October 2020 Archives

T's Fried Scoop is deep-fried ice cream that can be bought during Brick Lane's popular Sunday Upmarket and the Saturday market at the Truman Brewery on Hanbury Street. I recently headed over to Brick Lane's Upmarket and purchased some, which was served with a Halloween witch on top. T's Fried Scoop ice cream offers a range of flavours: clotted cream vanilla, chocolate, matcha, strawberry, and the limited special black coconut.

The deep fried ice cream is located inside a dough ball, which is then dipped in flour, covered in bread crumbs, and deep fried. A small range of toppings is available - whipped cream or covered in cornflakes. I had the black coconut flavour covered in cornflakes. This was then decorated with an orange caramel syrup and topped with a sugar witch. The orange and black definitely made this a Halloween treat.

T's Fried Scoop actually launched right after the lockdown at the end of July, 2020.

The dessert reminded me of Japanese mochi, an ice cream that is covered in a powdered sugar. However, mochi is not served hot, so it is not exactly the same. To try some, visit the Truman Brewery Upmarket at the weekends. They are located with the other street food kiosks at the corner of Hanbury Street and Brick Lane.

I first came across "Humble Crumble", a dessert kiosk that sells the popular British dessert "crumble", at the beginning of this year when I went to Canary Wharf Winter Lights 2020. Since then, they have set up a permanent kiosk at Spitalfields Market, and I recently paid them a visit. If you have not been, do go because their crumble is delicious with the right ratio of crumble to fruit to custard/cream.

For a limited time and in appreciation for autumn and Halloween, they are offering limited edition pumpkin-spiced and apple crumbles served in a miniature pumpkin or pumpkin-crossed squash/gourd (technically). These can then be topped with meringue, rose petals, and nuts.

Humble Crumble started at Primrose Hill market in London in May of 2018, and they have set up at Maltby Street Market and other events across London.

I love pumpkin, so I really enjoyed this flavour! I loved that it was also served in a pumpkin, making it a picturesque autumn treat. There was a queue for these, and I got there at fifteen minutes before they opened, and I was the ninth person in the queue with many of the other people getting at least one of these. They will be served until and including Halloween.

A new artwork in the form of a large mirror ball appeared at Covent Garden in October 2020. The work was created by Glow Inflatibles in conjunction with MT Art Agency. The artwork, known simply as "A=V", depicts itself as a portal.

The artwork has brought some smiles to the faces of people who came upon it in these difficult times. This artwork is on display at Covent Garden until the end of October.

Part of the Bloomsbury Hotel, Dalloway Terrace has been an Instagram favourite from 2017 with its popular afternoon tea and new floral decorations that change seasonally. This is when it became a popular destination, and I recently visited the restaurant for afternoon tea. The autumn afternoon tea is surrounded with a beautiful decor of dried autumn leaves along the walls. The autumn afternoon tea menu is brought in partnership with Johnnie Walker and created by head pastry chef and Afternoon Tea of the Year Finalist Chris Dodd.

First up, check out this beautiful autumn decor. Beautiful golden, yellow, and brown leaves cover the wall and ceiling. It's a cozy and autumnal feeling.

I ordered the glass of champagne, Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut and opted for the 2nd Flush Muscatel tea. The tea is described as coming from the Indian Himalayas at the border of Darjeeling and Tibet. I love Darjeeling tea, so I thought that this one sounded good, and it did not disappoint. The tea has a floral taste with notes of muscatel grapes.

I loved the striped mug for the tea.

The afternoon tea came with a selection of sandwiches, scones, and pastries to finish it off. The sandwiches included honey roast Yorkshire ham with English mustard on wholemeal bread, egg and chive mayonnaise on white bread, smoked salmon and lemon creme fraiche on granary, and cucumber and dill cream cheese. 

Two different flavours of fresh buttermilk scones were provided on the middle tier. One of the scones was a sultana scone, and the other one was vanilla-flavoured. The scones were served with Scottish raspberry jam and Devonshire clotted cream.

The pastries were tasty, and the host said that the strawberry one pictured above should be eaten first and then work the way around clockwise. The first was the summer strawberry and pistachio tart, which was my favourite of the pastries.

Next up was the cherry and almond bakewell slice. This was also nice, but it was a little dry.

Red velvet and raspberry cake was the next pastry. I am not a fan of red velvet cake at all, so this was my least favourite. The final pastry was the Johnnie Walker Black Label dark chocolate choux bun, which was tasty and my favourite pastry after the strawberry and pistachio one.

What is my verdict on Dalloway Terrace for afternoon tea? I enjoyed the tea, and the service was attentive. The afternoon tea was good, and the atmosphere of the cozy and nicely-decorated room did help the enjoyment of it. The scones were not my favourite aspect of this particular afternoon tea, but I would return again for afternoon tea, and I'd consider visiting over next spring or summer with a seasonal change in the decor.

 Sr. X is a Spanish-based street artist who visited London earlier this year, painting in Shoreditch this mural: "The Back of Your Mind", New Street Art by Sr. X. The artist paints an illustration and graphic style with subjects who show exaggerated emotions. Camden was the location that the artist painted in this summer, and two murals appeared here. I managed to get photographs of both pieces.

The first mural features the portrait of a woman against a yellow and red background. The woman's face seems to be coming off, showing a mixture of natural elements - leaves, roots, fish.

The second mural has a label on the lower right hand corner: "The real art of street art rocks". It features a portrait of a man with flames and a segmented face. This is similar to the artist's most recent pieces of the vintage illustration.

Other artwork by Sr. X (Senor X) on this blog can be seen in the below posts:

"The Back of Your Mind", New Street Art by Sr. X
Camden Street Art Self-Guided Trail
Sr. X (Señor X) "The Rapture" Street Art on the Village Underground
Sr. X (Señor X) "The Itching" Street Art off Brick Lane
New Sr X Octopus on Hackney Road
Sr.X Paints Village Underground Wall
Sr.X "Buy Shit!" Sign on Village Underground
Sr X Collaborates with Zabou

For the first time this year, Mayfair in London has launched its very own outdoor month-long sculpture trail to coincide with Art in Mayfair and Mayfair Art Weekend, which took place at the start of the month (October 2-4). Mayfair Sculpture Trail will continue until the end of the month and includes sixteen large sculptures between Grosvenor Square and Burlington Arcade. Five of the sculptures are existing permanent ones, and the other thirteen are new to the trail. Visitors can listen to commentary about the sculptures on their phones. (@LondonArtCritic and @MayfairArtWeekend)

The trail begins at Grosvenor Square and ends at Burlington Arcade, and I suggest listening to the SMARTIFY app while walking the tour. I've included some information on the pieces below. If you wish to visit, do visit before the end of October. However, the permanent sculptures will still be in place and have been for many years.

Live Object 1,2,3,4 by Recycle Group

Recycle Group is a Russian duo who creates minimalist artwork using virtual reality. However, there is more than what appears to simply glancing at the sculptures. There is a Recycle Group app to install so that viewers can see the sculptures come to life. Inside the voids of each one is a different figure, which moves. Viewers with the app can point their phone camera (through the app, it needs to be enabled) at the QR code that appears on the top of each sculpture.

Meditation 1554 by Seo Young-Deok

This sculpture was created in 2019 from an iron chain to form a very large human head with a meditative pose. The iron chain symbolises the strength of the human spirit.

Hanbag Heads by Bruce Mclean

Located just off Regent's Street is this abstract metal sculpture commissioned by the Crown Estate in 2005. The work is set onto the wall and an easy one to miss. It depicts two women with hats that appear as handbags. It is a tribute to this shopping and fashion area of London.

Bag of Aspirations by Kalliopi Lemos

This sculpture of a giant handbag is one in a series of three with the other items including a giant corset, bra, and heel. The item is a feminine symbol, and a handbag is a fashion statement. Making this large-scale shows the power of women and femininity. This area of London is also known for its fashion shops and department stores, so it fits right in.  

Reina Mariana by Manolo Valdes

Valdes is known for his paintings and sculptures of women, and this sculpture depicts Mariana of Austria. She became the queen of Spain through marriage and was married off when she was 14. The dress is a throwback to how the rich and powerful women dressed with large dresses.

Time/Life Screen by Henry Moore

This is a permanent sculpture at the top of the Time & Life building off New Bond Street. Look up or you will miss it. The work was designed for each of the individual sculptures to rotate, but this was not possible to do, so extra space was created around them for the light to come through. The artist wanted the individual sculptures to appear as though they were breaking free from the architecture.

Crystal 001 by Anthony James

This sculpture doubles as an optical illusion. To fully appreciate the artwork, get close to it and appear into it. The sculpture becomes a multi-faceted object that viewers can get lost inside.

Close-up of Crystal 001 by Anthony James

Allies by Lawrence Holofcener

This is a permanent sculpture featuring Britain's Churchill and America's Roosevelt in discussion. It is a tribute to the two leaders during World War 2 and was unveiled by Princess Margaret. The sculpture is popular with visitors to the area who always want a photograph taken of it.

Simple Talk (Left) by Pablo Reinoso

This white bench has been turned into an artwork and has become organic with its wooden slats turning into organic ribbon shapes, shooting up and twisting into a deconstriucted shape. Visitors can sit here or appreciate it as a work of art. 

Horse and Rider by Elisabeth Frink

This is a permanent sculpture and constrasts the other similar horse-and-rider sculptures that appear in any other European city. Instead, the rider and horse appear more realistic and less stylised and idealic. The rider is shown without a saddle and appears naked without military or royal uniforms. There are no symbols here, so the statue is not a status symbol.

Life Going Up, Life Going Down by David Annesley

Shapes, including negative shape, and colour is used for this sculpture. The sculpure appears to float with the reflection of the colours giving it a dimension and lightness. The artist enjoys experimenting with colours and shapes.

Large Troubador by Barry Flanagan

Flanagan has been inspired by "The Thinker" by Rodin here, and he depicts a hare with musical instruments. Hares and musical instruments are a favourite subject of his. Hares are depicted often in his work because he feels that they appear human and have human-like poses.

Bear with Fire Bucket by Patrick O'Reily

Movement is captured in this sculpture of a stitched bear that appears to be running with a fire bucket in hand. 

Cinch by Anthony Gormley

At the top of Burlington Arcade is this figure of a human, a permanent sculpture that is easy to miss. The sculpture is multi-faceted, appearing to be created with chunks of concrete. Is it created from London's concrete? Why is the figure standing there? What is it looking at?

Dokwerker (Docker) by Atelier van Lieshout

This sculpture is the only one that has not been made by an artist. It has been made by a workshop, known as an "atelier" in the French language. The figure commemorates Dutch dock workers who took part in the 1941 strike against Nazi Germans in the Netherlands.

Zechariah's Vision by Laurent Grasso

This work featuring many eyes is based on the Vision of Zechariah, a biblical prophet who had visions and saw a stone with seven eyes. It also references the myth of Argus Panoptes, the all-seeing giant. The work is relevant in today's society with CCTV and tracking.

Treat Please by Patrick O'Reily

These Irish wolfhound sculptures are in a pair located inside of Burlington Arcade. The dogs pose, capturing the canine form that appeals to humans so well.

The Mayfair Sculpture Trail sculptures can be seen until the end of October, the 31st to be exact.

Sheffield Park and Garden is a National Trust property designed with influences from landscape gardener 'Capability' Brown. The property consists of four lakes with trails and wooded walks. This was my second visit to Sheffield Park and Garden having previously visited in the middle of summer in July. This time, I visited Sheffield Park in the middle of October and at the start of the height of fantastic autumn colour with the colours reflecting onto the lakes. Unfortunately, the morning was cloudy, and this would have looked even more spectacular in the sun. At least it was dry.

I previously visited Sheffield Park and Garden this July, and you can see how the park looks in the different seasons by reading the post below:

A Visit to Sheffield Park and Garden (National Trust in East Sussex)

I visited Basildon Park and House at the beginning of this month. Due to restrictions from the coronavirus pandemic, only a few rooms of the ground floor are open to visitors. The grounds are also open but have a one-way system in place in areas when I visited. I have never visited Basildon Park and House before, so this was my first visit. The house sits in 400 acres and is perfect to visit in the different seasons and is popular to visit in winter months.

The house itself dates from the 18th century for Frances Sykes, who made a fortune in East India. However, soon after the project at Basildon, Sykes took on debts and was forced to sell. The house then had several owners and was left empty in 1910, so it was used as a hospital by the army. It went through more years of changed owners and abandonment before being used by the army as a training ground, barracks, and prisioner of war camp during World War II. In the 1950s, a lot of country houses were demolished, but Basildon was purchased and brought back to life by the owners. It was given to the National Trust in 1978.

Basildon House has recently been used as a filming location. The 2005 "Pride and Prejudice" was filmed here along with "Dorian Gray" and "Downton Abbey".

I didn't have any lunch on the day before I visited Basildon, so the first stop was to the tea room, which is located near the parking. I had cream tea, which consisted of a scone and afternoon tea.

The house is located a short walk away through a small woodland walk, and there are nice views over the pastures with cattle.

The house is open for a short time to visit, so I went there after having a bite to eat. I was able to explore some of the rooms on the ground floor, but much of the house is still not open.

The first room upon entering is a small hall, and the original features have been retained.

The library cannot be entered, but it is off to the left when entering the hall. 

Through the hall, visitors can access the dining room, which is a beautiful room with painted ceiling and marble columns. This was the most impressive room.

The dining room leads off to the Octagon Room, which has stunning views from the windows. 

This leads off to a drawing room or living room.

The kitchen was accessed through the drawing room.

And the tour finished off at the room that can be entered through the right of the hall where visitors entered via the front of the house.

After visiting the house, I had a quick walk around the garden. The garden has wonderful views over the pastures and forest, and the autumn colours were beginning to show on the trees.

I enjoyed my visit to Basildon Park and House, and I look forward to returning to see it and to tour the house once it is completely open and safe to do so.

I visited Nostell on a dreary day at the end of August. Nostell is a stately home located near Wakefield in West Yorkshire, and it dates from the mid-1700s. The house was built on the site of a medieval priory, and it was given to the National Trust in the 1950s along with the furniture and furnishings. The property owners were merchants and made their wealth in textiles to the monarchy of the time, Elizabeth I. Unfortunately, due to coronavirus, only the ground floor and part of the grounds is open. The stables, gardens, lake walk behind the house, and the remainder of the house is currently closed. I do not feel that I got a good "feeling" for the house and property due to most of it being closed off.

Nostell is one of the first National Trust properties to open back up, although it's not fully open. To be honest, I am sure that these properties could be open by simply keeping numbers down and keeping people from lingering too long in each area with perhaps a queue one-in-one-out system. Quite a lot of other museums and indoor areas are open for other properties. I do hope that they are able to open up other properties fully because it is the houses I enjoy visiting.

In the house on the ground floor, visitors follow a one-way system around the rooms. There are quite a few pieces of mahongany furniture from the Chippendale company.

One of the rooms contains the famous doll's house, which was created in the 1730s. The furnishings and items in the dollhouse are designer and an example of items inspired by the times. It was maintained and grew upon over the years. It was a beloved hobby.

Also on the ground floor is a little room dedicated to John "Longitude" Harrison, creator of the most precise timepiece and longitude measurement. A set of silver is on display, and there is a butler's room with information on display, a room for storing files of the running of the house, and the hallway of the ground floor service bells.

Although some of the grounds are closed to walking, visitors can walk to the lakes further away. At the bottom of the hill is a boathouse and an expansive lake. There are also views expanding from the front of the house, which is now a pasture for cattle.

Although the stables are closed, the shop and cafe are open with reduced area.

I had a brief walk down the hill to the lakes. Pheasants and swans with young swans were hanging around in the area.

Once it is safe to do so and the house, gardens, and parkland is open, I will return again.

Street artist Fanakapan is known for his chrome and foil/metallic balloon and smiley street art, and I have a couple of new pieces to share. The first piece appeared at Mornington Crescent last autumn, but it no longer exists. It features a chrome reflective spray paint can with smiley faces. The second piece is a foil balloon with a smiley, and it is located at Hoxton Square. The third piece is located on Star Yard off Brick Lane. Fanakapan had previously painted a collaboration with Cranio at the start of the year (Cranio Returns to London in 2020 and Paints Brick Lane) and on Brick Lane's Star Yard shortly afterwards (Fanakapan Paints PacMan Pizza on Brick Lane and Other Street Art).

I really liked the Mornington Crescent street art as it was a large-scale colourful piece. The last time I visited Cameden was this summer, and the piece had been removed.

The Hoxton Square balloon with a pixelated section was snapped on my last visit to London at the end of September, and it is a collaboration with Chloe, an artist that I have never come across before.

Star Yard is a common place that Fanakapan paints, and this mural is the artist's signature, and it appeared some point this summer but was tagged over when I saw it for the first time.

More street art by Fanakapan is located here:

Fanakapan Paints PacMan Pizza on Brick Lane and Other Street Art
Fanakapan Star Yard MagnaDonuts Mural
"Follow the Leader" by Fanakapan
Peace for Manchester
Fanakapan Paints Shoreditch Clowns
Chrome Balloon Dog in Star Yard
Fanakapan Paints "Power Tools" on Village Underground Wall
Fanakapan Paints "Drunk Glass Elephants"
Fanakapan, Horror Crew, & Jerry Rugg
Louis Masai and Fanakapan: "Freedom?"
New Chrome Street Art Mask by Fanakapan
Balloon Animal Street Art
Cranio & Fanakapan
Fanakapan and Horror Crew
Camden Street Art Self-Guided Trail
Halloween Street Art (2018 and 2019)
Cranio Returns to London in 2020 and Paints Brick Lane

42nd East Bakehouse is a New York City-inspired bakery located in the midlands: Lincoln, Leeds, and Beverley. I have not been able to discover more about this bakehouse or bakery, but they must have some connection or love of the USA or at least the New York City bakeries. They are offering home-delivered treats and also have bakeries in the three cities mentioned. Stuffed cookies are a speciality. I ordered some of their treats, so keep reading to see what I ordered from them.

My favourite of the treats by far was the carrot cake with cinnamon. This was absolutely delicious.

Next up, I ordered the cookie cup in the Oreo and Cookie Butter flavour, and this was also tasty with an Oreo cream filling inside the cookie. The brownie ordered was the Rolo Rocky Road, which was my least favourite of the treats; I just did not think it was a traditional brownie and was not packed with flavour. I also ordered the stuffed cookie with a double chocolate chip flavour, and this was very chocolate-y. Last up, I ordered a slice of the cookie pie in the birthday cake flavour.

Overall, there was a nice selection of different treats on offer for home delivery, and they deliver UK-wide.

There are so many locations of Roman ruins around the ruins of Hadrian's wall, which was built 2,000 years ago and runs between Newcastle and Carlisle and was built as the most northern point of the Roman Empire and to keep out the people from the north. Visitors to the Hadrian's Wall area have a range of places to see various ruins, museums, and to complete walks, so I thought that I would put together a list of the areas that I have been to. I will be updating this list whenever I visit another Roman attraction along the wall or in the area.

The ruins along Hadrian's wall include the following:

Roman Forts and/or Towns: Set up near to Hadrian's wall are a number of towns and forts. Some of the sites are more town than fort or more fort than town. Some of the forts appear to have a speciality skill such as soldiers with skills in naval, calvalry, or other areas. 

Milecastles: These multi-storey towers are located along the wall every mile or so and acted as lookout and signal towers. Each one is numbered.

Temples: Temples were usually outside of town walls but near to towns or forts. Temples were dedicated to various gods or goddesses, imported and homegrown. 

Bathhouses: Some of the bathhouses were located outside of the town and allowed the soldiers and citizens to enjoy the bathing ritual that was important socially in Roman life. 

Milecastle 39 and Sycamore Gap
Walk between Peel Gap Tower and Sycamore Gap with Milecastle39 in between.
This walk begins at Steel Rigg car park and passes Peel Gap Tower in the valley below before heading up and down hills to Milecastle 39 and then to Sycamore Gap. Continue walking and you will end up at Housesteads. The Pennine Way is a hilly trail on the top along the wall, or the Hadrian's Wall Walk can be walked slightly downhill and is more accessible/level. Sycamore Gap is an attractive little spot with a tree.
Rating: High

Roman Fort Town of Vindolanda
Roman town and fort
This town and fort is continuously being discovered and uncovering secrets. The site contains a wonderful museum with some of the best artefacts from the Roman Empire in Britain ever discovered. The site was built upon over the years that it was settled.
Rating: Medium

Museum at Vindolanda
Museum with finds discovered at Vindolanda
This is a very good museum with many interesting artefacts that were discovered at Vindolanda. It has a large collection of leather items as well as wooden tablets with personal messages, giving an insight into the people who lived here during Roman Britain.
Rating: High

Corbridge Roman Town (Coria)
Roman town and fort
Coria was more of a Roman town than a fort, although it may have altered its purpose over time. The site was occupied for many years and is suspected to have had great wealth and was a centre of trade. Only a fraction of the town has been uncovered.
Rating: Medium

Corbridge Roman Town Museum
Museum with artefacts found at Corbridge
This museum mainly covers items discovered at or near the Roman town and fort of Corbridge/Coria.
Rating: High

Roman Army Museum
Museum about the Romans at Hadrian's Wall
This museum covers everything about the Roman Army at Hadrian's Wall and is a mixture of information and artefacts discovered.
Rating: Medium

Cawfields Roman Wall and Milecastle 42
Milecastle and section of wall
This section of wall was destroyed in the 1940s when a quarry was built through it, but the Milecastle remains here and is easily accessible near the car park at the quarry.
Rating: Low

Chesters Roman Fort and Town
Roman fort with bathhouse
The Roman fort here can be explored with some of the ruins in good condition. The main attraction here is the bathhouse down by the river; it is in great condition to explore. There is also a museum here, but it is currently shut.
Rating: High

Chesters Bridge Abutment
Roman bridge ruins
The ruins of the Roman bridge at Chesters are actually the ruins of two different bridges built at different times. The ruins of the bridge are accessed via a ten-minute walk down a trail.
Rating: Medium

Chesters Museum
Museum
A museum at Chester's fort (see above link) contains a lot of Roman carvings and stonework primarily, and it contains over 27,000 items that helped give an understanding of the soldiers who lived in Chester and their social lives and influences. The museum was built and open to the public since the late 1800s.
Rating: High

Temple of Mithras and Carrawburgh
Roman fort earthworks and temple
The Roman fort of Carrawburgh is here, but it is covered and has not been escavated in any detail as far as I am aware. The site is located near an offering well, which no longer exists, and a temple dedicated to Mithras.
Rating: Low

Walltown Crags
Section of wall
There is a longer walk but this is an attractive section of the wall to visit and ideally walk. There is a milecastle near here, but a turret is at the top of the hill.
Rating: Medium

Housesteads (Vercovicium) Roman Fort and Museum
Roman fort with museum
This fort (which did include a town) probably got the most action because of its location on the wall. The fort is a short walk from the car park and up a hill, and one of the main attractions here is to see the Roman latrines because they are in very good condition. There is a museum at the site that is worth visiting that contains a lot of discoveries made at or near Housesteads.
Rating: High

Birdoswald (Banna) Roman Fort and Museum
Roman fort with museum
This Roman fort is in a low area to the west of the wall (on the Carlisle side) with a view over the hillside. The ruins are heavily destroyed with a lot of stone being used for buildings, including the house currently on the site that holds the museum. The views here are spectacular.
Rating: Low

Segendunum Roman Fort and Museum
Roman fort with museum
This Roman fort is the first one at Wallsend on the eastern coast. It was contructed on top of but has now been escavated, although there is not much to see of the ruins today. Visitors can explore the museum and see Roman items discovered here.
Rating: Low

Temple of Antenociticus
Roman temple
This temple is for the little-known god named Antenociticus. The footprint of the temple with two alters can be seen in between houses.
Rating: Low

Benwell Vallum Crossing
Roman gatehouse and earthworks near fort
This vallum provides entrance and exit over an extra defence along Hadrian's Wall. The vallum was a mound of dirt with a ditch, and this vallum crossing allowed authorised people to get beyond the extra defenses. It led to the Roman fort Condercum.
Rating: Low

Denton Hall Turret & Denton West Wall
Roman milecastle and wall ruins
Ruins of the Roman wall can be seen along the road in Newcastle at Denton; there is also the remains of a milecastle along the mile stretch of road. Not much of the wall survives here, but it can be seen along with information panels in two separate areas at Denton Hall Turret and Denton West wall.
Rating: Low

Heddon-on-the-Wall
Roman wall ruins
Ruins of an early version of the Roman wall with a 3-meter wide wall before the Romans decided to narrow the design of the wall can be seen at Heddon-on-the-Wall. This wall exists in a field outside of the village.
Rating: Medium

Bowness-on-Solway
Roman wall ruins
The village of Bowness-on-Solway was built on top of the Roman fort known as Maia, and some of the stonework can be seen in the buildings today. To mark the location as one of the ends of the wall (the western-most reach), a little hut has been erected along the coast behind the buildings. This marks the start or end of the Hadrian's Wall walk. It's a peaceful little place with seating and information about the history and the wildlife at the location.
Rating: Medium

Earlier this week, I visited the Chiltern Valley Winery and Brewery for a tour and tasting of various wines, ales/beers, and liqueurs. The winery and brewery is located in the Chilterns near Henley-on-Thames, which is just west of London. The tour started off with a short history of the winery, a short tour and talk around the site to understand the different processes of wine-making and brewery, tastings of various drinks, and finished with a visit to the shop.

The history of Chiltern Valley Winery and Brewery started off in 1980 when the owner decided to buy a home outside of London and came across a hog farm known as Old Luxters. The farm needed some care, and the new owner sold the hogs and discovered that the land (roughly a couple of acres) could be used for growing grapes. Two years later, the vines were planted and wine-making took off with the first harvest a couple of years later. The owner got interested in installing a micro-brewery and also creating liqueurs due to interest. The barn was also refurbished and holds tastings, the micro-brewery, and weddings.

The tour continued with a walk to the small vineyard next to the barn and cottage. The grapes had just been harvested in the morning. We were told about the two different varieties of grapes grown in the vineyard. 

After visiting the vineyard, we visited the building where the bottling happens. The machine will bottle wine and beer bottles and then handle all of the mechanics required for corking or sealing the bottles. Further down the conveyor belt on the machine was the mechanism for the labels and then the packaging. After visiting this room, we made our way outside where we were shown a machine that crushes the juice from the grapes.

The next part of the tour finished in the barn where we were shown the micro-brewery and the ale/beer-making process.

Once the tour was complete, we made our way to where the tastings would take place. We were given a selection of wines, beers/ales, and liqueurs to taste.

The first wine tried was the 'Dry', described as a fresh and fruity wine. I liked this one, but some of the others on the tour found it to be too dry. Next up, we had the 'Bacchus' wine. This wine was less dry and had a tropical and fruity flavour that is similar to elderflower. The third wine tried was the 'Special Cuvee', which was described as a blended wine made with two or more varieties of grape. This was an easy-drinking wine with a slight spice flavour. The third and final wine tasted was the 'English Sparkling' wine, and it was also an easy-going and crisp wine.

We then moved on to the beers/ales. I will warn that I am not a beer/ale drinker and dislike it, so this was my least enjoyable part of the visit. I know others enjoy it and probably found it the best part. We tried the Luxtor's Gold first, which was a sweeter and not a strong flavour and is a golden colour. We then moved on to 'Dark Roast', which is a very dark colour and had a bitter taste (the bloke described it similar to Guinness). The last one that we tried was 'I.P.A.', which was a very strong and bitter ale.

The last tasting involved different liqueurs. We tried the sloe gin first, and we were told that it was the first liqueur that the company experimented with. It was a nice sloe gin. We were then given the raspberry liqueur to try. I found this too strong, and it reminded me of taking flavoured cough syrup, so this wasn't a win with me. We were then given the blood orange liqueur to try, and this was a festive orange flavour that I thought would go well with Prosecco. Irish cream was the next flavour to try, and it had a creamy and caramel taste that was pleasant. One of the other visitors asked to try the damson liqueur, and that was ok. I asked to try the peach liqueur, and I really enjoyed it. It is a very sweet flavour, so it would work well as a dessert drink or on top of ice cream.

We came home with a bottle of 'Dry', a bottle of 'Sparking English', a bottle of peach liqueur, a bottle of blood orange liqueur, and a bottle of Irish Cream. So, this will tell you our favourites.

This winery and brewery tour and tasting was a gift that I purchased last year. I was previously familiar with this winery as it is not too far from where I live, and have wanted to visit it. I recommend a visit to Chiltern Valley Winery as the tour was detailed, and visitors are offered a large selection of different products to try. If you are not a wine-drinker, you can try the ales or liqueurs.

The Ivy Market Grill, located in Covent Garden, is a popular restaurant for visitors to grab a meal or drinks in the area. The venue decorates itself for the seasons with December looking particularly inviting. The restaurant opened in 2014, capitalising on the brand "The Ivy" and the prime spot off of the Covent Garden piazza. The restaurant itself is known as a "little sister" to The Ivy with its own unique menu using British ingredients and atmosphere. It's not as exclusive or as formal as The Ivy, but it's got its own unique style.

When I visited, the restaurant was looking decorated for autumn with a colourful group of foilage around the door and orange pumpkins on either side. After I was seated, I ordered a Covent Garden Cooler (vodka, coconut rum, cranberry juice). The drink was refreshing without being too strong. 

Passionate Spritz was the next cocktail that I tried. Aperol, fruit vodka, and Prosecco are combined to make this drink, but I found it a little too much on the strong side for my personal taste. (I prefer cocktails that do not taste like cocktails.)

Elderflower Garden is a virgin cocktail with tonic water, seedlip, elderflower cordial, and a slice of cucumber and decorated with edible flowers.

Elderflower Garden is a virgin cocktail with tonic water, seedlip, elderflower cordial, and a slice of cucumber and decorated with edible flowers. It has a refreshing cucumber flavour.

Strawberry and vanilla soda was my preferred virgin cocktail, and it contained strawberry and vanilla soda.

The tomato vegetable soup was tasty and warming.

The grilled chicken was a miss. It would have tasted good, I think, without mayonnaise. I loathe mayonnaise, and I had to scrape it off. The menu should have stated what was on the chicken because it did not mention mayonnaise.

The chocolate mousse was actually very delicious and a proper chocolate mousse.

The pancakes were served with berries, yogurt, and a strawberry sauce. This is a breakfast and brunch item.

The chicken Milanese is a breaded chicken with a fried egg on top and a truffle sauce.

Lastly, we have the chocolate bombe, which was delicious. It is filled with ice cream. The chocolate melts when heated salted caramel is poured on top, revealing the ice cream inside.

Overall, I thought that the restaurant was okay, but I felt that the food missed the mark sometimes. On one visit, the service was attentive. The second visit was less busy, but the service was not very good. I found some of the food to have missed the mark, but the chocolate mousse was delicious, and the chocolate bombe is a bit of a novelty and also delicious. 

Normally, Frieze Sculpture Trail takes place in Regent's Park every July through October and brings many to the park to enjoy visiting the free artwork. However, we are living in a strange world at the moment, so Frieze Sculpture has recently returned to Regent's Park but for a very short time of a few days (instead of weeks) in early October. This was my third visit to Frieze Sculpture, and it was a quick visit after work. There are a few less sculptures than the usual amount, but I was happy to see the sculpture trail return for 2020.

I am especially happy that it has returned for this year, especially as events like this support artists and art, and I firmly believe that art increases well-being, community, and mental health. For those who cannot see the sculptures in person, I have included some photographs.

"L'Âge d'Or" by Gavin Turk

The artwork consists of an open door and door frame, encouraging the viewer to step through. The piece could depict a sense of opening and closing, security or vulnerability, or a step into new possibilities/the unknown. An open door has many meanings. The artist has used this simple piece of architecture and placed it independent of walls for visitors to contemplate and enjoy. 

"Sandwich, 2011-2020" by Sarah Lucas

This concrete sculpture depicts a very large sandwich, two pieces of bread on the ground. The sandwich is a common food item, and shown in its large scale and in an unexpected setting, adds an element of comedy and absurdness.

"Torso" by Eric Fischl

Upon the pedestal is a section of a torso cast in bronze. The female torso is missing the limbs and head, but it depicts a sense of motion and a pose from a fleeting moment of activity.

"Aurelius" by Rebecca Warren

The tall mostly-white sculpture is constructed out of bronze and hand-painted. The sculpture is a tribute to previous sculptors and artists, and the sculptor of this work continues to learn new techniques and to be inspired. 

"Ad Keywords" by Fabio Lattanzi Antinori

This electronic sculpture uses Google AdWords and search engines to come up with a list of messages and a cost. The words are relevant for Regent's Park and Frieze, and when I visited, the sign (sculpture) was displaying the names of various popular artists with a cost. The messages are cycled through.

"Lupine Tower" by Arne Quinze

Inspired by grafitti, the artist focused on gardening and items during the lockdown and became interested in the form or essence of items. The sculpture was made for the Frieze event, and it is the artist's take on the lupin plant. The artwork has been painted and has taken its form inspired by that plant.

"Circle for Sally" by Richard Long

Granite and marble stones form this sculpture, which is a large circle of the stones that makes a pattern using the different types of stone. The artwork is named after the artist's grandmother in Spain. The artists is known for his artwork using natural elements, which he rearranges.

"Torre di Saba" by Gianpietro Carlesso

This sculpture is made from cedar and depicts the biblical story of Queen Saba and King Salomon, using deconstruction or subtraction. It was carved by hand. 

"The Plait" by Kalliope Lemos

This sculpture, made of steel, depicts what looks like a braid of hair. In this work, the artist signifies the removal of a plait of hair or the cutting of hair, as a mark of inner change. For women, hair is important, and the cutting of hair is a ritual of change; the sculpture can also be a symbol of strong women. Post-poned earlier in the year, the sculpture was completed for Frieze.

"Five Conversations" by Lubiana Hamid

The most colourful artwork at Frieze this year is this set of wooden doors with stylish women painted on each one. The women appear to be in conversation with each other and are placed in their conversation groups. When visitors walk around the doors, they are met with different choices of viewing and placed into a dimensional perspective with the artwork. The artist won the Turner Prize in 2019, and this particular artwork was commissioned in New York City, and this has now been shown in Britain for the first time. There are so many perspectives to enjoy this work from.

"Untitled 1, Bronze Bodybuilders" by David Altmejd

This human classical figure has been cast in bronze and painted white. It appears that the artist is currently working on creating the piece with fingers rubbed across the work so that it appears like tangible clay. The plinth has also been 'worked' with cuts through it.

"Humans-Animals-Monsters" by Patrick Goddard

A group of what appears to be rocks has been strewn across a section of Regent's Park. Upon closer inspection, these are not rocks. They are heads of different animals cast in lead reclaimed from London housing: monkeys, dogs, sharks, dolphins, roosters, birds, lizards. With mirrors on the under-edge of the heads, the viewer is drawn in. This symbolises how humans are linked to all of the other animals and how important nature and the environment and ecology is.

This wraps it up for Frieze Sculpture in Regent's Park for 2020. For previous years, see my posts below:

Frieze Sculpture 2019
Frieze Sculpture 2018
Frieze Art Fair 2017

I recently ordered home-made cinnamon buns from Cinnamon Square, who are based down the road from me in Rickmansworth. The bakery is known for its award-winning cinnamon buns and also offers baking classes, specialising in bread and pastry but also offering other cookery classes. I love cinnamon buns, so I decided to place an order. I ordered a box of four large cinnamon buns, and they came tucked in a box with an instruction to warm them up before devouring them.

The bread/pastry for the buns is perfect and light and almost melt-in-your-mouth. They are not heavy or stodgey at all, so one is not going to make you feel overly-full or queasy, and I have had my share of ones that were too filling and doughy. The icing on the buns was a cream cheese icing, which is where these slightly let me down. I would have preferred the icing to be sweeter, and a sweeter icing is what I was expecting. Perhaps I have been spoiled by the American chain "Cinnabon", which used to have a shop in Southampton that closed years ago but also a shop on Piccadilly Circus which was still in operation as far as I was aware, although it admitedly had been awhile since I had visited it. However, I know some prefer the cream cheese icing (exactly what you can get on carrot cake) to the sweet icing, but I would love to have this bun with a sweeter icing.

Cinnamon Square deliver their cinnamon buns nation-wide. For more information and to check out their baking classes, visit their website here: https://cinnamonsquare.com.

London-based street artist Dan Kitchener is known the most for his darkly-lit street scenes and also portraits of Japanese women that he has painted around the world. I always enjoy seeing his murals, and several have popped up this year. The first mural that I was able to photograph this year, before it was tagged over, was the Clifton Street "Tokyo Graffiti" Mural. Unfortuately, quite a few of his murals last year and this year have been quickly tagged over, but I was able to snap a few of them.

'Street Geisha' is located on Commercial Road and features a portrait of a Japanese geisha lady with a floral pattern and grafitti tags.

'Calloo Callay' is a street scene, and it is located on Rivington Street on a set of doors.

'Omoide Yokocho' is a portrait of a Japanese geisha on a Japanese street. This artwork, located on Commercial Road, was quickly tagged over and was replaced with a new one.

Here are a couple of murals in Camden. The one below has been around for a while now and is slightly tagged over. I'd previously covered it on this blog. It is located at the corner of Camden Road and Hartland Road.

The last piece is a mural on a shutter, and it is located in Camden.

For more work by Dan Kitchener (DANK) featured in this blog, please read the following links:

Dan Kitchen Returns to Clifton Street with "Tokyo Graffiti" Mural
Latest Street Art by Dan Kitchener
Dan Kitchener Paints 'Ghost Cities' on Pedley Street
Dank Paints 'Ghost Cities - Bristol' for Upfest 2018
Dan Kitchener Paints "Meeting of Styles"
'Future Tokyo and Tokyo Ghosts'
Dank "London Rush"
Dan Kitchener's Street Art on Sclater Street and More
Street Art: Dan Kitchener
"Downtown" Mural by Dan Kitchener
Goswell Road

London Mural Festival has come together to bring new street art across the city. One of the artists who painted a mural for the festival is London-based illustrator Marija Tiurina. The mural, located on Wentworth Street off of Brick Lane, features a series of snapshots in lift in the world of a pandemic and lockdowns. These are in the form of illustrations featuring the artist's rendition of a female character. The mural includes a list with the title "Things I did this year".

This is the first street art by the artist that I am aware of. For more information about the artist or to see her illustrations, visit her Instagram profile here: https://www.instagram.com/marijatiurina

Mattersey Priory was built in 1185 and is of the Gilbertine Order, the only monastic order to have begun in England. It is dedicated to St. Helen, and the remains date to the 13th century. The church was destroyed by a fire at the end of the 1200s. The site is located down a narrow track on a farm, and some of the buildings that made up the site are located underneath the farm buildings.

There is not too much to see today.

On Saturday, I visited Standen House and Gardens, which is maintained by National Trust and located in West Sussex. This was my first visit to Standen, and I visited during the coronavirus pandemic, so there were restrictions on my visit. Part of the ground floor of the house was open to visitors except for some rooms that could not allow users to access via "one-way" systems for "social distancing". The upper floors were off-limits for the same reason. 

Standen House uses the arts and crafts movement in its interiors. Morris & Co. were instrumental in this movement as the ethos was to provide beautiful items and beautiful decoration for the masses instead of limiting to the very rich. Readers of my blog may remember my visit to the William Morris Museum (Art and Design) in Walthamstow, London that I visited early last year.

The house was owned by James and Margaret Beale and boasts wonderful views of the Sussex countryside. Morris & Co products (wallpaper and furnishings) were used in the house as instructed by the builder, and it remains one of the finest examples of the "Arts and Crafts" movement.

Before visiting the house, I had a wander in the gardens below the house. The gardens are created as a vegetable and fruit patch rather than flowers, except there is a small area at the back with some quiet seating and sculpture. 

I also had a scone and tea at the cafe and sat in the courtyard. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the items are not allowed to be put on plates and must be put inside disposable cartons, so it's not very picturesque. A little robin took some interest in the scone and kept hopping about at my feet and demanding crumbs. 

Visitors to the house had to wait in queue. The first room was the reception room, and then the pool room.

The wallpaper was one of the main features of the house, using the striking Morris & Co designs.

And after the house visit, I went to the shop. The shop had access to the kitchen and also a small room with information about early electricity.

After the house, I explored the upper gardens on a trail above the house.

The autumn colours have started to change, and this landscape looked especially beautiful.

When at the top of the little garden behind the house, I was able to see beautiful views over the countryside.

On this trail is an artwork by Will Shannon called "bothy", and a bothy is a little hut for labourers. This bothy was designed with the style of Standen in mind. The little hut has colourful stained glass window panes in the window and door. The materials were all sourced within 25 miles of Standen, and the timber came from an original beech tree planted by the Beales which fell in storms in 2016. The tiles on the roof number in 500 and took two days for the artist to create. The bothy is normally open but was shut during my visit, possibly due to coronavirus. 

I discovered some excellent views of the house from the garden.

And this magical little seat with a little cove created from Delft blue tiles. On the left of this little seated area is a trail to the rock quarry garden. This little garden is at the bottom of rock cliffs where there is a wooden bridge on the cliff above. When it has rained, there would be a waterfall and water pool here, but this was dry when I visited.

Looking at these photographs and feeling the chill in the air today, it did feel like the start to autumn.

I plan to visit Standen House and Garden again once the house is fully open and it is safe to do so.

Due to the cornonavirus this year, I have largely replaced holidays, events, galleries, museums, restaurants, walks, and socialising with reading. I have not seen any of my friends since early February, and I've had to cancel plans for holidays and other events that I was looking forward to. I have filled this time with reading more. Reading allows me to escape into a new world while the real world feels like it is falling apart. I have always been an avid reader although I had neglected it in more recent years. I have put together a list of autumn reads that I think you will enjoy.

"October, October" by Katya Balen and Angela Harding
Bloomsbury Publishing, released 17 September, 2020
This is considered children's fiction, and I'd categorise it as young adult fiction, but it is one of those that an adult could pick up and read and still be interested in. The book focuses on a young girl who lives in the woods with her father and pet owl. An accident takes place, and the girl must live in the city with her mother and rekindle a relationship with her. She learns to part ways and let go and also learns how to make friends in London. She sparks a friendship and hobby of mudlarking on the Thames. I love finding lost treasures, and I've been mudlarking and follow a group on social media, so this particular aspect interested me. The story has a lesson, and I think young adults and adults will enjoy this short story. I think it is one that will stick in minds for some time to come as it is so original.
My review: 9/10

"English Pastoral" by James Rebanks
Penguin Random House, released 3 September, 2020
Rebanks focuses on his personal story growing up with as the third generation of family farmers in the Lake District. He shares memories of his grandfather and his father and their ways of farming and understanding the land and its creatures. This book struck a particular chord with me and of my own memories and childhood growing up in a similar family where my grandfather and father tended to the farm full time with some of my help, so I completely understood and agreed with the author on the observations and the change to farming over time. Of particular interest is that small farmers, like Rebanks and my own family, are a dying breed as there are more corporation farms and practices that jeopardise or have jeopardised the environment and way of life. This is a book about generational change and highlighting some of the concerns; perhaps it will help people removed gain more appreciation for farmers.
My review: 10/10

"Autumn Leaves at Mill Grange" by Jenny Kane
Aria and Aries, released 10 September, 2020
This lovely story is set in Exmoor and is a second installment to a previous story. The story has a couple of plots. The first focuses on a couple of archeological digs and a celebrity television personality and a keen girl who is obsessed with him even though he has a girlfriend. The other story focuses on clausterphobic ex-soldier Sam and Tina who are attempting to renovate Mill Grange. While I appreciated the story and the budding romance between Sam and Tina, I felt that I missed out and felt that some of the story did not make sense because it implied that the reader has read the previous installment. I think this would be an even better read following the first book, but it was still enjoyable. I preferred the archeological plots, even though they seemed to be secondary ones.
My review: 8/10

"The Lost Spells" by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris
Penguin, released 1 October, 2020
This set of poems is accompanied with beautiful natural illustrations. Elements of nature have been described with poems and phrases to allow readers to get a sense of the natural world around them and a better appreciation of it. The phrases are written to be read out, and some of the themes include owls, trees, foxes, and birds. The illustrations make this a perfect book for those who have time to sit out and enjoy nature. I think it is a perfect autumn book with the change of the seasons.
My review: 6/10

"Escaping Dreamland" by Charlie Lovett
Blackstone Publishing, released 22 September, 2020
This original story covers two timelines. The first timeline is set in 2010 with an author who has had some success but has become recluse and uncommunicative to his partner. He rekindles his lost love of children's adventure series, which was a passion he shared with his late father, and this leads him on a discovery of the authors of his favourite series. The other plot-line focuses on three individuals who were the writers of the children's series of books, and this was the plot-line that I enjoyed. The three characters, all from different backgrounds and different secrets, come together under unusual circumstances to write. The settings of New York City in this time and the events were based on true stories, events, and people. The story follows their relationship from start to end and then wraps up with the 2010 plot-line. One of the defining moments happens in "Dreamland", a theme park set in New York City in the early 1900s. I could not put this book down; it was very addictive. 
My review: 10/10

"Autumn" by Ali Smith
Penguin, released 31 August, 2017
This short story was given awards and listed for the Man Booker Prize. In the book, we come to know about Elisabeth and Daniel in different times from when Elisabeth was a little girl. She befriends her older neighbour, and they have a connection to each other. He remains an important figure in her life, and she visits him in care homes. The backdrop of the story is during and following the summer of 2016 Brexit referendum. Past events also feature in the book, but I was not too familiar with these and a little lost when they were being discussed as the author implied that I had heard of them. The book reads like a stream of consciousness rather than a traditional novel. 
My review: 7/10