You’re going to think this edition of LLO is a little sappy, but that’s OK. The movie Notting Hill came out in 1999. I can’t remember when Kim and I went to see it, but it became one of our favorite movies. Julia Roberts, Hugh Grant, and fun British humor are probably part of why we liked it. We liked it so much that at some point Kim bought me a print of the Marc Chagall painting La Mariee (“Happiness isn’t happiness without a violin-playing goat” is what Julia Roberts says to Hugh Grant in the movie), and it has hung on the wall of every apartment/home that I’ve lived in since then. As if that isn’t enough, the movie had a great soundtrack that we listened to all the time, and the featured song “When You Say Nothing at All” sung by Ronan Keating was our first dance song at our wedding.

I think that makes it pretty clear that we liked the movie, and it has been a part of some important times in our life. Last week we took a cruise that left out of Southampton in England, and so we flew into London and ended up having one day to tour the city. Kim had been there before, but the girls and I hadn’t. We had a whirlwind tour, not going into anything (the lines were insane), but we did get to see a changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, Shakespeare’s Globe, the London Eye, Westminster Abbey, St. James Park, and just about all of the major notable sites in London proper. 25,000 steps later we were back at the hotel, and as luck would have it, we were a little early getting back. So Kim and I left the girls with Nana and Papa, jumped on The Tube, and we headed to Notting Hill. Given that we had such limited time in London, we didn’t think we’d have time to go, but we are so glad that we were able to squeeze it in.

If you know the movie, then you know that the blue door is where Hugh Grant’s character lives and he owns a travel book shop. Both are there to take pictures with and go into (not the original from the movies, but enough to pacify fans like us). And it was a nice quiet part of London, as compared to the city center. It was a Friday afternoon when we were there, and they were setting up for their Saturday markets that figure in the movie. So we held hands, walked down the street, and enjoyed a special moment of our own in London, we didn’t even have to say anything at all.

Another moment that you don’t have to say anything or even think anything is during yoga. While practicing yoga, you can leave everything behind and focus on your breathing, your body, and your overall wellness. And now you can do it surrounded by plants! So grab your tickets here for Yoga in the Garden this Saturday at 9:30 am with Kristen Molinaro from Keystone Yoga. We’ve got a preview for you on our Teaching Thursdays page.

P.S. Thank you to everyone who came out with their pet babies to our Second Annual Plants and Pets event this past Saturday! We had such a good time with all the pooches, Mavis (a cute pig), and the pet parents. From a pet splash pad and obstacle course to a pet photo booth to adoptable dogs (at least 2 found homes at our event) to Brutus Bone Broth treats to live music and shaved ice, it was a memorable day. Check out our Reel for a glimpse of the fun. We also have some pictures from the day: you can see staff member Enayat (from last week’s LLO “Spotlight”) who took home one of the adoptable dogs, Larry and Vicki Kerby with their poodles, and our staff crammed together to get a picture at the Photo Booth. It was a special day at the Nursery!