London 2014

Dr Anne and SS have returned from their trip to London.  Dr Anne was the guide as SS has not been in London for many a long year.  Dr Anne had picked an itinerary to show SS, her London.  SS had seen a review of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time and that was added.  It was probably the highlight of the whole weekend.  It was mesmerising.

The Gielgud

There were two exhibitions, one stately house and one museum, two shows  and Cbeebies proms.

The annual exhibition at the Royal Academy is one of Dr Anne's pilgrimages.  Dr Anne and SS chose their best picture for each room and came up with their favourites.  They both choose the same 1= - Free Spirit, a bronze sculpture and Transitory, a paper sculpture picture of a woman with her shadow.

Royal Academy

The Matisse Cut Out Collection was a joy.  SS and Dr Anne walked over the Millennium Bridge from St Paul's Cathedral.

St Paul's Cathedral from the Tate Modern.

The Imperial War Museum should have been a full day event.  Dr Anne and SS were there specifically to see the WW1 exhibition.  This was a fully comprehensive, informative presentation.

Imperial War Museum

Kensington Palace was a delight.  The 'Victoria Revealed' exhibition pressed all the buttons for Dr Anne and SS.  The dresses of the Queen, Princess Margaret and Princess Diana were a disappointment.  They were not memorable. The music in the George 111 rooms was much enjoyed.  The restaurant was splendid and the gardens were much enjoyed in particular the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain.

Such fun

The Cbeebies proms was a disappointment.  The idea was splendid.  There was a captive audience that the organisers did not crack.  The programme was a disjointed collection of music.  The amplification did not allow for an audience which would not be able to sit quietly.

Of the two shows attended: the Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels the former won hands down.

As usual when Dr Anne and SS go on holiday they have 'a big meal'.  On this occasion they had Sunday lunch at Clos Maggiore.  SS chose the normal tasting menu while Dr Anne had the opportunity of a vegetarian tasting menu.  SS claimed she had the best ever duck that she has tasted.

Sunday Lunch

Covent Garden people watching was enjoyed and the Strand Palace Hotel was ideally situated for getting around.  Fortnum and Mason was its usual. Cocktails were order of the day at Harvey Niks.

Covent Garden

Sandra in Harvey Niks, shoe searching.

Cocktails at Harvey Niks.

Lunch at Fortnum and Mason.

And the Mountains Echoed

Hosseini, K. (2013).  And the Mountains Echoed. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.

I don't know quite how to describe this read.  Abdullah and Pari are separated when they are young and meet again late in life.  The rest of the story describes the context of Afghanistan, the people, the way of life, and their happenings.  The book is a good read.  Dr Anne awards 7/10.

Dancing at the Scottish Traditional Boat Festival in Portsoy

Anne McArthur's Dancers just love to dance at the Boat Festival.

What are they discussing?

EENY MEENY

Arlidge, M.J. (2014). Eeny Meeny. London: Penguin Books

Number four in the Richard and Judy Book Club.

Dr Anne has never been the fan of detective stories but as she has bought the whole set of the summer book club she picked this one for a trip to Edinburgh yesterday.  She was up at 5 am and headed for the Huntly train at 6.09.  It was pulling out of the station as she arrived.  She headed onto the A96 and thought about Inverurie.  As she got nearer Inverurie there was traffic and the speed was curtailed so she thought Dyce.  The train was in the station when she arrived but of course she still had to park the car.

Dr Anne sat in the car to wait for the train to Glasgow and pulled out Eeny Meeny.  She has only just surfaced.  Let's abduct two people leave them with no food and water.  There is a gun with one shot, a mobile phone with little power and a message to say that when one person has been shot dead the other will be freed.  She doesn't remember the journey to Edinburgh. She was in a hurry to leave the meeting to get back on the train.  Only essentials have been done today.  Dr Anne awards another 8/10.

Mad about you

Moriarty, S. (2013). Mad about you. London: Penguin Books

Dr Anne is feeling a bit low just now.  That is when she likes a read.  She doesn't have a kindle although her friends keep nagging her about buying one.  She likes the book in her hand.

This summer she has the full selection from Richard and Judy's Book Club.

This was a gentle book of everyday people.  The family had moved from Ireland to London chasing a job.  This was the guy settling into a new job, the wife left to look after the children and set up home, look for a job, hire a nanny, and deal with the consequences - a stalker.  Who is the stalker, what does the he/she do, how is he/she found out? Dr Anne awards a 7/10.

The Lie

Dunmore, H. (2014). The Lie. London: Random House

Dr Anne picked up this book at Aberdeen Airport on her way to Chelsea last week.  It is another of Richard and Judy's summer reads.  Set in Cornwall Dan moves between his present day 1920, his childhood context in a one parent family and his close friendship with someone not of his ilk and the context of his time in the trenches of WW1.  It is a compulsive read showing the games that the mind plays and how it affects what happens in the present.  

Dr Anne awards it a healthy 7/10.

Chelsea 2014

Dr Anne and Greygranite made their expedition to Chelsea this week.  They look forward to this annual get together and enjoy the reflection time as much as the experience.

This year they started with the Artisan Gardens as there was a probability of rain.  Greygranite and Dr Anne had different favourites.  Greygranite fell in love with The DialAFlight Potter's Garden.  Dr Anne  favoured Arita, Togenkyo - A Paradise on Earth and The Topiarist Garden at West Green House.  Which one does she choose as her favourite?

The DialAFlight Potter's Garden

Arita

Togenkyo - A Paradise on Earth

The Topiarist Garden at West Green

From the Artisan Gardens they went to the Show Gardens.  Both liked the RBC Waterscape Garden and Positively Stoke-on-Trent.  Dr Anne loved Hope on the Horizon.  The peace and tranquility ebbed out.  Dr Anne also liked The Massachusetts Garden as it reminded her of times on the East Coast of America.

RBC Waterscape Garden

Moorcroft Ball in

Positively Stoke on Trent

Love on the Horizon

Help for Heroes

The Massachusetts Garden

She is not reading a book.   She is looking at her phone.

The Great Pavilion is central to Greygranite and Dr Anne's day.  They split for two hours and do their own thing.  Greygranite headed to the viola stand while Dr Anne systematically worked the Pavilion.  She was blown by the Waitrose stand, loved the Caribbean stand and of course the City of Birmingham  is always of the highest standard. Dr Anne spent a bit of time at the sustainability stands listening to the music trees make.

The Exotic Caribbean

Dr Anne's favourite  lavenders

Waitrose totally enthralled Dr Anne.

The flower arranging pavilion was a disappointment this year but that was more Dr Anne's frame of mind than the quality of the exhibits.

From the Ruins

Pimms in Ranelagh Gardens was an annual treat.  Greygranite and Dr Anne met up with best friends Peter and Chiku.

The Fresh Gardens was the next stop.  Dr Anne loved The WellChild Garden.  The group of figures would do very nicely in East Neuk's Garden.  Flora by Gucci was an attraction and Reachout was spectacular.

The WellChild Garden

Flora by Gucci

Reachout

There was of course the shopping on the avenue and next day walking around Sloane Square.