Wedding up North(umberland)

I love weddings. I really do. A chance to get dressed up in an over-the-top outfit and enjoy yourself, surrounded by people you (hopefully) know and who are in the mood to celebrate. Of course, not every wedding is a positive experience, but happily the wedding of a family friend I went to last week was lovely.

The wedding took place in Newton Hall in Northumberland. The venue was gorgeous, but it was a shame about the weather, which prevented the photos being taken outside in front of the Hall. Still, a great deal of fun was had by all.
I got this bargainous dress from Collectif a few weeks ago: it’s the Maria Bloom Swing Dress. My mam made me do it: I had a different dress planned to wear, but she persuaded me to get this one. Well, it was in the sale.

Me wearing my new Collectif dress
Awkward mirror selfie

My shoes are ones that I’ve had a long time. They’re lovely and relatively comfortable, but it’s so long since I’ve worn heels that they started to kill me. The bride had thoughtfully provided flip-flops for all the ladies, but I’ve never been able to wear them (toe posts kill me). So I took my own Rollasoles instead. My bag was a charity shop bargain. I did have a jacket to wear but I ended up leaving it in the house, which meant I was absolutely freezing when we got there. Luckily once we made it inside the building it was nice and warm.

The wedding was beautiful, lots of speeches were made and plenty of wine was drunk (mainly by me). I got to see people I haven’t seen for ages, and I may also have had a bit of a dance. Perhaps.

Jewellery brand of the month: Kimchi and Coconut

Today I’m going to focus on a relatively new jewellery brand, the amazingly-named

KIMCHI AND COCONUT

This brand is made by designer Jessica in Birmingham.

This shimmery shoal necklace is absolutely beautiful.

Shoal Necklace
Shoal Necklace, £40

Continuing the theme, this leopard seal and penguin necklace is incredibly detailed, but I love penguins so much I don’t think I’d ever be able to wear it!

The Chase Necklace
The Chase Necklace, £30

This little wolf brooch is available in three different colours.

Lupin Brooch
Lupin Brooch, £15

The detail on this Frida brooch is astounding.

Frida Brooch
Frida Brooch, £20

I love the glitter on the black version of this glorious whale necklace.

Galactic Whale Necklace
Galactic Whale Necklace, £25

Jess has recently launched a monthly subscription box: check out the site for the latest theme. It’s £30 a month to subscribe or you can buy a one-off box for £35. Check out the #kimchiandcoconut hashtag on Instagram to see some pictures: I particularly love the Van Gogh-inspired starry night necklace.

Take a look at Kimchi and Coconut by visiting:

Website: kimchiandcoconut.com

Facebook: facebook.com/kimchiandcoconut

Instagram: instagram.com/kimchiandcoconut

London Motor Museum

London Motor Museum London Motor Museum

In my bid to visit every London museum, the London Motor Museum was an obvious choice for my next trip as it is located fairly near to where I live. The museum, which is the only custom car museum in Europe, is a short walk from Hayes & Harlington train station, so I headed down one sunny Sunday.

London Motor Museum

The museum was founded by Elo, a former model and fashion designer, who turned a passion for collecting special cars into this unique museum. It began in 2001 with just seven cars, and moved to its current location in 2007, with a collection of over 200 cars.

Motorbikes

The museum is large and airy, with information boards hanging on the walls. The cars are displayed by theme, with sections for cars of different eras, as well as one for cars from films and TV shows. As well as Mr Bean’s famous yellow Mini, there is a wooden wagon from Robin Hood and there is even a ‘Bat Cave’ with both the 1966 and 1989 Batmobiles.

Only Fools and Horses Robin Reliant
Only Fools and Horses Robin Reliant
Robin Hood medieval wagon
Robin Hood medieval wagon
Mr Bean's Mini
Mr Bean’s Mini
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Batmobile
Batmobile

The museum doesn’t just have cars: there is a section with motorbikes and another rather bizarre one with tractors.

A car enthusiast would love this museum. The biggest problem is the cost. The adult entrance fee is a whopping £30 which I frankly wouldn’t have considered paying. I was able to get a much better deal from the Living Social website. If you can get a good deal, however, it’s worth paying this museum a visit.

My kind of vehicle

FACTS

Address: 3 Nestles Avenue, Hayes, UB3 4SB

Website: londonmotormuseum.co.uk

Opening Hours: Daily 10am-6pm

Prices: Adults £30 (£22.50 online), concessions £20 (£15 online). Annual membership is available.

Revolution: Russian Art 1917-1932 – Royal Academy of Arts

2017_0329Revolution01

My longstanding interest in Russia meant that the Revolution: Russian Art 1917-1932 exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts was right up my street. The exhibition covered the period between 1917 and 1932, when Russia was settling into life post-revolution and artists were first excited by the opportunities the new world presented, then dismayed at the restrictions imposed by Stalin.

During this first fifteen years, artists enjoyed considerable freedom, and revelled in the new possibilities that the new regime offered. However, in 1932 Stalin decreed that Socialist Realism was the only acceptable style for the Soviet Union, ending this burst of creativity.

The exhibition features work by many acclaimed artists, including Kandinsky, Malevich, Chagall and Rodchenko. Interestingly it also features film clips of life in Russia, from both films and documentaries about the Soviet regime.

One of the most powerful things about the exhibition had nothing at all to do with art. In the last room, there was a video booth showing photographs of people who had been arrested and sent to gulags by Stalin and his cronies. The faces staring out of the screen are still haunting me.