Visit A Fan Museum in London or California. Travelling to somewhere hot? Stuck in a hot office? Fun DIY fans for Fancy Dress Parties

 

Angela Lansbury. Photo by Trevor Sharot.

For a fun photo, add a matching fan.

 Pick a colour from a multi colour dress. Match the shoes to your accessory colour. I have added red lace gloves.

London has a fan museum. In Greenwick, South London.

Conference Fancy Dress Party Hire

At the Writers' Summer School in The Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, Derbyshire, England, UK, we had a themed Twenties Fancy Dress evening. Several people hired outfits from a local party shop (Currently closed due to Covid-19 and operating online with a local delivery and collection service to the conference centre. At party shops and dress hire businesses you can buy or hire complete outfits including an accessory such as a headband, hat or fan and shoes.

DIY Fans

Fans come in two basic shapes. concertina or circle.

DIY Concertina Fans

If you have an old fan, which is bedraggled, you could take it apart to see how it is made. Then copy it. Or reconstruct it, repairing the damaged parts.

At a Chinese New Year and Mid Autumn Festival events included an outdoor dinner in open sided marquees around the swimming pool at a condo in Singapore, all the guests were provided with paper fans. The morning after the event, lots of torn paper fans lay on the ground.

One such event was before Covid-19 when I was not so cautious about touching anything which had been touched by anybody else's hands. The pink and purple paper for the fans had glittery gold edges. I thought, that is lovely paper which can be used for greeting cards. 

However, after cutting off the torn parts, I found to my delight that I has sufficient paper so I could construct a smaller fan. Alternatively, I could stick the paper from two fans together with a vertical join to make a new fan.

The classic concertina fan has reinforcements like a lollipop stick on the two short outside edges. The lower third is fixed at the base or a third of the way up. If you were in a hot room without air conditioning you could take any piece of paper such as a spare program/agenda sheet and fold it, or an unwanted large envelope and concertina it. You could use a piece of white A4 paper and draw on it. Or print it in colour to match your outfit. Fasten the fan at the base.

Cutting Semi-circles

Cutting semi-circles is easier yet harder than you think. Look around for something circular. A plate or cup and saucer. An egg cup or wine glass base for the fan shape for a child's small dolly. A fan with advertising to be in a shop window. A fan with a child's name to be held by a toy doll or teddy as a Christmas gift.

A strip of lace or braid can be used on the upright. A fan can also be framed as decoration for a bedroom. It is also amusing for a costume party or fancy dress party or a birthday or anniversary or school or holiday reunion on a them. Fans were the thing in the Roaring Twenties (1920s).

The finest fans are made from lace or delicate fabrics, and decorated with braid. If you have a spare piece of lace or find fabric, or the offcut from a dress you have shortened, or a fabric belt, or a ribbon of lace, think how you could use it on a fan. If it is too fine for the main fan material, it might be used in the circle or straight edge across the top.

Circular Fans

Circular fans are often given away as promotion, by travel companies. Or destinations. You find them at travel fairs. They consist of a circle of stiff paper.

I have used a fan as an accessory for a speech, or stand up comedy turn. I write my notes or prompts on the back of the fan.

If you find fans fascinating, visit the Fan Museum in Greenwich, south east London. I went there and had allowed an hour. But they have 5,000 fans. Not all on display. The staff were chatty and helpful when I was there and Tripadvisor confirms this has been the case for other visitors. One helped a birthday party there. Visitors speak highly of the tea in the orangery tea room. You could also visit the Maritime Museum nearby. For a quick lunch I recommend the steak sandwich at the Lodge in Putney. (See my previous post.)

Novelties in the Fan Museum include a fan with a built in earpiece and another with a built in repair kit. Whatever next!

Next is a look at Fan museums and fans worldwide. One or two in the UK in major tourist destinations such as London's British Museum, and Waddesdon Manor, a day trip which I took recently. 

USA Fan Museum 

Over in the USA there is a fan museum in California. At the Healdsburg Hotel complex. They display a huge number. They have 2,500 fans. 

Healdsburg has a Marriott hotel in the Sonoma wine country. If you want to make a special trip to the area.

Further fans pop up in museums all over North America.

If you are looking online, to avoid links to electric ceiling fans, use the words hand fans.

Useful Websites

DIY FAN

https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Fan

UK Fan museum site:

thefanmuseum.org.uk

USA Fan Museum, Healdsburg Hotel complex, California

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand_Fan_Museum

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hand-Fan-Museum/

https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/stsri-hotel-trio-healdsburg

Worldwide Fan Museums Collections (USA list)

https://fanassociation.org/fan-fundamentals/museums-with-online-fan-collections/

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See Statues of Gagarin in Greenwich, London, Belgrade, or Moscow, and tips on photographing statues

Gagarin in Greenwich, London. Wikipedia photo and phtographer details.

Statue of Gagarin, Moscow. Photo and photographer details in Wikipedia.

Problem
The latest Gagarin monument in Belgrade, Servia, lovely, but - locals don't like it. You have to stand on tiptoe if you are tiny to see it and photograph it. It's so high up your camera will get it distorted.

Answers
On the other hand, I have now learned that the capital of Belgrade is Serbia. This is not news to anybody living in Serbia, but I am sure the tourist board will be initially horrified that some people still don't know, but gratified that they are back on the map inside people's brains. All publicity is good publicity.

Those extenders for smartphones, mostly used for holding in front of you for selfies, are also useful to capture high up statues.

When photographing a statue, I take it from all four directions, kneeling down, standing on tiptoe, then pressed against a nearby lamp-post or another solid item to prevent camera shake.

It's also worthwhile taking a photograph of a statue, or any object, at three times of the day. You can have the light on the features and the face, a cast shadow, or a silhouette at night.

Statue List
Now, added to my list of statues to see:
1 Yuri Gagarin, Belgrade, capital of Serbia.
2 Yuri Gagarin statue, Greenwich, London, England
3 Statue of Yuri Gagarin, Moscow, Russia
PHotos in Wikipedia

Useful websites
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-news-from-elsewhere-43701570 (News on Gagarin in Belgrade. Apr 11 2018)

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
PS Silhouette - another word to add to my list of French words. See previous post for quiz on French words.

The City of the Future at The Crystal, DLR, London

Photo from Wikipedia.

The Crystal
The Crystal is the world's largest exhibition about our urban future, they say.

Opening Hours
10-5 Tuesday to Sunday.
The Waterfront cafe overlooking Royal Victoria Docks is open 7 days a week, 8.30-5 Monday to Friday and 10-5 Saturday and Sunday.
Additional summer hours will be shown on their website.
Who runs this place? Siemens. The street is named after them.

Cost?
I am confused I thought it was free. Then I read that it's free for children, £5 for seniors, £8 for adults, free to local people, free for a return visit after you have paid once, and free entry with an offer on one of the rial fares into London. Shop around and ask before you pay out.

How to get there
It's right next to DLR Royal Victoria.
I went there in the evening for a presentation by the tourist board for Rome. At night from the room where we had the presentation, you can see the lights of the Emirates Airline cable car gondolas sailing along towards you and past the building in mid-air. Very atmospheric. Fairyland.
For futuristic start, arrive on the Emirates Airline from Greenwich or ExCel exhibition centre.

(I went to a free exhibition on the city of the future in Singapore, in a Singapore underground station. See my earlier post:

http://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/iexperience-photos-in-singapore-free.html


Also see the free museum on the future of the internet and Smart technology in Seattle, USA, in one of my other posts.

Useful Websites:
The Crystal

1 Siemens Brothers Way
E16 1GB London, United Kingdom

020 7055 6400

Twitter
@thecrystalorg

Facebook
www.facebook.com/thecrystalorg

YouTube
About the mayor's prize in 2013 but great video of the building and the passing cable cars.

www.thecrystal.org
Click on the tab which says Brochure and you see a video giving an aerial view of the building.

http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk

See my other blog:
www.luxurytravelforless.co.uk

A Hot Long Weekend, in London or worldwide - where to go?

Baskin Robbins ice cream parlour in Hatch End. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

If you are not keen on sugary ice cream, look for a frozen or iced yogurt.

Problem
It's hot in London, England. Predictions say that over the bank holiday weekend it will be hotter in London, England, than in Nice, in the South of France, than Lisbon, in Portugal, and hotter than Barcelona in Spain. Where can you go to cool off, or enjoy the sunshine?

Answer
If you like it hot (to adapt the title of the film starring Marilyn Monroe), a good time to be in London, England. The restaurants with pavement seating are enjoying a boom.

Let's Do Lunch! says the sign outside Izgara restaurant in Hatch End. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

What do you need? What might you look for?

Air  Conditioned Car
An air conditioned car, to hire. Make sure when you collect it they show you how to turn on the car conditioning. If you have a car with a sliding roof, or a convertible, you will be popular.

Trip to the Seaside

But traffic was very heavy in London suburbs Friday 26th because everybody was heading home or out for the long weekend. It's the same every bank holiday. Long delays. Check before you travel.

Maybe you'd be better off taking the bus, which can use bus lanes, or the underground railway, or the overground. Or a bicycle, and head along the cooling canals and rivers.
the Thames goes through the middle of London.

Lido
Go north west to Ruislip and there's Ruislip Lido, a lake, an artificial sandy beach and on certain summer weekend you can pay to take a ride on a a miniature train. You can walk around the lake looking at swans and dog-walkers, and meander off through the forest. You might even see a cow in a field near the car park.

Ruislip Lido where you can watch the swans on the lake from the restaurant. Photo by Angela Lansbury, Copyright.

A cheap and cheerful carvery restaurant offers good value meals in an art deco building. My favourite.

Train
You can take the train from London to Brighton, if you are happy with a pebbly beach. Brighton is south of London, in East Sussex.

Beach
You will find beaches in England, Scotland and Wales. In Wales, a beach near Cardiff, costal areas like Tenby, more on the north. Cornwall and Devon are famous for their coastal resorts.

Lakes
Or you can drive to England's Lake District. Rival to new Zealand from a photographer's point of view. Wonderful reflections of green hills and green trees in water. If it's not too hot, but lots of rain, you'll get to see a waterfall or two, if that's what you want.

Going further north, more lakes are around Glasgow. Yes, not just little harbours. Scotland also has lakes. You will recall the Loch Ness Monster. No need to be afraid. Apart from a distant ripple nobody has actually seen it, although some pretty serious expeditions by scientists have hunted, as the museum will tell you.

Parks
Picnic in the park. Central London has parks with lakes. Outer London has many more. Famous parks include Green Park, Hyde Park. A map will show you parks, and which ones have lakes or mini zoos and playgrounds for children.

Garden Centres
Some garden centres have cafes with indoor and outdoor seating areas.

LAKES, RIVERS AND BOATS
Water Rides At Theme Parks

Boating on lakes
There is a boating lake in Regents Park.

RIVER TRIPS
Take a river trip down the Thames in London.

RIVERSIDE WALKS
Walk along the Thames past statues and landmarks, to end up at a waterside pub.

RIVERSIDE PUBS
Several historic pubs.

DRIVING TO THE RIVER
Take trips to riverside towns such as:
Maidenhead
Cambridge, where you can see people punting on the river Cam.

Go to south London to Greenwich to see the Cutty Sark, a restored ship. On England's south coast, at Portsmouth, learn about England's maritime history and Henry VIII's ill fated ship, the Mary Rose.

THE OPEN TOP BUS
Take on open top bus tour around London, other cities in Britain, and many cities worldwide.
The bigbustours.com in London at the World Travel Market gave me a bag saying they went to Abu Dhabi, Budapest, Dubai, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Las Vegas, London, Miami, Muscat, New York Paris, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Shanghai, Vienna and Washington DC.

I also saw an open top City Sightseeing bus tour in Singapore. For price comparisons and review of who does what, and who does it best, see TripAdvisor.

CitySightseeing open top bus in Singapore. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

INDOOR SNOW SKIING
England and Singapore have artificial snow ski slopes.

The Snow Centre near Milton Keynes. Photo by Angela Lansbury, copyright. 

SWIM, SAUNA AND SPA
Find an outdoor swimming area.

Visit a spa or a hotel with a spa which is open to the public.

ICE FOOD AND DRINK
Go out for an ice cream.
Ice cream bars all over London.

Visit London's Ice Bar. That's a bar which is made of ice, and you drink icy drinks. Follow their instructions on clothing.

Choose a rooftop terrace and drink a cold alcoholic cocktail or non alcoholic m o c k t a i l. (I inserted s p a c e s because spell checker has already changed the m back to c once.)

Evenings
The evenings stay light longer at this time of year. Play floodlit evening tennis. Maps will show you the locations of public tennis courts, tennis clubs and golf clubs.

HOME OR AWAY
Organize an outdoor barbecue in a back garden. Look for events and festivals of food and drink in parks and attached to stately homes. Check out the National Trust website for what is near you.

Sit in a pub with a garden. Many around central London and also in the suburbs and out in the countryside.

INSECTS
Cover up against insects. Some are active by day, others at dawn and dusk, some attracted by flowers and picnics. Others by your perfume. Others fly in when you open windows and attract them with light. I just learned today that one of my neighbours in London, England, has been in hospital over a week because of a wasp sting.

Tips
Take with you:
Brimmed hat
Suncream
Insect repellent
Sting relief
Bottle of water
Clothes and scarves to cover up against insects and change in temperature.
Carry a fan or improvise one from stiff card.

Mural of skiers. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

ACTIVITY
Visit an ice rink. In London you have a choice of Queens, or Alexandra Palace.

Skiing
Go indoor skiing. I've been several times to S n o w z o n e near Milton Keynes. Non-skiers can sit by the window of the cafeteria and watch the skiers being pulled up the slope and skiing down. You need to book your hour's slot in advance. You can hire ski gear. Check what is available. Look for which days and times and deals are better bargains.

WALKING OR SITTING
Or just stay home and buy a motorised fan. Read a book about mountain climbing, drink iced water and suck on an ice lolly.

ESCAPE THE HEAT
If all else fails, and you can't stand the heat, take a trip to a cooler country such as Iceland or Greenland. Your holiday could be fly-drive, or a cruise. Alternatively travel down under to Australia or New Zealand where the seasons are reversed and you will have their cool winter.

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/london-weather-temperatures-could-hit-30c-as-spring-heatwave-continues-before-thunderstorms-move-in-a3548681.html
http://eishaus.co.uk (Ice bar)
http://www.alexandrapalace.com/ice-rink/ice-skating-london/
www.queens.london/Ice_Rink/Ice_Skating‎
http://www.skiclub.co.uk/skiclub/infoandadvice/uksnowsports/ukslopesmap.aspx#.WSjaQjOZNo4
https://www.timeout.com/london/things-to-do/lidos-and-outdoor-swimming-pools-in-london
https://www.thebeachguide.co.uk/south-east-england/article/beaches-near-london
http://www.standard.co.uk/goingout/attractions/london-s-best-fountains-9620460.html
www.bigbustours.com
https://city-sightseeing.com/en/home
https://www.theoriginaltour.com

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. I have several other posts on London, England, taking a canal boat, indoor skiing, Europe, hot countries like Singapore with its river and breaches, and cool countries. Please share links to posts.

Biking Tours of London

Picture from Wikipedia. See Wikipedia for credentials.

Where can I go on a bike tour of London? Somebody asked me this on WAYN. Sensible question.

I don't bike but everybody else in my family does. They bike and motorbike, which I feel are opposites, a bit like liking both cats and dogs. Each to his own.

In London, even the far off suburbs, you see the cycle route signs. Seriously, if you don't have a bike in London, the quickest and simplest way is to hire what used to be called the Boris bike (what's now in 2015 called Barclays Bike). Look at their map which is probably online and comes free when you hire their bikes. Pick the tour fitting your time allowed.

Biking To Famous Central Sites
As a tourist you will have to prepare for traffic driving on the other side of the road, the left. How do you remember whether it's left or right? Where were you sitting last time you were driving or passenger in a car at home or visiting a foreign country, or as a passenger on a bus? (Car steering wheels in the UK are on the right (facing forward inside the car). On a bus in Singapore I recall sitting on the left with the driver on the right, same as in England.

If you are from  country which has the same system as the UK that's no problem. If you are used to driving on the other side of the road, you might feel and be safer following a group led by a local cyclist who is used to London traffic.

If you are a tourist you will want to see famous sites. If you are riding solo and want to be alone but to follow the crowd, you could follow the route of one of the London sightseeing buses which take in famous sites. If you have a friend who doesn't like to bike, or they are cultural and you are sporty, put your friend on the bus tour and follow the route.

Or pick one of more sites you want to see. For example, famous buildings in central London. Or look for the pedestrian tours which you see at London stations. Or just aim to to to one famous sites (Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly, Thames Barrier, Tower Bridge, or go to a London Park, such as Regents Park, Green Park, or Clapham Common. Then back to your starting point (where you live or stay on holiday or business).

If you are more convivial, join a group. You can sign up for a free guided tour with Sky Ride Local on a website (see end of post for the London biking magazine).

Famous Out of London Sites
If, like me, you are a Londoner and already know London well, and really want to get away from work, and use your bike not to tour but the centre to explore further afield, your mental goals and physical destination are in the opposite direction.

Within London new in 2015 are the Quiet Routes. I would go along the Thames, away from the traffic in the centre of London. I hate traffic. It makes me nervous. We have had several fatal accidents in London. (For facts on this and safety tips see the second Wikipedia article listed below.)

So I would head out along the Thames, out of London, towards the West. Hampton Court direction. Further West, if you've got the whole afternoon or day or weekend you reach pretty areas with trees, Eton, Marlow, Henley.

In the opposite direction, the East End of London, the breezy areas, the Olympic area, Thames Barrier.

Going South, a favourite destination would be Greenwich. Going North, if you don't mind a hill, but like the challenge, there's Harrow on the Hill for a historic area.

Joining Singles and Groups
You could also write to a bike magazine. Browse it in a stationery store or on line. Look for a past issue with an article on London. Then buy and/or read that. One magazine is devoted solely to biking in London. (See websites at the end of this post.)

Or join Meetup and join a biking group. If they don't have one in your area, start your own.

Or go into your nearest shop selling bikes and ask an assistant where you can go on your bike. Or look for another biker browsing the store and ask them.

Transport for London has cycling guides. For more details:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cycle_routes_in_London
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycling_in_London
https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/cycling/
http://lcc.org.uk/pages/free-london-cyclist-magazine

Angela Lansbury, travel writer, author, speaker.

Want a pick-me-up snack whilst shopping? Yogurt, fat free, sugar free, gluten free, at Watford and elsewhere

Walking uphill from Watford High Street station, you cross on the triple crossing towards the shops. Take a detour into Boots and try to avoid buying. (I ended up with three nail varnishes, which I wanted, at least I wanted one or two but the offer was three for two.) The Boots entrance brings you out at the lower level passing the toilets, baby change area with the drinking water fountain. As you pass towards the escalators on your left is the Yogurt kiosk. They often have a free taster of their yogurt or you can ask for one.

If you like the yogurts, take a card which gives you a free topping after five separate purchases, and a free yogurt after ten.

I tried the yogurt with the granola and blueberry topping. De-lish.

Want Calcium?
I'd previously avoided the kiosk and went to a coffee shop because I'm wary of sugar in smoothies. However, I love yogurt, and think I need calcium more than caffeine, calcium to build nails, teeth and bones - if you've ever had a cracked nail, broken tooth, or broken bone or backache you may share my concern.

How Much Sugar?
So reading the literature and claims on the signboard about the sugar and fat and gluten content, I was reassured I was getting calcium, without too much sugar. However, do read all the literature and check for yourself that what you are choosing, whether in a coffee shop or kiosk suits your needs in general or on that occasion. If you bought a low calorie coffee from a coffee shop, but added sugar, obviously you end up with more calories and more sugar. So if you buy yogurt, then add honey, you have to take into account what is added.

Onwards and Upwards at Intu, Watford
If you are aiming for a second storey shop, you are right by the escalator. If you want to sit in the shopping mall, Intu has lots of seats. You can eat the yogurt and read the literature.

Location, location, location
As Hilton used to say about a successful hotel, Location, location, location. Where can you find Yog yogurts?
Their website lists outlets in: Intu, Watford; Brent Cross; London - several including Greenwich; Brighton and more. You can also buy their products from Tesco.

More details and locations from:

yogyogurt.co.uk

ANGELA LANSBURY AUTHOR is a travel writer, speaker and English tutor and speech coach.
More about Angela Lansbury author on Youtube, Lulu.com, Amazon, LinkedIn, Facebook.

Time quotations

Today the clocks went back.

Quotations on time listed in alphabetical order:

A stitch in time saves nine.

A thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday
Bible

If you can fill the unforgiving minute
Kipling poem If

Give me one minute more
Song
Give me five minutes more
Song by Frank Sinatra

Hickory, dickory, dock
The mouse ran up the clock
(Nursery rhyme)

How did it get so late so soon ...
Dr Seuss

Now is the hour
(Song)

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone
Poem Funeral Blues by W H Auden

There is a tide in the affairs of men which if taken at the flood leads on to victory.
William Shakespeare 1564-1616

Time and tide wait for no man.

Time heals all wounds.

Time is everything. Five minutes makes the difference between victory and defeat. (Horatio Nelson, 1758-1805), won the Battle of Trafalgar but died on his ship the Victory. Also said England expects every man to do his duty.)

Time is money.
Benjamin Franklin

Time you old gypsy man, will you not stay, put up your caravan, just for one day.
Ralph Hodgson (9 September 1871 – 3 November 1962 - see article in Wikipedia.)

A modern Greek proverb, 'Man raises but time weighs', is inscribed in the USA on the Thomas Jefferson building, Library of Congress, Washington DC.

Quotations are inscribed above eye level on a frieze around the outside of Bluewater giant shopping mall in the UK.

For more quotations online see brainy quote

GREENWICH MEAN TIME VISIT, LONDON

Greenwich Park, Greenwich, London, SE10 9NF

Find the time line and be photograph astride it.

In Belgium there is a sculpture of time.