Camilla’s 50th...

Camilla’s party started with a small group of ladies attending the comedy Honey, I’m Darling, about a current-day couple who prefer to live like it’s the 1950s.

 We enjoyed champagne at the intermission.

This might look like a dollhouse, but it’s actually the incredible two-story set. The top right wall moved away to show the bathroom and the bottom right wall moved to reveal a very detailed kitchen. 

Afterwards we headed to The India Club, another throwback to the 50s, for a cocktail party with more guests from all stages of Camilla’s life, including both of our husbands (Tristram had just flown back from China and Jimmy arrived from Holland to join us). I was so glad that we could be there to experience her special event. 

The next morning Camilla decided to set-up an April Fool’s joke for some of her friends by posting some pics with fake tattoos, the second being on her bum, with the message, “A present to myself. It was either this or a boob job.” This silliness just reminded me even more why I miss living near her.

Views and More Chocolate...

My next stop was the Tate Modern, where I was happy to discover that there’s a 360° open viewing deck on the 10th floor that is free to visit. While I had thought the views from the café were impressive, these were even better.

 Luckily the skies were clear, making the views even more incredible.

Strangely enough, I’ve since met a lawyer who represents some of the apartment owners next to the Tate who want to close the viewing deck as it infringes upon their privacy. 

Camilla and I met up after work to walk along Brick Lane for her birthday surprise: The Chocolate Cocktail Club.

It was a cute basement bar specializing in my favorite flavor and we treated each other to a few rounds of exotic chocolate drinks.

 As you can see, I wasn’t the only one happy about chocolate.

Afterwards we headed back towards Camilla’s neighborhood and stopped for some great burgers. 

London Pop-Ups...

I was pretty bummed about my camera and change in plans, so was extra happy when I happened upon this lovely spot full of flowers. When I saw folks lined up, I asked what was going on and was pleased to learn that Hendrick’s Gin was hosting a pop-up that I could attend. While waiting, a woman asked each person to read a poem to a cucumber. It was clearly silly, but entertaining. Photos were taken just as small groups were allowed to enter the phone booth.

Inside was a hallway with a ceiling filled with fresh flowers...

....mirrors on the walls, and bright lights on the floor. We were held here for a few minutes...

...until there was space for us to enter the small yet adorable bar set up just for the pop-up.

Each person was handed a free drink featuring Hendrick’s latest gin: Midsummer Solstice. It was delicious!

I was amazed by the effort to decorate the small bar for just a two-day limited event. While there, I chatted with some local ladies and one of them suggested visiting another pop-up around the corner for Tony Chocolony.

How funny to be in London tasting chocolate made in Amsterdam.

Back to London...

I took four trains to finally arrive at St. Pancras International in London, shown here, on the last Thursday in March

It was an impressive station with this neon sign above a statue of a couple, perhaps just as they were reunited or were about to part. 

I crossed town to stay with Camilla for the weekend to help her celebrate her 50th birthday. Along the way, I saw this lady who could have been a rainbow if it weren’t for her black coat considering her red boots and skirt, pink and orange plaid scarf, brightly colored hairband, rainbow bag and pink fluffy bunny phone case.

Camilla had to work the following day, so I was on my own. I’d intended to walk from Camden to Little Venice along Regent’s Canal, but no sooner had I arrived at Camden and taken this photo did my camera poop out. Instead of exploring, I grabbed some lunch and set off to see if I could get it repaired, but no such luck.

A Woodland Model...

While Ashlynn was modeling in Sydney, Veronica joined some of the other Burlesque Club girls for a photo shoot in the woods. Usually Veronica is either behind the camera or setting up self-portraits, but this time someone else was behind the camera and she was the model. The results were fantastic!

Spotted in Amsterdam...

That evening we had dinner in the Foodhallen. Along the way, we walked many miles and spotted lots of cool stuff.

Modern Night Watch is fashioned after Rembrandt’s Night Watch, although this group portrait is not a painting but rather a photograph of entrepreneurs from the Amsterdam Food Center, a wholesale food market.

Although I’m not a cat-person, I really liked this mosaic cat, but apparently it scared this little girl.

Must admit that the rest of these are pretty goofy.

High Places in Amsterdam...

Next we hopped onto the metro and got off at Rokin, which has incredible displays alongside the escalators showing many of the 700,000 archaeological items uncovered during the 16 years of construction of that north-south line.

I included a photo of a display on my blog back in January, but couldn’t resist including some more since they really make this station fascinating.

Our final stop for Open Tower Day was Blue Amsterdam, a rooftop café in the center of Amsterdam.

The views were fantastic...

...and we were lucky enough to get a table for drinks and friets. I enjoyed having my first, of likely to be many, pornstar martinis.