Three Turkeys go to Prague

The cold weather hit Europe just as we landed in Prague last week, and it's had the UK in its icy grip as well.  The poor folks up in Scotland and Northern England have been slammed with snow for days, and although we haven't had more than a few inches here in North London, the southeast suburbs are getting it as well.  The reaction is reminiscent of our early days living outside of Washington, DC - the snow removal equipment is inadequate and public transportation is a nightmare.  And just for us normal people, walking to the local grocery store (where they ran out of milk yesterday) is a bit hazardous due to the icy sidewalks.  I'm hoping for a thaw soon as the weather has also forced my beloved fitness walks to be cancelled until further notice!

But back to Prague.  We arrived in the dark (4:30 pm) so the breathtaking sites of the city had to wait for the next morning.  But the first night was still beautiful with Christmas lights all around, and we went to a really lovely restaurant for my birthday dinner.  We caught up with my nephew Matt back at our hotel, and he & Kyle left to hang out in his dorm with young'ns their own age.  Matt goes to Union College in New York State and is spending the fall semester of his junior year in Prague.

Sun greeted us the next morning, but it was cold!  We met back up with the boys in the stunning Old Town Square which was very busy with preparations for the Christmas markets that were to begin on the weekend.  Matt led us across the river Vltava and up the New Castle Steps to Prague Castle.  Once the capital of the Holy Roman Empire, most of what is there today was built in the 16th century, and it now houses government offices, including that of the President of the Czech Republic.  It's more of a complex of buildings, including the amazing St. Vitus Cathedral and the Royal Palace, as opposed to one big castle building, and you can walk around the grounds at no charge; if you want to see the interiors you need to buy a ticket, as we did.  We hoped getting inside would get us out of the cold, but the unheated Cathedral felt more cold than being outdoors.  Interestingly, although work on the cathedral was started around 1344, the "Hussite Uprising" in the 1400's interrupted the construction, and believe it or not, work was not finally completed until 1929.  There's a beautiful chapel inside devoted to Prince Wenceslas, or Saint Wenceslas, or as he is more familiar to the rest of us, "Good King" Wenceslas.  I know that he went out on the Feast of Stephan; after that, his story gets fuzzy.

After finding a charming little restaurant for a traditional Czech lunch, we walked back over the beautiful landmark Charles Bridge, and the boys left us to go back to Matt's dorm for another traditional meal - an American Thanksgiving dinner.  Chris & I decided to completely do a 180 from tradition and opted for an Argentinian steakhouse that was quite good.  Kyle & Matt met back up with us later and we visited the Prague Beer Museum pub to sample their wares.  The next morning, Kyle was back with us and we hit some shops as we meandered through the lovely streets of Prague.  We also took a walk to the Jewish Quarter, where we toured the Jewish Museum & Old Jewish Cemetery.  The museum is an impressive tribute to the important history of Jews in the Czech Republic, both before and after the Holocaust (during which nearly 80,000 Jews from the Czech Republic were killed.)  Later in the afternoon, we met Matt and two of his friends at their dorm, then we all walked to one of their favorite spots, Budvarka, for pork ribs.  Then it was off to the Pivovarsky Klub, where they have over 200 beers from all over the world.

Our last day was Saturday, which was also the first day of Prague's Christmas Markets.  It was the coldest day so far, so we bundled up as we headed first to Wenceslas Square then back to Old Town Square to check out the outdoor market stalls.  I was a bit disappointed with what was on offer from the vendors - a lot of the same tourist-y items that were on sale in the souvenir shops, repeated over and over again.  But when it got dark, the Old Town Square tree was lit and choirs were singing and "hot wine" was being sold and we had a good time anyway.  Our restaurant for dinner warmed us up nicely as we were seated at a lovely table right next to a fireplace; it was a nice way to top off the day and mark the end of our trip.  We made a final stop into the Prague Beer Museum pub before saying our final goodbye to Matt and calling it a night.

Although a beautiful city, our visit had a few downsides: first, smokers!  Indoors!  It was real turn-off at first, and although you do get used to it to an extent, it's still pretty yucky.  Second, the people for the most part would not win any "warm & fuzzy citizen of the year" awards.  Although there were certainly exceptions, many of the workers in the shops and restaurants had a tendency to make us feel like we were inconveniencing them when we were say...ordering food, or perahaps... buying things.  As Matt told us, he & his friends have determined that the Czech marketing motto is, "the customer is always wrong."  That didn't feel too far from the truth in some situations, but it absolutely did not stop us from having a wonderful time.  Despite the affinity for dumplings (bread dumplings, pork dumplings, potato dumplings, liver dumplings) and absence of fresh vegetables, the food was pretty good.   The crystal and glass pieces were gorgeous.  And Chris enjoyed the beer more than here in the UK!  The history of this country is a complicated one including war, genocide, communism and a rough economy.  We spent real quality time with our nephew, brought home some exquisite souvenirs, and had another opportunity to visit a great city of Europe.  We can handle a little Eastern European smoke & "attitude."  They're entitled.

http://picasaweb.google.com/swronsky/Prague?feat=directlink

Did We Really Go to Stonehenge??

Yes, we did actually. Still kind of pinching myself.          

One of the really wonderful but underrated facet of this London opportunity is that on any given Saturday morning, we can wake up to the alarm, look out the window, assess how we feel, and decide whether or not we want to go to... oh, say... Stonehenge perhaps. That's the way it went down yesterday, and our original choice, believe it or not was to bag it and do it another time. (It was early, cold, and grey and it had been a really nice bottle of red the night before, which always gives me a headache.) So, I turned off the alarm and hunkered back down under the covers, and a little voice said, "WHAT ARE YOU, CRAZY? IT'S STONEHENGE FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!!" Within about a minute, I realized that in not too long of a time from now, our choices on a Saturday morning may very well be whether or not to clean the garage or go to Home Depot. Stonehenge will no longer be available as an option. So clearer heads prevailed - and the coffee and shower helped.

We utilized once again the terrific walking tour group, London Walks, which required our meeting at the Waterloo Train Station, about a 30-minute tube ride from Hampstead, where we met our guide, Gillian and a group of about 20 others for the tour. We all boarded the Southwest train to Salisbury for the hour and 1/2 ride. The sun threatened for a bit but never really was able to make it through the clouds.

Upon arrival in Salisbury, Gillian led us on a walk of about 15 minutes to the Salisbury Cathedral, which was really something. Not quite the "wow" factor of Westminster Abbey, or the historical feel of Notre Dame, but I really think that each one of these amazing places has a character all its own. And Salisbury also has two other important claims to fame: its 404-foot spire is the tallest in all of England, and the Cathedral's Chapter House provides the home to one of the 4 remaining copies in the world of the Magna Carta - just a little document from 1215 that contains the basic principles that were eventually incorporated into the Constitution of the US.  I did have a hard time reading said document (must brush up on Latin), but it was cool nonetheless.  As for the church itself, I've already seen many of these types of structures since we've been here, and I'm sure I'll see many more before we leave; hopefully I'll continue to be impressed by the beauty and history that each contains.

After an hour break for lunch, we all gathered again for our 30-minute coach (bus) ride to Stonehenge. The route was a pretty one, despite the grey day, and Gillian took care to point out the impressive architecture in many of the homes as well as the unique thatched-roof cottages that we passed along the way. No outing would be complete without a celebrity connection, and indeed, we passed the home (or should I say castle) of Sting on our ride. (What you could see of it through the trees was really beautiful.) We also passed several burial mounds - or barrows - as we got closer to the Stonehenge monument. These apparently were tombs for individuals or families, who not unlike the ancient Egyptians, were buried with a variety of personal possessions to accompany them into the next world. The barrows date back to between 4000 and 3500 BC.

And then we came to the monument, the entire experience being somewhat hard to describe. First the facts, as only an American tourist who knows little about ancient cultures can describe them: A "henge" by (loose) definition is a certain type of earthwork consisting of a ditch and a bank, often near ritual structures. In this case, the ditch surrounding the monument was originally 6-feet deep and the bank 8-feet high; however now it looks like no more than a dip in the field. This henge was built around this particular stone monument, hence the name. The current predominant theory of why it was built is one of hope - of light and warmth following the cold & dark winter in this part of the world, (which we are currently already witnessing to be cold and dark.)  Stonehenge apparently was built to mark not the longest day of the year, which was long the theory, but the shortest day - after that, things could only be looking up. Using carbon dating and lots of other archeological processes that I could not begin to understand, scientists estimate that the monument was built in phases over about 1,000 years beginning in around 3000 BC. This is older than Dad.

What truly boggled my mind is that the stones used for the monument came from up to 240 miles away. Larger stones - weighing up to 40 - that's 4-0 - tons, were closer - only about 19 miles, but it's estimated that it would take 200 people 12 days to move one of them that distance. There were originally about 30 of these. There was no wheel invented back then. No pencil to put behind your ear or cigarette to smoke while drinking your coffee thinking, "Hmmm. How're we gonna do this?" These stones were erected (a feat in and of itself repeated countless times) in a precise way so that at a precise time in the year, the position of the rising or setting sun would be precisely marked. There had to have been an awful lot of mathematics, logistics, physics, not to mention cooperation and patience, going on. Speaking for myself, I can say that I generally haven't given humans from 3000 BC this sort of credit in the past.

It was after 4 pm and almost dark when we finally boarded the bus back to Salisbury, and it had gotten quite cold as well. Gillian had more tidbits of ancient history to bestow on us as we rode, but I think by then we were all pretty tuckered. The train ride back to London was uneventful and we were home in the flat by about 7 pm.

So what to make of Stonehenge? I really can't say. I think it deserves its title of "World Heritage Sight" and its place on various "Wonders of the World" lists, just for the herculean effort it must have been to get it built. I'm stumped about the juxtaposition of the stones, and the alignment with the sun, and why in the heck this thousand-year project began in the first place. Of course, I'm not alone. Folks a heckuva lot smarter than me are somewhat stumped too. One thing is for sure - I sure am glad I listened to the little voice and got my bod out of bed yesterday morning. It was quite a day.

http://picasaweb.google.com/swronsky/SalisburyCathedralStonehenge#5542121116233534930

Not Quite 15 Miles on the Regents Canal

A few weeks ago we got together with Cristina & Wycliffe for the first time since their wedding in July. At my suggestion, we decided to try out a boat ride on the Regents Canal which - thank goodness - turned out to be a lovely excursion.

It was the last weekend outing of the year for Jason's Trips, a canal tour company that's been running in London since the early 1950's. The boat we rode in was an authentic 100-year-old canal boat which was originally used as a cargo vessel on the canals before being fitted with a diesel engine and converted to its current duties carrying leisure passengers.

It was a bit chilly and not quite sunny, but completely enjoyable; we started out from the Warwick Pier near an area of London called "Little Venice" (no doubt named for the canals) and disembarked at Camden Lock after about a 45 minute ride. We were able to see the paths that were used for the horses (not mules) that pulled the boats, and on many of the bridge abutments the markings from the ropes connecting the horses to the boats are still visible. Camden has some wonderful street markets that we found by surprise once we got off of the boat, so that was an added plus for the day.

http://picasaweb.google.com/swronsky/JasonSTrip#

The Wallace Collection

(Apologies if this sounds a bit too much like an art history lesson. I like to share what I'm learning!)

Jenny calls it "a hidden gem" and she's absolutely right. From approximately 1760 to 1880, the 4 Marquesses* of Hertford and the son of the 4th Marquess, Richard Wallace, acquired an amazing collection of paintings, porcelain, furnishings, and other objets d'art from all over the world. The widow of Richard, Lady Wallace survived her husband, and honoring his wishes, left the entire collection to the State upon her death in 1897. It's called the greatest ever single bequest of art to a nation, and after visiting last Wednesday, I think that description is fitting.

Richard Wallace was the illegitimate son of the 4th Marquess, and his paternity was not acknowledged by the family until the death of his father in 1870, when the entire collection was bequeathed to him. According to our tour guide, Richard himself did not know that the 4th Marquess was his father, but acted as a sales room assistant and advisor to him. Can you imagine the reading of that will?!

The bulk of the collection was acquired by the 4th Marquess and by Richard Wallace. Wallace was living in Paris, as was his father at the time of his death, and in 1872 moved to the family home in London (the Hertford House) and eventually brought the collection there. The house was modified in order to accomodate the impressive works, and today it is as much a part of the museum as the objects it houses. (Fun fact: the house itself was first leased by the 2nd Marquess because of the substantial duck hunting in the area. It sits now a block from Oxford Street, arguably one of the busiest streets in London. Didn't see any ducks the day we were there... notta one.) It is a stunning place - in going through the first few rooms I felt as impressed as when we visited the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace over the summer.

A few highlights: One of the 83 known self-portraits of Rembrandt (original of course); François Boucher's portrait of Madame Pompadour, who was mistress to King Louis XV of France (back then the King's mistress would have her own title and status); and an unbelievable collection of Sèvres Porcelain, created at a factory in Sèvres, France in the mid-18th century - a factory that is still in production today. Most impressive on this visit was a gorgeous collection of furnishings commissioned for - and used by - Marie Antoinette! Wife to King Louis XVI! Queen of France! Had her head cut off! That Marie Antoinette! Pretty darn amazing.

Another pretty darn amazing fact is that the Wallace Collection is another free national museum. Truly hard to believe. There's talk of a policy change that would charge an entrance fee at national museums such as these - and I absolutely think they should. Starting in late 2012.

*A "marquess" is a nobleman of hereditary rank in various European monarchies.

http://picasaweb.google.com/swronsky/WallaceCollection?authkey=Gv1sRgCI_79engxfOnIA#

If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium

So... six months in and we've visited our third country outside of England. But who's keeping track?

A European Regional Conference for Chris's company brought us to Brussels last Monday - my blog title is appropriate as we were still there on Tuesday. Chris's boss, who we were traveling with, has the very cool privilege of traveling on the company's corporate jet, and since we were accompanying he & his wife to Brussels, we had the very cool privilege of being invited to join them. Talk about the friendly skies... I have officially been spoiled. It was just the four of us as passengers, with our own personal flight attendant and a crew of 3. What a hoot. No security lines, no taking shoes off, no showing up 2 hours early, no going through customs... Needless to say, it will be very difficult to go back to flying economy ever again.

Landing in Brussels, we taxied to one of the further out non-commercial terminals and noticed right away a huge China Air 7-something-7 (it was HUGE); we found out later that it belonged to the Premier of China who was also in town for a conference of his own, a Euro-Asia Summitt at NATO headquarters which of course is in Brussels. Could this little city possibly be big enough for the Wronskys and the Chinese Premier?

We headed straight for the company's Brussels office for a sort of welcome reception, then to the hotel, which was very contemporary and European. It wasn't until we started getting ready to go to the scheduled dinner that I realized I had left my makeup bag on the sink in my bathroom at home. After convincing Chris that yes - this was in fact a situation worth freaking out about, we made a quick shopping trip near the hotel where in about 5 minutes I purchased the most expensive makeup I will ever own in my life (and may never even use again - it's from Paris and very cake-y.) I looked trés chic (my face did anyway) as we met the others and were driven to the Grand-Place, a remarkable and breathtaking square in the center of the city bordered by buildings dating as far back at the 1400's - hotels, cafés, the Town Hall, and our restaurant, the beautiful Maison du Cygne ("cygne" means swan.) The food was fabulous and the service superb.

The following day, poor Chris had to work (someone has to keep me in French makeup) and I met 6 other spouses in the hotel lobby for a ride to the Flemish countryside and a visit to the "Kasteel van Gaasbeek" - or Gaasbeek Castle, originally built in 1240 as a fortress, then reconstructed in the 16th century. It was the home of the Count of Egmont, whose story is a popular one in Brussels as he was beheaded during the Spanish Inquisition (leaving a wife and 11 children) after opposing Spanish policies in the Netherlands. The castle was hosting a special exhibition about dragons (which many people thought real during those times) which was neat. Lunchtime brought us to "In den Appelboom" (Dutch for "The Miraculous Apple Tree") for a lovely Belgian meal. Then it was back to Brussels and chocolate sampling in the Sablon Square. This beautiful shopping area has nearly as many chocolate shops as Manhatten has Starbucks. Besides purchasing my share of Belgian chocolate, I also bought an array of their cookie specialty, Spekuloos, that you might recognize as the dark spice cookie with a windmill imprinted on it. After meeting back up with Chris at the hotel, dinner that night (as if I had room for it) was a reception at the Château Saint-Anne, which was a really magnificent building.

Our group was down to 6 the next day, and we stayed in the city for a visit to the Musée Magritte Museum, where we were given a tour of the works of the surreal artist René Magritte. You might recognize his work, "The Son of Man", which is a painting of a man in a bowler hat with a green apple for his face, made famous in the movie "The Thomas Crown Affair" (the Pierce Brosnan, not the Steve McQueen, version.) That particular work wasn't on display here, but our enthusiastic tour guide added much interest to the works we did see. Next, we visited the "Villa Empain" which is a newly renovated art-deco style building (originally built in 1930) that contained an eclectic collection of Asian & European art works. Our final stop before heading back to the hotel was for lunch at the Chalet Robinson, which was a lovely restaurant on a little island all its own - we had to take a short ferry boat ride to get there.

With the conference concluded, we bid farewell to our travel companions. Chris and I had a nice dinner at a local Brasserie - we thought we were going for traditional Belgian food but got French instead - but it was still delicious. The next morning we had just enough time to walk to the "Place du Jeu de Balle" where the locals hold a flea-market style street market every morning, then back to the Sablon so that I could show Chris the chocolate shops. Then it was back to the hotel and on to the train station where we Eurostarred it back to London.

Brussels is a wonderful city, and the Grand-Place especially evoked thoughts of what I always imagined a quintessential European city to look like. It's officially a bi-lingual city, with French and Flemish (Dutch) as its official languages, so I was able to practice my French again (although I found more locals seemed to speak English there than in Paris.) One story that left an impression on me was that of a Belgian pilot who volunteered with the RAF during World War II. After flying a mission and heading back to England, he defied orders and, using sight navigation, mounted a solo attack and bombed the Gestapo's headquarters in Brussels where interrogations and torture of Belgian Resistance fighters were rumored. The pilot, Jean de Sélys Longchamps, was demoted for acting without orders, but subsequently awarded the Distinquished Flying Cross for these same actions, and a monument to him currently stands in front of the building - which also happens to be located just across the street from the Brussels company headquarters. These stories are an amazing reminder to me of the fact that so much horror and destruction occurred in Europe a relatively short time ago, and its citizens truly had to overcome a massive amount of devastation, the likes that we Americans fortunately have not had to experience ourselves. (I don't need to be reminded of 9/11, but I think you get my drift.)

Since returning home we've gotten back to something of a routine. Autumn is definitely here and the holidays will be upon us before we know it. We hope to make it to Prague before the snow flies... or the cold rain begins.

http://picasaweb.google.com/swronsky/Brussels?feat=directlink

Les Mis!

Over the years I've been fortunate enough to see productions of the iconic musical "Les Miserables" in Washington, DC, New York City, and Philadelphia. I've sacrificed myself to many a droning, donation-seeking PBS executive in order to watch the spectacular 10th Anniversary Concert special of the show, recorded at London's Royal Albert Hall in 1995, and have listened to the cast recording countless times. Today, I had the amazing good fortune to attend in person the phenomenal 25th Anniversary concert at the 02 Center in East London. I still have goosebumps.

Friday, Chris's US boss and his wife arrived in London for a weekend of sightseeing before we all head to Brussels together tomorrow for a 3-day regional HR conference. Chris & I completely enjoyed our time with them from the time we sat down to dinner Friday evening until we dropped them at the hotel this afternoon. Saturday was spent touring Westminster Abbey, walking to Big Ben & the Houses of Parliament and having a lovely lunch at Fortnum & Mason (called the quintessential English store, opened in 1707). After some R & R back at the hotel, Kyle met up with us and we all had dinner at our favorite London pub, the Audley - it's near the hotel we stayed in and we wanted to make sure our guests tried some authentic - and good - pub food.

The big event for today was the Les Mis concert, and although I was exited to see the show again, I had no idea what we were in for. Our seats were amazing, on the floor in front of the stage in Row L. The concert version obviously doesn't have the staging that you would normally see in a musical, but the cast was huge, and was not only joined on the stage by the full orchestra, but also a choir of hundreds. The music in the show is stirring and emotional, as anyone who has seen or heard it knows, but to be able to view and listen to it from today's vantage point was truly special. One of my favorites was Lea Solonga who played Fantine (and has previously played the tragic Eponine); and this production's Jean Valjean was the best I've heard other than the man himself, Colm Wilkinson. You can imagine my initial horror to realize that Marius was being played today by Nick Jonas of the Jonas Brothers - surely the show didn't need a publicity boost? - but after a disappointing first act, he improved in the second and even made a decent go of it during "A Little Fall of Rain", thank goodness.

Following the finale was the best surprise: out on the stage marched the original cast of Les Mis, which debuted at London's Barbican Theatre on the 8th of October, 1985. And then, as if we could stand another spectacular theatre moment, out came 3 previous London Valjeans (including the original, Wilkinson) who all took turns singing "Bring Him Home". Goosebumps followed (or I should say continued and just got bigger.) The show's producer Cameron Macintosh was in the house to say a few words, as were the gentlemen who wrote the music & lyrics. Everyone on the stage seemed just as exuberant as we all were as audience members, and I think every person in the building had to have left with the sense that we had all been a part of something really amazing.

By the way, if you've never seen "Les Mis" and have survived this blog post, I hope I have encouraged you to see it one day soon. It's truly one of the best.

http://www.lesmis.com/about/25th-anniversary-year/

Back "Home"... Away from Home

Returned 5 days ago from a 3-week trip to the US, and am still fighting the jet lag! It's much easier to go west than east... I am laying awake until at least 2 am, then sleeping fitfully; I probably don't hit solid sleep before 8 am and am absolutely willing myself out of bed at 10:30. By the time I drink my coffee, watch a few episodes of "Two and 1/2 Men" and take a shower, half my day is over with! Must... get... back... to... regular... routine...this...week!! This will include returning to my beloved fitness walks, starting tomorrow.

And how was my trip to my real (as opposed to surreal) home? It was really great. Kyle & I flew over with Chris - rather, behind Chris as he was up in Business Class and we were back in Economy Plus (it was a work trip as well for him) and we all spent a week at our beautiful home in Vestal, NY. It really is a beautiful home, darn it. Huge kitchen with full-size appliances, a prep sink, and a pot-filler! Walk-all-the-way-in-and-close-the-door-behind-you laundry room with a humongous Whirlpool duet washer & dryer - you can wash more than 2 towels at a time! And my shower... don't get me started on that shower. I was absolutely giddy for the first 15 minutes after we arrived.

Michael & Sarah and Eric & Lauren came up from NoVirginia and we had a wonderful Labor Day weekend together, joined by Chris's brother Mike, their parents, and mine as well. Steaks on the grill were of course in order, as were stops at Heid's of Liverpool when we drove up to Syracuse for a day, and the Speedie & Rib Pit in Vestal. Forgot to mention that Kyle & I arrived a day before Chris did and our first dinner back home was Five Guys Burgers in Binghamton. Almost heaven! We also made it to the Ithaca Brew Fest where people actually - and I'm not making this up - stopped Chris to take photos of him and his "Bob the Boozer" shirt that he bought at the British Beer Fest! He was eating it up, of course. Add in a game of whiffle ball and a few evenings around the ole' fire pit, roasting marshmallows and melting beer bottles, and you could almost call it a perfect holiday.

Following the much-needed and well-enjoyed family time, we headed out. After driving Chris to Dulles airport, Kyle & I spent 3 wonderful, warm, sunny days in Manassas, VA, practically our home town (actually, it really is Kyle's hometown.) Got the chance to spend more time with Michael & Eric and see some old and very dear friends. Then it was off to Kennett Square, PA for a stay at the Koetz's - Auntie Gramma needed her fix and we had a lovely visit with Olivia & Riley - oh, and Meg & Glenn of course. The last stop on our road trip was South Jersey, where we again had the opportunity to see very dear friends and do some catching up. Boy, did the time go by fast. After a week on the road, we headed back to Vestal, where (in between watching our favorite Food Network shows) Kyle & I vacuumed up crumbs, did laundry (pure bliss) and cleaned out the fridge in preparation for vacating the house once again.

Our last 5 days were spent up in Liverpool, mostly with family - although I did get the chance to see one of my HS BFF's Nancy, who doesn't even read my blog so won't know about this shout out. All of the Manning side of the family gathered at Dad & Darlene's that Saturday for our traditional "Early Thanksgiving" and had a ball just being together.

How thankful I am - I just traveled to 4 different states in 3 weeks and had the chance to spend true quality time with our wonderful families and many fabulous friends that I count myself so blessed to have. And now I'm back in London, familiar but at the same time still foreign, and am fortunate enough to have a few friends that I'm returning to. What did I appreciate most about being back in the US? Being together with all of our kids at once. (And the above mentioned modern conveniences, of course.) What do I appreciate most about being back? Hmmmmm... besides the obvious, which is Chris & I being in the same time zone, I'm going to have to give it some thought. I'm still reveling in the memory of that Five Guys cheeseburger...

(Note: album below is the same one that was e-mailed to family)
http://picasaweb.google.com/swronsky/TripToUS#

Maria bids Adieu

(Pre-script: I wrote the below a full 5 days ago - I am getting bad about these posts.)

Hard to believe it's been a week since my last post! It's been a whirlwind for sure.

Tuesday of last week, Maria & I went to the National Gallery, but on our way we stopped at TKTS in Leicester Square to see what they had. (I believe NYC has a TKTS for discount Broadway shows tickets as well.) We were able to get great tickets for a show that evening (details will follow.) Then it was on to the National Gallery just to peruse through a few rooms that Maria selected (you could peruse rooms for an entire week there and still not see it all) then it was a late lunch in the cafe and back home for a rest - all the travel & touring was beginning to wear on poor Pi. So, we went home to regroup, collected Kyle, and headed to the Prince Edward Theatre to see "Jersey Boys". We had fantastic seats for an absolutely fantastic show! With the exception of one chap who just couldn't seem to lose the Welsh accent, you would never know that these actors weren't from Hoboken. During the intermission, I got chatting with the bartender telling her how much I enjoyed the show, and I observed that I couldn't imagine how it could be any better in NY. She told me that she actually hears from a lot of Americans who have seen both versions that the West End version is better... what a compliment. And a challenge for the actually Joisy Boys who might take it to heart.

Afterwards, we decided to see if we could pull another DHP moment, and sought out the stage door. While doing so we met a wonderful couple from Los Angeles, Stu & Karen, who were doing the same thing and we had a lovely time chatting with them. It was through Karen's tenacity that we were able to figure out that we were in the wrong place, and scooted back to the front of the theatre just in time to see 3 of the 4 main actors come out. Extremely sweet guys - and so young! Maria & I laughed later that it probably makes their night when 2 middle aged American women gush about how fabulous they are and how brilliant their accents were. "Tee hee hee..." You can hear us now, can't you? That was certainly the one moment of the evening when Kyle wishes he'd stayed behind to use the loo or something. The lovely guy who played Franki Valli recommended a nearby Italian restaurant for dinner after the show and it was a great find - one I would definitely return to when going to see another show (Almalfi on Old Compton St. - Cannelloni almost as good as Old Ebbit's, and that is high praise, believe me.) As the Four Seasons themselves sang earlier in the evening, "Oh what a night!"

Maria's last day came much too quickly. We headed back to Covent Garden so that she could pick up a few things she'd spied earlier, then Jenny met up with us for lunch. Then we all headed to Knightsbridge and walked up to Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. The day turned out rather well for a walk in the park. I got my first glimpse up close of the Royal Albert Hall; across from it in the park is the Albert Memorial - good Lord, the woman spared no expense in tribute to her late husband! Before getting back on the tube, we did a quick walk through Harrod's - you can't be so close and not go in - and then it was time to head home. Kyle made a lovely Asian stir fry for us for dinner which was delish.

Early Thursday, I rode on the tube with Maria as far as Victoria Station, where she got on board the Gatwick Express headed for the airport. It was only 7:45 am when I got back to the flat, so it was back to bed for me, to sleep off all the excitement of the last several days. Maria says she had a good time, but no better time than I had having her here. I think she's already making plans for what she wants to see next summer... :-) That's one sister down, 5 to go. Come on girls! You'll have a blast! (Yes, Mart - you can come too...)

http://picasaweb.google.com/swronsky/MariaVisitIIIJerseyBoysAlbertMemorial#

Maria's Visit, Part 2 - London Tours

Sunday, as promised, Maria, Kyle & I had brunch at Belsize Kitchen, where Kyle had the luxury of eating food that he didn't have to prepare himself. Maria & Kyle had the "Full Belsize" which translates as the traditional "full English"; I opted for the eggs benedict and we all left full & happy.

Then it was on to the St. Paul's tube station to meet the tour - which we almost didn't, as "scheduled works" on our branch of the Northern Line delayed our trip. But we made it just in the nick of time and were so glad we did. Our tour guide for "Shakespeare & Dickens' London" was an American from the midwest named David. He's clearly been in the UK for awhile and he was terrific. The tour lasted a bit over 2 hours and stayed pretty much in the vicinity of St. Paul's. We saw several buildings that pre-dated the famous London fire of 1666, as well as spots that Shakespeare & Dickens would've either themselves frequented, or referenced in their writing during their respective times in London. Since none of the three of us can remotely call ourselves any sort of authority on either Mr. Shakespeare or Dickens, we didn't get as much from the tour as perhaps we could have, but it was enjoyable nonetheless and David (who also teaches Shakespeare to American college students) kept us very entertained. Also featured during the tour were surviving sections of the "London Wall", the defensive structure that the Romans had built around "Londinium" in the 2nd or 3rd century.

Following the tour, after stopping for a tea & coffee break, we visited briefly the spectacular interior of St. Paul's Cathedral, then walked across the Millenium Bridge and popped into the Tate Modern before it closed. The Tate Modern displays the works of international artists from 1900 and beyond and we did see a few Picassos and a Jackson Pollack among others. I must say I prefer the less contemporary art for the most part but you know, it's in the eye of the beholder and all that. We then continued walking along the South Bank of the Thames as it had turned into a very nice, albeit cool afternoon. (Sitting on the patio of the Anchor Bar was mandatory as it overlooked the river and the sun was out, and you can't sit on the patio unless you buy something, so... you know the rest.) It was another good, full day.

As I write this, it's Monday evening and Maria & I are chilling after another event-filled day. We met another London Tour group at 10:45 this morning, this time for a tour of Westminster Abbey, which I've been by myself many times but hadn't yet toured. Once again, the interior of this magnificent church really took our breath away - by the end of Maria's visit she & I will both be pulling around oxygen tanks at this rate. Not only is it HUGE but it's so darn ancient and beautiful. Today's tour guide was Chris, and although she didn't have the entertainment value of David, she clearly knows her stuff and gave us more information than I fear we can hold in our brains. The site of coronations and royal weddings, the Abbey is also the burial place for many well known Brits (and not), royal and not, including: Elizabeth I, her half-sister Queen Mary and her cousin Mary, Queen of Scots, Charles Dickens, George Handel, Sir Lawrence Olivier, Sir Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin, just to name a few, and in absolutely no particular order. Also entombed there is the "Unknown Warrior" who was an anonymous soldier killed during World War I and who gets the highest honor and respect of any others buried there. It was a really great tour.

Following it, we grabbed a bite and walked around Westminster in order for Maria to take the cumpulsatory photos of Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, and 10 Downing Street. We also timed our walk past the Horse Guard nearly perfectly and were able to catch the hourly changing of the "mounted boxmen" guards (in this case, 4 out of 5 participants were women) which was kind of cool. Then it was up to Trafalgar Square, a peek into Saint Martin-in-the-Field church and back to the tube. We are tired!

http://picasaweb.google.com/swronsky/MariaVisitIIStPaulSWestminsterAbbey#

I Just Met a Girl Named Maria... (actually, I've known her for awhile.)

Maria arrived safely from Syracuse by way of Philadelphia last Wednesday, and it's been a whirlwind ever since.

After breakfast and a little nap (Maria took one too), we stayed around Hampstead seeing the sights and of course, stopping in the pub. We all had dinner at our favorite Hampstead restaurant, Villa Bianca to officially welcome her to London. Thursday, Maria & I met up with my friends Jenny & Joyce for our "Royal Day Out" at Buckingham Palace.

The Palace State Rooms are only open to the public during August & September while the Royal Family vacations at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. The Royal Day Out ticket included the State Rooms, and also the Royal Mews where the carriages & horses are housed, and the Queen's Gallery which is currently running an exhibit about Victoria & Albert (the Queen & her Prince) which includes loads of paintings of the two of them and their six children at various life stages, and also samples of art that they gave to each other as gifts over the years. They apparently had quite a love story; if anyone has ever seen the movie "Mrs. Brown" (highly recommended if you haven't), you'll recall it's the story of how a man named Mr. Brown, played by Billy Connelly, was brought in to sort of bring the Queen (Dame Judy Dench) out of her many years of depression after Albert died. As the story goes, he remained her dear friend and companion for many years, much to the chagrin of her children and her advisors. (Needless to say, this story isn't highlighted at the exhibit.)

The Royal Mews & the State Rooms were in a word, spectacular. At the Mews, we saw and took photos of the carriage that Diana rode in to meet her own Prince Charming on her wedding day (the Queen and Princess Anne had both used it as well), as well as the over-the-top Royal State Coach, among others. The State Rooms themselves were just unbelievably beautiful and so regal. From the original fine works of art to the Grand Staircase to the Throne Room, it all sort of just took your breath away. Of course, no photos allowed inside, so just trust me when I say it was truly exquisite. It was a long day out but a really good one.

Friday took us to Borough Market and Covent Garden for shopping & lunch & more shopping and it was a lot of fun. Saturday, Chris left early for a looooonnnng plane ride to Sydney for a week of business meetings (he'll actually be in Camberra, the official "capital" of Australia) - he'll also get a chance to visit with our London friend Andrew which will be good. Kyle worked a full day, so Maria and I were on our own again, and this day got a bit of a late start and headed to the British Museum. Maria will be teaching her 6th-graders ancient cultures this coming year, including Greece & Rome, and she was really excited about all there was to see at the British Museum. We spent a good few hours there, then it was on to the Audley Pub in Mayfair for proper pub food (and a few pints) then back home.

This brings us up to date and through the first half of Maria's visit. Today, Kyle wants us to have brunch at the restaurant where he works, then we'll head downtown for a "London Walks" tour of "Shakespeare & Dickens London" which should be pretty neat. Reports to follow...

http://picasaweb.google.com/swronsky/MariaVisitIBuckinghamPalace#

Beer, the Bard, and David Hyde Pierce

A few weeks ago, my friend Jenny & I went to see a Wednesday matinee of the show "La Bête" starring the American David Hyde Pierce and Brits Mark Rylance and Joanna Lumley at the West End's Comedy Theatre. It's a story set in 17th century France about a royal acting troupe. It was a great show (Mark Rylance is brilliant), and anyone who's able should try to catch it when the entire cast moves with it to Broadway in mid-September. The most exciting part was afterwards: as Jenny & I were leaving the theatre, we saw a small group gathered near what we assumed was the stage door. iPhone cameras in hand, we joined them, and sure enough, after not much of a wait, the cast made its way out. How wonderful & gracious they all were, taking the time to sign autographs & pose for pictures (keep in mind they had to return to the theatre in just a few hours for the evening show.) Best of all was having the second opportunity of my not-yet-too-terribly-long life to meet and chat with David Hyde Pierce. David's grandfather and subsequently his father both suffered from and succumbed to the affects of Alzheimer's Disease, and David has worked tirelessly over the years as a spokesperson and true advocate of the Alzheimer's Association in the US. I had a chance to meet him several years ago at a Candlelight Vigil in Washington D.C. and he was just as lovely and personable this time around. Most of you know that I lost my mom to this awful disease and I told David quite truthfully that as much as I enjoyed and admired his acting work (I watch Niles go head to head with Frasier daily over here) I will always love him best for his work on behalf of the Alzheimer's Association.

Last Saturday, Chris & I went to see Shakespeare's comedy "A Comedy of Errors" at the Open Air Theatre at Regents Park. It was a lot of fun, despite the fact that the first 15 minutes or so were a bit over our heads - ya know - it was Shakespeare and all. But the second half more than made up for it and we really enjoyed it. And the theatre was beautiful - especially since the weather cooperated. This past Monday I was with Jenny again, this time for a visit to the Victoria & Albert Museum. We went for the wonderful "Grace Kelly: Stlye Icon" exhibit, and it certainly was aptly named! Not only did they have many of the outfits from her wedding trousseau, but also dresses from several of her movies (best were from "High Society") as well as her more "funky" looks from the 70's and early 80's.

Finally, yesterday, Chris & I visited the Great British Beer Festival in Earl's Court. Lots of beer and lots of fun. You pay an admission fee, then a few quid for a souvenir glass (that you can return for a refund before leaving if you want; we didn't) and then you can go up to one of hundreds of different taps for an inexpensive taste of either 1/3, 1/2 or a full pint. They had bottled beer available as well. The event was sponsored by a group called CAMRA, which stands for "Campaign for Real Ale" and they are very big on promoting what they consider to be "real ale" made from traditional ingredients by a very specific process. It's all greek to me, but Chris was happy and I tasted some beer that I wouldn't have thought I liked, but I did. So it was a successful day. In case you're interested, earlier in the week of the festival, Castle Rock's Harvest Pale, Nottingham was voted Britain's Champion Beer (we tasted it and liked it) and winner of the Michael Jackson Award, which is given annually to the best American Cask Real Ale went to the Smuttynose Brewery's Big A IPA, from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. (Anyone heard of it...?)

In between all this "culture", I've been thoroughly enjoying fitness walks 2 or 3 times a week with a walking group based out of the Hampstead Garden Suburb Institute. They are guided walks/hikes through parts of Hampstead Heath & the Heath Extension so I never have to worry about getting lost (not that I ever was lost) and they are also silent, so no mobile phones and no chatting. Even tho' this is meant to be meditative, I can't say that I'm always thinking on a higher level than what I'll be picking up from the grocery store when I'm finished, but many times I am concentrating on the beautiful surroundings and thinking of my family and my friends and it's a good thing.

And Kyle got a job! He's been in it for a few weeks now and so far so good. He's sort of a "chef-in-training" at a local family owned, newly opened restaurant. Although they are getting progressively busier and he stays quite busy while he's working, he is rising to the challenge and I'm sure learning a lot, not only about cooking, but about the way a restaurant works. What more could an aspiring chef hope for?

My sister Maria arrives this week for an 8-day visit and I am quite excited! Maybe I should ask her to be "guest blogger" while she's here!

http://picasaweb.google.com/swronsky/CulturalFun#

Paris!

Sigh. How does one describe her first trip to Paris? Je ne c'est pas... Magnifique? Trés bien? Amazing? All of those things. And lots of fun, too.

We arrived around 12:30 Wednesday afternoon to an auspicious start: We managed to hail a cab at the train station, and convey where we needed to go - I even ventured a "comment allez-vous?" and the driver answered with "comme ça", indicating that he actually comprended me! However, after about 2 minutes in the cab it began to sprinkle, then pour, then absolutely teem with rain, which continued for about the next 2 1/2 hours. So the "oohing" and "aahing" didn't kick in right away. We were able to check into one of our two reserved rooms early, so we stowed our things, donned our umbrellas and headed out to find somewhere to mange. (Only breakfast is available at our hotel.) After getting a teensy bit soaked, we settled on the nearby Brasserie du Louvre, which is very near the hotel, and also very near the Louvre, and yes - your conclusion is correct - our hotel was very near the Louvre. We had a nice, leisurely, albeit very expensive lunch (including of course a bottle of vin).

By the time we finished the rain had started to let up a bit, so we headed over to the Louvre, which is a remarkable building on the outside! I realized on the train that the day we arrived - 14 July - is also Bastille Day, which is a national holiday in France. Good news was that the Louvre was open, even better news was that the admission due to the holiday was free; bad news was that about 5 trillion people discovered this before us and the wait in line would have been trés long. Tour guide Sue of course was carrying books & maps and we decided to try the Musée D'Orsay instead which was about a 10 minute walk on the other side of the little river called the Seine. Time well spent as that museum contains a lot of really great stuff - Van Goghs and Monets and Renoirs just to name a few. By the time we left the sun had come out and we spent the rest of the afternoon strolling and window shopping and just enjoying being in Paris. Dinner that night was at a very French Restaurant called "Au Pieds du Conchon" which loosely translates to "Feet of the Pig" which is exactly what Kyle ordered, along with the tail, ears, and trotter. Mon Dieu! Chris had escargots as a starter and we all enjoyed a wonderful meal (which included of course, a bottle or 2 of vin.)

Thursday provided absolutely lovely weather - even a bit cool to start. That was a day of heavy walking, first just through the streets seeing the sights and doing a little shopping, then after a lovely lunch (and bottle of vin) where we had the most terrific French waiter, Xavier, who was impressed with my French (this time I tried out "Comment vous-appelez vous?"), came the major stuff: down the Champs-Elysées to the Arc de Triomphe (WOW) then on to the Trocadéro (not sure what it actually is Paris - just saw signs) where we got our first glimpse of the Tour Eiffel which truly was breathtaking in every sense of that word. Unfortunately, Kyle started the day not feeling well and by lunch was feeling pretty badly so we had to put him in a cab back to the hotel and he missed the big stuff. He felt better after a good nap and by the time we got back to the hotel he was ready to venture out again, and we did, this time to an area on the Left Bank called St-Germain-des-Prés which contains lots of art galleries, shops, and restaurants. As we were pondering the all-in-French menu in front of one of the restaurants scratching our heads (my limited French doesn't go that far) we attracted the attention of a guy walking by who took the time to stop, ask (in English) if he could assist us (only if "we didn't mind"), and walk us to an Italian restaurant that he had just recently eaten at and liked very much. Talking about it later, we'd all been a bit skeptical for different reasons as to what his motivation might be, but it had become clear after a few minutes of talking with him that he was just a nice man - if a bit of an oddball - who was doing something nice. It was one of our favorite meals of the trip: not just delicious, but served by a French Italian (Italian French?) and accompanied by the requisite old craggy man playing the accordian. So French! (Yes, the little guy did pass the chapeau aound later to all of us who had taken his photo. Any way to make a euro.)

Our last day was another full one. First stop: the Louvre and at 10 am the line was almost non-existant. This is hard experience to describe, because it's almost with disdain that I witnessed masses of people rush with blinders on past magnificent sculptures and one-of-a-kind works of art to get to the Mona Lisa, but then again, I was one of those people, and I feel kind of weird about it. Amazingly, they allow photos to be taken in the Louvre, but not with a flash. Needless to say, more than half of the picture takers used their flash anyway (not us) and what really bothered us were the people that literally pushed and shoved their way (I'm being kind here) up to the rope in front of the painting, ignoring everyone around them that might be waiting for their photo to be taken so that they could have their companion take their photo, then carelessly push their way back out without even bothering to stop and glance at the amazing masterpiece that they had just been in the presence of! So that being the atmosphere in which I was able to see the one and only most famous work of art in the world, I think it felt a bit anticlimactic. I made myself feel a little better in the end though, as I looked her way one last time before moving on and realized that her smile isn't mysterious after all - it's a look of pure amusement at the masses of lunatics who come before her daily and make idiots of themselves. I think you could visit the Louvre every day for a month and still not see all there is to see, so after a quick stop by the Venus de Milo and a look at but a fraction of the French paintings, we were on our way to Notre Dame, about a 30 minute walk. This 13th Century cathedral was the perfect way to end our "official" whirlwind tour of Paris and is an amazing structure inside and out.

Following that, we sought out a bistro that we'd found in the guidebook for one last French meal (and oui, one last bouteille de vin) and it was a wonderful meal at that. We then strolled back through St-Germain-des-Prés, made our way back to the hotel where we picked up our luggage and waited for our taxi to the train station. What a trip.

I think I was most impressed by the Arc de Triomphe. Commissioned in 1806 by Napoleon to commemorate his military victories, it took 30 years to complete, and has really become quite a symbol in Paris. I found it completely awesome. One not-so-positive and surprising observation about Paris in general was how much trash was around the streets and parks, but I'm choosing to chalk that up to the Bastille Day celebrations. On the positive side, although we may have come across a brusque waiter or two, for the most part the French people who we met and dealt with were really lovely, friendly and helpful. One night walking back to the hotel after dinner, we came across a band playing by the Seine. It was a brass band - tubas, trumpets, trombones, french horns - and a drummer, and this just seemed like a regular Thursday night activity for them, the way some guys get together for poker or to watch the game. They appeared to be having the best time. That was the most magical moment for me - looking down over the Seine in the moonlight listening to this informal group of amis playing music together, whether anyone happened to be around to listen or not.

Exhausting, overwhelming, unbelievable, yet wonderful. I think that will be the description I will settle on about my first (and hopefully not last) trip to Paris.

http://picasaweb.google.com/swronsky/Paris#5495663009322461282

Catching Up

It's been a busy few weeks. Last Sunday Chris & I celebrated the 4th of July British style. We were invited to an "American 4th of July Picnic" at the London home of Louis Susman, the American Ambassador to the UK (actually, to the Court of St. James) and his wife. They live at Winfield House, which is a humongous dwelling within Regents Park. We of course were limited to the yard (even the loos were outside) so luckily the weather cooperated. It was a really nice effort, but pretty much a British event. We were greeted by the Ambassador himself upon arrival; he said hello then directed us quickly toward the hot dogs. Hamburgers were also provided, as well as beer (American & British), chicken, ice cream & Starbucks coffee. Pimms cocktails and large screen TV's showing the Wimbledon final kept the English guests content. There was a band - a very good one, in fact - but it was no National Symphony Orchestra on the grounds of the Capital and, sadly, there was no Stars & Stripes Forever accompanied by fireworks for a finale. I'm happy to say that there was a US Marine Corps Honor Guard in attendance, which of course made me think of my Dad. The 4th of July was a very big deal when we were kids and all of the patriotic songs that my siblings & I can all still sing are a result of Dad's tuteledge. ("You're a grand old flag...") Now, for some reason, which I'm sure makes sense somehow, Bianca Jagger was at this event. Just floating among the guests in a very un-celebrity sort of way. Sounds kind of like I'm recapping a strange dream, doesn't it?

I'd been feeling more settled and a bit more at home before this picnic, but I realized at the end of the day that I was feeling depressed and homesick again. We never had a huge party or anything for the 4th in the US, but we usually did spend it with some contingent of the extended family, and it really is such a huge part of our culture over there. Here, it was just another Sunday, which felt wrong somehow. Having Bianca at our "American" picnic might have kinda pushed the whole feeling over the edge. Oh well. Ironically enough, just as we were going to bed, we heard a brief smattering of fireworks going on out the window. We couldn't see anything, but someone was setting them off somewhere close by which gave me a bit of comfort before I fell asleep.

Yesterday, we went to the wedding of our friends Cristina & Wycliffe. Cristina was my niece Olivia's (Meg & Glenn's now 5 yo) very first au pair from 2005 to 2006. She is from Romania and after her 1 year commitment in the US went back home. Not long after that she took a nanny position in London, where she met Wycliffe, who is from Uganda. I'd gotten to know Cristina when she was providing wonderful care for Olivia & support for new Mom Meg, and when we came over for Chris's interview in January Meg hooked us up. We've seen them a few times since, including - much to Wycliffe's dismay - watching England's final loss (some would say embarrassing thrashing) to Germany in the World Cup together. So, yesterday we went to the British wedding of a Romanian bride and Ugandan groom and had a lovely time.

Chris's brother Mike arrived for a 10-day visit on Friday morning - so good to see some family! I think he's been having a good time: we took him to Borough Market & for a walk along the south bank of the Thames on Friday, Yesterday while we were at the wedding, Kyle showed him Covent Garden and they walked around the city a bit more, and last night we had lamb chops for dinner. Not sure if I've previously mentioned this, but the British lamb & pork that we've been getting from our local butcher is to die for. It's all free range and truly like nothing I've ever eaten in the US. Chris & Mike headed up to Birmingham today to play a few rounds of golf, one of which will be on the same course where something like 4 Ryder cups have been played. They rented a car and Chris drove for the first time since being here. He did call to say they'd made it safely - hopefully they'll have as much success on the golf course.

I'm most excited about the fact that this Wednesday, the 4 of us leave for a 3-day trip to Paris on the Eurostar!! I really can't wait. I've been brushing up on my French and pouring over the guide books. It's the first time going for all of us so it should be a lot of fun. It may just be a blog worth tuning back in for. Au revoir pour maintenant.

http://picasaweb.google.com/swronsky/JulyHappenings#

Windsor & Ascot

They were a whole week ago! I think I'm slacking off. It's actually been a busy week. A nice, mostly sunny & warm activity filled week. Which is a good thing.

Last Friday, Chris, Kyle & I took the 10 am train from Waterloo Station (an easy tube ride from Hampstead) to the Windsor/Eton Riverside Station, which took about an hour. Our hotel was barely a block away, and we were even able to check in early. It was a lovely old place - the Christopher Wren House and as I write this I'm ashamed to say that I never found out who Christopher Wren was. Although I did think about it! We began our visit by walking through the really lovely (yes I know - I'm overusing the word but it works in so many contexts!) town of Windsor. It was a nice day - mild & partly sunny and we sat out on the terrace of the The King & Castle Pub for lunch and a pint (of course.)

Windsor Castle itself literally looms over the town of Windsor and is really magnificent. This one's not free, but well worth the cost of admission. From what I understand, the Queen was actually staying there all week while she was attending Royal Ascot. We saw the State Apartments, which are frequently used for events such as entertaining foreign heads of state, the amazing Queen Mary's Doll House, which was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and presented to Queen Mary in 1924 (unbelievable teeny tiny details), an exquisite collection of artwork, and one of my favorite exhibits, which is temporary - an extensive collection of photographs by Marcus Adams, who was the official photographer for 4 generations of the Royal Family between 1926 and 1956. (Charles was a really cute little kid!)

We also visited the daunting St. George's Chapel - more the size of a cathedral - which holds the remains of many former monarchs, including Henry VIII and the current Queen Elizabeth's parents and sister Margaret. The chapel is on the castle grounds, and was also where the wedding blessing was held for Prince Charles and Camilla in 2005 following their civil ceremony.

Leaving the castle grounds, Chris struck up a conversation with a local constable with an impressive firearm (he was obviously a special security detail for the castle as regular coppers don't carry weapons) who gave us a recommendation for a good local pub so of course we had to go have another pint. The Two Brewers wins the award so far for the prettiest pub we've visited, and we caught the end of the US - Slovenia tie in the World Cup. On the way back into town, we came upon the Crooked House of Windsor which really is a crooked little building where Chris & I went for tea. The plan next was to head up to Eton College for a look around but by then it had grown really cool and started to rain so we just headed back to the hotel. After a little nap on the part of all 3 of us, we had a nice dinner at the hotel and went to bed.

The next morning, our harried Ascot prep time was interrupted by a call to Chris's mobile from the porter back at our apartment in Hampstead. Apparently, a neighbor had complained about the alarm in our apartment going off, which perplexed us because although there is an alarm system installed, we've never set it up or armed it. So, after Chris gave him permission to check out the flat, he called back a few minutes later to report that it was an alarm clock going off, and he didn't think that we'd been robbed but the room was somewhat unkempt... Chris assured him that it was just the room of an American teenager and all was well.

So we got ourselves all gussied up and took a taxi to Ascot. The sun was out but it was chilly. We'd gotten our tickets to the races via the Hampstead Women's Club, who was also hosting a pre-race tailgate picnic. We found our group, which also included the London alumni clubs of both Notre Dame and Georgetown Universities, so there was quite a varied group of mostly Americans. We met some nice folks, and there was a nice spread of food and drink, but it had grown overcast and was windy and, well... pretty dang cold. After a few hours of socializing, we walked up to the entrance with the crowd having by this time gotten separated from our group, who had headed in the direction of the Royal Procession, of which we were oblivious. No matter - we'd gotten a prime view of the Queen just the week before at the Trooping of the Colours, and by this time what we were really interested in was figuring out the betting system. Priorities please.

A friendly young chap from Ladbrokes tried to assist us, but he spoke quickly and with a thick Brit accent we couldn't quite get a solid explanation of what we were doing. So we all lost 5 pounds on the first race. The worst part was going out to the stands to watch - the cold & wind were really miserable. The folks who were obviously having the best time were the ones walking around with open bottles of wine & champagne and were nowhere near the racetrack. We got ourselves some hot coffee and made a second attempt at perusing the odds, this time on race #3, which was called the Jubilee Stakes and also the "Highlighted Race of the Day". It was indeed a highlight for us as we placed another 5 pounds "either way" on a horse called Starsspangledbanner - who won! ("Either way" means that your bet gets split and you'll win either if your horse wins or places.) So we made 25 pounds, just enough to pay for the taxi back to the hotel, which we did next because we'd had enough. We had a bit of an adventurous train trip back to London, as we had to take a bus for the first leg of the trip, then encountered 3 rude American women who clearly had been to Ascot and were still carrying their open bottles of wine, as well as a disturbed gentlemen who felt it necessary to profess to the entire train that he was the real Terminator - not the Hollywood version - who would destroy anyone who got in his way. Life in the big city.

The next day was Father's Day - here too - and after laying around recovering from our trip and working out, we walked up to nearby Golder's Hill Park, which is part of Hampstead Heath and has become my very favorite park so far. We were able to sit and enjoy a much better afternoon - sunny and probably 70 - then head to the nearby Old Bull & Bush for a Father's Day dinner, which was really good. We didn't even have a beer. (Bottle of wine, yes; beer, no.)

It was a busy but very nice weekend. I would definitely go back for a visit to Windsor Castle and hopefully see Eton on the next go round. I'd also like to go back to Ascot when it's not Royal week and the weather would hopefully be more conducive to actually sitting and enjoying the races. But for now, it's onward and upward. It's almost July, and we have a picnic at the Embassy to attend!

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http://picasaweb.google.com/swronsky/FatherSDayGoldersHillPark#

Trooping the Colour

OK. So this will involve a bit of a British culture/history lesson which may just bore you to tears. Or, you may find it interesting. Either way, Chris & I came within 30 feet yesterday of Elizabeth II, Her Royal Highness the Queen of England, and her husband Prince Phillip, and her daughter, Princess Anne, the reason being that we attended the Trooping of the Colour.

And here begineth the lesson (or just skip down to the photo album at the end. I'll never know): The flag, or "Colours" of a British regiment are historically a very big deal. Not just because troops could easily identify their home regiment on the battlefield, but as a way for the regiment to carry and display their battle honors and pay tribute to not only their victories, but their fallen comrades. Before the regiment would present its Colours to the sovereign following battle, the Colours were consecrated in a religious ceremony. It was decided in 1748 that the Colours would be trooped in front of the sovereign each year during a parade to mark his or her birthday; the current Queen has participated in every year of her reign with the exception of 1955 when there was a national rail strike. (She even rode her own horse in the parade until 1986 when at the ripe young age of 60 she decided - or maybe someone decided for her - that a carriage would be a better bet.)

The Colours that were trooped at this year's Queen's Birthday Parade are those of the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards. But it's not all just a lot of ceremony - this battalion in fact just returned from a tour in Afganistan in April where they were wearing flack jackets as opposed to ceremonial parade dress and scanning for IED's as opposed to marching in front of the Queen. I can only imagine what a strange transition that it must be for these men & women, but hearing some of them speak in a BBC TV special about the seemingly polar opposite experiences, it seems that they are both quite meaningful for these soldiers - but obviously in very different ways.

So. As I had previously mentioned, we were fortunate enough to receive tickets to yesterday's program from one of LMUK's Board Members who could not attend. It's worth mentioning that absolutely anyone can put themselves in the lottery to get these tickets - it's not a matter of status or income (case in point - they let us in.) The tickets are just to get into the stands; before arriving at the Horse Guards Courtyard where the ceremony takes place, many of the participants and the royals come down the Mall (pronounced here with a short "a", as in "Al", as in "Gore" as in "what the heck is going on with the Gore family?" But, alas, I digress...), where thousands of people line the parade route and I'm sure get a pretty good look at whose a-comin' down the lane.

The weather was pretty decent. No rain, and no direct sun which I'm sure the folks in those uniforms were grateful for. We arrived in plenty of time to stand in the 45-minute queue for the royal porta potties (Loos R Us. I am not making that up.) (Really and truly, I'm not.) There were women in hats (not me) and some in flip flops (unfortunately when we walked to lunch later not me either); most men in jackets but some in windbreakers. Older people and even quite a few children. The ceremony - even before the royals arrived - was entertaining just in the way that the officers shouted at their troops to get them all in a straight line, and the soldiers in turn scootched an inch or two one way or the other to comply.

So, we're about 30 minutes into the band music and boot shuffling when the sound of cheers emerges from the direction of the Mall. And then an escorted carriage arrives, followed by another. They were so bloody far from us, the only thing that I could admire was the color of the dress (of who I thought was) the Queen was wearing. Then the carriages rode under an arch and out of sight - as a matter of fact we never found out what became of them. So I thought to myself (and sighed under my breath to Chris) "Wow. I guess that's it." Boy, was I wrong. A few minutes later, more, louder cheers from the direction of the Mall. Chris says "I think this has got to be her." And by George, he was right! Escorted by a regal troop of Household Cavalry, came the Queen's carriage - and in it? The Queen! Yes indeed. Of England! (Oh yes, and her husband Prince Phillip the Duke of Edinburgh. Whatever. No big whoop there.) This is the kicker - their carriage rode right in front of the stands that we happened to be in! She was within spitting distance I tell you. Not that I would've even imagined spitting. I was too busy pinching Chris's arm and murmuring "oh my God oh my God oh my God.." No waving. Nothing close to a smile even. I guess after 58 years of these things how excited can she get? I didn't wave either, but I'm sure I was smiling. Even Chris was impressed. Not a peep about that night's football match against the US, or even the BP debacle. Everyone was extremely quiet and respectful.

Off they rode to the podium, then more pomp and circumstance and music and parading (all of it quite impressive.) And then eventually, after troops were inspected and Colours were trooped, all of the participants, including Elizabeth, were marched back to Buckingham Palace. Too long of a walk to follow them in my new (really cute) heels, but we stuck around on the Mall so that we could see the Royal Air Force fly-over that always accompanies these things. Then we went to an awesome Indian restaurant for lunch and came home.

Oh, and by the way? The two royal carriages that transported royal individuals whom we could not identify? None other than: Carriage #1: Camilla Parker Bowles and her step-son PRINCE WILLIAM, and carriage #2: Princesses Eugenie & Beatrice, making their first public appearance since their mother's scandalous gaffe some weeks ago. Wow. I mean WOW. Never ever in million trillion years could you ever have convinced me 6 months ago that I, Sue Manning Wronsky, daughter of peasants (had to add it for dramatic effect, Pop - everyone knows you & Ma were no peasants) would one day be within spitting distance of the Queen of England. Bob Sheiffer? Perhaps. David Hyde Pierce? If you're really lucky. The Queen of England? No friggin way.

http://picasaweb.google.com/swronsky/TroopingOfTheColoursQueenSParade#

Notting Hill - the Movie

Ahh Notting Hill. The movie that cemented my love for Hugh Grant and my disdain for Julia Roberts. I love the movie, and the end always does make me so happy. But I can't help thinking after all is said and done that Hugh Grant really is Daniel Thacker, and Julia Roberts really is Anna Scott.

But anyhoo. I've seen the movie in the US a zillion times. Tonight, it was on here on Sky1. Toward the end of the movie, when Anna (Julia) is finally acting in a real movie (Henry James), they are filming "at Hampstead Heath", so one of the characters tells Daniel (Hugh). So of course, my attention perks up. Well. Remember the day that Kyle and I went to visit the Kenwood House, then didn't get lost in Hampstead Heath? That's where - in the movie - they are filming the Henry James movie that Anna (Julia) is in! Ya follow? That lovely estate home is the Kenwood House! The sprawling lawn? The lawn at the Kenwood House! The tunnel arbor that Daniel (Hugh) and Anna's (Julia) agent walk through while ducking? I've walked through it! And ducked!

Pretty cool, huh? Gives me eternal hope for a girl. standing in front of a boy. asking him to love her. Now I just need to go find that blue door...

What's Been Happening

Life. It's just been going on. Even here, across the ocean, far away from family, friends and all that is familiar, life goes on. I still don't have a real routine - I'm looking into some volunteer opportunities and perhaps even a class, but for now, I just sort of take things day by day.

I've joined the Hampstead Women's Club which has been good. I've attended a few of their monthly coffees and a lunch and have met some really nice women in all stages of life: younger, older, younger kids, older kids (none as old as mine!) and no kids at all. Some from the UK and many from the US. It's actually through the HWC that I got the tickets to Royal Ascot. And just last week they hosted the UK Charity Premiere of the movie The Brothers Bloom with Rachel Weisz, Adrian Brody, and Mark Ruffalo (what a cutie!) The theatre was right in Hampstead, and the director, Rian Johnson, was a special guest. He did a Q & A after the movie too. (Reviews were mixed of the movie but I really liked it and would recommend renting it - it's sort of a quirky caper con artist story.) All proceeds from the ticket sales went to The Albert Schweitzer Hospital in Haiti. It was a fun (and worthwhile) event.

This Saturday, Chris & I are attending the Trooping of the Colour and the Queen's Parade. I'm not even going to try to explain all that it is, but it will be a lot of pomp & circumstance and it's in honor of Liz's Birthday (which is actually in April.) Dress for the occasion is a suit or "day dress" (??) with a hat as optional. Oi. I figure I'll wear whatever I'll plan to wear to Ascot, although I don't yet know what that is. This type of shopping totally intimidates me and I have no good friend or sister to bring along with me to help. We got this weekend's tickets from a member of the LMUK Board (I already spoke of Lord Patten) who is not able to attend. I must say that it's when these types of opportunities arise that I'm able to put aside my current homesickness and melancholy and appreciate how fortunate we are to be here. (And I know the homesickness and melancholy are only temporary... even tho we've never moved out of the country before, we've moved plenty and I'm familiar with the brain pattern.)

Since I last wrote, Chris & I have ventured to Highgate - a neighboring village to Hampstead - and toured the really beautiful Highgate Cemetery where a lot of "famous" people are buried, most of whom I've never heard of, with the exception of Karl Marx, who most of us have heard of. On the way home we walked through Hampstead Heath and knew exactly where we were going. :-) Last Saturday we traveled to Chelsea which is a great neighborhood with great shopping and lovely homes. We went to see the "Untitled Artist's Fair" - the artist who we bought some work from at the Greenwich Market gave us tickets - and it was a nice way to spend a Saturday. It was a warm day, which really only is an issue when you're inside or on the tube, as you don't find a lot of air con (as they call it) here in London.

A few weeks ago when Chris was away for a few nights Kyle & I went to Covent Garden, which is sort of like Faneuil Hall in Boston - market, restaurants, street performers, and a lot of fun. Then we went to the Royal Drury Lane Theatre; didn't see the Muffin Man but we did see the musical Oliver! which we enjoyed... I was a bit disappointed with the overall production but you can't help but to love the music in that show.

So... you'd never guess from all we've had going on that I still have moments of sitting around wondering what it is I'm supposed to be doing. But my attitude is slowly switching from "what the hell am I doing here" to "time to figure this out" which is definitely a good sign.

http://www.trooping-the-colour.co.uk/
http://picasaweb.google.com/swronsky/ThingsWeSaw#

Things I'm Getting Used To (or trying to anyway)

1. Walking
2. Walking uphill
3. Carrying an umbrella even when it's sunny
4. Emptying the condensation collector on the dryer
5. Online grocery shopping

LIST INTERRUPTION: Al? Tipper? Whaaaaaaaaaaaat???

6. Never knowing what's going on in the US
7. The British version of customer "service"
8. Not having a yard
9. Weekly Friday morning alarm test in our building
10. Celsius, kilos and litres
11. No window screens
12. Ventilating kitchen via opening window and fanning the door open & closed
13. Purse weighing about a stone due to all the coin
14. Stones vs. pounds (1 stone = 14 pounds)

A Week in the UK Life...

So it's been awhile! Not sure why. Certainly not because I've been hobnobbing with Prince Andrew or anything. God knows that would cost me a pretty penny if Fergie has anything to do with it!

I suppose life has just been trotting on. A few recent features:

Monday, 17May... lined up Henry (one of the landscapers at the apt. complex) to make me up some window boxes for the balconies. He delivered them yesterday. Not exactly the English Country Garden I've always longed for, but the next best thing.

Wednesday, 19May... Kyle & I absolutely positively were NOT lost in Hampstead Heath. There were plenty of people around and we could've asked for assistance at any time. I just chose not to, because I knew that with my impecable sense of direction, I could get us back on the road home easily. But once the sun went behind the clouds for good, and the trees got thicker, and it got later, I finally figured I throw a Brit a bone and let him think that he was bailing out some poor, daft Americans lost in the Heath. Only we absolutely positively were NOT lost. We were headed in the right direction the entire 2 hours. Boy - did that beer taste good when we finally got back to the flat.

Friday, 20May... joined some other members of the Hampstead Women's Club (which I recently joined) for their monthly coffee - at Starbucks of all places! I had decided to boycott all those high profile American companies while we're here in the UK, but my social life has been suffering so I made the sacrifice. Met some very nice ladies and have already made plans to meet one of them at a gallery, and to go to some future events. Hooray.

Saturday, 21May...Chris, Kyle and I got out early (for us) and took a river cruise from Westminster to Greenwich. Greenwich is a lovely village in East London, right on the Thames, and is home not only to a wonderful market, but to the Greenwich Observatory which was the birth of Greenwich Mean Time back in the 1800's. Attached is the obligatory photo of us stradling the Prime Meridian. (Not sure which hemispheres Chris & I are in.) We met a nice artist and bought some artwork from him at the market, and just had a nice day.

Sunday, 22May... went into town for coffee and saw Colin Farrell (or his double) while Chris & I were sitting at the outdoor cafe.

And now it's another week! One other thing worth mentioning is the absolutely glorious weather we've had since last Friday. High 70's to low 80's (26 - 27 degrees C) and blue, blue skies. It's only supposed to be in the 60's for the duration of this week, but staying dry. I think they could really use some rain now, but I am definitely not complaining. As you'll see in the photo album, these Brits are absolute sun worshippers when it finally does make an appearance. Any green space is covered by blankets and/or bare feet on weekends if the sun is out and it's above 60. So you can only imagine what it was like this past weekend.

Bought tix today to go to Royal Ascot on 19 June, including a pre-race tailgate picnic! Very excited about that. Didn't buy the premium "Royal Enclosure" tickets, where we'd be required to don "formal day dress" including hats, ala Eliza Doolittle, but rather the regular Grandstand tickets (although we are still expected "to dress in a manner appropriate to a smart occasion" - straight off the website.) You'll be sure to hear all about that event after it occurs. Really can't wait. "MOVE YOUR BLOOMIN' ASS!!!" Do I dare?? :-)

http://picasaweb.google.com/swronsky/LovelyDayNOTLostInTheHeath#
http://picasaweb.google.com/swronsky/DayInGreenwich#