London

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Twelve Days of Christmas London Style – Day 2

I love London. Even though I lived there for a year, and visit as often as I can, I never get bored with it. There are always new and surprising places to discover.

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Dennis Severs House. 18 Folgate Street. Spitalfields. London.

The Dennis Severs House, at 18 Folgate Street in Spitalfields, is of those gems.

Dennis Severs (1948-1999) an American artist, bought a very run-down Georgian House in the then unfashionable and equal run-down area of Spitalfields in 1979 and turned it into both his home and a piece of still-life drama.

Depicting the home of a fictional family of silk weavers from the late 18th century through to the Victorian age, the house is not a museum. Some articles are historically accurate, but the atmosphere Severs has created is a sense of crossing a threshold into a living past.

Visiting the ten rooms – in silence – it’s as though the family has just left and you explore their life using all five senses.  Perhaps most potent is the sense of smell: warm scones freshly baked in the cellar kitchen; greenery from the Christmas tree in the parlour; coal fires burning in the grate; perfume in the upstairs bedroom. And there’s more – much more: the steady wheeze of the grandfather clock; a bird chirping outside; how dim the rooms are even with candles blazing; the unevenness of the wooden floors.

But it’s the little details that brings their story to life. Being a rather messy person myself – who is forever searching for things I’ve mislaid – I sympathized with the lady of the house who had removed her ear-rings and left them beside her teacup in the parlour. I can just imagine her frustration next morning trying to find them, in the same way I am constantly  on the search for my discarded glasses.

I was unable to take photographs inside, so please check out the link below for more details, or view the interview below from 1997, with Dennis Severs himself, which I found on Youtube.

And definitely consider adding a visit to The Dennis Severs House to your itinerary on your next visit to London.

Getting there: Tube or bus to Liverpool Street Station.  It’s only a 5 minute walk from there.

Website: http://www.dennissevershouse.co.uk

Further Reading: 18 Folgate Street. The History.

Dennis Severs Website

 

 

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Twelve Days of Christmas London Style – Day 1

I just got back from London last night after a great trip.  I love London at any time of the year, but there’s a special magic about the Christmas season; the city – literally – lights up.

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Grimm Tales, Bargehouse, Oxo Tower Wharf

My travelling companion J and I both agreed that the highlight of our holiday was a visit to the Grimm Tales theatre production at the Bargehouse in Oxo Tower Wharf on the Southbank. This is an amazing space and was a fabulous evening’s entertainment.  Of all the places we saw and things we did on our trip, this is the one that lingers.

Grimm Tales is playing until February 15th, 2015 and if you haven’t seen it, I can highly recommend it.

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Grimm Tales, Bargehouse, Oxo Tower Wharf

I was unable to take photos during the performance, but afterwards you are encouraged to explore the four floors of the old warehouse where the production takes place. The audience is split up into groups and each one sees five out of six of Grimm’s tales.  (Thousandfurs, The Three Little Men in the Woods, The Frog King, Faithful Johannes, Hansel and Gretel and The Goose Girl at the Spring).

Sitting mere feet away from the performers, you are drawn into their world; for the twenty minutes or so of each individual story, you are right there with the characters. Adapted by Philip Pullman (The Golden Compass), this is no Disneyfied retelling of these old stories. When  one tale ends, the lights go up and you are shepherded up a magical flight of stairs in the four-story building into yet another enchanted setting.

Dolls in baskets

Hansel and Gretel, Grimm Tales, Bargehouse, Oxo Tower Wharf

This is not a production for very young children – there is a darkness that might frighten some –  but for the right child of the right age (or any adult) it’s sheer magic.

Reviews for Grimm Tales:

http://www.timeout.com/london/theatre/grimm-tales-3

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/theatre-reviews/11265380/Grimm-Tales-for-Young-and-Old-The-Bargehouse-London-review-dreamlike.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/peter-yeung/grimm-tales_b_6302860.html

 

 

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London in December – The Essentials

bigbenbirdL-o-n-g time ago, I lived and worked in London for a year. I loved it. And it doesn’t matter how often I come back for a visit, or at what time of year, there’s always something new and different to see.

If you’ve been to London before and seen Big Ben and The Tower of London etc. – or big tourist attractions just aren’t your thing – I’m going to be talking about some unusual sights/museums or out-of-the-way places you might like to visit over the next few weeks. Especially at this time of the year.

And if you’ve ever seen the movie Love Actually, you know how wonderful this city looks in December. But travelling in winter can throw up a few challenges. Here are some things I think are essential to consider if you plan on visiting London from overseas.

1) ACCOMMODATION: Where are you going to stay? Hotel? Apartment? Hostel? In the heart of the city? Outside? My preference is an apartment in the heart of the city. Often they come equipped with washer/dryer, which is a great boon.  (Allows you to leave more space in your suitcase for goodies to take home!) Currently we’re staying in a flat just two streets away from the British Museum.  At 120GBP per night, it has one double bedroom, kitchen, bathroom and a living room with a double sofa bed, (allowing us each our own ‘bedroom’) and is very comfortable for two friends sharing or a family of four. We can enjoy breakfast here in the morning before setting out for the day and, if we come home exhausted, we can pick up something from Marks and Sparks for dinner in the evening. The only disadvantage? This particular flat is on the top floor (49 steps!!) – but they’re getting easier as the days go by.

2) MAP: Whether you have an old fashioned fold-out map, A-Z book of London, or a map on your cell-phone, it’s an essential. As is a map of the tube. Do a bit of planning beforehand.  What attractions do you want to visit? Are they close to each other? Sometimes it’s much easier to walk between venues than take the tube.  For example, walking from Covent Garden Tube Station to Leicester Square takes about two minutes on foot. By tube? Much longer.

3) OYSTER CARD: Get one of these for travelling on the tube and buses. (You can’t use cash on the bus anymore. You must either use an oyster card or special travel card.)  We took the tube into town from Heathrow on Sunday afternoon and it cost us 3GBP. A taxi runs about 70GBP. (Many taxi drivers don’t take credit cards, so make sure you have plenty of cash!) The tube takes about 50 minutes but it brings you right into the heart of the city on the Piccadilly Line.

4) CELL PHONE: Consider picking up a cheap phone and pay-as-you-go sim card instead of using your own from overseas.  I’m still using one I bought for 5GBP in 2005.  With phone calls, texts and and an alarm clock function, that’s all I need.

5) MUSEUM TIMES: Before you visit, check on the opening times/days for museums you want to visit.  Many are closed on Mondays and some close early on Saturday.

6) paddingtonCLOTHING: A warm coat, scarf, gloves, hat/earmuffs are essential at this time of year. Dress in layers. Always be prepared for rain, no matter the season!

7) SHOES:  Ensure they’re comfortable.  Bring two pairs (in case one gets wet) and bring along some moleskin, blister band-aids and Ibuprofen… just in case!

8) TIMING: Thursday-Sunday are the busiest days. If possible, try to visit the major tourist attractions Monday-Wednesday.

9) TRAVEL: Try to travel during off-peak hours. (After 9.30am.)  It’s much cheaper. And remember that although you can experience flight/train delays at any time of year, you’re more likely to do so in winter time. Make sure you have enough money on your credit card in case you have to book into a hotel for an extra night. (Or two.)

10) TRAINS: Do a bit of homework before you visit, especially if you plan to go out of town for the day. There may be two different train companies that can take you to your destination.  One might take 20 minutes to get there… the other, 50! (For the same price.)

11) THEATRES: What’s London without a visit to the theatre. You can buy tickets online from home or wait until you get here. Deals can be found at the Ticket Centre in Leicester Square, and many theatres offer 15GBP deals at 10am on the morning of the show. (Available from the theatres’ own box offices.)

12) DAY TRIPS: If you decide to take a day-trip out of town, take your time and make it a DAY trip. Don’t plan anything for that evening. You don’t want to be in the middle of visiting somewhere totally delightful and have to cut it short to rush back into town for a meal/show. Slow down. Enjoy the day. (And take along a book for the train back. If it’s after 4pm, it’ll be dark and you won’t be able to see anything out the train window.)

13) CHURCHES: Visiting the big churches (St Paul’s/Westminster Abbey) is very expensive. Even if you’re not religious, consider attending a service for a small donation. Especially Evensong. Think of it as living history. There’s nothing more beautiful than hearing 14th century music sung in a 14th century church. And it calms the soul after a busy day of shopping and sightseeing.

14) PHOTOS: Always – always – back up your photos every night.  And charge your battery!

15) unisexTOILETS: Most travellers know to use the ‘facilities’ when they can.  Be aware that many in London are unisex.  That’s right, gentlemen. Welcome to the world of queueing to use the toilet.

16) IT’S DARK HERE AT 4PM! That’s right, 4pm.

So those are my suggestions.  I would love to hear what advice you would give to visitors new (or old) to London.