Out and about

London, England I wished I had Don’s fitbit today to track my steps. I seemed to be all over the place, purely by foot power. There were several errands that needed doing, starting with a consultation with a Samsung expert. I am having a beast of a time finding a way to process the photos Don is sending me from his trip. (Rest assured, someday soon you will be hearing some tales of his adventures in Asia.)

On my way to my dose of culture for the day, I did a bit of shopping on Regent Street, not for myself, of course. Then it was off the the Royal Academy of Arts, to see what’s new.

What’s new was a special exhibit by Rose Wylie, an artist unknown to me. It’s not that I didn’t want to get to know her better, but I just didn’t care for the samples of her work I could see without paying 21 pounds for admission. So instead I opted for a comprehensive tour of the gift shop, which is always rewarding.

And then I walked through a sampling of the permanent collection. When artists wanted to be admitted to the Academy, they submitted a work to qualify. Should they be accepted, they then gifted that painting to the Academy. Nice way to build a collection!

Some nice modern touches in this classical building. And some nice neighbors, such as Fortnum and Mason and the Burlington Arcade, both chock full of things that are lovely to have but totally unnecessary to sustain life, such as the poster in a nearby posh art gallery shared at the top.

Continuing my tour of the beautiful but easily avoidable, I walked up New Bond Street, and headed toward the more plebeian Oxford Street.

I had a craving for a real meal, preferably of the Italian persuasion, but managed to miss the route to the restaurant I had identified. Lots more walking. I finally sat down at a bus stop, and realized I was in front of the Samsung shop I began my day with.

Waving a white flag, I headed back toward my home, and managed to find a very nice Italian place right around the corner. I enjoyed a very generous beet salad with baked goat cheese, and some spaghetti bolognese. A real meal!

My location is incredibly convenient. But surely that was 10,000 steps!