Hello, Blog! I am glad to say I have spent another week eating good food and seeing what London has to offer. Here’s what I got up to!
Flatmates sitting at Wetherspoons table
Wetherspoons chocolate fudge cake with vanilla ice cream
In an effort to continue my London initiation, my flatmates took me out to a British pub called J.D. Wetherspoons, commonly known as “Spoons,” where we enjoyed drinks and delicious chocolate fudge cake. I’ve learned that going to Spoons is one of those quintessential university experiences in the UK and a rite of passage for study abroad students who want a proper taste of the uni life.
Homeslice sign, reading “YOU WANT A PIZZA ME?”
Homeslice mirror, reading “Ate and left no crumbs. Homeslice Nice.”
The next evening, I went on a little solo adventure around Covent Garden, where I walked around the Seven Dials, a neighborhood in the West End bursting with shops, cafes, and restaurants. After checking out some boutiques and taking pictures of the bustling junction, I found myself at Homeslice, a pizzeria in Neal’s Yard, which had been recommended to me several times for a taste of thin-crust pizza, served by the slice, which is rare for London but reminiscent of home (New Jersey). While this was definitely a tasty slice, I’d say I’m still on the hunt for some London pizza with a real “wow” factor. I’m keeping my eyes peeled!
Dubai chocolate bun in front of Trafalgar Square fountain
After the pizza, I walked over to Buns From Home, a petite bakery in the Theatre District, known for their hand rolled cinnamon buns that are nearly too beautiful to eat. Rather than get a cinnamon bun, I couldn’t resist ordering their dubai chocolate bun. This scandalous treat was composed of a flaky, butter croissant bun, absolutely flooded with a sweet and salty pistachio cream with crispy kataifi, an underlayer of a cream cheese filling, and a thin slab of dark chocolate on top. I took this pastry to Trafalgar Square where I could sit and eat it, while taking in the beautiful sight of the busy square at night.
Trafalgar Theatre exterior, with Clarkston sign
Clarkston cast on stage, taking bows
Finally, I reached the main event of the evening, which was seeing Clarkston at Trafalgar Theatre, starring Joe Locke. This play by Samuel D. Hunter explores themes of friendship, the good and ugly of human connection, and the vitality found in self-love and acceptance. I came to see Joe Locke and was left dazzled by not just him but the rest of the cast, which includes Ruaridh Mollica and Sophie Melville. This is the first play I’ve seen by myself, and I was so glad I caught it!
Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre exterior
Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre interior
The following day, I visited Shakespeare’s Globe to see a production of Twelfth Night, one of Shakespeare’s romantic comedies. This tale of romance, sibling love, and confusion of identities was perfectly hilarious and was a great first play for me to see at the Globe. I chose a ten-pound standing yard ticket, and the cast was so incredibly interactive with the audience that I didn’t regret the decision to stand for two and a half hours in my Doc Martens, while being rained on. Next time, I would even make an effort to stand closer, because between the audience members being thrown chocolates, splashed with water, included in the dialogue, and brought up on stage to complete a kickline, it seems the first few rows are the place to be. Props to the cast for giving the play such life and somehow making it even funnier than it already is!
After these excursions, I found myself a little behind on my 2025 Fall Movie Watchlist, but don’t worry, I’m catching up. Since my previous blog on the topic of fall movies, I’ve watched Frankenweenie, The Edge of Seventeen, You’ve Got Mail, Edward Scissorhands, The Craft, It: Chapter One, The Little Vampire, and Nightmare on Elm Street. Somehow, I still have plenty left to go, but I loved watching all these spooky and autumnal movies to really stay in the October mood.
Selfie of Adriana, Sofia, and myself
Finally, I was lucky enough to meet up with two friends from Wellesley! Sofia, who’s currently studying abroad in Paris, had been exploring London with her mother and had some time to meet up with me and get drinks at—you guessed it—Spoons, where we were able to exchange funny stories and catch up on our lives in Europe so far. We were met by Adriana, our friend currently studying in Bath, England, who was seeing a play at the Old Vic Theatre in London (which she thought was taking place in Bristol…) and came to join us at the pub. It was nice getting most of the Wellesley gang back together, but we all missed Anna, who’s in Chile. This likely won’t be my last time seeing these two in Europe, so stay tuned for my trips to Paris and Bath!
I’ve had a great week, replete with theatre, movies, and carbohydrates, so thanks for reading!
Cheers! xx