Leaving the lockdown cave

I’m finally coming out of my lockdown funk, and last weekend I went for a walk around Bloomsbury with my friend H. I’d been craving a trip to the area for a few weeks, as I really wanted to have a look at the Georgian architecture there. It’s also pretty empty of people, so it was a perfect warm-up for getting back out into the world again.

This hotel was little further along the street from the first picture. About half of the buildings there were hotels.

I really liked the contrast between the colours radiating away from these windows.

Sticking with a window theme: we walked past this one and couldn’t really figure out whether it was someone’s front room or a book shop, as there was only a residential door next to it. The room itself was my perfect idea of a living room, full of book shelves and quirky framed prints hung on wooden walls, like in a rustic ski chalet. You can see a bit of the pine wood to the right hand side of the window. So cosy.

Another window with what has to be the best looking blind I’ve ever seen.

Later on we walked through the Brunswick Centre as it’s been years since I’d looked up at the flats there. I love how white it all is apart from plants and other balcony paraphernalia.

I did a little research beforehand and made sure we went to St George’s Square, which was the first burial place in London that was located away from a church in 1714 (the graveyards in London itself were getting too full at the time). Back then this area would have been the countryside, which is hard to imagine as it’s in central London now. It was still very quiet and peaceful; I imagine it’s a great place to go on your lunch break if you work nearby.

The brick letters caught my eye here. Don’t think I’ve ever seen it before, but such a simple way to add a bit of spice to a building.

At one point we came across a narrow street that led down to this mews. We simply had to check it out.

Mews houses usually don’t have gardens, so you have to make your own any way you can.

I bet you get to know your neighbours reeeeeeeeeally well as a result.

Sigh. Georgian houses are just so lovely, aren’t they? I don’t know anyone who lives in one. I need to befriend someone who does so I can see if they’re as great on the inside. Shallow, I know.

Charles Dickens lived in one - this one in fact. And it’s now a museum, so actually, I CAN go and see what one looks like on the inside. And funnily enough I’m reading ‘Great Expectations’ at the moment, so it would be extra interesting right now.

This office building is definitely not Georgian, but probably Art Deco. It’s also a house that looks like it’s coated in caramel. Yum.

This place looked really interesting, and caught my eye because I’m a sucker for green. I just had a look at their website, and once they’re up and running again I hope I can go to one of their events and have a look around. For the past month I’ve gone from feeling slightly anxious about the lockdown rules easing to feeling ok about it, and realising that I just have to start booking tickets to different exhibitions and try to recover my former sense of self that way. This last winter lockdown we had was pretty scarring, so coming out of it feels very different from the first one. Anyway, I promise I’ll bring you guys with me on my arty excursions, but maybe with a wider lens on the camera next time 🤪

Mission (not) Impossible

Sitting in the study the other week I could hear some rustling in the tree next to the window, and saw something move in the corner of my eye. Seemed like someone was on a mission.

I stood up closer to the window to get a better look. Luckily I had the camera next to me, and even luckier, I’d left a zoom lens on it, so there was nothing else to do but try to capture this little dare devil in action. “Drainpipe to climb you say? No problem.”

“Ahaa” I thought. She’s building a nest (yes, I had to google it and it’s the ladies who do all the work - what else is new?).

This gal knew exactly what she was doing. I could hear the Mission Impossible soundtrack in my head as I watched her.

At this point I got really nervous and willed her to not lose her grip.

Piece. Of. Cake.

I watched her do about 10 loops (after she’d tucked the branch away she’d plop back down in the tree again, pick a new one and repeat the steps), and she kept on going even as it started raining. I think she’s nested somewhere on our roof as I can hear someone tiny running around on the tiles up there every now and again, which I guess it isn’t ideal, but as long as they’re not inside the house it’s ok, right? Anyway, I felt grateful I got to witness something so awesome, and the pictures to prove it. It’s been a while, but I think I’m feeling it again. Hello camera, hello blog.

Present from the past

Yo. How goes it? I’m still in hibernation mode, which kind of makes sense seeing as it’s still officially winter for another week. Maybe I’ll feel better, and have more of a SPRING in my step then?! Needless to say I’ve ignored my camera for weeks, so it’s fortunate that I still have pics that I haven’t posted yet. Back in September me and my friend M went down to the V&A and this reflection caught my eye while we were queueing to get in.

As is now custom in Covid times we began our visit in the courtyard with our packed lunches. Much warmer and sunnier than the last time I was there at the beginning of December…

This guy on the left was dressed in some sort of pink suit and shorts combo with red knee high socks, and I overheard him getting into lots of conversations throughout the museum as people complimented him on his outfit. I was just talking with a friend yesterday of how we, both in our mid to late forties, don’t wear colourful clothes like we used to when we were younger, as if the last thing you want to do as a middle aged woman is to stand out. I did say that once we get to our fifties/sixties/seventies we’ll stop giving a monkeys and hopefully go bananas with what we wear like the ladies captured on the Advanced Style blog.

Anyway, as usual, I digress. Never have I ever… paid any attention to stained glass windows. But we sought it out this time. The V&A has a great collection of Gothic Revival stained glass, which is much more modern in style, and piqued our interest.

I’ve copied and pasted this from the V&A website: “In Victorian England, society was dominated by industrialisation. The country underwent two seismic changes during this period: the rapid replacement of craft manufacture with mass production, and the depopulation of the countryside, as people flocked to the cities to take up work in the new factories. Many reformers, writers, artists and designers began to publicly question the impact of this form of 'progress', and to search for alternatives. This interest in developing a different kind of social and aesthetic template had its roots in the 18th century. In that period, new styles of writing and architecture had begun to focus on the idealisation of nature and an interest in returning to the simpler and more 'honest' values of the past.”

In a post Covid-19 pandemic world it feels like something similar will shift, but some of it in reverse. Less mass production, more crafts, less living in cities and more living in the countryside, more appreciation and care for nature and hopefully a return to a simpler life. I’m so curious to see what is going to happen in London over the next few years. It’s definitely going to be different. Apparently 700 000 people have left London for good in the past 12 months. Two of my close (and local) friends have moved to the countryside since the pandemic, and M, who lives around the corner, is moving back to Sweden next year, so my social life is for sure going to change 😔.

Anyway - again. Check out this very cool piece. So clean.

Some nice sunbeams on the floor in the space where the stained glass are hung up against the window.

Had a look through the Print Rooms as well, and I really liked this linocut.

And I love Paul Peter Piech’s linocuts so much. His style is amazing.

You know what else is amazing? Tapestries. In an alternative universe I make linocuts and tapestries - I’m really good with my hands there.

The light is always so good in this spot. Must be north facing or not get any direct light as it always looks the same.

I never really twigged that there is a paintings section in the museum, and this one kind of broke my heart. I’ll take more pictures in this room next time I go.

We then continued to the Photography room - of course - and I really liked this circular passpartout. Must remember it next time I frame something.

I wrote about Mark Cohen’s pictures in my last post from the V&A, but I didn’t show this picture close up. So good, isn’t it? One glove is better than none. Or maybe her right hand feels the cold more than the left.

M, perfectly framed by a beautiful view and window.

I wanted to show her this amazing staircase on our way out. Pretty special, huh?

And finally, an autumnal looking me, and with such short hair! I’m growing it out now, but last year I was very grateful for Mr Famapa’s haircutting skills. I might need them again if we find ourselves in lockdown in a year’s time. Time will tell.

BlurryVision

Been getting the binoculars out more often recently. It’s almost time to sit in the garden again and do some bird watching, but it’s been quite cold, so if I see something interesting during breakfast I’ll get them out and watch from the dining table.

Last month’s full moon caught my eye too as I was getting ready to go to bed. It took me about ten minutes to get this picture; I kept getting the exposures wrong (‘cause the moon is briiiiiiiiight - duh) and it’s bloody difficult to focus the camera and line it up with the binoculars when you don’t have three hands (a telescope would of course be better). In the end this was as sharp as I could get it (not very, but better than nothing).

Awwwww. I do love them little robins; they’re so ridiculously cute! I also really like their birdsong, which by the way tends to be the first and last birdsong you’ll hear in a day. I’ve completely forgotten to work my way through this list of birdsongs, which I think I might make my spring project. Tweet tweet.