The Savoy Still Sparkles

Baz picked up a ‘Groupon’ for Kaspars Grill at the Savoy. Even more than the food, I was aching to visit such an art deco icon. We tubed it to Green Park and took a walk first, past the Ritz and down through St James (we’re such tourists!)IMG_7630

My ‘Rivoli Bar’ shot

DSC_0019.JPG
Baz’s ‘Rivoli Bar’ shot

DSC_0017

We passed Rowleys with its sumptuous tiling. Then we stopped for a pint at the Admiralty on Trafalgar Square to start the evening

IMG_7645
Love the tiling at Rowleys
IMG_7724.jpg
We’re told this is the only right hand drive road in the UK

The Savoy is of course a landmark. Inside it is a grand space, but the intimate seating areas and changes of floor level and finish, make it feel cosy as you pass through. It was tempting to sit and try every grouping, every corner

IMG_7681

DSC_0093

DSC_0090

DSC_0058

Over a glass of champagne, we ordered scallops, ceviche, chargrilled halibut and a cod loin served with poached egg, followed by heavenly desserts. Despite the voucher it really wasn’t a cheap night out!

DSC_0056.JPG

IMG_7667.JPG

Perhaps what really grabbed me was the use of glass. There were mirrors, glass sculptures and lighting everywhere. It was glamorous and opulent, as it should be

IMG_7714
the fountain

Our cameras sat upon our table, and a waiter was surprised to see that I have a Canon while Baz has a Nikon. Oddly enough, it was Baz who always had Canons until he bought this camera., whereas I bought my first Nikon at 18 years old and remained loyal until I tried a Canon at a photographic event in Yellowstone Park and found it very user-friendly. They are both entry-level cameras and our first digital SLRs . The results we get are often very different, mainly because of our approaches. The top photos illustrate this quite well

We wandered past the stately Simpsons as we left, and felt the fairly hostile night-time atmosphere of the Strand as we headed to Charing Cross for the journey home

Baz snapped a deli on the Strand. The staff were still at work and the interior looked cosy and inviting. Both of us felt this was our favourite shot of the night

DSC_0124
I borrowed this atmospheric deli shot from Baz

the cowboy photo

Cowboy Picture doctored
Excuse the dreadful editing!

 

This is one of those photos that always makes me smile. We were obliged to attend an industry ‘do’ over ten years ago. We didn’t know anyone. It was a barn dance. For us it sounded like a disastrous night and we were absolutely dreading it

We arrived dutifully dressed in denim, suede and appropriate hats, but the room was full of rather stiff people, none of whom had made any attempt to dress up. They were not feeling it. We were definitely not feeling it. The room had no atmosphere and the first half an hour was excruciating. It looked like being a very long and very quiet night

Then a guy burst in to the room, dressed as a cowboy and firing his toy guns overhead. With him was a pantomime horse (two men, fully committed to the role and the costume) which reared its head and loudly clacked its teeth. Baz and I were in stitches by then, but the rest of the room barely even acknowledged the newcomers and joylessly lined up at the buffet. It felt as if the other guests were almost offended that someone had decided to have some fun with the theme, and did not appreciate ‘that sort of behaviour’

Needless to say, the man and his horse came and sat with us. For much of the evening both top and bottom halves of the horse wore their costumes, though it must have been stifling inside the head, particularly. Our table was impossibly loud and raucous. As the evening wore on someone pointed out that all the people at the surrounding tables had moved away and were either perched on windowsills or had crowded onto other tables. We had a blast despite – or perhaps because of – the disapproving looks from all around us, and were nearly persuaded to go out clubbing with the gunfighter and his steed, but we chose to retire after a very heavy night’s drinking, dancing and laughter

It was one of our better decisions. The next morning we saw them after breakfast. They looked even worse than we did, having gate-crashed a wedding party at the same hotel, staying until they were ejected at 4am

Normally I hate photos at events like this, but we became friends that night and, let’s face it, it’s not often that you get to have your photo taken with a pantomime horse, so we went for it. The picture tends to resurface regularly when I feel slightly under-par, and it reminds me of a hilariously bad night out with great company

‘Vibrant’ – the Weekly Photo Challenge

IMG_7756

There’s a vase of yellow roses in the living room. I love the abstracts that flowers give and they are a wonderful colour, so I thought I’d try the ‘Vibrant’ Photo Challenge for the first time. Here goes…

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/vibrant/

IMG_7775.JPG

IMG_7777.JPG

IMG_7768.JPGIMG_7767

Gerty’s Gorgeous Green Gifts

IMG_7735.JPG

After a five month sabbatical, Gertrude has decided to lay again. This is a real joy as her eggs are not only very delicious, but very beautiful too. They have a colour which defies green and a texture that makes eggshell sound way too ordinary. An egg from Gerty is something to touch and to hold, a photo waiting to be taken

The closest colour I can find is Farrow and Ball’s French Gray. Though they are slightly paler, they have exactly the same balance of colours

Once, due to the girls taking meds we were not allowed to eat her eggs for 28 days. At that time she was laying every day so I stockpiled the eggs. They looked amazing as a group, but eventually I threw them out for fear of someone dropping the bowl!

They make a lovely half dozen, don’t they?

IMG_7746.JPG