Tuesday, October 15, 2019
Dora Marr Retrospective at the Tate Modern
So many exciting and enthralling exhibitions on for autumn and winter in the UK. DORA MARR runs from 20 November 2019 to 15 March 2020 at the Tate Modern, London. Dora Marr's works became 'celebrated icons of surrealism' and the 200 works on show will span six decades and include social documentary photographs, commissions and paintings. Growing up between Argentina and Paris, she studied art before switching to photography. (Source: Tate Modern.)
Other exhibitions include Tim Walker: Wonderful Things at the V&A, London, Gaugin portraits at the National Gallery, London, and Vivian Suter at the Tate Liverpool, Liverpool. October is Charles Renee Mackintosh month in Glasgow, celebrating the architecture, design and arts and crafts of the great man.
See Visit Britain's list of major exhibitions around the UK for autumn and winter, here.
Autumn in London and Paris
Oak tree in London's Richmond Park. Photo ©Alison Plummer |
I also have a hankering for Paris at this time of year – today inspired by news from the five star luxury Hotel Esprit Saint Germain on the Left Bank. Tempting offers include five-night packages to enjoy for autumn, the festive season and beyond!
Tuesday, August 6, 2019
The Church that would not Die, St Michael the Archangel, Wollombi
Book cover image photographed by Ken Martin. |
Like the church itself, the book is the sum of the involvement of many people. Drawing on a heritage architect paper by James Phillip of Weir Phillips Heritage Architects and research into the auction years by Gael Winnick, I tell stories of those involved with the addition of early chapters regarding the arrival in Sydney of the first Catholics and Bishop Polding who laid St Michael's first foundation stone in 1840. The 'mapping' of emerging Wollombi and the incredible engineering feat of the convict-built Great North Road are also included. Also proud to have handled production and publishing, including design with my company True Blue Cockatoo.
RRP $39.95 (+p&p), published by the ACU, Sydney, the book will be available to buy in Wollombi via St Michael's Church or contact me, info@bluecockatoo.com.au for sales enquiries (proceeds to St Michael's).
Book launch, Grays Inn Garden at Noyce Bothers Wine, Wollombi. |
Grays Inna nd Noyce Brothers' cellar door, Panino Caffe, (Now Tabu!), Wollombi Village, NSW. |
Saturday, July 20, 2019
Blues Point walk, Sydney
There's nowhere like Sydney Harbour on a sparkling blue sunny day! The foreshore holds many secrets, walks and vantage points and it was a special experience today to walk along a path beside the water at Blues Point, admiring the city from afar and then rounding a bend to a spectacular view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Find more Harbour secrets at https://www.harbourtrust.gov.au
Photos©Alison Plummer |
Saturday, May 4, 2019
Best Asparagus, Vale of Evesham
Asparagus with mushroom and garlic filled pasta, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Photo Alison Plummer.© |
The British asparagus season is from March to June and Vale of Evesham Asparagus has Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status under the EU protected food name scheme covering regional and traditional foods whose authenticity and origin can be guaranteed. The PGI mark is awarded if produce 'has a reputation, characteristics or qualities that are a result of the area it’s associated with'.
Find farm shops, delis, greengrocers selling asparagus around the Vale of Evesham area including:
Revills Farm Shop at Defford near Pershore, sells only PGI status Vale of Evesham Asparagus and is close to Croome Court and on the way to the fabulous Malvern Hills, home of the Morgan Motor Company (you'll see many Morgans on the roads). There's a Farmhouse Cafe for light lunches and afternoon teas with a selection of yummy cakes daily. All-day breakfast at weekends.
Ellenden Farm Shop, Harvington near Evesham. 2019 Midlands Regional Winners for the Countryside Alliance local food and drink award, offering a wide range of fresh vegetables, fruit and other delicious local produce, home-farmed meats. Merguez sausages! The inviting cafe serves breakfast, coffee, freshly-prepared dishes, afternoon tea, cakes. Close to The Valley shopping and garden centre, Golls Garden Centre and not far from Coughton Court. The Ellenden newsletter is a lovely connection to the seasons and produce news in the Vale of Evesham.
Hillers Farm Shop, cafe, gift shop and garden centre with beautiful show gardens to wander through. Near 'Roman' Alcester and not far from Ragley Hall and Coughton Court.
Castle Nurseries Farm Shop on Broadway Road off the A46.
Fruit Salad 48 High Street, Pershore, an attractive town for shopping, bakeries, foodie haunts and cafes plus the wonderful Pershore Abbey, now a parish church.
Wayside Farm Shop on the Broadway Road between Evesham and Broadway, with a teashop.
Broadway Deli in beautiful Broadway village – the great choice as a base for exploring the Vale of Evesham and the Cotswolds.
The historic Fleece Inn at Bretforton is the home of the National Asparagus Festival, asparagus auctions and many events during the season. (Great range of beers and ciders.)
The Round of Gras pub is named after the traditional rounds (bunches) of asparagus in the Vale of Evesham market gardening region. April-June asparagus menu as well as fish and chips and other pub grub and carvery days – traditional roast with all the trimmings.
Asparagus is on seasonal restaurant menus and find specialist produce in the shops. Abbey Butchers, High Street, Pershore, makes an asparagus pork pie and Vale Porker sausages with black pepper and asparagus.
Tiddesley Wood, above and below. Photos Alison Plummer.© |
Big shout out and thanks to fabulous friends Fiona and Neil whose FB post inspired me to go hunting for Tiddesley Wood in the first place. I am so envious of your orchid finds – native orchids in NSW, Australia, are a passion of mine but I haven't looked at the British ones, until now. Thanks also to John and Mardy for John's birthday celebrations at the Round of Gras, so much enjoyed.
Thursday, May 2, 2019
The Farmstead at Royal Malewane opens in the Greater Kruger National Park, South Africa
Photo © The Royal Portfolio |
This looks inviting! The Farmstead at Royal Malewane safari lodge is the latest addition to The Royal Portfolio with three Luxury Farm Suites and The Farmhouse – a three and a half bedroom villa offering private services. The interiors by Liz Biden, owner and Founder of The Royal Portfolio, are described as combining the contemporary style of The Silo Hotel and the capricious opulence of La Residence. Light oak, tin rooves, wrought iron and gentle hues of blue and white define the style with lively splashes of emerald and ruby.
Photo © The Royal Portfolio |
https://www.theroyalportfolio.com
Bookings:
reservations@trp.travel
The Royal Portfolio collection of hotels in South Africa is owned and run by the Biden family and includes Royal Malewane in the Greater Kruger National Park, Birkenhead House in Hermanus, La Residence in Franschhoek and The Silo Hotel in Cape Town.
Source: Press release.
AGNSW Packing Room Prize Winner
Through the looking glass, by Tessa MacKay©. Photo: AGNSW |
The Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW) has announced the finalists for this year's Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes, the finalists for the Young Archie competition and the Packing Room Prize winner, Perth artist Tessa MacKay.
Newcomer finalist Tessa MacKay said she was ‘thrilled’. “David's thoughtful gaze in the middle of the work is a kind of anchor. The portrait is about stepping into David's world. I like to think that his somewhat pensive eyes, lost in thought, are another kind of ‘looking glass’ that we're peering into,” MacKay said.
David Wenham said he felt privileged to sit for MacKay who he met through her husband, a writer/director. "Aware of my fondness for sitting, people watching and general day dreaming, Tess had a very clear vision of what the look, feel and purpose of the portrait should be."
Now in its 10th year, the 2019 Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes exhibition is proudly presented by ANZ.
Source: AGNSW press release.
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