Victor's Piano Solo

Oct. 8th

Mum and I went to Portobello Market just to see what was there, and to go for a walk. I brought the camera for practice.

("headless" street entertainers)

All the flats along Portobelloroad are really colorful! It's quite beautiful.

It started raining as we walked, and everyone either popped open their umbrellas or taking shelter under awnings. The street cleared a little and it was easier to walk for a little while. The rain didn't last long, but I personally enjoyed it more during precipitation.

The first shop we peered into was an antique shop.

I bought a pretty red phone case.

Mum and I walked all the way down, and then started our way back. We wandered into the food section of the market, and stopped at a stall selling pizza. I got pepperoni and I think mom got mushroom and sausage. We also stopped at the booth right next to the pizza kiosk, which was selling fresh fruits and vegetables. We bought a box of raspberries.

As we neared the beginning of the market again, we stopped at a Gelato shop.

(Mine was Passion fruit and lime)

Oct. 10th

For Family Home Evening,Corey taught a lesson about service. The lesson involved chocolate, so it was automatically fun.

Oct. 11th

Mum took Randall and I to see the Wallace collection.

 (Julius Caeser) 

 (Hercules with the Hydra Head)

 (Reminded me of the locket horcrux in Harry Potter)

 (Cute pocket sundials)

 (what's a pointer)

 (tiled room)

We saw the armory which was miles and miles and miles of armor. 

(I'd hate to have been a horse)

(This corset-thing was obviously designed by a man. This isn't how women's bodies work!)

For mutual that evening, we watched The Corpse Bride and ate donuts and drank cider.

It was really fun, and I'm a little bit obsessed with The Corpse Bride now...decided to learn Victor's piano solo (on the piano) when I get back home to Utah, and I actually have a piano.

Oct. 12th
For lunch we went across the street (which took an amazing long time because of Corey's knee) to a fancy Italian restaurant called Cafe Concerto. I ordered rigatoni four cheese.

It was amazing.

For dessert we got two desserts and shared them: Strawberry gateau and a chocolate tart.

Then we rented a paddle boat and paddled around the lake, saw some ducks, and made friends with a few baby water birds.

Oct. 13th

Mum and Dad left us at home while they went on a date to hear an organist play in a cathedral.

A Study in Museums

Since Stratford On Avon, we've mostly been recuperating.

On the 28th September we went to the Victoria & Albert museum. 

We didn't get to stay for as long as would have been preferred because the groceries were being delivered and we needed to get home.

On the 30th September, my mom, Randall, and I took the tube to Euston Square, where we met up with Dad. Mom and Randall went to the London Transportation museum, and Dad and I went to Speedy's Sandwich Bar & Cafe.

All the Sherlockians who are reading this will know that Speedy's Sandwish Bar & Cafe, located at 187 North Gower Street, is the Cafe underneath theBBC's "Sherlock" 221B Baker Street. In short, I stood on the same cement as Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman once stood on!

Inside was a very cramped cafe with pictures from "Sherlock" covering the walls.

We met the owner of the shop. We recognized him from one of the pictures on the wall. It was a photo of him with his arm around Martin Freeman. I pointed him out to Dad as I saw him walking around the shop, and then Dad asked if the photo was of him. (Just to make sure)

 (My spaghetti carbonara lunch)

 (Inside the shop. Notice all the photographs)

 (The door of 221B. It even has a crooked door knocker!)

(Sherlock breakfast.)

After lunch, Dad and I took a tube to Baker Street. Right at the entrance of the station stands a statue of Sherlock Holmes.

Around the corner, at the real 221B Baker Street, lies the Sherlock Holmes museum.

 I'm still not sure what's inside the museum, but I went inside the shop. (This time with my mom and brother. I've been twice,but the first time was just to walk by,) The shop was full of Sherlock Holmes merchandise, as well as BBC "Sherlock" loot. Mom got some good Christmas gift ideas while we were in there. (most of them from me)

Mom, Randall, and I walked across the street to Queen Mary's Rose Gardens. 

(If you're confused, I've been to see the Sherlock Holmes museum twice. Once with my dad on the 30th Sept, and once with my mom and brother on the 5th Oct.)  

The Rose Gardens were really beautiful.

It was lovely to get out and walk around a bit.

On the 30th October, Dad, Corey, Randall and I left to go on a temple trip with the youth in our stake. We stayed overnight in the temple accommodations, and went to the temple the next morning. I didn't take any pictures of that, but I really enjoyed it. All the girls were very fun to hang out with, and I had a beautiful experience.

On the 2nd October (I know we've gone back in time a bit) Corey was walking around with my parents, and his right knee became dislocated. He rode in an ambulance to the hospital where they put his knee in a splint. He's basically been sitting on the couch since. He gets up to use the toilet and to change his clothes and sometimes to eat, and he goes to his own bed at night, but most of the time you'll find him on the couch, watching videos on the iPad.

I think that's about everything we've done since Stratford. We've had a very calm couple of weeks (apart from Corey's knee)