Wilton's Music Hall

Last night I finally made it to Wilton's Music Hall, to watch a stage version of The Great Gatsby. To be honest the play was a little hit and miss, but the venue more than made up for it.

Hidden down a very unassuming alley about 10 minutes walk from Tower Hill*, it's the oldest music hall in Europe and very atmospheric with it.

They've just finished renovating the main hall and it is spine-tingling good. Plus you can have a drink in the beautiful Mahogany Bar, which has been a watering hole since 1725. Famous amongst sailors, it was claimed that most had not heard of St Pauls, but all knew exactly how to find their way to the ornate Mahogany bar.

Today they serve really tasty food and a seriously nice glass of red, so well worth a poke around even if you don't fancy a show.

Apparently you can also rent the whole place for private hire too....


*Speaking of which, does that view (Tower of London, Shard, the river..) EVER not look awesome?

California baby

Loves. After a stupendous amount of time planning, budgeting and wincing over the price of flights, 

we are finally heading to California.

I am BEYOND excited. 

Rosette making

In my wine soaked euphoria at the prospect of the royal nuptials, I made a whole load of rosettes for our work tea party. I put up a few pics and a couple of people asked for the template, namely the very lovely, A Bookish Space.

Sorry it's the weensiest bit late.

Though still plenty of time before Harry takes Pippa up the aisle.

Download the supersimplehandrdrawn instructions here

And the template here

Bliss

Getting out of London to go home and sleep in the bedroom you grew up in.

Turning your phone off, leaving the laptop behind.

Lying in real grass staring at the at the sky through half closed, sun dopy eyes.

Putting the world to rights with people you don't mind seeing you in a bikini.

Watching the light creep across the sundial.

A pop of a cork, clink of glasses, the sound of foamy bubbles spilling over.

All things that made this weekend, bliss.

Bikes and films and films about bikes

Part of all this blogging and chat and such like is to force me to DO MORE STUFF.

This weekend I shall mainly be trying on bridesmaids dresses and trying not to breathe, but if I was staying in London I would definitely be tripping over the river to Herne Hill.

On Sunday (this one) they're showing Belleville Rendez-Vous in the beautiful, 1948 Olympic Velodrome, and what's more, it's being bike powered. The poor sods from Electric Pedals have volunteered to keep the film going, purely through pedal power.

Details are here if you fancy it.

Bookish Thoughts

I went on holiday a few weeks ago. Within the first couple of days, I had already devoured three books. I felt like I was trying to fill up on them.

Because, back in the real world, I don't seem to read anymore. I can't pretend I don't have time. The indecent amount of time I spend on iPlayer hovers guiltily in my History. Me and books seem to have just fallen out of sync. We don't fit properly anymore.

I used to need to read. I wrote this a book blog, did the occasional review and regularly missed my bus stop, wrapped up in a story I couldn't put down.

But I never realised how disciplined you have to be. And how easy it is to turn your grey matter to mush by passing over your TO READ pile and going straight for the remote. It might be easier to flick on another episode of whateverthehellcrapison but does that make it better for you?

Not this week. I'm going to avoid the goggle box and work on my relationship with the written word. It's been one-sided for too long.

{I'll be reading Booker Prize winner, The Finkler Question. I'd love to hear your thoughts}