Good food - art or science?

As it's Christmas Eve and our thoughts turn to turkey and trimmings, I thought I'd join the debate about TV chefs and their contribution to the national health.  Accoriding to a new study by the British Medical Journal, the recipes published by our celebrity chefs are less healthy than the average ready meal. One assumes that this piece of nonsense is based purely on  ingredients. It must have totally ignored the feelings of pure pleasure and satisfaction generated by the creation and serving of home cooked food, let alone the eating of it, whether alone or shared. What can be better than a bit of canny shopping, even an hour or so of dicing, mixing, beating and stirring and then the final oven or cooker-reveal momemt when you greet your own hand-made creation. How can a plastic bag or tray of pre-prepared ingredients ever compare to that wellbeing boost?
So on that therapeutic note, I wish you a very merry and well-fed Christmas, wherever or whatever you are eating!

Arts Out

I've been reading that the proposed new English Baccalaureate is due to exclude arts subjects in favour of  maths, sciences, English, history and languages. I agree with the campaigners in the arts sector that without teaching our children to understand, enjoy and participate in arts subjects, then we risk undermining new talent and the continued growth of our successful creative industries, whether that be music,theatre, fashion, design, film, art or photography. I surely wish that I'd had more opportunities when I was at school but I've been fortunate enough as an adult to have had masses of opportunities to learn about, participate in and enjoy all sorts of cultural experiences. And especially in London where there is so much to do and see that frankly even reading about 'what's on' can sometimes be a challenge. But in these tough economic times, the Government is reducing its so-called 'arts handouts' via the Arts Council. Boris is leading the attack on Government not to "kill the goose that lays the golden egg" by choking off London's cultural industry, especially as it drives international tourism to the capital, let alone how it stimulates the life of its millions of residents. I believe that excellence breeds excellence and in the case of the arts, we need to teach our school children the life-time value of arts and so contribute to the national good in all sorts of ways.  

No.1 sports

I see that Heathrow's passenger numbers fell very badly over the Olympic July and August with folks either deciding to stay home or postpone UK travel plans. All perfectly understandable with the Olympic 'family' certainly not making up the numbers, no matter how many hockey sticks, javelins, etc, BA flew in. By the way, I loved that BA 'down your street' TV advert and yes, loved watching the Jumbo swoop down my St Dunstans Road on my pc.
For all the people who chose to stay home, the Games have largely been a huge success. According to research directed by my colleague Alan Love of Choice Insight,  four fifths of British adults were involved in the Games in some way and found them to be much better than expected. Not surprisingly sales of sports good were up over the Olympics with good old football shirts leading the way after the Euro 2012 and the new season launching yet another batch of 'must have' season's kit. More surprisingly, I read that the wedding business has suffered this summer as couples have postponed their nuptials due to the footie and the Games.  Now we know where our priorities lie !

Olympic arts

This month ended on an Olympic 'art-y high' for me. I made it to the Thomas Heatherwick exhibition at the V&A as well as  'Metamorphosis Titian' at the National Gallery, both in their last week and so both packed with visitors. Having seen Heatherwick's stunning cauldron light up the Olympic Stadium, I was thrilled to see more of his studio's work including the clever, curvateous new Routemaster bus and his spinning-top chairs. At the NG, other than the 'once in a lifetime' trio display of Titian's Ovid inspired paintings which are astounding in their own right, I do think that the installation only made sense if you had seen the Royal Ballet performance.   I was ready to scoff at Mark Wallinger's 'Diana in the Bathroom' and giggled along with my friend at the time but having considered the installation since then, I realise what a witty idea it was and how so many of us were tempted to sneak a peek at the 'forbidden' maiden, just like poor old Actaeon - an irresistable tableau.
The race for capitalising on the Oympic Games has only just begun. For me, an inspiring and memorable summer 2012 has come to an enjoyable end. 

Fab Liverpool

For this Bank Holiday weekend, I escaped London and re-visited Liverpool. Staying with family at Waterloo, Anthony Gormley's Iron Men just along the beach at Crosby, are an immediate and now familiar, delight. They never fail to raise my spirits as they all gaze out to sea, silent, still and dramatic, with one or more inevitably draped in a football hat or scarf.
Our first trip out was to the new Museum of Liverpool on Albert Dock. The building is stunning and succeeds in completing that 'museum quarter' of the City which now is choc-full of wonderful attractions for visitors, and for local Liverpudlians. The views from the picture windows of the Museum across the Mersey are stunning, just as much as the fascinating collections inside. The place was full of adults and children, really engrossed and enjoying the displays. It was all too much for one visit so we'll need to go again, like so many others it seems as the place has really struck a chord up there.
The next day we headed back to this World Heritage Site on the Waterfront to see the 'Turner Monet Twomby' exhibition at Tate Liverpool. I'm pleased to say that this show really did live up to expectations and thank goodness, it wasn't on in London as you'd have never got near the place. The joy of Tate Liverpool is that it is never over-crowded so it was with great space and pleasure that we  enjoyed what Brian Sewell described as "a beautiful survey of three incongruous artists".
I travelled to Liverpool Lime Street and back by Virgin Trains. For the first time in years' of journeys, I was delayed coming home. An engine failure was to blame but everything possible was done by Virgin to pick up another train and get all of us passengers back on board and cracking on to London. I shall miss Virgin when it makes way for First Group in December. I regularly travel up to Birmingham too and I think First Group have very big, red shoes to fill if they are to maintain Virgin's standard of service.    

Torch fever

Unlike so many others I have spoken to, I don't begrudge helping to pay for the Olympics and I surely am enjoying them, as much as I possibly can. I'm loving the friendly atmosphere in town amongst visitors and 'the locals' and that the underground and roads seem quieter than ever. And I'm loving the cultural programme. Metamorphosis: Titian 2012 by the Royal Ballet at Covent Garden a couple of weeks back was so brilliant, I nearly cried. The fusion of contemporary and classical ballet and the wonderfully mobile sets and scenery were stunning. I haven't seen the accompanying National Gallery exhibition yet but I surely will make it before it closes end September. And with colleagues, I escaped from my desk to not only see the Olympic Torch being carried over Chelsea Bridge by Tom Aitken, cheered on by his white uniformed kitchen staff, but also the torch on board the Gloriana as it passed by Battersea and Chelsea Embankment. And finally, on Friday, I went to the Opening Ceremony at the Olympic Stadium and loved absolutely every minute of it. Since then, I've been a newspaper and TV spectator, usually late at night like this evening. So I'm skipping off now to watch some more highlights while I'm still awake enough. And this is just the beginning of week one. Pray for continued stamina to see me through - it's all too good to miss.   

Conflict zones

I shall shortly be off to spend time in New York, on a conference and to visit friends. I have been there many times and whilst it is undoubtedly not without its urban risks, for me it is a place of excitement and of relaxation. So comparatively pretty tame stuff.
That is compared to the holiday I read about recently in the Financial Times, led by the former BBC war reporter Kate Adie. Tours run by a company called Political Tours include North Korea and Kosovo and the one described was to Bosnia. 'War tourists' visit the scene of war crimes, the homes of victims and places of legal justice. The question posed was 'is it right?'  The answer seems to be that as long as some people continue to understand and tell the stories of war, once the international spotlight has left, then some level of interest and engagement will continue.
Another of Political Tours destinations is to Greece, focusing on the financial crisis, It strikes me that, just like Richard Godwin said recently in the Evening Standard, what Greece needs now is not for tourists to 'understand' the situation but to jolly well get out there and 'spend' their way through the crisis. The Greek Islands sound as charming as ever. International tourism rules ok .    

Beacons, banners and bunting

I see in the local paper that 'scouts are marching to the top of the hill' near to me, to light a beacon at dusk this Monday evening, to mark the Diamond Jubilee. It looks like lovely Horsenden Hill will be mobbed with not only hordes of scouts but masses of  'way-marking' Rotarians and local bigwigs and guests, let alone the general public. Amazing to think that little old Horsenden Hill will be one of 4,000 places, forming a chain of fluttering beacons across the country.
And talking about fluttering - have you put your bunting up yet? It's everywhere ! We put ours up at Chelsea Physic Garden yesterday - inside the railings and hopefully away from thieving hands. We have already lost an 8 metre banner from that Embankment side. It must have taken some work to prise it off and it's awfully big for the usual student bedroom. Anyway, we'll be replacing it with a splendid 'Jubilee Congratulations' banner though it's not going up until the weekend - just in case it goes walkabout like the other one. Everyone is looking forward to a fun weekend - enjoy yours !

Let it rain

Given the weather lately a theatre date with 'Singing in the Rain' this evening was just perfect. The lead number was absolutely thrilling with wonderful, watery splashes that soaked the front row. And yes, it was raining again when we came out !

Since mid March, eighteen more drought zones have been declared, over and above London, South East and East Anglia, and it hasn't stopped raining since. My lovely organic fruit and veg supplier, Abel & Cole, have been complaining about the impact on crops - though the downpour is very good for shard and lettuce apparently.

And now the RHS Chelsea Flower Show is reporting more washout disasters as many garden plans are having to be changed at short notice as the rain, lack of sunlight and frost of recent weeks are all impacting on early flowers, blossoms and shrubs.

And I had to laugh, though I know it is a serious matter, but the British Association of Dermatologists has announced the start of Sun Awareness Week today. I think I'll just keep my umbrella up for the rest of the year - it will shelter me from all weathers......

Flower carpets

As the inevitable hosepipe ban looms here in London, we are nevertheless loving this glorious, dry and sunny spring weather. Nearby Kew Gardens is decked out with masses of daffodils and narcissi as well as a carpet of small, blue flowers, sprinkled in the grass, named 'glory-of-the-snow'. So called as they love cold weather and usually are to be found peeking out from the white stuff. Fat chance this month! The warm weather has also brought forward the masses of magnolia blossom at Kew - pink and white, fragrant and heavenly.
Over at Somerset House there is also a heavenly though contrasting carpet of flowers with real, lumpy turf laid over the whole of the Courtyard and set with 10,000 dreamy, merigue-nest heads of ceramic daffodils. This breathtaking installation by a Chilean artist, Fernando Casasempere, is intended to remind us of the wonder of nature's clock. It surely worked for me.
And as our actual clocks went forward today, marking the start of the new season, I am looking forward to working with the team at Chelsea Physic Garden from tomorrow. I shall soon be surrounded by more spring flowers - bliss !

Leap day

Today is our bonus day, our one 'free' day in every 4 years so we can treat ourselves to something special. I'll not be taking up St Patrick's offer of making some poor bloke a marriage proposal but I will be taking this afternoon off and visiting Chelsea Physic Garden, that well known West London 'secret' and a perfect destination for a mid-week jaunt.
The recent warm weather has revived my gardening interests so I shall be looking for inspiration and a good cup of tea and slice of cake. The Tangerine Dream Cafe promises to deliver and I hope it will be less jammed than the now legendary Petersham Nurseries Cafe. Something simple and home made will suffice - I can't begin to imagine the pressure of maintaining a Michelin-starred cafe service in an albeit charming, greenhouse venue.
Some economists have suggested that if everyone works today then the extra day's productivity could help tip us out of recession - ha ! As a freelancer, I know full well that I'm not being paid today so no opportunity cost calculations for me.
I wish you a happy free day - enjoy!

Taking the Waters

Yes, water is my theme for this month's blog - seems to be a lot of it about. I visited The Roman Baths in Bath this weekend, the first time since completion of its £5mill+ re-development. As well as the excellently displayed rooms of museum exhibits, crowded even early on a Saturday morning, it was a pleasure to wander outside, around the wonderful, steamy Great Bath and all the very well interpreted spa bathing rooms. Amazing to think that the massive central bath is still lined with the original lead from 2000 years ago. A quick coffee at the tea-cup tinkly Pump Rooms followed, including a glass of famous Spa Fountain water - yuk! Apparently ailing 18th century visitors drank up to a gallon a day of the stuff - enough to make anyone sick!

The shimmering green of Roman bath water reminded me of Atkinson Grimshaw's evocative, green-tinged 'Thames by Moonlight' paintings, recently displayed at London's Guildhall Art Gallery. His atmospheric paintings cleverly disguised the grimness of city life for his romantic Victorian customers.

Talking of the Thames, I think the plans for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee river pageant on 3 June, sound great. They reckon that 1,000 boats will accompany the Queen's luxurious barge, The Spirit of Chartwell, loaned for the occasion by Philip Morrell, all the way from Hammersmith to Greenwich. The Thames is the reason that London exists and any opportunity to celebrate its history and enjoy its river banks today, should be welcomed.