London 2024 Day Six

Today was the big finish. I hadn't had proper fish and chips so we let The Champion make our lunch. Again the dishes were wonderful and my fish and chips were as the should be. We learn as we go through life, and I have learned that I like skinny French fries better than English chips.

Annie went to a movie and Kris and I took the good ol' 94 bus to Piccadilly Circus and the Prince of Wales Theatre for an energy-filled performance of the Book of Mormon. It was wonderful and we enjoyed it very much. Great voices, skillful dancing, and an engaging production. And, yet again, I had all the feels during the finale.

We are now home to pack for a 7:00 a.m. departure from our flat. So there isn't likely to be anything more in this series. It has been a good trip, but it is a little discouraging to be missing the energy and agility we had as youngsters. There is no more dashing, hustling, or running all day long and into the evening. That ship has sailed.

Lunch at The Champion

These were good!

Early afternoon at Piccadilly Circus: gray and red

The Prince of Wales is a posh Art-Deco era venue

Lots of familiar iconography

A tip of the hat to temples

Not every detail was perfect but these writers knew their stuff

The Prince of Wales Theatre on Coventry Street

Darkness had settled in at Piccadilly Circus

A Regents Street kaleidoscope

Old-age pensioners on the bus home

This is all for now. There will be a regular post at the beginning of January with Christmas stuff.

OXO

D.

London 2024 Day Five

Today was beautiful but a bit cooler. We made our way to the West End for lunch at Fallow, a place that specializes in local stuff and unusual combinations. The highlight for me were the mussels with a slice of bread in the bottom to soak up all the delicious juices. They were heavenly! After lunch we wandered the West End on our way to the Fortune Theatre for a matinee of Operation Mincemeat the 2024 winner of the Olivier for the best new musical. It was delightful with a tiny cast: two men and three women who played alternating male and female roles. The finale gave me feels again (frisson over and over). Home by way of Kingsway and Holborn on the Central Line for a lovely charcuterie spread provided by Annie.

94 to Piccadilly Circus

Mussels: drool

Leicester Square

Covent Garden

To Twismas

Fortune Theatre with no mice, Ringers

Who needs to move their legs anyway? Not even a

millimeter of leg room

Blue because...

...the stage was bathed in blue light during intermission

Finale

Christmas on Kingsway -- rushing to the Holborn Station

Tomorrow is our last day in London. Fish and chips for sure and a matinee of the Book of Mormon.

OXO

D.

London 2024 Day Four

Today's adventure took us to the east end of the East End, to Shoreditch for a visit to the Geffrye Museum (rebranded Museum of the Home). It has always been one of our favorite Christmas stops in London. Housed in an old Alms House, it contains a series of period rooms decorated as they might have been back in the day. 

We made a quick stop for an egg/mayo sandwich at Pret, where many years ago Katy Kathryn created a list of things I am passionate about. One of those things is food. Leaving the Central Line at the Queensway Station, we had a wander on our way back to the flat. There we waited anxiously for our dinner reservation at famous Ffiona's restaurant. It lived up to its hype, and as a bonus we spent a good part of the evening chatting with Ffiona herself. It was delicious and delightful. Now I am listening to the rain on the skylight as I type.

Liverpool Street Station on a blustery morning

Bishopsgate is all grown up

The Geffrye Museum

Hoovers!

Media players of all sorts

1500s

1600s

Early Georgian era

Jane Austen's Regency era

It was the Victorians who really got the ball rolling

Small, Irish-emigrant flat from the 20th century

A working-class flat from the late 70s when we first 

came to England

Egg and cress, not everyone's cup of tea,

but I love 'em

Katy's scrapbook photo from 2007

Same place 2024: still passionate about food

even though they have changed the sign

Queensway

The Bayswater Station abides

Strangely, I no longer feel like I belong here

The Champion where we had a delicious meal last night

Tonight's unassuming little venue for dinner

Ffiona and Annie

Kris's lamb

My cod

The Churchill Arms on Church Street is an Instagrammer's

Mecca -- seen on our walk home from dinner

Tomorrow will be great: Annie has reserved a wonderful lunch for us, and we have tickets for Operation Mincemeat at the Fortune Theatre.

OXO

D.

London 2024 Day Three

We did a little hunting and gathering on Kensington High Street and then took a 52 bus to Sainsbury's Ladbroke Grove to finish our purchases. Midday we met Annie back at the flat where we cooled our heels before going out for a late lunch/early dinner at the Champion, the pub on the next corner. They provided and excellent meal in a cozy setting. I headed out on my own to see the lights made so famous on Instagram and Reels. They were impressive, but mobbed by social media influencers looking for more clicks. Don't you dare lump me with them! For me it's different: I'm a historian. You can see the difference, right? Good. I thought you would.

St. Mary Abbots: Kensington Church

Number 52 to Sainsbury's headed up Ladbroke Grove

Dinner at the Champion (photo: Annie)

Bangers and mash -- those little pea shoots are delicious

On the Queensway Tube elevator: made me chuckle

Fortnum and Mason pulled out all the stops!

The theme is a bit obscure: Extraordinary Christmas

Critters doing stuff

Very imaginative, buy not so Christmassy

Burlington Arcade 

New Bond Street lights celebrating perfume purchase

Cartier with a space theme

Dior went under the sea

More tomorrow.

OXO

D.