Monday 14 September 2020

 'Palace of art' built up by 'real Henry Higgins' reopens: The Arab Hall in Leighton House

It's been years, maybe decades since I last visited Leighton House - but wow! Wouldn't you just love to host a party here? Preferably wearing  a gown like this. This was a lovely Sunday afternoon outing. (And the staff seem able to manage a simple one-way system without turning it into a joyless manoeuvre for jobs'worths.)

Wasn't so keen on my visit a few days ago to Pitzhanger Manor: the house seemed scruffy and neglected, and a banal, noisy exhibition has Hogarth's Rake's Progress - back at Pitzhanger for the first time in 200 years - sidelined in a tiny room. Meanwhile, several competing sound installations made it impossible to hear any one of them. They have some lovely small exhibitions here; this isn't one of them. Not worth the detour, even when the detour is only crossing the road on the way to Tesco; and at nearly £8 to get in, I'd file this under, "You must be joking!' Sir John Soane's Museum reopens shortly: free of the deadening municipal stamp  of Ealing Council - and free to get in!

St. James's Church, Piccadilly | Mayfair & St James's Association

After several weeks tied to my desk, I've been out and about this week - and had the inspired the idea of going to a lunchtime piano recital at St James's, Piccadilly. I sat up in the gallery - one person per pew - and enjoyed my view of architectural details. The audience spanned 'much older and wrinklier than me' down to a row of young lads with spectacular Mohican haircuts. I'm not very musical but this was the first live music I'd heard in months - and it was fabulous. I'm planning on making it a weekly date. Followed by a browse in an almost empty Fortnum & Mason's. (Perhaps I could Eat Out to Help Out in the chocolate department?) 

6 comments:

Julia said...

I adore Leighton House Museum and the blue of the tiles in the Arab Hall might be my very favourite colour. I was thinking about making a trip to Pitzhanger but am a bit less keen now!

Mary said...

Quite a lot of the house was closed, Julia. You could go upstairs but apart from the room with the painted wallpaper, other rooms seem to have become ad hoc storage space/dumping grounds - well, I know that feeling but I can get it at home! And the exhibition is nothing much. Not worth a journey for sure,at least not at present. Leighton House was lovely, though.

Lucille said...

Thanks for the warning about the boomy narrations from side rooms. They spook me out and cancel each other out. The lunchtime concerts sound much nicer. Did you book far in advance?
Standen was disappointingly closed for upper floors and the Morning Room which I think they could have forewarned us about before a long hot queue in the courtyard with a man coughing behind me. Much of the garden also out of bounds for no apparent reason.

Mary said...

That sounds disappointing, Lucille; I'm not very impressed by the NT at present - and they're always very grabby about taking your money before they let on that they're only half open. And they're still dragging their feet about opening some properties.
I only booked the concert the day before, I think; might have been two days. If there's places left - and there were - you can walk in. (But do check that, in case I'm mis-remembering!)

Pam said...

I've bravely been to London and back - train, tube, bus.

Didn't see you, though... Not that I would recognise Mary (I feel she's dark, slim, straight-haired, with regular features and - obviously - not wrinkly).

Mary said...

Hold that thought, Pam! Apart from the straight hair, that's a very good description of me - but sadly, about 30 years out of date!
Hope you enjoyed your visit!