Birthday Indulgence

It was my birthday on Friday. 

The day started with breakfast in bed. My favourite coffee and hot croissants. This was followed by a visit to the Wellington Arch in London to see an exhibition about the changing London skyline. It was all about development in London and the protection of historic buildings. It featured some residential and commercial developments with models and drawings that would have completely changed famous areas such as Regent Street and Covent Garden if they had been built. An added bonus was that the sun came out so that we could also enjoy the views of Hyde Park and Buckingham Palace Gardens. 

Next, a little pick-me-up in the shape of a Coffee and a wicked Strawberry Gateau with fresh strawberries, chopped almonds and lots of cream.

Finally, a visit to the V&A. Now this is one of my favourite museums in London. I rarely go with an agenda and yet I always find wonderful things to see. 

On my last visit I spent hours in the Jewellery Gallery. This time I enjoyed the room layouts in the 20th Century Gallery, the intricate locks and ornate keys in Ironwork, the costumes, posters and sets in Theatre and Performance and the wooden steps, house fronts and doors in Architecture. 

Along the way I saw some beautiful tapestries and my favourite items of the day, some hand embroidery by an eleven year old girl called Martha Edlin. I recall a sampler, some pin cushions and a beautiful casket frame. 

Unfortunately, the items were very difficult to see as the display was so dark that it was almost impossible to read about the items or see them clearly. If you would like to see them from the luxury of your chair simply pop V&A Catalogue in your browser and put her name in the search box. 

The day ended with a visit to my favourite vegetarian restaurant and a bottle of bubbly.