Today was a busy day of running errands--I ran around town trying to get ingredients for a traditional American Thanksgiving! I am really excited to cook my first Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow (as a special thank you to Fran and Justin for all of their hospitality)--with hopefully not too many changes on the classic. Holiday post with pictures to come!
The weather has gotten really darn cold--we expect snow any day now (I am just dreaming of waking up to a snow day...). On top of that, I'm shopping for the move into my new place! I am moving this weekend, and I couldn't be more excited. Today I visited the famous Argos to buy a duvet and pillows, and on Friday I am planning my IKEA trip (cinnamon rolls.....). With so many errands to run and stuff to plan for, I haven't had a lot of time to go out and explore the city. I had a great trip to Cambridge this weekend, and yesterday I finally got out and back in London.
I visited Camden, home of the
Roundhouse Theatre and the famous Camden Markets. Camden has been home to London's alternative scene for decades, and it does not disappoint. It does cater more to the tourist scene, in my opinion, but if you look close enough you can still spot the locals. I remember visiting 3 years ago with my dad and being blown away by the scope of the marketplace. Let me clarify: there isn't just one market in Camden, there are many.
While the high street and the "official" camden market are home to the kitschy shops--the ones that cater to the hipsters, the posers, and the douches, there are a number of other markets that are quite interesting. My personal favorite is the Stables Market, which has a large array of vintage shops and delicious food stalls. When you step inside, its kind of like stepping back in time. Everything is a little off-kilter, a little alternative, a little strange. But they don't live in the past--its still a current and vibrant place. It could be a parody of itself, but it's just cool enough to not be.
For those who love the look of Urban Outfitters, or Stripe downtown, you can find the looks here for a 1/3 of the price. When shopping for dresses, though, beware. Most of them are "one size fits all" and therefore they don't fit anyone exactly right. You need to visit a stall or store with a changing room and try it on. 10 pounds may seem like a good deal, until you realize it looks like crap on.
Do visit the
Chin-Chin Laboratorists: "Europe's 1st liquid-nitrogen Ice Cream Parlour." Science? Ice Cream? Count me in! It's really fun to watch them work, even if you don't want to shell out 4 pounds for a tiny cup of ice cream. It was so cold, I just got a coffee. Perk: instead of sitting on a bench or chair, you can sit on a swing at this establishment.
To sum up: Camden Market (Stables, particularly) are a great stop on your London tour. Oh, yeah, there's also an Odeon Cinema there, where I saw Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1. Let me tell you...it was the best HP movie in my opinion. Way better than any of the others. Although I am not a fan of the Odeon Cinema chain. For one, if you want a seat where you don't crane your neck to look at the screen, you have to pay for a "premiere" seat instead of a regular. And they enforce it too. Second, instead of playing the local ads and commercials while we waited, when the movie 'started' we got 15 minutes of ads before 15 minutes of previews. the movie started a 1/2 hour later than listed. Ridiculous.
But Harry Potter? Awesome. Walking down Shaftesbury Avenue myself today? Double Awesome.
Hope you all have a very Happy Thanksgiving tomorrow. I know a lot of you are scattered across the country, or globe, at the moment, but I hope you can keep in touch with your family. Personally, I am loving Skype.
xoxo,
Antonia
Market madness! Fun!
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