Tuesday, June 19, 2012
New Adventures!
After much delay, I will be getting the rest of my posts up from my travels very soon. My blog will evolve this into documenting my adventures at FSU in pursuit of my PhD in Music Education! Stay tuned...
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Living in London: Week 2
Saturday morning started a bit early, but with good reason: The Borough Street Market. Located near the London Bridge, there is endless food of all kinds and ethnicities. Liz, Heidi and I found everything from German, Greek, Italian, French to desserts, chutneys, breads, dried fruits, cheeses, gluten-free foods, raw cow's milk... it's incredible! By the time we weaved through market, all three of us had eaten enough free samples and small items to account for lunch. Delicious!
The next part of the plan was to go watch the changing of the guard. Apparently, people already know to get there seriously early, except us. So after watching decked out guards marching into the gate out of sight and listening to Sousa marches phase against the stone of the palace, we decided to try again next time and headed for Trafalgar Square to meet up with Rachel and Brandon.
Not only is Trafalgar Square a beautiful area, but it is home to so many interesting attractions. Our focus of the day was the National Gallery. I had one purpose in this vastly beautiful exhibit: find the impressionists. From what I can remember, I have always been fascinated by impressionists, both musically and visually. Heidi lead me to Georges Seurat first. All I could think about was Sunday in the Park with George by Stephen Sondheim. Just as Bernadette was finishing her singing in my head, I stumbled upon the Degas room. Now, it wasn't necessarily that the room was just for Degas' paintings, but it felt that way. I saw the dancers first (of course) and then rotated to several portraits I had never seen before. Contrasting the two subjects truly emphasized his love of dancers. Tearing myself away, I knew there was more to discover. Van Gogh was next and it was brilliant to see his use of color in person. Heidi, somehow knowing, brought me two rooms over to Monet's contribution to the era. There are very few Monet's that don't have beauty within them, even if it's just color, but to see Water-Lilies, Setting Sun in person was breathtaking.
The rest of the day was spent finishing up homework and eating dinner with Rachel, Liz and Heidi that concluded with one of my favorite card games, Euchre (thanks for that David).
We had big plans for Sunday. Nearly everyone in our program took the train to Cambridge in the hopes of hearing the the King's College Choir, but alas, due to our very own comedy of errors, we missed the first train and ended up on the local train to Cambridge. And since the services run like clockwork, 5 minutes late meant no concert for us. But we did manage to salvage the day. Cambridge is a bustling town with lots of shopping, an open market and really good food.
Monday brought us back to class and brought me what appears to be a sinus infection. This should be fun. Dr. Madsen had us stand and sing O, Beautiful so the entire University Centre could hear. After class, we dodged over to grab rush tickets to Million Dollar Quartet and came back to pack for our 4th of July picnic in Hyde Park. We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day. We had roast chicken, fruits, cheeses, potato salad, fresh steamed spinach and several desserts. America should be proud!
On the way home, we got distracted by a sale at Mango -yea, shopping- and got home with just enough time to get ready for the show. Somehow, we managed to get front row seats. This was such a blessing beyond how cool it was to be so close. NO ONE else in the audience had as much fun as we did. The story is based on one fluke evening where Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis ended up in the recording studio together with a bit of help from Sam Phillips, the founder of Sun Records. The music is already good: Blue Suede Shoes, Great Balls of Fire, See You Later Alligator, Folsom Prison Blues, but the performers sang and played remarkably well while remaining completely in character. They had us clapping and dancing (British theatre-goers seem to clap on all the beats and they don't dance) and even though we were alone, we were having the most amazing time. After the show, we went to the stage door. We were the only ones, and these performers were fantastic. They had no idea how to react. We took pictures with anyone who wasn't freaked out by us being there (not the norm to have fans at the door) and talked to most of them. They thanked us for being such a great audience. What a great compliment! We stopped at a pub on the way home since none of us could even dream about getting to bed, yet.
Tuesday confirmed my suspicions about having a sinus infection. It definitely proved difficult to focus in class, but I'm not going to miss any classes. After class, I stayed in for the day after a quick trip to Boots for medicine. My awesome roommate, Heidi, made sure I was taken care of and even helped me cook a yummy salmon in mustard sauce followed by a viewing of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part 1. Thank you, Heidi!
Our class spent Wednesday at the University of London. They presented their recent research and discussed the parallels between our schools and the UK schools. It was interesting to see the stages of research, and I was quite fascinated by a study on empirically measuring the beauty of the human voice. It is truly crazy how people perceive voices. But, I will stop geeking out. My day after that was quite uneventful. Still sick, I had to skip my Scottish dance class, but at least I got my homework done.
Thursday's class specified the differences in types of data collection and research. It my seem boring to some, but knowing where we have come from and where we are now has so much to do with research, you must understand my interest.
This day, 7/7/11, will go down in history as the end of an journey. Sick or not, I fully intended on being at least present for part of that imprint. This day was the premier of the last Harry Potter movie. 10 years of our lives have been spent on the movies alone. Hours have been devoted to reading in a culture built on TV and media. And on the this day, I was in Trafalgar Square. I am not the type to enjoy standing around hoping I see something for hours with no guarantee. But, we did get a good look at the spectacle of it all. After that, we ate a wonderful lunch at the Crypt below St. Martin in the fields, came up for one last look and went home to watch it live online, on the couch with snacks and personal space.
After some cajoling to each other to get our work done, Heidi and I finish a bit of work and headed to... you guessed it, Wagamama's. Heidi hadn't been yet, and in my defense, I, at least, ordered something different this time. Jen and Brock met us there and then it was back to work to prepare for the last day of Dr. Madsen's class.
Things I'm not exactly excited about in the next few days: last day of Dr. Madsen's class (it was just too short) and comps.
Things I am looking forward to: seeing Lend Me a Tenor tomorrow night or a concert at St. Paul's, eating dinner out, visiting another market Saturday morning and... leaving for Dublin and Edinburgh Saturday night!!
The next part of the plan was to go watch the changing of the guard. Apparently, people already know to get there seriously early, except us. So after watching decked out guards marching into the gate out of sight and listening to Sousa marches phase against the stone of the palace, we decided to try again next time and headed for Trafalgar Square to meet up with Rachel and Brandon.
Not only is Trafalgar Square a beautiful area, but it is home to so many interesting attractions. Our focus of the day was the National Gallery. I had one purpose in this vastly beautiful exhibit: find the impressionists. From what I can remember, I have always been fascinated by impressionists, both musically and visually. Heidi lead me to Georges Seurat first. All I could think about was Sunday in the Park with George by Stephen Sondheim. Just as Bernadette was finishing her singing in my head, I stumbled upon the Degas room. Now, it wasn't necessarily that the room was just for Degas' paintings, but it felt that way. I saw the dancers first (of course) and then rotated to several portraits I had never seen before. Contrasting the two subjects truly emphasized his love of dancers. Tearing myself away, I knew there was more to discover. Van Gogh was next and it was brilliant to see his use of color in person. Heidi, somehow knowing, brought me two rooms over to Monet's contribution to the era. There are very few Monet's that don't have beauty within them, even if it's just color, but to see Water-Lilies, Setting Sun in person was breathtaking.
The rest of the day was spent finishing up homework and eating dinner with Rachel, Liz and Heidi that concluded with one of my favorite card games, Euchre (thanks for that David).
We had big plans for Sunday. Nearly everyone in our program took the train to Cambridge in the hopes of hearing the the King's College Choir, but alas, due to our very own comedy of errors, we missed the first train and ended up on the local train to Cambridge. And since the services run like clockwork, 5 minutes late meant no concert for us. But we did manage to salvage the day. Cambridge is a bustling town with lots of shopping, an open market and really good food.
Monday brought us back to class and brought me what appears to be a sinus infection. This should be fun. Dr. Madsen had us stand and sing O, Beautiful so the entire University Centre could hear. After class, we dodged over to grab rush tickets to Million Dollar Quartet and came back to pack for our 4th of July picnic in Hyde Park. We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day. We had roast chicken, fruits, cheeses, potato salad, fresh steamed spinach and several desserts. America should be proud!
On the way home, we got distracted by a sale at Mango -yea, shopping- and got home with just enough time to get ready for the show. Somehow, we managed to get front row seats. This was such a blessing beyond how cool it was to be so close. NO ONE else in the audience had as much fun as we did. The story is based on one fluke evening where Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis ended up in the recording studio together with a bit of help from Sam Phillips, the founder of Sun Records. The music is already good: Blue Suede Shoes, Great Balls of Fire, See You Later Alligator, Folsom Prison Blues, but the performers sang and played remarkably well while remaining completely in character. They had us clapping and dancing (British theatre-goers seem to clap on all the beats and they don't dance) and even though we were alone, we were having the most amazing time. After the show, we went to the stage door. We were the only ones, and these performers were fantastic. They had no idea how to react. We took pictures with anyone who wasn't freaked out by us being there (not the norm to have fans at the door) and talked to most of them. They thanked us for being such a great audience. What a great compliment! We stopped at a pub on the way home since none of us could even dream about getting to bed, yet.
Tuesday confirmed my suspicions about having a sinus infection. It definitely proved difficult to focus in class, but I'm not going to miss any classes. After class, I stayed in for the day after a quick trip to Boots for medicine. My awesome roommate, Heidi, made sure I was taken care of and even helped me cook a yummy salmon in mustard sauce followed by a viewing of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part 1. Thank you, Heidi!
Our class spent Wednesday at the University of London. They presented their recent research and discussed the parallels between our schools and the UK schools. It was interesting to see the stages of research, and I was quite fascinated by a study on empirically measuring the beauty of the human voice. It is truly crazy how people perceive voices. But, I will stop geeking out. My day after that was quite uneventful. Still sick, I had to skip my Scottish dance class, but at least I got my homework done.
Thursday's class specified the differences in types of data collection and research. It my seem boring to some, but knowing where we have come from and where we are now has so much to do with research, you must understand my interest.
This day, 7/7/11, will go down in history as the end of an journey. Sick or not, I fully intended on being at least present for part of that imprint. This day was the premier of the last Harry Potter movie. 10 years of our lives have been spent on the movies alone. Hours have been devoted to reading in a culture built on TV and media. And on the this day, I was in Trafalgar Square. I am not the type to enjoy standing around hoping I see something for hours with no guarantee. But, we did get a good look at the spectacle of it all. After that, we ate a wonderful lunch at the Crypt below St. Martin in the fields, came up for one last look and went home to watch it live online, on the couch with snacks and personal space.
After some cajoling to each other to get our work done, Heidi and I finish a bit of work and headed to... you guessed it, Wagamama's. Heidi hadn't been yet, and in my defense, I, at least, ordered something different this time. Jen and Brock met us there and then it was back to work to prepare for the last day of Dr. Madsen's class.
Things I'm not exactly excited about in the next few days: last day of Dr. Madsen's class (it was just too short) and comps.
Things I am looking forward to: seeing Lend Me a Tenor tomorrow night or a concert at St. Paul's, eating dinner out, visiting another market Saturday morning and... leaving for Dublin and Edinburgh Saturday night!!
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Living in London: Week 1
My journey from Crystal Palace Thursday morning was a bit longer than I anticipated. I met this guy on the bus that couldn't get the hint, so I just stayed on until he got off and had to cross the street to ride back to my stop. I arrived at the same time as a caravan of undergrads. Nothing could have made me feel more out of place so quickly. Finally, they handed out keys and room assignments, and I finagled my luggage up the stairs. One of the lessons I've learned during this trip is the art of packing light. Too bad I figured it out after I got here.
The flat the Heidi and I share with three other girls is actually nicer than the newly renovated dorms I stayed in at FSU. Heidi and I are roommates with an extra set of everything, including a third bed, dresser and closet. Of course, we've already managed to fill most of it :) The rest of the flat has another bedroom shared by Patty, Danielle and Jacquell (our fellow grad students studying sports management), two bathrooms (small does not begin to describe) and a common area with couches, a TV, table for 5 and a sizable kitchen. Everything is a bit strange at first, but we have cooked in the kitchen successfully many times. That first one was just a bit of a challenge.
So after I dropped everything off, we started to collect each other outside 99. As we would wait for the arrival of one person, another masters student would show up, too. We went to lunch at Pret, which is becoming a great mainstay, and then went about finding the grocery store for essentials and locating the rest of our class. By the 4pm tea, almost everyone had made it except Ryan, one of our band guys. I was very lucky to have already been over here based on the issues so many people had with cancelled flights in Atlanta.
For all the complaining teachers do about students being off-task, we sure are good at it. We were clearly the only one's at the tea that knew everyone in our group as opposed to two or three people coming into this. After too long in a tiny, un-air conditioned room, most of us set out for a real English dinner.
We found a pub called The Plough across from the British Museum and raised our glasses in triumph that we had made it to the home stretch and we were actually in London and would go back home with our Masters degrees! We wanted to do a bit more investigating, so we wondered around near our flats and stumbled upon The Jack Horner. Soon after that, most people were feeling the jetlag and we called it a night.
Our meeting the next morning was...interesting. It was clearly geared towards the undergrads who were experiencing an international type of freedom for the first time, including easy access to alcohol with the lowered drinking age. I would venture to say that our behavior only worsened when we had a mandatory meeting about alcohol and drug use. Man, did I feel old. At one point, they asked our ages after specifying the typical age that they speak with was 10-18, and our group, naturally being the loudest, spouted out ages from 25 and up. I don't know that they saw that coming. However, it was the end of the meetings we had to attend, so the rest of the weekend was ours.
We found a great Thai food place across from the British Museum. After which, Heidi and I set off on an unintentional, awesome adventure. First we just wondered. We stopped at Aveda (must have my products) after walking the wrong way for about 10 minutes stumbling on future yummy restaurants. At this point we just stopped off where we needed to: Boots for toiletries, Sally Hair supply for nail stuff and a scarf for Heidi. Then it was time to find the Whole Foods in Soho. That part of the journey was more of a wonder-til-you-find-something with only the general direction in mind. After walking all the way to Piccadilly Circus and turning around, there it was! One of the cashiers was nice enough to give us directions back to the flat, and at first, we did so well. But when we got to Oxford Circus, we went left instead of right. Good thing: found all the major shops (H&M, Zara, Dorothy Perkins, etc. in duplicate). Bad thing: hit rush hour and actually found out that you can have a traffic of people. We ended up all the way over in Hyde Park before it was glowingly apparent that we had gone through a lot to only be going the wrong way for half an hour. And taking the Tube back was not an option. So we kept walking, this time we knew where we were and got away from the traffic jams and construction and had a very peaceful walk home. We saw so much and still made it how in time to cook dinner (using a Wok to cook the pasta!?) with everybody in Liz and Rachel's flat.
After a round or two of Skipbo, we felt energized enough to venture out into London night life. It was Friday after all. After finding Soho more directly this time, David (band guy in our program) stopped someone to ask them where the best dance club was in London. And so, we followed this person to Heaven. I can't even make that up. The place was so much fun, but it got crazy crowded and we felt it was time to go. One problem...how? Brock (chorus guy) feels like he knows and is very convincing. Until we all realize, there is no way we're going the right direction. Plus, Heidi and I have had enough adventure for one day. Thank goodness for taxis! And everyone made it back from Heaven safe and sound.
Saturday morning, I felt the need to better associate myself with my new cultural surroundings. William and Kate were on the BBC for a ceremony to honor soldiers who had died or been wounded in battle. As with many celebrations and ceremonies in the UK, bagpipes were integrated into the splendor of it all. I couldn't help but get up and Scottish dance. I mean, seriously, you can;t hear Highland Laddie and not dance. That's normal, right!?
The rest of Saturday was spent in Covent Garden by the market and shops with Liz, Rachel, Megan and Jen. I found a dance supply store, bought a beautiful watch at Fossil and found my new pair of Toms! We then met up with most of the rest of our class at Wagamama's (thank you Kara!) for dinner. Still the weekend, we tried going out again to the Jack Horner and then the Rising Sun. There is nothing like sitting around with good people and good conversation.
Sunday, I will admit, I slept in, but at this point I had been traveling for almost two weeks and needed the rest. I enjoyed my leftovers from Wagamama's and made sure I was ready for class on Monday. We had a quick flat meeting with the GC's (Graduate Counselors, who are at least 5-10 years younger than most of us) then a quick run of errands to Sainsbury, Boots and Whole Foods for yet another wonderful meal, and rather impromptu, with about half the group. Let's just say, Liz waved a magic wand and there was enough food for all.
Monday marked our first day of classes and the beginning of our Dr. Madsen experience. Heidi and I woke up early to grab a coffee treat and barreled back into the world of TRANSFER!! Our first class was such a great realization of how much I have changed since I took his class in undergrad. It was also a relief to know that I am proud of that change. With a spring in my step, we enjoyed some jacket potatoes for lunch and grabbed some dinner supplies. Thankfully, I did figure the over out and had honey-glazed salmon and whole wheat pasta with spinach, onions, mushrooms and fresh mozzarella. I was very proud of myself :)
That evening we had all been given tickets to see Blood Brothers, the musical. My memories of this show only include one song. The song the kids sing when they're playing in the first act. Several of my friends in my thespian troope in high school took that song to districts. But I had never seen the full production. I wish someone had warned me that this particular piece I knew from watching rehearsals was the musical motif for the ENTIRE MUSICAL!! Grrrr... plus, I now have issue with Marilynn Monroe. I wish it had been a straight play. The music got in the way of a very well-thought out, tragic story with some very talented performers to boot.
Somehow, I turned off my alarm Tuesday morning, so it was a mad dash to class followed by a trip directly after to the British Museum. You can barely get through a room in this place properly in a day, let alone an afternoon. At information overload, Liz, Rachel and I went for gelato. Mmm. The rest of the evening was low key, with talk of where we would all travel to and what else we wanted to do in the city.
Wednesday's class was a very valuable subject for me. Learning how to control my circle and not spending time worrying about other circles I have no control over. In the spirit of that, instead of asking everyone what they were doing that day, I made my day happen and invited others to join if they like. I went to Sainsbury to grab lunch, and went to discover how to use the laundry room. With only three washers functioning, I was glad for the company of Liz who helped me convince them to work, and then for Megan, who joined me and made sure I took all my clse back to the flat with me.
Tonight, I really had something to look forward to... Scottish Dance class! A few days before, I had done an online search for classes close by and discovered classes for under £5. It's in the Crown Court Church of Scotland and the classes are open. I went on my own, and found great new friends. They were actually my age! I was out of shape next to these championship dancers, but it gave me some real motivation to push forward. I can't wait until next week! I grabbed some Wagamama on the way home and passed out from exhaustion. The good kind.
Thursday morning came a bit too soon, but I always feel better when I get where I'm going. We worked through the concepts of fixed and variable systems. After class, it was off to Victoria Station to grab tickets to Billy Elliot for the evening. After a bit of mix up at the ticket counter, we had changed our plans to the matinee performance in 40 minutes. One roundtrip on the Tube saved and an open evening turned out even better, so my friend Erin and I ran to Pret and stuffed our faces just outside the theater.
Billy Elliot was full of great dancing and wonderful passion. I was glad to have seen the movie already since the storyline was clearly not as important as the dancing, but it didn't bother me :) Dinner followed after searching Whole Foods and Sainsbury's for soft corn tortillas. Full belly's lead naturally to finishing homework and falling into bed after another amazing London day.
Friday was a welcome day with a great wide open weekend. After class, Heidi and I planned our trip for our week off in July. We probably spent about an hour getting the details down and then booking. It's looks like you'll all get to hear about Dublin and Edinburgh very soon!
As Heidi and I learned from our earlier adventure last Friday and the traffic jam on the sidewalk that Friday night is a big deal in London. We went to a place called B@1 that had the friendliest staff and played great music. That was followed by some amazing Mexican food and some great conversation with Erin's London friends about how Americans end up staying in London. What a wonderful week!
The flat the Heidi and I share with three other girls is actually nicer than the newly renovated dorms I stayed in at FSU. Heidi and I are roommates with an extra set of everything, including a third bed, dresser and closet. Of course, we've already managed to fill most of it :) The rest of the flat has another bedroom shared by Patty, Danielle and Jacquell (our fellow grad students studying sports management), two bathrooms (small does not begin to describe) and a common area with couches, a TV, table for 5 and a sizable kitchen. Everything is a bit strange at first, but we have cooked in the kitchen successfully many times. That first one was just a bit of a challenge.
So after I dropped everything off, we started to collect each other outside 99. As we would wait for the arrival of one person, another masters student would show up, too. We went to lunch at Pret, which is becoming a great mainstay, and then went about finding the grocery store for essentials and locating the rest of our class. By the 4pm tea, almost everyone had made it except Ryan, one of our band guys. I was very lucky to have already been over here based on the issues so many people had with cancelled flights in Atlanta.
For all the complaining teachers do about students being off-task, we sure are good at it. We were clearly the only one's at the tea that knew everyone in our group as opposed to two or three people coming into this. After too long in a tiny, un-air conditioned room, most of us set out for a real English dinner.
We found a pub called The Plough across from the British Museum and raised our glasses in triumph that we had made it to the home stretch and we were actually in London and would go back home with our Masters degrees! We wanted to do a bit more investigating, so we wondered around near our flats and stumbled upon The Jack Horner. Soon after that, most people were feeling the jetlag and we called it a night.
Our meeting the next morning was...interesting. It was clearly geared towards the undergrads who were experiencing an international type of freedom for the first time, including easy access to alcohol with the lowered drinking age. I would venture to say that our behavior only worsened when we had a mandatory meeting about alcohol and drug use. Man, did I feel old. At one point, they asked our ages after specifying the typical age that they speak with was 10-18, and our group, naturally being the loudest, spouted out ages from 25 and up. I don't know that they saw that coming. However, it was the end of the meetings we had to attend, so the rest of the weekend was ours.
We found a great Thai food place across from the British Museum. After which, Heidi and I set off on an unintentional, awesome adventure. First we just wondered. We stopped at Aveda (must have my products) after walking the wrong way for about 10 minutes stumbling on future yummy restaurants. At this point we just stopped off where we needed to: Boots for toiletries, Sally Hair supply for nail stuff and a scarf for Heidi. Then it was time to find the Whole Foods in Soho. That part of the journey was more of a wonder-til-you-find-something with only the general direction in mind. After walking all the way to Piccadilly Circus and turning around, there it was! One of the cashiers was nice enough to give us directions back to the flat, and at first, we did so well. But when we got to Oxford Circus, we went left instead of right. Good thing: found all the major shops (H&M, Zara, Dorothy Perkins, etc. in duplicate). Bad thing: hit rush hour and actually found out that you can have a traffic of people. We ended up all the way over in Hyde Park before it was glowingly apparent that we had gone through a lot to only be going the wrong way for half an hour. And taking the Tube back was not an option. So we kept walking, this time we knew where we were and got away from the traffic jams and construction and had a very peaceful walk home. We saw so much and still made it how in time to cook dinner (using a Wok to cook the pasta!?) with everybody in Liz and Rachel's flat.
After a round or two of Skipbo, we felt energized enough to venture out into London night life. It was Friday after all. After finding Soho more directly this time, David (band guy in our program) stopped someone to ask them where the best dance club was in London. And so, we followed this person to Heaven. I can't even make that up. The place was so much fun, but it got crazy crowded and we felt it was time to go. One problem...how? Brock (chorus guy) feels like he knows and is very convincing. Until we all realize, there is no way we're going the right direction. Plus, Heidi and I have had enough adventure for one day. Thank goodness for taxis! And everyone made it back from Heaven safe and sound.
Saturday morning, I felt the need to better associate myself with my new cultural surroundings. William and Kate were on the BBC for a ceremony to honor soldiers who had died or been wounded in battle. As with many celebrations and ceremonies in the UK, bagpipes were integrated into the splendor of it all. I couldn't help but get up and Scottish dance. I mean, seriously, you can;t hear Highland Laddie and not dance. That's normal, right!?
The rest of Saturday was spent in Covent Garden by the market and shops with Liz, Rachel, Megan and Jen. I found a dance supply store, bought a beautiful watch at Fossil and found my new pair of Toms! We then met up with most of the rest of our class at Wagamama's (thank you Kara!) for dinner. Still the weekend, we tried going out again to the Jack Horner and then the Rising Sun. There is nothing like sitting around with good people and good conversation.
Sunday, I will admit, I slept in, but at this point I had been traveling for almost two weeks and needed the rest. I enjoyed my leftovers from Wagamama's and made sure I was ready for class on Monday. We had a quick flat meeting with the GC's (Graduate Counselors, who are at least 5-10 years younger than most of us) then a quick run of errands to Sainsbury, Boots and Whole Foods for yet another wonderful meal, and rather impromptu, with about half the group. Let's just say, Liz waved a magic wand and there was enough food for all.
Monday marked our first day of classes and the beginning of our Dr. Madsen experience. Heidi and I woke up early to grab a coffee treat and barreled back into the world of TRANSFER!! Our first class was such a great realization of how much I have changed since I took his class in undergrad. It was also a relief to know that I am proud of that change. With a spring in my step, we enjoyed some jacket potatoes for lunch and grabbed some dinner supplies. Thankfully, I did figure the over out and had honey-glazed salmon and whole wheat pasta with spinach, onions, mushrooms and fresh mozzarella. I was very proud of myself :)
That evening we had all been given tickets to see Blood Brothers, the musical. My memories of this show only include one song. The song the kids sing when they're playing in the first act. Several of my friends in my thespian troope in high school took that song to districts. But I had never seen the full production. I wish someone had warned me that this particular piece I knew from watching rehearsals was the musical motif for the ENTIRE MUSICAL!! Grrrr... plus, I now have issue with Marilynn Monroe. I wish it had been a straight play. The music got in the way of a very well-thought out, tragic story with some very talented performers to boot.
Somehow, I turned off my alarm Tuesday morning, so it was a mad dash to class followed by a trip directly after to the British Museum. You can barely get through a room in this place properly in a day, let alone an afternoon. At information overload, Liz, Rachel and I went for gelato. Mmm. The rest of the evening was low key, with talk of where we would all travel to and what else we wanted to do in the city.
Wednesday's class was a very valuable subject for me. Learning how to control my circle and not spending time worrying about other circles I have no control over. In the spirit of that, instead of asking everyone what they were doing that day, I made my day happen and invited others to join if they like. I went to Sainsbury to grab lunch, and went to discover how to use the laundry room. With only three washers functioning, I was glad for the company of Liz who helped me convince them to work, and then for Megan, who joined me and made sure I took all my clse back to the flat with me.
Tonight, I really had something to look forward to... Scottish Dance class! A few days before, I had done an online search for classes close by and discovered classes for under £5. It's in the Crown Court Church of Scotland and the classes are open. I went on my own, and found great new friends. They were actually my age! I was out of shape next to these championship dancers, but it gave me some real motivation to push forward. I can't wait until next week! I grabbed some Wagamama on the way home and passed out from exhaustion. The good kind.
Thursday morning came a bit too soon, but I always feel better when I get where I'm going. We worked through the concepts of fixed and variable systems. After class, it was off to Victoria Station to grab tickets to Billy Elliot for the evening. After a bit of mix up at the ticket counter, we had changed our plans to the matinee performance in 40 minutes. One roundtrip on the Tube saved and an open evening turned out even better, so my friend Erin and I ran to Pret and stuffed our faces just outside the theater.
Billy Elliot was full of great dancing and wonderful passion. I was glad to have seen the movie already since the storyline was clearly not as important as the dancing, but it didn't bother me :) Dinner followed after searching Whole Foods and Sainsbury's for soft corn tortillas. Full belly's lead naturally to finishing homework and falling into bed after another amazing London day.
Friday was a welcome day with a great wide open weekend. After class, Heidi and I planned our trip for our week off in July. We probably spent about an hour getting the details down and then booking. It's looks like you'll all get to hear about Dublin and Edinburgh very soon!
As Heidi and I learned from our earlier adventure last Friday and the traffic jam on the sidewalk that Friday night is a big deal in London. We went to a place called B@1 that had the friendliest staff and played great music. That was followed by some amazing Mexican food and some great conversation with Erin's London friends about how Americans end up staying in London. What a wonderful week!
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
London, Berlin, London again!
I spent my last morning in New York riding the subway to get the Carson’s rush tickets for How to Succeed... so they could see it before the baby comes and packing up my things again. I said goodbye to my favorite city and embarked on the international leg of my journey around 3pm on Tuesday.
The flight was as expected, long, and so was the line at customs. Just when I was about to hit boredom overload behind at least 100 people ahead of me and the time change was setting-in (6:30am London time, 1:30am back home), I looked up and saw a familiar face ahead of me... Heidi! She had missed her flight the day before and found herself on my flight, only she had no idea it was the same. What a relief to have someone to help navigate the Tube, survive rush hour and get through the maze of stairs with six heavy bags between us. I did find an unexpected perk that even during rush hour people will help you get your bags up and down the stairs. Every time I thought I might have to go it alone, someone was there. It was wonderful!
When we finally reached the Study Center around 9am after over an hour in the Tube and found that they not only let us store our largest bags until check-in, but they were so hospitable. After a quick repacking, we went to find coffee and food.
Heidi and I parted ways, her to stay in London a few days and I was off to Berlin. After an exhaustingly long wait at Heathrow, by 7pm London time I was finally on my way to meet up with my brother, Hans.
I managed to navigate the bus system to get to our hotel on the east side of Berlin by around 10:30pm Berlin time (4:30pm at home). Hans took me to a delicious kabob stand. I got to my room and was finally able to pass out around 2am Berlin time. This might be my longest travel day ever finally hitting the pillow after only napping across a 36-hour day.
Breakfast came too soon, but it was delicious. So good in fact that a nap came directly after almost by accident. Hans let me sleep and woke me up in time to save the day. We took the train from Ostbahnhof (the former central railway station of East Berlin) west to Alexanderplatz and visit to the mall for a watch replacement for Hans and an Ampelmann t-shirt (the East German traffic light man) for me. We grabbed some bubble tea (mmm...mango) after stopping at the World Time Clock, Weltzeituhr, in the middle of the square, and hoped back on the train to head to Potsdamer Platz and the German Film and Television Museum (Museum für Film und Fersehen). It was mostly meant to embrace thepositive contributions, but did not gloss over the East German versus West German differences as well as citing those in film and television forced out of the country like true Hollywood star, Marlene Dietrich who became a US citizen just before the outbreak of WWII.
We set out for the Brandenburg Gate, or Brandenburger Tor station. On the way, we decided to stop at Oranienburger Strasse to see the Neue Synagoge, or the New Synagogue. Although it is now a Museum, built between 1859-1866, this building has seen a lot history. In fact, it is probably a miracle that any of it is left standing. I cannot begin to explain the feeling inside. Hans and I found a spot in the remaining structure that was acoustically amplified (a point of resonance). It was so refreshing to know that a part of the beauty of the old structure had survived.
While traveling on the trains around Berlin, one of the first things that Hans brought to my attention was how the names had been changed. In some cases, the old name is still present in Old English font from when the Nazi’s held control of the city. The process of updating and changing the stations is still ongoing, but it is a testament, along with the broken structures and unfilled bullet holes, that wars leave marks that are not easily erased.
The Brandenburg Gate is a significant marker of the war this city had survived. Walking across the same ground that was marched upon in allegiance with the Nazi regime taking power in Berlin feels surreal. You look around at the normalcy of the area. The gate is clearly the centerpiece of the embassies of so many countries, France, the United States, Hungary, Britain, that have recently reestablished residency in their former locations from before WWII. The street has a line in the pavement two bricks wide as a placeholder to remind anyone who walks there of where the Berlin Wall once stood. The Soviet War Memorial (Tiergarten) was built in 1945 and sits clearly on the Western side of the city. Once the wall was raised, a Russian soldier was tasked to move from East Berlin to West Berlin throughout the Cold War until the wall fell in 1989.
Hans, the excellent-historically-well-rounded-tour-guide-brother-of-mine, lead us to two places that I cannot do any justice to in writing. The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, or Denkmal für die ermordeten Juden Europas, consists of concrete slabs arranged on a sloping field in a grid pattern. Walking between each slab, you slip further into the maze of taller, and taller structures.; cold, anonymous and seemingly identical. In the middle of a bustling city at what seems to be just a typical intersection in Friedrichstadt, you can lose yourself. But then, maybe add to the overwhelming effect of this vast exhibition, sits the site of Hitler’s bunker. There is a single sign that provides the history of the site, but it now serves as a parking lot. No glorification. No value. Just enough to never forget. I will always appreciate Hans for taking me here. But he also knows that you cannot spend every moment in Berlin remembering these dark times.
This outing was in need of some lighter moments and some dinner. A bratwurst seemed the most traditional answer, and it was quickly followed by a trip to Museum Island – five museums on an island in the River Spree. I was happy to explore the Greek and Roman collections of the Altes Museum (Old Museum). At this point, the day had caught up to me. After being chased by a bee who thought my scarf was a giant flower and being mistaken for a native, Hans and I called it a night.
Breakfast the next morning was, again, delicious and followed by a long nap. Finding ourselves in mid-afternoon, we headed out for Museum Island. First, I found myself drawn to the 19th Century German and impressionist paintings of the Alte National Galerie (Old National Gallery). Manet, Monet and Renoir; it was like taking a deep breath. One of the highlights of my day came after weaving through the maze that is the Neues Museum to find the bust of Egyptian Queen Nefertiti. She sits alone in her own room gazing into the distance. She seems present somehow, and beautiful, living up to her reputation.
Hans and I met back up to explore the Berliner Dom and the crypt full of German royals and aristocracy. We grabbed some dinner and took a short trip to the DDR Museum that focuses on life behind the wall. It’s so interactive that the picture of daily life in Socialism is very real. So real, in fact, that a trip to H&M and the current world of Capitalism was necessary. An evening in with The King’s Speech (highly recommended) and some sleep meant one day left in Berlin.
After breakfast, Hans and I split up. He spent the day at the German History Museum while I traversed the maze of Hackescher Markt and the wonderfully illogical address numbering I discovered great restaurants and shopping for about an hour and then stumbled upon the museum I was looking for, the Anne Frank Zentrum. It is a celebration of her life with honest parallels to teenagers living in Berlin now. Considering that the film they presented was in German, I was pretty proud of my self for following. As I left, it was rainy and cold. Vietnamese food and a new jacket helped, but missing Hans at the station and finding my way back to the hotel on my own proved easier than I thought (thank goodness).
My brother has seemingly endless energy, and he wanted me to experience Berlin at night. We went to one of the most exclusive dance clubs in Europe. It was shocking we even made it in after waiting in line over an hour. It’s a converted warehouse from East Germany. All the original structure remains and the club is built around it. We stayed long enough to stay awake until it was time to leave for the airport. I truly believe Hans has a reserve energy source I don’t know about. It was another long travel day with a plane full of German school children. But, we landed in London where we had to say goodbye all too soon.
The days leading up to check-in at the student center I’ve been spending in Crystal Palace on top of Gipsy Hill. My wonderful host, Michael, has been very hospitable and the town, just south of London, is beautiful. Lovely restaurants and shops, plus plenty of time to write my blog, catch up with everyone and rest. I’ve learned that dresses are not intended for windy days. So finding a thrift shop and spending less than 10 pounds for a shirt and pants was great. It made the trip into London through Covent Garden (theater-land), Soho, Regent Street passed Piccadilly Circus, Big Ben, Trafalgar’s Square, the horse guards where the royals came out for the wedding, and the residence of the Prime Minister a lot warmer .
My advice: don’t forget to pack for Berlin AND London when you drop-off your suitcase!
The flight was as expected, long, and so was the line at customs. Just when I was about to hit boredom overload behind at least 100 people ahead of me and the time change was setting-in (6:30am London time, 1:30am back home), I looked up and saw a familiar face ahead of me... Heidi! She had missed her flight the day before and found herself on my flight, only she had no idea it was the same. What a relief to have someone to help navigate the Tube, survive rush hour and get through the maze of stairs with six heavy bags between us. I did find an unexpected perk that even during rush hour people will help you get your bags up and down the stairs. Every time I thought I might have to go it alone, someone was there. It was wonderful!
When we finally reached the Study Center around 9am after over an hour in the Tube and found that they not only let us store our largest bags until check-in, but they were so hospitable. After a quick repacking, we went to find coffee and food.
Bloomsbury, our neighborhood for the summer, is very centrally located. We found a friendly spot for food and a Starbucks across from the British Museum with free wifi where I took a well-deserved nap (Heidi owed me from the Tube).
Heidi and I parted ways, her to stay in London a few days and I was off to Berlin. After an exhaustingly long wait at Heathrow, by 7pm London time I was finally on my way to meet up with my brother, Hans.
I managed to navigate the bus system to get to our hotel on the east side of Berlin by around 10:30pm Berlin time (4:30pm at home). Hans took me to a delicious kabob stand. I got to my room and was finally able to pass out around 2am Berlin time. This might be my longest travel day ever finally hitting the pillow after only napping across a 36-hour day.
Breakfast came too soon, but it was delicious. So good in fact that a nap came directly after almost by accident. Hans let me sleep and woke me up in time to save the day. We took the train from Ostbahnhof (the former central railway station of East Berlin) west to Alexanderplatz and visit to the mall for a watch replacement for Hans and an Ampelmann t-shirt (the East German traffic light man) for me. We grabbed some bubble tea (mmm...mango) after stopping at the World Time Clock, Weltzeituhr, in the middle of the square, and hoped back on the train to head to Potsdamer Platz and the German Film and Television Museum (Museum für Film und Fersehen). It was mostly meant to embrace thepositive contributions, but did not gloss over the East German versus West German differences as well as citing those in film and television forced out of the country like true Hollywood star, Marlene Dietrich who became a US citizen just before the outbreak of WWII.
We set out for the Brandenburg Gate, or Brandenburger Tor station. On the way, we decided to stop at Oranienburger Strasse to see the Neue Synagoge, or the New Synagogue. Although it is now a Museum, built between 1859-1866, this building has seen a lot history. In fact, it is probably a miracle that any of it is left standing. I cannot begin to explain the feeling inside. Hans and I found a spot in the remaining structure that was acoustically amplified (a point of resonance). It was so refreshing to know that a part of the beauty of the old structure had survived.
While traveling on the trains around Berlin, one of the first things that Hans brought to my attention was how the names had been changed. In some cases, the old name is still present in Old English font from when the Nazi’s held control of the city. The process of updating and changing the stations is still ongoing, but it is a testament, along with the broken structures and unfilled bullet holes, that wars leave marks that are not easily erased.
The Brandenburg Gate is a significant marker of the war this city had survived. Walking across the same ground that was marched upon in allegiance with the Nazi regime taking power in Berlin feels surreal. You look around at the normalcy of the area. The gate is clearly the centerpiece of the embassies of so many countries, France, the United States, Hungary, Britain, that have recently reestablished residency in their former locations from before WWII. The street has a line in the pavement two bricks wide as a placeholder to remind anyone who walks there of where the Berlin Wall once stood. The Soviet War Memorial (Tiergarten) was built in 1945 and sits clearly on the Western side of the city. Once the wall was raised, a Russian soldier was tasked to move from East Berlin to West Berlin throughout the Cold War until the wall fell in 1989.
Hans, the excellent-historically-well-rounded-tour-guide-brother-of-mine, lead us to two places that I cannot do any justice to in writing. The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, or Denkmal für die ermordeten Juden Europas, consists of concrete slabs arranged on a sloping field in a grid pattern. Walking between each slab, you slip further into the maze of taller, and taller structures.; cold, anonymous and seemingly identical. In the middle of a bustling city at what seems to be just a typical intersection in Friedrichstadt, you can lose yourself. But then, maybe add to the overwhelming effect of this vast exhibition, sits the site of Hitler’s bunker. There is a single sign that provides the history of the site, but it now serves as a parking lot. No glorification. No value. Just enough to never forget. I will always appreciate Hans for taking me here. But he also knows that you cannot spend every moment in Berlin remembering these dark times.
This outing was in need of some lighter moments and some dinner. A bratwurst seemed the most traditional answer, and it was quickly followed by a trip to Museum Island – five museums on an island in the River Spree. I was happy to explore the Greek and Roman collections of the Altes Museum (Old Museum). At this point, the day had caught up to me. After being chased by a bee who thought my scarf was a giant flower and being mistaken for a native, Hans and I called it a night.
Breakfast the next morning was, again, delicious and followed by a long nap. Finding ourselves in mid-afternoon, we headed out for Museum Island. First, I found myself drawn to the 19th Century German and impressionist paintings of the Alte National Galerie (Old National Gallery). Manet, Monet and Renoir; it was like taking a deep breath. One of the highlights of my day came after weaving through the maze that is the Neues Museum to find the bust of Egyptian Queen Nefertiti. She sits alone in her own room gazing into the distance. She seems present somehow, and beautiful, living up to her reputation.
Hans and I met back up to explore the Berliner Dom and the crypt full of German royals and aristocracy. We grabbed some dinner and took a short trip to the DDR Museum that focuses on life behind the wall. It’s so interactive that the picture of daily life in Socialism is very real. So real, in fact, that a trip to H&M and the current world of Capitalism was necessary. An evening in with The King’s Speech (highly recommended) and some sleep meant one day left in Berlin.
After breakfast, Hans and I split up. He spent the day at the German History Museum while I traversed the maze of Hackescher Markt and the wonderfully illogical address numbering I discovered great restaurants and shopping for about an hour and then stumbled upon the museum I was looking for, the Anne Frank Zentrum. It is a celebration of her life with honest parallels to teenagers living in Berlin now. Considering that the film they presented was in German, I was pretty proud of my self for following. As I left, it was rainy and cold. Vietnamese food and a new jacket helped, but missing Hans at the station and finding my way back to the hotel on my own proved easier than I thought (thank goodness).
My brother has seemingly endless energy, and he wanted me to experience Berlin at night. We went to one of the most exclusive dance clubs in Europe. It was shocking we even made it in after waiting in line over an hour. It’s a converted warehouse from East Germany. All the original structure remains and the club is built around it. We stayed long enough to stay awake until it was time to leave for the airport. I truly believe Hans has a reserve energy source I don’t know about. It was another long travel day with a plane full of German school children. But, we landed in London where we had to say goodbye all too soon.
The days leading up to check-in at the student center I’ve been spending in Crystal Palace on top of Gipsy Hill. My wonderful host, Michael, has been very hospitable and the town, just south of London, is beautiful. Lovely restaurants and shops, plus plenty of time to write my blog, catch up with everyone and rest. I’ve learned that dresses are not intended for windy days. So finding a thrift shop and spending less than 10 pounds for a shirt and pants was great. It made the trip into London through Covent Garden (theater-land), Soho, Regent Street passed Piccadilly Circus, Big Ben, Trafalgar’s Square, the horse guards where the royals came out for the wedding, and the residence of the Prime Minister a lot warmer .
My advice: don’t forget to pack for Berlin AND London when you drop-off your suitcase!
Monday, June 20, 2011
NYC
It's amazing what you can do in a week. It feels like I was just in New York.
I can't say enough about the crazy-good time I had with Festival Singers and my New York friends! It all started with such a rush. Getting up ridiculously early that Thursday after just leaving my classroom for the summer the day before, enjoying the new body scan before 6am and finding my cab ride into the city to be extremely New York. Once we settled into the hotel, it was basically time for our pre-concert rehearsal after a stop at Whole Foods for dinner :) The church, Christ & St. Stephen's Church on the Upper West Side, had such a beautiful sound that it almost made up for the heat. But the overwhelming freedom I felt during the concert was completely worth it. The audience was so supportive. We really could not have asked for better. Looking out into the crowd to see the smiling faces of friends that I just don't see often enough made it even more special.
On the way back to the hotel we passed Ethan Stiefel, from the movie Center Stage, leaving that evening's performance of the ballet. I know I was bit alone in my state of awe (once a dancer, I guess), but leave it to Lindsay to indulge me. Lindsay, as you will see, is the best tour guide on the planet. She took me up the steps to Lincoln Center leaving our group to finish their walk back. She showed me pictures of one of the dancers she was friends with when she lived in the city. I can't describe how elated I was to not just be standing there, but to be so close to my childhood dreams. They may be long gone from my reality, but I don't ever want to forget them especially when it's still so inspiring.
Friday started with our morning rehearsal with the other choirs in Church of St. Paul the Apostle also on the Upper West Side a block from the hotel. So many voices in such a large, beautiful setting had it's challenges, but you couldn't deny how cool it was to have a built-in sustain pedal. No piece ever really cut-off. It would just keep ringing. Gorgeous.
Lunch took us on the hunt for sushi. Justin (Mr. Havard) lead us to Hell's Kitchen to a place called Bamboo 52. Delicious!!
Lunch took us on the hunt for sushi. Justin (Mr. Havard) lead us to Hell's Kitchen to a place called Bamboo 52. Delicious!!
After lunch, we all split up. My half of the group decided to explore since we had Lindsay with us to keep us out of any dark alleys. We saw this gorgeous park, Paley Park, right off of 5th Avenue. It's squashed between two buildings and while not belonging there it makes perfect sense to have this oasis, waterfall and all.
Then it was off to H&M. My favorite!
Except for the fact that it was torture. As I had already packed for London, I had zero space let alone weight allowance in my suitcase. I narrowly missed a huge fee ($90!!) for overweight luggage due to a computer glitch on the flight to NYC. How could I buy more clothes?! However, I did find a dress that would clearly roll up small enough and weigh very little that Elizabeth (Mrs. Richter) insisted I buy. Problem solved :)
Then it was off to H&M. My favorite!
Except for the fact that it was torture. As I had already packed for London, I had zero space let alone weight allowance in my suitcase. I narrowly missed a huge fee ($90!!) for overweight luggage due to a computer glitch on the flight to NYC. How could I buy more clothes?! However, I did find a dress that would clearly roll up small enough and weigh very little that Elizabeth (Mrs. Richter) insisted I buy. Problem solved :)
With what energy we had left, we took a detour through Rockefeller Center. Mistake! Found Anthropologie. Great. Knowing it's what my heart wants, but my bank account won't allow it.
After a sad walk-through, we decided to eat our feelings at the Magnolia Bakery.
After a sad walk-through, we decided to eat our feelings at the Magnolia Bakery.
The concert that night was a lot of fun and very well received despite a very popular Thai fighting match in the basement of the church.
Afterword, it was time to hit the town. Our rather late visit to S'mac almost didn't happen, but they let us in and I strongly believe I will never have mac 'n cheese that good until I go there again.
Then we were off to a rooftop spot, 230 5th Avenue, with some of the most beautiful, panoramic views of the Empire State Building, Chyrsler Building and the rest of Manhattan's east side.
Afterword, it was time to hit the town. Our rather late visit to S'mac almost didn't happen, but they let us in and I strongly believe I will never have mac 'n cheese that good until I go there again.
Then we were off to a rooftop spot, 230 5th Avenue, with some of the most beautiful, panoramic views of the Empire State Building, Chyrsler Building and the rest of Manhattan's east side.
The next morning it was the end of our choir tour, but not New York. Rush tickets to How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying starring Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) and John Larroquette were totally worth waking up early and standing in line for over an hour for our matinee $30 orchestra seats 6 rows back!
They were phenomenal!! Daniel Radcliffe can no longer be considered solely an actor. His voice was surprisingly good. This part was a great choice for him vocally. Also, he held his own with some fantastic dancers. He was rather athletic between all the jumping, foot-work and even handstands. Impressive. And John Larroquette was a stand out hit completely earning the Tony he received the very next evening.
Then it was off to an aftershow late lunch at John's Pizzeria. Yummy :)
Not to be overshadowed by a stop at the Alvin Ailey studios. *sigh*
They were phenomenal!! Daniel Radcliffe can no longer be considered solely an actor. His voice was surprisingly good. This part was a great choice for him vocally. Also, he held his own with some fantastic dancers. He was rather athletic between all the jumping, foot-work and even handstands. Impressive. And John Larroquette was a stand out hit completely earning the Tony he received the very next evening.
Then it was off to an aftershow late lunch at John's Pizzeria. Yummy :)
Not to be overshadowed by a stop at the Alvin Ailey studios. *sigh*
Later that night, we waited like little girls (sorry Kurt) for the co-stars of How to Succeed outside the theater. Not my thing. I eventually gave up taking Elizabeth with me, while Lindsay and Kurt stayed it out. Kurt was the real winner with a photo of John and him.
Lindsay got a far way shot of a hat-hidden Daniel.
But, they met us with their triumph at the only Scottish Pub in NYC, St. Andrews.
Kurt revealed my dance background to the trio playing there, so I can proudly say that in spite of my protests, I danced the Scottish version of the Irish Jig in NYC. Dancing bears, you're welcome.
Lindsay got a far way shot of a hat-hidden Daniel.
But, they met us with their triumph at the only Scottish Pub in NYC, St. Andrews.
Kurt revealed my dance background to the trio playing there, so I can proudly say that in spite of my protests, I danced the Scottish version of the Irish Jig in NYC. Dancing bears, you're welcome.
Sunday was a real NYC adventure. We had to say good bye to most of the FSOF that were still in the city, so Lindsay and I set out to explore the city. We began in Union Square to eat brunch at Max Brenner's sinful Chocolate by the Bald Man. I loved it and I don't even like chocolate!
That was followed by some relaxation enjoying Union Square Park and meeting up with Colby and Beth on their way to Babys R Us for their final Baby Carson (aka. NPH Carson) preparations :)
Actual bird that was fascinated by my shoe.
That was followed by some relaxation enjoying Union Square Park and meeting up with Colby and Beth on their way to Babys R Us for their final Baby Carson (aka. NPH Carson) preparations :)
Actual bird that was fascinated by my shoe.
Central Park was the next stop to have any chance of working off brunch. We went also to find a park within the park even Lindsay had only heard about, the Conservatory Garden. Located on the north end of the park, this place seems so secluded from city around it.
We wondered for bit and got in trouble for cartwheeling on the grass (Oops! Didn't see the sign).
Then walked east to west across the park to find the subway and send Lindsay on her way after some Gray's Papaya and we even stumbled upon the Beacon Theater the morning of the TONY'S!!!
Although I was sad to see my tour guide leave, I couldn't believe I had only started my journey.
We wondered for bit and got in trouble for cartwheeling on the grass (Oops! Didn't see the sign).
Then walked east to west across the park to find the subway and send Lindsay on her way after some Gray's Papaya and we even stumbled upon the Beacon Theater the morning of the TONY'S!!!
Although I was sad to see my tour guide leave, I couldn't believe I had only started my journey.
I spent the last two days eating delicious Indian food hoping to meet NPH Carson before I left, writing my DIS so I could enjoy Berlin and London and enjoying my time with Colby and Beth, the ultimate hosts. I also got a chance to explore a bit of the city on my own and realized that I can use the subway without ending up in Brooklyn. Yay, me!
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Almost ready...
I'm finally getting my stuff together. It is seriously overwhelming to feel prepared for all of this! But, I must say that I'm totally excited and would love any advice people might have for what happens when I inevitably forget something and don't want to pay out the ears to replace it. I would also love to hear from everyone about places to eat, the free stuff and anything else you think might be helpful.
Honestly, as nuts as I feel right now trying to get everything finished at the end of the school year and moving into the new place just to pack up and leave on this fabulous trip, I still feel amazingly lucky to be going! Every time I go to find something for this trip and tell someone about it, they get excited for me. I am SO LUCKY!
Honestly, as nuts as I feel right now trying to get everything finished at the end of the school year and moving into the new place just to pack up and leave on this fabulous trip, I still feel amazingly lucky to be going! Every time I go to find something for this trip and tell someone about it, they get excited for me. I am SO LUCKY!
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Stay in the loop
In my search for a way to include my family, friends, co-workers and students on my summer adventure, I found that a blog made the most sense. I will be the first to admit, I am not really a blogger, but I'm so excited that I'm willing to give it a try!
For those of you that don't know, I have been attending Florida State University the last two summers to get my Masters of Music Education. I will be finished with my studies this August after spending this summer, my third summer, in London. What started out as a scholastic endeavor has morphed into a journey I never could have predicted.
The last day of the school year for students is June 8th. I leave for New York City the morning of the 9th packed for my 6 weeks in London. I am a proud member of the Festival Singers of Florida, and our first tour is the first leg of my trip. After some wonderful performing experiences, typical tourism behavior and visiting with friends, I will be leaving from there to head to London on the 14th to meet my brother, Hans. We plan to spend a fair amount of time exploring London (which is new for both of us) and then my awesome, history-buff of a brother will take me around one of his most beloved cities from his travels, Berlin.
Eventually, the purpose for my trip comes about when Hans heads back to the states and it's time to get to work. I am a big fan of school, so I'm very much looking forward to my time with two amazing professors, Dr. Andre Thomas and Dr. Clifford Madsen. In between their time with us in London, we have week to travel and weekends off. I'm hoping to get to Ireland and Scotland for the week, and I can only imagine where the weekends may take me. I have learned about so many people that I could have the privilege of running into across the pond that I'd like to leave a little bit to chance.
Once I have achieved my official status as a Master Teacher, I get to spend the last two weeks of my time abroad with my family in Canada. On the last day of July, I will fly through NYC to Montreal to get in a car to drive up to Hudson. I will FINALLY get to see Aunt Helen and Uncle Gordie on their side of the border.
I haven't quite wrapped my mind around all of it, but I know that it will be amazing! Just writing it all out is a bit overwhelming, but in the way that a child anticipates Christmas morning, so that's good.
For those of you that don't know, I have been attending Florida State University the last two summers to get my Masters of Music Education. I will be finished with my studies this August after spending this summer, my third summer, in London. What started out as a scholastic endeavor has morphed into a journey I never could have predicted.
The last day of the school year for students is June 8th. I leave for New York City the morning of the 9th packed for my 6 weeks in London. I am a proud member of the Festival Singers of Florida, and our first tour is the first leg of my trip. After some wonderful performing experiences, typical tourism behavior and visiting with friends, I will be leaving from there to head to London on the 14th to meet my brother, Hans. We plan to spend a fair amount of time exploring London (which is new for both of us) and then my awesome, history-buff of a brother will take me around one of his most beloved cities from his travels, Berlin.
Eventually, the purpose for my trip comes about when Hans heads back to the states and it's time to get to work. I am a big fan of school, so I'm very much looking forward to my time with two amazing professors, Dr. Andre Thomas and Dr. Clifford Madsen. In between their time with us in London, we have week to travel and weekends off. I'm hoping to get to Ireland and Scotland for the week, and I can only imagine where the weekends may take me. I have learned about so many people that I could have the privilege of running into across the pond that I'd like to leave a little bit to chance.
Once I have achieved my official status as a Master Teacher, I get to spend the last two weeks of my time abroad with my family in Canada. On the last day of July, I will fly through NYC to Montreal to get in a car to drive up to Hudson. I will FINALLY get to see Aunt Helen and Uncle Gordie on their side of the border.
I haven't quite wrapped my mind around all of it, but I know that it will be amazing! Just writing it all out is a bit overwhelming, but in the way that a child anticipates Christmas morning, so that's good.
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