Feelin' hot hot hot

It’s been hot here for the past few days I tell ya! We’ve also just come out of self-isolation as Omar’s class bubble finally burst, just a mere two days before school was out. They had such a good run of it though. I just hope he gets to start Upper School in person and not online, but I feel a fourth lockdown heading our way very soon. Please let me be wrong (although, of course, if that’s what has to happen that is what has to happen). Yet again time will tell. As always. Ha.

Marylebone

I’ve been keeping up my architecture walks. In fact I think it’s the only lockdown habit that I’ve kept. Another neighbourhood friend, H, that moved out of London during Covid, came back to London for the day to walk around Marylebone a few weeks ago (I know, the blog is eternally not live, haha) so we could let our eyes wander. This building looks like it used to be a church, but it didn’t look like one from the front at all. Well, apart from JC standing there in between the windows.

It was a hot day and it still felt weird to see people about. I’m finally used to it now.

Marylebone is not my favourite ‘hood (it’s too Beverly Hills for me), but there are some cool buildings there. This is Chiltern Street, which is very symmetrical, unlike my picture. It doesn’t feel like London to me, maybe exactly for that reason, because the houses are actually identical for a whole block, without any buildings having been knocked down or bombed in amongst them. It’s a great shopping street if you have mucho dineros. It’s a street you walk past if you don’t.

Don’t think I’ve ever seen this colour on a large Victorian apartment block before. I might steal it when the time comes to redo the exterior of our house.

Now that’s a really flipping cool street light. Surely it’s original? It’s huge!

Some Victorian mansion blocks squared off by a Georgian one.

On my bike ride home I cycled along the Outer Circle of Regent’s Park, and past the Danish Church, and this 200 year old Neo Gothic building that’s part of the grounds. I’m so glad I came out of the lockdowns not wanting to move, because London feels like the gift that won’t stop giving. It’s just a matter of knowing where to look.

It's a Suffolk thing

So many of our friends have left London over the years, and last summer our peeps SA and Y packed up their London life and moved to Suffolk. It had been on the cards for years but Covid sped things up. A few weeks ago we finally got to go for an overnight visit, and it was so nice to see them and their kids again. We began our stay with a no-cook lunch - the best kind of lunch.

Since we saw them last summer there’s been a new addition to the family - Ruby.

She and Mr Famapa became friends immediately.

Even though he lost her ball.

Digression. Don’t know what these are, but they were pretty.

In the early evening we went for delicious pizzas at @theshedsframlingham and the super relaxed setting was just perfect.

So crazy that our kids are or are close to becoming teenagers. Seeing how much this young lady has changed in the past year is quite something. It’s Oomoo’s turn soon (well, not that soon, we’re 18 months away…). Gulp.

One middle aged lady with a camera was enjoying the planting very much.

Very much.

After the meal some chose to digest their meal playing football.

Nut jobs.

We were incredibly lucky with the weather; this summer has been British to say the least. Maybe it’s a Brexit thing? Luckily the fire pit at SA and Y’s made it possible for us to continue sitting outside for the rest of the evening.

What you looking at Ruby?

Whatever it was - a cuddle was even better.

Y going in to get provisions.

It got late.

Click click. We started playing the Intro Game where you have to guess the song from the first beat of the intro. SA and I were very good, and I may say so myself. It’s amazing that you can recognise a song in a second or two. Of course we’re talking 80’s and 90’s music here. We didn’t attempt any songs from after then.

The fire had me mesmerised in between.

Day 2. How’s this for a conservatory/dining room? Drool.

It was way too hot to sit in though.

Had a look through SA’s interior books, and this portrait of an elderly couple in the Apartamento book, made me fast forward a few decades - I really like her style.

Stop Hammock time.

Summer and friends are the best.

Hope we get to see them again soon.

At the architect's part II

So, where were we? Ah yes, the Sir John Soane’s Museum. After having explored the crypt it was time to move up in the house to the first floor. You know I love stairs, right? Well, here comes a whole load of stair pictures.

Because these stairs are pretty special. Lots and lots of amazing details.

And atmosphere. Do you recognise the fella in the recess? Yup, that’s ol’ Billy Shakespeare.

And here’s a little sculpture of Mercury.

Such a handsome staircase/well, don’t you think?

Very much appreciate a blind pull displayed just so.

The South Drawing Room. I had to google what a drawing room is, and it’s a room that was only really used to entertain guests before and after dinner, or a room for the ladies of the household to retire to. Imagine having such a room now! Well I suppose some very fancy people still do. Tell me, would you go all out yellow in a room? Not me. Not a fan of yellow walls at all. Or orange. But red? Yes.

I could’ve stood and stared at this window for ages. The light and the shadows were just perfect.

Soane had to go to court in order to be granted permission to build this loggia, which was originally open (kind of like a balcony), but in the 1830’s he added windows so he gained another metre where he could house more of his collection.

Not all of the original window panes have survived.

One last stair pic, I promise. This one was less flash. Must’ve been for the household staff.

The ceiling of the Breakfast Parlour in no. 12. Can you imagine being so posh that you can choose to have your meals in different rooms? I guess some people still are.

One last round mirror to round things off (see what I did there?). The rug is a reproduction of the the original rug in the Breakfast Parlour Room. Looks so contemporary! I’d very much like one thank you please. Guys, if this is your thing, and you find yourself in London, for Dog’s sake go. It’s such an amazing place, and I’m sure as hell not going to leave it for another decade before I go back.