Punting Pleasures

Fantastically juxtaposed with our stressful Monday (when two papers were due), Tuesday was quite lovely. After class, Sally and Stevens took about thirty of us punting. Oh man, it was such fun. A punt is "a long, narrow, flat-bottomed boat, square at both ends and propelled with a long pole, used on inland waters chiefly for recreation," so that's what we did...or attempted to do. People have been punting for pleasure in Oxford since 1880. The "Oxford way" is to punt from atop the open front, while the "Cambridge way" is to punt from the back on the "till," or deck. Only one person is in charge with the pole, and it is very leisurely for everyone else left relaxing in the boat (next time we will pack wine + cheese). 

Aside from occasionally running into the bank and scaring a friendly duck or two, it was smooth punting. I was better at it than I expected, and I didn't even lose my balance and tumble into the water! Although, one of my sweet Kappa Delta sisters did. Those of us fortunate enough to witness the event completely lost it in a fit of laughter. Mind you, this river is a mild river and the only real danger was for her Michael Kors watch. No one on European Studies has ever fallen out punting and no one in our crew even fell out white water rafting back in July. Phew, was that hilarious. Sally's seven-year-old son couldn't stop talking about it for a week.

After we composed ourselves and everyone got a chance to try their hand at steering the boat, we turned around at a pretty bridge and headed for the boathouse.

The pleasantness continued with delicious white chocolate Magnum bars at the neat, little ice cream shack along the water, a nice walk back getting to know Sally better, and a British "BBQ" in the quadrangle. We were all curious to see what the Lincoln chefs considered barbecue; it wasn't too far off from the "right" kind: burgers, chicken wings, ribs, sausage, and a mild barbecue sauce. 

I just love the way in which we get to know each other during European Studies. We do nearly everything together as a group or, at least, in small groups. We have the same classes + professors, live together, eat together, and try new things, like punting, together. It is certainly a fast and very personal way to become friends.

all your punts in a row

first-timers

thank goodness stevens knows what he is doing

enjoying the ride

karen: the brave one giving it a go first

moments before the fall

sorry, bud. no bread.

basically like the roman triremes

weathered

tranquil

Oh, and look at this close-up just because I look like an angry cat.

A Welcomed Distraction

Since I had two big papers due today, I probably should not have done much this weekend. And, I didn't, really - other than watch a few movies with friends and go out for thai food. But when someone, anyone, invites you to afternoon tea avec free scones at a lovely brasserie, you should probably always say yes. (Unless that person isn't very nice company, of course.)

Periodically while we are at Oxford, either Sally or Stevens will issue an open invitation (given that you are one of the first fifteen to sign up) to go to Sunday afternoon teatime at Browns Bar & Brasserie. It's a short walk from Lincoln, always busy, and bursting with natural light. The two, giant scones + cotted creme + jam + Earl Grey tea could not have been a more satisfyingly pleasant way to take a break from writing about Plato and Homeric warfare. The company was lovely and the tea was strong. We spent most of our time discussing television shows and books and absolutely no school work. 

I am just loving this value placed on enjoying little pleasures (like sipping tea or coffee) throughout the day. I have always said that I think mealtime should be an event, and I am growing quite accustomed to making drinks and the conversation they can facilitate equally prized.

good for goodness sake

elizabeth + whitney, westerners

pascale + cambell, sewanee/westerners

Oh, and, all I ate Sunday: pastries.//oops

P.S. Saturday Night Dinner Out: A peek at my made-to-order, "special," pineapple beef fried rice that was not only beautifully garnished but oh so satisfying.

Bathing + Stonehenging

          

After a week busy with schoolwork and our first essay, we all welcomed Thursday's high table and the three-day weekend with open arms. Knowing that we would have to kick it into gear this weekend to finish our papers that are due Monday, we all made the very most of Thursday evening. I don't think it will come as a surprise now that dinner was, you guessed it, delicious! We had a duckling orange entree and a beautiful strawberry pastry dessert. I swear, every single person in attendance looked fabulous and the night seemed extra special because we celebrated four birthdays that have happened since we arrived. We followed up dinner at the campus pub (I stayed away from the darts matches) and dancing at the very cool "Thirst."

Even though we didn't have class the next morning, breakfast was still served at eight-thirty and we were on the road by nine, en route for Bath and Stonehenge. While at the oh so lovely Bath (aside: Sally loved to make fun of the US pronunciation - bæth v. the British baahth), we checked out some of the first townhouse architecture of the eighteenth century Georgian style, toured the extensive museum of the Roman Bath, and received a lesson on Medieval architecture in Bath Abbey. The day certainly merged the two tracks! Class is always more enjoyable when the classroom is the very space about which you are learning. In our free time, I enjoyed a delicious sandwich from the chain Pret A Manger and longed to be a rich world traveler as I perused the store All Saints Co (they even had the black, leather pants that keep appearing in my dreams!).

 

 

The excitement continued: we ended the day with a trip to Stonehenge. I had been hearing that this experience would be perhaps a bit of a letdown. You know, since it is so ridiculously famous one might build it up to be "the best thing ever!" when in actuality it's "just a bunch of rocks." Welp, that was definitely not the case for me. I found the site to be even more fascinating looking at it, walking its circumference, discussing its origins right there, in person. Why were the people of prehistoric Wiltshire building some sort of rock formation at this spot in 3000 BC? What made Stonehenge so important that people carted these giant rocks (some of them weigh as much as 45 tons) more than 100 miles? Were they worshiping a sort of sun god, which could explain the way in which the sun shines through the circle and points to one of the altar stones on the day of the summer solstice? How many abled bodies labored to create this formation? Suffice it to say, I think Stonehenge is totally worth the hype.

After a day of traveling the area, journeying from 2012 to 70 AD to the 12th century to 3000 BC and back again, we took down twenty-eight pizzas from none other than Pizza Hut. A successful day.



listening to: That's Why God Made the Radio by the Beach Boys
(especially: "Strange World")

Thank Goodness

Certain things that help sooth those bits of homesickness.

Thank goodness for 24/7 coffee (that's always hot) right down the stairs.

Thank goodness for postcards + snail mail.

Thank goodness for friends no matter where in the world I am.

Thank goodness for cake.

Thank goodness for cheetah print pants.

Thank goodness for wi-fi + Skype + FaceTime bringing glimpses of home.

listening to: everything Norah Jones + Coltrane, too

Leisurely

After a rather energized and late Friday night with a big group of Euro Studs, Emily+Brenna+Elizabeth and I decided to have a relaxed evening last night. Actually, we had a relaxed Saturday all day. 

After an early morning run around the city, I walked to the store with the girls to pick up an afternoon picnic. We sat in University Park overlooking the river and eating brie+baguette+grapes. Needless to say, it was too lovely. Since it was sunny and warm, the park was full of families and runners and dogs. We even spotted a couple of ducks walking in a straight line and jumping into the water. I wrote postcards and stared at people peacefully "punting" (something I will be doing soon). So scenic, huh?

Later that night, we went to the Eagle and Child. Not only can we check this pub off our "pub crawl map," we also enjoyed a cider in a piece of Oxford's proud academic history. In the thirties, the "Inkling" writers, a group of Oxford writers, used to meet weekly to share new material. Most significantly, these writers included J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. They met in the Rabbit Room in the Eagle and Child for lunchtime on Tuesday afternoons, sharing a beer as well as their latest literary fantasies. After getting a little culture, we moseyed through a very "hip" district of town, full of interesting looking bars and fabulous restaurants. We stopped in at Freud, a former Greek Rival church built in the early nineteenth century. This super swanky cocktail bar had great outdoor seating at cute, blue tables on the portico, which was atop tall, wide stairs adorned with large columns. The inside was filled with tea lights, pink + blue + white, and all kinds of conversational seating. We cannot wait to go back after a high table dinner in our cocktail dresses, oh my!

listening to: "Live and Die" by The Avett Brothers

(in desperate anticipation of the new album)

This Isn't the Rat

Although the Rat of Rhodes College undoubtedly keeps up with the dinning halls of Oxford in beauty, it has some work to do in cuisine. Lincoln college is known for having some of the best campus food among the Oxford schools, and boy has that reputation proven to be true. The University of Oxford as a whole seems to value food and drink very highly in the creation of a quality academic environment; in fact, it is a part of the school's history. The chef and the butler are often considered the two most important and prized members of the college staff. Everyday we are served a delicious breakfast (either croissants + fruit or a full English breakfast) and a scrumptious lunch (dessert is always in attendance), as well as a three-course dinner with soup or mac-&-cheese or...anchovies (not my fave) as a starter, followed by a fine cooked meat, and always the best dessert. Every Friday our lunch is fish-&-chips, which was so good this week that even I liked it.

Every Thursday (although, last week it was Monday), we all get fancied up and have a high table dinner. It is a formal evening kicked off with drinks (last week white wine was served) either in the campus pub or in a courtyard. This cocktail hour proved to be a fantastic way to meet our professors before classes started and to better acquaint ourselves with the incredibly interesting adults leading this program. Each week, a few students are invited to join the faculty and staff of European Studies at the high table in the dining hall (think Harry Potter), something everyone will get to do once over the course of our time at Oxford. The hall is aglow in candlelight and the classy atmosphere is topped off with the printed menus divulging the gourmet meal + wine to come. I learned that I love guinea fowl and that brie cheese can, in fact, be even better...deep fried. Who knew? Sally Domer, in telling us about the high table dinners beforehand, expressed the near reverence given to the selection of food and wine for these very special meals, "Lincoln boasts an excellent wine cellar and it would be a real shame not to serve good wine with such an excellent meal. Also, you will probably gain weight while you're here, so just eat the food and enjoy it and don't think twice. You'll walk it off in Greece." We have been counting down the days to the next high table ever since because, last week, we felt as lucky as Kate Middleton herself.

Am I dreaming?

chit chat

sally saying the college grace

giddy girls

deep fried brie salad

supreme of guinea fowl with puy lentils

chocolate tarte with strawberry coulis

The Lincoln College grace is read, in Latin, in part before dinner and concluded after dessert:

Benignissime Pater, qui providentia tua regis, liberalitate pascis et benedictione conservas omnia quae creaveris, benedicas nobis, te quaesumus, et hisce creaturis in usum nostrum, ut illae sanctificatae sint et nobis salutares, et nos, inde corroborati, magis apti reddamur ad omnia opera bona; in laudem tui nominis aeterni, per Iesum Christum Dominum nostrum, Amen.

"Most gracious Father, who by thy providence rulest, in thy generosity feedest, and by thy blessing preservest all that thou hast created; bless us, we beseech thee, and these creatures for our use, so that they may be hallowed and of benefit to us, and we, strengthened thereby, may be rendered fitter for all good works; to the praise of thy eternal name, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen."

*taken from Wikipedia