Insta post December 2014 Part 1

Why hello!
I have been a bit quiet not because I have had nothing to write about but there has been so much that I just have a stack of unfinished and unedited posts which I just haven't had time to edit.

So allow me to ease back into the routine with a broad recap.

Say what you like about the Victorians but they built the best railway stations.
We left Paddington station and arrived at Windsor station.

The station is right next to Windsor Castle.
That brick edifice in front of the station is the Queen's favorite home.

We walked through the perfectly English quaint town with its quirks.

That house would have never made it past the worst architect student and yet has survived hundreds of years.

We were going to St Andrews Day at Eton College.
The school has two main days for family and friends of students to come and visit the grounds.  The school doesn't normally allow the public to wander as it does tend to attract a lot of tourists so this was a special day.

Admissions into Eton nowadays is not like the past where alumni forebears guaranteed entry but it still attracts academically, musically, artistically gifted students. 

My freighbour ( half friend and half neighbour ) who I have known since he was in primary school is a King's Scholar at Eton.   

 
They are the top ranking students in all of Eton and are bestowed special privileges.

My frieghbour modeling his special King Scholar's coat which only the scholars are allowed to wear.

The King Scholars also dine separately from the other students in the more glamorous College Hall.

The other students are known as Oppidans. 
The most recent alumni you may know of is Prince William and Prince Harry.

Eton has numerous illustrious alumni but here is one of my favorite writers relatives who scribbled on the walls.

This below is the oldest classroom at Eton dating back to 1500's even though the school was founded 1440.

The library is every librarian's dream and this was one of the days that the library displayed the few existing copies of the Gutenberg Bible for viewing.

This is the famous courtyard from an upstairs library room.

So many activities are held and the music department is renown for their concerts.
This was a jazz concert in one of the many classrooms.
 

The highlight of the day was that our King Scholar was playing in the famous wall game.

The match on this day is between the King Scholars and the Oppidans ( all the other students.)

 

It was a glorious sight to see all the Etonians in their uniforms sitting on the wall.

No one really knows the rules except the players.
The King's Scholar huddled in support of their side and I think they must have been the inspiration for Harry Potter.

Though we had no idea what was going the good news is that the KS team won!!

The other highlight was the Cecil Beaton exhibition that was held at the Colefax Fowler showroom in Mayfair. No pictures were unfortunately allowed.
This was the jib door entrance to the iconic yellow room.

But the Mayfair showroom was the home of Nancy Lancaster and is the site of the famous yellow room which I wasn't allowed to photograph by default.

Here is a picture of what it looks like.
As it is a showroom, the room is normally decorated to showcase the antiques and furniture so changes constantly.

Via

But here is the view from the iconic yellow room.

This was a view from one of the few rooms I was allowed to take a picture of.

After the exhibition, my friend and I went for coffee and have a peak at the Xmas tree at Claridge's which was done by Dolce & Gabbana.  While it was nice part of me was a bit saddened that even trees were branded.

PS the coffee at Claridge's isn't that nice so order something else.

I paid a visit to Sotheby's and half the time 
I admire the lighting more than the art.
I can never get over how empty the previews are.
Such a wasted opportunity as I wrote about here.

Opinions differ but the worst thing I saw this past year was the Allen Jones exhibition.


Oxford Street is the shopping mecca of London and I got completely duped while walking in front of Boots.

As I was walking, I felt and saw snow and was so excited and took pictures trying to capture it only to realize the store was pumping out fake snow!

I wonder if all the retailers and decorators 
have a pre holiday decorating meeting because 
the decorations were all white in the city.

White trees hung at Fortnum and Mason and at Chanel!

Hope you are all well and the prep for the holiday season isn't stressing everyone out!