la poste

After 2 years in France, I'm almost used to posting letters in yellow post boxes.
For me letter boxes really should be red!

Some more Côte d'Azur winter light from last week.

beaulieu sur mer dans l'hiver

Some images from a walk along the méd at Beaulieu sur Mer last week.
The winter light of the Côte d'Azur that afternoon was stunning.
At Beaulieu you can follow a paved footpath along the coast. It's like this along much of the Côte d'Azur. A perfect place to walk with the sound of the sea, adding background sound to the music playing on my ipod.

This time I followed someones wet footprints along the path. It was intriguing as it wasn't nearly warm enough to have been swimming!

riba

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) at 66 Portland Place, London is a 1930s listed building designed by the architect George Grey Wornum.
I used to spend one day a week working here in the architectural library helping sort through boxes of old photographs from the collection. I remember looking forward each week to seeing which photographer I'd get to archive. The library has an extensive photographic collection, a selection of which can be purchased online. Have a look, as it's a fantastic resource to browse through.

I recently met a friend here for lunch and altough we were a bit disappointed with the food, we relished the atmosphere surrounded by chattering architects, in the architectural elegance of the 1930s restaurant.

croque monsieur

Paris was never my favourite city. Sure I found it romantic and beautiful but for a long time it was edginess that I looked for in a city, as well as beauty. But I've changed my tune and with each visit I become more enamoured with it's style and plain attention to detail.
Take for example this Croque Monsieur. It's so much more than just a 'toasted sandwich'. There's no messing about with it. It's goodness shines through.
Incidently this, believe it or not, was my first Croque Monsieur and it was a goodie.

fade to grey

Due to my alighting from the wrong tube station, I made an unplanned walk through Hyde Park yesterday. Deciding I had the time and more than enough inclination to walk across the park to Mayfair, I found myself passing the newly restored Serpentine Bar & Restaurant overlooking the Serpentine Lake, where the intrepid Serpentine Swimmers brave the cold water & dodge duck poo.

The restaurant was designed by the modernist architect Patrick Gwynne in 1964. It's a building I've always loved, with it's Japaneseque tent like roof appearing to hover like a bird's outstreached wings.

snow time

The only thing that's possibly more fun than playing with kids in the snow, is watching a couple of over excited labradors frolicking!

Thanks for all your comments. I made it over to London with no hitches. I would travel by train everywhere if i could. It's much the best way to travel.

finisterre

New Year's day we went for a very windy walk along the beach at La Grande Motte.
Perfect for blowing away the cobwebs!

In anticipation of a trip to London (by train) next week, I rewatched St Etienne's
Finisterre. Such a great London film.