saturday morning.
we got off to a late start due to the late night before, and eventually made our way out of the hotel. the first item on the agenda was portobello road in notting hill, but when we walked out of the hotel, we were met with miserably heavy winds and rain. it was absolutely awful, and not exactly ideal for an outdoor market! we decided that we needed to reevaluate, and stopped in the corner pret for a bite to eat.
we ate. and we discussed. we knew that we could either a) suck it up and hope the rain would stop. we had been in london long enough to know that weather was fickle and could change on a dime, or b) try and hit the market on sunday. but we knew that it would be tight for us to make it there, and to church.
we settled on option a and wrapped ourselves up as best we could. umbrellas were of no use as the wind seemed to be fond of turning them inside out. fortunately, we were quickly in the tube station, which was absolutely overrun with people. we reminded ourselves that it was the weekend, and waited in line for entirely too long to get our day passes.
when we arrived at the market, the rain had eased to a minor sprinkle. we found ourselves looking at stalls and shops and people as far as we could see. since neither deb or i had been feeling the shopping urge (probably due in large part to the terrible exchange rate), this was primarily a ‘look and see’ outing. it was extremely crowded. crowded enough that it was uncomfortable. it seemed the weather had not deterred anyone else either. (i do have to say that portobello road was the one place we heard a high concentration of british accents. i had been disappointed until then, that the majority of passers by on the street, restaurant diners, etc. had seemed to be american or eastern european.)
we wandered down the interminable road and eventually the sun came out. conveniently we passed a stall selling sunglasses shortly thereafter, and i picked up a pair, having left mine at home. after that stall, we also happened on one selling some cute handbags, so i picked one of those up as well. that would be the entire summation of the shopping i did in london.
we made our way back to the tube station, and waited for what seemed like forever, before a train finally came. then we were on to buckingham palace. after having seen windsor castle, buckingham palace seemed to me like the ‘country home’. it was much smaller, and not nearly as aesthetically pleasing. but it’s buckingham palace, so we took a great deal of photos and enjoyed the sunshine.
from there, it was on to westminster abbey. after getting off the tube, we almost immediately saw big ben, or at least the clock tower that houses big ben (as that name refers specifically to the bell inside). we took the obligatory phone booth photos and were on to westminster abbey, where we were dismayed to find that we had missed the ‘open to the public’ hours.
there was nothing to do but head to the next item on the agenda, shakespeare’s globe. when we got off the underground we found ourself bankside of the thames, and enjoyed wandering through a local food market while simultaneously searching for a restroom. everything smelled incredible, but we would soon be joining a friend of deb’s friend for dinner, so we quashed our cravings.
we arrived at the globe near 3:30 and purchased tickets for the 4pm tour. once again, as been typical of our experience thus far, there were no lines whatsoever. i was shocked, especially because we had been hitting the ‘touristy’ places. but since i had been a little panicked about the possibility of missing my #1 priority, i was relieved, and felt a tad guilty at having rushed deb throughout the day.
at 4, the group gathered, and the tour was led by a lady who i assumed to be one of the actors. she was incredible. since the globe only runs performances may-september, i assume that several of the performers conduct tours in the off-season. and when i said before that i was not one for recreations, this would have to be the one exception.
it was not rebuilt on the exact site of the original but across the street, due to another building already having the place. and it was fascinating to see this open air theater. we learned that plays are performed, rain or shine, and were told that even when it rains, the ‘groundlings’, or the ones standing up and getting rained on, had a grand old time. we also learned that due to the history of fires in london, thatched roofs are not allowed--with this one exception. we were amused to see the sprinklers on top of the roof.
being at the globe was a strange experience for me. it was completely unexpected that it would make me emotional, but it did. theater is my first love, but i never had the willingness to sacrifice my lifestyle (be a starving artist) to try and make a career out of it. i’ve landed in a career that as far as my particular interests in theater (stage management and directing) go, is second best. but it still can’t quite compare.
unfortunately, due to the nature of my job, i’ve been unable to commit to any sort of production for many years now. rehearsal schedules are usually fairly intense, and bound to conflict with one or more of my events. being in that theater, having our guide recite shakespeare in her native british accent, reminded me of what i have been missing. i think it is safe to say that despite being slightly bittersweet, the globe was most certainly the highlight of my trip.
at any rate, the tour was semi-surreal, and made even more so when, while we were sitting on the third tier, it started thundering and lightning followed closely by heavy rain. it gave us a good taste of what seeing a show might be like there in the summer.
after the tour, we headed over to the tate modern museum. the museum was created six years ago out of a disused power station. i am not a huge fan of modern art, but it was the proscribed meeting place for deb’s friend of a friend. when we arrived, i was in awe of several spiral ‘sculptures’ winding in and through eachother from floor to ceiling of the huge building. upon closer inspection, we learned that they were actually slides. wait, did i say i wasn’t a fan of modern art? well, i’m a fan of anything that can defines children’s playground equipment on crack, as art.
the slides are part of a temporary exhibit:
For Carsten Höller, the experience of sliding is best summed up in a phrase by the French writer Roger Caillois as a ‘voluptuous panic upon an otherwise lucid mind’. The slides are impressive sculptures in their own right, and you don’t have to hurtle down them to appreciate this artwork. What interests Höller, however, is both the visual spectacle of watching people sliding and the ‘inner spectacle’ experienced by the sliders themselves, the state of simultaneous delight and anxiety that you enter as you descend.
To date Höller has installed six smaller slides in other galleries and museums, but the cavernous space of the Turbine Hall offers a unique setting in which to extend his vision. Yet, as the title implies, he sees it as a prototype for an even larger enterprise, in which slides could be introduced across London, or indeed, in any city. How might a daily dose of sliding affect the way we perceive the world? Can slides become part of our experiential and architectural life?
Höller has undertaken many projects that invite visitor interaction, such as Flying Machine (1996) that hoists the user through the air, Upside-Down Goggles (1994/2001) that modify vision, and Frisbee House (2000) - a room full of Frisbees. The slides, like these earlier works, question human behaviour, perception and logic, offering the possibility for self-exploration in the process.
before researching even further though, it was time to meet matthew at the bottom floor. we easily found one another, although neither he nor deb had any idea what the other looked like, and the three of us wandered through the galleries.
then we decided we check out the slides. or rather, deb had seen the look of glee on my face when i realized what they were, and wanting it to be a good experience for me too (she loves modern art), she suggested we find out what the deal was. apparetly, the ‘deal’ was that the museum offered free timed tickets to ride the slides, but they had all ‘sold out’ for the day. one of the slides did not require a ticket--it was the shortest one--so we decided to give it a shot. wheeeee! it really made me wish we had been able to get on the four story one!
our stomachs started rumbling and matthew asked us if we had anything in mind. deb and i had previously talked about trying to find indian food, since the culture is well-established there. so, matthew took us to the brick lane area, east london, jack-the-ripper territory. we found a street which housed nothing but indian restaurants. and at each restaurant, there was a ‘host’ attempting to draw you in by offering free drinks, a discount, and so on. but they were not content to simply stand in the doorway to solicit your business...they followed us, sometimes as far as two blocks! it was unlike anything i’ve ever seen, and the only comparison i can make are the ports of call on a cruise ship. each port has it’s own theme..some selling necklaces, some hair braiding..but they are determined to have your business.
we finally settled on one, and it was delicious--the non in particular (i think i spelled that wrong). and after dinner, which by the way, did not come with free drinks or a discount, we decided to head towards covent garden in search of dessert.
when we got off the tube, i immediately loved the neighborhood. i quickly decided that were i to live in london, this is where i would live. it was then that i learned that i was in the theater district. no wonder i had loved it!
the energy there was vibrant festive. being in london this time of year had certainly been a good choice. no lines, holiday lights, and even the weather, which as mentioned previously, fickle, was still fairly moderate, averaging high 50s.
we found a french bistro of sorts that could fit us in on a busy saturday evening, and enjoyed delicious desserts, and more mint tea. even though it was lively, the atmosphere still felt relaxed, and we lingered over our tasty confections.
both deb and i were fairly exhausted. i was trying to find an interactive map to post here to show you how much ground we covered that day, with no luck. so, should you ever happen to look at a map of london and trace our route, i think you’ll be impressed.
despite our fatigue, the night was not over yet. we wandered over to trafalgar square where matthew pointed out the most disturbing thing. there was a statue of a pregnant woman with no arms and legs. that may not sound too disturbing in and of itself, but consider that the reason the statue came to be, is that they (whoever ‘they’ is) felt that there were too many male statues at trafalgar square and they needed a woman. it disturbs me that the one they chose is armless and legless, despite my support of its inspiration.
after trafalgar square, we headed over to piccadilly circus, the times square of london, and found that new york has it all over london when it comes to big screens and high electric bills.
finally, it was time to head back to the hotel. matthew graciously walked us ‘home’ and we said our farewells. he had been an absolute gem to show us around, and he reminded me so much of my friend justin, that i found him completely endearing.
it was a full day, and we were more than spent. it didn’t take long before we were passed out in our fabulous hotel beds.
as i mentioned before, as a result of a technical glitch, i lost all of my photos from day 3, but fortunately deb took a few. the irony is, i made her take about a dozen or so photos of me at the globe, all of which were on my camera. she took one on hers, so that is the only proof i have that we were there;)
we got off to a late start due to the late night before, and eventually made our way out of the hotel. the first item on the agenda was portobello road in notting hill, but when we walked out of the hotel, we were met with miserably heavy winds and rain. it was absolutely awful, and not exactly ideal for an outdoor market! we decided that we needed to reevaluate, and stopped in the corner pret for a bite to eat.
we ate. and we discussed. we knew that we could either a) suck it up and hope the rain would stop. we had been in london long enough to know that weather was fickle and could change on a dime, or b) try and hit the market on sunday. but we knew that it would be tight for us to make it there, and to church.
we settled on option a and wrapped ourselves up as best we could. umbrellas were of no use as the wind seemed to be fond of turning them inside out. fortunately, we were quickly in the tube station, which was absolutely overrun with people. we reminded ourselves that it was the weekend, and waited in line for entirely too long to get our day passes.
when we arrived at the market, the rain had eased to a minor sprinkle. we found ourselves looking at stalls and shops and people as far as we could see. since neither deb or i had been feeling the shopping urge (probably due in large part to the terrible exchange rate), this was primarily a ‘look and see’ outing. it was extremely crowded. crowded enough that it was uncomfortable. it seemed the weather had not deterred anyone else either. (i do have to say that portobello road was the one place we heard a high concentration of british accents. i had been disappointed until then, that the majority of passers by on the street, restaurant diners, etc. had seemed to be american or eastern european.)
we wandered down the interminable road and eventually the sun came out. conveniently we passed a stall selling sunglasses shortly thereafter, and i picked up a pair, having left mine at home. after that stall, we also happened on one selling some cute handbags, so i picked one of those up as well. that would be the entire summation of the shopping i did in london.
we made our way back to the tube station, and waited for what seemed like forever, before a train finally came. then we were on to buckingham palace. after having seen windsor castle, buckingham palace seemed to me like the ‘country home’. it was much smaller, and not nearly as aesthetically pleasing. but it’s buckingham palace, so we took a great deal of photos and enjoyed the sunshine.from there, it was on to westminster abbey. after getting off the tube, we almost immediately saw big ben, or at least the clock tower that houses big ben (as that name refers specifically to the bell inside). we took the obligatory phone booth photos and were on to westminster abbey, where we were dismayed to find that we had missed the ‘open to the public’ hours.
there was nothing to do but head to the next item on the agenda, shakespeare’s globe. when we got off the underground we found ourself bankside of the thames, and enjoyed wandering through a local food market while simultaneously searching for a restroom. everything smelled incredible, but we would soon be joining a friend of deb’s friend for dinner, so we quashed our cravings.
we arrived at the globe near 3:30 and purchased tickets for the 4pm tour. once again, as been typical of our experience thus far, there were no lines whatsoever. i was shocked, especially because we had been hitting the ‘touristy’ places. but since i had been a little panicked about the possibility of missing my #1 priority, i was relieved, and felt a tad guilty at having rushed deb throughout the day.
at 4, the group gathered, and the tour was led by a lady who i assumed to be one of the actors. she was incredible. since the globe only runs performances may-september, i assume that several of the performers conduct tours in the off-season. and when i said before that i was not one for recreations, this would have to be the one exception.it was not rebuilt on the exact site of the original but across the street, due to another building already having the place. and it was fascinating to see this open air theater. we learned that plays are performed, rain or shine, and were told that even when it rains, the ‘groundlings’, or the ones standing up and getting rained on, had a grand old time. we also learned that due to the history of fires in london, thatched roofs are not allowed--with this one exception. we were amused to see the sprinklers on top of the roof.
being at the globe was a strange experience for me. it was completely unexpected that it would make me emotional, but it did. theater is my first love, but i never had the willingness to sacrifice my lifestyle (be a starving artist) to try and make a career out of it. i’ve landed in a career that as far as my particular interests in theater (stage management and directing) go, is second best. but it still can’t quite compare.
unfortunately, due to the nature of my job, i’ve been unable to commit to any sort of production for many years now. rehearsal schedules are usually fairly intense, and bound to conflict with one or more of my events. being in that theater, having our guide recite shakespeare in her native british accent, reminded me of what i have been missing. i think it is safe to say that despite being slightly bittersweet, the globe was most certainly the highlight of my trip.
at any rate, the tour was semi-surreal, and made even more so when, while we were sitting on the third tier, it started thundering and lightning followed closely by heavy rain. it gave us a good taste of what seeing a show might be like there in the summer.
after the tour, we headed over to the tate modern museum. the museum was created six years ago out of a disused power station. i am not a huge fan of modern art, but it was the proscribed meeting place for deb’s friend of a friend. when we arrived, i was in awe of several spiral ‘sculptures’ winding in and through eachother from floor to ceiling of the huge building. upon closer inspection, we learned that they were actually slides. wait, did i say i wasn’t a fan of modern art? well, i’m a fan of anything that can defines children’s playground equipment on crack, as art.
the slides are part of a temporary exhibit:
For Carsten Höller, the experience of sliding is best summed up in a phrase by the French writer Roger Caillois as a ‘voluptuous panic upon an otherwise lucid mind’. The slides are impressive sculptures in their own right, and you don’t have to hurtle down them to appreciate this artwork. What interests Höller, however, is both the visual spectacle of watching people sliding and the ‘inner spectacle’ experienced by the sliders themselves, the state of simultaneous delight and anxiety that you enter as you descend.
To date Höller has installed six smaller slides in other galleries and museums, but the cavernous space of the Turbine Hall offers a unique setting in which to extend his vision. Yet, as the title implies, he sees it as a prototype for an even larger enterprise, in which slides could be introduced across London, or indeed, in any city. How might a daily dose of sliding affect the way we perceive the world? Can slides become part of our experiential and architectural life?
Höller has undertaken many projects that invite visitor interaction, such as Flying Machine (1996) that hoists the user through the air, Upside-Down Goggles (1994/2001) that modify vision, and Frisbee House (2000) - a room full of Frisbees. The slides, like these earlier works, question human behaviour, perception and logic, offering the possibility for self-exploration in the process.
before researching even further though, it was time to meet matthew at the bottom floor. we easily found one another, although neither he nor deb had any idea what the other looked like, and the three of us wandered through the galleries.
then we decided we check out the slides. or rather, deb had seen the look of glee on my face when i realized what they were, and wanting it to be a good experience for me too (she loves modern art), she suggested we find out what the deal was. apparetly, the ‘deal’ was that the museum offered free timed tickets to ride the slides, but they had all ‘sold out’ for the day. one of the slides did not require a ticket--it was the shortest one--so we decided to give it a shot. wheeeee! it really made me wish we had been able to get on the four story one!
our stomachs started rumbling and matthew asked us if we had anything in mind. deb and i had previously talked about trying to find indian food, since the culture is well-established there. so, matthew took us to the brick lane area, east london, jack-the-ripper territory. we found a street which housed nothing but indian restaurants. and at each restaurant, there was a ‘host’ attempting to draw you in by offering free drinks, a discount, and so on. but they were not content to simply stand in the doorway to solicit your business...they followed us, sometimes as far as two blocks! it was unlike anything i’ve ever seen, and the only comparison i can make are the ports of call on a cruise ship. each port has it’s own theme..some selling necklaces, some hair braiding..but they are determined to have your business.
we finally settled on one, and it was delicious--the non in particular (i think i spelled that wrong). and after dinner, which by the way, did not come with free drinks or a discount, we decided to head towards covent garden in search of dessert.
when we got off the tube, i immediately loved the neighborhood. i quickly decided that were i to live in london, this is where i would live. it was then that i learned that i was in the theater district. no wonder i had loved it!
the energy there was vibrant festive. being in london this time of year had certainly been a good choice. no lines, holiday lights, and even the weather, which as mentioned previously, fickle, was still fairly moderate, averaging high 50s.
we found a french bistro of sorts that could fit us in on a busy saturday evening, and enjoyed delicious desserts, and more mint tea. even though it was lively, the atmosphere still felt relaxed, and we lingered over our tasty confections.
both deb and i were fairly exhausted. i was trying to find an interactive map to post here to show you how much ground we covered that day, with no luck. so, should you ever happen to look at a map of london and trace our route, i think you’ll be impressed.
despite our fatigue, the night was not over yet. we wandered over to trafalgar square where matthew pointed out the most disturbing thing. there was a statue of a pregnant woman with no arms and legs. that may not sound too disturbing in and of itself, but consider that the reason the statue came to be, is that they (whoever ‘they’ is) felt that there were too many male statues at trafalgar square and they needed a woman. it disturbs me that the one they chose is armless and legless, despite my support of its inspiration.after trafalgar square, we headed over to piccadilly circus, the times square of london, and found that new york has it all over london when it comes to big screens and high electric bills.
finally, it was time to head back to the hotel. matthew graciously walked us ‘home’ and we said our farewells. he had been an absolute gem to show us around, and he reminded me so much of my friend justin, that i found him completely endearing.
it was a full day, and we were more than spent. it didn’t take long before we were passed out in our fabulous hotel beds.
as i mentioned before, as a result of a technical glitch, i lost all of my photos from day 3, but fortunately deb took a few. the irony is, i made her take about a dozen or so photos of me at the globe, all of which were on my camera. she took one on hers, so that is the only proof i have that we were there;)
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