Theatre tips

It's been a while since the last post but I have a good excuse as I've been busy attending lots of theatre events.  In July I was accepted onto the reviewing team at Everything Theatre http://www.everything-theatre.co.uk/ and have completed ten reviews to date.

I'm getting to visit theatres and performance spaces that I didn't know existed so it's been a great voyage of discovery.

Best tips to share with you so far:

http://parktheatre.co.uk/ 
This new theatre in Finsbury Park opened in March this year and has a main auditorium and a smaller studio style space.  It's an easy journey by Piccadilly and Victoria tubes or by BR lines so don't let the location put you off.

http://www.tristanbatestheatre.co.uk/ 
This one is located in Covent Garden and although not much to look at it seems to have an impressive track record.  I recently saw 'Warde Street' there and was blown away both by the writing and the performances.

So if you want something beyond the major West End shows - and with kinder ticket prices - then look to the fringe theatre around London.  More information about venues and shows can be found at http://www.everything-theatre.co.uk/

Gorgeous window box in the back streets of Covent Garden.  Theatres and flowers!!

The Camden Fringe 2013

If you find the Edinburgh festival too far away then take a look at the Camden Fringe.  The festival began in 2006 with one venue and has grown annually to now cover around 17 locations.  Shows generally last about an hour, run at various times through day into evening, and tickets are well priced.

This year it's running from 29th July - 25th August and there will be all kinds of performances including experimental theatre, comedy, dance, music and stuff for kids.  For more information about shows and how to book tickets just visit: http://www.camdenfringe.com/index.php?id=1

If you'd like to tell the general public about your visit - whether it was great, pants or just ok - then visit Everything Theatre.  This is a blog for theatre nuts and from 29th July they're running The Camden Fringe Big Audience Project v2.0.  You can send them your review and see it posted on their blog site.  There's also the opportunity to vote for your favourite show on their Facebook poll.  Find out more at:
http://everything-theatre.blogspot.co.uk/p/the-camden-fringe-big-audience-project.html

Enjoy!!!

Vive la France!

Sunday 14th July is Bastille Day when France celebrates the beginning of the French revolution.

London will be contributing to the festivities with the 6th annual Bastille Festival in Bankside.  From noon through to 10pm the Borough area will be partying in style.  French food and wine aplenty, activities for the kids, snail racing, face painting, bilingual story telling, artisan craft fair and much more.

For more information just visit  http://www.bastillefestival.co.uk/

This also gives me a cheeky opportunity to share some photos of a recent trip to Paris to get you in the mood ...

Wimbledon village

You'll often hear London described as a collection of villages and so the village of the moment has to be Wimbledon.  This weekend sees the tennis finals and people from all over the world will be focussing on this little bit of south west London.

It seemed like the ideal time to pay a visit plus we are blessed with glorious sunshine so on Friday I made a pilgrimage to bring you some info.  

I arrived by train but you can also come by tube (Wimbledon is one of the end destinations on the District lines).  This station brings you out into Wimbledon town centre.  The area is ok; it has the usual shops and cafes that you find in most UK High Streets but it's not worth a trip in itself apart from the two theatres.  The Polka Theatre is just for children and is great fun and very charming.  The New Wimbledon theatre has a steady flow of shows of all kinds and the interior is lovely.

Wimbledon village is a right turn out of the station and up the hill. This is where the money lives and the beautiful people hang out.

As it was a warm afternoon I jumped on an uphill bus and stepped out into the perfect English summer day setting.  A London village as seen through the eyes of Woody Allen.  As you'd imagine from the term 'village' we aren't talking a large area.  The main road has a few little side streets and if you have a little wander in the back streets you'll see some amazing properties.

Some of the period architecture is stunning and if that's your thing then you could be wandering for a while.  The front gardens are also beautifully manicured and dreamy.

Wimbledon Common is adjacent to Putney Heath and covers about 1,140 acres and includes a golf course, cricket pitches, 9 ponds, around 16 miles of horse riding trails and a windmill which is now a museum.  It also connects with Richmond Park and Ham Common.  If you  feel like some time in the country but you can't get out of town then get yourself to Wimbledon.  On this visit I didn't venture too far in as I always seem to get lost.  Of course this is probably just me with my terrible sense of direction but don't say I didn't warn you.

Path along Southside Common

There's a riding stables located near the village with riding lessons available and group rides out into the Common and Park.  I was lucky with my timing and saw a group on their return home in the late afternoon sunshine.

After wandering through the village I stopped off for a refreshing glass of raspberry lemonade in Le Pain Quotidien (LPQ).  I'm not usually a big fan of chain coffee shops and restaurants but I make an exception for a few such as LPQ, Aubaine and Cote - all of which can be found in the village.

Raspberry lemonade - mmmmmmm!

Most of the shops are decorated with some form of tennis paraphernalia regardless of what they're selling.  Everything from estate agents and dry cleaners to beauty salons and art galleries are displaying racquets, balls or, as in the case of one jeweller, bowls of strawberries and cream amongst the diamond rings.

All the planting displays are in full bloom and in the traditional Wimbledon tennis colours of green, purple and white.  The florists are following suit and the same shades make up the much of their exuberant pavement displays.

Tennis fortnight brings mixed feelings for the locals.  Traffic is crazy and restaurants can be packed.  Some residents choose to depart for calmer climes, especially if they can rent out their houses for the championship.  This is big business and rents are HIGH.

If you're not lucky enough to get tickets for the tennis you can still visit the All England Lawn Tennis Club museum and take a guided tour behind the scenes.  (See the links below for further details).

Whether you go for the tennis, the wide open spaces or the shops and eateries it's a lovely place to spend some time.

Further information can be found at:

http://www.wpcc.org.uk/index.html (Wimbledon Common info)
http://www.wimbledon.com/index.html (Wimbledon tennis)
http://www.wvstables.com/ (riding stables)
http://www.polkatheatre.com/ (childrens theatre)
http://www.atgtickets.com/venues/new-wimbledon-theatre/ (New Wimbledon theatre)

Outside London! Pashley Manor Gardens

A change is as good as a rest, as the saying goes.  Very occasionally we Londoners like to venture beyond the extremities of the tube map and visit The Countryside.

This week I had to make a trip to Kent and as I'm always on the lookout for new gardens to visit I'd noticed that Pashley Manor Gardens in East Sussex was on my route.  It was too good an opportunity to miss so I popped in to take a look.

The house was built in the Tudor period with a Georgian facade added in 1720.  As it's a family home it isn't open to the public but the exterior is glorious and provides a splendid backdrop to the gardens.

Each summer there's an exhibition of sculpture in the grounds and I was keen to see the pieces in the outdoor setting.  I wasn't disappointed.  There were various styles on show and the works were carefully placed so that some were took centre stage and some you discover as you wander along the pathways.

The gardens themselves offer some secluded woodland trails with natural planting as well as sweeping lawns, a fountain and walled, formal gardens close to the house.  Walking the paths felt like a treasure hunt with something to draw your attention at every turn.  Luckily my timing coincided with the magnificent collection of roses being in full bloom.  Their scent was glorious and they looked so romantic.

I envy the team of gardeners who keep it all in such splendour.  I watched one gardener doing some pruning and her care and attention to detail was admirable.  She would assess what needed to be removed, make a snip or two and stand back to assess again.

There is a lovely cafe with a terrace overlooking the lawn down to the pond.  I had a generous portion of smoked chicken with a selection of fresh salads and a zingy ginger beer.  There's also a very tempting spread of cakes that all looked homemade.

Cafe visitors are entertained by ducks who come up onto the terrace to chance their luck in persuading visitors to part with some bread.  They are very well mannered and will patiently stand next to your seat, gently brushing your leg with a beak lest you forget they are there.  They made everyone smile although a couple of them were especially cheeky and had to be chased out of the cafe by a member of staff.

As always there is a gift shop that serves as the entrance and exit.  This one is better than most and there are some lovely items so worth a little look.  There's also a small array of plants on sale for those preferring a souvenir with foliage.

Pashley is one of the loveliest gardens I've visited.  They have a series of special events on through the spring/summer months so take a look at http://www.pashleymanorgardens.com/ for more information.  Admission is £9.00 for adults, £5 for children under 16 and free for children under 6.  There's free parking with an adjacent picnic area.

Pashley Manor Gardens, Ticehurst, East Sussex TN5 7HE.

Twickenham Festival 2013

This annual event has grown over the last few years and runs from 6 June - 7 July in 2013.

I popped along to Twickenham riverside yesterday to see some of the dragon boat racing and check out the open artist studios on Eel Pie Island.  Normally visitors aren't allowed on the little island so it was a rare chance to have a look around.

There were mini maps available at the bridge over to the island so you could follow the trail of studios.  The island itself was as interesting as the art on show although there were areas marked 'residents only' so some areas were still out of bounds.  Frustrating for the more curious (or nosy) among us.

The place had a Mad Max meets hippy commune feel to it.  Sound odd?  It was odd.  There were paintings, prints, cartoons, sculpture, pottery, jewellery on display and for sale.  It was a mixed bag but some stood out for me including ceramic sculptures of pigs, cows and sheep by Delyth Jones (http://delythjones.co.uk/).

For more information about art on Eel Pie please visit http://www.eelpieislandartists.co.uk/www.eelpieislandartists.co.uk/Welcome.html

Some images from the island to give you a feel for the place ...

Barbie made an appearance but with dubious company

Trespassers will be caged!

Me trying to be arty with the side of a shed

If you're intrigued then the island is open again on 28-30 June.  Plus the French market is also on Church Street on the same days so you can pick up some gloriously smelly cheese, spicy sausage, decadent patisserie or a crepe or two.

The festival culminates with the Twickenham Green fete and the Strawberry Hill Music & Fun Day on Saturday 7 July.  At the fete there's usually live music, lots of stalls, food and drink plus plenty to keep the kids entertained (12pm-8pm).
Similar things will be going on at Strawberry Hill House along with water zorbing, shetland pony rides and a children's fairground.  (http://twickenhamalive.com/SHM&FD13.html)

All this and al fresco dining on Church Street so let's pray for some sunshine.  I can particularly recommend Pulcinella for amazing Italian food and Pincho for a Mediterranean menu and tapas.

Transport is easy.  Twickenham rail station has plenty overland trains running from Waterloo or you can take the District Line tube to Richmond then change to overland train, or catch a bus outside Richmond Station (numbers R68, R79, H22 and 490).

Violas

I took this photo of a cluster of cheery violas when I was out and about the other day.  They made me smile so I thought I would share them with you.