2/23/9 :: Best Day In London

This day was my absolute favorite day in London, and perhaps my favorite day in the entire UK so far.  It started out by going to the 4 Designers Lecture Series (the reason we went to London).  The speakers were quite good-- first a German modernist speaker named Matt from Projektt Triangle and the second speaker was named Frances from D&AD.  Afterward, we broke into smaller groups and went on a studio visit.  Our studio was called Brand Environment-- a small firm that deals solely with branding.  The studio was great, but their work was a bit drab.  Afterward, we all stopped for a coffee at a lovely cafe and chatted.

Once we split ways with the studio group, I walked around with Dan Buxton for a long time-- we got to know each other a lot more on this trip, and I am so glad.  He is honestly just the most lovely person.  One of my favorite moments from all of London was when he and I had a pint on a balcony in Covent Square Garden, overlooking a market and listening to a street performer who had a thing for Bob Dylan. 

Once we finished our drinks, we went and had a fantastic dinner with Fergus at Zizzi-- a great italian joint.  Shannon met up with us there, as we had planned to go on the London Eye together, a giant ferris wheel by Big Ben.  When we got there, we found it to be closed, so Dan gave me a proper foot tour of London instead.  We walked around for hours and did some site-seeing.  This was so incredibly fun for me.  Didn't mind feeling like a tourist one bit.

Just when we absolutely couldn't walk anymore, we had a sitdown in Picadilly Circus-- an area that reminds me a bit of a timid Times Square.  We got a call that our friends were going out to a bar near the Odeon.  We freshened up at the Hostel and met everyone at a bar called Yates.  We got sloppy drunk, and it was just so enjoyable to be out with my classmates.  Every time we do something like this together, we get a little bit closer and I feel a little bit more at home.  

By the time we left the bars, the underground was closed.  We made a 45 minute walk home, trashed and lost.   Dan had his arm around me the whole way, and I couldn't have been more happy, despite the fact that my feet were swollen to the size of tanks.

Never have I fallen asleep so swiftly.  Absolutely the best day ever.