08 June 2012

London and Home...and the End

So on May 10 I went to London for my last week in Europe. I stayed with my generous friend and her roommate for FREE near King's Cross/St. Pancras (you know, Platform 9 3/4). It was great, fantastic, and I cannot WAIT to go back.

Covent Garden! Awesome place. Like my hat?
Two iconic London sights. The Tube and the Black Cab.
I tried to get him to laugh but he didn't even blink!
Just a BEAUTIFUL day sitting in St. James Park near the  Duck Island.
Kaitlin and I had our own lovely day sitting at the park. 


IT'S THE HARRY POTTER BRIDGE AND I CROSSED IT. No wizard sightings.
The often misnamed Tower Bridge as seen from Tower of London. 

It wouldn't be complete without a visit to Twinings. Which I happened to stumble across. 

I love Pret. Love.  

That's right! Top of the bus!

I'd hoped my dress-like-a-witch-trying-to-dress-like-a-muggle disguise would work but it didn't.  :(

Cue hyperventilation. This is THE DESK that Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility were written on. WHOA.
Me outside Jane Austen's kitchen. 
I actually went to the Jane Austen House and Museum for a writing workshop about food! I turned out some pretty good stuff and also got to write while sitting in Jane's kitchen. SO EPIC AND LIFE CHANGING.
Maybe my favorite photo. 


 Well, on May 17 at approximately 2pm I landed in Chicago after a lovely flight in which I watched "Alfred Knobs", "Jane Eyre" (the Michael Fassbender one), and "The Descendents". I actually like transatlantic flights b/c of all the movie watching. Maybe like is a strong word.

I've grown. I feel different. And I like it - it's not just a matter of maturity, it's a matter of becoming more of ME! The person I am meant to become. I've met AWESOME people* who have impacted me so much, people that have helped me learn more about me, put up with me, and simply been there in my darkest hours. Travel and losing my dad and not seeing my friends or family for almost nine months has been...life changing.

Radically.

And so my dear beloved readers, after just over 100 posts, and 260 days, and I've no idea how many photos, and six countries.....it's the End.

It's been amazing. AMAZING. And ridiculous and tough and heart wrenching and challenging...

And it's not over! Well this part is - but the trick of life you learn while traveling, the trick of living each day consciously and refusing to just struggle through and slug on? That will continue. And there will be LOTS of baking involved.

So check me out in a few weeks at girlpenspoon.wordpress.com. Right now there's not much to see. Just a template. I'm working on it!

Baci per sempre,

Mari

*Special shout out to my Rhomers -especially Natalie and Megan and Caitlin, Mas de Madelena, Sebastian, Sam, Sara from Poland, Brie from Santorini, my MICers -especially Emma, and everyone else!

KY Derby via Ireland

See those things on the left...those are Chocolate Earl Grey with  Cream Cheese Icing Cake Balls...

Any Derby Party has to have Bourbon....Lots of Bourbon. 

The only other chica to where a hat! The beautiful (French) Raphaelle.

Arnaud had a hat too. Not sure where he got it. I think he was sharing it...

I think my KY Derby part Italian style was quite the success. Not many pics, not good quality at all, but an awesomely awesome time getting to share a piece of my culture with my sweet European friends.

I served:

Chocolate Earl Grey Tea Cake Balls
Chicken Nuggets and Southern Fried Chicken Goujons with Mango Chutney and BBQ Sauce
Sweet Baby Corn
Carrots
Low fat hummus and sweet chili hummus
Strawberries and grapes
A shot of bourbon with mixer

It was awesome!

Baci,
Mari

PS Congrats to I'll Have Another on the Derby and Preakness win and good luck with the stud farm!