London Celebrations

I'm playing a bit of catch-up here on my blog as October has turned out to be quite a busy month and I haven't quite managed to get my blog posts to keep up with my feet! I was looking at these photos earlier today and couldn't believe it's already two weeks since they were taken. 

I always enjoy a brisk walk along the canal when I know I'm headed for the train station, because as much as I adore my rural home town and my quiet, rather simple life, I do quite like a dose of Big City spirit every now and again. Heading to London in October has become something of an annual ritual and this was the third time that I've traveled to the city to attend the Knitting and Stitching show at Alexandra Palace. This year was to be an extra special celebration as I had an extra day to enjoy the very last smidge of my forties, kind of a pre-Birthday treat from me to myself.

Arriving on a gloriously bright sunny Wednesday afternoon, I met up with my lovely friend Christine and we hopped on the underground to journey a short way to the River Thames. This wasn't a spontaneous thing by any means, because for once in my chaotic, unplanned life I had actually planned in advance and  PRE-BOOKED something!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Holy smokes, are you shocked????!!!!!!! I think I was a little dazed myself, I had to keep checking the tickets and making sure that the whole thing wasn't just a figment of my crazy imagination. 

Luckily for me, Christine is a very accommodating friend and when I told her that I would really like to be a London tourist and take a boat trip on the River Thames, she instantly agreed. I don't know why this appealed to me so much as I'm not a massive fan of boats (I much prefer to be on dry land), but there is something very appealing about the idea of gliding along a river to take in the landmarks of a city. Add in the notion that you set sail at 3.15 pm in time to partake in a spot of afternoon tea whilst gliding along, with the possibility of a glass of fizz to accompany the aforementioned refreshments, and yeah, you can maybe see the appeal.

And so that was how we found ourselves sailing along underneath the great Tower Bridge, oohing and aahing at how very huge and enormous it looked from down below at river level. The boat we were on was a sight seeing boat, sitting low and wide on the water, with huge windows all along the outside (see here for pictures). The river was surprisingly choppy, but I'm happy to report that we didn't really feel much movement while we were sat comfy on the boat.

Maybe that was because we were easily distracted........

.............ooooooooooooo, afternoon tea has arrived! To accompany our actual cups of tea (which were pretty much kept filled by the lovely waiting staff), we had the above three tiers of deliciousness to nibble on while we sailed the river. It was really yummy, especially the very generous scone which we slathered in clotted cream and strawberry jam....mmmmmmm!!

A glass of prosecco seemed appropriate for the occasion too, and for a little while I did feel like I might possibly be leading someone else's life......it was all very decadent for an average Wednesday afternoon.

I have to say I really enjoyed just looking out the window and taking in all the amazing buildings that line the river. We passed by some ancient historical buildings and ships (the Tower of London, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, HMS Belfast), but it was the modern buildings that I loved the most. Some of them are so tall and striking, you just can't help but be in awe of them. I didn't know the name of the above building, but thanks to the marvel that is Google, I can tell you that this is One Blackfriars (also known as "the vase") and was only completed this year. It is full of luxury apartments, and you have to be seriously loaded to live here - prices start from £1.15 million for a one-bedroom studio. Imagine that?!!! I absolutely cannot imagine for the life of me what it might feel like to call that place home, it's so far removed from my humble, rather shabby but well loved old terraced Victorian home. 

We couldn't have asked for better weather for our trip, it was unexpectedly warm with clear blue sky and bright sunshine, a late blast of summertime lighting up the city.

Ah did I mention the fabulous scones? No English afternoon tea is complete without them, and these ones were delicious.

As you can see, the boat was pretty full of afternoon tea-ers and the atmosphere was happy and celebratory. With the golden sunshine pouring in through the windows and music playing, it was a very relaxing way to spend a few hours in the city. 

All too soon we arrived back at Tower Pier and our round trip was complete. We had a really lovely time being boaty tourists and I wondered whether the Little People would have enjoyed it, or whether it was too sedate for them? Little B doesn't always do well when he is cooped up, he is still a bit like a puppy dog who needs space and freedom to burn off energy.

Tower Pier is right next to the Tower of London, and this isn't an area of London that I've visited before. We decided that as it was such beautiful weather that we would simply wander around for a while and see where our feet took us. I couldn't really get any sense of where exactly we were in the city (other than knowing we were near the river!), but we soon found out that we were slap bang in the midst of The City - the square mile of London that is the heart of the financial and business district.

I did recognise the above building though, honestly it's hard to miss if you are anywhere in this area. This is 20 Fenchurch Street, also known as the "walkie-talkie" building, and the scale of it is breathtaking when you are up close......

....it made me want to gasp out loud, it was just so impossibly monstrous!!! We called in to the reception area to ask about visiting the Sky Garden at the top of this building which I'd heard is fabulous, but much like the cruise boats this is something you have to plan and book in advance. I would so love to go up there! I think next year when I visit London, I shall definitely book a sky-high treat instead of a watery one, I absolutely can't wait.

Wandering around this area of London was fascinating as so many commuters were on the move at the end of the working day. It was fast paced and business like and so very urban, and I was once again struck by the contrast to my own picturesque commute along the side of the canal at the start and end of my week days. I am so grateful for my lifestyle, for the place (and pace) that is mine.

The above monument is called.......The Monument. It commemorates the Great Fire of London which raged through this part of the city in 1666, and I've just discovered that you can climb up inside it, via three hundred and eleven steps. Oh, I would so do that! In fact, I am thinking that I would quite fancy doing a tour of all the high-up viewing places in London, just to take in a whole load of panoramic views. I do really love love love a good, scenic long distance view from high up.

I loved the side view of the modern building next to the monument, which was mesmerising to look at with it's twirly silver bits spinning down over the windows (just found out ((thank you Google)) that this is called the Monument Building).  London does often surprise me with how beautiful it is, especially when you least expect it.

When Christine and I venture to London together we stay in the same hotel each time, so it has begun to feel comfortingly familiar. It's a small, quirky hotel right in the heart of Kings Cross St Pancras, set back from the hustle and bustle along a quiet side street. It's part of a row of tall London terraced houses which have been knocked together, so inside it's all multiple staircases and uneven floors and different levels. It's rather lovely and has great character, and we always enjoy a fun and relaxing stay there.

The following morning we had hours stretching ahead of us to fill with more city delights. As with any capital city in the world, London is a humongous place and there are endless things to do with your time there. Over breakfast we noodled on all the possibilities - art galleries? museums? shopping? yarn-related things? but neither of us were really in the mood for those things. I suddenly realised that all those activities involved being inside buildings, and more than anything I felt like I wanted to be outside. I love walking, and given the choice I would very much rather be outdoors than indoors, so we set off in search of London's famous Royal Parks.

Oh, it was such a lovely morning! We ambled through Hyde Park, strolling around the edge of the Serpentine in the morning sunshine - it was such a treat to be walking without a coat at this time of year. There are plenty of small refreshment points around the park, so we bought ourselves a coffee/hot chocolate and found a bench with a lovely blue watery view, to sit a while in the sun and chat. And chat some more, with lots of laughing, discussion, sharing of ideas and more chat. We are very good friends, Christine and I, and our chat is a mixture of personal friendship and work-ish blog/design talk. Its super-useful to have somebody to talk to who understands the uniqueness of blogging and designing, because so much of what we do is solitary and involves only our own thought processes. Having someone else's outside view point on ideas/concepts/projects is invaluable, and it works especially well when taken al fresco. Best of all, it works both ways, and I think we both felt lighter, happier and more energised after our "session". It was great - like therapy,  counselling, time management and mentoring all rolled into one!

It was so great in fact that we completely lost track of time and only realised it was past lunch time when we had gotten stiff from sitting for so long. 

We walked out of Hyde Park and into Green Park, eventually making our way back under ground and traveling north to our next destination........

......yes, this was our annual trip to the Knitting and Stitching show at Alexandra Palace which was in full swing by the time we made it there at 3pm. I do enjoy being able to visit a show as an actual visitor, with no other agenda other than to enjoy what's on offer.

It was lovely to see the work of friends (above are beautiful blankets by Jane Crowfoot)....

....and to admire the work of artists too. In fact, I really enjoyed the textile galleries this year, they were very inspirational and diverse, and displayed such a huge amount of artistic talent.

However, the main reason for visiting the show was so that I could attend the British Knitting and Crochet Awards. These annual awards are very highly regarded, especially as the nominations and votes come directly from the public (over 28,000 this year, which is incredible). The awards are organised by Let's Knit and Let's Get Crafting magazines - Let’s Knit editor, Sarah Neal, says: “These awards are an opportunity for the nation’s knitters and crocheters to honour their favourite brands, and they’ve done so in their thousands. That’s such a fantastic accolade for all the winners and runners-up and true recognition for all their hard work.”

And that does make me feel very honoured indeed, and hugely thankful for the support and enthusiasm that I experience every day here on my blog and via my Facebook and Instagram pages too. 

The awards ceremony itself is fun, most especially because over the years I've gotten to know quite a number of people so it's a lovely chance to socialise and catch up. There are yarn shop owners, yarn makers, designers, bloggers and authors, and it's a really super friendly atmosphere. We drink glasses of fizz, listen to inspirational speakers, then collect our awards and pose for the camera...............SMILE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That camera bit I find tricky, but the rest is a breeze - I'm pretty good at drinking fizz and socialising!

Sadly we couldn't stay until the very end as we had trains to catch, so it was a bit of a crazy whirlwind as we journeyed back down the hill away from the beautiful palace. It made for a very long day as I didn't get home until around 12.40am.......which was actually the very early start of my Birthday, and I had a day at the coast to look forward to, yippeee!!!! From busy city to calming sea, the complete contrast was not lost on me. 

Oh, I almost forgot to mention..........my awards!!!! Haha!!! SO busy telling you all about the jollity and I totally forgot the important bit!! I am so happy to tell you that I won "Favourite Crochet Designer" and "Favourite Crochet Blog". It was made even more special as this was the third year running for me and these awards, and I am so very, very grateful to everyone who took the time and trouble to cast a vote or two. It was also fabulous for me with my festival hat on too as Yarndale won "Best Knitting Event" for the third year running. We are so blinkin' chuffed about this!!! Thank you, thank you, to everyone who makes Yarndale so amazing. My lovely friends at Wool Warehouse also won multiple awards too, well they are wonderful aren't they?

So I've had lots to celebrate this month, and I am beyond grateful. Awards and a golden birthday....oh, and one more thing too. I've got one last post to share in my catch-up mission, as J and I celebrated twenty five years (half our lifetime) together. We remained true to ourselves and took off for 2 days up in Wensleydale at the start of October - nothing glamorous, but oh, it was so very lovely! I'll show you some photos from there very soon - lots of green greenery, and as far removed from city bustle as you could get. Just perfect for the likes of us.

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ps if you'd like to see all the awards results, I think you can access them ((here))

pps I feel like I would like to give you all a big ((((HUG)))), as I'm feeling quite emotional all of a sudden. Consider yourself squeezed with my thanks!!! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Lenore]

Well deserved Lucy. cheers from downunder Lenore x

[Jeanette Renting]

Congratulations for you and for the Yarndale-crew!!!!

[Hazel]

Congratulations on all the awards and you had a wonderful couple of days with Christine and yourself. I really enjoyed going back in time with you at London, i took a group to the WI to the Sky Gardens (I wonder if it is still free to go in) I love London but now I have moved I don't think I will be going anymore but I have lots memories.
Hazel c uk

[Kath Gale]

Aussie congratulations for your awards,so deserved.Best of wishes for your half century of birthdays and also those years together-always worth great cheers! Thanks for sharing .

[jacqui]

Congratulationson everything yaaaaaaaaaaaaay lovely blog as ever, seeing things through your eyes via your blog is so inspiring x

[Robina]

WOW WOW WOWITY WOWZER!!!! So well deserved. I follow Christine's blog too and can see why the two of you are such good friends. HIP HIP HOORAY!!

[Jane Walker]

What a brilliant adventure you had congratulations Lucy your blog is brilliant 😀

[Gillian McM]

Couldn't vote for you because not living in the UK, but I would have if I could have! CONGRATULATIONS, Lucy, your blog is wonderful and your designs are endlessly lovely. I enjoyed this blog SO much. xxxxx

[Africanaussie]

Congratulations, you deserve it! I enjoyed your virtual tour around London from the water. What a lovely way to see it all!

[Victoria Oyama]

Congratulations on your awards, Lucy! Third year running is truly fantastic. A testament to your entire genius, not only in crochet but also in your genuineness as a person. Have always loved reading your blog and am inspired by you!

[Susan]

Congratulations on your awards Lucy, they are well deserved. It looks like you and Christine had a fabulous time together. xx Susan

[Sylvia Frazer]

What a delightful post. Such lovely places to visit in London. Congratulations on your well deserved awards.

[Ida]

Congratulation to the awards! You certainly deserve them.
Take care
Ida

[Helen Coulthard]

If you like high up in London, try the viewing gallery at the Tate Modern. It’s free and 360 degrees!

[Green Girl Gardener]

Congratulations on your awards. Oh so well deserved. Your trip looks dreamy. I know exactly what you mean about loving home but loving the excitement of trips to the big smoke too. Congratulations on twenty five years with J too 😁.

[Janis]

Looks like you've had a fantastic time! I've been to London twice -- once as an 18 year old and I remember little of it, and once again in my 40s, and I loved every second. Let me tell you, there is no better way to go through the National Portrait Gallery than flanked by two friends, one of whom knows all the straight history on everyone in the portraits, and one of which knows all the dirt.

I had one person on my right who could tell me who held what office, who followed whom in the line of succession, and who was who's nephew ... and one on my left telling me who slept with whom, who had whose baby out of wedlock, who was gay, and who wore women's underwear. It was one of the most fun museum visits I've ever had, and you wouldn't think that a walk through a building full of paintings of dead people would be all that much fun. :-)

And congratulations on your awards! Much deserved!

[Cindy Rawnsley]

Congratulations!!! It is through your blog and your creative genius and generosity that I now know how to crochet. I am cuddled under one of your blanket designs as I type this. Thank you for sharing yourself with so many.

[Suzana Behmer]

Congratulations Lucy ! For the awards , your birthday and for the 25 years with J !! You are a very generous person and you deserve all this happiness.

[Kristine S]

SO well deserved, Lucy! Congrats in large huggy heaps...

[Jackie Sharp]

You started me on my crochet journey Lucy, with the cosy stripe blanket and I have made five of your blankets so far. Your London trip sounds lovely and a Happy belated Birthday to you xxxx

[Marion]

Sounds like a lovely trip. Which hotel did you stay in? I wouldn’t mind a trip like that myself 🙂

[Winwick Mum]

I so enjoyed our time in London - let's definitely do all the high places next time we go! - and so many congratulations to you for your awards, they are well-deserved. I am truly blessed to have you as my therapist, counsellor, time manager and mentor - perhaps there should be an award for that! :) xxx

[Gillian Crowe]

What a tremendous day you had. Well done on your awards. The Sky Gardens are well worth a visit but Get booked up quickly.