Results matching “Christmas”

A couple of autumns ago, I visited the Amish Country in Ohio. I thought that I would post some of my unpublished photographs from my short visit. The Amish Country features a few times on this blog because my parents do not live too far from it, so we often visit when I return to see them. 

Fields of pumpkins and beautiful trees are common sights in autumn.

Visitors have a lot of choice for shops to visit when they go to the Amish Country. Farm, furniture, gifts, and food feature heavily on a visit to the Amish Country.

The Coblentz Chocolate factory has a gift and food shop, and visitors can also watch the chocolate being made.

The Amish Country offers something for everyone and is a great place to visit throughout the year. The summer and autumn months are my favourite times to visit. In the summer, visitors can watch the harvests and see wheat being harvested and dried in stacks in the fields. In the autumn, visitors can see corn drying in the fields and watch harvesting. The hills are pretty with the fall colours in the autumn as well. Christmas is also nice to visit because of the scenery, and there is the tour of some of the inns featuring cookies (Ohio Amish Country Christmas Cookie Tour of Inns). 

Since it is impossible for me to get out and explore London's streets for new street art due to COVID19 and the lockdown, I thought that now was the perfect time to showcase some of my favourite blogs while we are all in lockdown and keeping safe in this difficult and scary time. Since I cannot see the street art at the moment, the next best thing is to talk about it. Today, I want to focus on the Inspiring City blog, which I have been a fan of and following for the past several years. At the beginning of 2013, I started working for a design agency located on Brick Lane, so I was immersed into the ever-changing street art scene, which I invested a great deal of time in locating painting spots and new murals at lunch time and learning who the artists were when I got home in the evenings. Although I have been interested in street art and generally all aspects of "art" before this time, I'd only been to London's "street art zone" two or three times from a few years before 2013, and it was for a curry or the newly-opened BoxPark. Researching the artwork and artists online helped me to learn more about the artists and their style, and one of the authorities on London's street art was Inspiring City. So, let's find out a little more about them.  

Hello and thank you for taking the time out to answer some questions for this collaboration. As mentioned, I've been following the Inspiring City blog for several years now, so thank you for creating an awesome blog and keeping it up-to-date with art and exhibitions. 

First of all, on a topic we are probably all tired of hearing recently, but how you are coping in this lockdown? 

It was strange at first and initially I lost a bit of motivation for blogging. I think this was because I'd been used to getting into the routine of going out somewhere to get inspired and then writing about it when I got back. You can't really go anywhere in a lock down so I wasn't getting that inspiration. Gradually though it came back. I saw that lots of people were doing exciting things online with their art which I wanted to write about. 

Do you think COVID19 will alter street art in any way? Do you think it will impact street artists from sharing their work or making a living (if they make any income from their art) and/or the viewer's interaction with it?

I think if anything it has made artists more robust. Artists are now using online mediums in a much more imaginative way. We are seeing online galleries and paint jams happening. Forums and communities are being set up for artist to support and share each others work. It's even becoming easier to sell directly to the consumer and we are seeing things like the #artistsupportpledge really take off. If anything that the lessons of this period should enable a more diverse strategy for artists. In terms of street art in particular, I think we'll see a huge spike in productivity once this lockdown is over. People will be itching to get the spray cans out.

As a matter of fact, I have seen some of the street artists using social media in unique ways. One that comes to mind is the installation that Banksy made in his bathroom. Of course, I've also seen many of the artists I follow sharing more of their artwork online too. 

The Banksy installation is so cool. I do wonder if that is really his bathroom though lol. One article I'm hoping to put together soon is about the Virtual Cheltenham Paint Jam, watch this space for that one. Basically artists sent over their work and the team at Cheltenham Paint Festival superimposed them onto buildings in the town using Photoshop. Very cool :)

Ohhh, I can't wait to see the virtual Cheltenham Paint Festival! That sounds awesome. 

(Note from Jenikya: You may be interested in seeing the Cheltenham Paint Festival 2018 from Inspiring City [here])

If you think COVID19 is going to be problematic for our artists, is there anything that you can think of to help? 

It will be challenging for artists for sure. Joining forums is good and not being set on the old ways of doing things. Artists need to diversify and try new things. That means using social media to show their art and be prepared to engage directly with buyers. This is a time for adaptation as doing things the same way during a pandemic just doesn't work. We've seen that in all walks of life and not just in the art world. 

I know there were a couple of events that had to be cancelled this year. I was interested in the Aberdeen event and in Bristol's Upfest this year since it went on break in 2019, and I was looking forward to my first visit to Berlin in early May to explore the city and locate street art. What were you most looking forward to this year but are excited about once we are no longer in limbo? 

For me, the two you've mentioned are right up there. Aberdeen's NuArt and Bristol's Upfest are amazing festivals and I would have definitely gone. Other than that I was looking forward to another visit to Lisbon to cover more of the scene there. I've written quite a few articles about that city and I had a few more in mind that I wanted to complete. Immediate plans as soon as it's over though is to get back up north and visit some of the street art in northern towns around Yorkshire and Lancashire. This is my home area so I wanted to catch up and refresh myself on everything new that's been going on up there.

First of all, I love Yorkshire, and my ancestors on both of my parents' side came from a couple little villages near York; it's definitely a wonderful place to visit and covers a large area of the U.K. I've never really considered it as a hotspot for street art. As for Lisbon, are there any particular posts you'd like to share for the Lisbon street art?

Ah lovely Yorkshire. It's still got a way to go for street art, but it has a few notable highlights. The Nomad Clan's giant mural (the tallest in the UK) overlooks Leeds station and Sheffield is a great city to explore for street art. In terms of Lisbon, posts I'd recommend are 'Ten Best Pieces of Street Art to see in Lisbon' and the 'Street Art Murals of Marvila'.

(Note from Jenikya: To read these Inspiring City posts, see 'Ten Best Pieces of Street Art to see in Lisbon' [here] and 'Street Art Murals of Marvila' from Inspiring City [here])

Ok, that's enough of the COVID19 Can you tell me about the dynamic of Inspiring City? Are you an individual or a group of individuals? 

It's just me though I do have occasional contributors. Certainly the contributions that people make to the blog are greatly appreciated when they happen. This is particularly true when it opens up another avenue of thought or might expose the blog to another area of the art scene. Generally though it is just me, I write a lot as you can probably imagine.

Yes, you definitely sound busy! When you're not living and blogging art, what do you do?

I work in learning and development. That means I write training courses and deliver training too. It's something I enjoy because although it's different from blogging it's still creative. 

Tell me a little more about your blog; how did you start your blog, and how has it evolved over the years? 

It started back in 2012 when I moved down to East London from Yorkshire. I was just wowed by what I was seeing around the Brick Lane and Shoreditch areas. The art there was just changing all the time. This planted a seed because in the back of my mind I'd always wanted to write a blog but never knew what on. I thought that I just needed to write about what I was seeing and experiencing. In the beginning this was more general observations but then over the next few years it started to focus mainly on art.

It seems as though you've been around a lot longer than 2012. 2012, what a great year with the Olympics and all of the street art and creativity! A lot was done in the community to bring art to the forefront; a lot was invested in community and art projects, and it's too bad that didn't continue the same momentum in following years.

Too true I feel quite fortunate to have started when I did, there was certainly a lot happening especially when looking back now.

I often see posts featuring street art from various parts of the UK and around the globe! Do you do a lot of traveling to these locations to write up about them, or do you have friends who send you photographs from some of the locations?

It's a combination really. I have been trying to make the most of my travels and when I go to an area I will actively seek out the street art. Recently I made a long trip to Australia for example. I wrote a lot there because the scene is so great in each city. I'm also fortunate to have friends in places like Lisbon and so that's resulted in a lot of recent articles about the amazing art of that city.

(Note from Jenikya: You may be interested in reading these posts from Inspiring City 'Where to see the best street art murals in Athens' [here] and 'Coronavirus Street Art Spreads Across the World' [here].)

I know this is a difficult one to answer, but what were a couple of events and exhibitions that really stood out for you? Were there any particular artists, events, or exhibitions that "spoke" to you through their work?

Good question and it's tough because there is a lot. I think I would mainly focus on the events and in particular the street art festivals. They are such fun and full of great people. The art is just amazing and there's a great atmosphere. I love going to places like Aberdeen, Bristol, Cheltenham and Leicester to see the art begin to transform these areas. You get a greater affinity with the scene and the artists themselves.

Yes, some of my best street art moments have been attending the paint jams to see the work evolve, such as the one Louis Masai helped to organise in Mile End a few years ago for the environment.

I remember the paint jam well you know the pieces are all still there and looking good :)

I also love what I've seen in Manchester, Bristol, Birmingham, and in Nottingham. There's still plenty of walls there to paint on, and there is a drive to create. I've never been to Glasgow nor Aberdeen, but I was inspired to do so based on your write-up about the NuArt festival. Both cities have been on my travel list for a few years as it's one of the few bigger cities in the UK that I have never been to, and I would not have thought about locating street art in them, so thank you for the tip.

I'd highly recommend Aberdeen it's such a nice city and the art is really well curated. As there's been three years worth of festivals so far it's really built up a good body of work. Glasgow I would love to get to and just spend a weekend exploring.

One of my favourite posts was your write-up about Lucy Sparrow, the artist who creates sewn felt artwork and launched her "The Cornershop" kitted out with brands and packaging all created in felt. I went to visit the shop in residence in east London and was impressed, and I think her work went over so well here and in her second edition in New York City. I know she had a KickStarter for the project, so is this how you came across her?

Lucy Sparrow is one of my favourite artists. In addition to being immensely talented and one of the hardest working artists I've ever come across, she is super nice. I've followed her career from the start which was pretty much the Cornershop and that kickstarter campaign. I remember seeing it and thinking that this was the most amazing art project. I've since written about her more and I hope to keep doing so, she's an amazing talent.

(Note from Jenikya: You may be interested in reading 'Lucy Sparrow's Felt Cornershop Opens in Wellington Row in Bethnal Green' from Inspiring City [here])

You have also posted street art walks featuring different parts of London from time to time. For readers who would like to see street art and learn more about it, what are some other suggestions for them to visit and learn about street art?

I have written some recent posts which have really focused on this area including guides to Brick Lane, Shoreditch and Camden. Those were really focused on helping someone gain a quick appreciation for wher to go and what to see.Though I think you can't go too far wrong with just checking out the blogs. In terms of purely street art focused then in addition to Inspiring City, the likes of London Calling, HookedBlog and Blocal are excellent. I also then enjoy your own blog, Memoirs of a Metro Girl and Dutch Girl in London to get a wider more cultural view of what's going on.

(Note from Jenikya: You may be interested in reading 'Where to find street art and graffiti in Shoreditch' [here] or 'Where to find street art and graffiti on Brick Lane' from Inspiring City [here])

Over the past five years, London's street art scene seems to be waning. I feel that this started with an increase of gentrification of east London with hotels and expensive flats being built where some of the best walls were located. I have also seen, especially in the past couple of years, artwork being tagged over very quickly. Do you think this destruction is from some in the community who are upset with certain artists gaining recognition and possibly (indirectly) helping to aid in the gentrification of the area? Do you think there is a future in east London for street art, or do you see other locations in London being utilised more for street art? I know there has been more in Penge, an area of London that I have never been to but which is difficult to get to. 

It's certainly getting less and gentrification is having a big impact. The sad fact is that the spots are just disappearing. Where once there were great walls, now there are giant blocks of flats. It's meant that new spots have had to be opened up and that includes in places in South London such as Penge. In terms of the tagging then I would say that this is probably more a by product of spots disappearing. It means that there isn't enough to go around in the main centres and so walls get turned around faster.

Where do you see London's street art future? What do you think the future of street art is generally? Do you think it gets fair coverage and recognition as an art form?

I think London will struggle if it can't find new areas. Most of the locations are becoming highly developed and so the walls are just going. Outside of London is where the opportunity is. In many places, councils are seeing street art as a social good. In places such as Aberdeen, Bristol, Leicester and Rochdale for example this is most certainly true. It brings energy to a city and it allows for people to look a the spaces they live in with new eyes. It calls for good curation and a different way of thinking about what the medium is but it can have a huge and positive impact on local communities if done right.

Over the years, street art has been controversial for many reasons. Once the lockdown is over and we are allowed to travel again, where else (besides the United Kingdom and Ireland) do you recommend visiting?

So beyond the UK I would recommend going to Lisbon where there are so many amazing giant murals. Check out too Barcelona which has much more of an earthy scene. If you ever got the chance to travel further afield then I couldn't recommend Banksy's Walled Off Hotel in Bethlehem highly enough. Then if you get an opportunity to ever do so, visit the Silo Art Trail in Australia's Wimmera Mallee region. For me I'll be exploring more of the UK. I want to get to Glasgow and Belfast, I would also absolutely love to get over to America to learn about some of the amazing street art projects of the city of Flint in Michigan. There are so many great places to go to see street art.

I have been to Belfast, and it's a fantastic city to explore. There's a fair amount of street art and the political murals. I also recommend Londonderry/Derry. If you do get to Flint, MI (I have never been to Flint), I recommend the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village near Detroit, especially if you're into history and art. The village was created by Ford because he knew his new production-line system would revolutionise the world. He bought up cabins, houses, farmsteads, and working buildings - some owned by notable individuals - to salvage for future generations. I'd also recommend Frankenmouth, MI as it has a couple of nice museums and shops; it's a Christmas village with Bavarian influences and is a nice place to walk around. I would imagine Detroit has a lot of street art; it's sadly pretty run down. I grew up in the state below Michigan. 

And that wraps it up! Thank you so much, Inspiring City, for your time, and keep safe! Keep posting more from the world of street art.

Thank you Jenn for having me on your blog I've really enjoyed answering your questions.

National Trust property Kingston Lacy, located in Dorset, is a place to visit in order to see some of the first signs of spring. Last year, I visited Kingston Lacy for the first time and explored the house and gardens; I returned later in the year to see the winter and Christmas decorations. The prime time to see snowdrops is now, in the middle part of February. They signal the first change of the season from winter to spring. I enjoyed sunny but cold weather for my visit, and the snowdrops were out in full bloom.

There are several places to see the snowdrops in Kingston Lacy, and my favourite place to see them here was the Victorian Fernery, which is located just to the back of the house. There are over 35 different varieties in the Fernery. There were different colours of flowers here and different types of snowdrop. The first snowdrops were planted by owner Henrietta Bankes, who planted them in the early 1900s. Currently, over 40 different species of snowdrops are planted at Kingston Lacy.

The word for snowflower is Galanthus, which translates from Greek to "milk" and "flower". There are several different species of snowdrop, and Kingston Lacy has a few of them. It is thought that they were brought by Romans to Britain.

The snowdrops offer one of the first sources of nectar for bees in January-March. The substrance Galanthamine is produced by the plant, and it can be used to improve sleep and treat Alzheimer's. A new species of snowdrop was discovered in 2012, and it is very rare and only grows in a few locations in Russia and Georgia, and one of the habitats was destroyed during the Olympic Games preparations.

In addition to snowdrops, I also discovered a few daffodils in early bloom as well as a cluster of bloomed primrose, and crocus.

On the trail, I discovered a large pig digging for food.

The National Trust property was particularly busy when I visited, and the snowdrops seem to attract many fans. Visitors can expect to see the snowdrops until the end of February, but the best time to visit is the middle of February. The property charges an entrance fee (or National Trust membership), and it is open from 10:00am to 4:00pm, but it is best to check the National Trust website in case of any changes.

After the walk around the property, I enjoyed hot chocolate and a scone.

More posts about Kingston Lacy, the National Trust property in Dorset are included below:

Winter Light Trail at National Trust's Kingston Lacy House (Dorset, England) 
Christmas at National Trust's Kingston Lacy House (Dorset, England)
An Afternoon at Kingston Lacy (Dorset, England)

After an appearance at Canary Wharf Winter Lights 2019, artist collective Squidsoup brings two more immersive light installations to London for the festive season. "Wave" comes to Eccelston Yards in Belgravia from 28 November 2019 to 11 January 2020. "Votices" comes to Queen Elizabeth Hall on South Bank from early December until 2 January 2020. 

"Wave" ('Chromotherapy Christmas') is free to visit in Eccleston Yards, and consists of 500 colourful orbs of lights dangling above. They have been designed to improve wellness through the use of colour, and each orb contains a recorded sound of a single choir voice that makes a full choir sound in synchronisation. Mulled wine can also be enjoyed here at Eccleston Yards during this time.

Meanwhile, another new Squidsoup artwork appears at Southbank Centre's Winter Festival. "Votices" is available to view from 2 December 2019 to 7 January 2020 in Queen Elizabeth Hall in the foyer. This installation is a little more lacklustre as it is inside the main foyer of the building and changes colour with a faint some soundscape. It's difficult to be immersed in this installation.

Did you get to see either of the Squidsoup installations over the festive season? What did you think?

I didn't get to write or post my review of the latest empty beauty and make-up products last year as there were so many other things going on, but I used up a fair amount of products in the late summer through to the end of autumn. I am slowly still making my way through the products that I own, and I've started to organise and unpack boxes this week. The building work isn't completed yet because the builders had two weeks off over Christmas and have not been around much since, and I am starting to get "cabin fever" at having to live amongst dust and unpacked boxes for the past several months. However, my dressing table and new make-up tower have been put into the room, so I have been able to unpack some of my beauty and make-up items now. I review the products that I have used up so I can decide what to purchase or not purchase in the future. Also, hopefully this will help others.

"Walking with the Snowman" is a trail featuring twelve life-sized snowman sculptures from Raymond Briggs' illustrated book "The Snowman". The snowman sculptures have been placed between London Bridge and Tower Bridge in London on the south bank where a Christmas market and street food has also been set up along the route. (Apparently, this part of London is now called London Bridge City.) Each of the twelve sculptures is designed based on the Christmas song "The Twelve Days of Christmas". The art trail has been set up between Wild in Art and Penguin Ventures. Often, these sculptures are auctioned off at the end of the trail to raise money for charity.

Eleven Pipers Piping - Jess Loveday

I enjoyed seeing the sculptures, which were all easy to locate and could be completed in a short amount of time. I saw others also looking for the snowmen as well as other people who did not know about them and happened to stumble upon them. With the Christmas market and street food, I found this part of London to be busy on a Sunday late afternoon a little over a week before Christmas.

Twelve Drummers Drumming - Jessican Perrin

Ten Lords a-Leaping - Hammo

Eight Maids a-Milking - Donna Newman

Six Geese a-Laying - Matilda Elizabeth; Nine Ladies Dancing - Lizzie Rose Chapman

Seven Swans a-Swimming - Laura-Kate Chapman

Four Calling Birds - Jenny Leonard

Five Gold Rings - Adam Pekr; Three French Hens - LeiMai Lemaow

A Partridge in a Pear Tree - Jodie Silverman; Two Turle Doves - Megan Heather Evans

The "Walking with the Snowman" sculpture trail is located between London Bridge and Tower Bridge (south Bank) until the 5th of January, and it is a fun day out.

The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity has created an illuminated rose garden in Grosvenor Square in Mayfair, London. The idea was conceived by Camilla Morton and Anya Hindmarch; you may recognise Hindmarch's name as she was responsible for the large chubby red heart balloons that appeared around Valentine's Day (Chubby Hearts Float Around London). The rose garden is known as "Ever After Garden" and was dedicated in memory of art director Michael Howells, designer of the film "Ever After". "Light Rose Garden", an exhibition first launched in Korea by Pancommunication and a very popular event, helped to also inspire "Ever After Garden".

Over 270,000 illuminated roses are lit up in the square, and visitors can make a donation to dedicate a rose, which will be planted in the garden. The "Ever After Garden" pays tribute to those who were lost over the year and celebrate those who we miss over the Christmas holidays.

In addition to the rose garden, a lit-up archway is also available to see for free in Grosvenor Square, and this proved to be popular as well.

The illuminated rose garden was free to visit from 30th November until 22nd December.

Earlier this year, Milan's famous Marchesi 1824 bakery moved to London. The London branch is located near Berkeley Square on Mount Street. The original Marchesi 1824 bakery (which has been in operation since 1824) was purchased by Prada in 2014. There are two additional branches in Milan, but this London branch is the first one outside of Italy. Coffees, pastries, and sweets can be enjoyed here, and panetonne is one of the most popular items.

I finally got the chance to visit the bakery/cafe over the holidays. They are not open on Sundays, so my first visit ended in staring at the beautifully-decorated cakes and display in the window. 

My second visit allowed me to enjoy a hot chocolate. I have had so much watered-down hot chocolate in this country that when I ordered the hot chocolate, I ordered it with cream. I wish I hadn't. It didn't need cream. It was a delicious thick Italian hot chocolate, and I certainly shouldn't have assumed anything less from a Milanese cafe, which of course would be expected to serve up proper Italian hot chocolate. It is certainly one of the best hot chocolates that I have had in London.

To accompany the hot chocolate, I asked for a Christmas dessert. Being after Christmas, the cafe was getting back to normal, but they did have one of these little vanilla trains. It was a vanilla mousse, covered in a thin chocolate, with a biscuit base. The edible train tasted delciious, and it was light in flavour.

The shop interior has been designed to the Milan spec with the gold, cream, and forest green colours, mirrors and hanging lights. There are two rooms, and I was sat in the back room because there wasn't any space in the front room. The front room is more airy and lit-naturally, whereas the back room is more secluded and private but not as bright.

I also ordered the pistachio spread to go as I love pistachio, and I ordered a couple of Christmas biscuits. One was a candy cane, and the other was a round biscuit with a red and white design. I believe that they are shortbread biscuits, but I have not had one yet to try. Overall, I recommend Marchesi 1824 in London as I am sure the other pastries were delicious (I had my eye on a strawberry tart and strawberry and custard croissant), and the hot chocolate is certainly one of the best.

Before Christmas, I went to Fait Maison for brunch and Christmas treats. I had previously eaten here in February for a late lunch (Lunch at Fait Maison, Gloucester Road), but I had never had brunch. The menu is French-inspired for a middle-eastern twist, and there are three branches in London. The one near Gloucester Road station is the easiest one for me to get to, so this was the branch I visited. I also visited during the summer in order to see their floral display on the shop front, and I posted these photographs at the bottom of the post.

I had the French toast for brunch, and this came with maple syrup, fresh fruit, and chopped almonds.

Fait Maison are one of London's prettiest cafes with a selection of beautifully-designed cakes and pastries and decorated with florals to match. For Christmas, the theme was brightly-coloured candy and candy canes amongst the flowers.

Their afternoon tea looks gorgeous as well, as you can see in the image below.

A photograph of a few of their pastries and cakes, inculuding an almond tart. All look delicious but too-good-to-eat.

I had a candy cane cupcake, which was cocnut and vanilla; I took this one home with me.

I had the little reindeer sponge, which was super-cute. I think it was a vanilla with a hint of toffee or salted caramel.

As promised, the summer shots are below with the whole cafe covered in pastel pink, blue, purple, and cream flowers...

...and a selection of floral pastries to match.

I recommend a visit, but do bear in mind that sometimes their payment machines do not appear to work, so you need to ensure that you have cash on you. And there's only a couple of cash machines in the area, and they tend to also not work all of the time. So, make sure that you have plenty of cash with you.

In between Christmas and New Year's Eve, I visited "34 Mayfair" restaurant, which is located just off of Grosvenor Square. At Christmas time, the restaurant was decorated with over 14,000 baubles and other tree decorations hanging from the walls and ceilings into a very festive-looking room. The new look restaurant for the festive season was named "The Miracle at 34 Mayfair" and included a festive cocktail and dessert menu along with their standard menu. The display was put together by florist Jane Wadham.

In the run up to Christmas, Santa was rumoured to have popped in from time to time during the weekend brunch menu. So, I am sure it was even more festive before Christmas and with music and festive cocktails and desserts. I visited for brunch, and received a plate of bread to start and ordered an Imperial Julep (champagne and mint) to start. The cocktail was good, but it was mainly ice with very little fluid, so it was not the best value at all, especially considering the cost.

I ordered the pancakes, which were meant to come with bacon and maple syrup but came with blueberries and a lot of blueberry sauce and no maple syrup. The bacon was on a side plate, so I think they messed up the order a bit for me, sadly. This would have tasted nice with the bacon and maple syrup. I would not have minded a few blueberries on top. 

Overall, the atmosphere was a beautiful festive setting. I think visiting before Christmas would have been more special, but there wasn't any space left when I looked at the end of November. I felt that the food was over-priced for what it was, but the mix-up with the order probably did not help that, and the cocktail portions are on the stingy side. I would give it another go for lunch or dinner, but I'd steer clear of the cocktails.