Tea Time in Wonderland

Archive for the ‘Survie des parents / Parents’ survival kit’ Category

- Chocaholic? Be a true Easter Bunny and do your shopping @ the chocolate festival on Southbank. Make sure you stop @ the Choc star van!

- Still in an Easter mood? The try the Claridges’ afternoon tea with hot cross buns… and, my friend, a Valrhona hot chocolate…

- Emmenez les enfants decouvrir une tradition suedoise pour Paques…

- Fancy a little suspense? Learn more about Hitchcock…

- For something totally different, go and look at these surprising nail sculptures… or this floating one @ St Paul’s…

- Rediscover the British interior design of the last 150 years…

- or if the sun’s out, head for Greenwich! Have a bite to eat at the food market then learn a few things about the place. There’s even talk about a micro-brewery producing fab beers…

- Looking for a great place for a special occasion? Why not a brunch on the 29th floor with a 360 deg view? Amazing but , wow, £65…

- Empty your bank account @ the Spring Country Living Fair – so many unique and marvelous gifts there…

You’ll find me @ Kensington Palace, enchanted for a while… and at the Alice pop-up cafe @ Harrod’s..

The Southbank fans always stop @ the Tate Modern.

They don’t even think about it, it has become instinctive, a natural detour to the walk, especially as it’s free. Maybe they’ll stop for a coffee, have a look at the new gadgets in the souvenir shop or enjoy the latest exhibition. Open till 22.00 on Saturdays, it often concludes my walk. I’m sometimes alone in the rooms – what a pleasant change!

Had you noticed, on the 3rd floor this mini-gallery? (Thanks, Benoit!)

It all started with the Family trail. A few crayons, cards, seats to keep kids busy. But then parents and visitors joined in, left their masterpiece. The best ones are presented on the wall and change on a regular basis.  Worth having a look!

Grab a pen and give it a try!

Tate Modern
Bankside
London SE1 9TG

And around…
- a slice of history…
- travel through time…
- how about a chocolate beer?
- Walk along the beach if the tide is low…

- Free Thursday morning? Do your gym @ Trafalgar Square before going to work!

- Wander through Camden market then go and (re) discover the brandly refurbished Jewish Museum…

- Hunt Harvey Nichols through the city: nusic, temporary tatoos, limited edition teddies and gliteery photo shoots…

- Pop in for a little Andy Warhol…

- Still going for the cultural card? Try sculptures here or enjoy the BP day @ The Tate: swap unwanted possessions, have your hair cut, or an alternative tour of the gallery, maybe a concert too!

- Feeling green? Add a little exotism and enjoy this Orchids show…

- Or will you prefer an edible chocolate garden?

- You hate sewing and craft? Think again. Quilts and patchwork often told the story of a group of friends, of a village, of a social status at the times. Give it a try @ the V&A!

You’ll find me fascinated by Judi Dench in a midsummer’s night dream and grabbing a bite @ this alternative picnic….

We all have fond memories of childhood funfairs. The mix of colours, the flashing lights, the musics changing every couple of steps, the laughs all around, the bumping cars… Tastebuds were also treated with candyfloss and sweets. In my region, you could choose from a huge selection of nougats…

I’m less tempted to go these days – am I too much of a grown-up? The colours are much flashier, sometimes agressive, the decorations sprayed on and less refined. However I never resist a more traditional type of ride – such as wooden horses galloping forever, or those chairs that fly away in an elegant circle… My 5-year old daughter is much better public than I am and will go for anything at all!

Feeling nostalgic too? Then head to the Carters Steam Fair settled @ Battersea Park for a while.

Carter was passionate for those machines and arcade games and collected them, taking pride in renovating them: improve an engine, change a part, repainting them in accordance with the original motifs and colours, adding a little gold leaf… 7 months per year, he would open them to the public, or rent them for private events, even for film sets. Make them alive again.

He died in 2000 but his team is keeping the tradition.

You’ll find a lovely selection of those rides @ Battersea – the grandfather of turning cups, a Noa arch with Art Deco notes turning @ high speed with music of its era, cute wooden racing cars… The kids can’t even decide where to start, parents never hesitate to join them, dads seem fascinated by the old types of engines you sometimes get a glimpse of, you can hear cameras clicking away…

Wonderful to even just look, although you will not resist caressing the wood…

Older kids will prefer the arcade – all kinds of flippers there, even horse races where each player has to turn a wheel as quick as possible, horoscope readings… The designs are fab. Granparents look at them in amazements, recognising models...

My favourite certainly is the gallopers – splendid colourful wooden horses, paintings of the British monarchs above them, even a barrel organ. But take a few steps away from it. Although you do not notice any of those rides work on steam engines, this one does play on it – a lovely cloud of fog when it starts dancing around and even a chimney!

A great time for the whole family. Rides are only £1/kid, very reasonable. Such a pity, though, that there is no toffee apple, candy floss, waffles in sight… not even a coffee!

Carters Steam Fair

Battersea Park until March 28, 2010Battersea,
London,
SW11 4NJ

Ravenscourt Park, April 10-18, 2010
Paddenswick Road,
London,
W6 0UB

A few ideas to treat your mum…

- Stop @ Selfridge’s to personnalize a card or a cupcake on Friday…

- Let her choose a gift @ this craft festival…

- Wouldn’t a floral exhibition @ Hampton Court be a royal occasion?

- Or a Mrs Dalloway walk?

- Take her to Ham House – mums go free on Sunday!

A few alternative idea…

- Don’t miss St Patrick’s parade!

- Raining? Try a in-house picnic with Courvoisier…

- Collect pop-ups. The latest one is a Parisian shop taking a pause @ Liberty

- A touch of Hollywood, maybe?

- More photos @ Somerset House. Free. Including some Irving Penn (when you would have to pay to see some @ The National Portrait gallery)

You’ll find me @ this extraordinary steam fair which promises wonderful rides… Finger-crossing for sunshine! And also strolling at Selfridge’s (craving sushis) through their new Beatrix Potter exhibition.

The British are not particularly known for their cooking talents nor for their gourmet-attitude. They do however have nice traditions such as Sunday lunches down their local pubs…

Living in Farnborough – a very boring dorm-town – I haven’t really had a chance to enjoy a lovely roast dinner in a welcoming pub. We’re kind of lacking those around – let alone child friendly ones.

For that kind of situations, I know no better solution than blogger friends. Mindlegap certainly has quite a few addresses in stock!

We meet at the Black Swan, amidst the countryside. Lovely wooden notes, showing timbers, naturel light, lots of space between the tables, a few antiques here and there to give a nostalgic touch such as this wonderful old style cash-register. Modern and pure lines you expect to find in a gastropub bu a home feeling. As soon as you step in, a welcoming chimney, comfy armchairs in case your table is not ready yet and a pile of board games.

The place has an extraodinary feel good effect. Families do know the place – plenty of children and babies around. We’ll stay 3 hours and a half, chatting the afternoon away with not even a frown from the staff, our kids happily playing around the table.

The menu has a lovely range of British classics -  huge plates for the sunday roast (the lamb is fab), but also excellent fishcakes, wonderful mashes potatoes with spring onions…. and so much to try! Mindlegap strongly recommends the cheese platter. The bread and butter pudding is to die for -  although you could easily share it, I struggled to finish my very large portion! Oh and do steal a spoonful of chocolate-hazelnut icecream from the kids…

Plenty of tables outside for the sun days to come. A few countryside paths around too and a forest a few minutes drive away for a walk.

The place is so pleasant that time just flies. I can picture myself there every Sunday… But do book, as it is quite successful!

The Black Swan
Old Lane
Ockham
Surrey
KT11 1NG

What an amazing art installation in the Saatchi basement.

I had read the presentation, knew what to expect -  but still your mind tricks you. You step closer and you brain is so confused for a second. How to limit the ceiling, ground, walls? How deep is the place? You’ll find yourself trying to analyse sunshine rays…

Only in a second time will you get back to reality -  a smell tickling your nose.

Yep, this room is filled with a sump oil sea. Not a line on the surface, not a movement – you even have a crazy thought that it looks like one could walk on it. The camera will be the best traitor here.

It will keep you mesmerized for a good ten minutes. Another kind of art sulpture!

Richard Wilson 20:50 installation
Saatchi Gallery
Chelsea
London, SW3 4SQ
Metro: Sloane square

Free! Until May 07, 2010

There’s spring in the air, get your snickers ready!

- Go and enjoy the East London Festival – so rich in music festivities, world culture, architecture, guided tours…

- Play with words @ the London Word Festival

- Add a splash of colour with this Hindu festival

- take the kids to a different week-end @ Barbican – poetry, Indian lanterns, bollywood dances…

- Since you’re @ Barbican, try a little alternative music. Yep, those are real birds. And it’s free!

- Fancy a little Alice in your week-end? Here a Mad Hatter Ball, here a little bit more about Lewis Caroll’s talents, and there a colourful tea-time…

- Oh, don’t forget, it’s National Pie Week! A few tips here and there…

I’m planning an easy week-end – cinema! Spoilt with both the new Tim Burton and Banksy’s first film, Exit through the gift shop. Which by the way plays @ Barbican, in case you feel like a whole day there. Oh, and maybe I’ll go and try those Asian sweets too…

Selfridge’s surfs on the new Tim Burton’s marketing wave and redesigns its wonder room.. or its wonder boutique, really.

Not very big, but a cute range of Alice themed items (if you cannot go to London, try the online Alice shop) as well as a yummy mad hatter tea party range of jewellry. You’ll find anything there from T shirts to crochetted cakes… Swarovsky also launched a new range of charme like jewels for the release.

My favourite items remain these crazy glass covers – really what I would expect in Wonderland:

Gaze at the extraordinary hats created by Colleen Atwood – you already know her work through Sleepy Hollow, Edward Scissorhands, Chicago…:

Will you resist Tom Binn’s necklaces?

Don’t forget the exterior window shops -  Johnny Depp’s Mad Hatter’s costume and crazy tables…

Another Alice pop-up to try…

Alice fan? Why not plan a day @ Antony in Cornwall? The gardens were used for Tim Burton’s movie!

Wonder room – Alice Pop-Up
Selfridge’s
400 Oxford St
London W1A 1AB

Until March 21, 2010

Sherlock Holmes only exists in Conan Doyle’s extraordinary world.

Such a bad idea – such a roar from the public claiming their hero back! The more he resisted, the more letters came through the door. He had not choice but bring the detective back to life, a total of 56 stories.

This success remains unchanged today – just look at the number of visitors at his supposed address where a small museum has been created! Nothing historical here but a nice atmospheric stop. Lovely time travel and ideal with kids.

Gosh, the houses were small in that street. But it’s enough and makes it even cuter somehow. The first floor probably is the best – you really can picture the two friends chatting the night away. You almost expect to see Sherlock’s pipe smoking in a corner. Watson usually is here, welcoming you and proposing a picture in the detective’s chair. Complete with the hat, of course. Alternatively, pose with the bobby outside who keeps a cape and a few hats at hand for souvenir photos too….

Oh, and do get a few quaint souvenirs from the shop. You’ll find everything from Teddy bears to pipes and matches in there.

Sherlock Holmes Museum
221b Baker St
London
NW1 6XE

£6/adult, £4/enfant

Equipped with fun accessories? Why not go and pose in profile in the tube station?