My Top Five from Seven Days in London

1. Rachel Whiteread Drawings Exhibition at Tate Britain

The highlight of the week for me was definitely the Rachel Whiteread Drawings Exhibition at Tate Britain. At last, an exhibition to get my teeth into (to coin a phrase)! I have always loved this building and regret that there were fewer reasons to visit it once Tate Modern opened. The Edward Muybridge photo exhibition was interesting too.

2. Happy Monday at Tate Modern

A visit to Tate Modern on a sunny, blue-skied first afternoon in town to see some works from the permanent collection. I was disappointed not to see an old favourite, the somber but serene Rothko Room, though the single of his paintings, which they had on display was a lovely one. And, for that matter, what ever happened to the paintings that populated the fabulous Morandi Room that used to be tucked away in the old Tate in Pimlico?

3. Early Italians at Sainsbury

Inspired by my recent visit to the Louvre, I made a pilgrimage to the Sainsbury Wing at the National Gallery to see the treasure trove of Early Renaissance Paintings. Duccio was a favourite, as well as the small but perfectly-formed Wilton Diptych.

I had forgotten how extravagantly the main galleries are decorated – vibrant Victorian shades of flock wallpaper, marvelous inlaid marble surfaces and ornate ceilings almost (but not quite) eclipse the much-loved masterpieces on display. Less colourful was the weather.

4. Primrose Hill and Regents Park

A lovely walk around my old stamping grounds Primrose Hill The London skyline from Primrose Hill has changed so much from the days when St Paul’s Cathedral was prominent on the city horizon. The economic slowdown hasn’t slowed preparations for the 2012 Olympics and construction work is continuing apace. Followed up a leisurely stroll across Regents Park, with some window-shopping on Marylebone High Street - what else?

5. N1

Couldn’t miss the chance to go shopping in the West End, though Oxford Street on a miserably rainy day was insanity itself. What was I thinking? Luckily, there weren’t too many reasons to leave Islington, where we were staying in the flat of a dear friend and many more reasons to stay local: the Almeida Theatre, the new-look Screen on the Green, yummy Turkish cuisine at Çanakale and lots of high street names for my inner shopaholic.