Perfection can be as much about the how as about the what and London offers plenty of both. Top restaurants in the Capital provide an experience that seems effortless and plenty of art exhibitions highlight work of staggering intricacy. First place, however goes to an energy source lying just a mere 93 million miles away from Big Ben. The Sun casually creates nuclear explosions at 15 million degrees while still helping us with our gardens and holiday tans – now that’s effortless.
Any attempts to distinguish art from craft usually come unstuck when confronted with the genius of Anni Albers. Born at a time when women we’re barred from certain forms of artist expression, Albers nevertheless used the seemingly non-threatening medium of hand weaving to shape and influence the modern art movement that was taking place around her.
The patterns, textures and themes that Albers employed up to her death in 1994 are all on display at the Tate Modern until January. Visitors familiar with the Bauhaus movement will see plenty of signposts to its philosophy in earlier works and the employment of geometrics and colour have influenced both the architectural and fashion disciplines.
https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/exhibition/anni-albers
As much as a look into the mysterious habits of tabloid journalists would be interesting to some, this exhibition actually focuses on the giant ball of gas that sustains life on earth as we know it. The Sun is the subject of a groundbreaking exhibition at the Science Museum as experts attempt to convey and describe the sheer awesome power of our nearest star and how it affects our daily existence.
The displays will also focus on how civilisations through the ages have, in turns, worshiped, mythologised and studied the Sun. From Stonehenge to the latest satellites, mankind has always looked for clues on how changes in solar behaviour could spell either a new Earth or our collective doom. As these changes will take place over a period of millions of years, it’s safe to say that there’ll be time enough to view the exhibition before any catastrophe occurs.
https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/see-and-do/the-sun-living-with-our-star
Florence and the Machine are currently in the process of following quite a familiar pop trajectory. They burst onto the scene with a heady mix of anthems and raw indie power before collaborating with a slew of cutting-edge dance producers: a move that saw them gain an international audience and top festival billing.
This year sees them stripping down their sound and touring on the back of their 2018 release, “High as Hope”, an album of confessional songs aided by some interesting musical directions. What hasn’t changed, though, is the siren sound of the mighty Florence Welch voice. Audiences at the O2 will still be able to sing along to one of the most distinctive sounds in modern pop as Welch takes them through one soaring chorus after another.
If you want classic French food done right then you’d be hard pressed to improve on this temple to Gallic excellence. The late, great Joel Robuchon is largely credited with dragging his fellow chefs out of the pretentious cul-de-sac of Nouvelle Cuisine and into the brave new world of simple dishes done with unprecedented levels of detailed perfection.
Along the way, he hoovered up no less than 32 Michelin stars and established outposts around the world – one of which is this restaurant, just a couple of doors down from The Ivy. Everything on the menu is perfectly French and perfectly executed. From the caramelised quail, stuffed with foie gras, to the milk fed lamb cutlets is a celebration of tradition and innovation. The great man may be gone, but his perfection lives on.
https://www.joel-robuchon.com/en/restaurants-londres-atelier.php
