Posts Tagged ‘Southbank’
Post-it for the week-end Nov 19-21, 2010
With Xmas lights being switched on one by one, the festive mood is back in my heart as well. I am looking forward to go present-hunting, or gift-wrapping, or card-writing. So, my friends, there is no time to lose, off we go!
- A Swiss chalet in London? Mais oui! With cheese fondue on the menu, of course…
- On Thursday, head for Bond st to party: Xmas lights of course, ainmations, carols, real reindeers and… snow!
- Don’t stop there, continue your evening on Carnaby st: 20% off your shopping and even a free glass of perry @ the pop-up bar.
- Thursday definitely is a fab day: Tatty Devine’s Covent Garden shop turns one. Free drinks, fun in store and 15% off the collection…
- Sweet nostalgia with those vintage pics of 1950ies-1970ies…
- Winter Wonderland’s back! (A few pics from last year)
- Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot fans, rejoyce: the BFI has organised an Agatha Christie week-end. You can even step into an Orient-Express wagon to discover the 1920 setting…
- Skate with a view close to the London Eye…
-Fancy an Indian breakfast?
-Where will the Secret Cinema be this time?
-Even forests are enchanted at this time of the year…
- Fed up with the usual Xmas markets, all the same? Try this one - a Finland special!
- Come and listen to Jude Law and Quentin Blake - yes, for real!
- Have a cool time with Haagen dazs’ winter menu…
- Are you brave? I mean real brave? The try this scorpion and tarentula cocktail…
- Or settle for a very atmospheric American bar…
- So chic! Hermes pops up in Shoreditch…
- See a movie in high style - on the roofs with homemade hot chocolate, mince pies and access to the heated pool…
How will you celebrate the week-end?
Post-it for the week-end Nov 05-07, 2010
Hi everyone! Temperatures will be dropping over the week-end (15 today to… 08 on Sunday, brrrr). Only one solution: move, visit, rush from one fun place to another!
- Start your Xmas shopping (Think it is too early? Harrods holds their Xmas parade on Saturday and Regent st lights will be switched on next Tuesday!): the Spirit of Xmas fair is a real treasure chest.
- Or shop vintage @ Lily Allen’s shop or @ the Vintage Fair.
- Learn more about fashion through drawings…
- How good are you @ hula-hooping?
- Was Titanic your favourite movie? Lucky you: an exhibition opens @ the O2 on Friday depicting life on board of the famour ship.
- Have a look at the Egyptian death exhibition @ the British Museum - the illustrations of the Book of the dead are just amazing.
- Add a pinch of Dali…
- It’s bonfire season, time for fireworks! Why not those @ the London Museum?
- Wake up early on Sunday to see this rally – cars pre-XXth century! Too tired? They will be on display on Regent St on Saturday, with the drivers wearing period costumes…
- Discover or re-discover Rob Ryan’s paper lace…
- The Thames plays the contemporary card with artworks… on the water!
- Celebrate Diwali in a Hindu temple…
- A new concept: 3D graffitis…
- Put your skating shoes on @ the Natural History Museum…
- This tree will not lose its leaves…
- Even frozen yogurts put on their winter tops…
- It is time to hunt Innocent Drinks’ knitted hat. Will you find those?
- Don’t forget to hum London on the way… or to see London with a different eye with this bubbly tube map!
Any other tips in mind? Let us know!
Have a chocolate lunch @ Rabot Estate
I recently went to Chocolat Unwrapped, the chocolat festival of the year. Each stall was more than happy to let you taste their creations (Oh, the joy of FREE Charbonnel truffles!) but the innovation side left me hungry for more.
I stepped out a little disappointed and was welcomed with a sudden rush of icy rain. If course, my umbrella had stayed home that day.
Thankfully, the Borough Market was just a sprint away. Hop, splash, hop, this place looks like a nice shelter. Little did I know I had stepped in chocolate heaven!
Rabot Estate does not ring a bell? If you are a chocaholic, you do know the name – this is Hotel Chocolat cacao plantation in St Lucia. The brand has chosen to widen their range with this café/shop to touch the heart (or the stomack) of Londoners.
Rustic notes for the decoration, on one side the Hotel Chocolat products, on the other the café, a few tables in between. We are far from the glossy side of the usual shops – the idea is to remind us of the natural side, a return to sources. Have a glimpse at the menu and your mouth already waters: everything is cacao-based! Chilli chocolate chicken with rocket… Salmon with chocolate creme fraiche… Duck confit salad with chocolate dressing and orange marmelade… Chicken salad with cheddar and white chocolate dressing… Before making a face, forget profiteroles and their oversugared sauce. Focus on real cacao and its fruity, almost bittter aroma. Focus on taste!
I chose the goats cheese - honey- bitter cacao. They ran out of cheese but went to a local stall in the market to get some more - fresh products guaranteed. Ah, my friends, if you just knew how gorgeous that was, the different textures, the tastes mixing subtly, what an alliance! If you are more of a purist, try their crumpet with chocolate spread and hazelnuts or their banana, salted caramel and cacao in toasted brioche. They also do a real macchiato.
Rabit Estate also has a spice range that can only tease your culinary skills…
Still raining? Great news! Now, what haven’t I tried yet…?
Rabot Estate
2 Stoney Street
Borough Market
London
SE1 9AA
Count £3.75-4 for a toastie, £4.75 for a salad. The place is well known, do prefer a take-away!
Chocaholic? Have you tried Rococo‘s gorgeous treats yet?
Gauguin exhibition @ the Tate: beyond the myth
You probably do not know this but I have lived 5 years in Tahiti. Paul Gauguin is a familiar name to me - as a child, his work were as fabulous to me as any fairy book. He painted a paradise like Polynesia and I went through his book Noa-Noa in no time - sweet, reassuring, colourful. In Europe, he was more considered as a scandal maker. He died in the Marquisa islands - the furthest he could from westernised civilisation and colonialist influence.
But of his passions, of the rest of his life, I do not know much. The Tate has opened today a huge exhibition - more than a hundred pieces! This hasn’t happened in 50 years in the UK. Quite fascinating really. I love their way of presenting it too: themes rather than chronology. Much better if you want to compare the evolution of his techniques.
So what do you learn about the guy if you know zero about him?
Well, you get to know about his other skills. One of his hobbies since childhood was woodcarving and he was pretty good at it – you will see some examples along the show. He did sucessfully tried ceramics too. Amazingly, he sometimes included his pieces in his paintings.
Gauguin was ill at ease with this Parisian life, this modernism, the financial pressure. He escapes to the countryside and totally falls for Brittany. He will regularly go back to it as a kind of shelter from the world. He loves the landscapes, the folklore, the contrasts. He will travel a lot but the pivot will be Martinica. the rich colours will force him to simplify his lines. Tahiti came later and was first a disappointment. His quest was for a lost paradise: and so it was, lost to the European influence and colonialism. He looks past this though and reinvents it. He will sculpt his own pagan divinities and add them to his paintings. He develops great realtionships with the locals. To him, you can only underatand a place through the interaction between its people and the landscape.
The main axis of the exhibition is his storytelling: each painting can be seen as a legend. First comes the title, dancing words alluring you but still keeping a sense of mystery. Everything inspire him, whether litterary or artistic, from philosophy to the Bible. Although he is not religious himself, the sacred holds an important part in his work, whether liked to christianity or paganism. Look at the women for example: they never represent a specific person but all seem to have an aura - see them as a new version of Eve, of a madona - seren poses, radiant faces.
There also is a nice background of handwritten letters, sketches, documents of that era - you just are immersed in his universe. Bohemian? Father of 2? Banker? Martyr? Savage? Well. we’ll take it all!
Gauguin, Maker of myth
Tate Modern
Bankside
London SE1 9TG
£13.50/adult (there is a 2 for 1 offer here if you come by train)
Until Jan 16, 2011
Post-it for the week-end: Sept 17-19, 2010
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Gosh, is that autumn already? Where did I put my sweaters, scarves, boots? This is a weather to try and find the best hot chocolate around (Try William Curley’s at his desert bar, you will not regret it! The Artisan Chocolat @ Portobello is also worth a detour). Brrrrrr, my friends! Let’s go for a jogging around London to warm up…
- Treat yourself to an elegant summer lunch @ the Miller Harris tea room…
- Or just pretend you’re in the south of France…
- Inspired by Soane, a variety of artists (including Damien Hirst, Vivienne Westwood) have given a dedicated work of art. The Soane’s museum is a little gem anyway, go and see it!
- Open houses this week-end with a number of private and/or historical houses and buildings open to the public. It will be crowded for sure!
- The design festival is also on. Such a long list of exhibitions! I can’t wait to see the robotic arms wave @ Trafalgar Square… There will also be a giant magnetic coin on Southbank…
- Walk up extraordinary stairs…
- Be a geek. Visit the V&A with this podcast…
- You are going to love Finnish designers. There’s even a pop-up restaurant planned.
- Have a toast: a new beer for London!
- Sweet tooth? Try the Agatha Christie afternoon tea @ the Brown’s hotel… or rush to Harvey Nichols to try Claire Clark’s pastries: how mot to dream of her sesame opera or her rose-raspberry eclair?
- Revise your alphabet with Eine…
- Are you a street art fan? The Londonist will now propose a map per artist…
- Don’t forget horseman’s Sunday – it’s only once a year!
You’ll find me @ Covent garden’s fashion fete: vintage, retro, fashion and cupcakes! I also plan to add a few pigeons @ the V&A… and have dinner in an interactive restaurant. How about you?
Pssst: Westfield organised a fashion car boot sale next week …
Sign your name accross Tower Bridge
Have you ever noticed, while strolling through the city, a small lock on a fence, a bridge, with no reason at all?
The idea started in Hungary in the early 1980ies. Lovers would write their name, sometimes a date and leave them at an important place for them. Very often, this tended to be a fixed place in a town, leading to mountains of them. Bridges are a favourite: the key is then thrown in the water in a symbol of eternal love or left on the lock, waiting for the couple to come back to their cherished city. The tradition travels well: from Europe to China via Russia!
Paris is no exception. They were all taken down mysteriously from the pont des arts in May (fingers point towards the City Hall who do deny having interfered), but they are making a come back…
Amusing? Urban poetry? Romantic pollution? Opinions differ. Authorities do see them as yet another form of graffiti they will have to clean at some point.
London is less invaded but you will find more than a hundred on Tower Bridge grids while walking from the Scoop to the Tower (and sometimes on Embankment bridge, watch out!)
Tower Bridge
Tower Bridge Road
London, SE1 2UP
Post-it note for the week-end September 10-12, 2010
Rain, ray of sunshine, rainbow… Gosh, you’d think we’re in March with those showers! hang on to your unmbrella, get the K-ways out, and run between the drops…
- It’s the Thames festival again! Two days of festivities, I just love this one. The program is this way. Do not miss the splendid classic boats @ St Katharine Docks… The festival on the bridge (my favourite, very poetic and countryside-like)… Le festival sur le pont (ma partie preferee, tres poetique et gourmande)… The night carnival… And of course, it all ends in fireworks! (if you do not mind French, you can see pics of last year here… and there)
- Invite youself to Prince Charles’ Garden Party with a difference… (£15, though!). 100 displays are presented, underlining recycling, sustainability, upcylcing… I was there for the opening yesterday: pretty interesting, lovely gardens using recycled objects from daily life, a great moment to share with kids too…
- Are you a fashionista with a sweet tooth? Perfumes often have sweet, floral, fruity notes. Well, Harrods is dedicating an afternoon tea to those in parallel of the exhibition The perfume diaries.
- Are you going to the O2 with the Thames clipper? Have a better look at this sculpture…
- By the way, here is what you could do with 50,000 nails…
- Let the 21st century amaze you…
- Sing Elvis @ Hyde Park. Even Priscilla will be there!
- Yes, music and colours can dance together!
- A new idea: the silent cinema… I much prefer interactive theatre!
- Walk through Greenwich with this podcast…
- Watch an electric car parade…
- It has been 70 years since the Blitz so terribly marked England. Rediscover this slice of history through the exhibition @ the City Hall and the one @ the Transport museum…
- Take the kids to the V&A childhood museum – this exhibition about doll faces is just gorgeous.
Meet me in Shoreditch tomorrow night to discover this labyrinth under the streets of London!
Pssst: on Monday the 13th will take place a cinema-marathon: the whole Lost program, yep, all the episodes from start to finish, non-stop!
Southbank: the hidden trail
Southbank: the most classical stroll of the city. Ideal for visitors as it strolls by so many iconic places while offering fab photo opportunities and famous views. Adored by Londoners – no traffic, always something new to see, sprinkled with cafes, oubs, restaurants. From Westminster to the Scoop, atmospheres change with the neighbourhoods: so touristic close to the London Eye… Summer like @ Gabriel’s wharf… Historical around Clin Street… Gourmet @ the Borough market… Picturesque @ Tower Bridge…
You have traced this walk a hundred, a thousand times. You know it by heart.
Have you noticed those?
The first instinct is to ignore them. Surely they are merely for tourists and only cover basic landmarks. Yeah, places like the Tate. And of course, those are part of the trail. But the 40 anecdotes also focus on historical details of pubs, discreet facades or even places that have now disappeared but give a glimpse of another London. Do you know this beautiful rosace between the Clink prison and Francis Drake’s boat? They explain a mustard factory burnt at that place. In the remains was discoved this wall which used to be part of the Winchester palace, home to London’s bishops at one point.
If your mobile phone connects to the web, enjoy this hidden history while strolling by. if not, no worry, just connect to the website at home, click on the interactive map and read through it all!
Also to be discovered around Southbank:
- The Tate Modern’s visitors’ art gallery
- The old operating theatre
- Topolsky’s century
- Hopton Street’s cottage
- The Leake Street tunnel
Post-it note for the week-end September 03-05, 2010
Is September making you feel blue? Well, fight it, plan a heavy week-end out and pretend the holidays are still on!
- First, get yourself a free bacon roll today to get in the mood…
- Stop @ Soho square - Buxton has a pop up there and gives away bottles and water. You can even sit in a deckchair and relax…
- Don’t forget to do your food shopping @ the Real Food Market on Southbank…
- Looking for the perfect shoe? Have a look at Vivienne Westwood’s creations @ Selfridge’s…
- A new conception of theatre with Theatre Souk…
- Morris dancers invade London this week-end - head for Southbank for an amazing free gig!
- Fight death penalty @ St Martin-in-the-field…
- For a lighter note, cross the street and enjoy the Liberty festival on Trafalgar: music, workshops for kids and a circus show!
- You will feel like writing on the walls with the Nothing is forever exhibition…
- Forget Portobello market - there’s a whole film festival going on there with a pop up cinema until September 19th: classic movies and even premieres! Even better it is all free…
- Get your bike out of the garage - Sunday, the city’s heart is yours with the Skyride! The map’s right here.
- Look up and gaze at the stars @ Greenwich…
- The Globe has designed a Thames inspired menu…
You will find me in Jermyn street, turned into a garden party on Saturday… and at the Royal opera House, turning into a forest this week-end and there will be free muscical events (get your free ticket from the website!). What is your tip for the week-end?
Hopton’s street cottage
I remember a time where you could walk along the Thames, straight from the London Eye to Tower Bridge. These days, work on Blackfriar’s station force you to take a little detour along the way.
I usually turn on Hopton Street to get back to the river (and find my favourite pub with its cacao beer) – there is a lovely cottage there I love to have a glimpse of. It’s o very traditional in a background of modern buildings and constructions!
A cottage, did I say? Not really - it is more noble than that. Charles Hopton, a fishmonger, decided to buy the ground and have an almshouse built there. It was to welcome 26 poor local men. The houses would be very simple: a sitting room on the ground floor, a bedroom on the first floor. Each inhabitant would receive £6 and a chaldron of coal a year. They could marry but the charity would not give extra money for the children.
Those habitations still exist, hidden from view by the vegetation and so does the charity who welcomes people in difficulty to this day.
Hopton’s Charity
Hopton st
Southwark
London SE1 9JI
