james test

On Friday morning we had intended to get going early and breakfast at the Borough Market. However, events conspired against us. First, we discovered that on Fridays the markets don't open until noon. No problem; instead we shared a still-warm baguette breakfast (fresh from the bakery, smothered in butter and Vegemite) with Emily and Sam, also savouring a final chat before we moved on. Plan B was to stop by the Tate Modern before lunching at the market. Heavy traffic and subway construction ensured that instead we would spend almost 2 hours travelling little more than 3 kilometres. I surprised both of us by feeling neither anxiety nor annoyance - truly, I'd shaken off my recent work pressures and embraced the holiday! So it was straight to the markets for browsing and grazing. The Borough Markets are kind of posh, from the produce to the small goods, cakes, pies and olives - everything is organic or free-range or biodynamic and often comes with a slick logo. It's d...

On Thursday morning I visited Imperial College's South Kensington campus, and we lingered in the neighbourhood afterwards. In particular, Emily had recommended the Victoria and Albert museum for lunch. We wandered through some of the exhibits (I was most taken by the South Asian items) before seeking out the tea rooms. The Morris Room The Poynter Room The Gamble Room These grand spaces form the first museum restaurant in the world (the Morris Room opened in 1868). Off to the side is the cafeteria - Emily astutely observed that while it offers only pre-made food, it's evidence that pre-made food can be done well. My delicious parmesan, rocket and avocado roll was all that came between me and some serious order envy - Michael had a chickpea and roast pepper pie with cauliflower, carrots, and caramelised potatoes on the side. As at every other museum or gallery cafe I've visited, the prices are inflated. Yet the quality here is far better than most. The dessert cabinet is...

Cindy was spending her first full day in London with Emily at Imperial College, so I was on my own sightseeing again. I’d hatched a vague plan to spend the day wandering around the Thames, from the Tower Bridge down to Battersea Park, with numerous stops in between. For some reason Cindy and I had failed to visit the Tower of London last time we were in London, so I was wowed by the mighty bridge and the ancient fortress. A quick stroll along the Thames path and across London Bridge had me wandering past Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and into the Tate Modern, with its imposing turbine hall. Like Brisbane’s Powerhouse on steroids. After spending a couple of hours going through the excellent Street and Studio exhibition and sitting for a few quiet minutes in the stunning Rothko room, it was back out into the crowds and across the Millennium Bridge towards St Paul’s. The entry fee and queues discouraged me from actually going into the cathedral, instead wandering on towards my planned l...