It's Starting to Feel a Lot Like...

Yes, Christmas. So now we are here in December I cannot help myself feeling a lit bit excited. Already I imagine I can make all the presents, cook everything from scratch, decorate the house with homemade garlands etc. etc. but it's not going to happen because the truth is I'm already exhausted! This week began with a long overdue trip into London to catch up with a friend. I went in early not wanting to waste the opportunity of being in town and I saw the Anni Albers exhibition at the Tate Modern. It was good, but if I'm honest weaving is not really my thing and so after the first few exhibits they all started to look the same. Coming out it was lovely to see the city lit up on a cold but sparkling evening, already looking very festive.

Jude and I met at Comptoir Libanais, London Bridge which was a feast for the senses, a riot of colour and decorative detail. The fabulous Lebanese food was also a treat for the taste buds full of wonderful flavours. I had an Aubergine Fattet ( a sort of Moussaka) followed by an Orange blossom Mouhalabia ( a traditional milk pudding with a dried fruit compote). My Insta worthy photos of my half eaten food weren't really that good so I won't share them with you. Trust me... it was excellent!

Back at home there has been baking as I have made a start on the Christmas cakes... yes, that is cakes not cake as I have six to make this year. I'm not complaining as they are all orders and I enjoy making them. If we are lucky we might get to keep one of them too but I'm not that bothered. I can take it or leave it as I find I'm too full of everything else to want cake at this time of year.

There were also a batch of mini Christmas cakes too, made for the church market on Saturday. They usually sell like... well, hot cakes... but not this year. So if I don't get to keep a large cake for us there could well be several small ones instead.

The reindeer cookie pops however were a big hit and I sold out of those.

There was also a day this week looking after this little chap... it's hard to believe that he is almost two. He is on the move constantly and so busy and interested in everything. I think I must be getting old as I'm sure I never used to get this tired when my four were small! He's an absolute delight though. Maybe I wouldn't get so tired if I wasn't crawling around on all fours pretending to be a lion!

Stewart got a treat this week as I made him an advent calendar filled with twenty four different beers. Well I think they are all different but I did start to lose count of what I had already bought. It's a bit rickety and the doors don't quite fit but he was happy

This was me at the market yesterday, held in the local church. I have been doing this market for several years now and it feels like the start of Christmas for me. It's always a lovely morning catching up with lots of friends

Today I have been at work in the cafe, mostly in the kitchen where it has been non-stop all day. Back home I made another couple of Christmas cakes this evening, plus a pan of soup from all the veg lurking at the bottom of the fridge (it tastes much better than it sounds), a batch of granola for some quick breakfasts as well as tonight's dinner. Should keep us going for a few days I hope as I'm back in the cafe again at 8.45 tomorrow morning.

So bit of a boring post really as I catch up on this week. Plans of shorter more regular (and more entertaining) posts just don't seem to happen. Well they do in my head but as you can see there is too much else going on. At least I wasn't silly enough to attempt a daily post in December as in previous years! How are your Christmas plans going?

A Good Friday

After our Day That Almost Was, we managed to reschedule the two experiences that never happened and on Friday we headed off to London once again in search of thrills and excitement! First stop was Blackfriars station for the start of a Shakespeare in the City tour, this time with plenty of time to spare... enough spare time to sneak in a little coffee and pastry too as it happens!

 

We were the only two people booked on the tour, but our initial reservations that it could be a bit awkward were soon dispelled once our knowledgeable guide Declan took us off on our own personal guided walk around the City streets. We visited little known alleys and squares, hidden churches and the sites of two of Shakespeare's houses as well as the Blackfriars Theatre, discovering more about the man and his writing. Declan, a former actor, also treated us to excerpts from some of Shakespeare's speeches which brought the tour alive. Despite the increasingly persistent rain the time passed quickly as were kept entertained and informed.  I can appreciate that these type of tours are probably aimed at foreign tourists but as a Londoner I found it a fascinating way to learn more about my home city and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.

By the end of the tour we were cold, damp and ready for lunch, so on Declan's recommendation we headed back to The Blackfriar pub, a small, wedge shaped Art Nouveau building that stands on the site of a Dominican friary. Outside the building is adorned with mosaics and metalwork signs.

We ventured in from the almost deserted streets to find the pub packed full with people, no surprise really considering the fabulous atmosphere, friendly service and amazing decor of mosaic, sculpture and light hearted reliefs designed by several artists including  Henry Poole, a committed member of the Arts and Crafts movement.

And what's more the lunch was to be recommended too!

Eventually we had to leave the warm convivial atmosphere and venture back out into London's rain soaked streets, where not only was the rain getting heavier but the wind was picking up too! Next stop was Embankment pier... for a high speed Thames RIB experience.

When we were last booked on this, on a clear bright afternoon, it was cancelled the previous day as there were only two of us booked. On Friday, however, in the most appalling weather conditions the tour went ahead with... you've guessed it, only two of us booked. But we are hardy souls so duly got kitted up in the heavy duty waterproofs that were provided.

And then it was all aboard our RIB. Should I have been worried about the name of the boat?

The trip started sedately enough with a tour of riverside sights as we headed first of all up past Parliament and then downstream but once we were beyond Tower Bridge, the engine was revved up and we were treated to a thrilling high speed ride around the docklands area to the accompaniment of Don't Stop Me Now... travelling at the speed of light! (Might be a slight exaggeration!)

We got absolutely soaked, shaken up and rattled about but it was brilliant fun and I loved it!

Aterwards, in search of some warmth we quickly got out of the rain and spent an hour or so wandering around the National Portrait Gallery enjoying the portraits while we dried off before heading home. So our day that never happened, did happen after all and I've ticked off another couple of sixty by sixty experiences, although with still ten more to go before July I think I'm running out of time. All suggestions for cheap new experiences are most welcome!

The rest of the weekend so far has been low key and quiet but with regular top ups of chocolate.

I hope your Easter weekend has been good too.

My Big Day Out

Until the beginning of the week I had no idea of what I would be doing on the day of my birthday. There had been mutterings about a day at the seaside with fish and chips but nothing planned and at the last minute we decided that it had been a long time since we'd had a day in London... so did that instead, ignoring the weather forecasts of torrential rain and thunderstorms.

On arrival at Kings Cross, we headed behind the station towards the Regents Canal where there has been much regeneration and restoration. In my youth this was a run down, seedy red light district (not that I would know anything about that of course!) but it is now a pedestrianised area of open spaces, modern water features and an abundance of restaurants. We chose Caravan, a lively open plan eatery housed in a large grain warehouse next door to Central St. Martins.

Having skipped breakfast in the knowledge this would be our first stop I opted for a poached egg on avocado on sourdough toast... despite being tempted by a fresh nectarine and amaretti pancake. I wasn't disappointed although maybe wished I could have had both.

The other member of my party went for the full brunch... and finished the lot! It really was as big as it looked.

Finding ourselves fully replete we headed towards the Royal Victoria Docks for the first of our mini adventures and another 60 x 60 wish... to ride on the Emirates Air Line over the Thames.

At almost 100m over the River Thames, the Air Line cable car spans for 1 km from the Docks to Greenwich.

We were really lucky that it happened to be very quiet and we walked straight on with a cabin all to ourselves. The views were stunning... as were the blue skies!

Two years ago we walked over the top of the O2 and it felt so high... but it looks nothing looking down on it here! A great experience that I can recommend.

Back on terra firma we made the short walk to North Greenwich pier and picked up the river bus to head towards the Embankment in Westminster. A much nicer way to travel through the city than going underground.

Our next stop was The Royal Academy for the summer exhibition. It is a few years since I last went and there is usually plenty to see of interest among the vast numbers of exhibits, but I have to say I felt rather underwhelmed by it all. It felt tired... but maybe that was me! There were some vaguely interesting sculptures and a few "nice" prints but nothing that really grabbed me. My favourite gallery was curated by Yinka Shonibare, mostly because it was colourful and a bit subversive but in truth I preferred the art we saw walking around Cambridge Open Studios last weekend. Pretentious and trying too hard to be "edgy" was what sprung to mind. And what's more... £3 for a bottle of water... that's just having a laugh!

Our next stop was another 60 x 60 list item and that was to visit the London Icebar. There is no doubt this is very gimmicky and something you would only do once but it was a laugh!

It is a small room tucked in a side road off Regents Street that is kept at -5 deg C. The bar and seating areas are all sculpted from beautiful clear ice that comes from Northern Sweden and even the glasses for the cocktails are scuplted from ice. Fur trimmed capes and gloves are provided!

We were only in there for half an hour which was really one big photo opportunity but it was fun... more fun than the RA!

We did wonder about this 21st century phenomenon that requires us to seek out such diverse and bizarre experiences but then decided it was best not to over think it and to just enjoy the fact we were drinking outrageously expensive cocktails from glasses made of ice sitting in a large freezer. If nothing else it was welcome relief from the heat outside... no sign of the rain or thunderstorms yet!

On leaving the Icebar we eventually managed to hail a taxi after walking a fair distance first, both being reluctant to head underground at rush hour, and ended up at Ottolenghi's in Spittlefields for our dinner... and a glass of fizz! As ever the food was wonderful... as was the entire day. A fabulous day to celebrate turning sixty and a couple more things notched off my list... past the half way point now!

We were home by the ten o'clock news and I even managed an early night... well, I am in my sixties now you know!

Identity

The weekend before last we had a day in London and one of the things we did was to pop in to The National Portrait Gallery to see the fourteen portraits by Grayson Perry that were made during his Channel 4 TV programme "Who are You". None of them are really portraits in the conventional sense but are studies on identity... the identity of individuals, families and groups.

Each and every piece is fascinating and I would find it difficult to pick a favourite. They range from this huge blanket featuring British identity, to a self portrait done as a map. There is a silk scarf, a poster, an embroidery, a money chest and of course... pots!

Comfort Blanket

 

 I think it is the pots that I like the best. Big magnificent pots that say so much about their subject

 

Memory Jar

I loved them all and again I am bowled over by the sensitivity, humour and insightfulness of this artist. He doesn't miss a trick! The work is intelligent yet accessible... fabulous stuff.

Idealised Hetrosexual Couple

I especially loved these three goddesses, resplendent in their oversized gorgeousness.

 

Melanie, Georgina and Sarah

I could share much more - I took photos of all the pieces but I don't feel I have the words to do them justice. So if you can, do go and see them for yourself... the exhibition is open until 15th March and is totally free. And of course when you've done with the Grayson Perry exhibits, there are all the other wonderful portraits to see too. Or you could do what we did and go on to the Tower of London! Hadn't been there for years and Stewart had never been before... Great fun!

Day Seventeen :: A Day Out

I had a day away from all the Christmassy stuff yesterday when I went with my Mum and Sister-in- law for a trip to London. My boys bought my Mum a visit to the top of The Shard for her 80th birthday which was back in September. Anne and I were lucky enough that Mum chose us to share the day with her.

We were so lucky with the weather and couldn't have picked a more beautiful day with brilliant sunshine and clear blue skies... far better than when Stewart and I went in August.

The view was amazing and like before it was the river that seemed most impressive. The way it snakes through the city and looks just like it does on a map, meandering through is just wonderful.

We had wonderful time, followed by lunch before heading home. And the birthday celebrations are not over yet because we still have afternoon tea at The Ritz to look forward to next year... I like this birthday lark!

 

Today you'll find me back in my kitchen, but you'll have to wait until tomorrow to find out about that!