Despite the lack of recent posts, I’ve had a very active [social] week!
Monday (14-Spet) was the FIE Welcome Reception held at the International Students House. Highlights: 2 free drink vouchers and realizing London DJs have very shallow expectations for American colleges students when it comes to music. Afterward, I headed to the local pub Zetland Arms with the Vassar and Marist flatmates, including some other Marist students that live in Manson Place. It was great spending time together, and it has been happening a lot more lately — the flat is definitely feeling more like home than living with 12 strangers.
Tuesdays mean free entrance for students at the Sports Cafe in Piccadilly Circus, and I finally decided to join the Marist kids for their weekly voyage there (and managed to convince Mike and Avey to join. I owed them a night out since I played straight 3rd wheel at a gay club on Saturday night). It was actually really fun (I definitely scratched my dancing itch), but it was overwhelmingly American; I’m pretty sure everyone there and every song was originally from the U.S., but I’m also pretty sure I didn’t care!
Wednesday was a bit more subdued, and we just hung out in the flat for the evening.
Thursday evening I headed home from a long day of working at a Method event with Solar Associates. It was great seeing the programme in action and meeting the faces that match the voices I’ve been hearing on podcasts for the past week. Sure, working 11 hours was tough, but the fact that three of those hours were spent socializing with an intriguing group of artists over wine at the venue followed by a beer at a pub definitely made it palatable 😉 Thankfully, I headed home to a flat full of people indulging in the same…just with plastic cups and drinking games instead of pool. Oh well, whatever works!
Friday and Saturday was spent hitting the town (and hitting up male bar buying charity) with Sarah and Lauren. Friday was spent on Brick Lane, a conglomeration of pubs, bars, clubs, and people ready to have a good time. 93 Feet East was what drew us there: a popular bar that doesn’t charge a cover on Fridays and features an outdoor bar and picnic table as well as an indoor dance floor. Upon the recommendation of some Italians, we ended the night at T-Bar…all I’m going to say is fog machines were involved, and I can officially say I’ve experienced a Euro club. The night ended with sharing a McDonald’s table with South Africans before heading home on a Night Bus. We stayed a bit more local on Saturday and threw it back to the prohibition area by getting into a speakeasy in Sloane Square. Bart’s was everything I hoped a speakeasy would be: festively hidden and secretive, but once you’re in you’re down for a good time…and really good drinks. Like the Friday before at a South Kensington club Diva Beach (very similar to NYC’s Bed), the bartenders were ready and willing to create the best cocktails I’ve ever tasted; as opposed to NYC, London bars seem to appreciate quality over quantity when serving their patrons.
I spent another Sunday out around town. My first stop was an exciting one: booking a hotel room for Madre! She is visiting from 7 – 15 November and will be staying at the London Visitor’s Hotel, about a 20 minute walk from Manson Place and off of Kensington High Street. The best part: we got a double, so I can sleepover! I’m really excited to have her here; every adventure I go on I can’t help but think “showing and sharing this will be even better.”
Next, I headed up Kensington High Street to the 11:30am mass at Our Lady of Victories. It is the parish’s Solemn Mass, featuring a beautiful Latin choir and chanted by the priest. It was an incredibly meditative experience, intensified by the beautiful gothic features of the church. It just felt so…original, in the sense that it was like experiencing the same ceremony that was the only ceremony hundreds of years ago. I loved the experience, and I definitely plan on attending the 11:30am more often (I like flexing my Latin choral muscles, and luckily could thanks to the pamphlets that were distributed with the sheet music!).
After mass, I met up with Sarah, Avey, and Mike at Sloane Square to attend some more Open Houses: Holy Trinity Church and the department store Peter Jones. Lauren, John and I attended two on Saturday: The Ismaili Center and The Octagon. It was a great program; all of the tours were very insightful and yet another reminder of how architecturally diverse and rich London is. Here are some photos from Sunday’s tours:
The beauty of the Peter Jones merchandise dually inspired and discouraged Sarah, Mike and I, so we embarked on a shopping mission to the cheapest store of all: Primark in Oxford Circus (think of it as Forever 21’s cheaper, chicer, European cousin). Naturally we needed fuel first, though, so we stopped for some eggs and toast at a cute cafe. Although deliciously sophisticated, I must admit I’m craving some good old greasy American diner food (and did I mention cheaper? The plate cost more in pounds without factoring in conversion yet, and although sprinkled with fresh thyme it did not include potatoes or bacon…boo). Protein power helped Sarah and I plow through the crowds and the mass array of racks and piles of clothing. I was ready to invest in my London nightlife wardrobe’s future, and thanks to Sarah’s guiding voice and severe price cuts I came out extremely successful. Everything [I purchased] is cute (it did take some significant fishing through Euro-trash garments), and the majority cost less than brunch. Now that’s how to shop.
Marie on Manson 
