Some Beautiful and Not-So Beautiful Things...

On 29 May 2012, with my time abroad quickly drawing to a close, I decided to spend some time just wandering around central London—plus, I needed to find some sort of crown to wear to a Diamond Jubilee-themed tea party I had been invited to. Because I saw so much, but nothing really new (for the most part), what follows is basically just random snippets of interest.

Let’s start, as I did that day, with an early morning visit to Buckingham Palace. I had been alerted by EN to the fact that construction had begun on the decorations for the Diamond Jubilee concert. Even so, I was not quite prepared for the radical transformation that had taken place. 

Around the large Victoria Memorial, work had begun on a staging area, from whence performers such as Sir Tom Jones would eventually perform. Similarly, all around the circle, tiered stands had also been erected for those lucky few who had been able to secure tickets to the event. (I tried, but being a non-British citizen I was not able.)

Stage and Bleachers

From the palace, I made my way down the Mall and across St James’s Park—as I have done so often during my stay—and then over to Westminster Abbey by way of Horse Guards Road. I had hoped to find some sort of suitable crown in the gift shop there but, alas, no luck. 

Leaving Westminster, I walked by the Horse Guards Parade and on over to Trafalgar Square (with a brief stop-over at Heaven which, although not open, I wanted a photo of nonetheless). 

Continuing my walk, I swung by the National Portrait Gallery—I had wanted to check out their new exhibit on The Queen, which includes a holographic version of the picture seen below, but didn’t have time—and Leicester Square (where I got a picture taken with the blue M&M), before moving over to Piccadilly Circus and then Soho.

One of my favorite images of HM The Queen!

Do you suppose he's related to Aki T. Fish?

Aside from the usual interest in the Soho area, I specifically wanted to swing by Soho Square so I could finally take a photo of the bench dedicated to singer Kristy McColl. After being killed in a freak boating accident, McColl was memorialized in Soho Square owing to a song she wrote about the area. However, I’m familiar with her through the songs ‘Fairytale of New York’ and the awesomesauceyness that is ‘In These Shoes?’

From Soho Square I trekked onward to the ritzy Mayfair area, where I finally used the  Easter money Mom sent me to buy chocolate form Charbonnel et Walker, official chocolatiers to The Queen. It was delicious!!!

We Approve of Charbonnel et Walker Chocolate!

While there, it hit me: I would get my crown from the gift shop at Buckingham Palace! So, I circled back around—passing St James’s Palace en route—and visited the shop within The Queen’s Gallery. Sure enough, there was the perfect (toy) crown! Mission accomplished!

By now, it was getting lateish, and I had plans for that evening, so I headed home to drop off my stuff and shower, before turning around and heading back out. You see, my friend LD had agreed to cut my hair and add some red low-lights. The only problem: he lives all the way on the east end of London.

But, since I had to go out that way anyway, I decided to finally take a side-excursion to a place even further to the east that I hadn’t made it yet: Thamesmead, the filming location for ‘Beautiful Thing’! 

It took a bit of time, but I finally found the exact building and area where it was set. Unfortunately, I wasn’t comfortable staying too long—it was a highly sketchy and run-down area, and I was actually a bit afraid (something I hadn’t experienced at any other time or place whilst in London). This meant I wasn’t able to re-enact my favorite moment from the film, when Jaime and Ste slow-dance in the courtyard. Ah, well, at least I was there. 

The real thing...

The best still I could grab--with the amazing Linda Henry!

And I even took the 180 bus to get there, which was kind of a big deal only because of its connection to the film (i.e., Jaime and Ste take the 180 when they go to their first gay pub, the Gloucester).

After snagging those images, I set off for LD’s, where he proceeded to give my hair one final trim before the return home.

I'm On the (Knife's) Edge of Glory!

I’ve been delaying writing this one, ’cause I wasn’t sure how much detail I wanted to go into. But, Nic has effectively blackmailed me into telling all, so here goes…

Well, not quite yet…

First, let me just say that nothing’s wrong, so there’s no need to worry. However, I have a certain…saintly image of myself that I want my wonderful parents to maintain. So, before I delve into the details of Monday night’s tale of drunken debauchery, I will ask that—if either of them are reading this—they just move their mouse over to the little colored ‘X’ in the upper-corner and click on it.

I’ll wait…

Still waiting…

This means you, Dad—bye!

Okay, I think the coast is clear now. 

Now, the rest of you have to swear to secrecy that you won't going runnin’ at the mouth with what you read here—there's no reason for them to become worried unnecessarily!

Let’s begin, shall we?

So, last week I was chatting with TvH—one of my peers in the Realism, Fantasy, and Utopia module—about my experience so far as an international student at UEL. You see, TvH is also an international student, although he’s actually studying at UEL for the full three years, and is half-way through his second year. 

Anyway, the topic of the conversation eventually turned to gay things, as it tends to do when two gay men are chatting. I was saying that I had been disappointed by UEL’s GLBT(-but no Q) group—like I said in an earlier post, I had hoped to find a ready-made circle of friends but, alas, such was not the case—and then I mentioned that I was too chicken to check out London’s gaybourhood by myself. Flash-forward a few days, and TvH was kind enough to invite me to go out with him, his partner, and a friend or two on Monday night.

So, off I went for my first adventure within that mysterious realm that is London’s chiseled, apple-tinied gay underworld…

As I learned upon arriving—by bus, of all nonfabulous things—at Tottenham Court Road, the rather nasty weather, coupled with the fact that it was a Monday night, had caused the rest of the group to bail at the last minute. 

Nonetheless undeterred, TvH and I set off for the first bar:

The Friendly Society is a tucked-away bar near the corner of Wardour Street and Old Compton Street. To enter, you have to descend a somewhat dark, quiet stairwell—seriously, you can’t see any of the lights from the club, nor can you really hear the music (contrary to what the older photo below shows). 

But once you’re within the bar proper, it’s like you’ve stepped into a strange, undersea kingdom…

The Entrance [NB: This photo is not mine!]

The Bar [NB: This photo is not mine!]

You can't tell from most of the photos above, but, most of the lighting is a pale blue, like the kind seen in the Faerie Tale Theatre version of ‘The LittleMermaid’—seriously, I kept waiting for Brian Dennehy or Helen Mirren to pop-out…or at the very least, Shelley Duvall! Adding to the ambiance are round, old-fashioned goldfish bowls (complete with fish), a room filled with tiny disco-balls hanging from the ceiling, and dozens of Barbie and Troll Dolls that give the appearance of ‘swimming’ across the ceiling courtesy of screws through their guts.

Notice the dolls on the ceiling [NB: This photo is not mine!]

More Swimmers [NB: This photo is not mine!]

Oh, and have I mentioned the projector? Into one of the alcoves behind the bench-lined white walls, a projector beamed the (in)famous shark-attack scene from the 1966 ‘Batman’ movie—the one with Adam West and the entire rogue’s gallery (minus either of the legitimate Catwomen)—over and onto patrons’ heads. 

The Movie Screen [NB: This photo is not mine!]

As for the music, a solitary speaker was pumping out the sounds of the Eurythmics in one of the siderooms.

It was in this delightfully kitschy environment that I had the first of many, many drinks over the course of the night... And the second. (Red wines, both.)

Wanting to pace myself, I suggested we check out one of the other nearby locations.

Moments later, we were at Village, which is somewhat reminiscent of Spin.

Now, regrettably, this is where the memory starts to get a bit hazy…

You see, no one in London seems to have heard of my usual, safe drink of choice (Fuzzy Navels), and I didn’t want more anymore wine because it would have had me asleep within moments. So, somewhat reluctantly I switched to my other standby: cranberry-vodka. 

Five of 'em…

That I can recall.

And then I remember TvH and I chatting for (what felt like) 20 minutes with this woman who kept going on-and-on about her hair, and how she hadn’t cut it (‘except the fringe’) in about 15 years… But, I kept giggling because I thought she looked like the late Wendy Richard.

I swear, the woman looked just like this!

Eventually, TvH said he needed a smoke, so we were finally able to escape the chatty Miss Brahms look-alike—and her drunken GBF, who kept asking me to hold his drink and then disappearing, only to re-appear later with a brand new drink…

Then it was back to the bar (or possibly a third one—I have a ‘mystery wristband’ from another bar called Shadow Lounge that may or may not be owned by the same folks who own Village, and that I don't remember getting) for a shot or two of tequila.

Okay, so let me clarify something here and now: none of this talk of drunkenness is meant to sound like bragging. I mean, I had a fun time (until the next day)—but that’s not the main reason I’m telling you all this. 

All of this is just set-up for this part of the story:

After the shots, we both decided we’d had enough and that it was time to go (our separate ways—I want to make that explicitly clear now, ’cause that’s not where this story is going!). 

We started walking toward Oxford Street, from where we could each catch our respective buses. All of the sudden, this guy appears out of nowhere and drapes his arm around TvH’s shoulder, and asks, ‘Are you guys looking for such-and-such-bar?’

Now, at first I thought that TvH knew this strange guy because, while he didn’t stop walking, he also didn’t jerk away suddenly. I realized I was wrong when TvH answered ‘No,’ and I noted the change in the tone of his voice—I think he was just in shock that this guy was touching him.

 The guy persisted for a few more seconds, and by that point we were both telling him ‘No’ and other dismissary comments. But he continued following…

That’s when TvH came to a sudden halt and said with surprise, ‘He just grabbed my wallet!’

Obviously, this comment brought me to a stop, too. 

We just stood there, staring at the guy…

Oh, and he was now holding a Swiss Army-type knife in his hand.

No lie.

No exaggeration.

We were being mugged!

TvH and I backed away, holding our hands up in a non-confrontational way, and when the mugger’s attention was back on TvH, I started mouthing at some nearby bystanders to ‘Call the cops!’

As far as I could tell at the time, they were too absorbed in the spectacle to actually, you know, help us—but, I think the guy started realizing how many witnesses were around and watching us, and so he took off, taking TvH’s wallet and passport with him.

TvH called the police immediately, and—to the credit of London’s finest—they were there within five minutes, if that long. 

Then came the embarrassing ordeal of having to give a police report and description while being both shaken-up and heavily intoxicated. I mean, seriously: imagine having to give a police report and description under such circumstances. Ridiculous!

Flash-forward to today, when I saw TvH at school and got an update: first and foremost, he ‘lucked out’ in that the mugging happened in an area where there are a few CCTV cameras around (now we just have to hope they’re working!). Also, apparently the thief was stupid enough to try and use one of his credit cards somewhere in East London, so there’s a chance that got caught on film there too.

All-in-all, that last bit was quite the experience—and not one that I ever care to repeat again. 

Now, as for the London club scene: I think next time I’ll just bring the bartender a copy of the Fuzzy Navel recipe and play it safe!

The (Rambling) Media Edition: Part 4

So, one of my main goals while I’m here is to try and get at the root of why soap operas are so much more popular in the UK than they are in the US. In fact, one of my Cultural Studies peers over here was shocked when I told her that, back home, I am frequently ashamed and embarrassed to admit my love of soaps. In order to do this, however, I should probably start watching some, don’t’cha think?

 

Tonight I sat down and watched two episodes of “Coronation Street” and one episode of “EastEnders.”

 

Let’s start with the former…

 

 

“Coronation Street” (a.k.a. “Corrie”) started in December 1960. This means that, following the cancellation of US America's “As the World Turns,” “Corrie” became the longest running soap currently in production. (Just for giggles, here’s a scene from one of the 50^th Anniversary episodes, which featured an explosion, tram crash, and a viaduct’s destruction—skip to the 59 seconds mark:)

 

 

Now, in doing a bit of preliminary research for this post, I discovered that “Corrie” has actually released (circa) six straight-to-video films. Soaps on DVD format is something that is only just recently being experimented with back home (e.g., a special DVD featuring key holiday episodes from ATWT), so this is definitely something I want to look into a bit more…

 

As far as the episode I watched tonight: I found it to be somewhat cute, for the most part. As I noted on Facebook while chatting with some pals there, right off the bat, there is a difference in class when it comes to characters in US and UK soaps—and, to be fair, other academics, most notably Christine Geraghty and Dorothy Hobson, have already noted this. US soaps are all about the upper echelon fighting over businesses and money, whereas UK soaps seem to be about people trying to survive. 

 

Also—and bear in mind that I need to think this line of thought through a bit more, as well as watch some more episodes—“Coronation Street” (and possibly “EastEnders”) kind of brings with it the casual, easygoing vibe of a pub. Like you want to get cozy with it. Conversely, American soaps are all sparkle and spectacle, and looking for the drama. I don't know, I might completely revise this thought later, but that's the gut-reaction I'm having at the moment. I definitely want to follow-through with the pub atmosphere connection, though…

 

By way of comparison, and also to showcase the ideas I’m discussing above, I want to juxtapose two clips: the first is from yesterday’s episode of “Corrie,” and the other is from my favorite soap back home, “The Young & the Restless”:

 

Now, both of these clips take place in one of the favored watering holes on the show. Of course, you’ll notice the class signifiers right off the bat—the clothing, the atmosphere, and the treatment of the respective bar-keeps. If you’re more familiar with the American brand of soaps, however, you’ll also notice a certain…casual intimacy between the “Corrie” characters. Again, I can’t quite articulate what I’m trying to say yet, but, damn it, there’s something there!

 

Now, let’s get to the other show I watched tonight: “EastEnders.”

 

First things first: I want you to watch these credits:

 

 

Okay, now back up a minute! 

I want to tell you about three serendipitous moments I had while watching this show tonight 

First Moment: my friggin’ school is in the logo! The show’s fictitious setting (the London Borough of Walford) is right across the river from UEL.

 

I marked my campus in red to help you out...

Second Moment: Already in this blog, I’ve mentioned a couple of times my love for the movie “Beautiful Thing.” Well, one of the reasons I love that movie so much is because of the character Leah Russell, played by Tameka Empson:

 

Given that, you can understand my surprise at finding her in “EastEnders,” where she plays the character Kim Fox. (And then my further surprise at learning that Linda Henry, who played the mum in “Beautiful Thing” was also in “EastEnders” at one point!)

 

Leah grew up to have some fierce hair! Growin' up with them gay boys did her good!

 

Third Moment: A few blog entries ago, I posted one of my favorite “French & Saunders” clips:

 

 

 

Obviously, Dawn French was (lovingly) mocking Debbie Allen from "Fame":

 

 

But then, in last night’s “EastEnders,” was Leah—I’m sorry, Kim (Ms Empson) doing this:

 

 

 

 

Ho. Lee. Cow. Worlds. Colliding.

 

At any rate, “EE” started in February 1985, and is centered around the citizens of Albert Square. In Christine Geraghty’s book, Women and Soap Opera: A Study of Prime-Time Soaps,* series creator Julia Smith stated: “We decided to go for a realistic, fairly outspoken type of drama which could encompass stories about homosexuality, rape, unemployment, racial prejudice, etc., in a believable context. Above all, we wanted realism” (p. 16). 

 

Perhaps this sense of realism is the difference I’m looking for? 

 

By the way, if you’re curious, some of my non-US friends on Facebook have described the difference between US and UK soaps as follows:

  NC: “British soaps are all about how horrible life is…American soaps seem to be extremely more glamorous than ours, which are all about poor people scratching a living. people in american soaps always seem to be loaded…While theres definitely a lot of (usually dark) humour in the soaps, they are always dark and depressing. Every christmas day Eastenders has to try to out do itself with something worse happening than the year before it”

AB: “Try Eastenders! Its the Anti USA soap! its gritty and realistic (and they dont stay in the same room in the same conversation for two years!”

TC: “…I think the soaps are very realistic in that they don't attempt to over glam things in their look at working class life. You will find these characters on every street in the UK. The characters have always been super accessable and thats why I think people take them intk their hearts so much. Check out Emerdale it's based on rural/country life and is the alternative choice to Corry or Eastenders. Hollyoaks is the mid teens to.mid twentys soap. All about kids in collegenand Uni. The only tuing I watch regularly is Emerdale.”

 

Once again putting aside the academic stuff for a moment, I want to point out one character from “EastEnders” who caught my attention right away: Dot Cotton, played by 84 year old June Brown. I don’t know too much about her yet—other than her portrayer has an amazing sense in hats…

 

 

—but look forward to learning more about her. Right off the bat, I’d love to do a analysis of this character versus Jeanne Cooper’s Katherine Chancellor character from “The Young & the Restless.”

 

 

Perhaps a good place to start with such a study would be the one-of-its-kind monologue episode wherein Dot relays her life story (which you can watch courtesy of these four clips):

 

 

 

Eastenders - dots story: 31 january 2008 (part 1) 

 

 

Eastenders - dots story: 31 january 2008 (part 2)

 

 

Eastenders - dots story: 31 january 2008 (part 3)

 

 

Eastenders - dots story: 31 january 2008 (part 4)

 

In closing, I want leave you with two final videos—to cleanse the pallet, if you will. 

 

The first comes courtesy of my friend Tally, and hails from “EastEnders”:

 

 

 

The last comes from this week’s “The Young & the Restless”…

 

 

 

And who says soaps aren’t fun?

 

Bye now—

 

* Just a quick note about Dr. Geraghty and her book, Women and Soap Opera: A Study of Prime-Time Soaps: I actually own the book, having acquired it for an earlier Cultural Studies project that I was working on. It’s a really fun read, if you can get your hands on it. Then, later, I had the honor of interviewing Dr. Geraghty for yet another work—she is a really kind person in real life, and had no qualms about helping me. In fact, she even shared with me some of her as-of-then unpublished work.

UEL Orientation (Day 1 of 3)

Well, today was the big day: orientation at UEL (part 1 of 3); and, it went very well! Now sit right back and allow me to regale you (bore you?) with the day’s adventures…

It all started, as no morning ever should, at 4:58 AM GMT, when I woke up for no freakin’ reason. I mean, seriously, I had another hour-and-a-half in which I could have rested. Alas, it was not meant to be. So, I tossed and turned for a bit, until, finally, I just said, ‘Screw it!’ and went over to the computer…

And who had just posted on my FB wall their well-wishes for my day? The divine Mr Ruley, that’s who. Turns out he was just about to go to bed as I was getting up. So we chatted it up for a bit online before I finally resigned myself to the fact that it was time to go. That was Great Start Event #1.

Great Start Event #2 happened as I was making my trek toward the tube stop: first, my iPod randomly selected Eartha Kitt’s “An Englishman Needs Time.” Why was this so great? Well, lemme tell ya: it’s awesome on one level simply because it was Heavenly Eartha herself, on another because it was a recording taken from the concert that Nic and I saw her perform live, and on a third level because it was about an Englishman and I’m in, well, England.

And then (Great Event #3), my iPod started playing “It’s Getting Better” by Mama Cass Eliot (Mamas and the Papas). Again, you may wonder why I’m classifying this as something great. You see I fell in love with the song (and the group) through their inclusion in one of the most romantic gay films I’ve ever seen: “Beautiful Thing.” (The flick in question was one of the few things that kept me sane in the early days of my coming to terms with my sexual identity—try as I might to find positive, happy representations of gayness, queer filmmakers of the ’90s were seemingly eager to paint a picture of gayness equaling misery, suffering, death, drugs, and infidelity. Damn it, I wanted more—and found exactly what I was looking for in the sweet love story of Jamie and Ste.) At any rate, the song was awesome/fitting because the film is set in Thamesmead, about 2.69 miles away from UEL. (Hmm….a day trip might be happening soon…)

Eventually, I made my way to the tube and began my journey proper. The entire trip took me about 1.5 hours—first I had to transfer from the District to the Jubilee line, and then I had to switch again to the Docklands Light Rail (DLR). Shockingly, it wasn’t bad!

Part of My Journey

Orientation itself was a bit overwhelming! Lots of information coming our way about everything from library services, to visa no-no’s, to trips around London and elsewhere. It was all a bit much, but after I’ve had some time to digest it all, it should (hopefully) make sense.

At 12:30 PM GMT we were given £5 vouchers to any of the multiple eating establishments on-campus. I wasn’t interested in much, so I just grabbed an egg sandwich and a coffee*—except, the grandmotherly cashier wouldn’t let me get away with just that. She kept insisting that it was a waste of money (as the two items only came to £2.65, or thereabouts), and forcing food on me! First, she told me to take an apple, which I did so as to be polite. Next, she told me to take a banana—I protested that it was too much, but she insisted…and then she insisted again, telling me to take a second banana! Finally, to top it all off, she told me to pick up a pack of belVita Breakfast Biscuits! It was all a bit absurd, but I did as I was told—guess I have dessert and breakfast for tomorrow.

Grandmotherly Cashier, or Nabisco Enforcer?

Following my sandwich and coffee, I wandered around the campus a bit. It really is a unique place—between the adjoining Thames and the occasional fishy breeze, one definitely feels as if they’re near docks, and the colorful, rounded dorms blend in almost perfectly with that nautical setting. Then there’s the London city airport, which is directly across the river—the large(ish) planes landing and taking off within seeming arm-reach is really cool. In some ways, UEL is very reminiscent of Columbia, but in other ways it’s just different enough that (at least at this point) it makes me feel a touch homesick. 

UEL/Docklands Dorms on the Thames

London City Airport and the Thames (Behind the Big Giant Head)

At 2:00 PM GMT, a group of us headed over to the Gallions Reach shopping center. There wasn’t too much there, but it was fun to go along on my first excursion with my London peers.

Around 5:30 PM GMT, I finally left campus and started the long trek home. I did make one final detour though: when it came time to transfer from the Jubilee to the District line, I left the tube and made my way to the street-level. You see, I was at the Westminster Stop, and one of my biggest regrets from the last time Nic and I were here was that I never got decent photos of the Palace of Westminster (the parliament building) at night. Tonight I rectified that, as can be seen from the photos below. And while I was there, I was able to actually hear Big Ben toll the 6:00 hour.

The Millennium Eye

Brett, "Big Ben," and Palace of Westminster

Westminster Abbey

After wandering for a bit, I returned home and chatted briefly, once more, with Nic as he prepared for tonight’s show. Then I enjoyed a yummy dinner of chicken and rice with KG and MM while watching “Coronation Street.” (I’m sure I’ll talk more about it later, but I’ve had a great time discussing British soaps and audience interaction with KG and MM while I’ve been here—I think the fact that they’re such a phenomenon over here is awesome, and I really want to get at that difference between British and USAmerican culture. I also think it’s interesting that British soaps are ongoing narratives like our own, despite the fact that so many other British television programs are self-contained narratives.)

Anyway, I’ve blathered on enough for one night—time to close shop.  Till the bell tolls again...

* I haven’t mentioned it here yet, but I’m trying to curb my coffee addiction while I’m here. I’ve done really well the last two days, having a single, small cup both days. No more. Quite the change from my multi-pot/day habit!