A Year in Review - Part One

... 2010 ...

On December 13th my parents arrive at the Heathrow Airport. I booked the first three days they were here off so I could show them London and spend as much time as possible soaking up their presence. I did see my mum back in May when she and a friend surprised me a week after my birthday, but I had not seen my dad since he left me at the airport to board my flight to London on January 7th.

I fully appreciate that I am one of very few who would choose to have their family in their life even if they weren't related by blood. Any abilities I have to know my own mind, pursue my dreams and try without fear of failing have come from my adoring parents and wonderful brother. Skype has not been a suitable substitution and I was so very much looking forward to seeing my parents again and showing them all these things I've discovered about London whilst also discovering new things for myself.

Day one we caught a cab from Heathrow to their apartment, which was equidistant between Russell Square Station (Piccadilly) and King's Cross St. Pancras (Northern, amongst others.) We explored a bit of their new, temporary 'hood, stopping for lunch at Giraffe. They got some groceries, where my dad was able to marvel over the abundant and incredible cheese selection and the high fat content in the cream, in Waitrose and then headed back to their apartment. At this point the jet-lag, long flight and altitude change caught up full-force. Whilst they napped I made tea and squidged myself into a corner of their kitchen where I could read a book as they had a rest. It was lovely having them in the next room, let alone in the same city.

The entire time they were over my days were packed. We had a wonderfully fancy dinner with my partner on that first night, which took us down by Holburn. I showed my dad the viaduct and began pointing out all the incredible architecture of London I have come to love.

On Tuesday I got to show them both my very favourite view of London, one I discovered when I first came to 'test' the waters back in November 2009. This time round it featured the Norwegian Christmas Tree.

We also stopped into St. Martins in Fields and went down into the Crypt, both places my partner showed me over a year ago now.

It was a chilly day so we made our way past Leicester Square and up Charing Cross road and then over to the British Museum. This was a museum I'd been to ages ago but not spent a huge length of time at. Unlike on my last visit, we started from the top and worked our way down. My favourite bit was the Japanese artifacts, where I discovered Netsuke.

The next day we met at High Kensington and spent the morning in the Natural History Museum and the afternoon in the Science Museum. Again, both are museums I've been to before but both were ones I couldn't wait to show to my parents.

In the Natural History Museum we spent most of our time in the whale room of the Mammals wing, a room which has been closed when my partner and I came back in the Spring. Of course there was also the Mineral wing and the Dinosaur wing, which I had yet to discover. We did manage to pop into the Mineral wing, which stretched so far back I suspect one would have to spend an entire day there if they wanted to see all it had to offer.

After a nice lunch and a quick stop at the Gift Shop we headed around the corner to the Science Museum. This museum has become a favourite of mine ever since I discovered the ever-so fun SMLates on the last Wednesday of each month. I have made a special effort to explore the museum as little as possible when I go, instead focusing on the activities and lectures provided for the SMLates themes. I did this because I knew my dad would be the best person to see this museum with. I loved his face when he saw the Apollo 10 Moon lander and the Rocket. He was giddy like a little kid when the Wells Cathedral Clock struck the quarter. It was difficult to pry him away but fortunately the museum closed so we were asked to leave.

I didn't see them all day Thursday as I had to go back to work and had a few things to do in the evening, like updating my blog with the newly imaged work my parents had brought over on a disc. It was quite difficult to go an entire day without seeing them, but just knowing they were in the same city was really, really lovely.

Friday was another work day but I arranged to go to Borough Market when I was off and meet my parents at Southwark Cathedral. During my November visit my partner introduced me to Borough by taking me for breakfast at Roast. It is a gorgeous little market which I have come to adore. Where else can you get fresh hand-dived scallops with bacon bits for breakfast? It was also where my mum surprised me back in May. I was happy to finally show it to my dad, who paid for the photographer's license so he could take pictures of the glorious interior of Southwark Cathedral, most notably the Shakespeare stained glass.

Afterwards we caught the train to my end of London and met my partner for dinner in one of the city's best Indian restaurants. Nothing like a curry to give my dad a taste of an authentic London pallet.

The weekend was spent shopping in Wimbledon on Saturday and entertaining friends who dropped by for a Christmas Warm-Up on Sunday.

On Monday they met up with me after work at Tate Britain. I was giddy to share the incredible Fiona Banner instalment there with my dad, as he is a huge airplane nerd. It was also fun to show them Chelsea, where I took my digital design course in the autumn.

We caught the bus behind the Tate and my dad got to sit on the top deck for the first time. It was a great first-time ride as it took us up through winding narrow roads and popped out right next to Westminster Abbey. Then we went up Whitehall, past the Houses of Parliament and assorted lovely memorials to Trafalgar Square.

We got out at the square and met my partner for dinner at the National Gallery Restaurant, one of the best places to eat in the area. We had a delicious filling meal before going over to the Wyndhams theatre, where I saw Avenue Q in the autumn, but where Bill Bailey is currently performing Dandelion Mind. It was a brilliant night and a lovely way to start the week and a fabulous final show for to take in on the West End in 2010.

Tuesday was another day during which I worked and did not see my parents. They managed the National Portrait Gallery, where I used to go for the free friday drop-in sketch classes, and then met some of my dad's book forum friends in Leicester Square and went book shopping up Charing Cross Road.

On Wednesday I took the train to Elephant and Castle and walked up to the Imperial War Museum, a museum on my list of To Do's that I'd been holding off on until my dad came over. It opened at ten and I was a bit early so I wandered around out front as I waited for the museum to open and my parents to arrive. I discovered a stunning Tibetan Peace Garden installed when the Dalai Lama came to visit London. Further up the path was a graffitied piece of wall. As I approached it I realised it was a section of the Berlin Wall and for a moment I was so awe struck I couldn't really move. These moments were more frequent when I first came to London. Every day was a discovery of something new and wonderful that I'd always dreamed of seeing. Things that took my breath away because of their beauty or because they were so rare and wonderful.

When my parents arrived I showed it to them and they seemed as delighted as I. But it was what we found indoors that truly was a wonder. Airplanes hung from the ceiling, a rocket, miniature submarine and assorted cannons littered the floor. We decided to start from the top and work our way down as we had in the British Museum. The uppermost floor and lower most floors held my two favourite things in the whole building. At the very top is a new exhibit which features men and women awarded the Victoria Cross and the George Cross. I have always loved the look of different medals and it was incredible to read the stories of the people awarded them.

Downstairs were two 'experience' exhibits: The Blitz and The Trench. The Blitz involves sitting in a bomb shelter and then being shuffled out into the burning streets of London. The Trench is one you walk through, which was similar to the trench exhibit at the Memorial War Museum in Calgary. Both exhibits were very well put together and I really can't recommend them enough.

And then there was Thursday, my last day at work and the day my partner and I surprised my parents with their first Christmas gift: Tickets to a Christmas Concert at the Royal Albert Hall. This was just as much a treat for me as for them as I'd not yet been to this glorious venue. It really was marvellous, the most wonderful bit being when the fantastically huge organ would play it's loudest notes. I relished the vibration as it came up through my feet into my chest.

The final very English and very special treat to my parents (after presents and a fantastic Christmas lunch, of course.) was on Boxing Day. We went to a pantomime, a long time English tradition which none of us had ever experienced before. My partner secured tickets to a pantomime at the Wimbledon Theatre, starring the infamous David Hasselhoff.

Glorious. A glorious way to discover new things and a glorious way to revisit my favourite bits of London, this time with my parents next to me.

...2010...

London Journal - Tate Britain revisited

I temp at an office based in Vauxhall, which is just across the river and up a bit from Tate Britain. As my only other visit to this Tate was brief (albeit very enjoyable) I decided to return. The walk was pleasant and it was neat to come round to the front of the building this time around.

To the left and right of the entrance were two large, black, metal sculptures which immediately caught my eye. I climbed the stairs and went round to the right. Here was a magnificent sculpture of Hermes in an intense battle with a dragon. He was poised, a blade in one hand, severed head in the other. Entwined under his winged sandals, the dragon held a struggling maiden.

The sculpture to the left was along the similar theme of 'distressed maiden'. A rearing bull with a nude girl upon it's back was caught in a battle with two men. It was all quite dramatic.

Inside, though, I discovered something even more wonderful. I don't have a sketch of her for you but Fiona Banner is joining the ranks of my Mighty Women to be studied and recognised for their incredible talent. Her piece, titled 'Harrier and Jaguar' uses two decommissioned fighter planes to represent the fragility of the animals they represent. I was most delighted by the incredible brush work of fragile feathers on the wings of the Harrier.

I think it's fantastic that a female artist has such a prominent display at Tate Britain. I can wholeheartedly recommend it to everyone reading this blog. If you get the chance, please go see it. It's absolutely stunning.

London Journal - Tate and NPG

It's World Book Day, apparently. Thanks to google, I also know that it's Vivaldi's Birthday. First thing I did was download some of his music and put it on my iPod. Then, to celebrate I decided to march fourth and see what fun I could have by visiting Tate Britain in the morning and the National Portrait Gallery in the afternoon.

Tate Modern and Tate Britain are across the Thames from one another in the loosest terms. There is a boat you can take between the two, if you wanted to do one in the morning and one in the afternoon. I would like to spend a day that way, but perhaps when the weather is warmer. Besides, I've already been to Tate Modern.

I caught the train to Stockwell, where I switched to the Victoria line and went to Pimlico. This is a very direct route from where I live, but on the day I'd been to the Modern I discovered getting to Tate Britain from there via tube would be a hassle. I assume this is why they have the boat service.

The walk from Pimlico tube station to the museum was pleasant. It's not really 'Spring' yet, but the sun has been shining more often than not lately and today it was managing to break through the clouds frequently. It lit up the white steps of Tate, welcoming me in to yet another of the stunning museums London has to offer.

The key difference between Tate Modern and Tate Britain is the style of art displayed. Moderns artist are still alive or representative of styles which 'pushed the envelope'. Tate Britain has more classic stuff, but not like the National Gallery. This was classic art which, for the time, was cutting edge. I found myself most drawn to the work of John Everett Millais, who depicted Christ in less than flattering terms. My favourite piece of the day would have to be Christ In The House of His Parents, although it was rivaled by the incredible detail and colours of John Linnel's and Samuel Colman's work.

I've discovered that I am just not a fan of Whistler. His work does nothing for me and I moved on quickly from it, to find other wonders to behold.

The next room was full of busts and sculptures, which really were fascinating and fun. There was a little cluster of art students sat in the middle of the floor. They were armed with sketchbooks but didn't seem to be interested in what was before them. They chatted aimlessly as I looked at the works of Alfred Gilbert, Edward Onslow Ford and Fredrick William Pomeroy.

At this point my tummy was starting to rumble. There is much, much more to Tate Britain but I accepted it would have to wait for another day. I took this chance to celebrate World Book Day by visiting the gift shop. I purchased three books:

"Nietzsche, a Graphic Guide" by Laurence Gane & Piero

"The Anatomy & Figure Drawing Artist's Handbook" by Viv Foster

and

"The Book of Dead Philosophers" by Simon Critchley

Entirely pleased with all three purchases, I went to the cafeteria for lunch, before continuing on my way. Next stop, Pimlico to Green Park. At Green Park I switched to Piccadilly line (Which ends at Cockfosters and despite wanting to come across as very mature and grown up, the name is funny and makes me giggle.) to get to Leicester Square. I was going to the National Portrait Gallery, which I've been to before. I went on the closing day of the 'Bowie to the Beatles' exhibit. It was heaving with people that day and once I'd been through the entire thing I simply didn't have the energy to peruse the regular exhibits of the museum. Today seemed the perfect day to accomplish this task and I'm happy to say that I have done just that.

I thought I'd enjoy the more modern wings of the museum, with pictures of more recent historical influence, but it was probably the Tudors which caught my attention the most. I really do love the bloody and sordid history of British royals and having the rich oil paintings of the masters portraying them just added to the stories. My favourite is all the images of infant kings, dressed entirely in frilly white frocks. To do such a thing now would be ridiculous, but it was completely natural and expected then, of course.

How the times have changed.

All in all, it was a lovely way to spend World Book Day. To top it off, I finished a novel whilst riding the train home from the NPG. My first Agatha Christie and my sixth novel of the year. I certainly hope you all spend some time with a book today and I thank you for reading my blog. I may not yet be a published author, but I am a writer and it's wonderful to know that my writing is being enjoyed.