Kew Gardens!!

What do I do in London on a rainy cold day in winter?? Go to Kew Gardens!  And during the rainy times I can hang out in the greenhouses. Then wander the grounds when the sun is peeking out... C:

Research days

Soooo… unless you're dying to hear about Twain in London and his various visits and residences here, I don't suppose you'll be very interested in hearing about my last few days-- and more or less my course of study for the next few weeks. :)

I've been having fun, though, which is saying something considering I'm just reading about this guy I already have read SO MUCH about… this could be a very boring job. Instead, I am loving it!! And the fact that all my reading about Twain is really double-dipping for my own research AND my teaching this semester is an added bonus.

I did see the two plays this week--King Charles III and the Talented Mr Ripley. Both were good and not QUITE my cup of tea (that phrase will forever have a different and deeper meaning for me after this semester!). I could NOT get it out of my head when watching the little off-West End, or "Fringe," show of TMR in its little black box theater that I was JUST like Friends watching one of Joey's ridiculous plays… NOT that TMR was like one of his shows--like Freud the Musical or any of those. It was a good play--and I hadn't seen the movie so I was surprised by the end. There's just an earnestness that seemed similar… And there are so few people in the audience that they CAN see me just as much as I see them. And I know they'd take it personally if I start checking my phone…

So, you might think that means I won't go back… but that's not at all the case. The same venue is having a show about Joan of Arc, and I'm thinking about going. :) AND another place--closer to the university--is having a new-age circus soon. THAT I'm totally down for!! And now I'm thinking maybe I branch out and go to concerts and other stuff like that… And not just go to theater JUST to go to theater. It was nice to see the "IT" show of the year, though. That would be King Charles III… Now I can sound knowing if anyone was to ask me about it… ;)

In terms of research, I am also reading up on everything "tea." I'm reading histories about it, the history of China, trade and war and imperialism, the development of porcelain around that same time--convenient to serve and drink the tea out of… It is interesting stuff! I'm not sure where it will fit into all the rest of the work… but tea is pretty general--I'm sure I can find somewhere…

This is my struggle right now. I'm trying to force a chapter…it's not exactly flowing yet. Every once in a while, though, often while listening to one of the food forum talks, I get a bolt of inspiration… now I just have to translate that into actual performance.

But I'm doing better, I think. I'm hitting a bit of a stride… Getting some routine going in terms of work and study AND tourist-elements. It is a LOT that I'm trying to get done this semester… So now I get to see how close to that goal I can get!!

And now, to read/research good old Dickens for my OTHER class. It's a rough life… ;)

 

Catching up

OK-- I officially feel guilty! I am so far behind what my goal was (nothing too special--just a post a day). And that did NOT work. I will have to reassess these goals… Do I gut-check and just get better at this--or do I chillax a little and let the blogs come along as they will. This is a writing gig but not the bulk of the writing that I'm hoping/planning to do while I'm here. THAT would be a book chapter…and that I haven't even STARTED!

So this weekend CAPA took the lot of us out to Stonehenge and Bath. I took all the pictures in the world, I think. (Possible exaggeration alert!) While it's always a pain to be part of a tour group, it was nice as well to just turn off my brain and not worry about getting lost all the time (my usual state of being when I'm traveling-- even to the grocery store, truth be told!)… When I was in London before, I did Avebury along with Stonehenge, and they pair up very nicely. I don't know why these tour groups don't do that--but they don't… So maybe I'll try to get back out there--but I HAVE seen it already, so there's a pretty good chance that I won't…

Sunday was a super-quiet day. Just tooled around the neighborhood. Having said that, of course I still went to a museum to check it out to see if it would be a good place to take the class one week. It was the Museum of Brands and Advertising. Yep--a whole museum about how packaging has changed over the years. You can see the link-y for a class about food and how culture and food has developed… :) Even the Twain class can see all the Victorian elements that would have been so influential to Twain. So that will probably stay on the syllabus--even tho it's a museum with a charge… and I try to avoid those.

Another thing I have been doing is seeing all the plays I can. This past week it was The Changeling--an old school revenge drama. So everyone has to die in the end, of course. The old candlelit theater was great--and they used actual Hollywood-esque fake blood that spurted across the stage and everything. That was fun!! Tonight I'm seeing a show called King Charles III-- a future history play about what could happen if/when Prince Charles EVER actually gets to be king. Apparently it is THE show to see--and this is its last week in London. I wonder if it will be all London-esque references and inside jokes. Or if I'll get most of it… We'll see…

Later this week, I'm going to my first "Fringe" theater show. It's smaller and cheaper shows that have come very highly recommended to me… This one is a retelling of the Talented Mr Ripley story. So that could be fun! That will bring my January shows total to six: Cirque du Soleil, Harry IV I and II, The Changeling, King Charles III, and The Talented Mr Ripley… Keep this up, and I might just have to call myself cultured after all!

Till next time…

C:

Actually working

Just to prove that I'm actually doing work here in Jolly Old England... today (yesterday really) was my 2nd Food Forum seminar. Remember, I'm not just a tourist and teacher here in London. I'm also attending this seminar and holding myself to a research plan. I've been visiting the British Library reading room a couple times now, too, btw.

It was a good talk. All about kids' eating patterns in Warzaw... an anthropology project. It was fascinating! And there must have just been clever vibes in the air... because I got all these fun ideas about the book... I've got to figure out a Trans Atlantic or global theme to my US project. That would take advantage of this opportunity!

Another fun moment at SOAS: check the photo!!

Teaching and Eating

So funny! I taught two fun classes today...and had meals associated with both. Then I went out for dinner *after*. A fun Vietnamese place for lunch. British pub for tea, apparently. And Chinese for dinner... Omg I'm gonna have to do a *ton* of walking tomorrow!!!

Classes went great! Walked to Mark Twain's house from when he lived here in the 1890s as my intro to the Twain class. Then a tour of a couple local grocery stores and a British pub for the gastropub version of fish and chips if they wanted-- and most did-- for the Global Foods class. The students all seem excited and doing interested things here and back in the States... I'm looking forward to a busy whirlwind of a fun semester!!!

I have been preparing for this first class for ages...and right up through last night... So I am totally exhausted! I wonder if this will just be the norm for the post - class evenings?

More work planned for tomorrow...yay! Back to the British Library for more Twain work... Squee!!

Ready... Set...

So...I haven't been able to run around and see all the sights these last couple of days as apparently is my usual. I am now prepping for my first classes that meet tomorrow. I have been preparing for these classes for months and months now. And yet somehow it all comes down to the last minute. Because of course!!

The classes do seem to be setting up well. I am going to have so flipping much fun with them!! So the students should also appreciate them. C:

And I finally got my reader card at British Library. I was able to get some actual Twain research done (perhaps not the best time for it...all that prepping and all) as well as review an article for a journal. It will be *fabulous* to be at a library I'll be able to return to for months! I've done my fair share of archival work...but always in intense bursts of a few days each. So this is a new experience for me! C:

Clearly I'm not taking too many photos lately...but it feels wrong somehow not to give a visual at all... so…

(not that we're reading A Christmas Carol, mind you--but food in Dickens, you get the idea!) 

The Weekend--all in one!

I missed a day! Drat!! That is a first, I think… for this blog.

And it isn't like I didn't do some fun stuff this weekend (though, admittedly, I also made sure to leave A LOT of time for work).

Saturday, yesterday, was the Docklands. A cool, newly-designed part of the city. The usual story-- run down warehouses newly gentrified. Very cool architecture at the underground station, for example. The kind of design that shows us what it's doing… I thought it was cool! The DLR was fine-- I didn't get what everyone loves about it. It's EXACTLY like SF's Muni, for example. Just a normal old tram… Back to the Jubilee line on the underground: MAN was I down deep! My ears popped!! There are times I have to NOT think about how far underground I am when I'm riding the tube--or close to the surface, alternately… It's all just weird to me!

Back to the Docklands. I went there specifically to scout out a museum that I might want to take both classes to: Museum of London, Docklands. All about that particular area of the city and IT'S history. Also, there's an exhibit on London, Sugar, Slavery-- that hits about all my triggers. And it was really good. The whole museum was surprisingly good. Interesting about stuff that you didn't think you were at all interested in. The history of the ports of London... (oh, how my friend Sarah would have loved it!) The various purposes these docks were used for… whaling made an appearance, which brought in all my memories of Melville, natch… And then of course, what was involved in the Triangle Trade that brought in all this new wealth to the city. It was a great exhibit, and I spent an hour just in the exhibit without really trying. I think the students will appreciate it-- and I can do my whole Twain chapter spiel… It all connects!!

Ate at the connected cafe…I am not the kind of person who frequents the cafes connected to museums. But sometimes they just hit you as soon as you realize you're absolutely starving. And this was named something witty-- like Rum and Sugar or something like that. AND there was a lunch special… :) Anyway, the food was richer than I should have…but tasty!! And lots of broccoli! :)

Spent the rest of the afternoon wandering the docks--ooh, how naughty-sounding of me-- rephrase: the oh-so gentrified docks… and then back home early to get a couple of cfps out that were already running late! Oops!

Kind of the same thing for today. CAPA organized a walking tour of the same area that I've already been--the South Bank. But I thought I'd check out their system…and I could always make my way back whenever. :)

And that is exactly what I spent almost all the rest of the day doing. South Bank I knew, but not the North Bank yet. So-- I checked it out-- half closed on a Sunday… but still, I got to see it a little! Blackfriars Bridge, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, Twinings Tea Shop and display in the back… Fleet Street and The Strand. Another random changing of the horse guards-- I keep stumbling on those! 10 Downing Street--or as close as I could get to it! That kind of thing. Walked back home through St James Park, Hyde Park, and Kensington Gardens. A LOVELY walk--but once I got home I realized it was an extraordinarily LONG one… Well, I guess I got my exercise today!

Now, time for a cuppa my souvenir Twinings tea! :)

Next: part 1

And now I'm at Henry IV pt1... just a little backwards is all. I really wish they were showing Henry V next!! After all this I'm ready for the old St Crispin's Day speech!! C:

Another long and fun day. First day at the food studies forum...and it went fine. I wasn't under prepared or anything. I probably won't actually present my own work... they're scheduled well in advance...But I hope to learn new work people are doing. And this Centre is more global than what my work has been and I like that!

I also loved the student center. All grungy and friendly and cozy. A decent sandwich...very specific recycling bins arranged around the room... plant based serving products... I loved all that! And just being around the students doing their thing... one of those moments that makes me love the work!

Back to my other school, CAPA, for an introductory high tea. Now we all know we're in England! I wonder how I can get my class and some of these other local college students to interact. It would be so great!!

And now back to the show... C:

Henry IV pt 2 comes first

So-- that's not the way it's supposed to go, I believe… but what's a girl to do? These were the tickets I got first. So I saw Henry IV pt 2 last night. It was fun… the seats weren't comfortable--but I was sitting next to a pretty cute guy. It more or less made up for it! ;)

Maybe I swing pt 1 tonight-- try out these day-of tickets they told me about at the box office… :)

Yesterday was, believe it or not, also work. I had to set my alarm and everything. Went to student orientation at CAPA--even though I'm clearly not a student. But it was encouraged that I make myself seen and introduce around to the students. And it's never a bad idea to take the casual suggestions when offered--at least in the beginning--in order to stay on people's good side. And all the people I've met at CAPA have been really nice. So that's a plus…

BUT--I cut out early. (There's only so much about student accommodation and if it's ok for them to drink alcohol I feel I need to hear.) I was GOING to do some proper work-- like read an article I'm supposed to review for a journal, submit a few abstracts to CFPs I've been meaning to, finish prepping for these classes whose meeting times I don't even know, and MAYBE start doing my own research finally-- BUT I dashed off to St. Paul's Cathedral instead. I decided to finally go to this "must see" item that I'd never visited before in my various trips to London. Probably not worth my oh-so limited money back when I was 22. But I have a little more money now-- so I went. It was quite a tour--and I'm glad I went. It's not the kind of place you have to re-visit, I think. But I also stayed through Evensong--an evening church service/concert thing that guide books recommend highly for several of the major cathedrals (Westminster Abbey, for example). It is always lovely to hear choir music… :)

And did I mention ALL THE STAIRS? (Not just from the Cathedral--where there were many--but the whole day for some reason-- I didn't do as much walking as I've done on other days, but it seems as though almost all my walking was stairs!)

And then to Henry IV…
All in all a LONG DAY!
And today I meant to hit the farmers market. (Got there, nothing… oops--it's Saturdays!) And now I'm getting ready to go over to my food studies forum seminar finally. I hope it's a good arrangement and that I can learn something from this class!
And then, maybe, Henry IV… again! ;)

Till next time… :)

British Gothic

So the theme of today (really yesterday) was apparently a cross between British imperialism and the gothic. Can you see the link? Because I didn't have much of a problem catching it.

There's just something about Britain having the treasures of Greece and Egypt and elsewhere and playing a major game of Finders Keepers that you can't help but feel weird about. Still, it is just awesome to see the Rosetta Stone!! I seriously got shivers. C:

So then I decided to take pictures (over on Facebook) of the various cats I saw there... in honor of my beasts at home. I hope they're doing ok!! (Them I miss...maybe all that I do in fact.) I figured all the postcard shots are already on postcards. This was my angle. C:

Then across the street to the British Library for their special exhibit on Terror and the Gothic. A very good exhibit. I had fun looking at manuscripts of Jane Eyre and fun stuff like that. Then at the Poe display I almost gagged. I overheard a couple of biddies telling each other in posh British about Poe's mysterious death. Not a fact of which they got right. I teach this same thing every semester...I have the facts ingrained in my muscle memory. It was seriously all I could do not to say anything. So I quickly left!!

I also checked out one of the top coffee shops in London: Kaffeine. I had a coffee flight: shot of espresso, a liquid made of steeping the coffee leaves like a tea that is used as a palate cleanser, then a latte. It was caffeine heaven. Any coffee freaks that come out to visit will have to go here!!!!

And now onto Wednesday. And actually getting some work done!

Chores

I suppose I have to do them in London-town, too. Yesterday was quiet-- not necessarily bad, just quiet. I ran around and bought laundry detergent, coffee, and other equally thrilling items on any shopping list. It rained… and then sprinkled… and then drizzled.

My landlord and his family accosted me as I came home-- They were locked out of their flat (above mine) and wondered how I could help them. Here is the deal: these are the same people who scream at each other and slam doors all the time. (In all fairness, the doors close in no other way, it turns out.) These are also the people who did the opposite of clean the flat before I arrived. I mean, disgusting! And so of course, they must also need my help! Also, it showed me how critical it is for me to keep my keys on me ALWAYS. There is no other way into our places. The landlady herself was back in Poland, the caretaker downstairs is in Argentina. They had keys… The caretaker has a helper guy swing by and get his mail… But that guy didn't have a way to be accessed. BUT-- I found it! I had an email from the original caretaker with a "for emergencies only" phone number. I saved the day! And the middle child of the family was a perfectly lovely kid… And now I don't hate my upstairs neighbors anymore… Nutty, huh??

I did do ONE interesting thing yesterday: I've been stalking this veggie restaurant since before I got to London. It's one of the best ones in town. Then, of course, I got here and got completely spoiled in terms of veggie restaurants. Still, I felt I HAD to go to this one. And so I did. There is a lunch buffet that's totally reasonable London prices. Fave dishes was a cool avocado, spinach, pea salad and a lentil-stuffed tomato. I didn't try any of the desserts, though, so I'll be back!! :)

Lots of pictures!

So I hit the National Gallery AND the Portrait Gallery yesterday! That is a LOT of framed faces!! But I have been there before--ages ago--and I came armed with Rick Steves… so  I thought I was prepared. :) And it was fine… Of course I got oddly lost--museums are so randomly winding… And I had to double my tracks several times. AND there were times in the Portrait Gallery that I seriously thought I was in some strangers attic… Who are these random people, and why should I care?? But then I'd see the little Jane Austen sketch, or the painting of the Bronte sisters, or some nerdtastic thing like that!! Also, there was a picture of George Washington there, which I thought very odd. He's not British--wasn't that the point of the Revolution??

The National Gallery is always great… And it remains true that the Impressionists are still my favorites-- and I don't care who knows it! And I have a soft spot for the Spanish, too, which goes back to that culture class I took one summer in high school where I studied El Greco and Velasquez, etc…

THEN, I checked out the oldest bookstore in London, Hatchards. Loved it!! Of course I had to buy a book there… I am starting to get worried about all the random stuff I'm buying already!

A kitchen towel with the menu of one of George IV's ridiculous dinners at the Royal Pavilion in Brighton (100 courses). A collection of Cookery postcards that I'll clearly never send but just keep for the fun value (not yet available in the US, btw). A biography of Dickens to help prepare me to teach him…another book of literary tours of London (seriously, who doesn't need this book?). And more!! I'm going to get expert at shipping stuff back to the US, I imagine!

OK--And now off to do stuff TODAY to write about hopefully tonight. (Hint: one of these days is going to be quite boring--as I really have to get these CFPs sorted out, read the dang article draft I agreed to do, actually finish preparing for my classes…)

I want to go to Brighton!

Oh yeah, I thought about Lydia from the BBC Pride and Prejudice saying that all day today!! And I get it--Brighton was a blast! I loved the sea--even if it was the windiest day ever and I actually had to brace myself early during the day against the wind-- And I'm not delicate by any means! This was some intense wind!!

But it still smelled like the sea-- and the ocean is never boring or dull. Watching the waves break way over the walkways was pretty fun, actually. I stood well back! And I tried to take some fun shots on my proper camera-- now I get to see how those turned out.

Not a good day for dolphin watching, clearly. I dunno if dolphins frequent the area--but man they were avoiding if for sure today!!

The pier was cute-- a lot like the SC Boardwalk or a slightly smaller Niagara Falls (possibly the NY/NJ area versions of these things--but I have no experience there!). I just enjoyed the tackiness and the lights. And I didn't ride the rides. They weren't operating, actually, because of the gustiness…

THEN, I had to select from half a dozen (at least) vegetarian restaurants for lunch AND dinner! I got to check another box: vegan fish and chips!! Dinner was a lovely tofu pocket wrap and tahini dipping sauces with pita--tapas style. Yum!! Then a seasonal lager-- and I'm working on knowing just a little something about beer. (MAN, I do not, but then I pretend like I do and just have to drink whatever they pour me!)

There were also all these little winding streets with brightly painted shops in them, called The Lanes. Such a fun shopping area! Even I bought something! (A book, natch!) There was an oddly varied but free and kinda funny Brighton museum AND a not-free but oddly fascinating Palace tour…

All in all, a busy day for my first day trip out of London! I appreciate any other coastal town suggestions. I definitely have to see the sea at least monthly while I'm here--I've decided!! :)

Making friends and being influenced by people

Lovely dinner this evening with friends of a friend… I love meeting new people! (I really REALLY love meeting new people!) Turns out these oh-so fancy people know Mark Kurlansky-- sheesh! That's impressive. Is it possible that I have the start of the idea of an article from this evening's discussion too? I dunno, perhaps… ;) Too fun!!

AND--I have to get up early EARLY (for me lately, especially) to go to Brighton tomorrow. Also too much fun!

And with that--some photos of lovely light and peacocks--and a night shot of my current fave car--a sky blue Fiat convertible! :)