A Day in London

I am so lucky that the weather’s held up most of the time I’ve been here. The one really bad day, Sunday, was spent in transit and with friends. We all hadn’t been together for about 18 years, so it was a day filled with lots of memories, laughs and catching up.

Thursday was another lovely day with high light clouds and warm temperatures. I took the opportunity to go to the Victoria & Albert Museum to catch this time-limited exhibit.There were some great images that I’d seen before – I have several Cecil Beaton books – and some images that I’d never seen. I got the audio guide to go along with the exhibit and find that it adds so much to the experience.

After the Beaton show, I headed upstairs to peruse the English silver and get a little lesson in it. I was especially interested in the fish-knives and forks on display, as I have a number quite similar to these. The range of silver on exhibit is mind-boggling. If something could be made out of silver, the Victorians did it!These pieces are made with mother-of-pearl, horn, shell and coconut.

I walked through a number of other galleries and loved the jewelry gallery, but was chided for snapping a picture. Which ever gallery in the V&A you visit, you’re sure to find the best treasures.

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I don’t think I’ve ever visited London without a trip to Liberty of London, and this visit was no exception. One of the things I like about Liberty is that they have “open calls” where craftspeople can come pitch their wares to the buyers, so you frequently see unique items.Mother’s Day is celebrated earlier in the UK than in the US, so signs are everywhere. And there are plenty of great things to get your mum.

I am always interested in china, and Liberty has such a choice, from vintage patterns, to creative interpretations of old patterns.

Liberty also has a huge selection of wools, threads, fabrics and DIY kits. I particularly liked this spool of silk thread.

One of the fun things I saw was the Fornasetti plate collection of Adam and Eve that I wrote about last week. I am not quite sure they’re put together correctly, though!

Of course, everywhere you go, there are items with logos for the 2012 Olympics and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. I especially liked this Emma Bridgewater range.

More later about my amazing dinner!