Thursday, September 23, 2010
Cheerio England!
Goodbye for now, but we hopefully will see you soon! This is the final Winston and Rosemary podcast; our ode to England. We hope you've all enjoyed reading and listening to our adventures. Stay tuned, because even though we're back in the states, we may have another blog for you to follow. As usual, please click on the link of the blogpost title to hear our podcast. Cheers for now!
Love always,
Winston, Rosemary and our dog son Ethan
The Final Day of our Journey
Cheers readers!! I'm sad to say, but Rosemary and I are reporting on our final day in England. It's very bittersweet and we enjoyed this trip immensely. Thanks to everyone who made this possible as it was definitely a trip we will never forget. We loved England so much and we will definitely be heading back some day. So, without further ado, here is the recount of our final hours in London!
After the most awkward English breakfast at The Cymbeline Guest House, we headed to McKenchnies Independent Tea and Coffee shop. It was a cozy little coffee shop just on the edge of the town center. We enjoyed lovely vanilla lattes and accessed the free wi-fi since we couldn't at our guest house. We spent about an hour in the little shop and headed back to The Cymbeline to check out. We then made our way to the train station to wait for our final train ride; our 11:40 to London. We arrived in London just around 2 p.m. and navigated the tube station a few stops until we arrived back at the London and Britain visitor information centre. From there, they helped us book a hotel for our final night in town. We wanted an upgrade from our last two guest houses and felt we deserved nice accommodations after lugging around luggage and making numerous train rides across England. They got us a reservation at The Grovesnor adjacent to the Victoria rail station. The hotel was very English and very nice. Rosemary was quite excited because we upgraded to the air-conditioned executive suite - the first air-conditioned room we had all trip. After freshening up, we decided to grab a bite to eat and hit up the town to take some final pictures and soak in the city one last time.
We decided to eat at The Victoria - a pub just down the street from The Grovesnor. Rosemary ordered a coke and I had the Young's Cask Ale. We ordered nachos to share and I went with the sausage of the day and Rosemary ordered the first grilled chicken sandwich of her trip. The nachos were tasty and after we finished those, our main dishes were served. We both enjoyed them. After Rosemary's second coke and Winston's Pimm's Cup, we headed out.
We went to the Westminster Tube stop to get some more pictures of Big Ben, Parliment, red telephone booths and other English standards. Afterwards we made a stop by Kensington to do some shopping. After visiting a few stores we stopped by Marks and Spencer to pick up a few grocery items for the hotel room (namely orange juice, water and coke) and we headed back for a relaxing final evening.
We reminisced about our trip, began the packing process and said goodnight to London for one final time, for the next day we would be heading back to the states on a plane. Goodbye for now England, we'll see you again soon!
After the most awkward English breakfast at The Cymbeline Guest House, we headed to McKenchnies Independent Tea and Coffee shop. It was a cozy little coffee shop just on the edge of the town center. We enjoyed lovely vanilla lattes and accessed the free wi-fi since we couldn't at our guest house. We spent about an hour in the little shop and headed back to The Cymbeline to check out. We then made our way to the train station to wait for our final train ride; our 11:40 to London. We arrived in London just around 2 p.m. and navigated the tube station a few stops until we arrived back at the London and Britain visitor information centre. From there, they helped us book a hotel for our final night in town. We wanted an upgrade from our last two guest houses and felt we deserved nice accommodations after lugging around luggage and making numerous train rides across England. They got us a reservation at The Grovesnor adjacent to the Victoria rail station. The hotel was very English and very nice. Rosemary was quite excited because we upgraded to the air-conditioned executive suite - the first air-conditioned room we had all trip. After freshening up, we decided to grab a bite to eat and hit up the town to take some final pictures and soak in the city one last time.
We decided to eat at The Victoria - a pub just down the street from The Grovesnor. Rosemary ordered a coke and I had the Young's Cask Ale. We ordered nachos to share and I went with the sausage of the day and Rosemary ordered the first grilled chicken sandwich of her trip. The nachos were tasty and after we finished those, our main dishes were served. We both enjoyed them. After Rosemary's second coke and Winston's Pimm's Cup, we headed out.
We went to the Westminster Tube stop to get some more pictures of Big Ben, Parliment, red telephone booths and other English standards. Afterwards we made a stop by Kensington to do some shopping. After visiting a few stores we stopped by Marks and Spencer to pick up a few grocery items for the hotel room (namely orange juice, water and coke) and we headed back for a relaxing final evening.
We reminisced about our trip, began the packing process and said goodnight to London for one final time, for the next day we would be heading back to the states on a plane. Goodbye for now England, we'll see you again soon!
The Blue Room
Good day readers!! We hope you're having as good of time in the states as we are in England! We're so glad you decided to tag along via our blog and we hope you've enjoyed reading and listening to it as much as we've enjoyed creating it. Our time in England is coming to an end and it's very bittersweet for us. With that being said, let's catch you up on our Sunday events!
We started our day with an early breakfast at Brown's Guest House. Rosemary enjoyed cornflakes, toast, fruit and yogurt and orange juice while Winston had a very light breakfast of wheat-a-bix, toast, orange juice and coffee. It was decent, just as the day before and from there we finished packing up our belongings, checked out of the guest house and grabbed a cab to the train station. We were about to embark on the final leg of our trip. Can you guess where we were heading?
It's a small town, northwest of Oxford. It is the birthplace of one of literature's greatest figures; part of it's name is an American cosmetic company; the Bard walked on these grounds. Any takers? 5...4...3...2...1, okay, no guesses? Stratford-upon-Avon was our next stop. We took the 9:40 train from Oxford, had one change to make and arrived in Stratford just after noon. We had a short walk to the tourist information center and they helped us book a room at The Cymbeline Guest House. Fortunately, there was not a college week or weekend going on and it was rather easy to get a room. The guest house was just a short walk and we went to check in from there.
When we arrived, we were greeted by an older English gentleman by the name of Keith. He had us sign the guest book and then he lead us to our room. The guest house was very authentic. Lots of antiques, English and Shakespeare memorabillia and every single room was decorated in a different color. We were a bit excited about the authentic and cute nature of the house until we realized that we had to ascend four flights of narrow stairs with all of our luggage! Yes, we had to lug Rosemary's 90 lb. suitcase up those stairs. After we made it to the room, we were pleasantly surprised. It was the fifth and final room in the guest house and it sat at the top of the stairs. The room was decorated in blue and quite roomy compared to our room at the previous bed and breakfast. What made this room quite fitting is it was blue and there were flow blue plates on the wall; very similar to the "blue room" in Rosemary and Chloe's childhood house. After climbing all of those stairs, we took a quick break and tried to access the complimentary wi-fi, which we quickly realized didn't work:(
After the break, we decided to head to the centre of town in Stratford, explore and grab a bite to eat. Rosemary and I weren't feeling that great and it was a very slow and sluggish day. We walked around and saw the historic buildings that were very representative of Shakespeare's time. They were very charming and definitely brought a different feel to the town. Much different than the other areas we visited. It was great because London, Brighton, Oxford and Stratford-upon-Avon all had their own vibe, culture and feel even though they were just hours away from eachother. Each place was historic in it's own right and it was embedded in how the inhabitants went about their daily lives.
We were getting hungry after walking around a bit, so we decided to grab a bite to eat at the oldest pub in town, The Garrick Inn. We had to wait about a half hour for a table, so we headed to the bar for a drink. Rosemary had a coke and I had the cask Old Speckled Hen; which was fantastic. After our drinks, our table was ready. Rosemary opted for the cheeseburger and I went with the beef and ruddles ale pie with mash. The food arrived and it was absolutely delicious. The beef and ale pie was one of my all-time favorites on the trip and Rosemary enjoyed her burger. After dining, drinks and chatting, we decided to head back out and explore Stratford before the shops closed early. We visited a few stores, saw Shakespeare's birthplace, took some pictures and generally enjoyed our afternoon.
After everything closed down, we headed toward the Church of the Holy Trinity to view Shakespeare's grave. We paid three pounds to go view the gravesite and take a few pictures of the oldest part of the church. Afterwards, we walked through the very old cemetary and sat on a bench in a shaded area. We then headed back to the guest house for an afternoon break. We didn't really head out after the break because we didn't feel very well. There wasn't any "take-away" places in town, so we settled with some snacks at a convenience store and called it an early night.
For our adventures across the countryside closed and we were heading back to London the next day to spend our final night in the place where our journey first began.
We started our day with an early breakfast at Brown's Guest House. Rosemary enjoyed cornflakes, toast, fruit and yogurt and orange juice while Winston had a very light breakfast of wheat-a-bix, toast, orange juice and coffee. It was decent, just as the day before and from there we finished packing up our belongings, checked out of the guest house and grabbed a cab to the train station. We were about to embark on the final leg of our trip. Can you guess where we were heading?
It's a small town, northwest of Oxford. It is the birthplace of one of literature's greatest figures; part of it's name is an American cosmetic company; the Bard walked on these grounds. Any takers? 5...4...3...2...1, okay, no guesses? Stratford-upon-Avon was our next stop. We took the 9:40 train from Oxford, had one change to make and arrived in Stratford just after noon. We had a short walk to the tourist information center and they helped us book a room at The Cymbeline Guest House. Fortunately, there was not a college week or weekend going on and it was rather easy to get a room. The guest house was just a short walk and we went to check in from there.
When we arrived, we were greeted by an older English gentleman by the name of Keith. He had us sign the guest book and then he lead us to our room. The guest house was very authentic. Lots of antiques, English and Shakespeare memorabillia and every single room was decorated in a different color. We were a bit excited about the authentic and cute nature of the house until we realized that we had to ascend four flights of narrow stairs with all of our luggage! Yes, we had to lug Rosemary's 90 lb. suitcase up those stairs. After we made it to the room, we were pleasantly surprised. It was the fifth and final room in the guest house and it sat at the top of the stairs. The room was decorated in blue and quite roomy compared to our room at the previous bed and breakfast. What made this room quite fitting is it was blue and there were flow blue plates on the wall; very similar to the "blue room" in Rosemary and Chloe's childhood house. After climbing all of those stairs, we took a quick break and tried to access the complimentary wi-fi, which we quickly realized didn't work:(
After the break, we decided to head to the centre of town in Stratford, explore and grab a bite to eat. Rosemary and I weren't feeling that great and it was a very slow and sluggish day. We walked around and saw the historic buildings that were very representative of Shakespeare's time. They were very charming and definitely brought a different feel to the town. Much different than the other areas we visited. It was great because London, Brighton, Oxford and Stratford-upon-Avon all had their own vibe, culture and feel even though they were just hours away from eachother. Each place was historic in it's own right and it was embedded in how the inhabitants went about their daily lives.
We were getting hungry after walking around a bit, so we decided to grab a bite to eat at the oldest pub in town, The Garrick Inn. We had to wait about a half hour for a table, so we headed to the bar for a drink. Rosemary had a coke and I had the cask Old Speckled Hen; which was fantastic. After our drinks, our table was ready. Rosemary opted for the cheeseburger and I went with the beef and ruddles ale pie with mash. The food arrived and it was absolutely delicious. The beef and ale pie was one of my all-time favorites on the trip and Rosemary enjoyed her burger. After dining, drinks and chatting, we decided to head back out and explore Stratford before the shops closed early. We visited a few stores, saw Shakespeare's birthplace, took some pictures and generally enjoyed our afternoon.
After everything closed down, we headed toward the Church of the Holy Trinity to view Shakespeare's grave. We paid three pounds to go view the gravesite and take a few pictures of the oldest part of the church. Afterwards, we walked through the very old cemetary and sat on a bench in a shaded area. We then headed back to the guest house for an afternoon break. We didn't really head out after the break because we didn't feel very well. There wasn't any "take-away" places in town, so we settled with some snacks at a convenience store and called it an early night.
For our adventures across the countryside closed and we were heading back to London the next day to spend our final night in the place where our journey first began.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Oxford in Pictures
Quite ironic, seeing as how there are soooo many bicycles in Oxford
The Garden Cafe in Oxford
Hertford Bridge, Oxford
Radcliffe Camera, Oxford
Anthony Gormley's statue on Blackwell's Art and Poster Shop, Oxford
Oxford Blue
Cheers from Oxford loyal followers! Today, we're going to recap our first full day in Oxford.
We started the morning with breakfast at Brown's Guest House. Rosemary had the cornflakes, toast, yogurt and fruit, orange juice and coffee. Winston had toast, scrambled eggs, orange juice and coffee. The breakfast was decent, however, it wasn't anything like Mark's breakfast from Nineteen Guest House in Brighton. After an early breakfast, we hopped on the number three bus to the Oxford city centre and walked to the train station. We had to purchase tickets to our next location. Where will Winston and Rosemary be heading next? Any guesses? 5...4...3...2...1, guess not. Tune into the next post to find out where we head off to next. Until then, let's get to the rest of our Oxford Saturday.
After purchasing our tickets, we headed to a coffee shop called the Missing Bean. It was a superb coffee house that held true to the Italian coffee shop roots. No flavors, no frills, only fresh espresso and coffee. I ordered a latte and Rosemary had the iced latte. It was quite tasty and the baristas performed some of the most amazing latte art I've ever seen. It was a bit too strong for Rosemary, but it was just the jump start we needed for the day.
We did a lot of exploring in Oxford after the coffee. In fact, that is pretty much the M.O. of how we approached each day in a new area of England. We didn't partake in a lot of tours and exhibitions; we just walked around, looked at the main sites and tried to get a real sense of the city and it's vibe and culture. We feel we really achieved that. We walked by numerous amazing structures in Oxford, including, but not limited to University of Oxford, Trinity College, Magdalen College, Radcliffe Camera, Oxford Castle and Bodleian Library to name a few. Oxford is just an amazing place. It's a huge college town and it's just bursting with activity and history. The architecture is absolutely breathtaking. For those of you who don't know, here's a little history on the University of Oxford:
- University of Oxford was the first university in the English speaking world
- Students from more than 140 countries and territories make up the student population of more than 20,000
- Over a third of the student body comes from outside of the U.K.
- Teaching at University of Oxford existed in some form since 1096
- Student population grew immensely when Henry II banned English students from attending the University of Paris
After exploring and shopping at some stores and boutiques, it was time for lunch. We decided to go into a small pub called The White Horse that was located on Broad Street. We had to step down into this small pub and it was like stepping back into time. There was very little seating, a fully stocked bar of great English beers and it was bustling with activity. Winston ordered the fish and chips and Rosemary was excited to see a chicken fajita on the menu. Winston ordered an Oxford Prospect beer and Rosemary had a Pepsi. The food was delivered shortly and the fish and chips were absolutely delightful. In fact, it may have been the best fish and chips I had on the entire trip (could be why everyone in the entire pub was ordering the dish). Rosemary's fajita left a lot to be desired. I guess she'll never learn that you don't order a Mexican dish at an English pub :)
After a little more exploring and some down time at Brown's Guest House, it was time for an evening drink and dinner. There was a small pub that was just down the street from our guest house and it had received great reviews for it's atmosphere and handmade pizzas. So, we headed to The Fir Tree. We were greeted with a warm environment, a good beer selection, a rasta English bar tender and the John Butler Trio playing over the speakers. I ordered the Green King St. Edmounds and Rosemary had a Beck's. The bar tender was extremely friendly and we were really digging the vibe. However, our spirits were slightly crushed when we found out that they don't serve any evening meals. The bar tender recommended a few places to eat and we decided to take him up on one of them. After dinner, we had all the intention of returning to The Fir Tree, but that didn't quite work out. A small pub just a few streets down named The Oxford Blue was the choice. It was a small "hole in the wall" pub that had a few "townies" present. We ordered a few drinks and debated the menu for awhile. After waiting for the lone bar tender to finish his own dinner, we ordered. Rosemary had the lasagna (which seems to be standard pub fare in England) and Winston ordered a bacon cheddar burger. The food was decent, but the atmosphere did not compare to The Fir Tree. After finishing our food and drinks we decided to call it a night and head back to the guest house.
It was a good day in Oxford and we really enjoyed seeing the city. It was a good choice for us and tomorrow was the beginning of our next adventure.
We started the morning with breakfast at Brown's Guest House. Rosemary had the cornflakes, toast, yogurt and fruit, orange juice and coffee. Winston had toast, scrambled eggs, orange juice and coffee. The breakfast was decent, however, it wasn't anything like Mark's breakfast from Nineteen Guest House in Brighton. After an early breakfast, we hopped on the number three bus to the Oxford city centre and walked to the train station. We had to purchase tickets to our next location. Where will Winston and Rosemary be heading next? Any guesses? 5...4...3...2...1, guess not. Tune into the next post to find out where we head off to next. Until then, let's get to the rest of our Oxford Saturday.
After purchasing our tickets, we headed to a coffee shop called the Missing Bean. It was a superb coffee house that held true to the Italian coffee shop roots. No flavors, no frills, only fresh espresso and coffee. I ordered a latte and Rosemary had the iced latte. It was quite tasty and the baristas performed some of the most amazing latte art I've ever seen. It was a bit too strong for Rosemary, but it was just the jump start we needed for the day.
We did a lot of exploring in Oxford after the coffee. In fact, that is pretty much the M.O. of how we approached each day in a new area of England. We didn't partake in a lot of tours and exhibitions; we just walked around, looked at the main sites and tried to get a real sense of the city and it's vibe and culture. We feel we really achieved that. We walked by numerous amazing structures in Oxford, including, but not limited to University of Oxford, Trinity College, Magdalen College, Radcliffe Camera, Oxford Castle and Bodleian Library to name a few. Oxford is just an amazing place. It's a huge college town and it's just bursting with activity and history. The architecture is absolutely breathtaking. For those of you who don't know, here's a little history on the University of Oxford:
- University of Oxford was the first university in the English speaking world
- Students from more than 140 countries and territories make up the student population of more than 20,000
- Over a third of the student body comes from outside of the U.K.
- Teaching at University of Oxford existed in some form since 1096
- Student population grew immensely when Henry II banned English students from attending the University of Paris
After exploring and shopping at some stores and boutiques, it was time for lunch. We decided to go into a small pub called The White Horse that was located on Broad Street. We had to step down into this small pub and it was like stepping back into time. There was very little seating, a fully stocked bar of great English beers and it was bustling with activity. Winston ordered the fish and chips and Rosemary was excited to see a chicken fajita on the menu. Winston ordered an Oxford Prospect beer and Rosemary had a Pepsi. The food was delivered shortly and the fish and chips were absolutely delightful. In fact, it may have been the best fish and chips I had on the entire trip (could be why everyone in the entire pub was ordering the dish). Rosemary's fajita left a lot to be desired. I guess she'll never learn that you don't order a Mexican dish at an English pub :)
After a little more exploring and some down time at Brown's Guest House, it was time for an evening drink and dinner. There was a small pub that was just down the street from our guest house and it had received great reviews for it's atmosphere and handmade pizzas. So, we headed to The Fir Tree. We were greeted with a warm environment, a good beer selection, a rasta English bar tender and the John Butler Trio playing over the speakers. I ordered the Green King St. Edmounds and Rosemary had a Beck's. The bar tender was extremely friendly and we were really digging the vibe. However, our spirits were slightly crushed when we found out that they don't serve any evening meals. The bar tender recommended a few places to eat and we decided to take him up on one of them. After dinner, we had all the intention of returning to The Fir Tree, but that didn't quite work out. A small pub just a few streets down named The Oxford Blue was the choice. It was a small "hole in the wall" pub that had a few "townies" present. We ordered a few drinks and debated the menu for awhile. After waiting for the lone bar tender to finish his own dinner, we ordered. Rosemary had the lasagna (which seems to be standard pub fare in England) and Winston ordered a bacon cheddar burger. The food was decent, but the atmosphere did not compare to The Fir Tree. After finishing our food and drinks we decided to call it a night and head back to the guest house.
It was a good day in Oxford and we really enjoyed seeing the city. It was a good choice for us and tomorrow was the beginning of our next adventure.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Shopping, Jazz, Seafood and Seagalls= A Lovely Day in Brighton (well, except for the seagalls)
More podcasts! As usual, click on the title of the post to download the podcast file. Cheers!
London Pictorial
Winston and Rosemary on the river cruise with Tower Bridge as the backdrop
Big Ben
Inside the Eye
Rosemary's view of Big Ben from the London Eye
Bubble Inc. booth at Thames River Festival
Skateboarder at Thames River Festival
BMX biker at Thames River Festival
Another biker at Thames River Festival
Foot traffic on the Golden Jubilee Bridge
The neon at St. Martin's Theatre for "The Mousetrap"
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Goodbye and Hello....
Podcast number two from your favorite English duo! Remember to just click on the title of the blogpost to listen. Enjoy!
More pictures
Bench at The Tower of London
A unique view of Tower Bridge
The colorful flats of Notting Hill
Antique shops on Portobello Road
The London Eye
Friday, September 17, 2010
Picture Time
The London Underground Logo
A gate at The Tower of London
The torture room at The Tower of London
Another view of The Tower of London
Looking out from the White Tower at The Tower of London
I hope you enjoy these images. I don't have many standard shots, because I try not to shoot anything standard. Again, I haven't reviewed these images or completed slight editing, so I apologize for any inconsistencies.
Hopefully we'll get more up soon!
A Royal Day in London
"God Save the Queen" loyal readers!! Hopefully, after reading the title of this blog post and the opening line, you have a little bit of an idea of how we spent our last full day in London. That's right, we were going to begin the day at Buckingham Palace.
We got an early start and grabbed our morning latte at Cafe Nero. Again, the barista asked if we wanted the usual, which made us smile. We enjoyed our coffee and got a front row seat to people watching outside. After that, it was off to see the Buckingham Palace State Rooms. While Buckingham Palace is a major tourist attraction, the State Rooms are only open to tour 60 days a year - in August and September! So, we were very lucky to be able to tour them; something not many people get to experience. When we got our tickets and entered through the gate, we were seated with a large group and giving instructions on going through security, much like the airport. After about 10 minutes, we were through the gates and greeted with a free audio tour headset.
BP is absolutely breathtaking! The architecture, color scheme, ornate designs of the ceilings, columns, and every detail of every room was highly thought out. One of the most amazing areas is John Nash's grand staircase. The staircase sets the tone as we prepare to journey through the remainder of the State Rooms. Rosemary enjoyed the dining room and hearing about the table settings. The table is set to accommodate different amounts of people, therefore, they use a ruler to space out each place setting! (We couldn't help but think of Gary and his precise measurements-maybe he can apply for this job!) The Queen always has say in the place settings and even reviews the menu (which is presented in French) prior to dining. The tour lasted about an hour and a half and was a sight we will never forget-Thank you Tiffany Rabaduex!
After that we wanted to grab a bite to eat. What better place to grab a bite than one of the most historic pubs in all of England - Ye Olde Chesire Cheese Pub. It was rebuilt in 1667 and was a favorite of Charles Dickens, and Samuel Johnson. For those of you who don't know-Samuel Johnson was a British author. He created the dictionary of the English Language which was viewed as the pre-eminent British dictionary prior to the completion of the Oxford English Dictionary. Rosemary was feeling quite adventurous and ordered the fish and chips-an English staple. Winston ordered the Scotch Roast Beef with roasted potatoes and Yorkshire pudding. Lunch was "brilliant" as the locals would say! In addition to the food the pub was exactly what we were looking for. Very small, dark woods, Samuel Smith on tap, and even the chair that Dr. Johnson sat in.
After lunch, we went to the visitors center to book our train tickets for the next leg of the journey. This took about 40 minutes and then it was off to the HayMarket Hotel to experience more English tradition. The Brumus Restaurant attached to the hotel has a lovely afternoon tea-as recommended by Chloe Foster aka Candie. We ordered the Haymarket tea for two. Winston had the Earl Grey and Rosemary had the Lady Grey tea. Tea was served with a three tiered tray of sandwiches, scones, cupcakes, and desserts! Everything was absolutely amazing and we enjoyed the relaxing pace of the tea. In fact, we propose that all Americans take afternoon tea from 3-5 daily. It might loosen them up a bit.
After tea, we decided to head back to the Tate Modern to view the remaining floor that we had not seen. Unfortunately, we forgot to check the closing time, as the Tate closed about 15 minutes prior to our arrival. Winston ventured about the building taking some photographs of the Millennium bridge and then it was back to the flat for a relaxing evening.
We began packing for our Wednesday departure and were still too stuffed to think about dinner. So, we just enjoyed some snacks and wine at the flat and called it a night! It was a wonderful last day in London and we went to bed a bit sad that we wouldn't be coming back to the flat any other time during our journey.
We got an early start and grabbed our morning latte at Cafe Nero. Again, the barista asked if we wanted the usual, which made us smile. We enjoyed our coffee and got a front row seat to people watching outside. After that, it was off to see the Buckingham Palace State Rooms. While Buckingham Palace is a major tourist attraction, the State Rooms are only open to tour 60 days a year - in August and September! So, we were very lucky to be able to tour them; something not many people get to experience. When we got our tickets and entered through the gate, we were seated with a large group and giving instructions on going through security, much like the airport. After about 10 minutes, we were through the gates and greeted with a free audio tour headset.
BP is absolutely breathtaking! The architecture, color scheme, ornate designs of the ceilings, columns, and every detail of every room was highly thought out. One of the most amazing areas is John Nash's grand staircase. The staircase sets the tone as we prepare to journey through the remainder of the State Rooms. Rosemary enjoyed the dining room and hearing about the table settings. The table is set to accommodate different amounts of people, therefore, they use a ruler to space out each place setting! (We couldn't help but think of Gary and his precise measurements-maybe he can apply for this job!) The Queen always has say in the place settings and even reviews the menu (which is presented in French) prior to dining. The tour lasted about an hour and a half and was a sight we will never forget-Thank you Tiffany Rabaduex!
After that we wanted to grab a bite to eat. What better place to grab a bite than one of the most historic pubs in all of England - Ye Olde Chesire Cheese Pub. It was rebuilt in 1667 and was a favorite of Charles Dickens, and Samuel Johnson. For those of you who don't know-Samuel Johnson was a British author. He created the dictionary of the English Language which was viewed as the pre-eminent British dictionary prior to the completion of the Oxford English Dictionary. Rosemary was feeling quite adventurous and ordered the fish and chips-an English staple. Winston ordered the Scotch Roast Beef with roasted potatoes and Yorkshire pudding. Lunch was "brilliant" as the locals would say! In addition to the food the pub was exactly what we were looking for. Very small, dark woods, Samuel Smith on tap, and even the chair that Dr. Johnson sat in.
After lunch, we went to the visitors center to book our train tickets for the next leg of the journey. This took about 40 minutes and then it was off to the HayMarket Hotel to experience more English tradition. The Brumus Restaurant attached to the hotel has a lovely afternoon tea-as recommended by Chloe Foster aka Candie. We ordered the Haymarket tea for two. Winston had the Earl Grey and Rosemary had the Lady Grey tea. Tea was served with a three tiered tray of sandwiches, scones, cupcakes, and desserts! Everything was absolutely amazing and we enjoyed the relaxing pace of the tea. In fact, we propose that all Americans take afternoon tea from 3-5 daily. It might loosen them up a bit.
After tea, we decided to head back to the Tate Modern to view the remaining floor that we had not seen. Unfortunately, we forgot to check the closing time, as the Tate closed about 15 minutes prior to our arrival. Winston ventured about the building taking some photographs of the Millennium bridge and then it was back to the flat for a relaxing evening.
We began packing for our Wednesday departure and were still too stuffed to think about dinner. So, we just enjoyed some snacks and wine at the flat and called it a night! It was a wonderful last day in London and we went to bed a bit sad that we wouldn't be coming back to the flat any other time during our journey.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
58 years and counting
Greetings ladies and gents!
We're so glad that you loved the very first Benning's Abroad podcast. We'll be continuing those for our week two adventures, but first we'll catch you up on our last few days in London via the written word.
So, chronologically speaking, you all are waiting to hear about Monday. After a slow start, we ventured out to our little coffee spot, Cafe Nero. Rosemary was very excited because the barista asked if we wanted the usual!! We now felt established and the theme song to Cheers played in our heads as we felt like native brits. After coffee, it was time to venture to the astounding store that is Harrod's.
After a short tube ride, we arrived to this unbelievable sight. Harrod's is massive. It's comprised of 7 total floors of goods. It has everything you can imagine. Everything from furniture, antiques, electronics, CD's and DVD's to a Christmas store, jewelry, sporting goods, handbags, perfume, homeware, clothing, cigars, wine, a florist, wedding dresses, etc. The list keeps on going. In fact, what is quite possibly the most amazing thing about Harrod's is the food court. It is filled with fresh foods as well as restaurants of all kinds. As Rosemary says, "You feel like Charlie walking around the Chocolate Factory. Yet, instead of chocolate, it's a factory of all kinds of food." Speaking of food, it was time for lunch. Of all the different restaurants available, Rosemary was craving the oven-fired pizzaria. So, we stood in line for a bit until we got a seat at the rounded bar. We got to watch the chefs prepare each pizza and put them into the wood-burning oven. We ordered the Pollo pizza, which had chicken, roasted peppers and olives. It was quite tasty, especially after washing it down with a Harrod's lager. After lunch, we ventured through the store some more. We made a quick purchase in the humidity controlled cigar shop and headed back to the tube. The sheer magnitude of the store is quite astounding. The quality of goods in Harrod's is exceptional and of the highest of the high end. Even though we didn't purchase that much, it was a treat to walk through the store.
We headed back to the flat to change clothes because it was off to the theatre for Rosemary and Winston. Rosemary changed into her European inspired outfit of a black belted dress with leggings, boots, a blazer and killer headband. Winston opted for the more traditional dress pants, white shirt, pop of color tie and v-neck sweater. The two of us together looked quite dashing. After catching the tube, we arrived in London's theatre district, the West End. It's the most comparable spot to NYC's broadway. Picaddily Circus, which is just a short walk, is very reminiscent of Times Square with it's tall and bright flashing lights and chain restaurants. In fact, there was even a TGIFriday's. Winston commented that only Americans probably eat there.
We had a little bit before the show and decided that a pub might be quicker than trying to find a table at a more relaxed, romantic dinner venue. We opted for the Sussex. It was a traditional English Pub that was quite hopping. Rosemary had a coke and nachos while Winston went with the Greene King IPA and the fish and chips. While Winston was ordering, Rosemary offerred the two seats beside us to a couple of French travelers. While they engaged in their own coversations, Rosemary was glad she helped some fellow foreigners out.
The food was good and the spot was a good choice. So, we had just enough time to hike over to the theater, find our seats, and enjoy a little quiet time before the performance, or so we thought. Instead of asking directions to the theatre after dinner, we thought we knew which way to go.....WRONG! We hiked all the way across Leceister Square in the opposite direction. We finally made it back to the other side, asked numerous individuals where the theatre was and made it to our seats just as the bell for the beginning of the performance tolled.
You may all be wondering what show it was that we saw. Well, we went to Agatha Christie's "The Mousetrap" at St. Martin's Theatre. It is currently the longest running play in the world, and it's in it's 58th year. The theatre is very small and intimate and has a historic and vintage feel about it. There are small brass bins on the walls that say "Please put cigarettes in here as they will burn holes in the carpet." That sign evokes images of "Mad Men," when smoking in public places, especially the theatre, was the norm. The play was fantastic and Rosemary enjoyed it much more than Henry IV Part 1. We definitely want to catch some other great shows on a return journey, however, if any of you are in London and haven't seen "The Mousetrap," we would definitely recommend checking it out because it is worth it.
After our day of shopping, dinner and a show, it was time for us to retire for the evening and ponder if "The Mousetrap" will run for another 58 years.
Cheers from your favorite English couple!
We're so glad that you loved the very first Benning's Abroad podcast. We'll be continuing those for our week two adventures, but first we'll catch you up on our last few days in London via the written word.
So, chronologically speaking, you all are waiting to hear about Monday. After a slow start, we ventured out to our little coffee spot, Cafe Nero. Rosemary was very excited because the barista asked if we wanted the usual!! We now felt established and the theme song to Cheers played in our heads as we felt like native brits. After coffee, it was time to venture to the astounding store that is Harrod's.
After a short tube ride, we arrived to this unbelievable sight. Harrod's is massive. It's comprised of 7 total floors of goods. It has everything you can imagine. Everything from furniture, antiques, electronics, CD's and DVD's to a Christmas store, jewelry, sporting goods, handbags, perfume, homeware, clothing, cigars, wine, a florist, wedding dresses, etc. The list keeps on going. In fact, what is quite possibly the most amazing thing about Harrod's is the food court. It is filled with fresh foods as well as restaurants of all kinds. As Rosemary says, "You feel like Charlie walking around the Chocolate Factory. Yet, instead of chocolate, it's a factory of all kinds of food." Speaking of food, it was time for lunch. Of all the different restaurants available, Rosemary was craving the oven-fired pizzaria. So, we stood in line for a bit until we got a seat at the rounded bar. We got to watch the chefs prepare each pizza and put them into the wood-burning oven. We ordered the Pollo pizza, which had chicken, roasted peppers and olives. It was quite tasty, especially after washing it down with a Harrod's lager. After lunch, we ventured through the store some more. We made a quick purchase in the humidity controlled cigar shop and headed back to the tube. The sheer magnitude of the store is quite astounding. The quality of goods in Harrod's is exceptional and of the highest of the high end. Even though we didn't purchase that much, it was a treat to walk through the store.
We headed back to the flat to change clothes because it was off to the theatre for Rosemary and Winston. Rosemary changed into her European inspired outfit of a black belted dress with leggings, boots, a blazer and killer headband. Winston opted for the more traditional dress pants, white shirt, pop of color tie and v-neck sweater. The two of us together looked quite dashing. After catching the tube, we arrived in London's theatre district, the West End. It's the most comparable spot to NYC's broadway. Picaddily Circus, which is just a short walk, is very reminiscent of Times Square with it's tall and bright flashing lights and chain restaurants. In fact, there was even a TGIFriday's. Winston commented that only Americans probably eat there.
We had a little bit before the show and decided that a pub might be quicker than trying to find a table at a more relaxed, romantic dinner venue. We opted for the Sussex. It was a traditional English Pub that was quite hopping. Rosemary had a coke and nachos while Winston went with the Greene King IPA and the fish and chips. While Winston was ordering, Rosemary offerred the two seats beside us to a couple of French travelers. While they engaged in their own coversations, Rosemary was glad she helped some fellow foreigners out.
The food was good and the spot was a good choice. So, we had just enough time to hike over to the theater, find our seats, and enjoy a little quiet time before the performance, or so we thought. Instead of asking directions to the theatre after dinner, we thought we knew which way to go.....WRONG! We hiked all the way across Leceister Square in the opposite direction. We finally made it back to the other side, asked numerous individuals where the theatre was and made it to our seats just as the bell for the beginning of the performance tolled.
You may all be wondering what show it was that we saw. Well, we went to Agatha Christie's "The Mousetrap" at St. Martin's Theatre. It is currently the longest running play in the world, and it's in it's 58th year. The theatre is very small and intimate and has a historic and vintage feel about it. There are small brass bins on the walls that say "Please put cigarettes in here as they will burn holes in the carpet." That sign evokes images of "Mad Men," when smoking in public places, especially the theatre, was the norm. The play was fantastic and Rosemary enjoyed it much more than Henry IV Part 1. We definitely want to catch some other great shows on a return journey, however, if any of you are in London and haven't seen "The Mousetrap," we would definitely recommend checking it out because it is worth it.
After our day of shopping, dinner and a show, it was time for us to retire for the evening and ponder if "The Mousetrap" will run for another 58 years.
Cheers from your favorite English couple!
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
A Sunday in London
Cheers followers, friends and family! We hope you all are having a lovely time in the states! We're having a great time in London and we thought we would provide you with a little treat for this post. We've completed our Sunday recap in podcast format for you to download and listen to. We may or may not be in faux English accents:) The podcast was a bit long, so we had to split it up into three smaller segments. We hope you enjoy it and let us know if you like listening to our adventures or if you like to read about them. When we get a bit more time, we'll try to upload some more photos. (Note: To hear the podcast, simply click the title of the blog post and it will begin to download/play.)
Warmest regards,
Winston and Rosemary
Warmest regards,
Winston and Rosemary
Monday, September 13, 2010
Sherlock to Shakespeare
Greetings from Fulham!
We've gotten a little behind on the posts so here is quick summary of Saturday! Hope we can remember everything!
We started the day off with our morning coffee at Cafe Nero with vanilla lattes and Rosemary had a delightful croissont. We have started seeing many repeat customers that frequent the spot when we are there and we have started to become familiar with the drill. One thing that we have noticed is noone says "to go." They ask you, "stay or take away."
After coffee, we ventured to Baker Street, home of Sherlock Holmes. We arrived at the Sherlock Holmes museum and tour at about 11am. It takes place at 221B Baker Street. We walked inside to explore thy dwellings of Sherlock and Watson and their living quarters. The tour takes place over 4 stories and each story is separated by a very small staircase leading to the next floor. It was interesting and informative.
Next we headed to London Eye Pier for the Thames River Cruise. Before beginning the cruise we wanted to grab a quick bite to eat. We found a nice restaurant called Canteen and sat outside under a large umbrella looking out onto an open area filled with shops, people, and other restaurants. They happend to be filming a BBC dance show that resembled Zumba. I was tempted to go audition, but the cutoff age looked about 13. After looking over the menu we decided to take advanage of the all day breakfast offered. Winston had Eggs Benedict and an Oktoberfest beer. Rosemary had eggs on toast and a side of toast and marmalade and a coke to drink. We are considering this our yummy English Breakfast!! Thank you Sue! When we finished the lovely meal we strolled the river to find the Mayor Thames' Festival! This was by far the largest festival we had ever seen! More festival news to come later...
We boarded our river cruise and picked seats in the top middle so Winston could photograph both sides easily. Rosemary decided to try the coffee served on the boat and ordered it "white." The coffee here is served white, (with cream and sugar) or black. Off we went on an hour and a half tour guided by a live tour guide on a microphone. We were able to see great architecture and see a different perspective from the water than the land.
And, we got to rest our feet a little! :) Thanks for the fun memory Jim and Leslie!
After resting up on the river cruise, we got some great pics of Big Ben, and Parliment. Then we rode our first double decker bus and arrived at the Tate Modern Museum. (Thank you Amanda and Darlene.) What a huge museum-6 floors of amazing artwork. Art seems so timeless.
After the Tate, we walked over to the Shakespeare Globe Theatre for some real entertainment. Thank you Deanna and Kristy. What a sight. The Globe is an open air theatre with amazing actors, costumes, and feel. Its like stepping back into time. We saw the production of Henry IV part 1. After 3 hours of Shakespeare we were ready to call it a night and head to the flat.
More later,
Rosemary and Winston Benning
We've gotten a little behind on the posts so here is quick summary of Saturday! Hope we can remember everything!
We started the day off with our morning coffee at Cafe Nero with vanilla lattes and Rosemary had a delightful croissont. We have started seeing many repeat customers that frequent the spot when we are there and we have started to become familiar with the drill. One thing that we have noticed is noone says "to go." They ask you, "stay or take away."
After coffee, we ventured to Baker Street, home of Sherlock Holmes. We arrived at the Sherlock Holmes museum and tour at about 11am. It takes place at 221B Baker Street. We walked inside to explore thy dwellings of Sherlock and Watson and their living quarters. The tour takes place over 4 stories and each story is separated by a very small staircase leading to the next floor. It was interesting and informative.
Next we headed to London Eye Pier for the Thames River Cruise. Before beginning the cruise we wanted to grab a quick bite to eat. We found a nice restaurant called Canteen and sat outside under a large umbrella looking out onto an open area filled with shops, people, and other restaurants. They happend to be filming a BBC dance show that resembled Zumba. I was tempted to go audition, but the cutoff age looked about 13. After looking over the menu we decided to take advanage of the all day breakfast offered. Winston had Eggs Benedict and an Oktoberfest beer. Rosemary had eggs on toast and a side of toast and marmalade and a coke to drink. We are considering this our yummy English Breakfast!! Thank you Sue! When we finished the lovely meal we strolled the river to find the Mayor Thames' Festival! This was by far the largest festival we had ever seen! More festival news to come later...
We boarded our river cruise and picked seats in the top middle so Winston could photograph both sides easily. Rosemary decided to try the coffee served on the boat and ordered it "white." The coffee here is served white, (with cream and sugar) or black. Off we went on an hour and a half tour guided by a live tour guide on a microphone. We were able to see great architecture and see a different perspective from the water than the land.
And, we got to rest our feet a little! :) Thanks for the fun memory Jim and Leslie!
After resting up on the river cruise, we got some great pics of Big Ben, and Parliment. Then we rode our first double decker bus and arrived at the Tate Modern Museum. (Thank you Amanda and Darlene.) What a huge museum-6 floors of amazing artwork. Art seems so timeless.
After the Tate, we walked over to the Shakespeare Globe Theatre for some real entertainment. Thank you Deanna and Kristy. What a sight. The Globe is an open air theatre with amazing actors, costumes, and feel. Its like stepping back into time. We saw the production of Henry IV part 1. After 3 hours of Shakespeare we were ready to call it a night and head to the flat.
More later,
Rosemary and Winston Benning
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Antiques and Tapas
Cheers everyone!!! Sorry it's been awhile since our last post, but it's been a busy few days. So, we'll try to keep up with our posts as best as we can from here on out. With that being said, let's get to our third day in London!
So, we started out the day at our new favorite little coffee spot - Cafe Nero! We received a loyalty card and it looks like we'll be getting a free drink soon. After our mid morning coffee, we decided to take the tube to Notting Hill and check out the famous Portobello Rd. Market. The "official" market day is Saturday, but we thought we'd check it out on Friday to miss most of the crowds. It was a very intersting street. Our sis/sister-in-law Candace visited London a few months ago and she commented on the colorful flats and houses. That is actually the first thing we noticed upon arriving at the market/market shops. Most of the flats and buildings are bright blues, reds, greens, yellows and all other colors of the rainbow. It adds a touch of color to the neighborhood and lends a bit of life to the other surroundings. As odd as we might think it is in America to paint our house a non neutral color, it might actually help to add some much needed character to our rather drab dwellings. The beginning of Portobello Rd. has a large number of antique shops and antique dealers. We found a few amazing pieces, like an Union Jack chair, a roulette/poker gaming table, an old rowing club sign with wood oars and some other stuff. We didn't purchase anything due to getting it home and the rather high prices. The dealers on Portobello Rd. know their goods and it's highly unlikely that anybody will find an amazing deal.
After the antiques, the market turns to clothes, some touristy items, fruits and vegetables and then a vintage fashion market. Towards the end of the market, the booths become almost non-existent and the area becomes extremely ethnic. We walked up and down the street a few times and then grabbed some lunch at a nice little bakery called Gail's Artisan Bakery. Brittany didn't really like the chicken fougacia sandwich she got and wished we never stepped foot in the cafe. However, my turkey sandwich was tasty and the cappachino I ordered came with impressive latte art.
Brittany did purchase a nice bracelet from a small boutique in which the shopkeeper told her she had very good taste. That made her day. While that was the only purchase we made, there were some very cool shops. Check them out at http://www.judy-fox.com/ and http://www.savagelondon.com/.
After Notting Hill we headed back to the flat to map out the rest of our day. Seeing as how it was actually fairly late in the day, dinner was the best option. We passed an interesting Spanish Tapas restaurant in our neighborhood early in the week and decided to check it out. We got reservations for 8:30 and headed out. Prior to leaving we didn't map out the location because of Jason's keen directional sense. After walking along a path that was very familiar to us both, we ended up scratching our heads at where this restaurant was. Going around in circles and being 5 minutes past our reservation was too much for Brittany, so she asked a Brit for directions to the road in question. It was right in front of us and we made it to the restaurant; however, it was not the one we passed a few nights earlier. It didn't matter because it was a great foray into the wonderful world of tapas.
We had a quiet table towards the back of the restaurant with only a candle for lighting. We ordered some wine and a sangria, bread with dipping sauces and six different chicken/chorizo and potato dishes. They were fantastic, especially the chicken croquettes and the potatoes with a tomato/queso based sauce. After the dinner we ordered the pears, strawberries and churros with a chocolate dipping sauce. Everything was delicous. While we dined a leisurely European pace, our check came at an even more leisurely pace. Apparently, in England, you have to ask for the check. While it's nice to not be bothered as often as we are in the United States, we don't like to wait a half hour for the check. After finally getting our waitresses attention, we received the check and headed back to the flat.
We want to comment on the whole check process. We love the fact that the servers aren't pushy and the dining experience can be as pleasurable as possilbe for the patrons. It seems that in the states, the servers are war too eager to get the current patrons out the door and new ones in so they can get more tips. It's rather pushy and we definitely see why other countries could view us as obnoxious. While it goes both ways, there are a lot of lessons that can be learned from the English and European way of life.
Now that we've stepped off of the soapbox, we just wanted to say that we closed out a lovely day with a lovely meal! Cheers and stay tuned for Day 4 and Day 5!
So, we started out the day at our new favorite little coffee spot - Cafe Nero! We received a loyalty card and it looks like we'll be getting a free drink soon. After our mid morning coffee, we decided to take the tube to Notting Hill and check out the famous Portobello Rd. Market. The "official" market day is Saturday, but we thought we'd check it out on Friday to miss most of the crowds. It was a very intersting street. Our sis/sister-in-law Candace visited London a few months ago and she commented on the colorful flats and houses. That is actually the first thing we noticed upon arriving at the market/market shops. Most of the flats and buildings are bright blues, reds, greens, yellows and all other colors of the rainbow. It adds a touch of color to the neighborhood and lends a bit of life to the other surroundings. As odd as we might think it is in America to paint our house a non neutral color, it might actually help to add some much needed character to our rather drab dwellings. The beginning of Portobello Rd. has a large number of antique shops and antique dealers. We found a few amazing pieces, like an Union Jack chair, a roulette/poker gaming table, an old rowing club sign with wood oars and some other stuff. We didn't purchase anything due to getting it home and the rather high prices. The dealers on Portobello Rd. know their goods and it's highly unlikely that anybody will find an amazing deal.
After the antiques, the market turns to clothes, some touristy items, fruits and vegetables and then a vintage fashion market. Towards the end of the market, the booths become almost non-existent and the area becomes extremely ethnic. We walked up and down the street a few times and then grabbed some lunch at a nice little bakery called Gail's Artisan Bakery. Brittany didn't really like the chicken fougacia sandwich she got and wished we never stepped foot in the cafe. However, my turkey sandwich was tasty and the cappachino I ordered came with impressive latte art.
Brittany did purchase a nice bracelet from a small boutique in which the shopkeeper told her she had very good taste. That made her day. While that was the only purchase we made, there were some very cool shops. Check them out at http://www.judy-fox.com/ and http://www.savagelondon.com/.
After Notting Hill we headed back to the flat to map out the rest of our day. Seeing as how it was actually fairly late in the day, dinner was the best option. We passed an interesting Spanish Tapas restaurant in our neighborhood early in the week and decided to check it out. We got reservations for 8:30 and headed out. Prior to leaving we didn't map out the location because of Jason's keen directional sense. After walking along a path that was very familiar to us both, we ended up scratching our heads at where this restaurant was. Going around in circles and being 5 minutes past our reservation was too much for Brittany, so she asked a Brit for directions to the road in question. It was right in front of us and we made it to the restaurant; however, it was not the one we passed a few nights earlier. It didn't matter because it was a great foray into the wonderful world of tapas.
We had a quiet table towards the back of the restaurant with only a candle for lighting. We ordered some wine and a sangria, bread with dipping sauces and six different chicken/chorizo and potato dishes. They were fantastic, especially the chicken croquettes and the potatoes with a tomato/queso based sauce. After the dinner we ordered the pears, strawberries and churros with a chocolate dipping sauce. Everything was delicous. While we dined a leisurely European pace, our check came at an even more leisurely pace. Apparently, in England, you have to ask for the check. While it's nice to not be bothered as often as we are in the United States, we don't like to wait a half hour for the check. After finally getting our waitresses attention, we received the check and headed back to the flat.
We want to comment on the whole check process. We love the fact that the servers aren't pushy and the dining experience can be as pleasurable as possilbe for the patrons. It seems that in the states, the servers are war too eager to get the current patrons out the door and new ones in so they can get more tips. It's rather pushy and we definitely see why other countries could view us as obnoxious. While it goes both ways, there are a lot of lessons that can be learned from the English and European way of life.
Now that we've stepped off of the soapbox, we just wanted to say that we closed out a lovely day with a lovely meal! Cheers and stay tuned for Day 4 and Day 5!
Friday, September 10, 2010
Chelsea FC Stadium pics
Here are some pics from our Chelsea FC Stadium tour. I haven't really edited any of my pics, so don't be too hard on them. Hope you enjoy!
Chelsea FC logo on the main reception building. The logo was on reflective glass and it's as if the logo is floating on the clouds.
Typical stadium view from the dugout.
There were numerous pictures like this in the waiting area for the tour. This one actually said "Excellence," however, I took the shot to capture only "Excel."
This is the outer wall of the stadium. It's actually the shed wall from the original stadium. It features large photos of Chelsea players.
They're very serious about their pitch in England.
Chelsea FC logo on the main reception building. The logo was on reflective glass and it's as if the logo is floating on the clouds.
Typical stadium view from the dugout.
There were numerous pictures like this in the waiting area for the tour. This one actually said "Excellence," however, I took the shot to capture only "Excel."
This is the outer wall of the stadium. It's actually the shed wall from the original stadium. It features large photos of Chelsea players.
They're very serious about their pitch in England.
Jason and Brittany announcing their marriage to the Chelsea press.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Buying a pint with coins...brilliant!!
Cheers to everyone in the states!!! So, now that you've seen photos of our flat and you received a fashion update from Brittany a/k/a Rosemary, it's time to update you on day number two in London.
After getting our first good night's sleep, we got up early, had breakfast in the flat and made our way towards a cafe that we stumbled across the night before - Cafe Nero. (Brittany knew it was going to be a great choice because they were able to accommodate her drink request even though it wasn't on the menu.) It was a great little spot that had seating downstairs, upstairs and outside. In fact, outside seating is very common in London. Almost every cafe, restaurant and pub has outdoor seating filled with patrons and it is rather refreshing. Brittany and I both ordered vanilla latte's and after enjoying them inside, we walked down the road to Chelsea FC Stadium. The first stadium tour was set to begin at 11 a.m. and we were the last two to make that tour. Brittany and I got bit by the futbol (or as we Americans call it - soccer) bug during the World Cup and couldn't wait to see what a professional futbol stadium is all about. We got to go down to the pitch, see the press room, walk up the tunnel, go into the locker rooms and the dugouts. It was a great tour and we ended it with a small purchase in the megastore. Since we are just a few minutes from the stadium, we may be heading back for more merchandise before we leave:) Thanks to Kelsey and Erik for purchasing this memory for us!
After shooting some pictures, we were a little hungry. There was a great fresh food market just down the street called The Union Market. Brittany ordered pasta salad, baby carrots and a rice like substance with wheat in it (don't ask). I ordered the rare roast sandwich (roast beef, horseradish, watercress) and potato salad with curry and spinach. We took our food to Eel Brook Common and had a little picnic. The food was very tasty and the weather was very pleasant. After lunch we headed back to the flat before heading to our next destination.
As we were gathering a few items for the next leg of our day, it began to downpour. So, we watched the rain from our couch and decided to head out after the sun came back out. The second leg of our day was going to consist of a visit to the Tower of London. After successfully navigating the "Tube" or the "Underground," we arrived at the Tower of London. All we can say is WOW! What an amazing structure! This castle is like a time warp and it's right in the middle of 21st Century architecture. It's absolutely stunning. The history that took place on these grounds is unreal. We've all read about Henry VIII, torture, executions, Anne Boleyn, beefeaters, etc. Of course, who can forget that the Tower also houses the crown jewels. It was a great time and Brittany and I spent about 3 hours touring and photographing this historic site. After that, we ventured across Tower Bridge for some dinner. We found a nice pub called The Bridge Lounge and Dining Room. Brittany ordered the quesidilla and wedges and I had sausage and mash (lamb, jalepaeno and mint sausage). The presentation of the food equally matched its taste. My sausage was outstanding and there was a sweet and sour dipping sauce for Brittany's wedges that was delicious. After dinner we decided to hit another pub for a few pints. We stumbled upon The Shipwright's Arms. This was a hopping "nautical themed" pub. I had a Guinness and a Deuchar IPA and Brittany enjoyed a Heineken. My favorite thing about London so far is that I can buy a pint with coins and nobody cares.
After our last pint we had to rush back to the Tower of London for the special Ceremony of the Keys. On our way back, Tower Bridge opened to let a boat go through. On a normal day we would've enjoyed this, but since we were trying to rush back to the Tower, we weren't really interested. After running, we made it, yet Brittany needed her inhaler. This ceremony has taken place every day for the last 700 years - even in wartime. We had to write in to get tickets, so we were really excited. The ceremony was very interesting, however, it wasn't as solemn as we expected it to be. After being escorted out by the beefeater, we were on the District Line back home.
Good night London - may we pay for more pints with coins tomorrow!
After getting our first good night's sleep, we got up early, had breakfast in the flat and made our way towards a cafe that we stumbled across the night before - Cafe Nero. (Brittany knew it was going to be a great choice because they were able to accommodate her drink request even though it wasn't on the menu.) It was a great little spot that had seating downstairs, upstairs and outside. In fact, outside seating is very common in London. Almost every cafe, restaurant and pub has outdoor seating filled with patrons and it is rather refreshing. Brittany and I both ordered vanilla latte's and after enjoying them inside, we walked down the road to Chelsea FC Stadium. The first stadium tour was set to begin at 11 a.m. and we were the last two to make that tour. Brittany and I got bit by the futbol (or as we Americans call it - soccer) bug during the World Cup and couldn't wait to see what a professional futbol stadium is all about. We got to go down to the pitch, see the press room, walk up the tunnel, go into the locker rooms and the dugouts. It was a great tour and we ended it with a small purchase in the megastore. Since we are just a few minutes from the stadium, we may be heading back for more merchandise before we leave:) Thanks to Kelsey and Erik for purchasing this memory for us!
After shooting some pictures, we were a little hungry. There was a great fresh food market just down the street called The Union Market. Brittany ordered pasta salad, baby carrots and a rice like substance with wheat in it (don't ask). I ordered the rare roast sandwich (roast beef, horseradish, watercress) and potato salad with curry and spinach. We took our food to Eel Brook Common and had a little picnic. The food was very tasty and the weather was very pleasant. After lunch we headed back to the flat before heading to our next destination.
As we were gathering a few items for the next leg of our day, it began to downpour. So, we watched the rain from our couch and decided to head out after the sun came back out. The second leg of our day was going to consist of a visit to the Tower of London. After successfully navigating the "Tube" or the "Underground," we arrived at the Tower of London. All we can say is WOW! What an amazing structure! This castle is like a time warp and it's right in the middle of 21st Century architecture. It's absolutely stunning. The history that took place on these grounds is unreal. We've all read about Henry VIII, torture, executions, Anne Boleyn, beefeaters, etc. Of course, who can forget that the Tower also houses the crown jewels. It was a great time and Brittany and I spent about 3 hours touring and photographing this historic site. After that, we ventured across Tower Bridge for some dinner. We found a nice pub called The Bridge Lounge and Dining Room. Brittany ordered the quesidilla and wedges and I had sausage and mash (lamb, jalepaeno and mint sausage). The presentation of the food equally matched its taste. My sausage was outstanding and there was a sweet and sour dipping sauce for Brittany's wedges that was delicious. After dinner we decided to hit another pub for a few pints. We stumbled upon The Shipwright's Arms. This was a hopping "nautical themed" pub. I had a Guinness and a Deuchar IPA and Brittany enjoyed a Heineken. My favorite thing about London so far is that I can buy a pint with coins and nobody cares.
After our last pint we had to rush back to the Tower of London for the special Ceremony of the Keys. On our way back, Tower Bridge opened to let a boat go through. On a normal day we would've enjoyed this, but since we were trying to rush back to the Tower, we weren't really interested. After running, we made it, yet Brittany needed her inhaler. This ceremony has taken place every day for the last 700 years - even in wartime. We had to write in to get tickets, so we were really excited. The ceremony was very interesting, however, it wasn't as solemn as we expected it to be. After being escorted out by the beefeater, we were on the District Line back home.
Good night London - may we pay for more pints with coins tomorrow!
Fashionista News Flash
Hello Lady followers!
I couldnt waste any more time before telling you about London fashion. There are some fashion peices that I've noticed since I've been here that one should invest in to be a true London fashionista! My top 5 list:
5. brown slouchy boots-the more vintage the better
4. cool flats-a staple of any wardrobe-any color, pattern, or texture
3. black mini skirts-and tight ones too
2. leggings
and.......#1. HOSE!!! can't believe how many young hip women are wearing
hose!
I'm in the mood for some shopping!
Now for our day...
I couldnt waste any more time before telling you about London fashion. There are some fashion peices that I've noticed since I've been here that one should invest in to be a true London fashionista! My top 5 list:
5. brown slouchy boots-the more vintage the better
4. cool flats-a staple of any wardrobe-any color, pattern, or texture
3. black mini skirts-and tight ones too
2. leggings
and.......#1. HOSE!!! can't believe how many young hip women are wearing
hose!
I'm in the mood for some shopping!
Now for our day...
Our charming flat!
The living space
The dining area
The kitchen and staircase
The bedroom
The master bath
The terrace
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Day 1 - Down two appliances
Cheerio! This is your favorite couple checking in from our charming cottage flat in the London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. We successfully arrived to London around 7 a.m. this morning. The flight was okay, with the exception of the two "male chatty kathy's" sitting in the row behind us. We were both unable to get a lot of sleep, however we did learn a great deal about Florida, St. Augustine, Tim Teabow, Welsh decent, Karl Rove and a million other topics that were discussed between these two men. After we arrived we had to stand at the UK border for about an hour until we finally got our passports stamped. After that we exchanged our currency, picked up our bags and headed for the taxi cab line. Our lovely cottage owner, Miranda, gave us a few options for arriving at the flat. We were so tired, we just wanted to hop in a cab and not worry about it. We arrived between 9 and 9:30 a.m. and were greated by the lovely Miranda. The cottage flat is outstanding and was perfectly represented in the photos that we saw. After a three hour nap and a quick shower, we decided to go venture out. During our "freshening up" process Brittany decided to straighten her hair - unfortunately her lovely chi straightener decided to get a little too hot and completely quit working. The chi is a 45 watt appliance and the converter/adaptor she was using specifically states in the instructions that it should not be used with appliances over 25 watts, yet there is a hi/low setting for appliances that are over 25 watts. Explain that one to us? Seeing as how all of our appliances are over that amount, we need to get a converter/adaptor that actually works. After that debacle, we started exploring our charming little neighborhood. It's located right off of New Kings Road and the streets are lined with upscale interior design stores featuring everything from chandeliers, rugs, furniture and even some antiques.
We were a bit hungry, so we stopped into a small pub called "The Southern Cross." It wasn't very crowded due to the time of day, but it was what "we Americans" would call an "authentic English pub" and they had a lunch special. I ordered the burger and a pint special and Brittany got the chicken and ham sandwich on the lunch special. They were pretty tasty and we enjoyed the atmosphere. The Guinness that they poured was amazing and put most places in the states to shame. After our lunch we walked around a bit more and headed back to the flat for some down time.
We haven't been able to find a coffee shop near our flat yet, so we decided to use the French press that we have in our kitchen. Brittany decided to get the water boiling and filled the lovely tea kettle. She asked how to turn on the stovetop. After demonstrating, she put the kettle on the stove and waited for the water to boil. Instead of the "screaming tea kettle," I heard Brittany screaming "fire!" I go into the kitchen to see the tea kettle and stove with a small out of control flame. I quickly turned off the oven and stuck the tea kettle into the sink and doused the flames. Turns out the bottom of the tea kettle is plastic and is heated by a small warming plate that is plugged into the wall. So, there goes appliance number two, only this time, the tea kettle was not ours. After cleaning up the mess, we finally got our coffee made. We'll be letting Miranda know that we'll be replacing her tea kettle and Brittany will be staying out of the kitchen for the time being.
We're doing a little bit of research and we'll probably grab a quick dinner and have a quiet night before starting our first full day of sight seeing tomorrow. Stay tuned for more adventures and hopefully we'll be able to keep all of our appliances working for the duration of the trip and hopefully we don't have any additional fires.
We'll post some pictures of our flat in the next post!
Cheers from Abroad!
Winston and Rosemary
We were a bit hungry, so we stopped into a small pub called "The Southern Cross." It wasn't very crowded due to the time of day, but it was what "we Americans" would call an "authentic English pub" and they had a lunch special. I ordered the burger and a pint special and Brittany got the chicken and ham sandwich on the lunch special. They were pretty tasty and we enjoyed the atmosphere. The Guinness that they poured was amazing and put most places in the states to shame. After our lunch we walked around a bit more and headed back to the flat for some down time.
We haven't been able to find a coffee shop near our flat yet, so we decided to use the French press that we have in our kitchen. Brittany decided to get the water boiling and filled the lovely tea kettle. She asked how to turn on the stovetop. After demonstrating, she put the kettle on the stove and waited for the water to boil. Instead of the "screaming tea kettle," I heard Brittany screaming "fire!" I go into the kitchen to see the tea kettle and stove with a small out of control flame. I quickly turned off the oven and stuck the tea kettle into the sink and doused the flames. Turns out the bottom of the tea kettle is plastic and is heated by a small warming plate that is plugged into the wall. So, there goes appliance number two, only this time, the tea kettle was not ours. After cleaning up the mess, we finally got our coffee made. We'll be letting Miranda know that we'll be replacing her tea kettle and Brittany will be staying out of the kitchen for the time being.
We're doing a little bit of research and we'll probably grab a quick dinner and have a quiet night before starting our first full day of sight seeing tomorrow. Stay tuned for more adventures and hopefully we'll be able to keep all of our appliances working for the duration of the trip and hopefully we don't have any additional fires.
We'll post some pictures of our flat in the next post!
Cheers from Abroad!
Winston and Rosemary
Monday, September 6, 2010
T-minus 1 day and counting...
Hello blogosphere - Jason and Brittany Benning, a.k.a. Winston Stiegler and Rosemary Bristol here. Obviously, those are our made up "English" handles. After our wonderful wedding, we are now on the eve of embarking on our journey abroad. Since this is the first time that both of us will be traveling internationally, we thought a blog would be a great way of keeping all of our family and friends in the loop on our honeymoon travels. Pictures, details, stories, and more will be coming in the days ahead. We leave out of Dayton tomorrow at 4 p.m. and will arrive in London at 6:50 a.m. on Wednesday, September 8. Love you all and cheers from the happiest newlyweds on the planet:)
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