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188 days!

2/1/2015

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That is, until our wedding {seems so far away, right?!}. Because we are in the midst of planning, I just had to attend the wedding dress exhibit at The Victoria + Albert Museum. Ross, on the other hand,  could've cared less about dresses dating from 1775-2014 {"I only care about yours"- well played, sir, well played}, so we visited the free exhibits together, and I went back by myself to buy a ticket for the bridal exhibit {Note: everyone should attend a museum alone at some point}. 

The museum itself is huge...
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I love the message above. So, kiddos, that one's for you ;). 
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...with ornate displays like the ones below...
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Ross was deeply engaged in hearing about St. Margaret above. The paparazzi in me had to sneak a pic of him ;). 
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...the museum also has a beautiful cafe, which is a must see....
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However, the icing on the cake was definitely the wedding dresses! I managed to snap a few photos, despite there being a seemingly strict "no photo policy" {some rules were meant to be broken, especially when documenting bridal fashion!}.
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White dresses were made popular by Queen Victoria. 
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Women of lower class would wear dresses with color, like the one above {1840}. 
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How does a bride move in the dress above? 
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Love the simplicity of this dress!

Celebrity weddings, like Gwen Stefani's {dress to the right}, have increased profits for the wedding industry. 
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My favorite part of this exclusive exhibit, ending March 15? The video of Kate and Prince William's wedding. I could have sat and watched their wedding on repeat the entire day. The only thing better would have been a display of Kate's dress. I would have died! 
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Cannot boast about Sunday roast 

1/27/2015

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My favorite thing about lazy weekends in Chicago is going to brunch. This was our chance to try different restaurants, although I found myself repeatedly going back to Grange Hall Burger Bar {hands.down. best potatoes in all of Chicago}, Orange {imagine the most decadent pancake flight you've ever eaten}, Bongo Room {to die for pretzel pancake}, and Bub City {everything about this place is ah-may-zing}. So of course, I'm on the look out for some good brunching spots in London.

Apparently, brunch isn't a huge thing here, but Sunday roast is, so Ross and I wanted to give it a try. Roast consists of some kind of protein {chicken, beef, or a vegetarian option}, roasted/sautéed veggies, potatoes. and figgy pudding {not the kind of pudding you're thinking of, but instead it's a large, crispy bread with gravy}. The pub we ended up going to didn't offer a vegetarian roast, so I tried another London speciality: fish + chips. 
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Ok, so this has nothing to do with Sunday roast, but this salad was too good to not show off. Presenting: the three beet salad with goat cheese, walnut, and a dijon mustard vinaigrette. My taste buds were definitely happy with this starter! 

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Beef roast that Ross certainly enjoyed. The figgy pudding {brown roll toward the back of the plate} was not something we enjoyed. 

Woof. Below are the fish + chips I tried. I've now attempted to like this meal a few times, and each time, I cannot finish it for fear of throwing up on the plate {I usually end up covering it with a napkin so the fish doesn't stare at me}. The fact that they fry the fish with the skin on thoroughly grosses me out. Needless to say, I need to stop ordering this meal. 
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So we tried Sunday roast, and I can't say I'm pleased with it {which I guess doesn't surprise me, because I can't say I'm a fan of England's food}. However, that won't stop us from trying to find our favorite restaurant and roast in town. In the meantime, I'll be dreaming of Chicago brunches...:). 
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My kind of Saturday

1/26/2015

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Oh. Em. Gee. I think I died and went to heaven, with heaven being Portobello Market. They sell EVERYTHING you could possibly imagine: food, furniture, clothing, antiques, London memorabilia, toys, art work, photographs, jewelry + accessories. They even have live music: guitarist, beat-boxers, singers, and drummers! Ross and I could not have had a better Saturday afternoon wandering around Notting Hill and exploring this popular market {although, if you ask Ross, it would've been a whole lot better had I not spent money, but if you ask me, I saved a lot of money with all the deals I received using my shopping math!} . Apparently market shopping is THE thing to do on the weekends, so I'm excited to find other local markets and add to our home goods collection and my closet ;).
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What's a Saturday without a selfie? Of course, I had to show off my new Euro-style hat to the world while I sipped on a cup of tea {so English!} during a snack break from all the shopping. 
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Afternoon tea in a former 1890s toilet...

1/24/2015

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Say what? Yeah, I know. I was shocked too when I read that The Attendant, which is where I went for afternoon tea, was originally a Victorian toilet. In any case, it looks nothing like the toilet you are imagining; the quaint English coffee and tea shop, discovered by my new friend from the AWC {hooray!}, was charming and unique. Just take a look at the pictures below! 
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I couldn't resist the mini sea salt caramel brownie. And rightfully so. It was to. die. for. Savory and sweet. What more can a girl want?

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Now this is what I call being a "Lady of Leisure": chatting over tea on a lovely afternoon with a new friend :). I'm looking forward to discovering more of London's hidden treasures!  

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I also couldn't resist taking a photo of the American wall decor {hashtag ProudToBeAnAmerican ;)}. 
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This cute little cafe is tucked away in Oxford Circus, off Regent Street. Look at this view {and traffic- eek!}!
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Weekend highlights

1/18/2015

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  • 5k run in Southwark Park, where I snapped a photo of a lovely swan {random question for the day: is it safe for a swan to swim in icy water?}.
  • Enjoying porridge {definitely tastes better than it sounds!} for breakfast at Love Walk Cafe.
  • Peaceful prayer at St. Paul's Cathedral.  Can Ross and I get married in this drop-dead-amazing church dating back to the 600s?
  • Exploring the Museum of London, where I couldn't stop taking pictures. Such a great way to experience London's history before it even was known as London to the modern day metropolis in 2015. 
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Isn't she lovely?

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Love Walk Cafe is becoming one of my favorite local breakfast places! 

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#nofilter 
 This FREE museum is a must-see when wanting to learn more about London's history!
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"All the world's a stage..."

1/10/2015

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I just love anything and everything Shakespeare, which made Ross's Christmas gift to me perfect: date night at the theater watching Shakespeare in Love. Funny performance. Beautiful theater. Great company. #success 
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The Noel Coward was built in 1903, and is located in Leicester Square. Who was Noel Coward?
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    Danielle Marie

    Chicago native. Proud teacher. Wannabe yoga instructor. Life-long learner. Royal & celebrity enthusiast. Foodie. Animal lover. London implant trying to understand a new culture and lifestyle. Follow me and my journey abroad, by subscribing below with your email address. xoxo

    *All views are my own and not reflective of my employer. 

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