Maggi and I left to meet up with the Dowlers in Bermondsey but on the way we stopped at Piccadilly Circus sat down for a brief cup of coffee and then visited the Vouri shop at the bottom end of Regent Street. Here we bought a jacket for me and a top for Adam.
We walked round the corner to the back entrance of the Royal Academy. This small part of London is currently undergoing a makeover. Vigo St , which connects Regent Street and Burlington Gardens has become pedestrianised. I expect more of the area will undergo the same in due course.
we arrived at the Academy to see their major exhibition on the work of Kerry James Marshall, probably the most important living black American artist. His pictures tell the story of black hopes and fears within the context of the USA. He demonstrates the invisibility of the black culture by painting black on almost black, the separate identity of blacks, and the hopes of the community. There is much to say about the loss, the brutalisation and the heroes of blacks in the US.
Here are some of the images from the show.
I found the exposition very thought provoking and sad that so few people of the visitors were themselves black as they might find inspiration from his work.
We left the Academy and picked up the Jubilee Line to head to London Bridge and the restaurant where we had arranged to meet Sue and Jeremy Dowler. The restaurant, Baccalá, on Bermondsey Street disappointed. Both Maggi and Sue had read a glowing write up in the FT about the place and as a result I would have expected a busy place given its small size. However it was less than half full. The food tasted quite nice, but nothing special but the price of £305 for 4 with only one bottle of wine seemed very poor value. My main course of gnocchi with clams had an overdose of salt and very few clams, it appeared to be more the size of a tapas plate. Altogether I felt that we had not received a good value meal
We chatted away throughout the meal. Sue always has plenty to say about most things. She always seems to be busy with the local community. Jeremy refuses to retire. I am sure he stills enjoys his work. He wants to talk politics and both Maggi and I disagree with his perspective. He also maintains a very old-fashioned view of the world. I am never sure whether his non-pc opinions I expressed to provoke or strongly held. Sue tells him off.
We parted at London Bridge and returned home.
