Well I finally managed along to the John Paul Gaultier exhibition at the Barbican.
I was pleasantly surprised at how big it was and quite how much stuff there was – I have Barbican membership so I may well go back for a second look round.
There is a free app to accompany the exhibition which I would recommend downloading. There is free wifi in the Barbican but it is slow-slow-slow so it might be worth doing before you leave home.
Family stuff has brought me north again. It has all been rather stressful and emotionally hard so my Dad, sister and I played hooky for the afternoon and went for a meander.
The biggest “things” in central Scotland at the moment are the recently opened Kelpies sculpture in Falkirk. So we headed there.
They really are pretty impressive. What was more impressive was the infrastructure around them – a huge park, miles of off road cycle path, a enormous and very exciting looking kids play park and a big lake to swim, kayak and windsurf on. What was even more impressive was how many people were there using it on a term time Friday afternoon.
Afterwards we went for a meander along the canal tow path and checked out the Falkirk wheel. All very pleasant on a gloriously sunny afternoon.
A busy weekend. Lots to do. Personal (as opposed to public) transport required and then disaster struck – a flattish tyre on my bicycle.
Now my bicycle has ridiculously high pressure road tyres (105psi) and you cannot, well I cannot, generate that pressure using a hand pump. I used to own a track pump – think old fashioned, cartoon-esque stirrup pump – but the last time I moved I donated it to my brother so I had a big dilemma on my hands.
However a bit of strategic googling revealed a hidden cyclists resource – free on street bicycle pumps! I therefore went in search of one in a convenient location and I found it with a bit of help from the lovely car park attendant. Hidden away right at the end of the underground car park on London Wall (which is I have to say a very fancy car park replete with brilliant lighting, electric car charge points and double decker cycle racks) is a free-to-use cycle pump. There is apparently also one in the Baynard Street Car Park but I haven’t been to check. Yet!
I suspect this won’t be my last visit. Thanks City of London.
Finally!
Inspired by a trip to my fabulous local fabric shop Raystich a few weeks agog specially the really cute little blocks of precut pieces of patchwork fabric that I now know are called charm packs. I decided that I would like to have a go at doing some quilting. So I got googling and found the brilliant website for Missouri Star Quilt Co. who have masses and masses of youtube tutorials available.
I also found the moda bakeshop page which is where they publish recipes (only a little bit twee) to use their precut range.
Loads of friends are expecting babies so I thought a baby quilt would be a good place to start so I chose this: pinwheel baby quilt.
I’ve found it harder than expected and have had to get to grips with lots of new kit and equipment – rotary cutters, quarter inch seam pressed feet but all in all I think it is coming together….
I was off work last week and needed to catch up with my multitude of elderly and not so elderly relatives so I headed up the East Coast mainline home to Scotland.
While I was there it seemed churlish not to attempt to do something so I persuaded my reluctant father out on a day trip or two. Once we had negotiated the complexities (primarily who got to drive – him) we had a pretty good time.
On a bitterly cold day we ventured west to Culzean castle. I enjoyed my wander around both the castle and the immaculate grounds. The sun came out in the early afternoon although it remained freezing and we had a very pleasant poodle up the ayrshire coast to Glasgow to return home.
Day 2 saw us heading north to the National Trust for Scotland’s (NTS) newest and shiniest attraction Bannockburn. Sadly both my Dad and I were disappointed despite the multimillion facelift and apparently revolutionary use of technology we both felt we struggled to fully understand the context of the battle, the significance of the land that we were standing on and the historical time period in which it was placed. Listening to the other visitors we were not alone. It was also hideously expensive – adult entry (if you aren’t a member of the NTS or National Trust) is £11. Ouch.
After our disappointment there we headed over the Kincardine bridge to Culross. I haven’t been there since I was a child and can’t remember if I’ve ever been round the palace before. This is another NTS property and the context could not have been more marked – there was a very informative introductory film which fully explained the context in which Culross developed.
The highlight of my visit were the fabulous historically accurate textiles made by local needlewoman and displayed throughout the palace. We also got a really interesting guided tour from one of the volunteers. So thumbs up to a traditional NTS property and a big boo to the all singing and dancing shiny one!
I’ve always thought having a blog was slightly narcissistic (sorry bloggers) but over the past few years I’ve come to realise that is too simplistic a viewpoint. I have come to rely more and more on youtube videos and blog type instructions to learn new skills. These have primarily been craft based – crocheting (Attic 24) and knitting (yarnharlot, kate davies, crafts from the cwtch) but some professional skills have snuck in too. I’ve just bought a new sewing machine and am keen to enhance my skills so have been frantically googling away and have already found a few machine happy gurus.
Therefore I suspect you can brace yourself for a few cackhanded sewing projects and some hopefully more assured knitting.
In addition, I fervently enjoy living in London therefore I also want to use this blog as a platform to highlight some of the many and varied events this crazy big city offers. Again this in influenced by my own increasing usage of other blogs, websites and “unofficial” information sources.
There is one thing I’m really keen to do though and that is to keep this blog about my life outside work. If you think you recognise me please don’t blow my cover!
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