Singing in the city

After all my recent talk of the delights of Island living, this week I’ve hardly been here. Last weekend I was in London to sing at the Royal Albert Hall with my choir as part of the Really Big Chorus

I have to admit to being a little sentimental about the Albert Hall, as this is where Tom and I met years ago. That time, we were up in the gallery, listening to Mahler #2; this time I was down on the stage, singing Jenkins’ ‘Gods of Olympus’

It was great to have the opportunity to sing in a such a grand venue. The sound of 1300 voices ringing round the hall was a little heart-thumping. Add to that the full orchestra and killer percussion section, and we made a pretty dramatic sound.

So I’ve heard no pounding waves on the beach this week, but more pounding kettle drums in the midst of the city; both more enjoyable in their sharp contrast.

Paris à l’automne

I’ve just returned from a girl’s trip to Paris, filled with so many good things. I loved the myriad of little shops, with their inviting displays.

Books, bikes, and yarn; a few of my favourites! There were plenty of unexpected moments for craft appreciation, like the crowd knitting hats outside of Saint-German l’Auxerrois, the enormous display of old sewing machines in the window of a fashion house, or the art at the Petit Palais.

The weather was perfect for wandering and we appreciated every autumnal, golden moment.

Whistle Stop Winchester

A week’s gone by, and I haven’t even taken a moment to mention Tom’s birthday last weekend. We had a great time celebrating in our much-loved old home, Winchester last weekend; enjoyed some comedy at the enviable Discovery Centre, celebrated with the Jays on their engagement (congratulations guys!) and wandered around the Farmer’s Market, buying things that were far to heavy to carry back to the Island.(but we did anyway, and we had a delicious meal at home with plenty of Hampshire fare.)

Happy (belated) Birthday Tom. xx

Rainy Winchester Weekend

Winchester is always a treat for a weekend visit, even if it pours with rain. Our foul weather saviour this time was Intech. It was a mass of slightly soggy families all messing around with various interactive science experiments.

Tom learned that we look hot when we kiss.

And Bryony learned that its always possible to find a way to shift the conversation to bicycles.

A restorative lunch at the Bridge Patisserie. A perfect little nutshell of a cafe. Sencha Sakura tea turned out to be a delicious discovery. Pear and blackcurrant frangipane is a perfect lady’s lunch for a rainy day. The goats cheese quiche is tasty enough to deserve a better salad. Either way, this place gives us business-envy.

A wander back through Winchester Cathedral Close and a stop off at the bookshop under the arches, opposite a Barbara Hepworth sculpture. This place is so excessively picturesque it’s quite ridiculous. With this little place on top of Oxfam bookshop and P&G’s, Winchester is a great place to spend an hour book browsing.