The things I do and don't miss about living in Oxford.

By Liv

I know I've spouted on and on about how much I love(d) living in England. I really did love it. There were quite a few things that (now that we are back to the USA) I can honestly say that I do NOT miss about living in Oxford. Here are a few:

I do NOT miss: hang-drying all of our clothes, hearing all the goings-on and people walking past my house (i.e. drunken undegrads), Nick being away working on assignments for what seemed like 24/7, the never-ending bug problem in our flat (first moths, then spiders then slugs!), using a self-rigged shower (our bathtub didn't have a shower head but just a hand-held shower head that we had to rig to the ceiling so we could take a shower!) and not being able to call and chat with my American friends whenever I want.

But, the list of things that I DO miss is even longer. I DO miss being surrounded by academics, amazing architecture everywhere (it really looked like I was living in the Harry Potter movies), the hilarious British accents all around, making new friends that were all in the same situation together (i.e. starting from scratch in a brand new place), walking EVERYWHERE, having so many wonderful restaurants within walking distance - my favorite Indian restaurant of all time was only a block away!

Mostly, I miss the friends that we made during our stay in England. I will never forget them and hope that we stay in touch for a long time to come. Here are some photos from our last week in Oxford. Everyone really rallied together towards the end of our stay - and we ended up having more than one going away dinner, which was lovely. I wish we were heading back for Capstone and Graduation, but it doesn't look likely. For all our OX friends, please keep in touch! We miss you all :)

 Anas can really play the tennis-guitar!

 Laka and the gang put together a delicious home-cooked Indian going-away feast for me!

 

Lovely Laura and her precious son, Tenzing. Stella and Tenzing Skype almost every day :)

 Stella's best-buddy at their favorite spot: The Perch Restaurant in Oxford.

Fancy a spot of tea?

Happy Second Birthday, Stella!

By Liv

Stella's birthday isn't actually until July 20th, but since we left Oxford on July 17th, I decided we should host a birthday gathering before leaving England, so we could celebrate with all of our new friends.

And what's more appropriate for a little girl living in the romantic English town of Oxford than a proper Mad Hatter's high tea birthday party? Especially since Stella enjoys having her very own high tea at home every single day.


As I have mentioned about 39 times in my previous posts, I have made some amazing friends during our time in Oxford. I have met people who I know we will be friends with forever. Some of those friends came to the rescue on Stella's big day and helped me to put together a fantastic gathering. We had over 20 people join us to celebrate and we served a completely gluten/egg/dairy free menu that was delectable and delicious:

• Tea Sandwiches •
Chopped olive & cucumber
Wafer-thin turkey & hummus
Almond butter & strawberry jam

• Fruit •
Strawberry, banana, grape and peach fruit skewers

• Treats •
Ginger cookies
Brownie bites
Chocolate chip cookies
Chocolate cookie sandwiches filled with vanilla frosting
Shortcake fingers

• To drink •
Mimosas
A selection of fruit and black teas

The decorations were perfect, the food was delicious, the weather was delightful and the company was wonderful. We couldn't have asked for a better day to celebrate our daughter's 2nd birthday.

 My helping hands: Vini, Thanzeem, Yuvi, Neelima, Lakshmi and Mahdieh.

 Taste-testing every single flavor...

 The ever handsome, Jamal.

 Gluten free and still delicious!

 Ellie Claire sporting her Mad Hatter Hat.

 The Royal Tea party and the birthday girl at the head of the table :)

 Stella sat in her chair at the table for almost 2 hours, sipping tea and eating cookies!

 Anas & Thanzeem :)

 The Gareys: looking fabulous as usual!

 Enjoying some tea and treats.

 Neelima loves Stella.

 The whole group.

 Rahul is one of Stella's favorite new friends. 

 Stella loves Anas and Thanzeem.

 Vasu & Neelima are always so happy to see her, too!

 Stella loves Laka and Ash!

 Mahdieh did most of the decorating and did a fantastic job. Stella says, "Thank you!"

 Anas trying to convince Stella that he's cooler than Rahul :)

 These girls love the bambina soooo much!

How many tea sets does a girl need? In Stella's case, the answer is three. This is just one of them :)

Summertime happenings in Oxford

By Liv

A few things have happened since the last time I blogged (sorry!). Nick has been busy with school and turning in some finals to the exam school. The morning of one of his exams, Stella took it upon herself to "color" his exam paper, just minutes before he was to leave to turn it in... oops!

Punting along the Thames is one of my favorite pastimes in Oxford. I spent a lovely afternoon with some of my favorite people - punting, laughing and sharing some snacks. I will miss these moments but I'm glad that I have photos and memories to last a lifetime!

 Punting group: Me, Lakshmi, Amy & Thanzeem.

 Pretty Vinni & Pretty Thanzeem.

Green Templeton College hosted a family event that had all kinds of entertainment for young kids. When we entered the college grounds, we were greeted by living statues. Stella wasn't so sure of them...

Jamal was trying really hard to get Stella to hold his hand...

Neighbors and friends.

Our neighbor, Ellie Claire, had her 5th birthday party. The theme was a princess party, so Stella wore a cute dress and tried to play along with the bigger kids. It was really adorable to see her try to fit in :)

The Birthday girl's little brother, Archer.

Watching the party from a distance.

Punting the river.

Punting is not as easy as it looks. As in rowing, you soon learn how to get along and handle the craft, but it takes long practice before you can do this with dignity and without getting the water all up your sleeve.

– Jerome K. Jerome, Three Men in a Boat (1889)

By Liv

Luckily, Nick was a good sport and agreed to be the punter. He did a fantastic job for his first time. Stella enjoyed sitting with her friend, Rahul and her new friend, Areej, while we floated down the canal and on to the Thames River, known as the Isis in Oxford. From our punt, we could see Christ Church Cathedral, Magdalen College and the vibrant bright green fields and foliage that makes Oxford one of the most beautiful cities in Britain.

 Our two boats. I have to admit, our punter was better than theirs :)

 Stella and her buddy, Rahul.

 Stella said, "Mama, that water is cold!"

 Friends :)

 Enjoying the ride.

 Our trusty punter.

 A beautiful view from our boat.

Geese, swans, ducks and their babies floated along just inches from our punt.

Country of Origin Party.

By Liv

A friend of ours, Meg McCosker, had a lovely idea: to host a party to celebrate all the different countries that some of the MBAs came from. The rules of the party were to wear some clothing to represent your country and bring along a food that was specific to your country.

Since I see myself as Mexican and American, and since American food (and clothing) seemed boring to me, I decided to stick with the Mexican side. I dressed in a latin-inspired outfit and made my famous coconut flan to share with everyone. It was a hit. Better yet, Nick decided to join me and dress as an American tourist in Mexico: perfectly paired with a sombrero and a candy-filled piñata. The piñata was, of course, a highlight of the party. We had a great time and send many thanks to the McCoskers for inviting us. We can't wait to visit all of our Oxford friends in their countries of origin after the school term is over!

¡Ole!

 American PB&Js.

 Renee, the loud-talking American :)

 Nick and Pete contemplating the logistics behind hanging the piñata... indoors.

 Friends from all over the world.

 Renee tried but failed.

Get it, Holly!