. the london eye .

Monday night we went for a ride on the London Eye. It was a stunning view. I really enjoyed seeing all of London's lights from up so high. It was definitely a highlight of the trip.

chillaxin (chilling + relaxing)

I tired him out!! On Sunday afternoon we sat in the parlor and listened to music. We were having great conversation until Jordan fell asleep on me! haha.

sunday afternoon

Sunday was really great! I was so nervous to teach with Jordan in my classroom, but it went really well. My lesson turned into a really great discussion which is always what I'm aiming for. Everyone was interested in the new visitor too, so Jordan had lots of people to meet and chat with! Then i brought him to back to centre to meet all the girls he hadn't met yet and eat dinner with us. That was interesting, we usually have really great meals, but for some reason that night was some kind of greyish purplest soupish type stuff. It didn't go over well, hehe so we picked up some pizza on our way to Simon's ( jordans friend he was staying with) flat. We hung out with Simon and his french roommate Jean  and watched Breakfast at Tiffany's. GOOD CALL!

portobello road

Saturday mornings are my favorite for many reasons.

1. no class

2. no running

3. portobello road!

I live for portobello road. Well maybe that's bit excessive, but I do really like it. I love going there and looking at all the antiques and then buying my fresh fruit from my favorite stand. The little old man who runs it always calls me love and it makes me feel like a londer.

I was really looking forward to taking Jordan there. We started the excursion off with a warm crepe or nutella strawberries! YUM! Then we wondered through all the stands with a big bag of fresh cherries! We finish of all the tastiness with a warm pesto bagelish thing with fresh mozerella inside. It was DIVINE!

stroll down london bridge

On Friday night we went out to dinner at Bella Italia ( my fav little place down the street from my flat) and then for a walk around the city. We went to the Tate Modern (art museum) and enjoyed that for a bit and the strolled down the Thames. We saw all the famous bridges and snapped some pics on the way! The best part was while trying to get this last shot we asked a passer by to take a shot and he spent about ten minutes taking off his backpack and setting up the camera and didn't even take one picture for us even though he though he had. We had to ask someone else to get his one. We had a good laugh about it. :)

first night

This was just what was on my pillow. My roommates and half the girls from the program were waiting in my room for me to see it when I came home from class. It was so funny, after I sorted through all the goodies, we all jumped up and down together screaming and giggling like crazy. It was definitely a sight to behold! The top picture is of us at this amazing sushi place Jordan took me in Picadilly Circus (my fav) called cocoon!

this was just the beginning!

So Jordan totally surprised me by showing up on Valentines Day! It was the best Valentine's Day by far of my whole life if not in all entire existence! Like a fairy tale! We had the most amazing time seeing London together. Jordan's old roommate from New York moved here last fall and actually lives about 10 minutes away from me, so it worked out very well. We saw lots of museums, eat lots of great food, and saw some great London sights!!!

a night with my valentine!

So So on Valentines Day I woke up at four thirty and waited in line for six hours for tickets to othello (starring Ewan McGreggor) but to my joyous surprise when I got home from class that day, there was a dozen BEAUTIFUL ROSES, a card, some cute clothes, and a pink Betsey Johnson box... and guess what was in the box??? A gorgeous dress to wear to dinner and a play with... JORDAN!!!!!!!!!!! More blogs to come on that, but because he knew how much I love Ewan we went to the othello stage door after our play (which was very GOOD) and met Ewan still! Then we met up with the rest of the girls!!!! 

tea @ kensington palace

We love our tea and of course have great tea times. Sometimes we walk across the park and have a big to do about going to have tea (herbal of course) at kensington palace. It's a rather prissy production and I love it. The peppermint tea is quite close to the best thing that ever happened to me. 

rachels bday

My roommate Rachel celebrated her 20th birthday last weekend. In celebration we went out to a really fun vegetarian restaurant. I've made such good friends here and it's so much fun to be able to share all these awesome experiences I'm having in London with such awesome girls. These girls all actually live in my room except Alyssa who is right above me. We've got Tori, Amanda, Rachel, Anna, Lindsey, Betsy, my twiner, & me. We've sort of become each others family and we're a happy one at that!

theater night

Hello Covent Garden!!! Literally one of my favorite places in all on london. We are all dolled up to go see a play called women in black! seriously so scary! there were only two characters, but the actors were SO GOOD. It was really cool to go see a play the was a horror rather than a musical. I highly recommend it!

oscar wilde's house

... we had a dance party!

to oxford

I'm not smiling very much in this first picture, but it's a truly happy thing because the reason I'm struggling to smile is because it was so beautifully sunny outside. We've had a week of FANTASTIC weather. Saturday I didn't wear a coat once all day, day or night. It's lovely. The daffodils are peeking out in the park too. Anyways, on wednesday we visited oxford. Oxford is an amazing town. It functions very differently than a normal university. I added this little bit from oxford's website to show you how it works... The thirty-nine Colleges, though independent and self-governing, form a core element of the University, to which they are related in a federal system, not unlike the United States. In time, each college is granted a charter approved by the Privy Council, under which it is governed by a Head of House and a Governing Body comprising of a number of Fellows, most of whom also hold University posts. There are also seven Permanent Private Halls, which were founded by different Christian denominations, and which still retain their religious character. Thirty colleges and all seven halls admit students for both undergraduate and graduate degrees. Seven other colleges are for graduates only; one, All Souls, has Fellows only, and one, Kellogg College, supports the lifelong learning work of the University for adult, part-time, and professional development students.

It was so interesting to go around and explore the colleges. And also see the great hall, from the Harry Potter movies! It's spectacular.

oo la la, paris!!!

We just spent a week in Paris! It was fantastic! It was great to go again and have time to see some more things! My favorite was climbing the Arc de Triomphe and Notre Dome! They just had the most beautiful views of the city. The weather however was awful, that was very unfortunate! Especially on the day Alyssa and I went out in our little euro dresses having gotten all dolled up and done our hair trying to look cute! I do love Paris though!!!

Wagamama's Noodle House

On Saturday nights we find it a point to search out interesting restaurants and enjoy them! One we recently went to was a japanese noodle place with very interesting cuisine! I love going out with all the girls! Here in the photo we've got (from left to right) Anna, Nicole, Alyssa, Me, Abby, and Rachel. All of whom are my roomies except Anna. We have great times together! I feel like I've known all these girls all my life, It's like constant sleep over!!! 

.wicked.

What a night!!! Uncle Gary took Alyssa and I to see Wicked on his last visit to London! It was of course my third time seeing it, but I still loved it!!!! So now I've seen it in LA, NY, and London!! Glinda is my girl!!!!

It was so nice of Uncle Gary to treat us to such an awesome show!!!

a bit of kensington

PoRtObElLo RoAd

It's an absolute dream! It's a street fair like I've never seen! So many amazing treasures! The girls and I go here very early every saturday morning to gaze upon the antiques and get fresh fruit at the market.

(note to mom and her fab 5 or super 6, you know who you are... this is where you will want to spend all you're alloted shopping money, NO DOUBT ABOUT IT)