An old hat

Back in my sophomore year of college (coincidentally the last year of my blogless existence), I worked as a resident assistant in Dolliver House on the Simon's Rock campus. The job was quite easily the best job I've ever had, and although it didn't provide much that my scholarship wasn't already covering, I gained some quality life experience and got to spend time with what I've now come to realize was amazingly wonderful group of co-workers. As an employee of the office of Student Life, I was to some degree responsible for the planning and execution of student activities. The real perk of planning such an activity is getting something you want to do subsidized. I never managed to get the green light for skydiving, but I did manage to get a van to a Dave Matthews Band concert on time.

So I've missed filling that role in the years since I had to retire from that most ideal of jobs. Fortunately this semester offered me an opportunity to come out of retirement for a little while. While talking to Christopher Cook, who was my guide to Little Venice back in September, we cooked up the idea of a dinner outing, and eventually, powered by Christopher's knowledge, we settled on a trip to Brighton's Terre à Terre. Fastforward some weeks, and we, together with SUL staff memeber Linda Harkness, managed to put together a trip for twelve students, with the school chipping in a few pounds a head.

The twelve of us met up with Linda at Victoria station and railroaded our way down to Brighton, where we met Christopher at the Royal Pavilion. He gave us an oral history of the pavilion and the scandals surrounding its owners and occupants, and we had a bit of time to wander around and snap photos before we were admitted for an audio-guided tour of the interior. I've been to palaces in St. Petersburg and I've gazed up into the domes of the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, I was awed by the opulence of this "house by the sea." Grandeur beyond anything respectable it was, but my was it well done. Chandeliers, carpets, curtains, and wallpapers all managed to convey a sense of good taste in spite of their over abundance.

Lunch at Terre à Terre proved to be equally impressive, and everyone seemed happy with the exquisit vegetarian fare. A quiet afternoon on the beach and pier wrapped things up before we headed home, and I was left ready for another visit to Brighton.