got so upset about the news about Maggie that I didn't say much about the fun times I had in London - i wound up seeing 2 exhibitions at the victoria and albert - one on hats put together by stephen jones that included a bonnet q victoria wore as a young lady, then 1 called magnificence of the tsars that had some of the truly outrageous clothes the russian royal family and courtiers wore - and because i'm a volunteer at the asian art museum they gave me tickets for free! then had lunch at the patisserie valerie near the v and a and it was delicious plus i took away 2 yummy florentines to have later that day with a nice cup of tea - i seem to have a small obsession with the dodi and diana shrine in harrod's so i found myself going back there even though (or probably because) it's super-creepy, including a plexiglas pyramid holding the 'engagement ring' and a wine glass from their last dinner at the ritz including dregs of red wine! it's at the foot of the eqyptian staircase (actually escalators) that is like the luxor in vegas really garish and most brits would say vulgar but again, i love it - bought a t-shirt on sale that has the union jack in silver sequins and harrods/london in small letters underneath and also an address book
the next day i went to kensington palace, really to get a cream tea (with REAL clotted cream not the whipped cream that even many places in london try to foist on their customers) at the orangerie - saw a cool exhibit called the last debutantes about the last group of girls presented to the queen in 1958 before she abolished the custom - it was not only about the rituals and dress for presentations but also about that whole 50's era just before everything in the world esp in the uk blew up in the 60's (mostly in a good way)
and it's always fun riding around in the double decker busses
am now in poole dorset (sw of london on the coast) visiting prue and nigel and guy and georgina and whisky the rabbit - had a really delicious indian dinner at the rajasthan restaurant and saw many of their friends again at the yacht club - prue and i took a walk along the beach (both of us well wrapped up) to the sandbanks hotel - today am taking 2 trains to cornwall and i'll try to be more regular about entries and report on adventures from there
