goddesstogo and mr. goddess's big London adventure (an ongoing tale)
Oct 7th, 2010, 07:34 AM
#281
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We took a long, long walk today. We hadn't explored St. John's Wood yet so we took the tube there and then walked up and down the very pleasant High Street. We stopped for lunch at a nice little cafe called Gail's on Circus Road just near St. John's Road where I had a delicious sandwich and successfully by-passed the great looking pastries. Then I walked the High Street again, stopping in at the charity shops (where I bought 2 necklaces for 12 pounds). I picked my SO up at Starbucks and we walked home along Grove End Road and down Abbey Road and West End Lane. Gmap pedometer tells me I walked 4.42 miles today. SO did 3.5 more than that at the gym this morning.
I was surprisingly touched by the wall outside the Abbey Road Studio. I'm not really that much of a contemporary music person -- not the kind of person who has music on all the time -- but the Beatles were definitely part of my life. It was quite touching to read the messages written on the wall and nice to see that there were no mean or angry messages, just thanks and love, etc.
You can find us on Abbey Road:
For the next 24 hours if you go to this website
http://www.abbeyroad.com/visit/
and click on the hours 2 to 3 pm
and then move the scroll bar below the photo to 2:07
you'll see us walking home down Abbey Road and stopping to read the wall in front of the recording studio. We start at the upper left hand quadrant, crossing that street and then we walk across Abbey Road to the lower right hand of the screen. I'm wearing a red vest and SO's wearing a honey-coloured jacket.
We're there from about 2:07:20 to 2:08:35 p.m. Let me know if you see us!
I was surprisingly touched by the wall outside the Abbey Road Studio. I'm not really that much of a contemporary music person -- not the kind of person who has music on all the time -- but the Beatles were definitely part of my life. It was quite touching to read the messages written on the wall and nice to see that there were no mean or angry messages, just thanks and love, etc.
You can find us on Abbey Road:
For the next 24 hours if you go to this website
http://www.abbeyroad.com/visit/
and click on the hours 2 to 3 pm
and then move the scroll bar below the photo to 2:07
you'll see us walking home down Abbey Road and stopping to read the wall in front of the recording studio. We start at the upper left hand quadrant, crossing that street and then we walk across Abbey Road to the lower right hand of the screen. I'm wearing a red vest and SO's wearing a honey-coloured jacket.
We're there from about 2:07:20 to 2:08:35 p.m. Let me know if you see us!
Oct 7th, 2010, 10:58 AM
#283
Saw you !
Just now on the live feed there was an idiot driver who apparently drove too far up the road (just into the zebra crossing) so he backed up (against traffic) back beyond camera range.
I've watched this cam before and it is funny to see all the different groups in the crossing.
Must have been nice today - saw 3 Mini roadsters w/ their tops down . . . .
Just now on the live feed there was an idiot driver who apparently drove too far up the road (just into the zebra crossing) so he backed up (against traffic) back beyond camera range.
I've watched this cam before and it is funny to see all the different groups in the crossing.
Must have been nice today - saw 3 Mini roadsters w/ their tops down . . . .
Oct 8th, 2010, 01:40 AM
#285
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I feel the same way -- I hardly got to chat to Patrick or ssachida at all. I hope we'll be able to do it again sometime before we leave London in December and then maybe some of the f'ites who couldn't make it last night will be able to come. Jamikin's has mentioned November on the GTG thread.
It's wonderful and rare that you get to meet people who -- I don't exactly know how to explain it -- but they're like your real friends right from the start, if you know what I mean. That's what last night was like.
Oh, and once again, congratulations to Scott who, as of yesterday, is a British citizen! Good on ya, Scott!
It's wonderful and rare that you get to meet people who -- I don't exactly know how to explain it -- but they're like your real friends right from the start, if you know what I mean. That's what last night was like.
Oh, and once again, congratulations to Scott who, as of yesterday, is a British citizen! Good on ya, Scott!
Oct 8th, 2010, 03:27 AM
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I have been following you report regularly from the sidelines but today decided to send you a message.
Thank you for giving us that Abbey Road scene - Saw you!! Your husband is tall like mine and just as grey....
Do you know if Bloom's, 90 Whitechapel High street,E1 -Tel:0712476001 - is still going? It's near petticoat Lane.
Also The Kosher Luncheon Club, Morris Kasler Hall, 13 Greatorex str.,E1 -Tel:0712470039.
Have you ever been to either?
Thank you for giving us that Abbey Road scene - Saw you!! Your husband is tall like mine and just as grey....
Do you know if Bloom's, 90 Whitechapel High street,E1 -Tel:0712476001 - is still going? It's near petticoat Lane.
Also The Kosher Luncheon Club, Morris Kasler Hall, 13 Greatorex str.,E1 -Tel:0712470039.
Have you ever been to either?
Oct 8th, 2010, 08:16 PM
#293
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goddess, I just had a chance to catch up on your wonderful thread. It's almost as good as being in London myself. Okay, I jest, I'd love to be there again too, but it is a lovely read. I'm way behind but there were lots of things I wanted to comment on as I went along.
My daughter was a great fan of stirrup pants in her teens. Are they back? I always check out charity shops too. Sometimes I find books to add to British series I'm collecting but I've also come across interesting costume jewelry and great children's clothing.
I'm seeing lots of big scarves around Toronto too this year. However, if a flat chest is the secret to making them look great - well, you're never going to pull it off!
We saw Billy Elliot in London in June. My husband was quite shocked at all the swearing with so many young people in the audience. Perhaps it's good that you couldn't understand what they were saying. It looked like some entire ballet classes were there for the Saturday matinee.
My grandkids loved Nany McPhee with Emma Thomson and thought the sequel was even better than the original, perhaps because of the pulchritudinous piglets. You can see them in the trailer to Nany McPhee returns: http://www.nannymcphee.com/main.html#/video
When Emma was on Craig Ferguson promoting this movie, she revealed that she had a home in Argyle. It happens to be in Dunoon, a Victorian resort town along the Firth of Clyde, where my cousin Alasdair lives. He and his wife were trying to build an extension to their house and discovered that all the construction workers were employed by Emma!
taconictraveler, thanks for remembering me and my Dordogne trip report! I really should post here more often.
My daughter was a great fan of stirrup pants in her teens. Are they back? I always check out charity shops too. Sometimes I find books to add to British series I'm collecting but I've also come across interesting costume jewelry and great children's clothing.
I'm seeing lots of big scarves around Toronto too this year. However, if a flat chest is the secret to making them look great - well, you're never going to pull it off!
We saw Billy Elliot in London in June. My husband was quite shocked at all the swearing with so many young people in the audience. Perhaps it's good that you couldn't understand what they were saying. It looked like some entire ballet classes were there for the Saturday matinee.
My grandkids loved Nany McPhee with Emma Thomson and thought the sequel was even better than the original, perhaps because of the pulchritudinous piglets. You can see them in the trailer to Nany McPhee returns: http://www.nannymcphee.com/main.html#/video
When Emma was on Craig Ferguson promoting this movie, she revealed that she had a home in Argyle. It happens to be in Dunoon, a Victorian resort town along the Firth of Clyde, where my cousin Alasdair lives. He and his wife were trying to build an extension to their house and discovered that all the construction workers were employed by Emma!
taconictraveler, thanks for remembering me and my Dordogne trip report! I really should post here more often.
Oct 9th, 2010, 02:55 AM
#294
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Hi, moolyn -- nice to hear from you. I've been reading about the Toronto GTG and it sounds like you had a great time. I'll be there next year for sure!
Re John Lennon's birthday, if you haven't already seen it, Google has a John Lennon Google Doodle on their home page. I remember where I was when I heard about John Lennon's death -- in a cab in San Francisco and we heard it on the cabbie's radio. When my oldest niece was 13, I took her to NYC and remember pointing out the Dakota to her.
flygirl, we've had great weather. We've only had a few rainy days and in fact, yesterday was almost like summer.
tod, yes, he's grey. When I met him, he had this huge dark brown moustache. Now it's a huge grey moustache. Where has the time gone? We haven't been to either Blooms or the Kosher Luncheon Club but will look them both up -- thanks for those suggestions.
landineen, we don't have to wait for a GTG to meet in London. We could just get together for lunch or dinner if you don't get here for the bigger GTG. And yes, let's do a GTG in Buffalo but not till next summer. Unless forced at gunpoint, I don't go to Buffalo in the winter but we're there at least once in the summer. Our day is pretty much always the same -- lunch at TGIF on Transit Road at Main, then some shopping at Syms and maybe a walk around the Walden Galleria, then dinner at the grill near the ballpark, then a 7 pm ballgame. It's the ballgame that we really come for. I practically grew up in Buffalo because when I was a little girl I spent summers in Crystal Beach, across Lake Erie. I remember going to Lobby's Old Spain and a restaurant called the Mayfair for 'chow mein' (which I'm sure came out of a tin). Ahhh-- Buffalo memories!
Yesterday was a nice day but the evening -- not so good. SO went to the library and I wanted to go for a long walk. I used WHampstead's suggestion of Englands Lane as a starting point, so I took the C11 bus just past that. The weather was gorgeous and it was a great day for a walk. I walked down Englands Lane stopping for the requisite cup of coffee in a busy cafe. (Lots of good looking men in that cafe -- I had plenty of eye candy to look at!)
I walked to Primrose Hill and up to the top of the rise to see the great view of London, then through Regent's Park, the beautiful rose garden, and down to Queen Mary's Gardens. En route, I passed a restaurant called The Honest Sausage (is there also The Deceitful Sausage?).
I left the park and walked along Marlybone to the Baker Street station and went to Knightsbridge. I wanted to go back to Harrod's to see if I could find some small but special gifts. Normally I'd just bring back the usual chocolates, etc. but we have four friends who are just wonderful -- they're taking turns visiting SO's mom at her seniors' home while we're away, so I'd like to bring back something a little special for them. I want something small, light, non-breakable, easily packable. I was thinking of little coffee spoons or something like that. It doesn't have to be made in London but obviously from here (e.g. Harrod's packaging). I didn't see anything but did get a few ideas.
By that time it was 2 or 3and I was tired and hungry. This is where the problem starts. I didn't want to walk any farther so I decided to have a small lunch at Harrod's dim sum bar. I just had two things and then did a few more hours of walking around and then went to meet SO at Prezzo beside the Portrait Gallery. This was to be my gift evening to him -- dinner and then a candlelit concert of baroque music at St. Martin-in-the-Fields. Sounds nice, yes?
No. We were planning to meet at 6 and I got there about a quarter to. I'd just sat down and ordered a coke and suddenly I didn't feel well. I asked the server to keep an eye out for SO while I went up to the toilet. To make an already too long story short, we never did get to either dinner or the concert. Something I ate at Harrod's didn't land so well and I spent the next two hours in the toilet stall throwing up into the little sink that was (fortunately for me) in there. The restaurant was great. The server kept coming upstairs with water and ice and paper napkins and my poor SO stood in the toilet stall with me for all that time. We ended up taking a cab home (me armed with plastic bags) and barely made it here before I was over the bathroom sink again. Anyway, I slept and feel much better now -- just a little light-headed. We're sticking close to home today but I'm hoping to feel well enough to go out dancing tonight.
Re John Lennon's birthday, if you haven't already seen it, Google has a John Lennon Google Doodle on their home page. I remember where I was when I heard about John Lennon's death -- in a cab in San Francisco and we heard it on the cabbie's radio. When my oldest niece was 13, I took her to NYC and remember pointing out the Dakota to her.
flygirl, we've had great weather. We've only had a few rainy days and in fact, yesterday was almost like summer.
tod, yes, he's grey. When I met him, he had this huge dark brown moustache. Now it's a huge grey moustache. Where has the time gone? We haven't been to either Blooms or the Kosher Luncheon Club but will look them both up -- thanks for those suggestions.
landineen, we don't have to wait for a GTG to meet in London. We could just get together for lunch or dinner if you don't get here for the bigger GTG. And yes, let's do a GTG in Buffalo but not till next summer. Unless forced at gunpoint, I don't go to Buffalo in the winter but we're there at least once in the summer. Our day is pretty much always the same -- lunch at TGIF on Transit Road at Main, then some shopping at Syms and maybe a walk around the Walden Galleria, then dinner at the grill near the ballpark, then a 7 pm ballgame. It's the ballgame that we really come for. I practically grew up in Buffalo because when I was a little girl I spent summers in Crystal Beach, across Lake Erie. I remember going to Lobby's Old Spain and a restaurant called the Mayfair for 'chow mein' (which I'm sure came out of a tin). Ahhh-- Buffalo memories!
Yesterday was a nice day but the evening -- not so good. SO went to the library and I wanted to go for a long walk. I used WHampstead's suggestion of Englands Lane as a starting point, so I took the C11 bus just past that. The weather was gorgeous and it was a great day for a walk. I walked down Englands Lane stopping for the requisite cup of coffee in a busy cafe. (Lots of good looking men in that cafe -- I had plenty of eye candy to look at!)
I walked to Primrose Hill and up to the top of the rise to see the great view of London, then through Regent's Park, the beautiful rose garden, and down to Queen Mary's Gardens. En route, I passed a restaurant called The Honest Sausage (is there also The Deceitful Sausage?).
I left the park and walked along Marlybone to the Baker Street station and went to Knightsbridge. I wanted to go back to Harrod's to see if I could find some small but special gifts. Normally I'd just bring back the usual chocolates, etc. but we have four friends who are just wonderful -- they're taking turns visiting SO's mom at her seniors' home while we're away, so I'd like to bring back something a little special for them. I want something small, light, non-breakable, easily packable. I was thinking of little coffee spoons or something like that. It doesn't have to be made in London but obviously from here (e.g. Harrod's packaging). I didn't see anything but did get a few ideas.
By that time it was 2 or 3and I was tired and hungry. This is where the problem starts. I didn't want to walk any farther so I decided to have a small lunch at Harrod's dim sum bar. I just had two things and then did a few more hours of walking around and then went to meet SO at Prezzo beside the Portrait Gallery. This was to be my gift evening to him -- dinner and then a candlelit concert of baroque music at St. Martin-in-the-Fields. Sounds nice, yes?
No. We were planning to meet at 6 and I got there about a quarter to. I'd just sat down and ordered a coke and suddenly I didn't feel well. I asked the server to keep an eye out for SO while I went up to the toilet. To make an already too long story short, we never did get to either dinner or the concert. Something I ate at Harrod's didn't land so well and I spent the next two hours in the toilet stall throwing up into the little sink that was (fortunately for me) in there. The restaurant was great. The server kept coming upstairs with water and ice and paper napkins and my poor SO stood in the toilet stall with me for all that time. We ended up taking a cab home (me armed with plastic bags) and barely made it here before I was over the bathroom sink again. Anyway, I slept and feel much better now -- just a little light-headed. We're sticking close to home today but I'm hoping to feel well enough to go out dancing tonight.
Oct 9th, 2010, 04:02 AM
#295
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goddess, I can't imagine being in London without my trusty A to Z, tattered and torn as it is. A British friend, and former Londoner, thought it was hilarious when a kindly American came to her rescue - he thought she was lost - with his A to Zee!
My A to Zed will be replaced on our next trip. It's so old that I couldn't find the Globe Theatre on it, let alone the Millenium Bridge! I'm referring to the reconstructed Globe, of course, not the original.
I love that the National Galery is free so that you can nip in and do a different section every time you are in the neighbourhood. After two hours of art, I'm saturated. Our last trip was the first time we visited St. Martin's and the Crypt - we had lunch there. I loved the window!
I was pleased to discover that a nearby favourite pub, the Chandos, with its comfortable upstairs Opera Bar, has been newly restored, because it's a very handy place to meet in that area. It's at the corner of St. Martin's Lane.
My A to Zed will be replaced on our next trip. It's so old that I couldn't find the Globe Theatre on it, let alone the Millenium Bridge! I'm referring to the reconstructed Globe, of course, not the original.
I love that the National Galery is free so that you can nip in and do a different section every time you are in the neighbourhood. After two hours of art, I'm saturated. Our last trip was the first time we visited St. Martin's and the Crypt - we had lunch there. I loved the window!
I was pleased to discover that a nearby favourite pub, the Chandos, with its comfortable upstairs Opera Bar, has been newly restored, because it's a very handy place to meet in that area. It's at the corner of St. Martin's Lane.
Oct 9th, 2010, 05:22 AM
#296
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Oh no. That sucks when something special and much anticipated is ruined by illness. Sorry to hear about it and hope that you're feeling well enough to trip the light fantastic tonight.
Its Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend so have a Happy one.
M
Its Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend so have a Happy one.
M
Oct 9th, 2010, 07:03 AM
#298
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Thanks, I'm feeling almost normal today though it's clearly going to be a tea and dry toast day. I think we will go dancing tonight, though, just maybe take it a bit easy there. The place we're going to is at 18 Old Bailey.
Anyone want to come swing dancing with us tonight? We do it all the time at home and it's fun. If you don't dance, you can give it a try and then sit on the sidelines watching the really good dancers.
moolyn, I noticed Chandos -- maybe when we do a rerun of last night's defunked evening, we'll start there for a drink. Re galleries and museums, it's ridiculous how expensive they are at home! How a family of two adults and a couple of kids can afford to go see the dinosaurs and have a lunch in the cafeteria at the ROM is beyond me.
Anyone want to come swing dancing with us tonight? We do it all the time at home and it's fun. If you don't dance, you can give it a try and then sit on the sidelines watching the really good dancers.
moolyn, I noticed Chandos -- maybe when we do a rerun of last night's defunked evening, we'll start there for a drink. Re galleries and museums, it's ridiculous how expensive they are at home! How a family of two adults and a couple of kids can afford to go see the dinosaurs and have a lunch in the cafeteria at the ROM is beyond me.
Oct 9th, 2010, 01:01 PM
#299
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goddess, so sorry about your illness. That's exactly the kind of reaction I get if I unknowingly have gluten so I can totally relate. It's especially frustrating when you are in the middle of a trip or have a special evening planned. Glad to know you feel back to normal today!
Oct 9th, 2010, 03:26 PM
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Well, you non-dancers missed a great time! The place is called The Firefly and there's three floors of dancing. The top floor is rock and roll, the middle floor is dance lessons, and the downstairs is swing. That's where we spent most of the evening. We go to a place like this at home although the dancefloor there is much bigger and there's always a band, whereas this place had recorded music. We're decent dancers -- the best I can say about us is that you wouldn't notice us on the dancefloor -- but there were some really good dancers to watch tonight. Lots of people dress up in modern/retro (girls in swing skirts with flowers in their hair, guys wearing suspenders, that sort of thing) and everybody dances with everybody, and shows each other steps. It was great and we'll likely go back sometime, so if any of you wants to come...
