autumn love

 

 

"October"- Broken Bells

My absolute favorite season is autumn, but I never really get to experience it in California (or any season, for that matter). I hate California's weather 80% of the time, as it is often ridiculously warm one day and not-so-bad the next. While Manchester's weather is just as unpredictable, I much prefer the rain over the blazing hot sun. But between the rainy days, there have been really gorgeous days where the skies are clear and the air is crisp and cool. I can feel autumn being in full swing with my scarf blowing in the wind and hearing the crunch of the golden leaves as I walk to class. With a hazelnut latte (Costa Coffee seriously needs a pumpkin flavored one!) in my hand, everything is perfect.

Happy Friday, and have a lovely weekend!

bath & stonehenge

Over the weekend, I took an overnight trip with the International Society to the city of Bath and Stonehenge. We headed to Bath early Saturday morning, where it took us nearly four hours to get to the hostel. But upon arrival, I was pleasantly surprised to see it located in a really nice and woodsy area on top of a hill. This was my first time staying at a hostel, and it was quite an interesting experience. I think I'm just not used to sharing a room with 5 other people. I'm not sure how I would feel if I had to share the room with actual strangers, but I guess every hostel experience is different! Though it's nothing like the Eli Roth movie, I can assure you.

Anyway, after settling in the hostel we had the rest of the day to explore Bath on our own. I knew nearly nothing about Bath prior to coming, but I instantly fell in love. The city is gorgeous, and it kind of felt like being in Rome due to the architecture. I learned that Bath has been known as the "ultimate spa town" because of its natural hot springs, so it's definitely a place to visit if you want to "treat yo self."

Stacie and I first headed to Sally Lunn's for lunch, which is apparently a "must do" in Bath. The eating house is famous for their buns (*giggles*), and you can have them with sweet or savory toppings. We probably waited for about 30 minutes or more to get a seat. And I've gotta say that after eating it, I'm not exactly sure what's so special about them. I mean, it was yummy, but I couldn't really tell what made them different from any other bun other than it's slight sweetness and large size. It's also overpriced, and you don't even get the whole bun! I guess because the building itself is one of the oldest in Bath and it's such a tourist hot spot, they can do as they please.

After lunch, we decided to visit the Roman Baths. You may be asking: what's so special about a public bathing site? I wish I knew the answer, but you just have to come and see this place for yourself. The museum inside is amazing--you can visit the Romans' changing rooms and saunas, or take a look at the original plumbing and drainage system. But at the center of it all is "The Great Bath," which is a pool below street level filled with hot spa water. Oh yeah, the Romans knew how to bathe the right way.

We were already pretty exhausted afterwards, so after dinner we decided to call it a day. But the next morning, we were given some more time to explore Bath. And what better way to spend it than taking a visit to the Jane Austen Centre! Now, I have a confession: I've actually never read any of Jane Austen's books. I know, shame on me! I've watched the movie Pride and Prejudice starring Keira Knightley, though. That kind of counts, right?

The exhibit is relatively small and is located inside the house where Jane once lived for some time. But it was really fun! We learned all about Jane and her family, saw plenty of "I heart Mr. Darcy" merchandise, ate delicious free cookie samples, and finally ordered some proper afternoon tea! Which brings me to perhaps the funniest thing about this place: the Mr. Darcy painting portrayed by Colin Firth. The painting is everywhere in the centre, including the tea room, and the real one retails for £12,000! But since I can't afford such things, I bought the card version of it for £2.50. I wonder if Colin Firth has ever visited this place--would he be flattered or horrified?

A shrine?

Simple & delicious! View the recipe HERE & HERE

But my favorite part of all was dressing up. Here are some exclusive images from my photoshoot. Full coverage will be in the November issue of Austen Magazine:

My sweet Mr. Darcy. How I long for you to come home! 

Oh, I forgot. I'm all alone.

After an Austen-filled morning in Bath, we were back on the bus to Stonehenge! Ah yes, these beautiful stones are the true rockstars of the world (ha!). So grand, so majestic, so... old. Like back in the BC days old! Apparently the stones are aligned with the movements of the sun, and the site was once used as a burial ground as cremated remains have been found in the area.

Stonehenge is pretty amazing when you're actually there. But the place was also FREEZING. I definitely wasn't prepared for the weather, and I just wanted to get off the tram and right back on it. Nevertheless, I was able to get through the strong winds and took multiple pictures at different angles to show you all of Stonehenge's glory. Which one is your favorite?

It was a very tiring, but overall wonderful trip! But now I feel a cold coming on. You know what that means: more tea!

movie night: the maze runner

I know The Maze Runner has been out for a while now in the U.S., but it finally got released in the U.K. today! And the perfect place to watch it was at Odeon at The Printworks. I haven't read The Maze Runner series, but I hear it's along the lines of The Hunger Games and Divergent. Never heard of it before? Here's the trailer that got me hooked:



Oooh, interesting huh? It was actually a solidly good movie, and it exceeded my expectations. There's plenty of action and suspense, and I enjoyed every minute of it. The actors also played their parts really well, and watching Dylan O'Brien makes me want to watch Teen Wolf again. There were a few plot holes here and there, but maybe the next two films will make it clearer. Overall, I'd definitely recommend it! It's "A-MAZE-ING ENTERTAINMENT!" (That's an actual quote from a critic, and it's used on posters all over the buses here. I laugh everytime I see it.)

lately...

In Manchester
It's been raining! I was finally able to break out my little red umbrella yesterday. Thankfully, it hasn't been raining too hard when I've been walking to and from class. And even though I love the rain, it makes me a little sad to see how gloomy it is everyday. The sunlight after the rain gives me so much life. Speaking of the sun: I've heard from my mom that California is still hot? I'm so sorry.

In my life
I have finally exercised. I took a body conditioning class today, and oh my goodness... I am in so much pain. The instructor was really intense and made us do these exercises I'm physically not capable of doing. It made me realize how out of shape I really am. When I got out of class, my knees were trembling. And when I stopped by the grocery store, my hand was literally shaking when I grabbed a 2 litre water bottle off the shelf. I'm glad I have no classes tomorrow because I'm pretty sure I won't be able to get out of bed. So will I be back? Umm... I'll let you know.
I also went to a breakdancing class with Stacie... except I didn't breakdance. But maybe I'll give it a try next week. Wouldn't you want to see that?

I ate a rabbit quesadilla. Yes, you read right: RABBIT. The taste and texture was very similar to chicken, but I'm not sure if it's because the pinto beans, cheese, and chilli oil was hiding its true flavor. Nevertheless, it was delicious. Oh, and the name of the truck was called WrapScallion. The owner is very friendly, and he had a bunch of other items on the menu I wanted to try. I think he'll see me again next week, and maybe even the week after that.

I've been noticing my California accent (or "Valleyspeak") a lot more when I talk to people. Like OMG, it's really weird.

I finally bought not one, but TWO coats! One of them is a trench coat. I've been wanting one for so long, but all the ones I've tried on have always been way too long on me (short people problems) and made me look like a detective--a look that I sadly cannot pull off. But I finally found one that fit me well at TK Maxx (or TJ Maxx in the U.S.) at only 25 pounds! It's also warm and waterproof, so it's definitely a keeper. As for my other coat, I'm still not 100% sure if I'll keep it. I change my mind too much. Isn't being indecisive one of the worst traits you could have?

Overall, things are going well. Besides being stressed out with coursework, I've been really happy these past couple of days.

In other news
After 25 years, Twin Peaks is coming back in 2016! I can't believe it's really happening. If you've never watched this show, I suggest checking it out on Netflix. There are only two seasons, but they are two great seasons. It's a murder mystery that's all sorts of weird and wonderful. And I promise that you'll fall in love with FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper. It's hard not to.