Yesterday we went with my cousin Sue to Greenwich. Clive and I were going to see the Alice Kettle pieces at The Queen's House, Sue was going to re-live the Olympics (the equestrian events were held there).
We took the car to Richmond and hopped on the underground to Tower Hill. Then we introduced Sue to the Docklands Light Railway, which I love as I have a thing about monorails and this is pretty close. It was a brilliant day for it - warn and sunny- and they had extended the line since last we went, so we enjoyed seeing all the ponced-up dock areas. It took us right into Greenwich and we soon found ourselves looking at the Cutty Sark.
A quick bite at Pizza Express (I can never review an exhibition on an empty stomach) and we were soon walking to the Queen's House. I love this view of the river with Canary Wharf viewed through the old buildings.
I am not going to go into detail about the Alice pieces as I have reviewed it for Workshop on the Web (the review part of WoW has unrestricted access so you can all see it in the June issue). I will just show this amazing piece (right) - my favourite.
Plus the flowers that a lot of Facebookers helped Alice to create.
Then we were on the next stage of our 'How many forms of transport can we do in a day' quest. A boat trip back to Westminter, where we could pick up our tube again. Here we are, the cousins, basking in the sun. It was a really hot day.
I amused myself by seeing how many shots of the Gherkin I could get, all with different foregrounds. It does seem to travel with you as you go along.
Disembarkation at Westminster, below.
We were soon on our tube train, heading back to the car. This should have taken us all the way back to Richmond but there was a Reggie Perrin moment - signal failure at Turnham Green (it really is called that!).
This lead to another, unexpected, form of transport, surface trains to Clapham Junction and then again to Richmond. Something of an adventure but everyone was very helpful, producing iphones with apps to suggest diversions and check trains. Think I will get that app when we next travel to London.
So, home: rather late and tired but it was a brilliant day..
Thank you so much for all the comments on the last blog, especially the Newport girls. We are booked in for next year and I already have an exciting idea for you all to try. I have had such good feedback from that day that it is now firmly in my repertoire.
7 comments:
Sounds like a fantastic day out made even better by the wonderful weather. It's fun to be a tourist 'at home' sometimes. Those two pieces by Alice Kettle couldn't be more different! The one suspended down through that marvellous staircase is amazing.
Ooh, not really blog related, but I love you new hairdo Maggie, really suits you! Gill xx
What an envy, Maggie! I am dreaming to come to London to see the Tulip staircase installation by Alice. It looks great!
I am one of the FB friends, who made some (80)of the white flowers, which are part of the installation.
It was an interesting experience and I do hope to find time to visit Alice's work.
Tiziana Tateo
A grand day.out! The Alice Kettle work looks interesting - not her usual style.
Wow, what a great day you had! I'd get the app now though so you don't forget to download it before you leave for London the next time.
I like the elegant piece that comes down through the stairs. It's nice that you have so many stitchy things to go view. Here in Arizona, we get mainly Indian-related textiles, especially Navajo rugs. They're interesting but I'd like to see some modern stitchery too!
When I was working in London the office flat was a block from the Gherkin in construction site. I got the traditional light show every night from my window. I think the tradition of lighting a building with decorative lights while under construction is really cool. Glad they turn them off at 10 though! Love the Docklands Light Rail too! Thanks for the memories this morning.
I really must get over to Greenwich to see this exhibition, thanks for reminding me. As an east londoner who spends quite a lot of time hoping on and off the docklands commuting places you tend to stop seeing things and forget just how lovely London can be.
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