For The Love of Travel

Hopped onto the no.88 bus, for a 50 minute journey, to Clapham Common. There was an annoucement mid route that the bus was terminating at Stockwell ….and passengers patiently waited there for another no.88 to come along. Arrived at friend Diana’s home and we had a lovely catch up and lunch in the local Abbeville village.

I booked a ticket to see ‘Inter Alia’ @ the Wyndham Theatre last night. The play has been written by Susie Miller (who previously wrote Prima Facie) ….and looks at what happens when a top criminal court judge’s own son is accused of rape. Miller’s writing uncovers the hypocrisies and horrors at the heart of our courts — how the issue of consent in sexual crimes is used by defence lawyers to tear down victims, and an unpoliced internet hellscape is poisoning the beliefs of young men.

Rosamund Pike does an incredible job with the role – she is Jessica Parks, a judge trying to be everything to everyone: a mother, a feminist, a staunch supporter of women in the courtroom, and an accommodating wife to her lawyer husband. A good friend, a kind neighbour, a fun dinner party host – the juggle and balance that successful women attempt in a world not designed for them. As an audience, you get to hear what’s going on ‘inside her head’, a remarkable feat crafted by Miller’s prose and Justin Martin’s smart directing. A searing examination of motherhood and masculinity.

My last play on this visit is Fran Kranz’s stage adaptation of “Mass” @ the Donmar Warehouse. The play is an unflinching, emotionally devastating, and essential look at grief, accountability, and restorative justice. Centred on two sets of parents, Linda (Monica Dulan) and Richard (Paul Hilton) versus Jay (Adeel Akhtar) and Gail (Lyndsey Marshal), meeting years after a shared tragedy involving a mass shooting, the play unfolds almost entirely around a table; one that slowly rotates, subtly shifting our perspective as the emotional ground beneath the characters moves far more violently. Aktar’s restrained fury and Dolan’s haunting grief were, in particular, extraordinary to watch. Despite the weighty conversations surrounding an all-too-real kind of tragedy, I left the theatre light on my feet, believing in the power of conversation and restorative justice, and what a beautiful message for a story to have.

Stepping out into the sunshine I walked past Seven Dials Market and monument…jeez, there was a lot of activity!

I decided I needed a gelato….I thought of Amorino on Charing Cross Rd. Oh yes, can highly recommend! Delish and beautifully presented in the form of a rose…a work of art.

I have my last fancy schmancy restaurant booking tonight @ Elystan St. Caught the Picadilly line to South Kensington and walked to the Chelsea area. The Petrossian caught my eye on route and I wandered in…goodness me, lots of different flavoured caviar, smoked salmon and lots of different vodka…had to try a small flute of spicy vodka…which was very acceptable.

Elystan St offered seasonal, gimmick free dishes which are full of vitality and flavour. I had a double-baked cheddar cheese souffle, with a trifle emulsion, leeks, mushrooms and a small green salad. Yummy!

Last night in London! Its been great and I’ll hopefully be back in December.

Walked to Leicester Square and then past the Hippodrome to Leicester Station tube – easy to purchase a ticket, just a £1.75 flat rate for each trip by tap at gate entrance.

Love Magic Mike and great its fun that’s it’s still happening…the Hippodrome has incredible statues on its roof. Took the Picadillly line to Kensington and had a look at Harrods. Its the same labyrinth of a store I remember from decades ago. Cafe Erol in Kensington High St is new though – catering for anyone who loves middle eastern savoury and sweet flavours.

I booked to go to one of my fave (Polish) restaurants in previously experienced London 5 decades ago at least….’Ognisko’. It was like old home week…with a menu that had been jazzed up for international expectations. I ordered a delicious pierogi starter…..

and a pork schnitzel ‘main’, and spicy pear cocktail. Yumm!

I got notice that there’s an EID festival happening on Saturday @ Trafalgar Square, so to take a pic before the event management crew came in…… here it is…(note to self, must find a venue out of this area!).

You have to line up to see plays in London…this wasn’t a terribly long one, thank goodness. And I loved this 15thC chappy at St Martin-in-the-Fields wall.

‘Oh Mary’ @ the Trafalgar Theatre has rave reviews, billed as an uproarious black comedy about the life of Mary Todd Lincoln, wife of Abraham Lincoln, in the lead up to the time of Lincoln’s assassination. It’s panto, it’s big, it’s loud. And it’s won BAFTA awards. So I got a ticket. OMG, you can “see the jokes coming around the corner before the punchlines drop. The camp comedy contains less subversion, more American-pie level of puerile humour'”(thank you Guardian review). I endured 1.5 hrs of this and was grateful to leave. Despite Catherine Tate being one of the lead characters.

I discovered a lovely ‘hidden’ bar called Larry’s, (part of the National Portrait Gallery) just around the corner from my hotel. Loved the 1985 portrait of Michael Caine and Bob Hoskins…and 1983 of Annie Lennox!

First cab off the rank was a visit to St Dunstan in the East, a church first built on the site of this garden in Saxon times. It was restored by St Dunstan in 950 AD and then rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren after the Great Fire in 1697. Only the tower of the Wren church survives. The garden was laid out following severe damage in the blitz and made available to the public in 1967. Back on the main road, spied the incredible Sky Garden building, vaulting over the top of older buildings below. Makes quite an impression.

Happened to passby an ‘Atis’ food chain store, “real food that fuels your next move”. I looked them up and I believe there are 15 across London…all protein/veggie meals-focussed, that you take away. You order via computer on store entry, queue to confirm order with staff, then pick up bowls and pay at the end of the circuit…and either sit and eat at available tables….or go to benches in St Dunstan’s gardens over the road.

No.1 – Chick pea, harissa, tahini; No. 2 – Chicken jalapeno taco! No.3 – Green Goddess + Harissa Honey Thigh…and there are mnay, many more combos. You get dietary info also, cals and nutrient analysis.

Caught the no.15 bus to Aldgate East station and walked to see Brick Lane street art. Was a tad disappointed with the offerings as most of the ‘art’ was tagging. But nevertheless managed to find some interesting ones…see what you think.

Met Adrian Boswell in his studio…..he’s a well-known East London collage artist who mixes the surrealism of Salvador Dali with the humour of Monty Python. Adrian says about his work: “I enjoy collage, finding the right material in magazines and photographing objects. The exciting thing about surrealism is that you create a fantasy world where everything is right”. He’s exhibiting soon in Sydney and told me he has $6m in pre-orders – of which he gets 30% from his promoters, so he’s very pleased! 

When I got to Waterloo Place to go to dinner @Wild Honey, there was a fabulous blue hue to the light and the Crimea Memorial looked amazing…

I also noticed the ‘Iconic Image Gallery’ over the road…..so glad I went in. Such fabulous images. I didn’t take a pic of my fave because the lighting on it created streaks and shadows, making it ugly to photo…but an incredible shot of an iceberg/shelf calving. But for my and your pleasure…love these ones below!

Woo hoo…dinner tonight is at Wild Honey St James, a highly acclaimed, one-Michelin-starred restaurant located at the Sofitel London St James, which offers a ‘bistronomy approach’ pioneered by chef Anthony Demetre since 2006 – where British produce is prepared using classic French techniques. I had the Cumbrian lamb slow-cooked shoulder, celeriac fondant, with chermoula and walnut as my ‘main’. Tasty.

For dessert, I had to order the the signature “Custard Cocktail”, a creamy, indulgent blend of vodka, custard, cedro lemon, milk, and nutmeg, designed to be paired with the restaurant’s famous “It has to be Custard” dessert, which features a silky custard tart. The custard was heavenly and I loved the thin and crispy pastry base so much, I asked one of the wait staff about it… I soon got the chef himself Anthony D coming to my table (pâte sucrée he confirmed) ….suffice to say we got into a conversation about Australian gastronomy; the theatrical talents of Lesley Manville and one of her previous partners, Gary Oldman; Anthony’s soft spot for anything with dairy in it; the importance of bees; bicycling in the mountains; French auberges and his passion for aromatised wine. Wow, quite the wide-ranging conversation. He was delightful.

The Sofitel London St James offers afternoon tea in another area of the ground floor, especially designed for the event…what do you think??

Amazing news…Transport Canada ( after many weeks of me asking ‘what do I need to do to be able to fly my drone in your country’)…has finally sent me a link to an exam I have to pass, and told me then to submit the pilot certificate (if I’m successful), with the application form for a SFOC (Special Flight Operators Certificate), that I need as a foreigner. Well, you’d be pleased to know that I passed exam with flying colours, and am now waiting for the operators certificate! OMG! As my friend Christine said, “anyone would think you’re applying to fly a drone in the Ukraine, rather than over beautiful Mounties 🙂 scenery and wildlife!” 🙂

Got news just this minute that I’ve been approved an (SFOC) Ops certificate…. Yay!…When I’ve left the country, I’m going to helpfully suggest some amendments to their existing processes.