The function of the artist is to express reality as felt. Robert Motherwell
Showing posts with label Bristol. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bristol. Show all posts
Friday, July 2, 2010
More Joys of English Food- "Eating In"
I promise you that this is the last travel post I'll write for awhile...
...but I couldn't in good conscience deny you the pleasure of our 'at home meals' photographs! Har.
I really love grocery stores in other countries...
...the packaging is different and unique, and the available products are often ones we can't easily obtain here in the US.
An example: "British Lion Quality" Eggs:
They come in a clear plastic container...
...rather than a paper or foam carton.
They are also sold in packages of 15...
...not our usual dozen.
The package description is very bullish, as well...
...obvious chicken joke omitted here out of deference to 'certain readers' (you know who you are) who think I can't forego even the cheapest pun!! Giggle
The package states that the eggs are "laid by hens from British farms that are free to roam in the fresh air during the day"...
...Italics theirs!
The best part, however, is the little lion stamped on each egg...
...making you feel a little bit like royalty every time you crack one!!
Other food joys from this trip?
We ate copious amounts of handmade cheeses and breads...
...(you should ask my daughters about the really handsome cheesemaker at St Nicholas Market!!!)
Just harvested carrots, fingerling potatoes, mushrooms, asparagus and beets were purchased at the Corn and Wine St. Farmer's Market...
...from a friendly and talkative farmer who told us about his family farm and the politics and complexity of plot division, as we munched on proffered fresh carrots.
That night, we made a delicious 'roasted veg' supper...
...once I figured out how to use the convection oven!!
We had yoghurt (love the spelling!) in flavors like rhubarb and mango/passion fruit...
...and nearly every other fat-laden milk product on the face of the earth
(I especially love creme fraiche!)
We had excellent homemade chutney purchased from a woman who also made and sold fruit- and meat-pies...
...for a city, Bristol had a remarkable number of small markets selling fresh things!
Notice the carrot chutney in the photo with the grilled cheese sandwich alongside my dark English ale...
...did I mention that I drank a bit of that, as well?!? Grin.
The fresh berries (note the fresh custard topping!) were at their peak the week we visited, as well...
...tasting (and smelling) of ripe fruit, rather than of nothing, like the large, uniform berries we often find at home.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Bristol Museums and a Knitting Exhibit!!
Caution: Contents of this post may not be suitable for young children. Giggle.
I'm taking a little break from food...
...in order to share with you the best of the museums that we visited.
You will soon discover that I'm a fiend for them...
...especially modern art (much to my daughters' sorrow). Giggle.
We visited the wonderful Arnolfini...
...where we explored sound and language among other things.
(Ask me about the 'H' pin I now carry!)
The Royal West of England Academy had a curious exhibit called "The Fourth Wall"...
...which provoked questions about headlessness from my daughters!
The Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery was an absolute marvel...
...hosting this amazing collection of New American art...
...as well as a permanent collection that is as large and varied as any big city's natural history museum plus art museum rolled into one!!
The most fiber intensive collection, however, and the most whimsical...
...was that currently on display at The Bristol Gallery.
"West Meets West" features pop artist Jann Haworth...
...who reveals the whole of "Art History of the 20th c" in her doughnut work...
...and works by Kelly Jenkins done on a knitting machine ...
...which are far and away my favorite textile pieces in the city!
These are wonderful, satirical, and feminist statements on what is generally thought of as merely a 'domestic craft'.
Knit Uncensored replicates a lurid magazine cover...
...and (to paraphrase Kelly's words) uses sex to sell to men as well as women- transforming knitting from a domestic hobby into a naughty but thrilling must have, helping us to laugh with, not at knitting...and elevating its status from mere 'granny craft'.
Kelly's piece Knit Chatlines had me doubled over and absolutely crying with laughter.
With lines like, "Naughty Forties-Older Ladies Knit Live From Home"...
..."Steamy Live Needle Action"...
... and "Sexy Local Ladies Fancy Dirty Jumper Talk"...
...the concept of knitting was permanently transformed in my mind.
I'm taking a little break from food...
...in order to share with you the best of the museums that we visited.
You will soon discover that I'm a fiend for them...
...especially modern art (much to my daughters' sorrow). Giggle.
We visited the wonderful Arnolfini...
...where we explored sound and language among other things.
(Ask me about the 'H' pin I now carry!)
The Royal West of England Academy had a curious exhibit called "The Fourth Wall"...
...which provoked questions about headlessness from my daughters!
The Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery was an absolute marvel...
...hosting this amazing collection of New American art...
...as well as a permanent collection that is as large and varied as any big city's natural history museum plus art museum rolled into one!!
The most fiber intensive collection, however, and the most whimsical...
...was that currently on display at The Bristol Gallery.
"West Meets West" features pop artist Jann Haworth...
...who reveals the whole of "Art History of the 20th c" in her doughnut work...
...and works by Kelly Jenkins done on a knitting machine ...
...which are far and away my favorite textile pieces in the city!
These are wonderful, satirical, and feminist statements on what is generally thought of as merely a 'domestic craft'.
Knit Uncensored replicates a lurid magazine cover...
...and (to paraphrase Kelly's words) uses sex to sell to men as well as women- transforming knitting from a domestic hobby into a naughty but thrilling must have, helping us to laugh with, not at knitting...and elevating its status from mere 'granny craft'.
Kelly's piece Knit Chatlines had me doubled over and absolutely crying with laughter.
With lines like, "Naughty Forties-Older Ladies Knit Live From Home"...
..."Steamy Live Needle Action"...
... and "Sexy Local Ladies Fancy Dirty Jumper Talk"...
...the concept of knitting was permanently transformed in my mind.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Bristol/Bath Meals Out
We were told that we shouldn't miss the Pump Room in Bath...
...for a traditional afternoon cream tea.
It's easy to imagine this very room as the place where young society ladies searched for husbands...
...while married men trolled for mistresses.
The food was very pretty and quite delicious (I loved the crustless watercress and egg salad sandwiches!)...
...but, even factoring in history and atmosphere...
...at 17 pounds per person, there was waaaay too much food, and no sign of the much raved about personal attention by the waitstaff.
In short, if you go to Bath for an afternoon tea...
...visit the Pump Room first for a free look-see, then find a local tearoom with a nice cream tea for approximately 4.5 pounds.
It will be just the right amount of food needed by a peckish traveler (scones, clotted cream, jam and tea)...
...and if it's atmosphere you're after, you can ask one of your party to hum some of the oddly Muzak-like string arrangements played at the Pump Room.
Other recommendations in Bath?
Avoid the Jane Austen Centre at all costs.
Instead of being exceedingly diverted ...
...it was more much ado about nothing.
Do visit the Fashion Museum, however...
...if for nothing else than to try on a corset in your size...
...and make a point to walk along the Royal Crescent (lovely!).
***************************************************************
In Bristol, the girls were anxious to eat BACON.
Now, you may not know that I am a lacto- ovo- vegetarian...
...with intermittent fish-eating lapses.
My children, however, are omnivores (when they eat away from home)...
...and this bothers me not a whit.
Bristol is the kind of place...
...where nearly every restaurant features a bacon sandwich special.
I think the girls ate their quota of the stuff last week...
...in morning bacon sandwiches, traditional English breakfasts and Eggs Benedict.
(Even they couldn't stomach the black pudding, however!)
The other meat-containing dish that they were anxious to try were pasties...
...chicken and veg for one, steak for the other.
Next: Meals eaten at home.
(Wait until you see the photos of our butterfat-filled 'fridge!!!)
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Bristol Holiday!
My youngest daughters and I just returned from a 10 day trip to Bristol, England...
...what a wonderful city this is, and what a delightful vacation we all had!
Bristol is an 800 year old city with a population roughly that of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (not too big!)...
...full of friendly people, rich in history and culture...
...and possessing a spirit of modern reinvention-exhibited in many new museums, galleries and performance art spaces.
We had the most beautiful weather imaginable...
...not even once requiring our new raincoats or umbrellas!
These photos are just a small glimpse of the variety found in this lovely city...
...from St. Mary Redcliffe church, to famous graffiti art by Banksy...
...to the Clifton Suspension bridge, and a sculpture for Bristol physicist Paul Dirac.
I have much more to show you...
...one fiber-related exhibit, especially (which was incredible!)...
...but there is laundry to be done and bills to be paid.
More later!!
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