READER. Your library wants YOU!

By some mad law of irony, I woke up at 8am after going to sleep at 4am.  Forced myself back to bed for another couple of hours, and then walked a solid 15 minutes down the street to the British Library with Tina to check out the Propaganda: Power & Persuasion Exhibition.  Then another 20ish minutes down to the British Museum to hang with the mummies.  

Breaky á la Tina

The Library was out of control! Makes the ones back home look like shelves you'd find at the DMV. Hideous.  They had some musical magic going on inside, first a big ol violin show, then a choir singing sweet singing.  

CHAIRz

Some poetry exhibit display stuff

The Propaganda Exhibit cost £4 for students, and it was interesting and descriptive, but I def felt I had already learned most of it in my Graphic Design and art history classes.  The objects that reflect meaning, status, power etc.  It was laid out in a manner that illustrated how to produce successful propaganda / what made past propaganda so impactful.  

1. ESTABLISH AUTHORITY
2. EXPLOIT EXISTING BELIEFS
3. APPEAL TO PATRIOTISM
4. CREATE FEAR
5. USE HUMOUR
6. IMPLY EVERYONE AGREES
7. DISGUISE THE SOURCE
8. HAMMER IT HOME
9. MAKE FALSE CONNECTIONS
10. BE SELECTIVE ABOUT TRUTH
11. ESTABLISH A LEADERSHIP CULT

It is, in a way just advertising (to me), enforcing a way of thinking, or how to behave... it's a shame it's throughout the years been associated moreso on the negative side.  But, I enjoyed the exhibit.  It displayed old video clips on world war I & II, documents, photographs, cartoons, new articles, leaflets dropped during wartime.  It covered aspects of Chairman Mao's reign, Stalin, Hitler, etc all the way down the line to influencing health within ads, drug abuse, etc, and to the nowaday use of the internet and technology to spread ideas and information such as twitter and facebook etc.

Pullin the sneekshots...

comments as they streamed live during events in 2012 such as the Sandy Hook shootings, London Olympics, and ... shit, I forgot the 3rd event.. but this whole wall filled up and was def a bit overwhelming.

After, we went down Gower St to the British Museum, admission free.  Walking, free.

British Museum

Yes, I am that asshole

MUMMYKITTYZ

It was so crowded, after hangin with the mummies we bail, and realizing how close we were to Covent Gardens we just decided to find a good place to eat.  All we've had so far was an egg on toast with some bacon, and that was around mmm 11am?  It was now 5pm, and after roaming down Great Queen St to Long Acre, ran across a place that I wanted to try a couple days before The Sun Tavern.  Words fail me, so I'll just say, this place was fucking DELICIOUS.

Upstairs bar was booked for a private event :(

Tina got the Bangers n Mash- (bangers- slang for sausage) English pork n' leek sausage with homemade spring onion mashed potatoes, and onion gravy with a half glass of Guiness for £10.  While I was just really craving Fish n Chips with a glass of rose wine for £12

We got there just before the rush (everyone goes out at pretty much 6pm, gettin smashed and ready to party).  This place was really prime.  It had a standard price range, but we really liked the atmosphere. It was casual and the music not too loud or too soft, and (granted we got there just before everyone else) the service was quick, the staff nice and the food- AMAZING.  So good, the fish was crispy, and the sausages and mashed were really tasty and, well, I'm no food expert... I'll just stop at - I give their everything an A+.  

Wandered around a little bit more, down some other streets I didn't see when I passed through Covent Gardens before.  Stepped into a shop called Opening Ceremony.  Aaahhh, filled with the most wicked threads. I loved a handful of things by Kenzo, and Gritman.  Way out my price range (150 sale -3000 GBP), but Tina and I dreamt for a second. Ended the day writing and sketching at the Victoria Embankment Gardens.

Victoria Embankment Garden

Now excuse me while I scrub my gross aching feet. 

Total spent today: £20 ish

KL