I figured out a way to lessen the pedestrian problem. I take the back streets whenever possible; although most of the places I frequent are on the main roads, I can walk most of the way to them by side streets. It's much better.

After making a quick library stop, I took the subway to Origin, the London Craft Fair at Somerset House. This was the second and final week, showcasing 158 very talented designers of ceramics, textiles, furniture, glass, leather, millinery, jewelry, silver and fine metal work, wood, and more. The first week included a different set of designers. There were some very unique, interesting, wonderful things, none of which I could afford to buy, but it was a whole lot of fun to look. Lots of feltwork, beautifully woven scarves, resin and acrylic jewelry, silver and gold. I learned that what we call a woodworker is called a woodturner here, someone who turns wood on a lathe.

From there I walked to St. Martin-in-the-Fields where I picked up their schedule of concerts for October and November and checked out their crypt, with the Brass Rubbing Centre, shop, and cafe. The renovation project is still going strong, with the whole exterior facade fully shrouded. I'm sure it will be beautiful when it is finished sometime next year.

I walked across the street and had tea at the Portrait Cafe in the National Portrait Gallery and then walked around the corner to the National Gallery and took their 2:30 tour. I've been impressed with their docents/educators. The hour-long tour included these works, all paintings except for the last one:

1. Coronation of the Virgin with Adoring Saints, 1370-1, attributed to Jacopo di Cioni and workshop, done for a church in Florence;
   
2. The Coronation of the Virgin with Adoring Saints, 1407-9, by Lorenzo Monaco, also painted for a Florence church;
   
3. La Madonna della Rondine (Madonna of the Swallow), 1490-2, by Carlo Crivelli;
4. Equestrian Portrait of Charles I, 1637-8, by Anthony Van Dyck; and
5. Colonel Tartleton and Mrs. Oswald Shooting, 2007, by Yinka Shonibare MBE

She talked about perspective and foreshortening, or lack thereof in the earliest piece, and she mentioned a couple of good basic art books which I failed to note down--Hall's Dictionary of Subjects and Symbols in Art was one.

I walked across Trafalgar Square and down Whitehall to the Banqueting House, but it had closed early for a "function." Just as well, for it was theatre night.

We have spent over a week trying to find the particular brand of limescale preventer that our landlords use in the washing machine, because I'm so afraid of messing up the laundry again. Today I was determined--I looked in three stores and finally found it at Waitrose. Gord had been there last week and didn't see it, nor did the employee who was helping him, so maybe they just got in a fresh supply.

Tonight we went to the Royal Court Theatre to see Eugene Ionesco's Rhinoceros. It was quite a play. There were parts I thoroughly enjoyed, and other parts were lost on me (but having that glass of wine right before it started probably didn't help). Anyway, it had to do with conformity, will-power, and guilt--I think!