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Cinderella the live action film opens in cinemas on 27 March 2015 and to celebrate the occasion the official and free Cinderella The Exhibition has opened in Leicester Square, featuring over 100 props and 30 costumes designed by the Academy Award-winning costume designer Sandy Powell. Tickets can be booked online at no cost. The exhibition is presented by Swarovski and is only on until Friday 10 April 2015.
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Old Swan Hotel - Harrogate
Earlier this month I fulfilled my long standing wish to stay at the Old Swan Hotel in Harrogate which has connections with the mysterious disappearance of Agatha Christie, the Queen of Crime.
On the evening of 3rd December 1926 Agatha left her home in Sunningdale and her 4 seater Morris Cowley car was later found abandoned at Newlands Corner in Surrey. By this time Agatha was aged 36 years old and was already a successful crime writer and her 6th novel, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd had just been published. Her sudden disappearance attracted both national and worldwide interest. The search for Agatha was the largest manhunt of the time, involving over 1,000 police officers and civilians, and reputedly the first search in England to use airplanes. Arthur Conan Doyle (author of Sherlock Holmes) gave a medium one of her gloves in the hope of locating her, however Agatha's whereabouts remained a mystery for several days.
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Quiet London Postcard Book is available from 5th March 2015 and I was delighted to be sent a copy pre - publication to review. If you enjoyed reading Siobhan Wall's Quiet London you will love this selection of beautiful cards depicting some of the most iconic images from her original book.
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When I heard that The Colony Grill Room at The Beaumont was serving bespoke ice cream sundaes we just had to investigate. So on Sunday (very appropriately) Davide and I went along to sample its delights.
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Today Mackintosh Architecture opens at RIBA (The Royal Institute of British Architects) and is on until Saturday 23 May 2015. Charles Rennie Mackintosh (1868 – 1928), the Scottish architect and artist, is one of the most influential designers of the late 19th and early 20th century and this exhibition devoted to his work features over 60 original drawings, models and films. This is one of the exhibitions I am most looking forward to seeing in London this year as Mackintosh is very special to me as it was discovering more about his work that started my passion for architecture and design, particularly my appreciation of modernist styles.
Mackintosh was born in Glasgow and most of his surviving work can be found in his home city. In 2006 Wendy Jo, dear friend and fellow CRM lover, and I visited Glasgow and joined the Mackintosh in Style weekend organised by the CRM Society. The weekend was amazing as we visited so many wonderful buildings so I thought I’d post a few photos of our trip.
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The transformation of King’s Cross is well underway and there’s a lot to discover. So whether you are looking for somewhere nice to eat in a fascinating heritage building or wanting to enjoy a family day out, King’s Cross is well worth checking out. Last week I was delighted to be taken on a private tour of the area and hear more about some of the projects which are opening soon
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The Guildhall Art Gallery has just re-opened following its first rehang since the present building opened in 1999. The gallery is one of London’s hidden gems, it's a relatively small, intimate space compared to some of the more well known art galleries, but it offers is a remarkable collection of Victorian and Pre Raphaelite paintings. I was delighted to be invited to the press launch prior to the gallery opening to the public.
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Have you ever wondered what London is like on Christmas Day? Well on the big day London virtually shuts down, as there is no public transport the city is a lot quieter and almost everywhere is closed. Today was the first time I’ve explored London on Christmas Day, the weather was quite mild and it was a beautiful day for a walk. Here are a few photos...
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London is full of amazing buildings and one of my favourite is Strawberry Hill House. It was the former home of Horace Walpole, a writer, collector and the son of Robert Walpole, the first British Prime Minister. What makes the house so special is that it is one of the earliest and finest example of the Gothic Revival, a style beloved by the Victorians when they tried to emulate the medieval architecture of the great cathedrals and created their own interpretation of the Middle Ages. Many years ago when I first moved to London I visited the house when it functioned as St Mary's University so it was wonderful to make a return visit with Yannick following it's magnificent restoration.
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Agatha Christie Mile Plaque - Torquay
Crime and Cream Teas Part II features more about my recent trip to the Agatha Christie Festival in her home town of Torquay. In Part I I wrote about my visit to Greenway, Agatha's holiday home but in this blog I am focusing on some of the other things I did.