London Trip: Sleepover/Southbank

The third (very) exciting part of my trip to London was that (drum roll please!) I got to meet some of the amazing people I blog for PBG with. In fact, I didn't just get to meet them- four of us had a feminist diner party/sleepover on Thursday night, and after parliament on Friday a group of us chilled at Southbank.
I was really really nervous and excited about meeting them, largely because they all seemed so amazing, which made me feel a bit inadequate. Also I was nervous about fitting in and getting on with everyone. However, I really needn't have worried whatsoever. When I got to FCC's house I was greeted with huge hugs from her and FCA. I helped them to prepare the dinner; we also got glittered up (and drew feminist symbols on our cheeks) and Skyped a couple of the other PBG-ers who couldn't attend the sleepover. One of them didn't pick up, so we left a beautiful message for her...
Once the fourth and final person, FCS, arrived, there were more big hugs! We eventually settled down to have dinner- very lovely pasta with two types of potatoes (this made me very happy as I am currently a huge potato fan) and lots of green leaves. We also had THE MOST AMAZING CAKE IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD, made by the totally fabulous FCC.

Dinner!!

Words evade me

Love

After that we spent more time on Skype to FCSA (who has THE MOST AMAZING Scottish accent) and also to FCG, who we managed to get a picture with...

Woo!

Once we were done Skyping, we settled down for the best game ever: FEMINIST CARDS AGAINST HUMANITY. For those who aren't familiar with Cards Against Humanity, it's a card game that can be funny at times, but very easily gets very offensive, and then stops being so funny. However, feminist Cards Against Humanity is not offensive, just absolutely hilarious. It involves cats, and Birkenstock tan lines, and the phallic symbolism of Lisa Simpson's saxophone. Need I elaborate more, or are you sold already?! (A better description can be found here, and it can be downloaded here and here). Just beware- games take a while due to excessive laughter!

This this this

Following this, we headed upstairs to bed, something which was delayed by FCC having a small breakdown over interior design. To be fair, it was some pretty sweet interior design!! Once she had been counselled by FCA, we curled up in bed, and proceeded to chat about hell and feminism and all things fabulous for a while, before eventually dropping off to sleep!
The next morning was more rushed as we all had to get ready and to parliament for quite early. Nevertheless, we had the time to take some cute group pics, both at the house and whilst waiting at parliament!

We're so sweet, let's face it

More group pics!

And a Polaroid!!

So yeah, that was the awesome fantastic sleepover!!

*

After parliament, a group of us (three from the sleepover- FCC had to go to Dorset- two more PBG-ers and another girl from the tour) headed to Southbank for lunch.

Selfie on the way

 

When we got there we realised that there was a festival exhibition thing about love, so we had a look around that. I was really pleased- a while back I heard about the 'Museum of Broken Relationships', which is a museum devoted to objects leftover from relationships. It sounded hugely interesting, and I really wanted to go- so of course, it was all the way in Croatia, completely inaccessible. Imagine my excitement when I found out that the love exhibition included parts of the Museum of Broken Relationships... To quote, 'It's in Southbank! And I'm in Southbank! This is fate!!'.

The museum was really really interesting and pretty thought-provoking. It was really interesting to see what people considered important, and to read the stories surrounding each one. 

Example story

 

The exhibition had also been made interactive, with a wall of 'confessions', which I enjoyed reading and then added to.

In an adjoining room, there was a wall made up of Agony Aunt responses from Jackie magazine. They were- interesting, to say the least. We didn't really agree with them, but had fun pointing out the worst to each other!

Agony aunt wall

In the same room was another interactive bit, titled 'Things I Wish I'd Known At 15'. We had fun looking at them and adding our own! There were some really lovely inspiring ones- far too many to upload :)

We headed to the exit of that section of the exhibition after that. Or at least, we tried to, and then we discovered the 'Teen Idol' dress up room. It was fabulous.

We are all teen idols really

Rocking the costumes!

Spice Girl and Bowie

FCY makes a VERY good Elvis

Once we'd finished there (it took a while!) we went on the kids slides and looked in the shop. Then, very sadly and unfortunately, it was time to get a group pic and then to go our separate ways :(

So. That was London, in three parts! Why was this part important? Because it was absolutely amazing and empowering and all round fab. It didn't feel like I had only really known people for a few hours; we all clicked straight away, and I love them all so so much. We all got to be very very radfem and queer and generally fabulous, and that was a really important experience. It felt like finding people who I'd always known- like coming home really. Just getting that time with them, and knowing that there are other people like me was a huge huge confidence/empowerment boost (something I will expand upon a little in my next post!).
I cannot wait to see them all again (hopefully in October... fingers crossed!!) and until then Skype/Facebook/texting will have to do... We've also got plans for a feminist commune, so if you need me, you know where I am! ;)