An Outing To London

Despite the fact that I work in London, i don't often get to see very much of it as I am dashing about to meetings and appointments. So yesterday was a real treat as I got to spend some quality time in the capital.

I started off at the Barbican where I saw the exhibition about the architect and designer Le Corbusier. I first went to the Barbican 13 years ago where I saw an exhibition of the photographer Don McCullin's work. I love the building, such a striking piece of design from the 1960's but very easy to get lost in.

I really enjoyed the exhibition but I found it a little bit too much for someone who does not know a huge amount about Le Corbusier. What I did enjoy was the bits of film that he made showing his vision and gave you a glimpse at what his early life in Paris may have been like. I was surprised about what I did know and how much of the furniture I recognised. I also enjoyed more his earlier work, which was more simple and had a youthful promise to it. Some of his later work seemed to be very grand and I couldn't identify with this quite as much. Le Corbusier was a very intelligent young man working on his first house at just 18 years old and his inspiration to the world of architecture and design continues through to today.

After lunch I visited Persephone books which I have been waiting to go to for sometime.



I first heard about Persephone books from my good friend over at Cuppa Tea and Cake and a few weeks ago I was given one, 'A Very Great Profession' by Nicola Beauman, as a present. I love the idea behind Persephone, it was set up to publish books by and about women that were not readily available from other publishers. What makes them extra special is that each is printed with a plain grey cover, but inside is a wonderfully bright end-paper that has been chosen to match the book.

I was in there for sometime as I couldn't decide which book to choose. After much deliberating I settled on 'The Wise Virgins' by Leonard Woolf. He wrote it around the time that he was marrying Virginia Woolf in 1912-1913 and as I am up to 1908 in my Virginia Woolf read (see my other blog here) I thought I might be a good book to read as a break from Virginia Woolf.


Luckily I had my book bag with me so was able to get it home without it getting scuffed in my bag. All in all a rather fun day out