Tag: London

Florentine Days!

Florentine Days!

by ericmistry ♥ 1 Comment

Today was another day of fun, slightly rainy still, but so much fun!

 

We adventured all around Florence, eating good food and seeing amazing art, including Michelangelo's David in the Academia and Donatello's David in the city squares. Another great find was the Medici palace. It was a fantastic lens into the past, and we recognized many of the artworks inside from our art history course on 14th Century Art From Florence to Flanders. Professor Nuttall, if you are reading this, be proud; we felt so knowledgable thanks to your course! We also saw the Duomo and tons of other fantastic buildings!

 

Tomorrow is another awesome day, with a visit to the Plaza Michelangelo (per the recommendation of the best dad ever, Bomi Mistry) and some leather markets in Florence. Also, as always, good food and plenty of photography.

 

In the evening, we will head to Rome! Stay tuned!

 

As usual, some pictures below…

 

 

 

Medici Palace Courtyard

 

I blend in…

Fantastic artwork in the Medici Palace

Amazing Room in the Medici Palace

Yet another amazing room in the Medici Palace

 

Madonna Di Filippo Lippi (Master to Botticelli)

 

Another courtyardin the Medici Palace

Duomo

Another View

Lunch stop- takeaway pasta or pizza for €5!

 

Lunch: Tortellini con Prosciutto

Square

Square

Donatello's David

Michelangelo's David (the original in the Academia, not the copy in the square.)

 

 

 

Guardian Lion

River near sunset

 

Coffee break… (Note the subtle touch with the artistic leaf in the cream. Very nice.)

 

Dinner: Pizza and salad.

 

Venice with a Touch of Florence

Venice with a Touch of Florence

by ericmistry ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Today, we began another day of adventure!

We woke up, got ready, and checked out of the hotel. We then made our way to the train station, put our bags in storage, and headed into the main city again.

After a night of rain and a particularly high tide, the streets were flooded! Luckily,pumping efforts were underway and raised platform walkways had been placed out. Unfortunately, San Marco's square was completely underwater by the time we got there, so we had to take a lunch break while the square was drained…

Luckily, a short while later, it was drained and all was well! We adventured through the square, saw gondolas and more glass shops, and even had some more gelato! (I can almost hear the gasps of surprise at that last one…)

Eventually, we made our way back to the train station, had some coffee at a nearby cafe, and boarded the train to Florence. In Florence, we set up base at the hotel, I ate some amazing gnocchi (with Gorgonzola cheese and pine nuts) and sausage pizza, we walked to the riverbank, and I even got a tiny cannoli to sweeten my taste buds.

 

Tomorrow is another day of adventure! Pictures below!

Starting the day

 

The flooded streets

 

 

 

Travel-buddies!

Caitlin on a bridge

 

Myself on a bridge!

 

Venice Canal. Beautiful.

 

Gimme PIZZA.

 

Gorgeous Glass

 

San Marco's Square

 

Me in the Square

 

Gondolas

 

Gondolas

Tracey on the Bridge

Gelato…

 

 

Gnocchi in Florence

 

More P.I.Z.Z.A.! Let's get carried away!

Cute Canoli

 

Florence Bridge

Florence at Night!

 

Italy- the Ad-Ven(ice)-Tures of our first day.

Italy- the Ad-Ven(ice)-Tures of our first day.

by ericmistry ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

It has been a pretty crazy day.

We left the flat at two in the morning, hopped on a bus to Liverpool Street, hopped on another bus to Stansted Airport, made it through security and massive lines, and got on the flight.

 

A few hours later, we landed and walked off the plane into Venice. A short bus ride took us to a station near our hotel and we trekked over to the hotel. We checked in, and the owner gave us a ton of information on how to get into the main, most interesting parts of Venice. After checking in, we took a much needed nap.

 

Post-nap, we set out on our adventures in Venice. It was a drizzly day that devolved into a downpour, which was a bit of a letdown weather wise, but we had a great time anyway. We had some authentic (and amazing) Italian espresso, freshly brewed and with a bit of decadent frothed cream.

My Magnificent Caffè Macchiato

We continued to walks around, exploring Venice. We found countless amazing pieces of glasswork from Murano and other small amazing things. We scurried from shop to shop, flitting between the awnings as the rain poured down.

 

Eventually, we found a really reasonable and tasty restaurant to eat a late lunch/early dinner. I ordered some Gnocchi alla Bolognese and we also shared some pizza. Both were absolutely heavenly. The pizza was delicate, with thin crust, a subtle tomato sauce, and a crispy-but-not-burnt crust. The gnocchi were so freshly made and were complemented by the small amount of meat in the sauce. One thing that really struck us was the portion sizes and the style of cooking. The portions were just big enough and the flavoring was just enough to add a subtle note to each dish. Truly great cooking involves taking the simplest ingredients and letting them shine. I love the Italian style of cooking for its focus on this simplicity and on the love of food inherent in the culture.

 

P-I-Z-Z-A

 

Nom-Nom Gnocchi

 

Post- dinner, we were all hit by a sweet tooth craving and elected to find a gelato stand. Luckily, the Italians love their gelato and this stand looked pretty awesome. We tried a few flavors, I finally opted to get a small with chocolate chip as one flavor and tiramisu as the other. It was amazing.

Gelato Generates Good Feelings

 

After gelato, we continued to shop, it continued to rain, but we decided to enjoy it! We walked through the streets, and saw all sorts of amazing people along the way. Everything went off without a hitch. The adventure continues tomorrow. Half in Venice, and then moving onto Florence.

Stay tuned, and enjoy some pictures.

 

 

 

My Fellow Travelers: (L->R) Tracey, Caitlin, Kate

 

Room Change-Up!

Room Change-Up!

by ericmistry ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Between polishing off some final papers and readings for our Phase 1 classes, my flatmates and I redid our room setup as an epic, multipart study break. I now have a small single where the living room once was, Tracey has moved to the formerly small double (now a single), and Claire and Adriyel now live in the big double room that has the adjoining bathroom.

It was a fairly painless process, and we had discussed it before. It works out really advantageously for everyone. Tracey and I both get singles, and Adriyel and Claire get to share a much larger room. I also get a special bonus; because I tend to be very warm all the time, I can keep my windows open in my room now. (Currently, my room is about ten degrees cooler than the rest of the apartment. It's wonderful.)

 

I'm loving the new set-up. I have reposted all of my pictures and my calendar, and my ever-giving chive plant can now sit happily on my windowsill. I have my couch for studying on and my comfy bed for lounging. It was a fun study break, and it was a rearrangement where everyone won.

 

All in all, another good day.

 

Evans and Peel Detective Agency and more…

Evans and Peel Detective Agency and more…

by ericmistry ♥ 1 Comment

It was a dark and (slightly) stormy night…

This is London, after all. A little rain comes with the territory. Tonight, we made our way down to the Evans and Peel Detective Agency, a speakeasy-style novelty bar. I had found out about it via some sleuthing online, and it sounded like my kind of place.

This is an establishment that takes its persona very seriously, and to great effect. We found the nondescript door in an alley off of a main street and pressed the intercom buzzer. After a brief exchange where we confirmed our “appointment” with the detective, we were let in and led to a small office. The office looked straight out of the 1920’s, lit with candlelight and complete with an old telephone and typewriter. The detective, in character, asked us about our case. We said we were looking for “a six-fingered swordsman who had killed my father many years ago in Spain.” (Princess Bride, anyone?) The detective said he’d look into it, then swung open a hidden door built into the bookcase and led us inside.

Inside, we found a dark, mysterious dining room, and were led to a table. The menus were wonderful, typewritten on old paper and attached to a filing envelope. The attention to detail was so impressive, and we were having a blast. We ordered some mysterious, old fashioned drinks and a few small appetizers recommended by our waitress, and then reveled in the atmosphere. We felt so classy and like members of a secret club. It was well worth the effort and price.

After stealthily exiting the detective agency, we decided to get some dinner at a nearby pub, the Churchill Arms, a combination English pub/Thai restaurant. After enjoying a pint while we waited, we were finally seated and could enjoy supper. I got the Pad Kee Mao, an extremely spicy and delicious noodle dish with shrimp, chicken, and beef. It was phenomenal.

All in all, another good night. Case closed.

Walking Westminster, Again

Walking Westminster, Again

by ericmistry ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

This morning for my History of London class, we traveled yet again to the Westminster area to explore some historic sights. We focused on Whitehall and the embankment today. It was really amazing seeing the monuments to World War I and the to the women of World War II.

The river was really interesting, especially when a great deal of its history was explained. The lion pictured below is not for mooring boats, nor for decoration; it is a flood marker. The danger level depends on how high the water reaches on the ring.

I always love walking the city and learning the little stories that lurk around every corner. Enjoy the pictures below!

WWI Monument

Sunday Surprise

Sunday Surprise

by ericmistry ♥ 1 Comment

In London, a surprise is waiting around every corner.

What started out as a routine trip to get groceries turned into an awesome little jaunt into the local art scene. I had gotten off of my bus that brings me close to the supermarket, Sainsburys, when I saw a poster for the Islington Contemporary Art and Design Fair. I thought that sounded pretty awesome, so I followed the signs to a local gallery/artspace.

Inside, I found a small collection of local artists selling their works from stands and explaining their work processes to anyone who was interested. I struck up a particularly interesting conversation with a local printmaker who had some amazing prints and t-shirts. I also found something else awesome in the gallery: a flyer that proclaimed that drop-in art lessons on weekday evenings were starting up soon. Even better? They are only £7, which is about what a lunch out costs. I am really excited to try out these classes and become a better artist.

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It was a great little Sunday surprise. I always am excited to find little galleries or unexpected awesomeness in my daily life around the city. It's totally worth investing a little more time and going off of the beaten path or daily routine. Though it may be overused, the often-quoted Robert Frost poem says it best, “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I/ I took the one less traveled by/ And that has made all the difference.”

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Live Poetry at The Arts Theatre

Live Poetry at The Arts Theatre

by ericmistry ♥ 2 Comments

This evening, I attended an amazing live performance of poetry featuring the work of the English poet, Phillip Larkin, thanks to Professor Vinter being so generous as to procure a few extra tickets for those of us who wanted to attend. Larkin was a brilliant poet who wrote of England, of English life, and of emotions. The show was part of a series of poetry readings in honor of Josephine Hart, an advocate for poetry in Britain. It was a stirring, intimate performance by the four readers on stage. I loved just listening to the poems come to life in the voices of these talented actors. My favorite poem of the evening was the final one for the evening, The Arundel Tomb. I have pasted the poem below and bolded my favorite lines at the end. It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening, and it was so wonderful to lose myself in the poetry.

 

The Arundel Tomb

Side by side, their faces blurred,

The earl and countess lie in stone,

Their proper habits vaguely shown

As jointed armour, stiffened pleat,

And that faint hint of the absurd—

The little dogs under their feet.

Such plainness of the pre-baroque

Hardly involves the eye, until

It meets his left-hand gauntlet, still

Clasped empty in the other; and

One sees, with a sharp tender shock,

His hand withdrawn, holding her hand.

They would not think to lie so long.

Such faithfulness in effigy

Was just a detail friends would see:

A sculptor’s sweet commissioned grace

Thrown off in helping to prolong

The Latin names around the base.

They would not guess how early in

Their supine stationary voyage

The air would change to soundless damage,

Turn the old tenantry away;

How soon succeeding eyes begin

To look, not read. Rigidly they

Persisted, linked, through lengths and breadths

Of time. Snow fell, undated. Light

Each summer thronged the glass. A bright

Litter of birdcalls strewed the same

Bone-riddled ground. And up the paths

The endless altered people came,

Washing at their identity.

Now, helpless in the hollow of

An unarmorial age, a trough

Of smoke in slow suspended skeins

Above their scrap of history,

Only an attitude remains:

Time has transfigured them into

Untruth. The stone fidelity

They hardly meant has come to be

Their final blazon, and to prove

Our almost-instinct almost true:

What will survive of us is love.

 

 

Tower Bridge, Markets, Indian Food, & Bollywood-Style Shakespeare

Tower Bridge, Markets, Indian Food, & Bollywood-Style Shakespeare

by ericmistry ♥ 1 Comment

If the title didn't give it away already, I've had a fairly intensive and interesting day!

It began this morning with an informative tour of the Tower Bridge area. We explored the areas we had talked about in class, and it was easier to see how crime would have flourished in this area early on in London's history… The boats, morning fog, shipyards, narrow and winding streets, the flurrying populace, and the ever-present River Thames would have made this a criminal's paradise. On a related note, We also walked through Jack the Ripper's stomping grounds and sat in the courtyard where his last victim was found. Slightly creepy, but it was also historically thrilling to be sitting in the exact spot where history happened, walking the same stones as people in the 1800s did.

Post-tour, I hit the gym again and then went home to make a lunch of yogurt with a super wrap: pan-fried salmon filet with a few chorizo slivers, a touch of Brie, and half a bag of spinach (heat-wilted in the pan). It didn't last long.

In the afternoon, we toured a set of market areas (Petticoat Lane, Spittlefields, Bricklane) I've come to know and love for my Cultures of Empire class. It was really interesting to hear and see the layers of history that lay under the structures of today. This was especially interesting in the Petticoat Lane and Bricklane areas, where the early structures and markets were created by the Jewish population in London and today is dominated by African & Asian vendors and Indian, Bengali, and Muslim populations respectively. It is always interesting to consider what all of the areas will look like in fifty-plus years as the city continues to layer histories and cultures over time.

After the tour, I went to an Indian restaurant called Sweet and Spicy, which came highly recommended as a place for locals who want authentic food without fuss. It was amazing, definitely some of the best Indian food I've ever had, and was quite reasonable price-wise as well. I got a samosa, Sikh kebab, cauliflower curry, and two puris for under five pounds. I also snagged a medium chicken curry and a naan for an additional few pounds. I left the restaurant full and happy, with the soul-filling feeling only Indian food can deliver.

As if that wasn't enough for one day, I also made my way down to see a production of Much Ado About Nothing by the Royal Shakespeare Company. It was Bollywood-style, which was a phenomenal treat and matched my dinner quite well. It had the actors in full Indian costume and featured a few dance numbers. All in all, a wonderful show that was the perfect way to top off the evening.

 

Pictures below, per usual. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lunchtime Experiment: Success!

Lunchtime Experiment: Success!

by ericmistry ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Today I panfried salmon for the first time on my own. I seasoned it with chili powder, pepper, garlic and rosemary. The spice combination really infused into the fish and made it extra-delicious! I read about five different articles on how best to cook the fish and good ways to serve it. With that bit of preparation done, I began to craft my lunch.

 

I started by seasoning the fish and letting the spices set while I cooked up some couscous with cilantro and chickpeas and a bit of crumbly English cheese. With the couscous done in its pot and the frying pan ready for the salmon, I lowered the fillet in gently and let the heat work its magic. At the proper point, I flipped the fish and removed the skin off of the back of the fish. I then let the fish cook nicely until it was ready, then plated it. A final touch saw me tossing some spinach into the already hot pan to wilt it and infuse it with the taste of the salmon itself. The salmon and its two sides made a healthful, delicious lunch.