London basked in glorious sunshine yesterday and the families were out in force in Parsons Green, where the brave organisers of the fun fair were rewarded with perfect conditions and huge crowds. Such things are hardly to be taken for granted on September 22 in London. I was meanwhile occupied with a grandson's sixth birthday party on the other side of London - a good hour away. Such is the size of this huge city, the largest in Europe by far.
Burlington House, 11:30 am September 23 2012
Today it has been wet and miserable, cold and unpleasant. But it was a pleasure to make the trip up to the Royal Academy at Burlington House in Piccadilly, for the last day of an excellent show which has been running since the beginning of July. This was From Paris: A taste for impressionism, a delightful small exhibition of works from the Clark Institute in Williamstown, Massachusetts. My American readers have in many cases made the trip to Williamstown, home of the great liberal arts school Williams College. Those who have not will find it a worthwhile trip. It is a mere 30 miles from Tanglewood. The collection of the late Sterling and Francene Clark is a model of its kind.
The Clark family remain major supporters of the arts. They hail from Cooperstown, NY - home of the Baseball Hall of Fame and, more to the point, of Glimmerglass Opera, and have made a huge contribution over generations to the prosperity of this delightuful town in upstate New York.
Tomorrow I will be making a trip up river to Richmond, home of the Orange Tree Theatre, just one of the many distinguished high quality "off West End" theatres in and around London.
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