You may remember me talking about the beauty treatments I snagged on the cheap a few days back… student salons have been saving my life now that I ‘m on a super budget. I had decided a few weeks ago that I would have to deal with my hair in the state that it was in; roots grown out and pretending that it’s intentional (part of the new ombre fad). Unfortunately it doesn’t really work for me — it just looks like I’m too poor to get my hair touched up, not like I’m trying to be cool and edgy (and it works for Shakira so well… uggh). In any case, I had searched high and low for a hair academy that could do my highlights. The only one that had anything advertised on their website was the South Thames College with highlights advertised for under £20. As luck would have it, though, they’re closed now for summer… boo. With Mac coming on Wednesday, I was desperate to find someone before September 1st.

I ran across the website for the London Hair Academy on Tottenham Court Road and noticed that they offered various courses for students. There was no mention of a student salon so I emailed them to find out if they ever offered services to the general public. They directed me to their facebook page where they periodically solicit models for cuts, colors, highlights… even extensions! I joined their group and was beyond overjoyed to get a facebook message from them the next morning. It couldn’t have been more perfect: they needed a model for Friday: £10 for highlights and a blowdry! Cha-ching! Score to the nth degree! Maybe spending £70 on highlights makes me want to die, but spending £10 on highlights makes me feel like a champion. Who gets highlights at that price in London?!! Admittedly, I was a bit nervous about heading into a student salon but my fears were duly assuaged yesterday when I headed in.

The salon is beyond adorable. I was expecting a typical institutional student salon, cold and little blah. This place was the antithesis of budget. Small but well put together: gorgeous mirrors, chandeliers and baroque wallpaper that I wanted to steal for my own flat-to-be. I was even more surprised when I found out that I was the only one there! I was expecting it to be a room full of faceless models with a bunch of young students getting people in and out. It was the complete opposite. A teacher, a trainee (who was a professional stylist undertaking further courses) and me. To top it off the highlights and lowlights were perfect! Spot on. I honestly felt like I was cheating them by trading them a mere £10 for the services. The instructor, who is originally from South Africa (I think her name is Maryke?), is young and vibrant and made the experience awesome. I thought I would be a bit anxious during the process, but I felt totally comfortable. Everything was double-checked for consistency and while it was a learning process for the student, it felt 100% professional.

Amazing, amazing, amazing. This is now my go-to place for highlights. Of course the fact that it’s a mere £10 helps, but the location and the people are awesome. If you’re interested in opportunities to act as a model for them, sign up for their facebook group. If your experience is anything like mine, you will not be disappointed!

PS. I’m a master at saving ££!

xoxo from London,

The London Hair Academy is located at 114-115 Tottenham Court Road. The nearest Tube is Warren Street station. You can call them directly at: (+44) 078 5060 0217.

So, as you guys may (probably?) know, Mac is coming to London next Wednesday to hang out in the UK for 10 days! I’m definitely excited to see him after a year! Being that I’m more familiar with London than he is, and due to the fact that he’s super busy at work with the prospect of being gone for ten whole days, he left most everything up to me. I was given the responsibility of getting us a room in London and in Edinburgh and was given his credit card number to do it. I don’t know about you guys, but I get extremely uncomfortable when I’m spending someone else’s money. On top of that, I love finding a deal and I think Mac would more than appreciate that since it’s coming out of his pocket.

When it came to finding a hotel in London, I knew two things: 1) I wanted to be Central and 2) I didn’t want to spend a lot. I think being Central is super important. With London being pretty compact, you can walk most places or take the bus or tube. If you’re way out in Zone 4, you’re not getting the real London experience and it’ll take you forever to get into the city center. Definitely a waste of time in my opinion. Plus you’re spending extra cash on transportation. As for the money issue, Mac assured me that I should find something comfortable, but I tend to think that people aren’t really aware of how much ‘comfortable’ costs in Central London. A decent double near Covent Garden is probably gonna run £160 on the lower end (think Best Western-style). That’s not cheap.  I would way rather spend extra money on seeing a play or grabbing a fun dinner (perhaps I’ve been jaded after living in a shoebox for a year).

After checking out standard hotel sites (think: Expedia, hotels.com, B&B.com, etc.), it dawned on me: Student accommodations often offer double rooms for a reasonable price and they’re almost always centrally located! The University of London has rooms on the cheap (I’m staying in one now, actually!) and the prices are unbeatable considering the central location. LSE also has a slew of their own LSE-branded housing complexes available hotel-style before residents move in! I had a number of friends staying in Grosvenor House and Northumberland House during this year and I was impressed with the rooms — comfortable, decent-sized (by London standards) and incredibly well-located. After checking out their website, I decided to make a reservation with Northumberland House for a double room. With my LSE discount, we ended up paying — get this — £60 a night! That’s for a double room that sits two minutes (max) away from Trafalgar Square. Can you beat that?! Plus, the building is rather gorgeous (if memory serves, it’s the old Department of Defense).

For anyone looking for discount rooms in Central London, university accommodation is the key. You’ll save some serious cash and nab some decent rooms in the heart of the city! They’re not luxurious, but how much time are you really spending in your hotel room? A few places I can definitely recommend:

1. Northumberland House: We’re staying here & I’m kind of obsessed with the location! Down the street from Trafalgar Square, nearly everything is within walking distance. Plus the tube is close & loads of buses run through here!

2. Grosvenor House Studios: I think I speak for all of my fellow LSEers when I say that we were thoroughly jealous of everyone that nabbed Grosvenor House accommodation. They’re a bit more expensive, but they’re a lot more homey. Pretty spacious studio apartments with kitchenettes and an amazing location in Covent Garden!

3. High Holborn: This was my little hole for the year and it’s definitely okay if you’re a single person (or two young travelers) trying to find a budget accommodation. I think they do breakfast in the summer, too, which is a double-score! Well-located although not the most aesthetically appealing :)

4. International Hall: Two minutes from the Russell Square tube station and totally central for £35 a night (£25 if you’re a University of London student!) There are doubles available, too: £65 en-suite with a little kitchenette!

University of London has a number of other well-located inexpensive accommodations but I haven’t checked them out so I can’t personally recommend them.

A few other tips:

1. There are a few more LSE-run housing units that you can nab for even less! They’re not as well located as the ones I mentioned, but they’re all within Zone 1 and well connected.

2. King’s College also has accommodations in the summer for £22.50 a night (£30 en-suite).

3. The Guildhall School of Music and Drama has some rooms available, too; they’re apartments with 3 – 6 bedrooms and they run from £27 – 32.

4. UCL also has a number of residences for singles or groups — prices vary but the flats are all fairly central.

Hope that helps a bit! Now you can save cash and spend it on much more worthwhile things… like shopping on Oxford Street :)

xoxo,

Despite the fact that I have been desperately watching my money lately, dissertation and job-hunting stress made me think that a facial + massage were in order (for the sake of my bank account I should probably stop feeling so entitled). I perused the websites of innumerable Central London salons only to find that facials run between £45 – 60 (on the low end) and massages are about the same. I cannot justify that. Back home, there are a few local student salons that offer treatments for incredible prices and I thought that maybe — just maybe — there were student salons here, too! Fortunately, there are actually a few and the prices are incredible!

Today, I hit up The Ray Cochrane Beauty School on Baker Street after booking just a couple of days ago. I grabbed a Dermalogica facial for £20 and two body treatments for £20. Add in some waxing and the grand total was £44! They do manicures, pedicures, hot stone massages… even electrolysis! The value for the money is great. The girls working there are definitely trying to learn and there’s a teacher/head master that checks in to make sure each treatment is a learning experience for them. If you’re looking for a super relaxing, posh experience, this is definitely not the place — there’s not a lot of privacy, the lights are a bit harsh and the students occasionally have to ask questions, etc. The outcome is quite the same, though: glowing, health(ier) skin but for a fraction of the price. If you need the basics taken care of (facial, manicure, pedicure, etc.) and you want to save some serious cash, definitely worth finding a student salon! Most of the students are really there to learn, too, so they want to do a good job!

There are actually a number of other student salons in London that look pretty awesome (in terms of pricing). Here are some to check out if you’re on a budget, too.

1. Ray Cochrane
118 Baker Street, W1U 6TT
Closest Tube: Baker Street
+44 020 7486 6291

2. London College of Beauty Therapy
47 Great Marlborough Street, W1F 7JP
Closest Tube: Oxford Circus
+44 020 7208 1302

3. London School of Beauty and Make-up
London Esthetique Student Salon
Ground Floor, 48 Margaret Street, W1W 8SE
Closest Tube: Oxford Circus
+44 020 7636 1893

4. South Thames College Hair & Beauty Salon
Wandsworth High Street, SW18 2PP
Closest Tube: East Putney (Zone 3)
+44 020 8918 7777

** This place does hair, too!
You can get highlights for under £20!

You can download the beauty salon price sheet or the hair salon price sheet here.

I can’t lie — I’ve heard horror stories about student-run salons, but my experiences (in California and here) have been more than fine! You realize when you’re paying £20 for highlights or a facial that there’s a trade-off, but if you’re okay with less posh and more savings, they’re worth a try! If the thought of spending £20 still makes you want to die, check out some handy DIY facials!

Are there any other student salons in London that I should know about?

xoxo,

S. and I woke up this morning bright and early in time to grab breakfast from our hotel’s cafe and get in some valuable internet time. After showering and getting ready, we headed down to the Acropolis. Athens isn’t in it’s best state right now if you haven’t heard. There was a demonstration taking place down the street in Omonia Square and a strike was going on today. Public transportation (all public transportation) was a no-go, so our only option was to pick places we could see on foot. We took a twenty minute walk down to the historic part of the city to take in the main sights.

Before we even got to the main sites, the views were stunning. The elevated location allows for some seriously great photos of the houses and architecture below. Further on, we entered the main gate and had access to the main sites: the Parthenon, the Roman Agora, and the temples. The entry fee is €12 to access 6 different sites but when I asked for a student discount and flashed my student ID card, I was informed that students get in for free! You know how much I love all things free, so this was just awesome. Not paying for it makes the views that much more amazing.

Our first glimpse was of the Temple of Athena Nike. Apparently the temple that has survived was built around 420 BC and, as such, has seen an incredible amount of history. No matter how many times you see pictures of the massive columns towering over the city, nothing prepares you for seeing them up close. Incredible.

After crossing through the columns into the main area of the Acropolis, the Parthenon stood, surrounding by the millions of tourists that make a pilgrimage to Athens in the summer months. The Parthenon is, of course, a temple to the goddess Athena (the goddess for whom Athens is named after). Construction began in 447 BC and lasted for about 15 years.

The Parthenon is probably the most famous in terms of Greek architecture, but I actually found some of the other buildings to be more domineering and incredible. I actually found the Erectheion, which stood nearby, to be more beautiful, albeit a bit more disheveled and broken down. The construction on this bad boy was finished around 405 BC, making it just a touch older than me.

There’s something about this temple that I find rather… Herculean. One of the reasons I’ve always been so drawn to Athens (in terms of wanting to visit) is because of my dad’s intrigue with Greek mythology. In turn, I became enthralled and found the history of Greece (and the mythology therein) rather fascinating. Now that I’m able to actually visit these sites, it’s pretty surreal. After checking out the temples, we headed downhill to the Ancient Agora.

A number of buildings were added to the agora by the second century apparently. Things like the Altar of Zeus Agoraios, the Temple of Ares and other religious sites. We wandered around for a bit before hitting up the museum and making our way out to lunch. We hung out for about an hour in the shade while we noshed on lunch with glimpses of the Acropolis in the background.

The area was gorgeous. Reason enough to visit Athens, in my opinion. To be honest, though, I have been very unimpressed with Athens as a city. Greece was #1 on my ‘to visit’ list before moving to Europe and, perhaps because of my high expectations, it has failed to fulfill thus far. The historical part that we saw today was incredible, but realistically that was all that we found ourselves wanting to see. The city itself is dirty; graffiti covers the walls throughout the city (e.g. a pretty piece of art that says ‘F*ck the cops’ outside of our hotel) and the buildings are a bit decrepit. We had set aside two days to explore Athens and have found ourselves wanted to escape already.

We’re planning on hitting up the Saronic Islands tomorrow and then visiting the Cyclades for the following two days/one night (despite our already-paid for room in Athens).  Greece has always been such a must-see for me that I can’t let it fail! S. and I are both at the point where we think the islands may make up for the shortcomings of Athens. The idyllic version of Greece that comes to mind when you think of Grecian vacations is more than likely the sun-drenched beaches of Santorini, the blue-capped houses and the tanned and toned locals that dot Mykonos. We’re hoping that the next few days will enlighten us!

Here’s to hoping!

Love from Athens,

In my opinion, Regent’s Park is one of the prettiest places in London. The park is massive (410 acres) and is home to Queen Mary’s Gardens (+ thirty thousand roses) and the Open Air Theatre. The theatre was one of the places on my ‘to see before leaving London’ list and the weather is now perfect to enjoy plays outdoors. Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors was playing at the theatre last night so I joined my flatmate and her friend from home on a journey to Regent’s Park to catch an 8P showing.

One of my favorite things about London is the long days of summer. The sun is up at 5A or so and doesn’t go down until at least 10P. It makes the days infinitely more productive! Though we were at the park until 11P, it didn’t start getting dark until the play was nearly over. My other favorite thing about London? Student discounts! That’s not just a London thing, it’s a Europe thing. They cater to students much more here than they do in the US. Most places have a student discount or a student night and in some cases it’s pretty significant. I have gotten a pretty deep discount on every musical/play that I’ve seen this year and The Comedy of Errors was no exception! Though tickets normally retail for £20 – £40ish, our  £36 ‘Band A’ tickets were only £15 with our student discounts (only available at the door with student ID in hand). Click here for the seating plan.

The theatre itself was beautiful! The place was kind of magical, actually. The twinkle lights were perfectly placed and the setting in the middle of the gardens made it kind of romantic. If I hadn’t been there with two girl friends, it would have been a great place for a date! I hadn’t read the play before going to see it (my sister would shoot me if she knew) and wasn’t 100% sure what to expect. Shakespeare, in general, I find a little hard to follow at times if the actors don’t deliver their parts well and I was a feeling a bit ashamed that I hadn’t read the Cliff Notes version before heading down to the theatre. Fortunately, it was really well done! I finally caught onto the play after the first 20 or so minutes and really enjoyed it! I’m looking at getting tickets for their production of Into the Woods. After seeing the theatre first-hand, another visit before I leave is a must!

If you’re in London while there are plays showing (I’m pretty sure they only take place in the summer since it’s outdoors!), catching a production here is definitely a cool way to spend an evening! Students, don’t forget your student ID — it saves serious cash (that you can better spend on the jugs of Pimm’s they sell at the bar)!

Lots of love from London,

Today is truly momentous. I took my last exam of my masters career (and I think it went well — icing!), the US beat Algeria 1-0 in the 92nd minute of their game this afternoon and I just booked our hotel in Nice for next month! We’re going to be popping over to Nice after our stint in Florence and we’ve been scouring expedia for deals to find a reasonably priced hotel in a good area (a difficult find in the French Riviera). Nevertheless, S. and I waited, patiently, knowing that a deal had to come along at some point… right? Well, after my exam (half way through the England-Slovenia game) I got an email from S. on my iPhone. Pertinent message: Expedia is having a 24 hour sale. Let’s book! Needless to say, as soon as I got home, I jumped online and began scouring.

It was only a few minutes before I stumbled upon the Residence Nice Fleurs, an apartment complex renting out studio apartments 400 meters from the beach, near the heart of the city. Plus, kitchenette, flat panel TV and free internet? Could this place be any more perfect? Of course, the reviews are mixed, but with it’s location and it’s amenities, we had to give it a shot. After inputting our dates, it notified me that a 2 person studio was going to run me about £75 a night. Not cheap, but definitely not expensive for Nice standards. But wait! Not only is it £75 a night, the third night is free?! Cha-ching! Needless to say, it was the fastest decision we’ve made yet. For £165 pounds, we booked three nights in a central location in a more-than-decent hotel, keeping us right at budget. In Nice!

Happy, happy, happy.
That’s what I am right now.

Exams are done. I have a lot to do, yes, but the really rigorous, mind-bending work is done and I made it out alive. I am so excited to begin this madness. Let the adventures ensue! Stay tuned — this summer is going to be an intense one.

June 30 – 31: Road trip with SPD girls! Location TBA.
July 3 – 7: Malta
July 7 – 12: Athens, Delphi and Hydra, Greece
July 12 – 15: Amalfi Coast, Italy
July 15 – 18: Florence and Siena, Italy
July 18 – 21: Nice, France
July 21 – 23: Carcassonne, France
July 23- 27: Barcelona, Spain
July 27 – 31: Dublin, Ireland

Lots of love and happiness from Londontown,

I’ve been loving on Expedia’s little 10% and 20% off coupons as of late, and try to take full advantage of them when they come out. They’re saving me some serious cash on my bevy of hotels during the month of July! They just came out with a 10% off code that’s good on hotel bookings for the next 3 days so I thought I’d share. This was sent to me from the UK site, mind you, so I’m not 100% sure it’ll work for US citizens, but it’s worth a shot!

Just pop in the following code during check out:

72HR0608UK

Saving money has got to be one of the best feelings in the world. We’ve already saved 30 pounds on hotel bookings in Malta and in Athens!

Happy (and inexpensive) travels,

[Part of my army of tanning products]

Maybe it’s being born and raised in California. Perhaps it’s partially due to coming from an always (naturally)-tan family. Maybe it’s due to spending nearly three years of my life working at a tanning salon. Maybe, just maybe, it’s because tans are gorgeous! Whatever the reason, I’m obsessed and I have been for a while. I’ve been a tanner since 16ish: UV tanning when I was working at the salon (I know, I know… it’s awful) and then some sunless/spray tanning as I got older. Either way, to find a picture of me sans tan from the last 7 – 8 years? Not possible. I had never gone more than 2 – 3 weeks without some form of tanning.

Then I moved to the UK. Not only could I not afford a tanning membership on a grad student budget (tanning’s incredibly overpriced here!) but on top of that there’s no natural sun! It’s not like I can go outside and soak up the rays… England has a built-in cloud magnet! Grrr! So, I had to cope. And by cope, I of course mean invest in a slew of sunless tanning products. Since my move here, I’ve discovered the amazingness of sunless tanning (although, I must admit, I prefer natural [unhealthy] tans more…); they’re quick, easy, pretty inexpensive, much healthier than UV and they’re super portable! It’s so easy for me to throw some products in my luggage and keep a tan while traveling. Plus a lot of them are under 100ml! Can’t beat it. So here’s a run-down on some products I’ve been using and my experiences with them.
{Note: to be clear, I never (ever!) tan my face… wrinkles and hyper-pigmentation are not attractive and not worth it. For face, I only use sunless tanning products so I have a lot of experience with working on a healthy glow sans UV!}

L’oreal Sublime Bronze Self-Tanning Towelettes

Probably one of my most favorite products! I’ve had 6 boxes shipped or brought over from the US! The tan is intense so make sure to apply it carefully (streaks will be obvious!) and to wash your hands when you’re done. I apply it at night and wake up with a solid glow! Use one before a night out or a couple per week to maintain a solid California tan.

Also, L’Oreal makes a similar product for face that’s ahhh-mazing! It is an intense facial tanner and the wipes are super easy and super-portable. Make sure you don’t miss any spots and be super (super!) careful around eyebrows and upper lip. Orange brows are not cute.

[More reviews here]

Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer

I’ve been using this stuff on my legs for years and I love it! It’s really inexpensive ($5 – 7) and it’ll last quite a while! The streaks aren’t quite as obvious as with the super-strength tanning towelettes, but they are noticeable to an extent, so make sure you rub it in well. Bump it up with their moisturizer with firming! That’s the one I normally nab but overlooked it when buying last time. Only downside: it smells like sunless tanner. It’s a pretty strong (not pleasant) scent so I’m always conscious about using it on upper body. If you’re using it during day time, keep it on the lower half so people don’t get a whiff of your sunless tanning tricks!

Boots Soltan Beautiful Bronze Face Cream

After I moved here and discovered they no longer had my tried and true most favorite face tanner in the world (L’oreal Dual Action Face Tanner … more on that later), I had to find a suitable supplement. Enter Boots Soltan Beautiful Bronze. I wanted to keep it in the same price range (this little guy was under 5 pounds) so I snagged it while picking up some basics at Boots. I’ve got to be real: it doesn’t compare to my oh-so-amazing L’Oreal brilliance from back home, but it does smell good and it does deliver a bit (a very slight bit!) of a glow so it can work as a daily moisturizer. Verdict? Probably wouldn’t buy it again.

L’Oreal Sublime Bronze Dual Action Bronzer and Self-Tanning Lotion for Face

Man… looking at the picture of this little guy brings tears to my eyes. It is (by far!) the best sunless tanning product for face I have ever discovered! I used to stock up on this stuff, buying three bottles at a time when I hit up Target. It’s not expensive ($6 or so) and it works like a charm! I used it as a daily moisturizer and the dual action part of it is incredible. The bronzer gives you an immediate tan (thank God!) plus the sunless tanning agent works to build a tan during the day. To my surprise, they don’t carry this stuff in the UK and it’s been really (incredibly!) hard to find in the US as of late. I’ve been requesting bottles of it from family but no one’s been able to get their hands on it… if you find it, I bestow upon you a mission, if you choose to accept it: 1) let me know where you find it, and 2) buy every bottle in sight. You won’t be disappointed!

Garnier Ambre Solair Self Tan No Streaks Bronzer Mist

After my disappointment with the Boots Soltan product (listed above), I decided it was time for a more intense product. No more messing around with cutesy daily moisturizers with ‘tanning formulas’; time to bring out the big guns. Well, I couldn’t really find any big guns in my budget, but I did run across this tanning mist that piqued my interest. I grabbed the intense version without realizing it was for light to medium skin (I should have got the medium to dark skin) but was still pleasantly surprised with the outcome! I typically spray it on at night, let it dry, go to bed and wake up with a noticeable glow. It’s not as intense as those sunless tanning towelettes for face, but you’re in for fewer mishaps! Note: don’t overdo it: spray in circular motions all over your face otherwise you’ll have brown build-up around your nose, eyebrows and chin area. Bleh! Bonus: it smells like delicious apricot :)

St. Tropez Everyday Gradual Tan for Face

This bad boy is the newest (and longest awaited) addition to my sunless tanning collection. My girlfriend, H., had raved about how amazing St. Tropez products are and I finally decided to go for it. If you’ve heard of St. Tropez you know that the products are far from cheap. This little bottle (1.6 oz) normally goes for $20 – $25. I wanted to go for the real stuff; the actually sunless tanner, but instead I got the daily face stuff hoping for some more gradual results. I’ve only been using it for two days, but the verdict? Smells like heaven, goes on like normal moisturizer but the tanning effect isn’t that intense. I was hoping for a really noticeable tan, but that has yet to surface (maybe because it’s the ‘daily’ product). I’m gonna give it a few more days before I make a hasty judgement. Makes me long for my cheap-o L’Oreal Dual Action all the more…

Rimmel Sunshimmer Instant Tan Makeup

This stuff is interesting. Cheap, mind you (4 pounds right now at Superdrug), but interesting. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever purchased before because it’s not a sunless tanner, it’s make-up! Seriously. You put it on and your skin is brown. You take a shower and it washes off. I was a bit thrown off by the concept but I actually quite like it! I mix it in with my moisturizer if I’m going out somewhere super fun (or if I’m looking exceptionally pasty) and it works! It gives a pretty awesome tan immediately and it can be used on face (sparingly). I don’t typically like putting body products on my face, but occasionally I’ll throw a touch into my facial moisturizer and rub it on the cheekbones! Worth nabbing for the price!

—

Uggh. I’m tired of typing now. I hadn’t realized quite how many products I have on this front, but I’m definitely figuring out which ones are must-haves and which ones I can do without. For travelers, students, people who are anti-UV or people looking for a quick tan before an event, hope this helps with decision making! There are some incredibly amazing sunless tanning products out there… just gotta do some testing :)

Does anyone else have any sunless tanning/bronzing products that they swear by? I’m always scouring the shelves!

xoxo,

Running through Gatwick Airport

Despite the lines, the incompetent people and the overall stress of early morning airport runs, we made it aboard the plane and landed in Prague by 930A (Czech time). We snagged a ride to our hotel in Central Prague for 15 pounds and were hitting the streets shortly after.

Poor tired Tiffany, big ballin!

We all thought we were ballers with hundreds and hundreds of Czech koruna in our pockets… with the exchange though it really only equated to roughly $75 – 100. By the time we wandered into Old Town, we were enthralled with the architecture and the palpable differences between Western and Eastern Europe. Such a difference, and definitely a good change for our mini Euro trip.

The Astronomical Clock in Old Town

Tyn Church in Old Town Prague

Dad & Tiff in Old Town

We stumbled upon a fun German-style market in the middle of Old Town Square near Tyn Church while wandering. After seeing the Astronomical Clock at Town Hall and a number of other sites,  we perused the market. I grabbed an oh-so-delicious crepe while Tiff had snacked on some Czech goodies and dad downed a couple of beers from a stand. Though I’m not a beer drinker, his five beers from the afternoon would lead me to believe that Prague is home to some good beer!

Beer #3?

We decided to head to Prague Castle by way of Charles Bridge next to get a glimpse of St. Vitus Cathedral and enjoy the stellar view from the top.

St. Vitus' Cathedral

The castle and St. Vitus’ are spectacular! The structures are ridiculously huge and ornate. The sculptures in the cathedral were remarkable and the stained glass was unparalleled. Even after all of the gorgeous stained glass in British churches, this bad boy took the cake!

EVERYWHERE!

Gorgeous Views!

Tiffany enjoying the views from the top!

After viewing the cathedral and glimpsing the views from the castle, we headed back down through the market so Tiff & dad could enjoy some Czech beer before we had dinner in the Prague sunshine. Glorious!

When in Prague...

We meandered the streets for a while and found our way home fairly early after a long, long day. We relaxed for a few hours before heading out for late night drinks at a local eatery.

Get this: four drinks, a coffee and two delicious desserts: $20. Can you say ’steal’?!

Now it’s nearly 11P and I’ve been up for entirely too long. Hopefully this is semi-coherent when I re-read it tomorrow. In the AM we’re off to Kutna Hora to check out the ossuary (a church made of bones) before coming back to Prague. Catch up with you soon!

Love from Prague,

To see the rest of the photos from Prague, click here!

Avenue Q!

I finally did it. I finally made it! After six-plus months of London living, passing by Avenue Q and dying to see it, today I finally made dreams happen. I still have a touch of a cold hanging out so I was ridiculously tired by about 5P, even after a thousand gallons of water and a re-energizing gym sesh. On top of that, I’ve just been having a bleh day. You know those days where for some inexplicable reason you just feel kind of… well, bleh? Not only physically, but mentally and emotionally nothing seems to be right? Well, despite the fatigue/overall bleh-ness, I decided to turn my frown upside down and get out and see the world. Part of me was thinking that my lack of contact with humankind could be to blame for the lack of brain function… the fact that I’ve been holing myself up inside of my shoebox of a room could probably at least partially be to blame for my grogginess. Surely a little sunshine (well, sunshine’s a stretch in London… sunlight, perhaps is a better term…) would help my mood!

Well, since real sunshine wasn’t much of an option this evening, my personal sunshine came in the form of my friends, Pooja, Ronan and my new globe-trotter friend, Guneet (Pooja’s friend from NY). We all met up for coffee at Le Pain Quotidien (one of my new most favorite places in London… the soy lattes are delish!) for introductions and chat time. It’s kind of amazing how friends manage to put you in a better mood. I felt a million times better just being with human beings. The fact that they happen to be stellar specimens of human beings doesn’t hurt either!

After our quickie coffee break, Pooj & Guneet headed off to a monk show at Sadler’s Well in London… I wish I could actually explain what I mean by ‘monk show’, but I really can’t. It was a show/performance that involved 17 dancing monks… not really sure, but they said it was good. I’m gonna take their word on that one.  Since the aforementioned ’monk show’ wasn’t really up my alley, Ronan and I decided to try our luck at getting tickets for this evening’s Avenue Q. As luck would have it, they had two tickets available — awesome seats for 20 pounds with a student discount! Note to students — you can get tickets an hour before (sometimes even just the day of) at super discounted prices! At the last play I attended, we got best available seats for 20 pounds! Spectacular considering they can run you 60 – 65 pounds a piece normally!

Finally!

The musical was hilarious! Honestly, every twenty-something needs to see it. It hits on so many of the issues that we deal with, but does it in such a funny way that you don’t feel like a stereotype (even though you clearly are). Also, I’ve learned that waiting until the last minute can be a good cost-saving strategy… it’s very anti-Shannon, but I’m gonna give it a try from now on.

Also, I would like to add that this is officially the second item checked off of my ‘Lent Term Break To-Do List’.
As you may recall, my list contained the following items:

1. Visit the National Science Museum

2. Head to the Prime Meridian and stand in two hemispheres at once <3

3. See Avenue Q at Wyndham’s Theatre

4. Check out the V & A Museum

5. Have lunch in Hyde Park (I still haven’t spent any time there!)

6. Proper tea time at the Wolseley <3.

7. Check out a cool film at the Curzon {Soho}

8. Check out the Tower Bridge up close & personal

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I’m happy to report that items #1 and #3 are ticked off and I’m on my way to completing this stuff in no time!

Now I’m off to bed. In a much happier mood than when I woke up. Thank you to friends and family for managing to help put me in a better place and helping me realize what life’s all about!

xoxo,