Christmas – slightly weird

28th December 202113th January 2022

Christmas in London 2021

Monday, 27 December, 2021

There are just so many photos. This year I thought I could get into town and look at things and I suppose I did better than I thought, but not as well as I hoped. But at least I did get out a bit, worried every time about being in the bus and then encountering crowds.

In the interest of having something to look back on, I’m creating this blog. Last year we went into the west end at Christmas time and there was no one there. We had the streets mostly to ourselves, the buses were quiet, the shops were closed. This year things were quite different. I don’t think the numbers with Covid were smaller, but there was no lockdown, no real restrictions, and people were seemingly unworried as they crowded together on the buses, the trains, in the shops, and in the streets. It was all a bit mindboggling.

There was a cool light display at Guildhall. I’d never actually been there so it was a good excuse to go along. At first I saw that there were no booking slots left, but then Krish found out that they accepted walk-ins, so we decided to chance it one fine evening.

The show was called Borealis. It was inspired by the Northern Lights and achieved by laser lights and vapour over the Guildhall yard. We enjoyed the fact it was outside and something different and entertaining.

We also did a trip to Covent Garden one day We looked around Seven Dials, Neal’s Yard – which was lacklustre compared to other years – and went into the Piazza to check out the Frozen display. It promised ‘snow’ once an hour so we timed it as best we could and caught the very nice smelling scene there.

;

From Covent Garden we walked along the Strand and past the Savoy, where they were queuing for Pretty Woman. We headed straight towards Somerset House to see the skating.

Although we’ve had a laugh over the rink at Somerset House, somehow it’s become a Christmas tradition to go along and take a look. I remember the years of watching the skaters slosh through the water that collected on top of the ice. We’d have a giggle wondering how they were doing that. We still had a giggle this time watching how many people simply can’t skate and thinking back to the rinks in Toronto where everybody was confident on the ice and some even managing some fancy jumps and other moves. This year people were doing a bit better and the ice was quite solid. I smiled at the people with the funny little pushy things they were using as new skaters, but then I can’t skate at all, so can’t really be too smug. All in all, Somerset House at Christmas with its colourful lights on the rink is quite pretty.

I also did manage to get to the Museum of the Home Christmas Past exhibition. The rooms were slightly different this year with some additional ones. I’m not including those here but this is their lovely atrium Christmas tree.

Thinking about last year’s peaceful Boxing Day, we went into the West End on the 27th. What a difference. See for yourself! There were people everywhere. We started on Oxford Street, headed over to Liberty to see their nice but not very Christmassy display, checked out the Lavazza store, headed down Carnaby Street, walked around and across Piccadilly Circus, back up to Shaftesbury Avenue and through Soho to our bus home on Oxford Street again.

It was a somewhat quieter day when we headed over to Leadenhall Market to see their tree. The rest of the walk was also very quiet, through to Broadgate and home on the train.

Hackney isn’t a very illuminated borough. The only decorations and light are by the Town Hall. The tree this year was very full and made a lovely sight after dark.

As for our Christmas at home, I made six little gingerbread houses and this year’s wreath wasn’t bad. On the day we had a couple of grazing plates at lunch time with a steak and mushrooms for dinner. We had a house theme in gifting, which was fun. Then on Boxing Day I made a pork tenderloin, apple and mushroom stuffing, mashed potato and cranberry sauce – not the most photogenic meal but delicious nonetheless.

There really are more photos but let’s leave it at these. Happy 2022!

28th December 2020

Sneaking out of the house – Christmas Lights 2020

Sunday, 27 December, 2020

Well, here it is, almost the end of the most unusual year ever – the same year I’d anticipated back in January, thinking that 2020 must be perfect after all (a reference to vision).

We are now in our third lockdown and this is the most serious, serious enough that they created a whole new label for it – Tier 4. This means ‘you must stay home’ but it seems like quite a few aren’t listening. This is no big surprise.

Last weekend I did a lovely virtual Christmas lights tour with Look up London and really enjoyed it. I did this tour because I thought I wouldn’t be able to do one in person. However, yesterday it was a dry day and I had the idea that maybe with lockdown in place and no Boxing Day sales, just maybe I might go down and see some lights for myself. So off we went.

The bus wasn’t busy and we felt pretty safe. It was the first time I’d been into the west end since last year at Somerset House. Along the way, I was trying to remember the way – what were we going to pass by and see on what would a year ago have been a familiar journey. What follows is a great many photos, I think, with some narrative.

There were very few on the bus, with the traffic lights lending a Christmassy feeling

There was a very light rain so things were shiny and sparkly and, with not much traffic, and not many stops requested, we sped to Tottenham Court Road in a little over 20 minutes.

James Smith & Sons umbrella shop marks the approach to Oxford Street

My plan was to get off near Fortnum and Mason, back over to Piccadilly Circus, up Regent Street and into Soho, Chinatown and home again. It’s much less than I’d really like to do but it’s important to allow for the journey home and not need a rest or the toilet.

To get to Fortnum and Mason, you have to go through Piccadilly Circus, and Piccadilly Circus is just about the busiest intersection in London – that and Oxford Circus. It was less quiet and busy than usual, but still bustling compared to elsewhere. They’ve put in extra walking space and there are more bicycles than I usually see but just as many buses in the same London-narrow space.

Fortnum and Mason is a very posh place. It’s been here since 1707, and it stands for luxury. Hugh Mason ran a small store and met an entrepreneur called William Fortnum, whose family were high class builders reinvigorating Mayfair in the wake of the Great Fire. The partnership evolved. When I can get inside again, I’ll say more. For now, I’ll just say that it’s Christmas eye candy.

This extraordinary year F&M are featuring windows from their 313 years . And most splendidly, the front of their store has become a giant advent calendar. I find the whole thing magical.

Piccadilly Street itself has the same angels that it’s had each time I’ve visited. They’re looking over a grand street in an afluent, fashionable area called Mayfair that takes its name from the May fair held in Shepherd’s Market in the area (a fantasticvstreet for another day). Here are fashionable arcades and fancy boutiques and also the Royal Academy founded in 1768 by a group of 40 artists and architects who became the first Royal Academicians. I love its gates (now closed) and courtyard.

Behind Fortnum and Mason is Jermyn Street. This area dates from 1661 and often looks the part. Sir Isaac Newton, William Pitt, Sir Walter Scott, William Gladstone; and W. M. Thackeray have all lived here. The shops along here are exclusive – mostly it was quiet, even quieter than lockdown Piccadilly today.

At the entrance to Piccadilly Arcade is this statue of Beau Brummell, an iconic figure in Regency England and for many years the arbiter of men’s fashion. I asked Krish to pose the same way behind him

This video shows the Piccadilly Arcade entrance from Jermyn Street. Very elegant.

A touch of Europe – Corner window, Piccadilly Arcade

Shoe lasts — An impressive display of shoe lasts at Joseph Heane’s show store on Jermyn Street

Continue reading “Sneaking out of the house – Christmas Lights 2020”

8th January 20208th January 2020

A new decade – what’s in store?

Tuesday, 7 January, 2020

It feels very strange to type 2020. I hadn’t thought of that before. Am I supposed to make resolutions for the whole decade? I really should. So far my only resolution for the year is to eat at one restaurant on my list every week. In fact, that wouldn’t take too many weeks so definitely doable.

I’d like to be less lazy, waste less time, do more – more of all sorts of things. So far so bad, though. There’s still time, right? Ten years less seven days, anyway.

On the third, I had tickets to go see a children’s version of The Nutcracker at Sadler’s Wells’ Lillian Baylis theatre. I love these shorter version of classic ballets. They’re perfect for my short attention span. First I took the bus to Islington Green at Angel to have a bit of lunch.

I went to Kanada-Ya and had an OK tonkotsu ramen

After lunch I walked along Camden Passage before getting my next bus

Japanese tea room - and the air smelled amazing from the Penhaligon shop — Japanese tea room – and the air smelled amazing from the Penhaligon shop

It's a short bus ride from Angel to Sadler's Wells — It’s a short bus ride from Angel to Sadler’s Wells

Juliet was going to bring her grandson but there was a last minute switch and instead we were taking her granddaughter, Dessi. Dessi was very excited and told me that she’d seen the ballet before, the CBeebies version. With Juliet on the aisle seat, me in the next, and Dessi closest to the centre, we sat and waited.

Even the short ballet version felt long at times. Dessi kept me entertained. After only a couple of minutes she announced I want to be a ballerina just like they are. I thought how lovely it was to be so inspired. When one of the dancers appeared onstage, she announced loudly – the lone voice above the iconic music – It’s the Sugar Plum Fairy, and after a few rapt minutes I love the Sugar Plum Fairy. She then loudly whispered to us, When I go back to your house, grandma, I’m going to dance all the way there. There were six ballerinas sharing roles on stage. Four were slender, two were sturdy. I noticed, just like last year, how lightly they landed with each leap and step. At the end of the show, all children are invited to come down to the stage to take photos with the dancers.

Dessi and I raced down to get there, only to find out that we had come down the wrong way. Up we went again and all the way to the back of the queue.

Anticipation - Dessi told me she wanted to dance on the stage — Anticipation while we waited – Dessi told me she wanted to dance on the stage

Everybody was moving slowly, parents were hogging the spotlight for their children – none of this surprising – and then suddenly with only half the children having moved down to the stage, we seemed to moving extra quickly.

Dessi had told me that she wanted to dance with them on stage so when she stood there, I reminded her and she held her arms above her head, all the dancers following her lead.

Finally, it was Dessi's turn — Finally, it was Dessi’s turn – I was too blind to notice the green light on her face

I reminded Dessi to pose and the dancers all copied her

Dessi glanced around to see that they were all posing with her

Continue reading “A new decade – what’s in store?”

30th December 20197th January 2020

Hackney delivers at Christmas, innit – and the Ghost of Christmas Past

Monday, 30 December, 2019

A week or two before Christmas and you’d never dream it was just around the corner. Not on my street.

The view down the street just a couple of weeks before Christmas

At nearby St Thomas' Square, not much sign of Christmas here either — At nearby St Thomas’ Square, not much sign of Christmas here either

I’m used to the Christmases of Toronto, where bling was everywhere and not always tastefully. Now in Toronto, the lights in the centre are definitely not up to London standards but when you get (surprisingly quickly) to the neighbourhoods, almost every house has lights inside and out.

When I lived and visited La Habra (California) one of my favourite things to do at Christmas time was to drive around looking at the magnificent outdoor lights and decorations, each neighbour trying to outstrip the next. I used to say that what Los Angeles lacked in snow, it made up for in lights!

In ‘the old days,’ it was a very rare Toronto Christmas that was not white, sometimes spectacularly so. The drifts would blanket the streets and obscure some of the doorways and windows, creating a surreal and muffled scene, but the lights would shine through – magical. We;d light a fire log and settle in for a warm and lovely day indoors.

My childhood Christmases – in east and south-east London – were simple affairs. The tree would go up – more magic – often while we slept. On Christmas eve we’d go to bed, trying desperately to fall asleep or Father Christmas would not come down our chimney at all. It was the same chimney that we’d burned our ‘This is what I want for Christmas’ letters – mum and dad assured us that the words would arrive at the North Pole in the smoke. A glass of something strong and a mince pie or biscuit was waiting for Father Christmas, and we’d always check in the morning to see if it was gone – it always was.

When we did awake, there’d be a pillow case or stocking at the foot of our bed and also a tangerine and some nuts in the toe of the stocking – I imagined to keep us content and not out of bed too early. I don’t remember any elaborate presents. Colouring books, a doll, toiletries as we got older… A good breakfast and then, as our dinner was roasting, Dad would take us out to buy something we chose, sometimes from the chemist. The air was usually crisp and the puddles frozen over. A favourite trick was to crack the ice with my shoe – how much fun were the simple things!

When Robin was little, I was very excited for his first Christmas. The first he was only a few months old but the second was highly anticipated. A bulging stocking at the foot of the bed each year and then the wait for him to wake up. Yes – the wait! I’d be awake at 5am like a child – and he’d be asleep. An hour later, asleep, three hours later, asleep…some time before noon, he’d wake up rubbing his eyes and wondering why John and I were hovering over the bed. I have tapes of his childish chatter as he opened presents. So cute!

It’s not likely that I’ll get into the West End to see the big lights this year. I had lots of plans and even marked on my calendar all the opportunities I had to check them out, but the cold rain and other bits and pieces put paid to that idea. Hopefully, next year.

But here I am in Hackney and, while there are no spectacular light displays, it’s got its own kind of special going on.

Just before Christmas, I went with my friend Holly-Gale to see my pottery instructor, Maria’s studio. She and others in the studio were having an open house sale. Maria is one of those people who, when you meet them, you know you’ll stay connected.

Some of Maria's pots inside her tiny studio space — Some of Maria’s pots inside her tiny studio space

I bought a few things from the 'seconds' box. I love this fragmented piece, which I'm using a candle holder — I bought a few things from the ‘seconds’ box. I love this fragmented piece, which I’m using a candle holder

One very rushed morning on the weekend before Christmas, I met Lisa for a quick visit to Mare Street and Broadway Markets.

Inside the market it was warm and bustling

The Chandelier Room at Mare Street Market

Rebel Rebel had some lovely Christmas flowers – they also created the door display

Netil Market was super quiet, with only a couple of stalls open. We were shocked but walked on to Broadway Market. Things were quieter than usual there. First we wandered into the Vegan Market, which seemed to have a few stalls including a man who was selling raw oysters, freshly smoked kippers, and jars of smoked oysters. I decided to buy a jar – haven’t tried it yet. Soon!

Finn and Flounder on Broadway Market was pretty gorgeous

One year I bought sprigs from holly from here. This year, nothing

Couldn't resist a photo of one of the remaining Pie and Mash shops — Couldn’t resist a photo of one of the remaining Pie and Mash shops* *See bottom of blog**

Market florist selling her wintry bouquets

Continue reading “Hackney delivers at Christmas, innit – and the Ghost of Christmas Past”

12th December 20193rd January 2020

The Wet City at Christmas

Thursday, 12 December, 2019

Travelling into The City after my Somerset House exhibition had been an afterthought when the rain hijacked my other plans.

An everyday miracle happened when I reached my stop. I walked the correct way towards Leadenhall Market. I have a notoriously bad sense of direction and confusion and retracing is a big part of my explorations. When I’m alone I am mildly frustrated, when with others the confusion can become too large and panic-inducing. Today I nailed it, although at the very last minute I wondered if I’d overstepped Leadenhall. No, it was there!

Was it the rain, my mood, the cold or the reality of election day that dimmed the colour and atmosphere of the market? I’m not sure. The year before people had thronged the arcade, music was playing, the tree was magnificent and it felt like Old London had come alive. Although my photos show it quite well, I thought it oppressive, gloomy and I left quite soon after arriving.

I still had a lot of time left before I had to meet Susanne. I decided that I’ll head to Spitalfields Market to see what Christmas looked like there.

The cheeriest sight so far - snack wagon by Spitalfields Market — The cheeriest sight so far – snack wagon by Spitalfields Market

A quite lovely sight - but where are all the people? — A quite lovely sight – but where are all the people?

There was a small crowd inside the new market

The new market's lights were Torino-esque — The new market’s lights were Torino-esque

Looking out from the market - no crowd to be seen — Looking out from the market – no crowd to be seen

Outside - shiny and WET — Outside – shiny and WET

I think I enjoyed things as much as I could in my cold and dampened state. It was good to be here and I tried to still the voice in my head that was telling me to head Susanne off and just go home. One foot in front of the other is always the other little voice in my head.

A year or two ago – when? – Carolyn and I went to the Dennis Severs candlelight at Christmas night. I loved it. I’d considered going again but decided against it. However, I did want to have a quick look at the door. It’s always on my must-see list when I’m showing people around. So I took a look, moved determinedly on and wended my way across Commercial Street towards Andina on Redchurch Street, where I’d meet Susanne.

A little detour - Dennis Severs House on Norton Folgate — A little detour – Dennis Severs House on Norton Folgate

Off Commercial Street, a taste of urban art. I must head back on a better day

Under the railway arch at Shoreditch High Street Station – what is it that stirs me about these scenes?

Bless Susanne for being there already when I arrived early. The restaurant was warm and dry and noisy. The food was good, not extraordinary, the drink was delicious. Chatting was just what I needed. We lingered and then we walked to a nearby hotel where more chat and a welcome pot of tea awaited.