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We're turned our hire car to Gatwick and took the express train to Victoria Station, then a cab to the Hotel, the 'Radisson, Mercer Street', Covent Garden. This is a newly renovated boutique hotel which is stunning. We have a great suite 4th floor, overlooking the 7 dials square. Covent Garden, west-end, is the heart of the lively end of town with all it's boutique shops, restaurants and theaters all a few minuets walk from the hotel.
Our first afternoon is spent walking the streets booking theatre tickets and visiting the 'Tate Modern'.
We have dinner that night with Nick and Ellie Syme (nick is David and Sue Syme's son). The restaurant is called 'Petit Maison', near Mayfair.
The next day the weather is still great, it's a pampering session today, hair nails and all the rest and that is for both of us not just JB. In the afternoon we go to the 'Saachi' museum, there is an exhibition of contemporary German artists including the Tobias twins. That night we have theatre, a musical 'Singing in the Rain'.
Thursday is our Art day which we have been looking forward to. We take a cab to Hackney (like Collingwood/ Fitzroy).
We first visit Francis Upritchard who is working on a project for Nottingham contemporary about Robin Hood. We then walk down the road to Rene Soo.
She has just completed a successful show in London and is preparing for a show in Germany mid year, then preparing for a show in Australia February 2013.
We walked to David Noonan's studio nearby. David has currently no new work in the studio, as he has just completed a sell out show in Brussels. We spent a few hours talking about his work and life in London.
We then cab it back to the centre with David most of the way to visit Jimi Lee's 'Art modern', gallery. She represents a number of young Australian artists. From here we go on to visit a number of major galleries Sadie Coles, Hauser and Wirth and White Cube. These are all around the Saville Row area, a very expensive shopping area. MB buys a beautiful shirt at 'Ozwald Boateng'.
Back to the hotel for a G and T before dinner at 'Skeekers', with Amanda Cupples, and her partner Nick. (Amanda is Geoff and Yolanta Cupples daughter).
Good Friday we have tickets for the retrospective of 'Damien Hirst' at the Tate modern. We thought it was very impressive and a real eye opener into his life work and where he is coming from.
We managed an hour fast tracking the Assyrian and Greek exhibitions at the British Museum.
At 2.30 pm we meet Amanda Cupples for an Easter Friday 'Bach's Passion' concert at St. John's, Smith Square. This a wonderful and exceptionally beautiful concert written by Bach, and sung in German.
We went home to the hotel for a light dinner and preparation for Copenhagen tomorrow, and our first taste of Scandinavia.
We have both been to London several times but it amazed us that it was such a very busy, lively place and really felt like a quality city, we enjoyed it immensely.
JB and Mick
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