03 August 2009

portraits and primrose

On Sunday, G and I visited the BP Portrait Award exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery. I always look forward to the Portrait Award. The quality of the work is consistently outstanding: far better, I think, than that in the Royal Academy's much-feted Summer Exhibition.

A really well-done portrait reveals something of the sitter's character. And nearly all the paintings, in addition to being technically superb, did just that. It was perhaps inevitable I'd fall for a portrait titled Christina...

Christina © Maryam Foroozanfar

and I was particularly moved by this image of the artist Sue Rubira's mother:

Maggie © Sue Rubira

After the exhibition, we stopped by the Primrose Bakery in Covent Garden. It's the teensiest but most charming shop. Oh how I'd love to take those pink-and-white diner chairs home along with my cakes!

After much deliberation, we brought home a lime and coconut cupcake and an earl grey mini:

Very much looking forward to the publication of Cupcakes from the Primrose Bakery next month...

Just hoping they've proofread and tested their recipes a bit more thoroughly than another well-known London bakery did--ahem!

12 comments:

  1. You and G have the most wonderful day trip adventures and that bakery is such a delight!

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  2. I love Maggie and the pink chairs!

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  3. You know all the very best cake places.

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  4. Oooh, I didn't know about that book, I'm going to have to buy that!

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  5. I've never been to that bakery - it looks adorable!

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  6. I love the portrait exhibition - I used to go there every year when I lived closer to London - looks like the quality of work has got even better and you had a fab day! And as for the cupcake shop...wow!

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  7. Those paintings are riveting!

    (Okay, this is almost unbelievable, but my word verification is SCONE! What next? BUTTER?? CREAM???)

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  8. I REALLY need to see that exhibition...and that cake shop!

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  9. Thanks for your nice comments about my portrait, glad you liked the exhibition

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  10. Your post has inspired me to visit both the National Portrait Gallery and Primrose Bakery ASAP. I have just discovered your blog and am very much enjoying looking through your archives!

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  11. Will be visiting the NPG soon - one of my favourite galleries. Have missed by occasional visits since I moved my work location.

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  12. I went to that exhibit. It was fabulous. Love the pics of inside the primrose bakery. Now I want to go even more!!!!!!!

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