A difficult, quiet, and reflective Fall Break

I've returned to London after our week long Fall Break and we are headed to Scotland tomorrow. So, here's a recap of the last week or so.

Last Monday night, before heading out of town, I went to see the European premiere of the film x+y as part of the London Film Festival. This is a film about an autistic boy who earns a place on the British International Math Olympiad team. It is very well done and I enjoyed it so! The director is a Morgan Matthews who happens to be a documentary film maker. This is his first feature film and I thought it was splendid. It was fun to see the red carpet and get to hear a bit from the stars post film.

However, I left the post-film Q&A a bit early, as I had checked my email after the film and heard news that my undergraduate advisor/first college math professor/friend Dr. Wayne Bell had passed away. For those of you on Facebook, you've heard this story, but I wanted to place a bit here so that I can remember it later. His death was surprising, and difficult to hear about 1000s of miles away. He was a big influence on my chosen career path and helped see me through a difficult time in my personal life and for that I will always be grateful. His service was on Friday, and I really wanted to attend, but getting from Turkey to London to Murray was no easy task. However, I am thankful to a dear friend in Murray who sent me some of the info from his service. It certainly helped.

So, with thoughts of Dr. Bell on my mind, I headed off to Turkey in the early hours of Tuesday AM. Flew from Stansted to Antalya and then (after an hour long wait at the airport) arrived in Belek at my all-inclusive resort, The Bellis Deluxe Hotel. Here I would spend 5 nights attempting to "do nothing." I had great weather. About 80 degrees everyday and sunny. Now, this is not my normal vacay. I like to be doing 17 things a day and running all around, so the thought of lying on the beach all day seemed like a crazy one. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise because I don't think I would have been up for normal crazy Alison vacation. Here's how my day went most days: Wake up at 8AM. Buffet breakfast 9AM. Beach or pool time: 10AM Lunch: 12:30PM Naptime: 1:30PM Beach or Pool time: 3:00PM Shower: 5PM Tea time: 6PM Dinner: 7PM Room time: 8PM Sleep: 10PM. That's pretty much it, with some slight variations. So, I don't have a lot of pics for you. Mainly the sea views/pool views/cocktails/teas/dessert bar. I was certainly bored by day 2, but toughed it out and made it! I really wanted to do some excursions to see some of Turkey, but it was off season, so I couldn't find a company that was running tours (or would do a tour for 1). So, I read a couple of books (including Harry Potter 4) and caught up on my DVR back home. It was probably a very good choice for a Fall Break. Just a few quick notes on resorts in Turkey: swimming with cats! So fun to see cats. I miss Reese. Also, so much smoking. Ugh. Smoke everywhere. I like being outside (to eat, to sit on my balcony, to lay at the pool), but I had to move quite a bit because people were smoking in all my nice clean outdoor air spaces. I even woke up in the middle of the night one night and felt like I was sleeping in a cloud of smoke. My neighbors must have been smoking on their balconies. Ick! Also, people didn't drink much. At all-inclusives in Mexico, people seem constantly wasted. No. Not here. I barely ever saw people with alcohol. Very strange.

The little town a few miles from the resort. Saw it from the shuttle bus window.

My room for 5 days.

The view from my balcony.

Tea time

Or sometimes cocktail time

The desserts were beautiful. This doesn't even do it justice.

Beach views

Slides. I conquered all 5 of them. The one on the far left was insane. Body slide, so no tube. Probably what it would feel like to be flushed down a toilet.

Cocktail by the pool, of course

Paid a bit extra one night to do the sushi/Chinese restaurant

This place had a sad, sad zoo. These were the least sad creatures.

Magic show on Friday night. This guy was good!

The only pic of me on vacay

Look! Fish! Not sure you can see them, but there were 3 different schools of three different types of fish on my last morning there. Super fun to watch them from the dock for a bit.

In other vacay news (I should be calling it a holiday, but whatever.), apparently I don't look/act like an American. On the flight there this super adorable older Turkish couple were sitting next to me. When I woke up from a nap, the man asked if I was Turkish. I said no. He just lost a 50quid bet with his wife and to pay up. So offered me delicious homemade pastries stuffed with meat later, so it all worked out. Then, at the resort these two men were walking down the stairs and they asked where I was from. I said America and they said "Really?". Then, at the zoo while I was walking about one of the zookeepers asked if I was Russian. Fascinating.

I returned to London on Sunday night ready to DO things. Monday's adventures included a little run, a trip to the Courtauld Gallery, the Twinings store/museum, and afternoon tea at The Modern Pantry. The Courtauld is a small museum you have to pay for, but I think it's worth it. I liked the size of it and it's mainly impressionism, which I like. They also had a great Jasper Johns exhibit that I'm totally in love with. The Modern Pantry tea was fab. More a foodies tea than traditional tea, and the tea was yummy.

I like both of these Degas pieces.

Bandaged ear Van Gogh!!

OK...so this is the pic that all the pieces in this one room were based upon. You can somewhat make it out in each of them. Just loved it!

 Tuesday's adventures included class, lunch at Hummus Bros, a trip to King's Cross and Platform 9 3/4, and a quick visit to the Wellcome Collection, dinner at Jamie (Oliver)'s Italian and War Horse. The Wellcome was kind of a bust. They did have 1 exhibit (total) and it was on health which was interesting for the Global Health Paideia cluster I'm a part of at school. I got some interesting ideas for things we could discuss in our seminar next year, so it wasn't a completely wasted trip.

Part of an exhibit on obesity at the Wellcome Collection

Jamie's Italian

In cryptography class yesterday, we talked about counting and all the possible ways to set up an Enigma machine. We rushed through it a bit, so I hope the students got out of it what they needed. That's a lot of counting!! When we get back from Scotland, we'll be moving on to more modern stuff so that should be exciting. Stats class doesn't meet this week, so I'll miss them. But, I will meet with my upper-level cryptography students today. We'll play with divisibility theorems and also introduce them to induction.

Only 50 or so more days in London!

Yikes! When I look at how much time I have left IN London, it's not many days. Between our Scotland trip next week and my conference in India, it's definitely under 50 days. So much more to do! Here's my list, so I can keep track of things I still need to do:

Museums (in order of importance...and yes there are a lot of these, but I've saved them for the cold weather):

V&A
Tate Modern
National Gallery
Courtauld Gallery
National History Museum
National Portrait Gallery
British Museum


Other stuff in/near London:

Horse races
Three more tea shops
Two more afternoon teas
Two more markets (Broadway and Portobello Road)
Day of shopping/music suggested by Scherry
See musical Once w/ Ronan Keating
Windsor Castle (going w/ the students, but still on the list)
Legoland? Or another amusement park.
Richmond Park
Harrod's (for a couple of souvenirs)
Hamley's Toy Store
Morning rave (scheduled)
Houses of Parliament tour?
London Eye?
Cable Car
Game show taping
Eat Bangers and Mash and sticky toffee pudding

Runs to do:

Richmond Park
Greenwich
Hampstead Heath
All the main bridges on the Thames
Use the track at Regent's Park
Olympic Park

Side trips:

Bath (to do the spa) and Cardiff (to see Wales)
York (if I have time)

It seems like a lot, so when I get back to London, I'm taking out my diary (aka planner) and penciling all this stuff in! Good thing I've spent the week doing NOTHING. I'll be rested and ready to go! A report to come on my Fall Break vacay.

Fall Break is here!

We've made it to Fall Break! I was pretty busy all week w/ London Cocktail Week (which will be a separate post), but here are the other highlights:

Cryptography class: They took an exam on Tuesday (and did really well!) and then we took a field trip to Bletchley Park on Friday. I'd already been so that I knew what was there, so I didn't take any more pics this time, but I hope the students had fun. I didn't see many of them once we got there. I was all annoyed at first because I had to argue w/ the people about the cost of our tickets because of a miscommunication via email, so I pretty much just went straight to the cafeteria and had a bowl of soup and a yummy chocolate covered doughnut to calm myself down. Then, I did most of the guided tour (which I didn't do last time) and spent some time in the gift shop. I look forward to hearing how the students liked it when I see them next week. Ed did take a pic of some of the students and they look happy. so that's good. :)

Stats class: They turned in their first projects and we discussed their second ones this week. Pigeons, drinking at pubs, tube riding, Tinder users, black clothing and bag searches at the British Library will be the focus for the rest of the semester for these students. I think it's a good mix of things. Now, let's just hope everything goes well and we get some solid results. I don't see them for 3 weeks due to Fall Break and Scotland, so I'm a bit nervous about that, but hopefully they'll be busy thinking about their final projects and reading their next chapter in the book.

The only other outing I have for the week (other than cocktail week outings) was a trip to Royal Albert Hall on Friday night to see the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra perform works of John Williams. I paid crazy amounts of money to get my ticket and it was certainly worth it to be in that beautiful space. Now I wish I had done a Proms night (the BBC's version of ACL Live, but with classical music). Oh well. Next time. They did all the classics, plus some I hadn't really heard in concert (War Horse, Home Alone, Munich, JFK, Witches of Eastwick). Very nice Friday night.

I've enjoyed a quiet weekend by myself. Ed left for his vacation on Saturday, so I was all alone over the weekend. I've been busy catching up on my DVR back home each morning. I also did a nice 4.5 mile run on Saturday morning (my first since the half....I needed a break). Caught up on some grading (still have some to do) and got ready for my Fall Break trip to the beaches of Turkey.

Yesterday, I headed out to East London to do the Sunday markets. I've seen the Columbia Flower Market and was unimpressed, so this time it was Brick Lane and Old Spitalfields Market. I went there around 9 and got a bagel at this famous shop and then started strolling the streets. Nothing was open yet! Ridiculous. Don't go to these markets until at least 10AM. So I just walked all around and watched people set up their booths.

Went to have a drink to kill time and then walked all around again. It was better when the booths were open. Some of it is really junky (around Brick Lane), but the Spitalfields Market is nice. I  bought some good gifts there. Then, I had Poppies Fish and Chips which is supposed to be the best in London and it didn't disappoint. Very tasty and not very greasy.

Did a bit of strolling around looking at street art while I waited for a cocktail place to open and then headed home. The street art in this part of town is amazing. There is a free tour of the area and I need to do it to find out about some of this stuff. Fascinating.  Watched Downton last night and am doing a bit more work today before I head to a movie premiere as part of the London Film Festival. I'm seeing x+y which is a movie about a boy math genius. I'll let you know how it is.

 On another note, I did walk by this weird art installation while I was having drinks near London Bridge both on Tuesday and again on Saturday. It's a house made of wax bricks and apparently it's going to melt over the next 30 days. I already noticed some changes from the few days that had passed in between my visits.

Saturday's view

London Cocktail Week

Ok...so I did 17 cocktails in 7 days...well actually 6 days because I didn't get around to having a drink on Monday. My goal was to stay away from crowds and enjoy my beverage. Hence the mid-day drinking. I'd definitely say it was worth the 10pound wristband and if I were ever here again during this time, I would totally do it. I got to explore new neighborhoods and go to bars/restaurants I wouldn't have tried otherwise. Definitely a fun experience. Here's where I went, what I saw, what I tasted, and how things ranked. All descriptions are courtesy of my London Cocktail Week Guidebook and all times are approximate.

Cocktail #1: Tuesday, 1PM. Quarter Bar and Lounge. London Bridge area.

Shardi-ni: A smooth blend of fresh watermelon, passion fruit notes and vanilla-infused vodka.

Taste:  1 Atmosphere: 2 Presentation: 3
SO tasty! And pretty! And, this place was very relaxing and friendly in the middle of the day. Nice swanky chairs to sit in.

Cocktail #2: Tuesday, 1:30PM, Porky's BBQ Bankside. I also had some decent Memphis BBQ with this drink.

Jam Julep: Evan Williams Bourbon, raspberry syrup, blackberry syrup, plum bitters, and a handful of fresh mint. Served w/ a chocolate bourbon cookie. 

Taste: 4 Atmosphere: 12 Presentation: 2
Beautiful and tasty. Just your standard restaurant, but this drink was anything but standard!

Cocktail #3: Tuesday, 8PM, Christopher's Martini Bar w/ Reggie and Steve

Honeymooner: Stolichanaya Honey Vodka, limoncello, fresh raspberry syrup, lime juice, and a dash of Peychaud's bitters

Taste: 15 Atmosphere: 13 Presentation: 5
Fancy martini bar. Not well lit. Something tasted weird in this one, maybe the honey. And we had to drink 1.5 each since the waitress thought we wanted 3 of them (one for each of us, but Steve doesn't drink). 

Cocktail #4: Tuesday, 8:45PM, Bedford & Strand w/ Reggie and Steve

Strawberry and Basil Cooler: Absolut Blue Vodka, homemade basilcello, strawberry puree and lengthened with a splash of soda

Taste: 11 Atmosphere: 8 Presentation: 11
Just boring. But, the place was kinda cool down in a basement.

Cocktail #5: Wednesday, 1:30PM, Aqua Spirit near Oxford Circus

They didn't have the ingredients for the special cocktail, so I got to order whatever I wanted off their menu. I did the Japanese Velvet: Pear sake, pear puree, lemongrass, lime juice, honey, and apple juice.

Taste: 10 Atmosphere: 7 Presentation: 4
Interesting taste...actually not that bad to be ranked so low. This was a fancy sushi restaurant on the 5th floor of some building.

Cocktail #6: Wednesday, 2:00PM, Whyte & Brown

Whyte Wine Spritz: white wine, rhubarb bitters, rose lemonade, mint, and lemon zest

Taste: 12 Atmosphere: 11 Presentation: 12
Standard wine spritzer. Nothing to write home about.

Cocktail #7: Thursday, 1PM, The Alchemist w/ two of my Statistics students

Loire Lady: Chambord black raspberry liqueur blended with grapefruit vodka, dry and sweet vermouths and citrus bitters. Heated and poured over dry ice and served over cubed ice.

Taste: 6 Atmosphere: 1 Presentation: 1
Holy amazingness! And the menu is amazing. And the bar itself is beautiful. I must return. They do dinner and stuff too. Looks fun!

Cocktail #8: Thursday, 1:30PM, 3 South Place Bar & Grill w/ two of my Statistics students

SPH Autumn: Bacardi Superior Rum infused with cucumber, green tea syrup, lime juice, peach bitters, cooked pear, and mint leaves

Taste: 9 Atmosphere: 15 Presentation: 6
Boring hotel bar. Very crowded w/ the lunch crew. The bartender did come over and explain the drink to us, so that was nice. Very refreshing.

Cocktail #9: Thursday, 8:30PM, El Nivel w/ Reggie and Steve. We also had some Mexican Tapas.

Mexican 55: Ocho Blanco Tequila, lime, Yellow Charteuse, pimento dram and topped with sparkling wine

Taste: 8 Atmosphere: 6 Presentation: 13
Cool space upstairs where you could see into the changing rooms of a musical happening. Fun to watch. Drink was like a mimosa w/ tequila added. Food was decent.

Cocktail #10: Thursday, 9:30PM, Jamie Oliver's Secret Basement Bar w/ Reggie and Steve. We also played Scrabble.

Covent Garden: Gin, elderflower liqueur, and fresh apple and lemon juices

Taste: 14 Atmosphere: 9 Presentation: 9
Smelled funky in here. Drink was just okay. All I really tasted was the apple juice.

Cocktail #11: Friday, 3:30PM,  The Print Room

The Print Room Twist: Absolut Wild Tea vodka, earl grey syrup, creme de peche and topped with Prosecco

Taste: 2 Atmosphere: 3 Presentation: 14
Yummy!! And this place has balconies overlooking Covent Garden. I sat inside because the balconies were crowded on a Friday afternoon, but I might check this place out during the week.

Cocktail #12: Saturday, 11:30AM, Black & Blue Borough Market

Bold English Rose: Cherries, cassia, a few secret ingredients, sweet-and-sour cherry, spice and floral notes, elderflower cordial, fresh lemon juice and raspberries

Taste: 3 Atmosphere: 14 Presentation: 7
Yummy again! I drank this down in no time. So yummy. Not even sure if it had alcohol in it. :) Just a restaurant otherwise.

Cocktail #13: Saturday, 4PM, Adventure Bar

The Appleton Dreamcatcher: Appleton Estate Rum, Chambord black raspberry liqueur, vanilla, apple and passionfruit with a fortune cookie on the side.

Taste: 5 Atmosphere: 4 Presentation:8
Cool basement bar. I bet it's crazy when it's busy at night. I enjoyed it at 4PM and they have drink specials during the week until 10 or something. I'd go back. Oh, one of the drinks had a cricket on a stick w/ it. Weird, but cool.

Cocktail #14: Saturday, 4:30PM, Foundation Bar

The Gaffa: A rum based concoction sweetened with peach liqueur and apple juice, topped with fresh lime and spicy ginger beer

Taste: 7 Atmosphere: 5 Presentation: 10
Another cool basement bar. Liked the vibe in here too, but again I bet it's nuts when it gets late. I'd go back in the middle of the day again. :)

Cocktail #15: Saturday, 5:15PM, Pix, Ate a few required snacks from the snack/tapas buffet

Pomaroyal: Pomarina Brut Cider and Chambord black raspberry liqueur

Taste: 16 Atmosphere: 16 Presentation: 16
Blah. Boring drink. Boring food. Crowded.

Cocktail #16: Sunday, 9:30AM, Dishroom

The Dhoble: Fresh orange juice, spiced gin, Maraschino liqueur and a squeeze of lemon, served over cubed ice

Taste: 13 Atmosphere: 10 Presentation: 15
Drink was fine. Tasted like OJ. Just a restaurant. Nothing too exciting.

Cocktail #17: Sunday, 12:15PM, Angostura Butterfly House

Daiquiri

Taste: 17 Atmosphere: 17 Presentation: 17
Bad move. Should have skipped the drink. Too much rum that early in the day. I even forgot to take a pic of it it was so boring. The butterfly house was cool, but sitting outside the house drinking this wasn't. Blah. Bad way to end my week, but it was too rainy for me to go out Sunday night and I was being productive, so I stayed in.