7 Lies "Friends" Told Me About England

As hard as it is to believe, we celebrate the 20th anniversary of Friends this year. To this day I watch the series on repeat, thanks to my DVD collection, and I can still remember crying over the phone to my best friend as we watched the series finale together. It's been ten years since Rachel got off the plane, which is equally hard to believe!

What does all this have to do with my life as an expat and England? Well I'm getting to that. Not only has it been ten years since the series finale of Friends, it has also been ten years since my first trip to London which I talked about in my first travel throwback post. What I neglected to share was one of the reasons why I went to London in the first place was because of Friends. 

It was a few months before my sixteenth birthday and I was watching one of my favourite episodes of Friends, "The One With Ross's Wedding". You know the one when the whole gang, apart from a very pregnant Phoebe, go off to London to watch Ross get married. My mom wanted to do something special for my birthday and asked me what I would like to do. I blurted out that what I would really like to do is go to London. If you read my travel throwback post, you'll know that's exactly what we ended up doing.

A few weeks back I was watching "The One With Ross's Wedding" again and picked up on several lies that the Friends gang told me about England. It's time to set the record straight..

1. Everywhere in England is London.

In an earlier episode, Emily's uncle says, "She's from London, well Shropshire really, but you know.." No I don't know. Can you please explain to me how Shropshire = London?

@MrRandomSilly

To be fair I'm pretty sure most of my family still think I live in London

2. All Londoners wear Union Jack hats.

Sir Richard Branson lied to us, all Londoners do not walk along covered in the Union Jack. In fact, unlike Americans, you'll be hard-pressed to find many English people covered in their flag unless it's the World Cup or something.

Richard Branson as The Vendor | © Warner Bros.

3. You will meet royalty on the street.

Not once in my four years of living in England have I ever just casually met a royal à la Joey's chance encounter with Fergie.The closest I ever got was seeing the Archbishop of Canterbury going into Westminster Abbey to deliver a service to the Queen.

Sarah Ferguson (Fergie) | © Warner Bros.

4. Everyone has live-in housekeepers.

Friends isn't the only perpetrator of this lie. Remember Martin from the 1998 adaptation of The Parent Trap? Sadly, not everyone in England has a live-in housekeeper, but it is a nice allusion.

June Whitfield as The Housekeeper | © Warner Bros.

5. Phone etiquette is very important.

I've never been hung up on and asked to call back with the proper phone etiquette. Perhaps my etiquette is too impeccable to fault. However, I think it's more likely that people don't take phone etiquette quite so seriously as the snooty housekeeper.

6. Everyone has a posh accent.

Living in England you will quickly learn that not everyone speaks like the Queen. Shows like Friends often use English actors who have a standard or posh accent as they are easier to understand for us Americans. However, the variety of accents in this country is unbelievable! 

Just listen to my hubby, when he says "beer can" it sounds like he's saying "bacon" in a Jamaican accent.

7. The English will give advice to strangers on their life.
While many Americans will happily chat to complete strangers about their life and the issues they are facing. This is every Englishman's worst nightmare. The Gentleman On The Plane, played by Hugh Laurie, would never have told Rachel his thoughts on her life... ever.

Hugh Laurie as The Gentleman On The Plane | © Warner Bros.

In closing, although "The One With Ross's Wedding" may have gotten a few things wrong, it remains one of the most iconic Friends episodes of all time! Happy 20th Anniversary Friends!

Q: What is your favourite Friends episode?

Erin x

 

Cruising On The River Thames

For anyone visiting London for the first time, or just looking for a unique perspective, I thoroughly recommend a cruise on the River Thames. Cruising on the River Thames offers a fantastic view of the best of London, stripped free of the crowds of tourists and traffic. It is a fantastic way to spend a few hours and see the sights!

Two weeks ago, I did just that when I joined a group of my new colleagues for a tropical-themed sunset cruise. And not just any old cruise down the River Thames, this was aboard a luxury yacht, The Silver Sturgeon.

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We boarded The Silver Sturgeon dressed in Hawaiian shirts and maxi dresses from the Savoy Pier to the sound of a live calypso band i(t was a tropical-themed after all). We set sail at 7:00pm, with mojitos in hand, in the direction of Battersea, passing the Houses of Parliament and MI5 as we went.

 

 

While cruising down the river, we were treated to a fantastic BBQ catered by Jamie Oliver's  Fabulous Feasts! This was no ordinary BBQ, it included hot smoked salmon and roasted butternut squash which were to die for! Our delicious BBQ was finished off with a sweet stall which included the best salted caramel ice cream I have ever tasted!

We turned around just before we reached Battersea Power Station and headed back along the River Thames. This gave us the chance to get another view of Big Ben which I still get goosebumps whenever I see. We also passed perhaps the oldest building on our route, the Tower of London, and the most modern with St. Mary's Axe (more commonly known as the Gherkin), The Shard, as well as The O2.

One of the things I love about London is the blend of so many historical buildings interspersed with the modern. Never is this more apparent than when you're viewing these buildings from the Thames. Our cruise along the Thames was a wonderful experience!

Q: Have you ever been on a River Thames cruise?

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Erin x

Travel Throwback #1: London

After recently moving house I uncovered a box of my old photographs from my junior high and early high school years, undoubtably taken on a hundred or so Kodak disposable cameras. Included amongst the photographs of friends, Disneyland and parties was a series from my trip to London in the autumn of 2004.

This particular trip was special for three reasons:

1. It was to celebrate my sweet sixteen
2. It was my first trip to England. 
3. It cemented me as an anglophile forever. 

Here are some of the gems I found starting with a jet-lagged sixteen-year-old me at our hotel, The Rubens At The Palace...

Funny story, we originally were in just a normal room but the toliet decided to turn into a fountain and we were promptly upgraded to the beautiful Clarence Suite.

I love the Autumnal colours in this photograph of St. James' Park. If you look closely you can see Big Ben in the background.

"If the Tower of London ravens are lost or fly away, the Crown will fall and Britain with it."

For a Harry Potter fan, no trip to London would be complete without a trip to Platform 9 and 3/4 at King's Cross station!

And finally... one of the most cliché tourist photographs in all the world - posing with a red telephone box. I'd like the think the double decker bus in the background makes it slightly different. Does any tourist visiting London not have a photograph with a red telephone box? I think not!

Q: Have you ever travelled somewhere that made a big impact on your life?

Erin x

London's 10 Best Kept Secrets

London is the political, economical, and cultural capital of England, with a vast history that stretches back thousands of years. Visitors to London will, of course, want to visit the usual haunts such as: Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Tower of London, and the Royal Parks. But there is so much more to London that your average tourist guides don't cover. 

Last week, Marriott London Hotels contacted me and asked if I would be interested in hosting an exclusive infographic with my readers about the secret London that most tourists don't know about. Of course I said yes! So here they are, London's 10 Best Kept Secrets;

1. Transport for London's Lost Property Office, Baker Street. This little-known museum houses anything and everything that has ever been left behind on one of London's tubes, trains, or buses.
2. Pineapple, Camden. Not your typical London pub, Pineapple hosts a vintage market on Sundays and Bring-Your-Own-Cheese Thursdays.
3. Mount Street Gardens, Mayfair.  Mount Street Gardens allows you to escape the hustle and bustle of central London in a bit of green space.
4. Burger and Lobster, Ascot Race Course. Growing in popularity, this quirky restaurant gives you a taste of the high life at £20 per head!
5. Daunt Books, Marylebone. This Edwardian-era bookshop is the perfect escape for any literature lover. The books are arranged by country allowing you to travel the world without ever leaving the shop.
6. Experimental Cocktail Club, West End. Book your spot before 5pm Tuesdays to Sundays then negotiate with the bouncers. Seems like a lot of trouble for a cocktail but I'm told this place is well worth it!
7. The Royal Mews, Buckingham Palace. At the back of the Palace you will find the home of the imperial horses and the carriages used for important state occasions, including the 4-ton Gold State Coach which takes 8 horses to pull.
8. The Palm Tree, East End. Darts lovers head to The Palm Tree to see a special dart board known as East London Fives which is split into just 12 segments, which feature the numbers 20, 15, 10, and 5 three times each. 
9. The Laughing Halibut, Scotland Yard. Around the corner from Scotland Yard, this chip shop is known to be one of the best chippies in town with queues reaching around the corner. Don't be surprised to find an off-duty copper or two!
10. London Friday Night Skate, Hyde Park. Remember when roller rinks were all the rage? Well London has a massive one known as Hyde Park! The Friday Night Skate is a weekly skate around central London.

Q: Have you been to any of London's best kept secrets? Do you have a London secret yourself?

Erin x

*This post is sponsored by Marriott London Hotels, to see the full infographic and interactive map please visit the Secret Guide to London. I only collaborate with companies if I believe their product to be valuable to my readers. All opinions are my own.

London's New Year's Fireworks 2013

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you all enjoyed your New Year's Eve celebrations and the holiday season in general. I do apologise for my lack of activity as of late, the end of 2012 was an incredibly busy one for me.

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Every year cities around the world compete to see who can put on the best fireworks display, and London is always at the top of my list. While the fireworks display on The Strip will always hold a special place in my heart, there is something so amazing about seeing them go off as Big Ben rings in the New Year! 

Erin x

Day Out in London

When Luke asked me what I wanted for my birthday I said I'd rather get something for the house than something for just for me. In typical Luke fashion he didn't listen (do men ever listen?), but for once I am really glad he didn't. Unbeknownst to me, Luke rang my boss and booked my birthday off for me, so he could surprise me with a day out in London!

Instead of waking up at the crack of dawn to go to work on Tuesday, I was able to have a lie in and get brought tea in bed before heading on a train from Milton Keynes Central to London Euston. In just 35 minutes we were in the centre of London. We always stop at Buckingham Palace, to say hello to the Queen, before taking a stroll through the parks. I've still not received my invitation from her for tea, I can only assume it's gotten lost in the post.

Walking around the royal parks is one of our all time favourite activities to do in London, and it's free! If we don't have time to walk through all of them I'd recommend walking through Regents Park, as you can easily get to Horse Guards Parade which then can lead you on to 10 Downing Street, Westminster Abbey, Houses of Parliament, and of course Big Ben. Regents Park is also Luke's favourite because of the birds and squirrels. On this trip to London, Luke and I decided to go somewhere that neither of us had before - the London Aquarium.

Luke and I have a thing for aquariums. I think it started when we went to the aquarium on our first trip together to San Sebastián. Since then we always try to see the aquariums in the cities we visit, but have never had a chance to go to the London Aquarium. It was slightly pricer than I was expecting, my guide book, albeit from 2010, had said it would be £13.00 each. It was actually £19.40 each, I thought it might have gone up a little, but 6 quid! 

I'm very happy we went as we both really enjoyed the aquarium and although it was a bit more than we were expecting, it was worth it. The aquarium was arranged by bodies of water, so there was a section for everything from the Pacific to the Arctic Ocean. There was even a section dedicated to fish that have been found in the River Thames. 

After the aquarium we headed to grab some sushi in China Town (in between Soho and Leicester Square). We found a terrific sushi restaurant called Akasiro, where I had the best sushi I've had since coming to England! We shared a sushi platter and a vegetable tempura bento box! I even agreed to try Mackeral sushi again, it wasn't half bad (but don't think I'd order it on a regular basis). The place was a great value too, something you always have to be on the lookout for in London. We finished off our meal with some hot sake for Luke and plum wine for me! In other words, I was in heaven!

By the time we'd finished sushi it was nearly time to head back to Milton Keynes, but not before a quick stop at King's Cross for another vain attempt to get on the Hogwarts Express at Platform 9 3/4!

Erin x

Q: Where do you like to go when you visit London? Is there anywhere in London you'd particularly like to see that you haven't yet?

ANSWERS: How well do you know the Queen?

Last week I shared with you the quiz I took at my work's Diamond Jubilee celebration. If you haven't completed it yet, then stop reading now and go take the quiz. And as promised here are your answers. I hope you did well, and found out something you didn't know about our reigning monarch of 60 years.

My score was 8/12, but how did you do? What did you learn? Let me know on Quintessentially English's brand new Facebook Page or tweet to me @essentialerin!

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1. Which month of the year did the Queen accede to the throne?
     February

2. Where was the Queen when she first heard the news that she had become Queen?
     Tree Tops - Kenya

3. How many dogs does the Queen currently own?
    Six - 3 Corgis and 3 Dorgis (a cross between a Dachshund and the Corgi)


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4. Who played the guitar on the roof of Buckingham Palace to mark the Queen's Golden Jubilee?
    Brian May

5. What colour does the Queen traditionally wear when visiting the Vatican?
     Black

6. Who designed the Queen's dress for her wedding and coronation?
     Norman Hartnell

7. Where are the Crown Jewels kept?
     Tower of London

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8. Which of following historic events has NOT taken place during the Queen's reign?
     a. The end of food rationing in the UK
     b. The moon landing
     c. the building of the Berlin wall
    d. The Festival of Britain

9. The Queen's coronation was the most watched event on television at the time, even though only 5.5 million households in the UK (about one third of the population) had televisions. How many households have TV today?
     a. 1 Million
     b. 13 Million
    c. 26 Million
     d. 50 Million

10. How many miles of motorway did the UK have in 1952?
      0 - The first motorway in the UK opened in 1958.

11. The position of women in the workforce of the UK has changed since 1952. Today approximately half the workforce is female. What % of those employed in 1952 were female?
      a. 0%
      b. 10%
      c. 24%
     d. 33%

12. Which iconic musician said the following at the 1963 Royal Variety Performance in the presence of the Queen? "For our last number I'd like your help. Would you people in the cheaper seats clap your hands and for the rest of you just rattle your jewellery."
   a. Paul McCartney
  b. John Lennon
   c. Brian May
   d. Bob Dylan

Erin x

QUIZ: How well do you know the Queen?

I mentioned in my post Diamond Jubilee Celebrations (Part 1) that we had taken a quiz at work in honour of HM Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee. I had a few comments and emails requesting that I share it with you lovely people, so here it is as promised! 

I'm sure you can beat my score - 8/12 but don't cheat and use Google like so many of my colleagues did! 

 All rights reserved by The British Monarchy

1. Which month of the year did the Queen accede to the throne?

2. Where was the Queen when she first heard the news that she had become Queen?

3. How many dogs does the Queen currently own?

4. Who played the guitar on the roof of Buckingham Palace to mark the Queen's Golden Jubilee?

5. What colour does the Queen traditionally wear when visiting the Vatican?

6. Who designed the Queen's dress for her wedding and coronation?

7. Where are the Crown Jewels kept?

8. Which of following historic events has NOT taken place during the Queen's reign?

              a. The end of food rationing in the UK

              b. The moon landing

              c. the building of the Berlin wall

              d. The Festival of Britain

9. The Queen's coronation was the most watched event on television at the time, even though only 5.5 million households in the UK (about one third of the population) had televisions. How many households have TV today?

              a. 1 Million

              b. 13 Million

              c. 26 Million

              d. 50 Million

10. How many miles of motorway did the UK have in 1952?

11. The position of women in the workforce of the UK has changed since 1952. Today approximately half the workforce is female. What % of those employed in 1952 were female?

              a. 0%

              b. 10%

              c. 24%

              d. 33%

12. Which iconic musician said the following at the 1963 Royal Variety Performance in the presence of the Queen? "For our last number I'd like your help. Would you people in the cheaper seats clap your hands and for the rest of you just rattle your jewellery."

              a. Paul McCartney

              b. John Lennon

              c. Brian May

              d. Bob Dylan

UPDATE: For the answers please click here.

Erin x

Diamond Jubilee Celebrations (Part 2)

Not even the Queen could keep away the bad weather that always seems to come with a bank holiday weekend. While we all had visions of barbecues in the back garden the always unpredictable English weather had other plans. As they said repeatedly on the BBC "the rain could not dampen our spirits". Therefore the planned barbecue we had for Sunday moved to an indoor party at Neil and Nicola's house.

We all dressed in red,white, and blue - even Neil who is known for his Grinch-like tendencies when it comes to dressing up. We drank English cider, ale, and even toasted the Queen with a bottle of English sparkling wine from Kent, which was surprisingly good. While Nic finished preparing the food, all English fare, we watched the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant.

Over 1,000 boats mustered on the River Thames to pay homage to Her Majesty, making it the largest boat procession the Thames has seen in over 300 years. This 1,000 boat flotilla even achieved a new Guinness World Record for the world's largest parade of boats. The procession was led by the Queen on the Royal Barge, which also included Prince Charles, Camilla, Prince Harry, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and of course Prince Philip.

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At first as I sat drinking a Crabbies' Ginger Beer at the kitchen table I wished I could be in London, despite all the rain, to witness the event. More specifically I wished I could be on the Royal Barge, my Grandmother has had me practising my curtsey since before I could walk properly. After about an hour of the procession though I began to realise just how many 1,000 boats were.

True it was amazing to see, but I started to feel a bit sorry to the Queen having to stand there and wave for hours on end. There must be so many times in a royal's life when all want to do is just say 'sod it' to the world and stay in bed.

The Union Jack table at Neil and Nicola's

On Monday, I spent the day in Milton Keynes Centre shopping or as I like to call it honouring the Queen by boosting the economy. That evening there was A Concert at Buckingham Palace organised by the BBC. It was supposed to be attended the by Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, and other members of the Royal Family. Unfortunately the DoE was sent to the hospital as a precaution for a bladder infection, probably caused from his hours spent the day before unable to move for hours, he is 90 after all!

I wish I could say I loved the concert, but if you follow me on Twitter, you'll know this was not the case. I would describe the first half as an assault on my eardrums. It started with Robbie Williams screeching 'Let Me Entertain You'. Perhaps it is because I didn't grow up listening to Take That, but I just don't get Robbie's appeal. He appears to be an arrogant tit if I'm honest.

I then suffered through will.i.am, Jessie J, JLS, and Gary Barlow with Cheryl Cole (who is now styling herself as Cheryl). To be fair to Mr. Barlow I actually don't mind him. As a member of Take That I didn't grow up listening to his music, but I look at him differently than Robbie Williams - he writes the music and doesn't come off cocky like ol' Robbie.

It wasn't all bad, in fact there were some genuinely good performances, I shouldn't be so quick to tar the whole thing as bad. For example I loved Lang Lang, Elton John, Kylie Minogue, Madness, and Paul McCartney. I unfortunately missed the performances of the official 'jubilee single' and Tom Jones, both of which I wanted to see.

In retrospect the Jubilee Concert wasn't all bad. I just felt bad for the Queen having to sit through some of which was on, although she didn't have to sit through the worst of it. I think that was the epitome of  'God Save the Queen'.

The Concert ended with Prince Charles paying homage to his mother or "mummy" as he called her at one point and leading the crowd in three cheers for the Queen before she lit the National Beacon. A truly spectacular end!

Erin x

Diamond Jubilee Celebrations (Part 1)

HM Queen Elizabeth II is celebrating her 60 year reign this June. This is only the second time a monarch has reached this landmark with Queen Victoria celebrating this achievement in 1897. Events have been taking place throughout the year reaching their peak this weekend with official events all over London and a street party in every corner of the United Kingdom (and globe).

Celebrations kicked off for me on Friday at my company's Diamond Jubilee street party. We were given a dress down day (as long as we maintained the patriotic colours) to mark the occasion. Our usual boring canteen was bedecked in Union Jack bunting, a table full of traditional British fare, and a CD on loop of British fan fare (i.e. 'Rule Britannia').

Our longest reigning employees.

Our longest "reigning" employee was named 'queen of the day' meaning she had to wear a Queen Elizabeth II paper mask, while our Managing Director acted as the Duke of Edinburgh. There was a raffle draw but the closest I got to winning by misreading one of my numbers and taking a tin of shortbread, which I had to quickly pass on to the rightful owner. There was also a quiz on the Queen, which I scored 8 out of 12 on, the highest score achieved not using Google might I add! One of my better, if not best, days at work.

On Saturday, Luke and I drove up to Southam to celebrate with his family. First we attended Southam's street party (see I told you there were a lot of street parties planned). It appeared the whole town, and several others, had turned up for Southam's street party, or perhaps the population was larger than I imagined. I spent my time dodging prams and trying to find a token seller as I was instructed that was the only way I could ride the mechanical bull or play any games.

Stilt walker at the Southam street party

Unfortunately, we never did find the elusive token sellers and so I had to appease myself with 2 books from the charity shop and having a piggy back from Luke all the way from town centre to his mum's house. After Luke had a breather we went to Pam and Mick's house for Jubilee barbecue. With our little cousins, Sam and Isaac, around we would need all the energy we could muster as the first words Isaac uttered were "you hide, I'll seek".

St. James' Church on a walk back from town centre

After an hour of playing hide and seek, we moved the party inside where Isaac used the Union Jack table cloths to wrap me up as giant British present. We would later use these same table cloths to create a "boys and Erin den" as Sam put it which the boys (and nearly us) fell asleep in as the night came to a close.

The Jubilee festivities didn't end on Saturday, we've had two more days full and one more day to go, so stay tuned and God save the Queen!

Erin x

Our 1st Wedding Anniversary Celebration

Luke and I celebrated our 1-year wedding anniversary on 3 January 2012. It's hard to believe it was over a year ago now, as I can remember the day as if it were yesterday! With our anniversary date being on a weekday, we decided to properly celebrate it by going to London for the weekend (7-8 January). One of the many redeaming qualities about Milton Keynes is that London is only a 35 minute train journey away. Just think 35 minutes, no stops, and you're in the middle of one of my favourite cities in the world!

We stayed at the Thistle Westminster, not the best hotel I've stayed at in London but for the price (they're having a Winter Sale) and the location (right in the heart of Westminster) it was perfect! As luck would have it our room was ready right when we arrived at 10:00am, so we were able to drop our stuff off, freshen up and go!

We spent the morning walking around Buckingham Palace and St. James' Park, before making our way to Trafalgar Square and the National Portrait Gallery (Museums having free admission is one of the many perks of England). I love London's museums but National Portrait Gallery is my favourite. I first visited it when I was sixteen with my Mom when a friendly tour guide suggested it to us. It always seems quieter than the other museums, which I hope doesn't change since Kate Middleton (or should I be calling her the Duchess of Cambridge now?) is going to be a patron now.

© National Portrait Gallery, London

Data source: National Portrait Gallery, London

After a few well spent hours in the NPG, we made a pit stop into the National Gallery which is having an amazing Leonardo da Vinci exhibit at the moment. Unfortunately the National Gallery is considerably busier than its 'cousin' and the queue/crowd around the exhibit was more than either of us could handle. So instead we walked around the Dutch wing, which Luke jokingly described as "a bunch of pictures of cows or windmills or cows and windmills". Philistine!

That evening we went out for dinner at an Italian restaurant, Il Posto, that is the definition of you can't judge a book by it's cover. We discovered Il Posto with my Mom during my birthday weekend in London, it was right across from the Apollo Victoria (where we were going to go see Wicked). It doesn't look like anything fancy, but the food is simply amazing! The prices are good as well, I mean £7.00 for a pasta dish in London is practically unheard of. It certainly won't be our last dining experience there!

While on Saturday we had visited my favourite museum, on Sunday we visited Luke's - the Natural History Museum. Luke kept pointing out things to me and darting from exhibit to exhibit with the exuberance of a little kid; which happens to be the last time he visited the museum. The museum was a little too packed with kids that didn't watch where they were going for my liking. But I did enjoy looking at the Aurora collection (a collection of multi-coloured diamonds) and the Dinosaur exhibit took me back to my childhood. What is it about dinosaurs that makes so many children fascinated by them? Perhaps it was because we grew up with Jurassic Park, but every child from my generation seems to have gone through a dinosaur phase.

After exiting the museum we took the Underground to Covent Garden for some window shopping and lunch. I was so underwhelmed with lunch that I don't even remember where we ate, although of course I loved the atmosphere. After watching a few street performers we wandered through Soho looking for the giant Waterstones book store that our waitress had told us about. Four storeys of books, yes please! As it happens there are plenty of book stores around Soho,  mostly used/rare book stores. One such store got our custom, even if he did look down his nose at us at Luke paid for his used copy of Dr. No.

By the time we were finished wandering around Soho, we never did find Waterstones, it was time collect our luggage from the hotel and head to London Euston for our train back to MK. As the t-shirts say; I ♥ London!

Erin x

Quintessentially English's January entry for Happy Homemaker UK's Post of the Month Club

My Apologies

My sincerest apologies, dear reader - I've been a very bad blogger, letting life get in the way and not pausing to write. To recap on my activities and whereabouts for the past two months would take far to long, but I'll try and mention a few highlights.

Our English Wedding Reception (April 24th): Luke and I celebrated with family and friends on this side of the pond at the Dunchurch Park. It was a beautiful setting and event. I got to wear my wedding dress again, which I was thrilled about since I absolutely love it! Luke, once again, looked mighty handsome, if I do say so myself. It was a night filled with a lot of laughs, dancing, and alcohol. Some of the photos of Luke towards the end of the night are particularly amusing.

That Other Wedding You Might Have Heard Of. (April 29th): On April 29th, the world seemed to stop and watch the wedding between two little knowns, Prince William and Kate Middleton. I was no exception, the family gathered at Ian's parents' house for a Royal Wedding BBQ. We had a giggle looking at some of the ridiculous getups people were wearing, in particular Victoria Beckham (who looked like she was going to a funeral) and Princesses Beatrice & Eugenie. I "ooh'ed and aww'ed" like the rest of the nation at all the right places, and smiled when they had not one but an unprecedented two kisses on the balcony. I draw the line at crying.

Grandma in London (May 21st-22nd): My Grandma and her friend Phyllis, went on a cruise around the British Isles which ended in Southampton. Luke and I met them for the weekend in London and stayed in Covent Garden. It was great to see them both and show them around. Lindsay and Bob met up with us on the Saturday and we walked around Westminster. On the Sunday, Luke and I took them on a River Thames Cruise before going into the Tower of London. After which we met up with Neil and Nicola for lunch at the Hispanola, a restaurant my mom and I have ate at almost every trip we've taken to London.

Besides that, we've both been busy looking for jobs and trying to get out of Worcester. Although the job market is better here than America, it still is not the greatest. Combined we've probably applied for well over a hundred jobs and only had a few bites back which then turned into pretty much nothing. We're still hopeful though, the right job is out there for both of us and we'll find them!

Next Thursday, we're heading off for another wedding, but this one is in Florence! To say that I'm excited would be the understatement of the century, I could definitely use the holiday! And in honour of that, I say to you... CIAO!!!

Erin x

Ladies in London

'Portobello Road' clip from Disney's Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971)

"Portobello road, Portobello road
Street where the riches of ages are stowed.
Anything and everything a chap can unload
Is sold off the barrow in Portobello road.
You'll find what you want in Portobello road."

Bedknobs and Broomsticks was one of my all time favourite films as a child, and I so wanted to visit Portobello Road. I figured it was a more realistic ambition than visiting the beautiful briny sea or watching animal football. Some twenty years later I got my chance last Monday! Lindsay and I decided to have a girly day in London with our main stop being Portobello Road. Although Portobello Road's Antique Market is mainly done on Saturday, there was certainly plenty to do and see. 

My three favourites being:

1.  A number of cool vintage shops. Lindsay said they were either like walking into her grandmother's closet or her closet circa 1984.
2. All of the Mediterranean/vegetarian food restaurants/stalls. I'm a sucker for Mediterranean food, especially if it's vegetarian. Quite a few of the restaurants in the area seemed to cater to this type of eating and with things like halloumi (a cheese from Cyprus) my mouth was watering.
3. The fresh fruit and vegetable stalls. Yes, there were scarves and rings and all sorts of other trinkets for sale but the fruit and veg stalls are what really caught my eye. Because there were so many of them the prices were unreal. I bought two packs of dates for a pound.

Reaching the end of Portobello Road, Linz and I had discussed earlier in the day having tapas for lunch. Linz had found a tapas restaurant online close to Portobello Road, only problem was now we didn't know where it was. Lindsay was consulting her map when we were approached by a rather eccentrically dressed older woman. We told her what we were after and she offered us to walk with her for she knew where I tapas restaurant would be. She was one of the most remarkable woman I've ever met. Not only had she travelled extensively, on her own as her husband had sadly passed a number of years ago, but she was fluent in French and could speak a little Polish. She had taught herself Polish because one of her all time favourite destinations was Krakow. I could have spoken to her all day so I was sad when we arrived at our destination and bid farewell. I considered inviting her to join us for lunch but without the means to communicate this to Lindsay first, I decided against it. It turns out Linz felt the same way about her and was thinking along the same lines as me, but by this point we were seated and she had disappeared into the crowd. I'll always wish I'd asked her to lunch, I didn't even catch her name but the twenty minutes I spent in her company were very pleasant indeed.

The tapas were lovely, Lindsay and I split four dishes (chicken roulade, beetroot salad, squid fricassee, and cheese & pepper croquettes)  and washed them down with a glass of the house wine. After which we wandered through Whiteleys, England's first department store, upon suggestion from our mystery friend. Whiteleys is no longer a department store but in fact a shopping centre but you can see how grand it must have been in its heyday. While there we popped into Zara's to continue search for a black blazer. I've wanted one for a number of years, but not just any old blazer a really nice fitting tailored one. I absolutely love blazers and there were so many in the store I wanted, not just the black ones, but alas none of them fit me right. My quest continues.

Whiteleys Department Store

Disappoint search for blazers at Whiteleys over and done with, we made our way to Kensington Gardens. One thing I love about London is all the green space in the form of the Royal Parks. If I had to choose a favourite royal park, it might just be Kensington Gardens or Hyde Park (which runs directly into Kensington Gardens). On nice days I love to just walk through the Royal Parks, I did this with my mother in October and Amy when she came to visit in March. The parks are usually just so peaceful. I say usually because this time I had a stalker in the form of a very persistent squirrel. He followed me halfway through Kensington Gardens. If I stopped he became motionless in the hopes to make me believe he wasn't in fact stalking me. I nicknamed him Ninja Squirrel and couldn't quite figure out his fascination with me until I remembered the dates I had bought earlier in the day. I refused to give him one, namely because I had no idea what effect they might have on his little tummy. But after being followed for no less than fifteen minutes I felt his persistence should be rewarded, well that and the fact that he was sitting on my boot and it was the only thing I could think of to make him move. He got exactly one date and after he decided that I wasn't going to give him any more, he scampered off so quickly one would have thought his tail was on fire.

Our day out ended in Covent Garden. We arrived just as the shops were about to close, with just enough time to go into a couple. Our main aim in coming to Covent Garden was to have dinner before catching our train home. We stopped at Le Pain Quotidien, which I would go back to again in a heart beat. The food was all fresh and the prices were very reasonable, especially for London. I stuffed myself on an Italian platter made up of cheeses, cured meats, and tapenades. Delicious!

All in all a thoroughly enjoyable day out, and once Luke and I move to Milton Keynes an easier experience to repeat!

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