced pitcher of Pimm's.

The thing is, I basically could do this.  I just need a free day, and technically, I could make it happen.  Which is exciting.  And I'll probably do it.  In fact, it might be fun to rent a Boris bike and ride it out somewhere.  I'd really like to go camping, too, but alas I don't have camping equipment and I'm not so skilled that I'm prepared to work only with what the wilderness offers.  I need a sleeping bag and food, thanks.

THE CHALLENGE THAT IS DRESSING FOR WORK AT MY JOB

I've always had this idea that having an office job means wearing beautiful pencil skirts and crisp blazers and all those sorts of pretty business clothes, and being able to wear heels as much as you'd like, because, hey, for the most part, you're sitting at a desk.  Well, the thing with my job is that part of it is an office job, and part of it is running around the Globe moving things and carrying instruments and running errands around London and basically being on my feet and breaking a sweat at some point almost every day.  So cute heels and pretty skirts are not practical.  My basic work uniform consists primarily of jeans, Converse, and a lightweight shirt that I won't overheat in or mind getting a bit sweaty.

Now, being me, I want to be able to dress up a bit now and then.  But I also want to stay cool, especially as over the past day or two, it's been bloody warm and muggy outside.  Keeping cool while staying work appropriate in the amount of skin I show, combined with being comfortable but still feeling nice in a good outfit... it's near impossible.  In fact, it might be impossible.  I challenge you to give me an outfit that fits within all these parameters, because I'm nearly out.  Also, I have a limited (-ish, I'm still a heavy packer) wardrobe with me over here.  And I'm poor, so there goes shopping (sad face).

Anyway, here is among the best I've been able to do.  And I brought a pair of flats in case the booties got to be impractical for the work this day.  And even though it's loose and a light material, I was still a bit warm in this top.  But I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to sacrifice something, and this was the lesser of the evils I suppose.

AFTERNOON TEA

Last night [erm, actually, Sunday a week ago.... I may have forgotten that I hadn't already posted this], I had the fortune and pleasure to meet a family friend for tea at the Ritz.  When I found out I was coming back to London, my dad told me I might reach out to her as she does annual trips here for work.  Turns out we would be here simultaneously, so she kindly invited me to join her for tea, and I couldn't very well say no, obviously!

It was delicious, and so wonderfully elegant.  When we first sat down, we were asked if we would like champagne, and I said no thank you because I knew it cost more, and she declined as well.  But then only a half a minute later, another waiter came and placed a flute of champagne in front of each of us anyway (we accepted it, because why not?).  I later found out that the final tea sitting of the day offers a free glass of champagne, so there you go.

The finger sandwiches... something about finger sandwiches is so delightful to me.  They're so dainty and I feel so fancy eating them, even though they're not much different than sandwiches a kid would eat in a packed lunch at school.  But these were delicious.  The tea was very good, and made with loose leaf tea, so you had to put the little strainer over the cup when you poured it.  And the desserts were so decadent!  But the best part was the scones with clotted cream and jam.  If you remember, I took it upon myself earlier this year to make scones as a result of my despair of having left England.  Also, I love me some clotted cream.  America just doesn't have the same stuff. 

A TYPICAL DAY AT WORK

This is a post I meant to do on Saturday, but due to internet issues and general business, I haven't been able to upload it all until now.  But my friends and family have been asking about the job, so here you go Mom, Dad, and everyone else!  This documents my day last Friday, specifically, though really it's all so surreal and awesome that it may as well be every day, and every day since has proven this to be true.  (For example, today I passed by and spoke with Billy Boyd who played Pippin in Lord of the Rings and is currently at the Globe rehearsing for Macbeth, AND Joss Whedon was at work this morning being interviewed by the Globe about the new Much Ado film.  See what I mean?)

I wake up each day and walk to the East Putney tube stop, and hop onto the District line directly to Mansion House stop, just north of the Thames.

From there, I cross Southwark Bridge and it's down onto the bankside to walk to the Globe.  I cross past the front entrance and the riverside part of the theatre...

 ... to Stage Door, where I go in for work.  :)  It's so surreal to punch in the access code for the gate, walk into stage door, tap in with my pass, and head up to the theatre offices.  It's also insane how many times I'm going to be using the word "surreal" in this post, but there's no other way to put it, so bare with me as I repeatedly use it.

 During this first week I've mostly just gotten acquainted with all the different aspects of the job - gotten a tour, met everyone in the office (they're all so nice and incredibly fun), read through the union contracts for the people we hire so I can be familiar with them, read through the script of the new show, Gabriel, that will start rehearsal on Tuesday, downloaded the music for the show and burned CDs, done some photocopying, and learned how to make the tea in the office (maybe the most vital bit of information, that).  I also had a chance to pop down into the theatre to see The Tempest Thursday afternoon.  All I had to do was go downstairs into the courtyard, and walking into the yard of the theatre.  With my work ID on, I was just able to walk right in and watch the show.  It was weird and incredible and (here it is again) surreal.

Being American at work in England hasn't been too troublesome or made much difference except for little things.  Prime example of a nationality difference making a play at work:  I had made copies of a script for a show that is soon to begin work, and needed to hole punch them.  I looked high and low and asked a few coworkers where I might find a three hole punch, but to no avail.  A few hours later, towards the end of the day, I asked one more person, to which her response was "is that an American thing?".  I was a bit stymied, and explained what I needed, and she kindly informed me that in England they use a two hole punch and that there was one over there on the desk in the middle of the room, in front of me the whole time.  Nobody had known what I was talking about asking for three hole punches.  Sigh.

After work on Friday (the day I took all these pictures), we had a work party in the office with the cast of Henry VI: Parts 1&2 who are set to go on tour in two weeks.  There was beer, cider, Pimm's, and vast amounts of food in abundance, and it was really nice to sit back and chat with people.

 **Note: Almost every other day there has been a new assortment of goodies on the table in the office, even for no reason.  Monday was leftover bread and cheese and a new tray of chocolate biscuits, and today was scones with clotted cream and jam.  Point is, between this and the food I get at the house I'm staying at, I'll likely be obese by the end of the month, but rich as I won't have had to buy any food.

 Leaving work each day may be the most surreal part of the day, because I walk out to this view...

 I'll never get over walking out of work to see St. Paul's Cathedral directly across the river, and Shakespeare's Globe right next to me.

Here you can see our office from the bankside...

I know I just got here last week.  But, I don't want to leave... Ever.  Cheesy as it may sound, I don't think my heart could take it.  I'm in love with this place, and with my incredible job.  Literally awesome, head-over-heels in love.