The Leaning Tower of Pisa

Wandering through the streets of Pisa, we finally reached the Piazza del Duomo where the infamous Leaning Tower can be found.  The piazza was swarming with tourists such as ourselves, but I was still enamored by the gorgeous architecture.  An impending train departure prevented us from hiking to the top of the tower, which I really wanted to do, but the grounds of the piazza are absolutely beautiful.  The weather that day was sunny and warm, making time spent outdoors very enjoyable.  It served as a welcome departure from the all the wuthering going on in Leeds at the time.  For a few minutes we sat on the grass, drinking in the atmosphere while Maggie read us Henry James's thoughts on the piazza from his text Italian Hours.  Viewing Italian architecture to beautiful prose in the company of fabulous friends is a fail-proof formula for a great time.  Now, without further ado, is my little tour of Pisa's Piazza del Duomo. 

 The cathedral and the tower

Traveling Buddies

Baptistry

 Francesca and Maggie

Tanya and the Baptistry

Front of the Cathedral

A closer view -- I just love those columns

 One last shot of the Tower

Before making a mad dash for the train station, we wandered through the Baptistry and Cathedral.  Photos of the interiors to come.  I also have some rather funny photo bloopers documenting my attempt to capture the stereotypical holding-up-the-tower shot.  Oh, the joys of being a tourist!

Victorian Tea Party

Back in September Ana and I went to the Leeds Art Gallery for an afternoon visit.  It's fairly small, but it's easy to navigate.  I spent a long while drooling over the Pre-Raphaelite section, particularly John William Waterhouse's The Lady of Shallott Looking at Lancelot:

Isn't it gorgeous?!

The gallery features a Victorian-era tea room in lieu of the standard cafe, so after our museum meandering Ana treated me to a little tea party complete with cake.  The Yorkshire cream tea was delicious, and the addition of cake made it that much better.  (Cake makes everything better.)

Ana

A steaming cuppa

 Moi

The gorgeous tea room

I love the Victorians -- did I say that already?

Check out the ceiling

Isn't it incredible? 

 Ana sips her tea

Ginger lime cake

Adding extra milk to my tea

People watching outside the window

And finally...

A tiny bearded man has invaded my teacup!

That was Ana's initial reaction when she saw this photo

It does sort of appear that way, doesn't it?

I had a wonderful time pretending I was a Victorian lady at tea.  If you are in the Leeds area, I would definitely recommend a visit to the Leeds Art Gallery and its delightful tearoom.  The threat of tiny men taking over your teacup is minimal.

My Marvelous Mates: Amanda

 
Sightseeing in Dublin

I am pleased to introduce you to my friend Amanda.  She was one of the first people I befriended in Leeds.  We bonded over our shared status as American Anglophiles with a compulsive book-buying habit.  Amanda is intelligent, chic, and kind -- hanging with her is always a blast!  So without further ado, Amanda offers us a peek into her brilliant mind... 

You were a volunteer at the Brontë Parsonage Museum.  What was your favourite thing about working there?                      

Probably getting to see the Brontës' personal possessions up close and personal. I am fascinated with Charlotte, Emily and Anne, so it was amazing to handle things that actually belonged to them and were a part of their lives.  I remember the first time I got to go on the other side of the security rope into the dining room where they wrote their novels -- and where Emily probably died.  It was such an emotional and surreal experience, because it looks exactly how it did when the family lived there.  It's set up with their own possessions so you really feel, just for a moment, that you are stepping into their lives and into history.

Amanda on the heathery moors

Where are you from, and where do you live now? 
I'm from Chenoa, Illinois, which is a small farm town about two hours south of Chicago.  I just finished my MA at the University of Leeds and have since moved to London.

What is your favourite food from home? 
I love Panera!  It's my favourite restaurant, and I insist on eating there all the time when I'm home.  I really miss American soups (baked potato is the best!) and proper chicken salad sandwiches.  The British equivalent of chicken salad just isn't the same!

If you had to wear just one colour for the rest of your life what would it be?
Definitely purple.  I went through a purple faze last autumn and wore purple most of the time.  Now I've branched out to other colours, but purple is still my favourite.

What is your favourite city? 
Well, to live in, definitely London.  I love everything about living here, and London is an amazing city.  But my favourite city overall is Florence, Italy.  It's the most beautiful city I've ever been to, and it's a great place to wander around and get lost.  There's a plethora of museums, cute shops and old churches.  The food isn't bad either!

What has been your favourite holiday destination thus far?
I visited Hawaii a couple of summers ago and went surfing and zip-lining for the first time.  I would love to go back there to visit a couple more islands and work on my tan!  My favourite destination of the past year has been Copenhagen.  I went there in June and had a wonderful time.  Like Florence, it's a great city to just wander around in.  I loved the architecture and walking along the canals.  Danish men are also the most attractive men I've ever seen!

Which vacation spot is at the top of your travel list now?

If I'm still in London next summer I want to go to Dubrovnik, Croatia.  It's supposed to be gorgeous and old with amazing (but less crowded) Mediterranean beaches.  I also want to go Greek island hopping soon.  Hmm...I'm sensing a beach theme!

Can you share a book recommendation? 

Well, of course I recommend that everyone read a little of Charlotte, Emily and Anne.  If that's not your cup of tea, I read The Book Thief back in December, and it's amazing!  It gives you a unique take on WWII Germany and is narrated by Death.

Can you share a movie recommendation?

I just saw Like Crazy at the London International Film Festival, and it's probably one of my favourite films of 2011.  I had high expectations going into it, and it definitely exceeded them.  The dialogue is ad-libbed, which I think makes the love story seem more genuine.  Everyone should see this film when it comes out!

What television show can you not get enough of?

My current obsession is Downton Abbey.  I can't believe I just started watching it.  I love the fashion and the interesting characters.  My favourite American tv show is Castle.  Now in its fourth season, the writing is still brilliant and hilarious.   

What is your guilty pleasure?

Twilight and bad reality tv.  Yuck!  I am ashamed of myself, haha!

If you could invite three people, living or dead, to a dinner party who would be on your guest list?

Tough question!  One would definitely be Emily Brontë, and not just because Wuthering Heights is my favourite book.  I've often thought many historical figures would probably be a disappointment if one met them in real life.  But I am fairly confident that Emily would surprise me no matter what.  I'd also invite Oscar Wilde for some humour; and Audrey Hepburn, because she was just fabulous.  I'm not sure how those three would get along though!  I doubt Emily would talk to anyone!

 

Can you share a favourite quote?

This is another tough one, because I've been writing down quotations I like for years.  Now I have an embarrassingly long Word document full of my favourites.  Here are a couple I stumbled upon recently and really liked:

'At every moment of our lives, we all have one foot in a fairy tale and the other in the abyss.'  --Paulo Coelho

'I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.'  --Douglas Adams, The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul 

Finally, I think the line 'to chase the glowing hours with flying feet' fom one of Lord Byron's poems is really beautiful.

Amanda, thank you for being a marvelous mate!  You're the best!

P.S. Maybe we should plan a trip to Copenhagen to snag some Danish hotties?

Picnic in Chawton

After touring Jane Austen's home and garden Liz, Ana and I had a little picnic at the park across the road.   Although the sun had decided to make an exit, it was still relatively warm for the time of year.  It was lovely having a little repast while we admired the beautiful surrounding area.  Chawton hosts some gorgeous views of the English countryside.  

 A charming little park

Liz and Ana

I love trees

Chawton if full of thatched roof cottages like this one

The leaves are already changing colors...

...And falling to the ground

See those sheep in the distance?

 They aligned in one long row and trotted along

Why do sheep keep popping up on this blog?

A post-lunch photo

A traditional English pub across the street

I simply adored my experience in Chawton and can't wait to go there again.  Next time I'd like to visit Chawton House, the estate nearby that was inherited by Jane's brother.  It is now home to the Chawton House Library.  I'm dying to roam the grounds, tour the home, and idly browse the library.  It's only open to the public two days a week, which is why we didn't wander over there; but I think I see a trip there in my future.

The Tale of the Flower Thief

While roaming about the grounds of Jane Austen's garden Liz decided she simply must have a souvenir of the botanical variety.  The bright and fragrant flowers were too tempting for her to resist. 

After carefully looking around lest a museum official should catch her in the act, she plucked a flower from its stem.

Carefully  pressing it, she then slyly concealed it in her belongings.  Liz was not brought to justice for this crime.  The Flower Thief remains at large.  

I can't say I blame her for this blatant thievery.  Jane Austen's flowers were quite beautiful, even as they were beginning to wilt with autumn's approach.

Mad Hatters

 The Four Weddings and a Funeral look

Not too long ago Ana and I popped into TK Maxx (TJ Maxx in the States).  Before we knew it we were donning every hat their selection could offer us.   Needless to say, we got a bit carried away.

 I never thought I looked that great in hats.  Surely my oddly-shaped head just didn't know what to do with them.  But then I came across this winner and my mind will be forever changed.

What would life be without goofy moments like these or good friends to contribute to said goofiness?