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snacks & adventure

Tag Archives: UK

Django FanGirls

15 Friday Mar 2013

Posted by frannyritchie in Uncategorized

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Battersea, Le QueCumBar, London, music, my friend kamilla, my friend mary, UK

django

Battersea High Street is a train, tube and bus ride away from my home. But its a place I’d been wanting to go for a while – not because the street is that great, but because if you turn off it, and walk down some nondescript residential streets for about five minutes, you will find yourself at Le QueCumBar, one of the most famous gypsy jazz venues in the world, decorated with portraits of Django Reinhardt, with tasseled lamps and surly-cute waiters with piano braces/suspenders (the poor bastards, I’d be surly too).

My friends Mary and Kamilla and I went to Le QueCumBar on a Tuesday in February, on a jam night (I have since learned that its called a Djam). the night we went, there were about ten people who rotated in and out all night – all ages and many instruments, but only one woman, who kicked off the night.  After the first few songs, Mary said ‘how do they just do that?’ And Kamilla, who is a professional musician, looked at Mary like she was nuts and said ‘practice.’

In addition to a night of amazing music in a very idiosyncratic venue, it was a night where everyone was nerdy in their own way: Kamilla talked about music; Mary talked about literature; I talked about birds (Kamilla got psyched about birds with me, which I appreciated more than she could have known.  We had a whole talk about the wingspan of albatrosses.  Seriously, these people are friends to hold onto.)

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Too Much Fun for My Own Good

13 Wednesday Mar 2013

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Barbican, first world, London, my friend kamilla, my friend mary, Rain Room, UK

As predicted, having a job and a social life and a long commute gets pretty time consuming, and I’ve had less time and interest in maintaining a blog than I had a year ago.  But I love being able to look back at my own little scrapbook of adventures, so even though these next few posts are all Old News, they’re also treasured memories.

rain room

 

The best things I’ve done in London in 2013 can be mostly attributed to the all-too-short sabbatical of my friend Mary, who did a 2-month research stint in London at the beginning of the year (and is now in Paris, the poor dear). Because she was only here for such a short time, we really mobilised and did All the Fun Stuff while she was here, including a trip to the Rain Room, which had been on my list since November.

The Rain Room is exactly what it sounds like – a room full of rain. There’s a plaftorm on which it appears to be raining, but as you walk through the water stops above you.  Its the world’s most high-tech sprinkler.

Unfortunately, the five month installation is now over (apparently there were 6 hour waits in the final days).  We waited two hours (I did a Supermarket Sweep of Waitrose and made a picnic, complete with single-serving wine bottles and chocolate-chip cookies, that we ate while waiting) and then had more or less unlimited time in the room itself (people were self-regulating because of guilt, and also because you do start to get wet and the novelty wears off a bit). The whole thing was, as my New Friend Kamilla pointed out, very First World, but also totally captivating.

09 Wednesday Jan 2013

Posted by frannyritchie in Uncategorized

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friends, London, Tate Modern, UK

The Tate Modern has some dumb stuff.

Our return to the UK pretty much coincided with the arrival of another friend, who came into London and whom I met at the Tate Modern on Friday evening. I was only able to go to the 4th floor, which is half awesome and half AWFUL.  Tate visitors: You can go ahead and skip the “Energy and Process” section.  Also, I’m just going to go ahead and say this: I FRICKING HATE VIDEO INSTALLATIONS. That’s right. I went there. I like movies, I like paintings and sculpture and especially photography, but I hate video installations. A lot. They are stupid. Much of the 4th floor of the Tate is stupid.  But I really enjoyed the opportunity to walk across the Millennium Bridge eating candied almonds and the view of the Tower Bridge across the water, and some of the art didn’t suck – the Picassos were ok, for example. They can keep the Picassos.

I was really concerned that our friend get the authentic pub experience, because she’d eaten at a Wetherspoon’s (which is kind of like an Applebee’s). So we took her to the Old Spring, which is one of our faves. But then we also went to The Anchor in London and so it ended up being a very pub-filled few days.  But oh well. There are worse things.

Thank you, RSPB!

24 Monday Sep 2012

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birds, birdwatching, cycling, England, exercise, My Friend Lisa, nature, RSPB, travel, UK, vacation

My friend Lisa and I had been planning a big day out to go birdwatching for at least a couple months now, and we almost cancelled it because of the threat of bad weather (I peer-pressured her into it).  So on Sunday morning, we met at the Cambridge Rail Station, loaded up her panniers, and hopped a train to King’s Lynn.  From there, we cycled about 20 miles to the Titchwell Nature Reserve, where I was in nerd heaven for the next four-and-change hours.

I was nervous about the cycle, because Lisa is a Serious Athlete and I’m, well, kind of a goof (but I’m getting really good at zumba class!).  She also looked genuinely appalled when she realised that my bike is way too good for the likes of me (fair enough).  But with Lisa carrying my binoculars and lunch, riding a commuter bike, and leading the way for most of the journey, we more or less kept a similar pace.  The only times I got nervous were the downhills, because with my Fat Kid Advantage I would go screaming down the hills and overtake her really quickly, and I would either have to take the wrong side of the road or hit the brakes repeatedly.

Still, we made it there and back in one piece.  It was my first real birding experience in Britain, which was great, because almost everything I saw, I was seeing for the first time.  We saw an avocet about five minutes after we walked it, and I am obsessed with avocets, so my day was made more or less from the moment we arrived.

Titchwell Marsh is a series of marshes – freshwater, saltwater, sea – with hides arranged around the perimeter.  Yesterday it was jam-packed full of Serious Birders with spotting scopes and some truly impressive cameras.  Lisa and I were also there, bringing down the average age by a decade or two.  I got so into it – at one point Lisa was really cold and ready to go get a cup of tea and I said “but look at that bird! and that one! and that one!” – she was probably ready to kill me.  But seriously.  It was amazing.

The rain started about 8 seconds before we got back on our bikes to cycle to King’s Lynn.  I got a flat tire half a mile from the train station, and then we shivered out of our wettest clothes and had a cup of tea before sprinting to the station and huddling for warmth on the train back to Cambridge.  We looked through the book as the train moved south, though, and both of us were shocked to realise how many birds we’d actually seen.  Some birds – Canada goose, swan, mallard – were not so exciting.  Others were things I’ve been wanting to see for years – avocets, a pectoral sandpiper, a lapwing, and (this was the biggest surprise) three Eurasian Spoonbills.

I like shorebirds because they’re super cute, and also usually easy to spot, unlike warblers or small birds that perch high in trees.  But we had a phenomenally successful birdwatching outing, even if the trip back was a struggle.  I cannot thank Lisa enough for figuring out the route and the train schedule, carrying my stuff in her panniers across 20 miles of surprisingly rolling countryside (it wasn’t mountainous, or anything, but flatter would have been better, at least on the way back…), and being excited about birds in the first place.  Freezing train ride aside, I had a really great day.

 

Southwold

10 Monday Sep 2012

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holiday, My Friend Jaime, Southwold, summer, Typical British Seaside Holiday, UK, vacation

I’ve written about Tibby’s Triangle, an award-winning housing development in Southwold, on my other blog, (see upper-right corner of collage) but I also wanted to tell you about the rest of the town, which is utterly charming.  The beach is lined with those quintessentially British seaside huts, which apparently cost obscene amounts of money. There is a giant pier with a famous sculpture, a famous arcade, and some schlock.  I was absolutely charmed by the whole place.

It was wonderful to be there with another urban planner – Jaime and I camped a few miles away, and then had the better part of a day to spend in town.  We walked up and down the main drag, got a sub-par latte in a hilariously awful cafe, visited the Adnam’s shop (we meant to do the brewery tour, but we ran out of day); hung out in a playground and toured the housing development referenced above; went to the pier; took lots of photos; went swimming, and called it a day.

I had originally intended to take Jaime to Lavenham, a really sweet Suffolk town that I’ve mentioned on the blog before, but as we hopped back in the car, I turned to Jaime and gave her the options: we could go look at Lavenham – walk around the main drag of a very cute little town – OR we could race back to Cambridge with plenty of time to hit up the Waitrose on Trumpington Road, the yuppie supermarket that I’d never gone to because of my car-free situation.

Jaime intuited that I really, really wanted to hit up the yuppie grocery, and so that’s what we did.  For the results of the shopping trip, see below.

Day Trip to the Peaks, which is just nauseatingly beautiful

22 Wednesday Aug 2012

Posted by frannyritchie in Uncategorized

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Tags

adventure, climbing, Froggatt, the Peak District, UK

As you may know if you’re a regular reader, I started trad rock climbing in April with a crazy trip to Cornwall.  Trad climbing is where you place pieces of safety gear in the rock as you climb, versus top-roping (where a rope is suspended from the top). The hobby has taken me to Cornwall and Wales, but also to the Peak District three times, and after a rain-soaked weekend in Wales, I’ve decided the Peaks (which is closest to Cambridge) is my favorite.

I think its pretty obvious that there’s plenty to like about it.

Summer 2012?

20 Monday Aug 2012

Posted by frannyritchie in Snacks

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Tags

London, summer, the Peak District, UK, Wales

How have I fallen off the wagon again? After my friend Georgiana told me she checks Snacks & Adventures religiously, I promised myself I’d step up the posting and recommit to my quest to become internet-famous (it still might happen!) (Hi, Georgiana!).  Summer 2012 is drawing to a close, but in 2011 England had a terrible summer followed by an incredible autumn.  Since we’ve already had a terrible summer, here’s hoping for a repeat performance!  Its a little early for a retrospective, but now is as good a time as any to reflect on the last two and a half months…

Anyway. There have been many things that haven’t warranted a blog post but have been pretty great: a lazy day in London with my friend Robert; a stroll across the lawn at King’s on my birthday (those are my feet on the grass!), many breakfasts of challah and fruit (I particularly love challah for two reasons: 1. its delicious and 2. the cute bread vendor at the market always smiles at me and makes small talk when I buy it). Its been too cold to have leisurely drinks in pub gardens very often, but I have still managed to make the rounds and do some indoor drinking.

The Mr. Kipling biscuits in the photo are so weird even English people laugh at them (I mean, someone must buy them, but no one I know).  But I had my first tea cake yesterday, and those are no laughing matter.

Cotswalds Adventure

12 Sunday Aug 2012

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Cotswalds, England, Oxford, travel, UK, vacation, village

There were all sorts of wonderful things about heading to Oxford for the weekend, but the best part was reconnecting with my friends Beth and Julian, who I met when I studied abroad, and whom I haven’t seen since.  Its a funny thing to rediscover adolescent friends as adults – we were so close when we were 20, but who’s to say what 8 years of separation will do to a friendship? A small part of me was concerned that we would sit in awkward silence for the duration of our visit.

Thankfully, that small part of me was wrong.  Beth and Jules were the perfect hosts, cooking up a storm all weekend and taking us on a scenic tour of their ridiculously cute village in the Cotswalds, an easy train ride from Oxford.  The pictures really don’t do their village justice – it was full of perfect cottages and picturesque open spaces.  We went for a walk around the village, I climbed a tree and Beth and I goofed around on some playground equipment (I love playgrounds, which I realise makes me super creepy), and then we sat in their back garden enjoying a rare bit of sun before catching a train back to Cambridge.

When posts are light, its because life is good.

21 Saturday Jul 2012

Posted by frannyritchie in Uncategorized

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Tags

adjustment, culture, England, travel, UK

image

Hello internet. Ian and I are on a train to oxford, recovering from last night’s adventure at the kings college summer supper party. There were fireworks.

I’ve been slowing down on the posts as we approach our one-year UKversary, but its because things are more normal, in a good way. I dont blog about low key nights at the pub or after-exercise lunches because they aren’t extraordinary. They’re the better parts of everyday life.

When we first moved here, I often had a hard time getting motivated to go exploring and do stuff. Having

a

blog was a

way of maintaining some accountability, even if just to the internet. While I don’t plan to give the blog up, I don’t need it like I did ten months ago. Now its more of a personal scrapbook, which is a  convenient attitude up have because my readership has tanked.

I still have some good posts in the queue, but I take it as personal progress that I’m busier doing stuff and less busy writ

ing about it.

Bath Tourism Highlights

18 Wednesday Jul 2012

Posted by frannyritchie in Uncategorized

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Bath, books, England, entertainment, history, Jane Austen, Persuasion, photography, Roman Baths, travel, UK

Ian and I are headed to Oxford this weekend after attending the Kings College Garden Party (because we’re fancy!).  I am super excited to visit my old stomping grounds – we’re going to hit up the Pitt Rivers Museum, Worcester College (alma mater!) and Ben’s Cookie Bar, because I’m obsessed with that place.  And maybe the botanic gardens and the Ashmolean.

We can really do a tourism blitzkrieg when we set our minds to it – which we proved in Bath.  We got in on Friday, and went to see School for Scandal (as I mentioned in a previous post).  On Saturday, after going to Jika Jika for breakfast, (a bar owned by rugby players) we hit up the Roman Baths (Bill Bryson has his own audio tour, which actually was a disappointment.  It wasn’t funny, although it wasn’t trying to be.  The actual informative audio tour was great.  Two hours (plus 30 minutes spend queuing) well spent.  After a leisurely morning, we went to The Circus for an amazing lunch, and then went to the Assembly Rooms, which also houses the Fashion Museum.  I was particularly excited because the Assembly Rooms are featured in Persuasion, which is possibly my favoritest favorite movie ever (there’s a photo in the montage above). It was so evocative of Jane Austen for me – even more than the Jane Austen Centre.

Sunday we hit of the Jane Austen Museum and then did a small tour of Bath crescents.  The Royal Crescent is the famous semi-circle (crescent) of Georgian buildings; they were actually built by the George who gave his name to Georgian buildings because he was the first monarch to get really into spas and taking the waters.  The crescent shape caught on, and there are a few of them scattered around the city. We were also able to work in more of the sets from Persuasion – there is a gravel path where Anne and Wentworth walk together (one of the only places they would have had any privacy, apparently – the picture of me was taken there, during the five minutes that it wasn’t raining); one of the less fashionable crescents where Anne’s family took rooms (it looks pretty down-at-heel today, to be honest).  And it turns out that our hotel was immediately adjacent to the place where Jane stayed on her first stay in Bath.  She wasn’t ever very happy in Bath – she grew up in the country – but as the setting of many scenes from her books, it still comes alive.  There’s Georgian stuff everywhere.  There’s plenty in Cambridge, but its a whole other thing in Bath.

The best part about the ramp-up to Bath is that Ian and I considered many potential destinations before settling on one, so we’ve got a backlog of fantasy holidays locked and loaded.  Bring on the adventure!

 

 

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