THIS IS SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2014!!!!
A day out in London withold friends. Also lots of crisps. And candy. Also a small cameo by a pug named Lily! Enjoy.
8:33 wake up! I must admit, I had a hard time with jet lag this time around.
This room is basically the attic of the hotel. You have to take an additional flight of stairs after reaching the highest floor the elevator goes. This means fun views though!
Scraggly Anne
Oops
Messy sink syndrome
Descending the attic stairway
This hotel is a gorgeous little building south of Hyde Park.
Definitely has some style! haha
Meet up for breakfast in the morning, no time to go out (for the folks we ate with) so it’s a hotel morning.
I had boring fruit, so here’s a shot of Zach’s super posh version of an english breakfast.
Shoot a quicky interview (for a lil’ project we semi-worked on while traveling)
And then coats on!
We take a quick peek at the attic level outdoor space.
It said “employees only” but we look employee enough.
Marielle! She’s studying in London, she meets up with us at the hotel, right on time.
South Kensington is too fancy for me!
Tube travels on the slow ass circle line
We waited at the Notting Hill Gate station for a bit. Meeting up here with my friend Lena who I met studying abroad. She traveled from Paris for the weekend!
THERE SHE IS!!!!!!!!!
We shuffle like cattle down towards Portobello Market. I wish the food section came first so we could just eat and run.
The place I got my pug that hangs in the workroom!
People and sights at Portobello
Zach and Jules waiting for crepes
Lena and I decided to go 50/50 on a hollowed out pineapple filled with virgin pina colada.
Gorgeous ‘shrooms
3 of us got seafood paella before scurrying down a little alley to eat.
Sweet delicious friends!!!!!! And sweet delicious paella.
After devouring a mountain of paella (and with fingers smelling of shrimps) we boarded the bus.
Bad shot of “Sarah’s Cafe!” Heyo!
Views from Notting Hill Gate to an overground station that I can’t remember the name of
Overground platform lookin’ poppin’
Jules, a fool
We finally board the train (still full of paella…)
And arrive near Hampstead Heath
Everybody needs a bit of a coffee pick me up. Plus wandering through a park with a coffee in hand during autumn??? Just shoot me. So delightful!
At this point we had only been gone for like 5 days, but I was already deprived of dog-contact. Was so thrilled to see so many dogs.
Yellow raincoat
FALL IS HERE! FALL IS HERE!
Mischievous cousins
We wander up towards kite hill
Solid dog
It was a really windy day, but not too cold. So many folks out flying kites.
Being voyeurs
It’s easy to judge families for their kite skills. One family bought a cube kite (tough call!) and spent a whole hour at least trying to fly it. No luck. That was one unhappy kid.
LILY! (never officially was introduced, but her owner called for her every 5 seconds.)
Flying fish
Dramatic skies as we wandered to find a way out
Oh hello youuuu
We said goodbye to the sun! Thanked it for all it gave us.
And began the long-ish walk towards Swiss Cottage
Get off the phone and lead us!!!
We walked through some gorgeous neighborhoods (and even saw the struggling kite family again)
Sky comin’ in hot
We stop to pick up some snacks…
I’ve only seen these on EmmyMade in Japan!!!
(They taste like a normal kitkat…just bigger ha)
Up to Jules’ flat
We all separately bought stuff…we may have gone overboard.
Eating some delicious charcuterie that Lena brought from Paris
Becks, charcuterie, chips, and gummies. Classy dinner.
Nancy arrives! (Another Roehampton fwend)
Yei
Everybody takes turns picking a 90s jam. We were stuck on an S Club 7 kick.
Nancy attempts to show us what English “garage” music is
If you use the bathroom, you have to contribute a doodle to the paper walls.
Around 9 we decide to quit being homebodies and head out.
Top floor always!
On our way towards Camden
Mischief
I wish I could remember the name of this place. It was dark, maybe 3 levels. Had a biergarten but also an upstairs dance area with a rotation of DJs. The ground floor was more dark bar feelin’. Not dark as in evil…
We snag a table outside, which means we’re left with a million glasses from the previous peeps
Twas a good night of beer, a bit of weird dancing, and mostly people watching
Street vendor pizza! Maybe the thickest pizza I’ve ever seen??
Camden Zeen!
I saw goodbye to Lena and Jules, and catch the very last tube of the night back to South Ken.
Nobody is around in South Ken
Except cars, I guess
I guess I never realized that red phone booths mostly have porn in them now.
Back to the hotel!
The stairs at the end of the eve are torturous when your legs hurt.
Tired but so so so pleased to spend such a fun day with old friends.
Swollen feet
Kept trying to catch Come Dine with Me on the TV, never did. Lots of late night roulette channels though…
Sweet dreams.
And much love friends!
More travel updates to come – I’m back in LA!
SLEEPY WALDO 