I saw snow!

Okay so for most people that might not be exciting, but from someone who's born and raised in Southern California, it is. I've never looked outside my very own window and seen snow falling from the sky, until now. London saw it's first snow in 70 YEARS, and it was right outside my window. I was giddy, like littl girl jumping up and down giddy. I won't over exaggerate, it wasn't a lot and it wasn't for long; but for a moment it was my snow. Other then that, this weeks been pretty lull. I barely left my bed on Monday and Tuesday, not because I felt bad or sick; I was just enjoying the time to breath- recovering from my birthday and Scotland, and getting ready for Italy! Really, there was no reason for me to get on this blog, except to tell everyone I'm alive and I miss you. And for anyone that has Italy tips or advice...send 'em my way baby!

Edinburgh: wet, cold, creepy

Those are the three words to describe Edinburgh. Though it doesn't sound too pleasant, I had a blast. The ride up to Scotland is absolutely beautiful and good thing the weather was actually good the first day we got there because we were able to explore, get to actually walk by the many statues and monuments, see the Edinburgh Castle, and the wonderful view from it. The next day, the weather was...well, absolutely terrible. The rain wasn't too hard, at least not all the time. The wind- well that's another story. The wind was indescribable torturous. Luckily, we went on the bus tour that day so we were able to see the city from the safety of a bus. We jumped off to see Our Dynamic Earth and The Museum of Childhood.
The first place was like a day at science camp. We time traveled to the beginning of the world, well, before that...the beginning of the universe! Though they left out this minor detail....uh, God, it was still interesting. We then traveled to the future, I'll pass thanks. The place was really cool though, right by the Scottish Parliament and pretty green hills. Then there was the Museum of Childhood; it was cool....I just can't decided whether it was more cool or more creepy, look at the pictures and I think you'll get the picture. Some of the galleries had scary piano music, others had a track of children chanting like nursery rhymes. yea, creeeepy. The night got creepier with The Underground Ghost Tour- exploring Edinburgh's "haunted" underground town. Tons of people used to live in these underground vaults because Edinburgh was so over populated. It was a great history lesson. Great in the creepy-terrifying, made me scream-and-almost-cry-and-pee-my-pants kinda way. It was a short trip, but after the LONGEST day of traveling ever (one coach, two trains, the underground, AND a long walk) we're finally back in London and a week from now......I'm in Rome!


Okay, so by the first couple pictures, you definitely do not get the wet, cold, creepy vibe...but trust, it's there.


((from my train window))

((Sir Walter Scott Monument))

((The Edinburgh Castle))

((The front of the Castle))

((The Royal Mile- basically the main street))

((The day we fought the wind and rain))

((I had a kick a kid outta line to get this sweet pic))

((lookin like kids at science camp, right?))

((Outside the Our Dynamic Earth))

((The Museum of Childhood. Creepy))

((Creepy again))

((These dolls may look cute, but up close they kinda look like real kids are trapped inside, creepy))

((For all you sport fans, here's the history))

((Getting ready to be terrified))

((The Underground Ghost Tour))

((Trying to get rid of the heebie geebies))

((The ride home))

Theatre, theatre, theatre

So in the past five days I've seen four shows, five if a movie counts.
Saturday- Wicked. What a way to start it off huh? This musical is amazing, probably my favorite, like ever ((that's right even more then Grease and Sound of Music, though each one has a very special place in my heart)).
Sunday- Burn After Reading. Okay, so it's not a play, but I'll include it in the count anyways. The movie's gotten mixed reviews; I thought it was hilarious. I'll be interested to know if I think it's as funny the second time around. I think I will because I love stupid humor, and that's what this was. I think they could have stepped up the witty, cleverness a bit, but stupid humor works for me too.
Monday- in-i. I went to this because Alex highly recommended it and it's gotten rave reviews. But I didn't really want to go. It's dance theatre- very little dialogue, more movement. I was skeptical, even after the first couple minutes; I was gettin a little sleepy...that's not a good sign. But after words, I was left breathless. It was beautiful and thought provoking- everything any work of art should be.
Tuesday- The Year of Magical Thinking. In one word: heart-wrenching. It's a one woman show and Vanessa Redgrave is absolutely captivating. I walked out of the theatre and had no words ((trust, that does not happen often)) She left me speechless.
Wednesday- Now and Then. A play about the hours prior to a President elect being announced. The President isn't the main character though, it's all about his son- the responsibilities and expectations of being a politician's son comes into question when the son gets caught up in controversy. He was amazing, amazing! Oh and by the way, I brushed shoulders with Keanu Reeves. He was sitting a couple rows ahead of me with Claire Forlani. He may not be the best actor, but...it was still cool.

After the show, we were all talking about Keanu Reeves and I'm not gonna lie, I was excited ((uh, he's way better looking in person by the way)) And this guy from Pittsburgh said, "You're from LA, why are you excited." Oh yea I forgot, we kick it with the movie stars all the time. Rrrrightt.

Guess who's twenty??

ME!!


And my birthday weekend was everything I could have asked it to be- truly an amazing memorable couple of days. The weekend kicked off on Friday with Chocolate tasting at a high end department store, then I got a tour of Parliament ((which was both educational and aesthetically pleasing)), then there was dinner. Quite possibly the most amazing dinner I've ever had in my life((this is the menu verbatim)): for starters, some rustic country bread served with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and olives; for my meal I selected the Braised Shoulder of English Lamb with Smoked Garlic, Celery, and Spelt; then Leonidas Belgium Chocolates and Coffee for dessert. Delectable it was!! The meal went very nicely with the bottle of Merlot too. Oh and did I mention it was all on the house...? Basically it this event that some new phone company's been putting on at the Truman Brewery the entire week to publicize there new phone. Each day there was a differnt guest speaker; We went on the night that an Olympic Gold Medalist was speaking! Chris Hoy, UK's top cyclist....he was very well spoken. After his little motivational speech there was a question and answer time with the audience, so I even got to ask a question! Though I didn't notice this ((because I was focusing on a. sounding intelligent and b. sounding sober)) Alex said it was quite funny watching the crowd's shocked faces after hearing an American voice asking a question. Luckily she said I succeeded on both the missions I was focusing on. Yesss!


((Janette, me, and Alex))


((Us with Chris Hoy))



The one thing I knew I wanted to do for my birthday we did Saturday...we saw Wicked at the Apollo Theatre =) I love loved the girls I went with, love loved the music, the acting, the set...I just love loved the show entirely!! I was literally giddy excited ((especially during "Defy Gravity" and "Because I Knew You".)) Alex, Erika, and I heading over to Porter House where I had the best Passionfruit Beer I've ever had. I guess that's not hard to accomplish being that I've never had any before, but what I'm trying to say is it was amazing. It was such a fun girls night, literally ending with us painting out nails singing along to the Wicked Soundtrack.



((In front of the Apollo Theater))

((We're all in a phone booth...my idea))

((appetizers and drinks))

((they sang happy brithday to me))



((Nail paintin' time!!))


Waking up on my birthday I got to begin it in the best way possible. I got to read and journal and run. Good for the body,good for the soul....good for my sanity. Feeling older and wiser by the moment ((not seriously)) I was ready to embark on my twentieth year of life in style. What I mean by in style is that me and Alex heading into South Kensington to the Victoria&Albert Museum because she got tickets to The Supremes Exhibit. It was awesome! Moving, Inspiring, Empowering, and just really amazing and fun. We got to take a walk through the many outfits and accessories of The Supremes along with displays describing the time period and the movement. With "Stop in the name of love" and the "I Have a Dream Speech" playing in the background along with other songs and speeches. Get what I mean by: awesome, moving, Inspiring, Empowering, and just really amazing and fun. After that we did some shopping in Greenwich. Then Erika and Jack came to meet us for another fun dinner out followed by Burn After Reading at the Greenwich Picturehouse. I literally laughed until I cried ((and snorted a couple of times!)) The night ending with some wine and chit chat time at out flat and the Hobgoblin.




((Me and Alex at The Supremes Exhibition))


((Rockin out maannn))



((amazing amazing outfits))

((historical stuff=super moving, kinda teared up a bit))





((The Flatmates and the Bottle of Wine))



I'm no longer a teenager and I'm living 5ooo miles away from home; I had a fabulous birthday but I didn't get to have dinner with my family, I didn't get to hug the people I love most. Soon enough I will......and they're gonna be BIG ONES!!

The Weekend in Cheltenham

B-E-A-UTIFUL! I love, love, love the country and it was so refreshing to get to spend four days in England's countryside. Riding up on e Oxford Tube I got to sit in the very front of the upper deck, which means I got to see everything. The second I was leaving the city behind me, seeing the country before me, I remembered how much I love being out in the open- in wide open spaces ((love love that song by the way!)) We went to two separate lookouts where you could see so much ((yay for the English sky actually being clear)) The second lookout was all filled with sheep and poo, yea...countrryy.

((Crickely Hill))

((The common, or commons, or something like that...))

((Lloyd and I))

((They poo a lot. And I had to walk through it all))

Having dinner with Lloyd's parents while I was there was so awesome because it was real English cooking with a real English family. How refreshing it was to be in a home, sleeping in my own room ((with a VERY comfortable bed)) and come downstairs to Lloyd's mum saying "Would you like some coffee, poppit?" Uh, of course I do! However, being back in a "home," really made me miss mine. I love you family!!! The other two supper exciting things I did was Burton-on-the-Water and Sudeley Castle.

Burton-on-the-Water is this village of cute, quaint cottages...dating back 300-400 years! It was all misty all day, typical England, but that just adding to the novelty of it. On the main street, like where Town Hall is, the cottages have been turned into really cute shops, cafes, and restaurants so it was really fun to walk around all that.

((Me over the bridge))

((Town Hall))

((Street of shops))

the part that probably got me the most excited...dun-duh-daaa!!!

The Model Village!!

a 1/9th scale model of the village ((Lloyd has these pictures and I forgot to get them from him, so I'll post them later on))
I was giggling for the entire time we were in there ((which was not a short amount of time, mind you)) It was like, Barbie's vacation village. It had everything in it, cottages, stores, churches playing music, bridges, the stream.....it was magical!

The magic continued with Sudeley Castle. Filled with gorgeous gardens fit for a queen. Well, literally made for a queen! And it was out in the middle of no where, surrounded by so much land. I literally ran up the stairs to the railing, looked over all the open land and just had to breath it all in- breathtaking.

((Sudeley Castle))

((The view from the Gardens))

(("The Queens Garden"))

((me like-ie))

((Ahhhhh....))

Wednesday morning was back to Goldsmiths, back to business ((though my classes mostly feel like playtime)) In Acting in London, we did some Shakespeare readings, which no one is the most confident in. But I love that class-always. We saw Mine for London's Theatre. Super emotional, super intense, it was almost overwhelming. But I tend to enjoy overwhelming experiences; the play almost had me crying numerous times. That's tending to be the trend....softie.