My First Friend

Finally, I've returned to galavanting around London, discovering wonderful nooks and crannys!

Thanks to room remodeling, crazy days at work, and spending last weekend as a magician's assistant, I have had little time to write.

But the weekend for relaxing and relazying.

I started off my morning yesterday with a bit of body attack, which becomes more hilarious every time I go. Today my teacher was an extremely smilely Chinese man in minuscule shorts who sang into the microphone during every song. Just imagine.

I scored 2 free tickets to the David Hockney exhibit at the Royal Academy, so I headed up there this afternoon. Since I have no friends that I could have invited to be my other, I gave the spare ticket away to a nice looking woman who was all the way at the end of the enormous queue. I may be lonely, but at least I am a lonely good-deed doer.

I'm ashamed to say was unfamiliar with Hockney. But I was instantly drawn to his huge, crayola-colored landscapes that the exhibit focused on.

The whole room felt lit from the vibrancy of the paintings. The walls filled with enormous canvases splashed with turquoise trees and fuchsia fields seemed dreamlike.

The colors were like Willy Wonka's chocolate factory. I found myself craving Skittles. Or jelly beans. Or something multi-colored and sugary.

Hockney's art reminded me of two of my favorite painters: the bold, bright, brushstrokes of Matisse and the blurred, swirling movement of Van Gogh.

I love to devour museums. I treat an interesting exhibit like I treat eating a delicious piece of a cake.

I go slowly. First I simply admire: the colors, the detail, the decoration. Then I dig in, wholeheartedly, stopping after every bite to digest and appreciate. I think of other pieces this particular one reminds me of. How are they different, how are they the same. The work that went into it, the time, the inspiration. Slowly taking it in until there is nothing left. And well past the last bite, the memory of the wonderment is with me.

You can't just walk through an exhibit without really digesting it the same way you can't just shovel bites of cakes into your mouth without tasting them.

I hope the old lady who got a freebee enjoyed it as much as I did.

From there, I wandered up Old Bond Street, stopping into a few shops to hit the insane sales London is having right now, until I arrived at Marylebone High Street and continued my store wandering - finding some really funky things in the Conran Shop, a quite popular store with designer homeware.

I fell in love with this mirror. But I can't continue buying things I can't take back to New York. Like the enormous Union Jack canvas that is now hanging above my bed.


I popped into an adorable market/restaurant/shop to get dinner. I've found a lot of cute, high quality markets here also have small cafes inside - which is brilliant for people who buy groceries that look so good they instantly want to dig into them. Like me.

Perched high on a wooden barstool at the window, looking out on the city as I slurped spoonfuls of carrot and coriander soup and reading through my new "things to do in London" book, I was filled with glee. Exploring a wonderful street for the first time is one of my absolute favorite things to do.

I turned a page and came across "Visit Platform 9 3/4."

HOLY JAM ROLY POLY.

It's embarrassing, but I did not know that us muggles could get to Platform 9 3/4.

I think you all know what I did next...

Dropped my soul spoon, grabbed my bag and ran out the door to find the nearest bus to King's Cross Station, shaking with anticipation!

I arrived at a packed King's Cross station and weaved my way through standing sandwich eating strangers until I accidently bumped into a officer who worked there.

"Where you trying to go Miss, he asked?"

"Hogwarts," I replied!

"Train left at 11," he winked - and without flinching, pointed to his left, to sign towards platforms 9 -11, and for no apparent reason I began to run after I let out a most sincere, "Thank you Sir!"

A large group of children, one of them wearing a maroon and gold striped scarf, signaled I could stop. As I turned the corner - I saw the platform, complete with a silver trolley lodged halfway through the thick, brown brick.

Let me just say.... IT IS SO COOL!

I had a friendly pink-haired stranger take this photo for me because she reminded me of Tonks.

My evening made, I could have gone home happy right then and there - but I had a birthday party to attend!

I do know a very small amount of people in this city, one of whom I went to school with at AUP 2 years ago, and it just so happens she ended up in London! She is a fellow baker, and actually got a part time job at a fancy bakery here cake decorating. When her invite said "come for drinks and cake" I was in.

Within thirty minutes of sipping my Magners and mingling, I made a friend!!

My first London friend! I knew it was fate when she introduced herself and said "my name is Anna." Match made in heaven. I've always wanted to meet another Anna. There are not that many of us out there! I figured if we share a name we are likely to have other commonalities. When I saw her only eating the frosting off her piece of cake, I knew I was right.

I walked home feeling like a million Great British Pounds. Not only did I have a truly wonderful day, but I actually made a friend. And I am a firm believer that when it rains, it pours. So I am hoping to meet a lot more Anna's to continuing conquering this town with - one scone at a time.