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Starspinners' rather, sort of trip report
I'd been harboring illusions about posting my first ever Fodors trip report, however, I've just read PLMN's report of her recent trip to Italy and now my illusions are shattered. Her report is full of incidents and accidents, hints and allegations; it's so funny and interesting. I can't even attempt to write anything remotely as amusing.
OK, so in my report I will just stick to the facts and will toss in a few of my personal observations. :-) Here're the basics: 1. I returned from London on Nov. 3 after having been away from home since Oct. 10. 2. The trip was the 7th annual "girls only" October visit to London. (Sometimes I travel there with my sister, sometimes with a friend, and sometimes solo. My husband, son, and I have been to the UK together, but at other times of the year.) 3. I invited a friend to join me for part of the 2004 trip,this would be her first time in Europe. We decided to spend the first few days in Paris and then made additional plans to visit a French friend who lives in Montpellier. I'd been to Paris before but not to Montpellier. 4. I may post later on about the French portion of our trip, but for now will stick to a few London tidbits. Of course everything was new to my friend ,whom I shall refer to as Ann. She loved the black taxis, I explained how the drivers have to study The Knowledge for 3 years before they can get their cabbie license , she was duly impressed. From that point on Ann was on a mission to spot the would-be-cabbies on scooters as they rode around London writing a detailed description of every street address and the route they took to get there. A funny side note: the cabbie who drove us from Waterloo International to the Morgan Hotel in Bloomsbury wasn't convinced there actually WAS a hotel called the Morgan. Even though I gave him the exact address he questioned if I had meant to say the " Marlborough Hotel" instead of the Morgan. He had never heard of the Morgan ( it's across the street on the diagonal corner from the Marlborough). I laughed and told him I was 99.999 % certain the Morgan was still at # 24 Bloomsbury as I had stayed there for the past 6 years. HE was duly impressed when we pulled up in front of #24 Bloomsbury and I pointed out the Morgan's sign and he laughed, too. Ann and I stayed in the Morgan's annex which is at #40 Bloomsbury... that's the building with the flats. We had the same flat I've always stayed in, it has an entry hall, a sitting room, bedroom, kitchen, water closet with a hand sink, and a decent sized bathroom with a sink. The bedroom can be made up as a twin or as a double. I had hoped the flats would have been refurbished by now, but the Wards, who own and operate the hotel, have been diligently working on the main building for the past 2 years. The main building is all redecorated and refitted. They were just beginning the process of tearing out the basement level rooms in the annex. There are 3 rooms and 4 flats at #40. I have been assured that the work on 'my flat' will be completed before next October. The plan is to turn the existing bathroom into a galley kitchen, turn the existing kitchen into a large bathroom , and to turn the existing W.C. into a closet. I would stay there even if the flat has not been redone ...the location is perfect for me, the Wards are friendly and helpful, and the hotel is spotlessly clean. Breakfast is cooked to order and it's good. The Wards are holding off launching the much anticipated website until all the Morgan's renovations are complete. I can't imagine how difficult it is to keep a hotel operating while it's being renovated. The daily functions of the hotel must go on and the renovations can't impede on the guests' comfort. The Wards are doing an admirable job. My husband and I own a home that was built in 1892, that makes it about 100 years newer than the Morgan. We've lived in the house since 1996 and we've never completely stopped working on it. Redoing the 5 bathrooms caused huge amounts of plaster dust that coated everything and everyone. My costume du jour,for about 4 years, was denim overalls. But I didn't have to keep paying guests happy AND cook breakfast for them while I was in the process of renovating. In fact we had house guests who never got a hot cooked breakfast and who many times were handed a paint brush or a crow bar and put to work. Wow, what good friends we have, and they are still speaking to us! *smile* I've tried to convince myself I should stop telling other people about " my hotel" so that I don't run the risk of finding 'no room at the inn'. :-) However, I will pass along the Morgan's email address, I asked permission to do so. Now people can email [email protected] instead of phoning or faxing for availability and rates. I'll post more later, after lunch, which I sadly have to provide for myself. That's one of the realities of being home , I am the chief cook and bottle washer at my house...so if I want a sandwich and ice tea for lunch, I have to make it myself..no more daily lunches at restaurants..well, until the next vacation. <grin> At least my husband is taking me out to dinner this evening. Judy |
Hi Judy! Thanks for the report.
The flat you stayed in sounds wonderful. I'll have to make of note of it for when I finally make it back to London. Welcome home. |
Thanks Dave,,,you can't have 'my 'flat but there are 3 others to select from. Just kidding. :-)
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Thanks starspinners, don't compare your report with anyone else's. We all have are own style and all are welcome. I stayed in Bloomsbury years ago at the Hotel Crichton. Does it still exist. My B&B there(Draycott Pl.) is now a boutique hotel
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I very much like your trip report so far! Please continue when you have time and don't worry one bit about comparisons to other reports :-)
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Hi ss,
Thanks for sharing. |
Here's my next chapter: " Judy pretends to be a theater critic"
So, what was the first London theater production that I took Ann to see? "Jerry Springer the Opera !" It was in previews in the West End while I was in London last year. I really hadn't thought of seeing it then nor this year either. Well, one of my London friends had bought tickets for him and me to see "Jerry Springer", but when he realized that Ann would be with me he insisted she and I use the tickets instead. It was the raunchiest show I've ever seen. ( I'm not a prude, but I did blush, once or twice. ;-) ) I wanted to hate it, but it was too entertaining . ( How's that for a contradiction in terms? ) The acting and singing are superb, however most of the lyrics are not ones you'll sing aloud to your children. Go see it if you are not easily offended by..well, just about anything! The day I arrived in London, the newspapers were reporting that Richard Dryfuss had dropped out of " The Producers" which was set to open in previews on Oct 22. I don't know all the details of what actually happened, but the newspapers quoted him as saying he had realized he really couldn't dance or sing. I was wishfully thinking it would be great if Nathan Lane could swoosh into London to reprise his Broadway role. He did, he did ! He had something like 4 days to rehearse with the British cast. Ann and I rushed to the box office to buy tickets. We got tickets in the stalls, 6th row center for the first night of the previews. It was the best musical I have ever seen. Had I not know differently I would have thought Nathan Lane and Lee Evans had been performing as a duo for years. That's how good they were. Their timing and on stage chemistry was spot on. I'd never seen either one in person before. Lee Evans put me in mind of a combination young Andy Griffith and Alfred E. Newman. His face is rubbery.. and his physical comedy is wonderful to witness. He can dance and sing, too. The woman who played the role of the bombshell Swedish secretary was great. Wow..what a fun evening that was. Nathan Lane is only going to be in the show for a couple more months, so go see it soon if you can. We had time to see one more production before Ann returned home. This time we chose "Old Masters" with Edward Fox and Peter Bowles. I enjoyed seeing them on stage, but I did think the first act was a bit long and despite the cast the play never seemed to 'click' . The story could have unfolded a bit sooner than it did. On my own I saw a few more productions: "Woman in White"...ummmm, not precisely to my taste. I like musicals with sets . WIW is presented on a bare stage with the scenery projected , I suppose that is matter of personal taste. Michael Crawford is almost unrecognizable in his fat suit costume. That's all I'm going to say..this play will be around for a while I think, because Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Really Useful Group manages the Palace Theatre. "The Solid Gold Cadillac" . The script wasn't terribly funny,( but I got to see Patricia Routledge so I'm happy with that.) However, the audience was full of senior citizens who seemed to be having a wonderful night out. One more... I wanted to end my London trip with a play or musical . The Morgan Hotel guests tend to chat about the theater while we are eating breakfast in the mornings. A couple of them had mentioned " Bat Boy" was worthwhile. I knew very little about the musical, but since it was playing at The Shaftsbury and since the theater is < 10 minute walk from the hotel ( I needed to be ready to leave for the airport before 7 AM the next morning; so I wanted an early evening in order be back at the hotel with plenty of time to commune with my suitcase ) that's what I decided to see. What a pleasant surprise..it was campy, kitschy and the story was original ( well, it's the only West End play about a feral child, at the moment). The singers/dancers were enthusiastic and talented, there were costume changes and there were set changes ( always a good thing, in my book.) The lead character had to sing while doing chin-ups. ( Trust me, this will make sense when you see the play.) Don't put Bat Boy at the top of your list, but do see it if you have a free evening. |
Awww..thank you all for your encouragement. I think I'll talk about food in the next installment. :-)
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Thank you for sharing, SS. I'm enjoying your report.
Judy |
Welcome home, Judy. Sounds like you had your usual good time; I'm only sorry my visit didn't coincide. I did see poor Kavey's smashed face picture.
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Kavey's smashed face? Is she ok?
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Hi cigale,
Yes she is ok. There is a note and posted picture link under the London GTG link. She fell and hit her face on the concrete, suffering several cuts and an injury to her tooth and lip. :-( Fortunately, she is recovering :-) From her account of the whole ordeal, she is quite the optimist!! :-) |
Yikes! Send my best wishes. Where is the url for the London GTG?
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I'm not sure how to post URLs, but it is currently post number 91 and Kavey's account is toward the end of the long post. It is called "possible London GTG October" I believe.
Let me know if you can't find it and I will try my luck at posting an actual thread link (gotta learn sometime!) |
nothing on that post about it happening-and no pictures posted?
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starspinners, I am thoroughly enjoying your sort of trip report :)
I LOVE Lee Evans! The first time I saw him was in the movie Funny Bones, he is a real clown! So glad you had such a good time, and I do know how you feel about having to get your own tea and sandwich now...sigh. Waiting to read more~ |
For cigalechanta
This is everything that happened: Author: Kavey ([email protected]) Date: 10/27/2004, 01:49 pm Message: Had a most wonderful lunch with Starspinner today at Circus, near Piccadilly Circus. Unfortunately, whilst walking home from my local tube station I tripped, fell hard and was unable to break my fall with my hands. I fell hard on my face (not sure how my glasses survived) but unfortunately lost a tooth near the gum and had to get some stitches to my lip this afternoon. Lip is currently so swollen I look very much like a very bloodied and grazed duck. Sigh! But the GTG was marvellous! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author: Jolie Date: 10/27/2004, 03:27 pm Message: How terrible! And I feel your pain. I tripped on the edge of a sidewalk once while on vacation in Paris, and I managed to "break my fall" - only to end up with two fractured bones in my hand. It kind of put a damper on the rest of my trip. Fortunately, you had a good GTG first! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author: LoveItaly Date: 10/27/2004, 04:39 pm Message: Kavey, how terrible! I had a neighbor/friend take a walk a few months ago (good for ones health so they say) and fell. Splat on her face. Broken glasses, broken nose, stiches needed below nose. I am so sorry. Hope you will recover soon. And just today my daughter told me a friend of hers is in real bad shape. Went to the dentist for some dental work. Do not know what happened, but the dentist BROKE her jaw. Has anyone ever heard of this happening? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author: Kavey ([email protected]) Date: 10/27/2004, 05:38 pm Message: The dentist broke her jaw? Was it on purpose to correct alignment problems or accidental? Eeek! I really look funny. Got hub to take photos when we got home from hospital so will post at some time. Thanks for well wishes... hurts like HECK but given how clumsy I am and have always been it's really not as bad as could easily befall me... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author: Kavey ([email protected]) Date: 10/27/2004, 05:41 pm Message: Am hoping to get an emergency appt with dentist tomorrow as I think something is exposed... it's like that feeling you sometimes get having a hot drink after a spoonful of ice cream but a lot lot worse! Trouble is I don't know if he'll be able to do whatever it is he'll need to do until lip swelling goes down - both in terms of reaching tooth and avoiding resplitting the lip... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author: LoveItaly Date: 10/27/2004, 05:54 pm Message: Kavey, ooooh, I am so sorry. I had a big dental problem about 3 years ago. A nightmare. But thanks to a great and carrying dentist all is OK. My wishes that you also have a good dentist. Think we can all relate to what you must be going through. My very best wishes. I am so sorry that you are going through this. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author: carolyn Date: 10/27/2004, 07:54 pm Message: Kavey, how terrible! I hope your dentist can help you right away. You may have to rethink meeting with all of us. I slipped once on a slick floor in a hospital of all places and slammed my face on the floor. I got a beautiful Crayola purple eye where my glasses hit my face. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author: Kavey ([email protected]) Date: 10/28/2004, 03:24 am Message: Carolyn, never! And I'm so clumsy it was just a matter of time... I have fallen before but just bruised or grazed myself... Hopefully seeing a dentist friend of family today... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author: Kavey ([email protected]) Date: 10/28/2004, 04:04 am Message: Loveitaly, I'm paranoid about dentists at the best of times as too many people I know seem to end up with dentists who insist they need all sorts of treatment - only to find, on changing to a new one, that it wasn't necessary. Hence I try and see people I know personally which isn't easy as I don't know many dentists!!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author: LoveItaly Date: 10/28/2004, 02:18 pm Message: Kavey, here is a story for you. Our dentist for years was the father of our godson. I had a root canal and of course a cap put on. Suffered for years with pain. Exray after exray and was told by this dentist "nope, nothing wrong". And this dentist was highly respected as one of the "best dentist" in his community I might add. I moved about 30 miles away and consquently got a new dentist. He took Exrays and guess what? The other dentist had left cotton in when he put the cap on! My doctor said it was a wonder I hadn't ended up with an infection of the heart. New dentist took off cap, removed cotton, new cap etc. and WOW I have never had a problem since. Makes me mad to this day. So, think I will stay away from "dentist I know". LOL. I don't think anyone likes going to a dentist. I should never did. But my new dentist is terrific so I don't freak out now when I have an appointment. Oh, also, a friend of my daughters just went to a new dentist as her dentist had retired. New dentist a friend of the family. Her very first visit to him. He was doing a dental procedure and broke her jaw!!! Can you imagine? This post is sure not going to help you relax. But you will be fine I am sure. Again, sure sorry that you had this fall. Take good care of yourself. I have a dental appointment in a few days too. Sigh. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author: Kavey ([email protected]) Date: 10/28/2004, 05:15 pm Message: Ouch! I accept that everyone makes mistakes but a professional and responsible adult would own up to their mistakes and rectify them immediately. Did you report him or feel unable to because of the connection? I had a root canal today. The dentist (who I went to school with but hadn't seen since but whose father is good friends with my father) tried to do a fix that wouldn't necessitate that step but had me wait to see because he didn't know if it would be sufficient. Unfortunately it wasn't and the sensitivity was agonising so he did the root. The local anaesthetic wore off an hour or two ago (after several hours - he gave me a high dose to help with the lip pain too) and BINGO! I can drink cold drinks, eat hot food and cope with air being drawn past the tooth as I breathe in without screaming in my head! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author: Kavey ([email protected]) Date: 10/28/2004, 06:35 pm Message: Here's Bloody Kavey Duck Face: http://www.dpchallenge.com/image.php?IMAGE_ID=116186 It's harder to see quite how hilariously swollen the lip is if you're not used to what I normally look like - I have very small mouth/ lips normally! LOL -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author: Budman Date: 10/28/2004, 08:23 pm Message: I hope you're feeling better, and I'm just glad this didn't happen because you failed to "mind the gap." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author: Scarlett ([email protected]) Date: 10/28/2004, 08:27 pm Message: Poor Kavey! Glad you got to see the dentist and are out of pain now. Funny how a root canal doesn't seem so horrible anymore, no? Hope your feel better/look better LOL soon~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author: LoveItaly Date: 10/28/2004, 09:23 pm Message: Kavey, you got the story right. No I did not pursue the "cotton under the cap" with the dentist that is the father on my godson. First of all by the time the cotton was discovered (thanks to my new dentist) the former dentist was retired. If he had still been in practice honestly do not know what I would have done. Other than my terrible experience I had never heard about any other mistakes he did. And he was a good man. Even gave free dental care to people who could not afford to pay for it. Would meet a patient at 2:00am at his office because they had a terrible tooth pain (usually because they had not had dental care for several years). Think the problem that I had was one of those "one in a million" cases. However when I think about 12 years of going "crazy" with the problem it does, I have to confess, make me mad. Agree with Scarlett, root canals are not the big deal they use to be, although for sure noone jumps up and down when they are told they need one. I trust that you will be feeling better, it does sound like you are already on the road to improvement. Take good care of yourself. Best wishes to you. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author: starspinners Date: 10/29/2004, 05:31 am Message: Kavey.... I'm just now reading what happened to you after we had lunch on Weds. I'm so sorry your afternoon ended with a bloody lip. You've managed to keep your sense of humor though;so I know you will understand my saying that now I am doubly glad you & I decided to go ahead and order those huge Pavlovas for dessert! Seriously,my dear, my fingers are crossed that you are on the mend soon. I so enjoyed our meeting and hope we can get together next year. By the way, did your new sofa arrive? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author: Kavey ([email protected]) Date: 10/29/2004, 10:34 am Message: Scarlett, my root canal definitely wasn't painful or a problem - the dentist gave me an extra strong dose of local anaesthetic because of the bruising and damage already there so I didn't feel a thing... infact it took several hours for the feeling to come back. And although most dentists in UK apparently still use the older techniques and equipment for root canals my dentist has switched to newer equipment which makes it very quick and easy. LoveItaly, I'm definitely on the mend and glad you too were able to sort out your nightmare problem in the end. At least I only had to wait a day, I think even a week of that pain would have had me pulling my own teeth out let alone 12 years! SS, new sofa was about to be delivered but Pete had to come and get me from where I fell and take me to hospital and that's when they were going to deliver. They called to check he was home and he explained and they were fine. Infact they then called yesterday, not even to reschedule (though I was ready to do that) but to check I was OK as the staff at the warehouse and the delivery team were worried about me. Very sweet. Sofas came this morning, together with flowers from a kind Fodorite friend to cheer me up. And SS I couldn't eat solids on Tuesday evening or Wednesday because the swollen lip meant I couldn't get solids into my mouth or close the mouth to chew so I was on soup and boy was I thinking back to our lovely meal and particularly those rather delicious pavlovas. I really should have taken the bus!!! LOL -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author: Kavey ([email protected]) Date: 10/29/2004, 10:35 am Message: Budman, sorry I meant to reply to you too - the irony is that I called Pete from the tube (last couple of stops on my route are above ground) and said I was going to take the bus from central finchley but within a couple of mins I changed my mind and proceeded to next stop to walk home - thought it would do me good to walk off the lovely lunch I'd just had! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author: Kavey ([email protected]) Date: 11/05/2004, 12:12 pm Message: An update on my lip and tooth: I went to the dentist again today and he checked out the lip too - the cut was totally healed but the stitch thread was still attached so he kindly cut the thread away for me. And when I got home afterwards the last huge remaining scab on my lip came away too. So I feel much less self-conscious now. As for my teeth - he finished the root canal and took the impressions for the crown I'll be getting on the 19th, just before we go away. There's also a small chance the tooth next to the broken one was sufficiently hard hit that the root may also die but it may heal so it's wait and see time. I'm looking almost normal except for some shiny pink new skin - hope it eventually goes brown like the rest of me. In my lip I have this large solid area - doesn't show but feels very strange. Apparently it's down to damage to the saliva glands and will take several months to shrink away. It doesn't hurt so I can live with that. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author: starspinners Date: 11/05/2004, 12:22 pm Message: Kavey, I'm so happy that the results of your 'swan dive' are healing. I have thought of you many times since we met for lunch in London , it was such a nice afternoon that ended badly for you. I plan to post the pic the waiter took of us, if that's OK with you. Judy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author: Kavey ([email protected]) Date: 11/05/2004, 12:44 pm Message: Fine by me! And thanks for thinking of me! |
Judy,
Thanks for sharing your report You make me eager to go back to London. I am SO jealous that you got to see Nathan Lane in the Producers!! |
where are the pictures?
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Kavey, Kavey, Kavey! So sorry to hear of your accident and am glad you're on the mend. Best wishes from your SF Bay Area Fodor friends. Ohhh, you are so brave to post those photos :0)
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