There She Goes: Touristing England
Hello From England!
Happy Wednesday friends! I hope that this week’s newsletter finds you well and empowered with good energy. I’m now three weeks into my England adventure, and I keep finding new reasons to love it here and to appreciate history. I also feel like my partner and I have hit our stride with knowing when to push our limits of our adventure desires and when to take our foot of the gas and relax a bit. This an important internal compass for all of us, in all chapters of our life. Today, in addition to this newsletter, I’m also finding the time to publish my blog piece Traveling Through Grief, which I’ve been slowly working on since Barcelona. May this week bring some enthusiasm and surprise, as well as moments of familiar comforts.
Songs To Stitch To, Sing To, Get You Through The Week
Waiting for doors to open for HAMILTON!
Set Aside Some Time This Week For Some Self-Care
I. DIY iced tea. England is all about the tea and, although I’ve also had my fair share of coffee, it’s fun to jump into the culture of it! Now is a great time to whip up some homemade iced tea or sun tea. A friend of mine recently made an iced tea with strawberry syrup like this and it was a decadent afternoon treat.
II. Stitch in a new spot! Do you have a typical spot you stitch in? Perhaps during your commute or at night in your living room? While the weather is still nice, pick out a spot you’d like to stitch at, such as outside a cafe or in the grasses of a beautiful nearby hill, then unplug from everything else and enjoy the meditative beauty you can create. I’ve been lucky to stitch Eleanor the Elephant in various places along our travels, and I love it!
III. Bookmark some yoga poses for digestive relief. Traveling can be so freeing to the mind but can also be tough on the body, as I’ve found through this trip. Gut health and digestion has been more important than ever, and I dedicate time to finding yoga poses or videos that will help. Finding movements that work for you can be helpful for life!
Uplifting Things Happening Around The World
An Arizona shelter dog gets rescued and cast in the upcoming Lady and the Tramp movie.
Peru committed to ending palm oil driven deforestation by 2021. This is huge news!
Paris is opening the world’s largest urban farm next year, which will be grow over 30 species of plants in a 150,000 square foot area.
Soulful Salutations
"It's a gift to exist and with existence comes suffering.” — Steven Colbert to Anderson Cooper in a recent interview
“He that lacks time to mourn, lacks time to mend” — Sir Henry Taylor
“If you can walk you can dance. If you can talk you can sing.” — Zimbabwe saying
There She Goes
This past week we had the pleasure of being visited by my dad! Back in Slovenia, I sent my dad a text inviting him to join us towards the end of our trip. I woke up the next day to a message from him saying he had booked it! This is something I am certain my mother would be very proud of him for doing, as she always reminded us to take leaps and enjoy life to it’s fullest. I’m grateful for the special week shared together with my dad, which was spent visiting famous landmarks, eating quintessentially English dishes, and making the most out of each day.
Blenheim Palace
Sights that have made me say “WOW”
I. Blenheim Palace! We weren’t planning on going here until our Oxford Punting chauffeur raved about it. It’s a World Heritage Site that is non-royal and non-episcopal and boasts over 300 years of history. We only bought the tickets to explore the grounds and in the 2.5 hours we were there, we barely scratched the surface! If you want to to see the palace itself, I’d plan on at least a half day here.
II. Seeing Hamilton in London! My partner, James, has listened to the Hamilton soundtrack countless times and could probably teach a semester’s worth of Alexander Hamilton history. Once we put London on our road map, I was psyched to treat him and my dad to this iconic show. It did not disappoint! I was captivated by the songs, the story line, and the pure talent on stage. The show was so good we are considering looking for day-of cancellation tickets to see it again!
III. The view from the top of St. Paul’s Cathedral. This was a spontaneous decision the morning of my dad’s departure from England and I’m so glad we did it! We got to the Cathedral in the morning and climbed the 528 steps to the Golden Gallery before the crowds rolled in. From the Golden Gallery and the Stone Gallery below, you can get amazing 360-degree views of the city. After our time at the top, we wandered the cathedral itself, and learned more about its deep history. Would highly recommend this stop for anyone visiting London!
A sneak peek of Dishoom, a Bombay-inspired restaurant in London.
Good Eats
I. Tapas at Arbequina. I learned about this restaurant from the New York Times article “36 Hours in Oxford” and decided it would be an interesting way to start our trip with my father. Without this tip-off, I’m not sure we would have come across it because it’s quite unassuming and currently sits on a road closed due to construction! Each plate is thoughtful, each table is a good spot in the house, and the experience promotes chatter among guests as we discussed the different textures and flavors.
II. “Energy ball” from Cascara, an amazing place for coffee and house-made vegan and raw goods. Sometimes the simple things can be the most needed and luxurious! Bath is known as the vegan capital of Europe, so there are lots of experimental kitchens and cafes — which we took full advantage of.
III. Indian food at Dishoom, a micro-chain that now boasts 5 branches in London alone. This place is stunning, tightly run, and churns out unbelievably delicious and beautiful Bombay-inspired dishes. I recommend trying one of their interesting sober-cocktails while you wait for your table, then getting a few plates to share with friends (or just for yourself)!
Destination Fun Facts
I. Turf Tavern in Oxford is a classic English pub with some neat history— it has been visited by a slew of famous people, from Ernest Hemingway to Bill Clinton, and it was also frequented by the cast and crew of the Harry Potter films while shooting in Oxford. It’s not the easiest pub to find, as a warning, but finding it in the narrow alleys of Oxford is part of the experience!
II. The Roman baths in Bath are the city’s namesake, but they were only rediscovered relatively recently. The exact location of the original baths had been lost for hundreds of years and were only found again at the end of the 19th century. The Roman history in this city is a gift that keeps on giving — city workers only recently found the fifth largest treasure trove ever near the baths in 2012!
III. Did you know that London is recognized as the most haunted capital in the world? From hotels, to old pubs, to natural spaces, there is much to discover in the way of spirits and ghosts. A quick search online will show you not only places to go to experience the haunting, but also the wide array of haunted tours throughout the city!
Have a stellar week everyone!
Be well,
Sheila