landmarks

Part one - Friday, Saturday and Sunday 23,24,25 February 2018

Our weekend started here!!  After a hearty homemade soup with dear friends at the Sawmill Cafe in Stratford, a truly fabulous performance by School21 students of Les Mis - moving, inspiring and wonderful

Let's pause for a rousing chorus ....

Then good beer and good company at the Secret Weapon followed by bed and breakfast at our usual lovely Dalston gaff!

Saturday

And we were on our way west out of London.  First gastro stop a great little find - The Tin Kitchen up on a hill in High Wycombe.  Fabulous brunch to fuel us and off into the sunny Chiltern Hills - red kites soaring overhead too many to number.

Collected the fifth member of our little crew, meandered through the sunny Oxfordshire lanes and went for a little leg stretch in the lovely unspoilt and unpopulated Warburg Nature Reserve

with lots of beautiful bare trees playing with the winter sun

Checked in at our Sonning hotel, the Great House, then off for our fabulous evening meal at the Wellington Arms, Baughurst.  And what an amazing landmark-eve treat that was for the birthday boy!!

Sunday - the Big Day dawns

And it's Happy Birthday to You ......... breakfast brunch and another big 'O' birthday conquered!!

lots of pressies to open

and a winter's amble beside the mighty Thames

and maybe time for a blast of that old song family Waugh used to march along to on country walks when we were little:

We had the three men - if only we'd had that boat!!

Next it was over to Henley on Thames to see the David Chipperfield's lovely River and Rowing Museum where we indulged in an afternoon tea (yes, food again!!)

and a spot of Wind in the Willows jollity

whilst hankering after a boathouse on the river!

The sun shone and it was just the happiest of happy birthdays.

Then, as the afternoon drew in it was time for the big birthday surprise  .......

A Swim and Dine package at the oh so wonderful and newly renovated Thames Lido in Reading - what a treat

We were given fluffy towels, bathrobes and flip flops and there we were, February 2018, one of the coldest winters for years, lounging OUTDOORS in the hot tub and braving the beautiful clear waters of the swimming pool, with the odd hot respite in the sauna - and it was totally fabulous and luxurious and special.

And there was more to follow - a sumptuous and delicious 5 course taster dinner in the fabulous restaurant spanning the edges of the pool

It was nothing short of magical

And here's the special birthday boy once again - the proof of a happy day is in the pudding as they say!! ha ha.  And of course in the smile.

HaPpY hApPy BiRtHdAy DeAr MiKe   X x X x X

and the celebrations continue in Marshes and Mud - read on if you dare!

celebrations

So we started the birthday with a tasty breakfast at the wonderful Fingers' Crossed

Then a happy meander in the April sun around East London

Had hoped to peek inside Bevis Marks, the oldest synagogue in London built in 1701 and tucked away in a little courtyard in the City of London.  Sadly it wasn't open for visitors on the day we were there - another time I hope.

Always love the graffiti

and the daredevil building construction

and our next stop was the historic Toynbee Hall

then back for a cuppa and a spruce up before our unforgettable birthday nosh at the amazing Otto's

the birthday girl

and a final nightcap at the classy Fontaine's in Dalston

And all too quickly it was the next morning and we bidding a fond farewell

under skies of blue

to an early morning Dalston

and a magnificent-as-ever St Pancras

Hasta la vista - and happy birthday!!

A day in the life

A crazy happy 24 hours the last weekend, starting with a wistful peek out of the Arts Tower

a dash to the station and a quick 2 hour whizz down to London.  First stop the Foundling Museum

The remarkable Thomas Corum

and the lovely Drawing on Childhood exhibition which was the brainchild of Lemn Sissay

 Checked into the (almost) brand new Hub by Premier Inn at Tower Bridge

Then a dash over to The Cut and a meal at the Young Vic cafe with Jane and Mike

before hot footing it to Morley College - loved these new mosaics of remarkable women around the walls

and inside we enjoyed a brilliant concert by the Morley Chamber Orchestra and much fun afterwards in the pub, before heading back to our Tower Bridge refuge and this amazing view from our room - London by night, indeed a wonderful sight.

But the 24 dash was not over, next it was breakfast at our favourite spot Albertini's, then steaming north on the train to arrive in Sheffield for lunch at Tamper Seller's Wheel.
Followed by a dash round more of the wonderful Art Sheffield installations

 found a lovely 'new to us' cafe where Depot Bakery used to be, at 156 Arundel Street - The Holt Cafe

and if you want to see Part 1 of our Art Sheffield tour the week before, read here.

You can fit a lot into a mere 24 hours . . . . .