Saturday, July 13, 2013

Long Live the Spaghetti Monkey

The sushi here is weird. Each is wrapped individually, and you pretty much mix and match up your plate.  It was Tina's treat to my sick hungover ass, and not too bad :) 








Had our dinner on the lawn in front of her school

Our really awesome view past the canal

Yesterday, I decided to walk to Hyde Park, which is another 30 minutes past Covent Gardens.  Walked past King's Cross down Euston all the way to Baker, took a left and then a right on Oxford, left on Park.  There was an event going on however so there were fences and such around, but I lay down on the grass anyhow and took in some sun.  It was def a busy area, I guess as is all usual big well known areas.  Though, this time down I noticed other stores like Primark, and Topshop.  They were alright, but nothing totally I-have-to-have-it status. 

creeping peoples homes





Primark


I'm very mature

Hyde Park




Scribbles



Since I was already all the way down there, I made my way another 20 minutes to the Victoria & Albert museum off Brompton.  Admission was free, but to get into the key exhibitions cost some pounds.  I checked out the David Bowie Is exhibit (£9- student price), and Memory Place collaboration (£4- student price).



Catwalk: Fashion through London




Garden / Pool in the middle



The most disgusting sandwich so far I'm sad to say (£7)




Shiny empty room


Clytie 1868 by George Frederick Watts
An Ocean nymph who fell in love with the sun god Apollo.  When he deserted her she was changed into a sunflower turning its head to follow the sun during it's daily routine.
Yah, I'm a sucker for Greek mythology too.

Now, of course "no photography" was allowed in the exhibits I paid for, but pfft I still snuck some.  Had an hour to kill before getting into Bowie so I checked out Memory Palace, a collaborative & interactive piece narrated by author Hari Kunzru, to create a walk-in book. 

The story is set in future London, hundreds of years after the world's information infastructed was wiped out by an immense magnetic storm.  Nature takes over, and a group who enforces a extremely simple life where recording, writing, collecting and art are outlawd- takes power.  

The narrator is in prison, accused of being a member of said-banned activities, and having revived the ancient 'art of memory'.  The prison cell becomes his memory palace.  

Anyhow, I found it extremely moving, if I could cry I would haha out of happiness of course.  The end was truly wonderful, and really makes you think, If you could keep one memory, what would it be?  I, personally find this so important.  Not having one memory specifically, but in general to be aware and thoughtful of how you spend your time, with whom, and how.  It all adds up in the long run, and isn't what you want in the long run - to feel fulfilled?  That you've tried and done all you can, and therefore you deserve to be happy?  Anyway, then this is where the audience interacts, and draws their favorite memory- which then gets printed onto the rectangular black sheets and hung up for all to read.  I couldn't bring myself to read everything people drew/wrote, but I did draw something.  None of your business though hah.








Recording memories




The David Bowie exhibit was intense and took up several large rooms.  It came with an audio that automatically turned onto whatever narrative or song was meant to play near a certain area.  It showed his fanmail, outfits on outfits on outfits, old photos, interviews, news press, hows he's influenced art music etc.  It was pretty suhweet, finally ending in a room where the whole wall was a tv showing him at one of his largest shows.  David Bowie is why we are what we are.  



Hello beautiful

Now, you remember that disgusting sandwich I listed above? Probably not, but I couldn't bring myself to finish it. I only ate half, and that was at 2pm.  My first meal, and it was now 530pm.  I felt pretty terrible for wasting it, but I couldn't stomach it, so I decided to walk all the way back to King's Cross to save Tube money.  On the upside, I finally got a pay as you go phone for £25- 100 min, and 300 texts free for the UK.  And ran into a man who apparently got all his money stolen, showing me the police record and such asking for spare change to get back to the airport.  He sounded Italian, and was so flustered- to me he looked genuinely screwed.  I gave him £4, scammed or not, I couldn't help it- if something like that happened to me, I'd hope that somebody would help me out.  

Finally made it home by 730, just to take my stinky shoes off for 20 minutes before meeting the boys at Liverpool St Station at 830 to see a friends gig.  My galloon of water finally diminished, leaving me with chips & vodka OJ for dinner.  Got party favours for about £20Met their mate Darren, a real nice guy, and off we went to Shoreditch to a Bar & Boutique Paper Dress Co, to watch their mate's band Cousin Dim.  It was def rock based, with some alternative in there- I enjoyed it. The boutique bar itself had checkered floors, and vintage clothing of course along the sides to make room for a dance area, with a bar/register area.  After they played, a diff band went on to play more acoustic sets of popular songs, and some surf guitar. That got the crowd dancing even more.  Lots of 40s/50s vibes.  Did I mention I havn't taken a piss all day until now? I been drinkin water like mad too... probably definitely not something you need to know, but I've just realized and thought it a possible talent maybe? Or I'm just part camel. I dunno, but it can't be healthy.




Cousin Dim



Afterwards, we ran across a couple other bars to figure out the night, met some people from Spain.  Christina, 27 came 4 months ago to work in marketing... or something, but was waitressing at the time being until she can get an interview.  Her brother, Carlos has been working in the army for the last 5 years and was visiting before he ventures off to Poland in 4 days.  We hit The Horse & Broom where Tom's roommates friend was DJing- mostly house music, so that was fun. And it had an upstairs area too with more lounging.  We also ran into Street Pastors.  Tom told them he believed in the Spaghetti Monkey God or something of that bullshit nature haha. But they basically roam the streets seeing if people are practicing acts of Christianity/spreading it or whichever... honestly I can't recall anything past the ridiculous remarks.  

Just a lil alley

Ran into some random hardcore metal music here



The Horse & Broom

Tom, Jamell, & Jasmine




Mikey & stranger trying to dig up tobacco

Me & Darren

The boys







Had to take a cab home at 3am, in addition to being a terrible walker earlier in the day, I couldn't hang anymore hah.  Too much writing I know, now off to the British Museum.

Total spent today: Too kind to acknowledge...okay, about £50 or so.  

KL

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