London Trip...Day ONE!!!

Actually, it's day 1/2...as we didn't get to Heathrow until noon, and didn't get to our hotel until around 2:30!  We were EXHAUSTED by the time we got there, but DID get business class on the way over (standby travel STRESSES ME OUT, but it DOES have it's perks!).  We were on one of the planes that has the seats that recline completely.  We managed to get SOME sleep, so weren't as tired as usual.

As always, even though we only had "half" a day to start, we managed to cram a TON of stuff into the remainder of the day...!  We arrived at the Park Plaza Sherlock Holmes (on Baker Street...OF COURSE!), dropped off our stuff, took "wake up" showers, changed into clean clothes, and rode the tube to Waterloo station to take a ride on the London Eye. 

We had to go through an AWESOME graffiti covered tunnel to get there...



Duane didn't think it was QUITE as cool...(and it DID smell like urine...).

I LOVE the London Eye!  It's COMPLETELY touristy, but offers such a COOL view of the city.  The only drawback this time was that it was REALLY, REALLY, REALLY crowded in London (compared to our trip 10 years ago).  Must have been a European holiday, or something...

After the 25 minute "spin" around the Eye, we headed across the bridge to walk around the perimeter of the Houses of Parliament (for a better view of Big Ben)...

and Westminster Abby.

After Westminster Abby, we headed to Downing Street (to take a peek at #10), explored the area for a bit...

then took the tube back to our hotel.

After dropping off the souvenirs that we found, we headed out into the neighborhood to find a place to eat dinner.  We found a LOVELY Italian place called Strada a few doors down from the hotel. 

Here's a picture of Duane (looking a little bleary-eyed...LOL!) with the appetizer that we HAD to try...beef and pork stuffed, breaded, deep-fried olives (think Scotch eggs with an olive instead of an egg!)...YUM!

After dinner, we explored the neighborhood, and found an AWESOME market called Waitrose, in which we found all SORTS of goodies (Bonne Maman Coconut Sponge Cakes, Chocolate Orange Kit Kats, chocolate dipped macaroons...yum!).  We also found a Tesco that had baked chicken potato chips, and, my PERSONAL NEW SAVORY DELIGHT...bacon potato chips!!!!!!

After stocking up on junk food, we walked back to the hotel, took a few photos of the gorgeous night lighting...

then COLLAPSED into bed after our LOOOOOOONG day!

To be continued...

I Love Spring TWO!!!!!

So today's walk was even SPRINGIER!!!  I saw TWO daffodil that had opened, TWO garter snakes (ish!), and, on the farthest (furthest?) curve of my walking route, ELEVEN wild turkeys! 

I BELIEVE they are the eleven that used to live in the woods behind my townhouse (see THIS blog entry for details...!).

Even though the day started out at 40 degrees (SORRY houseplants that I left outside last night...I thought it would stay warm...!!!!), it's a LOVELY 62 degrees right now...life is good!!!!!!

Here's hoping YOU were able to enjoy some nature today as well!!!!!

I LOVE Spring!!!!

Except for not being able to breathe and wanting to scratch my eyes out, I LOVE spring!  I took a wonderful walk this morning, and, even though it's MARCH, the crocus are blooming, the trees are budding, the grass is turning green, and nature is again waking up!

I've not been a fan of winter for awhile now (I know...and you moved to MINNESOTA??!!), and, even though this last winter wasn't particularly bad (compared, especially, to last year), I've SOOOOO been longing for spring.  It's here, and I'm REALLY hoping it's here to STAY!

On my walk, I saw a white heron sitting on a branch...soooo cool!  I'm especially fond of this particular bird since my two years of living in Himeji, Japan.  The castle in Himeji is nicknamed "the White Heron", and the white heron brings back so many AMAZING memories of my time there!

"The White Heron Castle"- Himeji-Jo!

Here's hoping YOU are enjoying the end of winter, and that happy memories are filling your thoughts as well!!!!!

Photography Contest

So....I'm not sure how this works, but I've entered a photography contest in one of the MANY magazines to which I subscribe.  This one, actually, was a "freebie" for making purchases at a jazzy kitchen store at 50th and France in Edina. 

The magazine is Conde Nast Traveler, and, except for a few cool tidbits every now and then, is REALLY not for people in my tax bracket.  I'd LOVE to travel to some of the locations, and stay at some of the AMAZING hotels featured, but that's just not going to happen.

Unless...I win this contest.  I submitted a few of my favorite travel photos on their website. Let me know what you think of my entries, and, what the heck...click the LIKE button for your favorites.  From what I've gathered, the winner is not picked by how many "likes" they get, but...it couldn't hurt!

Click HERE to go to the website.  Scroll down on the page to see my first photo (the Arc de Triomphe), and, at the bottom of the page, see the other photos by clicking on the arrows to the left and right of the photos under "More by this photographer".

The grand prize is a $25,000.00 "Dream Trip", and I've already got SEVERAL ideas of where to go!

Here's hoping YOU are dreaming big too!!!!

Ellen Addresses Her JCPenney Critics

Ellen Degeneres is a CLASS act!  You GO, girl!!!!!

        
Here's what she had to say in response to "One Million Moms"...



Here's hoping YOU were able to stand up recently for something YOU believe in too!!!!

Snoopy's Street Fair

My new iPad addiction is an app called "Snoopy's Street Fair". To be honest, I'm not really sure how to play it. As soon as it loaded, however, characters started moving around the screen, and gold coins started appearing above the street fair games that were preloaded on the app.

I started tapping them, and my "bankroll" suddenly appeared at the top of the screen....that was all it took! The bankroll can be used to buy other street fair games, cotton candy machines, snack carts, and my favorite recent acquisition...a hot mixed nuts cart!!!

I've purchased flower stands, added Sally's Lemonade Stand, Rerun's Drawing Booth, Frida's Cat Petting Stand, Violet's Cookie Stand, and all sorts of carnival games and food carts.  With each level achieved, new cart options appear.

I've also purchased an expansion to the three block area that I started with (I got my niece hooked on the app on our long drive down to Iowa on Friday, and had her take over to tap enough coins (36,000) to purchase the land).  An interesting component of the game is that you actually have to wait for things to get built. The expansion, and extermination of a hornet's nest that is blocking the entrance, takes 72 hours to complete.

Eventually, I stumbled upon Peppermint Patty's "Checklist", which gives the player a list of things to accomplish, but there are many features that I still don't get.  I bought a tricycle with a recycling box that I acquired by taking decorations off Charlie Brown's house...NO IDEA what it does. I can't get it to move, or any character to interact with it. I also bought a bunch of tables and chairs that I purchased, but the characters won't interact with them either.

I have earned playing cards, and somehow achieved various new levels (which add more street fair cart and game options), and there's a whole "Costumes for Snoopy" feature that I don't understand how to use.

Although there are MANY things about the app that I just DON'T get, one feature that provided GREAT entertainment yesterday was the "photo booth"!  By adding the photo booth to the street fair, a frame feature is added to the iPad camera.

We had a GREAT time experimenting...

Here's hoping YOU found an activity or game that amused YOU recently!!!!!