Top 10 Thanksgiving Destinations for 2013

Need an idea for your Thanksgiving destination? Check out our Top 10 Thanksgiving Destinations for 2013. Thanksgiving is fast approaching, where the masses will flock to the homes of relatives and friends. But we have another idea: Why not shake up the status quo and head somewhere new this year? From nearby adventures with the family (Disney World) or a romantic weekend away (San Francisco) to farther-flung escapes (jerk turkey in Jamaica, perhaps?), these are the top 10 places we recommend going to start a new Thanksgiving tradition. We can't promise you'll find turkey "just like Mom makes," but really, how much will you miss that big, stuffed bird?

Below is top 10 Thanksgiving Destinations for 2013

Plymouth, Massachusetts

Spend Thanksgiving the way the pilgrims did so many years ago in Plymouth, just 45 minutes south of Boston. Be entertained by costumed players on the Mayflower II, a full-scale replica of the original Mayflower, then explore Plimoth Plantation to learn how the early colonists lived in the 17^th-Century English Village. Get into town early to enjoy the annual three-day celebration of the history of Thanksgiving, complete with parades, concerts and waterfront activities (Nov. 22-24).

Where to Stay: Spend the night in Boston at Fodor's 100 Hotel Award winner, XV Beacon. The hotel hosts lovely Thanksgiving meals and is a perfectly cozy home base for an autumn getaway.

Leiden, Holland

Few know that before the pilgrims arrived at Plymouth Rock they spent eleven years in Holland. Enjoy the annual Thanksgiving Day service at the renowned Pieterskerk church in Leiden. Following the service, explore the Leiden American Pilgrim Museum to learn about the pilgrims that fled from England to Holland. Drive or take the train to nearby Amsterdam for a Thanksgiving buffet at The Kitchen or go to Seasons Restaurant for holiday fare served for lunch or dinner.

Where to Stay: Book a room at Amsterdam's romantic, intimate Canal House (a 2013 Fodor's 100 Hotel Award winner), and you'll feel like you're staying at a chic friend's pied-a-terre. Or book a stay for the whole family at the modern and playful Park Hotel Amsterdam.

Dana Point, California

Lace up your running shoes for the annual Dana Point Turkey Trot, an event that draws 10,000 runners who come to take in the scenic route along the coast. Head to Dana Point Harbor for a day of sailing, fishing, or whale watching. Or, take the kids to the Ocean Institute for interactive marine science activities. Cap off the day with a Thanksgiving feast at Stonehill Tavern or the Chart House.

Where to Stay: Spend Thanksgiving on the beach at Shutters on the Beach in Santa Monica, a short drive down PCH from Dana Point. The hotel hosts a mouthwatering feast every year and instead of falling leaves, you'll look out on a sandy beach.

Chicago, Illinois

Head to State Street for marching bands, balloon floats, and baton twirling in the annual McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade (a good spot to camp out is at State and Washington). The annual open-air German holiday market, Christkindlmarket Chicago, is also not to be missed. Sip Glühwein, enjoy bratwurst and potato pancakes, and pick up handmade Bavarian ornaments. For a treat after-dark, take the kids to ZooLights at the Lincoln Park Zoo starting the day after Thanksgiving.

Where to Stay: Splurge on a stay at 2013 Fodor's 100 Hotel Award winner InterContinental Chicago. The historic hotel just reopened after a major renovation, offering you and your family swanky digs from which to explore the Windy City.

Grapevine, Texas

From glass blowing to wine tasting, there’s a lot to do in Grapevine, and over the holidays, there’s so much more in the “Christmas Capital of Texas.” Take in the nightly Light Show Spectacular from the Town Square Gazebo or ride along the vintage railroad on the North Pole Express. Thanksgiving weekend also kicks off Snowland at Great Wolf Lodge and Christmas on Main, a town celebration complete with Victorian-style buildings all dressed up for the holidays.

Where to Stay: A stay at the Four Seasons Resort in Dallas, which feels like a mix between a country club and a resort, means built-in activities for the whole family, as well as fabulous Thanksgiving Day feasts.

Negril, Jamaica

Enjoy the sunshine, snorkeling and beachcombing, as well as off-season discounts, in Negril over the Thanksgiving holiday. Climb the steps of the Negril Point Lighthouse, go hiking to visit Mayfield Falls and Mineral Springs, or swim with dolphins at Dolphin Cove. Stay at Beaches in Negril and enjoy a Thanksgiving party right on the beach complete with a parade of Sesame Street characters, a bonfire, dancing, and traditional holiday fare as well as Caribbean-inspired dishes, like Jerk Turkey.

Where (Else) to Stay: If Beaches isn't quite right for you (if you don't have kids in tow, for example), book a stay at the charming, intimate, and cliff top Caves hotel.

Washington, DC

The official arrival of the turkeys pardoned by the president at Mount Vernon is a must for anyone coming to Washington, DC over Thanksgiving weekend. Enjoy fewer crowds as you explore the museums and monuments (assuming the government shutdown is over), or head to the privately-owned Phillips Collection to take in the new Van Gogh exhibit, which opens Oct. 12. For a traditional turkey dinner, look to Old Ebbitt Grill or Georgia Browns.

Where to Stay: Take the family back to the 1920s with a stay at the 2013 Fodor's 100 Hotel Award winner The Jefferson. The 1923 Beaux Art building is luxurious and situated in a perfect sight- (and turkey-) seeing spot.

Keystone, Colorado

For many, Thanksgiving kicks off ski season. At Keystone, kids ski free all season long and there are plenty of activities for both skiers and non-skiers, like Kidtopia, the annual family festival featuring parades, ice skating, and snow-tubing. Then, strap on your skis to enjoy the new Family Ski Trail and grab some hot chocolate at the Tree Lighting Celebration on Nov. 30. Try the wagon ride dinner for an adventurous twist on your Turkey Day meal.

Where to Stay: The easiest place to stay to keep the whole family together for the holiday is the Keystone Lodge and Spa. If its luxury you're after, this might not be the place, but its situated just next to the lake in Keystone village and very close to the area's charming restaurants and shops.

San Francisco, California

Take a ride on a trolley, visit with sea lions at Pier 39, or enjoy the shopping and views at Fisherman’s Wharf. For classic Thanksgiving fare, try Burritt Tavern or One Market. Or, come together as a family for a holiday cooking class at Cavallo Point Lodge in nearby Sausalito. Got a passion for cars? Head downtown to the Moscone Center for the annual Auto Show, which opens on Thanksgiving Day.

Where to Stay: Spend a few whimsical nights at the bright and colorful 2013 Fodor's 100 Hotel Award winner Hotel Triton. It's perfectly placed for your San Francisco city break and the kids would adore staying in The Haagen-Dazs "Sweet Suite" that comes with a freezer filled with ice cream. 

Walt Disney World

You may need more than a long weekend to enjoy all that Walt Disney World has to offer for Thanksgiving. Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party kicks off in November at the Magic Kingdom while Disney’s Hollywood Studios welcomes the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights. Kids will enjoy holiday-themed parades at each of the parks. Look for a traditional turkey dinner at many on-property sit-down restaurants, as well as turkey and stuffing at a number of the buffets.

Where to Stay: For a festive, Fiji-island atmosphere, Disney's Polynesian Resort is a fun choice. Or for something a little more classically American, spend a few nights at the Western-themed Disney's Wilderness Lodge.

Happy Thanksgiving Day.......

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GIVEAWAY: The Collective Yoghurts & Gourmet Parcel NOW CLOSED

NOW CLOSED.

In order to say thank you, I've teamed up with The Collective, a Kiwi-originating company now conquering the UK yoghurt scene (I adore their passion fruit and Russian Fudge flavours), who have kindly agreed to donate a months worth of their delicious yoghurts to a reader of Adventures of a London Kiwi.

*plus*

I'm going to add a little 'something something' and make up a Foodie Penpals-esque parcel of gourmet goodies which will be delivered (separately to the yoghurts) to an address of your choice. It will take food allergies into consideration and contain £25.00 worth of hand picked goodies, unique to you, by answering a few questions over email like;

- Sweet, Savoury or a mixture?
- Good or naughty?
- Do you follow any particular diet such as vegan, vegetarian, low carb?

Life is all about adventures - in this case, Timtams may be involved.

Further info on The Collective and their utterly delicious products here

 

For the gourmet parcel you may be thinking £25 isn't the most massive value - for that much in your average-high-street-hamper that would get a bottle of chutney, some crackers & maybe a cheap bottle of plonk. The nice thing is I don't have a profit margin to make, and this is what approx. £10.00 gets -->
#justsayin

I'm also keen to share some of the delicious products my Foodie Penpals have introduced to me.

Personalised to your likes & dislikes it could include;



How To Enter:

• Simply complete the Rafflecopter widget below to verify your entries
• Entries can be via blog comment, Facebook, Twitter etc
• This competition is open to UK residents only. Please read the rules below
• Leaving a blog comment is mandatory and failure to do so will void any other entries
• Closing date -  27th April 2013 12.00 pm

*Terms and conditions

1. This offer is only open to UK residents (sorry international peeps)
2. One prizewinner only
3. The Yoghurts will be dispatched by The Collective directly to the winner as soon as possible
4. Adventures of a London Kiwi will post the gourmet parcel Special Next Day Delivery but is limited to the reliability of Royal Mail
5. The winner will be contacted by email within 48 hours of the end of the competition with and the gourmet parcel dispatched within 72 hours of the winners reply

How Entries and Rafflecopter works:

• You will need to complete the mandatory entry first by making a blog comment. Click 'leave a comment' at the bottom of the post and leave your reply. The comment won't show immediately as it needs to be moderated, however rest assured it will appear on the site, so carry on with rest of your entries.
• Go back to Rafflecopter and click the green button to tell me you have made a comment, this will unlock all the other options. All entries are checked to see that the mandatory question is answered, if its not all bonus entries will become void.
• Rafflecopter will tweet, like and follow on your behalf.
• For information on how to find the URL of your tweet click here.
• For bonus entries you can return to this page and enter the daily bonus entries.
• If you are still unsure as to how Rafflecopter works please do check out this short video.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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(Mostly) Wordless Friday & a Blog Landmark

THANK YOU!

It has been a tino pai (really good) week in the land of Adventures of a London Kiwi. The blog has hit (unbelievably) over 20,000 views!!!!

My hubby keeps reminding me that when I started the blog, I wondered if anyone at all would read my little corner of 't internet, and I'm genuinely blown away that you have been so kind - and that you keep returning. I'm just thrilled that anyone wanted to stop by at all.

I've got a little kiwi themed giveaway for tomorrow to say thank you to all my lovely (UK) readers (I'm working on one for the International folks - Hello to Russia, Romania, Canada, Brazil, the Netherlands, Poland, New Zeland to name but a few! ). Please don't forget to enter the tickets to the awesome Foodies Festivals tickets here they will be drawn soon. Please don't worry, the blog isn't going to change and become sponsored by mega corporations with no soul (or little corporations with a bit of soul for that matter) - that's not how I am. I'm just enjoying passing on a little of the blog love I've recieved.

The blog & I can be found in a variety of places - subscribe with Bloglovin (a good replacement for Google Reader), Twitter, Instagram, GoodReads, on Google+ and follow my blog posts by subscribing to the right of this post by RSS or Email. I'd love to hear from you - drop me an email, or say hola on Twitter. Let me know what you think about the blog - I'd love your feedback.

You've voted with your mouse and some of the most popular blog posts have been:

Meeting a celeb: Bob the Cat

Waitangi Day Circle Line Pub Crawl

 London Living: "Bull's eyes and targets" say the bells of St Margaret's

Creamy Pumpkin, Chestnut & Bacon Pasta

Kiwi Cooking: Lolly Cake

Book & Theatre Review: Mort

...a real variety which heartens me. If there is something you would like to see more of, please holler in the comments below.

My last couple of weeks have featured;

 Still a little annoyed at how the weather was the weekend after our Shard fail.

It's been pretty fun in big bad London.

So, is there anything you would like to see more of on Adventures of a London Kiwi? I would LOVE some feedback - you're all so shy commenting...

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Call the Midwife - Reading Recommendation

I love this book. I can't ever really call myself a full londoner, not having been born within hearing of the Bow bells, or even on this side of the globe, but the heartfelt stories within in this memoir make you yearn a little to be a Cockney Sparra.

Call The Midwife: A True Story Of The East End In The 1950s

Set in the East End area of Poplar in 1950s post-war London, it is the memoir of a midwife living in Nonnatus house (a convent that houses and trains the non-religious midwives), delivering babies in the appalling conditions and primitive medical practices of the time (compared to the modern day). The stories share the joyful, sometimes easy and sometimes traumatic ordeals they go through for instance Conchita Warren who will give birth to both her twenty-forth and twenty-fifth child but also the light-hearted going-on in the Nunnery.

It's Jennifer Worth's memoirs, and the midwives surrounding her are fab - boy mad Trixie, shy Cynthia and eccentric Chummy. Then you have the Nuns - Sister Monica Joan, Sister Julienne Sister Evangeline and Sister Bernadette. I know I probably mutter onin book reviews about characters all the time, but for me, as well as the setting and action, characters bring the world alive and this one - you could almost be sitting at the kitchen table of Nonnatus house with a cup of tea and Mrs B's fresh cake (that's if Sister Monica Joan thought the moons aligned properly and had eaten all of it first - she really is one of the best characters!).

"The brothels of Cable Street, the Kray brothers, the meth drinkers in the warsites... Babies were born in slum conditions, often with no running water"

The passion, forbearance and joy that is found throughout the birth stories of the Cockney families will make you laugh and cry, and wonder at the skill of the midwives as the families coped with the living conditions. They didn't have much after the war, but they had a community.

Jenny's voice - as an older woman recounting the happenings is spellbinding - I couldn't put the book down and then when the BBC produced a series we adored it (which doesn't happen often - normally I find the movie/series after a book disappointing) the actors cast were perfect for the roles - especially Chummy (Miranda Hart). You can guarantee that mid-way through each episode I was in tears (which amused hubby no end).

I even found a web article about the real midwives who inspired the book here. As a young 'un I remember reading A Lamp is Heavy by Sheila Mackay Russell which is an old book about the training ups and downs of a nurse (why we had it in our house I'm not sure) which may explain my fascination.

Ps. I just found out there is a whole Call the Midwife book series - talk about making my day!

(Please note any links to Amazon are through my Amazon Associates account, which means I make a little money (less than 5%) from any purchases made after clicking through these links and it adds nothing to the price of your book. This helps support my book addiction, so if you are interested in buying the book, please click through the top link)

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Homemade Chutneys - Newton & Pott

Homemade Feijoa & Tamarillo Chutneys.

Have I managed to tickle your fancy yet? (most Kiwis reading this blog will be drooling already - you can switch to the bottom of the blog post for details on how to get your mitts on these delicious London babies).

Disclaimer: In this instance I was given samples to try by Newton and Pott, but my (many) opinions are only ever my own and I would never recommend something I didn't like.

Sunday brunch - Poached Eggs, Roast Beef,  grilled Asparagus and the star of the show, Tamarillo Chutney.

In a bustling Saturday market not far from Hackney, a Kiwi grass-roots business is making a name for themselves amidst the delicious hububb of Eel, Mash & Likker, Indian Curries and the whirr of coffee machines. Newton & Pott (with a very English name), is hand making some very exotic sounding Chutneys with a few ingredients that are more likely to be found in kitchens some 12,000 miles away (and much to my surprise, South America).

Nestled amongst the Red Onion and Tomato & Apple Chutneys holding their own, are some lovely takes such as their Beetroot and Blood Orange, Feijoa Chutney, and my especial (yes, I meant to write especial, oh the childhood memories!) favourite Tamarillo.

Originating from South America, Feijoas and Tamarillos are incredibly popular in New Zealand as they seem to love our climate, and in my opinion are delicious. Both are 'kind of citrusy' fruits and if I had to give parallel are sort of similar in texture to Guava's with Feijoas slightly more citrusy.

The Tamarillo Chutney is soft and ever so slightly tangy - and I decided to try them out as per the chefs suggestion of poached eggs. She really wasn't wrong. They made a lovely addition to my favourite brunch, their flavour adding a nice piquancy to the (slightly over cooked if I'm honest) eggs and saved the day.

The Tomato and Apple Chutney was delicious in a white bread cheddar and ham sandwich and I think would be delicious on a ploughmans. The Beetroot and Orange I'm saving to accompany a steak, with chips and a crispy coleslaw.

They would also be delicious in a Toastie Pie (or straight from the jar as some of their clients like to eat them). Peter Gordon (of The Providores and Kopapa), and the chefs of the Modern Kitchen have been known to pop by the stall once or twice. Eat where Chefs eat is my motto...

 

My favourite aspect of the Chutneys are the real ingredients listed on the side - no E numbers and no weird preservatives but proper background spices - coriander, vinegar, chilli and cloves. Once bought they last kept in a dark place, unopened for up to a year, and opened in the fridge for 3 months - though I'm not sure how that could happen.

Don't just take my word for it. Pop on by their stall at Broadway Market on a Saturday (they are situated in the School Yard around the corner from the main market) and you can nibble before you buy. The only problem was deciding which one! I wasn't the only one - a lot of people who were visiting the stall walked away with 2 or 3). Flavours change with the seasons & good fruit and there seems to be no lead flavour as yet, people can't quite settle for just the one pot. There are rumours of a Mexican Mango Chutney in summer.

It's surprisingly easy to get to the market where 'barra' boys have been selling produce since the 1890s, the nearest rail stations are London Fields (a few minutes walk away, 10 minutes to Liverpool Street) Haggerston on the London Overground and Hackney Central near the Empire. The nearest tube station is Bethnal Green & from there it is 2-3 stops on the bus & a wander away. If you can't get to London, I believe that an etsy/mail order method is being developed. Watch this space.

They also occasionally have a bowl of feijoas for sale on the stall (dependent on availability, ripeness and demand) ... do you need any more reasons?



What is your favourite way to eat Chutney? In box, with a fox, in a house or with a mouse, here there or anywhere - no wait, that's Green Eggs and Ham, Actually, a bit of Chutneys would go really well with them... I wonder where I can get my hands on some green food dye.

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Hackney Broadway Market

Tucked away on Saturdays in the midst of East London is a secret (well, to me) full of locals and deliciousness.

Flanked by a full variety of shops selling almost everything else you can think of, the Broadway is busy and buzzing with the hum of good foods and smiling stallholders. There is also a green not far away, where you can enjoy your spoils.

Have I piqued your interest yet?

Quality Specialty and Variety are the market's watchwords, and I for one can attest to all of the above. Coffee, olives, cheese, spit-roasted chicken and pork, fresh seafood, bread, fruit and vege, creole prawns, oysters, African jollof rice, mushroom risotto, samosas, eels with pie mash and likker, pastries, cakes, vintage clothes, records...

It's surprisingly easy to get to the market where 'barra' boys have been selling produce since the 1890s, the nearest rail stations are London Fields (a few minutes walk away, 10 minutes to Liverpool Street) Haggerston on the London Overground and Hackney Central near the Empire. The nearest tube station is Bethnal Green & from there it is 2-3 stops on the bus & a wander away.



But wait Kiwis stay tuned, there is more...

Ps. please check out the lovely Guest post and blog by my lovely fellow expat Kit, posted over the weekend!

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London's oldest Gents Loos (or so it's claimed)

Sometimes within the rhythm of a normal life, I do find myself in the weirdest places. One afternoon it just happened to be in the (claimed to be) oldest gents toilet in London. (This is not an April fools joke, just random as!) Let me rewind slightly.

After a morning brunching at nearby Ozone, my friends and I said goodbye, and I wandered back towards where I thought the bus stop was. The below beautiful building and courtyard caught my eye, and in I strolled.

So far, so normal. A beautifully reserved Grade 1 listed Georgian building, the Chapel was commissioned and paid for by John Welsey a wealthy philanthropist & credited with founding Methodism. The chapel is open to the public, and really passionate guides who are happy to chat and show you around, look after it. They know all sorts of fascinating stuff about the building, for instance the pillars supporting the gallery were originally ships' masts donated by George III.

As they are close by, the chapel has a close working relationship with two of 'my' Oranges & Lemons Churches; St Giles & St Anne's both beautiful buildings with fantastic architecture.

We roamed around this rather beautiful and immaculately kept church and grounds.

We start chatting about local London history, and with a twinkle in her eye, the guide says "Well, I have a little bit of weird history for you, the Chapel has the oldest Gentleman's Toilets, and I know they're empty and are being cleaned at the moment if you wanted to have a look." How could I say no?!

So off we trot (sorry), and it turns out that the poor gents have to walk outside and down a little flight of uncovered stairs before entering their throne room (sorry again).

It's actually really beautiful, if you can call a wall of Urinals beautiful. What opulent surroundings in which to relieve ones self.

She told me that the flush-toilet was invented by a English gentleman called George Jennings, and revolutionised public sanitation. These particular toilets were designed by the infamous Thomas Crapper and are a "beautiful example of a public convenience" just after Jennings' time, but a style similar to his.

As I walked out I found myself humming "Ooooh I gotta have faith" I couldn't help myself (sorryimnotsorry).

Credit.

I never in a million years thought I would be living in London, typing a post on a blog about a men's toilet.

There is also a museum & house you can walk though full of well kept Georgian daily furniture and items.

Only in London.

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Foodie Penpals - The Czech Edition

I love Foodie Penpals, it's definitely my worst kept secret. This month that adoration hit up a major notch when I was paired with a) one of my first and longest friends here in London and b) the lovely Jade at Wild Pickings whom I sent a box to (she runs a foraging walk business in Wales - why oh why don't we live closer?)

{Ps. London & UK based foodies, I've got a giveaway of Foodie Festival tickets in May, details here!}

When we used the box as an excuse to catch up, I also fell in love (sorry puss).

Forget Royal Mail, Puppy Post is THE BEST 

My first taste of proper Europe was spending 10 days in Alena's hometown of Prague, and it will always have a special place in my heart - between the history, beer, Svickova and friendliness (I've found the key in any country is taking the time to learn the phrases: Please, Thank you, and I'm from New Zealand hehehe).

Thank you again Alena, such a lovely and thoughtful foodie package!

  

My favourite meal whilst in Prague was Svickova; a Czech delicacy of Slow cooked Sirloin, Cream Sauce, bread dumplings and jam; closely followed by Pork Knuckle and Goulash served in a hollowed out loaf of bread that you eat with the Goulash. We've found a couple of pubs in London that do the above, but Alena kindly has included Svickova with Pasta (a quick alternative) and Goulash sauce mix. They have been a perfect antidote for the winter weather we are still having.

 

Did I mention the freshly baked Creme Egg cupcakes which may not have made it home, or even to the Shard later that night?

 

I received a plethora of goodies including snacks ready for eating; delicious Chocolate Waffles Tatranly, a Chocolate coffee bar Kofila, Kinder Easter Eggs (which lasted all of about 3 seconds) and Cocoa Pudding which I've not had a chance to try. I'm intrigued by the Cocoa Pudding as Alena says it has a tangy note to it (much like salted caramel I suspect?)

A few weeks ago they kindly hosted us for dinner, which included homemade cheese balls (below) that we ate with Czech Tartar Sauce Tatarska omacka which is delicious. Lighter than the UK version this is softer and lighter, going perfectly with fish fingers.

 

 

Savoury snacks were also on the menu; Smoked cheese that looks like baled hay with a lovely tang Parenica, naughty string cheese Korbacik and Tcinky which are similar to pretzel sticks.

 

To add to my spice cupboard Alena also included a 7 pepper steak sauce (black, green, white, red, cayenne, jalapeno & sechuan!) and Lovage Libecek a herb that I've quizzed her about several times, which she uses in soups. I can't wait to try them out!

 

On top of all of this was included a beautiful card, and recipes for the ingredients.

 

It's just a shame I couldn't fit puppy in my bag too!

 

Alena and I have had quite a few adventures together, and I look forward to the next ones we have in the near future!



Camping during the Olympic Opening Ceremony

Fancy a lovely thoughtful box of goodies arriving on your doorstep? Foodie Penpals was created by Lindsay at theleangreenbean in September 2011, and is administered in Europe by Carol Anne from thisisrocksalt every month. You will get to know two lovely people and are assigned one person to send a thoughtful foodie parcel to and a different person will send one to you. It's a lovely way to try things you've never tried before, match up with some awesome bloggers (and readers too!) and it's so nice to receive something in the post that's not a bill. Join in today!

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Guest Post Q&A with Kit, from What a Peach!

Hi, I'm Kit and I blog over at What a Peach! I'm a fellow ex-pat, but from America, and I moved here with my family when I was just turning 16. When Emma suggested a guest post, I thought a swap of interviews would be fun. Emma gave me some great questions and I had lots of fun trying to reflect on my life now.

When you first came to the UK, what did you feel was your biggest adjustment and is it still a big part of your life now? How do you know identify yourself nationality-wise?

When I moved here, I had just completed my Freshman year at a really fantastic high school where the students all wanted to learn. We came here and none of the schools knew what to do with me. I was at an awkward age for the education system and I was slotted in with a year group that was really below me but would mean I would be better prepared for taking my GCSEs. The way of learning was very different (we were very specifically learning for a test and no one seemed that interested in learning just for the sake of it) and we were treated like children. The school I had just left had treated us all as adults with respect and so I was quite taken aback by calling people 'miss' and 'sir'. I have no problem with respect at all, I always have respected my teachers, but it just felt really false to me. I guess it's still a little bit apart of my life because my schooling has affected my future, I think overall in a positive way though my gaps on both American and English history (they are taught at different stages in both countries which means I managed to miss out on quite a lot) are quite shocking! 

How is day to day life similar to Oregon (bar getting up for the daily school/work grind)?I don't think I can say my life now is really at all like my life in Oregon. Partly because I moved here when I was just turning 16, so in Oregon I was a kid- babysitting, doing a lot of dance classes, hanging out with my friends at the mall, working hard at school... Now I'm 28 and I work full time (6 days a week actually!). I work in the arts, so still have my links to the dance world, still hang out with friends- just not at the mall! I'm still really close to my parents, they're my friends, so I talk to them most days by phone or email so that link hasn't been lost (they're only 2 hours away anyway). But I do sometimes wonder what my life would be like if I had stayed in Oregon. 

What are your most favourite and least favourite aspects of London?I love London so so much. I think it is just such a fantastic city for culture (I'm a big theatre goer), it's great for getting lost in and I love feeling like I'm in the centre of it all. I really enjoy wandering around Barbican or the South Bank if I'm at a loose end. One of my favourite views in London is about 3/4 of the way across Waterloo Bridge. To the left is the OXO Towet and The Gherkin, to the right the London Eye, Southbank Centre and Parliament.

I'm not always a fan of the people- it's really easy to get grumpy and caught up in the rush of it all and my family have noticed that I can take on these traits, so I perhaps need to work on being nicer myself! There's all the pushing and shoving you get on your commute which is not pleasant.

What aspect of reading keeps you going back for more, especially the books that you re-read and want to delve into them in for more indepth reading?

I've always loved reading and was a big writer when I was younger too. I like interesting characters and situations that I can either relate to or that feel so different they provide an escape and a sense of 'ooh, that's new'. I'm a big screen head and so have found that a lot of the books that I enjoy feel quite cinematic. They have rich, lush descriptions, clear dialogue and are written beautifully but in an accesible way so that it's easy to read and get really involved in the story. Some of my favourite authors currently are Ian McEwan, Kazuo Ishiguro and Sarah Waters. I got really into Daphne Du Maurier for a bit as I loved the gothic and fantastical routes her stories take. I also keep meaning to read the new Mark Haddon as I loved his previous two books- he really seemed to understand the characters- and I've just got into John Green as well.

Re-reading books can be really comforting and exciting. When I re-read a book, it's interesting to see how my memories have altered the plot, but I love coming across favourite lines. Books I've enjoyed re-reading are: Pride and Prejudice (maybe a bit of a cliche?), Cold Comfort Farm, I Capture the Castle and all my old illustrated children's books when I'm back home and pulling through boxes!

Finally, Chocolate or Vanilla, and why?

A bit of both really! I have a dangerously greedy sweet tooth and generally will eat pretty much anything! I love really dark (85%) chocolate as well as super cheap milk chocolate. Love both flavours when choosing ice cream and same for cake too! I don't think I could choose...

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