Marvel at tapestries in Edinburgh or lounge at a London lido with our pick of urban outdoor pursuits
EDINBURGH
Think of Peter Blake, Cecil Beaton, David Hockney and Peter Saville, and tapestry wouldnbe the first thing that springs to mind. But an exhibition celebrating 100 years of the Edinburgh-based Dovecot Studios, a highlight of this yearEdinburgh Art Festival, will reveal a dazzling treasure-trove of tapestry artworks from these and other luminaries of the 20 th and 21st centuries. an extraordinary craft,’says Saville. is digital, like pixellation in wool.’
Dovecot has been through a series of stellar moments since it was founded in 1912. the 1950s, they embraced the Festival of Britain generation, leaving a legacy of Moores and Paolozzis,director David Weir. the 1960s, tapestry doyenne Gloria Ross brought in abstract expressionists Robert Motherwell and his wife Helen Frankenthaler.’Hockneypiece, created in the 1970s, shows art dealer John Kasmin staring out of his New York gallery window. More recently, fashion designer Chris Clyne, the woman behind Nicole Kidmancorsetry in Moulin Rouge, came up with a tapestry corset. take it further every time,’says Weir.
Savillepiece, one of a series of new tapestries, is a reworking of a Blake piece, itself a re-envisioning of Sir r Edwin Landseericonic painting ! j Monarch of the Glen, of a majestic Highland stag. like pass the parcel,’says Saville.
Savillelatest tapestry might have even more reverberations in his life. Blake was awarded his knighthood after sampling Landseer,’he says. when the day comes that someone samples my version, Irather hoping to get mine.’Caroline roux the Century’is at Dovecot Studios, 10 Infirmary Street, Edinburgh (0131 550 3660; www.dovecotstudios.com), from 13 July.
ELSEWHERE IN EDINBURGH
ALFRESCO DINING: Pick up picnic sourdough from Bakery Andante (www.bakeryandanteoo.uk) and cheeses from Standhill Cheesery (www.standhilicheesery.co.uk).
SUMMER COCKTAILS: Enjoy prosecco on tap at the Hotel Missoni bar on George IV Bridge (www.hotelmissoni.com). OUTDOOR POOL: SheratonOne Spa (www.onespa. com) has pinch-yourself panoramic views over the city. BBQ: Head to Picardy Place for an outdoor grill at Steak and PepperSecret Garden (www.steakandpepper.com). URBAN SANCTUARY: Forget the city at the National Museum of Scotlandroof garden (www.nms.ac.uk). ROOFTOP BAR: Oloroso s roof-terrace bar over Castle Street (www.oloroso.co.uk) serves low-calorie cocktails. BRUNCH SPOT: Urban Angel (www.urban-angel.co.uk) specialises in local dishes including organic haggis. CULTURAL ATTRACTION: The great Philip Gustonworks are exhibited in Scotland at the Royal Botanic Garden (www.rbge.org.uk) from 25 July.
LONDON
ALFRESCO DINING: Head to KingBoulevard near King s Cross station for kimchi burgers or flatbreads from street-food collective Eat Street (www.eat.st). Gelupo in Soho (www.gelupo.com) offers otherworldly gelato creations. SUMMER COCKTAILS: Enjoy the Pimm s and Missoni furnishings at Aqua Nueva s intimate roof terrace (www.aqua-london.com). OUTDOOR POOL: The art deco Brockwell Lido in Herne Hill (www.fusion-lifestyle.com) has the lauded Lido Cafe next-door. BBQ: Chow down at Pitt Cue in Soho (www.pittcue.co.uk), or try Southern brisket at Blue Plate (www.blueplatechiswick.com). URBAN SANCTUARY: Dalston Eastern Curve Garden (www.dalstongarden.org) hosts music and dance events. ROOFTOP BARS: FrankCafe (www.frankscafe.org.uk) is a haven on top of a multi-storey Peckham carpark; Selfridges’(www.selfridges.com) rooftop has a boating lake and bar. BRUNCH SPOT: Anish Kapoor has decorated the No67 cafe at South London Gallery (www.number67.co.uk) with gold leaf. CULTURAL ATTRACTION: Rooftop Film Club has screenings in Kensington and London Fields (www.rooftopfilmclub.com).
BRISTOL
ALFRESCO DINING: Find cheeses, olives and handmade gravadlax at the Glass Arcade in St
Nicholas Market (www. stnicholasmarketbristol. co.uk). The Fairtrade iced coffee from Mrs BrownCafe in Victoria Park, Bedminster, is a must-taste. SUMMER COCKTAILS: At Milk Thistle (www. milkthistlebristol.com), housed over four hushed floors of a Grade ll-listed building, order the signature champagne cocktail, the Milk Thistle Daisy. OUTDOOR POOL: The Lido Bristol s heated pool (www. lidobristol.com) sits alongside its own restaurant and poolside bar, headed up by former Moro chef Freddy Bird. BBQ: Spyglass (www. spyglassbristol.co.uk), on a boat floating in a harbour, does flatbreads, barbecues and grills. URBAN SANCTUARY: Clifton Observatory and Camera Obscura on Clifton Downs (at Litfield Place) overlooks the suspension bridge.
OXFORD
ALFRESCO DINING: Picnic in rolling Christ Church Meadow with hamper treats from the Jacobs and Field deli in Headington (www.jacobsandfield.com). Guzzle cones of Dime Bar Crunch from George & Danver (www.gdcafe.com). SUMMER COCKTAILS: Bask on the terrace with a mojito or gimlet at Freud, in a converted church (www.freud.eu). OUTDOOR SWIMMING: Take a dip in the river within the beautiful setting of Port Meadow (via Walton Well Road), or in the recently revamped Hinksey Outdoor Pool (www.fusion-lifestyle.com). BBQ: Riverside pub The Perch (www.the-perch.co.uk) boasts one of the best gardens in Oxford, and a schedule of barbecues. URBAN SANCTUARY: Reflect at the duck pond in Worcester College, or contemplate Barbara FlepworthAchaean in the quadrangle at St CatherineCollege. ROOFTOP BAR: The Oxford Malmaison (www.malmaison.com) has a grassy roof terrace; order a piquant honey sour. BRUNCH SPOT: Literary haunt The Trout in Wolvercote (www.thetroutoxford.co.uk) has a terrace overlooking the Thames. CULTURAL ATTRACTION: Donmiss the sky-lit galleries and rooftop deckchairs at the Ashmolean (www.ashmolean.org).
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