yk's short trip to London; Nov 2010
Nov 15th, 2010, 01:54 PM
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yk's short trip to London; Nov 2010
Approx 6 weeks ago, a good friend of mine asked me if I'd like to go to London in Nov when she's there for a business trip. Of courseI jumped at the offer. After all, how can I say "NO" to London, especially when I can get free lodging???
Furthermore, I <i>was</i> planning a trip to London this fall/winter anyway, because I really wanted to see the current Ballets Russes/Diaghilev exhibition at the V&A.
The only hiccups were:
1) The dates of her business trip falls just after I return from a week in Chicago. As a result, I had just flown home from Chicago on Sat evening; and I turned around and boarded the plane to London the following Mon morning.
2) Plane tickets were very expensive for those dates (>$1000 from Boston), so I ended up claiming 40,000 miles for a r/t ticket on American Airlines.
3) As I didn't want to pay to stay for additional days in London, I only had 3.5 days for sightseeing.
It's hard to believe it has been exactly 2 years since my last trip to London. I am way overdue for a visit.
<b>Hotel</b>
Not my choice, obviously. My friend's company picked the Crowne Plaza Kensington. This hotel used to be a Holiday Inn, and underwent renovation 2 years ago and became a Crowne Plaza. I'm quite familiar with its location (@ Gloucester Rd tube station) since I've stayed at the nearby Holiday Inn and the Millennium hotels in recent years.
http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/cp/1/en/hotel/lonke
The hotel isn't bad. Rooms are of average (small) size for London. At the foot of my bed is the work desk and chair. If you pull out the chair, you cannot walk around my bed as it's so tight. Otherwise, the room comes with a minibar, in-room safe, water kettle, complimentary bottled water. The bathroom is okay, except for the fact that there is no shower curtain for the tub. Instead, there is a glass partition which doesn't even extend half way down the length of the tub. Therefore, for people who prefer taking showers, one has to take extreme care so as to not splash water all over the bathroom floor.
The windows have a good seal which keeps the street noise to a minimum. There is a small but adequate fitness room in the basement. I worked out 3 out of the 4 days I was there and there was no more than 1 other person in the gym each time.
Location-wise, as I mentioned above, it's right at the Gloucester Rd tube station, which is served by the Circle/District line and the Piccadilly line. This makes it very convenient to reach by tube from Heathrow (~40-45 min ride), but note one has to walk up/down a flight of stairs with your luggage to reach the Piccadilly line platforms. Next to the tube station is a Tesco Express and a Waitrose supermarket. 5 minutes walk along Cromwell Road (towards Earls Court) is a Sainsbury which opens until 12MN.
I'm not a huge fan of staying in Kensington, because I like to return to the hotel room for a rest in late afternoon, and change/freshen up before going out for evening shows. Staying in Kensington means I have to spend an extra hour each day commuting back and forth. However, it's certainly an acceptable location and I can't complain since I'm staying here for FREE!
<b>Transport</b>
I arrived in London Monday night, and left Friday afternoon. I used the tube and bus exclusively. I have an Oyster PAYG, and I spent just about £25.
more to come...
Furthermore, I <i>was</i> planning a trip to London this fall/winter anyway, because I really wanted to see the current Ballets Russes/Diaghilev exhibition at the V&A.
The only hiccups were:
1) The dates of her business trip falls just after I return from a week in Chicago. As a result, I had just flown home from Chicago on Sat evening; and I turned around and boarded the plane to London the following Mon morning.
2) Plane tickets were very expensive for those dates (>$1000 from Boston), so I ended up claiming 40,000 miles for a r/t ticket on American Airlines.
3) As I didn't want to pay to stay for additional days in London, I only had 3.5 days for sightseeing.
It's hard to believe it has been exactly 2 years since my last trip to London. I am way overdue for a visit.
<b>Hotel</b>
Not my choice, obviously. My friend's company picked the Crowne Plaza Kensington. This hotel used to be a Holiday Inn, and underwent renovation 2 years ago and became a Crowne Plaza. I'm quite familiar with its location (@ Gloucester Rd tube station) since I've stayed at the nearby Holiday Inn and the Millennium hotels in recent years.
http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/cp/1/en/hotel/lonke
The hotel isn't bad. Rooms are of average (small) size for London. At the foot of my bed is the work desk and chair. If you pull out the chair, you cannot walk around my bed as it's so tight. Otherwise, the room comes with a minibar, in-room safe, water kettle, complimentary bottled water. The bathroom is okay, except for the fact that there is no shower curtain for the tub. Instead, there is a glass partition which doesn't even extend half way down the length of the tub. Therefore, for people who prefer taking showers, one has to take extreme care so as to not splash water all over the bathroom floor.
The windows have a good seal which keeps the street noise to a minimum. There is a small but adequate fitness room in the basement. I worked out 3 out of the 4 days I was there and there was no more than 1 other person in the gym each time.
Location-wise, as I mentioned above, it's right at the Gloucester Rd tube station, which is served by the Circle/District line and the Piccadilly line. This makes it very convenient to reach by tube from Heathrow (~40-45 min ride), but note one has to walk up/down a flight of stairs with your luggage to reach the Piccadilly line platforms. Next to the tube station is a Tesco Express and a Waitrose supermarket. 5 minutes walk along Cromwell Road (towards Earls Court) is a Sainsbury which opens until 12MN.
I'm not a huge fan of staying in Kensington, because I like to return to the hotel room for a rest in late afternoon, and change/freshen up before going out for evening shows. Staying in Kensington means I have to spend an extra hour each day commuting back and forth. However, it's certainly an acceptable location and I can't complain since I'm staying here for FREE!
<b>Transport</b>
I arrived in London Monday night, and left Friday afternoon. I used the tube and bus exclusively. I have an Oyster PAYG, and I spent just about £25.
more to come...
Nov 15th, 2010, 07:27 PM
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Fifi, since all the museums & galleries don't open until 10am (and I can't get on the tube until after 9:30 anyway in order to get the off-peak rate), there was plenty of time in the morning to squeeze in a 45-min work out in the gym.
[BTW, when you read the following post, you'll realize why I had to go to the gym... I simply ate WAY too much on this short trip!
]
<b>FOOD</b>
I didn't eat at any fancy places; however, I still had many excellent meals. Many of the establishments I went to are of the "order-at-the-counter" type eateries. Many of these places I learned about from either chowhound London board, or blogs on London.
I'll list them by geographic location.
<b><u>Soho & Chinatown</u>
• Four Seasons</b> (Chinese)
23 Wardour Street
http://www.fs-restaurants.co.uk/
There are 2 Four Seasons restaurant in Chinatown; within a block of each other. I went to the Wardour Street one. What I've read from Chowhound is that they are famous for their Chinese BBQ meats. I ate lunch there and ordered a rice plate with 2 BBQ meats: crispy skin pork, and roast duck. They gave me a complimentary bowl of soup du jour (pork and lotus root soup; delicious).
The pork was good, but the roast duck was even better. Unlike the roast duck I have in the US, their roast duck has a much more robust flavor and much less fat. And thumbs up for deboning the duck! Lunch was £8.20.
• <b>Noodle Bar</b> (Chinese)
33 Cranbourn Street (across the street from Leicester Sq tube station Exit 4)
Don't be turned off by the storefront of this place, and DON'T order from the American-Chinese style take-out counter:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7198.jpg Just go straight in and grab a seat!
The noodles here are so good that I ate here TWICE! Twice in 3.5 days. Although the English name of this place is simply called "Noodle Bar", its official Chinese name is translated as:
<i>Authentic Lanzhou Ramen</i>
Lanzhou is in the NW part of China, and it's famous for ramen (hand-pulled noodles).
Once you step inside the tiny eatery, you'll find the noodle chef at work, making the dough and hand-pulling the noodles:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7196.jpg
My first meal here I actually ordered <i>dao xiao mian</i>, which is knife-sliced noodles, with beef brisket. The noodles are hand sliced by the chef. Oh my. It was so good. The noodles are chewy and the broth is so flavorful, with tons of smashed garlic, spring onions, and cilantro. £6.50 for the bowl of noodle soup.
It was so good that I had to come back for another meal. This time, I ordered the ramen (hand-pulled noodles) with beef. While different, the noodles are just as good and I love the texture. The broth is the same. This was £6.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7284.jpg
Don't expect any exceptional service or ambiance while you eat here. There are only bench-style seating, and service is at a minimum. But, I haven't had noodles this good anywhere else but China!
• <b>Kowloon Bakery</b> (Chinese)
21 Gerrard Street
No trip to London is complete without a stop at Kowloon Bakery for Chinese bakery. I came by twice - I love their "cocktail buns" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocktail_bun ) and their egg custard tarts aren't bad either.
• <b>Koya</b> (Japanese)
49 Frith Street
http://www.koya.co.uk/
This restaurant is famous for its udon. And you can order them hot udon/hot broth, or cold udon/hot broth, or cold udon/cold broth. I got a cold udon/hot broth version of mushrooms with walnut miso. Wow! The udon has fantastic texture - don't think I've had udon this good in the US, including NYC. And the walnut miso is wonderful - it comes in a paste and you mix it into the hot broth. I also ordered a poached egg for the broth. That came out perfectly poached.
This is the only restaurant I ate at where they already added in a 10% service charge. The total bill was £15.50
• <b>Gelupo</b> (gelateria)
http://www.gelupo.com/visit-gelupo.php
7 Archer Street
This is another place I had to return for a second visit. On my first trip, I ordered a "2 scoop" cup, with persimmon sorbet and blood orange sorbet. The flavor of each fruit is bright and basically explodes in my tongue. It tastes creamy without the feeling of too rich. A 2 scoop cup is £3.
On my second visit, I got a "1 scoop" cup of ricotta/honey/coffee. Yes, all 3 ingredients mixed into 1 flavor. This isn't as amazing as the fruit sorbets. I think as they try to mix too many things into one, none stands out in the end. 1 scoop was £2.
<b><u>Barbican</u>
• Barbican Foodhall</b>
http://www.barbican.org.uk/restauran...bican-foodhall
The Barbican Center recently opened (or reopened?) its Foodhall. I ate a quick dinner here simply for convenience - I was attending a concert at Barbican Hall.
I'm not sure what exactly is "new" there, as the decor looks dated from the 1990s. Anyhow, the food prices are reasonable. I had a "small salad" which you get to choose up to 3 different types of salads. It's actually quite big, as the food servers use a regular-sized dinner plate and they really piled it high. A huge plate of food for just £5.
• <b>Kipferl</b> (Austrian Delicatessen)
http://www.kipferl.co.uk/
70 Long Lane
Yet another place I ate here twice, on the same day! It's a small eatery with just 5 tables, as they mostly do take-away business. There isn't much of an Austrian or Viennese ambiance either, but the people who work there speak German.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7254.jpg
I first ate lunch there - had a frittatensuppe and a kaesekrainer (sausage with cheese inside). The soup was excellent; just like the ones I've had in Vienna. The sausage was okay - I should have chosen a regular one instead of the cheese one, as I found it too rich and too heavy. Both the soup and the sausage came with wonderfully fresh rye bread. Lunch was £7.30
I came back here in the afternoon for coffee and cake. I had my favorite Viennese coffee - a melange. It is as good as the melange (melanges?) I've had in Vienna. And it is served on a silver platter with a small glass of water and a piece of chocolate, just exactly like a Viennese cafe. For cake, I decided to get the Topfentorte (quark cheesecake). However, this was a disappointment. The texture was too crumbly and it fell apart, and it didn't have much flavor. Perhaps I should have stuck with the Sachertorte. Cake + coffee was £5.50
<b><u>Kensington</u>
• V&A Cafe</b>
I ate lunch AND afternoon tea here out of convenience. While the food isn't that spectacular, it is not bad. Regardless, simply having the privilege to dine in the Morris, Gamble and Poynter Rooms is worth whatever they charge!
For lunch, I sat in the Gamble Room and had a chicken, leek, mushroom pot pie for £8.50.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7204.jpg
Gamble Room (my photos came out w/a blue tint and don't do any justice)
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7201.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7202.jpg
Here's an official photo from V&A:
http://www.vandaimages.com/results.a...=2006BL0183-01
For my afternoon tea, I had a pot of tea, a scone with jam and clotted cream for £5.50.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7205.jpg
This time, I sat in the Poynter Room:
http://www.vandaimages.com/results.a...=2006AM2347-01
And here's a photo of the Morris Room:
http://www.vandaimages.com/results.a...=2007BL7241-01
[BTW, when you read the following post, you'll realize why I had to go to the gym... I simply ate WAY too much on this short trip!
]<b>FOOD</b>
I didn't eat at any fancy places; however, I still had many excellent meals. Many of the establishments I went to are of the "order-at-the-counter" type eateries. Many of these places I learned about from either chowhound London board, or blogs on London.
I'll list them by geographic location.
<b><u>Soho & Chinatown</u>
• Four Seasons</b> (Chinese)
23 Wardour Street
http://www.fs-restaurants.co.uk/
There are 2 Four Seasons restaurant in Chinatown; within a block of each other. I went to the Wardour Street one. What I've read from Chowhound is that they are famous for their Chinese BBQ meats. I ate lunch there and ordered a rice plate with 2 BBQ meats: crispy skin pork, and roast duck. They gave me a complimentary bowl of soup du jour (pork and lotus root soup; delicious).
The pork was good, but the roast duck was even better. Unlike the roast duck I have in the US, their roast duck has a much more robust flavor and much less fat. And thumbs up for deboning the duck! Lunch was £8.20.
• <b>Noodle Bar</b> (Chinese)
33 Cranbourn Street (across the street from Leicester Sq tube station Exit 4)
Don't be turned off by the storefront of this place, and DON'T order from the American-Chinese style take-out counter:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7198.jpg Just go straight in and grab a seat!
The noodles here are so good that I ate here TWICE! Twice in 3.5 days. Although the English name of this place is simply called "Noodle Bar", its official Chinese name is translated as:
<i>Authentic Lanzhou Ramen</i>
Lanzhou is in the NW part of China, and it's famous for ramen (hand-pulled noodles).
Once you step inside the tiny eatery, you'll find the noodle chef at work, making the dough and hand-pulling the noodles:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7196.jpg
My first meal here I actually ordered <i>dao xiao mian</i>, which is knife-sliced noodles, with beef brisket. The noodles are hand sliced by the chef. Oh my. It was so good. The noodles are chewy and the broth is so flavorful, with tons of smashed garlic, spring onions, and cilantro. £6.50 for the bowl of noodle soup.
It was so good that I had to come back for another meal. This time, I ordered the ramen (hand-pulled noodles) with beef. While different, the noodles are just as good and I love the texture. The broth is the same. This was £6.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7284.jpg
Don't expect any exceptional service or ambiance while you eat here. There are only bench-style seating, and service is at a minimum. But, I haven't had noodles this good anywhere else but China!
• <b>Kowloon Bakery</b> (Chinese)
21 Gerrard Street
No trip to London is complete without a stop at Kowloon Bakery for Chinese bakery. I came by twice - I love their "cocktail buns" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocktail_bun ) and their egg custard tarts aren't bad either.
• <b>Koya</b> (Japanese)
49 Frith Street
http://www.koya.co.uk/
This restaurant is famous for its udon. And you can order them hot udon/hot broth, or cold udon/hot broth, or cold udon/cold broth. I got a cold udon/hot broth version of mushrooms with walnut miso. Wow! The udon has fantastic texture - don't think I've had udon this good in the US, including NYC. And the walnut miso is wonderful - it comes in a paste and you mix it into the hot broth. I also ordered a poached egg for the broth. That came out perfectly poached.
This is the only restaurant I ate at where they already added in a 10% service charge. The total bill was £15.50
• <b>Gelupo</b> (gelateria)
http://www.gelupo.com/visit-gelupo.php
7 Archer Street
This is another place I had to return for a second visit. On my first trip, I ordered a "2 scoop" cup, with persimmon sorbet and blood orange sorbet. The flavor of each fruit is bright and basically explodes in my tongue. It tastes creamy without the feeling of too rich. A 2 scoop cup is £3.
On my second visit, I got a "1 scoop" cup of ricotta/honey/coffee. Yes, all 3 ingredients mixed into 1 flavor. This isn't as amazing as the fruit sorbets. I think as they try to mix too many things into one, none stands out in the end. 1 scoop was £2.
<b><u>Barbican</u>
• Barbican Foodhall</b>
http://www.barbican.org.uk/restauran...bican-foodhall
The Barbican Center recently opened (or reopened?) its Foodhall. I ate a quick dinner here simply for convenience - I was attending a concert at Barbican Hall.
I'm not sure what exactly is "new" there, as the decor looks dated from the 1990s. Anyhow, the food prices are reasonable. I had a "small salad" which you get to choose up to 3 different types of salads. It's actually quite big, as the food servers use a regular-sized dinner plate and they really piled it high. A huge plate of food for just £5.
• <b>Kipferl</b> (Austrian Delicatessen)
http://www.kipferl.co.uk/
70 Long Lane
Yet another place I ate here twice, on the same day! It's a small eatery with just 5 tables, as they mostly do take-away business. There isn't much of an Austrian or Viennese ambiance either, but the people who work there speak German.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7254.jpg
I first ate lunch there - had a frittatensuppe and a kaesekrainer (sausage with cheese inside). The soup was excellent; just like the ones I've had in Vienna. The sausage was okay - I should have chosen a regular one instead of the cheese one, as I found it too rich and too heavy. Both the soup and the sausage came with wonderfully fresh rye bread. Lunch was £7.30
I came back here in the afternoon for coffee and cake. I had my favorite Viennese coffee - a melange. It is as good as the melange (melanges?) I've had in Vienna. And it is served on a silver platter with a small glass of water and a piece of chocolate, just exactly like a Viennese cafe. For cake, I decided to get the Topfentorte (quark cheesecake). However, this was a disappointment. The texture was too crumbly and it fell apart, and it didn't have much flavor. Perhaps I should have stuck with the Sachertorte. Cake + coffee was £5.50
<b><u>Kensington</u>
• V&A Cafe</b>
I ate lunch AND afternoon tea here out of convenience. While the food isn't that spectacular, it is not bad. Regardless, simply having the privilege to dine in the Morris, Gamble and Poynter Rooms is worth whatever they charge!
For lunch, I sat in the Gamble Room and had a chicken, leek, mushroom pot pie for £8.50.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7204.jpg
Gamble Room (my photos came out w/a blue tint and don't do any justice)
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7201.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7202.jpg
Here's an official photo from V&A:
http://www.vandaimages.com/results.a...=2006BL0183-01
For my afternoon tea, I had a pot of tea, a scone with jam and clotted cream for £5.50.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7205.jpg
This time, I sat in the Poynter Room:
http://www.vandaimages.com/results.a...=2006AM2347-01
And here's a photo of the Morris Room:
http://www.vandaimages.com/results.a...=2007BL7241-01
Nov 16th, 2010, 12:46 PM
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<b>Evening shows</b>
I saw 3 shows on this trip:
• Sylvia by Royal Ballet
• Elgar Violin Concert 100th Anniv concert by London Symphony Orchestra with Sir Colin Davis and Nikolaj Znaider
• Deathtrap at Noël Coward Theatre
Out of these 3 shows, I only pre-purchased ticket to the LSO concert, as it has been sold out for weeks.
• <b>Sylvia by Royal Ballet</b>
http://www.roh.org.uk/whatson/production.aspx?pid=13790
The Royal Opera House offers discounted "day tickets" which go on sale at 10am on the day of performance, which is what I bought for this ballet. For £29, I got a seat on the side of stalls circle. I thought it's a pretty decent seat - only the deep R corner of the stage is obscured; otherwise, I'm quite close to the stage. I'm no ballet expert; but I thoroughly enjoyed the performance. Here's a glimpse of the view from my seat:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7199.jpg
• <b>Deathtrap at Noël Coward Theatre</b>
http://www.noel-coward-theatre.com/
I bought my ticket at the Leicester Sq TKTS booth at half price. I had a seat in 2nd row center for £27.75. [I was hoping they may have tickets but War Horse, but no luck.]
I may be one of the few people who don't know the plot at all, which is key to the enjoyment of this "murder mystery comedy". At one point in Act I, I (plus a good number of audience) jumped out of our seats and screamed!
Simon Russell Beale is brilliant as Sidney Bruhl, and Jonathan Groff (from Glee) does a decent job as the young apprentice. The female roles were sort of bland, esp Claire Skinner who played the role of the wife. Estelle Parsons was the psychic, which I thought was a waste of her talents (I recently saw her in August: Osage County).
• <b>LSO concert at the Barbican</b>
http://www.barbican.org.uk/music/eve...l.asp?ID=10244
I'll keep this brief. I wanted to see this because it is held exactly 100 years to the day from the premiere of Elgar's Violin Concert in 1910. Fritz Kreisler was the soloist in 1910. 100 years later, Danish violinist Nikolaj Znaider plays the concerto using the exact same violin which Kreisler performed the premiere in 1910. Znaider has been championing this piece for the last year, and I heard him play it with the Boston Symphony Orchestra earlier this year (also conducted by Sir Colin Davis).
I really like Barbican Hall. All seats have a decent view and the acoustics is very good. I'm also delighted at the ticket prices. My ticket was £19 and my seat was in the center section of the 2nd level (3 levels total). If I want a comparable seat here at Boston's Symphony Hall for a BSO concert, I'd be looking at a $80+ ticket.
View from my seat:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7240.jpg
Curtain call:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7241.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7242.jpg
I saw 3 shows on this trip:
• Sylvia by Royal Ballet
• Elgar Violin Concert 100th Anniv concert by London Symphony Orchestra with Sir Colin Davis and Nikolaj Znaider
• Deathtrap at Noël Coward Theatre
Out of these 3 shows, I only pre-purchased ticket to the LSO concert, as it has been sold out for weeks.
• <b>Sylvia by Royal Ballet</b>
http://www.roh.org.uk/whatson/production.aspx?pid=13790
The Royal Opera House offers discounted "day tickets" which go on sale at 10am on the day of performance, which is what I bought for this ballet. For £29, I got a seat on the side of stalls circle. I thought it's a pretty decent seat - only the deep R corner of the stage is obscured; otherwise, I'm quite close to the stage. I'm no ballet expert; but I thoroughly enjoyed the performance. Here's a glimpse of the view from my seat:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7199.jpg
• <b>Deathtrap at Noël Coward Theatre</b>
http://www.noel-coward-theatre.com/
I bought my ticket at the Leicester Sq TKTS booth at half price. I had a seat in 2nd row center for £27.75. [I was hoping they may have tickets but War Horse, but no luck.]
I may be one of the few people who don't know the plot at all, which is key to the enjoyment of this "murder mystery comedy". At one point in Act I, I (plus a good number of audience) jumped out of our seats and screamed!
Simon Russell Beale is brilliant as Sidney Bruhl, and Jonathan Groff (from Glee) does a decent job as the young apprentice. The female roles were sort of bland, esp Claire Skinner who played the role of the wife. Estelle Parsons was the psychic, which I thought was a waste of her talents (I recently saw her in August: Osage County).
• <b>LSO concert at the Barbican</b>
http://www.barbican.org.uk/music/eve...l.asp?ID=10244
I'll keep this brief. I wanted to see this because it is held exactly 100 years to the day from the premiere of Elgar's Violin Concert in 1910. Fritz Kreisler was the soloist in 1910. 100 years later, Danish violinist Nikolaj Znaider plays the concerto using the exact same violin which Kreisler performed the premiere in 1910. Znaider has been championing this piece for the last year, and I heard him play it with the Boston Symphony Orchestra earlier this year (also conducted by Sir Colin Davis).
I really like Barbican Hall. All seats have a decent view and the acoustics is very good. I'm also delighted at the ticket prices. My ticket was £19 and my seat was in the center section of the 2nd level (3 levels total). If I want a comparable seat here at Boston's Symphony Hall for a BSO concert, I'd be looking at a $80+ ticket.
View from my seat:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7240.jpg
Curtain call:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7241.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7242.jpg
Nov 17th, 2010, 09:54 AM
#8
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<b>Museums, Galleries, and Exhibitions</b>
As I've been to London many times and have visited most of the tourist sights, on this trip I focused on seeing special exhibitions that are on for a limited time.
• <b>Diaghilev and the Golden Age of the Ballets Russes, 1909-1929</b>
at the <b>V&A</b>
http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/the...ses/index.html
As I said in my OP, I really wanted to catch this show in London; and it does not disappoint. The exhibition focuses on Diaghilev, beginning with his background and a brief history of Russia around 1900-1905, explaining why he left Russia for Paris.
Throughout the exhibition, there is tons of memorabilia, photos, costumes, designs on watercolor. There is also a section on Nijinsky.
What impresses me most is his collaboration with all the avant-garde artists and designers of the time (Stravinsky, Matisse, Picasso, de Chirico, Chanel), and together, they began a new chapter on live performances. And of course, the choreographers he hired pretty much defined the style of ballet that we have come to accept as the "gold standard".
One of the most impressive item on view is the enormous <i>Firebird</i> backcloth, designed by Natalia Goncharova. It is believed the be the largest piece of work owned by the V&A.
http://www.vam.ac.uk/things-to-do/bl...llation-cloths
I spent close to 3 hours at this exhibition alone; cherishing everything that's on view. I highly, highly recommend this show.
<i>On view until Jan 9 2011</i>
• <b>Theatre and Performance Galleries at the V&A</b>
http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/the...out/index.html
After my 3-hr stay in the Diaghilev exhibition, and a chicken pot pie from the cafe, I was suffering from museum fatigue plus food coma. As a result, I limited my afternoon V&A visit to just the Theatre and Performance Galleries, which opened in 2009.
I took a free introductory tour to the T&P galleries at 2pm. It definitely wasn't the best V&A tour I've taken, but it was fine (our docent is very young and new to this tour). The galleries are grouped by themes, and I like how items from the 1700s are placed next to contemporary ones. They also try to showcase as many pieces of costumes as possible. And then there's Kylie's Dressing Room - a favorite for many teenage girls.
• <b> Treasures from Budapest: European Masterpieces from Leonardo to Schiele</b>
at the <b>Royal Academy of Arts</b>
http://www.royalacademy.org.uk/exhibitions/budapest/
<i>This exhibition showcases the breadth and wealth of one of the finest collections in Central Europe. The exhibition comprises works from the Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest, with additional key loans from the Hungarian National Gallery.</i>
This show was okay - it didn't quite blow me away; and it was very crowded when I went on a Tuesday morning. Some of the more notable works are Esterházy Madonna (Raphael), drawings by Durer and Leonardo, several paintings by Spanish masters, and one Egon Schiele.
<i>On view until Dec 12, 2010</i>
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7183.jpg
• <b>Museum of London</b>
http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/English/
I have put off visiting Museum of London until now, because the Modern Galleries have just reopened this past May after a 3-year refurbishment.
One begins on the entrance level with the prehistoric period, and it's easy to follow the galleries in a chronological manner. There are tons and tons of artifact to see; one can easily spend a good part of the day here. In the modern galleries, lots of hands-on, interactive displays are installed. I was particularly impressed by the ornate elevator doors from Selfridges:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7256.jpg
One disappointment I found was that the Mayor's Stage Coach was not on view - not surprising because the Lord Mayor's show was scheduled for a few days later. I was told that I could see it if I head over to Guildhall, just a few blocks away; but I never made it there.
[to be continued...]
As I've been to London many times and have visited most of the tourist sights, on this trip I focused on seeing special exhibitions that are on for a limited time.
• <b>Diaghilev and the Golden Age of the Ballets Russes, 1909-1929</b>
at the <b>V&A</b>
http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/the...ses/index.html
As I said in my OP, I really wanted to catch this show in London; and it does not disappoint. The exhibition focuses on Diaghilev, beginning with his background and a brief history of Russia around 1900-1905, explaining why he left Russia for Paris.
Throughout the exhibition, there is tons of memorabilia, photos, costumes, designs on watercolor. There is also a section on Nijinsky.
What impresses me most is his collaboration with all the avant-garde artists and designers of the time (Stravinsky, Matisse, Picasso, de Chirico, Chanel), and together, they began a new chapter on live performances. And of course, the choreographers he hired pretty much defined the style of ballet that we have come to accept as the "gold standard".
One of the most impressive item on view is the enormous <i>Firebird</i> backcloth, designed by Natalia Goncharova. It is believed the be the largest piece of work owned by the V&A.
http://www.vam.ac.uk/things-to-do/bl...llation-cloths
I spent close to 3 hours at this exhibition alone; cherishing everything that's on view. I highly, highly recommend this show.
<i>On view until Jan 9 2011</i>
• <b>Theatre and Performance Galleries at the V&A</b>
http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/the...out/index.html
After my 3-hr stay in the Diaghilev exhibition, and a chicken pot pie from the cafe, I was suffering from museum fatigue plus food coma. As a result, I limited my afternoon V&A visit to just the Theatre and Performance Galleries, which opened in 2009.
I took a free introductory tour to the T&P galleries at 2pm. It definitely wasn't the best V&A tour I've taken, but it was fine (our docent is very young and new to this tour). The galleries are grouped by themes, and I like how items from the 1700s are placed next to contemporary ones. They also try to showcase as many pieces of costumes as possible. And then there's Kylie's Dressing Room - a favorite for many teenage girls.
• <b> Treasures from Budapest: European Masterpieces from Leonardo to Schiele</b>
at the <b>Royal Academy of Arts</b>
http://www.royalacademy.org.uk/exhibitions/budapest/
<i>This exhibition showcases the breadth and wealth of one of the finest collections in Central Europe. The exhibition comprises works from the Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest, with additional key loans from the Hungarian National Gallery.</i>
This show was okay - it didn't quite blow me away; and it was very crowded when I went on a Tuesday morning. Some of the more notable works are Esterházy Madonna (Raphael), drawings by Durer and Leonardo, several paintings by Spanish masters, and one Egon Schiele.
<i>On view until Dec 12, 2010</i>
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7183.jpg
• <b>Museum of London</b>
http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/English/
I have put off visiting Museum of London until now, because the Modern Galleries have just reopened this past May after a 3-year refurbishment.
One begins on the entrance level with the prehistoric period, and it's easy to follow the galleries in a chronological manner. There are tons and tons of artifact to see; one can easily spend a good part of the day here. In the modern galleries, lots of hands-on, interactive displays are installed. I was particularly impressed by the ornate elevator doors from Selfridges:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7256.jpg
One disappointment I found was that the Mayor's Stage Coach was not on view - not surprising because the Lord Mayor's show was scheduled for a few days later. I was told that I could see it if I head over to Guildhall, just a few blocks away; but I never made it there.
[to be continued...]
Nov 17th, 2010, 01:00 PM
#9
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<b>Museums, Galleries, and Exhibitions
• Ai Weiwei Sunflower Seeds</b>
at <b>Tate Modern</b>
http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/exhibi...0/default.shtm
This year's Unilever series in Tate Modern's Turbine Hall is an installation of over 100 MILLION ceramic sunflower seeds by Chinese artist Ai Weiwei.
No matter you look at this upclose or from a distance, it's an impressive sight. Each seed is handcrafted and hand-painted by workers in <i>Jingdezhen</i>, a town known for its famed procelain pieces. It's worth watching the 15-min accompanying video about the seed-making process.
Turbine Hall filled with seeds:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7276.jpg
Close-up of sunflower seeds:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7277.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7281.jpg
<i>On view until May 2, 2011</i>
• <b>James Turrell</b>
at <b>Gagosian Gallery</b>
http://www.gagosian.com/exhibitions/...james-turrell/
This is hands-down the <u>most memorable show</u> I've seen in years. It's hard to explain Turrell's work; it's more of a "whole body experience" than just a visual one. No photos or videos of any kind can do justice to his works. You simply have to be there to experience it.
This show at Gagosian is fairly small. The hottest thing there is <i>Bindu Shards</i> - which requires advance reservation. It's sort of a capsule and only 1 person can enter at a time, and lie inside for 30 minutes. Unfortunately, it was completely booked and I was out of luck. But still, it's worth the trek to the gallery (near Kings Cross) even just to "see" <i>Dhātu</i>.
http://www.gagosian.com/exhibitions/...l/#/images/11/
http://www.gagosian.com/exhibitions/...l/#/images/12/
It was a totally surreal, out-of-body experience once I stepped inside <i>Dhātu</i>. I don't know how to explain this, but it was as if I've stepped INSIDE a Mark Rothko color field painting, except that the color changes gradually.
Please, don't miss this if you're in London.
<i>On view until December 10, 2010</i>
• <b>Louise Bourgeois: The Fabric Works</b>
at <b>Hauser & Wirth</b>
http://www.hauserwirth.com/exhibitio...ic-works/view/
All the works in this show are made within the last decade; and spread among 2 large gallery space at Hauser & Wirth (on Saville Row near Regent Street). The bigger gallery has one large Bourgeois's iconic steel spider crouching in the center. On the surrounding gallery walls are her "fabric paintings." These are works made with various cloths and mounted as paintings. The theme of these fabric paintings are variations on the spider web pattern. I find it fitting that a gallery on Saville Row shows artworks utilizing different types of fabric.
Also on view are 2 Bourgeois's metal "cages".
<i>On view until December 18, 2010</i>
• <b>Damián Ortega: The Independent</b>
at The Curve Art Gallery at the Barbican
http://www.barbican.org.uk/artgaller...l.asp?ID=11087
I wasn't planning to see this show, but since I was at Barbican Center too early for the LSO concert, I stopped by to check it out. And I was glad I did.
Each work in this show was inspired by a newspaper item (from The Independent) during the month of September 2010. Some of the sculptures are very witty, some are sensitive, though some I simply didn't get. Not a must see but worth a stop if you're in the area.
<i>On view until Jan 16, 2011</i>
• <b>Anish Kapoor: Turning the World Upside Down</b>
inside the <b>Kensington Gardens</b>
http://www.serpentinegallery.org/201...sh_kapoor.html
Four reflective sculptures by Anish Kapoor are on view this winter within the grounds of Kensington Gardens. Kapoor of course is best known for his "Bean" (formally known as "Cloud Gate") at Chicago's Millennium Park, where I had just visited a week earlier. [Shameless plug for my Chicago trip report here: http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...-in-dallas.cfm ]
I will only say that I was sorry that I only had time to see these sculptures at dusk. I wanted to return during day time but I simply ran out of time.
Sky Mirror: http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7208.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7210.jpg
Sky Mirror (RED):
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7221.jpg
Spire (I love the reflection of the bare branches on the sculpture)
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7212.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7215.jpg
C-Curve (one side is right-side up; one side is upside-down; and you can see my reflection in both)
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7227.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7233.jpg
And finally, just a shot of Kensington Gardens at dusk
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7218.jpg
• Ai Weiwei Sunflower Seeds</b>
at <b>Tate Modern</b>
http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/exhibi...0/default.shtm
This year's Unilever series in Tate Modern's Turbine Hall is an installation of over 100 MILLION ceramic sunflower seeds by Chinese artist Ai Weiwei.
No matter you look at this upclose or from a distance, it's an impressive sight. Each seed is handcrafted and hand-painted by workers in <i>Jingdezhen</i>, a town known for its famed procelain pieces. It's worth watching the 15-min accompanying video about the seed-making process.
Turbine Hall filled with seeds:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7276.jpg
Close-up of sunflower seeds:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7277.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7281.jpg
<i>On view until May 2, 2011</i>
• <b>James Turrell</b>
at <b>Gagosian Gallery</b>
http://www.gagosian.com/exhibitions/...james-turrell/
This is hands-down the <u>most memorable show</u> I've seen in years. It's hard to explain Turrell's work; it's more of a "whole body experience" than just a visual one. No photos or videos of any kind can do justice to his works. You simply have to be there to experience it.
This show at Gagosian is fairly small. The hottest thing there is <i>Bindu Shards</i> - which requires advance reservation. It's sort of a capsule and only 1 person can enter at a time, and lie inside for 30 minutes. Unfortunately, it was completely booked and I was out of luck. But still, it's worth the trek to the gallery (near Kings Cross) even just to "see" <i>Dhātu</i>.
http://www.gagosian.com/exhibitions/...l/#/images/11/
http://www.gagosian.com/exhibitions/...l/#/images/12/
It was a totally surreal, out-of-body experience once I stepped inside <i>Dhātu</i>. I don't know how to explain this, but it was as if I've stepped INSIDE a Mark Rothko color field painting, except that the color changes gradually.
Please, don't miss this if you're in London.
<i>On view until December 10, 2010</i>
• <b>Louise Bourgeois: The Fabric Works</b>
at <b>Hauser & Wirth</b>
http://www.hauserwirth.com/exhibitio...ic-works/view/
All the works in this show are made within the last decade; and spread among 2 large gallery space at Hauser & Wirth (on Saville Row near Regent Street). The bigger gallery has one large Bourgeois's iconic steel spider crouching in the center. On the surrounding gallery walls are her "fabric paintings." These are works made with various cloths and mounted as paintings. The theme of these fabric paintings are variations on the spider web pattern. I find it fitting that a gallery on Saville Row shows artworks utilizing different types of fabric.
Also on view are 2 Bourgeois's metal "cages".
<i>On view until December 18, 2010</i>
• <b>Damián Ortega: The Independent</b>
at The Curve Art Gallery at the Barbican
http://www.barbican.org.uk/artgaller...l.asp?ID=11087
I wasn't planning to see this show, but since I was at Barbican Center too early for the LSO concert, I stopped by to check it out. And I was glad I did.
Each work in this show was inspired by a newspaper item (from The Independent) during the month of September 2010. Some of the sculptures are very witty, some are sensitive, though some I simply didn't get. Not a must see but worth a stop if you're in the area.
<i>On view until Jan 16, 2011</i>
• <b>Anish Kapoor: Turning the World Upside Down</b>
inside the <b>Kensington Gardens</b>
http://www.serpentinegallery.org/201...sh_kapoor.html
Four reflective sculptures by Anish Kapoor are on view this winter within the grounds of Kensington Gardens. Kapoor of course is best known for his "Bean" (formally known as "Cloud Gate") at Chicago's Millennium Park, where I had just visited a week earlier. [Shameless plug for my Chicago trip report here: http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...-in-dallas.cfm ]
I will only say that I was sorry that I only had time to see these sculptures at dusk. I wanted to return during day time but I simply ran out of time.
Sky Mirror: http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7208.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7210.jpg
Sky Mirror (RED):
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7221.jpg
Spire (I love the reflection of the bare branches on the sculpture)
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7212.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7215.jpg
C-Curve (one side is right-side up; one side is upside-down; and you can see my reflection in both)
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7227.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7233.jpg
And finally, just a shot of Kensington Gardens at dusk
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7218.jpg
Nov 17th, 2010, 01:24 PM
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<b>Shopping</b>
I normally don't spend much (if any) time on shopping when I'm traveling; but I made one exception on this trip. I saw an article in a magazine about the BRAND NEW flagship store of <b>The East India Company</b>, and I thought their products would make perfect Christmas gifts.
Their flagship store on Conduit Street (just off Regent St) has just opened in August. Some of the staff members are still a bit green and unsure about some products, but all are extremely courteous and helpful. The store also has a "tasting bar" offering samples of its various foods.
I haven't yet tasted any of the food products I've purchased, so I don't know if they're really that good. But they certainly are perfect presents for my in-laws!
http://www.theeastindiacompanyfinefo...58/stores.html
I normally don't spend much (if any) time on shopping when I'm traveling; but I made one exception on this trip. I saw an article in a magazine about the BRAND NEW flagship store of <b>The East India Company</b>, and I thought their products would make perfect Christmas gifts.
Their flagship store on Conduit Street (just off Regent St) has just opened in August. Some of the staff members are still a bit green and unsure about some products, but all are extremely courteous and helpful. The store also has a "tasting bar" offering samples of its various foods.
I haven't yet tasted any of the food products I've purchased, so I don't know if they're really that good. But they certainly are perfect presents for my in-laws!
http://www.theeastindiacompanyfinefo...58/stores.html
Nov 17th, 2010, 02:53 PM
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<b>Odds and Ends</b>
I don't know how to categorize the following uniquely-London experiences, but here they are:
• <b>Regent Street Christmas Lights</b>
http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/whatson/...ature-397.html
I happen to stumble upon the annual Regent St Christmas Lights "switch-on" on Tuesday, Nov 9. Well, the lights weren't on yet when I was there, but how often do you find Regent Street that is closed off to traffic completely???
A stage was set up for performances - some young heart throb whose name escapes me.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7189.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7190.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7192.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7193.jpg
And while we're talking about Christmas, here are some other Xmas-y shots:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7182.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7257.jpg
• <b>Barclays Cycle Hire</b>
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/cycling/14808.aspx
Another *new* addition to London since my visit (launched in July 2010). It appears that one has to have an account in order to use the bikes. I'm not sure if I'm brave enough to ride them on busy London streets; but I certainly see plenty of people biking on them all over London.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7187.jpg
• <b>Grosvenor Chapel & Mount Street Gardens</b>
http://www.grosvenorchapel.org.uk/
I attended a free lunchtime organ concert at the Grosvenor Chapel, a place unknown to me in the past (I haven't spent much time in Mayfair). Nearby is Mount Street Gardens which is extremely tranquil.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7184.jpg
• <b>Armistice Day at Trafalgar Square</b>
I made it to Trafalgar Square at 11am on November 11 for the 2 minutes' silence. It was a sobering experience, and eerie too. All the traffic around Trafalgar Sq came to a stop (policemen with STOP signs stood across streets and intersections). A large crowd gathered at Trafalgar Sq and we all stood still. All was SILENT, except for a beeping noise from the pedestrian walk light. I have never experienced such silence in London.
At the end of the 2 minutes, it was as if someone turned on a switch and everything was back to "business as usual".
A shot of the crowd at Trafalgar Sq as people were departing:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7247.jpg
• <b>World Premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows</b>
The red carpet premiere took place at Leicester Sq on Nov 11. Well, I happened to be there in the AM and in the PM, though I didn't see any stars.
Getting the red carpet ready in the AM:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7248.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7249.jpg
Red Carpet activity in progress in the PM, with pyrotechnic show from the cinema:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7260.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7262.jpg
I don't know how to categorize the following uniquely-London experiences, but here they are:
• <b>Regent Street Christmas Lights</b>
http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/whatson/...ature-397.html
I happen to stumble upon the annual Regent St Christmas Lights "switch-on" on Tuesday, Nov 9. Well, the lights weren't on yet when I was there, but how often do you find Regent Street that is closed off to traffic completely???
A stage was set up for performances - some young heart throb whose name escapes me.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7189.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7190.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7192.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7193.jpg
And while we're talking about Christmas, here are some other Xmas-y shots:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7182.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7257.jpg
• <b>Barclays Cycle Hire</b>
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/cycling/14808.aspx
Another *new* addition to London since my visit (launched in July 2010). It appears that one has to have an account in order to use the bikes. I'm not sure if I'm brave enough to ride them on busy London streets; but I certainly see plenty of people biking on them all over London.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7187.jpg
• <b>Grosvenor Chapel & Mount Street Gardens</b>
http://www.grosvenorchapel.org.uk/
I attended a free lunchtime organ concert at the Grosvenor Chapel, a place unknown to me in the past (I haven't spent much time in Mayfair). Nearby is Mount Street Gardens which is extremely tranquil.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7184.jpg
• <b>Armistice Day at Trafalgar Square</b>
I made it to Trafalgar Square at 11am on November 11 for the 2 minutes' silence. It was a sobering experience, and eerie too. All the traffic around Trafalgar Sq came to a stop (policemen with STOP signs stood across streets and intersections). A large crowd gathered at Trafalgar Sq and we all stood still. All was SILENT, except for a beeping noise from the pedestrian walk light. I have never experienced such silence in London.
At the end of the 2 minutes, it was as if someone turned on a switch and everything was back to "business as usual".
A shot of the crowd at Trafalgar Sq as people were departing:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7247.jpg
• <b>World Premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows</b>
The red carpet premiere took place at Leicester Sq on Nov 11. Well, I happened to be there in the AM and in the PM, though I didn't see any stars.
Getting the red carpet ready in the AM:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7248.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7249.jpg
Red Carpet activity in progress in the PM, with pyrotechnic show from the cinema:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7260.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_7262.jpg
Nov 17th, 2010, 02:59 PM
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Thanks for everyone's comments and thank you for reading.
Cathinjoetown, here's a quick run-down of what I did on which day:
Day 1 - Royal Academy of Arts; Grosvenor Chapel organ concert; Hauser and Wirth; Regent St X'mas Lights; Shopping; Royal Ballet
Day 2 - V&A; Kensington Gardens; Barbican Center (Damien Orgeta show + LSO concert)
Day 3 - Trafalgar Sq; Museum of London; Deathtrap
Day 4 (half-day) - Gagosian Gallery; Tate Modern
I also managed to return to the hotel every afternoon for a short nap and a change of clothes before heading out for the evening shows.
Cathinjoetown, here's a quick run-down of what I did on which day:
Day 1 - Royal Academy of Arts; Grosvenor Chapel organ concert; Hauser and Wirth; Regent St X'mas Lights; Shopping; Royal Ballet
Day 2 - V&A; Kensington Gardens; Barbican Center (Damien Orgeta show + LSO concert)
Day 3 - Trafalgar Sq; Museum of London; Deathtrap
Day 4 (half-day) - Gagosian Gallery; Tate Modern
I also managed to return to the hotel every afternoon for a short nap and a change of clothes before heading out for the evening shows.
Nov 18th, 2010, 10:45 AM
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Great report yk and we crossed paths several times!
I was in Leicester Sq. for the 2 minute silence on Armistice Day and I also visited the Damian Ortega exhibit @ the Barbican last week.
Ai Weiwei exhibit @ the Tate Modern was interesting but I was disappointed not to be able to walk through the sunflower seeds as I'd read this was possible and I'm pretty sure I could see indentations that looked like footsteps in the seeds!
I was in Leicester Sq. for the 2 minute silence on Armistice Day and I also visited the Damian Ortega exhibit @ the Barbican last week.
Ai Weiwei exhibit @ the Tate Modern was interesting but I was disappointed not to be able to walk through the sunflower seeds as I'd read this was possible and I'm pretty sure I could see indentations that looked like footsteps in the seeds!
Nov 18th, 2010, 11:04 AM
#17
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Hi sassy_cat - I probably elbowed you on the tube. 
When the Sunflower seeds installation opened, yes, visitors were allowed to walk on/among the seeds. However, soon after, there were health concerns about the ceramic dust causing respiratory problems. The installation was closed for a few days and then reopened with it being roped off entirely.
When the Sunflower seeds installation opened, yes, visitors were allowed to walk on/among the seeds. However, soon after, there were health concerns about the ceramic dust causing respiratory problems. The installation was closed for a few days and then reopened with it being roped off entirely.
Nov 21st, 2010, 04:04 PM
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Thanks for the review of the Turrell. I'm going to try to see it. The other installation is completely booked through the run of the show. Did Gagosian just pick up Turrell? This looks like his first show at the gallery. Maybe it will come to NYC.
I'm going to try to see the Ai Wei Wei as well and I guess the Anish Kapoor. The Serpentine Gallery is close to my heart!
Is there anything else in London that's new that's worth looking at?
I'm going to try to see the Ai Wei Wei as well and I guess the Anish Kapoor. The Serpentine Gallery is close to my heart!
Is there anything else in London that's new that's worth looking at?
