Sunday, December 27, 2015

A Christmas Walking Tour of London

One of the best ways to explore a city is on foot. On foot a person can directly experience how the landmarks and neighborhoods connect. Now I do have some history with London having lived here before and prior to that, engaging in some long term visits to this fabulous city. However, I have never taken the time to walk through the heart of London in order to connect the dots that I view regularly on tube maps. So, with a clear schedule and a well rested mind and body, I started my own series of foot tours this past week. Armed with an iPod for soundtrack and a City Mapper app in case I got way off track, I hopped on the tube and emerged topside at Green Park.

Green Park is very close to Buckingham Palace and is just beautiful with lush stretches of, yes, green grass. I headed through the park toward Winter Wonderland. Winter Wonderland is a merchant market and fun fair that is erected seasonally in Hyde Park. Hyde Park sits caddy corner to Green Park. Green Park is home to many military memorials and the Wellington Arch. The Wellington Arch is one of my favorite landmarks in London. There is a majesty about it and the quadriga on top is the largest bronze statue in Europe. The statue depicts Nike, the Goddess of Victory being drawn in a chariot by four horses.

Once past the Wellington Arch, I arrived at Hyde Park. Winter Wonderland was a huge sprawl of rides, games, food, and vendor booths. And, of course, an ice skating rink. The fair was filled with families and fun finders of all ages. I had a quick poke around but didn't stay too long as I had more to see.

Off I went back through Green Park to exit on the Piccadilly side. As I strolled past the Ritz Hotel, I came upon one of my favorite stores, Fortnum and Mason. F and M feels like a snap shot in time. Their products are the most current available but the atmosphere makes one feel they are shopping in a posh department store at the turn of the last century. It being a couple of days before Christmas, they were swarmed with holiday shoppers.

After a quick detour through F and M, I carried on to Piccadilly Circus and then to Leicester Square. Leicester Square was complete insanity. It is not a place to go during the holiday season if you are in a hurry. As this adventure was my purpose, I wasn't bothered by the time it took to weave through the crowd. Leicester Square is a pedestrian area that is in the heart of the theatre district and is flanked by cinemas, restaurants and amusements. For the Christmas season they even have a mini-fair operating in the center of it all, complete with a ferris wheel and fake snow machines.

After the shuffle through Leicester Square, I was onward to Covent Garden. Covent Garden is always busy but it has a charm like no other place. It is home to a year round market with all kinds of unique treats. Here, I took a tea break at an outdoor cafe and listened to street musicians play holiday music. Then I was off again, working my way down to Strand, past Charing Cross to arrive at Trafalgar Square.

At Trafalgar, I paused and took in the light show that was infused into the fountains. After a song or two on the iPod, I carried on down Whitehall, passing a slew of government buildings and offices including the Prime Minister's 10 Downing Street.  And then, like a beacon in the night, there was one of the most iconic landmarks in the world, Big Ben. I took a moment to take in the glory of the Palace of Westminster and then walked down Bridge Street to the bank side. On the walkway, along the River Thames, I sat on a bench and took in the view of the river, South Bank and the London Eye while Ben chimed the time over my right shoulder.

I sat for a while on the bench and watched the light show on the Eye and surrounding buildings across the river and I thought how wonderful it is to be in this amazing city. I'm looking forward to more adventures on foot in London. In the meantime, I've posted a few photos below. Hope you enjoy!

Happy New Year Everybody!
Take care!
-m

Wellington Arch

Covent Garden Christmas Tree

Big Ben


The London Eye


Sunday, December 20, 2015

Vacation Location: Off World

The first week of break has been very relaxing. Apart from a few meetings regarding up coming projects, there hasn't been a too much activity and that has been wonderful! I have taken the time to explore new worlds. There is a British phenomenon by the name of Dr. Who that I never really knew anything about so, I decided to educate myself. In my down time, I have been indulging in a binge watch of the television series. The verdict? New fan inducted. I started with the 2005 re-launch of the series. At some point I will need to watch the original episodes which began airing in 1963 and ran until 1989. In the meantime, I'm in the middle of season 4 of the re-launch and very impressed with the writing and the acting on the series. Let's face it, Sci-Fi/Fantasy can get really cheesy really fast if not crafted well but this team is winning. I admit, I may be a little partial because many of the actors are fellow alums of a couple of my schools. Christopher Eccleston, who plays The Doctor in season 1, trained at Central as did Catherine Tate who plays The Doctor's Assistant and leading lady in season 4. David Tennant, The Doctor starting in season 2, trained at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (now called the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) which is where I did my last Master's. So, there might be a smidge of bias from me but, I am certainly not the only one who gives the series a thumbs up. Dr. Who has masses of fans all over the world.

If you don't know Dr. Who, here's a quick intro: The Doctor is a Time Lord from another planet and can travel through space and time. He most often travels with a companion that comes in the form a human female and assists him in all his crazy adventures. He spends time fighting alien invasions, solving mysteries, exploring other worlds, species and history and generally saving the universe. There was even an episode that took him to Shakespeare's world and was filmed at the Globe, another place with a special connection for me.

On Saturday I did manage to tear myself away and spend time with my friend Remi. We met for lunch and then went to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Remi and I both grew up on the Star Wars films and going to see this new addition was a trip down memory lane. I promise, no spoilers, but it did spark conversations about our reactions to the films when we were kids, the toys we remember and the thrill of this iconic piece of pop culture. Oh and by the way, Carrie Fisher aka Princess Leia, also trained at Central.

Star Wars, Dr. Who. The popularity and endurance of these stories is a testament to our need for the fantastical. Before the space age, there were stories like Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz, Frankenstein, Dracula, Grimm's Fairytales, Arthurian legends, Greek mythology and a slew of other epic tales involving wild adventures and bizarre creatures. As humans, we like our escapism from the everyday but we also need to hear of great feats of mankind over things we may not equal. It stirs us to confidence and imagination. So, to the creators of Sci-Fi/Fantasy, keep telling us your stories. Keep those creative wheels churning. We need your grand sagas to keep us from the "darkside" and help us slay our monsters. We need inspiration to take on heroic journeys to save the universe and, often, ourselves.

That's it from me this week.
Check out some of your favorite stories from other worlds, whether, on the screen, on stage or in a book. Let your mind go on an adventure and see what motivations can be gained. Going off world every now and then can be so refreshing.

Take care!
-m


Sunday, December 13, 2015

Projects Presented and Break Begins

Ladies and gentlemen, the first term is now complete. Whew! What a race to the finish line. This past week we pitched a major business proposal to an industry panel in what has been our most complex project to date. I was partnered with my classmate Oran and together we developed a ten minute presentation and a twenty page business plan for assessment. We undertook the concept of opening a full service restaurant, cocktail bar and musical theatre cabaret called, A Chorus Wine. Our research included every aspect of the business, from real estate to a food and cocktail menu to the cabaret production. And our budget had to include everything needed for the entire venture as well. For those of you who run bars and restaurants, I now have a whole new level of appreciation for what you have to do just to get the doors open. Wow.

On Thursday, we had a ten minute verbal pitch to the panel. Armed with witty puns, a montage video of what the project may look like when complete and a Power Point presentation with the particulars, we addressed the panel as if they were potential investors in our business. We even brought each of them a mini bottle of wine to remember us by. It felt good to deliver the project. Many, many hours went into its creation and I am proud of what we accomplished.

Final papers were also due this week. Essays inspired by another project we delivered a week ago were submitted. I focused on the need for theatre to escalate productions that bring invisible illnesses and disabilities to light. The theatre has always been a way to educate the audience and explore topics important to our society and this is an area where we could use some additional support. With the rise of conditions like autism, PTSD, autoimmune diseases, bipolar disorders and many more, theatre could help us understand the needs and lifestyles of those suffering from these conditions and those that help care for them. With the recent successes of shows like The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and Next to Normal, there is clearly a demand for these topics to be examined on stage.

Now begins a much needed break during the holiday season. I am looking forward to doing some reading, catching up with friends and exploring London. Oh and getting some rest. Next term will be here before I know it and I am sure to need all my energy.

I think I'll get stared on the rest part.
Until next time...
And don't forget to make your end of the year donation to your favorite arts organizations. They like Christmas presents too!
Take care!
-m






Sunday, December 6, 2015

Destination: Deadline

Five days to go until the end of the first term. We have one more group project to deliver and academic papers to submit. The time past is hard to gage. In some ways it feels like I just got off the plane yesterday and in other ways I feel we have been in it for years. It's natural with something this intense. Our head lecturer, Jessica, told us they load the first term with as much as they can in order to teach us the skills to help make the following terms successful. After all, next term we are sent out into the world on placements (or internships, if you're American). We will still have classes two days a week but three will be spent in the field. I am really looking forward to this experience and know that I will learn much just being in the environment.

Today I had a brief break from school focused work and had a pre-holiday meal with some of my hall-mates at the student accommodations. We went for dinner at a local Lebanese restaurant. One from our party is from Lebanon and guided us through the menu. Also at our dinner table was a student from Italy and another from Pakistan. One of the things I love the most about London is the number of international students I meet. Getting to know people from all over the world, from different cultures is an education and enlightenment unto itself.

Okay, back to the grindstone for me.
Lots of Holiday shows opened this past week. Go see one!
Take care!
-m