P.S. by Macaron Hoarder: The Grand Cafe

Friday, June 15, 2012

Oxford, Day 19: Grand Cafe

The other day I was blogging from another dorm that has WiFi-- but really, there is internet back at my dorm! It feels as good as Christmas morning.

My roommate and I did visit the Grand Cafe on High Street--it was absolutely gorgeous. High Street is arguably the most fashionable street in Oxford's city center. It is still a little touristy, but the upscale boutiques and the farther distance from restaurants and bars keeps foreigners from wandering far down the street where the Grand Cafe is. After passing Jack Wills, the Covered Market, and Starbucks, the sidewalk has a higher ratio of Oxford students and residents to tourists.

I bought vegetarian, all-natural sausage to have with pasta. I did not have time to make a proper sauce, but it tasted pretty good with plain pasta. The future plan involves cooking a sauce on simmer for the day with sausage and having it with tortellini.

For Literature of Oxford, the class met up at the dorm where most of students live, which is a ten minute walk down the road from Logan House. Some students and the professor prepared a surprise tea party and we watched a movie version Persuasion (1995). I tend to be overly critical of films, but this adaptation did a good job sticking with Austen's original text and casting actors who could bring the dialogue alive (whether the performance was Oscar-worthy is debatable).

After the movie, the university hosted a goodbye BBQ for international students who have been studying and boarding since January and our group was also invited to come. I watched some of the EuroCup match (Italy vs. Croatia, 1-1) while eating some American-style BBQ--a bit of a paradox, don't you think?

The Grand Cafe

Fusili, Vegetarian Sausage, Olive Oil served with Sparkling Cranberry Juice

Tea party!

British swag

Scone with butter, clotted cream, raspberry jam, and a dollop of whipped cream served with Earl Grey tea

Cake from the BBQ

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Oxford, Day 18: Magdalen College

I HAVE INTERNET! YAY!

In class, we visited Magdalen College where renowned author C.S. Lewis studied. Magdalen College, named after Mary Magdalene, is located off of High Street, a two minute walk from New College and a five minute walk from Christ Church College. We walked around the quad, the cloisters, the chapel, the walking path and the Deer Park.

Yes. Magdalen College has a deer park.

There is also a bar by the river where people can go punting. To explain punting a little more, it involves directing a narrow river boat by using a long pole that touches the bottom of the river. In other words, punting involves serious concentration and a solid workout for the person actively directing the boat with the pole. For the passengers, they only require patience and a prayer for the "punt-er" to not crash the boat into a bridge.

The class did not go punting, but we watched other people punt from a cafe overlooking the dock.

The weather was so agreeable that after touring the campus, a few friends and I went back to Binsey and went to The Perch. Sipping tea under the willow tree made for a perfect evening.

Our professor pointed out The Grand Cafe to us on the way back from Magdalen College. It is the oldest coffee house in England and looks like one of the most elegant. My roommate and I want to have tea there before class tomorrow--hopefully it works out!