Old London Town

I've decided that I'm definitely a fairweather blogger - in that I only seem to post something when exciting things are happening. Still, it would be rubbish just to post what I'm having for my tea and musing about the latest X-factor reject. So, I have the urge to block again about a recent trip to London, which was totally fab.

The main purpose of my visit was to go to the Investors in People conference, but I won't talk about that here (this blog isn't about work-work). As well as the conference, I meandered around Westminster, came across a mouse in my hotel room (leading to an upgrade, thanks Mr Mouse) and went to see Breakfast at Tiffany's at the Haymarket theatre starring the lovely Anna Friel. Other highlights included visiting Shakepeare's Globe theatre and the Miroslaw Balka 'How It Is' piece at the Tate Modern. The latter is a large steel structure in the Turbine Hall - walking into it is like going into pitch black nothingness, and then suddenly you see the figures of other visitors coming towards you in the darkness, like ghosts - very eerie. That was until I broke the spell by walking straight into the back wall and swearing loudly.

On my final night in London I went to the Royal Albert Hall to see 'A Not So Silent Night', a folk Christmas spectacular with the lovely and amazing Rufus and Martha Wainwright and family, plus other brilliant artists like Guy Garvey and Ed Harcourt, performing Christmas songs. Other than just being in the Royal Albert Hall, which is beautiful, it was a wonderfully uplifting and inspiring concert - an eclectic mix of performers and instruments, and Christmas songs both well known and more obscure. A fantastic end to a brill few days.

As this blog is about painting I should also probably mention where I'm at with that at the moment. I'm just finishing my picture of some sunflowers - yes it's taken ages but I'm quite happy with the result. After that, and inspired by my recent visit to Holgate, I am going to have a go at painting a windmill. Yes, weird I know. But hey, that's art, right?