'Allo, 'Arry!

YES!!! (Photo credit: my friend Hal)

Oooh, so I just got back from vacation in London and Malta last week. Malta will be a later post. (If you're wondering where Malta is, it's an island south of Sicily in the middle of the Mediterranean and it is awesome.)

But before Malta, I stayed the weekend in London. Please. Don't be surprised. I try to finagle a visit there every year, obvs. The first thing that came to mind for this trip was Warner Bros.' Harry Potter Studio Tour. Which was amazing and wonderful and everything I wanted it to be. If you're an HP geek, you should head out there. Tons of sets, props, tech -- everything they used in the making of the film. And you can take photos of it all. Like, seriously, I took them up on that offer. Want to knock on the Dursleys' door? You can. Want to stand in Dumbledore's office or the Gryffindor Common Room? Yup. Want to buy Hermione's Yule Ball dress? You can do that too.

I just watched all the movies to prep for this visit, so one thing that surprised me was how small many of the sets seemed. The exceptions were maybe the Great Hall and the Potions classroom. Even Diagon Alley seemed smallish. But that was my favorite part ... until we saw the 1:24 scale model of Hogwarts they built for the movies. I think there's a collective gasp when you come upon it.  Here are some photos from the tour. I highly recommend a visit.

(By the by, the rest of the short visit in London was awesome as well: A visit to the Shard to see London from superduper high up, "Book of Mormon" in previews and the fabulous Underground poster exhibit at the London Transport Museum. Less than 72 hours in London, and we did a lot!)

The Great Hall with costumes from the different houses. (Photo credit: ME)

The ice sculpture from the Yule Ball in HP4.  (Photo credit: ME)

Hermione's, Viktor's, Harry's and Cho's costumes from the Yule Ball.  (Photo credit: ME)

Ron's bed from the dorm room. The beds were made to fit the boys when they were 11 and never changed -- so when they got older the boys had to curl up their legs to fit in them!  (Photo credit: ME)

The mirror of Erised!  (Photo credit: ME)

Hangin' with Ron's mannequin in the Gryffindor Common Room.  (Photo credit: ME)

On the way to Dumbledore's office? (Photo credit: My friend Hal)

Dumbledore's office!  (Photo credit: ME)

Potions class. Ruh-roh, I think I see the Half-Blood Prince's textbook.  (Photo credit: ME)

The Burrow! Press a button and the knitting needles move.  (Photo credit: ME)

I am NOT the heir of Slytherin. (Photo credit: Hal) 

Aww, the Potters' house in Godric's Hollow.  (Photo credit: ME)

Gross Voldemort doll. Press a button and his chest rises and falls and he squirms a bit. Like I said: GROSS.  (Photo credit: ME)

In Diagon Alley!  (Photo credit: ME)

I like this sign in the potions store window.  (Photo credit: ME)

Ollivander's!  (Photo credit: ME)

The huge model of the castle. It has lights inside that make it look like torches are lit and students are walking by! The light changes from night to say and the score plays as you walk around it.  (Photo credit: ME)

I'm on the top of two levels here -- that's how big it is. (Photo credit: Hal)

The castle at "day."  (Photo credit: ME)

The last room is a room of wand boxes with the names of cast and crew. A docent points out the names if you tell them the character. I thought this one was funny.  (Photo credit: ME)

Awww.  (Photo credit: ME)

"That's wizard's chess!" (tm Ron)  (Photo credit: ME)

I bought tons of stuff at the store: gloves for my sister, keychains, Gryffindor scarf (although we pretty much decided I am a Hufflepuff), magnets. My friend got a Timeturner. I'm kinda jealous that I didn't buy one too. Oh well. I'll have to go back! You can def spend a whole day there if you're a hardcore Potter nerd. For serious. You should go.

Hey, guess what! I love the U.K.

A little weird, right? For a Filipino chick to love the UK as much as I do. To paraphrase badly from Jane Austen, I can't tell you exactly when or where I fell in love with England -- I was in the middle before I knew I had even begun. But there it is. And I'm so so sad I didn't think about going for the Olympics. I'd've seen any obscure sport just to be there. My bad. 


But how much do I love thee? Let me count the ways....

TV/Movies

When I travel to foreign countries, I like to watch their TV shows. In Spain, we watched an "American Idol"-type show and, oddly, German soaps. In the Philippines, I watched Filipino game shows, and Hindi and Korean soaps. It's like a anthropological study of a culture's viewing habits. 

In many ways, I prefer British television over American. Fewer episodes mean more streamlined story arcs and less filler episodes. Their shows are edgier and well acted. My sister got me an all-region DVD player so I can buy and watch British DVDs. Besides obvious faves of "Doctor Who" and "Downton Abbey," I do love these shows (with links to some fun clips):

"Spooks" > "24"  (Credit: BBC)

• "Spooks" (American name: "MI-5"). A spy show that just ended this year after 10 seasons. So good! Great stories and actors. As intense as "24." Season 2 through 6, with Rupert Penry Jones,  above center, are particularly good. Matthew Macfadyen, in season 1 and one or two eps of Season 2, was awesome too. My boyfriend Richard Armitage was in Season 7-9. But as much as I love him, Spooks was fading fast by that point. It's on Netflix, so check it out.
• "Miranda." A new and yet old-school sitcom. Y'all, I'm not a sitcom person. I don't like "Modern Family" or "Community." Yes, I KNOW. Nor am I a fan of physical comedy. But Miranda Hart -- who plays a socially inept single woman who constantly gets into awkward situations (hello, overidentify much?) -- is so freakin' funny. Sadly this hasn't aired on American TV -- but it should (BBC America, I'm looking at you)!
• "Gavin & Stacey." Another great comedy, this one focuses on a couple (she's Welsh; he's from Essex) on a whirlwind romance that brings their two crazy families together. Smart and funny and heartfelt. Gold. 
• If you have not seen "Attack the Block," please do so now. About teenagers in a council housing block who end up battling aliens, this movie has heart and an edge. And if I adopt some of the language or syntax of a TV show or movie, then I really like it. Believe. <-- Movie reference!

Music

Rizzle Kicks = good start
to the day. (Credit: Amazon)

Lately I've been really into Brit hop.  Tinie Tempah might be my current favorite rapper, and I want him to make it big here; check out "Till I'm Gone," with Wiz Khalifa. The Rizzle Kicks have been likened to the Gorillaz but I like them even more; my fave is "Down With the Trumpets." And Dizzee Rascal is another rapper I love. You might have heard a little of each of these already: Tinie and Rizzle Kicks were sampled in the Opening Ceremonies medley, and Dizzee performed "Bonkers," with what might be one of my favorite rap-lyrics-turned-life-philosophy ever: "Some people think I'm bonkers, but I just think I'm free..."

Books

Anything set in Britain, I'm bound to read, no pun intended. Jacqueline Winspear has a great mystery series (Maisie Dobbs) set in the years between the great wars. And I'm a sucker for any Jane Austen sequel or retelling ("The Other Mr. Darcy" actually changed my view of Caroline Bingley). 

Food

My kingdom for a place in Washington that serves a good full English breakfast. Eggs, tomatoes, potatoes, sausage. YUM. I'd give two kingdoms for Wagamama to open that long-promised DC location. When you go to London, check out the chain pan-Asian place. So freakin' good, especially the chicken katsu curry -- what I always order when I go. And I'd give three kingdoms for a Hummingbird Bakery to open up here, too. Their "American" cupcakes make me shun all other cupcakes (seriously, I won't eat another cupcake for weeks after I go to Hummingbird, because I know they just won't match up.)

This weekend, my sisters and I are basically doing a New York is the New London kind of birthday weekend. We'll be going to the London Candy Co., which sells imported British food (what up, McVittie's biscuits -- I'm comin' for ya!) and then seeing James Corden in "One Man, Two Guvnors" on Broadway. He co-wrote and co-stars in "Gavin & Stacey," and, oh, also won a Tony for OMTG. Can't wait to see it again.

And in conclusion: Cupcakes.

Hummingbird cupcakes. Drool now. (Credit: me)