January 11th-14th 2011

January 11^th 2011

Made a delicious omlette for breakfast...what else? Oh yes…after surfing along the web for a bit we all realized that our reading for our first class was incredibly long. Turns out it was about 3-4 hours long…fascinating…but long. But after dinner we went to our first class at City University. My absolutely favorite class…that I do not know the name of. Something like London Culture represented in Visual Art and Literature in which we have amazing readings and discussed walking and literally everything I have ever thought about, theorized about and dreamed about as an interpersonal being. AH! Truthfully just exquisite.

Then before bed I suggested to Dana that we check out Café Diana…the quaint place right around the corner from Palace Court on our beloved Bayswater Road. We did not have an early class the next day…so why not?

January 12^th 2011

Introducing…Café Diana! Went with Dana as planned before class and had a wonderful chat/laugh/bonding “sesh.” I got an Americano coffee with milk, a chocolate croissant and a bacon, cheese and tomato on toasted ciabatta. We plan on being regulars. Not only is the food amazing and affordable, the owners are so incredibly generous, funny and friendly.

Then Dana and Dani went to Play Critique and I ventured to Journalism. After that class, which was very nice, I began my own exciting exploration of London. Quiet, alone, and deep in thought I perused the streets surrounding Uni and then the shops in which I have always wished to enter. I made conversation with a few people, got off at the wrong Tube station and then ending up at home.

Dana, Dani and I then ventured to Pizza Express to get our “free” (meaning BUY one get one free). SO our first experience with Oranges 2-1 deal was made possible by Galib (a Pizza Express employee). He took the time to teach us about the not so “free” Orange deal (apparently 2 for 1 means 2 starters and one pizza free for the price of one pizza). He ended up typing my name in as “Prooke” after about a half hour of being indecisive and cheap Americans…. He was very small, very quick, had curly black hair, good teeth, a nice accent and he helped us get the best deal on our late night meal. Dang…that pizza was good.

Oh. Hmm. Yeah. And this was the night that Dana and I purchased pear cider and thought it would be a great idea to put it in the freezer…because alcohol doesn’t freeze…we are so dumb.  

January 13^th 2011

Thursday class (Introduction to British Art and Architecture (and then Amphibians and one of the most quiet and inspiring nights at this point of my journey…but here is what we did in short and then a note typed in my phone after dancing in the rain.

Got off at St. Paul’s. Walked around St. Paul’s and marveled at its beauty. Found the theatre for Amphibians. Sat down. Took pictures of the actors hiding around the set. Had my mind blown and buttocks bruised (bleacher-like seating…). Dani, Dana and I then ventured to St. Paul’s Cathedral and Dana informed me that she had never actually danced in the rain……this had to be fixed.

SO…I sang and we danced. :)

Then I, as per usual, was completely and utterly inspired by the mystifying rain falling from London’s bleak sky…so I made a not in my lovely blue phone:

When the drops of rain gently fall onto my bare flesh it is almost as though I am the only person in the world. As if some higher being chose my soul to share its secrets with. I lose sound. I misplace reality and absorb the rushing calm into my veins and the heavens envelope my core.

This is what rain does to me. Weird. Oh, and it makes me sing songs. Lovely, lovely songs.

Aw…well. Look at me the little hipster poet feeling and writing about it. So after a trip on the Tube we glided back home and gladly welcomed sleep.

January 14^th 2011

And this was our day off accompanied by a night of exploration around St. Paul’s to find a pub. I journeyed with Emma, Dani, Tylyn and Dana and we attempted to go to the Livery but the majority assumed that we were underdressed and therefore sought another place to quench our thirst beyond the half-priced joys of that lovely, popular music playing pub.

So here comes the fail…a retro, 80’s “club” filled with neon lights and free entry due to my portrayal of uncertainty…here we stayed for only a moment to have an awful and overly priced coctail before attempting to find a more “casual” pub and (after asking a couple and being reassured it didn’t matter how we looked) returning to the Livery where Dana and I enjoyed a delicious pineapple, coconut and rum cocktail and a pint of Biers (I BELIEVE!?!?).

Tylyn ended up leaving early but suggested we pick up Baileys before returning home so that we may celebrate the weekend with milk together. So around 11 we left the pub and took the Tube to Notting Hill Gate, purchased some glorious Baileys, milk and Nutella and gallivanted back to the flat to meet Ty for a delicious treat and good conversation.