WENT TO CAMDEN MARKET! What did I purchase? Well…a tapestry, a shirt, THE BEST BURRITO EVER IN THE WORLD, my cute owl bag evennnnn, AN “OH MY GOODNESS BRIT!!” dress with a wolf on it, DA KOOTEST CUPCAKES EVER, gorgeous earrings…and that is all I can remember at the moment (and hopefully all).
But I had to be back by 5 PM because I was to have dinner with my boyfriend’s father who is a pilot for Delta. What an amazing thing! I got back and got ready (cleaned my room so that it was presentable…barely) and then Mr. Rowan, a man I have only encountered in the states, was knocking on the window of my London flat (after getting no answer from the doorbell for I am in the basement and had my music on). So obviously I SPRINTED up the stairs, flung open the door and greeted that kind and familiar figure. From then on it was nothing but pleasant conversation and phenomenal food.
 |
| The Churchill Arms |
We ate at The Churchill Arms that Mr. Rowan had apparently been to four years ago during a layover before his next flight…that is a bit bizarre. Funny that four years ago, let alone a year or so ago, I was not even friends with my boyfriend. Four years ago, I did not know that I was going to attend Arcadia University or study abroad in London. I had no idea that I was going to be studying Accounting and Graphic Design. I never imagined that during my first semester I would find out so much about myself and become such a leader with projects (not to mention put together an entire event for my seminar, Words of Mass Destruction). Tangent.
 |
| The Fountains Across from Marble Arch |
But we walked to The Churchill Arms and were told that we would have to wait 30 minutes to eat in the back (where the butterflies were) and only stay for one hour, or we could find a table near the bar (towards the front) and stay as long as we pleased. Good thing we found a table towards the front because after ordering our delicious Thai dishes and drinks (Pear Cider for me, wine for him), we chatted for about three hours respectively. After amazing conversation and a delicious meal, we walked from the pub, past Palace Court and down Bayswater Road. We ended up at Marble Arch that was incredibly exciting because I have always wondered (while on the Tube) if there truly was a “marble arch.” Good news…there is. Along with a giant statue of a horses head and a creepy statue of smiling gummy people…but the lovely fountain definitely was a highlight for me.
 |
| Inside the Zoo Bar |
THEN!!! After all of this, Mr. Rowan helped me get to a means of transportation to take me to Leicester Square so that I could meet up with Dana, Emma, Dani and Angela at the Zoo Bar of Bear Street. After missing the first 390 and then waiting for the next I said goodbye to Mr. Rowan and got onto the first night bus I had ever ridden…that was fun. Anyways! Zoo Bar. Music. Dancing. Fun. I was the only one who wore flat shoes and so I was the only one not crying and taking off their shoes as we walked to the night bus to take us home (the Tube closes at 12 AM). I walked slowly as to not lose the hobblers of uncomfortable shoes and upon reaching the bus stop we were greeted by a slightly intoxicated but very funny gentleman named Ian…then his brother…and he gave me some advice for what I should do on my birthday. Ready? Go bungee jumping or get a lap dance… So after bidding Ian and his brother “Adieu,” we went to a different bus stop, got off near Palace Court and entered our humble abode which was accompanied by the removal of shoes and exasperated sighs.
And thus began my birthday in London. I am so grateful for Skype…because of it I was able to talk to Brandon, Bud, Alex, Jeremy, Tom and others back at home. That lasted for hours and was the perfect start to a perfect day.
January 16th 2011
And here it was! MY 19th BIRTHDAY!!!!!
I woke up expecting nothing…preparing myself for a day lacking excitement or surprise (truth be told I had never been surprised on a birthday…or in any way for that matter). So I woke up at 12 PM, took a shower and exited our lovely bathroom to find that Emma and Dana were absent from their beds…this is when the surprising began. With hair wet and outfit not yet picked out, Dana, Emma and Dani paraded into my room with a carefully crafter mushroom and pepper omlette (actually just my favorite! – by Emma), whole-wheat toast with strawberry jam and a smiley face made of blueberries (thanks Mrs. Waldman for teaching your daughter well!), milk and coffee. They walked in and I was so unprepared my face turned beat red within seconds. I was so happy and that was (I thought) the first and last surprise of the day.
I got ready and then consumed my breakfast in our little “chill-times” area in the basement with the girls and checked Facebook and looked at pictures and literally just sat in the basement until about 3 o’clock. I, again, thought nothing else was going to happen on my birthday. I did not think that Dana had anything planned. I was wrong…she had a surprise in store for me. Here is an excerpt from her blog www.mrsbaurxo.blogspot.com:
"I knew that I wanted to surprise her somehow, but I couldn't throw her a surprise party, seeing as we don't nearly know enough people in London. And she's told me in the past about how she's always wanted a surprise on her birthday, but that every time someone tried, she always found out, and was henceforth disappointed. I was not about to let this happen..
So. I devised a fool-proof plan. Not really, but we'll pretend. So Grace has a friend that's studying abroad in London this semester, and she met Dani and Ty at the market the other day. So we came up with an alibi that Grace's friend invited the three of them to a really expensive restaurant and she already made reservations, and there was really no way to get out of it. Dani researched some really prestigious restaurant called Gordon Ramsey in South Kensington, and we stuck with that. So, Grace, being the amazing liar that she is, almost broke down in front of Brooke after she told her the news. Brooke totally bought it. She was mad. We were all so surprised that she bought it. So, naturally I was acting angry at them as well, all the while standing behind Brooke, cheering them on!"
- Dana Waldman
 |
| Our Table Number |
They fooled me. I was angry and literally almost started to cry when Grace began her “scene.” After cooling down as we walked to Boots I got more and more excited about the night ahead (even though my “friends” had abandoned me). Emma and Dana told me, when we got to Palace Court, that I had to wait upstairs while they got a blindfold and Angela (SO HAPPY SHE CAME WITH US!!). They then, after getting both the cloth and the lovely lady, blindfolded me, led me down the steps and twisted me around so that I had absolutely NO IDEA where we were…all I know is walking blindfolded is horrifying…street noises are scary even when being guided by beautifully lovely people that I completely trust. Anyways…I thought that I knew exactly where we were going but then they brought by blind self into a semi-noisy place and carefully led me down the stairs to our destination…
 |
| Strawberry Cider :) |
They then took off the blindfold…and…THERE WERE DANI, GRACE AND TYLYN SITTING IN THIS CUTE LITTLE CORNER OF NONE OTHER THEN THE CHAMPION! THE GORGEOUS, LITTLE PUB THAT IS LITERALLY RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER FROM OUR FLAT! AH! I was overwhelmed…so much that I almost started crying. I absolutely love my friends…Dana, Emma, Grace, Tylyn, Dani and Angela absolutely made my birthday so magical.
We all got our drinks, rum and coke and a strawberry cider for me, and our meals (fish and chips!) and then had the most fantastic time laughing and sharing stories and making jokes and talking about the OUTSTANDING veggie burgers compared to the quarter sized beef patties as well as the prospect of Midnite cookies. They all paid for me. Score. I love birthdays.
 |
| Veggie Burgers and a Job Well Done |
But! After The Champion we headed home and I Skyped with my family and with Brandon until the Midnite cookies arrived. So literally…Baileys and milk…the best cookies I have ever had in my entire life (Triple Chocolate Chunk and one other that I cannot remember the name of! HOW DARE I?!) and then we broke out the cupcakes from our adventure in Camden market…Toffee Banana, Gingerbread, Coconut and Coffee………SO SWEET AND SO GOOD! And oh yeah…we also had shots of cookie dough…literally just tiny amounts of dough…but the most amazing kind ever!!! They even put candles in my cookies and sang to me! But really…I am so blessed to have such kind, generous and thoughtful (not to mention CLEVER) flatmates and friends and I got so many birthday wishes and so many amazing and unexpected (obviously but I find the word necessary) surprises!! Oh and the other surprise?? When we were in Camden Market I found a jacket for 15 Pounds that I absolutely fell in love with but was not sure about purchasing it because of its price. Now…I literally pictured at least fifteen different outfits I could wear with this jacket and almost cried when Dana convinced me it was not worth it…I definitely thought about it into the next day. BUT! When I was looking at earrings Dana secretly (SO SECRETELY) bought it for me…and with the help of Emma I did not see or suspect anything. So…after cookies and fun they gave me a bag…with my scarf inside it…except there was something wrapped inside the scarf…it was the jacket…I almost cried. J
 |
| Lauren, Dad and Mom Singing "Happy Birthday" to Me |
This birthday is definitely going to be one I will never forget. Oh…and also…it was sort of, kind of, totally, utterly, completely, and FEROCIOUSLY SPECTACULAR because BRANDON! my boyfriend of six months covered the song “Ain’t No Sunshine” and put a link on my wall and I thought that it was just the song from YouTube so I played it and then all of the sudden IT WAS HIM SINGING NOT SOMEONE ELSE! And the little blurb was dedicated to ME! And he made it for me! And at the end of the song he had a picture of us from Prom 2010 (which we didn’t go to together but WHATEVER) and then had “Happy Birthday Brooke!” appear at the end…and his voice was amazing…and he played all of the instruments…and he made a video for it…and when Dana, Emma and Tylyn watched it with me, after I had realized it was by him and ran with my laptop into our room from the kitchen are and proceeded to repeat obscenities and finally fall on the floor in shock and complete and total JOY, and they cried.
I was in London…I got surprised 3 times by Dana (and the crew)…was given the most personal and romantic gift by my boyfriend…ate amazing food…and I didn’t need to go bungee jumping. It’s funny that I prepared myself for an uneventful day…it was just all I could have wished for and more. J
January 17th 2011
 |
| Funny Looking Balloons...I don't judge... |
Day after the birthday and I, of course, woke up incredibly late. Dani, Dana, Emma, Angela and I left the flat around 12:30/1 PM and headed to the British Museum where we were to sketch an “architectural detail of the Parthenon” for Introduction to British Art and Architecture. I chose to sketch a foot. As I studied the foot and shaded I was reminded of how easily art takes me into a whole new world (yeah I thought of Aladdin too…) where nothing else matters but perfecting a piece of work. I explored a bit by myself and then met up with Dana. AND THERE WAS AN EXHIBIT THAT HAD TO DO WITH NUBIANS AND EGYPTIANS!!!! YEAH AIDA!! We left around 5:30 PM, had dinner (which Dana made) while I had a mini-panic attack, listened to music and cleaned my side of the room (again). Then I attempted to start researching my presentation due the following day…I gave up when mother Dana called me to supper.
The littlest chef made dinner. It took an hour…but gosh darn it, it looked just like the picture and was incredibly delicious! I was so proud!
No comments:
Post a Comment