November 2008 - Rome, Italy

November 8

The plane landed in Rome. The flight consisted of two meals, dinner & breakfast, a movie, Meet Dave, me sleeping, & some turbulence. I got off the plane & went first through Immigration & then to baggage claim, where my parents and I met up with my sister Leslie. This was from 8:37 A.M. - 10 A.M. Italy time. It took ten minutes to find our baggage & to find the shuttle my Mom booked to take us to our hotel, Hotel dei Congressi, located on Shakespeare Street. We arrived & met the head of my Mom's conference, Adesh Jain & his wife. Then all four of us trumped up the staires to room 575. At 10:39 A.M. everyone but me laid down and took a nap for an hour. I took a shower & barely dozed.

At Noon the four of us went to the Metro Roma the subway station about two blocks from our hotel. We paid for 4 all day tickets, which was 16 euros or $18. We rode the blue line to Terimini and ran to the Orange Line. We got off & walked to Vatican City. It was raining so we stopped at the first door in the  wall, which led to a car garage, & asked the guards there it said  the Sistine Chapel was open. One guard was very rude & told us that we should visit the Basillica, St. Peter's instead since the Chapel was closed. We re-traced our steps along the wall to another, smaller, entrace & passed through. We saw a man dressed in a blue cap and poncho looking drapery & asked him if the Chapel was open. He said, "Ci, it closes at 4. It should take you 10 minutes walking to get to the entrance of the Vatican Meuseum, in which the Sisteine Chaple is located.

Yes again we walked along the way we had come & passed through Meseum security at 2:20 PM. It was beautiful walking through the corridors & rooms of artwork kept in the Vatican. There were oiriginal Salvidor Dahli paintnigs & original fresco work along the cielings and original Raphael tapestries.

Two paintings that caught my eye were:

The Salvior Dahli's painting of Jesus suspended in the air. But the viewer of the painting sees a cross even though one is not painted.

&

The Dream of Death. This oil painting depicts a woman lying on a cold concrete slab. The woman herself hovers above her body a look of horror on her face. In the lower left corner the Grim Reaper stands with his mouth open in an O sucking a shrould into his mouth.

Raphael, who I mentioned above, was a Renisance artist who painted graphic and horribly grotesque versions of Bible stories and Parables.

The Sistine Chapel itself is nearly indescriable. Above your head soars the fresco's of Michael Angelo depicting Genesis from "The Creation of the Sun" through "The Betrayal of Eve" and ending with "The Drunkeness of Noah."

On the wall, near the door you enter, is the painting of Jesus' crusifiction that Angelo did 22 years later. The deatil is flawless and beautiful. The painting of Jesus looks as if Jesus is 3D sticking out of the wall even though he isn't.

After the Chapel we exited the museum and ate Gilatto, I had Watermelaon. We walked back around the wall making our way to St. Peter's Basillica. The pillars holding up the courtyard walls are all topped by statues and in the center of the courtyard entrance is a small fountain. We stood in line and entered St. Peter's and viewed Michael Angelo's Pieta, a statue depicting Mary holding Jesus ( I think), it is behind bullet proof glass after a man tried to vandelize it in the 70s with a mallet.

In nooks & crannies are life size statues of the Saints, as well as cherubs. Near the main alter a staircase winds down to the crypt of St. Peter. Above the staircase sits a brass platform that stands on twisted legs about 6 feet tall. The brass & iron used for this were taken from the brass & iron tiles melted down from the pantheon. The alter near St. Peter's grave was taken from the Temple of Minerva from Nerva Forum in ancient Rome.

At the middle of the chapel is Micheal Angelos dome. The dome is beautiful, the art hard to make out from the ground. Near the entrance of the chapel is a red circle which was the place where Roman emperors and kings were crowned by the Pope.

Before we left the Vatican Museum we did look into the Vatican Garden. In the center of the garden is a rotating brass & iron earth that looks as if it's torn. It is supposed to represent the rise of mountains from the Earth's core.

A detail I forgot to add.The driver of our shuttle from the airport said "You are American? OBAMA!" and punched the air with his fist.

October 30 2011 - Tom Baker Signing

I am more than a bit late on this, but forgive me - getting back to the flat last night was bloody hard - due to closures between Hastings and Charring Cross.

But, anyways!  This past weekend was amazing. For those of you who aren't delightfully British (and making fun of me for trying to sound like a Brit) Hastings is a sea-side town.

The beautiful area is well-known for facing France across the English channel, boasting a large history of pillaging and burning raids - which it traded in the heat of the moment with France. Also for other battlerific reasons you should know Hastings.

Anywho, the walk to the Hospice - from the Sea Spray Hotel took about ten to twenty minutes. The air was fresh and the morning was rather warm and pleasant.

However, I would like to say - because it was after all the great T-Bomb I was meeting - I soldiered on ever after the uneven stone sidewalk nearly twisted my ankle into oblivion. But - the thought of Tom Baker made it worth it.

Myself and my three wonderful friends - hereby affectionately referred to by the acronym AES - accompanied me and we arrived a full hour early. That put us at the beginning of the que - which b-dubs always stayed the same length even to the end of the signing.

Now, since Tom has affiliations with the community as well as property in Hastings he donated art, books (signed and unsigned), and D-Who paraphernalia for low prices. I was happy to donate to the Hospice and am now the proud owner of:

1. Who On Earth is Tom Baker? the Autobiography

2. The Boy Who Kicked Pigs

both of which were pre-signed copies. I am super excited.

I have also got a picture of the wonderful Tommy-B signed for S.J.D., as I felt guilty for not printing Charcoal Tom out and getting it signed - and because her original of Tamm and Tommy is going to my dad.

Anyways - taking a picture with him was hilarity.  I shook his hand and we exchanged a greeting. Then the first attempt failed and the camera made a weird noise. Tom and I sat there for a few minutes and then burst into laughter - at which point SNAP went the first photo. Then on cursory - in case that didn't turn out well SNAP for the second

.

I will skip the boring part of waiting in line (although I did wear an outfit that made me think of Elizabeth Sladen R.I.P. Sarah Jane: 

After a lot of aching joints and resigned thoughts toward the rain - although I blame the people behind me for jinxing the clouds - I finally had my big moment with Tommy-B and I am so glad - as a relevant tangent - to have such a fantastic roommate!

go to the next entry to see the moment in scene.

Tom Baker glances up when his agent interacts with the  girl wearing a pink dress. His eyes are bright and a smile splits his features before his brow crinkles in confusion.

"It's all a bit mystical isn't it?"

The girl tilts her head asking, "What is?"

"Weren't you wearing glasses earlier?" Tom asks.

"No, but I've got glasses. I've been wearing contacts the whole time."

There is a brief pause before he reaches forward slowly lifting the drawing of Romana and The Doctor (4) toward him.

The girl stands on the balls of her feet - although the blisters make it painful  - waiting in anticipation. He pulls it closer pausing for a long moment.

"It's very good," he says.

The girl nods. "My friend drew it for me," she says with pride. "I think one of my other friends - Amber - gave you some artwork that the girl who drew the picture made a few years ago."

Tom tilts his head slightly regarding the picture. "Ellen... et enough Ellen's to fill a boat."

The girl doesn't correct him. Before she can speak the agent leans forward - to hurry Tom along - and says, "Who do you want him to make it out for?"

The girl answers, "Richard."

She watches - knowing how great the moment of gifting will be when her dad opens the papers to see To: Richard Cooke Tom Baker written on the drawing.

Then, as he goes to hand it back he turns to his agent, "It's Tamm," he says dreamily.

The picture is handed back and he says, "It's so romantic. I look so chevalier."

The girl beams pleased with the compliments. Then he asks if there is anything else to sign. She pulls out his photograph and asks,

"Can you make this out to Stephanie? The friend who drew the picture?"

He begins writing then pauses. "Is that Stephenie?'

The girl thinks for a bit, "No, it's S.t.e."

"p.h.a.n.i.e," the agent finishes. After the photo is signed she shakes his hand walking back to her friends and waiting near the exit.

~ H.C. 

October 6 2011 - British Broadcast Company (BBC) Tour

This is all the information I learned yesterday - October 6  - when I spent ALL day at the BBC on tour. :-D  

Pretty self explanatory, I'd say! It was so cool. 

SECTION 1: BBC WORLD NEWS

The office for BBC World News is about four years old and located near the White City tube station. There are about 2,000 - 5,000 people staffed for the news broadcasts. This includes journalists, background checkers, travel agents (for free lance journalists who are sent on location at a moments notice with a ready visa and passport), and editors and news directors.

Three-Quarters of the news is Planned News: which are stories that are reserached and put together and the resolution of which are easily predicted. 

---> Theses include: Politics, Coverage of Parades and Marches, Sports, Entertainment, and a few other categories. 

One-Quaeter of the news then is Breaking News: stories that are covered by on-location free lance journalist the outcomes of which are not predictable.

--> This would include: Court Trials, Shootings, Riots, etcetera.

In any case all news stories have their background checked and this includes sifting through Civilian Journalists (the public as large's) input or what they call Public Generated Content.

---> This includes: Photographs, Text Messages, Phone Calls, Tweets, Face Book Statuses, Videos and Sound Bites submitted by the public at large - all of which must be thoroughly checked to make sure information is up to date and that images haven't been digitally remastered through Photoshop or other means.

After all of this is done the BBC can access extra information through their Yearly Subscriptions to other information hubs like ATPN or Eurovision.

Then when all footage is compiled, it's the job of Editors to sit down and put together a broadcast. All information is then put into a system and transmitted to a Rolling Script (teleprompter) which puts one anchor's text in White and the other's in Red. Since the broadcast is pre-taped and Static there are several stepd that are taken beforehand:

---> All cameras - about 7 - are manipulated through a sound board by the Director of the broadcast to catch the anchors in the best lighting and at the right angle.

--> current BBC World News backgrounds are on Green Screen - which means the anchor's always have to look ahead of themselves, they see themselves on a tiny TV screen that viewers of the news can't see. That' show they know when to being.

Fun Fact: BBC World News used to be taped live, but then they had issues with scrambled images - for example an anchor would be seen sitting but also walking around the room at the seam moment.  So They switched to Green Screen.

Now, just in case you're wondering why you should be in awe of newscasters:

They also have an earpiece which allows them to hear every sound, conversation, sip of water, que, etc. happening within the studio and they have to filter all the sound out and only pay attention to the Rolling Script, which I found out - when I got to practice a new cast  (I will post the video on youtube and get you a link) is not an easy thing to do.

ALL BBC broadcasts are funded by public donations. Another reason I have huge respect for the BBC - it is well liked and funded only by the public. Now in current times the offices are moving from White City to Central London - so the place I got to tour may no longer exist in the next couple of years.

SECTION II: WEATHER 

The BBC has 16 meteorologists working there currently - and as individuals each meteorologist runs their part of the broadcast by themselves, using a switchboard to indicate the height of the green screen, the lighting for their skin tone, and the sound.

----> They used to use Blue Screen with the weather but found that Green Screen offers crisper images.

----> Each meteorologists compiles the weather forecast before the taping allowing them - as I said before - to adjust the green screen to their height and the lighting to the skin tone. Also used in news casts is:

Color Separating Overly: These are either blue or green - because the shades of true blue and true green are farthest from the natural skin tones of humans allowing for the effect- when the overlay is used- of a disappearing body (invisibility cloak - Harry Potter) or the illusion of having no head (think Headless Horseman).

----> Instead of being a mirror image (as the new anchors see on their TV screen) Meteorologists see themselves on screen the correct way around so they have to retrain their brains to process that image. So if there are ever technical difficulties with the news cast it's actually a very difficult task to keep going without feeling out of place.

Section III: Television in General

Sets: all sets are made from Plywood and come in ready to make boxes (like when you buy a desk form Ikea). Once the set is assembled hooks are attached to it, each hook has a number which corresponds to a switch board key. Hooks can be manipulated to make it seem as if the set is rocking (like a boat) or to change elevation in the set.

Studios: all studios are completely empty. All the seats you see in shows like Doctor Phil or Opera - for example- slide back into the wall of the studio for storage when they aren't being used. that means there's about 100-300 seats stored within the wall. The studio floor - at BBC- is also painted a different color depending upon what show is being filmed. At the end of filming a Zambodi-like machine comes in and peels all the paint off. Having a smooth surface of paint is important for ease of camera movement. If they didn't put single layers of paint - so if they painted over instead of peeling it away- that cold cause the camera to get caught up and make a bumpy shot.

Lights: All the studios are flooded with cold air during a taping session. This is because the expensive cameras need to stay cool- and if they don't the lenses will crack. But- this is all about lighting. The air conditioning is needed because all the light in a studio run between 2,000-5,000 volts of electricity each. Making the room very hot. But, as I said before, lighting is important, is it mainly due to lighting that sets look glamorous and realistic.

Dressing Rooms: Are unglamorous. The BBC as 70 dressing rooms dating between 1960 (Doctor Who's first year) and 1990s. They are sparsely furnished with a wardrobe, counter tops, mirrors, and chairs. The more glamorous rooms may have sofas

An Example of a dressing room! 

.

Some of the stories we heard about stars requesting things (that you may know):

Paul McCartney wanted a 1970s dressing room and a full of fruit. (this request was granted)

Lady Gaga wanted extra fridges to be put in her dressing rooms to keep her wigs in. (this request was granted)

J-Low wanted puppies to play with before a show because they relax her. (this was denied on basis of protocol for the BBC)

There are also 5 Green Rooms at the BBC Studios we visited which are used as Hospitality Rooms - sometimes for wine/champagne and sandwich parties after a successful filming session. Or if stars request to use them for their personal room.

Fun Fact: I got to see  John Barrowman the actor who played Captain Jack Harkness in Torchwood during a filming of his new show for ITV1 Chris Mollasses' Quiz Night.

Fun Fact 2: I also got to see the Tardis used by the most current Doctor and companions as well as a Dalek that starred on the show, the heads for the Oud, Cyberman, and another creature. As well as other props

.

Also, I took a picture of the ceiling in the BBC - which is now a registered ceiling -which means it can't be destroyed- because the ceiling was what inspired the creation of the Tardis's console room.

So that was my great Journey into the BBC! It was fanstaic. Except the part where David Tennant was there that morning and I missed him .

~ H.C. 

November 5th, 2011 - The Gunpowder Plot & Last Farewells

Today was somewhat disappointing. There were no children on the streets saying "Penny for the  Guy." No large parades. And no bonfires in which effigies were burned. Where did the tradition go? 

I think it sort of died down and it's more of a story tradition rather than a lived out one. But yes, indeed, tonight was the anniversary of the (failiure of) the gunpowder plot. And the weekend that marked some of the last days I am going to spend here before going home.

I have to admit tonight was so worth it. The boat ride on the Thames was a mixture of 40s or 60s style boat cruise - during which - at different parts in the night - girls of our school group were led about by the singer. It was utterly fantastic. 

I had a great time with the family - enjoying our food and wines. Some of the dishes looked beautiful and tasted even more delicious than they sounded. Here are a couple:

I believe this was the chicken Marcella with rice and vegetables. It may have had a white wine sauce. Looking at it reminded me of the winning dishes on Top Chef. 

This was my dish. A succulent and tender lamb in a red wine sauce garnished with mushrooms and rice. It was one of the most delicious lambs I have ever eaten. It was so tender it melted in my mouth.

We enjoyed our food, wines, and the night - especially because we shared it together. Our family sat near each other on the bus as well as sharing a table for dinner.

On the bus ride over to the pier. It almost looks like LN has a halo or that an angle or ghost is hovering over her. I like to think it's a halo.

This is on the bank of the Thames with the London Eye in the background. Yet another photo of me and EJ that is an awesome backwards one!

Waiting for the boat to arrive. LN looked like a 40s airess to some billionaire, AS looked like she could have been from a band and H^2 was adorable like always.

We are now on the river boat cruise. This picture is awesomely taken and we look so cute. Thanks for lending me your belt H^2.

Here we sit, three beautiful and happy ladies. I have to thank H^2 for the ribbon I tied around my waist. And later in the night LN lent me her shawl so I could be Rose from Titanic.

Alright, SD (who lent me her dress) and EJ are so cute in this picture. The crazy angle is all me. I though it would be fun to experiment with the angle - although looking at it now sort of makes me sea sick. 0.0

At some point I got really into a song and was led up to the entertainers stage to dance with him. It was fun and yet I found myself slightly embarassed. 

One minute I'm into the song and clapping in my seat. The next I am up on stage dancing with the entertainer. He was such a sweet and talented person. He made the night fun and enjoyable with his music.

Another person who made the night was the son of Jason - one of the British Professors who taught for the Augie term. Jason's son is a little fashionista hipster. He danced on stage all night while we were on the boat. He had boundless energy and was kind enough to share a dance with me. 

This was at the end of the night, and he was tired but looked happy. He was really sweet and said he wants to be an actor. He definitely has the charisma for it.

We spent some time waiting - for the taxi - at the end of the night. So, being board as we were we took some pretty awesome pictures. LN and I got to be Rose from Titanic. It was the only night that we didn't mind the wind. 

LN - as we stood on the bridge attempting to flag a taxi - said "It's like we can be in Titanic." So, I took a picture of her looking over the river Thames. It works out especially well since her outfit was so retro-old style.

I, too, wanted to look like  Rose from Titanic. Although, the wind picked up a bit. I like the outcome it almost looks like I have wings. I also did the romantic looking back over my shoulder thing.

So, the night started and ended beautifully. And although we never burnt the leaf SD drew a face on and labeled Guy Fawkes, we certainly had a night were remember fondly. 

~ H.C.

November 4th, 2011 - Windsor

Today was fantastic! The hour coache trip ended at the town of Windsor - which is split up into Old Windsor - houses that begin by the non-tidal shores of the Thames and extend to New Windsor - the shops and town that reach up to the Castle and extends to Eton College on the other side of the castle.

The Castle is extensive so it is impossible to get a picture of the entire structure - but this wall contains Curfew Tower as well as the Castles other towers and chimneys.

The structure itself dates back to William the Conqueror who built the oldest part of the Castle -which is Circle Tower - an ovular shaped building which used to house the Governor of Windsor. The steps leading into the Circle Tower are rarely climbed by visitors but you can book a special tour called Capture the Tower - which lets you inside. Circle Tower is now used to house the Royal Family's Archive Collection of manuscripts, photographs, and other memorabilia of the Royal Family. There is a Burning Tree - a tree whose leaves turn bright red - planted at the foot of Circle Tower's hill in memory of Princess Diana of Wales -as well as a beautiful Garden surrounding the Tower.

If you take a close look you will be able to see - that through centuries of constant use and repair that the stone and other materials used in the tower begin to look more modern and new. Windsor - since it is lived in by the Queen is under constant refurbishment.

The red  leaves on the left side of this photograph of Circle Tower belong to the tree planted for Princess Diana of Wales.

The Castle is split into three wards: Lower (the Guard Chambers and St. George's Chapel, Middle: Circle Tower and Upper: The State Rooms and palace. The strategic placement of the Castle at Windsor is a main reason that the town itself goes right up to the Castle Walls in present day. Nobody could attack the villages or the Castle without the Royal Guard knowing and being prepared hours in advance.

You can see how the view from the Castle terrace captures the horizon. Anyone who tried to take the Castle would be unprepared for the onslaught of defensive fire that would come from the Guard and soldiers.

Stretching below the Castle on one side is the town of Eton built around a school that is as old as the Castle. The boys who attend wear tailcoats and dress as people did when the school was first started.

The Castle has  great vantage point and even great sense of tradition. Present in the lower ward is St.George's Cathedral - services taking placing there must always be attended by a member of the Order of the Garter. The Order of Garter began when Richard III - noticing the ridicule a lady faced when her garter fell - picked up the garter and told those around they should be ashamed. He then said - that should another lady meet the same occruance - there should be someone there to restore her honour. 

The Order of the Garter is the highest honour in England. There are branches in all of the United Kingdom extending to:

The Order of the Garter (England and Wales), The Windsor Gauard,  The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle (Scotland) and, although it is non-active - The Most Illustrious Order of St.Patrick (Ireland).

The Windsor Guard was formed and initiated into the Order of the Garter so there would always be a Knight of the Order in attendance at services held in St. George's Chapel. While we were there we got to see a Changing of the Guard - and I learned that the size of the bear skin hat denotes rank. 

The outer parts of the castle hold their wonders and their history but so does the insides. On display - for those who do not walk directly to the State Rooms  is Queen Mary's Doll House. The House was a gift from her cousin Princess Maire Lousie. The house itself is a valuable piece of history - as it was built by architect Sr. John Edwin - to the miniature scale of a  French Chateau. The completion of the house depended on commissioned miniatures of famous art, literature, and decor of the time - and includes complete and miniature copies of literature written by authors of the time. Everything in the house from the lifts, lights, to the cars in the drive can fully function. 

Alongside - in a short gallery - is a display containing the clothes of France and Marianne two dolls given to the Princesses Elizabeth and Margarete Rose. The detail in the stitching and finery of the clothing shows how amazing craftsmanship at the time was. The dolls themselves are on tour in France for the first time since 1938.

Besides these wonderful pieces - on my visit I was able to see Leonardo Davinci originals of his earliest works - he was one of the first painters to capture the portraits of young boys - and it is thought that the work I saw was sketches of one of his proteges. In the Drawing Room - along with those artworks I saw a very good Nude of a crawling man thought to be drawn by one of Rembrandt's proteges after a similar drawing of a solider was done by Rembrandt himself. 

Also in the drawing room at the time of my visit was an exhibit of portraits, photographs, and memorbilia of Prince Philip. 

The great thing about Windsor is that you are encouraged to revisit the Castle as all the displays of art and object are changed each year. 

I really wished I could have gotten a photograph of this:  There was a grasshopper - fashioned from metal and copper - which was a fucntioning whine cooler at the time it was gifted to the Royal Family. It's back - alongside the wings - opens up and inside it's body is the cooler. It was really an amazing piece of metalwork. 

Also in the Castle, is the China collections from all the centuries Windsor has been in use. The most memorable collection included craftsmanship to make the pieces of the sets look as if pineapple leaves and the fruit itself were intertwined in the design.

There is also a china set for which all pieces are painted with individual design. Not one plate or cup in the set is a repeated pattern. 

The State Rooms are through a corridor and up a grand staircase from the China exhibit. They are magnificent and my favorite part of them was the wonderful ebony furniture with gold inlay. My breath was taken away by the sustained beauty and durability of the wood.

A few memorable pieces in the sate rooms were:  The silver desk and dressing mirror. A complete piece of furniture - one of the only remaining ones of its time- made of silver with clawed feet. 

The other beautiful aspect were the three painted ceilings that have survived. One is in a dining room depicting The Gods a feast and all the paintings and decor are of food. 

The other two ceilings depict the wife or mistress  of King Charles II> They are all painted by Virrio a well-known and talented artisan of the time. 

I didn't have time - after spending an hour in the State Rooms - to go down to Eton  College - but I recommend it because there is a lot of history surrounding one of England's oldest colleges. After taking the tour and looking at paintings - I ate a wonderful scone with a pot of Jasmine Tea at the Crooked House:

The house was built next to the guild hall - and over time it just sort of slid over on its foundation and then stayed this way. It is a quaint one-manned cafe with wonderful decor, great food, and a nice ole-time atmosphere.

I highly enjoyed my time in Windsor and hope to go back one day in the future - because I'm interested to see what exhibits they have - since they change the exhibitions every year. It was definitely a great time. 

~ H.C.

Ocotober 28th, 2011 - Brighton!

Today we visited Brighton!

The pier pictured above is the main attraction at Brighton - and is mentioned and featured in the classic novel Brighton Rock. There are several other piers - but the money to rebuild was repealed after one of the pier's owner argued against regeneration of other piers  - which is sad because of the great history that is there.

The town's popularity went up when Prince Regent - who would become King George IV - visited and took up residence in the small fishing town. The piers that remain in Brighton are a direct result of the presence of Aristocrats and the Prince Regent who would hold dance parties on the pier and host large dinner of up to one hundred courses.

Another reason for Brighton's popularity was the sea - and the presence of a doctor who moved out to Brighton to accompany his patients. The sea town became a place where people started to exercise, bath, and get into good health - lose the weight they put on from all the fancy feasting.

It was the combination of both George IV and the Doctor that made Brighton a hot spot. It's a wonderful little town which still boats the palace George IV built. The outside resembled Indian architecture with an inner decor of British-China.

The palace -  outside and in - was built and furnished based upon artist sketches and surmises of the day. Originally it was built to reflect the architecture found in India - but then mixed on the interior is what the English surmised China to look and feel through the decor and what they knew from books written about China - even though at that time no one was allowed to visit China.

The dining room has a giant chandelier hanging from two claws of a dragon. The dining room is right next to the kitchen - an architectural feature never before designed during his time. The kitchen itself has a vaulted roof  and window-chimney at the centre which would allow all the steam from cooking to be sucked up an out. However, the windows can only be opened by going on the roof - on which there are pathways designated for such things.

The great thing about the palace is the use of mirrors to create optical illusions. Many rooms seem larger because of stragtegically placed mirrors - as well as doors seeming to be real but not being real. The entrance gallery - which guests would walk down to get to dinner- also has the feel of being in an outdoor garden. That was the intention of George IV. 

The building of the palace - as well as some other poor choices - however led George IV to lose popularity as he grew older (and wider). The great thing about Brighton is that George IV always said living on the farm - which was the basis for the palace's construction - at least where the farm was located - in Brighton with Mrs. Fitzherbert was the happiest time in his life.

He met the Lady Fitzherbert because she lived in Brighton and was one of the most reputaible, popular, and rich ladies to live in Brighton. Many men tried to court her but found themselves refused. It was only after George IV - then Prince Regent - put on a show of "dying of heartbreak" did the Lady realize he was serious. However, King Richard III - suffering from a horrible blood disease - would not sanctify the marriage - for until George turned 25 he needed his father's permission. 

So in love was he - that George bribed a priest in debtors prison to marry him to Mrs. Fitzherbert - and although they were happily married and live in Brighton together - the King and Country did not recognize the union. So - at the age of 55 - after becoming king and having Mrs. Fitzherbert leave him - after he cheated - George was forced into marriage with Princess Caroline of Germany. 

They married - but he was still Prince Regent. He didn't become King until 55 years old - and by then after his daughter Charlotte was born - he exiled Caroline. One move - aside from his debt - that made him lose favour was not allowing Charlotte into her own coronation.

Aside from that - Brighton was very popular in George's day - and after it the town sort of fell out of favor, yet still remained a place of intrique. 

The shops and surrounding area is quite interesting - since the whole town is built over a river - which runs in the pipes of the city. Before it's poplar days Brighton - the South end of it - was burned and pillaged by the French in their constant revenge burnings with England.

Anyways, it was a very nice place to visit for the weekend and I quit enjoyed my Brighton Rock. 

The cool thing about Brighton Rock is that the name of the candy is all the way through the tubular and sugary snack. There was also a warning that said the colors could cause adverse affects on children - the rainbow colors not the fact it's 100% sugar.

It is worth the time to go to Brighton - and hopefully if you ever visit you'll have more time that a day trip! It's about one and half - two hours from London.

~ H.C.

October 24th, 2011 - The Royal National Theatre Uncovered

Our penultimate Theatre experience was a backstage tour of the Royal National Theatre. The company  was founded in 1963 and originally based at The Old Vic Theatre. However, over time, as the Theatre grew in popularity and content - branching out to include shows that were classical and avante guard - the Company began to look for a property that would afford them with a larger space. 

As with most Theatres pictures were not allowed - as the sets and props are under copyright. However, each of the three stages in The National are worth speaking about because they all offer different experiences to the Producer, Crew, Cast, and Audience. The presence of three main stages is another reason the National Theatre's corner stone was laid three times - each Theatre moving closer and closer to The South Bank of the Thames. 

Now, the Theatre boasts a single location with three main stages. Each provides the actors and audience a different atmosphere and experience. 

The Olivier

The theatre space is the largest seating 1,160 people. The architecture is based upon the outdoor Greek amphitheater in Epidauurus. The seating is not layered - as it is in many theatres which use thrust stages - and is instead fanned out to be exactly 120 degrees. This allows the audience to see the entire House - and from one spot on the fore-ground of the stage the actor can see every single person sitting in the theatre. This affords the audience with a more personal connection to one another and the actors on stage. 

In terms of modern architecture the Olivier's tech booth is hidden behind metal panels in the ceiling - as are all the cat walks for the lighting. The ideas is to cut down exterior distractions so the focus is one hundred percent on stage. In this theatre there is a Drum Revolve - which allows the producers to experiment with sets which can be turned - but unlike the other stages the Olivier revolve has two platform on the revolve allowing for ten tonnes of scenery per platform to be put up and taken down for scene work. This means that scenery change does not distract the audience from the play.

Lyttelton Theatre

In comparison the Lyttelton Theatre can seat 890 people. It is built in the style of  procenium arch. The arch has the capability of moving inwards and being altered depending on the height of the set - which ensures the audience is able to focus on the play within the frame. 

The seats here are more traditionally structured in the level format and are closely set. This makes it slightly cramped when the seats are full. It was in the Lyttelton that we saw The Veil. We were allowed to walk on set and see the amount of detailing it took for the set. 

It was amazing to see the oak tree - the branches for which overhang the house. The leaves on the front of the tree were oak tree leaves - while the other leaves at the back were smaller versions. The set was very haunting - with a web strewn and dust covered mirror. I was awed by the detail in the cloth, furniture, and even the food. 

Cottesloe/Dorfman Theatre

We did not visit this theatre. However, it is the smallest of the three. It is easily adaptable depending on the show being put on there.

All the theatre spaces have room above, behind, below, and to the side where props and sets can be stored. This allows the theatre spaces to put on more than one show at a time and to store each set and the props and costumes for each without trouble.

After going  on the set of The Viel we were taken further backstage. There are two portraits of Laurence Olivier hanging in the backstage and workshop area - so he keeps a watchful eyes on the production teams. Backstage are metal working, wood working, and props building workshops. 

We were allowed to see the place where sets were built. At the time we entered a floor was being built and constructed for a traveling production. On the walls were stretched portions of the walls of a set - which would later need to be stretched again. 

A lot goes on backstage and I really admire the work ethic and creativity that goes into shows. Everyone from Props Designers, to Set Designers, and Producers work to build the set and props and wardrobes we see. There was a props table containing the most pried props of the designers. 

That's when I learned in 2006 they put on His Dark Materials as a stage production. I really want to visit their gallery to view it - so hopefully I can do so before I leave. :-D If not I will have to see if they have it online. But they had Iorek's head and Pantalmion's heads as well as the foxes. Also the crocodile head from Peter Pan and severed hands and the base for chilies. 

All in all I now understand and appreciate theatre in a new way. I am now a more critical theatre goer in all the forms - stage and film. It was well worth the visit. We also got to see the test runs of 13 - a show being put on in the Olivier Theatre - which included the logistics of the black box used to frame all the scenes. Movement of lights and the box were being worked out for the opening night. 

~ H.C.

October 23rd, 2011 - Football at Fullham

Today was utterly fantastic! 

In England they have Football Clubs which include the home pitch, team, and the crazy and exuberant fans! We got tickets - and we paid Peter 10 pounds to go - for Fullham vs. Putnam.

 

Go here to view uploaded footage: http://www.youtube.com/user/LoonyLunarLuna17 

Let me tell you... No words could describe the excitement I felt attending my first professional football (soccer) game. Even though I haven't seriously sat down and learned the intricacies of red cards and professional football rules (I am going to - then I will pick teams (after the 'American Team' and Chicago Fire) to support during football season - I'm thinking of going with Finland, a Scottish Team, and a British Team) but I seriously enjoyed myself.

To impress upon you how serious the safety of everyone it taken - they confiscated the cap off my water bottle  rendering the bottle useless. They wanted to make sure the cap didn't end up as successful and quite painful projectile. There was police control outside and inside the club - luckily nothing dramatic and unnecessary happened.

Taken from my seat. Minus heads in front you can see why I am thrilled these were my seats. Net seats are actually the best because you can see the whole field -which is slightly on an angle.

 

I was decked out in red and black Fullham's colours for the home jerseys. However, I had my silver and blue ( Ravenclaw/Harry Potter) hat and scarf - which meant I was dressed perfectly neutral- for silver and blue are Putnam's colours. 

Myself and H^2 at the end of the game. It truly was  a great day1 We are so happy to be there and to have shared an amazing afternoon at our first professional football game ever!

I was lucky enough (contributed 10 pound I did ) to sit behind the goal (although it was on the Putnam side) during the game. That means I had a perfect view of the whole pitch. 

Now - I have to impress upon you my elation - having played A.Y.S.O. from grade school through senior year of high school - the pure joy and fabulous energy flowing for  myself and the Fullham and Putnam fans. The whole stadium - which was Fullham home pitch (or Fullham Club) was filled to the gills with fans of both teams- some of the more rucous (drunk) fans would stomp feet and chant team slogans and songs. 

The coolest thing about the match... for the fist 46 minutes (one minutes was added to the first half) I got to witness the sheer power and skill of the goalie - decked out in camouflage gear. This was the very same goalie who played for the American 'Team' (as you know (if you follow World Cup - America's team is compiled of athletes from all countries) in last years world cup. Not only did he save goals but he had an extrodinary leg- able to kick the ball in a controlled spin or roll it in with a blast of his arm to the right player. 

Here is Camo-Man - the goalie for Putnam. He made a fantastic save  in the second half when he tipped the ball out of  the goal. He played for the American Team in the World Cup recently.

This is a second half  picture - but I made a  joke to H^2 that he was like a beacon. I nicknamed him  'The Green Beacon' . He made really good saves as well, allowing for  the game to be tied in the first half.

Well Camo-Goalie and Green Beacon are apart of pretty well-matched teams - except that Fullham was ground into the dirt by Putnam. Putnam scored the fastest goal I've ever seen (and I watch plenty of Football in Spanish while muted and during the Cup to know) bringing the score to 1:0 well under the twenty possibly even ten minute mark.  

The action accelerated from there with much screaming and angry exclamations from me when obvious fouls and trips were not called or dealt with. However, even though an additional three minutes was added to the second half Putnam still managed to score two goals within the last minutes of the second half making the game enjoyable and the crowd go crazy with glee (Putnam (and myself for seeing such a great match played by them) and sorrow (for Fullham (and myself for seeing a team lose on their home pitch).

I have to say I was pleased with the match and the atmosphere and the sunny weather. It was the best first football match I could have dreamed of. Yet another first in London that fuels my love for England and Europe. 

Also I highly recommend you get tickets (even if they aren't net seats) for a game when you're in England. Even if you aren't an enthusiast the game itself it a great way to experience culture and get in a fun and amusing day. 

~ H.C.