Graduating from college 50 years ago was about as necessary as getting your teeth cleaned every month . It didn't hurt your future, but a high school education was generally accepted as "good enough" to live comfortably. In the United States, manufacturing jobs were easy to find and many people purely climbed the employment ladder by using experience and hard work. The true "academic" in American society was a minority. Today, well-educated, intelligent, ambitious youth are facing the once-unthinkable for the educated: unemployment.
Multinationals have taken shelter in countries like China and India where labor is cheap and expendable. What are a few possible causes?
- Overpopulation
- Climate Change
- Globalization
- Outsourcing
- Over-educated
- A widening "generation gap"
Four of the five business classes I am taking this semester work to incorporate these issues. It's the first time we are asked to apply the classes we have taken and analyze the big picture. The ideas I listed above are broad, complex and each worthy of their own graduate degree.
I am interested in the consequences of our actions today. It is impossible to predict the future, but I can't help but be fascinated by this crisis. As I said in the beginning, in the last 10 years, our population has become over-educated. There is a gap forming between the established 50-somethings that have worked hard to get to where they are, both through education and experience, but mostly experience. They are the ones that take an "old school" approach and believe you must work your way up from the bottom.
Today, there is an increasing sense of entitlement from 20-somethings. Over-educated, well-to-do young professionals with MBAs and JDs and PhDs find themselves barging into positions, expecting raises and thinking that they deserve everything when, in actuality, they have a $150,000 piece of paper. That's not to say that education is worthless, nor is it to say that smart people don't deserve high salaries.
The problem is there is an inordinate amount of these people with expensive pieces of paper all shooting for the same jobs and, in some cases, have expensive pieces of paper financed with loans that are starting to come due. Interest is piling up and unemployed young lawyers, fresh out of law school with degrees from the finest institutions in America, are unable to put food on their table for one. This last part was pulled from an article I recently read in the New York Times entitled: "Is Law School a Losing Game?"
This perspective is merely one part of the issue. Law school is one example, in one part of the country, affecting a relatively small number of people. It gets worse. In China, "Slumdog Millionaire-type" slums are forming with college graduates that have blown their life's savings, with that of their parents on degrees that promised a better life. The only thing is EVERYONE thought that might be a good idea. Now there are millions of young Chinese standing around with no jobs, no money and a pile of debt for life.
Solution? I've been taking an interest to this craziness because of the future. The future of America and my great-grand children. I hope to try and wrap my mind around what is becoming a larger global crisis that will affect generations to come and hopefully help to remedy the issue.
15 January, 2011
06 January, 2011
Ringing in the New Year
Spontaneous trips are always more fun than planned ones, right? After booking a ticket to visit Bri in her hometown of Monterey, CA, I certainly hoped that would be the case.
Big Sur, CA - Highway 1
I'd love to drive all the way to LA sometime.
After getting beaten up by the wind, we headed back to make chicken curry!
Other highlights:
Lunch at:
The Monterey Bay Aquarium is incredible.
I was fortunate enough to taste MYO...Essentially a huge sundae bar with frozen yogurt to make you feel slightly better about piling on all the delicious toppings. Naturally, I overindulged. Completely worth it.
Memories:
- Suffering a minor allergic reaction after sampling the wrong "best" clam chowder in Monterey
- Yellow Tail just isn't the same
- Meeting awesome new people!
- Bri's lack of competitiveness..ha
- The London Bridge Pub
- 17 Mile Drive
- $3.30/gallon gas
- Pacific Grove is awesome
- Bixby Bridge
- First Night celebration and the ice skating that wasn't
- "Why is my umbrella open?"
- An engagement party with more Chinese food than I had ever seen in once place. Ever.
".....Oh, you guys are definitely brother and sister."
Overall, it was a great weekend filled with lots of Bri, good times, intense laughter and new friends. What a solid start to 2011. I can't wait to go back!
04 January, 2011
Wrapping up 2010
It's been a while. My last entry was written in the thick of finals, while working overtime and watching everyone go home for the holidays. All was not lost, however, because I managed to make some money and still get to see all of my family and some friends - just a little later than the official "everyone gets to head home now" date.
Christmas was pretty spectacular this year. Apart from some incredible gift-giving all around (poo-pourri, anyone?), everyone seemed genuinely thrilled to be hanging out together. Family from both my mom and dad's side managed to show up and we had mashed potatoes from Bob Evans. How bad is that?
To top if off, we had an awesome Christmas card this year. The Pub at Polaris seemed like the perfect picture spot.
Christmas was pretty spectacular this year. Apart from some incredible gift-giving all around (poo-pourri, anyone?), everyone seemed genuinely thrilled to be hanging out together. Family from both my mom and dad's side managed to show up and we had mashed potatoes from Bob Evans. How bad is that?
To top if off, we had an awesome Christmas card this year. The Pub at Polaris seemed like the perfect picture spot.
Merry Christmas, 2010!
12 December, 2010
Tasi Cafe
Tasi was brought to my attention one day as I was reading an article on Easy Columbus: The off campus guide. The person interviewed mentioned it in passing, but since I'm always looking for new breakfast spots around Columbus, I Googled it and found the place tucked away in the heart of the Short North.
Tasi Cafe is owned by Tasi Rigsby of Rigsby's Kitchen. Having only sampled the breakfast menu, I can only speak of the morning offerings. Items range from cinnamon challah french toast to Greek scrambled eggs with zucchini, tomato and feta.
Nevertheless, all the food is prepared with the typical "organic" this and "farm-raised that," but the unique flavors make me want to go back time and time again. Maybe it's the hint of Bolivian. As an example, French Toast is usually delicious, but it's nothing to write home about. Even if home is somewhere in France. They take this breakfast classic to the next level by pouring what is effectively Bananas Foster (butter, sugar and rum coated bananas) over the grilled bread. Really? How bad can that be?
*Side note: "French Toast" isn't actually French. Not even a little bit. Supposedly it dates back to 4th century Rome. Who knows. For the time being, I'll keep telling myself it's actually authentic French goodness. Oh well.
The Coffee? Crimson Cup is one of the better cups of coffee in Columbus; leaps and bounds ahead of Starbucks and about equal to Cup-o-Joe.
Bottom Line: For adventurous types, it's a unique twist on breakfast that will have you coming back to try something new every time. There are more than enough offerings to keep things interesting with each visit.
Try it!
680 North Pearl Street
Columbus, OH 43215-1518
Tasi Cafe is owned by Tasi Rigsby of Rigsby's Kitchen. Having only sampled the breakfast menu, I can only speak of the morning offerings. Items range from cinnamon challah french toast to Greek scrambled eggs with zucchini, tomato and feta.
Nevertheless, all the food is prepared with the typical "organic" this and "farm-raised that," but the unique flavors make me want to go back time and time again. Maybe it's the hint of Bolivian. As an example, French Toast is usually delicious, but it's nothing to write home about. Even if home is somewhere in France. They take this breakfast classic to the next level by pouring what is effectively Bananas Foster (butter, sugar and rum coated bananas) over the grilled bread. Really? How bad can that be?
*Side note: "French Toast" isn't actually French. Not even a little bit. Supposedly it dates back to 4th century Rome. Who knows. For the time being, I'll keep telling myself it's actually authentic French goodness. Oh well.
The Coffee? Crimson Cup is one of the better cups of coffee in Columbus; leaps and bounds ahead of Starbucks and about equal to Cup-o-Joe.
Bottom Line: For adventurous types, it's a unique twist on breakfast that will have you coming back to try something new every time. There are more than enough offerings to keep things interesting with each visit.
Try it!
680 North Pearl Street
Columbus, OH 43215-1518
10 December, 2010
Blackberry: Phone or Fruit?
Earlier in the semester, a marketing professor of mine gave us an update on his grandchildren. Just as any proud grandparent should do, he usually shares fun anecdotes about birthday parties, trips to the zoo and the like. But this time, it was much more profound.
He mentioned that his three year old grandson Sam had been trying out new apps on his iPad. Say whatttt? Just when I thought LeapFrog was cutting edge stuff, this kid is walking around preschool with a new iPad. Evidently all the cool kids are doing it.
How has this happened? Sam's home of Seattle, Washington is just north of what all self-proclaimed nerds would consider their mecca: Silicon Valley. But does that mean three year old children should be waltzing around with iPads? I think so.
Here's why:
The Apple brand is synonymous for producing operating systems that "scream" ease of use. iPad is no different. With a large, uber-intuitive touchscreen, it is the perfect way to browse the news by virtually "turning the pages" or, if you're three years old, playing the coolest version of "Squiggles" or "Sneezies." Both highly rated in the iPad App Store, apps are not only inexpensive, they are easy to add and easy to remove as kids grow up.
Now think about the phone. My grandparent's generation has been witness to the most incredible technological revolution; going from no phones, to iPhones in one lifetime. Incredible.
Technology is progressing at such a pace, it is unfathomable to think about what little Sam, with his soon-to-be-outdated iPad (Hello, iPad 2) will be using to teach his children. Another thing? He will probably NEVER find himself pecking away at an archaic tactical keyboard. At three years old, he has virtually mastered the flat surface interface of the iPad, and by the time he gets to high school, who knows what we will be using.
Gartner, a world leader in Information Technology research, recently released a study that says more than 50% of personal computers sold by 2015 will have touchscreen interfaces. This does not include enterprise solutions for corporations, only home users. Even so, it is a clear sign of where technology is headed in the not-so-distant future.
With that, let's also think about how culture is driving systemic change in our vocabulary. Ten years go, when someone said "Do you like Blackberry?" you would have been thinking about the fruit, maybe in jam or pie form. Now? Instantly, whether you are 10 years old or 60 years old, your mind thinks phone.
Ten years.
Put that in prospective: barely a blink of an eye.
I won't say that I am equally addicted to both the fruit and the phone. Rarely do I seek out the fruit variety at the grocery, but my phone seems to follow me everywhere I go.
Where will we be when little Sam graduates high school? I can't wait to find out.
He mentioned that his three year old grandson Sam had been trying out new apps on his iPad. Say whatttt? Just when I thought LeapFrog was cutting edge stuff, this kid is walking around preschool with a new iPad. Evidently all the cool kids are doing it.
How has this happened? Sam's home of Seattle, Washington is just north of what all self-proclaimed nerds would consider their mecca: Silicon Valley. But does that mean three year old children should be waltzing around with iPads? I think so.
Here's why:
The Apple brand is synonymous for producing operating systems that "scream" ease of use. iPad is no different. With a large, uber-intuitive touchscreen, it is the perfect way to browse the news by virtually "turning the pages" or, if you're three years old, playing the coolest version of "Squiggles" or "Sneezies." Both highly rated in the iPad App Store, apps are not only inexpensive, they are easy to add and easy to remove as kids grow up.
Now think about the phone. My grandparent's generation has been witness to the most incredible technological revolution; going from no phones, to iPhones in one lifetime. Incredible.
Technology is progressing at such a pace, it is unfathomable to think about what little Sam, with his soon-to-be-outdated iPad (Hello, iPad 2) will be using to teach his children. Another thing? He will probably NEVER find himself pecking away at an archaic tactical keyboard. At three years old, he has virtually mastered the flat surface interface of the iPad, and by the time he gets to high school, who knows what we will be using.
Gartner, a world leader in Information Technology research, recently released a study that says more than 50% of personal computers sold by 2015 will have touchscreen interfaces. This does not include enterprise solutions for corporations, only home users. Even so, it is a clear sign of where technology is headed in the not-so-distant future.
With that, let's also think about how culture is driving systemic change in our vocabulary. Ten years go, when someone said "Do you like Blackberry?" you would have been thinking about the fruit, maybe in jam or pie form. Now? Instantly, whether you are 10 years old or 60 years old, your mind thinks phone.
Ten years.
Put that in prospective: barely a blink of an eye.
I won't say that I am equally addicted to both the fruit and the phone. Rarely do I seek out the fruit variety at the grocery, but my phone seems to follow me everywhere I go.
Where will we be when little Sam graduates high school? I can't wait to find out.
09 December, 2010
"Tuition fee decision day"
So, this being a former London blog and me being a college student, I thought it appropriate to comment on the madness that went down in the City of Westminster earlier today. London's Metropolitan Police had their hands full dealing with massive protests. Rocks were thrown into the windows of City Hall, likewise at the High Court, a Christmas Tree in Trafalgar Square was set alight and a car carrying Prince Charles and Camilla was pelted with a barrage of rocks.
Why all this violence? Earlier in the day, MPs finalized a vote that effectively *triples* university tuition rates, capping the fees to a maximum of £9,000 per year in England, by a majority of 21.
First, I'd like to point out that yes, if I saw my tuition bill tripled, it would infuriate me, but no I wouldn't find myself running for DC ready to throw rocks at the President.
I get that David Cameron, with the help of his coalition Government, has successfully implemented the largest austerity plan ever; cutting billions of pounds from the Government's annual budget and I understand that it must be outrageously expensive to cover the cost of all those tuition bills (since the number of students attending university is rising steadily every year). But tripling the cost? Really? All at once?
What ever happened to doing things methodically, with a plan or maybe some options? It would be so much more reasonable if they had a ten year plan that would A: allow students who are in the middle of their schooling to finish and B: give some people some time to prepare for that massive increase.
We must also put this number into context: £9,000 per year in England. As of 30 seconds ago, Google told me £9,000 is equal to roughly $14,000. What? $14,000?
For a typical private, liberal arts education in the US you're going to pay $20-30 if not more than $40,000/year for school. Let's realize that the British Government is still subsidizing much of that cost. Universities in Europe don't have some magical power which makes them any less expensive to run, maintain, stock with books, or cut the grass. The Brits have just been pretty generous. And to think that before this so-called "austerity plan," put in place by the now-divided "coalition" Government (quickly becoming an oxymoron), Parliament was set to vote on ELIMINATING TUITION FEES for all university students. Mind. Blown.
PM Cameron's new coalition Government, however, has realized running a massive budget deficit probably isn't the most fiscally responsible thing if one is trying to ensure long-term growth and stability. The result? They've been cutting everywhere to the tune of 81 billion pounds ($126 billion). That's about what we spend in Iraq over the course of two business days. Awesome.
Two problems: a ballooning deficit and poor university students. I don't have a solution, but I will say:
A: As cool as Government subsidizing every student's university education sounds, it's impractical, expensive and unreasonable.
B: Give those poor students a break; decrease the funding in small, planned increments until it drops to the final level which is evidently triple the max now (£3,000 to £9,000).
And let's be real, if I was paying £3,000/year to attend university, I would be ecstatic. Grow up, get over it and take out a student loan.
Why all this violence? Earlier in the day, MPs finalized a vote that effectively *triples* university tuition rates, capping the fees to a maximum of £9,000 per year in England, by a majority of 21.
First, I'd like to point out that yes, if I saw my tuition bill tripled, it would infuriate me, but no I wouldn't find myself running for DC ready to throw rocks at the President.
I get that David Cameron, with the help of his coalition Government, has successfully implemented the largest austerity plan ever; cutting billions of pounds from the Government's annual budget and I understand that it must be outrageously expensive to cover the cost of all those tuition bills (since the number of students attending university is rising steadily every year). But tripling the cost? Really? All at once?
What ever happened to doing things methodically, with a plan or maybe some options? It would be so much more reasonable if they had a ten year plan that would A: allow students who are in the middle of their schooling to finish and B: give some people some time to prepare for that massive increase.
We must also put this number into context: £9,000 per year in England. As of 30 seconds ago, Google told me £9,000 is equal to roughly $14,000. What? $14,000?
For a typical private, liberal arts education in the US you're going to pay $20-30 if not more than $40,000/year for school. Let's realize that the British Government is still subsidizing much of that cost. Universities in Europe don't have some magical power which makes them any less expensive to run, maintain, stock with books, or cut the grass. The Brits have just been pretty generous. And to think that before this so-called "austerity plan," put in place by the now-divided "coalition" Government (quickly becoming an oxymoron), Parliament was set to vote on ELIMINATING TUITION FEES for all university students. Mind. Blown.
PM Cameron's new coalition Government, however, has realized running a massive budget deficit probably isn't the most fiscally responsible thing if one is trying to ensure long-term growth and stability. The result? They've been cutting everywhere to the tune of 81 billion pounds ($126 billion). That's about what we spend in Iraq over the course of two business days. Awesome.
Two problems: a ballooning deficit and poor university students. I don't have a solution, but I will say:
A: As cool as Government subsidizing every student's university education sounds, it's impractical, expensive and unreasonable.
B: Give those poor students a break; decrease the funding in small, planned increments until it drops to the final level which is evidently triple the max now (£3,000 to £9,000).
And let's be real, if I was paying £3,000/year to attend university, I would be ecstatic. Grow up, get over it and take out a student loan.
06 December, 2010
London: 7 months later
After taking this hunk o' virtual paper that is "A Taste of London" to print back in mid-September, I am officially declaring it history. Good history, I'd like to think. History that I'll be able to look back on...in 50 years. But time inevitably keeps passing and life keeps on rolling.
After my re-entry back into the good ol' US of A, I managed to convince myself that packing up and moving into entirely new atmosphere called "the south" was the most logical next step in my life. New school, new friends, new professors and a new major. Rationale being: I was half way through college and desperately wanted to "love" where I attended. Sounds reasonable. The reality? Moving back to Columbus for the summer only made me grow fonder of the city with every passing day. Two weeks into the summer and I was on the phone to College of Charleston telling them I would be withdrawing from the university.
I can't really explain the epic epiphany I had, but it is clear I desperately needed to go through the process to finally appreciate Capital and all of its merits.
As I sit here in the library drinking my coffee and eating my cookies complements of Capital University's "Finals week library fund," I can't help but reflect on the last year of my life. A year that has not only gone by quicker than I could have ever anticipated (don't they always), but one that has put me on another planet in terms of "personal growth." Making mistakes, learning from them and literally trying anything I could get my hands on seemed to be the ticket to happiness.
Managing to fall into an internship, land a paying job and score free room/board for the summer added up to equal one incredible summer. And to think it all just fell into place both while I was living out the final days abroad and also after I was getting settled back in Columbus. If that says anything, it's that I need to chill out and let life take me.
Where am I going with this? It's sort of a backhanded introduction to the new phase of this blog. It was a great way to communicate back in London and, considering my recent Facebook hiatus, I think it will be a nice way to ease myself back into the social media realm.
So what's the "Tasting Life:" all about? A logical progression from "A Taste of London," maybe. I've been pondering several titles; that one seems to just work. I like it.
After my re-entry back into the good ol' US of A, I managed to convince myself that packing up and moving into entirely new atmosphere called "the south" was the most logical next step in my life. New school, new friends, new professors and a new major. Rationale being: I was half way through college and desperately wanted to "love" where I attended. Sounds reasonable. The reality? Moving back to Columbus for the summer only made me grow fonder of the city with every passing day. Two weeks into the summer and I was on the phone to College of Charleston telling them I would be withdrawing from the university.
I can't really explain the epic epiphany I had, but it is clear I desperately needed to go through the process to finally appreciate Capital and all of its merits.
As I sit here in the library drinking my coffee and eating my cookies complements of Capital University's "Finals week library fund," I can't help but reflect on the last year of my life. A year that has not only gone by quicker than I could have ever anticipated (don't they always), but one that has put me on another planet in terms of "personal growth." Making mistakes, learning from them and literally trying anything I could get my hands on seemed to be the ticket to happiness.
Managing to fall into an internship, land a paying job and score free room/board for the summer added up to equal one incredible summer. And to think it all just fell into place both while I was living out the final days abroad and also after I was getting settled back in Columbus. If that says anything, it's that I need to chill out and let life take me.
Where am I going with this? It's sort of a backhanded introduction to the new phase of this blog. It was a great way to communicate back in London and, considering my recent Facebook hiatus, I think it will be a nice way to ease myself back into the social media realm.
So what's the "Tasting Life:" all about? A logical progression from "A Taste of London," maybe. I've been pondering several titles; that one seems to just work. I like it.
11 May, 2010
Farewell, London! I will miss you...
The inevitable return to the USA happened on 8 May, 2010. After a drama-free trip from Heathrow to Detroit, I sit here in Whitehouse, Ohio where the air is clear and the fields are vast. I got out of the car to find myself drunk on fresh, clean air. My nostrils couldn't get enough as they had evidently gotten used to the polluted, smoke-filled air of central London.
Thus begins the final entry of A Taste of London. A bit sad, I must admit, as this blogging business has been more fun than I ever imagined.
Truthfully, I didn't anticipate becoming quite this involved, but it was all due to the incredible experiences I had. The (almost) unhealthy amount of fun, wonderful memories I've managed to compile and the people I met along the way kept me honest about updating this thing.
Frantically scribbling everything down started to get fun and I soon found myself writing about EVERYTHING! ...now to think it is already over!
Frantically scribbling everything down started to get fun and I soon found myself writing about EVERYTHING! ...now to think it is already over!
I've been banging on about "best this" and "best that" over the course of the last four months. Was it really the best experience of my life? If so, why? Do I have any favorite moments? Anything I hated? Loved?
Why did I decide to jump on the study abroad bandwagon?
After several trips abroad in high school, I had always been itching to get back to Europe, albeit for an extended period of time. The allure of actually calling a place like London home (for at least a few months) was too great to pass up.
There had to be some things you didn't particularly enjoy...What were they?
I intended to meet as many non-American students as possible during my time abroad. It soon became apparent, after I got settled, that it was going to be incredibly difficult to tap into the affluent, pretentious and frankly, entitled Saudi royalty, billionaire Greek shipping tycoon and Swiss private equity manager set.
Never have I seen so much designer clothing, such unmotivated, snobby, disrespectful, chain-smoking, rude people in my life. It was all pretty disheartening at first, but it quickly became clear that it didn't matter as I had already met some amazing American friends.
Even though I had heard stories about the European Business School students prior to landing in London, seeing them in person was extraordinary. The girls actually put on a designer fashion show every single day, they actually drove Ferraris, Bentleys and Lamborghinis to school and they really were completely rude all the time.
Nevertheless, it didn't matter. Everything else was so fantastic, the fantasy of making friends with someone and having them take a few of us to their house in the south of France for spring break faded very quickly.
--------
Exchange rate, exchange rate, exchange rate. London, as one of the world's most expensive cities, is already jaw-droppingly pricey. This well-known fact, coupled with the weak US Dollar meant checking my bank account became a truly terrifying experience. The money just kept disappearing at such an alarming rate it started to become a legitimate problem about 2/3 of the way through the semester.
Moral of the story: bring at least (probably more) twice as much money as you think you will need. Between trying to feed yourself, going out to pubs, buying random souvenirs and taking weekend trips, you will be shocked at how fast the numbers drop in your bank account.
Favorite weekend excursion?
Wales proved to be my favorite trip of the semester. The beauty of the Welsh coastline will never fade in my mind. From my pony, Bottom, to the endless coastline, hills, rock faces, ruins, beaches and pristine views of the water, to the infamous Maddock's restaurant; nothing beats it for a quick weekend holiday.
Favorite spring break memory?
Everything we did on spring break was epic. Considering all of the researching, planning and confirming that went into that week, it would be easy to say the whole thing was glorious.
However, after safely arriving in Florence, and getting a chance to wrap my mind around just how many things that could have gone wrong between Lausanne and Florence, my favorite memory has to be driving through the Alps, Genoa, nearly getting hit by dozens of Vespas and all the good times Bri, Rainey, Zach and I had on that eleven hour journey. We made it alive, didn't want to kill each other after eleven hours and went on to celebrate with lots of pizza and wine. What a good day!
However, after safely arriving in Florence, and getting a chance to wrap my mind around just how many things that could have gone wrong between Lausanne and Florence, my favorite memory has to be driving through the Alps, Genoa, nearly getting hit by dozens of Vespas and all the good times Bri, Rainey, Zach and I had on that eleven hour journey. We made it alive, didn't want to kill each other after eleven hours and went on to celebrate with lots of pizza and wine. What a good day!
What food will you miss most?
Anything from Borough Market: Malaysian Curry, samples of the balsamic vinegar that had been aged for 323023092 years, cinnamon almonds and the crazy-good desserts that seemed to be everywhere. Most of all, the sheer enthusiasm all those foodies brought to the market every weekend...
Considering all the time I've spent in/around "Little Lebanon" these past few months, I have eaten an embarrassingly small amount of Lebanese/Indian/Iraqi/Kurdish food. That said, I can recommend Maroush for some good Lebanese. Having ordered takeaway lunch there a few times, it is straight-forward and pretty good value for money. If you don't fancy heading to the heart of "Little Lebanon" to get your falafel fix (which I highly recommend), rest assured, there are a bunch of them scattered around central London.
The Natural Kitchen is a good option if you are looking for gourmet-type food, but still want the convenience of takeaway. It tries (and pretty much succeeds) to be an upscale "Purveyor of Fine Foods," but if you can get passed the pretentious exterior, you won't be disappointed. It's located right off Old Marylebone road in a nice area with loads of restaurants, cafes, sidewalks wide enough to pass someone without getting flattened (Italy take note) and a typical assortment of soccer mom stores (designer baby clothing, over-priced towels, blah blah). Needless to say the area isn't good for much unless you plan to eat or take a walk, however, given its close proximity to Regent's Park, it's a great place to pickup some food for a picnic.
Pret A Manger is by-far my favorite fast food restaurant in London. I say fast food because it is actually more ubiquitous than McDonald's, just as quick and if you get the right sandwich, about the same money. Think Panera quality, faster than Taco Bell and always-changing, fresh sandwiches. I'm a fan. The concept is genius: Walk in, pick out your sandwich from the fridge, add some crisps/cookies/drink and pay. No custom orders, that would take time. It's simple, inexpensive and satisfying.
So you went to school in a Royal Park?
Regent's Park is really something special. It isn't everyday you can say you go to university in a Royal Park. Now that the flowers have started to bloom and the ivy on the Tuke Building is starting to come out, it is nicer than ever. I pity anyone with allergies as we are quite literally dropped right into a garden, surrounded by more flowers than one can wrap their head around, grass that most golf courses would envy and enough people at any given time that you will (almost) want to leave.
The Barbican, eh?
The Barbican is one of the biggest concert venues in London. It hosts everything from musical theatre productions, to lectures on UK foreign policy, to the London Symphony. Near Victoria Park, its central location means that it is no more than 20-30 minutes from Regent's, Edgware Road or Westminster Abbey. I've been fortunate enough to see the London Symphony, London Philharmonic and BBC Symphony Orchestra on several occasions and they are all worth seeing.
The Barbican, eh?
The Barbican is one of the biggest concert venues in London. It hosts everything from musical theatre productions, to lectures on UK foreign policy, to the London Symphony. Near Victoria Park, its central location means that it is no more than 20-30 minutes from Regent's, Edgware Road or Westminster Abbey. I've been fortunate enough to see the London Symphony, London Philharmonic and BBC Symphony Orchestra on several occasions and they are all worth seeing.
I will miss____:
Chicken curry, all of my amazing London friends, gorgeous accents, beautiful people, pubs, random bottles of red wine, Thursday nights, London Symphony Orchestra, the Tube, Barbican Hall, seeing Keira Knightley, Regent's Park, The Natural Kitchen, London Euphoria, long runs along the Thames, Yellow Tail, constant laughter, Pret, the endless Swiss/Italian hills of spring break, Borough Market, the Refectory/Brasserie, parties in the penthouse, our multi-million pound view of the London Eye, coffee from dose espresso, Westminster Abbey, Wagamama, getting groceries at Waitrose, The Breakfast Club, "Ready to Eat" Waitrose meals, Oyster Cards, Trafalgar Square, Evening Standard Crosswords (thanks, Bri), St. Martin-in-the-Fields + the Crypt, endless world-class museums, and so much more!
I will not miss____:
The constant haze of cigarette smoke on the streets, the smell of the pedestrian subway under Marylebone Road, road works, EBS students, checking my bank account and seeing that the 40.00 Pounds I withdrew actually was closer to 60.00 USD, constantly having to top-up my Oyster Card and broken everything at the Landward
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During the last week, after my finals ended in an unspectacular fashion, I managed to wrap up the semester by crossing off the last items on my to-do list before we departed.
I was fortunate to snap the requisite Abbey Road photo, check out the Imperial War Museum, ride the London Eye one last time, have a drink at the Absolute Icebar London, take a day trip to Brighton (on the coast of the UK), make a quick visit to Oxford, ride roller coasters at Thorpe Park, walk around the Victoria and Albert Museum, blaze through the Natural History Museum in fifteen minutes and soak up the last hours of my time with a comprehensive walk around the city.
6 Steps for Study Abroad Success:
- Embrace the food, the people and the language (seems obvious, but you've gotta work at it)
- Things are not weird, they are just different!
- Keep an open mind and always try new things
- Stay busy (go explore!!!)
- Keep the calls home to a minimum (at least until you get settled)
And most importantly...
- Enjoy it and soak up every second!!! It will be over before you know it!!!!!
29 April, 2010
Finally...spring is in the air
After a period of 70 degree, sun-filled days, the weather has started to revert back to the typical mid-50s, clouds and occasional drizzle. It was nice while it lasted, but it comes just in time for me to throw all my stuff into suitcases and jump on a plane headed for the States.
I've wrapped up three of four exams, with only Classical Music in London keeping me from a few extra days in London before I depart!
In the mean time, here are a few places that I will miss most when back in the States:
Considering all the time I've spent in/around "Little Lebanon" these past few months, I have eaten an embarrassingly small amount of Lebanese/Indian/Iraqi/Kurdish food. That said, I can recommend Maroush for some good Lebanese. Having ordered takeaway lunch there a few times, it is straight-forward and pretty good value for money. If you don't fancy heading to the heart of "Little Lebanon" to get your falafel fix (which I highly recommend), rest assured, there are a bunch of them scattered around central London.
The Natural Kitchen is a good option if you are looking for gourmet-type food, but still want the convenience of takeaway. It tries (and pretty much succeeds) to be an upscale "Purveyor of Fine Foods," but if you can get passed the pretentious exterior, you won't be disappointed. It's located right off Old Marylebone road in a nice area with loads of restaurants, cafes, sidewalks wide enough to pass someone without getting flattened (Italy take note) and a typical assortment of soccer mom stores (designer baby clothing, over-priced towels, blah blah). Needless to say the area isn't good for much unless you plan to eat or take a walk, however, given its close proximity to Regent's Park, it's a great place to pickup some food for a picnic.
Pret A Manger is by-far my favorite fast food restaurant in London. I say fast food because it is actually more ubiquitous than McDonald's, just as quick and if you get the right sandwich, about the same money. Think Panera quality, faster than Taco Bell and always-changing, fresh sandwiches. I'm a fan. The concept is genius: Walk in, pick out your sandwich from the fridge, add some crisps/cookies/drink and pay. No custom orders, that would take time. It's simple, inexpensive and satisfying.
The Barbican is one of the biggest venues in London, they host everything from musical theatre productions, to lectures on UK foreign policy, to the London Symphony. Near Victoria Park, the central location means it's no more than a 20-30 minute Tube ride from Regent's, Edgware Road or Westminster Abbey. I've been fortunate enough to see the London Symphony, London Philharmonic and BBC Symphony Orchestra on several occasions and they are all worth seeing.
Regent's Park is really something special. It isn't everyday you can say you go to university in a Royal Park. Now that the flowers have started to bloom and the ivy on the Tuke Building is starting to come out, it is nicer than ever. I pity anyone with allergies as we are quite literally dropped right into a garden, surrounded by more flowers than one can wrap their head around, grass that most golf courses would envy and enough people at any given time that you will (almost) want to leave.
With that said, I was shocked to discover the little money-making operation the Queen has set up in her park.
Who wouldn't want to sit in those?
Whenever the sun comes out, comfy chairs appear out of nowhere and get scattered around various areas throughout the park. Naturally, I walked up (not noticing the big green sign, of course) and plopped down into one. A few moments later, a man came up to me asking for £1.50! What?! $2.30 to sit in a chair for an hour? I almost hated the Queen..just for a second, then I realized there were perfectly good (free) benches ten feet away.
26 April, 2010
Symphonic Rock
On 18 April, 2010, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra performed Symphonic Rock at the famed Royal Albert Hall. The set list included music from the best of Coldplay, Queen, Bon Jovi, Led Zeppelin, Robert Palmer, the Moody Blues and many more. Luck was on our side before the concert even started as we managed to get upgraded from "standing only" seats at the very top to some nice comfy (swivel) chairs in the stalls.
Concert? Epic. For once, I am using that word without exaggeration. The Royal Philharmonic is widely-considered to be second to the London Symphony Orchestra in terms of quality, and for good reason. They were phenomenal and between the mediocre vocals by "Metro Voices" and the hilarious emcee who constantly struggled to keep his mic on, it was a really fun night.
£75.00 seats for £10.00? Umm, yes please!
Credit: Zach and his Nikon. Gotta love the panorama.
Concert? Epic. For once, I am using that word without exaggeration. The Royal Philharmonic is widely-considered to be second to the London Symphony Orchestra in terms of quality, and for good reason. They were phenomenal and between the mediocre vocals by "Metro Voices" and the hilarious emcee who constantly struggled to keep his mic on, it was a really fun night.
Favorites of the night: "Bittersweet Symphony" and "Layla"
18 April, 2010
The Larrick
It's always difficult to decide where to eat in London, not because of the endless variety of top-notch eateries, but because we rarely venture out to dinner.
When Heaven and Jill came for a quick visit last weekend, the dreaded moment arrived: Where should we take them to eat? If we go to a pub, do we want loud, obnoxious, quiet or one that is more of a restaurant? Italian? Dave would like that. Indian? That was instantly shot down. Thai? Didn't even ask.
After much deliberation/confusion (long story haha), we settled on The Larrick.
Located on Crawford St, The Larrick is a small, inviting pub that is on the way to Regent's. It's a place that you always notice, but never actually look inside. Since the girls were hinting that they were keen on getting some good pub food, it seemed like the perfect choice: not too loud, quintessential pub atmosphere and a small, but mighty menu.
The whole experience turned out to be a great success. The lack of table service meant that we could all (for once) order on separate tabs, the staff was really helpful with figuring out both drinks and food, and everything appeared from the kitchen in a reasonable amount of time. It definitely felt more like a restaurant than a full-blown pub, but that was what we were going for. As a result, we could actually hear ourselves think. Great. Also, the clientele was decidedly British which made the experience that much better.
How was the food? Everything was tasty, seemed well-prepared and didn't cost a fortune. I ordered the "Coronation chicken sandwich" and it exceeded my expectations. When I ordered I was thinking something along the lines of a Chick-Fil-A chicken sandwich (with a fancy name) doused in the usual condiments: lettuce, tomato and mayo.
How was the food? Everything was tasty, seemed well-prepared and didn't cost a fortune. I ordered the "Coronation chicken sandwich" and it exceeded my expectations. When I ordered I was thinking something along the lines of a Chick-Fil-A chicken sandwich (with a fancy name) doused in the usual condiments: lettuce, tomato and mayo.
What arrived was an open-faced curry chicken sandwich. It was served on a thick, toasted piece of bread with plenty of chicken, cashews and masala curry. The chips were crispy, delicious and came with vinegar! I also had a salad with extra blue cheese (so good)!!
Everyone else seemed satisfied with their meals. I would love to go back before it's too late.
32 Crawford Place
London W1H 5NN
14 April, 2010
East Side Exploration
Last weekend, Heaven and her friend Jill decided to pay a visit to London! They got a great taste of the city despite only being here for two days.
Zach, Jill, Heaven and Andrew
We started the morning off right with a proper English breakfast, wandered around Regent's Park, showed them the college, took the tube to the east side of London, saw the Monument (tower commemorating the Great Fire of 1666) and then they took a tour of the Tower of London (I didn't feel like doing it a second time).
A few hours later, we finished up with a walk along the Thames, a tour of Tower Bridge and made a final stop at the infamous (my absolute favorite) Borough Market. What a good start to the weekend!
The English know how to do landscaping..
06 April, 2010
Easter Sunday
Since this was the first time I had spent Easter Sunday away from home, I thought it would be fun to do a Toledo/London comparison.
Toledo:
Usually my family gets up, heads to St. Tim's for Easter service and then we find ourselves at my grandma Carol's house by early afternoon. Loads of food (always too much), my aunts Beth and Joanne, uncle Dennis and cousins Lauren and Ellie are always there. It's always really informal which is awesome and my mom and grandma always whip up some incredible cheese potatoes and deviled eggs. By far the two greatest holiday dishes ever created. On the other side of the family, my grandma Hilda has made dinner in the past which is equally delicious!
The infamous cheese potatoes (and deviled eggs)
London:
I woke, threw some clothes on, headed to St. Martin-in-the-fields for Easter service, wandered back to the flat, had an awkward brunch of peanut butter/jelly on a (toasted) waffle, Waitrose cheese and tomato pizza and a glass of orange juice. Later my "Easter dinner" consisted of a delicious chicken tikka masala "tv dinner."
Contrast much?
Contrast much?
Easter dinner
My flatmates Dave and Zach were off exploring Ireland on a "Patty Wagon" bus tour, Matt was also in Ireland, but to visit his girlfriend and Nick was stuck with me in the flat.
After church and brunch, it became clear just how exhausted I was from the incessant traveling over the past month. With school work starting to pile up and finals just around the corner, I was glad we returned from Paris on Saturday evening.
It was definitely the most relaxing Easter I've ever had. The hours flew by as I sat in the flat snacking, watching TV and just laying around.
05 April, 2010
Parisian Macarons
Happy Easter, everyone! After a solid month of weekend travel, it's fair to say that I'm looking forward to spending the last month of my experience abroad in my home, "Little Lebanon." The final chapter in the book of weekend escapades concluded with Paris, France.
Considering its close proximity to London via Eurostar train (it took a bit over two hours one way), Paris seemed like a no-brainer for a quick dose of baguette culture. With our hotel perfectly positioned between the Gare de Nord (Eurostar) station and the Metro, the infamous "urban sprawl" of Paris never phased us. Getting from our hotel to our first stop (Musée d'Orsay) took a mere ten minutes.
Speaking of our hotel! Le Parisiana certainly lived up to it's two star rating. Everything was great (especially the breakfast) except for the overwhelming stench of cigarette smoke that jumped out at us as we opened the door to our room. Awesome. It was like someone was stuffing them down our throat. All was well though because we threw open the doors that I guess were more like windows due to the lack of a balcony and it seemed to help. To remedy the pillow stench, I whipped out some of my handy dryer sheets (why I had them isn't important) and put them under the pillows. After returning from our first day in the city, the cleaning staff seemed to take the hints and gave us fresh sheets, a big bottle of French "Febreeze" and some chocolate Easter eggs.
In the midst of waiting in line to purchase our tickets, Bri and I heard English and instantly turned around to introduce ourselves. Tim and Cara from Vancouver, BC were brother and sister traveling around Europe for four months! Oh the people you meet. They both seemed to be great people (after talking to them for five minutes), in fact, when it was our turn to figure out how to purchase tickets from the machine, they lumped all of ours onto one tab and ended up buying my metro pass!
Sadly, they had planned on taking a connecting train to Versailles for the day and so we were forced to part ways 20 minutes after we were introduced.
Speaking of our hotel! Le Parisiana certainly lived up to it's two star rating. Everything was great (especially the breakfast) except for the overwhelming stench of cigarette smoke that jumped out at us as we opened the door to our room. Awesome. It was like someone was stuffing them down our throat. All was well though because we threw open the doors that I guess were more like windows due to the lack of a balcony and it seemed to help. To remedy the pillow stench, I whipped out some of my handy dryer sheets (why I had them isn't important) and put them under the pillows. After returning from our first day in the city, the cleaning staff seemed to take the hints and gave us fresh sheets, a big bottle of French "Febreeze" and some chocolate Easter eggs.
In the midst of waiting in line to purchase our tickets, Bri and I heard English and instantly turned around to introduce ourselves. Tim and Cara from Vancouver, BC were brother and sister traveling around Europe for four months! Oh the people you meet. They both seemed to be great people (after talking to them for five minutes), in fact, when it was our turn to figure out how to purchase tickets from the machine, they lumped all of ours onto one tab and ended up buying my metro pass!
Sadly, they had planned on taking a connecting train to Versailles for the day and so we were forced to part ways 20 minutes after we were introduced.
Arriving on Thursday and departing on Saturday evening meant we had 48 hours explore Paris.
Day One: Notre Dame Cathedral, Musée d'Orsay and the Eiffel Tower
Notre Dame Cathedral
After we got a taste of the Paris Metro (which has nothing on the Tube, mind you), a medium-sized line awaited us outside of the cathedral. Being Good Friday and considering the place has been around since 1163, the smaller-than-expected crowd was a welcome surprise.
Known to the French as Notre Dame de Paris, Notre Dame Cathedral was completed in 1345, effectively taking the better part of 182 years to complete.
Although I don't have documentation of the Good Friday service, my experience at the cathedral wasn't memorable for the right reasons. As I was being funneled around the perimeter of the nave with countless other tourists (cameras flashing, people chatting, yelling, laughing and pointing), the clergy were (attempting) to conduct a full-blown service. It all felt very wrong.
Nevertheless, the beauty of the place was undeniable. If I have the chance, I would love to go back and attend a service sans hoards of tourists, camera flashes and obnoxious behavior.
I love stained glass
Musée d'Orsay
With the bizarre glimpse of Notre Dame Cathedral complete, a quick walk down the Seine was the only thing that stood between us and our next stop, Musée d'Orsay.
The Seine River
The national museum of the Musée d'Orsay was created when works from three museums came together. On 9 December, 1986, the museum opened its doors to showcase western art between 1848 and 1914.
Paintings originated from the Louvre, Musee de Jeu de Paume and the National Museum of Modern Art.
Countless works of well-known artists covered the walls, most notably: Degas, Manet, Renoir, Monet, Mondrian, Van Gogh and Cezanne. One of the three main collections focused on the late 1800s (1870 - 1880ish) which happens to be when many Paris-based impressionist painters came to prominence. This meant there was lots of great impressionist art to ooohh and aww at.
The museum was definitely a highlight of the trip for me. I can't say enough good things, the collections were full of famous works that I've only ever seen in textbooks, it wasn't so big that it was impossible to complete in a few hours, the food at the cafe was reasonably-priced and tasty AND not having Louvre plastered on the front door meant we actually had room to breath as we walked through the galleries.
Rain, sun, rain, sun and some drizzle summed up the weekend weather.
Notice the blue sky in the pictures from Notre Dame. Now check out that sky in the picture I snapped from the top floor of the Musée d'Orsay.
The queue to get tickets
Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is one of the greatest monuments in the world. Ignoring it's existence is like passing up a free tray of just-baked chocolate chip cookies at Max n Erma's, you just don't do it. The only question was when we were going walk underneath the towering hunk of iron. Day or night? How about both?
With our minds thoroughly saturated with art history and our stomachs full from lunch, it was clear some fresh air was needed. Thankfully, the walk to the Eiffel Tower was pretty manageable as it entailed mindlessly following the Seine River due west until we saw the tower.
Eiffel Tower: it's hard to miss
I tried to get the tower in the reflection of the puddle..It kinda worked.
Peace Memorial
Ignore the dashing couple behind me
With Saturday reserved for the Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Élysées and Louvre, we had plenty of time to walk around and soak up the Parisian sun/rain until dinner.
One of the many meat markets we stumbled upon
Rue de Granelle
Dinner: Cafe Roussillon
Cafe Roussillon is located right off of Rue de Granelle, which runs into to the Champ de Mars (the path that connects the peace memorial to the Eiffel Tower).
French food = rich, right?
Ordering food in a foreign country is always a bit haphazard. It has been my experience that even if the waiter speaks mediocre English, things can still be easily misunderstood, translated and result in an unpleasant dinner. This wasn't entirely the case when I ordered "rivoli" hoping for some sort of meat ravioli, salad and bread. It was all that and more.
Imagine the richest "alfredo" sauce you've ever had, add a few more splashes of heavy cream for kicks, toss in a raw egg yolk, stuff the pasta with extra-fatty, greasy bacon and finish it with the most random vegetable you can come up with (leeks). That was what arrived steaming hot (almost bubbling) in a small bowl with a massive side salad and lots of crusty bread to soak up all the "broth."
Delicious isn't the right word as it was the most incredible contradiction of pleasure and pain. Pleasure because it was by-far one of the richest, most delicious things I've ever consumed and pain because I could feel my arteries clogging with every bite. Immensely satisfying and completely worth it.
Dessert? How about tiramisu with ladyfingers that tasted like they had been soaked in espresso for 48 hours? What better way to finish up a meal of cream, butter, bacon, eggs and red wine, than with a dessert packed with thick, tart marscapone cheese, espresso that gave me a legitimate caffeine buzz and melt-in-your-mouth ladyfingers.
Eiffel Tower
First shot of the Eiffel Tower at night. Incredible.
In contrast to the midday, blue skies that filled the background of the photos from earlier in the day, the big pile of rusty iron suddenly became a glowing piece of art once the lights got a chance to show their stuff.
View from the top observation deck
UFO?
Me overlooking the Seine
A full day of climbing endless sets of stairs meant we were pretty tuckered out and headed for the hotel after our descent back to solid ground.
Day Two: Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Élysées and the Louvre
Arc de Triomphe
As I was staring at the arc, it was impossible not to notice the five lanes of traffic flowing around the base with cars jockeying for positions that were, at the very least, questionable. In that, they would merge when buses, trucks and small cars were in the way and just assume they would be let in. Sometimes, by grace of God these hooligans are given the go-ahead and sometimes there is contact. Interestingly, when there is a minor fender bender, motorists keep on truckin' like nothing happened.
Moral of the story: if you ever drive around the Arc de Triomphe, make sure your car already has a few battle scars.
Moral of the story: if you ever drive around the Arc de Triomphe, make sure your car already has a few battle scars.
I found it interesting that many of the car companies had "dealerships" sitting right on the Champs-Élysées. These supposed dealerships, after closer inspection, turned out to be glorified museums. Several of the car companies (Toyota and Citroën) had some extra-special displays that were worth noting.
Above you'll see Toyota's big "walk-in commercial" that featured a real Prius plug-in hybrid, several city cars, some former rally cars and a "design your own Prius" table. Pretty cool designs, I must say.
Above you'll see Toyota's big "walk-in commercial" that featured a real Prius plug-in hybrid, several city cars, some former rally cars and a "design your own Prius" table. Pretty cool designs, I must say.
In Paris, chocolate shops are more ubiquitous than Starbucks and, as you can probably imagine, range from expensive to outrageous. This one prided itself on edible packaging. That meant even the bowls, boxes and cups were cast from chocolate!
The most unique building on the Champs-Élysées was definitely the Citroën showroom. Just as Ford is to America, Citroën is to France. They build cars for the masses and most-notably sponsor a championship winning World Rally Team. The French are crazy about rallying and it showed with the extravagant multi-level displays that showcased their illustrious rally heritage.
Lunch: Paul
After walking up and down the famed road a few times to scope out the "best" lunch spot, Paul looked more and more like a winner. A classic French bakery, Paul has served up delicious pastries, breads and fresh sandwiches since 1889. By accident, I ordered a smoked salmon baguette (which can sometimes be iffy), but this one deserved two thumbs way up.
French food, I love you.
French food, I love you.
Fresh breads were everywhere.. It was dangerous.
Louvre
To sum up the Louvre: massive, beautiful, ornate, awkward layout, need an extra lifetime and a PhD in art history to appreciate everything on display, the Mona Lisa might as well be a postage stamp. It's uber-impressive, but impossible to wrap your mind around.
Our entertainment for the train ride to Paris was the "easy" crossword out of the Evening Standard. It was quite a painstaking process, but over breakfast on Easter Sunday, we managed to completed the (few) remaining clues with a little help from Google. It was a glorious feeling.
Thoughts?
Did I get my fill of baguettes and culture? Absolutely. The only thing that was more bountiful than all that fresh bread and priceless artwork was the cigarette smoke that enveloped everything like smog in L.A.
Nevertheless, it's the good things I will remember and Paris really showed me why it's considered one of the greatest cities in the world.
From the picturesque walks down the seine, to the priceless artwork that seemed to be everywhere, to taking in the Parisian skyline from the observation deck of the Eiffel Tower, to sneaking one last bite of French culture in the form of a Parisian macaroon at the train station, it was one trip I will never forget.
Happy Easter!!!
Did I get my fill of baguettes and culture? Absolutely. The only thing that was more bountiful than all that fresh bread and priceless artwork was the cigarette smoke that enveloped everything like smog in L.A.
Nevertheless, it's the good things I will remember and Paris really showed me why it's considered one of the greatest cities in the world.
From the picturesque walks down the seine, to the priceless artwork that seemed to be everywhere, to taking in the Parisian skyline from the observation deck of the Eiffel Tower, to sneaking one last bite of French culture in the form of a Parisian macaroon at the train station, it was one trip I will never forget.
Happy Easter!!!
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