Good Morning...SUN!?!?! 1/18-19/11

January 18th 2011

Oh, what an excruciatingly glorious day! Why in the world would one describe a day...the Tuesday after the "bleakest day" of the year...like this? Well, it is because I opened the blinds (before 12 PM) of our flat to find that the golden sun, having battled so long with these silver skies, had victoriously taken charge of the heavens. Yes, when I opened the curtain, only expecting to see the cool, pale gray background to our neighboring, brick flats, the sun was shining with the jubilant might of a beaming child having gotten its way post-tantrum.
Selfishly, I washed up and eased Dana and Emma out of their much preferred sleeping state with an "accidental" activation of my ihome. While my lovely ladies prepared for the day, the jubilant Dani and I ran a few errands. During this time we captured glorious proof in the sky with our clicking lenses.
We returned to the flat and enjoyed my instant coffee with blueberries and rice snaps while I browsed the home pages of Facebook.
Once ready, the ladies (Emma, Dana and Dani) and I ventured to Notting Hill Tube station and made our way to the Tower Bridge. We ended up taking a detour into a quaint Christmas shop, through a GLORIOUS shopping area and to an amazing walkway that ran parallel to the Thames River. While searching for a cafe we captured our silly selves and the glorious architecture of London with our cameras.
After, we found a quiet and delicate alley with a potential lunch spot (cute cafe) and twice crossed the Tower Bridge.
Cold and hungry we entered the Cafe Paradiso and I had the most delicious sandwich (for a lovely price)! I then left the cafe (and the ladies) and went to City University to get help from IT to connect to the internet (fail) and get a book for my Visual London Something Whatever It's Awesome class. Again...we had absolutely phenomenal discussion in this class and I presented the idea of a "Flaneur" by Baudelaire with my partner. I love discussions...I really do. I also love leading discussions. It was really cool to just sit in the front of the class and converse with my professors as if they were students.
ANYWAYS! I love that class. We then headed home and ate some dinner and after went to bed (entirely too late!).

January 19th 2011

Written in my little red notebook on this day...and therefore the tense might not make much sense...

Woke up to the promise of another glorious morning! This would be my first time attending the Play Critique class (WHICH I GOT IN AFTER I WAS TOLD IT WAS FULL BECAUSE SOMEONE DROPPED IT WOOOOO!) with which I had seen Amphibians. So...8 o'clock I awoke and quietly got ready as to not wake Dana. May I just add, it is great fun to switch up eye makeup depending on the outfit worn...today, I paired a completely new outfit with (for me) an entirely (mostly) new shadow combination...I did not go all Ke$ha or Momsen...even though that would have been fun! AND today I am wearing two new articles of clothing (ruffle dress from Primark and jacket from Dana and Emma) as well as the necklace Kara (my good friend from Arcadia) got me which brought the "look" together perfectly!
So, calmly and quietly I ate my blueberries and yogurt while attempting to also consume my fresh instant coffee that I so foolishly made and check the all-powerful Facebook. But the time to leave attacked and the coffee was dumped and the dishes left dirty.......I'm not a bad person......
I then departed with the lovely and patient Emma and paraded outside into a SUN COVERED NOTTING HILL!!!!! After an outburst of joy and a friendly "HELLO!!" to a man on the street, Emma and I walked to the station as I attempted to sing the SNL Digital Short "Great Day." We tried a new route to go to Thoresby House for Play Critique and I realized, on the way, that every Wednesday I will only have one hour between Play Critique and Journalism.

Upon arrival to class I was placed in the back of the room...alone...and we discussed the play Amphibians that we (the class) saw last Thursday and the professor just ONLY reminded me of my Aunt Lin...so weird and delightful!
Once again I must mention how college in the United States and in London has taught me how much I LOVE discussion...random. I was also paired up with Grace to eventually do a presentation on the play Penelope...I am excited because I have assumed it is a play about a girl who goes insane...or who is insane. Love.
After Play Critique the ladies (Tylyn and Grace) and I grabbed lunch at Cafe CoCo. I picked up a newspaper for myself (for Journalism) and then enjoyed a cafe latte and a Parma Ham on grilled ciabatta with roasted vegetables (mushrooms, peppers, onions), lettuce and tomato. While we were there a woman left without paying for her sandwich which caused quite a fuss. But all was well once the owners (the cutest pair of people I have ever known to own a cafe in London) chased her down.
Journalism was lovely, especially because I had some delicious chocolate to nosh on and two liters of water to down. It really is a magnificent class and my professor is just so FRENCH! She also lived in San Francisco for 12 years...brownie points right there!
It is sad that ever single one of my classes are all that I have wanted (course wise) for as long as I can remember. They are thought provoking and challenge my ideas/opinions and are actually encouraging me to explore and make knowledge something to be desperate for!
Tonight was the most congested night on the Tube ever. Amazing, as Ty pointed out, that despite the HORRIBLY LARGE crowd...no one touched anyone else...they clearly understand personal space here...even in the Tube. For dinner...tuna fish, chopped tomato and celery and plain greek style yogurt mixed and placed between two pieces of toasted brown (wheat) bread. Yums.