Day 8+9+10+11+12+13+14+15

Oh well now I am really falling behind.

Unfortunately, due to my tendency to unwind with an episode of the Great British Bake Off, rather than reading and writing...because I just spent my work day reading and writing (confusing)...this blog has been kicked aside.

I must now resort to a highlight reel of the last week.

Poor form, I know, for a writer - but here (in no particular order) is a list:

Thanksgiving Dinner With Eve: On Thursday, we dined on Indian Food and called it our Thanksgiving feast. My favourite bit was walking around a darkened covenant garden afterwards; sneaking into King's (I am still without my student card,) and gazing at the fountains outside Somerset House.

Reading Gogol in John Sandoe's Books: With the intention of maintaining my student budget, I attempted to complete my reading in a window seat at the delightfully claustrophobic John Sandoe Bookstore...unfortanly I loved Gogol so much that, after finishing the assigned bits, I bought the entire book. And then two more, later, at Foyles...

Baking Salmon Soda Bread: In another effort to cut down on costs, I tried to bake a week of breakfasts and lunches into a simple, but delicious, salmon and chive soda bread with homemade butter. Unfortunately, Meg and I finished it off in a day.

Museums: Vague, I know, but I can't fathom trying to fit my respective experiences at the Victoria and Albert Museum and the National History Museum into a mere list. I rather shroud them in clandestine suggestion - as so to encourage myself to visit them again and writer a longer analysis on my visit.

Walking in St. Jame's Park: I inadvertently found myself in the most beautiful groomed garden on the most beautiful day...in front of the most stately palace (which turned out to be Buckingham Palace.) It felt like serendipity.

Eveningsung at St. Paul's Cathedral: I fell into the cathedral during a sudden rainstorm and was treated to an otherworldly performance...the cathedral itself is so immense and so ornate I felt like I had stumbled through. portal into another world.

Studying in Various Courtyards: After seminars, a friend and I have taken to studying/laughing over St.Paul's pathetic ness...and Dante's absolute love for Beatrice...in hidden courtyards across the city. We prop up our computers on tiny tables and connect to any sketchy wi-fi available...all for the pleasure of studying outside, with a hot chocolate at hand.

Dress Shopping: Odd that a shopping endeavour made the list...however I felt a bit like a Duchess, or Lady, in this particular pop up dress shop. I had to knock on the door and was informed that shopping was appointment only...though they could let me in for a little while. I found the most exquisite vintage dress...but for the most ludricous price. As such, I was cinderella only for a moment.

Thanksgiving Dinner With the Lukings: To frame my week - the Lukings treated me to another lavish dinner at the best Italian restaurant...we walked for a hour or two beforehand, and talked for an hour afterwards at the table. The memory has set in all it's golden splendour in my mind...polished by my slight tipsiness after having a scant two glasses of white wine at dinner.

As much as this account is full of exuberant adjectives and embellishing...I must also declare there have been, of course, slow moments full of fretting and pains of purplosseness, glueing together these sparkling highlights. These moments cannot evade docccumentation. I have come to realise they are much a part of the London experience as the museum trips and fine dining.

The unstory-worthy bits are always part of the story.