"They're the same as my tan, baby! FAKE!"

How much do I love Big Brother 9?  So much.  That's what I'm watching now while stir fry is being cooked (lovingly, by Bess).  Hysterical.  

Since I last posted almost a week ago, I've done quite a bit.  

Monday, we had class and we went to the V and A.  I saw an ENORMOUS plaster cast of Trajan's Column.  There was this very awesome exhibit about Fashion, it were NAHHCCE.  

Tuesday, we had class with Velek and it was Team Voldemort's last chance to bring it back and kick everyone else's TAIL. Which we did!  YEA-YAH!  We're awesome.  Then we had the rest of the afternoon to ourselves for research.  I went to the Transport Museum in Covent Garden (which was nice) and the museum was very nice!  Plus, I get reimbursed for it because it counted as research.  

Wednesday, we had class with Joyce and we went to the Soane museum which was AWESOME.  This guy, John Soane, had this HUUUGE collection of just stuff. and then transformed his house into a museum.  He had a sarcophagus in the basement and this one room had paintings on all the walls and he had so many paintings, he had to put the walls on hinges and have like three layers of paintings.  It was fascinating.

Thursday, we had our papers due (I stayed up till almost 4am writing) and the first of our oral presentations.  We went to the British museum where Bess presented her topic.  Then we went to Russell Square where Patrice presented her topic of The Underground 19th century.  We then went to the Parliament area near Big Ben and all that, and ate lunch.  We met at the Cabinet War Rooms where Kaitlyn presentated, then we went into the Cabinet War Rooms and toured around.  It was really interesting.  It was the secret underground planning place of Churchill and his Cabinet, and when the war was over they were just like, "Woot.  Alright.  Let's go home," *switch off lights*.  And they found it in the late 70s all the same.  Wow.

Later, we went to Primark and shopped our little hearts out.  I bought a dress and some jeans and a cute little top and a little blazer.  Then Bess, Lacy, Sarah, Leigh, and I went to Ghetto to get our daaance on.  It was great. We got there at 11:30, and danced until 3 am!!  whoo.  We got a cab home, but the cabbie went too far on Kilburn High Street so we had to walk a mile to get back to the flat.  Gerrreat!  BTW, two words.  Drunken friends.  That's it.  alright. 

Today, Lacy went to see the FOO FIGHTERS!  yeah!  Celeste and Katie and I went to Portobello Market.  I got some jewellery and a pair of glasses frames. BTW, Daddy, what do you want me to bring back for you from London?

While we were in Portobello, Bess went to pick her brother up from Heathrow and we met them back at the flat.  Then we all went to Camden.  Camden Market is different from Portobello in that P has a bunch of antiques and jewellery and stuff that both old people and young people would like.  Camden is basically a huge Hot Topic.  I bought some earring studs.  We ate lunch at this Chinese food stand, I had some rice, chow mein noodles, chicken and mushrooms and chicken in black bean sauce for 3 pounds 50.  It was the best, ever. 

We got back and Bess started the stir fry... we are all pooped.  Everyone is drinking cider (sainsbury's brand, 2 liters for a pound, classy) and anticipating food while watching Big Brother.  

Questions?

Comments?

Clarifications?

Sunburns in Scotland? Really?

Ach.  I'm so tired.  Bess and I just got back from Edinburgh, and we are both in the weirdest moods.  Is this what being drunk feels like?  We are both very giggly.  I think part of it stems from being completely jazzed at PLATFORM NINE AND THREE QUARTERS!  and we had to pee so we were trying to make each other wet ourselves...  We're great friends.  

So we got to Balmore House on Gilmore Place and it was aawwwesome!  Nice place, and killer breakfast, too.  Saturday morning I had sausage, bacon, fried egg, hash browns, tomato, and mushrooms.  Yurmm.   Sunday I had scrambled eggs and smoked salmon.  Hem.  The texture was like raw...  I wasn't taken by it.  

So on Friday Bess and I arrive and we call Velek and then we go out.  We go to No. 1 Sushi Bar, and then hit up a Tesco for some chocolate and cookies and go home and watch Britain's Got Talent.  

Saturday we wake up, eat breakfast at 8:30 and meet Velek at the Meadows (park in middle of Edinburgh) at 10.  He showed us around, took us to the Royal Mile and to the roof of a museum and pointed at things.  Arthur's Seat, a few spire-like things and a castle (which you can see no matter WHERE you are in Edinburgh).  

Bess and I basically walked for 8 straight hours.  We had lunch at this cute little deli cafe thing.  I had a avocado, goats cheese, and spinach sandwich on a baguette with a small salad.  

By the way, it was CRAZY sunny this day and, of course, we don't have any sunscreen so Bess and I burned.  Greeeaat.  

It was really funny though, because all the pasty Scots were walking about complaining about the heat (69 degrees fahrenheit) without their shirts.  The males that is.  Not the females.  They kept their shirts on.  

I went in a couple charity shops (thrift stores) and I bought a plaid mini!  I have a plaid, wrap-around skirt from Scotland!   Yay!  

We went out that night after Britain's Got Talent.  So.  We went to this tavern called Shakespeare's but after Bess ordered her beer she realized they had stopped serving food.  Great.  So we keep on walking down Lothian and end up at an Italian restaurant that had the best service we've seen in all of Britain so far.  and a cute waiter.  ;)

Then we went out to this cute little cocktail bar and Bess orders me my first drink (we both got carded).  Lemon-juice, Lemon Vodka, and Strawberry Liquor.  It was alright...  Tasted like cough syrup.  I didn't finish it.  

Then Sunday we had to check out by 10 am and our train doesn't leave until  3:30.  Wonderful.  All we really did today was kill time.  So for about four and a half hours we hang out in Edinburgh with all our crap.  We hung out in Caffe Nero for about 2 hours then went to Princes St. and ate some soup at Ryan's cafe and bar.  Numm.  

We came out of Ryan's and it was raining.  Perfect.  

All of our stuff and our shoes and socks were drenched.  We stopped at a bus stop so I can roll my pants up and this black cab stops and lets out a couple passengers.  We grabbed it up!  We knew it wasn't far to Waverly station otherwise it would have been too exspensive.  and yes, we did get a picture but Bess has it.  

So now we're back at the flat.  Nice.  It's nice to be back in my routine.  

Questions?

Comments?

Clarifications?

Wifi on the train?

Free wifi on the East Coast National Express! 

I'm on the train right now on my way to Edinburgh.  I'm proud of myself seeing as how I've never ridden on a train before or used a train station like King's Cross.  

Don't worry, when Bess and I get back on Sunday, we'll go get pictures with the trolley at Platform 9 3/4.  

Updates when I get there. 

Questions?

Comments?

Clarifications?

The last four days.

Monday, May 26th.  All of Britain was still on a bank holiday, but we still had to go to class.  Rainy and wet and not warm.  I didn't bring an umbrella so on my lunch break I bought a cute bucket umbrella.  We had our first Dr. Joyce class, and it was alright.  After lunch, we met at the British Museum where I saw the Rosetta Stone, and some mummies, and a couple Llamassu.  

After wandering about in the rain to get home (with soaked socks and shoes), Lacy and I made it back and spent that night getting warm.  

Tuesday comes.  We have Velek in the morning.  All we do is these pub quiz type things where we are on teams and he asks questions and we write down the answers.  Team Voldemort (Bess, Lacy, and myself) dominated.  The Best Answer we had?  Butch Cassidy-Obama.   Yeah, I'm not even gonna tell you the question.  We got it wrong though.

Wednesday is another Art History day and we get to class 20 minutes late because the Circle line is down and we have to walk from Earl's Court which is forever away.  Later on we go to the National Portrait Gallery and the National Gallery.  I saw a bunch of really kick pieces.  Sunflowers, Van Gogh, Japanese Footbridge, Monet, a bunch of Degas, and some Picassos.  I lurved it. 

Katie, Christin, Kelsey and I went back to Kilburn to the Primark.  Christin and Kelsey went straight there and I went back to the flat to change into comfy clothes.  I decided to wear tights that morning and somehow I got a hole right where it chafes and does not feel good.  

On my way to Primark, I was walking down Kilburn High Street by myself.  This Indian guy just stopped me and shook my hand and was talking to me! 

My immediate thought, 'is this the guy who gave his number to Katie yesterday and thinks I'm her?'  

No.  He introduces himself and starts to say he saw me walking and thought I was beautiful and that he wanted to take me out sometime.  

'Um.  Who the hell are you?'

I don't say this out loud, of course, because I was a. taught to be polite, and b. in a state of slight shock.  He starts to give me his number and I'm like, ok, I'll be nice and pretend to put it in my phone. Nooo, he looks at my phone to make sure I've got it.  Ok.  (Has he done this before?)

Then he asks me to call him so that I've got it right.  Great. Now he has my number.  

He asks me what I like to do at night.  

"uh.  I read.  I have classes all day then I study at night."  

Which is true.  Ach.  

I fake an excuse to get away.  

I get to Primark and find Kelsey and Christin and make them promise me they won't leave without me.  No more Kaite being alone.  Then I get this text, "How come you so nice and so cute?"  

I don't reply.  I haven't had a text or a call since, Thank Jesus.

Yesterday, was also the England vs. USA football match, so Lacy, Bess, Leigh, Sarah and I went to a pub in Soho, O'neill's.  I had fish and chips, which was great, and we watched team USA make fools of themselves on the pitch.  

  

Today we had Velek class, and more quizzing!  We had a disappointing outcome, Team Voldemort did.  We came in last place.  Ha.  Oh, how the mighty have fallen.  

Now, I'm off to get ready for Avenue Q!  Be jealous. 

Questions?  Comments?  Clarifications?

Duchamp, Man Ray, and Picabia

So, I had planned on waking up at 8:30, shower, breakfast, and leave by 10:30 to go to the Tate Modern to see an exhibit of key proponents in the DADA movement of Paris and New York.

But.  I don't wake up until 11:22 because my phone's alarm doesn't wake me up.  Greeeaaat. 

Shower, breakfast.  Leave at one.  Go straight to the Tate.  They had this genius little idea to make all the lampposts orange from the Southwark tube station to the Tate.  Brilliant.  

Tickets are 11 pounds for the D, MR, P exhibit.  Lovely.  This is all I really want to see at the moment, I know we're coming back later with class and this exhibit closes tomorrow.  

We go up to the fourth floor, and walk in.  It's your typical art gallery-type setup.  I'm not sure how I feel about art gallerys.  Do they defeat the purpose of art?  Do they simply make art commercial?  Is art still art if there are certain places in society set apart simply for art?

The pieces I remember are Large Glass (The Bride Stripped Bare By Her Bachelors), Duchamp, Nude Descending a Staircase No. 2, Duchamp again, I think, and...  Ententes Donnes, Duchamp. and several versions of LHOOQ, Duchamp. 

There were some Rose Selavy pieces, Duchamp's female second identity.  And a lot of Man Ray's photography.  I really like his pieces using solarisation.  and a lot of Picabia's paintings.   

We finished around 4:30 and left to go eat something. There was this pub near the Tate that we would've eaten at had it not been 21 AND UP!?!  What the heck?  We were hungry and perturbed, and, might I say, a little offended.  There must be a good reason for it. 

We ended up getting off the tube at Earl's Court and walking around until we found something.  

We ate at MOR-ish, this little hole-in-the-wall place.  I ordered a margherita pizza and a sprite.  Nice.  

I wonder if I could figure out the amount of time in a year that urbanites spend riding an underground metro system...  I'll bet it's staggering.  

I want to find some Banksy stuff.  and take pictchahs.  Yeah.  

Tomorrow, is Dr. Joyce's class in the morning and the British Museum in the afternoon.  Woot. 

Questions?  Comments?  Clarifications?

Thai food, new dresses, and Notting Hill

As I said earlier, I woke up this morning at like 6:30 am.  Geez.  I didn't want to go back to sleep, so I watched TV (Saturday morning children's programs), and did some dishes (Yes, believe it.), and tidied the kitchen.  Then I took a shower and got dressed. I change clothes too much.  I must have changed clothes 5 times.  

Once everyone (Bess, Lacy, Katie) was up and dressed we went to Notting Hill to the Portobello Market.  I bought some scarves and promptly was separated from Lacy.  Bess ducked into an Antiques store and then we didn't see her again.  My phone wasn't working at all so I didn't even have it with me.  Suck.  I never really realized how much I rely upon my cell phone.  

So Katie and I stuck together, we looked for them, but no luck.  

After the market we had planned on hitting up the Tate because they have this DADA exhibit that closes soon, but when we got separated Katie and I figured we'd just go back to the flat because we might just meet everyone else.  AND I was super pooped.  Lacy came back, but Bess went to the Tate to find us.  Whoops. 

Around 6pm Katie, Lacy and I went to Primark, awesome, CHEAP clothes.  I bought a dress, skirt, two pairs of shoes, some sunglasses and a case for them, for 28 pounds.  Not too bad. 

After Primark, we came back and I fell asleep on the couch, when Bess comes in!  Yay!  She's still alive!  She went to the Tate to find us, but yeah.  We weren't there.  Oh well.  

Now we get all gussied up and go eat some Thai on Kilburn High Street.  I ordered beef with garlic and pepper.  It was alright.  I'm not so sure that I like Thai food...  There were these crunchy things on top, dried onion bits, I think, and they were just unnecessary.  Rice was good though.

Now, we're back and I am in sore need of a bath.  I am ew.  London turns my boogers black!  There's that much dirt and muck here.

Questions?  Comments?  Clarifications?

London: The last three days

So, on May 20th we left at 8:30 in the morning CST.  Got on the plane at 5 pm PST in Atlanta, and arrive at 7:07 AM in London.  

The plane ride was incredible BUT I will say this.  Airplane food SUCKS.  really bad.  It was like a really cheap, way too salty, TV dinner.  

I got a window seat, thanks to Rachel Bray not coming.  

We arrived and Kieran met us at Gatwick.  We took a charter bus to our residences, a good hour and a half ride into London.  Yay.  More sitting.  

I live at Westburn Place.  It's this nice little house/townhouse-ish.  There are 3 floors plus ground.  First floor is living/dining room and kitchen.  Second floor is my, Bess's, and Lacy's room. Our bathroom is big, with a huge tub (which I was planning on making use of last night BUT I fell asleep).  Third floor is Anna, Katie, and Kaitlyn.  

Later on that day, Kieran showed up and took us on a walking tour of our neighborhood, where the closest grocery store and cash point (ATM) and tube station is.  

He's a cutie, I'll have to get a picture.

Then at 5, this guy came to tell us what to do and not to do regarding our flat.  Basically, don't do stupid things.  

Thursday we had to be at CAPA at 9 am for more orientation regarding London and British culture.  We went over slang and other things and Constable Burchell talked to us about law-abiding and bits and pieces.  He was great.  and apparently we DON'T need our passport to go to Scotland or Ireland (funny story there).

Then our profs did a bit of an intro session to what we'll be learning and what is expected of us.  I'm looking forward to both classes.  A lot of students aren't too excited about the British Art History class, but I think it'll be alright.  We have to make like a travel guide/diary for our grades with journal entries and top tens.  I don't know what everyone is on about with their complaining.  

Then at 3 we had a panoramic bus tour of London.  We had this great tour guide, Sean, very silly with a thick Scottish brogue.  He was all about the pop culture references and kept mentioning Madonna.  He was great.  We got out at St. Paul's, Tower Bridge, Westminster Abbey, and Buckingham Palace.

We went back home and I was SO tired.  I ate a sandwich and went to bed early, accidentally.  I woke up at midnight and Bess and Lacy were still up.  I finished my reading due the next day and went to bed at like... 3?  ish?  

7:30 am the next morning.  I wake up!  Shower, breakfast (eggs, bacon, toast), and we leave for CAPA for our first Velek class.  We have to board the Elephant and Castle Brown line at Kilburn Park Station and ride to Paddington where we change to the circle line (which is ALWAYS late) and then get off at Gloucester (pronounced Gloster) Road Station.  We walk for about 5 minutes to CAPA.  Takes about 30 minutes in all.  

Our class this morning is on the chapters from our Ackroyd book, Pestilence and Flame, and After the Fire.  Wonderful discussion.  

Break for lunch.  Bess and I walk to Sainsbury's (Target) and get lunch since I left my made-with-love sandwich on the table that morning.  :(  But it was good.  We ate in the Student Lounge at CAPA.

At 2 pm we had to meet Dr. V at the Central Kensington Library at 12 Phillimore Walk.  We got library cards and then did some researching on our topics. I found a ton of books, none of which I can check out because they are all reference so I must make copies.  Which means I need to get some cash.  Then we left around 4.  We also realize when we get home that we don't have Anna and she isn't at the house.  Whoops.  Good thing I'm not responsible for her. 

At 6 we were to meet at Devonshire Arms pub for our welcome dinner from CAPA.  It was nice.  No one really got drunk except for Celeste, and she was adorable.  I was going to go to the Dublin Castle with her for some live music, but I was absolutely knackered (tired) and I just went home.  Then I changed into some PJ's and totally planned on washing my face and doing a bit of laundry before I slept.  

Next thing I know it's 6:30 am Saturday morning.  Ha.  So much for plans.  Here I am it's almost 8 am and I'm the only one up in the house.  I'm watching TV, skipping between the Saturday morning kids' shows and sports.  Mainly football (soccer) with some horse racing.  

So, that's what I've done so far.  

Questions?  Comments? Clarifications?