Showing posts with label london. Show all posts
Showing posts with label london. Show all posts
Sunday, 23 November 2014
Sunday, 14 September 2014
Sunday, 31 August 2014
Baskerville's Tea Room - Palmers Green
I used to live in Palmers Green and it's always nice to go visit - especially when I find plenty of books I want in the very excellent and plentiful charity shops there AND discover a large tea room has opened and it is very pretty and has a garden and a huge tea selection (I had a refreshing green tea with ginger and lemongrass) and banana cake with peanut butter frosting. Banana cake is my favourite and I love peanut butter. Yesssss.
Monday, 11 August 2014
Spectra - Ryoji Ikeda - Victoria Tower Gardens
Just caught this on the last night and was well worth hanging about to experience. Bright jets of light straight up in the sky in the middle of London and hypnotic sounds as you move amongst the pillars of light in memory of the first world war. Dust sparkled as it passed through the beams. Beautiful.
Saturday, 19 July 2014
Books about town - City & Bloomsbury Trails
I love a charity art hunt and the big egg hunt was very disappointing this year - rows of eggs in Covent Garden is not an egg hunt!
Hello, books about town! These are benches that look like a big book, each illustrated by a different artist to convey a different book and all to promote literacy. Come October, the benches will be auctioned and the proceeds will go to the National Literacy Trust.
It's a really fun way to explore London, support a charity and see some free art. And I love books! Yay! Yay!
They even provide maps, tick lists and quizzes on the website. My love of ticking off lists loves this!
Hello, books about town! These are benches that look like a big book, each illustrated by a different artist to convey a different book and all to promote literacy. Come October, the benches will be auctioned and the proceeds will go to the National Literacy Trust.
It's a really fun way to explore London, support a charity and see some free art. And I love books! Yay! Yay!
They even provide maps, tick lists and quizzes on the website. My love of ticking off lists loves this!
Noughts & Crosses - Malorie Blackman - City Trail
Tick List!
Cricketers Almanack - City Trail
The Lion, the witch & the wardrobe - CS Lewis - Bloomsbury Trail
JM Barrie - Bloomsbury Trail
James Bond & Agatha Christie - Bloomsbury Trail
Next stops: Riverside trail and Greenwich trail!
Links:
Tuesday, 29 April 2014
V&A Late - Synthetic Aesthetics - Friday 25th April 2014
The V&A is open late every Friday (which is excellent) and every last Friday of the month they do a special late. Last Friday was themed 'Synthetic Aesthetics' and I popped along before meeting friends at Nandos.
V. interesting stuff. My highlight was 'Bacterial DNA Beats' which was music/imagined sounds of the inside of a DNA helix, apparantly inspired by 'bacteria's ability to transmit EMF signals' whatever that means (too tired to learn about this right now and no info provided). The sounds were played in the v. impressive Cast Court and was good and loud so felt very atmospheric and sparked my imagination.
V. interesting stuff. My highlight was 'Bacterial DNA Beats' which was music/imagined sounds of the inside of a DNA helix, apparantly inspired by 'bacteria's ability to transmit EMF signals' whatever that means (too tired to learn about this right now and no info provided). The sounds were played in the v. impressive Cast Court and was good and loud so felt very atmospheric and sparked my imagination.
Friday, 28 February 2014
Sage Vaughn: Nobody's Home - Lazarides Gallery
Literally nobody home! Although the gallery says its open Tuesday to Saturday till 7pm, it was locked and empty when I visited half an hour ago!
Oh well, I had a good peep through the window and the paintings looked beautiful. Soft colours, everyday home scenes with bright birds and butterflies looking at the same time out of place as well as perfectly natural.
It's pouring with rain so I didn't remain long to ponder from outside the window, but if the show didn't finish tomorrow I'd like to try visit again. Even though it is one of those intimidating looking galleries where you feel out of place and noisy and scruffy.
http://www.lazinc.com/
Wednesday, 12 February 2014
Cheapside Hoard at Museum of London
A mystery! Workmen demolishing buildings in 1912 smashed through a cellar floor and discovered piles of sparkling jewellery! Hidden treasure that had been abandoned. And it's the largest collection of Elizabethan/Stuart jewellery in the world.
There's background history to begin with including an actual mocked up jewellery workshop based on a drawing from that time, shop signs and a beautiful painting that shows London before the Great Fire.
Then you go round a corner and there is so much delicate sparkling decadent jewellery! Some is so tiny and detailed! Magnifying glasses are provided for closer looks but I preferred looking with just my eyes. I find the smallness beautiful. I saw pieces from the official photos and they are much more beautiful and tiny in real life.
There are paintings on the walls showing how the pieces may have been worn and also videos showing close ups.
I particularly loved a case of pearl pendants. The pearls were a bit decayed, not having enjoyed their time in the cellar, but still lovely and attached to intricate little teardrop shaped cages. There were also the most amazing tiny buttons encrusted with precious stones and yet not ugly! Sounds so ugly in my head but it wasn't.
There is a pin with a tiny ship on it, there's an emerald watch, there's an amazing perfume bottle. Folks used perfume to cover the stench of the times and Roja Dove created a perfume that may be similar to theirs and you can smell it from behind a little door in the wall! And there is much more than I mention,I've only mentioned my favourite things.
As you leave you can watch a short film wondering who might have hidden the hoard and why they never came back. The hoard was hidden before the Great Fire and at a time of civil war. The film tells a possible story and suggests more.
Museum of London is one of my top museums. The permanent collection is fantastic, so informative, interesting and fun and so far I've always enjoyed their exhibitions and events.
Security is high as the hoard is so valuable so you are required to put your coat and bag in a locker which costs £1. I never usually bother to use a cloakroom so it was kind of nice to do it this once but I was lucky I had the change on me as I didn't realise ahead of time.
On till 27 April.
Links:
Cheapside Hoard
There's background history to begin with including an actual mocked up jewellery workshop based on a drawing from that time, shop signs and a beautiful painting that shows London before the Great Fire.
Then you go round a corner and there is so much delicate sparkling decadent jewellery! Some is so tiny and detailed! Magnifying glasses are provided for closer looks but I preferred looking with just my eyes. I find the smallness beautiful. I saw pieces from the official photos and they are much more beautiful and tiny in real life.
There are paintings on the walls showing how the pieces may have been worn and also videos showing close ups.
I particularly loved a case of pearl pendants. The pearls were a bit decayed, not having enjoyed their time in the cellar, but still lovely and attached to intricate little teardrop shaped cages. There were also the most amazing tiny buttons encrusted with precious stones and yet not ugly! Sounds so ugly in my head but it wasn't.
There is a pin with a tiny ship on it, there's an emerald watch, there's an amazing perfume bottle. Folks used perfume to cover the stench of the times and Roja Dove created a perfume that may be similar to theirs and you can smell it from behind a little door in the wall! And there is much more than I mention,I've only mentioned my favourite things.
As you leave you can watch a short film wondering who might have hidden the hoard and why they never came back. The hoard was hidden before the Great Fire and at a time of civil war. The film tells a possible story and suggests more.
Museum of London is one of my top museums. The permanent collection is fantastic, so informative, interesting and fun and so far I've always enjoyed their exhibitions and events.
Security is high as the hoard is so valuable so you are required to put your coat and bag in a locker which costs £1. I never usually bother to use a cloakroom so it was kind of nice to do it this once but I was lucky I had the change on me as I didn't realise ahead of time.
On till 27 April.
Links:
Cheapside Hoard
Monday, 10 February 2014
Thames Walk/Albert Bridge
A beautiful evening walk along the Thames from Chelsea Harbour to Vauxhall. I'd never walked that bit of the Thames before. I liked Albert Bridge lots, all lit up and pink!
Georgians Revealed at British Library
Bit of a history lesson for me...despite having grown up near Bath and its beautiful Georgian architecture, I don't know much about the Georgians. I know a little more now though, mainly about how people lived. I think how people lived is the most interesting thing in history. Secondary school history really put me off because it was ALL politics and war. Obviously this is important but young me wanted to know about people and how they lived and felt. Present me still finds that more interesting but I do now want to understand politics and war as well although I find it hard.
This exhibition covers everyday Georgian life and pleasures. As you wall in there is a brief timeline of Georgian kings and historical events and we go on to normal people.
There were more middle class people so more people were able to read for fun, decorate their homes, go on holiday and go out dancing etc
Highlights for me include a set of teeny tiny exquisite little books called 'The Infants Library', various massive books with botanical illustrations, Jane Austen's writing desk and tiny glasses, plans of dance steps and Harriet Parry's 1825 travel diary. The travel diary is a scroll map annotated with pen and ink with drawings and notes as she records her tour Scotland. It's beautiful and I want to do this!
Then the last room is a giant map reproduced on the floor of Georgian London. They had wanted to show every house and number on it but realised it would be impossible! It's a beautiful map (love old maps anyway) and it's great to see it so big.
On till 11th March
Links:
Georgians Revealed
Saturday, 1 February 2014
February Exhibition Wish List
I'm going to try to squeeze as many of these as possible into February, as my ArtFund card (which gets me really good discounts) will expire at the end of the month :( A couple of these are free though (yay).
Wednesday, 23 October 2013
The Light Princess at the National Theatre (who are 50)
Oh! I loved The Light Princess! I laughed, I cried, I could watch it again tonight if I could afford it. It's beautiful.
The sets are stunning, the singing, the dancing...I'm still smiling.
It's a fairy tale musical involving a princess that floats and a prince that never smiles.
The floating is amazing, some of it is with wires and some is sort of dancing, with sneaky people dressed in black lifting her and supporting her while she sings.
I love fairy tales anyway and this didn't disappoint. Beautiful with darkness and humour.
Also, by chance, we happened to have attended on the night of the National Theatre's 50th anniversary so there were stunning fireworks afterwards.
I'm still gloriously happy!
Tuesday, 22 October 2013
Tori Amos
I'm going to see The Light Princess tonight at the National Theatre! An early Xmas gift from Stu! Am very excited. I love Tori and am listening to her while I work today in readiness. Spark is one of my favourites.
Sunday, 18 March 2012
Big Egg Hunt Zone 12: Canary Wharf
Found all but one in this area! I struggle with the indoor eggs :( Click here to see the rest of my egg finds.
Sunday, 4 March 2012
Big Egg Hunt Zone 6: Piccadilly
Started hunting eggs! Today we found 12! These are my favourite 2, if you're interested in the rest, click here.
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