London: Tea Time in Wonderland

A cute and funny exhibition @ Selfridge’s – this one plays on tiny details and big artistic effects. a maze of discoveries, a splash of colour, a dash of crazyness and smiles…

Take your time. Each work is in two stages. First a general visual effect. A smile. You look closer and discover what it really is made of. Like these letters made of jelly, this wall out of paper flowers, this winged nest, in fact a hat…

An ideal pause between two intensive shopping sprees. Your lover or/and your kids will be very grateful!

Now. Shopping done. Cultural card played. Surely you deserve a macaron from Pierre Herme?

The Museum of small things
Selfridge’s
400 Oxford Street
London W1A 1A
Jusqu’au 07 mars 2010
Until March 07, 2010

Valentine’s week-end!

- How about a very poetic walk?

- To be followed by an excellent hot chocolate…

- Maybe a classical music concerts, candlelit?

- Alternatively, you can try the cinema screening on the National Theatre roof -  bring your blankets, champagne and picnic!

It’s also the Chinese New year – a roaring Tiger year! The official celebrations ave been postponed to next week – love marketing obliging – but you still can…

- Go to the National Portrait Gallery on Saturday. At noon, 14h00 and 16h00 there will be traditional dances, martial art and Chinese legends storytelling…

- or rush to the Museum of London Dockland Museum to taste some lovely tea, see a few screenings and enjoy the paper cutting workshops…

What about kids?

- Take them to the Wetland center to pet farm animals…

- or to the Horniman Museum for the Myths and Monster exhibition!

A few more options:

- Star Trek fans, be on the Millenium Bridge Saturday at 13.00 – preferably with your costume on!

- Pack some bargain at the market…

- Go and marvel at Judi Dench in a Midsummer’s night dream…

- Enjoy winter sports @ Trafalgar -  the Vancouver opening ceremony will be projected on a giant screen, vitual video games proposed and there will even be a giant ice sculpture of the olympic rings…

- Rediscover the fab Imperial Museum of War and enjoy their Ministry of food exhibition – extraordinary war posters like the famous Dig for Victory

- Stop at Lulu Guinness’ pop up shop in Carnaby street and be a fashion victim

Pssst! Don’t forget Shrove Tuesday next week -  head for the famous Spitafield pancake race!

Once upon time, London was a much smaller place. Each borough increased in size until meeting the city. Can you imagine Lambeth as a muddy countryside?

The simple life became a town one. In 1800 -  a million people were living in the capital. In 1850 – 2.3 millions, what a jump!

Faced with this ever increasing populations, the graveyards around little churches just cannot cope. Bodies are buried a metre from the ground, with basic decorum: ideal for body snatchers.

That explains why cemeteries often look, well, crowded… How do you get from one grave without stepping on another one?

In 1832, the government finally decides to move and settles for a ring of cemeteries around London, also known as the Magnificent Seven: Kensal Green, West Norwood, Highgate (a real jewel, I hear), Nunhead, Brompton, Abney Park, Tower Hamlets will open between 1837 and 1841.

Some see is as a real opportunity. A protected, kept, green place: middle class decide to bury their beloved in style and show the social status of their family through elaborate graves. Marble, sculptures…

These days, it is not so much used as a cemetery than a lovely place for a walk. Large alleys sheletered by trees. In spring, bluebells and daffodils.In fact, you’ll be suprised to meet quite a few football fans: the Chelsea stadium is right behind. Do visit the place on amatch day. The atmosphere is surreal! One minute, you’re enjoying the quietness, listeming to a robin chirp happily. The next, a goal has been marked and you hear the loud clamour of the stadium as if you were in it. quite a new dimension!

Another amazing detail -  Beatrix Potter used to live nearby and loved strolling around. She actually used names on the graves for her book characters: you’ll find here a Mr Nutkins, a Mr McGregor, a Jeremiah Fisher, and even… a Peter Rabbett. It is even said that the enclose wall inspired her for the one in McGregor’s garden.

Of course, you’ll find plenty of crosses around, some celtic, other greeks. Angels too…

And many symbols the Victorians loved.

A few:
A rosebud wuld be for a child – half opened for a teenager – fully bloomed, someone in their twenties. Several and you can calculate their age.
Urns usually meant an ossuary, garlands redemption.
Dog symbolised loyalty.
A wreath, eternal memory. Laurel was kept for the elitehaving received a distinction in arts, litterature…

Birds symbolised the winged spirit, flying to heaven. A dove with an olive branch would mean hope.

See those three intricate letters, almost a symbol: IHS? Those were for Jesis Our Saviour in Greek. So much smarter to add little touches of your faith in mysterious ways…
My favourite are those hands. Look closely @ the first picture. A handshake is easy -  a goodbye. But the sleeves are different, you see? A frilly one would be a woman’s, buttons a man’s – obviously a couple. The person who died first clasps the living’s hand, which remained open. Here, the gentlemane died first. A finger gesturing downward mean a sudden death.

There also are plenty of marine symbols. My first thought was a seaman… But look at the last one – poor little Rose, 18 months… An anchor with a cut chained meant the interrupted life too.

Many graves look completely abandonned. There has been talks of cleaning them. Quite a polemic as they shelter a fascinating collection of insects and birds. Migrating ones love to stop here too. Even families of foxes live in the catacombs!

Oh, and you rarely will be on your own. The squirrels are used to visitors and will quickly make their way to you (or any food you might have)….

Brompton Cemetery

The friends of Brompton Cemetery propose a guided tour every second and fourth Sunday of the month – only £4!
Finborough Road
London, SW10

Love fair!

- Gasp in amazement at the Wildlife photographs @ the Natural History Museum. This takes place every year and is a real marvel.

- Learn about forgery in art @ the V&A…

- Get to know the designer stars of the future…

- Into kinetic and robotic? The Kinetica art fair is for you….

- Don’t forget Valentine’s day is coming up! Find a vintage treasure @ this jumble and pearl sale or at this glassblown objects sale… Even more finds at this love fair!

- Or arrange to tour London in a mini-Cooper!

- Fancy a walk and some fresh air? Why not discover the Jewish quarters? Or an Indian food walk?

- Enjoy a day @ Kew Gardens -  as lovely in winter as in summer – and get some exotism in the conservatory presenting collections of colourful orchids and tropical flowers…

- Have teenagers dreaming of making movies? Take them to the BFI Future Film Festival!

- Have a look at the possible sculptures for the Spittafield Market and vote for your favourite…

- Try a restaurant with a difference – dinner and circus show!

You’ll find me wandering through the Russian festival, having a lovely Chelsea Chai @ Yumchaa and enjoying French electro music with Anne B’s concert (thanks to Le Petit Journal). How about you?

Oh, and if you have the time, go and check out this giant ice cube in front of the Tate next week. 3 days only!

It may be particularly central, but I tend to avoid charing Cross Tube station. It seems more greyish, more depressing than any of the others… Although I read cineast do prefer it when they need a “modern” station in the background!

I took a different entrance than I usually do and suddenly found this black and white mural. Quite a long one – a hundred meters, inspired by medieval design.

This scene was drawn by David Gentleman to commemorate Eleanor de Castille’s (Edward I’s wife) funeral trip.

What interest? Wait – it’s quite an atypic last journey…

Edward I had business to do in Nottinghamshire. His spouse followed, though at a slower rater as she was feverish. She will not reach th final destination, dying a little before Lincoln. The King arrives in time to listen to her death wishes. He’s heartbroken – 36 years of marriage – she was only 13 when they wedded – 16 children and one of the happiest royal marriages in the British History…

The Queen wanted to lay in Westminster Abbey. 145 miles from there – we are in 1290 and the roads are not so good. She is therefor embalmed for the journey. That implies evisceration… her organs will be buried in Lincoln’s cathedral (and are still there to this day).

The trip back will take 12 days. Inspired by the French King Louis IX’s funeral procession (the only French king to have been cannonised, by the way), he decides to have a cross put up each time they stop for the night – a symbol of his grief and a hope that traveller’s will pray for Eleanor’s soul. Time is short, it will first be a wooden cross, replaced in the following years by sculpted stone ones. All of them must follow three steps: the lower base must show the late queen’s coats of arms, the middle level have statues of Eleanor then finish by a column topped by a cross.

Out of them all (Lincoln, Grantham, Stamford, Geddington, Northampton, Stony Stratford, Woburn, Dunstable, St Albans, Waltham, Westcheap, Charing), only three survived. Note that the last one was in Charing… which name transformed in time in Charing Cross… Unfortunately, it was destroyed during the Civil War, and replaced by an equastrian statue of Charles I (considered as the true center of London). A more intricate copy was built during the Victorian times, just in front of the actual Charing Cross railway station, a street from there.

Following her wishes, her body rests in Westminster Abbey… and her heart in the Blackfriars priory.

And you thought it was just a silly mural, eh?

As a child, you got hooked on sherlock Holmes stories.

What was your magic potion? The books? The TV series, the movies? Mine was a manga on which worked the famour Miyazaki – every character was a dog. There was supense, emotions, laughs. I even recently bought the whole box of DVDs and even years after, it still hasn’t lost its charm and power.

The latest American blockbuster with Robert Downey Jr  and Jude Law as a team is sure to put Baker St back on track. No fan will come to London without stopping at the famous Sherlock Holmes museum, or resist putting on the famous hat and investigate the souvenir shop…

But don’t forget to search the Baker Street station too -  Holmes might have left you a few clues…

Who knows? You might even meet his statue on your way out…

Or if you’re more of a 70ies nostalgic, head for the Beatles shop nearby!

My daughter fell in love with puppets @ the Punch and Judy festival last year. She could have stayed the whole day @ Covent Garden, mesmerized.

It seemed a great idea on an icy Sunday to try the Puppet Barge in Little Venice.

From the outside, you would not guess much. Yellow and red stripes on a narrowboat. For any kid, this is already on an adventure, a show on a boat, mummy!

The inside is more spacious than I expected and can welcome up to 50 guests. It is nice and warm, the benches are pretty comfy and the kids wait happily, fascinated by the exotic collection of puppets on the walls, looking at all the details. They rarely get to see such fine ones up close and those really call for legends and dreams…

Around us, parents and grandparents, babies, toddlers,kids up to 10-11 years old. Babies? For a one hour show? Mmmh…

I do remember Punch and Judy kind of show from childhood. The smell of summer and grass, hasty colourful tents, red and white stripes, characters chasing each other, laughs, easy humour, excited kids.

This is more magical. More of a story told in a soothing voice, with a musical background. It definitely used theatrical staging too – splendid landscapes and gorgeous skies! A real atmosphere, refined puppets, an incredible number of threads to be mastered. Imagine the mobile trunk of the elephant! Many details too -  the jumping ant and dancing frogs… Most often only 2 puppets on the stage at a time so you can concentrate on what’s going on.

The kids are suprisingly quiet. They do whisper questions but in low voices. We barely heard the babies at all. The soft music has relaxed us all, time is suspended, the children are fascinated, eager to know more, the adults are simply charmed.

Don’t worry about the length of the show -  a break is proposed half way through. Almost disappointing but welcome for the kids who need to move a around, have a chat, a bite to eat. A tiny, tiny cafe (2 meter square at most) provides drinks and a few cakes.

An experience that sprinkles a little magic on your day and takes you years back. You’d almost come here on you own…

The puppet barge
Little Venice W9 2PF

£10/adult, £8.50/child

First – get yourself in the mood with the V&A Renaissance ball on Friday night…

- Try one of Babylone’s Friday night concerts – the restaurant is famous for its roof gardens (if you go there by daylight, look out for the pink flamingos who live there. Yep, real ones. )

- More of a dancing queen? Go to the Abbaworld exhibition! Or @ Proud Camden for spendid pics of rock’n'roll animals, Elvis or Blondie.

Or make it an arty week-end:

- Use your imagination at Visible Invisible…

- Marvel @ ingeniosity @ 1001 inventions….

- Add a pinch of exotism…

- and a little rainbow at the Tate…

Nostalgic? try the photo exhibition @ Kenwood house instead, on lost London. Or dream of other lands with these projections of the Arctic on the Hayward Gallery external walls…

You can also participate to this strange project to recycle works of art…

Much prefer a quiet week-end with the kids? Try the free workshop sessions @ the Somerset house or take them for a bit of Dr Seuss rhyming! Even better? Go and find some dinosaurs…

You’ll find me @ the Saacthi for their new Indian exhibition (and possibly getting some cornbread mix from the nearby Partridges and there’s a Saturday morning market there too) and at Jen’s cafe for a bubble tea.

What about your best plans for the week-end?

As a teenager, I hated museum. You had to pay for the ticket, walk through white cold corridors covered with works of arts and tiny lables, spend a reasonable time given the price the had paid and felt you had to lear something in the process. Boring! I compensated with exhibitions for which I could at least choose a theme I liked.

England changed all this for me. In London, the main big museums are free. I started by going there before meeting friends if I was too early, strolling through them happily. Take the pressure off and it is immediately more enjoyable. You spend a few minutes there or a few hours. Great for kids too as they are welcomed and encouraged -  games, art trolleys, even workshop. And of course, if your toddlers decides it’s not a museum day, no guilt in leaving the place after 10mn only. My daughter learnt to walk in the large corridors of the V&A museum: she was delighted with so much space, we caught a glimpse of culture on the way.

One of my favourite treasures is in the entrance of the National Gallery. Look down, it is at your feet!

Mosaics, yes, from the Russian artist Boris Anrep. Too classical? Look again…

Anrep was lucky to lay down four works along the stairs:

- Labours of life in 1928, reminding us of the constructive and creative nature of man, he said. Engineering, exporing (look for the zebra), farming (in which a pig is being washed), studying (meet the Natural History Museum diploocus!)…

- Pleasures of life in 1929, among which football, cricket, hunting, girls on motorbike, dancing charleston, a Xmas pudding and a mud pie…

- The awakening of the muses in 1933 – the artist used his friends as models. Being part of the fanous Bloomsbury Group, he used Virginia Woolf as the History Muse and Greta Garbo for Melpomene…

- Modern Virtues in 1952 or the intellectual life of 1930ies and 4oies. Again, you’ll find famous people of the time depicted there. Such as Winston Churchill defying a Svastica shaped monster…

You’ll find new details at each visit. Ideal with kids too -  give them a list of objects and actions to find for a few minutes of peace!

And why not learn more about the buildings arounf Trafalgar Square (here and there) and discover this strange tower-lampost…

The National Gallery
Trafalgar Square
London WC2N 5DN
Free

Whenever my stomach start grumbling, I inevitably go back to Wardour St. Such a choice in that street! Will it be… Yauatcha‘s dimsums? Flavoured rice @ Busaba Eathai? Finger-licking humus @ Hummus Bros? Cupcakes @ Hummingbird‘s newest branch?

…or will I just rush to Princu’s, a fabulous Milanese bakery?

You will, like most passers-by, stop in your tracks and look through the windo at the bakers at work, or loaded with brownies, pannatones…

Just jump in! The choice there is incredible… Entire trays of fruit tarts, delicious cheesecake, olive foccacias, huge portions of Italian salads, scrumptious ricotta and spinach rolls… For a fairt price too. You can have lunch there for less than £10 and without the usual restaurant 12.5% service charge.

So delicious, you’ll just have to come back the following day to try some more.

Don’t forget to take some of their fragrant bread home with you (made with organic flour)!

Princi
135 Wardour St
Soho
London
W!F 0UF