Never Neverland

Never Neverland. London, England. September 2017.

Kew Gardens. London, England, UK. September 2017.

While I love the busy and frenetic aspects of London, I also enjoy its green spaces. Despite how dense London is, there are numerous parks scattered across the city: from Hampstead Heath to St. James Park, Regent's Park to Kew Gardens.

This Victorian-style greenhouse named Palm House is located in Kew Gardens, roughly 45 minutes via tube from city center. This was my first time to this part of Richmond and I ventured there to see "The Hive," the U.K. Pavilion from Expo Milano. The pavilion was beautiful, but I was just as intrigued by the greenhouse.

The Palm House was built in 1844 as a place for explorers to house tropical plants brought back from travels in the tropics. It remains one of the most distinguished examples of a glass and iron Victorian structure. The misters are necessary to maintain the rainforest climate inside, but also creates the appropriate ambience for this ethereal and mystical urban escape.

Sky High

Sky High. London, England. September 2017.

Sky Garden, London, U.K. September 2017.

Sitting atop of London's controversial "Walkie Talkie" building (aka 20 Fenchurch Street Tower), Sky Garden is a must see for anyone that enjoys a free urban retreat with a view. Opened in 2015 and designed by architect Rafael Viñoly, Sky Garden has a full 360 degree view of the city where you can see London Bridge, Tate Modern, Barbican, Gherkin, and a lot in between. I went right around opening so that I could get some photos without people in them, but many others had the same idea. Luckily the garden is large enough to accommodate hundreds and finding an undisturbed moment shared between a couple is still possible.  

Love Actually Season

Love Actually Season. London, England. February 2016.

We are quickly approaching the holiday season which also means we are quickly approaching 'Love Actually' season. 'Love Actually' made 27 St. Luke's Mews one of the most famous addresses in Notting Hill (next to Hugh Grant's bookstore featured in 'Notting Hill') and whether you like the film or not, if you have seen it once, you will likely recognize this charming home from the film. Notecards, Keira Knightley, Andrew Lincoln, a profession of love, is it coming back?

St. Luke's Mews is a nice, short detour off of Portobello Road; a quiet street with plenty of green to complement the colorful façades. Tourists make this home a destination, so applause to the owners for keeping it photo ready because it is 'Love Actually' season here all year long. 

Absof'inglutely

Absof'inglutely. London, England. March 2016. 

Because "earth without art is just 'eh.'"

Sugar Rush

Sugar Rush. London, England. March 2016. 

I saw Sugarhouse Studios featured on a few Instagram feeds I follow and was taken by the hand painted tiles on the exterior. I took mental note and when I visited London in March, I was excited to have the chance to see this in person. Sugarhouse is an artist's space tucked in East London near Stratford and the Olympic Stadium, a long trek by tube and double decker from city center, but worth every step. The working space was closed the day I visited so I did not get a chance to see Sugarhouse in action, however I did get an up close view of this beautiful pastel patchwork. It's impressive both in scale and craftsmanship; springtime on a façade. 

Looking 'Straight' On

Looking 'Straight' On. London, UK. December 2015. 

I took this photo a few weeks ago during the final hours of Ai Wei Wei's retrospective exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts in London. This is the second time I have seen this particular installation aptly named "Straight." 

"Straight" is a very large and powerful two part installation created as a response to the 2008 Sichuan province earthquake which killed over 5,000 elementary school children. The artist and his studio created this piece as a criticism to China's weak construction regulations. The most visual part of "Straight" uses salvaged steel rods from elementary schools that collapsed and were subsequently destroyed by the earthquake. From the debris, Ai's studio collected 96 tons of steel rods and one by one hand pounded and straightened them from their twisted form.

The second part of the piece is on the wall surrounding the steel rods in the center. From a distance, the walls appear plain and white, however if you look closer you will see that it is actually a roster of all the names and ages of school children that were victims of the earthquake. Since the Chinese government would not release the names of the young school children killed in the schools, Ai took it upon himself to create the list of victims, publish them via his own social media, and include them in this installation. 

Incandescently Happy

Incandescently Happy. Selfridges & Co., London. December 2015.

London really knows how to show off during the holidays. I visited Oxford Street in December and was more interested in taking photos of the light installations in the squares and streets than shopping. It was a nice surprise to find equally elegant lighting details inside stores lined along Oxford Street.

A crowd favorite along Oxford Street is Selfridges & Co. Walking into Selfridges is walking into an experience—it is grand, stately, and classic—a time capsule into 1900s design. As I wandered through the floors, I stumbled across this hidden gem in the basement—a room that, to steal a line from Jane Austen, made me "incandescently happy." The idea of hundreds of bare bulbs illuminating a room is simple and obvious, and yet so elegant. I love the warmth this style of lighting exudes. I realize Selfridges is not the first to execute this concept, but given the atmosphere of the season, it was really magical to see. 

Balance and Focus

I'm Not Aimless. London, England. July 2010. 

Directly beneath Queen Elizabeth Hall on the south side of the Thames is this gem. Skaters started to use this space in the 1970s. In 2008, South Bank Skate Park was threatened with closure for retail development, however it was saved with the help and encouragement of local governement. I love the color explosion on the walls of the park and am very happy it is not going anywhere anytime soon.