March 2019 Archives

An alternative way to see Bruges, Belgium, is by canal boat. Bruges was a thriving medieval city because of its canals, which allowed good to be transported into the heart of the city. The canals are picturesque with brick and wooden buildings and bridges. They allow visitors to see the city from the perspective of the canal, which is how many merchants and travelers would have seen the city in the medieval times.

Visitors to Bruges have a choice of options for the boat tours as there are five separate areas that boats can be boarded from, and all run the same length of the canal, traveling to the statue of Jan Van Eyck in the northeast part of the city then turning around and going to Minnewaterpark in the south part of the city before turning around again. 

Along the way, we saw beautiful buildings and bridges and learned a little about some of the buildings.

Seeing the city of Bruges from a new perspective was exciting, and we had a nice sunny day to enjoy the trip on the canal. If you wish to have a boat trip in Bruges, just look for the boats with the ticket booths near them. There are five of them, and they are dotted in the older parts of the city. The one that I got on was at the fishmarket. Tours last thirty minutes and were approximately 10.00 euros per person.

Recommended to me was Lizzie's Waffles (Lizzie's Wafels) in Bruges, Belgium. This is one of the only places in the city of Bruges where you can sit down to eat waffles, and the waffles that come out are huge. They are enough for two people to share. Lizzie's Waffles is located just north of the main square in Bruges, and it does get extremely busy, so be prepared to wait a little while. So, if you want to try one of Belgian's most famous foods, you can try it here.

In addition to waffles with different toppings, the waffle cafe serves hot chocolate tulips. I shell of chocolate with chocolate flakes is provided, and this is put in a glass of hot milk to create the hot chocolate.

I ordered the waffles with the dark chocolate sauce, but you could also have fruit on the waffles.

The dark chocolate sauce was really good, though I wish that I had ordered strawberries. But, I was in a bit of a rush because I needed to get to the airport, so I had to take most of the pancake away with me to eat on the train.

Good morning. This has been the most difficult period of time that I have had in many years, and there have been few positives for the past few weeks. I am still feeling low as I write this, and I'm normally a pretty positive and confident person. Though, I suppose that everyone has their times where they feel sad or depressed, but I cannot seem to get out of the rut of these feelings. In short, March did not start well; its first day fell on a Friday. Two things happened on that day. The first is that my grandfather passed away on that day. The second is that the project that I was on for the past fifteen months and which was meant to continue ended rather quickly. 

Covent Garden flowers

My grandfather would have been 98 in August. He was a hard-working farmer for part of his life but also worked in a printing factory that made calendars and also worked in another factory that made china. He was also a war hero, and he didn't have a good memory, but I gathered from his conversations that he worked as a typist and administrator for hospital surgeries during World War 2 in Europe. Naples is one of the places where he was stationed. He also enjoyed finding native American tools and arrowheads, which are scattered throughout the area I grew up, so we had that in common. Although he was very old, he was in good health, so it was a bit of a shock. I last saw him at the end of October, and I expected to see him again. 

Earlier on that same day, I had finished my freelance contract job. All of us on the project were not told until the week before that the client did not re-sign their contract and were going to use a new agency for further work, so we were all to be let go. When I first took the role a little over a year ago, we were told that there was three years' worth of work. I was promised a long-term contract; they originally wanted me to go permanent, which I am glad I declined then as it would have ended the same for me. I even cut my rates that had already been agreed up front, but they promised that the role was a long-term one. However, all of the eggs were in the one basket, and the fall-out it impacted us all with permanent and freelance staff being let go.

We (the team) worked very hard on the project to deliver to unrealistic deadlines. I know that I was burnt out from the long hours of the role, and at times, the others said the same. So, coming out of that disappointment, exhaustion, and sad times with my grandfather passing away, I've been trying to find a new role.

The issue is that the job market is stagnant at the moment. I actually had a really good interview near the beginning of the month. It ended up being a two-stage interview, and I did the final stage the day after my grandfather's funeral. I could not physically go to the funeral because of the timing of everything. I was told that they wanted me to start on Monday and bought a new laptop on the way home so that I could be ready. However, when I arrived home and waited for the paperwork to be sorted, I was told that the role had fallen through for some reason, and the agent and I could not find out the reason. Obviously, that hurt my confidence further, as I'd already had a very tough week.

I have had so many discussions and interviews, but the job market is stagnant. I'm waiting for feedback or for budgets to be assigned for the other roles I have interviewed for. I've never had to wait this long, and it has been a very frustrating and exhausting time for me.

So, life has been less than kind at the moment. I'm hoping that my luck now changes as I feel completely trapped and directionless. Even the weather this month does not seem to want to warm up and become spring-like, although I think we are all ready and waiting for spring flowers and warmer weather.

I really need a bit of good luck and good vibes here. 

A climb up the towering Belfort (belfry or bell tower) in Bruges, Belgium is not for the faint-hearted. The belfry towers high above the other buildings in this UNESCO World Heritage city, and there are are 366 steps to climb to reach the viewpoint over the main square in Bruges. On the way, you will encounter many bells and the drums and mechanics of the bells in use.

Bruges was once a very wealthy medieval city, so it constructed this belfry to match its status. The bottom hall to the middle part of the tower was constructed in the 13th century, but the square generally had extensive building works, and to the east of the tower was the Waterhalle, which was built above the canal and used as a warehouse for storing goods shipped to Bruges from the canals. The tower was refurbished in the mid-1900s.

One of the rooms in the hall of the bell tower holds iron gates with chests, which stored important documents of the city. 

The clocks were only installed on the tower in the 15th century. Before this, the bells would be rung in order to mark the hours of the day. This was done manually. When the clock was installed, it could automatically ring the bells. The number of bells increased so that different types of chimes could have different meanings. The bells have been replaced a few times due to breaking or lightning hitting the tower. In the mid-1800s, belfry concerts were organised in the square in the summer, and this inspired many artists to write about the charm of Bruges' bell tower. Henry Longfellow wrote the poems "Belfry of Bruges" and "Carillon" about the tower, and it was also a feature of Georges Rodenbach's novels. 

The drum or carillon is a nice bit of kit that allows the chimes to be changed for concerts or special occassions. It works similar to a music box. The chimes are changed every two years.

Today, the great bell is called "De Croser Maire Fit Construire de Beffroi", and it dates to 1809.

Because it is one of the most well-known attractions in Bruges, the bell tower is a popular attraction. For this reason, I suggest an early morning visit or a visit later in the day in order to avoid the queues. I visited it at about 10:00 in the morning in late March, and I did not have to wait. March during the week in the morning is not in the high tourist season. However, I saw that the bell tower was much more popular on a weekend in the morning at about 11:00. Only a certain number of people can visit at a time, and do note that there's one staircase for all to use after a certain point.

There were two or three levels of the hall with a selection of bells and information about the tower before climbing more stairs.

At the top, I was rewarded with the beautiful views over Bruges. When I first arrived, there was a little bit of fog, but this cleared pretty quickly to reveal full sunshine.

So, what is it like climbing the tower? The last 25-30 steps are pretty narrow but manageable, and the tower is completely enclosed, so people who dislike heights should generally be okay with getting to and enjoying the view from the top. Taking photographs is difficult, though, because wire has been put up to prevent items from falling out.

I recommend climbing to the top of the bell tower in Bruges and enjoying the view. Have you been to Bruges and climbed the tower?

Late last year, the world lost a creator of some of the most famous superhero heros and comics, Stan Lee. The superhero film genre has been huge in the film industry, particularly in the past twenty years as it has gained more momentum and mainstream coverage, and only a couple of weeks ago, the latest installation ("Captain Marvel") was released. Each of these new films grabs a larger audience.

Fantasy, action, and science fiction is one of the subjects that London-based street artist Jim Vision often paints. Because of this, it is fitting that he has created a tribute to the man, Stan Lee, himself at the top of Brick Lane. The work features the face of comics, who always made a small cameo in the superhero films, on a backdrop of comic-style illustrations.

I visited the artwork in January, and it was still intact. It can be found on Rhoda Steet at the top of Brick Lane. RIP Stan Lee!

Sculpture in the City is a public sculpture trail that runs for a year from May to May and is centred in London's Square Mile. Sculpture in the City, now in its eighth year, has featured artists such as  Damien Hirst, Antony Gormley, Ai Weiwei, and Tracey Emin (this year) along with newer talent. I enjoy visiting the sculpture trail each year, although my schedule did not allow me to visit at any point last year, but I was able to visit a few weeks ago before the sculptures are replaced.

In 2018 and moving into the early part of the year, there were twenty new artworks (and for the first time, soundscapes) on display, although one of those has been removed at some point during the duration of the event and will not be on display. 

Untitled (1969) - David Annesley

This bright shape uses negative space and includes smaller shapes inside it, giving it a sense of order and continuity. The artist was inspired by his time in the RAF, and the bold colours are a result of using colour in sculpture and inspired by other artists.

Bridging Home, London - Do Ho Suh

This installation is located on a bridge above Wormwood Street in the City of London and shows a traditional-style Korean house appear to have fallen from the sky and landed on the middle of the bridge. It appeals to the migrant story of London's East End, which has been a welcome place for those moving to London in history. This is one of the most eye-catching sculptures because it appears so unexpected.

Pepper Rock - Richard Rome

Richard Rome built this sculpture from parts of earlier sculptures, and this work was on display at Yorkshire Sculpture Park for a couple of years before being removed, and it was also on display in Canary Wharf. To me, the inear elements are strong but encase an organic circular form which appears to be a human face, but this was my own interpretation.

Tree - Marina Abramović

This is a soundscape that takes place inside a real tree and offers creativity to all, repeating the sounds and reminiscent of the artist's childhood and strict upbringing. The audio played tweeting birds when I visited it. 

The Adventurer - Gabriel Lester

This sculpture contains the elements of poster-changers that display advertising, and these have been arranged with a bench to sit on. The illustrations have been made to mimic city streets, and they move from illustration to illustration in a maze-like journey.

Your Lips Moved Across My Face - Tracey Emin

In the past year, Emin has been experimenting and creating neon sign artwork with phrases from her diary or sentences to evoke a feeling. This one is a sensual meaning with bright pink, evoking a private and passionate moment and displayed in an alleyway.

UNIVRS - Michail Pirgelis

It is a section of a plane. Michael Pirgelis works with aviation materials that he selects from scrapyards in the American desert. This is an Airbus 300 section. The artwork is showing it in context with its surroundings.

Sari Garden - Clare Jarrett

This artwork is made up of the sari (women's dress). All sewn together and made of bright colours, they appear to become a flag or washing hanging out to dry. The piece is meant to showcase women's lives and domesticity. 

Climb - Juliana Cerqueira Leite

This sculpture was created in a reverse way by creating a sculpture shell, carving it from moving inside, and then filling it with wet clay. The sculpture thus includes imprints of the artist's hands, knees, feet, and arms. I interpreted this sculpture to be a candle that has been burning and dripping with wax.

The Great Escape - Miroslaw Balka

This soundscape is located in a small alley between buildings off Fenchurch Street. It involves a man whistling. The whistling is to the tune played in the film "The Great Escape". At first, the listener thinks someone is inside the alleyway and whistling, and it's also funny because it brings up emotions of the film.

Synapsid - Karen Tang

This brightly-coloured sculpture was on display during the 2017-2018 Sculpture in the City. It appears to be a giant insect or alien creature. The bright colour and organic shape draws visitors to it, and it encourages interaction via its shape and openings. 

Perceval - Sarah Lucas

This life-sized bronze horse pulling a car of giant ceramic squash in a cart represents the ceramic ornaments that people used to display in their homes.

Stack Blues - Sean Scully RA

These blocks and this artwork is inspired by looking at the horizon. This artist's work has been shown before in London, and this one mimics the blue hues of the sky, land (in the distance/mountains) and sea.

A Worldwide Web of Somewheres - Amanda Lwin

This artwork hanging above Leadenhall Market is made from Polynesian fishing nets, which were also used as maps of the water's currents and the wind. 

I'm Staying  - Shaun C. Badham

This neon sign was developed and shown in Bristol for awhile before moving to various locations depending on online votes. It is high above Leadenhall Market currently.

Numen (Shifting Votives One and Two and Three) - Thomas J Price

These sculptures have been in display in London before, and these aluminum heads rest on top of marble columns. They have been inspired by the Greek, Roman and Egyptian busts and sculptures but for the modern day, and they are placed at high level instead of above it.

Body - Jean-Luc Moulene

Produced at the Renault factory is this organic and contoured form. It appears fluid like a car's body or some sort of form, containing only three colours that have been blended into white.

Crocodylius Philodendrus - Nancy Rubins

This creature is a cluster of animals that take on their own form as a whole, balancing on each other and opposing each other. The congealment of the animals reminded me of a cluster of plastic toy animals that have been thrown in the air or onto the floor in a pattern.

Previous years of London's Sculpture in the City are included below:

• Sculpture in the City, 2017
• Sculpture in the City 2016
• Sculpture in the City 2015
• Sculpture in the City 2014
• Sculpture in the City 2013

No Make No Life is a monthly beauty subscription box that sends eight or nine Japanese and Korean beauty-related items. It comes with a small magazine with information on the items in the box, tips, horoscopes, contests, and more. My second No Make No Life beauty box arrived last month so that I would receive it before March, and I could not wait to see what was inside. This box is the "Vibrant Vibes" box, which celebrates the vibrant colours of springtime and flowers that will be on its way. These products will help achieve some vibrant make-up looks. Read below to see what I received in the March No Make No Life box.

Baker7 (BK7) Cake Hand Cream in 'Pink Berry': Subscribers could receive one of three different scents of hand cream, including the pink berry (strawberry) that I received, blueberry or banana. They all come in a cute little cake box with an illustrated animal. The cream absorbs into the skin. 

Berrison Animal Mask in "sheep": Subscribers also could receive one of four of these different animal masks. I received sheep, which has vitamin C and arbutin. Cat has collagen, dog has hyaluronic acid, and panda is blackberry. Each of the products has its own benefits to skin, though the sheep one is absolutely of no benefit to me. It is a skin whitening, and honestly, my skin is the palest shade of white and doesn't really tan. I like the cute sheep, but a skin whiteneing mask is no use to me.

Etude House 'Look at my eyes' eye shadow (pink): I received the muted pink colour of eye shadow, but others could receive a muted red colour. These colours will certainly make eyes pop, but less is more.

Baker7 (BK7) Candy Lip Tint in 'red orange': I received the 'red orange' colour of lip tint, but cherry red and coral were other colours that other subscribers could receive. This product is from Kpop idol JooE from group Momoland. The product smells like candy, and it is suggested to exfoliate lips before use for an even colour.

Wavy Hair Curler Set: This is a hair product with foam curlers to help curl hair without hair irons, which are damaging. I actually am pretty useless when it comes to hair styling, so I don't know how I am ever going to use this product, and it's in Japanese.

Mineral Ion Hairbrush: This is a special hair brush that promises to make hair healthier by brushing it as it contains ions, which help repair hair. It comes in blue or pink colours.

Facial Cleansing Brush: This brush is meant to be used with water and a cleaning product to clean the face and remove dirt from pores. The brush is very soft.

Colour Mascara in 'red': I received the red mascara, but other subscribers could receive blue. Blue would have been preferable to me to match my eye colour. 

Restaurants and cafes in London are realising that they can get more people in the door and excellent publicity simply by creating stunning floral displays on their shop fronts. People are flocking to these cutesy cafes and snapping away photographs of themselves in front of the floral displays and then posting them on social media. This then encourages more people to visit for the FOMO (fear of missing out) factors so that they can try this slice of lifestyle and get social media approval. More and more London cafes are doing this, so I snapped a few of these myself. 

The first is at Maddox Gallery off of Regent Street (pictured below). This stunning multi-level floral display features heart designs with pink heart neon lights. This continues to three floors. I snapped this one on Valentine's Day, so I'm sure it's been removed now. Also, quite a few others were snapping away too. I am unsure if they discovered the wonderful heart display by chance or if they saw it on social media first.

Elizabeth Street between Victoria Station and Slaone Square is another location with quite a few shops that decorate. This little corner of London has always decorated for the run-up and the weeks following the Chelsea Flower Show, but it's also now decorating for trade earlier in the year.

Peggy Porschen Cakes is one of the little cafes on this street, and they created a simple "love" message made with pink roses and also included various heart and Eifel Tower motifs in the windows.

Fait Maison, a restaurant located on Gloucester Road, also went all out with beautiful floral heart displays. Its vintage-inspired rose and carnation display was my favourite this spring.

This just goes to show how restaurants are investing in beautiful floral window displays to encourage people to come in, and this new drive has been born out of social media and modern technology which gives everyone the change to become a photographer to document the life around them.

The weekend before last, I met up with some friends at Chewton Glen in the New Forest (near New Milton) in southern Hampshire to have afternoon tea. The house of Chewton Glen was built in the 1700s, and one of its claims to fame is that it was visited by naval captain and novelist Captain Frederick Marryat. He stayed in the house for awhile in the 1840s as his brother owned it during that time, and his stays in the area is how he got his idea for his most popular novel "The Children of the New Forest", which he wrote later in life. After being owned by Marryat's brother, the hotel was owned by other families. In 2006, Chewton Glen became a five star hotel. It was also the location for a charity drive hosted by Chris Evans in 2010 for the charity Children in Need.

The afternoon tea is named after Captain Marryat, and all of the ingredients are local except for the salmon, which comes from Scotland.

The tea is from "Tea From The Manor", who create loose leaf teas. Most of us had the Darjeeling tea, though we found it to be a bit bitter, and it brewed too strongly. I believe that they should have used less of the loose leaves. 

The selection of sandwiches included smoked salmon with dill butter, egg and mustard cress, roast beef with horseradish sauce, and Somerset brie with pear chutney.

Next up were the scones, which were presented with clotted cream and strawberry jam. The scones included a plain and a fruit one.

The top tier contained the sweet treats. Included were a banoffee cream puff, Battenburg cake slice, apple tart, chocolate Black Forest cake mousse, and a lemon/lime macaroon.

Overall, the afternoon tea was tasty, but there were a few problems on the service side. First of all, we were not given a menu to see what the sandwiches and options were for the afternoon tea, so we had to explain we had some dietary requirements. Unfortunately, this was difficult because the staff member could not speak English as a first language, and this was a struggle for us whereas a menu would have really helped. Second, the staff did not follow up with us nor ask whether we needed additional tea or sandwiches. Third, they kept getting the orders incorrect. So, overall, the poor service made this a disappointing experience.

Street artist Zabou is a London-based artist who came from France originally. Some of her work is amongst the best street art in London, and I always enjoy seeing new work from the artist. At the end of last year, Zabou refreshed her wall on The Bell pub near Petticoat Lane Market. It was previously a piece depicting "Alice in Wonderland", which you can see in the links below, but it was refreshed by a tribute to the film, "The Shining". I am a little late posting these works, which are now a few months old.

Zabou has been recently busy again this year, so keep checking back for additional work from the artist.

In late summer, Zabou refreshed her work of Salvador Dali opposite Spitalfields Market. The work has since been tagged over again since I managed to capture it a couple of years ago. Zabou gave Dali a leopard-skinned yellow coat, giving the piece another pop of colour.

More work by Zabou that I featured on my blog is:

Villana and Zabou Collaborate on Amy Winehouse Street Art
Zabou paints Sid Vicious from 'The Sex Pistols'
Zabou Paints Freda #2 at Broadway Market
Zabou Paints Salvador Dali on Commercial Road
Koeone and Zabou Collaborate
"Keep Out!" Street Art by Zabou
Zabou's 'Cabinet of Curiosity' Street Art
Leake Street Tunnels Street Art, Spring 2016
Recent Street Art by Zabou
Street Art: Zabou

Glossybox is a make-up, beauty, and skin-care subscription box that sends up to five sample (and usually a full-sized) products monthly. Every March is International Women's Day, so the theme of this month's Glossybox is "Empowerment". The products in the box were developed by entrepreneurial women. March's Glossbybox supports other women, which is a very important cause and one that I care deeply about for gender equality. So, let's see what I received in March's box:

BYBI Beauty Plumper Lip Balm: This full-sized product is a thick and creamy lip balm that protects and restores dry lips, which is a perfect product for this time of the year. It contains peppermint and capsium to help plump lips, and even better is that it's environment-friendly. It is vegan and biodegradable.

Bellapierre Kiss Proof Lip Créme in 'Nude': I'm already familiar with this brand of lipstick, and the colour received is a muted brick red. It's a colour I own in a very similar product. It is a creamy product and leaves a matte finish when it dries.

Lartzy Cosmetics Dew Pot in 'Utopia': This full-sized product is a smooth highlighter product that adds radiance to your features when used on the brow and cheekbones. Even better is that it is a cruelty-free and vegan product.

essence "You better work!" fixing spray: This full-sized product is a fixing spray that is designed to be used at the gym to create a staying power, no matter how much you sweat. I don't wear make-up when I am in the gym as I believe the pores should be kept clear to remove toxins and other products, so I will use it as a regular fixing spray.

The Body Shop Nourishing Body Butter in Coconut: This moisturiser is absorbed into the skin without feeling greasy and smells like coconut, which is a very summery smell and a product that I will use in the summer. The company is celebrating female empowerment in Ghana.

How did I feel about March's Glossybox? Overall, I felt this box was under-whelming as I've used a couple of the products already.

This post looks back on the beauty, skin-care, and hair-care products that I have used up in the past few months, and it has been a little while since I posted one of these posts. This post acts as a review of the products that I have used so that I can look back on them and decide if I would like to re-purchase any of those items. The products listed below have been used up from the begining of autumn. I was not actually using many make-up products as I had worked from home a lot.

Bath and Body Works Cucumber Melon Shower Gel: This was my favourite scent from American store Bath and Body Works, and I picked it up a few years ago when they brought the scent back for awhile. I love cucumber melon as it smells so fresh and summery. Would I buy it again? I would buy this scent again in a heartbeat. 

Molton Brown Jasmine and Sun Rose Bath and Shower Gel: I love Molton Brown soaps, and this is a beautiful warming and grown-up scent that I think would appeal to both men and women. Would I buy it again? I would purchase this again for the winter months.

Natural Bodywash in 'Relaxing Geranium and Peppermint': This natural product is good for skin without harmful chemicals and smells like geranium and peppermint and is a refreshing smell. I cannot fault the smell at all, but this product did not lather up much. Would I buy it again? I fell in love with the scent, but the product does not lather up, so I would not purchase it.

Chloé Perfume: This rose-scented perfume is long-lasting and a firm favourite of mine. Would I buy it again? Yes, I love it.

Tommy Girl Perfume: This is an active-use perfume perfect for pre-workout or post-workout. However, it doesn't have much longevity. Would I buy it again? I got this in a set as a gift, but I would not purchase it again simply because there are other perfumes that I enjoy more.

Black Magic Mascara 'drama and curl': This little tube of mascara lasts a long while and is easy to apply and is water-proof. I loved it, and I loved the fact that it is in a tube instead of a plastic roll with a great applicator wand to help darken lashes without smudges. Would I buy it again? Yes, it's one of the best mascaras that I have used and didn't dry out of clump up.

ESPA Overnight Hydration Therapy: This cream promises to help moisturise skin overnight. It did make my skin feel a little bit softer, but it felt greasy on my skin overnight. Would I buy it again? No, although it did seem to make my skin feel softer, I did not like the way it made my skin feel greasy when it was applied overnight.

Kiehls Midnight Recovery Concentrate: This oily liquid should be applied overnight to help skin gain a more youthful glow. Would I buy it again? No, I did not really notice any different and it was very oily.

Mane 'n Tail Shampoo and Conditioner: This shampoo promises to clean and add shine to hair, and it did make it silky soft too. Would I buy it again? Yes, I felt that the product worked but the sample was not enough to really gage if it did, so I'd like to try a full size.

My Little Beauty Masque Réparteur (for hair): This is a hair mask that helps to deep-condition hair and leave it smooth and soft. Would I buy it again? Yes, but My Little Beauty no longer have products in London.

SkinPep Anti-Aging 12-hour Defense Serum: This serum helps protect the skin from harmful sun, and it doubles as a primer too. Would I buy it again? No. This product was a little too runny and doesn't beat some similar products I have tried.

Smashbox photo finish foundation primer: This primer helps to create flawless foundation, which produce better portrait photographs and selfies. Would I buy it again? Yes, I did like the results of the product as it was thick enough to help create the buffer between skin and foundation.

Beauty Pro Detoxifying bubbling cleansing mask: This facial mask contains charcoal, which helps to clear the skin's impurities. Would I buy it again? No, I'd rather use cleaning products with charcoal, and I find these cloth masks too fiddly.

Superdrug sugar and spice self-heating mask: This self-heating mask helps to clear skin impurities. Would I buy it again? Yes, I enjoy the masks from Superdrug.

Collection 2000 Glam Crystals in blue: I love this range of sparkly eye liner, which I use on my lashes and have had several compliments about. Unfortunately, this one dried up a little bit before I could finish using it all. Would I buy it again? Yes.

Trifle Cosmetics in Praline Palette: This was a selection of eye shadows with five shades in brown, purple, deep red, silver/grey, and a shimmery gold. Would I buy it again? No, I don't think all of the colours particularly worked for me, but I would buy the brand again.

Rimmel 60 Seconds in 'magnetise' nail polish: This is a purple nail polish that is applied thinly with colour and can be built up to increase the intensity of the colour. Would I buy it again? No, it took too many coats of colour before I was happy with the outcome.

Deborah Lippmann in 'stronger' nail polish: This glittery nail polish has flecks of blue and purple, and I found it perfect as a pick-me-up for January as it was highly glittery and shimmery. Would I buy it again? No; it took too long to dry and was a little too high maintenance for me.

Early last week, I checked out London's newest roof garden at 120 Fenchurch Street on Fen Court. This roof garden is known as "The Garden at 120" and is on top of the new Fen Court building (the 15th floor) off Fenchurch Street. It is also free to visit. The roof garden is a large size (2,800 square metres) with beautiful 360 degree views over London, introducing new options to see some of London's most famous landmarks. It is built to accommodate 207 people. At some point later this year, a restaurant will be opening at the roof garden too. Plants and a water feature are included on top, giving a quiet time for visitors to reflect amongst and between the towering skyscrapers, buildings and views.

The architects of the building are Eric Parry Architects. On the ground floor level near the lifts, a projection of the view is shown on the ceiling.

The roof garden at 120 Fenchurch is currently open on weekdays from 10:00 to 6:30 with longer hours (until 9:00) in the summer. I am not sure if the roof garden will be open during the weekend, but they are running some trials to see if it is viable. 

A few weeks ago, I visited Walthamstow. I have been wanting to visit this part of London for a few years now in order to see the street art. A few years ago, Wood Street Walls paint jam took place, and this saw a lot of the walls in the area being covered with street art. Some of these have since been painted over with new art, and some of the originals remain. I've photographed what I could locate here. Unfortunately, some of the stunning artwork, such as the large mural from Connor Harrington, is now gone as Walthamstow has seen a lot of rebuilding.

Cam Scale

I started at Walthamstow Central station, walked down St. Mary's Road (there's a couple of pieces of street art just off this road) and then walked up Wood Street where there are a few pieces. From there, I walked past Forest Road to get one piece then back-tracked and walked west on Forest Road to Hoe Street where I discovered a few additional pieces around that area before continuing down Hoe Street to find a few more pieces. The street art that I captured is included below.

Not all who wander are lost - Lilly Lou - off St. Mary's Road

Rammed Earth Elephants are actually dotted around several places in Walthamstow. They were created using a technique of compacted earth, which is a technique used in building. They highlight the dangers of elephant extinction.

Rammed Earth Elephant - various locations including Walthamstow Village, Wood Street, Forest Road

STATIC are a street artist duo who create paintings using stencils; their work usually consists of floral or nature-inspired patterns. I've not actually seen their work before, but there are quite a few pieces in Walthamstow

STATIC off St. Mary's Road

STATIC - Fulbourne Road

STATIC - Wood Street

STATIC - off Hoe Street

This mural features previous local businessman Charles Bracey, who created "God's Own Junkyard"

Remi Rough creates geometrical patterns using bright colours.

Remi Rough - Wood Street

Remi Rough - opposite Hoe Street

The Toaster Crew (also often known as just Toasters) have been painting on the streets for a long time, and their images of toasters have been a common sight. (I originally covered them here: Street Art Toasters in London). They don't often create new pieces, and their older work is much more rare these days.

Toasters off Wood Street

I've covered a lot of Ronzo's (most recent post here: Ronzo's Rainbow Street Art ) street art in the past, though I have not seen him create anything new for the past couple of years now, but his work used to be quite popular. This one features a fox character on a huge wall, "All Good in the Wood".

Ronzo on Wood Street

Frankie Strand is normally known for murals of animals with detailed patterns, so this style with skeletons and a volcano is very different to the usual work.

Frankie Strand - off Wood Street

Australian street artist Cam Scale painted this mural on Wood Street, and it is a portrait of Loretta Lizzio and was painted in 2017.

Cam Scale on Wood Street

Vic Lee paints type and street art to tell the story of history through art. The piece on Wood Street has a lot of information about Walthamstow and the surrounding area. It is a long piece, and with cars and lamp posts and other objects, it wasn't possible to photograph it all.

Vic Lee - Wood Street

Based in Brighton, street artist Eelus uses bright colours and monotone to create stunning murals. I last covered the artist here and in Street Art Round-Up to July 2015. The piece here in Walthamstow is a very stunning one on a large building near Hoe Street and off Forest Road.

Eelus off Forest Road near Hoe Street (Spruce Hills Road)

I have a lot of work by French street artist Invader to post about, but I have not done it yet. Anyway, here's a brilliant piece opposite Hoe Street.

Street artist ATM is probably best known for realistic bird images, and the last street art work I posted was at Mile End (Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park Environmental Street Art ). The below mural is located next to the William Morris Gallery. William Morris was a local resident of Walthamstow who lived in the building that is now a museum, and he was a philantropist and artist, mainly famous for the Arts and Crafts movement and creating floral patterns for use in the home.

ATM - portrait of William Morris next to Willaim Morris Museum

Boe and Irony create large scale and stunning murals that always capture the eye. Their work mainly features animals, and this features two foxes with one fox licking the other one. I recently covered their work at Bristol Upfest 2018, but some more of their work was on Paradise Row in Bethnal Green. I love seeing new pieces by the artists.

Boe & Irony on Hoe Street

London-based street artist Dale Grimshaw is responsible for beautiful realistic portraits. I recently covered his work here: Dale Grimshaw Paints the Village Underground Wall, Part 2. This mural replaced a previous one by the artist which was made for Wood Street Walls. It is opposite Hoe Street on Chingford Road.

Dale Grimshaw - Chingford Road

Unfortunately, not all of the work for the original Wood Street Walls paint jams exist because the building work in Walthamstow has been pretty aggressive and has seen a lot of new buildings being built and walls being removed. But, if you want to see some great examples of street art, head over to this part of London and follow the rough trail that I put together.

Wellington Arch is located on Hyde Park Corner and Green Park, and it is a Grade I listed archway that was created by Decimus Burton in 1830. The arch was originally located nearby but moved in 1882/3. Originally, the arch had a large statue of the 1st Duke of Wellington on top, which is how it got its name. Since 1912, the statue on top is a bronze chariot. The archway Wellington Arch and Marble Arch (on the other side of Hyde Park) commemorate British victories in the Napoleonic wars.

The arch is hollow inside and was a police headquarters until 1999, when it was opened to the public with a small museum. The main exhibit related to the Napoleonic wars and Wellington, and there's smaller exhibitions on the moving of the arch, the statue that used to sit atop the arch, and the wars. However, most people probably go to visit the arch for the views over the surrounding area, including Apsley House and down Constitution Hill. Some of the famous London landmarks can also be glimpsed, including Big Ben (currently behind scaffolding), London Eye, and the Shard. I took some photographs of the view so you can see what to expect.

The Wellington Arch is managed by English Heritage and is open from 10:00 to 4:00 during the day at this time of the year but closed on some days. Longer hours and opening days depend on the season, so check ahead.

Pancake Day has come and gone this year, but I was able to enjoy some pancakes on Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day). This year, I went to pop-up "Where the Pancakes Are" in Flat Iron Square, a short walk away from Borough Market. Pancakes and cocktails were available to order, and I booked ahead for a morning of sweet indulgence. I do love a good pancake, but it has to be American-style pancakes.

Finding "Where the Pancakes Are" was a little bit tricky as there was not a sign for them in Flat Iron Square, so I had to ask someone before discovering that I was in the right place. 

I ordered the Lemon Drop cocktail. Okay, it was the morning, so it may have been a little early for a cocktail. However, it is a one-off treat, so I had it. It included gin and limoncello and was a little tart to taste, which paired with the pancake.

I had the special pancake for Pancake Day on the menu, which was "A Very Lemony Affair". It included raspberries, pistacchio, candied lemon peel, vegan cream, lemon, and sugar. It was just enough for a light bite.

I then had the "Classic American" pancake, served with blueberries, bacon and Maple syrup. I preferred this pancake creation as it is the traditional pancake, and bacon always goes well with pancake.

The pancakes were good, but they forgot my pancake order. I received the drinks, but I never received the pancake that I ordered. I'd waited nearly an hour before it arrived, and they did not charge me for a couple of soft drinks due to the mix-up, which put me behind schedule for other things to do and see in London. But, the pancakes were good, and I did like that they were not too filling.

Happy Pancake Day! I visited the Leadenhall Market Pancake Day Race this year. Pancake Day, also known as Shrove Tuesday or Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras, is held on the Tuesday that is fourty days before Easter Day. The day is to use up any ingredients before fasting. Many areas also have a traditional "Pancake Day Race", which involves racing and flipping pancakes in a frying pan. This tradition has been happening for years now.

I tried to go to the annual Spitalfields Pancake Day Race, but it was not on this year for some reason, nor is there any information about it being cancelled, which is a little bit strange as the Westminster one was cancelled. I've been going to the Spitalfields one for the past six years except for last year and one other year. It would be a shame if it did not return again.

The Lamb Tavern in Leadenhall Market hosts the annual Pancake Day event with various prizes being donated from some of the businesses at Leadenhall Market. They also had free pancakes available to spectators or anyone who just wanted to enjoy a free pancake on Pancake Day. These included a selection of toppings, such as the traditional British crépe lemon and sugar or honey or banana slices.

Someone brought their dog, who was dressed in a Pancake Day outfit complete with tiny frying pan. 

The Pancake Day kicked off with a first set of races followed by a semi-final and a final with the four winning teams receiving a prize from one of the businesses in Leadenhall Market. However, the participants for this race do not wear fancy dress nor get prizes for the best-dressed. I think adding the costumes give the race a whole other dimension.

The winners received a gift and an engraved frying pan. Second to fourth place also won various gifts. For past Pancake Day races, see the below links:

Great Spitalfields Pancake Day Race 2017
Great Spitalfields Pancake Day Race 2015
Great Spitalfields Pancake Day Race 2014
Great Spitalfields Pancake Day Race 2013

Currently located in the courtyard of the Royal Academy of Arts on Piccadilly Street, an red wooden old house that looks as though it has come from a horror film has been placed. The wooden house is the artwork of Cornelia Parker, and the name of the artwork is Transitional Object (PsychoBarn). The artwork depicts a house, which is usually a symbol of comfort and foundation. The style of the house is American colonial, and if the house is familiar, it is the same one that appeared in the Alfred Hitchcock film "Psycho" and was first used in a painting by Edward Hopper "House by a Railroad", painted in 1925.

PsychoBar was first exhibited in New York at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2016. It is nearly 30 feet tall, and it has been constructed from timber from an old American red barn. 

This artwork is on display until 15 March, so if you are planning to see it, you still have a little bit of time to do so before it is removed.

This winter, Covent Garden in London has lit up a colourful and mirrored walkway off Floral Street to light up the winter months. This has become very popular with people and is a little bit hidden, so I imagine that most people there had just happened to come across it. The walkway is filled with mirrors and lights that gradually change colour, and it is called the "infinity chamber". I believe that it is going to be in place for a little while longer. For those wanting to visit it, read on.

I visited it on a Saturday night in early February, and I had to wait a long while before I had a few seconds to snap some photographs without any people in them, particularly as those that were around were spending a lot of time trying to get the perfect selfie.  

Now, for those who wish to visit, read ahead. Covent Garden's Infinity Chamber is located off of Floral Street at Conduit Place, a small passageway that leads to Long Acre. It is located at the Leicester Square end of Floral Street as opposed to the Holborn end. However, I don't know how long it will be around as I cannot find any information about that.

Last year, London-based street artist Dreph painted a series of portraits of women called "Migration Series". This followed the first series from 2017, "You Are Enough". In this new series, Dreph looks at people who have come to London who have established either a sense of community or humanitarian efforts and who have become an inspiration. The third portrait was painted in Soho at the end of May last year. It features Fatima Najm, who founded creativesagainstpoverty.

Fatima was born in Pakistan and raised there and in U.A.E. She currently lives in London and supports communities that have conflict, disaster, and poverty. She tries to help those in conflict areas deal with the frustrations through artistic means and to help prevent additional conflict as well as to put the talents of people to use. She also helps refugees and asylum seekers with obtaining the skills they need to integrate into British society.

Previous posts with Dreph's work that feature on my blog are located below:

Final Dreph "You Are Enough" Mural
Dreph "You Are Enough" (Part 3)
'You Are Enough' (8th edition)
Dreph 'You Are Enough' (6th Edition)
Dreph Paints Holly Oluwo
New Street Art Portraits by Dreph
Street Art: Dreph