Jen and Ann-Maria photoshoot

Saturday was our last full day in London for this trip.  So we made plans with Ann-Maria to have lunch in Soho and then she would take me for a tour of the London Library.

Bill and I actually got up on the early side and hit Spitalfields and Brick Lane that morning where he bought a stoat (see yesterday's post) and I bought a few fun bits and bobs at the market - including this silk and velvet shawl in an Rennie McKintosh print.  It was about 85 degrees in London though, so I only put it on to model for these shots and then it went straight back in the bag.

We ate in the garden alcove of the Aurora restaurant - black walls on three sides, a curtain on the fourth   and a bamboo roof that lets the sun peek through.  Once we realized how perfect that was for a summer day photo shoot we started hamming it up.

Ann-Maria looked great against the black background in her fancy party dress.

But of course, I couldn't stay out of the shoot for long.

I call this one "Sad to say Good-bye".

Bill gave us some direction and now, looking at the photos, I wonder what he couldn't have told us to do that would have produced this ridiculous expression??

Whatever was going on - it was fun.

The London LIbrary is the largest independent lending library in the world.  You can only use it if you are a member.  Ann-Maria joined as soon as she came to London.  Even when she was flat broke, she maintained her membership  before worrying about eating.  I so wish I'd known about it when I first moved to the mews.  By the time I found out, the annual membership fee would have been silly to pay for two months of visits.   Past members include Charles Dickens, Virginia Woolf, Agatha Christie, Harold Pinter, Arthur Conan Doyle…unfortunately we didn't see any of them on this trip.

Bill waited outside while we went in for a look around.

All of the books are old and well worn, which is exactly how I like them.  They all boast this sticker (or a variation through the years) on the front.

I wasn't sure if photography was allowed and I still had my camera in black and white mode when I snuck this one.

But up i the stacks when there was no one looking I pulled this gem off the shelf.  Who do you think might have read this copy?  Agatha?  Virginia?
I love the line "Author of "Miss Mapp," "Queen Lucia, " etc."  - - as if to say "Of course, you know who we are taking about so there is no need to drone on about it."