In my last post we had really not even started the vacation portion of our vacation, having spent a couple of days traveling to Virginia and then London before collapsing into sleep after we arrived. The week was a whirlwind of activity and we did SO MUCH. In the past when we’ve taken vacations I’ve done a post-a-day kind of travelog, but I never hopped online during the trip other than that first post, so now the trip has all kind of run together and I’ll post highlights from various days instead.
First up, afternoon tea at The Savoy Hotel followed by “Hamilton” on the West End.
We had tea at the Savoy on Monday afternoon. For those that don’t know, the Savoy is a REALLY swanky hotel in London that costs piles of money to stay there. In fact, when we did a boat tour up the Thames River a few days later, the guide pointed out the Savoy and asked if anyone on the boat was staying there. Then as we all sat in silence he surveyed the crowd before saying, “Just waiting for the rich people to raise their hands. No one?” Base rates for a weekend start at over $700 US a night. Just to give you perspective.
The tea room (see featured picture) is very, very nice and the afternoon tea is a very elegant affair. We sat near the middle of the room (in fact, I think our very waitstaff is standing at our very table in the middle of the picture above), with a nice view all around and the piano just next to us. The pianist was very entertaining and CootieGirl ended up recording most of the “set” on her phone to play back later.
The sandwiches were lovely, the sweets were a treat, and the tea was very hot and very good. But that was NOT what made tea at the Savoy so great. Nope. Not even the slightest. What made it great was that a CELEBRITY was there the same time we were.
I was sitting in my seat, minding my own business, when I saw a flurry of furry blue in the corner table about 40 feet away. Taking a closer look, I was stunned to see none other than Sesame Street’s Cookie Monster himself preparing to film something in the Savoy tea room! He had a little friend with him that I did not recognize, but y’all, once I realized who was in the room everything else disappeared as my 2nd grade self went into paroxysms of pure joy. I wanted to run over there and say hello, but was too nervous. Too nervous to meet a MUPPET, y’all. So nervous, in fact, that when I said I couldn’t possibly go shake Cookie Monster’s hand because I’d give him my cold, my daughter looked at my like I’d lost my mind. Because it was clear I was talking about the MUPPET catching my cold – not the man operating the muppet. ‘Cause muppets are REAL, y’all.
If it had been Grover I’d have lost my damn mind.
CG and I had to leave a few minutes earlier than my parents because that night we had tickets to see “Hamilton” at the Victoria Theater. We hopped in a cab and made our way to the theater, super excited to see “Hamilton” for a second time. Our seats were fabulous – fourth row, near center.
Now if you recall, I developed a bad cough while traveling to England, and on Monday it was in full force – raspy, phlegmy and nearly constant. But I was armed with cough drops and meds at this point, and prayed all would be well. Nonetheless, I warned the ladies next to me that I had a cough and that I hoped it would not be disruptive. The play begins, and it is a fabulous production – even better than the cast we saw come through Charlotte, NC back in October. In particular, I loved the guy playing George Washington. He had the right gravitas and presence on stage required for that role.
I was coughing mildly throughout the play, but always tried to hold it back for the particularly loud portions of the music so it would not be a huge distraction. And then we hit “One Last Time.” It’s my favorite song in the libretto, during which Geo Washington asks Hamilton to help him prepare his retirement speech. It is a WONDERFUL song and the one song in the libretto that I will love until the day I die.
And just as Washington asks Hamilton to pick up a pen and start writing, I could feel a tickle in my throat.
“Don’t cough, don’t cough, don’t cough,” I chanted in my head. “Don’t you do it!”
But my throat mocked me, and increased its tickle. And then it happened. A stifled cough that caused my entire throat to seize, which caused another cough.
And another.
And another.
Next thing I know I’m in the middle of a huge coughing fit that I could not contain.
The ladies in front of me were visibly cringing away from me, and the woman sitting next to CootieGirl leaned over to offer me a bottle of water. And all the while, Washington and Hamilton are on stage attempting hand over control of the country to a new generation, I’m causing SUCH a horrific distraction that I wanted Hamilton to lean over and stab me with his mighty pen.
And I couldn’t get up and leave. I was fourth row CENTER. Had I stood up to leave, I’d have been an even bigger distraction – hacking and coughing while stepping over 20 people to get outside in the foyer. The guys playing Hamilton and Washington would have hated me even more.
As it was, my coughing ended just as the song did, and they left the stage. I whispered my apologies to those around me, wishing my seat would swallow me whole.
A bit later in the play, Geo Washington is now dead but they are speaking of his legacy. The actor came back out onto the stage and I swear I was on the receiving end of this:
Upon closing credits, he was downstage a bit from me, but I stared him the entire time, willing him to look at me again so I could mouth, “I’m so sorry! I’m SO SORRY!” but he never looked at me again. I was gutted. And tempted to hang out at the stage door to offer up my condolences for basically ruining the show.
Worst live theater experience ever.
And that was Monday. Highest of highs, and lowest of lows.
