Shayne's Day #25: The one with the L.O.L.'s

As coined by a lovely chap from a pub last weekend, Margaret and I are now the, "Ladies of Leisure." We find this title absolutely hilarious and I almost made us T-Shirts. However, I figured that if I can't find a store that sells door stops or shower curtain liners, a custom silkscreening shop might be pretty tricky to locate. T-shirts or not, we know that we will each be working soon enough, and until D-Day, have committed to embracing the L.O.L status.

So, Friday was our first official outing as Ladies of Leisure. We discussed various activities that typical L.O.L.'s would deem appropriate and finally settled on a jaunt through an art museum and lunch at Harrods. Fitting right! We met at the tube station and walked over to Trafalgar Square toward the Portrait Gallery. On the way we spotted the National Museum of Art and decided to peak in for a bit. We went through room after room of beautiful, classic art from the 1300-1700's. The coolest piece (by a landslide) was painted by an artist named Hans Holbein. Ok, when you look at this link, study the painting from the front. Then, turn and look at it again from the far right side of your computer. Can you find the hidden skull? It was amazing to see it in real life! Now, you all know that I am a true art lover, but after 30 rooms of very old and classic creations, I am ready for a little zest...cue Monet! The L.O.L.'s headed into the Impressionist wing and ooo'd and ahhhhh'd at paintings by Degas, Cezanne, Monet, and Van Gogh. I can't wait to go back and share it with Jake! He loves him some Van Gogh!

We left the National Museum of Art and walked over to the Portrait Gallery. My prediction: portraits. I was envisioning rows and rows of historical people painted as if they were posed for an elementary school photo - you can 'picture' it :) I was wrong. What we found was room after room of 12th century alter pieces. These were beautiful displays of religious art and, I guess technically, portraits. However, not what I was expecting. I was thinking that, if I were in charge, I would have named the museum, 'The Religious Art Gallery.' Finally Margaret whispered, "Do you think we are in the wrong museum?" Let me tell you - not only were we in the WRONG museum, but we were in the SAME museum where we started! We literally never left the National Museum of Art - we just went into a different entrance. Margaret asked, "What made you think this was the Portrait Gallery?" I explained that there was a portrait of someone on a banner outside. So, we went out front and, sure enough, the portrait was hanging there, but it had a HUGE sign that said, "The National Museum of Art." Maybe this Lady of Leisure should learn to read!

So, after a few laughs we journeyed on. We wandered through Hyde Park, past the front of Buckingham Palace, and through the city.

*Margaret and I outside of Buckingham Palace

We ended at...drumroll please....HARRODS! My eyes were the size of golfballs as we walked through the accessory section (and by section, I mean entire floor). There was a man in the middle of the headbands and scarfs actually whittling a goat out of a block of wood...in a department store! Amazing. We ended up in the food section. WOW! This was no ordinary food court people. This was a museum of food, a cornucopia of flavors, a trip around the world of dining! I am not kidding - there was an oyster and champagne bar! A fromagerie that had cheeses the size of top hats! A child's fantasy of candy and ice cream! I was BLOWN away!

*One of the many eye-popping displays!

We settled on a dim sum lunch and shared a fixed-menu option with the intention of saving room for ice cream. We had jasmine tea that came with a blossom in the bottom of the glass. It almost looked like the top of a saguaro cactus. As it heated up - the little blossom opened and steeped the tea. After a delicious lunch we ventured over to the ice cream bar. Margaret made the comical observation that, although the bar was PACKED and there were people FIGHTING for a spot, not one single person was a child. It was like the adults of London came to live out their ice cream fantasies. So, in the middle of the afternoon, we shared a little piece of ice cream heaven: 3 scoops, oozing chocolate, macadamia nuts, whipped cream - this thing was the size of my head...the strawberries taste like strawberries, the schnozberries taste like schnozberries! (Willie Wonka anyone?). It was the icing on the cake! The Ladies of Leisure did it right. What a memory!

*The Saguaro blossom/Jasmine tea

*The star of the show!

*What a Friday!

After our afternoon on the town I went to meet up with Jake and a few friends from EY. I got there early and went to explore a beautiful cathedral down the road from the pub.

*No matter how many I see, they are all equally impressive.

When we got to the pub Jake asked, "Beer or wine?" I said, "Red wine please." If you could have seen the looks I got from everyone in the group! I couldn't figure out what crazy phopaux I committed. A LOT of people drink wine in pubs - I've seen them! Erin said to me, "You know you are at, like, the best beer bar in all of London right?" HA! No clue - so I quickly changed my order and we proceeded to enjoy the evening. Highlight - when we were looking through the menu at the hundreds and hundreds of beer options and there - right in the middle - was a page dedicated to Oggi's Wheat! So, after a massive freak out from all of the San Diego folk, Jake Plummer casually added, "I think they also offer the cheesy Oggi's stix here." Classic.

*Jake, Lou, and Jake P. paying tribute to Oggi's.

Lessons Learned: 1) Before walking into a museum, read the sign out frong, 2) Being a L.O.L has its perks, 3) Just when you think you are far from home, Oggi's comes back into your life.