Uncharted

Have you ever listened to Sara Bareilles?
Lovely songs.
And inspiring!

                                                                 (video from Youtube)

I discovered her the other day, now I can´t stop listening to her music.

Enjoy!

Quote

"The winter wind blows through my mind and then washed away the sand that left your footprints behind..."

There for you, The Ryan O´Reilly Band

As we started to sing (The Ryan O´Reilly Band)

Ryan O´Reilly Band played tonight at The Toucan (Soho Sq).

Their music is great, the lyrics are so sweet, and listening to them is one of the better things to do!

I had ones of their EPs, Emily. But I bought Live in the studio, and their new CD (The blighted apple). A great band. They play almost every weekend in London, you can have a look in the web page to follow their gigs and buy the new CD. (http://www.theryanoreillyband.com/)

I coming back to Madrid next week, but I hope someday they go there to play.

We´re off to see the Wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Oz

I had bever been to a musical. And I never thought I would like it.
But, apart from the fact I love this story, the actors, the music and the staging were fantastic!

I´ve already decided, every morning from now on, I´ll get up with its music!

Los días están contados, no hay más que temer...

Vetusta Morla played today at The Coronet. I went with Maria.
I really enjoy the concert. I love thier songs, but they have such a good time when they played that they transmit that to the people, and make they concerts great.

The Bright Young Things

After Harrods, we started walking, and found out the Victoria and Albert Museum was still opened.
And then, a surprise!

It was Friday late at V&A (Once a month they open till 22,00)
This time was an oportunity of stepping into the glittering world of photographer Cecil Beaton.

The "Society of Bright Young Things" was a group that had become synonymous with glamour, money, celebrated names and lashings of snob appeal in the early 20s. They celebrated parties and meetings, some of them at V&A Museum. They must have been the coolest young people of their time. And that´s the reason this late night is named after them, to celebrate with vintage glamour.

Everybody was wearing a tiara and and top hats, and some 20s style beatiful dresses. A shame I didn´t know this before, I really would have enjoyed to wear a tiara while had a coctel drink.
Live jazz music, played by the Dixie Tricklers (http://www.dixieticklers.co.uk/), the coolest band!They sounded and looked so great (their vintage style is the best!).
Games (Scavenger hunt), lectures, live theater plays and lightdrawings altogether.

It was a lovely night.

Lightdrawings by Hugo Dalton

The Dixie Ticklers

DAY 33: The Floating Palace

"...the Floating Palace will warm your hearts..." announced Robyn Hichcock when the recital began.

Kt Tunstall, Eliza and Martin Carthy, Krystle Warren and Howe Gelb completed the group.

To be sincere, I went this night to the Barbican Centre to see KT, one of my favorite artist ever, I also knew Eliza Carthy. So this was a surprise to me. They sounded so great, Eliza´s fiddle made me enter into, I don´t know, it´s a sound that warms your heart, and makes you enter into other dimension. I really don´t know how to describe it.

I love Folk music. And this night was wonderful.

I felt great, like this was a gig among friends.

KT sang Shanty Of the Whale "a capella" with Eliza and Martin, it was a privilege to listen to them.

Loved the show!

And thanks to you all for the lovely night!

I reccomend it to everybody that wants to listen to great music, played by great artists.

DAY 22: Shopping Day (from Covent Garden to Bond Street)

Enjoying Covent Garden

I started my day in Covent Garden. What a great place to shop!

Full of cool people and little original shops.

Next to the Seven Dials, I bought some beatiful brouches in Magma (8 Earlham St), though I could have bought everything in that store. And in Orion (17 Monmouth St) I found a perfect dress on sale.

Magma (7 Earlham Street, Covent Garden)

Orion (17 Monmouth Street, Covent Garden)

Continued walking to Neal´s Yard, the most cheery "patio" full of little restaurants and funny shops.

A couple of newlyweds being photograph for their wedding album was wondering around.

Neal´s Yard, Covent Garden

Message on Neal´s Yard´s wall

Thomas Neal´s

Then Thomas Neal´s, a little shopping centre, with some interesting boutiques. I really enjoyed the lamps and the building itself, very original.

I continued walking and seeing different stores. And when I reached Urban Outfitters (one of my favourite shops in this entire world), I found a great band, just playing in the street: the Ryan O´Reilly Band". Great sound, cool tunes. I just got to buy their latest EP "Emily". By the time I got home, I regreted not buying the other CD. They´re just great!One of my favourite new bands now. (http://www.myspace.com/ryanoreilly)

The Ryan O´Reilly Band busking in Covent Garden

James Street was so crowded! But somehow, it´s this crow what makes this place so curious. Walking along James St, I reached the Piazza and Central Market. One side of the Piazza was on restoration work (Big surprise!). The Royal Opera House building was watching over the Market.
I love this spot of the city. I like to stand up in the arcade and imaging the piazza as if I were Eliza Doolittle, selling flowers.
And in the market (with a great restored building) you can get from special Teas, to souvenirs.

James Street, Covent Garden

Vintage store

Central Market

Love is in the air 1

Restoring work

Floral Hall, Royal Opera House

Love is in the air 2

I continued my trip to Chinatown and Leicester Sq. walking down streets full of theaters, and restaurants.
Great atmosphere!

Down to Chinatown

Its a very well-known fact that Chinese people is present in every spot of this world, but specially in big cities. It´s not as famous as NY´s Chinatown, but I found it adorned with hundreds of Chinese lamps, due to the Chinese New year´s celebration, and it looked beatiful. I´m not a big fan of Chinese food, but if you like it, you´ll love its restaurants and grocery shops.

Leicester Square

Imagine I want to see Jude Law in  one of his movie premiers, how could I see him if the hole square is on construction works? Imposible!

The M&M´s store full of tourists shopping like there was no tomorrow. By this time, I was already very tired, and a little overwhelmed by the crow, that I had to leave the store inmediately.

Picadilly Circus

Picadilly Circus is never dissapointing. Always full of people, cars and buses. The perfect tourist´s spot.

Continued on Picadilly St to see the posh Burlington Arcade (very expensive and posh clothes, hats, shoes, jewelry and more) with smart doormen watching the entrance.

Fortum and Mason´s..., oh my God!, I mean, I loved it!
OK, it could be a little to chic for me, but specially the Grounf floor where you can buy different kinds of Tea, coffee, cookies and other delicatessen is great. And the store windows are so well-done, that I could stare at them for hours discovering new details.

Picadilly Circus

Fortum and Mason´s

Burlington Arcade

Store window at Fortum and Mason

St Valentine´s by Fortum and Mason

Let´s go to Carnaby Street

On my way to Carnaby St, I bumped into Kingly Court, a fancy little shopping centre full of vintage boutiques. And then Carnaby St, I have to say, I prefer the shops at Covent Garden.

Vintage Hairdresser at Kingly Court

Shops at Kingly Court

Continued to Liberty´s, again, great store windows, really original!


I also visited Oxford St and Selfridges. And then,  Bond Street.

It was a wonderful day.

Window shopping in Oxford  and Bond Street

One of the reasons I enjoy travelling, it´s the window shopping. And London offers a big oportunity to walk and visit shops without the need of shopping to have fun. In general, every Departamental Store has great decorated windows. But, if you walk the streets you´ll find some little shops with a wonderful "window art" to enjoy.
Here, some examples.

Liberty´s

Selfridges

Selfridges

Selfridges

Selfridges

Selfridges

This is not a window, only a street stencil I liked, but, what was the question?

Louis Vuitton

Louis Vuitton

Louis Vuitton