Author: ericmistry

I am a food enthusiast and always am looking for new flavors to enjoy.
The Garden Party

The Garden Party

by ericmistry ♥ 1 Comment

After an amazing time at Westminster, we hopped onto the tube to ride out of London to Professor Vinter's home for a garden party. Though the skies looked threatening the whole way there, the large storm held off until we were all safely inside. We had a great time navigating the tube as a group, and all are feeling very accomplished for learning a new transportation system.

The Tube Masters

 

Professor Vinter had laid out a wonderful spread in our honor. Multiple quiches, amazing side dishes, and some scrumptious cheeses were all offered to us. Some amazing cakes and soul-warming tea followed the main course. Though the food was already marvelous, after a long morning of touring Westminster, it was nearly divine. It was also so comforting to just be fed and taken care of after a few days of fending for ourselves and fighting off jet lag. After sating our hunger (and then some), we sat around, chatting with one another and sharing tales and tips from our first days in London. It was a great atmosphere, and with all the Grinnellians and good food surrounding me, it truly felt like home.

A Feast Fit For Westminster

 

Say Cheese! (Quite Literally)

 

The Happiness That Good Food Brings

Claire in the Garden

 

The Effects of Good Food and a Comfy Couch

 

Let Us Eat Cake!

 

Slicing the Cake

 

Professor Vinter's Husband Serving Cake

The Birthday Girl Having Her Cheesecake

 

Sharing Food and Conversation

 

Welcome to Westminster

Welcome to Westminster

by ericmistry ♥ 6 Comments

WARNING: Long post, lots of pictures. (But stick with it, it's worth it!)

Yesterday we visited Westminster and had a phenomenal tour through it. Words and pictures fail to properly address the scope of how the building is imposing and incredible to behold. We had climbed out from the Westminster station at 9:59 AM, and at precisely ten o'clock, Big Ben started ringing. The vibrations reverberated through the air, and we stood awestruck at the foot of the massive tower.

 

As we wandered over to the public entrance to Westminster, the imperial architecture was an amazing lens for understanding the power that the English once wielded. The soaring height of the building, gilded with gold leaf and intricate carving, struck me silent (a rare occurrence, I'm aware…) with its sheer impressiveness.

The Union Jack flew overhead as we got closer to the entrance. It always feels a touch strange to see it rather than the stars and stripes that I am used to. The flag seemed majestic, a massive banner waving in the wind atop an ornate tower.

History looked on as we marched down the path towards the public entrance. A statue of Oliver Cromwell seems to stand guard, judging the visitors as they move down the path. Though it was decently early, the area was already throbbing with tourists. Some of us remarked that it felt good to not be the most obvious Americans in London. It's interesting to see how much like home this city is becoming. With each trip on the tube, each purchase in pounds rather than dollars, each cup of tea, I am feeling much more adapted than I expected. It's a little strange to note the mannerisms we have picked up subconsciously. “Sorry” (sore-ee) has replaced “excuse me” or “pardon me” and we've finally begun asking for the “bin” rather than the trash. It's the little things that I barely notice that help us blend in more.

The architecture had so many little details. Every inch (and centimeter, we are in London, after all) was adorned in one way or another. It's a style that I have never really seen in the United States, but seems to be all over the historic parts of London. It gives all of the buildings a little extra character, with gargoyles glaring down from their corners and ledges, swirled carved plants and faces wrapping themselves around walls, and the royal lions majestically commanding attention. Westminster was no exception, and the walls seemed alive with movement and carvings and columns. The Crown and Lion were everywhere, reminding all who enter that it was at the Royal Family's order that this massive building was created.

 

We finally made it inside and past security, entering the building itself. The main hall was immense, with huge carved wooden beams (hundreds of years old) holding up the ceiling. A giant stained glass window, comprised of many coats of arms, shone with intensity from the intermittent sun. This was a room that was filled with history. This room is where kings and queens (and later, non-royalty like Winston Churchill) laid in state, where foreign leaders and important people have addressed both houses of Parliament, a room that saw monarchs and traitors sentenced to their deaths. It was surreal to walk the same paths of those people of the past.

We left this hall on our tour of Parliament, but past the main hall, no cameras were allowed for security reasons, so I was forced to resist the urge to capture the incredible sights within the remainder of Westminster. We saw the Queen's throne in the House of Lords and her personal room outside it. Golden statues of long-deceased kings watched us from above, imposing and regal in full war armor. We toured both house of Parliament, seeing where the House of Lords and House of Commons get to work and vote. The House of Lords had everything in red, while the House of Commons worked in green. (Our guide joked that no one really knew why it happened, but was one of those things that just continued once it was noticed.) We also walked through the voting procedure, which is pretty quirky and tradition-infused. Grace, Professors Guenther's/Prevost's precocious one-year-old, murmured a loud “aye!!!!” with unintentional, yet incredibly comedic timing. Her other murmuring and babbles led our guide to joke that she made about as much sense as most members of Parliament. It was amazing to see all the statues and art, as well as begin to understand the subtle (and not-so-subtle) differences between our government and the British government.

 

All-in-all, it was a tremendously fun visit and great first experience at Westminster. We got some great group pictures as well (as seen below) and then proceeded onto Professor Vinter's home to have a garden party.

 

Flatmates Being Fierce (Blue Steel)

Selfie With a DSLR? Why not?

 

Group shot!

 

Professor Prevost, Professor Guenther, and Grace, the junior Member of Parliament

 

The Best Flatmates!

 

The Group Inside Westminster

 

Professor Guenther and Grace with her well-earned pretzel

 

Orientation Day

Orientation Day

by ericmistry ♥ 2 Comments

Today we had our first (and only) day of orientation. It was a long day (9-5 solidly packed with meetings and such) but also really fun. We started the day with a nice walk from our flat to the teaching centre. It's about twenty-five minutes, but really relaxing and a good way to wake up. It is nice to start to getting comfortable in the city, and feel totally confident walking without having to check directions.

 

The morning was filled with a large amount of information, thankfully accompanied by a nice breakfast of tea and scones and fruit. A police officer also came to give a presentation on safety and good advice to follow regarding ATM scammers, pickpockets, and bag snatchers. We also each received personal alarms and a small emergency kit for each flat. After that, we went out to Lunch at Munchkins. (More on that here.)

 

Post-lunch, we went on a walking tour of the neighborhood, led by Professor Vinter. First, we walked around a bit of the streets as Professor Vinter showed us the Georgian style architecture that many of the buildings share. The British Museum was next on our tour…

Professor Vinter Giving a Tour

The Group

Walking Up to the Museum

It was an awe-inspiring building. The immense columns framed the entrance and seemed to recall a bygone era, when British imperialism reigned supreme. We wandered inside, and the building became even more impressive. The incredible ceiling just took my breath away.

The Ceiling

The surrounding neighborhood provided even more ingrained history and astounding architecture for our group. Professor Vinter showed us one particular building that I couldn't pull my eyes away from… The building that inspired George Orwell's 1984 and its infamous Ministry of Truth.

WAR IS PEACE – FREEDOM IS SLAVERY – IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH

It is becoming a little surreal, walking these streets that are so rich in history and culture. It seems like one can barely walk a block without running into some amazing artifact that lies hidden in plain sight. The city is a living, breathing museum, where time flows, yet never moves. Londoners reside in the past, present, and future. I can't help but think that Orwell would find it amusing that one of his most famous novels has almost become prophesy; as shown below, Big Brother Is Watching.

We continued to tour around the city, seeing more architecture and taking a tour of the International Student's House. (The school paid for our membership, and it looks awesome! Great activities, facilities, food, etc. Also, it looks like an amazing opportunity to meet fellow students from around the world.) More architecture pictures below:

 

 

 

After a long day of touring and walking, we were ready to get home and just relax! However, we first had to navigate the streets to our grocery store, pick up some more supplies, and then figure out the bus route. We successfully completed that, and arrived home pretty exhausted. However, I made some homemade pesto and garlic Mac and Cheese. It was a pretty big hit with that flatmates and was exactly what we needed after a long day!

 

Mac and Cheese

 

Lunchkins at Munchkins

Lunchkins at Munchkins

by ericmistry ♥ 2 Comments

Midway through our orientation day, we were set loose for lunch in the local neighborhood. We set out and found a fairly touristy, but reasonable place called Munchkins. We sat down, ordered a few plates of Fish and Chips, and waited!

 

 

It was a decently eloquent affair for lunch. The fish was fried in a thick crust that I soaked with some malt vinegar and broke into. The fish was warm, hot, and delicious, if a bit overcrusted. It was kind of a good thing that Munchkins was so touristy, as it somewhat intensified that this was my FIRST English fish and chips! I was struck with a new mission: to find the greatest fish and chips in London. Stay tuned for that adventure in upcoming posts. The fish was accompanied by chips (or fries as we Yanks/Americans call them) and a kind of mashed peas dish. The chips were quite tasty, especially with a bit of vinegar and ketchup.

We then rushed back to the school building and had a long walk around the area for orientation. That post comes next!

 

The first Tube ride and more!

The first Tube ride and more!

by ericmistry ♥ 2 Comments

We survived (actually thrived) with another beautiful day in London. Temperatures were in the 60s-70s Fahrenheit, with a slight breeze rolling around the city. We did not have any school plans, but had a fair amount of goals to accomplish throughout the day.

  1. Find a wok/frying pan and knife
  2. Find hangers and a set of doorstops
  3. Get Oyster Cards (London Public Transport pre-pay cards)
  4. Eat somewhere cool for lunch
  5. Explore the city a bit

 

Not only did we manage to do all that, but we also accomplished some other awesome (baby-steps, but awesome) tasks on our third day in London.

We also:

  1. Successfully took the Underground, even changing lines!
  2. Adventured all over SoHo and Chinatown
  3. Found a delightful costume shop that amused us and was the source of our new proud Union Jack dining room decoration.
  4. Had some phenomenal bubble-tea!
  5. Navigated to a open-air market on a local's “English-language” instructions… (left, right, left, right, right, down an alleyway…)
  6. Purchased mangos, kiwis, asparagus, and more at the aforementioned market.
  7. Cooked an awesome dinner of stir-fried garlic chicken and veggies with rice noodles.

We are having an amazing time adventuring together, and are heading to orientation tomorrow! Enjoy the pictures below!

Awesome Building in SoHo

My Delightful Flatmates

Tracey's Rainbow Hat

Adriyel's Fierce Viking Look

Tracey and Claire Being English

Captain Mistry

Flat Dinner! (With Flag!)

The Stir-Fry

 

 

Fresh Kiwis and Mango

 

Lunch at Neal’s Corner Sandwich Shop

Lunch at Neal’s Corner Sandwich Shop

by ericmistry ♥ 2 Comments

After our very first London Tube adventure as a flat, we were wandering around SoHo looking for a bite to eat. We were a bit put off by all the places offering a “reasonable” £10+ lunches, so we wandered around looking for something a touch more affordable. As the walk continued, our hunger intensified, and we began getting slightly desperate. However, our patience, perseverance, and cheapness was rewarded when we found ourselves outside Neal's Corner Sandwich Shop.

 

We walked in, found the prices reasonable and the food appealing. The older gentleman serving us (perhaps Neal himself?) was quite cordial and patient with us, explaining that sitting outside cost 30 pence more than getting the sandwich to go and recommending a few sandwiches to try. The little cafe had some outdoor seating and a variety of interesting sandwich options.

I ordered the bacon, Brie, and cranberry sauce panini, which was served hot off of the panini press and straight over the counter to me with a smile by “Neal” himself. I carried it outside, where my flatmates and I enjoyed a little bit of the people-watching and some absolutely mind-blowing, wow-inducing sandwiches.

The food quality we've been finding in London has really been extraordinary. I wasn't expecting such fresh and consistently delicious food everywhere, but even the lower-budget places use high level, hyper-fresh ingredients. The sandwich I ate was no exception. The Brie was obviously recently cut (not particularly waxy or dry) and the bread and bacon were both very warm and deeply flavorful. My first bite, with the cranberry overwhelming, yet simultaneously dipping under the Brie overtones, was punctuated with the bacon's saltiness, all set on the spongy, delicious loaf of ciabatta. I let out a pretty loud “mmmmmmmmm” with that first bite, which induced a few giggles from my flatmates, until they bit into their own sandwiches and reacted similarly. We managed to demolish our meals quickly and were all so thrilled to have successfully navigated a new piece of London, and have found a delectable sandwich shop along the way. After our little lunch, we felt rejuvenated, and ready to take on the rest of London! The rest of our adventurous day (including our first Tube ride) will be in the following post.

 

Lunch at The Curved Angel Cafe

Lunch at The Curved Angel Cafe

by ericmistry ♥ 1 Comment

Lunch today was at The Curved Angel Cafe. My flatmates and I stumbled upon it as we walked around Clerkenwell Green, an area just a few minutes walk to the south of our flat. We were looking for a fairly cheap lunch adventure, and the prices listed on a sidewalk billboard fit the price range we were seeking.

 

We ordered our food at the counter and went out to our table to wait. The staff and proprietor were incredibly friendly and helpful, and were kind enough to even pose for a photo for me.

The Staff at The Curved Angel

I ordered The Curved Angel Wrap for £5.95. My flatmates also ordered wraps, but of different varieties. I was expecting something pretty small for that price in the city. Instead, we each received a substantial wrap accompanied by some coleslaw and a great little salad, artfully arranged on a clean white plate.

 

We were blown away by the humble cafe's presentation even before we took a single bite. However, as the eating commenced, we became so immersed in our respective wraps and sides that the conversation stopped. My wrap had chicken, halloumi cheese, roasted peppers, and greens in it. The chicken was nice a smokey, freshly grilled, and hot; the halloumi cheese worked as perfect complement, with the natural saltiness of the cheese pulling out and accenting the chicken's flavor. The vegetables were also quite fresh and springy, giving the wrap a crisper bite. All of this was held inside a fresh tortilla that was piping hot on service. The food came fresh from the cooktop, and I opted to actually start with the sides. The slaw and salad, like the greens in the wrap, were very obviously fresh and tasted so refreshing. The dressing on the salad, a house blend, was like a creamy italian with a touch more vinegar and very tasty.

 

To top off the great food and friendly service, we had some wonderful atmosphere. The area were we sitting was right by Clerkenwell Green (the actual park) and a church. We were in the fresh air, with very little traffic, and a great view. With the delectable dining experience, excellent company, and the view you see below, all combined with the excitement of really BEING in London, our flat's first experience at The Curved Angel Cafe could best be described as… heavenly.



 

The First Dinner- Exmouth Arms

The First Dinner- Exmouth Arms

by ericmistry ♥ 2 Comments

We found the Exmouth Arms, a busy corner pub with an eclectic and varied clientele, as we explored the area north of our apartment. It was a bustling little with a suprising variety of ages; an older gentleman, looking dapper wearing a dark grey suit and neatly trimmed beard, enjoyed a half pint almost meditatively while some twenty-something's shared a lively discussion over their own pints.

 

I had a plate of three exquisite sliders for dinner. These sliders were not just minimized simple greasy cheeseburgers, but instead were creative combinations that significantly impressed me. I feasted upon the Lamb & Feta Patty with Cilantro Mayo, Fish Finger with Tartare Sauce, and Smoked Paprika Chicken & Peppers.

The little sandwiches were a perfect start to my British mealtime. The sauces complemented the meat and fish perfectly, bringing out the flavors of the lamb particularly well, and even adding their own nuances to the mix. The paprika punctuated the chicken's smoky flavor and the peppers also added their own smoky flavor. The buttery bread used as the buns were quite good, working as a neutral background and absorbing the sauces and juices without falling apart.

 

All in all, the Exmouth Arms presented a good meal at a reasonable price in a bustling, interesting environment. The creative reimagining of the classic slider was quite delicious and a nice start to my abroad eating experience.