End of Autumn: Mells, Somerset

Christmas at Liberty

When my mum is in London, the first place we go is Liberty. It's unmissable, especially in the run up to Christmas: the Liberty windows are a wonder to behold; and the Christmas shop is packed full of glittering baubles and charming woodland creatures. Not real woodland creatures of course, that would be pandemonium. And very messy.

So that's where me and my mum went, along with my camera, the strap of which has fused into my neck. I still haven't taken it off yet. It's getting a bit heavy actually.

Must. Eat. More.

Having recently become footloose and fancy free*, I have taken to lugging my massive camera with me everywhere and anywhere. I am photographing everything I see, eat, breathe. As I have been saying on repeat to everyone I know: "I have nothing better to do." The phrase is getting a bit boring now...
*Although hard to believe in this current climate, my unemployment was through choice.

So to bolster up my low spirits, my beautiful friend Polly met me for food at Bills Café. There aren't words to describe Bills really. It was my favourite breakfast restaurant while I was at university in Brighton, and it is my favourite place to get a chocolate brownie now I'm living in London. They are divine, served with real homemade vanilla ice cream and half a Cadburys flake. Wow-a-wee-wa.

Bills is in St. Martin's Courtyard near Covent Garden so, of course, I went to see the Christmas lights in the square to bolster up my low spirits even more. Every little helps.

Columbia Road Fower Market

Saturday night was spent falling asleep in front of X Factor - bed by 9.30pm. The life I lead in London...

So this morning me and my housemate got up bright and early with the birds - bleary eyed and wrapped up against the winter - to visit Columbia Road flower market. We thought it was going to be fresh and sunny but instead we were swamped with bitterly cold fog. Not the ideal flower viewing weather. On top of that I was berated at every flower stall with the line "polaroids don't feed the baby" and moved on my way. Everyone is so polite in the East End.

But still, the gorgeous flowers, the assortment of quaint little shops and the hefty bowl of porridge I scoffed down for breakfast made it the perfect start to a lovely lazy Sunday.

Doodle

An amazing artist Sagaki Keita who illustrates ancient classical statues through millions of tiny simple doodles. Remarkable and beautiful.

Sheeran vs. Grint

In the battle of the ginge, who comes out top??! It's a conundrum.
They both make gingers that little bit more sexy, and have upped the ginger fancying stakes much more than Newton Faulkner ever did. The dreadlocks were the major mistake in that scenario.
As an avid Harry Potter fan, I gonna have to go Grint. I've had a little crush on him for many a year now and I need to be true to myself.

This song is also lovely so please sit back, relax and enjoy the song and the gingers. Try to ignore crazy Grint.

Frozen Planet

It is a well known fact that if I am put in front of a (preferably large screened HD) television playing some form of nature programme, I will be content for at least 4 or 5 hours. If I'm hung over, I could push to 8 hours. David Attenborough is my idol.

It was with pure childlike joy that I first sat down to Frozen Planet. It didn't disappoint. Extraordinary footage of the polars and the wonderful wildlife that inhabits them. The cinematography BLEW MY MIND. And it's also REALLY FUNNY, very well edited.

Case in point. My all time favourite clip. I wet myself, really really wet myself laughing. Classic penguins.

Happy Bonfire Night!

Bonfire Night spent in Brockwell Park, Herne Hill.

The night was fully enjoyed: Mulled wine was glugged heartily; hot dogs with caramelised onions were munched down gleefully (and pizza but that's not traditional Bonfire Night fodder so we'll keep that on the down low); and toffee apples were chewed determinedly.

I say the toffee apples were chewed because I decided to put my hand to making toffee apples at home. But without my sugar thermometer, it was difficult to know when the sugar had reached that crunchy stage. You know, the one just past the so-chewy-you'll-loose-your-fillings stage. Unfortunately, it never reached the right stage and I ignorantly, happily and generously dipped my apples into the toffee.

I spent the whole night with my teeth glued together in a sugar induced lock-jaw.

My Top 5 London Autumn Art Exhbitions

1. Degas and the Ballet: Picturing Movement
Until December 1st 2011,Royal Academy, Piccadilly, London
"This landmark exhibition focuses on Edgar Degas’s preoccupation with movement as an artist of the dance. Degas and the Ballet: Picturing Movement traces the development of the artist's ballet imagery throughout his career, from the documentary mode of the early 1870s to the sensuous expressiveness of his final years."

2. Grayson Perry: The Tomb of the Unknown Craftsman
Until February 19th 2012, British Museum, Great Russell Street, London

"Grayson Perry curates an installation of his new works alongside objects made by unknown men and women throughout history from the British Museum’s collection."

3. Leondaro da Vinci: Painter at Court in Milan

Until February 5th 2012, National Gallery, Trafalgar Square

"Leonardo da Vinci: Painter at the Court of Milan’ is the most complete display of Leonardo’s rare surviving paintings ever held. This unprecedented exhibition – the first of its kind anywhere in the world – brings together sensational international loans never before seen in the UK."

4. RCA Secret

Until November 25th, Royal College of Art, Kensington Gore

"RCA Secret this year celebrates its 18th birthday as a unique exhibition and sale of original postcard-sized art, made by professional artists, designers and illustrators, plus current postgraduate students at the Royal College of Art."

5. Real Venice

Until December 11th, Somerset House, Embankment

"For centuries, Venice has inspired intellectuals, writers and artists with its ravishing beauty, riches and strangeness. Now, in a major exhibition, fourteen internationally renowned artists have created a series of meaningful and original photographic images of Venice, perhaps the most photographed but seriously threatened city in the world."