May 2021 Archives

I recently ordered an afternoon tea delivery from Hertford Bakehouse (Cakes by Katie) who created my lockdown birthday cake last year. The afternoon tea came with a minature bottle of Prosecco, a selection of two sandwiches, two scones (one fruit and one plain) with clotted cream and jam, and three slices of cake. I only had to provide the tea, and I selected a loose leaf cherry blossom green tea. The scones were my favourite part of the afternoon tea.

I also ordered a selection of four different cake pots. I ordered lemon meringue, eton mess, raspberry and vanilla, and confetti cake. Each pot was larger than I expected, and there are at least two generous slices of cake in each cake pot. My favourite was the eton mess cake pot.

Hertfordshire Bakehouse does deliver afternoon tea and treats to parts of northwest London, or items can be delivered by post. 

Spofforth Castle is the ruins of a fortified manor house located in North Yorkshire. The site is free to visit, maintained by English Heritage, and is located in the square in the village of Spofforth. The house itself dates from the 14th century and built for Henry de Percy, a very wealthy and powerful land owner and political figure. The castle is built into the bank of a rock hill, and the rock from the hill is used to create the wall on the eastern side. Earlier, the site was a Norman house, granted by William the Conqueror to the Percy family, and was where rebel barons composed the Magna Carta .

The Percy estates were confiscated by King Henry IV after rebellion and then in the War of the Roses rebellion against the king. However, the castle at Spofforth once again became property of the Percy family but was ruined during the English Civil War.

The castle is located at the back in a village green square, and visitors are free to walk to it. (Do watch if you have small children or pets because there are sheer drops and no guard railings from the walls on the green level.)

Visitors can walk down to the lower ground floor from the green square via a series of steep steps, but be careful as these may be slippery in wet weather. However, visitors can also enter from climbing down the bank.

There is a small stairway that is bricked up at the back and leads to nowhere. There were more buildings here at the remains of what is Spofforth Castle, but it's only the hall that currently remains.

A couple of ceilings remain intact at the right side of the building where visitors can explore the rooms. 

I spent fifteen minutes enjoying a walk around the ruins of the castle. This appears to be a very popular place because there were two other groups wandering around the castle grounds at the same time. I believe that people probably have picnics here as it would be a nice place to sit and relax on a sunny day.

Cliveden is one of my closest National Trust properties to visit, and I read a few years ago (in 2018) that Cliveden is one of the best places to see bluebells. I was not able to get there that year, so I wrote it in the diary for the following year. When 2019 came around, I planned the visit with friends, but we ended up walking around the rest of the estate instead; we did not get too long before closing, and it's such a large estate anyway. And, we all know what happened last year, so this year I finally got my opportunity.

My favourite part of Cliveden is the water garden. The little ponds are picturesque with a pagoda in the middle and colourful plants. There were some bluebells growing here, and there are blue ones, pink ones, white ones and paler blue ones. The trees were out in blossom and mid-leaf during my visit in mid-May.

To see the bluebells, you can park at the Cliveden woodlands parking or park at the main car parking. Since there are still timed ticket entry, I was unsure if the woodlands car parking would be open, so we parked in the main parking area for Cliveden and had a trek to the far side of the estate where the bluebells are. There were two walks on the map, and one of these was closer to the main part of the estate in a loop walk. The other was located in the woodlands area in a loop walk. I was able to cover nearly both walks during my visit, but I did not venture into part of the loop deep in the forest by the playground area.

There were some patches of bluebells along the main walkway and another couple of patches near the main estate, but these were not as extensive as others I have seen this year, nor did it rival Ashridge Estate, which is so far my favourite place for bluebells. (You can read about my visit to Ashridge here: bluebell forests at Ashridge Estate in Hertfordshire).

Actually, the best place for bluebells at Cliveden was not even on their bluebell walk map! This area is along the long walk but closer to the woodlands entrance. It's located off to the side of the main walkway but very noticable from the walkway. Unfortunately, I saw a family in the middle of the bluebells taking photographs, which you are not supposed to do because trampling them kills them so that they will not come up next year. Unfortunately, this is why they need signage and which is why other properties did include signage and/or roped walkways in the bluebell woods.

After wandering around the main bluebell area that was not on the map, I joined the walk on the woodlands trail. I saw scatterings of bluebells and small pockets of them around this woodlands walk and along the ridge of the hill, but it was not a large amount of them. To be honest, I was a bit disappointed as the woodlands area was meant to be the place to see the bluebells.

However, I was able to get some much-needed exercise after the many months we have had in this existance we are currently thrown into. I looked around the water gardens at the end of my visit and admired the blossoms.

On the way back toward the parking, I saw a pheasant wandering around. I wonder if it was the same one that I saw earlier in the spring. It did not take much notice of us and was more interested in pecking at insects and worms in the grass.

More posts in this blog about Cliveden House can be seen below:

Early Spring Visit to Cliveden House (National Trust, Buckinghamshire): Lockdown Edition
A Visit to Cliveden (National Trust): Lockdown Edition
A Visit to Cliveden House (Buckinghamshire, England)

Museums have started to reopen, and I reserved a ticket to view Two Temple Place in London, which was formerly known as Astor House. The house is located near Temple a short walk away from the Thames and Victoria Embankment. Recently a new London tourist destination serving as an gallery with regular exhibitions, the building opened to the public at the end of 2011. It was constructed out of Portland stone for wealthy American William Waldorf Astor in 1895. Astor's unique style and love of literature helped to form many of the decorations built into the house. The decorator of Two Temple Place also decorated Astor's home at Cliveden, a National Trust property that I have previously visited the grounds (read my post here) of but have not visited the house as it is a hotel currently.

Astor moved from New York City to London as he felt that he and his family would be safer. The design of the rooms contains Astor's favourite fictional characters. Characters from his favourite book, "The Three Musketeers", are depicted on the banisters of the staircase on the ground floor. The Great Hall contains over fifty friezes of fictional and historical figures from Pocahontas, Anne Boleyn, Robin Hood, Tristain & Isolde, Marie Antoinette, William Shakespeare, and many more. 

The house suffered damage in World War II by a German bomb and was repaired a few years later.

The vestibule is just off the entrance hall and contains the staircase and a beautiful marble fireplace and mosaic floor that is made from a mixture of different stones.

The sculptures were carved from wood by Thomas Nicholls. The wood carvings are placed in the stairway, and you see something different each time you look around the beautiful stairway.

The library and Great Hall contains a shrine of literature and art. The Great Hall contains so much detail with different characters around the room. The room has stained glass windows on opposite sides and a fireplace. Everywhere you look in the hall, you will find something new.

Off of the Great Hall is the library or gallery. It's not as decorative as the Great Hall room, but it contains wooden panels and shelving throughout.

On the ground floor, another room is stripped of a lot of details but does retain the wooden features. The shop is located at one end.

The building is located at Victoria Embankment with some views of the river.

One of Christopher Columbus' three ships to sail to America, the "Santa Maria", is depicted in the weather vane.

I recommend a visit to Two Temple Place if you ever do get the chance to explore it or visit an exhibition here. It is such a beautiful building inside.

Highgrove Wood and Warrender Park were part of the estate of Highgrove House owned by Lady Warrender; it is located between Eastcote and Ruislip Manor and is one of a previous estate to three large historical houses in this area, another one being Eastcote House. Warrender Park is named for the last resident of the house as she had sold some of the land (now Warrender Park) and other land for homes. Lady Warrender and her brother were friends of Winston Churchill's mother, and Churchill stayed at the house during his honeymoon in 1900. The house was also used for the RAF. After Lady Warrender's death, the council took her house and turned it into a home for the elderly and the homeless. In the past ten years or so, the house (a Grade II listed building) was converted to luxury homes.

Warrender Park and the immediate area houses various fitness facilities and a nearby school and allotments. What is now known as Highgrove Wood was part of the formal gardens of the house. It has been left as a woodland and grassland. The best time to visit this small section of woods is in the spring and before the leaves come out fully. There are many flowers in bloom here in the early spring.

There is a small pond located in the woodland, but most of the woodland is just a small strip of land with trees with some trails that lead between Warrender Park and Eastcote Road. There is some grassland and another pond at the Eastcote Road entrance.

Wood anemone and bluebells are popular in the woodland. 

Overall, it is a pleasant walk through the woods here.

Flower Burger is London's newest vegan burger restaurant and opened its doors during the lockdown at the start of the year (2021). Flower Burger launched in Milan in 2015, and their new restaurant on Charlotte Street is their first UK opening. The menu offers colourful pastel buns in the colours of the rainbow, inspired by flowers and the 1970s with the flower being a symbol of positivity, joy, and love. Each menu item is 100% plant-based, including the colouring of the bun (yellow from turmeric, black for vegetable charcoal and violet from cherry and beetroot). 

I have tried two of the different burgers and the potato wedges on my visit. Cherry Bomb came recommended by the staff because of its striking pink hue; it is the most-photographed burger on the menu. The burger patty is made of lentil and basmati rice. It is combined with tomato confit, flower cheddar, lettuce, soybean sprouts, and the pink bun. It also comes with a sauce, but I opted to have it without. The flavour of the burger was good, but the patty was very crumbly; I am sure that sauce would hold it together more, and it is a bit difficult to eat without a table (since the restaurant seating area was closed when I visited).

I had this with wedges, and they were delicious.

The Jungle Burger comes in a green bun. The patty is made from oat and red bean, and it is accompanied with baked courgette, flower cheddar, lettuce, and tomatoes and topped with "wild sauce", which is described similar in flavour to barbeque sauce. I opted to go without the sauce again. I found this burger to be more filling, but I preferred the flavour of it to the Cherry Bomb. 

My intention was to have another item not on the menu, but I will have to save that for another visit!

Flower Burger is located at 43 Charlotte Street and around the corner from Goodge Street station. They are open for lunch and dinner and also do deliver, but you would need to check their hours as they may differ as everything is currently "up in the air" at the moment.

London's museums and theatre experiences are beginning to reopen after fifteen long months of being shut, and I went to the opening of the "War of the Worlds" immersive experience yesterday on its opening day. This was my second visit; the last time that I visited (which you can read about here Jeff Wayne's 'War of the Worlds' Immersive Experience) was in the summer of 2019, and I enjoyed the visit. The experience was meant to be around for at least another year with some changes as the initial one had some glitches with the augmented reality headsets. Part of the experience is interaction with actors, and other experiences are through a head-set to transport you into additional scenes.

The "War of the Worlds" experience is based on the musical by Jeff Wayne's "War of the Worlds", which is then based on the science fiction story by H.G. Wells. The experience launched in May of 2019, and it has taken over 22,000 square feet of a building on Leadenhall Street in the City of London. It includes a bar/cafe that visitors off the street can enjoy without requiring tickets to the attraction and another bar half the way through the experience. 

Photography is not allowed during the experience itself, but it is allowed in the bar/cafe area and in the bar half the way through the experience. The story follows George Herbert, a Victorian reporter, to the story of the beginnings of the Mars invasion and the escape from the Martians, which are large and towering beings sent to conquer the Earth for their own advantage. 

The experience uses a lot of different sets with special effects and different actors/actresses to make the story come to life. There are a few augmented reality bits with a headset too. The changes from the last visit included removing a couple of these augmented reality clips and using more actors. The two that got removed included the group outside a house where you could walk around and see other "players" that were designed like Victorians and a scene where you are with the army on a bridge to attack the creatures. The second clip I felt was better and should have been included, though I think it is more difficult to do at present with social distancing. However, these augmented reality clips do tend to glitch. This time, the clip in the church glitched for everyone. Also, some of the actor interactions were rushed as they seemed to be running behind schedule.

Before the experience, we enjoyed cocktails. We also enjoyed some halfway through the experience. The cocktails were all given names that relate to the story of the experience.

At the end of the experience, we had pizza for lunch.

Overall, the "War of the Worlds" experience is still fun to visit, and we went with a few people who had never been before. It's definitely worth a visit for anyone who has or has not been before. You can read my previous write-up here: Jeff Wayne's 'War of the Worlds' Immersive Experience.

Otto Schade (Osch) is a London-based street artist who has painted in London for many years, primarily focusing on east London around Brick Lane and Shoreditch. Osch, as he is also known, uses two styles of street art - a ribbon effect for artistic pieces and a silhouette effect for political pieces. One of the buildings at the top of Kingsland Road is covered in artwork by the artist. These murals primarily depict the ribbon-style effect and feature fingers, women, a cobra, and an eye.

I've previously posted about Otto Schade's street art in the following posts:

Long Street - Otto Schade, CodeFC, The Krah
Street Art by Otto Schade
Otto Schade Paints "The Lady Don't Protest Enough" Mural on Bateman's Row
Otto Schade "Jack the Ripper 2040" Street Art
Otto Schade 'The Believers' and 'WTF'
'Bull in a China Shop', 'Osch-car' and 'Flies Around Sh*t'
Otto Schade 'Peace and Love on the Streets'
Street Artist Otto Schade Paints Southampton 'Zany Zebra' for Charity (and other work)
Street Art Round-up: Spring & Summer 2015
Otto Schade's New Street Art (Meerkats, Portraits, & More) in East London
New Street Art from Horror Crew, Swoon, Otto Schade, HIN, and others
Street Art: Otto Schade

I visited Polesden Lacey, a National Trust house and garden located in Hampshire, at the start of the autumn. Polesden Lacey house was partially open during my visit, but many of the rooms remained closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, and a one-way system around the grounds was also in place to help prevent too many people visiting one area. This was my first visit to Polesden Lacey. I had hoped to visit it earlier in the year, along with several other properties, but this was put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic, and I still need to return to see the remainder of the house when it does open.

Polesden Lacey was owned by famous Edwardian hostess Mrs. Margaret Greville, who was known to entertain royalty and celebrities at the property.

The first house built on the land here dated from the 1300s, but this was rebuilt in the 1600s as a medieval house. This was demolished in the 1800s, and a new house was constructed, and this is what can be visited today. The house is one of the most popular ones for the National Trust, and it was the location of a royal honeymoon. It was left to the National Trust in 1942 by Greville.

I explored the gardens first, which is located around the house. 

Only a couple of rooms were open to visitors, and the rooms did get quite busy at times. Some of the rooms only had doors open where visitors could see inside. 

Hopefully, the National Trust houses will be open again in their entirety, and when this house is completely open again, I hope to visit it. I hope this is soon.

Although many of Banksy's murals no longer exist in London due to damage or removal, you can still find a few if you know where to look. This post has images and locations of the Banksy artwork that you can still see in London as well as a few others that have since been removed. 

Banksy is known for his rat murals, and not many of these exist. However, one of these does remain on Chiswell Street near the Barbican. The rat holds a tribute to Robbo, another graffiti artist that had a famous feud with Banksy in the early years. The rat is one of the finest earlier Banksy murals.

One wall at the entrance of Cargo bar and night club is "This wall is a designated graffiti area" with a policeman walking a poodle. This is one of the most prominent and looked-after murals in London, and if you go on a street art walk, you are sure to walk by this one.

One of Banksy's artworks that was not on a wall was on the window of this Triumph GT6. This car was painted pink and had a skeleton stencil painted in the window, which has since been removed.

Pollard Row in Bethnal Green contain the damaged remains of one of Banksy's murals, a yellow-line painter. A large yellow flower has been painted by another graffiti artist.

"Made You Look" in stenciled Scrabble blocks is located on an apartment building at the top of Portabello Road.

The Snorting Copper artwork was covered for awhile but then cleaned up after some renovation work on the wall here. The work is located on Curtain Road.

Jean-Michel Basquiat Barbican tributes are two of Banksy's newer murals, and it is located at the Barbican and placed on the wall to coincide with an exhibit on New York's grafitti artist in 2017.

Although never admitted by Banksy, this Extinction Rebellion Mural was credited as being his work. I don't think it is quite his style at all, but it is a similar style of his work, so I will include it. It appeared in the summer of 2019 at Marble Arch for the Extinction Rebellion demonstrations that took place here for a few weeks.

Here are some previous murals by Banksy that have since been removed.

"Helicopter" was located on Old Street at the junction of Great Eastern Street, but it had been blocked up. Renovation work taking place a few years ago revealed the artwork, which I was informed that had been sold and removed from the wall when the building was renovated.

Stencil Rat on Old Street was one of Banksy's earlier works, and it was revealed in 2019 when the walls of this building at the corner of Rivington and Old Street were being knocked down. The piece has been sold and removed.

"Les Miserables" in Kensington was placed upon boarding, and it has since been removed.

Frenchie in Covent Garden opened its doors in 2016. The restaurant originally hails from Paris, and it is a popular place for lunch offering set menus and tasting menus. The bacon scone is probably the most-talked about item on the menu and the reason I visited the restaurant. The bacon scone comes with a dollop of clotted cream, which does go nicely with the scone. At the moment, you can buy the bacon scone to take away instead of eating it inside the restaurant.

I took a close-up of the bacon scone. Doesn't it look delicious? It had a nice texture and a hint of salty bacon.

My verdict is that the bacon scone is delicious. I did not stay for the set menu or a tasting menu as I had other plans for lunch, and I did not really fancy anything on the Frenchie menu. 

Over the long weekend we had at the start of May, I paid a visit to Hatchlands in Surrey, a National Trust property with a house and many acres of park land that I had not yet visited. Due to the pandemic, the house is currently shut, but with spring here, the woodlands are full of bluebells. Hatchlands was mentioned in the Domesday Book, and the house dates from the 1750s and contains a collection of paintings and musical instruments. I hope to tour it at some point, but the treat for this visit was an impressive bluebell woods. 

The walk to the house and gardens is a short walk through a field from the parking. I had a quick look at the gardens before following the signs to the bluebell woods.

There are 400 acres of park land to explore at Hatchlands. I got to see probably about half of what there is to offer on my way to the bluebell woods. After walking through a field, we came to a little forest up a hill. The children's play area and picnic tables are located in this wood, which is named Wizard Wix's Willow Woodland.

It's a pleasant walk through a grove of mature trees once you climb the small hill. On the other side of the trees is another small field with signs directing to the bluebell woodland, Little Wix Wood, and various facts about bluebells. On this short walk, I could see the bright blue carpet through the trees as a glimpse of what was to come. 

This is a mature bluebell woodland, and it takes many years for the bluebells to carpet the forest floor. In order for them to carpet the woodlands, the bluebells must not be trampled because they will die and the bulb that they grow from in the soil will be killed. For this reason, a trail has been set up and visitors cannot stray from the trail. 

I was absolutely blown away with awe at these beautiful bluebells. I took so many photographs.

For those wanting a selfie or group photo with the bluebells, there is actually a "photo area" along the trail.

The trail walks up the hill and then loops back around. I saw the little fairy door on a tree.

The bluebells were in full bloom during my visit at the start of May. The weather has been cooler, so I was not able to appreciate the bluebell scent in the forest on my visit as I believe it needs some hot weather to lift the fragrance, and unfortunately this year has been far from warm so far (except for a couple of days in late May). 

I hope to visit Hatchlands again soon to explore more and to see the house and museum.

The first time I came across Eataly was when I went to Milan in 2019 as a long weekend break (you can read that post here: Brera Gallery and Eataly). So, when I learned that Eataly was coming to London, I got excited. Although Eataly has not officially been launched in London yet (it's grand opening is set for the 20th of May), the shop and a couple of the food counters are open for takeaway; the restaurants and additional food counters will be opened for the grand opening. Eataly was founded in 2007 as a venue offering high-quality Italian food (with focus on sustainability) and as a place to eat, shop, and learn. London's Eataly opened during the pandemic, and I visited when I was able to browse the shops and enjoy a takeaway, but visitors could not sit indoors for a meal during my visit.

Visitors to Eataly will be able to browse two floors of Italian products. The ground floor has two entrances; one entrance is from the entrance/exit next to Liverpool Street station. The other entrance is on Bishopsgate. The ground floor contains a bar and food counters and seating areas, a sweet shop, an ice cream and cannoli counter, a selection of fresh breads, and a deli. Upstairs contains most of the shopping of groceries and includes ranges of breads and pastas, sauces, sweets, fresh buffalo mozzarella and other cheeses, a whole area dedicated to wines and alcohols, restaurants, a butcher, and produce.  

Eataly has transformed this building, which I think was once office space with various coffee shops and restaurants on the ground floor. I'd previously enjoyed a hot chocolate or meal in a couple of those, but it was a little bit overlooked by the bulk of the building and set aside and a bit hidden from the pavement.

The wine area had some unique gifts and selections of wines, such as this rose that caught my eye in a pink marble-effect bottle.

On the ground floor, I had the choice of fresh pizza or pasta or a selection of items from a deli. I opted for pizza. This pizza, Pizza Alla Pala, is a street food of Rome. The pizza is sold by the slice and made with a slow-rising dough stretched out.

Near these food counters is an illuminated hallway of sweets, and it is quite eye-catching from outside the building. The hallway is called "La Luminarie", and it is created with nearly 5,500 light bulbs. The work is inspired by traditional village fairs from the 16th century that used to display timber-framed artwork. With the invention of the light bulb, these were then illuminated.

Due to the pandemic restrictions, all food must be consumed outdoors; no indoor seating and eating is permitted. I enjoyed a slice of pizza. There is one area that is open for drinks and nibbles on the ground floor.

At some point, Eataly will also be offering various classes and workshops. To get your Italian groceries and pretend you are on vacation since we actually cannot travel, head over to Eataly.

I visited National Trust's Chartwell property toward the end of April and was happy and surprised that we had sunny weather after many weeks of rain and a forecast that promised clouds. This was my second ever visit to Chartwell, and my first ever visit (Winston Churchill's Family Home, Chartwell (Kent, England)) was a couple of years ago in the height of summer. Visiting it at a different time of the year helped me to appreciate the differences of the location in the seasons. On this visit, I focused on a short walk around the property whereas my first visit was primarily about visiting the house.

There is a pleasant walk up beyond the lake to a hillside that overlooks the house, and there are fabulous views.

The bluebells were coming out on my visit, and there's a small patch of them here, but there is another trail that promises many more bluebells which I did not visit this time.

I walked around the lake.

On the other side of the lake is a statue of Churchill, and the cat came to greet me near here. Meet Jock VII. The family of Churchill requested that the property always have a ginger cat with white bib and socks as a tribute to the original Jock that was given to Churchill in 1966. This is the seventh cat named Jock here. This cat joined life at Chartwell last year, and he's a young and affectionate cat.

After petting the cat, I walked into the garden here. There was not much growing at the moment, but I did find a beautiful patch of late daffodils and a couple of tulips. This visit was toward the end of the daffodil season.

I caught a glimpse of the small orchard from the top of the hill where the house stands.

On the way back, I had a look at the ornamental pond.

I hope to complete the bluebell walk at Chartwell on a future visit, and I would not mind going into the house again here as there is so much to see. But, this concludes my sunny early spring visit of Chartwell. For additional posts about Chartwell on this blog, see:

Winston Churchill's Family Home, Chartwell (Kent, England)

At the top of Eastcote High Street is a war memorial for soldiers who served in both World Wars. The little plot of gardens and the memorial are tucked away behind hedges and contain benches and areas to reflect. I was impressed with the gardens at this lovely little site in early April. They were filled with bright and colourful spring flowers, providing a much needed sight of beauty in the difficult times we have recently had. Reds, blues, pinks, yellows, and whites create a wonderful kaleidoscope of colour.

Walking further along north to the end of the road, there is also another wonderful little attraction here at the top where there is another little plot of land between the road into the housing area at St. Lawrence's Drive. The postbox topper craze has been a hit in this part of London, and I recently covered it (Ruislip and Eastcote Postbox Art). The new one was added in early April and features "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" from the book. The garden plot here looks attractive too with its daffodils and spring flowers. It's certainly a pretty part of London.

Broken Fingaz are a duo of street artists that are based in Haifa, Israel. They visited London in 2013 and 2014 to paint a few murals across east London, and I came across one of these murals at the end of the summer. The mural was painted at the beginning of 2013, so it has seen better days, and it has been altered. The building that the mural was painted on was renovated, so a removal of one wall had broken up the mural, and the introduction of a staircase and two air conditioning units have obscured the other parts of the mural.

This mural, located off Kingsland Road, still has its vibrant colours in a highly illustrative style. Their name appears at the top of the images in block letters, and the first box shows the head of a man. The second box shows a man and a woman appearing to be swamp monsters, perhaps a throw-back at vintage comic book characters.

For more work by Broken Fingaz in London, see the following posts on this blog:

Street Art in Soho by Paul 'Don' Smith, Broken Fingaz, Amara por Dios, Thierry Noir, and others
Broken Fingaz 'Flashbacks for Dinner' Street Art
Open Day at the Street Art House, Dulwich Arts Festival: Part 1
Street Art: Broken Fingaz Crew
New Street Art from Horror Crew, Swoon, Otto Schade, HIN, and others

Earlier this year, I noticed bluebells were sprouting up when I was out for walks in Ruislip Woods. Excited about seeing the display, I went to check them out toward the end of April and then again in early May to check them out and to check out their progress. Since the weather has not been very warm this year, they have not come out early, and they are also staying around for longer. The woods does not have the bluebell scent, though; I think it's got to be warm for the fragrance to be released into the air. However, I did get glimpses of several pockets of bluebells in Park Wood, Ruislip Woods.

The bluebells grow in the woodland where there are gaps in the trees, before the foilage of the trees is fully out. They are really popular in Park Wood. This is my favourite part of Ruislip Woods. There is a short (approximately ten minute) walk to the lido from here.

If visiting the bluebells, do not trample them. They will die if trampled because the bulb needs the sun obtained through the leaves of the plant. If the plant is trampled, there is no food for the bulb, and it dies. They are very fragile. Unfortunately, I saw a few places where people and dogs had strayed into the middle of them and rolled around. I also saw a few ones on the path that someone had picked. It's actually illegal to pick them, so please don't. Keep them for others to enjoy.

Right before the bluebells were in full bloom and during this, I also discovered large patches of white flowers in the woods here. These are wood anemones.

Although still pretty in their own way, I preferred the bluebells.

After walking about ten minutes ahead in Park Wood, you come to an area of large trees where you can see the lido in the distance and buildings below, down a slight hill. This is one of the entrances to the lido. At the bottom of the hill is the beach, some climbing frames and play areas, a cafe, and Woody Bay train station for the railway.

I had a quick wander on the beach.

Then, I turned around and headed back enjoying the spring blossom and bluebells.

The bluebells in Ruislip Woods typically start to emerge in late April. Depending on the weather, they can be earlier or bloom a little later. 

For more posts about Ruislip and Ruislip Woods on this blog:

Ruislip Woods - Park Wood
Ruislip Woods - Copse Wood and Poors Field
A Wintery Walk in Mad Bess Wood (Ruislip, West London)
A Snow Day in Ruislip
Visiting the Battle of Britain House Ruins in Ruislip Woods
Ruislip "Summer of 1939" Vintage Car Show
Ruislip Fairy Village
Easter in Ruislip (Easter Eggs & Duck Pond Markets)
Ruislip Lido Railway & Ruislip Woods Open Day

Seaton Delaval is an estate in Northumberland that is owned and maintained by the National Trust. The estate contains the ruins of a mansion house that dates from the 1700s, grounds, gardens, and stables. The house was closed to visitors in 2018 and part of it is open while the remainder is currently having its roof repaired. I visited the property during the coronavirus pandemic and was unable to visit the house except for part of the ground floor.

One of the buildings open, which is located near the cafe kiosk, is the stables. These were renovated recently and in a great condition. 

Before the visit to Seaton Delaval estate, I visited Seaton Sluice. Seaton Sluice is a seaside village just up the road from Seaton Delaval, and I had a quick walk around the sea and sand dunes before the visit to the property.

The house was built in the early 1700s but none of those responsible saw it finished, and it was passed from heir to heir before it was gutted by fire only about 100 years after it was built. It was partially restored after the fire. It was used to house German prisoners of war in World War II. It is a recent edition to the National Trust portfolio as of 2009.

The house, or what remains of it, is filled with decorations and statues. This was a style of the Delaval family as they were known for their flamboyant style and parties. They enjoyed performances and events, so the estate was alive with masquerade balls and theatre.

Although the property is in a ruined state, it is slowly being renovated.

Visitors can walk around the gardens, which are small in size. The formal garden next to the house contains a rose garden and then a formal garden which is probably about an acre. 

It contains fountains and sculptures and sculpted hedges.

Near the stables were a group of old carvings of sheep.

In the small courtyard, additional newer sheep carvings are located, each with their own symbol of trades and responsibilities.

It is not difficult to imagine the style of Seaton Delaval's style through glimpsing the statues and details in the mansion and the statues in the garden. For me, my favourite part of the visit were the recently-restored stables.

In an aim to get people back into London to explore, a series of sculptures and artwork has come to Mayfair and Belgravia. The art trail includes a dozen pieces of artwork by different artists and has been given the name "Wander Art". I had a walk to explore all of the artworks on a recent visit, and I thought that I would share as the pieces are really good with some of them being perfect for family photographs and selfies. I have enjoyed visiting London again and do hope for the city to return to pre-pandemic levels of buzz (well, a little less would be good as I am not really a "people person") soon.

The pieces are dotted all over Belgravia and Mayfair. I completed the trail by going to Sloane Square tube and then walking from there, down Ebury Street and then up to Knightsbridge. From there, I walked around Hyde Park / Wellington Arch and then up through Mayfair where I boarded the tube at Bond Street to return home.

"Tell Me Something Nice" by Kinska

This artwork placed in front of a couple of restaurants around the corner from Sloane Square can be sat on, and it is a shame that a bin bag has been placed in front of one. It doubles as benches with various colourful feminine faces and eyes. The artwork is bold and colourful. Kinska is from east London, and she worked in fashion design and ceramics where she learned to incorporate emotion into animated caracitures and to give them a three-dimensional purpose. The faces on this artwork were inspired by cartoons and communication with the outside world to connect with others in this public space.

"Fabriques" by Emily Forgot

These three little buildings in three bold colours appear to be cut from a single block of wood. Unfortunately, the placement of bins and bin bags spoils the display as it has done in the previous artwork. Located on the trendy Elizabeth Street in front of a trendy shopfront, these pieces enhance the corner. Emily Forgot is a London-based designer and illustrator, and similar block-style buildings were created for the London Design Festival in 2016. The artist is inspired by colour and architecture as well as history. As the name translates, the three pieces have been created as an ornament for a park or garden, and they were inspired by the shell houses (Fabriques) a few blocks away in Grosvenor Garden. These shell houses were created by Jean Charles Moreux, and they resonated with the artist as she is also Anglo-French. These sculptures also double as benches to sit on.

"The Only Way is Up" by Craig and Kyle

This giant pink flower appears to grow from Eccleston Square. It is the creation of duo Craig and Kyle. One of the artistic duo is located in New York, and the other is located in London, and they collaborate on bold artwork that can be looked at with humourous undertones. The flower is represented with the head down toward the pavement, a symbol of sadness or tiredness, but the bright pink colour and the fact that it is a flower adds to some amount of hope. This message of hope has come out of 2020 and resonates with all of us, including the artists who put it together inspired by "things can only get better". This is a fantastic piece for selfies.

The next piece on this list was meant to be "Have You Seen the Lions" by Ricardo Cavolo, but it was not placed anywhere in or around Eccleston Yards. (It was meant to be at the Ebury Street entrance.) However, I did locate the above mural that was also in Eccleston Yards, which depicts pandemic street art of some types of workers who had to work during the pandemic holding up the arch of a rainbow, which was a symbol used in 2020 for hope and for the NHS. There was not an artist name that I could see, although it may be covered up by the man sitting in front of it, but I could not see it.

"Face to Face" by Andre Mendes

This artwork has been painted on the corner of the building known as Radstock House, which is a bakery currently. Andre Mendes is a graphic designer from Barcelona who specialises in large-scale murals and sculptures. The artwork depicts abstract faces. The eye, nose, mouth, and lines that make up a face and the features of a face have been blended in together to appear as multiple faces that can also be viewed as multiple parts of faces at different angles. The artist was inspired by different faces when out walking.

"Small, Medium, Large" by Richard Woods

Three small and brightly-coloured symmetrical houses have found a place in Grosvenor Gardens. Woods' artwork is design, art, and architecture. While working as a carpenter, he started to create these little art houses. The artwork was inspired by different sizes with the perspective from each house taking on its own meaning in size when comparing with others. The square has also inspired this artwork, similar to "Fabrique" above and its inspiration taken from the shell houses in these gardens. For this artowrk, the towering buildings built up around the square and offering different perspectives were the source of inspiration.

"The Five Fields" by Jordan Soderberg Mills

 This blue periscope-pipe sculpture appears to stick up from the ground in Halkin Arcade near Knightsbridge. The artist, who is from Canada, explores playing with borders of material and perspective. The name of the artwork is inspired from the traditional name of Belgravia, which used to be "Five Fields" based on its ancient crossroads. This artwork has mirrors installed so that the reflection of the square can reflect onto the artwork, giving it a magical quality. The artist is fascinated with ley lines, folklore, and mythology and this piece is an ode to this and its ability to be in a different realm. 

"In Plants We Trust" by Yinka Ilori

This brightly-coloured archway near Mount Street Gardens appears to be a giant planter with a garden planted on the top of it. It is the work of Yinka Ilori, a London-based artist of British and Nigerian heritage. The artist was inspired by plants and his home during the lockdown, and these kept him in a positive mind. He hopes that the installation will bring joy and calmness; cities are often void of beauty and plants, and this helps to provide them in a new way. The bright colours were used for the sculpture to give a carnival feeling.

"See Through" by Morag Myerscough

Grosvenor Square has become the setting for a highly interactive piece that encourages the audience to interact with it and provides multiple vantage points for selfies. Myerscough creates immersive installations to transform places, and she hopes that these safe outdoor spaces will encourage people to remember their everyday joys. The work hopes to encourage people to stop and care and reflect more after the change that 2020 has brought. The bamboo structure contains uplifting quotes dotted around, all in bright neon colours and shapes. Each of the words and phrases in the quotes comes from a poem coined in 2020. Also, the installation can easily be dismantled with all parts being reused instead of thrown out.

"Wild Lights" by Fernando Laposse

The facade of Mercato Mayfair contains purple furry beasts holding onto white orbs while suspended in the air, but do not worry because they are not real. Laposse is a Mexican-based designer, and he researches the design for materials with historical and cultural ties to the location. The social and environmental impact of the world also plays a part in his work. The artwork, also dubbed a "Beast Candelabra", was created using agave fibres and dyed with pigment made from tiny bugs that grow in the pickly pear cactus. The artwork was inspired by the height of the church and hopes to cheer people up when they visit.

"Red Hot Contrasts" by Julien Colombier

I would have totally missed this piece as it is artwork covering up some construction work inside the building, and it is easy to miss because it is looking a little worse for wear with construction signage appended to it. The artwork was created to bring back some life during the pandemic. The artist was particularly inspired by tropical elements.

"Watching You Grow" by Margaux Carpentier

Located in Brown Hart Gardens, this whimsical and bold figure of a lady holding a flower catches the eye. Carpentier uses symbolic language to create the artwork so that it can be interpreted by the viewer in a multitude of ways; she enjoys being able to tell a story to the viewer. This sculpture was inspired by a poem, and the location demanded something bright and large. The subject considers human and nature together and their interactions (between human and plant). An eye-catching and bright piece, this is perfect for photographs and selfies.

I enjoyed visiting London and hope that things continue to improve for future visits with events and attractions that will keep me coming back.

Good morning, readers! I've finally ventured out and just returned from Mayfair in London where I visited Lucy Sparrow's Bourdon Street Chemist, which is a chemist (pharmacy) with items created out of felt. Seven years ago, I attended Lucy Sparrow's Knitted Cornershop near Columbia Road in east London, and you can read about my visit here: Lucy Sparrow's Cornershop in London. This was her first ever exhibition, and I visited it three days after it first opened and placed an order of a Coca Cola and Hobnobs, both of which would arrive a few months later since the gallery was for "eyes only".

The next big venture by the artist was to take the knitted cornershop idea to New York City in summer of 2017 as a 'convenience store' (since the term 'cornershop' is not used there). I had nearly purchased a couple of my favourite American products in felt, but money was tight as I needed the money for my renovation.

I had booked my ticket in advance to visit the knitted chemist. After giving my details, I had a squirt of hand sanitizer provided in the felt container with felt sign. There were about fifteen people in the gallery, making it slightly uncomfortable for visiting, and I would have felt better if the numbers had been limited. 

The shelves, signage, and products were all made from felt. Unlike the original 'Cornershop', visitors could touch the items and purchase them there. 

The chemist is complete with advertisments over the audio system and a "chemist" medicinal smell to complete the experience. Visitors can find items grouped by category with a few prescription items (such as Prozac) behind the counter.

One little area made of felt was the make-up stand featuring a well-known brand that often has a kiosk in pharmacies. There were all types of make-up items constructed out of felt: lipstick, blushers, foundations, nail polish, eye shadow, liners, etc.

There are two main rooms and then a small area joined between them with the make-up. The back room had a small consultation area with felt chairs, felt tulips, and felt sweets in a dish. There were even posters, cards, and pamphlets created from felt.

In addition to the products and signage made of felt, I saw a human diagram made of felt and a skeleton made of felt.

One of my favourite sections was the perfume area as all of the little bottles of perfume look great. The brands were all easily-recognisable.

I settled on purchasing a small tin of Vaseline and a bottle of Carex hand soap, which you can see photographed below. The Coca Cola and HobNobs are from "The Cornershop" visit in 2014. After purchasing the items, you are given the items in a prescription-style receipt, and the items are handed over in a blue NHS medicine paper bag. The "NFS" is referenced in the gallery/shop and stands for "National Felt Service", the name of her brand. They are set up in a decommissioned ambulance garage. The project helps to highlight the importance of the chemist in our lives and particularly during the past year.

After exiting the shop, I noticed more items in the windows.

That brings my visit to a close. For more Lucy Sparrow exhibitions on this blog, see:

Lucy Sparrow's Cornershop in London 

I visited Cliveden House in mid-March and then again in mid-April; it is one of the closest National Trust properties for me to visit, but I have steered clear of traveling or getting out much at all in the lockdown. However, I was having some serious lockdown blues and lockdown fatigue, so I needed to get out properly for the first time since November. Cliveden House is one of National Trust's most popular properties. The house itself is not part of the National Trust, and you can only visit it if you are staying or dining there. The property belonged to the Astor family and dates from the mid-1800s. It became a popular destination of politicians and other celebrities in the 1920s, and it was given to the National Trust in the 1940s. It was also a place of scandal in the 1960s and the location where Meghan Markle stayed with her mother before her wedding to Prince Harry.

I wandered around the Water Gardens first. They were closed due to social distancing, but visitors could walk around them. I was happy to see the fountain running and some beautiful pink flowers out in bloom.

I also walked through some of the more formal gardens, Long Garden. It has been planted with spring flowers, but these were not yet out in bloom in March. They were in bloom in mid-April on my second visit.

I did, however, see a pheasant in the garden that watched me.

Daffodils were everywhere at Cliveden House in the grounds and looked beautiful along with the wide views beyond. Since the trees are only just starting to bud, there is a clear view of the surrounding land below.

Spring is a beautiful time of year, particularly when the sun is out and the daffodils are in bloom. Daffodils always bring me joy. I loved them when I was very small, and they are my favourite spring flower. 

I enjoyed admiring the daffodils here at Cliveden House. The sun was shining off and on during my afternoon visit, and I enjoyed being able to get out to explore nature and have a quieter walk. Notably, Cliveden House gardens and grounds were far less populated than the small amount of park land in my local area that everyone in the community has to share. I am not sure if the formal gardens will be planted for the summer, but I do hope they are planted and maintained. Last year, they were left to idle and were unattended with weeds. I have really missed the National Trust gardens and houses/museums. 

More posts in this blog about Cliveden House can be seen below:

A Visit to Cliveden (National Trust): Lockdown Edition
A Visit to Cliveden House (Buckinghamshire, England)

This edition of home-delivered treats and lockdown treats features brownies by Brownie Heaven. More notably, these brownies are "scotch egg brownies". What is a "scotch egg brownie"? It is a brownie that is shaped in a ball and covered in chocolate and other toppings. Brownie Heaven started in 2003 in Yorkshire as a passion for food and travel with a perfection of a brownie recipe as being gooey inside and crunchy outside. They were sold at markets and food festivals before they company launched online and make small batches of brownies in the Cotswolds.

I ordered a box of the weekly special "scotch egg brownie", which was before Easter and so Easter-themed, and another box. The special box included Cadbury Creme Eggs covered with chocolate brownies, chocolate, and then biscoff crumbles. One is pictured below.

The second one was created with a Cadbury's Caramel Egg in the centre, covered by cookie dough first and then a layer of chocolate brownie, and then dipped with chocolate with dark chocolate buttons covering it. 

The creations taste best heated up in the microwave for about 30 seconds.

These creations are definitely made to share. One is much too large for one person alone. They are also very sweet, and they are even a little too sweet for me. I had to cut them in half, and even then I struggled with them. If you love super-sweet brownie-based treats, then these are for you. 

At the end of March, I had to take annual leave. There was nothing else to do as we were still in complete lockdown, and all restaurants, shops, and attractions were completely shut. Instead of wasting a day of annual leave doing nothing, I decided to treat myself to afternoon tea at home. Sure, it's not quite the same as going out; I had to provide my own tea and sparkling wine, music, and clean up afterwards. However, the food preparation was done for me. I ordered the afternoon tea from Pinner cafe Foodie Wuwdies, a cafe that I had previously visited earlier in the month during a lunch walk. I enjoyed the lunch and decided to order afternoon tea. 

The afternoon tea came with a selection of four different types of sandwich, scones with clotted cream and jam, and a small selection of pastries. I ordered a selection of ham, salmon and cream cheese, chicken salad, and cheese and tomato sandwiches. The scones came prepared with clotted cream and jam on top.

The sweet pastries included passionfruit macaroons, strawberry or raspberry flavoured chocolates, lemon cake, and black forest cake (cherry and chocolate) dusted with powdered sugar.

Overall, the food was very good. I prefered the savouries on this occassion, but the scones, macaroon and the chocolate were very nice as well. I will definitely be re-visiting the cafe again the next time I am in Pinner. 

For those considering ordering, they do takeaways, but these have to be picked up as they do not deliver. If you are in northwest London, I recommend it.