Notting Hill Expectations Verse Reality

It’s not like was expecting Hugh Grant to appear as soon as I exited the Notting Hill Tube station . No that would be silly. It’s just a movie. Just a movie right. I was not expecting Hugh Grant to put me on a tour bus and show me the various locations from the movies…

Except I totally was. I’m not really sure what really lead me to believe that Hugh Grant was actually going to be in Notting Hill. So I was slightly disappointed when I realized there was going to be no magic trolly, train, or boat that was going to give the play by play of my favorite rom com environment. I soldier on though like any normal person would do. And then I walked right into Hyde Park.

If ever you’re in London go to Hyde Park, it’s a cleaner, and in my opinion prettier version of Central Park. There are so many trees, it’s really inspiring you just want to run, or sit down and write or make a haiku or something.  They have this huge huge pond, where people sail these epic toy boats on. And they have swans, I have never seen a swan in my life.  I was standing less then a foot away from a swan. Me, Lexie Grace next to a swan. And I get it now when they talk about swan being graceful and elegant. Hyde Parks has swans — definitely go you won’t regret it.

Okay even though I saw the swans, I still was like swans are great but I still really wanted to feel like I was in the Notting Hill Movie. But then all of a sudden I bumped into Hugh Grant who invited me on the tour bus  and apologized for not picking me up earlier (wishful thinking) I stumpled upon the Portobello Farmers Market.  Which was amazing!!! I have been looking for salad fixings desperately for weeks and here the market had some of the freshest lettuce, tomatoes, and veggies I have seen since being in  London. And it tasted even better.

So while Notting Hill didn’t have the Hugh Grant,  it has so much more  like Salad and Swans to make up for the matter. I am a simple person, swans and salads make me happy,  not always in that order .
Cheers,

Lexie

Full of Culture and Hungry for Salad?

Pancakes, I love Pancakes, and for a while I thought I would never find a pair of great pancakes, dripping with syrup. But after lots of googling, talking to strangers, and  exploring. Eureka !!! I have found THE DUTCH HOUSE OF PANCAKES.

Look at this Little Piece of Heaven:

Yes I Ate This

Lately, there has been one other thing I have been Looking for. Hunting for. Longing for. Far Greater then Pancakes, More Nutritious. It composed  of  crisp lettuces, sometimes tomatoes, sometimes cucumber. Have you guessed what it is?

Still guessing….. come on… it’s a cold dish.

IT’S SALAD.

Yeah if you have no idea what a  salad is, your not alone, the other day I went to some food place somewhere in London. And I saw on the menu, Salad. I asked the guy for some salad, and he gave me a weird look like I asked him to sell me eyeballs, as he stood behind a sign that said the words in big bold letters salad.  I pointed to the sign.

He replied “uh… yes we have that”.

Now I was a little on easy, so I further  investigated “what kind of lettuce do you use, is it iceberg, or romaine  lettuce or something else?”

He Stared Blankly,  as he replied “We have little pieces”

Not fully understanding what I was asking. Then he motioned for his other coworker to show me the lettuce, it was little piece of iceberg, darn it, I was hoping for romaine, or anything else but iceberg.

“No thanks” and I continued my journey….. and have been looking ever since for a tasty salad. I tried many salads but so many just seem to fall flat. So I have been hankering for a delicious, crisp, fresh salad.

I have however been satisfying my thirst for culture on the regular, going to museums, plays, musicals, and storytelling events. London has made me a super fan of museums, each museum cooler then the next. The V & A Museum is awesome because  they have made an effort to make the place as interactive as possible. Ancient pots you can feel the texture with samples they let you touch, you can go into rooms from back in the day, as well as dress up or build a chair.

The Tate Britain is fantastic, for really trying submerge people in the art, and get you lost in it. One  piece that does this is called the Coral Reef. It’s an inside urban Labyrinth that you have to find your way out. In the beginning it scares you, and  you have to use all your logic to find your out. Every room plays to your fears, but once you have made it out you feel accomplished. The Tate Britain, is modern art with bite to it. And I love it.

One Of The Rooms in Coral Reef

I have been seeing lots of theatre. I saw Legally Blonde the Musical and that was a great time!!!!!! Can I just say OMG it was amazing, I was doubting it at first but it’s really good. I LOVE IT!!!! I think I going to see it again 🙂

Cheers, 

Lexie  

Enough About Me, Let’s Talk About My Legos

This week was Krazy (yes, so crazy it deserves a K instead of C). At BBC Academy this week, we had are intense four day directing multi-camera class : early mornings, late nights, and lots of cups of hot coco. The class culminated to us doing a mock 10 min live show transmission. It was an amazing experience, we had real experience crew members. I learned so much, working with professionals definitely elevates your game. On the first day we went to a daily live show in London called the One Show, which was really cool, we got to be on the floor with the cameras.

But enough about school let’s talk about the real things I learned:

1. Ed Sheeran is like the UK Jason Mraz with a little more swag, Just you wait for his CD to drop in the USA.

2. The Mall in London is Awesome

3. The Mall in London is Awesome (so awesome let me say it twice)

The Mall, yes the inner valley girl, jumped with joy, “Like Oh My God, Brad, Gag me with a spoon”. It is pretty amazing they have an apple store, a record store, and a LEGO STORE. The lego store to me is the finest feature of the mall, they have a wall full of bricks you can by as well as loads of little individual brick people. Bought two Lego men.

Loving london

Cheers, Lexie