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!

to be

A sunny day in dear old Liverpool on Saturday

and a chance to take up The Complete Walk challenge in homage to the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death.

First stop Henry V at Fact

and 10 minutes and a flat white saw us on the sunny streets again - up to the top of Bold Street

the old bombed out church

amazing Georgian houses

Liverpool in all her glory

cutting along Rodney Street

with a pause for a brick homage moment - totally spellbinding against that blue sky

and on to the Anglican Cathedral for a spot of Hamlet

as ever - taken aback anew with the sheer grandeur of this place

and just loved the Tracey Emin "I felt you and I knew you loved me"

Then we managed to see Othello in the amazing Kazimier Garden, Romeo and Juliet at the Bluecoat and finishing with Much Ado about Nothing at Waterstones in Liverpool One

Before heading underground to James Street Station

Which on closer inspection, along with Hamilton Square, turns out to be the World's oldest deep level underground station!  1886 no less!

and homeward bound . . .

more please

Fun Friday

Our wonderful whirlwind weekend in London started literally with a bang(ing) of spoons and bowls

 Click and play one of my favourites - but let's face it, they are all amazing songs

No photos in school ofcourse, but this was the most brilliant, professional production, great stage set and a cast full of joyful talented 11-14 year olds singing at the top of their voices.  A two hour treat at School21 - the time went all too fast but they certainly deserved the standing ovation they got from us all.

And we in our turn ended the evening with Food Glorious Food at the brilliant and friendly Poco in Broadway Market - can highly recommend this - the most amazing inventive tapas with locally sourced ingredients and great to share for our gang

and so say all of us - happy times!

Sunny Saturday

and after a yummy breakfast at the ever amazing Fingers Crossed, we're off onto those streets paved with gold.  If you want a real blast of London sing-a-long try this Flanagan and Allen number:

Waiting for the bus on Kingsland Road in a sunny Dalston

the three muskateers

and first stop the Courtauld Gallery within the magnificent Somerset House - always a hub of activity

Primarily here for the Botticelli drawings, but lovely diversions en route, like this 1906 George Braque "The Port of L'Estaque"

the amazing gallery spaces

and this 1892 Cézanne "Card Players" which I really loved

The Botticelli and Treasures from the Hamilton Collection was just stunning - photos not allowed of course, but room after room of intricate drawings by Botticelli’s Dante’s Divine Comedy alongside a some incredible and beautiful Renaissance illuminated manuscripts - alive with colour yet so ancient.

Here are a couple of postcards that I bought of my favourites - though they were all amazing and well worth seeing

"The centre of Hell: the full figure of Lucifer" Sandro Botticelli

"Histoire du bon roi Alexandre" 13th Century manuscript

This is the famous staircase in the Courtauld too - this taken from right in the basement.

Naturally at this stage of the day it was time for a cuppa and some Viennese cakey treats and where better than the sumptuous Delaunay where I found my idea brew Pai Mu Tan, white tea.  And when a quick tweet reveals that our delectable Sheffield Birdhouse Tea Company stock it, I am in seventh heaven!!

Sachertorte and Kaiserschmarren - yum

So, much rested and fed, we were off to the Architectural Association to catch the Walter Segal exhibition all about the self-build houses he famously designed.  I always love their exhibitions because everything's so well explained and you learn so much.

and here's more about the Sheffield Segal house - wonder where it is ....

Bit of time to kill, so off round the corner to our favourite London Review of Books for another cuppa and a book browse.  One of the best collections of poetry I have seen.

Then back full circle to Dalston and dinner at the famed Mangal II  - where we were sitting right next to Gilbert and George, there for their regular evening meal around 7.30pm.  But we had to leave them eating, as we were over to the lovely old Rio Cinema to see Hail Caesar

Then it was off for a good sleep before venturing out again for another adventure ....

Sociable Sunday

Starting the day with a great brunch and more fabulous friends at the lovely Hackney Bureau

followed by a walk in the sun

and a tube ride to the Tate Britain to catch the very last day of the Frank Auerbach exhibition

Obviously no photos allowed in the exhibition, but suffice to say it was incredible to see all his work laid out from the 1950s - the thick layers of oil paints so close up, the deep colours so fresh and new looking and the amazing sketches too.  Really glad we caught this and there's a great review in the Guardian.

and the very two people who inspired us to go - and who we hadn't seen since our wedding - well I didn't get a photo of them either cos we were inside the gallery.  So, girls - here's your thank you and it was wonderful to meet you both after all these years - here's to the next time.

So, finally our happy brilliant weekend was over and it was a final 'proper Northern' Sunday roast back in Dalston at the friendly Hand of Glory pub with Jess

then a dash to St Pancras and a final flat white with Jamie before heading back up North and home.

Sheffield suddenly seemed very quiet as we wended our way from the station on the number 85 bus!!

Memories are made of this - we could quite happily go right back to the beginning and do it all over again!!  Thank you everyone.