London Theatre Intensive!

Hi Friends!

So this post has been a long time comin'! My first week in London has officially come and gone! In that week I have learned more than I could possibly have imagined about theatre and myself from this city and the people surrounding me on this program; such a blessing!
I will just give a little recap of my first week here and I'll try to keep it short (breakfast is calling my name!) As far as sights go, I have done a ton of walking in parks which is one of my favorite things here!

I have stopped by the various touristy sights and taken a few pictures. I headed down to Buckingham Palace the day Prince George was born to get a glimpse of the birth announcement, and the day after I went to the gun salute at the Tower of London to see what that was like. I must say it was pretty cool and worth the trip over there. After the gun salute Hannah, a girl in my class, and I went to the cutest Starbucks I have seen to date! It is pictured below and sits back in a little enclave at St. Katherine's docks near cute little old boats and stores!

Last night I also ventured over to the Royal Albert Hall to got to Proms, a classical musical concert that lasts for what looks like a few weeks. The hall is absolutely beautiful!

I have also done my fair share of eating since we have arrived! We have ventured into Harrod's food halls where I got a delicious little cupcake! I have had the best mexican food of my life from a little street vendor. I have also had loads of gelato and croissants. Oh, and lets not forget nitrogen ice cream from Chin Chin Labs. 

Last, but definitely not least is all of the theatre business we have been up to! The first night we were here we went to The Cripple of Inishmaan starring Daniel Radcliffe. It was pretty good; the comedy it contained was definitely the highlight. The second night we saw The Book of Mormon with Gavin Creel as Elder Price. I like to say that I hate that I loved this show. It was pretty crude humor and I found myself not knowing whether to laugh or be offended, but in the end I did subject myself to it so I cant get mad. Afterward, we went to the stage door because the professor we are here with has been friends with Gavin since high school. He came out, gathered our class, then took us up to his dressing room and gave us a backstage tour! It was like heaven for a theatre class! The next afternoon we saw Strange Interlude at the National. This is easily my favorite show even though it was 3 1/2 hours long, and I can honestly say it changed my life. I still can't get over how much I loved it. Plus, Anne Marie Duff had a brilliant performance of Nina Leeds. I am super bummed that it won't be back on until the day that I leave because I would have paid to see it again. By this point it was Thursday and we saw Night Alive at the Donmar which was a fantastic depiction of realism. On Friday we went to Macbeth at the Globe which was fun. Watching Shakespeare in a fairly natural state of Victorian dress at the Globe is a neat experience. On Saturday we headed back to the National for an experimental show called The Hush. Lets just say it was interesting. I'm glad I went, but I wouldn't go back. We then had a few nights off from shows and tonight we are heading back to the National for Othello in the Olivier! 

Sorry about the delay of this post, but I have been going non-stop! I'll try to post mid-week this week, but we will see how that goes!

My Best Friend

On the blog today is my week with dad...

Okay, okay its corny I know, but my dad is my best friend and it is rare that he is home for a whole week. So first off, a picture of this great man! (we are kind of twins...)

He is a great example, but an even better father. I am extremely fortunate that my heavenly Father gave me such a great earthly one that I am sure is only giving me a glimpse of Himself!
I am really starting to understand how much my dad has done for me and the things he has given up to give me what I have, and I am learning to really respect it. My dad coached my soccer and fastpitch teams since I was about 6. So for 10 to 13 years he put up with two teams full of girls who criticized his hair, his outfits, and so on. The typical girl things. This means he was with 15 to 20 girls my age for at least two days a week sometimes up to five days (and the long weeks were during high school years!) I must say, that is dedication! Not only that, but he has travelled four to five days a week most of my life for his job. A job that has allowed me vacations to thirty different states, the roof over my head, and a very comfortable life. He has even sacrificed huge promotions to keep my family right where we are during my high school years when a move thousands of miles away probably would have seemed like the end of the world. This is only the short list of his actions that are a great example for me.
My dad and I weren't always best friends. I think I got glimpses of it when I was little and right before bed, instead of a bedtime story, he would give my brother and I "sports talks." I believe our friendship really started when I was in middle school though, he was coaching my teams, and every day he drove me 20 minutes in the opposite direction of his job to take me to school so that I didn't have to catch the 6am bus. We had "our songs" every month or so that we would listen to on the drive and we would stop to get White Castle's once a week. (The breakfast of champions was cheese sticks and a sweet tea!) Just about every ride would end with Rascal Flatts' "Here's to You." We still wave our fake lighters in the air every time it comes on.
Once high school hit my brother drove me to school my freshman year. My sophomore year rolled around though and dad started driving me to school again. That is when we started Friday mornings at Starbucks. Every Friday we would leave for school about 45 minutes early to go to Starbucks and sit and talk about life for a while. We would talk about friends, work, sports, news, celebrity gossip, advice on applying for college...anything and everything. I was his equal now.
Since there is no more Friday morning Starbucks we tend to go on sunrise walks when we are both home, he comes to Lexington every now and then to take me to a nice dinner, and we take weekend trips with my mom to explore towns near Northern VA where he works, or places like Nashville and Charleston. Oh and lets not forget, once a year or so he pays for my mom, a few friends and myself to go on a girls trip. Our last one was to sunny Camelback, AZ!

Anyway, this past week dad was home all week! Even though I had to work most days we managed to squeeze in a ton of time together. First he took my mom and I to our favorite secret spot right outside of Lexington for dinner, Jean Ferris Winery. (We are a huge wine family and this place is right here in KY!) We usually only go to celebrate something and this time is was my mom's 50th birthday and their 27th wedding anniversary. Here's a look at some of our food and the scenery!

Their menu is always fresh and innovative! I mean, basil ice cream?!

On Monday I made us breakfast: Homemade oatmeal with brown sugar and honey and coffee!

On Tuesday I joined dad on a business lunch at Montgomery Inn Boat House on the Ohio River. The next day he, my mom and I went to lunch with 18 of his cousins at Buckhead. Throughout the week we also attended a Fourth of July party and a grad party. Also, lets not forget our morning walks...even in the rain that has been slamming us for a week now! 

And last, but definitely not least, we managed to get a few white castle sweet tea's and hit up Starbucks multiple times. One day we even saw a dad and his young daughter also on a father daughter date. My dad chatted with him in line when the other dad commented on starting them young. My dad said it is one of the best things to do as he and I are now so close and have been doing Starbucks dates for 5 years. The other dad smiled and said, "lets hope so!" So precious!

(Dad had Starbucks a few more times than myself this week because he came to visit me at work, which is Starbucks...)

Oh, I forgot to add in here somewhere that he was also a trooper on my day off and was subject to taste tester for some pinterest recipes that will be up on the blog tomorrow!

So some things that my dad and I do, have done, and I am sure will do are extraordinary, but many of them are not. He is the best friend that doesn't have to say anything and I know exactly what he is thinking and vise versa. Silence is comfortable, but so is conversation and we can finish each others sentences...literally, we even talk the same! Too much time together over the years?! Nah, I don't think so!

Im so blessed to be one of the few given such an amazing father down here. If this one is so awesome, I  can't even fathom what the one who made this one will be like!

June Cara Box!

Okay, so this is a tad bit late because I was on vacation when my June Cara Box came and since I have been home I have had a large to do list, but I have finally made it to my Cara Box post!
If you have never heard of Cara Box it is an awesome exchange put on by a wonderful blogger who runs Wifessionals! The idea behind the exchange is to meet other bloggers, or non-bloggers, in other parts of the country and get to know them, then for a pick me up towards the end of the month you send a Cara Box full of goodies that you feel might fit both your new friend and the theme for the month! You also receive a box from another person.

This month's them was in honor of summer, so it was along the lines of carnivals, fairs, and circuses. I had the privilege to meet Melissa over at HoneySweetBee! I couldn't have asked for a sweeter first time Cara Box partner, especially while she was in the midst of last minute wedding details! You should pop on over to her blog and check it out. While you are at it, give her a congrats on getting married!!!

I received my Cara Box from Semirah at Sound of Charm! She sent me the things in the picture below. I got a little piece of her home town, Boston Beans; along with the beans were some travel kits of handy things I may need while in London; she also sent me a sweet little cross and card! Her box was a great pick me up after having to come back to reality from vacation! Sorry about the picture quality something is wrong with my camera :'(