Saturday was a day of R&R. We had had a crazy couple of days, but now needed to regain our strength. Lazy Saturdays are my favorite! Although the day wasn't wasted... We made a trip to Bolton Abbey, a 12 century church that is now in ruins. The abbey is pretty cool itself, but what really makes this site so spectacular is the location. It's surrounded by the most beautiful scenery as you will see in the pictures. In the summer, it is highly populated with families and picnic-ers, but I think it is just as beautiful in the fall with all the changing leaves. Saturday night we took mom to Rajput, a popular Indian restaurant in town. Few people know that next to the not so good, bland British food such as bangers and mash, Indian food is one of the most popular cuisines in England. The Brits just absolutely love curry! So naturally, Mom needed to experience it.
Sunday we went to Knaresborough and checked out the usual attractions (the bridge and the castle) and did a little shopping. Next, we headed to York. We walked along the city walls, went to the Minster, and checked out the center of town. That evening we finally made it to Graveley's where Mom had her first British fish and chips. I believe she greatly enjoyed it... as did Brandon and I. That's the one food the British DO know how to cook. :)
On Mom's very last full day in England we went shopping in Harrogate. Brandon had to work, so it worked out perfectly. We covered all the best stores in town before the closing hour of 5:00. That evening we had a home cooked meal and finished off dinner with some pumpkin pie. Might I add, it was the first pie I've ever made in my entire life, and it turned out pretty good. I was excited for that evening's dinner since it's typically a rarity for me to cook for Mom.
We took Mom to the airport the next morning and she safely returned home 10-12 hours later. The 7 days absolutely FLEW by, and I was sad to see her leave. But I was so grateful for the time I did have with her and we certainly had a ton of fun!!! Well, that wraps up the visit. Thanks again, Mom, for coming all they way to England to see us and our temporary country of residence. It was a trip we'll never forget. :)
Love you all.
Dec 7, 2006
Dec 4, 2006
London!
After we met up with Brandon, around 11 pm, we taxi-ed our way to the hotel. We stayed up sharing the many adventures over the last two days and eventually fell to sleep.
First thing on Thanksgiving day morning was to head to Buckingham Palace for the changing of the guard. We had the best view yet out of our 3 different trips there. Next, we showed Mom a few of the major spots in London such as Big Ben, Parliament, and Westminster Abbey. We then made our way to the river cruise meeting point and enjoyed the next 45 minutes floating down the River Thames. It was a new event for the Riggs as well and we all agreed it was a great, educational overview of London. Immediately after our cruise we hit the London Eye. As you can see, we didn't waste much time! Mom was loving all these activities and new experiences just as much as we loved taking her around. We then went to Trafalgar Square, a must-see stop in London. We made a quick stop into the National Gallery (it was free) to see the highlights (Van Gogh and Monet) and then rushed back to the hotel to freshen up for our evening. 30 minuts later we were out the door and heading to our dinner reservations. We went to Gaucho, one of our all time favorite restaurants, which is known for their AMAZING steaks! There was no traditional turkey consumption involved this Thanksgiving, but frankly, it was okay. I was very happy with my Rib Eye. The last event of the day was our wonderful show, Mary Poppins. It was over 2 hours of sheer joy and entertainment. The talent and entire performance was spectacular! By the time the show was over, we had packed enough in ONE day to last a whole week and were quite tired. We retired to our hotel and rested our traveled bodies. It was pretty much one of the greatest and busiest days ever!
Friday consisted of: touring the Tower of London, going to the British Museum, and ending our time in London with a trip to Harrod's. We shopped the 7 floor, 4.5 acre site for a little over an hour. This department store has over 1 million square feet of selling space including 28 restaurants. It's also just so happens to be the only place in London that you can get Krispy Kreme doughnuts. While at Harrod's, Brandon commented that he loved being with the masses and a part of the the hustle and bustle shopping atmosphere. This was music to my ears because I too (as well as Mom and Amy) love the energy and excitement of shopping during the busy holiday season. In fact, Mom made a similar comment to me only minutes later. What a great fit Brandon is with our family.
Our full bellies made our way to the train station where we departed London at 8:00 pm. In typical Rigg fashion... we made our train with only 4-5 minutes to spare and had to rush, rush, rush to get there in time! We dropped Mom off at the train station platform while Brandon and I sprinted as fast as we could to pick up our luggage. Although, to our credit, we did plan plenty of time to get there early, but had a mix-up at dinner that slowed things down. Then because of the huge delay in getting our dinner, we received dessert on the house. And even though we were already running late, who could turn down free chocolate tiramisu! I mean seriously. I'll take a free dessert with a little running anyday! Thankfully, it all worked out and we made our train. We were back in Harrogate that night.
Mom was such a trooper in hanging in there and dealing with our very busy schedule we planned for her. It was definitely a fast-paced first four days of her vacation, but when you only have 1.5 days in Paris and 2 days in London, you have to be speedy. You'll be happy to know, however, that at this point of her trip, things slooooowed down and we made sure the next 3 days of her time were just as fun, but very relaxing. It was time to kick in the laid back schedule. In conclusion, we had an awesome time in London! I'll wrap up the last part of Mom's trip next time.
Ich liebe dich.
First thing on Thanksgiving day morning was to head to Buckingham Palace for the changing of the guard. We had the best view yet out of our 3 different trips there. Next, we showed Mom a few of the major spots in London such as Big Ben, Parliament, and Westminster Abbey. We then made our way to the river cruise meeting point and enjoyed the next 45 minutes floating down the River Thames. It was a new event for the Riggs as well and we all agreed it was a great, educational overview of London. Immediately after our cruise we hit the London Eye. As you can see, we didn't waste much time! Mom was loving all these activities and new experiences just as much as we loved taking her around. We then went to Trafalgar Square, a must-see stop in London. We made a quick stop into the National Gallery (it was free) to see the highlights (Van Gogh and Monet) and then rushed back to the hotel to freshen up for our evening. 30 minuts later we were out the door and heading to our dinner reservations. We went to Gaucho, one of our all time favorite restaurants, which is known for their AMAZING steaks! There was no traditional turkey consumption involved this Thanksgiving, but frankly, it was okay. I was very happy with my Rib Eye. The last event of the day was our wonderful show, Mary Poppins. It was over 2 hours of sheer joy and entertainment. The talent and entire performance was spectacular! By the time the show was over, we had packed enough in ONE day to last a whole week and were quite tired. We retired to our hotel and rested our traveled bodies. It was pretty much one of the greatest and busiest days ever!
Friday consisted of: touring the Tower of London, going to the British Museum, and ending our time in London with a trip to Harrod's. We shopped the 7 floor, 4.5 acre site for a little over an hour. This department store has over 1 million square feet of selling space including 28 restaurants. It's also just so happens to be the only place in London that you can get Krispy Kreme doughnuts. While at Harrod's, Brandon commented that he loved being with the masses and a part of the the hustle and bustle shopping atmosphere. This was music to my ears because I too (as well as Mom and Amy) love the energy and excitement of shopping during the busy holiday season. In fact, Mom made a similar comment to me only minutes later. What a great fit Brandon is with our family.
Our full bellies made our way to the train station where we departed London at 8:00 pm. In typical Rigg fashion... we made our train with only 4-5 minutes to spare and had to rush, rush, rush to get there in time! We dropped Mom off at the train station platform while Brandon and I sprinted as fast as we could to pick up our luggage. Although, to our credit, we did plan plenty of time to get there early, but had a mix-up at dinner that slowed things down. Then because of the huge delay in getting our dinner, we received dessert on the house. And even though we were already running late, who could turn down free chocolate tiramisu! I mean seriously. I'll take a free dessert with a little running anyday! Thankfully, it all worked out and we made our train. We were back in Harrogate that night.
Mom was such a trooper in hanging in there and dealing with our very busy schedule we planned for her. It was definitely a fast-paced first four days of her vacation, but when you only have 1.5 days in Paris and 2 days in London, you have to be speedy. You'll be happy to know, however, that at this point of her trip, things slooooowed down and we made sure the next 3 days of her time were just as fun, but very relaxing. It was time to kick in the laid back schedule. In conclusion, we had an awesome time in London! I'll wrap up the last part of Mom's trip next time.
Ich liebe dich.
Me and B in front of Buckingham Palace, where the queen lives.
A typical underground sign with Big Ben in the background.
Standing in front of Westminster Abbey, the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English monarchs.
A typical underground sign with Big Ben in the background.
Standing in front of Westminster Abbey, the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English monarchs.
Ahh... you can't get a more classic London picture. You can even see the popular, red double decker buses going by. Big Ben and a small sliver of Parliament are on the far right.
The Tower Bridge. It's WAY cooler looking that the London Bridge. Ironic that the ugly one with no character is also the famous one.
The Tower Bridge. It's WAY cooler looking that the London Bridge. Ironic that the ugly one with no character is also the famous one.
Dec 1, 2006
World AIDS Day... Do the (RED) thing.
Today, December 1st, is World AIDS Day. How many of you knew that? How many of you know what the (RED) campaign is? Or further more, who Bono is?
This blog entry is dedicated to filling you in on the above questions. It's important, and you need to know about it. If you're already aware, read on just for good measure.
In short: (RED) was created by Bono, an anti-poverty campaigner who just happens to also be the lead singer of the band U2, and Bobby Shriver, Chairman of DATA, to raise awareness and money for The Global Fund by teaming up with the world's most iconic brands to produce (PRODUCT) RED-branded products. A percentage of each (PRODUCT) RED product sold is given to The Global Fund. The money helps women and children with HIV/AIDS in Africa. In January 2006, The Gold Fund determined that Rwanda as the first country to receive the (RED) funding.
Products such as Gap t-shirts, Converse shoes, red Ipods, a red American Express card, and red Razrs and Slvrs are being sold. Perhaps you can support the cause by purchasing one or more of these products. The Riggs are proud owners of two (RED) products.
But the (RED) campaign goes beyond just selling merchandise. It's absolutely exploded!
1. MySpace and Dazed & Confused magazine have joined forces to support World AIDS Day and (RED) by encouraging people across the globe to submit still images, illustrations, or animated sequences themed on the colour red. Visit www.myspace.com/dazedandconfusedmag to experience this 24-hour broadcast!
2. A new (RED) commercial is being launched in the UK this week.
3. American actress/model Veronica Webb is signing copies of Gap's Individuals book on Friday, from 6-8 p.m. at Besame Mucho in Key West, Florida.
4. Etc, etc, etc.
RESULTS: So you may be wondering what this cause has accomplished. Here are the facts.
(RED) product sales in the US in the first six weeks since launch have raised enough money to do ONE of the following things:
• Provide more than 40,000 men or women with ARV treatment for a year
(Note: These treatments are only a small portion of a person’s overall treatment and represent just one year of lifelong treatment.)
• Provide more than 2 million peer educators with HIV training
• Provide a year’s worth of school materials and daily hot meals for more than 86,000 children orphaned by AIDS
• Provide more than 1 million Rapid Tests which detect HIV and deliver instant test results.
The last thing I want to share with you is an excerpt from a speech given by Kofi Annan, the United Nations Secretary-General.
"Accountability -- the theme of this World AIDS Day -- requires every President and Prime Minister, every parliamentarian and politician, to decide and declare that “AIDS stops with me”... But accountability applies not only to those who hold positions of power. It also applies to all of us... And it requires every one of us help bring AIDS out of the shadows, and spread the message that silence is death. I will soon be stepping down as Secretary-General of the United Nations. But as long as I have strength, I will keep spreading that message. That is why World AIDS Day will always be special to me. On this World AIDS Day, let us vow to keep the promise -- not only this day, or this year, or next year -- but every day, until the epidemic is conquered."
To conclude this entry, I thank you for reading, I encourage you learn more for yourself (http://www.joinred.com/), and lastly, ask that you would support the campaign in any small or large way you feel compelled.
Do the (RED) thing.
This blog entry is dedicated to filling you in on the above questions. It's important, and you need to know about it. If you're already aware, read on just for good measure.
In short: (RED) was created by Bono, an anti-poverty campaigner who just happens to also be the lead singer of the band U2, and Bobby Shriver, Chairman of DATA, to raise awareness and money for The Global Fund by teaming up with the world's most iconic brands to produce (PRODUCT) RED-branded products. A percentage of each (PRODUCT) RED product sold is given to The Global Fund. The money helps women and children with HIV/AIDS in Africa. In January 2006, The Gold Fund determined that Rwanda as the first country to receive the (RED) funding.
Products such as Gap t-shirts, Converse shoes, red Ipods, a red American Express card, and red Razrs and Slvrs are being sold. Perhaps you can support the cause by purchasing one or more of these products. The Riggs are proud owners of two (RED) products.
But the (RED) campaign goes beyond just selling merchandise. It's absolutely exploded!
1. MySpace and Dazed & Confused magazine have joined forces to support World AIDS Day and (RED) by encouraging people across the globe to submit still images, illustrations, or animated sequences themed on the colour red. Visit www.myspace.com/dazedandconfusedmag to experience this 24-hour broadcast!
2. A new (RED) commercial is being launched in the UK this week.
3. American actress/model Veronica Webb is signing copies of Gap's Individuals book on Friday, from 6-8 p.m. at Besame Mucho in Key West, Florida.
4. Etc, etc, etc.
RESULTS: So you may be wondering what this cause has accomplished. Here are the facts.
(RED) product sales in the US in the first six weeks since launch have raised enough money to do ONE of the following things:
• Provide more than 40,000 men or women with ARV treatment for a year
(Note: These treatments are only a small portion of a person’s overall treatment and represent just one year of lifelong treatment.)
• Provide more than 2 million peer educators with HIV training
• Provide a year’s worth of school materials and daily hot meals for more than 86,000 children orphaned by AIDS
• Provide more than 1 million Rapid Tests which detect HIV and deliver instant test results.
The last thing I want to share with you is an excerpt from a speech given by Kofi Annan, the United Nations Secretary-General.
"Accountability -- the theme of this World AIDS Day -- requires every President and Prime Minister, every parliamentarian and politician, to decide and declare that “AIDS stops with me”... But accountability applies not only to those who hold positions of power. It also applies to all of us... And it requires every one of us help bring AIDS out of the shadows, and spread the message that silence is death. I will soon be stepping down as Secretary-General of the United Nations. But as long as I have strength, I will keep spreading that message. That is why World AIDS Day will always be special to me. On this World AIDS Day, let us vow to keep the promise -- not only this day, or this year, or next year -- but every day, until the epidemic is conquered."
To conclude this entry, I thank you for reading, I encourage you learn more for yourself (http://www.joinred.com/), and lastly, ask that you would support the campaign in any small or large way you feel compelled.
Do the (RED) thing.
Nov 30, 2006
Paris!
Mom arrived safely with no complications on Tuesday Nov. 21st. We had just enough time to go back to our flat, freshen up, and catch our breath before we were on our way to Paris! The journey consisted of MANY modes of transportation to get from point A (Harrogate) to B (Paris). You will be amazed...
First, we took a taxi from our flat to Harrogate's bus station. Then, we rode the bus to Leeds Airport where we flew into Paris. Next, we took a bus to get from one side of the airport to the other where we caught a train called the RER which we rode for 30 minutes. When we reached "Gare du Nord," we hopped off the train and got onto the underground Metro system where we made two connections before we got off at our stop. We proceeded to walk about 3 minutes and finally arrived at our hotel. What a journey! With the use of mom and my brilliant minds, a few maps, Brandon's pre-travel help and paperwork, and a nice Canadian girl that was going in a similar direction, we made it there problem free. There was only a minor hold up at the train station in Paris, but we figured it out eventually and overall it was a very smooth operation.
By the time we checked in, it was already 6:30 pm. Dinner was the first thing on the agenda. We went to a recommended restaurant called Chartier. Surprisingly, there was not an English menu, but our waiter did his best to translate a total of 3 meal choices. We both went with the "beef in sauce" option. :) It was pretty good. By the time dinner was over, all the attractions and stores were closed so we just did a little window shopping. We finished our evening with a visit to the Eiffel tower. At night, it's all lit up and a very different feel than in the daytime. I wanted Mom to experience it at both times.
The next morning we again headed to the E. Tower. This time, we went to the very top. What amazing views! We then hit up the Louvre where we saw the original Mona Lisa in addition to many other pieces of artwork. (Note: It's a given that shopping was sprinkled in between all of these activities. :) We would have it no other way.) We next went to the Arc de Triumph where the world's largest roundabout is located, and finally ended our time in Paris with shopping on the most famous stretch in the city.
At 7 pm we did the route in reverse order and got back to the Paris airport. This time, however, we flew into Luton, London instead of back to Harrogate. After an hour bus ride that took us into the heart of London, we found a handsome, familiar face that belonged to Brandon Rigg. We successfully pulled off the plan. Hooray for us!
Now, some people may have the impression that Paris is not a "friendly" place. That the people can be rude, mean, and possibly even somewhat anti-American. Well, as with any place, I am sure there is a percentage of such people. But I am here to tell you that Mom and I encountered so many nice people during our short stay in France! (One that was a bit too friendly.) I'll share a few stories that we experienced. A kind man carried mom's suitcase up a long flight of stairs. A random lady directed us to the escalators that we didn't know about because she noticed we were carrying luggage. A French lady complimented me on my purse. Our first waiter at Chartier was practically my best friend. And even though I had no clue what he was saying, his proximity and body language was telling me enough. (That is until I told him I didn't speak French. At which point he acted very disappointed, but couldn't do anything more but get the English speaking waiter.) BUT... the story that tops them all is about a French guy at the train station in Paris on our way out of the city. He saw us standing at a map and came over to ask if we needed directions. He proceeded to help us for the next 20 minutes! He led us all over the station, talked to people in French for us, helped us buy tickets, etc. We kept telling him he didn't need to do anymore and could be on his way, but he kept saying "Oh, it's no problem," and insisted on assisting us until we made it to our platform. Who gives 20 minutes of their precious time to help 2 American strangers you may ask? Apparently, the kind French do. Anyway, it made me happy to experience the opposite of the stereotypes we often here about.
Stay tuned to hear about the next part of our adventures. Two full and fun-packed days in London.
Byeee.
First, we took a taxi from our flat to Harrogate's bus station. Then, we rode the bus to Leeds Airport where we flew into Paris. Next, we took a bus to get from one side of the airport to the other where we caught a train called the RER which we rode for 30 minutes. When we reached "Gare du Nord," we hopped off the train and got onto the underground Metro system where we made two connections before we got off at our stop. We proceeded to walk about 3 minutes and finally arrived at our hotel. What a journey! With the use of mom and my brilliant minds, a few maps, Brandon's pre-travel help and paperwork, and a nice Canadian girl that was going in a similar direction, we made it there problem free. There was only a minor hold up at the train station in Paris, but we figured it out eventually and overall it was a very smooth operation.
By the time we checked in, it was already 6:30 pm. Dinner was the first thing on the agenda. We went to a recommended restaurant called Chartier. Surprisingly, there was not an English menu, but our waiter did his best to translate a total of 3 meal choices. We both went with the "beef in sauce" option. :) It was pretty good. By the time dinner was over, all the attractions and stores were closed so we just did a little window shopping. We finished our evening with a visit to the Eiffel tower. At night, it's all lit up and a very different feel than in the daytime. I wanted Mom to experience it at both times.
The next morning we again headed to the E. Tower. This time, we went to the very top. What amazing views! We then hit up the Louvre where we saw the original Mona Lisa in addition to many other pieces of artwork. (Note: It's a given that shopping was sprinkled in between all of these activities. :) We would have it no other way.) We next went to the Arc de Triumph where the world's largest roundabout is located, and finally ended our time in Paris with shopping on the most famous stretch in the city.
At 7 pm we did the route in reverse order and got back to the Paris airport. This time, however, we flew into Luton, London instead of back to Harrogate. After an hour bus ride that took us into the heart of London, we found a handsome, familiar face that belonged to Brandon Rigg. We successfully pulled off the plan. Hooray for us!
Now, some people may have the impression that Paris is not a "friendly" place. That the people can be rude, mean, and possibly even somewhat anti-American. Well, as with any place, I am sure there is a percentage of such people. But I am here to tell you that Mom and I encountered so many nice people during our short stay in France! (One that was a bit too friendly.) I'll share a few stories that we experienced. A kind man carried mom's suitcase up a long flight of stairs. A random lady directed us to the escalators that we didn't know about because she noticed we were carrying luggage. A French lady complimented me on my purse. Our first waiter at Chartier was practically my best friend. And even though I had no clue what he was saying, his proximity and body language was telling me enough. (That is until I told him I didn't speak French. At which point he acted very disappointed, but couldn't do anything more but get the English speaking waiter.) BUT... the story that tops them all is about a French guy at the train station in Paris on our way out of the city. He saw us standing at a map and came over to ask if we needed directions. He proceeded to help us for the next 20 minutes! He led us all over the station, talked to people in French for us, helped us buy tickets, etc. We kept telling him he didn't need to do anymore and could be on his way, but he kept saying "Oh, it's no problem," and insisted on assisting us until we made it to our platform. Who gives 20 minutes of their precious time to help 2 American strangers you may ask? Apparently, the kind French do. Anyway, it made me happy to experience the opposite of the stereotypes we often here about.
Stay tuned to hear about the next part of our adventures. Two full and fun-packed days in London.
Byeee.
Nov 20, 2006
Brighton & Portsmouth
November 3rd through 5th we went to a town called Brighton about 5-6 hours south of us. It's located on the coast and in the summer time is a huge tourist attraction for the Brits. Brighton is often referred to as the "London-by-the-sea." Thankfully, we went during the off season and it was much more chill and relaxed. We only had the weekend to spend there so we tried to fit in as much as we could. On Sunday we traveled one hour west to the city of Portsmouth. We had enough time to just barely check the place out before we had to hit the road for home. Brandon had a dinner meeting back in Harrogate at 7 pm and we got back with 15 minutes to spare. :) The pictures will tell you what we did in these two great cities. Brighton was worthy enough for Brandon's famous words: "Man, we've GOT to come back here!" (He says that about 70% of the places we go, haha.) So maybe someday we will revisit the town that many people claim to be one of the greatest cities in England.
On a different note, visitor #2 is arriving here in Harrogate TOMORROW! I'm soooo excited; the next 16 hours can't go by fast enough! Visitor #2 just so happens to be my mama! :) We already have lots of fun plans in store for her as you can imagine. She'll be here from Tuesday the 21st through Tuesday the 28th. We hope to show her the best of England and more in only 7 days! (And have some down time for some rest and relaxation of course.) First thing we're going to do when she gets here is head straight to Paris. Just mother and daughter! (Thanks to the funding of the husband.) We're there for 2 days before we fly to London where we'll meet up with Brandon. Let the adventures begin!!!
I'll tell you ALLLL about it in a week or so.
Au revoir!
P.S.- Did anyone become a fan of Sufjan that had never heard of him before because of my last post? Or did anyone listen to the clips and enjoy new music they hadn't heard before? Just wondering.
On a different note, visitor #2 is arriving here in Harrogate TOMORROW! I'm soooo excited; the next 16 hours can't go by fast enough! Visitor #2 just so happens to be my mama! :) We already have lots of fun plans in store for her as you can imagine. She'll be here from Tuesday the 21st through Tuesday the 28th. We hope to show her the best of England and more in only 7 days! (And have some down time for some rest and relaxation of course.) First thing we're going to do when she gets here is head straight to Paris. Just mother and daughter! (Thanks to the funding of the husband.) We're there for 2 days before we fly to London where we'll meet up with Brandon. Let the adventures begin!!!
I'll tell you ALLLL about it in a week or so.
Au revoir!
P.S.- Did anyone become a fan of Sufjan that had never heard of him before because of my last post? Or did anyone listen to the clips and enjoy new music they hadn't heard before? Just wondering.
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