Midcentury Modern and 2 London Stations

After many years and a long standing obsession with Elle Decoration I think I know my aesthetic quite well. It is quite classic and pretty and ethnic. A bit Toast Catalogue, a bit Bodie and Fou.  The Boyfriend's taste on the other hand is much more easily defined as mid century modern. Although our tastes are on a spectrum they converge more than we would guess.  

We're only just bringing our tastes together in the new flat but think this is all to the good.  Not too greige or pretty; not to clinical or hipster.

We need (ahem, if "need" is an acceptable synonym for "want") a nice cabinet to store lovely ceramic things in our dining room. We've had a look in some of our favourite shops but not had much luck so far.  From left field we both really liked a vivid blue 1940's Indian cabinet in this shop on Cross Street in Islington. 

The Boyfriend spotted it from the bus and we ended up turning around  and going back on a whim. We were both taken back by how  much we loved the cabinet, however it had already sold.   We also found some very nice things at the Peanut Vendor and  2 Columbia Road but nothing that was just right.  By the way it was raining the day we went to Columbia road, which is my top tip for avoiding being over run by the crowds.    

So the hunt goes on and today we searched at the Midcentury Modern event at Dulwich College.  Still haven't found what we're looking for but here are some of my favourite things we saw today:

Enamel jug, Jens Quistgaard, Dansk

Trinidad dining chairs, Nanna Ditzel, Fredericia Stolefabrik

(Um!) Georgeous suede sofa

Brazilian asymetric desk Jeorge Zalszupin

We were mainly browsing but came away with the plates at the beginning of the post from a new designer called Helen Stevens. Apart from the ceramics being beautiful, Helen came across really well and apparently she's being considered for a concession at Liberty at the moment.

I should also say that Dulwich College had the **actual** James Caird on display much to the Boyfriend's excitement.

We came home via Brixton station and I saw these Bronze figures for the first time. According to the authoratiative Urban 75 blog the bronzes have been there since 1986 and they were based on locals who used the station regularly at the time.  I love the way the figures like people frozen in time, it really appears like they are staring at you its almost slightly sinister and provocative. Culturally its significant as a cast of "real people" and "real black people" too. 

We also had to collect some tickets at Kings Cross and checked out the new concourse at the same time.  It is beautiful, if you can say that about a station concourse? The structure is designed around a kind of trunk which branches off in lots of directions in a glass lattice structure to avoid placing weight on the ticket office underneath. Kings Cross has really regenerated in the last 10 years or so and I think the latest addition is great.  It is going to become iconic.

November

No sun - no moon!
No morn - no noon -
No dawn - no dusk - no proper time of day.
No warmth, no cheerfulness, no healthful ease,
No comfortable feel in any member -
No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees,
No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds! -
November!

Thomas Hood 1789 - 1845

Pah Thomas Hood! Pah and Pah! November has been glorious! I didn't get the chance to write much last month as both work and house buying have gone bonkers. Here are some of my highlights from November.

The Gerhardt Richter exhibition at Tate Modern is one of the best exhibitions of the year. Really well thought out exhibition and introduced me to some new work.  Definitely worth seeing if you're in London between now and 8 January. 

Gerhardt Richter - Seascape

Gerhardt Richter Gerric

Turning 34, gaining a donkey and watching Manon at the Royal Opera House.

Watching the Fireworks from Blackfriars Bridge in our snugly coats and scarves.  My mum always tries to catch a bit of the Lord Mayors Show on television every year as it reminds her of the day she brought me home from hospital all those years ago.

Looking out at the moons of Jupiter through binoculars.  We've not done it apparently there's an observation site in Hampstead where members of the public can pretend to be astronomers using amazing telescopes and speak to scientist for free.

The Wolseley

Afternoon tea at the Wolseley.  I love the Wolseley and if you've not been you really should go.  It is an impossibly glamorous grand European style art deco cafe.  Lovely dark wood, marble and chandeliers. The service is fabulous and unlike some of the other places you can go for tea in Piccadilly its not the tiniest bit stuffy or gimmicky or outrageously expensive. Lots of people were quite dainty with their cakes but The Boyfriend and I really enjoyed them - particularly the pistachio macaroon.

This was our first time for afternoon tea, but The Boyfriend and I have had some fabulous breakfasts at the Wolseley. The Eggs Benedict is the nicest that I've ever tasted.  A sister restaurant The Delaunay is also opening on Monday 5 December.  Let me know if its good if you try it out first!

Discovering all the little birds at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust.

Eating and drinking too much cheese, cake, wine and Crabbies ginger beer.  There's too much going on to worry about diet - plenty of brides wear wedding dresses with elasticated waists nowadays.

St Pancras Hotel Kings Cross

Celebrating my anniversary with The Boyfriend with an amazing massage at the St Pancras Hotel Spa.  We have happy memories of the hotel. We had cocktails in the hotel the night we got engaged and we even thought about the hotel as a wedding venue option at one stage. [Note to self: I should post about the places we aren't getting married soon...].  

Anyhow, for our anniversary treat I had a massage and a facial and The Boyfriend had a massage.  It had been a particularly stressful week at work and a stressful week chasing solicitors, buyers and estate agents.  However I left feeling fantastic, with light behind my eyes and skin that actually glowed. There are lots of day spas and hotel spa's in London.  I would happily recommend this as one of the better ones.

See you soon x

Pick up a penguin

Last night The Boyfriend and I went to a talk by the chief scientific advisor for Frozen Planet put on by the Friends of Stroud Green Library, who served wine and retro penguin biscuits.  Nice touch. 

 Now The Boyfriend has has a physics degree which he doesn't get to use day to day. So he was particularly excited about lots of graphs and scientific explanations from Dr Mark Brandon. The Boyfriend tells me his best result at university was in oceanography and he thought about applying to the British Antarctic Survey.  However I know what he's like in the cold so don't think that would really have worked out.

I enjoyed the talk as the whole thing was grounded in great stories about how the whole Frozen Planet was put together and the life of a polar researcher.  More importantly there was a half told story about being given a black eye and a bloody nose by a penguin.  I love penguins.

...in other news I don't want to jinx things by getting too excited but there's a good chance - a very good chance - we might be in our new flat by New Year... cross your fingers please...