Parents Arrive!

Heathrow was visited again by the Sensenig/Kimpson clan today.  We picked up mom and dad at noon with no hitches.  Yea!  Can’t wait for the next ten days of being together.

Mom and Dad arrive in London

Hurray!

Christmas Shopping

After my museum adventure, I met Jon.  Although we were only browsing, this was officially the beginning of our Christmas shopping.  The street decorations, window displays, and store music put me in the mood for the holiday season.  Only 20 days until my parents arrive for Christmas!! Yea!

Looking in the windows of Fortnum & Mason. This is a upscale store that has incredible window displays that tell a story... much like the old Marshal Fields in Chicago

Absolutely freezing (hence the hunchback pose)… but totally enjoying the beautifully decorated shopping arcade. Too bad we couldn’t afford even a pair of socks in one of those stores!

Sherlock Holmes Museum

I had Monday off work so I took the opportunity to go to the Sherlock Holmes Museum.  The museum was a bit daft, but I had a great time.  Thankfully, random people took pictures of me so I could officially record being there.

Baker Street, home of the famous Sherlock Homes!

Yes, I found the Museum & Shop. Unfortunately, the shop was more interesting than the museum part.

looking like a dork, with my Homes Hat on over my winter hat

an old man offered to take my picture, too bad his hand was shaky... and yes, that is a pipe I was given to pose with

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving night Jonathan and I went to a Texas BBQ style restaurant.  They were serving a Thanksgiving special:  turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, cranberries, stuffing, veggie, pecan pie, etc.  Jon was officially introduced to the “I’ve-eaten-so-much-I-feel-sick” post-eating coma.  Oh, the years of joy to look forward to!

The following weekend we went to Mawsley to visit my fellow American friend, Jessica.  She and Julio hosted an AMAZING weekend.  We had incredible food (Go Jess!  — and you say you don’t cook!?) and such fun company.  It was like a UN meeting at the kitchen table with American, British, Canadian, Spanish, and French representatives!

Jessica & Abby -- pre dinner

the lovely table setting

Amy, Julio, Andy & Gael

Jessica, Matt, Abby & Jonathan

holding the cutest kitten ever, Meep

Music & Edward… it doesn’t get any better

Friday night Jonathan surprised me by taking me to a concert.  The previous week we saw a flier for the concert while we randomly walked into a church (the one mentioned in the previous blog entry).  It was beautiful!  It is amazing how one singer with no microphone can fill an enormous church, over an orchestra, and sound absolutely angelic. 

Saturday Jonathan took me to see my boyfriend, Edward!  Was there any doubt that I would see him on opening weekend?  Never!  Besides one little elderly man with his grand kids, Jon was the oldest person in the theatre.  Ha!  Not only was New Moon a great film, I also thoroughly enjoyed eating an entire box of popcorn.  The O2 arena (where we saw the film) was cool too.  I would have taken pictures, but it was pouring rain…. Getting to the car seemed more pressing at the time!

Check out that organ!

the flier we discovered advertising the concert

Jon being goofy after the concert. It's like dressing a child!

Volleyball Meets Chinatown

Meetup is a social networking group joining people with common interests.  Since no one native to London seems to play volleyball, I joined Meetup to find other recreational volleyball players.  I played today for the first time.  It was a fun group of people with wide ranging abilities.  Thankfully, I wasn’t the worst player (nor was I the best).  Afterward, we walked to a local café for coffee.  I’ll definitely join them again…  If only it didn’t take me almost two hours to get to the sports center from my house!

Afterwards, Jonathan and I walked by a beautiful area, Queens Park.  It was well taken care of and pristinely manicured.  There were loads of giant maple leaves that had recently fallen to the ground.  We collected several… green, yellow, red, and brown.  I’m not sure what I’ll do with them, but they were too pretty to pass up. 

We took a tube to Piccadilly Circus and walked to Chinatown, as I had a hankering for Chinese food.  The Golden Dragon was filled with Chinese people, so we figured the food must be pretty good.  It was.  Yum Yum!

On our way home, we passed a beautiful church, St. Martin-in-the-Fields.  I asked Jon what it was, but he didn’t know.  We quietly walked in the back door and looked around.  The choir was practicing, so we sat down and listened for a half hour.  It was warm, cosy, and beautiful in every sense.    

two of the giant leaves I collected today... we now have a room full of them... Jon is thrilled.

Jon sitting in the Golden Dragon enjoying our hot and sour soup.

standing outside the restaurant in Chinatown, still in my volleyball cloths and lugging abound my heavy gym bag

Jon walking past the many stores with nasty cooked ducks-- with heads still intact-- hanging in the window. Only in Chinatown will one find these gross things greeting you at every entrance.

The beautiful church we stumbled upon

The St. Martin-in-the-Fields choir practicing in the back. It is difficult to see, but there is an amazing stain glass window behind the alter. Wish I could see it with the sun shining through.

The stork is coming again…

I’m so excited to announce I’m going to be AN AUNT AGAIN!!!  Mara and Brent are expecting number two in April.    …and my little niece will be a big sister!  Oh, the fun to come.  I can’t wait!

This is a picture my sister sent of my neice in her Halloween costume. I added the announcement to her butterfly outfit.

Jam Circus

Jam Circus is a cute, little, neighbourhood pub.  Jonathan had a dentist appointment after work today, so I met him at Jam Circus on his way home for a drink.  Sitting next to a warm fire, sipping a café mocha was the perfect way to end a day.   

inside the cute pub, Jam Circus, courtesy of my (Jon's) iphone

I moved the table directly in front of the fire... a few more inches and I would have been IN the fire.

Jon in the Jam

Remembrance Day

Like our Veterans Day, the British give tribute to their fallen soldiers on a day of remembrance.  There is a war memorial, the cenotaph, near Whitehall and Parliament.  A parade lead by the Queen, Prime Minister, Archbishop of Canterbury, and many others, including thousands of veterans, go to lay poppy wreaths to commemorate the sacrifices of those in the armed forces.  There is a canon shot followed by a two-minute period of silence marking the beginning of the ceremony.  Unfortunately, a woman near us was freaked out by the gun shot and started screaming and crying hysterically.  That was creepy.  Overall, the ceremony was very moving. 

Here are some news links:

http://www.wtop.com/?nid=105&sid=1806740

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/nov/08/remembrance-sunday-cenotaph

 Afterward, Jon and I found the nearest restaurant to get some food and warm up… Pizza Hut!  After chuckling about eating here, we devoured an entire large pizza and an appetizer on our own.  Proves my theory that I’ll eat anything!

We spent the next few hours browsing the shops on Oxford Street, admiring the newly hung Christmas decorations, wandering around random parks, and even discovering outdoor art.  What a fun day.

walking to the Cenotaph

our view of the veterans passing in the parade

poppy wreaths at another war memorial

trying to get warm in Pizza Hut!

someone was sucked into the Ferrari Store to ogle the fancy car... obviously, not me

Anish Kapoor sculpture we encountered in an outdoor courtyard. Very cool.

This reminded us of “The Bean” or more officially titled, ‘Cloud Gate’ at Millennium Park in Chicago. After looking it up, I discovered they were created by the same sculptor! Funny, we know more than we thought.

Warming up with a coffee at Café Nero

Guy Fawkes Day

The fifth of November is one big firework/ bonfire celebration in the UK.  They commemorate the government foiling the ‘Gunpowder Plot’ where conspirators (Guy Fawkes) attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament.  Jonathan and I were too cold and tired to join the other fire-wielding crazies Thursday, so we celebrated by vegging out in front of the TV.  However, Saturday night we rode our bikes to Blackheath and joined thousands of others to watch a mammoth firework display.  Jonathan proceeded to take 250 pictures of the fireworks.  Obviously, he has never been in America for the 4^th of July.  Here are a few pictures of the shockingly large crowds and the burning magnesium in the sky. 

walking to Blackheath

the massive fireworks

cool, huh!

pretty

the crowds in the street going home