More Sunshine in the Big Smoke

Saturday had been a long day so we decided to have a lazy Sunday.  Our intention was to check out the local Sunday markets and have a walk in the park -  brunch out somewhere and see what happened from then on.   We had plans to be out in the evening which meant we had to leave home about half past four to get to where we needed to go so we didn't want to go far. 

 We set off for a walk around Dalston and Hackney.   it's very colorful, remember I'm a country mouse these days...   the markets were not as busy as the had been during the week but we found a really nice cafe by the park and we had a lovely lazy brunch and then we walked through the park deciding to head for the new V&A East Museum.  

The museum is sited on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic park.  My friend had had visited this area for the Paralympics and was really pleased to see that the whole Park has been totally utilized kept really nice and was a very pleasant space to walk about.

  It was very diverse, one side of the park by the canal has got beautiful old buildings with some interesting artwork on and then as you walk through to the tube station (after the museum) it's very modern shopping complex with all the shops that you might never want to visit. 

 The museum was very nice, a little bit reminiscent of Dundee V&A but actually much much nicer.  Obviously it's the building at Dundee but this time it's actually the contents and exhibitions.

   There was a lovely array and diverse eclectic collection of all sorts of interesting things to look at.  I think because it was the marathon and the cup final it wasn't very busy so it was a very nice space to wander about and have a very calm Sunday afternoon.  And of course the dress...defo inspiration for  'frock friday' all 2027...

We got the tube home and got our glad rags on and headed back out to go and immerse ourselves in an 1890s French cabaret La Char Noir... a nightclub cabaret venue set deep in West Kensington and pretending to be in Paris. 

it was extremely well done from the moment of arrival right the way through.  The Cabaret was very very good, very entertaining, funny, risque, colouful and kept our attention for the three and a half hours it ran. 

I think we were very lucky we had a very good table - we were fed and the food was at best mediocre but edible - but that wasn't really what the evening was about... more a completely immersive experience going back to 1890 with a lot of Cancan dancing-frilly knickers and very silly lewd jokes.  The cast were very good and we did enjoy it immensley. My only rider I would say though, the wine was very expensive and the waiter failed to give us the cheaper options which was a tad disappointing when the bill came... but then again we're only out for a night like that once in a lifetime so suck it up and enjoy.

We weren't really allowed to take photographs so the photographs I have a pretty boring. There was a whole act devoted to the absinthe fairy where a lot of guests drank absinthe.   It was delivered to the table with beautiful fancy glass containers ( they have a name but i cant remember it) with ice and little taps and to drip iced water through sugar cubes into the absinthe. 

We didn't do this, mainly because I don't like absinthe and also cos it was incredibly expensive but it was fun to watch other people.   The absinthe fairy came out and did her dance and the whole thing was very atmospheric but no photos🤔 

Took us a hour to get home on the tube... another crazy day in the big city.