Goal: chill at a bar/club. Status: mission accomplished!

I know, I know, I've missed two days in a row...I'm really sorry! But I've had some really late nights, and I've been really busy, and excuses excuses excuses.

Quick summary of the days I missed:
Sunday: spiritual, wonderful, relaxing, beautiful!
Monday: class, homework, run in Kensington Gardens

Now, a real blog post for today!
We had class this morning, which is unusual, because it's Tuesday. Why did we have class today, you ask? I will 'splain. Tomorrow (Wednesday, when we usually have class) through Saturday is the scheduled travel weekend, so we have no shows to see, assignments due, classes to attend, etc. There's a big group going to Ireland and Scotland, some people are going to Paris, and I think a small group is going to Spain. Anyway, I've decided to stay in London and enjoy a few unscheduled days: first, because I'm poor, and second, because I don't have the energy to plan a separate trip, and third, because there's SO much to do here that I don't feel a need to go somewhere else. There's only two other people staying here, so the flat will be very empty. Bonus: I can go to sleep and get up whenever I want, and the dirty dishes won't accumulate so fast. Seriously, you thought that living in an apartment with 5 other college students (or in a house with 10 other people) made a lot of dishes? Try living in a flat with 20 other people and ONE kitchen.

Moving on. After the anomaly of Tuesday class, I came back to the flat and wrote the paper that was due at 5pm today. And I finished it before 4! Aren't you proud of me? That's an entire hour early!

After class, I went to Primark (the Kohls of London) with Courtney, and bought a new outfit for tonight. It was an absolute madhouse, I kid you not. I've decided that I really don't like it, as a store. Not because it doesn't have fabulous prices and cute clothes, but because it doesn't feel like London to me. It isn't a cute little street vendor with one-of-a-kind merchandise. It isn't an upscale boutique near Kensington Palace. It's boring. I mean, I got a cute outfit, and I'm happy with it, but I probably won't go back!

After Primark, I ran back to the flat, wolfed down some leftover meatballs, and headed to the Old Vic theatre to see Tom Stoppard's "The Real Thing". Unfortunately, I wasn't terribly impressed with this production. The script is fantastic, the set designer did some really interesting and innovative things, and the director created excellent stage pictures; however, I was disappointed in all of the actors. Since I tend to pay more attention to the acting than to any other element - which is only fair; I am an actor myself - I just didn't enjoy the production as much as I wish I could have. I learned from it though, and that means that it was a worthwhile theatre experience. And it definitely wasn't nearly as bad as Midsummer Night's Dream. *phew!*

After the show was, without a doubt, the highlight of my day. I left the Old Vic and went to a little bar underneath the Lyceum theatre, where I met up with two of the choir study abroad students and an awesome girl we met at the fireside our first Sunday here. Here's the secret: every Tuesday night at the Cellar Door (the name of the bar/pub) is Broadway open mic night! AWESOME! The three of them sang, but I didn't get my name on the list fast enough, so I didn't get the chance...sad! We're all going again next week though, and I'll be sure to get my name on there this time. Oh ya, and practice a song before I go, so that I don't make a fool of myself! PS, I swear there wasn't a straight man in there, except Logan (from the choir program). Well, it is Broadway open mic night. What was I expecting, right? To sum it all up, the three people I was with are a lot of fun, and the atmosphere was great, and it was just an all-around fun experience. I'm glad that I went, and I'm glad that I was patient enough to find the dumb place. That's a story in itself...
*insert "finding it" story*
Their website says they're underneath the Aldwych theatre. The girl we met at the fireside who recommended it to us said it was underneath the Lyceum theatre. Turns out, it's just a random staircase going down into the sidewalk on a street corner between the two theatres. No joke. So, after I spent about 10 minutes wandering around the Aldwych theatre (while trying to stay in the light and NOT look like I was lost, because it was nearly 11pm and I was alone...um, sketchy!) I decided to wander down towards where I thought the Lyceum was. Fortunately, my Heavenly Father loves me, and He responded to my prayer for directions by practically ramming my nose into the staircase leading to it. It was, well, exciting?
*end of "finding it" story*

Well, I'd better hit the sack. It's 2:20am and I'm absolutely exhausted!!! I love you all, don't forget to write me, and never follow a mysterious light when you're walking through a forest at midnight.




Michelle, Logan, and me in front of the entrance to the Cellar Door (the bar we went to)


Me and Michelle inside the Cellar Door


I realized today that I don't think I've posted any pictures of our flats...so here you are! This is the view from across the street, right inside Kensington Gardens. Isn't it a cute building?