A day out in London…
I’ve just come back from a great day out in London and would love to share it with you! Opera, Alexander McQueen Roses Exhibition and The Street Cats Band…
It started with the station carpark being full and having a half mile walk, ending up missing the train I was going for, I was really hoping that the rest of the day didn’t pan out the same way!
My first stop was Covent Garden, did you know it used to be owned by the Dukes of Bedford? Anyway, I love it for its craft markets and live entertainment. Street performers, mime, do tricks, different genres of music including opera, bands play and sing. At every turn, there is something for everybody.
While I was browsing the stalls, an amazing voice floated up from the basement café area, an achingly powerful version of Mozart’s “Sull’aria” from Le Nozze di Figaro. If like me, you’re not an opera buff, you’ll know it from the film ‘Shawshank Redemption’. I had to stop and go to the railings and watch, there was soon quite a crowd, captured, transported for a short while, by the beauty of it!
Then I was off, walking towards Leicester Square, browsing quirky and designer shops. I found a fabulous little pop-up shop, there till this April, selling capes with the most amazing linings, velvet wraps and winter coats, wonderful if like me you love colour. Sorry, I didn’t have my blogging head on and don’t have names or pictures. I’ll try to rectify that on my next trip!
On up Regent Street, with its fabulous curved buildings, I was drawn to Pinko, an elegant fashion boutique and particularly a gorgeous red handbag! Caroline was very helpful and I have the details this time! 100 REGENT STREET W1B 5SR. 020 3935 3210 pinko.com
I realised time was getting on and I wanted to see the Alexander McQueen ‘Roses Exhibition’, so a short walk down Conduit Street, to 27 Old Bond St and the Alexander McQueen store… The staff are all lovely, go on up to the third floor, where a design feast awaits you!
Amazing, inspirational workmanship, dedication and design shine through in every piece. Beautifully displayed with images showing the ideas behind each one and the dedication of the company working as a team. Shredding the fabric for the explosion dress took 50 members of staff, overtaking the press department, to make sure the dress was made on time!
They do close the exhibition from time to time for booked talks, but re-open in an hour or so…
Then I was off to the Liberty’s, I couldn’t miss all that gorgeous fabric could I! Then on to John Lewis, where they have a large sewing and knitting department, including Vogue sewing patterns.
The shops were open until 9pm, so it can make quite a long day, I’d met up with my son and gone for a meal, we were actually on our way back to Oxford Circus to catch the tube, when we heard The Street Cats playing outside the Nike store. Brilliantly talented musicians, playing Dire Straits, Pink Floyd and AC DC, totally rocking Oxford Circus! We must have stayed for nearly an hour, with some wild dancing by some members of the crowd, with no inhibitions, totally going for it!
Pictures coming soon!
Catherine