Living London: Emma, Modern Family and some Cider

Hello Everyone!

I'm feeling very cheery and lively this morning and for a Monday morning - I think that's great!

This past weekend was relaxed but very enjoyable.

Friday: Laura and I headed back to our house (from Starbucks - whoops) around 1 o'clock to see what everyone else was up to and see what time everyone wanted to leave to start Operation: Stalk Emma Watson.
Beth and Marisa headed out early because they wanted to do some shopping before hand. Kali was going to meet us at Selfridges after class. So Laura and I left the house around 2:30 and headed to Bond Street to scout out the area and see what kind of line we were up against. We had found out Thursday that Emma Watson was going to be at Selfridges at 4:30 to promote/launch the Lancome Rouge in Love make-up line (she is the spokesperson for Lancome).
Laura and I got off at Bond Street and found Selfridges with no problem. We went inside the massive, kinda-like-Harrods-but-not, store and walked around. We thought we'd meet small signs showing where to go for the Emma Watson event and if not, a huge line at least. We found neither. Not wanting to ask security where it was - knowing we probably wouldn't get an answer and make it obvious that was why we there - we decided to look around and see if we could find it ourselves. Luck was on side when we realized we were a few steps away from the make-up section and when we walked into the section, low and behold, there was a small red stage with two chairs and the Lancome/Selfridges background....and security all around....we found the place. There was no line because a line could not exist. The stage was literally in the middle of everything and every time someone would stop to look at the stage security would keep ushering the crowd to move along and not loiter. Laura and I picked out a great spot to stand and decided we'd go to H&M and come back at 3 and stake out our spot once again (or we hoped because there was nothing else for us to do but stand there and we certainly weren't gonna buy anything at Selfridges right then and we both admitted to being terrible "just looking" shoppers).
I didn't think I'd find anything at H&M, but I did find this really cute red dress that was only, get this, 3 pounds (I was so proud of myself). I tried on the dress and it fit so I met Laura at check out. Sadly I was not able to purchase the dress because the security tag seemed to be one from the States and the de-activation tag machines in the store would literally not work - the tag wasn't even the same size as what it should have been to fit in the deactivation machine. The guy who was helping me asked if there was another dress or another color but the dress I had picked was the last dress in that color there and I didn't want another black dress (only other option). Epic fail. I left disappointed and Laura left feeling sorry for me and silly us didn't think until later that I should have asked if I could have got something discounted because of the ordeal - better luck next time! Hey, maybe it was sign to save money.
I called Marisa and Beth as Laura and I headed back to Selfridges with no avail and I figured no matter what they'd get inside and find a spot. Laura and I walked back in the doors of Selfridges at 3:15 and went to our "designated spot." By this time were MANY more people and it was getting really bottle necked. A few minutes after we got there security decided to put up rails (like the things that outline the checkout line at Kohl's) - I forget what they are called. As soon as they did this though Laura and I's "spot" became swarmed and we somehow would up in the middle of a huge crowd with no way out. We decided to sneak around the back of the crowd and made a huge circle around the make up department winding up on the opposite side of the stage then where had just been previously. A group of girls were standing with us and we all decided not to move because, while there wasn't a rail at the side we were now on yet, we knew it'd be coming soon. And just like that they put a rail thing in front of us but it was okay because we were in the FRONT row only 8 FEET from the stage. Laura and I tried make small talk with security knowing we'd probably be ignored. The one guy, let's call him Joe, gave us one word answers. We could tell that if Joe wasn't under so much pressure at the goings on of his work just then he might have talked to us more. The other security guard, let's call him Karl, on the other hand was very talkative to the group of girls standing next to us. It's okay, Joe. We made small talk with some of the girls around us. One of the girls was from London and was super nice. She told us how she went "The Woman in Black" premier and touched Dan Radcliffe three times (we tried to be as respectfully excited as possible) - she was a HUGE fan. The kind you see on TV. The two girls immediately to our left (well two women) were Italian and were Presidents of the Italian Harry Potter fan club. They had met Emma several times before and told us if she started signing autographs to let them call her over. Okayyy then. Laura turned to me and went, "Wow." Right then the girl who had been to "The Woman in Black" Premiere turned to us and said (having picked up on our accents) "Where are you guys from?" We said the States and she asked, "Did you guys come all the way over for this?" We said, "No. We're studying here." And she said, "Oh that's cool. I met girls that the Woman in Black premiere who came all the way from Tennessee and they were super excited." And we said. "Wow. Cool." And just looked at each other.
The best part is there was two other girls behind us were from London and one of them was saying to the other. "Omg I don't know why I'm here. I'm only here cuz you dragged me. Omg I feel so out of place." It was both mine and Laura's first experience at that kind of event in that kind of crowd. We won't soon forget it.
We stood in the crowd for close to an hour before the interviewer got set up and then (ON TIME at 4:30) EMMA WATSON appeared :) She was wearing a beautiful black dress and black shoes. Her hair is at such a cute length right now (above the shoulders, hugging the ears) loved it! She talked for about 10 mins. about the line and her make up routine. And then the interview was over. She and interviewer had some pictures together before she was ushered out. No autograph or hug but I still got some great pictures. All in all I'm not a crazy HP fan....though I'm sure it seems like it to those of you who read this blog....and while the experience was cool seeing many crying girls as we were leaving was a little much....
We weren't able to locate any of the other girls so we went to Starbucks. In Starbucks Kali called me and asked me where to go for the event and sadly had to tell her it was over. I felt so bad - poor Kali :( We said we'd met her at home.
Once at home Laura and I hung out with Kate (Laura's roommate) waiting for Beth and Marisa to get home. Marisa and Beth had gone to tea after seeing Emma (sorta) and had got a great amount of shopping done and told us about all these deals Selfridges has so we can't wait to try them out.
We all ate dinner and Laura and I headed to the video store to get the next disc of Modern Family season 1. Because most of the house was in Amsterdam this weekend we had free range of the TV for once. So our Friday night was spent watching Modern Family and drinking Ciders. It was really nice.
Then we went to bed. Also, I am now obsessed with Modern Family and can't wait to be caught up :)s

Saturday: I woke up around 10 on Saturday. Marisa went to visit her Aunt for the day. Laura, Kate, and I hit up Portobello in the morning and then headed home to relax. I wasn't feeling very well so I decided to lay down for a little (or a few hours). I got up and decided I needed to do something so I got some laundry done. At 6 Laura and I headed to Mass at a nice church nearby called, Saint Mary of the Angels. The church was really pretty but cold (no heating) - WHY?!
By the time we got back from Mass Marisa was home and the three of us got the next disc of Modern Family Season 1 and had some more Ciders (repeat of Friday night - #sorrywe'renotsorry). Sadly the last two episodes didn't work so we went to bed early. Saturday night we had two visitors, Kerri and Sarah, friends of Beth's who also go to SJU and are studying in Rome. It was great to see them!

Sunday: Sunday morning we set to go to Hyde park. We walked halfway through only to realize we had been in Kensington Palace Gardens the whole time. In Kensington we saw a few families feeding the swans and other birds on the pond. Swans are BOLD and MEAN - we witnessed this. It was crazy between the Swans and massive numbers of other birds - those afraid of birds would not have done well. We decided to leave and check out Neal's Yard right before we would have walked into Hyde Park. Oh well, I'll get there eventually. haha.
Neil's Yard is this colorful alley/garden area off of Shatesbury Avenue that Laura found on this really cool website called, "Secret London." We had brunch in one of the Restaurant's and I got a full, English Breakfast and ate most of it....I was very hungry! It was so good!
After Neal's Yard we decided to check out the real "Travel Bookshop" from the film "Notting Hill" (Laura found it on the "Secret London" website:)). Today the actual "Travel Bookshop" remains but is empty and next to it is the Notting Hill Bookshop with a travel book section and loads of other books!
It was so neat. After some "reading" we went home and relaxed a little before going food shopping. The three of us went to Whole Foods first but I only got Banana chips (yummy!). Laura and I then decided to finish our shopping at Tesco before going home for the night haha.
I skyped my family and I can't wait to see them this week! Everything is all set! And it was nice to have a good chuckle with Eddie and Mom (though Laura kept looking at me like I had lost my mind - thanks guys).
Next, I made dinner. Yes everyone, Mary-Kate is becoming domesticated and I made dinner for myself, under Marisa's guidance, but I DID IT ALL!! :) I cooked salmon, baked veggies, and rice (filled with pride!). It was pretty good if I do say so myself. Laura and Marisa were so proud of me - Mom and Dad be very proud! I didn't take a picture of it because I was so hungry and was too lazy to grab my camera - but it did look beautiful :)
After dinner I skyped a little with Danielle (a sorority sister of mine) and that was really nice before my Internet cut out :(.
After a little more relaxing I went to bed.

All in all great weekend! It was really nice to see some fellow Hawks! A nice calm school week but that's perfect because my family is coming!!! And then K1 takes on Paris next weekend:) SOOOO EXCITED!!

Now....picture time!