I have finally finished my exams! Therefore free time recommenced and I'm back to blogging! I will try and be better, but let's be real, until I get my act together with this thing it is going to be a bit sporadic- I'm currently trying to blitz through some posts and then schedule them so on Sundays there's a blog post up here for whoever wants to see! No promises, but I think this may be the method that goes with my working style.
Sadly not all of my house have finished, so in order for the worker bees to keep going undisturbed (apparently I'm considered a distraction, can't think why) I headed to London to see my sister. I was lucky enough that a friend of ours was also popping down from the west country, so shared a journey with her. I have to admit this weekend made me fall in love with London again.
I was throughly spoiled over the weekend, starting with that Friday night! I was feeling a little worse for wear after post-exam celebrations the night before, so for the first time ever was a little apprehensive about the thought of a big West End musical. However, Memphis blew all my blues away, simply because of the incredible music and dancing that I witnessed! I've tried to put the album up here using a Spotify Play button, apologies if it totally doesn't work... technology is rarely my friend.
The story is about a black nightclub singer (played by Beverly Knight no less!) and a white Radio DJ during the civil rights movement in, well, Memphis. He basically believes that white radio stations should play black rhythm and blues music. It's apparently based loosely on the life of Radio DJ Dewey Phillips. The way I would describe it is as perfect for any Hairspray lovers. There's amazing music, a love story, dancing that I wish (and will never) I could do and to cap it all off we all gave them a standing ovation. I think that kind of explains it really. I loved it because there wasn't a single weak performer in the whole cast and they each had their moment, wowing me again and again.
If you get the chance, head on to the Shaftesbury and check it out.
We also headed over to the Alexander McQueen exhibition on Saturday, only to be wowed again. McQueen killed himself in 2010 and his work is so moving and powerful, I was totally in the exhibition... to the point that actually I had no idea where Emma and Esme were. It became a bit of trend of the weekend...oops! I didn't take any pictures because I assume they ask you not to for a reason (I sound like such a swot I know, but seriously it's worth going to see it for yourself). Here's the link for tickets and more information. It actually made my sister see how fashion is so much more complicated than selling clothes and certainly McQueen's stuff is amazing, but not wearable! The stories behind each collection were incredible and all amazingly personal to Alexander McQueen's identity. Which made it all a bit more gothic and frightening that he committed suicide and death featured so heavily in his designs. Check out my Pinterest for images of the exhibition to get more of an idea.
It's at the V&A until the 2nd August and it isn't part of the free exhibitions, but still really worth the money!
That evening, the photo opportunity was just too good to be true, simply because London was finally bathed in SUNSHINE. I think this heavily influenced my new love affair with London. My sister has taken me to this really cool bar in the city before, but not in the sunshine, which made it even better. Sipping rooftop cocktails (prosecco, gin, elderflower and hopefully some tonic!) we enjoyed the sunshine and the cracking view of St. Paul's! Simply the image of bliss.
Sunday was spent at the Tate Modern, looking at their Sonia Delauney exhibition which has just come in. I will confess that none of us had heard of her before (despite this cultured weekend, we know nothing). However, we went along and actually loved it. Abstract art is not the easiest thing to engage with, but Delauney had an interesting life and because she owned a clothing company a lot of her art included clothes and textiles, making it far more accessible than I expected. I've put some of her stuff on a pinterest board like with the McQueen exhibition.
Of course, it wouldn't be a London trip without food and Emma has found the new BEST brunch place- this time it was The Table, about a 5 minute walk from the Tate. I was famished by this point, took one look at 'the stack' on the menu and thought 'yes PLEASE' (genuinely salivating at the thought). It was a toasted bagel layered with their ham hock baked beans, choritzo, poached eggs and hollandaise sauce. So basically a heart attack piled up, but I really didn't care, it was delicious. Washed down with a morning glory juice- pineapple and lime. Perfect, as you will have seen on instagram.
By the time I was the train back to Exeter, I didn't want to leave! Truly I was spoiled by this weekend and it was all down to Emma and Esme's organising skills. Once I've graduated from university London is certainly up there on the dreams.
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