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.