There is something quite enchanting about Paris’s smaller museums, and I recently spent a very nice afternoon between two of them in the 9th arrondissement, both housed in what was once an artist’s residence. The different histories of the buildings and their gifting as public spaces, as well as the profiles of the artists and […]
A review of Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery. This is an exceptionally good opportunity to get up close to Freud’s works and see the development of his artistic style. Just don’t expect it to be a comfortable experience. Lucian Freud Like so many 20th Century artists (and the point of this previous […]
An illustrated walk along the Thames from Chelsea to Westminster, exploring various London curiosities along the way. Exploring Further Along the Thames: Chelsea to Westminster Those of you who regularly read my blog posts will be getting well-acquainted with the Docklands and City of London by now. We have been on walks around Wapping, Rotherhithe, […]
Get ready for a bumper week of architectural treasures as we embark on Part II of 2024 Open House. Open House London 2024: Part II You know how I got so overexcited at Open House this year that I had to split my post in two (first part here)? Well buckle up everyone, this second […]
The latest installment of the annual architecture festival Open House London sees the Salterton Arts Review and the Urban Geographer combine their interests and visit a range of interesting spots across the city. Open House London 2024 Well that’s it, I’ve finally done it. I’ve got so overexcited at Open House London that I have […]
Schloss Charlottenburg is a lovely place to spend a half day during a trip to Berlin. Visitors can enjoy tranquil surroundings while admiring the art, homes, gardens and mausoleums of the Prussian nobility. A Visit to a Prussian Palace As I relayed to you in my last post, my recent trip to Berlin was my […]
Germany’s cool capital Berlin is perfect for a weekend away. With plenty of arts, culture, food and green spaces to choose from, there’s something here for everyone. A Long Weekend in Berlin It had been a long time since I had been to Berlin. Fifteen years. A lifetime in this fast-paced, ever-changing city. A conference […]
The trick to London is often paying attention to place names, as this walk around the precincts of Westminster Abbey amply illustrates! Exploring the Precincts of Westminster Abbey London, it’s been a while! Like I was saying recently in my review of 2023, there is far too much to see and do (although I can’t […]
Stockholm’s trend-setting open-air museum Skansen brings together historic buildings from across the country as well as Nordic animals, traditional crafts, and family fun. Skansen: The World’s Oldest Open Air Museum? I feel a tiny bit miffed about this. All the sources I read before my trip to Stockholm indicated that Skansen is the world’s oldest […]
A long weekend in Stockholm is a perfect opportunity to learn about this archipelago capital’s history, experience some culture, and balance out all that activity with the local traditions of fika and sauna. A Long Weekend in Stockholm I don’t know why I hadn’t been to Sweden before. Too many places to go and too […]