Category: Travel & Arts
The Army Museum, in a nation famed for its Neutrality
October 1, 2019
The Army Museum, Stockholm The Army Museum is well worth a visit for the insights it offers into Swedish history. It’s one of over a dozen museums in Stockholm that offer free admission. Walking towards the museum, there’s a separate entrance at the side, with a sign to ‘Artilleriet’ and a menu. […]
‘What have the Swedes ever done for us?’ – an update
September 27, 2019
A postcard from Stockholm In January this year, I noticed that ‘the Swedes wear a lot of black. Quilted coats, black suits, leggings, stout boots, that sort of thing’. After a return visit in August, I can now report that this summer’s colour is…. black (but with rather more leg exposed). […]
Up close and personal with the 17th century
September 11, 2019
The sinking of the Vasa On 10th August 1628, the royal flagship Vasa set sail in Stockholm harbour on her maiden voyage. Her Dutch designers were nervous of her seaworthiness, but the Swedish court was equally nervous of communicating this to the king. Within minutes, a gust of wind caught her sails, and the ship […]
Dinners in Paris, and a long day for the fishmongers
June 27, 2019
First night nerves We like to mark our evening of arrival in Paris with dinner at La Fontaine de Mars. You know you’re in Paris from the moment you step through the door. This time I’d left it too late to make a reservation, so we gave Le Bistrot d’Eléonore et Maxence a call. […]
Night at the Museum
June 14, 2019
After an interesting encounter last year with Napoleon the Strategist at the Musée de l’Armée in Paris, it seemed rude to miss an opportunity of making closer acquaintance. Talent or ambition – which is more important in the making of a genius? I wrote about it here: https://wp.me/p7AW4i-kE The museum was open free of charge […]
Hockney & Van Gogh, or ‘The Vince and Dave Show’, plus All the Rembrandts
April 30, 2019
To give the exhibition its official title: “Hockney – Van Gogh, The Joy of Nature”. It opens with David Hockney on film, talking to camera about his own work, Van Gogh, and the exhibition. “It’s a good title – better than ‘The Vince & Dave Show’,” he says with a mischievous twinkle. Wearing a […]
Best gig of the year, and it was only February!
March 1, 2019
I’m often asked when to open a bottle of wine that’s been gathering dust in somebody’s rack – “will it still be any good?” My advice? “Open it without expectations, and hope to be pleasantly surprised”. Sometimes I take a similar approach when the programme from Ronnie Scott’s appears in my inbox. Pick a […]
Sargent in Stockholm
February 8, 2019
I’ve always enjoyed grand portraits by the great artists: Van Dyck, Velazquez, Gainsborough, you know the list. I came late to John Singer Sargent. I first encountered his work at an exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in 2015. Two years later I was enchanted by the intimacy of his watercolours at the Dulwich Picture […]