I love to ride my bicycle!

 

Well it couldn't have happened on a better day!
My big brother set off on their week long Coast to Coast Bike Challenge - Success in Tour de France and to top it all my little Stanley cracked it on his bike this morning.
It's a great feeling letting go of the saddle and watching them go it alone.
We celebrated with a trip around Gunpowder Park and picnic then back to the local Rec for a final lap at the end of the day.  Finally the sun shone - what a great start to the holidays!

Mills, Trees and Galleries.

Easter holidays started nice and quick for us as we headed up North last weekend to see my friend Rae and her family. If you are anywhere near the North West I highly recommend a trip to see Rachael Howard's latest exhibition at Quarry Bank Mill in Styal, Cheshire.

We were pleased to get up there for the private view on the Saturday and arrived in time to take a look around the Mill itself.  A grand old cotton mill with demonstrations on spinning and weaving and the biggest water wheel I've ever seen. It really was a great place to visit and find out about the transition of working life from home to mill.

I was intrigued to be told that, at one time, every woman in the country would have been hand spinning cotton every day at home, long before the factories stepped in!

Rachael's work is a real joy and her drawings and fabrics are brimming with playful fun, more so than ever in 'Lost and Found'.  Michael Brennand-Wood opened the show with a heartfelt thumbs up to Rae and her work, supporting the fact that she is a true original and master of her craft.

 
The boys were very pleased to see each other again and cracked on with colouring and chit chat. I didn't take many photos, so that means you just have to go and see it for yourself - it's on until the 26th June.

Stanley's souvenir colouring book - a nice little touch for the kids!

The next day was glorious sunshine so we took to the hills followed by a leisurely stroll along the beach. 

A moment of calm before we leave.

In the afternoon we sped off Sheffield way to see the family and do a spot of tree climbing.  A whirlwind visit but well worth the trip for a blast of inspiration and fresh air.

Yesterday, I had a last minute chance to see David Hockney at The Royal Academy, thanks to my friend Jacquie and her fast track John Lewis card! What an amazing show, I was totally blown away.  I'd seen the programme on TV about the making of Hockney's Yorkshire woodland paintings so to actually see them in reality was just fantastic. Staring at these huge paintings brimming with colour and vivacity felt just like I was back up North standing in the woods again. The iPad drawings were incredible and I loved how his sketchbooks were not just teasingly set behind glass but had little photographic screens above them passing glimpses of those precious hidden pages.  The huge video installation of rectangular frames was like a live webcam of his work, in living form, before it landed on each canvas. It allowed you to almost see through the eyes of the artist himself.  Despite the crowds I actually enjoyed the fact that it was busy and alive with people, respectfully pacing and gazing and to catch the odd comment and mini appraisal passing by, was quite funny.
So having been to two exhibitions this week, where the artists clearly love what they do and do it all so very well, it's really put a spring in my step.. Time out is good for soul and spirit indeed!

Having Fun on the River

 

 

We stepped out of our Hackney zone at the weekend and ventured into Essex for a spot of pedalling on the River Lee.  Stanley enjoyed getting his hands wet and out pedalo was called Happy. That just about sums it up.

Festival of Britain, great memories all round!

We've just spent a super day down at the Seaside, the South Bank version that is, enjoying the Festival of Britain anniversary celebrations.  Most of the time was spent lying about in the sand, which is the kind of thing  you do with a five year old!

 We went with friends and bumped into more friends and had a proper picnic!

The hand made bunting flapping in the wind added to the holiday spirit.  Apparently of record breaking length it was all made by the schools and community groups of Southend-on-Sea.

We did get the chance to walk around the fantastic roof garden on top of the Queen Elizabeth Hall.  I loved the painted beds of the 'allotment'.
On the lower level, Stanley was drawn to Ben Kelly's Enclosure, happy to climb up the dry stone walls again and again and again.

  I loved the contrast of all that urban concrete towering over this great little homage to the British countryside.

As we were on a mission to get to the beach, we only caught glimpses of many other things, including the giant Urban Fox, but I'm sure we'll be back to discover more very soon.

Dishoom is also joining in the festivities from May 13th, so it won't be a picnic next time, I'll be in there like a shot if I have my way!

 

The highlight of the day for me was flying down the wonderful, high speed Helter Skelter. It brought back many a fond memory of childhood days spent with the family in Clifton Park, Rotherham.  I couldn't resist showing this video of us being hurled out at the bottom!

 

It was also nice to discover that, Yorkshire lass and old family friend,
Clare Cumberlidge curated the Land areas plus a couple of the art installations. Thanks to Brenda (her lovely mum) for the tip off.  I haven't seen Clare for ages, but it's down to her that I ended up in London in the first place, twenty one years ago.  I took over her rented room in the attic of an amazing family house in Highbury for just £150 a month!  I ended up staying there for three years during my RCA days and had a ball.

Happy days!

WAWA and Flowers

 

I took a trip to Colombia Road the other Sunday.  I forget how lucky we are to live so near to such a vibrant flower market and fab shops.  The main reason was to visit my friend Richard in his new shop location.  Richard Ward owns WAWA and makes beautiful hand made furniture, sofas mainly.  He has kindly sold my lighing range for a very long time!  I was pleased to see how lovely it all looked in the new spot, just a door down from the original!  

  

 Spacious, uncluttered and as always a super warm welcome.

Richard, above left, having a chat with shoppers.

There's a really nice mix of interior accessories, plus some gorgeous leather bags by Matt Fothergill.  It's like a mini Heal's without the traipse into town. 

I've always loved the tile mossaic on the wall outside too, so it was good to have my camera!

 

More on Flickr

We ended up in a rather cool bike shop/cafe after our morning farm/market/park session. Just how Sunday mornings should be!

Oh and I sneeked back and bought this....just for Stanley!

From Nelly Duff By Anthony Burrill

Elphick's had some super prints too, I was very tempted by this by David Weidman, wonderful layers of colour. Maybe next time!

Ernesto Neto at The Hayward

A tailored made exhibition for me and my little boy!
A wonderful day and this little video just about sums it up.

Ernesto Neto and his dreamy wonderland of stretchy stockings in hues of lemon, lime, watermelon, aqua and lavender.   A sensory explosion, but in a gentle and inviting way, pulling you in, to explore a world of misty avenues and sneeky peepholes, with pockets of scents and a big drum to pound.

We went on a school day so were lucky enough to have the space almost to ourselves.   The weather wasn't too great either so the swimming pool outside was a great invitation, had he been 20cm taller! 

I loved the signage inviting you to be gentle or not to touch at all. 

The minature, urban park and the giant sized slotty pieces on the open decks were a great contrast to all the mist and cloud inside.

We took a break upstairs in the Project Space, with Stanley watching the Powerpuff Girls on an interactive screen in the Waterloo Sunset Pavillion, while I dreamed about in the big white space of dice world!

The work of Semâ Bedirovic was a brilliant companion to the room below and the short film of the advancing black dot was just a joy!

Back down stairs in The New Decor Exhibition and we even got a chance to swing in the bondage style, chainmail hammock!  An incredibly relaxed and friendly gallery attendant with a shiny gold tooth just made his day when Stanley was given the go ahead to 'get in'!
A giant take on interiors and a wild stretch of the imagination it all was.  I loved the mattress completely covered in buttons.

In the shop I bought a fab book called PLAY ALL DAY Design for Children.  A lovely souvenir of a great day out.

I had to laugh when I read this funny review by Charles Darwent for The Independent 
'My fear for The Edges of the World is that it will be seen by middle-class parents as a bouncy castle made for their children and so be filled with shrieking Toms and Daisys.' ....and Stanleys!
Well tough, we both enjoyed it which is more than can be said for a day in the park. Just don't go in the school holidays.