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Category: Art

  1. Sacred Tarts at Barts Pathology Museum

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    Sacred Tarts

     Our Lady Of Sorrows by Cake Follies

    Sacred Tarts - a divine cake sale

    When you attends an event at Barts Pathology Museum you can always expect a fun and entertaining time. On Easter Saturday 2013, Sacred Tarts saw the museum hosting a religious themed cake sale which provided an array of tempting goodies as an alternative to the traditional Easter egg. On offer were edible crucifixes, pope cakes and St Lucy's Eyeball Truffles just to name a few. In addition there were cocktails, live music and the opportunity to view the museum's collection. The cakes are a work of art in themselves and almost too nice to eat.

  2. The Opulent Interiors of Lancaster House

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    Lancaster House

      “My dear, I have come from my house to your palace”

    Queen Victoria apparently made this remarked when she visited her close friend Harriet, the Duchess of Sunderland, at Stafford House (the house's previous name).

    It is one of the few surviving great London townhouses, built in a warm honey coloured Bath stone, its next door neighbour is Buckingham Palace. The house is very opulently furnished with its principle rooms lavishly decorated in a Louis XIV style.

    Today Lancaster House is managed by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and is used as a venue for conferences and government hospitality. It is seldom open to the general public but I was fortunate to attend a private guided tour arranged for Westminster Guides. The tour was lead by James Yorke, the author of “Lancaster House: London's Greatest Town House”, whose encyclopaedia knowledge and genuine love for the house made this a very special visit.

  3. Spotlight on... St James's Square

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    St James Square

    St James’s Square is an elegant square with a facinating history. It is located in St James's one of the most exclusive districts in central London. This quiet area tucked away between Piccadilly and The Mall has managed to retain a charming village identity and is noted for quality shopping offering everything from handmade clothing to fine cigar and wines. The St James's area is often referred to as “Gentlemen’s London” due to its gentlemen's clubs and specialist retailers.

  5. Afternoon Tea at the Savoy and the wonderful Kasper

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    Savoy

    Our most recent Afternoon Tea outing was to the delightful Savoy in October 2012.

    This luxury hotel, located just off the Strand, set within its own small courtyard, oozes old fashioned glamour and Art Deco elegence. Above the entrance is a gilded statue of Count Peter of Savoy, Henry III's wife's uncle, who had the Savoy Palace built in 1263, on the site where the hotel is today. It was one of the finest houses in London until it burnt down during the Peasant's Revolt in 1381.

    The Savoy Hotel was originally opened in 1889 adjacent to the Savoy Theatre, both of which were built for Richard D'Oyly Carte, the theatrical impresario who worked with Gilbert and Sullivan. The hotel was re-opened in October 2010 following a three years closure for a lavish £220m make-over. 

  10. Red House

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    Red House

    Last week I spent a delightful sunny afternoon visiting Red House, the former home of William Morris, in Bexleyheath, South London. It is so called because of the colour of its bricks and is considered to be one of the first Arts and Craft style buildings. 

    William Morris (1834 – 1896) was one of those Victorian gentlemen who was an all rounder and talented in many fields. He was an artist, textile designer, author, business man and socialist. Morris is famous for saying “Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful” and he invited his friends to decorate his home. Today the House is managed by the National Trust and inside little of the original furnishings remain.