Londontown for costumes, cider, and French things

     Marianne and I started our Saturday nice and lazy, the way you should. We were going to attempt a trip to Bath or Cambridge, but the London Underground had other plans. Half of the tube lines were completely shut down for the day for repairs, which was fine because it gave us an excuse to go to one of the most interesting museums in London.

     The Victoria and Albert museum was established in 1852 to take advantage of the Great Exhibition of 1851's tailwind of success. The museum acquired copious amounts of art from every medium with help from an enthusiastic Prince Albert, and later Queen Victoria, hence the name. The collection includes works from all over the world because its original goal was to educate Britain's working class. More importantly, manufacturers were asked to look to the museum for inspiration in the modern era.

     There are two big exhibitions at the V&A right now. We went for the collection of famous costumes- including Dorothy's dress and ruby slippers, Darth Vader, Marilyn Monroe's white dress, Batman, Spider-Man, Jack Sparrow, Scarlett O'Hara's drapery dress, and the Breakfast at Tiffany's little black number. It was very well curated, and the mannequins are to scale with the actors' bodies so you get a real sense of how tiny most of the women are and how short the men folk seem. There was a fashion through the ages exhibit too, which I recommend.

     We met up with some fellow Americans at an Australian bar afterward to watch the Patriots v. Rams game in London. Weird. There were actually some Brits dressed in NFL gear in front of Buckingham Palace earlier that day. I thought they were Storm Troopers at first, but either way it was a strange sight to see in front of the queen's abode.

     Sunday markets are super popular all over Europe; they're not just a new age hipster fad like farmers markets seem to be in America. London has food markets, but their trinket markets are funky fun. Camden Market is one of the more well known clothing/miscellany markets. We took a chance and the up and coming Brick Lane area. Crowds of yuppies and more discerning folk flooded the streets. Vintage stores, cozy cafes, and strange novelty shops complimented the pick-a-country food stalls. You could sample cuisine from literally anywhere in the world. The mixture of spices and savory meats made for a sensory overload. Marianne spotted arepas, corn cakes usually accompanied by a pulled pork filling and found in Venezuela, and we chowed down. We also had a few Strongbow ciders and blackened ciders- Marianne loves black currant so this kirish colored cider is her drink of choice- along the way.

     We also walked for a long long time that day. Our self-perpetuated tour started around Westminster Abbey and winded us through Kensington. It was a tour of London's swanky, whitewashed, stately homes mixed in with the occasional embassy. That night we kept going with our culinary world tour with some Indian cuisine. London does Indian right, and Guglee does too.

     Monday saw me at my groggiest as I prepared to trudge to Heathrow in case there was a way for me to get to the States. As you know, that didn't happen. I decided to take advantage of the day because how often do you get stuck in London with a full day at your disposal?

     I wrote my senior history thesis on the social life of the Free French Forces stationed in London during WWII. Naturally my first thought for the day's activities was an historical pilgrimage. One of the biggest watering holes for Free Frenchies in London during the war was none other than Soho's French House. The bar's origins harken back to the days of French Huguenots' exile in Protestant England- 17th century. It remained a place of refuge for the French, and still does, by serving more wine than beer and being "the only bar in London without pints." The door even asks you to poussez in lieu of pushing. The bar interests me because its rumored that Charles de Gaulle wrote his speech- the appeal of June 18th- rallying together any French willing to fight to free the motherland from Nazi tyranny. You could say that the bar's atmosphere gave flight to the Free French ideal that day and kept their spirits high with Cote du Rhone and pumpkin soup later on. One of the articles I used in my thesis hung on the wall, and gleaming Allied faces thanked me for the visit. I left felling full as a cup, or a verre of wine depending on which side of the door you're on.

The French House!

     I also did some research before heading to Soho to find the area's best coffee shop. Sometimes wine is best followed by a good cup of joe. According to Time Out London- a good reference for London's hotspots and events for the week- the clear choice was Flat White. It's a latte-esque drink from New Zealand that goes down quite smoothly. My flat white and I went for a walk toward Piccadilly Circus to see all of the pretty lights, and I stopped in some arcades to do some window shopping along the way. It was my personal rendition of Breakfast at Tiffany's for the day because I mostly googled at estate jewelry and tiaras.

     To finish off my afternoon I walked toward Buckingham Palace and veered off toward Green Park for some people watching and puppy patting. My theory on getting to know a city is this: don't go to the top ten tourist destinations if you want a good feel for the people who give life to a modern city, sit in a park. Watch the world go by. Talk to a family. I visited Green Park and Hyde Park because they're directly across the street from one another. Green is a simple park that lets the foliage do the talking, but Hyde Park has a nice lake, manicured flower formations, and in the summer you can rent a lounge chair for the day. You can also see the monument pictured to the right between the two. It was recently commissioned for Queen Elizabeth II's diamond jubilee to honor the brave bombardiers who fought in WWII. It was nice to pay my respects after a day of WWII tributes.

     London is a fascinating place, immediately, because Britain is so in tune with its past, but Brits are more willing to part with tradition and break molds than the French. Younger Brits experiment with fashion's funkier side, and young chefs are setting a new pace for London's culinary scene. There is a culinary scene, that is. Since I've been to London a few times, I felt comfortable exploring new neighborhoods and taking advantage of the time United Airlines and hurricane Sandy gave me to have adventures. I couldn't be happier that I did. Get ready for my two day trips in the near future!