New in Notting Hill: April 2009

Okay, this is a long post because I haven't updated in a long time. I was going to put it off awhile longer, too, because I don't have a few pictures from February and March that I wanted to add (accidentally mailed the CD to my sister before downloading pics). But I will post those later! To those of you who checked in and asked why I hadn't updated lately, thanks for looking! I will try to do better in the future :)

A few random tidbits...

Yes, I now know where the Notting Hill Police Station is. Fortunately only because I lost my mobile (pronounced "mo-buy-ul") phone. It was insured, and to be able to make a claim, I had to go in person to get an official police report. And after all that, I didn't send even in the insurance claim because the cheap phone cost 10 pounds and I would've had to pay a deductible of 25 pounds, plus wait almost a week for a replacement. So much for phone insurance!
I get a text message during the morning and evening rush hours if there are any problems on the trains so I know if I need to take another route. Strangely, lately there have been several texts that tell me about delays on the lines due to a person under the train!

Just a cool bit of info:
By now everyone has seen this movie (no doubt has seen it as well). And if you haven't seen it- it's a must! The main character, Dev Patel, is a student at one of the high schools I work at in Northwest London. He's probably not going back to classes now though!

Elizabeth-Anne's mom and aunt flew in from TX on 13th March and we had a DELICIOUS dinner in that evening.

A brilliant homemade meal: fish tacos with mango salsa and fresh salsa & chips! This helped to satisfy my constant Tex-Mex cravings.

Rosie's 32nd Birthday
14th March
The Player Bar in SoHo

Queen's Park Farmers Market
15th March

Great food offerings from the country- this market is held every Sunday.

I met my friend, Tracey, there and she said I just missed seeing Thandie Newton (Crash, The Pursuit of Happyness, W)!

Queen's Park
Tracey and I were able to sit for awhile and enjoy the sun of the beautiful Spring day.

I participated in the Alpha Course at my church, Holy Trinity Brompton, from January - April. Alpha was started at HTB over 25 years ago, and it's now going on all over the world. It began initially as a means of presenting the basic principles of the Christian faith to new Christians in a relaxed and informal setting. I'd never heard of it before, so I wanted to get involved. During the 11-week course, they offer 2 Alpha Weekends.

ALPHA WEEKEND
20th - 22nd March
Chichester, West Sussex

These were the chalets we stayed in. Much nicer than any other church retreat I've been on, where I was used to bringing everything from bedding to shower shoes! It was sort of like an upscale Motel 6.

Time on Saturday to walk along the coast- my first trip to the beach in England! It was a nice day, but still chilly. It was funny to see some children wearing their winter coats and hats, but playing in the sand with buckets and shovels.

Some members of our Alpha Weekend Group

See the Union Jack flag in the background ;)

This is Amy (in my group), who is a professional musician. She was the best act in the talent show!

Kermit was talented too....

...and Elvis wasn't bad either!!

Overall the weekend was fabulous, and the entire course was too. I made some new friends and hopefully found some better ways of spreading God's Word. I've also been asked to be a helper on the next course which begins next month!
Please check out www.uk.alpha.org or www.alphausa.org

23rd March
I had read about this "American-themed" pub, called The Lexington, so Megan, Adam, (both from Boston) and I decided to try it out. They had an impressive list of American beer and whiskys.

We went on a Monday for their Pub Quiz Nite. We didn't do very well...lots of British questions. But they give good prizes- vouchers for the Rough Trade Shops, which was just named one of the best shops in the world. They apparently have an amazing catalogue of music and hand-written critiques and recommendations.

We shared a pizza from a nearby pizzeria. The pub doesn't have food yet, so this pizza place delivers you the pizza at your table! The pizza was the best I've had so far in London. If the pub ever gets food, the pizzeria could lose a lot of business.

Brick Lane- synonymous with the best Indian food in London

Rosie, her friend, Mike, & I went out for a curry on 4th April

The next day Rosie and I did some shopping and had a late lunch at one of Gordan Ramsay's restaurants, Tom's Kitchen, in Chelsea. We sat at the bar because we didn't have reservations, which was fine, but the bartender/our server forgot I had ordered a latte and blamed it on the fact that he had to serve the people at the tables first. What? The bathroom wasn't very clean either, and the staff weren't all that nice. Unfortunately I won't be running back.

We found this car along our walk and I just had to have a picture of it.
Someone is very patriotic!

Harvey Nichols -A London shopping institution
I bought my first Chanel nail lacquer, which at 16 pounds will need to last a very long time.

Easter Sunday, 12th April
At least the April showers bring pretty flowers.

My Easter goodies

That afternoon I also had my first Sunday roast at The White Horse Pub in Fulham with my friend, Rachel, and her parents. It's an English tradition- and it was fabulous. You can have beef roast, pork roast, or chicken roast with veggies and a Yorkshire pudding. I had the lamb roast.

Easter evening I went to Streatham Hill where my friend, Aoife, lives to join her and her housemates for a BBQ (my first in England). I also had my first taste of Black Pudding...if you don't know what it is, look it up. I won't be eating any more any time soon, but it was not as bad as I thought it was going to be.

Aoife in the kitchen cooking

Sarah was taking a picture of her handiwork

The girls at the BBQ

BRUSSELS TRIP
13th - 15th April

My hotel- on Avenue Louise- which is a shopping haven (Tiffany's, Loius Vuitton, Dolce & Gabbana, etc.) Needless to say, I didn't do any shopping there.

Rue Jourdan

A shopping gallery

Inside the Galleries Royales St. Hubert- a great place to buy really nice Belgian chocolate

Inside the Grand' Place

King's House
Originally called the Bread House when it served as the bakers' guild hall. It has also served as the seat of various courts and a prison, but today it is the City Museum.

House of the Dukes of Brabant
Dates back to 1698
It was named for the busts of the dukes which adorn the capitals of the columns along the facade.

Grand' Place (French) Groote Markt (Flemish)
In former times was the commercial, political, and cultural centre of Brussels

The House of the Swan
The former guild hall of the butchers and once the home of Karl Marx

Chapel of St. Mary Magdalene

Albertinum Square
You can't really see it, but there was graffiti all over this monument. Apparently, Brussels has claimed itself as the Capital of Graphic Arts "where visual art is everywhere". But unfortunately this means that special areas are full of graffiti, which personally, is disappointing.

Rue du Chene

Manneken-Pis
A famous landmark of Brussels from the 17th century: "This boy embodies the rebellious spirit of the Brussels people".

Villers Towers
A remnant of the former city wall dating from the 12th century

Church of Our Lady of the Chapel

Rue de Rollebeek

Grand-Sablon Square

A park off Rue aux Laines

Petit-Sablon Square

Rue des Bouchers

Mussels & Chips- a Brussels speciality

Inside Town Hall courtyard

Finistere Church
Built in 1708

Inside Finistere Church

Botanical Garden

Grand Greenhouse

De Brouckere Square
Centre of business and entertainment

Martyrs' Square
450 heroes who lost their lives fighting for the Dutch in the 1830 revolution are buried beneath the monument.

Theatre Royal de la Monnaie
Famous opera house

The Brewers' House - Belgian Brewers' Museum

Inside the Brewers' Museum old Brewery Bar

Belgium- the home of Godiva!

St. Michael's Cathedral
Built in 1226...wow

Beautiful inside of St. Michael's Cathedral

A side view of St. Michael's

Column of Congress

Parliament Building

Egmont Palace
Constructed in the 16th century, it is now the residence of the Belgian Foreign Minister.

Church of our Lady of the Victories

St. Catherine's Square

Place St-Gery
The birthplace of Brussels

Beguine Church

Royal Palace
The king only occupies this palace for a few days every year, and I must have visited during the right time because the flag was flying, which means he was in residence.