Noticed on the way out that the 'Cap in Hand' Wetherspoon's at the crossing of Hook Road and the A3 has closed. A large old pub in what I would have thought was an awkward position, but Wetherspoon's have had it for a while - and I have never known one to close before. They have a big estate, so it must happen - but not to my knowledge before. The sign of a mature operation?
Started off properly with a quick foray into Bridge Road for bread and wine. I had thought that such a trendy road would do trendy bread, but failed to find anything better than Mother's Pride disguised as a bloomer. Furthermore Lancelot's, the wine (plus cheese plus cigars) shop had succumbed to a new wine shop called Erik Laan Fine Wines Ltd. Same sort of higher grade wine, perhaps a bigger choice and a very nifty salesgirl, who certainly knew her business. She also had some stock, including both fake Chambertin and two sorts of Greco di Tufo white. We left with one bottle of the former and two of the latter. See reference 3 - about as close to an independent as you are going to get; hopefully small enough to be cuddly, big enough to survive.
Over the road to the cabbage patch where it was all rather wintry. So rather derelict cabbages, some winter greens and some spring greens on the way. Some pea like plants - with the peas that I used to plant being late spring items, not liking the frost. I have noticed these winter peas before but forget what the story was.
Out the back, the Merlin Entertainments concession (see reference 1) is coming on well, sign illustrated. A good fit with some of the other stuff put on these days at the Palace, but I am a bit uncomfortable. Not sure that I want all our national heritage to go the way of Warwick Castle or Chessington World of Adventures.
Puzzled by long pendulous shoots on the metasequoias which might have been flower buds but which might also have been leaf buds. Must keep an eye on them.
Daffodils in the wilderness coming along nicely, along with various other spring flowers. Oddly, no winter aconites. And I think that having made lots of paths through the daffodils, over the grass, may prove a mistake. I am not at all sure that once people are allowed, indeed encouraged to stray off the proper, made up paths, they are not going to wander & trample, or at least let their children so to do. And even if they didn't, worn patches on the wet winter ground don't look too good.
Onto the privy garden, looking as good as it usually does in the winter morning light. Quick peek at the sunken gardens then into the Palace itself, with first stop the Cumberland Gallery, with our previous visit to this newish attraction being noticed at reference 2. Some new things, for example a Duccio travelling triptych and an odd but oddly compelling 'Noli me tangere' by Hans Holbein the younger. Nothing like his better known court portraits at all. But I was most taken by an unusual Gainsborough sketch - a large sketch, possibly a painting unfinished at his death - of Diana and Actaeon.
Took a good look at the series of 12 Canalettos of the Grand Canal - in one of which I was interested to see a house with a spot of garden. Presumably a house with a garden commanded a considerable premium in the Venice of the time. In any event, a nicely presented display.
A walk through the Georgian state rooms, also nicely presented. Very taken with the large guard chamber - not least for the reminder of the need for such things at the time of William & Mary.
Out to a very satisfactory lunch at the Pizza Express opposite the railway station - where we learned that the chap whom we now take to be the franchise holder, despairing of the rents & rates of Hampton Court, is shortly to move to a much better proposition at Antwerp. Maybe we will visit him there!
Reference 1: http://www.merlinentertainments.biz/.
Reference 2: http://psmv2.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/cumberland-treat.html.
Reference 3: http://www.thevineking.com/.
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