Last weekend was a fun one. A super fun one… so I thought I’d write it all down. Here are my 6 good things.
It was a busy week in the lead up to the weekend full of photography and flower shows which although is one of my favourite sorts of busy it left me not a moment to think about what I had planned for the weekend.
1.Friday night after work we dashed down the road to Tolthorpe Hall to watch an alfresco performance of Alice in Wonderland and through the looking glass. I love the Alice stories; the last time I read them they made me laugh so much I gave myself hiccups so I could hardly turn down the chance to watch this play in such a pretty setting.
Every year throughout the summer Tolthorpe Hall put on plays in their amazing outdoor theatre. Sit outside on the grass gardens of the lovely country house pre-performance for a Prosecco picnic as we did and then shuffle down into the magical amphitheatre where the stage is tucked in between the trees for a really rather enchanting experience. And all the fresh air during the performance will help those nap-prone theatre go-ers from loosing their head!
2. Saturday daytime I met up with my girls! My very best girls who I have been friends for almost 20 years. This is extra special because one of them lives in New Zealand (I think you tell by the brown legs which one that is), one has just moved back to England after 2 years in New York, and the rest of us are spread far and wide around England. It’s the first time in two years we’ve all been together!
3. Saturday evening I went down to London to the Noël Coward theatre to watch the stage production of Shakespeare in Love with my mum and sister. It was wonderful, one of the the most wonderful theatre shows I’ve seen actually. The set was fantastic, the music was beautiful and to be the cliché – I laughed and I cried! Do go if you get the opportunity!
4. I found my new favourite shop! Broadway market in East London has been a favourite street of mine for a while with it’s quirky furniture shops, interesting bookstores and serious coffee drinkers cafe’s. There is also an amazing market every saturday which makes me wish I lived there every time I go. The past year a lot of new restaurants and shops have turned up as it slowly becomes the coolest place to stroll in London. 69b has been there a couple of years and is my new favourite. Their “contemporary and sustainable fashion” from new talents and designers is clean and quirky offering great prints on interesting shapes and fabrics. They launch their commerce sight in the next few weeks.
5. A mouse taxidermy class. That’s what I did on Sunday afternoon. When I told my friends on saturday thats what i was doing they laughed and thought I was mad which is fair I suppose! Taxidermy is seeing a major revival and becoming surprisingly trendy, or is it surprising at all? Can anyone really resist a fluffy white rabbit popping cheekily out of a top hat holding a magic wand? Maybe they can and I know it’s not for everyone but there really are some amazing taxidermy artists out there and also some amazing antique pieces.
One of my best friends at school was a taxidermist and going round to her house after school was incredible. As you walked through the back door a giant tiger relaxing casually on a branch was the first thing that greeted you as well as a backdrop that was basically the Noah’s ark of taxidermy. I guess thats one reason I find it slightly easier to handle than some?
A curious invitation who we booked the class through is a project hosting various classes and alternative evenings and parties over the year. As well as mouse taxidermy they also arrange butterfly setting classes and a chance to ‘voodoo your ex’ for anyone who might be interested and parties for events such as halloween.
My sister attended the class with me and it really was extremely interesting and yes, ever so slightly weird with a few moments of gross. I’m going to spare you the gory details (and pictures) and let you use your imagination but I can say that there are tiny backpacks, miniature writing desks and floral sun hats involved! And for anyone who really is struggling with the idea of it I read quite a good blog post from one of the teachers at the classes here on how anti animal cruelty she is and how there are far more damaging things to nature than using animals that are ethically sourced to create works of art.
6. And last but by no means least, last weekend I finally met my new niece Rosie Rhodes! She’s on holiday from Thailand where she lives with my brother and sister-in-law and she is the most beautiful little thing! *proud Auntie face*
So thats it. My 6 six good things from last weekend. A slightly more personal post than I would usually like to write but you know what guys, I just really felt like sharing!
Have a great weekend!
Katie x