Savage Beauty In London

It has been another packed retirement week this week. On Wednesday we travelled to London. We were invited by our financial advisors to their summer party at the V & A.

The weather was kind and we enjoyed some wine and canapés in the museum's courtyard with old friends from up north David and Janet Wareing.

The highlight of the evening was a private viewing of the spectacular Alexander McQueen exhibition Savage Beauty.

The show's title is extremely appropriate as the clothes on display are both savage and beautiful. McQueen's work is brutal and, at times sadistic (the material alongside the displays regularly referred to both sadomasochism and fetishes) but it is presented in such a jaw dropping manner that, however uncomfortable the visitor feels about the themes, they cannot be anything other than overawed by the spectacle. It is a quite brilliant show and, if you get the opportunity to see it, one that you should try not to miss. As Marion, Dave Janet and I entered at the latest available time slot we felt very privileged to have what was virtually our own private viewing.

A Night At The Museum Beckons

After dinner at Cafe Murano in St James, we bid farewell to our friends and it was well past midnight when we walked back to the Premier Inn at County Hall. We've stayed at that Premier Inn before and it has always been good but this time it was even better as the staff (without exception) all seemed to be making a huge effort to make the visitors welcome and were going out of their way to be helpful. It's three times what we pay when we stay in the Premier Inn in Rochester (which also has nice staff) so the staff's efforts were appreciated. 




On Thursday we had a lovely breakfast at Le Pain Quotidien near the Festival Hall before meeting up with our son who brought our granddaughter to see us for a day in London. She had a great time on the South Bank playing in the huge sandpit before going to the Science Museum where she enjoyed a good lunch before spending the afternoon enjoying the exhibits. I promised to take a photograph of her kaleidoscopic art (so here it is). She loves painting and this computer program which uses mirror images and symmetry to aid the children's designs kept her busy for almost an hour.