Tag Archive | Musical

A Day In London

In this post I’ll describe what the perfect day in London is for me. Opinions differ, of course, and everyone has an individual idea of a ‘perfect day in London’. I got the idea for this blog post last April, when my parents visited London for the very first time. It was one of the most stressful weekends I ever had! We had exactly two days and they wanted to see everything. We went from Finchley to Hampstead to Belsize Park to Camden to Central London, Sloane Square, Westminster, up and down Oxford Street, to the Tower, Shakespeare’s Globe etc etc etc. After I had (barely) survived that weekend, I realised that probably a lot of people make the mistake to stay in London for only one weekend. This is crazy, especially if they’re here for the first time! There are way too many things to see and two days aren’t enough. I called what we did ‘extreme sightseeing’. What’s so extreme about it? Well, go ahead and try to show your friends, parents or whoever almost all the sights in London, but please don’t forget to post pictures of the blisters on your and their feet!

My perfect day would start with a morning in Hampstead. I’d have breakfast (Brioche French Toast!) at Giraffe on Rosslyn Hill (opens at 7.30am), and would then walk to Primrose Hill in the southeast or Hampstead Heath in the north to watch the sunrise over London.

Afterwards I’d go to Camden vintage shopping and looking at all the cute shabby chic things they sell at the market; maybe I’d also try some Asian food and cupcakes.

Photo by turquoisegrrrl

In the afternoon I would take the tube to Central London (Northern line from Camden Town station to Leicester Square, Piccadilly line from Leicester Square to Green Park and then the Jubilee line to Westminster) to do a little sightseeing tour and see the most famous sights in London: The Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, the London Eye, Westminster Abbey, Number 10 (Downing Street) and the Horse Guards Parade. They’re not far away from the tube station, but it’s up to you which of the sights you’d like to see.

Then I’d take the Circle or District line to Sloane Square to have lunch at my favourite pancake house, My Old Dutch, and – if your budget allows it - to go (designer) shopping (either that or Oxford Street..and don’t forget Harrods!!).

In the evening I’d take the tube to the Tower Bridge (London Bridge or Tower Hill station) to watch the sunset. Something which I can’t miss on my perfect London day is a musical! I can recommend Legally Blonde, which I saw last October and which I loooooved. It’s at the Savoy Theatre, so that would be my next stop.

In the late evening/ night I would have some cocktails in the Aqua Spirit Bar on Regents Street (roof terrace!).

Photo by blog.blacktomato.co.uk 

Of course there are millions of other things I love to do in London, but since it’s ‘A Day in London’ post, I can’t include all of them.

I wish everyone a Happy Jubilee weekend!

Willkommen, Bienvenue, Welcome…to Cabaret!

The last time I’ve acted in a stage play (or probably ‘Musical’ is a better word here), was 2 years ago, and ooh, how I’ve missed it! The hurricane of applause you get at the end of each show is worth everything: every tiring rehearsal, every little ‘What am I doing here?!’ thought, every time I got stage fright minutes and seconds before I went on stage with the others. It shows you that all of that was not for nothing and that the audience enjoyed the show. It’s like a huge wave of relief. I don’t play a lead character, which I’m, in fact, glad for, as they are so stressed out before each show that they’re near tears. I’m very happy, costume-wise, because I feel comfortable in my costume and it looks really cool, like some Cabaret girl from the 20s (which is, I guess, what it’s supposed to look like…).

We’re all backstage 3 hours before each show starts to get our hair and make-up done and the last person is ready about 5 minutes before it starts. We’re a team of about 90 people (first and second cast) and you have no idea what happens backstage in those 3 hours. Everyone runs around like a headless chicken, looking for someone or something who/which isn’t there! It’s mayhem, I tell you!

In the words of the ‘conferencier’:

“Willkommen, bienvenue, welcome! Fremder, étranger, stranger. Glücklich zu sehen, je suis enchanté, Happy to see you, bleibe, reste, stay!” xx

Memories of 2011

2011 has been an utterly fantastic year for me. I’ve travelled all over Europe to amazing places and countries like France and Italy, and my little inner Shopaholic definitely got her money’s worth as shopping as something I did every single month of the year. I can look back at an absolutely wonderful and successful 2011 and look forward to a 2012 full of adventures.

January:

I started the year, celebrating on New Year’s Eve with my family in Germany, which means I basically started the year eating. I started writing this blog in January and want to thank you for the 1,610 views it has so far. I also went shopping in Dresden in January. Otherwise it was a bit unspectacular and quiet in Jan.

February:

A friend of me came to London and I went on a sightseeing tour with her, showing her the best places in London for shopping, relaxing etc. We ate sushi on the stairs in Trafalgar Square. I went shopping with a friend, a friend of said friend and the cute son of said friend’s friend. Frozen yogurt. Hampstead Heath. Shopping for a new purse at Lulu Guinness. Camden. Fantastic Victorian history photoshoot near Harrods, with champagne. Meeting Prince Harry. Going to Hamley’s with my friend (she wanted to move there). Primrose Hill walk.

March:

Sitting at the lake near my parents house in Germany and watching frogs. First try to bake cupcakes. Cuddling with my bunny. Drawing. Beautiful sunset in Dresden. Drinking tea at Steigenberger Hotel de Saxe. ..And shopping.

April:

Watching the Royal Wedding on the big screen and crying. Getting a Crystal Heart from Swarovski. Walking in the park. Eating dinner at a sea themed restaurant. And, of course, shopping!

May:

Paris. Marvelling at the art in Montmartre. Having a fantastic view over Paris on top of the Eiffel Tower. Versailles. Walking through the garden of Versailles. Shopping at Louis Vuitton. Buying Karl Lagerfeld coke and seeing a huge replica of my little bottle in the Coca Cola museum. Seeing a wedding in front of the Eiffel Tower. Buying Minnie Mouse ears at the Disney store. Attending the opening of the Abercrombie & Fitch store on the Champs-Élysées (naked guys, yum). Bateaux mouches on the Seine. The Louvre. Eating cake in a tiny little café in a backstreet.

June:

Visiting a friend in Berlin. Hotel Adlon. Bubble Tea in Berlin. Shopping in Dresden. Travelling to Prague. Seeing the Czech ambassador.

July:

Seeing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 in the cinema in London in 3D at 3am after coming back from Germany. Walking through London at 5am. Shopping in Camden and in Harrods. Lola’s cupcakes. In Richmond with the boss. Bubble Tea at Bubbleology in Soho. Lulu Guinness. Berlin Fashion Week. Shopping for hats in Berlin. Walking through the rain. Enjoying the sun in Camden. Gossiping with the boss. Buying my Chanel 2.55 bag.


August:

Travelling with the car through Germany, Austria, Italy and Slovenia to Croatia (over 7 hours!). The mountains in Austria. Small streets in Italy. Sunset in Croatia. The yacht harbour. Eating ice cream every day. Staying at a great villa. Eating weird fish in restaurants. Seeing Jon Bon Jovi on his private yacht. Travelling with the yacht to Venice. Shopping at a shop which sold vintage Chanel in Venice. Pigeons on Piazza san Marco. Drinking a cappuccino in Café Florian on Piazza san Marco and paying 6€ for it. Diving in the sea. Sitting on the beach, enjoying every single minute.

September:

Going to Prague again for research for my book. Drawing fashion sketches. Being at home in my bed.

October:

Picking up cupcakes in West Hampstead, made by Karine of Ohlala Bakery. Shopping in Camden. Legally Blonde, the Musical at the Savoy Theatre. The Luxury Wedding Show at the Saatchi Gallery near Sloane Square. Catwalk. Vivienne Westwood. David Fielden. Candy Anthony. Amazing wedding dresses and cakes. Champagne. New Lulu Guinness bag.

November:

Staying at a hotel in Germany for the weekend. Berlin. Spending a day in Tropical Islands near Berlin. Swimming in the ‘sea’ and the lagoon. Amazing flowers and animals. …And (what else) shopping.

December:

A new nail colour every day. Spending Christmas with my family in Germany. Fireworks. Celebrating the new year with friends. Being overdressed at the New Year’s party. And…SHOPPING!

I wish everyone a Happy New Year 2012!