Friday 12 April 2013

Birthday Treats

It was my birthday last week and as a treat I had a day off for a little jaunt to London. I had booked tickets for the Park in Progress Tour and for some inexplicable reason I had booked a very early slot which meant we had to get up to London for 10am (silly me exorbitant rail fare and exorbitant train tickets ooops). I can only think that at the time I booked it was the only slot they had left. Anyway it's always good to start days out early isn't it?!?

We got there in good time and listened to Boris (on video sadly not real life) giving us a safety talk whilst we put on our high-vis jackets, which is always exciting.



Then we got on the bus and went off to the ArcelorMittal Orbit not the catchiest of names is it and to be totally honest I'm not a huge fan. I don't think it is that impressive especially next to the Olympic Stadium but who am I to judge. 



The viewing platforms are amazing though and I'm so pleased it was a clear sunny blue sky day because we really did get fantastic views.




We also got to see Kapoor's million pound distorting concave mirrors .... mmmm .... not too impressed by them either, I mean why would you want to view London upside down in a mirror when you can go and stand outside and see the real thing? It does mean you can take a self-portrait with Chris Hoy though which is fun!



Now I'm sounding a bit negative but I did enjoy it because it was one of the things we didn't get to do when we went to the Olympics and so I'm glad I've been up but I wouldn't rave about it. As for the Park in Progress tour well that was a bit of misrepresentation really because we didn't get to see much of the park. My advice is don't bother with the tour and just wait until they have actually finished doing whatever it is they are doing and it's not a building site any more.

As it was my birthday we then got to go shopping (whoppee). So off we went to Oxford Circus and a little visit to Liberty. Ahhhhh bliss. From the moment you walk in the door it is just amazing.



As a child I was taken to Liberty a lot {thank you Mum x} and I was really pleased that both the boys "got" Liberty and realised that this wasn't like your normal average store. They stood in awe looking upwards, ran their hands over the wooden frog on the staircase and wished they could buy a leather pig. Nostalgic for me, oh yes.

Obviously the things Liberty sells are beautiful but so is the styling and everywhere you looked there was something unexpected and delightful.




We were thrilled to find a RE concession there full of extraordinary things, I could buy it all.


But I just bought some poison glasses, as you do.

What is your poison

Two Liberty bags later we finally left with smiles on our faces and a comment from youngest asking if he could have one of the Liberty bags .... never has a mother been so proud of her son.

Quick lunch stop at Wagamamas, I needed to make sure the boys were sustained for the next bit, and then off to Anthropologie. I'm not sure how many years and how many trips to London have passed since I became aware of this shop but I had never managed to get there so it really was a birthday treat.

Another sensory delight full of amazing styling and gorgeous, gorgeous things to buy displayed so that you want everything. I succumbed to a floppy hat and a wooden postcard that is winging its way to Australia and so another bag with string handles to add to my collection.



Perfect day out and home to husband cooking dinner and something pink and fizzy cooling in the fridge. Yup definitely perfect.

2 comments:

  1. Belated birthday greetings!

    I was thinking about you today - was in that craft shop in Saffron Walden and couldn't for the life of me remember what that clothes making book you bought was called ...

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