La Vie Boheme in London Town

Sorry I haven't updated in so long. Honestly, I have no excuse.

So about over a fortnight ago I went to visit some old fellow Semmies in London (that is fellow students that participated in the Oregon Shakespeare Festival Summer Seminar for High School Juniors in 2004).
My friend Samantha is in her second year at Drama Centre (lucky bum) and Dan is taking a term abroad.

When I arrived, Sam was in rehearsal so Dan met me at the Euston train station. From there we wandered Waterloo where he is currently living. We had lunch at an Asian noodle place followed by coffee and muffins.
I met some of his friends very briefly before we took the train to Angel where Samantha lives.

It was so great to see Samantha again! Ever since the seminar ended she and I have been corresponding via snail mail and we often meet up whenever I pass through Santa Rosa where she lives.
She met us at the underground station, and after saying hello she added, "Oh, and I passed by Emma Thompson on my way over here." (!!)

Standard.

Samantha's apartment is probably the cutest thing I have ever seen. It is a modest little white bricked flat on a little corner and inside it is just like Samantha's house back home: cute, cozy, and artsy. They have black and white photos all over the walls and on a little wall next to their dining table they have a little display of their own photography. Samantha lives with two boys; Peter and Orlando and one other girl, Sophie. I met Peter first. As far as I know they all go to Drama Centre.

Dan and Sam and I took a walk around Angel and had dinner. When we came back to the flat, Samantha was just unlocking the door when we heard someone calling her name behind us; it was Orlando, guitar strapped across his back, a glass of half finished beer in one hand, and a huge happy smile on his face.
He had just come from the pub where Sophie works. We were just making our way over there but before we did, he wanted to count how much he made playing that day.
It was clear to me at that moment that these kids were living SUCH the bohemian life; something I can only aspire to at this point.

So we got to the pub, had a few pints, talked a bit. I found out that a couple of years ago Orlando had played the professor in Oleanna so we had a bit of Mamet banter.


Here's Orlando and Sam


Semi Semmie Reunion: Sam, Me, and Dan

Afterwards we had to say bye to Dan cuz he was leaving the next day for Paris.
In the morning Orlando made everyone breakfast and he, Sam, and I took a walk along the canals nearby.





Orlando had to run along for a rehearsal with his sister's theatre company, but Sam continued to show me around the flea market area which was lovely.



Now while I was in London, my friend Paul was in town as well for the Chinese New Year festivities. We had made the plan to leave London on Sunday together and he wanted to leave around 6 in the evening. Sam and Orlando were insisting that we stay for dinner. I wasn't sure when the other train times were but when Sam and I came back to the flat, Orlando had looked them up before he left for rehearsal and left a list of them in the door for me. It was too sweet. So I called Paul to tell him we were staying for dinner.

That evening I got to meet Sophie properly. She's studying directing at Drama Centre. She is so much fun to talk to; just so animated and entertaining but also very no-nonsense. I really liked her. Paul joined us for drinks at the pub and afterwards we had a massive dinner party at l'auberge boheme- Peter was making his famous fajitas which WERE quite amazing. I got to meet Orlando's sister as well as another American girl who goes to Drama Centre with whom Sam and I have a mutual acquaintance from OSF Summer Seminar. 'Small world this is.

Paul and I left for the 10:40 train.
It was a sad goodbye but I definitely plan on going back soon. In fact Sam and I have a trip to Dublin in the works for May.

All in all it was a lovely evening with a lovely end; Paul is an excellent travel companion.



The following week was Reading Week...where I got little to no reading done. Ah yes and it was the week of Valentine's Day....that god forsaken Hallmark holiday.
I went out with some of my girlfriends though which was nice.
Flo was my date.



This weekend I go home with Paul to Gloucestershire. More to come.