Ships and giggles

One of the things I love about London, is the freedom to jump on the tube and hey presto! thirty minutes later, you are on the other side of town.  Last weekend, we were given a brief respite from the chilly weather, which, of course, I miscalculated from my bedroom window.  So, naturally, I bundled up in my new fleece-lined tights and a warm coat, and jumped on the tube...to Greenwich!

Famous Greenwich attraction, The Cutty Sark, built in 1869, suffered extensive damage after a fire in 2007, but re-opened earlier this year, following a huge restoration project.  We didn't visit the museum aboard this Scottish clipper ship, but we did take some photos of the impressive exterior...

This photo was taken in the reflection of the glass on the outside of the ship - our legs were not on fire, but rather you can see the copper sheathing on the under-water hull of the ship.

We also popped into a couple of vintage shops in the area, and took a look around Greenwich market.  The market itself did not really have anything of much interest to me, consisting mainly of handmade arts and crafts (snooooooze...), however we did find a stall selling mulled wine, and warm freshly squeezed apple juice with ginger.  Yummy!

Talking of yummy, we were invited to dinner at our friends' house this weekend, and they served Campari cocktails, which has reignited my love for this bitter-tasting apéritif.  I always used to love drinking Campari on European holidays, as it seems like the perfect drink to sip al fresco at, say, a cafe in Paris, whilst relaxing in the sunshine and people watching.  They also cooked us the most delicious meal - I just wish I had taken some photos, because as soon as I saw the food, my mouth began to drool!

I did, however, take some photos of the scrumptious brunch that I cooked - after all, what weekend is complete without a lie-in, followed by a late cooked brekkie?  I made a concoction of eggs, bacon, spinach, mushrooms, peppers, mozzarella...and of course, buttery toast. 

I also went one step further away from being an Incendiary Blonde last weekend, and have taken my hair colour darker than it was previously....

....more pictures of the final result next time!

I'm heading to Rye for the Rhythm Riot tomorrow, so expect a long post with lots of pictures upon my return!

Pictures and Poppies

As I mentioned in my last post, last weekend's excitement came in the form of our friends' wedding.  It was the third wedding I have been to this year (including my own!) and the second that loverboy and I have attended as a married couple!  Our friend Janet took this snap of us in Camden Town Hall after the ceremony and before the confetti throwing.  It was a chilly day, so we were nice and bundled up in cozy coats!

This weekend ended up being chilly too (surprise surprise!) so on Sunday, we wrapped up warm and headed out for a date-day full of galleries and yummy food.  London is the perfect city to go on a date, as there is so much to explore and so much of it is free!  We started out at Somerset House, where we checked out three exhibitions.

We started off by wandering through the cobbled passageways which are home to the Night Paintings by Paul Benney.  I love the way that these dark, intense paintings are displayed individually in creepy compartments.  I later found out that beneath these chambers are the gravestones of 17th century palace retainers - apt then, that this newly opened gallery, underneath Somerset House's main courtyard, is called the Deadhouse.

Next, we went to have a look at Tim Walker's Story Teller exhibition - this is the one I was most curious to see, and let me tell you, I wasn't disappointed!

British fashion photographer Tim Walker is known for his extravagant style, which incorporates elements of fairytale, romance, beauty, humour, fantasy and general bizare-ness.  The photographs as well as the exhibition rooms themselves contain all manner of life sized - if not over sized - props, creating an absolute feast for the eyes.  I just loved it.

Unfortunately, it was not permitted to take photographs inside the exhibition....and this rule was very strictly enforced!  So, alas, I couldn't take any photos, but here are a few that I found on the interwebs...

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I would highly recommend visiting this wonderful exhibition (running until the 27th January 2013) which takes you on a magical journey into a beautiful fantasy world - you will feel like Alice falling down the rabbit hole into Wonderland.

Our final viewing at Somerset House was the 10x10: Drawing The City London show, featuring artwork inspired by public spaces across London's West End.  All the pieces in the exhibition are being auctioned to raise money for Article 25 international development and disaster relief charity.

A friend of ours, Peter Ayres has his work featured in the exhibition, so as well as pointing at the various pieces saying 'Oh look, I know where that is!' we also got to point and say 'Oh look, the artist who drew that is our friend Peter!'

All this culture started to make me hungry, so we headed across the Waterloo bridge to the Real Food Market on the Southbank, and stopped by one of my favourite street food vendors, Horn Ok Please (or as loverboy calls it, 'Horny Corn').  We split a samosa chaat, which was super delicious, filling, and a bargainous £4.  This vegetarian snack consists of a samosa cut open and piled with chickpea curry, pomegranate seeds, onions, yogurt, mint, chutney and sev (crispy dried noodles).  If you haven't already - visit Horn Ok Please and try it!

We also picked up some cake and hot mulled cider - my first mulled beverage of the season!  The cake was yummers, and to coin a new phrase, 'a date's not a date, unless you split a slice of cake!' 
  

Our last stop before heading home, was the gallery@oxo, in the Oxo Tower Wharf, where we popped in to see The White Picture, a photographic exhibition about female soldiers serving in Afghanistan.

Taken by Alison Baskerville, the photos portray the work that the British Army's Female Engagement Officers carry out, as well as giving a glimpse into how they maintain a sense of normalcy and morale despite their surroundings.

The exhibition has been put on by The Royal British Legion, and coincides with the Poppy Appeal.  The Legion has been using poppies for fundraising since 1921 and is a symbol of remembrance for the service men and women who have lost their lives.

The First World War ended on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918, and every year a two minute silence is observed at this time.  As you can see from my photos, the hubs and I already have our poppies - make sure to get yours and ssshhhhhhh! at 11am this coming Sunday. 

Going to the chapel...

The hubs and I had a wedding to attend this weekend, so we woke up all excited on Saturday, got dolled up and headed out to see our lovely friends, Greg and Cleo get married!

We arrived a bit early, so popped into a pub around the corner, where the wallpaper just so happened to match my outfit...

It was super sweet and romantic to see two of our lovely friends tie the knot!  The ceremony was at Camden Town Hall, which has a beautiful white marble staircase when you step inside - the perfect spot to take a photograph....

The groom was dapper and dashing, and the bride was an absolute vision in a beautiful 1930s style lace gown...and her shoes, her SHOES!

The Shirt Tail Stompers played at the reception, and there was lots of dancing, including theeeee most perfect first dance, and a group gallop to Gangnam Style...twice!

We felt so honored to be part of Greg and Cleo's special day.  They really are the perfect couple, and we wish them a lifetime of love and happiness together!