Stourhead, Winchester Cathedral and Porchester Castle

Wednesday was another one of our excursion days! It was so lovely everythime we go I fall more in love with the English Countryside. It's honestly so much more beautiful than the pictures could ever show. As we were walking I was just taking it all in a breathing deep and smiling so big because I just feel so lucky to have the chance to see these exquisite places. It looks like the perfect postcard no matter where you look. Stourhead was my favorite if the day. That is where they filmed Mr. Darcy's proposal scene from Pride and Predjudice. I sat on the very same steps that he proposed on! It was really the most lovely and peaceful place we have visited yet! I was definitely one of my favorites! I had several of those moments where I had to stop and check to see if I was dreaming.

 After Stourhead we went to Winchester Cathedral and Great Hall. While walking in the cathedral I heard a little boy say to his mother " Mum- how large a feather duster you suppose the need for a ceiling like that?" It was the cutest thing ever! I live these adorable little British kids. At church I teach Primary Sunbeams and CTR 6 and 7 so I have the 5-7 year old little ones and they are so so so delightful. I'm going to bring the biscuits to church this week because of their good behavior last week! 

So after Winchester we went to Porchester Castle. I was so fun to walk around and explore here because I could just imagine the medieval princess walking through the courtyard where I stood in her dress and jewels to stand in her tower and look at the view of the English Channel- I only have one question. Back then it was a good thing to be fluffy and with that many steps how did anyone stay fluffy? Walking those everyday through the castle is the fast track to buns-o-steel.

 So all in all it was the most marvelous day to spend in the most splendid places!

Mr. Darcy proposed right there where I am siting!

(Like my hat Grandma? :))

We'll always remember Heath...

SO this post is a bit old but I just got the picture and thought it'd be a good one to add. Last Thursday in remembrance of  His Gorgeousness Heath Ledger we had a "Heath Remembrance Movie Night" and we watched 10 Things I Hate About You and we all dressed in black and said a few words. May we always remember our favorite cowboy, joker and knight in shining armor. 

Jack the Ripper...

Tuesday night a group of 25 of us went on a Jack the Ripper Tour. We had it recommend to us from several people but ummm NO that was a BAD IDEA! We walked all over the city to the locations of The Rippers victims deaths and the tour guide told us the details of the murders and showed us pictures!!! I'm sure you can guess that I completely absolutely did not prefer this! It was much much to scary and creepy for me. It was totally gross and made my stomach upset. Then we got to come home to our old creeky and now much creepier house and try to sleep. YA RIGHT! No more Jack the Ripper bedtime stories please...

National Gallery

On Monday we visited the National Gallery. This s one of my favorite places in London! It's at the center of Trafalgars Square and totally free to go and explore! I think it's awesome that its all free, so that anyone can go see and experience this amazing art. I wish there was this kind of support and promotion of the fine arts in our own culture at home; Pissarro instead of Playstation ya know?! It was so wonderful to see lots of children on school field trips too! Can you imagine seeing these world renowned works of art before you can pronounce the name of the artist! The gallery gigantic too! I could spend hours there. There is painting from 1250 to the early 1900's. 

My favorite section was the 19th century Impressionist's. Degras, Renior, Manet, Cezanne, and of course Monet were all on display.  I LOVE  how the style of this seemingly hurried technique leaves a little bit to your own imagination in an abstract sense and I just love the tranquillity of them, depite the bright colors. It amazing to me how the color each has its own role but all blends together. Monets Water Lilly Pond was my favorite of the day! Here are a few pictures of other ones I loved.

This is Monet's Water Lilly Pond
This is Monet's "The Thames below Westminster" my other favorite.
This is Pissarro's " The Boulevard Montmartre at Night"This is Monet's " The Beach at Trouville"

In Front of the Gallery at Trafalgars Square!

Trent look at my jacket! I thought of you when I bought it. The next day I was wearing it and a dark navy and black sweater and my makeup all smoky and had my hair all done like the way you cut it and a girl walked up to me and wanted a picture with me because she said " ohh you're Little J on  Gossip Girl in America right? I watch your show online all the time!" haha love you for being my favorite personal stylist

What I went through for this stupid picture! I went to snap one and as soon as I did the inebriated homeless man that drew it literally  jumps in front of me close enough to smell his rank breath and throws his arms up and screams " STOP IT NOWWWW!" I was like oh my gosh ok sorry and Sarah and I ran away! The irony is that it says " all you need is love...". When I got home and talked to the other girls I found out that I wasn't the first one that he did that to haha! People here are nutty sometimes.

Jenna, Sarah, Me and Lizzie!

Appletree Boutique

All of the  shopping  here in London is amazing! It's getting me really excited for "fashion week" here in March! So far I have  a few favorites; Liberty, River Island, Harrods and Selfridges are a few but I think my favorite so far is a cute little boutique right next door to the Hummingbird Bakery and it is the most darling place I've ever seen. I've already been there four times! It really is just delightful...

Wicked

Friday night was a girls night out and we went to see Wicked!  It was totally fun to see a show that I love with a little bit of a british twist. They switched up a few lines and lyrics here and there but over all it was the same show that I love! It was fun going to Sarah and Kate because neither of them had ever seen it so it was all brand new for them!! Perhaps the best part of the night was when we were on our way home and saw the actor that played Fieryo ( the very attractive male lead!!!) on the tube!! We jumped on the same train that he did and all three of us got SO giggly and giddy. He was totally adorable and we talked to him told him how we loved the show and took pictures with him! It was the greatest end to a magical evening.

On Wednesday we visited Stone Henge and Bath. Bath was the most lovely and charming little towne I've ever seen. It was the setting for many of Jane Austen's books. It had dainty little cottages and a giant park in the center of towne that had a small river flowing through it. There were also lots of really buildings around the park. The main draw to the little towne of bath are the ancient Roman Bath's built around the natural hot springs in Bath. When Britain was under Roman rule in the 1300's people came to bath as a sort of 12th century day spa. Then we were off to Stone Henge. I really loved seeing this world famous landmark. But there's not much to do except look at it; so us girls turned it into our own personal photo shoot!

Me and Abby

Sarah, Jenna, Me and Abby

Sarah and Me

Me and Jenna

Chels and Me

Me and Lizzie

Pictures from Bath