Big Sis in town...

It's been awhile again, and I've gotten flack for not writing. Well excuse me people, but this is my blog and sometimes I get a bit busy. Like now, since sissy in town. She arrived just 4 days ago, and we've done so much!

She's gonna kill me for posting this

Her first night here, we were hosting a cocktail party at the house for fellow students. Had 11 of us squeezed into the reception room. Fed everyone heavy nibbles and two signature cocktails  - Brambles or espresso martinis. She hung in there, and stayed up late. Amazingly the next day she was right on the time frame. So apparently THAT is the way to beat jet lag!! Then we were off and running. We poked around the High Street the following day and explored local Kensington. Tried out a pub we'd seen and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Elephant & Castle on Holland St.

Heard Kate Moss popped in later that day...That night we dined with Alain the French student who led this month's Culinary Club dinner. We had a yummy time at Le Curcle off Sloane Street. Good time had by all.

Since I'm volunteering Thursday afternoons, we decided to do the V&A in the morning. I really wanted her to get to the Annie Lennox exhibit before it closed this weekend. That place is so big, and because I am evil, I had to leave her there while I went ahead to Oxfam. But she spent the remainder of the day combing through a few rooms. We need to go back.... Luckily there was nothing going on that night, so hubby made a great Thai dinner which we wolfed down. But all this crisp air and walking does it to you.
Friday we used the free ticket the school has for St Paul's Cathedral and toured the buildings. I think they were impressed with the place. I know I always am. That night we were off to another function - Burns night at the Caledonia Club, Belgravia. Oh my. What a night! Sissy had her first bites of haggis, and loved it.There were poems, and speeches and of course dinner and then dancing. Proper Scottish dancing. Reels and all. We were exhausted but loving every minute of it.

Today put us at Borough Market, the ultimate foodie place.  Sissy and I then headed to Covent Gardens along the Thames path ( riverside walkway on both sides of the Thames) so she could find a restaurant which she worked at when she lived here back in the day. We nosed our way around Covent Gardens first, then had a bite to eat at Maxwells. Yum. Had to grab some Thorntons chocs for an after meal sweet. More yum. Then we bumbled through Soho to see the local color before heading back to the flat. Phew. It's been go, go, go. And there is more to come next week!

Back to Bath...

Since our trip to Bath, back in early December, hubby and I concocted a cunning plan to return with the sole purpose of visiting the Thermae Bath Spa. Bath is called by the name since thermal springs were discovered in the area, and still spout warm mineral filled waters today. So a number of weeks back, we picked a date which would work for both him and I, bought train tickets and then purchased a spa package online. Now, I must say here, that since cameras weren't allowed in the spa, we didn't take ours. So the are no photos. But if you want to see the spa and check out their deals, here is the website www.thermaebathspa.com. It is an amazing facility, newly built in the historic part of town but made to match the architecture perfectly. Three floors of fun await you. Our package included a two course meal onsite at the cafe, watsu treatment and 4 hours of full run of the facilities. They have changing rooms, hairdryers, showers with shampoo/soap, towels, robes slippers, steam room with waterfall shower, an open air rooftop pool (yes, we did go out in it even thought it was in the upper 30s), and more. Check the website....
But what I want to rave about this the watsu. Having never heard of this before, I read their little blurb on it, and it sounded nice. Well, both hubby and I loved it! It's a one on one with the therapist so we had to take turns. Basically, it's Thai yoga in the water. They put floaties on your legs then have you play "dead". Just be a rag doll. They move you around all the while floating on your back. There is no need to work at floating as they have their hand on you always. I think it was 30-40 minutes. You have your eyes closed the whole time to aid in relaxing. They move you around and stretch you gently. There is underwater music to add to the restfulness of the experience. Ahhhh, what a life. If I could do that once a month, I would!
Afterwards you are led (if not carried, I needed to be almost) to the relaxation area. I took me a good 15 minutes to come back to life. While hubby was off doing his turn at it, I explored the rest of the spa. The four steam rooms have a different aroma. They are all contained in a larger room, but glassed in with the scents and benches to lay about on. I have to say, the rooftop pool was amazing. While it was quite crowded even on a near freezing day, the views were amazing. You could be in the water and look out east over the rooftops and chimney pots of Bath toward the hills, which still had snow still on them. It was truly restful and relaxing.
Our meal in the cafe was nice as well. small amounts, but the quality was great. Hubby felt the service was slow ( hello, we're in Britain), but I felt it was part of the restfulness of the experience. We actually ended up leaving the building before our allotted time was up. After all, how pruney can one get? (we were close). We wandered around and headed toward the Mission Burrito shop we found last time. Mmmm yummy burritos and beers before window shopping, since most of the town closes at 5:30. We  ended up back at the train station and waited with our books till the scheduled train took us back to London. (tip here, reserve in the Quiet Coaches if you can). what a wonderful day. Needless to say, we slept like babies last night...