On Friday morning, after gasping at the price of rail tickets and underground tickets (& giving up trying to work out cheap deals) we arrive in Lonodn. We go first via a walk along by the Thames to The Tate Modern and admire their crack (http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/exhibitions/dorissalcedo/default.shtm). We decide on an early lunch in the museum Café 2 where we, from indoors, smugly watch everyone walking around outside getting sodden. They have amazingly tall metal vases topped off with Singapore orchids on the bar, which look very classy. We have fried broad beans and bread with olive oil as snackrell-type starters and I opt for a quiche while Steve opts for a mezze plate for mains.
Then to our Radisson hotel near the BM. This strikes me as disappointing; I know it’s London but why can’t it be a larger, nicer room for all those points? And the lift is so slow, too, and the breakfast not included but £16 each extra.
Amazingly, Steve has spotted a Jessops nearby and we end up in there and he gets a discount off a Tamron 18-250 lens and is exceedingly smug and announces he can sell two of his existing ones.
We visit the close-by British Museum and admire the wonderful hall, which always impresses. We have cake & tea and watch the visitors. But we are here To See Things not just Eat Things, so we visit the Lewis chessmen (having seen the Edinburgh based ones we feel we should complete the set) and I end up drooling over the jewellery. However, one piece of pure Victoriana is so frightful it makes me squeak out loud – a necklace made of the mounted heads of humming birds.
In the evening we finally see “The Mousetrap” in an absolutely minute theatre with many empty seats near us (which was just as well cos I swapped at the interval so I could see the whole of the stage). Very mannered and of its times and I guessed The Murderer, but an experience.
For some reason, as we walk back, Steve wants more food so we eat in an Italian place (although The Ivy was opposite!) and both decided we cook better than that at home, but the staff are more pleasant.
Saturday afternoon thought it about time to use NT cards, but where to go? Chose Greys Court in Oxfordshire; slight en route diversion due to someone shifting signage around (seems to happen a lot lately).
On arrival were told it was unusual for the house to be open on a Saturday (later surreptitious inspection of guide book showed this to be true, but R opted for convenient silence on subject). Decided to view house, ice-house, grounds, tower & tea shop followed by donkey & horse wheels in that order. House a picture of Tudor elegance from the outside. Only part of ground floor is viewable. Some amazing plasterwork ceilings greet you from the hall onwards. R worried over cracks in one room, but outside inspection didn’t show them (and R always worried over cracks in houses). Delightful rooms which speak of it still being a well-loved lived in house, (although the tv seemed a tad too casual). The kitchen was interesting – a strange mixture of Tudor panels, huge Aga in correspondingly huge inglenook and modern units, but a lovely tiny wall-mounted bee-hive ornamented bookshelf with an Elizabeth David amongst the cookbooks.
Ice-house was thatched and hence unlike any other we’d seen. Nearby (R thought) were signs of v old fortifications (wonder if the house guide book mentions them?). Gardens good, especially the wisteria walled garden where the plant forms the roof. Good views from the tower and we were told May was a good time to re-visit and look down on the wisteria and bluebells. Must make a Google calendar note and also note to bring camera next time. Donkey wheel a bit sad thinking of the poor animals bringing up the water from the well. S thought it over engineered. Still looked as though it could be used today.
Had a quick trip to Edinburgh for the day to do some presales work, selling my body. Slight detour on the way to Luton, found Dunstable was closed with some gas pipeline work, so had to detour almost back to the zoo. Weather was bad both in Luton and Edinburgh.
Had some time to spare, so visited the bank and said hello to the iBuy team, and picked up a few items I had left in my desk. Had a successful meeting with the insurance company and then flew back home.
The National Art Theatre in Princes Street is doing an Andy Warhol Exhibition and had decorated the facade in suitable style.
Friday night saw The Square Pants team (Selina’s idea of a name; R&S had no clue why that name, while Graham objected, but was overruled) try their luck at the Quaintwood Players Murder Mystery Night. Held in Grendon Underwood’s village hall, we were entertained with a half hour play about, coincidentally, an amateur dramatic group.
Beforehand we had sat down at tables & chairs and realized this was serious; a list of suspects and whodunnit solution piece of paper lay waiting for us to ponder & complete. During the break, another clue was given to us as we ate of fish & chips and we discussed the intricacies of the plot and alternatively dismissed and accused every suspect. The cast came amongst us and answered questions. The finale was for the cast to sit on the stage while each table asked them clever questions. Should we ask red herring type ones? Smart-arse Selina pointed out we could do that only if we had a theory, which plunged us into temporary gloom. But suddenly we realized who it was! It was blindingly obvious! Why had we not noticed before? We looked around triumphantly.
We sat there smugly as the murderer(s) revealed themselves…..but, wait, hang on, the cast had got it wrong and had the wrong person(s) and the wrong motives!
Rosemary wanted to go to see Kettles Yard so off we go on Saturday morning to the Cambridge Park & Ride (no charge for parking, unlike Oxford, but what do you expect from a superior university town?). Arrived to discover gallery closed to set up for a new exhibition, but house itself open from 14:00.
What else could we do to pass the time other than have lunch? Cafe Rouge beckoned us and we shared a starter of miniature French bread batons and dips. Steve had moules (complete with requisite finger sucking) to follow and Rosemary had something she much enjoyed but can’t now remember (must be her age). Wait, she’s remembered - chicken breast stuffed with brie and wrapped with ham.
Back to Kettles Yard for its opening. What a lovely place it is, see http://www.kettlesyard.co.uk/ It was founded by H.S. ‘Jim’ Ede as a place where visitors would ‘find a home and a welcome, a refuge of peace and order, of the visual arts and of music.’ It now belongs to Cambridge University. We were told on entry that we could sit in any of the chairs and look at the books, but not put them away and instead leave them out ready for shelving by one of the staff. Pictures were everywhere and so were some very comfy chairs, both upholstered and wooden versions, and some brilliant tablescapes. Natural objects interspersed the sculptures on tables, shelves, furniture and the wooden or brick floors - including shells and pebbles, some in complex arrangements. Amazingly, not a speck of dust to be found. R wrote to compliment them and was told “Like any good employer, we encourage the dust to spend weekends at home.” R says she knows whose home it went to and she didn’t invite it. We also encountered Janine the daughter of an ex-Walkerite who is now helping there. Small world.
