Primrose Hill Festival

This was the view from my door step yesterday! It was like living in Notting Hill. The boys were very happy with all the wonderful food and it certainly beat cooking on such a magnificent summers day.

Mondrian and Nicholson

That for me is the joy of London . There is always an exhibition that looks interesting on , so it is no surprise perhaps that I went to another exhibition today. This one was at the Courtauld Gallery which is in the lovely Somerset House. The building itself is a treat , the closest thing I think London has to Paris and with 2 exhibition spaces and 2 fantastic cafes.

Today we visited the wonderful Tom's Deli which is all about fresh British food and tastes as good as it looks. Then onward and upwards to the Mondrian and Nicholson In Parallel. Turns out before Nicholson was a Cornish and St Ives painter, he was in London. In Hampstead no less.In fact on the very road that Gwenneth Paltrow lives now. He struck up a friendship with Mondrian before the Second World War and on the commencement of hostilities encouraged Mondrian to move to London and Hampstead. I had never considered that the obvious admiration for Mondrian's work a much older and more established artist at that point came out of a friendship and an artistic relationship.Also it was interesting to see Mondrian's art in the context of being in France with it's vivid blues and yellows and Nicholson's more sludgy greys and browns and his all white works working in London with its rain and all grey skies. It was only a small exhibition but perfectly formed . A quick whip round and then my Art buddy and I headed up to Hampstead to pick up the kids from school. Sychronicity.

Louise Bourgeois

 I have long been an admirer of Louise Bourgeois's work. She is perhaps best remembered for her sculptures of spider's and the amazing installation of her largest spider Maman! in the Turbine hall on the opening of the Tate Modern in 2000.
The Freud Museum is currently hosting an exhibition of smaller pieces and I went along last night to see them and also hear a talk on her.It was very complex lots of Freudian analysis all about how her difficult discoveries about her childhood informed her work right up until the time of her death, but hugely enjoyable.

Diamond Jubilee

 Now I am a bit of a republican myself but I am truly very excited about the Diamond Jubilee. Hypocrite! Moi? Well maybe. All I know is that this will be the first time I am in the UK for 35 years to celebrate an event to do with Royal anything , and celebrate I shall. I will be having my own party in my tiny backyard and perhaps moseying down to the river to see all the barges.

Queens homeboy

 Meanwhile whats not to love with all the flags and bunting and great displays. Rule Britannia yadah yadah yadah and get an eyeful of Selfridges windows.

Tea for Two?

Jaffa cakes, check,Custard creams check

Little Venice

It was the Canal ways Carnival today. Lucky for us Little Venice is a nice 30 minute stroll down Regents Canal which is just across Primrose Hill. I can't describe to you the joy that the boys expressed at the thought of this little outing, but non the less off we went. It was I am sad to say a bit of a wash out with the weather and all but tea and cakes all round cheered us up.