The Time Has Come The Walrus Said To Talk Of Other Things, Of Shoes and Ships and Sealing Wax, of Cabbages and Kings

Have you ever been in a setting in which the magic in the air was almost tangible? Not Disneyland magical, where millions of dollars are shoveled into the creation of a magic feeling. But really magical.  Magic because of the sense of liberation that quietly resides within this given place. I live near a park that is crisscrossed paths leading where ever you want them to go, ponds sprinkled with the white feathers of swans and miles of grass and trees. Each stroll i take leads to a new grassy patch, a new statue, a new bench to sit and find solitude. Each turn in the road leads to a new bit of magic that has yet to be discovered.

I love running through these winding paths, looking about as people discover this magic for themselves. I wonder what this park means for them? What could the man with the white beard and gray cap be writing? He often seeks the magic of the park, sitting under the same tree every day, captivated by the world he is creating on his parchment. Or the elderly couple sitting on a wooden bench, hand in hand.  There isn't a need for talking the years they have shared together leaves them silently enjoying the quiet. I know they understand the magic stored beneath the leaves of Hyde Park. This park is one thing I think I am going to miss most when my adventures in London have finished. for the park is truly enchanting.

Alice and Wonderland must be credited for the many adventures we have related to her strange story during our London Town adventure.  Our lovely group decided it was time to celebrate a VeRRY meRRY UnbIRThday to ALL oF us! We dresses up in our finest tea party attire and baked our finest tea party treats and went to the park to celebrate anyone who has a birthday.  The herbal tea, finger sandwiches, sunshine and company of good friends made for an exquisite afternoon. 

Lunch at La Creperie de Hamstead

Our amazing scrumptious chocolate, nutella, vanilla Sunday floating in warm, creamy hot fudge and sprinkled with pralines.  Best 15 pounds we ever spent! 

 The Ballet, Manon, at the Royal Opera House.  I felt so cultured and the ballet was beautiful, it made me miss dancing.

Field Trip to the grand Kew Gardens.  We enjoyed getting lost in the nearly 300 acres of beautiful gardens.

Giant Lily pad Pond.

 I keep hearing about the infamous London rain.  Over the last three weeks rain drops have merely flirted with us, clouding the sky but never really dropping for longer than a few minutes.  But of course the day we schedule the gardens the rain greets us with vengeance! I was loving every drop though.  We had to experience a down pour at least once. Plus I finally was able to put my umbrella to good use.  I have carried it with me every where for the past 21 days and until now it has just been one more thing to carry. 

 Dinner at Borough Market... I had what can only really be described as a vegetarian explosion!

[meg you would have been in heaven!]

"I can't take my eyes off of you, you're just too good to be true." This song from one of new favorite musicals perfectly describes, Jersey Boys! Frankie Valli AND the 4 Seasons is almost too good to be true. The show stole my heart and I have been singing the songs since the performance ... I was surprised how many of the songs I knew, apparently they were more legendary than I realized.  The singing and dancing is phenomenal and we left the theater with an extra skip in our step.  One of the best parts of the night was the fact that we were the youngest ones in the theater by a good 30 years AND we were dancing and singing the least! It was a great night.

Cheers for now!