Laura 🦄 🏳️‍🌈

@chaneen

This glimpse of brilliance is better than a long look at mediocrity. (she/her)

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Laura 🦄 🏳️‍🌈@chaneen· 28d

Breakfast view!

A view of the loch with a bunch of hills behind. There are several boats in the water. Two cars and the rear of the hotel sign are visible at the bottom of the frame.

Laura 🦄 🏳️‍🌈@chaneen· 28d

And finally, our first night's stop is in Ullapool, a lovely loch-side village on the west coast. Check out the view from our hotel room!

A gorgeous view of the water and the mountains behind. Boats dot the surface of the lake, and the road is visible between the lake and the building from which the photo was taken. The railing of the terrace is visible at the bottom.

Laura 🦄 🏳️‍🌈@chaneen· 28d

First day of the tour was lovely. I took tons of pictures with my DSLR, which I hope to post once I get home and can get them off my camera, but in the meantime, here are some sights from today. First, Atholl Memorial Fountain in Dunkeld and some pictures of Loch Ness (sadly no Nessie to be found).

Atholl Memorial Fountain in Dunkeld. The sky behind is very blue but also filled with white clouds.

Loch Ness. There's a small pier coming from the left side of frame and leading over to approximately the middle. A boat is docked there. Beyond the dock there are some random bits of wood sticking up out of the water. The hills look beautiful in the background.

Another view of Loch Ness, this one of the gravel beach. The water is visible on the left of frame, and the shoreline curves down from the top and towards the center of the bottom of frame. There are people visible on the beach, and closer to the camera is a fenced-in area with kept grass and a permanent canvas tent just visible on the right. In the distance you can see a building with a yellow sigh on top that reads NessieHunter.co.uk. There's another sign that says NESSIE-SERY INDEPENDENT RESEARCH.

Another view of Loch Ness. This is mostly water with the mountains in the background. The shore is partially visible on the right side of the frame, and far away, towards the center, are a couple of sailboats, their sails still furled.

Laura 🦄 🏳️‍🌈@chaneen· Jul 12

Edinburgh is like 20°F cooler than London. Perfect weather for a #CriticalRole live show!!

A view of the stage set for tonight's CR live show at Edinburgh Castle. There's a Legend of Vox Machina ad on the screens, and the stage has a lot of stuff going on on it that you can sort of see.

A zoomed in photo of the set. Tables in front, some stuff that looks like it's meant to evoke a pirate ship behind.

Laura 🦄 🏳️‍🌈@chaneen· Jul 12

The signal at Wembley Stadium was hot garbage, so it refused to let me inform you about this important new rule, but here it is for you now.

A sign at the back of Wembley Stadium, red letters on a black background, that states:

Rule 52: Those keeping calm must also carry on or suffer a penalty of 40 pounds.

Laura 🦄 🏳️‍🌈@chaneen· Jul 11

Very pleased with our seats for tonight's My Chemical Romance show!

No zoom view of the stage at Wembley. One of the openers is on. I'm on stage right (Frank's side) fairly close to the front of the first seated section. You can see some rows of seated people and a lot of people in the pit. At least most everything is in shade.

Laura 🦄 🏳️‍🌈@chaneen· Jul 10

Also, here are the things I couldn't resist buying today. At the Science Museum I got the moon (and a Star Trek-themed, Science Museum-branded bag I can use for groceries). At V&A Kids, they had Aardman stuff and everything was so cute that I just had to.

A hand-knitted (yes, really) plush of Feathers McGraw from The Wrong Trousers. He's being held upright by the Science Museum map, since he's wont to tip over. His feet are light pink, his beak is bright orange, and his rubber glove hat is a rich red.

An enamel pin of Gromit's face sits on top of a tea towel of the Wanted - Have you seen this chicken? poster from The Wrong Trousers. I'm going to frame the towel; it's too cute to use in the kitchen.

Laura 🦄 🏳️‍🌈@chaneen· Jul 10

As an adult, it was fascinating to see all of the models and sketches and other pieces that were part of the exhibition, but they also had some very cute things for children. There were a bunch of tiny children there having a great time. 🥰 I took many more pictures than this, but here are four.

Wallace and Gromit's dining room. Wallace is on the left in his chair, reading a magazine, with a piece of toast with jam (with a bite taken out of it) and a cup of tea in front of him on the table. There's a gadget in the center of the table with a bunch of jars on it that looks like it will automatically spread something on your bread if it works. There's jam, peanut butter, etc.

At the other end of the table, Gromit also sits in a chair, wearing a blue bathrobe. There's a bowl of some sort of cereal and a pot of tea next to him on the table. There are three other empty chairs at the table. To the right of the table is a window, under which is a chair with a gnome sitting in it, knitting an outfit from the basket of yarn on the floor next to him.

There is a picture of a very nice jello mold on the wall to the right of the window. To the left of the window are six other framed pictures on the wall, as well as a table with what looks like a radio cabinet on it in the corner. The pictures include Wallace and Gromit on a log flume ride, Wallace and Gromit at the beach, and a framed newspaper with the front page headline, DIAMOND GEEZERS CATCH THIEF! and a picture of the duo.

To the left of the pictures is a lever on the wall, pointed in the up position. Who knows what it's for? Further to the left is the fireplace, whose mantle contains typical mantle things, along with a portrait of Wallace and Gromit above it. Wallace's right eye is popped out on a spring. Below the painting and above the mantle is...a safe, maybe? I think it's related to the lever.

A close-up of the mantle from the previous picture. From left to right: a candlestick, behind which is an envelope containing what is clearly an overdue bill; a book, A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woof (yes, I know, but that's what it says); a clock; a sweet little green glass vase, empty; and another candlestick, the mate to the one on the far left.

The "miniature" of the ship from The Pirates! In an Adventure With Scientists! It is massive and so detailed.

A close up of some of ye olde bumper stickers on the back of the ship.

My other SHIP is a CLIPPER!

HONK IF YOU'RE SEASICK!

How's my SAILING? Call: 0763 7839278

Laura 🦄 🏳️‍🌈@chaneen· Jul 10

I also went to the Victoria & Albert museum, since it was right there. I wasn't there for long, but I did wander into the section with the incredibly ornate, old musical instruments (there were lutes!), so that was cool. Check out this guitar made by Joachim Tielke!

Front view of a beautifully ornate guitar from 1693. The placard reads:

Germany (Hamburg) By Joachim Tielke

Softwood body; ivory, turtle shell, mother-of-pearl, ebony, pewter and partly gilded vellum
Museum no. 676-1872

A close up of the extremely ornate carvings in the medallion and behind the strings. Wow, just wow.

The back view of the guitar. Per the placard:

The back and neck of this guitar are covered with friezes of foliage and flowers. The exotic materials are engraved to create even more realistic forms. Medallions on the sides of the guitar portray musical episodes from classical mythology, their imagery based on engravings. Tielke was a leading instrument maker, whose work was characterised by lavish floral marquetry in ivory and turtle shell.

Laura 🦄 🏳️‍🌈@chaneen· Jul 10

Also, I got this amazing amarena (cream and black cherries) gelato at Amorino Gelato after the show. They make the cones look like a flower! 😍

A hand holding a cone of cream-coloured gelato with a red swirl. The gelato is scooped to look like a blooming rose.

Laura 🦄 🏳️‍🌈@chaneen· Jul 10

That being said, this theatre also had a balcony you could go out on during the interval! The views aren't quite as nice, but they weren't bad at all.

View looking to the left from the balcony of the Prince Edward Theater in London. You can see some pubs and people walking around. It's a standard street with businesses on it.

View looking to the right from the balcony of the Prince Edward Theater in London. You can see what I assume is the top of the marquee at the bottom of the photo and way down to the end of the street.

Laura 🦄 🏳️‍🌈@chaneen· Jul 10

My last play of the trip is Beetlejuice. I was in the mood to see a musical I haven't seen before and also can't see in NYC, and this fit the bill. Got rush tickets, which can sometimes be hit or miss, but my seat is on the end of the row and it looks like I'll have a great view!

A hand holding up the program for Beetlejuice: The Musical (The Musical, The Musical). The stage is visible in the background, and you can just see the side of the neon sign in front of the curtain. The view is from the Dress Circle, and there's a grade, so the people in front aren't blocking the stage (yet).

Laura 🦄 🏳️‍🌈@chaneen· Jul 10

Food was delicious and extremely reasonably priced. The restaurant is delightfully called Funky Noodles.

A plate of stir fried hand pulled noodles with beef brisket. As amazing as that name sounds.

Laura 🦄 🏳️‍🌈@chaneen· Jul 9

And last, I bought way too mu-- I mean, the exact right amount of loose leaf tea. What could I do, there were just so many good choices! (Also, Whittard's was having a 3 for 2 sale.) Not pictured: the strawberry lemonade iced tea I drank at Bird & Blend, which was *chef's kiss*.

A bunch of things of loose leaf tea.

Top row is three packages from Whittard of Chelsea: Rainforest Rooibos, Chilli Chai, and Covent Garden Blend (black tea with apricot).

Bottom row is four packages from Bird & Blend (the two bigger ones are only because they were out of the smaller bags, I swear 😂): Gingersnap Green, Strawberry Lemonade, Earl's Paradise (earl grey, papaya, and strawberry), and Peach Cobbler.

Laura 🦄 🏳️‍🌈@chaneen· Jul 9

The other bookshop was totally unplanned; I wandered by it when I was looking for a bag at Spitalfields Market. It's Main Character Books, an adorable little romance-themed shop. I bought a book that @shehulking.bsky.social recommended, which I am two chapters into. It's perfect so far.

The exterior of Main Character Books in London in Spital Square, a romance bookstore. The sign is hard to read because there's too much light bouncing off the windows, but you can see the big pink display tables and the yellow bookshelves through the open doors on the left side of the frame.

My purchase from Main Character Books, next to the paper bag it came in. The book is Bromantasy by Máire Roche. Its log line on the cover is "Two heroes. One brain cell." It's perfect. (Or, its first two chapters are; I can't speak for the whole thing.)

Laura 🦄 🏳️‍🌈@chaneen· Jul 9

I also went to two bookshops. Daunt Books, which has a location by my hotel, is very cool. Three floors organized by country (both travel books and those that are written by authors from said countries). It's really beautiful inside, if a bit cramped. I am weak, so I bought a tote bag with my books.

The exterior of Daunt Books in Marylebone. There's scaffolding blocking the full view, but it's got very crammed window displays with a bunch of books. The left window has many copies of Story of a Murder: The Wives, the Mistress, and Dr. Crippen by Hallie Rubenhold, who did a talk this evening. I bought this book.

A view of the main floor of Daunt Books from the balcony. There are books on both walls, above and below the railing, tables filled with books, and a curved window at the far end of the room. There's a skylight, which really fills the room with light. The staircase to the lowest floor is visible at the bottom of the photograph.

A navy blue tote bag with Daunt Books and a drawing of the front of the store printed on the front in gold. The image on the bag is partially covered by two books, Story of a Murder: The Wives, the Mistress, and Dr. Crippen by Hallie Rubenhold; and a very fancy looking hardcover of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, done in shades of yellow. Both books are (coincidentally) yellow.

Close up of the spine of Pride and Prejudice. The book is a mustard yellow with light yellow swans and leaves. It's hardcover with a cloth cover, no dust jacket.

Laura 🦄 🏳️‍🌈@chaneen· Jul 9

Did a bunch of wandering around (and sweating) today, but I ended up with a bunch of nice things for my troubles! I went to Spitalfields and Portabello Road Markets with a goal of getting a little bag to take to MCR on Sunday, as well as a hat. Didn't find a hat, but I did get this cute bag!

A textured canvassy drawstring bag with cats on it. It's got a bunch of white cat outlines and one little black cat. It's got a long strap, as well as a short one that's not visible.

Laura 🦄 🏳️‍🌈@chaneen· Jul 9

There's a nice balcony near the entrance to my seats, so here are some very nice views from the top of the National Theatre building. From during the interval, because I needed to go inside where the Wi-Fi sucks and there's no real signal before I had time to post.

A view of the Thames with the sun setting in the background.

Another view from the balcony at the National Theatre. You can see the Thames and the buildings across the river, as well as people on the ground on this side, which curves around to the right. The sun is not in frame, so it's less golden in this shot.

A third view from the balcony. You can see some other people also on the balcony, as well as the theatre building on the left side of the frame. The sun is just visible on the right side of the frame, as well as a tiny bus going over the bridge. (Presumably the bus isn't tiny IRL, because perspective is a thing, but that would be cool.)

Laura 🦄 🏳️‍🌈@chaneen· Jul 9

At the interval for tonight's show, War Horse, at the National Theatre. It's *incredible* so far. The puppeteering is really something.

A hand holding the program for War Horse at the National Theatre. The view of the stage from the circle is in the background.

Laura 🦄 🏳️‍🌈@chaneen· Jul 8

I'm sorry, M&S Food, this just isn't spicy even a little bit. It's good and as nicely refreshing as I was hoping it'd be, but lol.

The M&S Food Feeling Spicy Shake-a-Cucumber with a spicy sesame miso mayonnaise dressing. It's been shaken and you can see the (not spicy at all) dressing all over the inside of the lid.

Laura 🦄 🏳️‍🌈@chaneen· Jul 8

Tonight's play is Oh, Mary! The theatre wasn't prepared for the sudden actor change, so the program is still the version with Catherine Tate in it, but check the second picture for the amazing insert they included. 💜

A hand holding the program for "Oh, Mary!" at the Trafalgar Theatre. The gold curtain is visible in the background.

A piece of paper stuck in the program. It reads:

Mason Alexander Park (she/they) is the original, Olivier Award-hopeful Mary Todd Lincoln (spelling?) and the woman tasked with entertaining the masses. Be NICE, she will hurt you. Also, she's done other plays, very good ones. And Screen.

[A drawing of a woman with curly hair, partially pulled back from her face in a bun, the rest down in ringlets. Her eyes are white circles with eyelashes, her cheeks are little black spirals, her nose is small and cute, and her lips are beneath in a 💋 shape.]

(Not an actual promotional picture)

Laura 🦄 🏳️‍🌈@chaneen· Jul 7

Today's play is Operation Mincemeat! The first half was fantastic. 😊

A hand holding up the program for Operation Mincemeat. The stage is visible in the background. It's the interval, so the yellow curtain is up.

Laura 🦄 🏳️‍🌈@chaneen· Jul 6

My train left on time (been travelling for half an hour already), and I should be able to see most of the scenery on the side I didn't see on my way down. I also got to see this unusual creature while I waited. I have no idea what I'm looking at, but it's extremely cute.

Front view of a lil guy in the York Train station. He's red, kind of shaped like a gumdrop, with two fat little arms holding a grey book in front of him that says Travel Guide on the cover. He's got big eyes, large black pupils with some white in a crescent around the top, a pair of black lips just below and between his eyes (no space for a nose), and two small horns sticking out of either side of his head. There are some designs on him, possibly British landmarks? It looks like Big Ben is on his right leg (yes, I know Big Ben is the bell, but I can't remember the name of the tower)?

Back view of the same lil guy, with the empty train platform visible behind him. You can see the separation of his legs a bit at the bottom of the statue, and the protrusions of his arms are just barely visible on his sides. I think Nessie is on his back? The horns and a little cowlick of hair are visible on his head. He's got a weird little tail in the center of his butt area.

Laura 🦄 🏳️‍🌈@chaneen· Jul 6

Arrived in York and made it easily to the place my walking tour is leaving from. I was promised mostly cloudy by my weather app, and I'm sorry, but these do NOT count. :P

A view of the sky behind the York Art Gallery. It is very bright and sunny, but there are some wispy white clouds visible across a lot of the sky. Not what you'd think when you hear "mostly cloudy" by any means.

Laura 🦄 🏳️‍🌈@chaneen· Jul 6

Laura 🦄 🏳️‍🌈@chaneen· Jul 5

Back at my hotel and I've showered and am ready for bed, but I wanted to leave you with some more pictures of the stage I took at the interval. Even more beautiful flowering things!

A full view of the stage at the Globe Theatre, during the interval of A Midsummer Night's Dream. There is a rainbow of flowers everywhere: around the bottom of the columns; boxes underneath the railing for the upper level; scattered across the green walls that were formerly niches for statues, next to the entrances onto the stage; and hanging from the ceiling.

A closer view of the pillar on stage right. The backs of people's heads are just visible at the bottom of the frame, and you can clearly see the greenery and yellow, orange, and purple flowers wrapped around the base of the pillar. Some blue flowers peek out from the side on the right. Also, behind the pillar, you can see boxes of flowers above the entrance from backstage, which is itself not visible.

A closer view of the column on stage left. This one looks similar to the column on stage right from the previous photo, but only yellow and blue flowers are visible with the greenery. You can just see the second level of seats behind, with a few people sitting and chatting.

A closer view of what's hanging from the ceiling above the stage. They look like strings of origami flowers, all facing downward, with the largest at the top of the string and decreasing in size towards the bottom. They're all sorts of colors.

Laura 🦄 🏳️‍🌈@chaneen· Jul 5

Also, the bathrooms at this place are an *experience*. I can now check "used the toilet inside a weird egg while tennis played in the background" off my list. They're like a weird art installation, a little disorienting but very unique and pretty. (Also, the gender signage is very nice.)

A white room with a curved ceiling covered in large panes of stained glass. There are several large, egg-like structures visible in the photograph. One has a red and white flower sculpture just visible on top. Yes, these are toilets.

The mirror and pretty architectural sconce over one of the sinks. The mirror is circular and slightly concave, super disorienting to look into. The light is a globe made up of white metal triangles. Two caddies mounted under the mirror are just visible. One has soap, the other hand lotion.

The large dome that fills the center of the room, dividing the men's and women's toilets. The same flower sculpture from a previous photo is on top of this one. It's a red and yellow strawberry-shaped flower arrangement, with greenery sticking out the top to mimic strawberry leaves. It is sitting on a bed of various kinds of white flowers with green leaves. Just visible, but not very legible, at the bottom of the photo is a small plaque that reads, "do not climb on me, I am a piece of art" (honestly, same).

More eggs are visible on the right past the dome. Those are the men's toilets and they look just like the women's.

Laura 🦄 🏳️‍🌈@chaneen· Jul 5

Some photos of the delicious sandwiches and pastries we had! The theme they have going right now is Wimbledon, and yes that last dessert is just called "tennis ball" on the menu (it was very good).

Rectangular finger sandwiches arranged in a row on a rectangular platter. From left to right: a caprese sandwich in a little bit of paper with a yellow ribbon tied in a bow; a cucumber and mint sandwich, the dark green of the peel on the very thin sliced cucumbers making horizontal dark green lines across the surface; an egg sandwich with a runny quail egg and chives on top; coronation chicken with raspberry mayonnaise; and smoked salmon with salmon roe. All very fancy but also really tasty.

A silver double decker tray. On the bottom is a quartet of scones wrapped in a cloth napkin. On the top are two each of three desserts: a chocolate cherry éclair, a strawberry and cream tartlet with fresh strawberries on top, and a square on lemon battenberg cake.

A round yellow ball with a white stripe that looks very much like a tennis ball, resting on a dark green circle (a cookie of some sort), with a white piece of fondant next to it that's probably supposed to mimic the lines on a tennis court. The ball is a white chocolate shell with a mousse and fruit inside.

Laura 🦄 🏳️‍🌈@chaneen· Jul 4

Time for play #2 (my next few days are *booked*), Cyrano de Bergerac! This seat is so close, and the leg room is so much better than the last theatre.

A hand holding the program for Cyrano de Bergerac, starring Adrian Lester. The stage and the first row of stalls seats are visible behind the program. This seat is so close I can see the wrinkled spots on the stage curtain.

Laura 🦄 🏳️‍🌈@chaneen· Jul 4

I've got so much theatre lined up for this trip. I'm very excited! Starting off this afternoon with The Play That Goes Wrong. We're at the interval, and it's delightful so far. 😊