Back to the Future

In my last post, I told you about my five favorite cities.

Today I'm going to tell you about one of my top three evenings in London.
It was all thanks to East Village London.

Secret Cinema's showing of Back to the Future created such a buzz in London.
All of the hype was so well-deserved!  It was the most incredible experience.

Matt wasn't able to go but my friend Erin was happy to join in the fun.
Of course, we were not going to turn down the opportunity to play dress up
complete with victory rolls and red lipstick.

You'll have to excuse the quality of the photos.

As this was a top secret experience, no cameras or cell phones were allowed.

Luckily, they were selling disposable cameras!  It's probably a good thing

I wasn't lugging around my DSLR as I was able to really enjoy the event.

The movie Back to the Future was the perfect choice and it was exactly like traveling back in time.

Once we entered we walked through the  American suburb of Hill Valley, popping into to the various houses all fully furnished with vintage delights.

We even visited with with "Doc" to talk about time travel.
All around us peaople were acting out various scenes complete with American accents.  You never knew when some one was going go running by or a fight would break out.  It was spectacular.

We took a right by the old Texaco gas station and arrived at the town square complete with the old Clock Tower.

The square was surrounded by shops, diners, a travel agent and a bank.  Erin was serenaded by a gentleman with a ukelele.  Everything was authentic and absolute kitschy fun.  The high school dance was in full swing in the

high school gym straight from the movie.

We spent some time just exploring and regularly gushing about the awesomeness of it all.

You can imagine my delight when I discovered the diner was serving iced tea! (with gin)

There was even an 80's bar tucked away.  Soon it was time to settle onto our checked blanket to watch the movie.

It was projected onto the clock tower.

But this was certainly not the end of all of the drama and fun.  A live 50's band played, actual cars and skateboarders raced around the square!  As the scenes were playing out on the giant screen, the action was also being acted out in real time complete with pyrotechnics and stunts. And, of course, the time traveling DeLorean!

From start to finish it was one of the most incredible and fun experiences I've had.
I felt like a kid again...pure delight and complete fun!
I'm so impressed with what they were able to pull off with this event.
I don't want to miss what they come up with next year.

A huge thank you to East Village London for inviting me!

When the Olympics were here two years ago, apartments were built to house all of the athletes. Those apartments are now available for lease and a whole community has built up around them.

Before walking over to the venue, we had cocktails and munchies in one of the apartments.
It was modern and spacious. The setting is special, too.  Not what you usually get in London, a neighborhood with plenty of room and green space. 

I'm truly impressed with how the area developed for the Olympics is now becoming one of London's nicest communities.

via East Village London

via East Village London

via East Village London

via East Village London

via East Village London

Here's a video they've put together to introduce you to London's newest neighborhoods.


Have you revisited the East Village London and the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park since 2012?

TWITTER | FACEBOOK | PINTEREST | SUBSCRIBE | BLOGLOVIN


I was a guest of East Village London for the Secret Cinema event.
All photos (except where noted), writing and opinions are my own.   
As always, I promise to be open, honest and transparent with my readers. 
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.  

The Perfect Venetian Welcome

As is typical with our weekend city breaks, we arrived in Venice quite late in the evening.

The boat from the airport takes 45 minutes and by the time we checked into our hotel

all of the restaurants nearby were closing.  

We'd had a snack on the plane but no dinner, so we were both pretty hungry.  

As we walked by a restaurant the barman caught our eye, we asked if they were still serving.

He shook his head sadly as one staff member started mopping the floor

and the other began to retract the awning.

I think he must have seen our disappointment, because he then said "Pizza? Very fast?"

I responded "Yes, Margherita!"  

Within ten minutes, we were sitting under the stars on some steps

listening to the lapping waters of the Grand Canal

in Venice

balancing a cardboard box across our laps.

I have to tell you, that was The Best Pizza I've every had! 

It was one of those unexpected but simply joyful experiences that makes traveling so addictive.

It was the perfect welcome to Venice.

I could just gush about Venice forever.

I think we went at the perfect time (October).  It was mild and almost warm.

There were definitely crowds but it's easy to turn off down a side street to avoid them.

I must have taken a photograph of every single gondola.

The gondoliers were also pretty entertaining.

Can you imagine living in a place with no cars?

Everything is done by boat.  We saw ambulance boats and even a hearse weaving through

the canals with a coffin covered in a burst of flowers.

Every bridge that you come to, and there are many, is a little bit different from the one before.

I was so intrigued by the blades on the front of the gondolas.

I looked and looked for something in a shop that was shaped like one.

We always bring back an ornament from our travels and I think that would make the perfect one.

The metal blade is called a ferro.  It's for protection in a collision but it's also full

of the symbolism of Venice.

I think I could wander the streets of Venice forever and never get enough.

As I mentioned in my last post about Venice, there is something about the colors and the lighting

that combines in the most fantastical ways.

Venice has quickly jumped into my top five favorite cities I've visited so far

(along with Dublin, Salzburg, London and Ronda).

Tell me.  What are your top five cities?

TWITTER | FACEBOOK | PINTEREST | SUBSCRIBE | BLOGLOVIN

Reflections of Venice

Matt was teasing me about my blog last night. 

"I've noticed your word count has decreased dramatically recently."

Oh, really.

"Yeah, it's kinda like 'I went to _________.  It was really awesome.' and then

picturepicturepicturepicturepicturepicturepicture."

He might have a point.  He definitely has a point.

And it is making me crazy, but it's also just reality.

I could cry you a river about tired, work, exhausted, short days, work, stress, tired.

But, really what fun is that?

So, instead, I'll pop in wave to you happily... wavewavewave.

 And then I'll show you picturepicturepicturepicture.

Besides, there is not one word that I could add that would capture the

magical place that is Venice.  It's a place that stirs up such emotions in me.

 After 30 years, I returned to revisit this magical place that so impressed me as a teenager.

I cried often just walking around experiencing the colors, the golden light, 

the glorious reflections and the interesting people.

(The crying could also be explained by perimenopause,

but that word makes people really uncomfortable.)

This certainly won't be my last post about our weekend in Venice.

I can't promise an increased word count.  I can promise loads more photos.

But, I'll definitely share a little bit more about this fairytale city that I'm madly in love with.

What do you love about Venice?

TWITTER | FACEBOOK | PINTEREST | SUBSCRIBE | BLOGLOVIN