Friday 21 December 2007

Winter wonderland




Last weekend Kevin told me to wrap up and follow him - he'd planned an afternoon of surprise activities (the old romantic that he is).

After a momentary panic on his part when he realised that he'd got tube stations mixed up, he swiftly replotted our route and we emerged at the Spittalfields Market in the East End. Very nice it was too. We wandered around the various crafts stalls, although didn't buy anything on this occasion (apart from a v delicious leek & onion tartlette-type thing!). Then had a warming pint in the local boozer, which was as close to the Queen Vic as I've come across yet in London...

Having warmed up nicely (it was FREEZING here last weekend) we then set off on our merry way and after another 'ooh where are we going' tube journey for me, emerged at Hyde Park, where there is a big "Winter Wonderland". Totally tacky and the sort of thing I normally scoff at in Edinburgh, but that's half the fun of being somewhere new! I got the mulled wine while Kevin got the tickets for the Big Wheel and after a bit of a queue, we made our way up in nicely enclosed capsules for a slow meander round a 50m wheel. (www.hydeparkwinterwonderland.com)

Sunday 9 December 2007

Ho Ho Ho



Took part in the London Santa Run yesterday - 6K round Battersea Park dressed in a Santa suit, along with 1,600 others!

It was raining and freezing but good fun and at least the beard kept us all warm!

Last weekend was also cold and wet but we managed to take advantage of galleries and museums again - went to the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition at the Natural History Museum, which was a great way to spend a Friday evening - absolutely amazing pictures, would definitely recommend it. Tate Britain on Sunday, including a "Hockney on Turner Watercolours" exhibition which was also excellent - a really comprehensive collection of Turner's work from throughout his life, which was even more interesting to see in the context of the rest of the Tate's collection of British art through the centuries.