Tuesday, June 10, 2014
What a day! I don’t know if I can properly say how amazing London was for me today! Sorry, but it was simply a great day.
I started with class. Discussion on theatrical correlative and King Lear for Shakespeare, and presentations for contemporary drama, went by quickly. Both my presentation and paper are due on Thursday, I really hope I will find time to get them done. Not worried about the presentation, but the paper, well… Anyway--
After class Jen, Juliet, and I made our way to Kensington Palace’s Orangery to have afternoon tea, or should I say Afternoon Tea. I had the Royal Afternoon Tea with the Royal London Blend (okay, I’m done capitalizing things) and all I can say is I want afternoon tea service from here until the day I die. It was fantastic!
The food was absolutely wonderful. A variety of sandwiches including salmon, egg, and ham. Alongside orange-currant scones and biscuits, with the daintiest little pastries to finish it off. Served with the loose leaf Royal London Blend tea, and a glass of rose champagne. All served on an absolutely wonderful set of china. It was such a deliciously good time!
Once finished with our tea we strolled through Kensington Gardens to the flat where we decided to go to Buckingham Palace. My roommate Rylee decided to come along for this portion of the adventure and it was a great deal of fun.
We walked through Green Park to Buckingham, where people were out enjoying the great weather. We saw a variety of people leaving the palace and Jen eventually asked for the reason to find we were observing people leaving the Queen’s Garden Party. I’ve never seen so many say-something hats in one place before! Matched with fantastic dresses and heels. Everyone looked their best. It was a fun thing to watch as people left. I took a good deal of photos as we continued our journey.
Making our way across to St. James Park we began to wander while watching ducks, geese, and pigeons. This park differed from the others, feeling a bit more sophisticated. The fences, bridges, and fountains all added to that vibe. It was a great walk. I departed from the group to make it to my next play.
I was early and had a bit of time to spare, which I have found is always a lucky little thing to have before a play. I find it lucky, well, because it provides me with a window of time to explore the surrounding area. This time, Covent Gardens was nearby, a place I have fond memories of from my first stay in London. It was comforting to see not much had changed, I think the names of the cafes maybe, and the shoppes looked a bit more manicured and commercial, but overall my Covent Gardens seemed intact. It was an unexpected relief, and comfort, finding this place again, and know it was still very much the same.
Handbagged by Moira Buffini at the Vaudeville Theatre was a really well played and well finished production. About the relationship between Queen Elizabeth II and the late Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher this play really turned history on its side and gave a fresh way to explore the story between these two powerful women of Britain. I liked the idea of having an old and young character on stage for both of these women. Meaning, Margaret and the Queen were played as two characters, one being older (60s-70s) and the other being younger (30s-40s). This set an intriguing dynamic of how one deals with one’s self, but also brilliantly brought to life how relationships change with age. It was well finished as well, meaning all the production elements enhanced the story, nothing was left hung-up, it was polished and well-working machine.
It was a very British day! A great day to have in the city of London. Stimulating conversation, tea, palaces, parks, and play, what more could I ask for?
I started with class. Discussion on theatrical correlative and King Lear for Shakespeare, and presentations for contemporary drama, went by quickly. Both my presentation and paper are due on Thursday, I really hope I will find time to get them done. Not worried about the presentation, but the paper, well… Anyway--
After class Jen, Juliet, and I made our way to Kensington Palace’s Orangery to have afternoon tea, or should I say Afternoon Tea. I had the Royal Afternoon Tea with the Royal London Blend (okay, I’m done capitalizing things) and all I can say is I want afternoon tea service from here until the day I die. It was fantastic!
The food was absolutely wonderful. A variety of sandwiches including salmon, egg, and ham. Alongside orange-currant scones and biscuits, with the daintiest little pastries to finish it off. Served with the loose leaf Royal London Blend tea, and a glass of rose champagne. All served on an absolutely wonderful set of china. It was such a deliciously good time!
Once finished with our tea we strolled through Kensington Gardens to the flat where we decided to go to Buckingham Palace. My roommate Rylee decided to come along for this portion of the adventure and it was a great deal of fun.
We walked through Green Park to Buckingham, where people were out enjoying the great weather. We saw a variety of people leaving the palace and Jen eventually asked for the reason to find we were observing people leaving the Queen’s Garden Party. I’ve never seen so many say-something hats in one place before! Matched with fantastic dresses and heels. Everyone looked their best. It was a fun thing to watch as people left. I took a good deal of photos as we continued our journey.
Making our way across to St. James Park we began to wander while watching ducks, geese, and pigeons. This park differed from the others, feeling a bit more sophisticated. The fences, bridges, and fountains all added to that vibe. It was a great walk. I departed from the group to make it to my next play.
I was early and had a bit of time to spare, which I have found is always a lucky little thing to have before a play. I find it lucky, well, because it provides me with a window of time to explore the surrounding area. This time, Covent Gardens was nearby, a place I have fond memories of from my first stay in London. It was comforting to see not much had changed, I think the names of the cafes maybe, and the shoppes looked a bit more manicured and commercial, but overall my Covent Gardens seemed intact. It was an unexpected relief, and comfort, finding this place again, and know it was still very much the same.
Handbagged by Moira Buffini at the Vaudeville Theatre was a really well played and well finished production. About the relationship between Queen Elizabeth II and the late Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher this play really turned history on its side and gave a fresh way to explore the story between these two powerful women of Britain. I liked the idea of having an old and young character on stage for both of these women. Meaning, Margaret and the Queen were played as two characters, one being older (60s-70s) and the other being younger (30s-40s). This set an intriguing dynamic of how one deals with one’s self, but also brilliantly brought to life how relationships change with age. It was well finished as well, meaning all the production elements enhanced the story, nothing was left hung-up, it was polished and well-working machine.
It was a very British day! A great day to have in the city of London. Stimulating conversation, tea, palaces, parks, and play, what more could I ask for?