Fed up with Air Transat’s/Thomas Cooke’s Toronto-Manchester (UK) service (described in a previous blog entry, Charter Flights, May 26, 08), I’ve been fortunate to be able to try a different Manchester-bound routing.  Happening to be in Chicago last month, I flew BMI from there to Manchester, direct (and back).  The results were positive:  a more comfortable plane, friendlier crew, better baggage allowance and food, a nice variety of free magazines, personal entertainment systems in each seat, and less fuss at booking and check-in, also 20-minute early arrivals (both ways) with speedy baggage delivery.

The only disappointment was Chicago O’Hare’s International Terminal, where there are limited nutrition options once you go through security. (Bring your own food!)  Toronto’s renovated Pearson can definitely set an example here (if you are up for paying the price).  BMI doesn’t have a Toronto service, unfortunately. 

Interesting to note:  BMI crew stay at the Holiday Inn, Chicago Mart Plaza—another favorite of mine!

 

Last weekend, on an overcast Saturday afternoon, the restaurant at Debenham’s in the new Liverpool One was bustling.  There was a menu card on every table advertising chocolate soups.  But, from what we saw, we were the only customers ordering one.  The "hubble bubble" looked good in the photo (and as above), but, according to my niece, a chocolate aficionado, it was a little disappointing.  So, off to the plush new two-storey Costa Coffee on the corner of Lord Street we went, and found a triple chocolate muffin.  This got a five star rating, and satiated her craving!  They also have soya milk latté there—and it rivals Canada’s Lettieri’s.

On Saturday, for sentimentality’s sake, I took a ferry across the Mersey.  The round trip is 50 minutes, and we hardly saw the time pass.  There were two main distractions:  

1. A Long Haired Miniature Dachshund puppy called Sam sat next to us.  He was doing a homework assignment for "puppy school":  taking a ride on public transportation.  Not only was he very relaxed, he enjoyed a lot of attention and strokes from everyone around, nestling in my lap for a good portion of the trip.  (No nervousness, unlike my older dog Lev who can shake terribly on boats, as in thunderstorms. Sage, my younger dog, on the other hand, is just as calm as Sam was.)  All dogs have their own ways, like humans.  Some things you can’t change, even with training.  We look forward to reading more about Sam’s progress on his blog: samlamb.wordpress.com

2. After pulling out of Seacombe dock and turning around, the river got choppy (The commercial ship that was adjacent to us shows this, inserted below.  Also, please note the Liverpool skyline in the background.) A big wave shot across the upper deck and we were drenched. Quite a surprise! Wet through to our undies, it took most of the rest of the day to dry out!

 

Summertime in Canada, (particularly Ontario), at first glance, seems to divide the population into two:  those who have cottages and those who don’t.  Those who have cottages enjoy miles of private shorelines.  Those who don’t can find it hard to gain access to a lot of areas—no parking allowed without resident permit and scant public facilities.  Even when a beach is public, regulations can be prohibitive—with limited hours, no pets, parking and entry charges, and more. A  Sunday afternoon trip to West Kirby, last month, prompted me to think about summertime phenomena and marvel at the old-world charm and simplicity of the setting—few obvious restrictions and daytrip fun for all without fees or memberships.  Please look below to glimpse (on-going) pleasures of British yesteryear:  families, dogs, adult kids, fisherman, and sailors welcome.

 

 

Keep your eyes open—and camera handy—wherever you are, even close to home.  Nature will surprise, delight and astonish if you give her time and consideration.

Some things are easy to pass by. Others make us stop and pay attention:

• Tree stumps by a dried up river bed:  Connecticut, US, November 07

• Frost coated fallen apples:  Liverpool, UK, December 07

 

There’s so much more to England than its capital, London—something I rediscovered earlier this month, visiting childhood haunts in the North West.  

A stroll along Otterspool’s Promenade, overlooking the River Mersey on a Saturday evening. 

 

A walk around the "lake" at West Kirby (on the Wirral Peninsula) on a Sunday afternoon. 

 

A trek over to Hilbre Island on a quiet weekday.

 

Then there were new dining experiences… British food can’t be described as "bad" anymore!  In Liverpool, on Church Street, just off Penny Lane, and all along Allerton Road, a wide variety of restaurants are popping up.  We tried Spire and weren’t disappointed.  Healthy fare, satisfying portions nicely arranged, and friendly service.

In West Kirby, opposite the promenade, there’s the Sunset Lounge Bar.  It’s been there for the last 21 years, and we signed a petition, at the owner’s urging, that the local council not close it down for redevelopment.  A delicious mid-afternoon lunch snack hit the spot—well prepared food and old-world charm, good fuel for that walk around the lake.  No!  Visitors are not walking on water (in the Weskirb photo); the divide between the "lake" and inlet has a creative and historic walking trail.  And, looking off into the distance, some more modern/incongruent constructions are clearly visible:  wind turbines opposite Hoylake’s shoreline, the next resort over. Energy-saving opportunities are changing natural land and sea scapes everywhere, even here.

 

 

Yet another accolade for Liverpool this month!  The Tate’s Klimt exhibit is a hit.  Last Monday, as an artist walking through, I became tearful in some places, identifying in different ways with practice, process, product, and response.  It was only on entering the gift store that I was disappointed.  A poster of the spectacular painting, "The Three Ages of Life," in my mind, had desecrated the original work.  It was up there for sale with only two stages of life—mother and child.  The old lady (old age) had been removed. 

As I start to make reproductions of my own artwork, I am extremely sensitive to what the artist might have thought about this crop.  A third of his vision had been removed without his consent or knowledge, and the greater meaning behind the piece damaged completely. Speaking to the manager of the gift store, I got an explanation.  It was all about commerce—financial returns.  She stressed how everyone cuts up Klimt, showing me images in a book of how fashion designers had made prints from excerpts of his work. This "nothing unusual" piece of merchandise (the two-thirds print) would sell better (allegedly have more mass market appeal) and bring income to the Tate.  It sounded like the message she was trying to give was that because the money would be coming back to the Tate (was not for "commercial benefit") that it was acceptable. As our conversation continued, the manager went on to tell me that postcards displaying the whole piece had already sold out, and there would be more later, once other images sold to make space again.

The postcard image that had sold out has been inserted at the start of this blog entry.  The two thirds image from the poster was also available at the store on a mini greeting card, and is inserted below.

 
The day after my visit to the Klimt exhibit (last Monday), the friends I’d been with there called to let me know that others were upset by the Klimt crop. The Guardian had just published a letter by a Maureen Everhsed which they’d headed "Age old problem."

 

It’s like Liverpool hit the fast-forward button all of a sudden!  As somebody who hasn’t lived there for more than a quarter of century, its a lot easier for me to see this.  First came the Albert Dock complex, then the Capital of Culture, and now Liverpool One. 

Though there’s still hard hats, cranes, and construction everywhere, on a beautiful sunny day, this week, I was thrilled to see my hometown revived and bustling.

 

Please check out some of the posters inserted below that tell a little more about this new landmark.

 

Later, I will create a link to a page of images, showing Liverpool One’s construction in greater detail.  Best of all, go visit Liverpool.  You will be surprised, delighted, and entertained.  The shopping isn’t bad either…

When more carefully manicured cities, like Toronto, feel bereft of ambiance and energy in comparison, it’s clear something is working right in Liverpool.  The graphic design for its construction posters (inserted above), also helps with mood.  I couldn’t think of a city where the heart symbol fits better. You can say a lot else about Liverpudlians, but you can’t deny their friendliness, directness, humor, spirit and heart.  HeArTs off to them!  

Christopher Hart (no heart-typo) made this interesting comment in a Times Culture supplement after Paul McCartney’s recent Liverpool concert, "It’s a battered and bleeding heavyweight of a city, struggling to haul itsel off the canvas.  But it has an astonishing charisma—and I can still hear the sound of 35,000 voices ringing in my ears, singing about "times of trouble" and "all the lonely people" and "take a sad song and make it better."

A comment on the Liverpool 08 home page by Alexel Sayle states, "I’ve been all over the world looking for excitement, and it turns out that the most thrilling town I’ve ever visited is the one I was born in."  Right now, many non-resident Liverpudlians will find it hard not to agree!

 

Walking through the Yonge/St. Clair Centre (Toronto) to purchase a treat at Timothy’s, Easter Friday morning, I wasn’t surprised to notice that Ziggy’s/St. Clair Market (Loblaws flagship supermarket) was closed (grills down).  What did catch my attention was their display of floral merchandise that wasn’t locked away. Even if there are hidden cameras, and this is the way things are left daily, I still find it remarkable.  Perhaps that’s because I grew up in Liverpool.  Even though it’s the European Capital of Culture for 2008, most stores (and their goods) still have to be boarded up when businesses aren’t open.

As I walked through Leicester Square last September (07), the bells on top of the landmark Swiss Centre chimed, an array of tourists and super sized Beefeater impersonator standing by.

With a redevelopment of this site, I was happy to have witnessed its last days.  I remember, during the late 70’s- early 80’s, when I was a student in London, the Swiss Center was a "hot spot."

 

What happened in the interim, to this and so many other familiar places?  Everything changes… When we’re around all the time, we might not notice.  When we’re away for long periods, differences can be striking!

On my overnight visit to London last September (07), I noticed that London’s signage has definitely improved.  It tells tourists (and locals) exactly how long it might take to walk from one place to another.

 

It also advises where CCTV cameras are watching!  (There’s 10,000 of them!)

 

What’s not improved are the one-way streets.

 

Then there’s the traffic congestion.  Public transport is encouraged.  But, sometimes, that too can be quiet overwhelming, with red buses appearing to be coming at you from every direction, especially at Picadilly Circus.

 

You don’t have to look very far to see Londoners are going "green."  Their awareness and habits are revealed in a few quick snaps from my overnnight visit there last September.  

An electric car

Organic food businesses, as advertised on this van

City of Westminster recycling at Covent Garden

A carbon neutral taxi

 

A wooden playground

 

There’s also a free magazine for pick-up in the doorway of many stores, called New Consumer.  I chanced on its fifth birthday edition last September (07).

In North America, we’ve just started to hear about "pink cabs." The Pink Ladies cab company was started in Warrington (Northern England), in 2005, and has been so successful it’s now looking for franchisees. Pink cabs are driven by women for women, saftey and comfort being paramount.  In the days when all British cabs were black, "Pink Ladies" might have stood out.  Now they are part of an already colorful streetscape.

I hadn’t been in London for quite a while till Fall 07. (I still haven’t managed to finish writing about that trip on this blog, with so many other life/travel interruptions.)  When there, I couldn’t help but think how much brighter a place this city has become because of its colorful cabbies. Traditional "stiff upper lip" black vehicles are transformed into mobile advertising machines.  When I noticed the first colourful cab, I thought it was a one-off vehicle.  Then, each way I turned, I saw another and yet another.  Time to pull out the camera and start snapping.  Cab after cab, I collaged their images into a poster (inserted above) on returning home.  Funny what strikes us on our travel adventures.  I’d never have thought that cabs would capture my attention like this.  I suspect their ads are working! You certainly can’t help but notice them.

Other ads, I was aware, were displayed by humans.  I chanced on a bunch of placard supporters close to Covent Garden station.  I didn’t envy their job, sitting there holding arrow signs to local businesses. Fortunately, it was a balmy September morning.  I don’t know how widespread or seasonal this form of (in)human(e) advertising might be…

 

What’s sentimental for one person, might not be for another.  My recent overnight visit to London had me surprising myself by the photos I took—what I might not have given any special attention to, on a daily basis, when living there.  I was a student in London from 1979 - 1981, and my recollections go back to then.

Unfortunately, the shots in this blog entry (taken in less than 24 hours) could only cover a fraction of the city, from Picadilly to Bloomsbury.

Nothing seems to change with Fortnum and Mason, at least externally.  Its neighbor Simpsons was turned into Waterstones a while back (making it the biggest bookstore in Europe), giving Picadilly a slightly different feel.

 

Something that will never move from directly across the street is the Royal Academy.

My timing was lucky!  I got to catch the exhibit, Impressionists by the Sea. I also got to dash through the National Portrait Gallery.  However, a display in the lobby from the book cover of Zerbanoo Gifford’s new book, Confessions to a Serial Womaniser made me slow down for a moment.  Her wall-like display of womens’ faces made me think of my wall-like display of food options (my upcoming Florence Biennale exhibit, Buon Appetito!)

And talking of food, Food for Thought, an old vegetarian haunt of mine (close to Covent Garden)  looked exactly the same (from the outside).  Too early to go in, they were stocking up…

Neal’s Yard, a well-known health food establishment is also still there.  But, it has evolved—looks (and tastes) a little less "natural" (according to my memories).

Covent Garden seems to be changing all over, but not Floral Street, where The Sanctuary (a pioneering spa) looks like it’s still going strong—with Agnes B, Campers, Radley, and more, all at close proximity.

The Covent Garden Market area, itself, has been spruced up.  Arriving before opening hours, I got to see the merchants setting out their wares.  It’s quite a job unpacking and repacking every day!

Wandering from the main area, I felt the cobblestones beneath my feet.  What history they hold!  Who has walked over them before?  Who is walking over them now?  How long can they stay as they are?

In London, history and modernity dance before our eyes, as do traditions, habits, and brand development.  Other coffee shops, chains and one-of-a-kind (Café Nero, The Brew Café, Cafe Life, Espresso Capucino) give Starbucks a lot of competition.

Long "tea breaks" still seem to be popular with workmen, throughout the day.

And, after work, it’s the pub. Beer drinkers spill out onto the street to enjoy a balmy September evening (after a rotten-weather summer):

Then there’s all the theaters, large and small.  What fun to be able to go and see something light! Boeing Boeing was at the Comedy Theater on Panton Street—a charming setting for an evening’s entertainment.    

By the way, though Bloomsbury and its adjacent neighborhoods may be a little off the well-beaten tourist path (except for the landmark British Museum), it’s worth a meander.  Check out all the eating options on and around Charlotte Street…as well as the picturesque side-lanes. Then there’s Dr. Marie Stopes’ first birth control clinic.

You never realize the contrasts you’ll notice when you keep your eyes open—things that have always been there, but might not have attracted attention or mention, previously (like this "lady of the night").

 

Virgin trains are infamous among Brits for their delays and diversions.  I can now confirm this from personal experience.  My Liverpool - London train, last week, got diverted to Coventry, clipping the time I got to spend in London.  That’s the bad news!  Then, though I’d booked a regular ticket for the return to Liverpool, I somehow ended up in a First Class carriage (not that there was anything wrong with Second Class—every seat has its own electrical outlet).  That’s the good news!

What a treat first class was—or would have been, had I known in advance, and not slipped into Marks and Spencer to buy refreshments. (M and S has become so user-friendly, with mini-stores at train and gas stations, throughout Britain, you know you can pick up a decent snack from them almost anywhere anytime.) 

First Class Virgin passengers are served unlimited meals and drinks (including wine and alcohol), and are offered an array of complimentary reading materials and other resources.  The tableware and accessories aren’t paper or plastic, the seats comfortable, and crew very friendly.  The journey back passed so fast, I wasn’t ready to get off the train!  There’s also First Class Lounges at key stations.  Had I known…! 

In the little red book placed on every table on the train, there’s a note on the front page, with an e-mail address. If you’ve been "particularly impressed" with the service received by staff on the train, they want to know at feelgood@virgintrains.co.uk.  

I think about my Amtrak experiences on the Boston - New York route, when living in Boston.  Performance, or lack of it (as well as train station food and other compensations) don’t compare!

 

 

 

 

 

Last week, I celebrated my parents’ golden wedding anniversary in Liverpool—a real privilege.  This is a personal milestone, I’m aware, sadly, I will never be able to enjoy, not being married (yet).  I also marvel over my parents’ wonderful circle of lifelong friends and old-world values—neighbors who’ve known each other and remained in close contact, acting as extended family for generations.  Regrettably, few of my parents’ contemporaries’ children are still in town.  Like me, some have traveled abroad.  Others are based in London.  A couple of parents have been able to follow their children…  

Hometown roots are always important, especially to Liverpudlians.  These days, my home town is very proud of its heritage and accomplishments.  2007 - 2008 are banner years for Liverpool.  Not only does it have its 800th anniversary, it was also named as European Capital of Culture.

The weekend of Sept 15 -16, 07,  saw the city hosting many amazing events, including:
• The Big History Show at St. George’s Hall (photo below)
• The Hope Street Festival
• The Clipper Yacht Launch at the Albert Dock

 

 

 

 

 

It was impossible for me to do and see everything, but the few activities I had the chance to experience were exciting.  For the history event, I was happy to be able to hear my elderly father, Professor Rex Makin, give his Saturday presentation.  He is a free man of the city, and spoke to a sell-out audience.  At the clipper yacht launch, I was surprised to meet Sir Robin Knox Johnston. Standing right next to him, I was able to watch him seeing off the fleet with personal attention to detail and delight.

 

 

 

 

 

Liverpool is changing fast, as the cranes in front of the landmark Liver Buildings/Three Graces show.

 

Seasons of change happen externally and environmentally, as well as internally and spiritually.  My trip to Liverpool also coincided with Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) and Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement).  On the days in between, I thought of what was and what could be, who I am and who I am not, where we are in the world and how I can help make it a better place.  Am I doing the best job I can?  What are my intentions and actions? Will they harm or help others? How can I live a more fulfilling, altruistic, and satisfying life? 

Values, morals, ethics, and acting mindfully and carefully were prominent in my thoughts.  A time for introspection and reflection is also a time for sharing and caring—"doing the right thing" and nurturing a healthy mindset.  Alas, not all of us succeed as often as we hope to, and some make more mistakes than others.  Intentions matter as does self-knowledge and sensitivity to and consideration for others and our planet.

When we’re able to overcome petty differences, we’re more inclined to take the bigger picture into account—not just act in our own best interests.  Life is short and every day has the potential for positive happenings.  Those who have the health, means, and family with which to enjoy what’s possible are blessed—should take nothing and no one fore granted.

A "Shana Tova" (Good Year!) to everyone!

Many artistic Canadians gain fame, fortune, inspiration, and support from foreign sources.  If they’ve paid for their own specialized training abroad, and want to be successful after graduating, they’re given little incentive to return to Canada.  Canada doesn’t seem to provide sufficient enticement (governmental or otherwise) to those who wish to return home.  In fact, if you’ve been out of the country for a while, and don’t have adequate fresh "Canadian experience," or networking connections, it’s unlikely you’ll be eligible for grant money or endorsement. For those who graduate in the US, there’s a grace period to stay on there if you find suitable employment/sponsorship.  Canada is a wonderful place to live.  However, if you’re an artist trying to launch a career, it’s usually easier to develop employment/recognition prospects elsewhere.

Liverpool’s a great city! It’s my home town—and that of a number of (other) celebrities. What’s more, it’s having a comeback—winner of the European Capital of Culture for 2008 with a big dig going on so that the city can be as accessible as it is interesting. For now, however, it’s often paralyzed by traffic confusion. Nevertheless, its 2006 Biennial is receiving substantial attention, as is the 24th John Moores exhibit at the unparalleled Walker Art Gallery. Then there’s the John Lennon Airport that’s become a real hub. Very soon, you’ll be able to fly there directly from New York, Toronto, and elsewhere. Then, after the Liverpudlian experience, Ryan Air, Easy Jet and other low-cost airlines can whisk you off to an amazing number of better and lesser known European destinations.