I needed that coffee

Up to London this evening to see the Hockney exhibition at the Royal Academy.

London was hot and crowded and we needed a shot of caffeine so we stopped en route at my favourite coffee bar in Soho, Bar Italia in Frith Street. It's been there since 1949. This particular Gaggia machine is 50 years old and still going strong.

What can I say about the Hockney exhibition? His work is outstanding and inspiring. In his mid 70s now, he is an artist at the peak of his powers. I love how he has embraced new technology and used it to enhance his landscape painting.

The visitor experience left a lot to be desired. I have never been in such a crowded gallery. It was very frustrating to view such magnificent work (including many large canvasses which are best viewed from a distance) in an environment akin to a railway station at rush hour. Many other visitors were complaining about the numbers. The exhibition is called A Bigger Picture and I can't help thinking that the Royal Academy was more focused on A Bigger Profit. Why not run the exhibition for longer and restrict numbers at any one time?