The V&A Café

The V&A Café looks like any other museum or gallery café at first glance; brightly lit, bustling staff clearing trays, signposted stations for hot or cold food, coffee or cakes - and all heavingly busy. A modern, functional place to take the weight off and fortify yourself with tea and cake before venturing back out into the world's greatest museum of art and design (their words, but does any other venue even come close?). Now take a look at the suite of three interlinked rooms off to the side and it's like stepping back in time; together these rooms make up the world's very first museum restaurant and it is a seriously impressive setting.

The Refreshment Rooms at the Victoria and Albert Museum were intended as a showcase for contemporary design and craftsmanship and are a wonderfully Victorian mix of the ornate and the practical. The main central section is the Gamble Room, designed by James Gamble, Godfrey Sykes and Reuben Townroe. Originally the main doors to this room were directly opposite the museum entrance so this would have been the first room visitors saw; even by Victorian standards this must have seemed imposingly grand. Look more closely; the ceiling is enamelled iron and both the walls and the huge columns are completely covered with ceramic tiles, making this most majestic and opulent of dining rooms completely washable and practically fireproof.

Mottoes espousing the joys of food and drink adorn the beautiful stained glass windows and the frieze is a quotation from Ecclesiastes II:24: 'There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy the good of his labour.' Hard to argue with that.

The Morris Room (the Green Dining Room) was the first major commission for William Morris's company Morris Marshall and Faulkner. The dado panels based on signs of the zodiac were painted by Edward Burne-Jones, who also designed the stained glass windows. The influence of William Morris and his pattern-making is most recognisable in the plasterwork leaves and flowers on the walls (although if you are a Morris fan, the rest of the museum has plenty to offer). This room, although beautiful, has a more restrained, quiet feel.

The Poynter room (the Grill Room) designed by Edward Poynter has a homely cosiness to it, with blue Dutch tiles and wooden panelling. The large tiled panels of the months and seasons were actually painted by students from the ladies' tile-painting class at the Schools of Design; this was very much in keeping with V&A Founding Director Henry Cole's  radical idea of involving students and the public in creating this public space. Giving such an important commission to female students would have caused quite a stir in Victorian times.

The beautiful iron stove where a chef in whites would have grilled steaks and chops to order is still in place; the V&A website has sample menus from 1867 - both first and second class - which include options such as jugged hare for 1/6 (i.e. one shilling and sixpence, or 18p) or, from the second class menu, stewed rabbit for 10d (ten pence). That may sound like a bargain until you consider that an unskilled labourer's wage was about a pound a week.
http://www.vam.ac.uk

Nowadays the catering side is handled by Benugo, so expect freshly-prepared basics and great cakes (although as everything is made fresh on the day, quality and availability can inevitably dip if you arrive too near closing time). I hear the cream tea is good, so that's my next visit sorted.

Yours, scratching the surface of London history just for you,

Girl About Town xx

Sunshine? Head to the Serpentine!

If we're lucky enough to get an Indian summer this year - God knows, we haven't had any other kind - then make the most of it and head to the Serpentine in Hyde Park.

Created by keen gardener Queen Caroline in 1730, the Serpentine was one of the first artificial lakes in England deliberately designed to look natural with its long, irregular shape. I really think that one of life's simpler and more carefree pleasures is to hire a boat and potter about on the water amongst the wildfowl. Rowboats feel more traditional but don't worry if you don't know your rudder from your rowlocks; simply opt for a pedalo instead and just figure it out as you go. An hour's boat hire costs £10 for an adult - check out times and prices here: http://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/hyde-park/facilities-in-hyde-park/boating-in-hyde-park

Alternatively let the sun do the work and glide across the lake on the UK's first solar-powered ferry, the Solarshuttle.

If you're in the mood for some posh nosh, the nearby Serpentine Bar and Kitchen serves locally-sourced British food with a modern twist - but isn't cheap. Alternatively, a short saunter around the lake is the slightly less expensive Lido Cafe Bar, just the spot for an equally scenic al fresco lunch and accompanying glass of something chilled (they also have nice loos!) - or most frugal of all, pack a picnic and hire a deck chair to watch the world go by.

Suitably refreshed, mosey on over to the Serpentine Gallery. This compact and buzzy gallery is free and has regular contemporary and modern art exhibitions but is worth checking out for the Pavilion alone. For the last twelve years the Gallery has commissioned a new Pavilion building each year; this year is one of my favourites, designed by Herzog & de Meuron and Ai Weiwei - the team responsible for the architectural star of the 2008 Olympics, the Beijing National Stadium. Chill out in the semi-subterranean depths and experience the strangely muted acoustics of the cork-covered interior; the story of the ideas behind the design can be found here: http://www.serpentinegallery.org/2012/02/ai_weiwei_herzog_de_meuron_serpentine_pavilion_2012.html

Fingers crossed, fellow sun-seekers,





Yours,
Girl About Town xx

The Ayes have it: Westminster Palace, aka the Houses of Parliament

Truth be told I'm not a rabidly political animal, although I do admire that passion and depth of knowledge in others (a bit like watching those hardy souls who go swimming in the Serpentine on Christmas Day; I think it's very laudable, but faced with such a Herculean task myself I usually end up watching a box set of The Thick of It with a glass of wine instead). Whilst I dutifully toddle off to the local infant school to cast my vote when my country needs me, I pretty much forget about the whole process until next time.

So, finding myself with a couple of hours to kill before meeting a friend for drinks in Westminster, I thought I would partake of the tour of Westminster Palace - more commonly known to most of us as the Houses of Parliament. Summer Opening hours means that tours run from 9.15am to 4.30pm every day except Sunday; I may have just been lucky but I bought my ticket from the Jewel Tower opposite on the day and got a place on the very next tour. The tour lasts 75 minutes and includes the following:

Westminster Hall
Almost four cricket pitches long and with six-foot thick stone walls, this is the oldest building in Parliament and virtually the only one to survive the devastating fire of 1834, witnessed and painted by Turner. In medieval times when you incurred a debt a tally stick was broken in half and a piece given to each person; when the debt was paid, the halves were reunited and the stick kept by the Exchequer as proof. Apparently workmen hired to dispose of the sticks put them in the furnaces in the basement under the House of Lords and then went off to the pub; the ensuing blaze destroyed most of the ancient palace. This is the only place on the tour you are allowed to take photos.

The Robing Room
This is where the Queen puts on her ceremonial robes and the Imperial State Crown before the State Opening of Parliament. Frescoes representing various virtues as epitomised by Arthurian legend adorn the walls, although the painter William Dyce discovered that this particular technique works rather better in the sunshine of Italy than the drizzle of England, and died before he finished the whole set. There is a small, endearingly threadbare velvet Chair of State and a footstool used by Queen Victoria, who at only 5ft tall may have needed a little help to reach it.

The Royal Gallery
Used for state receptions and other important events, the Gallery features portraits of various kings and queens and two enormous paintings; one of Nelson and one of Wellington. Addresses from visiting dignitaries to members of both Houses usually take place here.

The House of Commons
Smaller than you'd expect, this room of beautiful wood-panelling and green leather benches on each side is where our laws are made. A red line on the floor in front of each set of benches may not be crossed during debates; it divides the members of each party by the length of two swords and presumably shows that discussions have always been heated.

The House of Lords
Dramatically more ornate, the House of Lords houses both the golden splendour of the Royal Throne and the relative simplicity of the Woolsack. The Royal Throne is modelled on the medieval Coronation Chair in nearby Westminster Abbey and is used by the Queen during the State Opening of Parliament; the Woolsack is basically a large red cushion stuffed with wool, introduced in the 1300s as a symbol of the source of England's wealth, and is used by the Lord Speaker.
When the Queen arrives at the House of Lords for the State Opening of Parliament, an official called Black Rod is traditionally sent to the Commons to summon them to hear the Queen's speech; to prove their independence, they slam the door in his face. Dressed in black and carrying a black rod topped with a Victorian coin, he then bangs three times on the door before he is admitted - you can see a small splintered section on the door where it is struck.

Central Lobby
My favourite - gorgeous and impressive vaulted lobby with mosaics of the UK's patron saints and statues of England and Scotland's kings and queens around the walls.

I've left quite a lot out, so there's plenty left to inform and surprise on the tour; I took my student ID and got in for £10, so check the prices before you go. Also be prepared for some predictably hefty security - a bit like boarding an international flight, complete with the obligatory awful photograph.

A chance to stand where history has been, and is being, made.




Yours patriotically,

Girl About Town xx