Not Ireland Vol. 2: Did You Know I Studied Abroad in London?

I would like to think I am a complex, multidimensional individual brimming with a multitude of interests, thoughts, emotions, and experiences. You know, like when you read a book and think to yourself, “that was a really deep, well-written character.” I would like to be the well-written character in life.

In reality, I think anyone who knows me would agree I can actually very easily be summed up in three definitive characteristics:

Cars (the movie, not the people moving device), All Star by Smash Mouth, and Studied Abroad in London.

I realize those are two nouns and a verb, which by literary definition cannot be used to describe one’s personality. And yet, I have somehow defied all the language conventions taught to me by my favorite high school AP English teacher (hey Amanda!) and made a movie, a song, and six months of my life into personality traits. I have also been known to casually bring these topics up in conversation from time to time.

The Anticipation Builds

With that in mind it becomes clear that, however cliché, studying in London was a transformative time in my life. It was actually the catalyst for me to live in – get this – 7 different places in the following 3 years. Crazy, right?

So when IrishJaqui (formerly known as the beloved IrelandJackie2022) and I booked a trip to London to visit our friend Angelina (hereafter referred to as Curd Thief), there was a lot of anticipation to go back to the place that started it all. Would it be as great as I remembered? Would all those conversations that started with, “Well when I was in London…” be justified? Will the years of people making jokes at my expense be worth it? There was a lot at stake.

I will spare you from an entry full of comparisons between my two experiences and an in-depth reliving of my glory days but I will say this: as someone who has only been there before as a broke college student, exploring London with a job, and more importantly an income, was fun. And yes, it was just as magical, if not more, than I remembered.

The Triumphant Return

IrishJacqui and I traveled to London on Friday after work and arrived (after driving, flying, training, tubing, and walking) at our hotel just in time to meet up with Curd Thief and her boyfriend, who will hereafter be referred to as “AMBA Band”, for dinner. I took them Dishoom, my absolute favorite restaurant in London.

After learning that AMBA Band does not like 90% of foods found on the standard food pyramid, I felt really bad about choosing an Indian restaurant for our first meal in the city. I felt even worse when he said, “It’s okay I can just eat white rice for dinner,” and he wasn’t joking.  

I am happy to report, though, that not only did AMBA Band enjoy his white rice, but he also ate the naan, the vegetable samosas, AND even some of the Chicken Ruby! Take that Michelin restaurant critics! That’s all the proof I need to certify Dishoom as a Pretty Darn Good Restaurant.

The Most Magical Day

Saturday was our only full day in the city, and it was a truly wonderful 24 hours. There was not one big thing that happened, but just so many great small things that culminated into a near perfect day. The sky was a dazzling blue, the city was beautiful and bustling, the Queen was alive and well, and IrishJacqui and Curd Thief were (and still are) such nice, positive, genuine people who made this experience so special.

In the morning we grabbed a quick breakfast from an old staple of mine, Pret A Manger, and embarked on our sightseeing adventure. Our first stop was browsing the many floors of the iconic Harrods, where we got in a fun rhythm of picking things up, checking the price tag, and then immediately putting it down and slowly backing away.

From Harrods we made our way downtown, walking fast, faces pass, and we’re homebound (insert piano riff here). I’m kidding, next we went to Buckingham Palace, and then on to Westminster Abbey and Big Ben. While I have seen many of the iconic landmarks before, when I was here last (you know…in London. When I studied abroad. When I studied abroad in London) I never actually got the chance to see Big Ben in all its glory as it was undergoing repairs the whole semester. It was way cooler looking than I thought. Shinier too.

We made a stop at my beloved chicken restaurant Nando’s (I may have had a well-worn loyalty card at one point) and continued on through Covent Garden and Picadilly Circus. We then arrived at the first of two highlights of the day – Fortnum and Mason.

The Life Changing Curd

An institution in London, Fortnum and Mason was famously where the Queen supplied her tea (Long Live the Queen ☹) and where she even attended the opening of the tea parlor on the top floor. We figured if it was good enough for the Queen, it was good enough for us. Equally exciting and relaxing, Afternoon Tea at F&M was truly everything we could have hoped for and more. Each member of the party got our own pot of tea chosen from a selection of over 75 varieties, coupled with towers of sandwiches, scones, and pastries to boot.

The scones. Let me take a second to talk about the scones.

As someone who likes to bake and has also been called Scone many, many times throughout my life, I would say I am well acquainted with the famous breakfast pastry.

That being said, I had never had a scone like the one at Fortnum and Mason. But it wasn’t just the scone alone. No, no it was the whole scone eating experience.

It was the flaky, buttery melt-in-your-mouth miniature sized pastry. It was the creamy, slightly sweet, slightly salty clotted cream. And finally, the true star of the show, the perfectly sweet and tart lemon curd spread on top. I could probably write a whole blog post on that lemon curd. We hid the remainder of the jar in Curd Thief’s purse (hence the nickname) so we could have it with breakfast the next morning. Out of all the amazing things we did in London this weekend, we probably talked about the lemon curd more than anything else. It was that good.

You would think the life-altering experience of lemon curd would be the pinnacle of the day. But no, things just kept going up from there. Well, to be fair they went up, back down, and then up again. Confused? Let me explain.

The Stairs of Death (A Costly Mistake)

As we were so entranced by our tea and scones (and curd), we left F&M a little later than we were planning to get to our next stop, MAMMA MIA! Yes, dear readers, we got tickets to see the original musical that started it all, the London West End production of the beloved ABBA-themed story of a girl trying to find her dad(s). It was something I always wanted to do when I was there last but never had the money. Like I said, incomes are nice.

So we were running a bit late but using my ~local knowledge~ I navigated a way to the theater that would get us approximately 3 minutes before the play started. We took the tube and arrived right on time at the station. The only way up was a single elevator which had a line of people reaching back almost to where the train had stopped. Looking at the clock then looking at the line, I made a split second decision. I pulled my friends and started up the emergency exit spiral staircase that would lead to the outdoors.

Now the thing is, most tube stations have escalators, so if there is an elevator you know you’re really deep underground. And deep underground we were. The sign said “Warning, this staircase has 400 steps up to the top.”

Well I can attest to the fact that they were not lying.

The Stairs of Death Pt. 2

Huffing and puffing, the copious amounts of food we had just consumed rumbling around in our bellies, we finally reach the top of the never-ending spiral of stairs. It was a lot of stairs. I felt awful about forcing my friends on that goose chase, but looking at the clock validated my decision in that we were still on track to make it just in time. I direct them to a second elevator that would take us out to the opening of the station so we could go on our way.

Except, it wasn’t the second elevator.

No, no. After making my friends walk up 400 stairs to avoid the elevator, I navigate them onto the SAME elevator we were trying to avoid, which, you guessed it, took us right down to the exact place we started.

While we didn’t have to wait too long to get back up to the top this mistake caused two things: 1) We walked the stairs of death for literally no reason and b) it cost us just enough time that we missed the beginning of the play and had to wait in the lobby until the first scene was over to enter the theater. I felt awful. I knew in that moment that IrishJacqui and Angelina were keepers, though, because they didn’t even make me feel any worse than I already did. In fact, they were much nicer to me than I deserved under the circumstances.

The Dancing Queen Experience

Finally settled in our seats, we immediately became completely absorbed in the magic that was happening up on stage.

When the iconic Dancing Queen scene came on, I actually had a bit of an emotional experience. I was sitting there, watching the main character and her two friends belt their hearts out, as I was sitting with my two friends who I just had the absolute best day with. I had a moment where I stopped and thought, how lucky am I to be living this life, to be getting these opportunities, and to be gathering such magical experiences in my pocket. This is such a wonderful life to live with walks through a bustling city, tea in cute pots, scones and LEMON CURD, musicals with songs that get you caught up in the moment, and wonderful, beautiful friends to share it with. I am so dang blessed.

When intermission came, I shared my experience with Angelina and IrishJacqui. To my surprise, as they wiped tears from their eyes, they shared they both had the exact same experience! All three of us got taken away in the moment of Dancing Queen and friendship and a truly amazing day. If that isn’t special, I don’t know what is.

The Cherry on Top

After the play we found a restaurant that was still open and just laughed, talked, and got caught up on each other’s lives until the workers were closing the doors and sweeping the floors. That night I went to bed with a heart full of love and a stomach full of curd and I could not have been happier.

So yes, no matter how many times I get ridiculed for it, I stand by my obsession with the city of big clock towers and little cups of tea. London is a magical place, and I will gladly tell anyone and everyone who will listen of its wonders.

To finish off, in the spirit of the weekend I will give you my definitive ranking of ABBA songs.

My Definitive Ranking of ABBA Songs

1) Dancing Queen – basic, I know. But I did just spend a whole paragraph telling you about the transcendent experience I had while watching it. Also I’m a big fan of the scene in the movie of all the women dancing on the dock. Song: 9/10 Overall Impression: 10/10
2) Mamma Mia – Title track of the musical, unbelievably catchy chorus, good guitar riffs, Meryl Streep dancing on a roof, it’s got it all. Song: 9.5/10 Overall Impression: 9/10
3) Take a Chance on Me – my first memory of this song is Steve Carrell listening to it in the opening scene of Get Smart. Instant fan. Unbelievably strong opening with overlapping acapella chanting, just builds from there. Song: 8/10 Overall Impression: 8.5/10
4) Voulez-Vous – Don’t know what those words mean but I find this song frustratingly catchy. Try not to get it stuck in your head. And the staccato “a-has” in the chorus? Magic. Only complaint is this scene in the movie is a little stressful. Song: 9/10 Overall Impression: 7.5/10
5) Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) – I hear this song is really big with the kids these days after going viral on Tik Tok. What a world we live in. Powerful intro, slightly too relatable content, anthem chorus. I’m not on the Tik Tok but I can get behind this one. Song: 8.5/10 Overall Impression: 8/10
6) Waterloo – as soon as the song starts you know it’s going to be a keeper. I learned that this was ABBA’s first single and the song they won Eurovision with. Honestly after learning that I feel like it should be higher on the list. Nonetheless, it loses points because while catchy, I don’t know what Waterloo has to do with the story of the song. Song: 8/10 Overall Impression 7/10
7) Thank You For the Music – Slower, yes, but it makes you feel something. Song: 7/10 Overall Impression: 7.5/10