Homes and antiques

Recently, the Medievalist came a-visiting from Glasgow so we went touristy. 

The Geffrye Museum was a serious highlight. I am a fan of the history of domestic objects, architecture and the home, as you know. The museum was free entry so we hired audio guides, like the history geeks we are. The estimated visit time was one hour, we managed to stay for three - with a break for lunch in the beautiful cafe, all glass and organically entwined metal stems. Oh, and a rather expensive trip to the bookshop, where we both were tempted by this, possibly because we both want to be Lucy Worsley or maybe just have her job and her wardrobe. 

My favourites:

The Aesthetic, for its reaction to Victorian stuffiness and standardised ways of being. Check out the blue-and-white china and the oriental influences.

The Arts and Crafts, for the Morris-inspired natural forms and delicious restful colours. Love that stained glass in the entryway.

And, of course, the Mid-Century, for the multi-purpose family-oriented rooms, the sleek wooden forms and the cleanliness of the design aesthetic,

We also took in our favourite bits of the British Museum, the Anglo-Saxon and Medieval galleries, so for the Medievalist's benefit, here are some splendid thirteenth century tiles:

Oh, and we visited the cultural monolith that is Westfield Stratford City, for the Olympic site viewing platform on the third floor of John Lewis ...

Such fun being a tourist in your own city, once in a while.

Come back soon, Medievalist, there are lots more on my touristic to-do list!

Daytripping

This week, I have been a daytripper.

First, to the sea: craving sea air and the sound of gulls, we took the train to Whitstable on the Kent coast, for shingle beaches, weathered tongue and groove beach huts, oyster shells galore, and old fashioned pubs.

Oh, and icecream and chips, of course.

It was good for the soul.

Don't you love those blues and pinks? The colour palette is very satisfying:

Then to something more bucolic. A picnic at the Red House in Bexleyheath, where dizzy bees swam lazily among heavy apple tress.

The Red House was the home of William Morris, and is in the process of being restored (I think, there was certainly a lot of hammering going on): the mellow red stone is just beautiful, and the gardens homey and interesting. 

Love that "dusty grey" colour - shame about the prosaic name!

The house holds some real treasures, stained glass by Edward Burne-Jones, enormous faux medieval furniture by Philip Webb and embroidered tapestries by Janey Morris, but was overall a little disappointing - we had expected it to have more furniture, displayed in the usual National Trust style as if the family had just left the room.  And the William Morris Gallery in Walthamstow has much much more on Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co. despite Morris having lived at the Red House during its inception.

However, the building and grounds were just gorgeous, and a cuppa at nearby Danson House set us up no end.

Holidays rock!