Exhibition: World Illustration Awards

Today, Let's Do This was headed to the World Illustration Awards exhibition at Somerset House. It was actually a bit cooler than yesterday, but I dressed warmer - and, of course, no ice rinks were involved! I'd had a good, long lie-in - needed it, what with waking every hour or so to expel phlegm - and still got ready in good time - although vexingly, my bus passed seconds before I got to the stop. I was early, and the next didn't take long - but oh, I do hate that! Anyway, we ended up being diverted - checking my phone, I discovered it was due both to roadworks and to the Adidas run.

Hey-ho, the bus still dropped me right in front of Somerset House, nice and early. Which gave me time to walk past the weird, smoky installation in the courtyard, to the South Wing where the exhibition is being held. Where I thought about waiting, as we were to meet at the entrance - but which entrance? I decided to look for the exhibition instead, which was well-signposted. Posted on the Meetup page that I was there, and it turned out that Mary was running late, and our organiser said he'd wait for her and then come find me. Which is as it turned out - this is a complicated building.

More photos here. The exhibition is tremendous - jam-packed with curiosities, which would take forever to examine, there is so much detail. You'll find politics:

science:

and a whole lot of children's illustrations - and as if that weren't enough, books in the room at the back allow you to see them in their natural setting, and read the whole book! As I remarked, if they had chairs in there, they'd never get rid of people:

Afterwards, we headed to the student exhibition upstairs - separate from this, finished today - and to a print exhibition that focuses on magazines (runs till the 22nd August), but we were most impressed by this first one, I think. Highly recommended - only, do take the time to look closer, because it's worth it. Runs until Wednesday - free admission.

We then made for the Riverside Terrace cafe, where we took a table, and the nice man brought cushions for the wire chairs. And our nice organiser bought us a bottle of wine to share. Good, sturdy canopy over us to protect against rain and wind. And when they chucked us out - they close at 5, and today's weather wasn't tempting anyone to stay - we made for the indoors cafe, where I had a very good chocolate fudge cake, and Mary vouches for the hot chocolate. We moseyed out to the courtyard installation, which was still blowing smoke around - then into the adjacent room that explained what was supposed to be happening. Apparently there are also banks of mirrors, and when the sun shines (ah! that was the problem), a temporary halo effect is created by the reflections from the mirrors, projected onto the smoke / steam. Only to be seen on a sunny day. Runs till the 27th..

When we split up, I knew I was too late for the local supermarkets, so treated myself to a meal out. Just a pizza and wine at the Pizza Express down the road - after a slightly-longer-than-short wait to be seated, I had what used to be my usual, the pollo ad astra Romano, and the house chardonnay, which was quite decent. The pizza was also tasty - unfortunately, they didn't deem it necessary to provide me with a pizza cutter (or a sharp knife), so it was quite hard to saw through. Anyway, nice for a change.

Tomorrow, I'm headed to storytelling by Crick Crack again, finally.. I haven't been able to make any of their more recent ones. It's in Soho Theatre, and it's Sally Pomme Clayton, with Crow. Blood. Snow. Oh my God, it's been ages. Naturally, you'd never know from their Meetup group that it's happening at all. Our boss was supposed to be in London that week, so I decided to leave the rest of the week free, for now.

Then he pinged us, last week, to say it'll actually be the week after. Cue me booking things frantically for the week that was now free - happily, I did well. On Tuesday, something very interesting - Up in the Cheap Seats is off to Whist, at Sadler's Wells. Now, turns out that this is an immersive, VR experience! Definitely different.

On Wednesday, London Literary Walks is off on Pop the Weasel, and I'm delighted to be able to accompany them. Local again, I see. Yet another attendee now that Mary's signed up, yay!

On Thursday, back to Sands Films for Fete de la Musique - Belcirque is performing, and they do sound quirky. London European Club, TunedIn London. Then it's Ireland again at the weekend.

On the 25th, I'm indulging myself with a premium seat to see Andrew Scott perform the one-man show, Seawall, written especially for him. It's at the Old Vic, two weeks only.

On the 26th, back with Up in the Cheap Seats, at Sadler's Wells. It's the Nederlands Dans Theater again - I remember good things about them from before. As I say, the boss is now in the office that week - well, he'll just have to manage without me, those two nights. I'm keeping the rest of the week, and the weekend, free, just in case. Hey, I do have to move that week as well, so could probably do with the time! Just waiting on the contract now, which I have to sign before I can pick up the keys.

And on the 2nd, back with Up in the Cheap Seats, at the Gielgud Theatre for Imperium I - Conspirator. The first part of a double-bill, but viewable independently, it is told from the point of view of Cicero's secretary, as he watches how his master's work is used to bring about an end to the Roman Republic. I should probably have booked the second part at the same time - there's a discount for that - but well, my schedule is generally so packed..!