Our London break got off to a slightly sticky start thanks to train problems which meant we arrived later than expected. We dropped our initial plans in favour of wandering over to Waterstones Piccadilly for a browse then H suggested a visit to the National Gallery to look at the floor. You might think that odd, but he’d heard a podcast about Boris Anrep‘s marble mosaics in the gallery’s portico illustrating The Labours of Life and The Pleasures of Life which range from Defiance, featuring Churchill, to Wonder, my favourite, in which Alice appears. Well worth popping in if you’re in the area.
Wednesday morning was so beautiful that we decided to walk through the parks from Fleet Street, where we were staying, over to the Design Museum on Kensington High Street. Lots of people out and about including the Horse Guards making their way to the changing of the guard at 11 am in their red cloaks. No sighting of the pelicans in St James’s but parakeets were everywhere, making their squeaky toy noises. We spent an hour or so at the Wes Anderson archives exhibition, marvelling at both his imagination and his
meticulousness, before wandering around the museum’s permanent collection. A thoroughly enjoyable day, rounded off nicely by supper with friends.
We made our way through the drizzle to the new V & A East Storehouse on Thursday. It’s in Stratford, one of those areas which is doing very nicely thanks to the Elizabeth line with lots of apartments and office space being built. We trudged through the huge Westfield shopping centre whose main virtue is that it’s undercover, arriving in time for coffee at the excellent e5 Storehouse cafe which also fed us lunch and tea.
The contents of the museum range across three floors made up of often random displays of artifacts usually stored away from the public eye. You can use
your phone to find out about the objects or if you’re fretful about your battery there are a few hardcopy catalogues. One of the highlights is the David Bowie archive which includes his stage outfits, sketches, future project plans and a selection of other memorabilia. Hard to believe it’s a decade since his death: a sad loss. A great idea for a museum which reminded me of last year’s visit to the Rietberg in Zurich. Mindful of Storm Goretti, we headed back to the hotel earlier that we might have liked, hunkering down for the rest of the afternoon and evening.
Goretti was very kind to us, blowing through overnight and leaving us with a damp Friday morning to fill before heading home. We spent it at the Courtauld, a collection I always enjoy. Manet’s barmaid at the Folies-Bergère is a popular attraction reminding me of Eve, narrator of Chloë Ashby’s enjoyable debut, Wet Paint, who spends many hours in front of it. A favourite for both H and I is Renoir’s Spring which vividly summons up a time when it doesn’t take five minutes to wrap yourself up to face the weather.
Such an enjoyable break. My only regret was not taking a shot of the poster urging us all to look out for anyone in need of help signed off by the mayor, otherwise known as the devil incarnate by far-right social media who seem to think he presides over a hellhole.
And the book? I kept wanting to like Vinson Cunningham’s Great Expectations about a young man working on the election campaign for America’s first black president as Cunningham had done himself, but the style felt too detached and wordy for me. I’m much too far in not to finish it but I’ve been in no rush to pick it up again.
I went to the Courtauld for the first time this summer- it’s a quirky place, with some lovely pictures, and the house is splendid. A helpful attendant told us the fascinating story behind one of the Dutch interior paintings. I must look out for that floor in the NG on my next visit.
It’s been beautifully restored, hasn’t it. The mosaics are in the National’s portico. I must have walked over them many times! Look out for Greta Garbo in the larger one when you do visit.
I read your post with great interest, as I’m to make a much-anticipated trip to London myself this week. Like Ashby’s protagonist, I really love Manet’s Barmaid and look forward to seeing her again. Thanks to your post, I’ll also check out the mosaic floor in the National Gallery, but only after I’ve looked at some of my fav paintings!
I’m sure you’ll have a great time in London, although you may be spoilt for choice, and I’m delighted to have pointed you at the National’s floor. In case you’ve not noticed, the link in my blog takes you to their page devoted to it. Have fun!
An excellent trip! I read Cunningham’s Great Expectations last summer and felt underwhelmed by it, too – at the time I wondered whether it would have been better off in a different format, like creative nonfiction or a series of essays. Cunningham also worked on Obama’s first campaign, and as a White House staffer, so I assume a lot of the material is based in fact.
Definitely a winter refresher! I think you’re right about the Cunningham. He could hardly use Obama’s name in a novel but he was so obviously drawing on his own experience it would have been better to use another form.
What great experiences! Thank your for posting this. Nice to hear some place is getting more housing. It is badly needed here, too. Also good to hear that London isn’t really a war zone. Our world is so cracked!
You’re welcome! Housing is a big problem, nationally, for us too. Those social media posts infuriate me which, of course, is what they’re designed to do. I’m as happy to walk around London on my own as I am in my home town.
My cousin’s daughter lives in Minneapois and I live near Cincinnati–the ICE activity, predictably, is in neighborhoods very different from the ones we live in. Infuriated that that man can’t just allow a bipartisan re-write of the immigration laws, but the whole city is painted as a war zone when it isn’t.
100%% unAmerican and illegal what is being done today. Scary times.
lmmhearne
It’s been quite a few years since I visited London. Your trip has whetted my appetite for a revisit. All of the exhibitions you visited would be in my list of places to go. Especially the Bowie exhibition, my hero. And we share the same birthday in January.
These breaks have become an annual event for us. A great way to break up winter. I’m sure you’d love the Bowie archive. He was still working on several ideas when he died, despite his illness. A brilliant talent!
You always pack so much into your little city breaks. I don’t think I have your stamina for all those galleries/museums sadly but I would like to go to the Courtauld. It’s been on my “to do” list for a very long time.
Despite that, I always leave sorry I missed something! The Courtauld is well worth a visit. Always an interesting exhibition and the permanent collection is fabulous.
Sounds like a fab little break, I really want to see the Bowie archive. It’s a shame your book isn’t quite what you’d hoped, it sounds like an interesting one.
Ah, good old London! I love my new life in Berlin, but I can’t help missing London too… I haven’t seen the David Bowie stuff at the V&A storehouse, so that’s something to bear in mind next time I go there.
You’re a better woman than me. I’d been looking forward to Vinson Cunningham’s Great Expectations, but rather quickly … abandoned it. I’ve yet to make it to the Storehouse. Next time!
I would have, too, but, foolishly, it was all I had, although I could have let myself off the leash in Waterstones Piccadilly! You’re in for a treat with the Storehouse.
I always enjoy your holiday posts 🙂
As it happens, I have just booked my flights to Austria for May and, inspired by you, we are flying into Zurich (original plan was Munich but your post in October about your trip had me rethinking, so thank you, it’s all worked out well).
Well, I enjoy yours, too, and I’ll look forward to your May holiday post! I know you’re as fond of food as I am so try to fit in a helping of Kaiserschmarnn while you’re in Austria.
seem to think he presides over a hellhole.
I went to the Courtauld for the first time this summer- it’s a quirky place, with some lovely pictures, and the house is splendid. A helpful attendant told us the fascinating story behind one of the Dutch interior paintings. I must look out for that floor in the NG on my next visit.
It’s been beautifully restored, hasn’t it. The mosaics are in the National’s portico. I must have walked over them many times! Look out for Greta Garbo in the larger one when you do visit.
Wes Anderson and David Bowie – wow! What a lovely time you had.
We did, indeed! The Wes Anderson is on until July and is well worth a visit if you’re a fan.
I read your post with great interest, as I’m to make a much-anticipated trip to London myself this week. Like Ashby’s protagonist, I really love Manet’s Barmaid and look forward to seeing her again. Thanks to your post, I’ll also check out the mosaic floor in the National Gallery, but only after I’ve looked at some of my fav paintings!
I’m sure you’ll have a great time in London, although you may be spoilt for choice, and I’m delighted to have pointed you at the National’s floor. In case you’ve not noticed, the link in my blog takes you to their page devoted to it. Have fun!
I do love the Design Museum and the new V&A Storehouse sounds really interesting!
I think the Storehouse is a brilliant idea, Cathy. All those bits and pieces we wouldn’t otherwise see.
I’ve put off going to the Bowie exhibit because I thought it would be really crowded, but I feel the time is coming!
You should definitely go! They’re careful about numbers, hence the advice to book in advance, so it doesn’t feel crowded.
An excellent trip! I read Cunningham’s Great Expectations last summer and felt underwhelmed by it, too – at the time I wondered whether it would have been better off in a different format, like creative nonfiction or a series of essays. Cunningham also worked on Obama’s first campaign, and as a White House staffer, so I assume a lot of the material is based in fact.
Definitely a winter refresher! I think you’re right about the Cunningham. He could hardly use Obama’s name in a novel but he was so obviously drawing on his own experience it would have been better to use another form.
I haven’t been to the V&A Storehouse yet and it does sound great, I’ll earmark it for this year, thanks!
You’re welcome! We were there for ages. Highly recommend the café for refueling.
What great experiences! Thank your for posting this. Nice to hear some place is getting more housing. It is badly needed here, too. Also good to hear that London isn’t really a war zone. Our world is so cracked!
You’re welcome! Housing is a big problem, nationally, for us too. Those social media posts infuriate me which, of course, is what they’re designed to do. I’m as happy to walk around London on my own as I am in my home town.
My cousin’s daughter lives in Minneapois and I live near Cincinnati–the ICE activity, predictably, is in neighborhoods very different from the ones we live in. Infuriated that that man can’t just allow a bipartisan re-write of the immigration laws, but the whole city is painted as a war zone when it isn’t.
I’m so sorry. That must be very tough. Sadly, immigration is an issue here but in a much more low key way
100%% unAmerican and illegal what is being done today. Scary times.
It’s been quite a few years since I visited London. Your trip has whetted my appetite for a revisit. All of the exhibitions you visited would be in my list of places to go. Especially the Bowie exhibition, my hero. And we share the same birthday in January.
These breaks have become an annual event for us. A great way to break up winter. I’m sure you’d love the Bowie archive. He was still working on several ideas when he died, despite his illness. A brilliant talent!
You always pack so much into your little city breaks. I don’t think I have your stamina for all those galleries/museums sadly but I would like to go to the Courtauld. It’s been on my “to do” list for a very long time.
Despite that, I always leave sorry I missed something! The Courtauld is well worth a visit. Always an interesting exhibition and the permanent collection is fabulous.
Oh, that’s a shame about the Cunningham as I love the pitch.
Me, too, but, as Elle suggested, it would have been better as a piece of creative non-fiction.
Sounds like a fab little break, I really want to see the Bowie archive. It’s a shame your book isn’t quite what you’d hoped, it sounds like an interesting one.
It was a brilliant winter refresher! We did so much the book was only a minor irritation.
Ah, good old London! I love my new life in Berlin, but I can’t help missing London too… I haven’t seen the David Bowie stuff at the V&A storehouse, so that’s something to bear in mind next time I go there.
I think you’d love the Bowie archive although it’s well worth booking ahead. We didn’t and were lucky but it was a dank, January day.
You’re a better woman than me. I’d been looking forward to Vinson Cunningham’s Great Expectations, but rather quickly … abandoned it. I’ve yet to make it to the Storehouse. Next time!
I would have, too, but, foolishly, it was all I had, although I could have let myself off the leash in Waterstones Piccadilly! You’re in for a treat with the Storehouse.
Excellent!
I always enjoy your holiday posts 🙂
As it happens, I have just booked my flights to Austria for May and, inspired by you, we are flying into Zurich (original plan was Munich but your post in October about your trip had me rethinking, so thank you, it’s all worked out well).
Well, I enjoy yours, too, and I’ll look forward to your May holiday post! I know you’re as fond of food as I am so try to fit in a helping of Kaiserschmarnn while you’re in Austria.