Hola

Tricia's class, lunch, visited amigos at Browns, Evolving English exhibition (met a nice girl from California) and then a talk at Mayfair Library by author Cyrus Moore on his book City of Thieves. Liz Lowey arrived today.


Yesterday: Went to a preview of a clothing line, Carlisle, at Lady Tessa Balfour's house in Chelsea, biked through Hyde Park and went to a talk at the British Library, "Writer's on Writing".

Also I have been nursing a basil plant back to life and it's thriving. YAY!

Scholarly Sunday

Took the train to Cambridge to watch "So You Think You Can Dance Science?" in which scientists danced/choreographed their phDs. Afterwards we rented a boat and punted along the river through the mighty picturesque colleges. At one point we had a collision with another boat and out bow drove atop theirs...This evening took us to the BBC studios to watch the filming of a pilot radio program called 49 Cedar St. It was quite entertaining and comical (especially when the whole audience chanted "Ampersand, Ampersand, Lovely Lovely, Amepersand" like Druids.

Sun at Last

The last few days the weather was glorious. We went to the Seftels and pretty much just relaxed...taking lots of walks, visiting an Old Mill, having tea in Jane Austen's old town, listening to a big band concert and watching Shakespeare's Measure by Measure (so not funny...) at Winchester College.

Today took us to the British Library for a talk by Anders and to look at all the historical documents housed there. Afterwards I met up with Maria and her friends to go watch the Oxford Cambridge boat race. Unfortunately it was quite overcast and the river bank VERY crowded. Oxford proved victorious, a happy ending considering I was with all Oxford students.

FERRAGGGGGAAAAMMMOOOOO

So Emily came to visit. We had a mucho fun time...boating in the Serpentine, having lunch and cupcakes with Hillary Udow, seeing the world's worst play ever Shoes, playing Library, going to Borough Market and visiting the Moe's house in the country.

On Monday we took a day trip to Lyme Park otherwise known as Pemberly aka Mr. Darcy's house. Nice pastoral walks and multiple pictures next to the lake (where the famous diving scene occurred....)

Tuesday consisted of Tricia's class, lunch, Borris Bikes and Betty Blue Eyes the musical.

Today Was A Fairytale

Today was an AH-mazing day. Had a hilarious and supremely awkward photoshoot with Maria (put your face together and touch palms....) and then went to a private Taylor Swift concert at Abbey Road Studios with Lena. The concert was for only 200 people and we got right in the front row center. The acoustics were really fab, she sang really well and it was very civilized (no shoving or jostling for space). Literally stood 2 feet from her for the 12 song set. Truly magical and fun! Afterwards I tried to get some headbands that I made to her...Gave one to her drummer and he said he would pass it along, so fingers crossed (its a purple Impressionista! so if you see her in it....)

Happenings.

Monday: Imperial War museum and riding the Borris Bikes through Hyde Park
Tuesday: Tricia's class, British Library, Janet and Roddy's for dessert.
Wednesday: Went to Dulwich for lunch and then went to a talk by the past editor-in-chief of Time Out.
Today: Duchess of Windsor and Kate Middleton see-through dress auction. Bid on some fab lace jackets owned by Wallis Simpson but was majorly outbid...

A jaunt to Devon

Got back from a weekend in Devon. Went to the Teignmouth Science Festival which kicked off with the recording of "Any Questions?" a BBC radio show. The following day we drove across the moor to visit the Honey grandparents. This was no small feat as the car was a stick shift and the roads were very very very narrow. It was actually rather frightening as we stalled out numerous times on hills and just barely scraped through the country lanes...but we made it! On the way we saw some wild ponies. My favorite was a brown and white one that had an unfortunate wound on its back and bites out of his ears. He was really friendly and I dubbed him "Rusty"....wish he was mine. So cute, short and shaggy. When we finally found are way to the Honey's house (an adapted historic church) we had a DELICIOUS roast chicken meal with all the trimmings. Yum Yum Yum. In the field next to their house were a bunch of darling lambs.

After lunch we visited an Elizabethan estate, a very grand place.

Then it was on our way to return for David Haines singing production. The choir was made up of members of the community and school children-a very sweet group!

The following day we went to Agatha Christie's house which was in a lovely location overlooking the vividly blue Dart river. The day was gloriously bright with flowers blooming and a warm sun!

Today Mommy and I went out to lunch, did some errands, visited the Imperial War museum, went to Whole Foods, took a walk and rented Borris bikes for a pedal through Hyde Park!

Cool Double Banana!

Free Time is Fun Time

Yesterday I went to my first culture class at the UWC. Sofie met us for lunch afterwards and then she and I walked by the Serpentine and had a cup of tea at the Lanesborough. Then in the evening madre y you went back to the UWC for a "Library talk" given by a vivacious old woman (who was straight out of a Miss Marple movie).

On Monday I went to the History of London class at the Carlton Club, a musical concert, the Royal Wedding walking tour and a potluck at church.

Sunday visited the Tower Bridge exhibition, the design museum, St. Catherine's docks and some other places.

Inside Job

Saw the movie Inside Job with the Horgans. Made me mad and really question what our country is doing. I am truly aghast and want to instigate change

The Queen's Favorite?

Yesterday I swung by Browns to say goodbye to Romilly on her last day. I gave her a tweed headband and I hope she likes it/wears it. Next I met up with Sofie, Lena and my Mom at the Savoy for a cup of tea. We sat in the palm court and chit chatted while sipping our beverages and listening to the piano music. Our waiter, Matthew, was quite the character expounding on numerous subjects for quite a long duration! I choose the 'Queen's Favorite' tea...it was good.

After tea Sofie, mommy and I toured the Jewel Tour museum by Westminster Abbey, walked across the Tower Bridge, visited Zandra Rhodes' London studio and sampled our way through Burrow Market. Zandra was not in her studio but all the other employees were really nice and quirky. Multiple sported technicolor hairstyles!

That evening my mom and I met up with Janet and Roddy in Trafalgar Square for World Book Night. Despite being freezing the event was extremely enjoyable. The program consisted of a range of famous authors reading excerpts from novels, my favorite was hearing Phillip Pullman read from The Golden Compass. We finished the evening testing our own literary abilities playing the game LIEbrary. I won! ;)


Today we went to Richmond to have lunch with some acquaintances. Post-meal we toured Kew Gardens and saw lots of tropical flowers!

I am really bad at this...

So, I am keeping this blog as a way to remember everything I have done over my gap year but it's kind of failing as I always forget to actually record my happenings....

I have been ridiculously busy and will try to piece together everything at a later time...but major things that spring to mind.

I finished my classes at Blake and received a 'distinction' in photography (hahah so exciting, I know!).

We went to Belgium on the train. We packed super light so we could go touristing without stopping to drop off our stuff at the hotel. On Friday we toured Bruges and ate lots of delicious food including CHEESE! and a banana milk shake. The town was really cute with picturesque canals and a big guild tower.

My Mom and I returned to Brussels where we met up with the lovely Rosie Bichell. That night we walked around the Grand Place, saw Manneken Pis (so not exciting..), and ate.

The next morning we ate a delish breakfast (blood orange juice!) and attempted to sneak away with lots of little personal jams. We had a whirlwind tour of sightseeing stopping at a garden called the Petite Sablon (I think...), visiting a church, drinking hot chocolate, going to the musical instrument museum (you see an instrument and hear its sound), walking about, eating lunch and going to the big Atom building/monument.

We unfortunately had to say goodbye to Rosie which was terribly sad. That evening mis padres y yo went on a walk and then mommy and I had more hot chocolate on the Grand Place.

The next day we did more strolling, visited the Museum of Brussels where we saw all of Manneken Pis's outfits....., and had lunch at Pain (I love Pain)...


Got back to London and visited with the Hinkleys. We did lots and lots of stuff with them....walking around, museuming (Portrait Gallery, Museum of London, Wallace Collection, etc...), sat in on some cases at the Old Bailey, went to Eve and Song at Westminster Abbey, saw the play a Flea in her Ear, had dinner with the Honey's, played Library...

( I am using a lot of ....s)

Then it was my last week at Browns which was very sad. On my very last day I assisted with a photo shoot which was very fun. The theme was kind of a coquettish Parisian chic. We had a model, hair stylist, make-up, and an entire mansion in Belgravia to shoot in. Plus the clothes were AH-mazing! We shot six looks over basically the entire day. When we finally got back to Browns I saw some of Simone's shoot and then we had to hurriedly return all the stock. Jof made me a card with my face photoshopped as Hermione.

Since then I can't even remember all I've done....

Yesterday I visited with Lena at Blake, went to the British museum, walked around Hampstead and the Heath and then we had dinner with Giles (the barrister) at a Tapas bar.

Today we went to Richmond and out to lunch with Tricia and Katherine at a French restaurant. We walked a little in the park but the majority of the day (4.5 hours!) was spent chit chatting at the restaurant.