London, Day Three

Once again, I slept in too late.

We went to a place called Wafflemeister for breakfast. It was good! Too sweet, though, for breakfast. It had banana, nuts, whipped cream, and chocolate on it. Then we took a tour of the Thames River. It was awesome! The time flew by! We went to Hard Rock for dinner. It was pretty much like every other Hard Rock I've ever been to before. There were a few differences, but nothing worth pointing out.

This was our first day doing the typically tourist stuff. Until today, we hadn't made it anywhere near that part of town. There were so many tourists, it was hard to get through the crowd! We didn't find out until later but, apparently, this is Spring break for this part of the word. That explains all the teenagers running around speaking French.

Tower Bridge

The Shard.

The HMS Belfast.

A better picture of the Tower Bridge.

We'd planned to catch a movie before heading back to the hotel, but the theater near us was only playing one movie I hadn't already seen and I wasn't about to watch Kung Fu Panda 3 without the Littles. I thought it would be nice, instead, to stop at one of the local pubs near our hotel, but a thunder storm was rolling in and I didn't want to get stuck in it. So, my first pint in the U.K. was in the hotel lobby. It didn't smell like beer in the U.S., it didn't smell like anything at all. It was strong, though! I was done after one pint!

I know that seems like a pretty uneventful day, but it was nice. My feet have been killing me, so I wanted to do stuff sitting down today. Besides, with all the people watching to do, there is never a dull moment.

Speaking of people, the ones I've seen here so far have been ridiculously attractive! A guy walked past me today at Hard Rock and, I swear, he looked just like Jamie Dornan! There are so many hot guys running around this place, it's hard to focus! Who knew London was harboring all the beautiful people? Now, they're not all Idris Elba-esque, but they're well-groomed, healthy-looking people.

And everyone is so skinny! Well, not skinny, but normal sized. The food here is equally processed and fatty. That leaves me to conclude it's the exercise they get from taking public transportation. The people here are constantly running after the bus, or the tram, or the tube, or the train. It's a complicated system, for sure! Once you figure it out, though, you can get everywhere! Even with Google maps, we've gotten turned around a dozen times or more! I don't know what we would have done without it!

Anyway ... day three I wore my stunting shades, had dessert for breakfast, sailed on the Thames, took a hard blow to my self-esteem, and drank my first pint. Those last two may, or may not, be related.

London, Day Two

Looking fabulous!

One of the most beautiful things about being on vacation, is not having to set the alarm to wake up in the morning. After I climbed into bed last night, I realized my alarms were still set. Not wanting to be disturbed in the morning, I got up, padded over to where my phone is plugged in, and turned off all the alarms. So, imagine my surprise when the phone rang at 9:00 am with a wake-up call I did not request. I'd slept longer than intended, but isn't that what vacation is all about? 

Our view from the second story of the double-decker bus.

There was no going back to sleep after that, so I got up and got dressed. I'd found an award winning patisserie online and wanted to check it out. We took a bus, the train, and the subway, then walked a few blocks to get to this place and it was the most rinky-dink hole-in-the-wall place I'd ever seen. They did have good food, though. 

A grilled cheese sandwich, with tomato, on sourdough bread and tomato soup.

Next door, we found a quaint little book shop. I had to stop there, of course! I found a great gift for a good friend and, even though I had to lug it around with me the rest of the day, it was too perfect to pass up.

We walked through Regent's Park. It was packed! The weather was perfect for a day at the park and everyone was out to enjoy it. There were biker's, joggers, dog walkers, skateboarders, soccer players, and families; including a little boy flying a kite! There was a hill covered in people just sitting there, enjoying the sun.

We passed through to the London Zoo. It's a small zoo, but you get very close to many of the animals. We saw an amazing Deadly Birds show there. Some of the birds flew close enough that I could have reached out my hand to touch them. Of course, that would probably have cost me some fingers, but it was thrilling being that close to them. I was impressed with how intelligent the birds are. I didn't know they could be trained to do tricks! Some birds were better trained than others, but the naughty birds made the show even better. It was hilarious watching the handlers try to make get them to follow their cues and prompts when the birds clearly had no intention of doing as they were being told.

We had a late lunch at a place called Pizza Express. My pizza was decent, but I think the dairy here is giving me acid reflux. The pizza was huge! I could only eat two slices. My biggest pet peeve about this place is that the service at restaurants is ridiculously slow! We sat there for 30 minutes, just waiting for someone to bring the check! It's been that way at every restaurant. People here spend hours at a meal! I just want to eat and go ... 

We hurried off from there to try and catch a canal boat tour. Unfortunately, I misread the guidebook and the last tour was long gone by the time we got there. My mom had a headache and my whole body ached from the rigors of all that walking, so we set out to make the hour long journey back to the hotel. To get back to Croydon, we had to travel through Victoria Station. It's massive! I've never seen anything like it! I'm excited to see Grand Central Station when I go to New York in August, so I can compare them.

We made it back to the hotel without getting lost. I hope that's a sign we're getting the hang of the public transportation system here. It's complicated, but you can get everywhere if you can figure it out. I have the feeling I'll figure it out just in time to get to the airport for our flight home.

I was hungry again by the time we got back to the hotel. It started raining and the temperature dropped several degrees, so we decided to get tea and some food from the hotel restaurant. My mom just got dessert, but I ordered the ribeye steak. It was good! Better, I think, the the beef at home. The meat was incredibly flavorful. It's a fatty cut of steak, but it never felt greasy. It had a clean taste.

A few years after becoming vegetarian, I worried that if I ever ate meat again I wouldn't be able to stop. Now that I've eaten meat two days in a row, I feel more committed to not eating meat than ever before. I know that doesn't make sense, but that's the way I feel. It's exciting to try new things, and I don't want to miss a single experience, but I don't miss eating meat; not even a little bit. I'm glad I did it. It reaffirmed my choice not to eat meat as a part of my everyday diet. I'm just not a meat-eater anymore. 

Just to recap, I had a rude awakening, got some great tomato soup, visited some books, took a stroll through the park, saw a deerbra at the zoo, got more bad service, rushed through the streets of London to catch a boat that had already sailed, got from one side of London to the other without getting lost, ate some dead cow, and realized I'm going to be a vegetarian forever. 

Not bad. Not bad at all.

London, Day One

Flying is not my favorite. I stayed up late the night before my flight. I didn't drink any coffee that day. I had a margarita at the airport, and two Jack and Cokes on the plane. It was all in vain, though. I couldn't sleep to save my life! The few times I did manage to doze off, I was awakened by one of the other passengers, or I was just so uncomfortable, I woke myself up.

The woman who birthed the legend, my mother.

Despite my anxiety about travelling at 400 miles an hour 5000 feet in the air, we made it to London safe and sound, and an hour early! Breakfast was the first order of business. According to an article I found on the Internet, one of the best places to have breakfast in the UK is a place called Kopapa. The website showed a picture of Turkish Eggs, one of Kopapa's signature dishes, Much to my disappointment, it did not taste as good as it looks. The meal wasn't bad, just bland. It could have used some spice, like cumin or ancho chili. The sourdough bread served with it was delicious, hearty and full of flavor. I think next time I'll just get eggs and toast.

Getting to the restaurant from the airport wasn't too bad, but getting from Kopapa to the hotel was a nightmare! At some point, we got followed by a very chatty local man. He was either a wealthy ne'er-do'well, or a crazy homeless person. I honestly couldn't tell, but I'm leaning toward crazy. He seemed content to follow in any direction we went. Since we were lost, that was especially disturbing. We were able to shake him eventually. I asked him where he was going and he said he was going straight. We imagined we were supposed to go left but, in actuality, we'd passed the entrance to the underground we didn't know we were supposed to be taking. Once we realized our mistake, we waited on a bench down the wrong street to give the friendly stranger time to go on about his way.

We got turned around quite a few times. Google maps doesn't provide the best directions for public transportation. By the time we made it to the hotel, I was exhausted. We arrived much earlier than our check-in time, but much later than expected. We intended to just drop off our luggage and return later. Given that a one hour trip took us three hours, we decided to stay in the lobby until the room was ready. My mother and I both dozed off while we waited. When I came to, about twenty minutes later, we decided to have lunch at the hotel lounge.

The fish tasted like dirty lake water. I'm disappointed.

I am now too bougie for "packets".
Hence forth, and forevermore, I would like my condiments served in tiny jars.

I was excited to have tea in England! It was good, but it didn't taste that much different from the tea at home. I said I would try the food here, even the meat, and I did! I had the fish and chips. Seafood is the one meat I still have wild cravings for; I remember exactly what it tastes like. This fish was unlike anything I'd ever had. It tasted the way I imagine dirty lake water would taste. It certainly wasn't the clean, salty ocean taste I expected. I tried it with each of the three condiments provided, with lemon juice, with tater sauce, and with malt vinegar. Of the three, the vinegar worked best, but it was still not good. It wasn't even decent. I ate less than half of it. The fries, or chips, it came with were good, but they did taste a little different from french fries in the States; less earthy, kind of bland. The meal was also served with mashed peas. While the consistency was unusual, they tasted good.

The hotel advised us our room was ready just as we finished eating, so we checked in and went up to get settled. I stay with Hilton Hotels whenever possible. They won me over with their service last year when I took my nephew to Orlando. This is by far the shabbiest of their hotels I've ever stayed in, though. While the service has been friendly, the building is old and has a musty smell. A huge crack runs up the tile wall in the bathroom. My bed only had one sheet and a comforter. My mother used the pull out bed and there were no sheets for that at all. There's hardly any drawer space and only four hangers. I had to leave my clothes in my suitcase even though we'll be here for ten days. The floor beside the bed is wet and there's a Goldfish cracker in the corner that appears to have been left over from the previous visitor. I'm disappointed, but it explains why we got such a great rate on the room. I thought it was because we're so far from London, but now I think it's because the hotel just isn't that great.

My mother settled down for a nap, saying she just needed to rest for about thirty minutes. I planned to unpack and decide where I wanted to go next but, without meaning to, I feel asleep, as well. We didn't wake up until more than four hours later. We unpacked, then decided to go have dinner at TGIFriday's. I felt like I'd tried enough new foods for one day. The menu, though, was much different than the TGIF's at home. I got some garlic ciabatta bread with cheese on it. It was okay, but didn't have much flavor and didn't some with any dipping sauce, which might have improved it. My mom got that too, along with some taquitos that were unlike any taquitos I've ever seen before. It more closely resembled a chopped up burrito, or a wrap of some kind. She said it tasted good, so that's all that matters, I guess. The hosttess was friendly, which is good since the wait took more than an hour. Our waiter sucked, though, and the food took forever. We left our room just after 8:00 pm and didn't return until just before 11:00 pm. The restaurant is right across the street from the hotel ...

So, to sum it all up ... I arrived in London, got lost, had a conversation with a crazy person, ate some meat on purpose for the first time in nearly six years, stayed at a crappy hotel, and got bad service and mediocre food at TGIFridays. I can't wait to see what happens tomorrow!

March Wrap Up

You don't know how truly alone in the world you are until you become too sick to care for yourself. For the most part, being single suits me. I do what I want, when I want, with whomever I choose. Or, more often than not, by myself. It's taken some time, but I enjoy the freedom that comes with this lifestyle. Still, there are moments when being single sucks huge donkey balls; like, any time I have to deal with anything automotive related, whenever there's a thunder storm, and when I get sick. So, when I got the flu last week, not only was I violently ill, but I had the added bonus of feeling utterly alone.

I've never had the flu before. I hope I never have it again. There was coughing and vomiting, a fever and the chills, and the worst migraine I've ever had in my life! I didn't eat at all for four days, and it was another two before I managed to actually hold anything down. By the end of it, I was so weak with hunger, I couldn't stand for more than a few minutes at a time. I would have given my left boob for someone to make me soup and brush my hair. Still, I survived.

So, the Year of the Monkey continues ...

Garth Brooks was the highlight of this month, but the rest of March was supposed to be spent putting my ducks in a row; writing a will, making sure I'm setting aside enough for retirement, establishing a budget, filing my taxes -- that stuff. I didn't do any of those things. I could blame it on being sick, but the truth is, I was just too busy. I definitely over booked myself. April was supposed to be my month, filled with hair appointments, massages, and manicures. It looks like I'll have to forgo those, so I can focus on those ducks I neglected.

On Thursday, I leave for London. Wait -- I have to type that again. I'm leaving for London on Thursday! I could scream, I'm so excited! Even though YA is my scene now, I started with historical romance. So, the idea of visiting merry old England and seeing all the places I've read about so many times is thrilling, to say the least.

I can't wait to see a new part of the world, to try new foods, and meet new people. I've made no secret of my wanderlust. I keep a lid on it. Loving the Littles means staying in one place. It's a sacrifice I make gladly, but it is a sacrifice. Of course, when I began planning this year, I had to make concessions for travel. The longer I stay in one place, the harder it becomes. So, I decided to see more of the world, even if it's just one weekend at a time.

After I return from England, I'll have a little over a month before I fly to Boston with the Big Little. In August, I'm taking the Little Little to New York. And, in October, the Boss Little and I are going to Philadelphia. I'm already trying to decide where to go next year!

I still have a ton of things to do before I leave on Thursday. I was ahead of the game until the flu laid me up. Now, I'll be pushing to wrap up loose ends before I go. At the end of the day, I'll be on that plane no matter what, but I'd like to take off with peace of mind. So, I guess I'd better get to work.

Garth-Fricken-Brooks Ya'll

I know Country music isn't for everyone, but I love it! I remember being eleven or twelve years old, flipping between Jukebox, BET, MTV, and VH1. Somewhere between those channels, was the one that played Country music videos. "That Ain't My Truck", by Rhett Akins, just happened to be on and, for reasons I can't explain, it caught my attention. That night, I left my radio on the Country station, trying to hear it again. And that is where my love affair with Country began.

Garth Brooks is one of my favorite country artists. Christmas of 1998, my boyfriend at the time gave me Garth's six-CD box set. I still have them! They're worn and scratched, and skip constantly, but I still have them. When Garth set up shop in Las Vegas, I planned to go see him there, but never got around to it. When I found out he planned to come to North Carolina, I couldn't get my ticket fast enough!

I couldn't find anyone to go with me, so I flew solo, as I so often do to these things. It worked out, though, that the woman in front of me, Kristen, was also by herself. So, we chatted throughout the show. The couple sitting next to me were really friendly too! I didn't get their names, but they were as nice as two people can be. It was her 30th birthday and he'd surprised her that morning with the Garth Brooks tickets. How sweet is that?

Karyn Rochelle opened the show. Her most popular song is Red High Heels, but that's the only song of her's I'd ever heard. She played some of her new music too, though, and it was good! Karyn has a great voice! After the show, she held a Meet & Greet. I got her autograph on her new CD and snapped a photo. Check out my new favorite shirt!

Garth came out and did his thing! I spent the entire time on my feet, dancing and singing. He has a new album out, and he played one new song, but the rest was all the old stuff. I knew every single song! I screamed and sang along and had just about as much fun as you can have on a Friday night! I drank a couple of beers when I first got there, so I had pee just three or four songs in. Some people had started partying too early, apparently, and one of them was already tossing her cookies in the bathroom. I refused too pee anymore, just because I couldn't make it up those stairs again, but given the volume of the revelries, I'm sure there was a lot of bathroom action!

I've talked before about loving music for the lyrics. That's what I love most about Garth Brooks' music. Even if you can't get down with the Country twang, you should google the lyrics. They're poetry, I swear! That show was worth every penny! I would see him again, in a heartbeat! Unfortunately, I somehow managed to delete a bunch of the videos I took at the show, so I'll leave you with one of the best Garth Brooks songs of all time. I'm almost certain he wrote it about me, so I'm partial to it.

Beth Hart!

If you stripped away all my outer layers-- the hair, the skin, and the flesh-- at the very core of all that I am, you would find Beth Hart lyrics. So, when I found out she was coming to Raleigh, I couldn't buy my ticket fast enough! You don't understand how much this woman's music means to me, and I got the chance to rock out with her in person!

I know this genre isn't for everyone, but her style is only part of her magic. At the end of the day, what matters more than anything, is whether or not the words of a song can touch you, and this woman has been feeling me up since the very first time I heard L.A. Song. I'd left California in 1998, to go to college, and the song spoke to me. I knew what it felt like to flee L.A., my home, everything I'd ever known, only to find I was essentially still the same person. I couldn't outrun myself. "She left a note, by the phone -- Don't leave a message, 'cause this ain't no home."

At some point, I bought that album, Screamin' for my Supper. Beth is heart-breakingly honest about her struggles with addiction and substance abuse, and that record is a gritty, sometimes violent, depiction of her of her battle with those fearsome demons. Strangely, I found dark reflections of my self in every song, though I've never done an illegal drug in my entire life. Despite our differences, when she puts her pen to her paper, my soul bleeds out onto the page. I know every word to every song on that album. I remember thinking once that if she was that good when she was strung out, what would she be like sober?

About two years ago, I got sucked into Pintrest when I should have been working on my book, and I came across a Beth Hart song I'd never heard before. She'd fallen off my proverbial map after the early 2000's, though I often listened to my one CD. The song, Like You (And Everyone Else), is so different from everything I'd heard of hers before. Her earlier music is wild, aggressive, and strong. Like You is the epitome of vulnerability. 

I immediately scoured Youtube for more and found a treasure trove of new music -- new to me, anyway. Now in recovery, Beth is making the most soulful music of her career. Her sound is less rock, and more blues, but still edgy. There's a playful side to her as well, like we saw in Delicious Surprise, and she's still having fun with songs like Bang Bang Boom Boom and Chocolate Jesus. Her aching, sad songs are my favorites, but she writes upbeat jams, as well. Better Man, Learning To Live, and Beautiful Child follow that vein. 

The songs I love most from her, though, are the ones that I know must have hurt to write; Sister Heroine, Baddest Blues, Leave The Light On, Life is Calling, Over You, and Tell 'Em To Hold On.

Sadly, the show was over way too soon. There were a ton of songs she didn't sing that I missed. I was waiting for Mechanical Heart, Mama and Tell Her You Belong To Me, but she didn't do those. Beth didn't do L.A. Song either. I did get to see her sing my favorite song, though. I recorded it, even though they told us not to. I couldn't NOT record it. This song is where I'm at in my own life right now. It's how I feel in the quiet moments, when I take stock of where I am, and what I have, and how far I still have to go to get to where I want to be. It hurts to hear the words, but they comfort me in a weird way. This song is everything!

The show was amazing! The theater was filled with true fans who knew the words and appreciated the sound. It was awesome just to be a part of that, to be there in that room. The best part was getting to hear her tell the stories behind the songs, how they came to be, what she was going through when she wrote them. That's all music really is-- a story. Beth Hart is truly a master storyteller!

I got all fancified to go to the show. I even wore make up! Just in case I thought I was looking too cute, though, I fell in the hotel parking lot and scuffed both my knees. And, yes, there were witnesses. I also dropped my phone at the theater and cracked my screen. Still, nothing could ruin this night. My knees are sore, but they'll heal. My phone can be repaired. Nothing will ever tarnish the memory of sitting on that balcony, eating Milk Duds, drinking Blue Moon, and listening to one of the best female Blues singers in the world.

I rented a hotel in Durham because I thought the show would run late and I'd be too tired to drive all the way back to Raleigh. The concert ended before ten, though, and I was amped up as I drove away, regretting that I'd forked over the cash to stay in town. I got back to my room and immediately started writing this blog post. I don't think I even finished the first paragraph before the exhaustion hit me. I woke up at 3:00am, face down on my laptop, with the left over Milk Duds still in my hand. I went pee, cleared off the bed, and fell right back to sleep. I guess it was just too much excitement for one day. So, it's a good thing I didn't try to make that forty-five minute drive, after all.

So, Beth Hart was the highlight of February, and she was fabulous! This is also my "health" month. Not all my doctor's appointments have gone as well. I'll tell you more about that later. March will be "Car" month. I'll also be seeing Katt Williams, Garth Brooks and, possibly, Martin Lawrence, I've still got lots to look forward to this year! It's crazy to think how much fun I've had so far, and we're only two months in!

Making the Leap

My plans for this year all revolve around getting outside of my comfort zone. So, I've planned some pretty exciting adventures. The first of these being a trip to the Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia, South Carolina for my first ever zip lining experience. I use the term "scared" very loosely here. In case you're curious, this is the face of pure terror. It took a long time to work up my nerve. After a while, the others lost patience with me. I rallied, though, and managed to make the leap. The footage is deceptive, it took about eight minutes for me to grow the balls needed to toss myself out into thin air, but I did it! And, I was super classy about the whole thing!

Admittedly, my first time was rough but, like my nephew said, "At some point, it just gets easier." We also climbed cargo nets and repelled down from the platforms twice. I didn't include that footage because it mostly showed my bad side. By "bad side", I mean my backside. It was a very unflattering angle. Take my word for it.

I survived, though. It helped that I had family with me, and a very supportive group. Dalton and Emily, our guides, couldn't have been more helpful. I'm truly grateful to them! And the other ladies in our group were so friendly and kind! They made the experience even better than I imagined.

I wish I had something inspiring to say about facing fears, taking the first step, letting go and trusting the universe, but none of that is coming to me. I'm really glad I did it and, despite what you saw in those first videos, I'd do it again in a heart beat. Still, when I look back at it, I'm just happy I didn't shit on myself, or die, on camera.

Cows are our friends, not food.

So, we kicked off 2016 with a bang! January was really about making plans and getting the ball rolling, which we did. February, my 'physical well-being' month, is already well under way. I'll share more about that later.

I'm truly excited about this year! I can't wait to share it with you!