Our hotel was The Hoxton, Holborn. It’s a chain that started in London and they’ve spread all over now, including for example Los Angeles. I think they all go for a slightly retro stylish vibe, with a nice lounge in the lobby. Think decorative rivets around door frames and mock mid century desk radios. The lounge was always full of young professionals, some working on their laptops but most having a drink with someone. It was a relaxed vibe compared to the West End pubs we walked by, with their lively crowds taking over the sidewalks holding pints of beer.
The Hoxton Holborn was only a few blocks from the British Museum, and across the street from the British Museum was the main attraction of the neighborhood (for me at least), the Craft Potters Association gallery.
The CPA represents the best potters in Britain, and it’s a treat to see them all in one spot. They had a special exhibit of Peter Beard’s work, which lately features layered slips over a textured surface, all ground down with an angle grinder(!). It’s a striking look and an unbelievable amount of work and dust for each piece. I hope he wears a mask!
I wound up buying a footed square dish by Sean Miller, this shape but in this glaze style.
Next we headed to the Wallace Collection, a private aristocratic art collection that was given to the British public in 1900. It’s still the museum as it was gifted, packed with mostly French art, including porcelain.
I used to be bored by the baroque excess of Limoges and Sèvres porcelain, but I’m starting to warm up to it more. I can’t imagine the amount of work that went into pieces like these, all the fine detail and multiple firings.
The place is just packed with art.
Pieces ranged from tiny wax cameos to giant landscapes. For paintings Wallace seemed to prefer Italian countryside, still lifes featuring hunted hares, and pretty women.
Oh, and rooms full of armor.
In 2000 they glassed in the courtyard and made a nice restaurant. Michele and I indulged in a tea.
I think this might be my last set English Tea. It’s pretty much all carbs and I’m too old for a late lunch of bread and sugar. Although the scones were good.
On the way back to the hotel we passed by a shop with a kitchen robot in the window and the signage “New AI Robotic Chef”. We went in to find out more, but nobody was there! It was just us and the robot, biding its time until the robot uprising.
Who would buy such a thing? It still needs mise en place in those containers on the side, it doesn’t chop or prep. I think we humans still have a few years left.