My Final Days In London

I only have a week left in London and it is bittersweet but I am doing my best to get as many things done before I go back home next week. I took the tube out to Stratford last weekend to check out some of the London Olympic sites. I walked through the Westfield Mall (which is directly across the street from the stadium) and went to the viewing area of John Lewis to get a good look at the aquatics center, water polo arena, and main stadium. There were still a lot of construction workers around the site and many tents set up around the area of the stadium. It was cool to see the sites in person and it will be interesting to see how it is all presented during the games over the summer.

The Orbit, stadium, and water polo arena

The Aquatics Center

This past weekend my roommates and I took a day trip to Brighton, a little seaside town on the coast about an hour and a half outside of London. We took the train and arrived at around mid afternoon. It was a beautiful day and the beach was filled with people relaxing on the pebbly area by the water. There was also a pier with an amusement park  along the left hand side of the beach.We decided to walk along the beach and take in the scenery, it was a busy day and the road along the beach was filled with people. While walking along their were many little beach shacks all lined up in different colors. Some people were sitting in front of these little shacks, leading us to believe that you can rent one to put your beach stuff in. After walking for a bit we grabbed a bite to eat and proceeded to walk into town to check out some of the shopping areas. Unfortunately by the time we found the vintage shopping areas they were already closed due to Good Friday. It was disappointing but we headed to a pub to cheer ourselves up. It ended up being a really fun night and we headed back to the train station at around 11 pm.  It is definitely a place I would like to go back to and explore someday.

Brighton Pier

Little Beach Shacks that people can rent

On Saturday my roommates and I decided to check out the Cambridge vs. Oxford boat race, we decided to watch the race by the finish line area and we weren't sure if we were going to make it. Luckily by the time we got there, the crowds of people waiting by the river banks had not left yet. We found out that a protestor had jumped into the river, causing them to stop the race. Apparently it's the first time this has ever happened and it ended up being lucky for us. Cambridge ended up winning (who we were rooting for) so it all worked out in the end.

On easter Sunday I headed to Westminster Abbey for their 3 pm service and was amazed with how beautiful the interior of the church was. The choir was amazing and I was glad I had the chance to do something special on my first Easter away from home! We weren’t allowed to take pictures inside the church but it was amazing to walk through it and to think of all the royals that have been there.

On Monday I didn’t have class so I decided to finally check out Brick Lane. An area in East London known for its vintage shops. It was a rainy day but that didn’t stop me from checking out some of the stores. I have never seen so many vintage shops in my life, going all the way down the road as well on many side streets. Vintage shopping is definitely a skill that one must work on over time because it is tough finding gems amongst the tons and tons of old clothes you have to go through. So many stores had so much stuff that they had a downstairs section, where you would walk down cramped narrow staircases to find more racks of clothes. I went in so many over the course of the day but the one that stuck out in my mind was Beyond Retro. This store was huge with racks and racks of clothes and accessories, they also have stores located in Brighton and Soho. It was a bit overwhelming but I ended up buying a couple tops that judging by the shoulder pads are from the 1980’s. I will definitely be styling them a bit to make them look more current but it was fun to get to look at all the old clothes. It was also fun to see the store owner’s cat running around and jumping up on the register. Only in London.

 I have exactly a week left in London, it's hard to believe. I'm trying to make the most of my final days here and enjoying every moment!

Spring has Arrived in London

The weather has been warming up a lot these last few weeks and I have been taking advantage of the nice weather while I can and enjoying some beautiful outdoor activities. I cant believe it is the end of March already! This semester has been flying by and now that my classes are coming to an end everyone is in super stress mode trying to finish all their assignments. It has been a huge weight off my shoulders not having midterms or finals to study for this semester but the assignments are very time consuming.  One more marketing report on H&M, an essay for my Theoretical and Social fashion studies class, finishing off my journal for my Historical and Contemporary studies class, creating a shoe launch for my fashion public relations class, and a project for my trend forecasting class are the only things standing in my way before my semester at London College of Fashion comes to a close. I can’t wait for graduation, (which will be taking place on a penthouse rooftop) so I really can’t complain!

These past couple weeks I have been trying to get in all the touristy things that have been on my “list” that I have to do before I leave.  Last week was our final British Cultural Studies class and our tutor Michael took us for a walk around Primrose Hill, a very beautiful and expensive area of London that is known to be inhabited by many celebrities. The painted houses are probably one of my favorite parts about the London décor and the neighborhoods in Primrose Hill are full of them! Michael told us the houses in his particular neighborhood were originally painted all white but in later years were painted a wide array of different colors.

We then walked to Regents Park where we climbed to the top of a huge hill which gave us an amazing view of the city. It was a beautiful day so the view was even better. Michael gave us a motivational speech and we said our goodbyes.

Over the weekend I went to see The Hunger Games at the Electric Cinema on Portobello Road. I love old fashioned movie theaters and this has been on my to do list since leaving the States. The cinema first opened in 1910 and is one of the longest running cinemas in the country. It offers new films in a vintage-feel environment. The wide, red leather seats were really comfortable (they even have stools to put your feet up) and the screen unwound from inside the proscenium arch. There is even a bar in the back to buy food and drinks. It was definitely the coolest theater I have ever been in.

Monday was one of the warmest days to date, so I decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather and head to Regents Park which is one of eight of the royal parks in London. It takes up a good amount of space and stretches from the city of Westminster and partly into the Borough of Camden. I walked around the inner circle area of the park and got to see Queen Mary’s gardens. The landscaping in the park was beautiful and many people were stretched out on the lawns enjoying the nice weather as well. I walked along the lake area where many herons were standing by the water.  This park is also the home of St. John’s Lodge, another garden area that was designed for peace and relaxation.  Regents Park is 410 acres and you could easily spend a full day there walking around, I wish I could stay in London longer to enjoy it in the nice weather.  The parks of London are definitely a highlight of the city. 

Later on in the week my public relations teacher took us to a PR company where a press event was being held for various clothing and shoe brands. Many displays were setup throughout the venue with people presenting their products to clients. There was also an area for clients to get their hair done, spray tans, and mani/pedis. It was interesting to see what goes on during a press event and how it all works. 

Finally, at the end of the week I crossed off a few more touristy things off my  to do list and walked across the Millennium Bridge. After seeing it get destroyed by deatheaters at the beginning of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince I knew I had to visit it. It was actually much cooler than I expected and started at St. Paul’s Cathedral and ended at the Tate Modern. This bridge crosses the Thames River and is a steel suspension bridge that curves as you walk. When you are walking with your back facing the Tate Modern you get a great view of St. Paul’s Cathedral. The best part of the visit was seeing a man walk down the bridge with an ipad to his face skyping someone. After seeing the bridge I took a walk down Fleet Street, made famous by Sweeney Todd, one of my favorite movies. There were no barber shops around but there was some great castle-like architecture down the road that I discovered was the Royal Court of Justice.

My semester in London is quickly winding down. It is going by so fast, and there is still so much to do. Let’s hope I find time to accomplish it all before April 18^th.

Ireland

Last Friday afternoon my roommates and I headed to Dublin for St. Paddy’s Day weekend. We left at around 1:30 for London Gatewick Airport where we would be flying with RyanAir, which I had heard many horror stories about so I was nervous about what was to come. Luckily the flight went smoothly and we were only in the air for about 45 minutes so it was a quick and easy journey. Once arriving we met up with one of my roommate’s sorority sisters who is studying abroad in the Netherlands. We then proceeded to find our hotel which was very close to the airport and not hard to find. The first night we just decided to walk around a village near our hotel and get some dinner at a local pub. We were all starving by this time so it was a great way to welcome ourselves to Ireland. We decided to go to bed early since we had an early start to our day on Saturday due to the St. Patrick’s Day Parade that would be going on in downtown Dublin. 

First dinner in Dublin!

The next day we woke up and headed to the bus stop near the hotel to make our way into Dublin. After waiting for over 30 minutes there was still no bus and some people were beginning to walk away and give up. Luckily as we were about to leave the bus stop area the bus finally stared coming towards us. We headed onto the bus and made our way into the city. Upon arrival we were met with huge groups of people all decked out in green St. Patrick’s Day attire. We immediately found a souvenir stand and purchased some scarves and hats. We then made our way to the side of the road where the parade route would be coming down and got a good spot near the front.

Waiting for the parade to start

Once the parade started their were your typical parade participants such as marching bands (all from American universities), bag pipes, dancers etc. Although once the floats started coming around the bend it became apparent that this was a parade like no other. The floats were bizarre to say the least; many of them involved giant paper Mache animals being moved by attached metal wheels which would be driven by a person sitting in the back of the float or helping to push it along. Many floats were very avant garde and artistic, nothing I have ever seen before at a parade. It was definitely the most creative parade I had ever been too and you would never know that it was St. Patrick’s Day themed. As the floats went by people would hold signs up with the name and theme of each float. I think they all went over our heads but they were still cool to look at.

After the parade was over we decided to grab a bite to eat and explore the city. There were many beautiful churches and cathedrals throughout the city as well as the obvious tourist attractions such as The Guinness Factory and the Kilmainham Jail. While walking to these touristy spots we were able to see Dublin Castle and the Christ Church Cathedral. On the way back we stopped at St. Patrick’s Cathedral and the park which was a very fitting way to end the day. We then decided to check out Temple Bar, the most popular bar in Dublin. The alleys surrounding the bar were chaotic to say the least. People were definitely getting into the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day. The inside of the bar was completely packed but it was worth it to get the chance to check it out. Afterwards we found a McDonald’s nearby to see if they made Shamrock Shakes in Dublin. Luckily they did! I never would have thought that I would be drinking a shamrock shake in Dublin On St. Patrick’s Day.  We explored some more bars in the area until we eventually called it a night. It had been a long day but totally worth it. 

Dublin Castle

Christ Church Cathedral

 

 

Guinness Factory!

The craziness in the streets of Dublin

The beautiful city at night

St. Patrick's Cathedral

The next challenge was finding the bus stop to bring up back to the area where out hotel was located.

 After walking for quite some time we found a bus stop that we thought was the right one, unfortunately after asking the bus driver (who was off duty) he told us we were going in the completely opposite direction. Luckily he was nice enough to walk us to the right bus stop because he according to him it wasn’t the best area to be wandering around at night. He was very friendly and showed us exactly how to get home. He also told us how much he doesn’t like working this weekend because of all the crazy drunk people running through the roads. We didn’t blame him and we were very grateful that he took the time to escort us to the correct bus stop.Once we were at the bus stop, waiting for it became the next challenge after failing to catch the first one that went by (due to no one signaling for it to stop, super smart) we sadly watched it drive by preparing ourselves for the next one that came by. After what felt like hours of waiting we finally caught it and headed back to the hotel.

 It was a fun trip to Dublin and I would love to come back someday and explore the countryside more!

The Hunger Games hit London

On Wednesday afternoon I decided to check out the O2 Arena where The Hunger Games movie premiere was being held. I have never been to a premiere before so I didn’t know what to expect but I was excited for the experience. I got to the O2 at around noon and got in the long line that stretched around the corner of the building.  After waiting a couple hours people were let into sections into the premiere area. My section was directed into the barricaded area directly to the right of the red carpet, next to the photography area where the celebrities stand to get their pictures taken. Other people went into barricaded areas on the other side of the carpet, and some indoors. I wasn’t sure if we were in a good spot or not but I was very close to the barricades so I was just ready for the long anticipated wait for the stars to arrive. I passed the time by watching the red carpet get set up. I was fascinated with the whole process of the setup and where everyone was to be placed. I got to see the carpet getting rolled out, and what appeared to be interns putting up signs for the press area. Various employees and people involved with the event were busy going back and forth making sure everything was just right for the event and camera and photographers were busy setting up in their designated spots.  I loved the busy atmosphere and watching it all come together.  After a few hours passed by news reporters began to show up to interview fans and do their reports from the red carpet. One news reporter walked the carpet several times back and forth to do takes for her news report.  After a while the carpet got busier and busier and more people began to arrive.

Inside the O2

Waiting to get to the premiere area

Putting up the signs for the press

rolling out the red carpet!

Reporters on the carpet

Photographers preparing for the celeb arrivals

The premiere was expected to start at 5 pm but this did not happen according to plan. After some extremely cold hours of waiting, the celebrities finally started to show up around 6:15. It became very excited and hectic once the guest started arriving but there was a pretty clear view of the arrival area and the main area of the red carpet where the cast posed for photos. The first person to arrive was a man I did not recognize until being told that it was Toby Jones who has a role in the Hunger Games but also did the voice of Dobby in the Harry Potter films. Once he was done posing for photos he came over to our barricaded section first and started signing for everyone.  Next up was Chris Hemsworth who came out to support his brother Liam Hemsworth who plays Gale in the movie.  He wasn’t very talkative but I was pleasantly surprised to see him signing and taking pictures with everyone throughout the event, I love to see when celebrities take the time to treat their fans well.  The main cast members came next, one by one. Elizabeth Banks, Liam Hemsworth, Jennifer Lawrence, and Josh Hutcherson all posed for some group shots before making their way over to us. Elizabeth Banks only stopped to sign for a few people before walking off but Liam came by and took the time to sign and get pictures with everyone.  He was really easygoing and made sure he got to every fan.  Jennifer Lawrence who plays Katniss came by next, but her publicist was rushing her and was only allowed to sign and not do pictures, but she was really nice and talkative to all the fans. Josh Hutcherson came by last, by this point the crowd was getting pretty rowdy and basically everyone wanted a picture with him. He was really nice and talkative to everyone and took the time to get to all the fans. When I asked him for a picture he was really friendly about it and handed my camera to the security guy so he could take the photo. I was really appreciative that he took the time to take a picture with me; I can only imagine how long it took him to get off that carpet due to all the fans wanting pictures/autographs. He could not be more humble and down to earth and I’m excited to see his performance as Peeta.

Toby Jones

Elizabeth Banks

Chris Hemsworth

The cast posing for pictures

Liam Hemsworth

Jennifer Lawrence

Josh and I !

My autographs

Once the main cast members began to walk away the crowd started to dwindle down. It had been a long day so I was ready to go home. The security would only let us leave at certain times so people in my barricade had to wait a couple minutes before they could leave the area.

 I was so excited to get to meet the cast and experience The Hunger Games Premiere, going in I was not expecting to get to meet all the main cast members and it was well worth the long wait. I’m so happy I got the chance to go and participate in all the excitement surrounding the movie. I will definitely be seeing it next weekend! I am off to Ireland this weekend so I will be updating when I get back!