London Day 2,3 - Boxing Day, Doctor Who Exhibition, Portabello, Phantom

[aimeekitty]

Due to being jetlagged, Mitch and I both woke completely up at 4 am. The TV on was lame so we read guidebooks until about 6:30 or 7 am and then we figured, what the heck, lets do Boxing Day shopping since nothing else is open at this ungodly hour! We took a scenic route to Regent St. as the sun came up.

This image needs some Claire de Lune with it, don't you think?




I shopped briefly in Topshop, but it was so crowded and the racks so messy that I was just "BAH" and we left to go to Westminster Abbey, etc. Mitch figured out a neat route to it, so we passed the Royal Airforce Memorial and got a good view of the London Eye.


Which meant of course that I had to get my obligatory "looks like that shot in Doctor Who" photo.


Then we walked up to Parliament, Big Ben and Westminster Abbey.








... and again I had to get a Doctor Who photo. Too bad it wasn't night and we didn't have a 3rd to our party to really scare the muggles and run across the bridge with me. XD




Westminster Abbey, which was imposingly beautiful. It was HUGE. We enjoyed the Jeremy Irons audio tour. XD






Then we walked by the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Natural History Museum which were being hit by this beautiful afternoon light, but weren't open on Boxing Day.
I love the V&A's building. It's so dirty though, but somehow that's a bit charming. It has lots of chunks taken out of it from the War, too... which I think gives it more character.










Natural History Museum (which had an icerink set up)


OH NOES! It's a phone box! We must be tourists!






Let's just say I didn't think it said Locks.








Harrod's the famous DEPT. store. Also not open, but lovely.


I laughed to myself everytime the PA said cockfosters.


We went to Porters for dinner and it was OMG delicious. I had shepherd's pie and Mitch had some sort of pasty pie. With chips of course.


Mitch had black currant icecream and I had Spotted Dick for pudding. I loved the Spotted Dick. Seriously. It's a warm spongecake with sultanas (kinda like currants?) and lots of hot custard. GUH. CUSTARD. Plus I had to try it because it's called Spotted Dick. and I'm a five year old.



London Day 3 - Doctor Who Exhibition, Portobello Road, Phantom

First we went to Earl's Court Doctor Who Exhibition. They had WAY more stuff there than I expected. I was so happy that they extended the exhibition so that we could see it!

If you want to see more closeup photos of the costumes then please see this other post (you'll have to join the com)

Otherwise, on to the silly photos!

OH NOES. AUTONS.


way too pleased.


Why hello thar, FACE OF BOE!


Mitch made inappropriate Jack comments, as I'm sure you can guess.


I thought it was kinda awesome to see some of the non-costume props up close and see how they did a cool effect with something very simple. Case in point... Cassandra's base just had some clear plastic (like food plastic wrap) melted over it to give it that really manky look. Very clever.


Go back to your HOME!


I had no idea they had series 4 stuff at the exhibition! Mitch and I were both really impressed by the huge amount of stuff they had on display. Seriously awesome. They even had escape pods and pods from The Impossible Planet. Like a WHOLE POD. XD~ KLAJLKAJLK I love seeing stuff like this up close and seeing all the paint marks and how they did stuff.

I was completely squeeing over the Silence in the Library computer. XD


Is that you, Proper Dave?


ZOMG Miss Hartigan's red dress of DOOM


Then we left through the Earl's Court exit and tried to find the last remaining blue callbox TARDIS. But on first walk, we couldn't find it. It was upon turning around and walking back the other way to the station that we saw it. It was completely obscured by a bunch of crap!


awww... Hello real TARDIS-thingie, you.


Then we went to Portabello Road, at which point, quietly, to myself, I sung the Portabello Road song. Sadly, however, Portabello Road was a little too much Garment District in LA. Very tourist-ified. Everyone had the same shlock, mostly. Or maybe I just didn't know where to look. (I didn't have that much patience for it just then.)


I did see a few cute vintage stores but they were crowded and I was confused by the sizes, so I just kinda went "BAH" about the whole thing and we went to go get some food. We treked up this hill to a place that was recommended online, Windsor Castle Pub. Which was cute... but probably not worth the trek. :\ My feet were hurting though and sitting down was good!


We then went to Forbidden Planet to kill some time till dinner.... and I saw my book for sale, which is still kinda awesome.


I caved and bought some (heavy) Doctor Who books.


Then across the street, I saw some blue flashy lights, and as we all know, I can't not look at flashy stuff... we took a closer look and it seemed to be a really good Indian restaurant, and we'd yet to have Indian in London! It was called Punjab. Apparently London's oldest northern Indian restuarant. the bldg was 300 years old...
THE FOOD WAS WONDERFUL.
OH
MY
GOD.
Best samosas and Chicken Korma, etc, etc, I've ever had.


Then we went to Phantom of the Opera in the theatre where it originally premiered. (how cool is that.) The Phantom and Christine were really impressive. The Phantom did some very interesting finger/hand gesture acting and added a really interesting kind of insane quality to his performance. Fun! I think I prefered the performance I saw in LA a few years ago, but maybe that's just because it was the first time I saw it. It was great, though. I loved seeing the masquerade costumes closer up, especially. We had pretty great seats courtesy of Mitch's dad.




sneaky intermission photo

Comments

[padawansguide.livejournal.com]

Gorgeous photos of the buildings and scenery. I like the one of Big Ben especially. I've never been to England before but I've always wanted to go!

And I didn't think that sign said "Locks" either when I looked it at first! :-)

I love how much of a Dr. Who nerd you are! So fun! :-)

[shigatsuhana.livejournal.com]

Ooh! I'm so glad you had a good time. Looks like some of the exhibits changed in the Dr. Who exhibit since I went back in July.

Sultanas are more like raisins or dates. I don't like Spotted Dick because it's too sweet and because I don't really like sultanas. LOL!

I used to live near Cockfosters station. It never struck me as funny, but maybe I don't have a 5 year old mind. ;) I find the signs that say "Watch for humps" or "Humps in the road" much funnier. LOL!

[melnay13.livejournal.com]

Sounds like you had a wonderful time:) Were there any other Americans at the Doctor Who exhibits?

Did you point out to any salesman that you were the author?

[aimeekitty.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure if there were Americans there or not, you cant really tell much unless you talk to someone, right? I dunno!

nah, I wouldn't point it out to a salesman. I'd be embarrassed!

[sakurae.livejournal.com]

LOL You would think it's not "Lock" but some other word. So Hilarious! Great pictures, ah totally makes me want to go back! XD Next trip maybe!

[tacohime.livejournal.com]

Hahaha, I forgot all about Cockfosters!

[kemica.livejournal.com]

I really hope I can finally get to go to London. Dan and I have planned for it three times now and every time something comes up and we have to cancel. D:

We're so close to it being in Denmark, and we have many friends we can visit there. Gah I hope we can go soon!
*starts packing* ToT

You really make it look so exciting with your photos and comments. Thanks for sharing! Did you try Jaffa cakes or Irn Bru?

Oh... and you're probably not the only one to read that Locks & Handles sign wrong.

[aimeekitty.livejournal.com]

definitely tried multiple Jaffa cakes and other stuff we dont have here. :) :)

you should go! No excuse!

[kemica.livejournal.com]

Yeah I will. Just as soon as we're able.
I did spend a few hours at the airport there and had some really good (but really horrible and greasy at the same time) bagels. X3

[rory-aka-spike.livejournal.com]

glad you got to see the Dr Who Exhibition ^_^ and if you ever want a good spotted dick receipe let me know, its a original farmhouse suet sponge and currant one and yummy... and home made is always the best.

[ashbet]

OMG SQUEEEEEE DOCTOR WHO GOODNESS!!!! *happywibbling*

(Color me sufficiently jealous, I've never seen that exhibit!)

*bouncyhugs* It looks like you had a GRAND time - and I am loving all the pictures!

-- A :D

[luv-blindly.livejournal.com]

Westminster Abbey is absolutely gorgeous--I think that was my favorite spot on my first trip there. (I so need to get back). Sounds like you had some great fun over there!

These pictures sort of make me want to go back over there now! XD

[lberghol.livejournal.com]

WHEEE! I am LOVING your trip report! It makes me want to go back to London SO BAD (last time I was there I was just a wee bitty teen aged thing, so I think I'd get so much more out of it now!) YAY TRAVELS! XD

[theangrystar.livejournal.com]

Wooooooooow. :D That's awesome, I'm very jealous of the Dr. Who stuff? And by jealous I mean amazed.

I am interested to try Spotted Dick. especially cause of the comment because sultans are like dates, and I love dates.

And since I'm also five, who doesn't like spotted dick with dates? (cough)

[starlollie.livejournal.com]

That looked so fun! :)

[keita-yuki.livejournal.com]

O_O wow I love your Photography skills... so many pretty statues.

^_^ I kinda figured after each ep is made they put the stuff in the measuem. Where better to store it, where fan can gawk at it to. :D

Any chance u see that penny press machine to make Tardis pennys? :3

*holds up yr book* I got it for christmas :D
*goes back to oogle over statues*

[aimeekitty.livejournal.com]

hi! I did ask about the penny press, but apparently it hasn't been there for several months. I'm not sure where they are keeping it now, I'm sorry! *_*

YEAY! glad you got my book! Thanks so much! :D

[rory-aka-spike.livejournal.com]

The penny press got broken apparently a few weeks before we went to the exhibition and when we went back another time it had been removed as coudnt be mended, so the girl said.

[keita-yuki.livejournal.com]

Ahh well..TY for looking ^_^ Figured it was worth a shot.

I love finding all the cute and funny faces in your book. Read it 3x so far and I keep noticing new ones. X3 This also made me pull my photo albums out of when I went to Osaka and Kyoto back in 2001.. Cept that the temple.. I drank the water XD (I knew exactly where that temple was that you drew cause Thats the one we chose to stay at the most. Was neat to see it and be able to think "Hey Ive been there!"

Goodluck with sales and I hope theres more manga from you to come... Snow kitties were adorable.

[cunien.livejournal.com]

I work just up from where the second photo was taken. Also, OMG yes, the DW art department are awesome at making something out of nothing - I did two weeks work experience with them and the set dressers, and I can tell you they do an amazing job with the smallest budget imaginable, which is then stretched across Torchwood and Sarah Jane too.

Sorry, I know we don't know each other very well but I feel like I want to wade in and comment as I'm still on a massive London trip having moved here about eight months ago. :)
x.

[etherealtb.livejournal.com]

Isn't that your Rose jacket? Love Miss Hartigan's dress. Do I suspect that might be one of the next costumes you make?

BTW, I *love* the silhouette picture.

[aimeekitty.livejournal.com]

yup! it's the Christmas Invasion jacket. I adore it! It's even got a snap for my purse strap!
Miss Hartigan- it's a GORGEOUS dress, but I dont know when I'd have time. :) I'm busy on 18th century stuff right now

[etherealtb.livejournal.com]

Good point. But look at it this way - 19th century costumes will seem like a snap after the 18th! :)

Hey, do you know of any cosplays (sp?) that do 20's and 30's costumes? That's more my era.

[dlgr.livejournal.com]

It was completely obscured by a bunch of crap!

it was hiding!! lol!


Great pictures, and aaahhhh I want to go to an exhibition so bad. lol!!


and aaahhh feel better!!! T_T!

[diavana.livejournal.com]

awesome photos-- thanks for sharing!!!

[ken-redtail.livejournal.com]

Your London photos are amazing. Like getting pictures out of a travelogue!

I'm glad you had fun. I can't wait to go back to London one of these days! :D

[pogo101.livejournal.com]

What do you make of the 11th Doctor? Well, the casting, I mean.

[sugercat.livejournal.com]

Wow looks like alot of fun, Dr-who stuff yays lol

[jinyo.livejournal.com]

So cool! I'm loving your photos.

It's amazong how much detail is on some of those old buildings. Staring at the Parliament building was like looking at a fractal.

When I was in London, I used to ride the Piccadilly Line toward Cockfosters every day. I felt a little less like a "tourist" when I heard some locals giggle at it too.

You saw the Face of Boe!!
awesome.
And holy crap giant spider lady is giant.

Too cool that you guys found the blue police box tardis!
What was it like? I've read that it is made of concrete, so I imagine that it's really solid and cold.

Thanks so much for sharing!

[persoconchii.livejournal.com]

warm custard is best thing EVAH!!! like... seriously....

did u do the uber~tourist thing and try to climb on the lions at Trafalgar Sq?

[april-art.livejournal.com]

Wonderful photos! Just love all those gloomy gothic and neo-gothic buildings and Victorian lamp-posts in the cool, slanting wintery sunlight...

Looks like fabulous trip!

[ladyofthethread.livejournal.com]

Sounds like you had a great trip. Thanks for sharing the photos! :-)

[lilrockinlea.livejournal.com]

Sounds like you had fun!

Did you try any Irn Bru or any interesting yet slightly terrifying British dishes while you were there?

Also, during "All I Ask of You", when kissing Christine, did Raoul look like he was trying to engulf her face? It's just, when I last saw it at Her Majesty's Theatre, I nearly suffocated from stifling a giggling fit. It's just the way that Raoul gently dips Christine, looks lovingly in her eyes and then swoops in for the kill like a hungry vulture.

[slai.livejournal.com]

Hi Aimee,

AWESOME photos! I loved how you guys recreated some of those famous scenes from Doctor Who! The Doctor Who exhibit looks AWESOME too!

Sigh, the poor UK is screwed on manga just like the U.S. because of Viz and TokyoPop ;_;! Congrats on the book finds there too!

You and your hubby are the cutest couple I know X)!

[theaiii.livejournal.com]

That's so cool that they updated it to include series 4 of Doctor Who! Ahh, when I went it had only just opened so the new series hadn't even started!
(We all did the same poses by the Tardis and The Face of Boe ;D)