UK August-October 2013- The British Music Experience

Honestly, we probably wouldn't have done, The British Music Experience, if it had not been an attraction included in our London Pass. In a city where there is so much to see and do, it wasn't on our radar. On the last day of using our pass, we found ourselves with time left late in the day and The British Music Experience was nearby.

When we decided to go to the museum, we were touring Greenwich and figured that the O2, where the museum is located, was walkable. It was, but it took us over an hour and through some sketchy areas. We walked on a bike trail along the Thames and got some cool pictures.

Built for the Millennium, the O2 Dome is a massive and visually impressive building. If you are unafraid of heights, you can even take a tour where you climb on top of the structure. In addition to The British Music Experience, the dome houses restaurants, shops, cinemas and a giant concert arena.

Photography is forbidden inside of The British Music Experience, but I took a few snaps of the exterior before heading inside.

The British Music Experience is very tech heavy. The first part of the visit is an introduction video, that explains the layout of the museum and the scan cards. Many of the exhibits are scannable and you're given a card that allows you to scan content and save it to view later at home. It's a cool feature, although I was so engrossed in the experience, that I didn't really use it.

The museum is set up like a wheel with spokes. There is a central hub with computers where you can explore music articles from all decades and then each "spoke" has a room dedicated to a different decade starting in the 40's and continuing to the present.

Additionally, there is a room filled with instruments, where you can interact and test your own skills. Dan had a great time in this room and it looked to be the most popular part of the museum. All of the kids wanted to bang on the drums!

Each decade room is filled with interactive displays and artifacts such as outfits worn by musicians (notably dresses worn by The Spice Girls), concert posters, sheet music, instruments, et... Depending on your level of interest, you could spend a long time in each room. I averaged about twenty minutes per room.

Overall, I enjoyed my visit to the museum. However, there were some issues with how the exhibits were arranged that lessened my enjoyment. It was very difficult to read the small print on the artifact displays. On the artifact cabinet, they had headphones that are supposed to give you more info on the object, but it just repeated what was written on the placard inside of the cabinet. I felt like this was a huge missed opportunity. It seemed like a lot of the information given, I could have found by searching my computer at home. It didn't feel unique. Some of the touch screens did not work easily and it was frustrating.

What I did like were some of the personal interviews of people working in the industry alongside great artists. These interviews were located on a mini hub within each decade room. I could have spent all day listening to the interviews and it was the highlight of my visit.

The last part of the museum was a mock concert experience in 3-D. It's unnecessary, except for it leaves you exiting the museum on a high note. I love going to concerts and this final part of the museum, after the onslaught of music info, reminded me of the feeling that I get when I listen to music live. The museum should have tapped into this emotion more, rather than being so technical. The feeling that music gives you is universal.

If you are interested in visiting The British Music Experience, check out their official site for current ticket prices and information.

The British Music Experience Official Site

As we walked out of the O2, we saw this exceptionally cool looking building.

UK August-October 2013- Shakespeare's Globe Theatre and The Worst Thing I Ever Ate!

When I was sifting through the attractions booklet that came with our London Pass, I got very excited when I saw a listing for Shakespeare's Globe Theatre.

Confession time...

I didn't realize that it wasn't Shakespeare's original theatre. I had no idea that the original had burned down in 1613 and the second rebuilt Globe closed in 1642. The second Globe has long been demolished.

I must now hand in my "Theatre Lover Card" and my Los Angeles County High School for the Arts diploma will be revoked.

Seriously, how could I not know this?

As I learned during my tour of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, the new building is a faithful as possible modern recreation of the original building. Here is the really cool thing about the new theatre, it was the dream of one man.

American actor, Sam Wanamaker had a dream to recreate The Globe and he rallied people to his cause. His dream was realized when the theatre opened in 1997, unfortunately Wanamaker had died four years earlier. During the tour, the idea of Wanamaker's dream was a main theme and seems to drive the spirit of the company.

It was this spirit behind the Theatre that I found most exciting. They company doesn't limit itself to just performing the works of Shakespeare, they also perform new works and often lean towards more experimental productions. It's the type of theatre that I find to be most exciting.

The tour is perfect for theatre lovers and those interested in architecture. Our ticket included the tour of the theatre and entry to a special exhibition.

The only negative aspect of our tour was our guide. He was enthusiastic and knowledgable, but he was also very much an "actor". He said everything with a sense of flair that became grating.

Great effort was taken to use the same materials that were used used for the original Globe. This includes making bricks the same way that they were made in the 1600's and using wooden nails. The theatre got permission to have a thatched roof, but they had to use modern retardants to have it meet fire code.

A majority of the tour took place in the courtyard, but we were allowed to sit inside of the theatre for about fifteen minutes while actors were rehearsing for an upcoming production. The interior of the theatre is a great space. It's enormous with various seating options, including a standing room area called the Yard. The theatre sells the Yard tickets for five pounds a performance and often sells out all seven-hundred Yard tickets.

Shakepeare's Globe Theatre is a lovely venue. I love the spirt in which drives both how the theatre was built and how it continues to be run. I look forward to booking tickets on a future trip to London.

As we had a busy touring schedule, we decided to skip the special exhibition included in our tour ticket and instead, headed to lunch at the Swan at the Globe, located adjacent to the theatre.

The Swan at the Globe is a swanky cafe catering to patrons of the theatre. We settled down and ordered two huge Addlestone's Ciders while mulling over the menu.

I ordered a delicious rare roast beef sandwich with a horseradish spread served and with thick chips for my main.

The "Worst Thing I Ever Ate" came before my main dish. It was an appetizer that Dan ordered and enjoyed. I took the smallest nibble and just barely contained myself from puking at the table.

I'm an adventurous eater and I've tried many strange and occasionally terrible foods. However, I've have never tasted anything quite as vile as Pork Cracklins with Apple Sauce.

The worst part was the taste was so strong that I couldn't get it out of my mouth. I gargled with my cider, ate mints, had gum, ate my lunch, had another mint...and the taste still lingered all day. I think that I may have even brought it home with me from the UK.

It's haunting my taste buds!!!!

Book Review- Stephen Tobolowsky's The Dangerous Animals Club

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The funny thing about Stephen Tobolowsky is I bought his collection of personal stories, The Dangerous Animals Club, without having a clue about the author. Yet, as I read his book, I learned that he has been a character actor in so many of my favorite television shows, most notably, Deadwood. Midway through the book, I looked him up on IMDB and I had my light-bulb moment.

As much as I enjoy watching Tobolowsky act, I think that he might be even better as a writer. The Dangerous Animals Club is a broad collection of stories from Tobolowsky's childhood, relationships and career. He even carefully delves into more contentious subjects such as religion and spirituality.

The element of his writing that struck me the most is that he comes across as very humble. He has had a lot of amazing opportunities in his life and he has a lot of great advice to impart, but it's from the angle of an every man. He writes about life and gives advice from his unique perspective, but does it in a manner that is open and accepting that other experiences might shift his perspective. Tobolowsky comes across as possessing a keen sense of self-awareness.

I enjoyed the entire book, but in particular, I really loved reading about Tobolowsky's childhood. I loved the chapter that the title of the book comes from, as Tobolowsky recounts a childhood club that he formed with friends, in which they set out to catch and collect all of the most dangerous animals that lived in their area. It's hilarious and filled with so much wonder and naiveté.

I definitely related to it with similar things that I did in my own childhood. Tobolowsky's characterization of himself as a child is just really funny. He has this persistence and curiosity that keeps pushing him forward, even when the world is telling him no. It's this attitude that served him well as an adult in the entertainment industry.

The Dangerous Animals Club is a wonderful collection of stories and it's really irrelevant if the reader is aware of his acting career. The collection has a broad reach and I imagine that most readers would find it enjoyable. I hope that Tobolowsky doesn't wait too long to write a follow-up book.