Birthday Weekend! (So Day # 5,6,7)...Geeking Out and Being 20!

What truly could be better than living in London for two months? Maybe having your 20th BIRTHDAY IN LONDON! I completely lucked out, and did a little happy/ victory dance ( I do them a lot) when I found out that for once, luck was one my side! (unlike the runny nose in class thing-Boo! Ok, I'm officially over it.) Wanting to milk this occasion for all its worth, we spread out the things I really wanted to do over the weekend (with my actual b-day being on Sunday, May 12th) and let me tell you, it was epic ;) Saturday morning started with a run (HA! NOT my 1st choice, but I'm committed to running while I'm here! Don't want to look like a Professor Umbridge by the time I go back!) through Hyde Park with my new friends Charlotte and Jenna! It was gorgeous with the sun having just come up. No picture for that though! I was too busy huffing and puffing to document nature's beauties at the moment (One more kilometer left!). None of us had been completely full since being here (seems theatre students will buy tickets before food! Psssh! Oh wait...my stomach is making noises again- shh!), so a birthday lunch was in order at Med Kitchen two blocks away. It made us happy :P

Later that afternoon, the study abroad group got together at West End for a show called The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time based on a book by Mark Haddon. I know I'm prone to exaggerate quite often for dramatic effect (but to clarify- I'M not dramatic...I'm THEATRICAL :D) but this was the best play I have ever seen. I was in the VERY back row which in this theatre meant I had a bird's eye view with how steep the seating was. Vertigo much? Good thing I'm not afraid of heights or I'd have thrown up all over the actors a mile below!

 READ. THE. BOOK. I'm going to geek out...the set was so intricate in bringing to life of the inner workings of the main character's mind! Acting was perfectly honest, vulnerable, and engaging. LOVED IT! We were losing steam from what we coined as "the longest/ most exciting weeks of our lives"and decided to take a chill night inside...but not before getting a substitute b-day cupcake from the renowned "Hummingbird Bakery" in...wait for it... Notting Hill on Portobello Road! Told you we'd go back! NEXT DAY! 

And for nostalgia sake, we watched Notting Hill in our flat's common room! A big rainstorm had blown in so a big chunk of girls stayed in for the night and joined us too. 1st Saturday night in London? On a couch watching a chick flick, y'all! But hey! The week made up for it. Strike #1 for geeking out! 

Day #6: Sunday is my favorite day of the week because I can go to church! It's a day to rest from the other cares of the world and be remained of eternal truths and God's love for you..what could be better? The Hyde Park Stake (local church leaders) decided to spread us across different wards in London, so I went to the London North Ward @ 10am...and we were gone from 9-4:30pm. It seems some outside force did not want my church group to get there but dang it all-we did! And boy was it the best! The ward had maybe 100 people from all over the world and they were quick to welcome and love us BYU girls :) The picture perfect "jolly old english lady" came and patted/ kissed our cheeks right away, saying we were such lovely angels sent to help. It was so humbling and made my birthday even sweeter with having too look forward to Shakespeare homework once we finally made it back (Tube station and buses were all messed up, but we survived!). Our ward was giving out ice cream too after church! I think this is going to be a very happy thing for all involved!

Sunday was Mother's Day too, so I got to skype the family and wish the best mom ever a happy day!(btw- that's my mom aka Mama B/ Stephanie Boyd I'm talking about, not your mom!) I miss you family! We need to come to London as a family someday because I already have a list of where to take each one of you (wont tell y'all where! This is my diabolical plan to get you to iMessage me back! *cough,cough* JENNA! Thank you Ciera, Steele, Dad, and Mom for commenting! I'll let Spenc slide because he's Spider man and I'm his White Tiger- love ya buddy!) Overall a very happy birthday! 

Day # 7: WHOA! I've been in London for a week! Seems like a month! (so that means it will feel like I'll have been here for 7 months! "Cool...cool cool cool." name that tv show! ) Today was so jam-packed will adventure, and it all started when the shower hated me. Like for real. It sees I'm coming and refuses to do its job of having water come down. Probably should tell a maintenance person soon! Can't be smelling if I plan on snatching a HOT BUN! All in all, we were running late to class, and while rushing past a construction worker, I bumped into him and being the proper English gentlemen, he kindly whispered "My apologies, mum!" Such a tiny moment, but it made my day :) My geeking out radar will explode if I go into detail about how awesome class discussions were, so we'll fast forward to  seeing the British Library this afternoon. Original manuscripts from Da Vinci, Shakespeare, Jane Austen, The Beatles...enough said!

But wait...There is MORE geekiness! I've a never ending supply of it that couldn't be contain today because do you know which train station you get off of for the British Library?? King's Cross Station! Are you a Harry Potter fan? Because it was my childhood (shout out to Ellie, Kate, and Renee! "42 is not a punk! Scars and glasses, what a hunk!")! Miranda and I were on the verge of tears...its finally happening! The owls may have forgotten our Hogwarts letter. but that can't stop us now from stowing away on the Hogwarts Express after entering *drum roll*...Platform 9 & 3/4! Strike #3 for geeking out!

Yes, I did buy that "Authentic Hogwarts Express" train ticket for 2 pounds, thank you very much! Our adventures were only half way done by this point at it was only 4pm! We hopped over to the the infamous Harrod's upmarket department storeand dreamily walked through the evening wear section that basically is Kate Middleton closet for fancy shin-digs with the Queen! Blast it all, they wouldn't let us take pictures of the stuff, but let me paint the picture for you, if you will. Imagine the most beautiful, classy, elegant evening gowns full of shimmer and sleek line...and times that by 1,000,000! I felt unworthy to even touch the gowns that were worth more than my life at 15,000 pounds easily! And they were modest too- double points! Don't even get me started on the epic English hats and fascinators! You would have died, Jenna! I did! Imagine Nordstroms times a zillion! I could only get the packaging of this lovely store, but its a must see before you die!

After wondering wide-eyed through Harrod's, we rushed home and prepared ourselves for the final installment of Brianna's 20th Birthday adventures. What do you think I did? For those of you who really know me, I dare you to guess before reading on! I'm in London...studying theatre... and its my birthday. Final guess? I SAW PHANTOM OF THE OPERA IN WEST END!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Duh! It's only the show that inspired me to do theatre and I have to complete nostalgic circle, especially in my own life! Needless to say, I was SPAZZING OUT...

AND THIS IS INSIDE HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE...WHERE PHANTOM IS!!! ANNA O'BRYAN WAS CHRISTINE...PINCH ME!!!!

Although many theatre critics don't chose Phantom as the top pick for a deep musical, I have such a deep love for the show because its beauty and passion lit the fire in me to perform and live a life full of theatre. My love for PHANTOM will never die! Strike # 3 and HOMERUN for geeking out! No shame :)