Tiny Orange Trees

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Short Post Today. We heard that taking the bus might take hours and hours, so we opted to stay around here. Here being the same neighborhood as the BYU London Centre, near Kensington Gardens. I know and love this area already, so I really adored showing Sam my favorite places: Embassy Row, the Round Pond in Hyde Park, Bayswater and Queensway and Whiteley's, etc. It was low-key. We read books and strolled about, and, and, the highlight: Eating a light lunch at the Orangery Restaurant at Kensington Palace. I'm pretty sure this is the most beautiful place I've ever eaten a meal. It's at least in the top ten.

When you walk in, it looks like this. Those are small orange trees on each side, and a display of all of their lovely sweets.



We started off with tea. This is what our table looked like. Isn't it perfect? We had our own mini orange tree. (Although ours didn't have any oranges. bummer.) It made me feel princessy. I ordered the Tulsi Mint tea, which I've never had, but it was incredible. It had aloe vera in it or something? Odd, but scrumptious.



Here's what the whole place looks like.



And Sam, after I asked if he was going to do something Britishy for the camera. "Yes," he said, and did this. Oh, that man.



London feels safe to me, feels like home. I have memories of being here when I was young and lonely, wandering around by myself and missing home and trying to be happy. And layered over the top of that are happier memories with dear friends. And now I have these with Sam. If you would have told the younger Deja that someday I would be back here under these circumstances, I don't think I would have believed it.

Sitting in that Orangery though, I missed my family. My sisters and mom, specifically. Maybe it was because they're the only part of my life that hasn't been here with me. Maybe it was just because I was taking the pictures with them in mind, knowing they would like to see. But I just longed to be sitting at the table with them, sipping tea. Maybe some day ...

Comments

belann said…
We would sure love to be there. I could get into drinking herbal tea and watching you girls rave about the orange trees and pretty things. Sounds like a memory we need to create. But, it sure must be fun watching delightful Sam do his "Britishy" look.
June 11, 2009 at 7:41 PM
Mike and Emily said…
Good call, Sam. Too appropriate.
June 12, 2009 at 10:36 AM
Annie said…
This is what lunchtime in heaven looks like.
June 12, 2009 at 11:47 AM
Sam Ruddick said…
deja! deja! light of my life! fire of my loins!
June 14, 2009 at 10:36 AM
Amara said…
He looks just like Graham Kerr. I had to zoom in on the Orangery entrance shot. Lovely. I really want to go. Although right now I feel like I need to cleanse my whole system out from a week of junk food. Herb tea there with you sounds so wonderful. We missed you in CA.
June 17, 2009 at 11:26 PM
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