miss b loves .......spectacular art in London!

One of the things I love to do in London is take a leisurely stroll around the art galleries. Trying to view everything is impossible and I prefer to concentrate on one area of a gallery or perhaps particular artists. A few weeks ago I managed to pop into four galleries during my three day stay!

Tate Britain which opened in 1897 on Millbank, is not only home to historic and contemporary British art (from 1500 to the present day) but it's also an imposing and impressive building with a stunning domed ceiling.....

........and a very impressive staircase too!

The gallery suffered bomb damage during the Second World War but most of the collection was in safe storage elsewhwere.

miss b loves....Notting Hill, London

I have always been attracted to colourful buildings so it's therefore no surprise that Notting Hill is one of my favourite areas of London. 

Notting Hill now has a reputation as an affluent, fashionable area with house prices to match! Around every corner there are row upon row of impressive Victorian terraces .....

There's no shortage of high end shops, boutiques, cafés and restaurants especially along Westbourne Grove ...... 

miss b loves .......Paddington

While strolling around London before Christmas, I stumbled across Paddington Bear .....well several actually! I have fond childhood memories of the Paddington Bear books and the adventures of this very cute bear with a marmalade habit!

'Bear in the Wood'
standing outside St Paul's Cathedral

St Paul's Cathedral

I discovered that these statues were part of the Paddington Trail and with more time, I would have liked to have seen them all! The trail has now ended, the bears have been auctioned and over £930,000 has been raised for the NSPCC Childline Service. The trail coincided with the release of the Paddington film.

'Paws Engage' in The Italian Gardens,
Kensington Gardens

miss b loves .....blue skies in London and a visit to Cake Boy.

We were blessed with amazing weather in London before Christmas. The clear blue skies and sunshine were quite unexpected as back home in the North it had been grey and wet for days (and we returned to grey, wet days too!)  

St Paul's Cathedral

As we were staying near Kensington Gardens, it was an opportunity to have a morning walk (and we needed the exercise, especially after a full English breakfast!)

The Italian Garden,
 Kensington Gardens

It really was more like a spring day .......and the pastel coloured houses in Notting Hill looked even prettier against the blue cloudless sky...

miss b loves .......London, all dressed up for Christmas 2014!

Visiting London in the run up to Christmas seems to have become a tradition of ours.......The capital city has always fascinated me and there's something even more special about it during the festive period.....Last weekend we jumped on the train and just over two hours later we were welcomed by the bright lights of London, all dressed up for Christmas 2014 .......

A tree decorated with Fortnum and Mason
 wicker baskets at Somerset House.

Burlington Arcade

The Giant Observation Wheel
 at Winter Wonderland, Hyde Park

miss b loves.......the Design Museum, London

One of the highlights of my unexpected trip to London last month was a visit to the Design Museum. One ticket gives access to three fascinating exhibitions .....

'Hello My Name is Paul Smith' was due to end in March but by popular demand has been extended until 22nd June. Paul Smith is an established British Designer who combines traditional craftsmanship with cutting-edge, innovative design .... 'Classic with a twist' is the way he describes his style. The twist may be a flamboyant lining in a suit or adding vibrant colour to a conventional tweed.

There are recreations of his first tiny shop (just three metres square!), his Covent Garden design studio and his office, which has been described as creative chaos!

The walls of the gallery space are covered with framed prints and photographs including David Hockney, Andy Warhol and Banksy and works sent to him by friends, family and fans too. It's a small part of his collection from the walls and basement of his office.

"Is that a Paul Smith coat?"

miss b loves ......... an unexpected stay in London (Part 2)

Day 2 in London .... and it seemed as if spring had suddenly arrived ....with blue skies and temperatures in double figures!

A perfect day for a walk along The Thames!  The Tower of London looked stunning against the cloudless sky......

The Yeoman Warders in their striking uniforms are a symbol of London and not only guard the Tower but provide entertaining tours. They are required to have served in the armed forces for at least twenty-two years.

Of course they are more commonly known by their nickname ... 'Beefeaters.' It is thought that the name was derived from their position in the Royal Bodyguard which apparently allowed them to eat as much beef as they wanted from the King's table! 

The Middle Drawbridge is being restored and I like the way they have screened the building work with boards showing a timeline of the history of the Tower.

Cute little peep holes for nosey people like me!

miss b loves ........an unexpected stay in London (Part 1)

Last week I had the opportunity to stay in London overnight and it's surprising what you can fit into a day and a half with just a little forward planning (the two hour train journey from home gave me enough time to write my 'to-do list'!) Impromptu getaways are often the best! 

Sometimes I enjoy being just a tourist again in London revisiting those special iconic places which draw the crowds ......

St James's Park is a favourite spot of mine and standing on the Blue Bridge over the lake there are two very special views of London......

Looking east towards the London Eye
 and the Horse Guards building

Grey clouds were beginning to form over the Palace yet it still looked stunning ......

Looking west towards Buckingham Palace

The Queen's Foot Guards in front of the palace were wearing their grey winter coats. They usually change over to the more famous red tunics in May just as we change our outfits according to the season, I suppose! 

I spotted four guards at the front of the palace which I believe means that the Queen was in residence. There are apparently only two if she is away!

miss b loves .... St Ermin's.... a very special London hotel

Visitors to London are often overwhelmed by the vast choice of hotels but I can certainly recommend St Ermin's which far exceeded our expectations a couple of weeks ago ..... 

St Ermin's Hotel is an elegant Grade II listed Victorian building, located in a surprisingly tranquil spot in central London. It's just a couple of minutes from St James's Park tube station and close to Buckingham Palace, The Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey.

Set back from the road, as you enter the grand tree-lined courtyard you sense that this is a hotel full of history.....and I love to stay somewhere with a story to tell! 

St Ermin's was originally a mansion block (serviced appartments) built for wealthy Londoners in 1889 on the site of a 15th century chapel(dedicated to St Ermin). Ten years later it was converted into a hotel by JP Briggs, a Victorian theatre architect and designer. 

The lobby is glamorous and theatrical with the original curved balcony and rich plasterwork from 1899.........

miss b loves ........ exploring London, past and present.

London is one of those cities where there's always something new to discover, no matter how many times you visit.....

A couple of weeks ago on a rainy Thursday, after checking into St Ermin's (a hotel which deserves its own post!) I set off to Spitalfields, in the east end of London. At the heart of the area is the preserved Old Spitalfields Market (London's oldest market dating back to 1638!) five minutes from Liverpool Street station and Thursday is Antiques and Collectibles day......

The market is surrounded by modern restaurants, cafés, bars and independent shops including The Cambridge Satchel Company and The Lollipop Shoppe, a very stylish design store .....  

I was tempted by Lola's cupcakes .......

miss b loves ..........crodoughs and other hybrid cakes

Regular readers of this blog will already know that I have a sweet tooth! Cupcakes, macarons, pastries........I just can't resist sweet treats. Lately I have been reading about the 'cronut' (a cross between a croissant and a doughnut!) 

The 'cronut' was created in May 2013 by Dominique Ansel, the New York pastry chef who successfully trademarked the name in January this year. His recipe has inspired variations and last week, during our two day trip to London, I was determined to try one (or two!)......

Rinkoff's Crodough
Toffee Apple Crumble 

I was so curious and wondered what all the fuss was about and whether this was just another gimmick.....In the pouring rain we went in search of Rinkoff Bakery, a family business established in 1911 in Whitechapel. I'd heard that their interpretation, the Crodough was the one to try in London....

miss b loves....London..... all dressed up for Christmas.

I'm so fortunate to live just two hours by train from London and December is always a special time to visit. My two day trip last week certainly put me in a festive mood.....and I managed to fit in some Christmas shopping and a stroll around the V&A museum too!

This year the Oxford Street lights were inspired by falling snowflakes and there are apparently 1778 baubles twinkling above the mile-long shopping street .......

A huge sign outside Selfridges reminds everyone that the festive season has arrived!

The Selfridges windows theme, 'The Wish List' featured oversized gifts in snowy landscapes including this enormous Charlotte Olympia shoe.