A Day in London: January 2019

In early January 2019, I was blessed with three days in England to visit family. On one of those days, I hopped on a train and went to London with my niece, Pippa. London is one of my favorite places in the world and I really didn’t think that I would have the opportunity to visit it on this brief trip. I was thrilled when Pippa asked me to join her for a day trip.

We left mid-morning and arrived in London around lunch time. The first stop was Covent Garden, a covered mall filled with unique shops and restaurants. Although it is very famous, I had not previously visited Covent Garden on my trips to London. We poked around in the shops; a wide variety of both high-end and quirky specialty stores. We spent quite a bit of time in Miller Harris, a fragrance shop. I wasn’t taken by any of the scents, but I loved that they had a collection named after the novels of F. Scott Fitzgerald. The bibliophile in me, nearly opened my wallet! It was a bonus that Covent Garden was still decorated for Christmas. As we were walking around, we heard an amazing voice and discovered an opera singer busking. It added an element of magic to start our day in London.

We were feeling parched, but it seemed in poor taste to start drinking alcohol before lunch, so we stopped for tea at the St. Martin in the Fields: Cafe in the Crypt.

Many times, I have passed by the Cafe in the Crypt and had wanted to try it. My husband has even attended a corporate party in the crypt! Just as the name implies, it is a cafe that is located in a crypt. I love the cheeky signs that they have advertising the cafe.

It’s more of a cafeteria than a cafe and they serve full-on lunch items. We kept it simple with pots of English breakfast tea. Our visit was around 1ish in the afternoon and the place was absolutely jammed, we were lucky to find a table. I would definitely visit again, but likely during off-peak hours. We just don’t have these types of places in California, so it was a little odd enjoying tea over the graves. It made me wonder how I would feel if my resting place was turned into a cafe. I think it would make me happy to know that life was carrying on above me and that I ended up in a place were people were eating cake!

A quick walk through Trafalgar Square and some snaps. It was chilly outside, so we didn’t linger.

Under Pippa’s recommendation, we went to Franco Manca for lunch. Franco Manca makes great, inexpensive pizzas. I tried Green Cola. I ordered it not knowing what to expect. It wasn’t green in color and it tasted very similar to Coke, yet it was hyper-effervescent. Every time I took a sip, it would bubble-up so much, that the paper straw would rise and the soda threatened to cascade over the side of the bottle.

We had already decided that this would be a day of food and drink indulgence, so our next stop was Chinatown for some yummy bubble tea at Cuppa Cha. This was my first experience having bubble tea served warm, but it was the perfect cold day treat. Cuppa Cha is a cheerful shop with a fake-grass, indoor/outdoor theme. It brought color to a grey, London day!

A quick walk through Piccadilly Circus as we head towards our next drink…

The BelowZero Ice Bar!

This was my first experience at an Ice Bar, something that I’ve long wanted to try. The ice bar area is small and they allow a limited number of people to enter in 45 minutes time blocks. It seems that they book-up in advance, but we were very lucky to arrive (without buying tickets in advance,) just as a session was starting. Our session only had about ten people and I imagine that it easy holds triple that amount.

For 13.50 pounds each, we were given entry to the Ice Bar, including our first drink. Before entering the cold, we were outfitted with thick, quilted capes that had a hood lined with faux-fur and warm mittens. This outfit is necessary. We were still very cold and didn’t even last the 45 minutes. We even met a woman that was wearing heels and she was suffering. This is not the place to be fashionable, just dress for comfort!

We entered the Ice Bar to see a display of sculptures featuring icons of London, called London Land. I read on the BelowZero Ice Bar website, that this theme will go on until May 2019 and then will be changed for something new. They even had a taxi made of ice, that you could climb in and watch a video window showing views of London! Half the fun of the experience was taking pictures with all of the sculptures.

We were able to pick our included drink from an extensive cocktail menu, something for everyone’s tastes and they were served in a thick glass made of ice! This was fun, but slippery- you must wear your gloves when picking up the glasses. As you can imagine, they were also very cold to drink from! The cocktails were okay, but from pre-made mixes and not very high quality. We had the option to open a tab and order more, but one was enough. We were left with the impression that it is a fun experience, but more of a gimmick, than a great bar. To be fair, BelowZero Ice Bar, also has a restaurant/bar, that is separate from the Ice Bar Experience and the drinks might be amazing.

Amazing drinks were had at Aqua Kyoto. Not only were they delicious, but they were absolutely gorgeous. Aqua Kyoto is a stunning Japanese restaurant, with an elegant bar. I was shamefully under-dressed in my jeans and clunky boots, but I owned it and enjoyed the experience. The next time I’m in London with my husband, I need to bring him here for a date-night. Loved it!

A perfect day in London is not complete without theater tickets. I was very excited to see Sam Shepard’s True West at the Vaudeville Theatre. But on the walk to the theatre, I had a momentary blip of envy, as I felt the excitement of ticket holders entering to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

I can best explain it like this, it was like everyone entering to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, was about to go on a brand-new ride at Disneyland ( or more apt-Universal Studios) and we were headed for an NPR event! This is not to diminish the amazing experience that I had watching True West, as it was fabulous, just to say that there was a very different energy outside of each theater.

But then again, we had John Snow!

After the show, we enjoyed a glass of wine at a wine bar next to the theatre, before heading to Paddington Station to catch the last train home. I’d be remiss, if I did not add that we had a very late-night dinner at the grossest McDonald’s ( and that’s saying a lot!) at the train station. My husband was appalled and has not let me live it down. He keeps calling me “A Dirty Stop-Out.” How British!

Obligatory 2019 New Year's Resolutions Post

I know some people think it’s silly, but I love creating a New Year’s Resolution list. This isn’t to say that I don’t start other goals throughout the year, but there is something about the start of a new year that feels like the perfect time to reflect and initiate change.

As usual, I’m going to start by looking back on my 2018 resolutions.

1. Create a writing schedule with a focus on the revisions for my novel. - A big fail. I did write quite a bit in 2018, but I could not figure out a steady schedule. I could not figure out how to organize this aspect of my life.

2. Finish revising my novel and begin sending it out to agents. - I made a lot of progress on my novel and I am pleased with my progress, but the revision process has been much slower than anticipated.

3. Maintain blogging schedule of every other day. This has been my normal schedule for years, but life got in the way this year and I didn't always stick to it. I felt guilty when I didn't. - Epic fail. This was my most inconsistent blogging year to date. I am so back-logged. I feel like I really let myself down with this goal.

4. Read 75 or more books. - Hanging my head in shame. I only read 34 books. This is the least amount of reading that I’ve done in my adult life.

5. Maintain a food log and eliminate soda. - Fail. Although there is hope with this one. I just got a Fitbit and started tracking my food. This was after getting blood work done in December and realizing that I had to make changes.

6. Work on scanning old-family pictures. Try to get 1/4 of pictures scanned. This has been a resolution from years past that I never managed to accomplish. It's a big project. - Fail, no progress.

7. Work on family genealogy project. - Yes! I have been down the rabbit hole of family history quite a bit this year. It’s exciting and informative. I can trace back to the original colonists and I have family members who formed towns in Massachusetts. I also found out that the real life Hester Prynne ( from Nathanial Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter) had some sort of relationship with one of my ancestors and it was a scandal!

8. Super secret podcast idea- put into action! I'm very excited about this one. - I’ve worked on a plan and discussed it with a friend who has a Podcast, but I’ve not moved forward on this. I still feel momentum, but I’m not sure how to work it into my schedule.

9. Visit a new country, state or major city.- I traveled so much in 2018, but primarily to places that I’ve already visited. I did see some new cities in England, like Oxford and Windsor. I had many new experiences in the cities that I had previously visited.

10. Attend a writer's conference. I have my eye on the Las Vegas conference in the spring. - No. I’m kicking myself for this one too, although it simply did not work with our schedule or finances for this to happen in 2018.

2018 was a terrible year for resolutions, yet it was a fabulous year for life in general. I spent a lot of time developing relationships with family and friends. I ended one job and started another. Although my goals that I set at the start of the year fell flat, many new goals and opportunities appeared throughout the year. I don’t look at this list as a fail, but as an indication that things have changed.

Here are some of my wishes for 2019:

1. Creating a writing schedule with a focus on my novel = I’m carrying this over. I feel better about accomplishing this, because the last third of 2018 has seen a shift to a more consistent schedule. I’ve been waking up at 7am and I have a regular work schedule. I now need to fit writing time into that schedule. I need the routine to stick.

2. Attend a Writing Conference = I really want to attend AWP in Portland, but that might be a financial stretch. I still have my eye on Vegas.

3. Maintain a blogging schedule= I am shifting this goal to three days a week, rather than every other day. I need to be consistent about the posting days and times though.

4. Read 60 books or more = Achievable. I need to focus on meeting my book review schedule commitments from publishers and stay on track. I also need to whittle down my massive, over-flowing bookshelf.

5. Track food and get to a healthy weight = I need to lose a few pounds, not a lot, but a bit. The primary goal is to fix some issues from a recent blood test. I would like to focus on diet, rather than have these problems require medication. I will likely eliminate soda and cut back on sugar to reach these goals. I never had trouble losing weight when I am mindful.

6. Track steps and be mindful about exercise - I have a Fitbit and have started becoming more aware of my need to move more, especially when I have been glued to my computer all day. I’d also like to take some pilates classes at a local studio or join a gym.

7. Visit a new country, stare or major city

8. Scan in old-family photos and documents- I will be really disappointed if I don’t make progress towards this goal in 2019. It’s long over-due and I’m worried that something might happen to these precious objects.

9. Continue to work on family Genealogy project = I have an idea of how this might also turn into a novel project. I want to keep exploring and have a more concrete idea about connections

10. Work More, Save More, Spend Less = General mindfulness when it comes to finances. I’ve made progress towards this in the last 3-4 months.

11. Invest in my tutoring job = become certified to teach for language tests or create more teaching tools to have on hand.

When I look at all of these goals, the main theme seems to be mindfulness leading to creating good habits. I’m looking to make long-term changes. I also need to find a way to keep these routines, when life becomes less predictable = holidays, family visits, the unexpected, et… Rather than starting January 1st, my New Year’s reset will begin on January 14th, when I have returned home from a holiday trip to Europe.

5 Rhythms

Generally, I've been very behind in my trip reports, but this particular experience from my recent trip to England needs to be blogged about while it's still fresh in my mind.

My sister-in-law, Ali, invited me to attend her Thursday night, 5 Rhythms class. I had not previously heard of 5 Rhythms, but I've since learned that it was started in New York City in 1977 by dancer Gabrielle Roth. I may be butchering this explanation, but it's a type of dance/meditation and the idea is to use the movement to calm your mind.

The class took place in a beautiful church near Oxford. Ali drove us through a huge rainstorm with the skies clearing as we arrived. We stopped to pick up snacks for after class, which ended up being a wise move. There is nothing quite like salty potato chips and sweet Starbucks bottled drinks as a pick-me-up, after an intense workout.

The chairs in the community space had been pushed aside to create a large, open dance floor with wood planks. Ali is a decoration volunteer and she made the altar: a small shrine with gorgeous fresh flowers and candles that sits to one side of the room. Although 5 Rhythms is not religious, it definitely has a spiritual/ New Age vibe. Pretty fairy lights were also draped around the room to add to the atmosphere.

Ali explained to me that pretty much anything goes and there is no judgement. There is also little to no instruction. The music starts and you just move around the space however you wish. If you don't want to move, you can sit or lie down, maybe enjoy the altar. Although forbidden might be a bit harsh, the participants are not supposed to really talk or stare at the other participants. Eye contact is okay, if the other other person is willing to engage. Basically, the idea is to be sensitive to those around you. It's great to interact, but also respect those who wish to have private time. Depending on moods or what is going on in an individual's life, the dancing might be an emotional experience for them and they might wish to have private time.

I love to dance. This is not to be confused with me being a good dancer. I lack all sense of rhythm, but what I lack in rhythm, I make up with joy and enthusiasm. I'm not ashamed to be the first person out on the dance floor in a club. However, there was something that made me hesitant about 5 Rhythms. Unstructured creativity, especially with movement and visual arts, makes me very nervous. Having to dance on my own made me nervous.

I started by stretching. As others moved around the space, I sat on the floor. Primarily this was my way of easing myself into the class, but I also needed to stretch. The previous year I had a terrible bought of sciatica and I'm still recovering. I don't stretch enough. Does anyone? I stretched for about thirty minutes and then moved into ballet positions. I have a little bit of a ballet background ( a smidge), so I went through the positions as a way of sticking to the familiar. My body is not as limber or steady since having sciatica. I've spent the last year learning to be patient, rather than frustrated by the slow healing process. It makes me feel old.

The class instructor stood at a DJ booth controlling the music and she would occasionally suggest an action. When she mentioned that we should move around the space, I tentatively stepped beyond the few feet where I had planted my roots. Slowly, I became freer and even skipped around the room, owning every part of the space. Maybe twenty minutes later, she suggested that we dance with a partner.

My first partner ( I think I ended up dancing with everyone in the class, about ten people) was an older gentleman. The class had a large range of ages, from early twenties to late sixties. Admittedly, it was a bit awkward. He was also chatty, which isn't encouraged and under the guise of being helpful ( when he learned that this was my first time), he kept giving me instructions- which is definitely a "no-no." That said, I just went with it.

I was surprised by how quickly my awkwardness sloughed-off and I was enjoying myself. 5 Rhythms is a lot of fun. It can be silly and playful. I felt at ease when I caught the eye of other participants and they were smiling or laughing. Within the first hour, I was comfortable in the space and with my body.

My only real problem was sustaining the level of energy. I have a hard time holding back and this created a pacing issue. The class was long, at least two hours, but I suspect closer to three. Although you can certainly take a break when you wish, there is no formal break time. The music ramps up and it's hard to just stop. i joined the frenzy! Other than to take an occasional sip of water, I didn't stop. I was exhausted. I dripped in sweat and my heart raced, but I kept going. The next day, my feet had blisters and every muscle, including those I never knew I had, ached.

After a cool down period with the music slowing in pace, we sat around a circle and talked about our experiences in the class. It was an all-around good vibe with a great group of people. So much kindness and acceptance. I thanked everyone for welcoming me into the class. After class, everyone stayed for a piece of Vegan Chocolate Cake to celebrate two recent birthdays, including Ali's. I'm not vegan, but the cake was very tasty.

I would definitely attend a 5 Rhythms class in the future. They are offered all around the world, but unfortunately, not in our small town. For anyone thinking of giving it a try, just go with an open mind and a sense of adventure. Don't forget a large bottle of water and whatever you do, pace yourself!