travelswithalice

July 31, 2023

Back in London

Sunday, 6.

At Old Shades with Mari.

Magic Marius livens up Sunday roast.

https://youtu.be/x_y1VZJQsHo

Friday, 4.

Fabulous day with Singapore girlfriends Emilie, Beth, and Anna. Lunch through to dinner, from 12:30 to 10!

Thursday, 3.

At Sadler’s Wells for Matthew Bourne’s “Romeo and Juliet”

The dancing was brilliant. The powerful driving music fired up raw passion in the young dancers’ every gesture.

It also drilled itself into everyone’s brain. The “Dance of the Knights” earworm hummed around us on the way out of the theatre, as we crossed the street, and at the bus stop.

The narrative though, a laboured twist on the very premise of the tragedy, didn’t work for me.

Wednesday, 2.

At ICA, the Institute of Contemporary Arts. We made a special effort to be there despite a heavy downpour.

We didn’t get much for the trouble of getting there as ICA is not fully operating as an exhibition place just yet. We saw just the one exhibit, “Moki Cherry: Here and Now”. Sone of the textiles and some writings are interesting. The upper galleries are either closed, being renovated, or being used for interviews.

To be fair, we were really more interested in the in-house Rochelle Canteen and the John Nash building itself. As it turned out, there was only a very basic cafe. But the building is beautiful.

We enjoyed walking around anyway. This is a delightful city to walk in, even in the rain.

Walking in the rain is tiring work though so we had a sit-down, a drink, and a snack in Fortnum and Mason’s 3rd floor bar 3'6.

Afterwards, we put togeter delicious stuff from the food shop downstairs for an indulgent bed picnic later: duck rillettes, prosciutto, and figs.

Tuesday, August 1.

Accidental Death of an Anarchist at Theatre Royal Haymarket.

It is a farce, yes, and should be farcically funny but I found it too stressful and strenuous to watch.

The play is adapted from a 1970 Italian political farce tackling corrupt police practices to do with the real-life case of a suspect’s death while in police custody. While the subject is undeniably very relevant today, a lot of the relevance has somehow been lost in translation.

I was more intrigued by the venue, the storied Theatre Royal Haymarket.

The historic Grade I listed Victorian building, the original structure dating back to 1720, was subsequently moved and redesigned by architect and town planner John Nash (Buckingham Palace, Brighton Royal Pavilion, Marble Arch).

Sunday, 30.

This will be our final week in England.

London’s cold and wet and Stuart has a cold but we’re happy to be back.

“Carlos at 50” at the Royal Opera House is completely sold out. It’s Carlos Acosta’s birthday celebration, a return to dancing after retiring in 2016.

Because he’s from Havana and used to be with the National Ballet of Cuba, I’m interested.

We’ve seen the ballet in Havana twice. Once in 2010 when the company’s founder, Prima Ballerina Assoluta Alicia Alonzo, then 94 and almost totally blind, held court in the theatre’s royal box.

So, I wondered if we could somehow get tickets anyway. By dint of perseverance, Stuart did.

I loved being in Covent Garden. The rain made it even nicer. You could almost see Eliza Doolittle… and hear Henry Higgins…

Just mentally erase the crowds.

At the Royal Opera House, Carlos Acosta opens his 50th birthday bash draped in figure-flaunting silky whites as the young god Apollo. He has bragging rights.

Reprising their Royal Ballet partnering in “Apollo”, “Swan Lake”, and “Manon”, Carlos and Marianella Nuṉez are superb. That they are doing this today, exquisitely, when Acosta is 50 and Nunez is 41, is simply incredible.

It’s still raining when we come out of the theatre.

Walking in rain soaked streets somehow feels acceptable when on holiday. And if one has to take the bus with damp seats and smelly wet floors, why not? It’s not your daily grind and there’s always a cozy pub to serve you a hearty Sunday roast.

Friday, 28.

The train station has the best views of Bath.

posted by Alice Dimalanta Jones # July 31, 2023

July 26, 2023

Bath

Wednesday, 26.

At the Theatre Royal for Ian McKellen and Roger Allam in a new play, “Frank and Percy”.

The two-character play covers, rather bravely I think, a lot of ground. Among others, class, ideology, climate change, aging, death, grief, relationships, sexual desire, and most particularly, non-binary gender issues.

It’s a big ask really, talking about all that and having only two people talk about it. The play feels like a sketch, albeit a long one. It’s early days yet, we saw it on its second day in town. Maybe it will get better when it grows up.

But the audience, mainly faithful fans of the two stars I imagine, were very appreciative and most got up for a standing ovation.

Stuart and I loved Roger Allam as Inspector Fred Thursday in “Endeavour” on TV and so enjoyed watching him and the venerable Sir Ian onstage, their RSC voices ringing out beautifully in the small theatre, not taking themselves and their star power too seriously, dressing up in drag, a micro mini rainbow tutu for McKellen as Percy and metallic neon rainbow shorts for Allam as Frank.

I thought, Oh my, what would Mrs. Thursday think of that?

Tuesday, 25.

Margaret’s Buildings is a pretty pedestrian street lined with Georgian buildings and small independent businesses. Art, jewellery, interiors, antiques, beauty salon, a cake shop, 2 cafes, a laundromat, a restaurant.

Run by husband and wife team Simon and Leanne, Crescent Restaurant & Bar is a gem. The food is very good, the place welcoming and quietly efficient.

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There’s a lovely shop there called Berdoulat.

The storefront has a faded even slightly neglected look to it. But once you step over the mosaic tiled threshold you’re in a magical space full of interesting objects dangerously close to being not at all useful. They are however beautiful to look at and lovely to touch.

Down a steep staircase to a cave-like basement is an art gallery.

On a wall hangs an “honours list” charting the Grade II listed building’s history.

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I chatted with the owner of a shop called WYRD.

In the shopwindow was a huge bunch of glass flowers. I asked her about them. They’re solar garden lights. She had them in the garden of her Cambridge home and brought them along when she moved to Bath. People kept asking to buy them so she got more. Nothing precious about them, she said, you can get them on Amazon.

She was trimming leather pieces that she made into key rings. I said what a lovely shop she had. It smelled nice too.

It’s great fun having the shop, she said. And Bath is a nice place. People are friendly.

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Later, close to midnight, I watched the setting first quarter moon briefly break through a thick bank of rainclouds.

Monday, 24.

I love Bath. I hate it when they do unsmart things to change it.

We’re at The Royal Crescent Hotel where they’ve refurbished the front parlour. I really do wish they hadn’t. It has lost the character and charm of this venerable Georgian building’s cultural and architectural roots.

They’ve also redone the dining room. And the guest rooms. I wish they hadn’t. They’ve made it all look and feel ordinary, generic.

We were here last year. This is what made us want to come back.

The £2million reportedly spent on the refurbishment could’ve been put to better use updating the hotel’s amenities which are woefully inadequate for any property of this calibre.

posted by Alice Dimalanta Jones # July 26, 2023

July 15, 2023

London

Sunday, 23.

At The Audley in Mayfair with Maurizio, Cristina, Floyd, Francesca, and Federica.

Saturday, 22.

We walked out of the hotel prepared for a cold evening out but not for rain. So back in we went to the amusement of the doorman.

Welcome back, he called out laughing.

Out again, this time dressed appropriately for London’s version of summer weather.

“Cabaret”, our musical no. 4, is a definite winner. Playhouse Theatre, transformed into the “Kit Kat Club” is theatre at its best.

Clattering down a series of narrow staircases, walking through dimly lit narrow corridors, then having the camera of Stuart’s phone summarily pasted over with a sticker (to remind you not to take photos, she said) got us started on a highly theatrical evening.

Friday, 21.

At The Lowlander on Drury Lane, no.6 on our pub list, for pre-theatre dinner.

“Crazy For You” is vintage musical variety show. All good natured wholesome fun, tap dancing, and slapstick comedy set to a Gershwin musical soundtrack.

Thursday, 20.

Our second foray into musicals- we prefer old and tested ones- was infinitely more successful. Last night’s “Jersey Boys” was great fun! Never mind that we’d seen it early on in its long stage life back in the day in NY.

Tonight we’re going to “Crazy For You” at the Gillian Lynne Theatre on Drury Lane. Much much older but hey, it’s Gershwin! And it’s got “Someone To Watch Over Me” so I’m looking forward to this one.

On this visit, we’re doing London properly. Art galleries, West End, and most importantly, pubs!

We’ve been doing a kind of pub crawl all week, not for the ales, but for the grub. Bull & Bear at the Conrad St James, The Old Shades, and Silver Cross on Whitehall Road, and Tattershall Castle on the Victoria Embankment.

Last night’s was The Clarence, next door to our hotel, across from the theatre for the evening’s “Jersey Boys”.

Ploughman’s Lunch. Excellent.

Wednesday, 20.

Our return to West End musicals after a very long absence was a total flop.

Last night’s “Aspects of Love” was a blind stab at what we hoped would be entertaining at the very least.

It was bad.

At intermission, I tried to salvage the evening and my ill-advised recommendation, with a lame “It’s not really that bad, right?”

To which Stuart responded with a resolute “It IS really that bad.”

We decided to walk away.

There is one bright spot though: we only paid half price.

Tuesday, 19.

Nice lunch at Tattershall Castle, a former passenger ferry now a pub moored on the Thames at the Victoria Embankment.

Monday, 18.

Stuart went to see Uncle John in Buckhurst Hill while I spent most of the day with ex-Citi friend Ofel Gonzalez.

Sunday, 17.

At the newly refurbished National Portrait Gallery.

One of the highlights for me was a four-panel mural entitled “Work In Progress”.

From the gallery’s description:

“Guided by the artists Jann Haworth and Liberty Blake, each participant produced a stencilled portrait on paper with acrylic paints, based on an existing depiction of a woman of their choice who has contributed significantly to British life. An additional 14 artists from the UK and US created the larger portraits for the mural's front row. The finished portraits were collaged together by Blake to create this vibrant, visual celebration of women's history.”

Saturday, 16.

We’re now right smack centre of the city. And the crowds. The place is teeming with bodies and traffic and noise. Trafalgar Square is packed solid. And as it’s Wimbledon season, so are the pubs.

We’ve escaped into the relative quiet and sanity of the art galleries.

Stuart’s cousin Mari, the family’s eminent art historian, took us on a wonderful private history of art swing around the Courtauld Gallery for the Pre and Post Impressionists.

After which we caught up on seven years of family goings on at a long chatty dinner. And can you believe it? We have no photos to mark the happy occasion.

Friday, July 14.

We arrived Thursday from Vienna, booked for a week at our one-time favourite Conrad Hotel. Sadly, the hotel has lost its charm. It’s just not the same hotel we used to love. So we moved out the next day and checked in at the Great Scotland Yard Hotel.

I always knew this hedonistic life will one day land us in jail. 😀

London’s Metropolitan Police used to be headquartered here. It’s said Jack the Ripper was interviewed at this station.

It’s really not so bad in jail. Food is good and everyone here is nice.

In fact it’s great! There’s jazz in the Whisky Bar!

posted by Alice Dimalanta Jones # July 15, 2023

July 13, 2023

Vienna

Wednesday, 12.

Day 7. Our last day in Vienna.

The Museums Quartier left us too hot too tired and spectacularly lo-batt. An early dinner in a lovely garden in Spittelberg did much to recharge us but only enough for us to pour ourselves into a taxi for home.

Tuesday, 11.

Day 6 was to be a simple tram outing to explore architecture. Target building was Otto Wagner’s Majolica House.

Our tram route was screwed up by ongoing roadworks. An hour and several tram lines after, we gave up and just walked around the Burggarten area.

Monday, 10.

Days 4 and 5 were really too hot to do anything but laze indoors. We’re tired of the hotel restaurant so we’ve moved to the quirky Cyclists cafeteria and have since taken up a new routine. Lemon tart and coffee in the lobby after lunch.

Sunday, 9.

Day 4. We set out in the afternoon to explore the city. We have loosely mapped out our tour using only the trams, with very light walking.

As we walk out of the hotel, we realise that the place is deserted. I see maybe two or three people walking. It’s very hot out. Also, there’s a reduced tram service on Sundays.

We beat a hasty retreat and decide to enjoy the cool indoors at beautiful Andaz Vienna am Belvedere Hotel.

Later, we try the Klein Steiermark in Schweitzer Garten across the street. Too big, too touristy, and too many mosquitoes.

So, once again, it’s back to the hotel for sunset drinks and snacks at the Rooftop Bar. Fabulous!

Saturday, 8.

Day 3 is dedicated to the Vienna Secession.

In 1897, a group of Austrian painters, graphic artists, sculptors, and architects resigned from the traditional Association of Austrian Artists.

They formed their own exhibition group with the ideal of reuniting the separate arts of architecture, painting, sculpture, and music. The Secession Exhibitions Hall designed by Joseph Maria Olbrich was the venue for their expositions.

The Secession Building

The Beethoven Frieze.

Conceived as an homage to Ludwig van Beethoven, the painting is a visual interpretation of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony.

The allegorical painting was meant to be an ephemeral work of art, a temporary installation for an exhibition commemorating the composer’s 75th death anniversary.

Klimt painted the frieze directly on the wall using such light materials as charcoal, coloured chalk, pastel, and casein, and decorated it with gold, silver, glass, curtain rings, and mother-of-pearl buttons.

After the exhibition, the frieze was not destroyed as originally planned. It was subsequently purchased, dismantled, put in storage for years, and eventually restored.

It’s now on permanent display in a specially built, climate-controlled basement room in the Secession Building.

The Karlsplatz Station Pavilions