I Finally Find Computer Access
So, I've been in London 5 days. Hard to believe. So much has happened, I don't know where to start.
Barton met me at the airport, took me by tube to the RCA for a whirlwind tour and then to his flat to meet his flatmates. They have a wonderful 5 bedroom place right by the canal in East London - Hoxton I think is the official name of the district. They have a small kitchen, bathroom, storage room and 2 bedrooms on the main floor and a living/dining room and three bedrooms upstairs. I think it used to be shops, or a storage facility. When I figure out how to get me photos downloaded and on here, I will post a photo. It is great having four roomates, Jeri, Chloe, Hayley and Tom. They are all kind, cheerful and helpful and have made my settling in a lot easier. It reminds me of my younger years when I lived communally, only I think these folks are a bit better behaved. Hmmm, only time will tell. Believe it or not Chloe, Tom and Jeri are all celebrating their birthdays today!
Barton left bright and early Sat. morning and has written that he made it safely to Calgary.
Jeri took me to Broadway Market on Sat. which is just a short walk down the path along the canal. We ended up having lunch in a pub and later that night I met Elizabeth Lemoine, an old ACAD classmate of mine who has been living in London for 13 years, and we had dinner in a pub. Do I see a pattern here? (We had Leffe Belgian beers, which were delicious! Had one for Wally, as he requested!)
The most surprising thing was that at the market I ran into the only other person I know in London, Dallas Seitz. He just walked up to us. Jeri was shocked! At first when she saw him looking at us she thought he was some weirdo. And then again today I ran into him at Brick Lane and I was shocked. Maybe he is stalking me! Actually, he said he lives close by and so it's not that unusual that we should run into each other.
I went to Brick Lane looking for silk. Those of you who have been to my studio know that I can never have enough silk. Brick Lane is an old lace and textiles street and still has many stores selling cloth and many good curry restaurants. It is also interspersed with interesting book stores, coffee shops, bakeries, etc. I felt like I was seeing one of the most interesting parts of London. Would love to go for curry there sometime. It is also where Jack the Ripper did most of his murders. Don't tell my mother or she will worry!
I discovered, after running into Dallas, that the Whitechapel Gallery was just at the end of the street and around the corner, so I went there and took in the two shows. Will write about them another time. I carried on from Whitechapel to Petticoat Lane (these Brits really know how to name their streets, don't they?) There is a street market there and I was told, more fabric shops. The fabric shops there were mostly from Middle East and South Asia, reminiscent of the fabric stores in Brunei that Suzi took me to when I was there. Lots of beautiful printed patterned fabrics as well as embroidered fabrics. They sell them in 5 meter lengths, just like in the Sari shops I frequent in Calgary. They range in price from £40 to £450! Not exactly what I was looking for, but beautiful to look at. The street was full of vendors selling everything from watches to clothing to towels to fruit. How I love the market! My favourite thing in any city I visit is going to the market.
The Royal College of Art is situated right across the street from Hyde Park. Across the street in another direction is the Royal Albert Hall. Down the street is the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Museum of Natural history, the Goethe Institute, and many other museums. Lots to explore. So little time. The Cirque Soleil is performing at Royal Albert Hall. I think Jeff Wall is showing at the Tate. And apparently Janet Cardiff has one of her walking tours in a Gallery somewhere near Brick Lane. Funny to come to London and find so much Canadian art. More than we even see in Calgary.
Everyone at the RCA has been very friendly and welcoming, but as they are well into their semester they are all in full gear and very busy. I am sitting around gawking while everyone else is running around looking productive. The Printmaking Studios have the same things that most studios have except more of it in a smaller space. My studio space is as small as the undergrad students' studios at ACAD or UofC. I met Jonathan today, who came on exchange to Calgary last year. He enjoyed that immensely, and hopes to return to Canada with his Canadian girlfriend when he completes his degree this summer.
They have a fabulous visiting artist program at the RCA. Unfortunately I missed Ken Tyler last week and missed the class trip to the Venice Biennelle that took place last semester. But I did hear Dick Jewell speak yesterday and that was very interesting and entertaining. I wasn't familiar with his work, but he does a lot of photographic work using found images, anything from discarded photo booth pictures (he made a book of these as an RCA student many years ago, which sold out immediately) and has done some album cover art and posters for bands such as Madness, Peter Gabriel and several reggae bands. His films were quite interesting too, several based on Raves, Breakdancing and eccentric people.
As in any new country there are things that I find peculiar. Of course the cars travel on the "wrong" side of the road and that is more disorienting than I would have expected. Not only do you have to look right for oncoming traffic (or left,if you're in the middle of the boulevard) but when I get on the bus on the wrong side of the road from what I am used to, I am still jarred when it starts moving in the direction I don't think it should be moving in! The Brits say Loo instead of bathroom. They all seem so cheerful and have a sing songy way of speaking. They must think us Canadians are terribly dry, serious, perhaps dull and boring.
I can see the Tube will get monotonous very quickly, as the Metro has for Amber in Montreal. Today I was on a train and we had to disembark because it was being taken out of service and then when we got on its replacement, after a few minutes of sitting there, they decided to change to terminal it was going to and so we all had to disembark again. "PLEASE WATCH THE GAP" "DON'T LEAVE ANY BAGS UNATTENDED" "PLEASE REPORT ANY SUSPICIOUS BEHAVIOUR" are all being constantly announced in the tube stations. They are very packed in the morning and you can barely get on, as are the buses.
Enough for today. I have had many other adventures, and feel as though I have skimmed over what I wrote about but am tired and have to get some dinner.
Barton met me at the airport, took me by tube to the RCA for a whirlwind tour and then to his flat to meet his flatmates. They have a wonderful 5 bedroom place right by the canal in East London - Hoxton I think is the official name of the district. They have a small kitchen, bathroom, storage room and 2 bedrooms on the main floor and a living/dining room and three bedrooms upstairs. I think it used to be shops, or a storage facility. When I figure out how to get me photos downloaded and on here, I will post a photo. It is great having four roomates, Jeri, Chloe, Hayley and Tom. They are all kind, cheerful and helpful and have made my settling in a lot easier. It reminds me of my younger years when I lived communally, only I think these folks are a bit better behaved. Hmmm, only time will tell. Believe it or not Chloe, Tom and Jeri are all celebrating their birthdays today!
Barton left bright and early Sat. morning and has written that he made it safely to Calgary.
Jeri took me to Broadway Market on Sat. which is just a short walk down the path along the canal. We ended up having lunch in a pub and later that night I met Elizabeth Lemoine, an old ACAD classmate of mine who has been living in London for 13 years, and we had dinner in a pub. Do I see a pattern here? (We had Leffe Belgian beers, which were delicious! Had one for Wally, as he requested!)
The most surprising thing was that at the market I ran into the only other person I know in London, Dallas Seitz. He just walked up to us. Jeri was shocked! At first when she saw him looking at us she thought he was some weirdo. And then again today I ran into him at Brick Lane and I was shocked. Maybe he is stalking me! Actually, he said he lives close by and so it's not that unusual that we should run into each other.
I went to Brick Lane looking for silk. Those of you who have been to my studio know that I can never have enough silk. Brick Lane is an old lace and textiles street and still has many stores selling cloth and many good curry restaurants. It is also interspersed with interesting book stores, coffee shops, bakeries, etc. I felt like I was seeing one of the most interesting parts of London. Would love to go for curry there sometime. It is also where Jack the Ripper did most of his murders. Don't tell my mother or she will worry!
I discovered, after running into Dallas, that the Whitechapel Gallery was just at the end of the street and around the corner, so I went there and took in the two shows. Will write about them another time. I carried on from Whitechapel to Petticoat Lane (these Brits really know how to name their streets, don't they?) There is a street market there and I was told, more fabric shops. The fabric shops there were mostly from Middle East and South Asia, reminiscent of the fabric stores in Brunei that Suzi took me to when I was there. Lots of beautiful printed patterned fabrics as well as embroidered fabrics. They sell them in 5 meter lengths, just like in the Sari shops I frequent in Calgary. They range in price from £40 to £450! Not exactly what I was looking for, but beautiful to look at. The street was full of vendors selling everything from watches to clothing to towels to fruit. How I love the market! My favourite thing in any city I visit is going to the market.
The Royal College of Art is situated right across the street from Hyde Park. Across the street in another direction is the Royal Albert Hall. Down the street is the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Museum of Natural history, the Goethe Institute, and many other museums. Lots to explore. So little time. The Cirque Soleil is performing at Royal Albert Hall. I think Jeff Wall is showing at the Tate. And apparently Janet Cardiff has one of her walking tours in a Gallery somewhere near Brick Lane. Funny to come to London and find so much Canadian art. More than we even see in Calgary.
Everyone at the RCA has been very friendly and welcoming, but as they are well into their semester they are all in full gear and very busy. I am sitting around gawking while everyone else is running around looking productive. The Printmaking Studios have the same things that most studios have except more of it in a smaller space. My studio space is as small as the undergrad students' studios at ACAD or UofC. I met Jonathan today, who came on exchange to Calgary last year. He enjoyed that immensely, and hopes to return to Canada with his Canadian girlfriend when he completes his degree this summer.
They have a fabulous visiting artist program at the RCA. Unfortunately I missed Ken Tyler last week and missed the class trip to the Venice Biennelle that took place last semester. But I did hear Dick Jewell speak yesterday and that was very interesting and entertaining. I wasn't familiar with his work, but he does a lot of photographic work using found images, anything from discarded photo booth pictures (he made a book of these as an RCA student many years ago, which sold out immediately) and has done some album cover art and posters for bands such as Madness, Peter Gabriel and several reggae bands. His films were quite interesting too, several based on Raves, Breakdancing and eccentric people.
As in any new country there are things that I find peculiar. Of course the cars travel on the "wrong" side of the road and that is more disorienting than I would have expected. Not only do you have to look right for oncoming traffic (or left,if you're in the middle of the boulevard) but when I get on the bus on the wrong side of the road from what I am used to, I am still jarred when it starts moving in the direction I don't think it should be moving in! The Brits say Loo instead of bathroom. They all seem so cheerful and have a sing songy way of speaking. They must think us Canadians are terribly dry, serious, perhaps dull and boring.
I can see the Tube will get monotonous very quickly, as the Metro has for Amber in Montreal. Today I was on a train and we had to disembark because it was being taken out of service and then when we got on its replacement, after a few minutes of sitting there, they decided to change to terminal it was going to and so we all had to disembark again. "PLEASE WATCH THE GAP" "DON'T LEAVE ANY BAGS UNATTENDED" "PLEASE REPORT ANY SUSPICIOUS BEHAVIOUR" are all being constantly announced in the tube stations. They are very packed in the morning and you can barely get on, as are the buses.
Enough for today. I have had many other adventures, and feel as though I have skimmed over what I wrote about but am tired and have to get some dinner.
posted by Patti D. at 7:20 AM
1 Comments:
Hi Patti,
I am enjoying reading your blog. I went for lunch with Jennifer and Barton last Monday. We went to the grad lounge. This is really great that I am at least having to try to get a little familiar with blogs. I actually think they are very useful things, brave of you to take the plunge and start one. Look forward to keeping up with your adventures.
Jane
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