12-15 June 2007, London

students @ British Museum

napping couple

Gosh @ 39 Great Russell Street

@ Neal's Yard, Covent Garden

National Gallery's Grand Tour @ West End

brunch @ Notting Hill

Portobello Road

food hall @ Harrods

welcome to the world of Steiff

who would pay 99 quid for a stiff-looking cat like this?!

final stop @ Harrods

@ Centrepoint

good food+foul-faced staff
@Tottenham Court Road

macaroons from Ladurée

if these are 2nd rate macaroons,

I wonder how those from Pierre Hermé taste like... ...

Alice in (pop-up) Wonderland by J. Otto Seibold

& other Edward Gorey illustrations

from Gosh

Selfridges-Sloane Street-New Bond Street-Harrods: out of stock

disappointingly, search for Prada's satin turban headband turned out unfruitful.

headed to Topshop at Oxford Circus & Hark! here's what I found:

*model: Miffy

at least I've got a decent silk turban, although it isn't as lush as the originals.

here's how the real stuff looks like:

I know this looks superficially desperate but...

will some gorgeous soul help me get this headpiece?

I'm most willing to pay for cost+postage+handling fee+misc.

*FYI: Prada black satin headband, size: L or euro 42.

handmade purse from Portabello Market,

mesh bracelets from Topshop,

vintage 70s bangle from Portabello Market.

Highlights:

Piano Recitals by 2 legendary pianists

considering his age (65 years young),

Pollini's rendition of Liszt's Piano Sonata in B minor was formidable and unforgettable.

Shamefully, I dozed off a couple of times at Brendel's.

not that his playing was boring but because it was almost perfect in terms of:

structure/balance/tone/facility/musicality/programming/accoustics @ the new RFH etc.

although a slight memory slip occured at the

1st mvt of Mozart's Piano Sonata No. #% (tricky repeats!).

To sum it up, Pollini created magic and Brendel created beauty.

London was well spent.

(except for the bloody headband!)