Morningglory47

Sorry to hear about your purse - I'd help you slap him/her if I could (and the thief was found). It's just the worse feeling to lose your wallet. The time mine was taken it was found (empty, of course) in the men's room in the movie house where it was taken.

I saw Red...it WAS strange but kept me interested watching for the Toronto locations..not that it was supposed to be TO.

goddesstogo

oh yes, that was fun! I knew it as soon as I saw the lobby of the Royal York!

Morningglory47

The Ref Library as the Library of Congress or something caught my eye.

I wonder how crazy it would be to book a flight to London for THAT April wedding ... a friend suggested it and I was already thinking about it...

hsv

hi gtg,

I am sorry to get back only now (crazy busy this week) and I am even more sorry that I cannot do Thu, 25 Nov.
I am much more flexible next week - let me know when it is convenient for you.

goddesstogo

OK, hsv, I'll take a look.

goddesstogo

Hi hsv,
How about Wednesday, December 1?

So, just to catch up...yesterday we spent the whole afternoon at the British Library's Evolving English exhibit which was just great! Aside from the historic documents, there a lots of listening stations where you can hear snippets of various accents, slang, idiom, and music sung in English of a variety of styles and accents. I learned so many fun things. My favourite is this: "Why do they call a ten-pound note a Pavarotti?" "Because he was a tenor." There was also a great film with a bunch of clips from TV comedy shows including the Two Ronnies, Pete and Dud, Groucho Marx, and The Black Adder. I loved the Two Ronnies Mastermind skit. It's really a good exhibit and certainly worth a visit but leave a lot of time for it. I'm going back because I wanted to add my voice to the Voice Bank. We ended up the day with a good fish dinner at our favourite, North Sea Fish.

Today our Toronto friends came up to our place for a glass of wine and a nibble before we went to the Salvation Army Christmas Concert at the Royal Albert Hall. It was like old times for me. I worked for the SA for 12 years and have been to about a bazillion concerts but none as glamorous as this one. There was a huge choir and the ubiquitous SA band, several soloists, and a handful of British actors. Not a tambourine in sight which was a little disappointing because I wanted them to do a tambourine and ribbon thing I've seen only once, years ago. The real star of the show, though, was the Royal Albert Hall which is so opulent and gorgeous and when everyone stood up to bellow out the Christmas carols accompanied by the brass band, it was just fabulous!

We have a brand new opera house at home and I know I should feel lucky that we have it and an opera company and an audience that supports both but our brand new opera house is so plain and bland. The acoustics are good, yes, but geez louise, there's absolutely nothing even ornate, forget about opulent. It's beige. That's all. Just beige.

I was also very interested in a beautiful building next to the RAH which turned out to be the Royal Institute of Organists (or something like that; the Royal and Organists parts are right but I'm not sure about the Institute part).

Before the concert we walked for a bit on Kensington High Street which was lively with shoppers. I've never explored there so I'm thinking of going back one day.

goddesstogo

oh, I just read this:

"Although the building used to house the RCO, it doesn't any more. They moved to Birmingham some time ago - 1990 according to their website. The building is now a private residence."

Wow. What a house. Here it is:
http://www.victorianweb.org/art/arch...re/misc/5.html

emily71

"Before the concert we walked for a bit on Kensington High Street which was lively with shoppers. I've never explored there so I'm thinking of going back one day."

Used to stay around that area and the shopping is quite nice, with a fair sized M&S by the Tube station as well as many high street store shops. Used to walk up to Holland Park and back.

Glad you're enjoying the North Sea Fish(I try to go to their takeaway every time I'm in London to feel like a local

I've always wanted to see a concert in RAH-almost went to a Prom but it wasn't to be. Very opulent and gorgeous but I've heard the acoustics can be pretty bad. Glad to hear that wasn't the case. Did you hear the organ, which is supposed to sound incredible?

Still enjoying your reports and living vicariously!

jent103

During my semester in London, there was some sort of benefit concert (breast cancer, maybe?) at RAH. They were doing Beethoven's 9th - it was some sort of a community effort, and some of my friends from university actually got to sing with them, as they'd done the symphony that spring with our university choirs. Several of the rest of us went to watch. Such a fun night - I mean, to be able to say you sang there!

goddesstogo

OMG, jent -- I didn't think of that! Now I can say I sang at RAH!

emily, yes, we could hear the organ. And I was pleased with our seats which were in the stalls a nice distance from the stage. And they swivelled!

WHampstead

Kensington High St is one of the nicer and calmer shopping streets in central London (and a 328 bus ride takes you back to your front door!). Will mail you about next week - great that you can come.

Very sad local news today - the Luminaire (sorry you didn't like the band when you went) is closing at the end of the year. Just not making enough money. It's a real shame - was actually a trending topic on Twitter in the UK today.

alihutch

The RAH is amazing and especially so when empty...the big 'mushrooms' in the ceiling were put up there to improve the acoustics

I played there with my youth orchrestra when I was 18 and have worked there a couple of times

goddesstogo

Oh, I'm sorry to hear that about the Luminaire! I didn't care for that particular band but I'm sure there are others I would have liked. It's so sad when a live music small venue closes, isn't it.

hsv

1 Dec. is cool with me. We can do either lunch or (pre-) dinner drinks. I am flexible on location. Work in Mayfair, but can come to other locations. I you have any preference let me know - also e-mail if more convenient.

goddesstogo

hi hsv,
That works out perfectly. I'm having lunch with Jamikins in the City so why don't you join us? We can have a mini-GTG! And you'll love Jamie. We've been out with her and her husband, bikerscott, a couple of times now. I'm not sure my SO will come. Maybe. We'll see.

We're meeting near St. Paul's at 1:00. It would be great if you could come but if that's not convenient, I'll still be in town and would love to come meet you for pre-dinner drinks anywhere you like.

What do you think?

goddesstogo

Today we did the London Walk called "Legal and Illegal London: The Inns of Court". It was very interesting particularly because our guide had memorized many passages out of Dickens and popped them in at appropriate places on the route. We visited the four Inns and saw many beautiful buildings and courtyards and stepped into the Temple Church for a few minutes to see the effigies of the Knights. I'm not at all sure I understand the Outer, Middle and Inner Temples, though. One of the high points for me was stopping at the shop that makes the wigs and robes for the barristers and judges. They actually still make those wigs in the basement of that shop!

The tour ended up in front of the Royal Courts of Justice building. It was just before 4 p.m. when (we were told) most of the courts close for the day but we did go in to one of the courtrooms to watch a few moments of a trial. It didn't seem to be a very interesting case but it was definitely interesting to be in the courtroom itself and in the beautiful building. Also, I have to admit, nice to sit down in a warm place for a few minutes because it was a long walk on a nippy day! We had a drink at The George across the road and then took the tube back to our own neighbourhood and had dinner again at that strange-looking pub on Kilburn High Road, The Black Lion -- but oh my what good food it has!

hsv

01 dec lunch at 01.00 h sounds good! let me know where.

goddesstogo

Oh, I'm so glad, hsv! We're meeting at 10 Gresham Street which Jamie says is just north of St. Pauls and Cheapside. On Google, it looks like an office building, not a restaurant, so maybe that's where Jamie works. Let's meet inside the front doors at 1:00.

Jamie, is that right -- it's your office building?

jent103

Oh, I loved that Legal/Illegal London walk! I did it in June. We didn't get to hear a trial, but the walk was fascinating, I thought.

goddesstogo

I think I'm going to do the Kensington Walk next. Also a good excuse to do a little shopping there, doncha think?

Today we lazed around in the morning, went to Harry Morgan's for lunch and then went to see The American. Feh. SO liked it. I thought it was cliche-ridden and boring. Yes, all small-town Italian hookers look like models as do all women who buy weapons. How come in movies weapons procurers are never ugly old broads?