Impromptu Saturday meet-ups are always my favourite, particularly when they involve exploring London's delights and throwing in a bit of culture for good measure.
Of course no Saturday meet-up would be complete without brunch, so today started at the Ivy Market Grill; The Ivy Restaurant's more relaxed (and cheaper!) younger sister.
With wood panelling and individual lamps at the marble bar the place has a cosy French feeling when you walk in; and I was greeted by friendly staff who let me sit at the bar to wait, with a latte swiftly placed in my hand.
Being in Covent Garden, it was busy, but our table was a corner booth so we had loads of space and privacy to natter away and have a catch up over eggs.
My breakfast was from the 'Lighter Bites' section of the menu and certainly was enough to fill me for breakfast! 2 poached eggs with roasted tomatoes and avocado on toasted brown bread with a beautifully light sesame dressing which just lifted the whole dish.
After we were filled and fuelled with tea we headed off to Somerset House for the Guy Bourdin: Image Maker exhibition.
I was not particularly familiar with Bourdin's photography before going to this exhibition; and I would say that it's not for the more commercial lover of photography. Most of his work was done in the 70s and all his work has an edge of the sinister, or testing, to it. Lots of blank space, and muddy colours, as well as heavy use of shadow makes a lot of his work seem quite ominous. I found this interesting as most of the photographs on display were used as commercial advertisements, or editorials in Parisian Vogue at the time. Quite a different approach from the images we see in magazines today, with vibrant colours and the products filling the page.
I had never been inside Somerset House and this exhibition took pace in what seemed to be a vaulted dungeon; dark and bare concrete walls. I was surprised that the inside of the building could be so hugely contrasting to the grand and regal nature of the outside; but it worked well for this particular exhibition.
This was my favourite series of shots; so simple yet so effective! I would have this as art up in my house.
Photographers and fashion lovers: I would definitely recommend going to see this exhibition, even if to challenge your perceptions of fashion and commercial photography. It's £9 for an adult ticket and it finishes on 15 March.
After the exhibition we stepped out into the courtyard as dusk was falling and headed off to finish the day with a quick cocktail - a perfect girlie meet-up!
