TFC: last looks

four [Wed, 9-Dec]

My first task of the day was to do my last London laundry load and begin the packing process.  I made a lot of progress and by afternoon it was time to get out on the Londontown.  Avey and I set out for a day full of assorted errands and final “must-dos.”  A major highlight: we climbed the 311 steps of Monument just in time for sunset and got to take in a breathtaking scape of London from above–definitely a great way to gaze at the city for the last time!  When we were over in the shopping district on New Bond Street I realized we were right near Postcard Teas, a specialty tea shoppe featured in the Savoir Fare: London book Allison Tomasino gave me.  Good thing we did!  We each savored the greatest cup of tea of our lives (Big Smoke black tea for Avey, Nokcha green for me), and posted some to ourselves to our Vassar mailboxes to be waiting for our arrival in January.  For dinner, we headed back across town to Brick Lane for Indian food, a classic London culinary experience that I never actually did but Avey relishes in.  We settled on City Spice after being offered a free bottle of wine AND 25% off our meal.  Cha-ching!  After sweating from the inside out, we met up with Lauren, Sarah, and John at Jerusalem Tavern located in Farringdon and awarded the title of “best pub in town” (or something).  It was a great place and I loved putting out my Indian fire with their delicious Winter Ale.

Americans in London

Thanks to a connection made by Miffy “Mrs Miff” Ruggiero, I spent a lovely afternoon with Kelley Reid, an ex-pat teacher at the American School in London.  We met at. St. Pancras station and strolled to St. Pancras Church and Churchyard where we found this:

Hardy Tree

Hardy Tree

Hardy Tree

Besides being a really cool tree, it is also The Hardy tree!  I do love me some Thomas Hardy, particularly Tess of the D’Urbervilles.

We also stumbled upon and explored an ecological education center on the bank of Regent’s Canal before heading back to the station for tea and coffee.  We had great conversation and it was particularly nice to be with a fellow American-London transplant the day before Thanksgiving.  Miffy, you were definitely there in spirit!

Beatles, Bowie, & Bond

Another afternoon to fill…

I decided on treating myself to the Beatles to Bowie exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery.  I again traveled via bus and stumbled upon a Ghost Forest in Trafalger Square!  The exhibit was one I was looking forward to for quite a while, despite the £9 entry fee…with a student concession, and it definitely lived up to my expectations.  The best part had to be reading all of the curator cards and recognizing not only the faces and song titles, but also the London locations where the photos were taken.  It was a great reminder that I am currently living in the city where so many of the musicians and pop icons I idolize got their inspiration, their start, and their iconic image.

After making a quick pit/tea stop at home, I enlisted Mike into heading to the Bond Noel Christmas celebration….and good thing we actually mobilized, since it ended up being one of the most surprisingly ‘worth it’ trips in London yet.  The star of the West End’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Anna Friel, was this year’s “Bond Girl” (so clever), and we inadvertently snagged a spot near the Tiffany & Co. store where she made her entrance.  The street was transformed to a winter wonderland thanks to fake snow, fir trees, and reindeer!  Besides the ridiculously aesthetically appealing high-end retail we strolled through after the switch-on, almost every store was giving away free booze and treats.  Now that’s the festive frugalista spirit!

Ghost Forest in Trafalger Square

Ghost Forest in Trafalger Square

Ghost Forest in Trafalger Square

festive Tiffany’s

stage

Anna Friel paparazzi shot

Anna Friel at the podium

reindeer!

posing!