Today to the Royal Palace, which was heaving, including packs of schoolchildren being herded around by their teachers. Mostly for the art-work (esp the Bellottos, in the misleadingly named Canaletto Room, which provided basis for much of the post-war rebuilding).

Then walked around a bit.

Which would all have been rather more fun if, although I ( Read more... )

After a somewhat less restful journey than anticipated, though I was already aware of the 2 changes thing and the unreserved seats on the St Erth-Newton Abbot local service.

Anyway, this morning, after breakfast and packing we had sufficient time before our train from St Ives to descend into the town, do a few errands, check out the Hepworth in the ( Read more... )

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Dept of vain adornment of the body and Middlemarch allusion.

These are not wonderful photos, but they may provide some idea:

( Necklace with codfish motif )

My panels all went fairly well though I thought (and other people tend to confirm) that the 'What We Never Want To See Again' on Sunday afternoon was a bit low energy though some interesting ideas. Also, I was never expecting a massive turnout for a reading on Monday morning, but I think the audience just outnumbered the panel (and one of my fellow ( Read more... )

Partner was recounting conversation he overheard on the bus this morning between two youngish (?maybe 20s - not more than 30-ish) blokes who were going to get piercings (earlobe? eyebrow?).

And one said to the other that a man with gold earring in the right ear = gay.

To which I was, wasn't that a 70s thing? and wasn't it just that single earring ( Read more... )

This morning I had occasion to go out to Golders Green to look at some archives.

It was one of those lovely sombre slightly misty and Impressionist North London autumn days.

Between the Tube station and my destination I passed a Victorian church of no great architectural distinction which is now a Hindu Temple.

London: it has layers.

***

In other ( Read more... )

G+, quite apart from the nym gym aspect (paging Shirley Ellis, is really rather suboptimum given the snottiness about older browsers. Not all of us (as it might be, accessing via work computers) have the option to take that helpful hint to upgrade. I can't even sneak in to read my 'stream' by backdoor means anymore.

Also, what is this that this is ( Read more... )

The campfire is the new dinner party.

I'm not persuaded that having people round and sitting them on comfortable chairs at a nicely-laid table and serving up delicious food is ever going to grow old, or that all the occasions upon which this happens conform to some toxic stereotype fostered by a reality TV programme.

This may be an age thing, ( Read more... )

Okay, all rather slowly, because I was not feeling exactly full of energy.

But I walked up Michigan Ave as far as the Art Institute, and then decided I didn't feel like doing an art gallery, however great, in my current state of health. Incidentally, I thought the street planters this year were not so interesting as last time I saw them and all ( Read more... )