Home safe and sound

I arrived back home safe and sound, but incredibly tired. I cannot even begin to describe just how jet-lagged I am. After working London hours, but staying up until midnight for US coverage it is going to be a long week, especially since I am back in the office right away.

I guess the best way to close out my journey, is too share a few tips/observations.

- The weather is completely unpredictable. When I arrived it was 80F and sunny, during that time, it dropped down to 60 and back up to 70 with spots of rain. People may laugh about how much I pack but I learned the hard way last summer to always be prepared.

- It's just damp and the water is hard = wrecks havoc on your hair. The water is brutal on hair and skin, it's good to have a lot of products with you to be prepared for anything. Each time in London, I just assume my hair will look mostly like crap. I think this explains why so many girls in London wear their hair up on clips.

- The public transport system is excellent and much more efficient than taking taxis. However, I do advise against taking the tube during rush hour. It is not air conditioned and ventilation is pretty bad. Being short runs you the risk of being at the armpit of someone who believes personal hygiene isn't important. This is where my scented sandalwood fan came in handy. They are also doing a significant amount of work on the stations so always check for closures. It's good to buy an Oyster card if you are going to be there for awhile.

- Having a map is important - even Londoners have/use them. The streets aren't on a grid system like NY or Chicago, and sometimes they change name for no clear reason and not all streets are labeled. Although in London proper, it's pretty easy to find the street - it's posted on the side of the building, not on a pole. Once you get the hang of it, it is really easy to find your way around, and it's not a bad city to get a little lost in because there are tons of charming shops and pubs in the most unassuming spots. (Just don't get lost in the bad neighborhoods).

- Black cabs. In order to drive a cab, the driver has to pass a test proving they know the streets of London. I'd often get in not knowing the exact address, or just starting with the name of the place and they'd get be there and know exactly what I am talking about. You typically tell them where you are going before you get in the cab and pay after you get out. They lock the doors while you are in the taxi and control when the doors are unlocked. I have never encountered an unfriendly driver either. It's not typical to tip, but I think it's a good idea and they always appreciate it and say thanks. Try getting that in the US.

- Oxford Street is incredibly annoying, particularly on the weekends. When in London, you have to go to TopShop, their flagship store is right at Oxford Circus. Other than that, stay far away.

- I am sorry to my English friends, but the fashion sense of girls in London - the streets of London mostly - is absolutely terrible. I like leggings and belts but it's done to a ridiculous excess here. Even W noticed this. And sheer tights/leggings with shorts and ballerina flats...never a good look. The men on the other hand, dress beautifully. The woman from my office/sig other of co-workers don't fit into this category, and my English friends agreed with my observation on this phenonmenon.

- Go to the markets or museums early or you will be in the middle of crowds and not appreciate what you are seeing. Some of the museums are open late during the week.

- Pedestrians don't seem to have any rights. It's important to look down and know which way you are supposed to look for traffic (the streets say "look left" or "look right") and cabs/cars have no concern in honking at you.

- Definitely go to a pub, but find one that is off the beaten path or gets a good reference on-line. Like a bar in the US, there are good ones and bad ones, but the good ones are wonderful and worth a visit. They have some GREAT food and visiting one with historical significance is the way to go. People go to pubs and stand around outside on the sidewalk drinking. After work, you see tons of people gathering outside until about 10 or sometimes 11. I think as long as you are in direct vicinity of the pub, you can stand outside with a drink. And get a meat pie or fish in chips - when in Rome....BTW - you can buy fish and chips for takeway - it's not wrapped in newspaper anymore because it was found that the ink from the newsprint could be poisonous.

- There aren't very many "lounges". It's either a restaurant with a bar, a club or a pub. Many of the clubs have memberships which don't necessarily mean too much other than VIP priority in line and cover charges in general are pretty steep. There are a ton of "private clubs" and I think the fee is anywhere from 2500 - 10ooo BP, depending on the stature. And the doorman at the clubs have a ton of power on whether or not you will get in - sort of like the US I suppose. They'd do well with more lounges IMO.

- I mentioned this before, but it's worth mentioning again. July/August is packed with visitors from the Middle East because they are escaping the heat. So you will see tons of expensive cars, etc. At Harrods, the majority are from the Middle East - all the mannequins have dark hair/dark eyes which is obviously meant to appeal to their core shopping audience.

- When you go to dinner, they will inform you that they will need the table back in 2 hours. This happens everywhere you go. And the service in restaurants/bars is not terribly attentive. They don't make a lot of money, grat is included in the bill at 12% and apparently the government is thinking about taking the practice of tipping away altogether. And you cannot go to London without dining in one of the many Indian restaurants - the best I have ever had an many say it's better than what you'd get in India.

- A great way to see the sites is to take a taxi on the Thames, or buy yourself a day pass and you can stop on an off a few ports. I took a water taxi last year from Greenwhich to Waterloo at night and it was beautiful - the Tower Bridge is probably one of my favorite sites. You can also do the Tate to Take water taxi (Tate Modern to Tate Britain).

- London can be pretty dead on Sundays - I guess there is a law in place about markets, etc., remaining closed on Sunday to encourage people to stay home with their families. This can be annoying if you need a sundry item.

- Edward II ruled in the early 1300s. His lover, Piers Gaveston and he were murdered allegedly in captivity by having a sword or a poker inserted where the sun didn't shine as a statement against Edward's choice of partner. Oxford University has a group called the "Piers Gaveston Society" comprised of members who engage in "debaucherous sexual acts" and is an invitation only club. It was described to me as similar to the scene from Eyes Wide Shut. Interesting.

- Tarty girls are called "Slappers", this has now become my favorite word. If you see a girl in a ho dress smoking, then she is definitely a slapper.

- There is a ton of construction going on in London, it's kind of a bummer because the cranes ruin the view when looking at Parliament and Big Ben. By the way, Big Ben is not the name of the tower or clock, but actually the bell. The tower is technically called St. Stephen's tower.

- While the architecture, museums, shows, etc., are certainly a draw, you cannot go to London without going to one of the many parks. They do a great job keeping the landscape up, hardly any garbage and very vew homeless people.

London is a wonderful place to visit once you get past how bad our dollar is (just plan on paying twice as much for everything). I am lucky to have made so many friends there and cannot wait to return very soon.

My Blair Witch Basement

Some of you may recall an earlier about the murder that occured in my building . The body was found in the basement back in March. Here's proof that not only is it creepy, but it reminds me of the last scene in postthe Blair Witch Project.

Kind of a icky day but ended well

For my last day in London, I wanted to accomplish a few things - 1) Portobello Market 2) British museum and 3) a walk through Hyde Park. Whenever I am here, I try and do at least one tourist thing and not repeat myself. Obviously it's hard because I work during the day so my weekends are really the only time I get to wander around and explore.

Unfortunately, it was a terrible weather day - reminded me of last year actually while I was here for the wettest summer month in history. The day started out unassuming, a little overcast but that's just how it gets in London. To get my day started, I headed over to Terre D'Oc, which has all these candles, incense, etc., that are made in Provence, France - you can't find their stuff in the US and they have the best products I have encountered (I hate cheap candles and incense, it's like burning glade candles or spraying febreeze. ) Lucky for me they were having a sale so the weak dollar didn't totally kill me.

I headed over to the tube for Portobello market, once I arrived, it started to mist. It's always best to go to the markets early to avoid the crowds, however, by the time I got there, it was 12 noon so it was packed. I wasn't too worried about it as I wasn't planning on spending a lot of time there, knew exactly what I wanted so would be done in an hour. My visit focus was a gift for W, pashmina shawls and maybe something from one of the Moroccan dealers. I scored on all three - got the greatest Moroccan slippers - I will have to take a picture of them. Then the downpour happened - and it was cold, just absolutely miserable - it's not easy to navigate through a crowd in the rain with umbrellas. I got the hell out of there and headed over to the British Museum. Not the best idea either.

Many of you know how much I hate people - and this was probably the worst two things one can do on a Saturday - it's just mobbed with tourists. In fact, I think the entire country of Japan was there with their cameras, it was hard to get around so I just focused on the things I wanted to see. Unfortunately, some wings were closed and with it being so crowded, I didn't make it to everything. I had already seen the Rosetta Stone and most of their Egyptian collection before, so I was able to skip that this time. My favorite was the Asian and Roman collections. This statue below made me laugh because it reminded me of Chloe and Ella when they beg for food like little goats.

And this lady had dark brown hair but was using a fake blonde hairpiece in her hair. I couldn't stop staring.

I walked home from the museum up Oxford Street - which is a mess in itself, but I had to return the hideous bathing suit I bought at the Gap for our trip to Bath. By the time I got home, I think I clocked in a few miles, was soaked through and through and just felt icky. The tube was disgusting - what made me really get grossed out were these people sitting on the stairs in the tube. Those of you in Chicago/NY - just imagine sitting on the stairs in the subway after rain and hundreds of people dragged mud through.

Obviously, not the best day to go through the park, not such a big deal but I was hoping to spend more time there - next time!

I was supposed to grab dinner with my friend M but I couldn't get in touch with her. I decided to head over to the Villandry on my own and have dinner in the bar. The Villandry is just a few steps away from my flat and is one of my favorite places ever. It's sort of hard to describe - it's incredibly charming and loftlike - a gourmet foodshop/restaurant. On one side you can grab fresh baked breads and pastries, yogurts, juice, crackers, wine, candies, etc. In the middle is a section of long tables that can be communal where you can sit and enjoy a sandwich or cheese and some coffee. In the back is a upscale restaurant with large windows along the street. On the other side is a smaller restaurant - more casual with a bar. That's where I decided to go for dinner - it's nice and dark, with candles, incredibly comfortable. To my pleasant surprise, there was a jazz trio playing that night with a female singer. It was the perfect end to my day - I had a glass of wine, a great burger and sat and enjoyed the music. If they had a fire going in the fireplace I think I would have stayed there all night long. http://www.villandry.com/index.htm

Finally, the Kensington Roof Gardens

On Friday, I focused on getting myself organized to go home. I packed in the morning and went into the office to gather up all my crap and get it home. D and I went over to Harrods in the afternoon and I purchased a special gift for the girls ... the igloo dog bed. A bit extravagant but a great reminder of London. We then shipped all of my work stuff which was a pain in the ass and incredibly expensive - but they had no boxes in the office so I had to do it all myself.

We go ready for dinner at Babylon which is just above the Kensington Roof Gardens. My other friend M, joined us and we had a great meal. It's a really cool space - the interior is fairly minimal but it's set long against an outdoor terrace - you can see all the way to the Thames, etc. After dinner, D and I went downstairs to the gardens for an after dinner drink. The Roof Gardens were the place we tried to get into last weekend but couldn't get in because of the line. After arriving, I can see why. They have multiple areas throughout the terrace and it's covered with flowers, plants, etc. In fact, there is an area with a small pond that houses flamingos - unfortunately, they weren't out that night. We sat at a little table near the champagne bar and just people watched - it was fantastic. Lots of good slapper sitings - and a lot of drunk 25-year olds. We were definitely the old people there.

Going there was a highlight for both of us - I could do without the crowd, but we got there early enough to grab a seat and left as it was getting obnoxious. If you can believe - we got hungry again and grabbed a burger from their outdoor grille. That is absolutely brilliant and I think more places should have that sort of thing. Really beats the crappy bar food you end up snarfing at 1 am. We had a late night, but a great time. We were very lucky that it was a such a great night.

Yummy Amaya and a garden party

On Wednesday, D and I had dinner at Amaya with my friend M at Amaya. Amaya is truly an amazing dining experience. It is really unfortunate that there are no high end Indian restaurants like this in the US, I'd move in permanently. The concept of Amaya is that it's a grill and the food is meant to be shared. This is not your curry place - the three different grills they use are a tandoori, over coals and on a tawa - a large iron griddle. The kitchen is open so you can watch them prepare everything - it's pretty cool to watch. We started with this gigantic Madagascar prawn (they loved it) and then had the goat cheese stuffed mini peppers along with some naan and sides. The naan is the best here - it's perfectly cooked, nice and thin but fluffy in a few spots. I hate naan that is really thick and chewy, it's too filling. The condiments they give you for the naan and dishes are a plum sauce, crushed dry peanuts, crushed dried coriander and tomato. Next we had the quail - now the only meat I eat is red meat - from a cow - chicken, turkey, etc., are revolting to me - but last time I was at Amaya, one of my dining companions had the quail and I tried a bite of it and liked it - so I ordered it for our table. Don't like bird, don't like quail - but this is melt in your mouth, pass out good. I think they way they prepared it was in the tandoori oven - the secret has to be the marinade which was apricot, vanilla...and that's all I could figure out. We then had these finely diced sweet potatoes served with a tangy yogurt and tamarind sauce whisked over the top. Our final dish was an asparagus biryani with some dal..probably the only thing on the menu that you'd find in a typical Indian restaurant. So by the end of the meal, we rolled home.

On Thursday, one of my co-workers had a garden party at his home. All of the people in the London office are just fantastic - I am very lucky to have such a nice bunch to work with but also socialize with at night/weekends, etc. This includes the spouses/significant others. Usually, the last thing one wants to do is go to an after work function, but I had been looking forward to this since I arrived, and I certainly wasn't disappointed. When I think garden party, I think deck of some sort and of course I wore high heels. This was actually in a garden, in the grass so I had keep moving or my heels would sink into the grass. Apparently, this is sort of good for the grass as I was aerating it.

Being the city girl that I am, I was mesmerized by the bumble bees doing their part for the environment having a good time with some lavender. I have never seen this live before and I know that right now, my mom is up in heaven laughing her ass off at what a complete dork I am. (Mom grew up on a farm and liked to tease me at my lack of experience with nature)

Thank goodness for YouTube, you can see this for yourself.

Disturbing commercials

The last couple of nights for D and I were pretty uneventful - dinner at The Villandry on Monday, dinner at home on Tuesday followed by a drink at the Browns Hotel on Tuesday. But what really is fantastic is the commericals here in the UK. Seriously very dirty...yet fun. Our favorite so far.

Bathtubs and the pigs

After Stonehenge, D, M and I arrived in Bath after a journey through picturesque small towns. It actually reminded me a little bit about when I was with G and J in California driving from San Francisco to Sonoma. Very hilly and lush. We arrived to our hotel, nothing to write home about but a decent, clean place to stay for the night. I will save you the history lesson on Bath, but the city is around the Avon and a majority of the buildings are constructed of limestone. The architecture is amazing - the color of limestone resembles the color of butter to a pale grey or ivory. Against the green hills, trees and landscape, it gives off this old world feel.

We just walked around town and visited the Roman Baths. You can take the route of the official tour with a guide but we opted to walk around on our own. You obviously can't partake in the baths on premises but there is a spa around the corner that is somewhat molded on the original baths. We tried to figure out what people from Bath are called, in our slaphappy state, we stuck to "Bathtubs' although we learned from the woman in the German shop they are called "Bathites". I prefer Bathtubs.

Around town, there is an exhibit called "King Bladud's Pigs". Those of you in Chicago may recall the cows that were smattered around town a few years ago - it's sort of a similar concept. Different artists painted pigs and you'd find them in museums, on the street, in restaurants, etc. The legend is that Bath was founded back in 860 BC, when Prince Bladud, the father of King Lear, was abroad and caught leprosy. He was fearful of going back to court and not able to become king, so he went west and became a sort of pig farmer. The pigs also caught leprosy and began wallowing around in this hot mud and became cured. Bladud did the same, was cured of leprosy and later returned to court and became king. It was in this area where he founded the town of Bath. I personally think the pigs are a lot cuter than the cows. Here is the website if you'd like to learn more about them or see pictures. My favorite was the "Pig in Prada" which to me, looked like a hooker/S&M pig, apparently, I am a sick person to have such thoughts over a wholesome project. http://www.kingbladudspigs.org/pigs/index.php

We also visited the Fashion Museum - it reminded me a little bit of the V&A and their fashion section. Their exhibit was on the designer for many of the films Marilyn Monroe was in - Travilla. While some of the dresses weren't the exact dresses worn by Marilyn Monroe (some were second versions, etc.), we saw the ones that were in her films - the pink dress from Gentleman Prefer Blondes, the gold dress she wore in one of her famous pictorials and the white dress from Some Like It Hot.

Other than that, we didn't do a whole lot other than wander and explore the town. They have a lot of cute shops, most of it overpriced of course, since their biggest $$maker is via tourism. However, we did go into this shop called Hansel and Gretal, which is a Bavarian shop - they have items from Germany, Austria, etc. We all ended up buying something - the shop owner mixes her own essential oils and I could almost pretend to be Maria in The Sound of Music spinning around the hillside. I also purchased some almond honey which is absolutely delicious. Speaking of The Sound of Music, in London there is a sing-a-long show not far from my flat, and I am seriously tempted to go.

Before heading home, we stopped off at Lucknam Park for afternoon tea. Lucknam Park is an estate home that is now a hotel with about 40 rooms. There are multiple gardens, croquet, equestrian riding, etc. It was very much like walking into a Jane Austen book. M knew one of the sous chefs so we were able to tour some of the suites and walk amongst the gardens and learn more about the history of the place. This was truly a highlight for us on the trip.

And I have to admit, ever sense seeing Stonehenge, I just cannot get Spinal Tap out of my head.