Wallace Collection

After the pleasures of the Wellcome Collection our next stop was another one London's great treasures and best kept secrets; the Wallace Collection at Hertford House, Manchester Square.

I'd forgotten this incredible Titian was there, 'Persius and Andromeda'

I visited the Wallace Collection many time over the years (I used to go in my lunch hour when I worked at HMV 363 Oxford Street) so seeing these works in the collection is like seeing old friends again. I love this Watteau; 'Harlequin and Columbine'

Fragonard 'The Swing'

Velazquez 'The Lady with a Fan'

Rembrandt 'Portrait in a Black Cap'

Hals 'Laughing Cavalier'

More Wellcome Collection

There were so many lovely and intriguing objects in Henry's collection (and I was so happy you're allowed to take pictures), I thought he deserved a second entry.

These are some examples of his collection of medical glassware

He also had a number of paintings including this portrait of Leicester's most famous fat man, Daniel Lambert. His house in Leicester is fantastic and a favourite school trip destination for my sister's and I and (independently) Stephen too

Nothing prepared me for coming across this. A very rare etching by Van Gogh, of Dr Gachet, the physician who cared for Vincent during his final days

A cabinet of prosthetic limbs

A Peruvian mummified corpse

Wellcome Collection

Henry Wellcome's death mask

On Sunday, Ibolya, Ibolya (Ibolya's Mum) and I went to the Wellcome Collection, on Euston Road, to see their latest exhibition called 'Skeletons'. This told the history of London through the bones of it's citizens, exhumed over the centuries. Although slightly creepy and ghoulish, this was a fascinating and quite moving insight into the lives of our near ancestors.

But a real unexpected treat was what we found upstairs. A permanent collection called 'Medicine Man' which shows a a cross-section of extraordinary objects collected by Henry Wellcome, celebrating his passion for medicine and health. The collection, ranges from diagnostic dolls to Japanese sex aids, Napoleon's toothbrush to George III's hair. Here are a few of my highlights.

Henry's mask collection

Surgical toolsForceps! Japanese sex toys

Fertility objects These might make you think twice?

A a multiple trepanned skull and reminded me of Warhol's beautiful skull pictures

Ibolya's Mum

Ibolya's Mum arrived from Hungary on Friday, to stay with us for 2 weeks. She bought with her lots of ingredients for meals she's going to cook for us, during her stay.

I find all these unusual looking packets really exotic, their unfamiliar brands and inpenetrable labels. I'm really looking forward to lots of Hungarian home cooking.

This was our first meal, a Hungarian breakfast, not unlike bread and butter pudding, with sweet poppy seeds

Books

I've started buying books for Little One and getting very excited about the brilliant books that having a child gives you a perfect excuse to indulge in.

This was the 1st book I brought just for Little One, 'Miffy the Artist', published by the company I work for.

I brought 'Where the Wild Things Are' as a potential birthday present for my nephew Hugo, but thankfully, he's already got it so I can hang on to it for Little One. I loved this book when I was young and also really wanted Ibolya to see it.

Tove Jansson's 'The Book about Moomin, Mymble and Little My'. The Moomin books are new to me but are so gorgeous and such wonderful books, I'm buying them as much for me as for Little One.

Buckingham Palace

On my cycle past Buckingham Palace on Friday evening, I was at first impressed and slightly excited to see all the preparations for an event this weekend, marking the handover of the host Olympic City to London.

But then I couldn't help but compare these very modest and low key preparations with the opening ceremony we saw two weeks ago in Beijing (probably one of the greatest spectacles ever staged by human beings) and think, well if this is setting the standard and tone for London 2012, I can't help but think it's all going to be rather poo.