We love Notting Hill, but Camden Market is a close second. The clash of cultures and blaring music had vendors and shoppers alike bouncing and bobbing to the beat of a billion different tunes. Katie and I would catch ourselves dancing along too. It was great. So great that we spent two days hanging out and browsing the endless stalls of jewelry, antiques, and mountains of clothes.
We were so proud to find ideal gifts for our family and friends (we managed to find a little something for ourselves too). The first day we took cheap Chinese food home for dinner. The second day we decided to stay awhile and try more Chinese cuisine Camden had to offer. This time; however, we had some interesting guests join us in the "food court" for lunch. The pidgeons were a bit too friendly, hopping up onto the tables and begging for scraps. They were kind enough to leave tokens of appreciation... Needless to say, I quickly lost my appetite.
But thanks to the pidgeons, we had plenty of room for dessert! I had a Belgian waffle while Katie enjoyed a crepe. If you can't already tell, food and shopping is all that's left on our agenda. We've seen everything else in London. We're making the most of it.
If you don't mind the crowds and dirty pidgeons, you must go to Camden Market for loads of fun, food, and a lot of funk. It was an experience we'll certainly remember.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
We Passed By it Ten Times
Since we've been shopping all the time here, we figured we needed to add some culture to our holiday. That National Gallery we passed so many times on our way to dinner and the theater was just the place to get it too. We were astounded by the artwork we got to see there. Plus, it was FREE!!!
Before our artful afternoon, we saw a street performer do some magic just outside the gallery. He was a regular Houdini, literally. He did the same trick the magician became famous for so many years ago - escaping from a straight jacket and chains. It was pretty cool.
After tipping the street performer for successfully escaping the funny farm, we went inside to see some of the most famous pieces of art known to man. Da Vinci's "Virgin of the Rocks" was my favorite. I now understand why people consider him to be a genius. It was definitely different to see his work in person. But I won't bore you with art stuffiness. However, Katie and I were so happy to have the chance to admire Renoir, Van Gogh, Monet, and more famous works we'd only learned about in art history college courses.
That evening we decided to eat out since the guys were going to the gym. We went to get a healthy order of burgers and fries (all the walking here helps us burn it off anyway). It was the perfect way to end our day. Byron's really knows how to make a "proper" burger. But we can hardly wait for the cheaper version back home...
Before our artful afternoon, we saw a street performer do some magic just outside the gallery. He was a regular Houdini, literally. He did the same trick the magician became famous for so many years ago - escaping from a straight jacket and chains. It was pretty cool.
After tipping the street performer for successfully escaping the funny farm, we went inside to see some of the most famous pieces of art known to man. Da Vinci's "Virgin of the Rocks" was my favorite. I now understand why people consider him to be a genius. It was definitely different to see his work in person. But I won't bore you with art stuffiness. However, Katie and I were so happy to have the chance to admire Renoir, Van Gogh, Monet, and more famous works we'd only learned about in art history college courses.
That evening we decided to eat out since the guys were going to the gym. We went to get a healthy order of burgers and fries (all the walking here helps us burn it off anyway). It was the perfect way to end our day. Byron's really knows how to make a "proper" burger. But we can hardly wait for the cheaper version back home...
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
We Love Notting Hill
Tuesday was considerably more successful than our trip to Spitalfield. Did we mention how much we love Notting Hill? Well, we got our fix today. We started out having lunch at Pret-A-Manger (can't get enough of that place either). Katie and I are considering calling up their corporate offices to see if they'd be interested in expanding their restaurants to Oklahoma. We'll let you know if it's a go or not...
When lunch was over, we hit the stores. I was very happy to find some future niece/nephew, gender neutral gifts. After yesterday, Katie and I were more willing to spend our money. We reminded ourselves that there are only a few days left, and this is the week we've been waiting to splurge on. However, there's only so much we can fit in our suitcases, so we're trying to be mindful of that as well. I think I reached my max weight on luggage today.
Shopping bags in hand, we headed back home to make some dinner and celebrate our successful day. And dinner was an even bigger success. We made our own version of chicken tettrazini - tagliatelle noodles with chicken and peas, in a creamy cheesy sauce. Katie and I both had seconds, it was so good! We might compile a cookbook to remember all the wonderful things we've made while on our trip.
Hoping everyone is staying safe in the snow and ice back home. Katie and I would like to end this blog by saying, "HAPPY STATE OF EMERGENCY DAY!!!!"
When lunch was over, we hit the stores. I was very happy to find some future niece/nephew, gender neutral gifts. After yesterday, Katie and I were more willing to spend our money. We reminded ourselves that there are only a few days left, and this is the week we've been waiting to splurge on. However, there's only so much we can fit in our suitcases, so we're trying to be mindful of that as well. I think I reached my max weight on luggage today.
Shopping bags in hand, we headed back home to make some dinner and celebrate our successful day. And dinner was an even bigger success. We made our own version of chicken tettrazini - tagliatelle noodles with chicken and peas, in a creamy cheesy sauce. Katie and I both had seconds, it was so good! We might compile a cookbook to remember all the wonderful things we've made while on our trip.
Hoping everyone is staying safe in the snow and ice back home. Katie and I would like to end this blog by saying, "HAPPY STATE OF EMERGENCY DAY!!!!"
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