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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Comment
Dylan Jones

OPINION - London is overtaking Paris and New York for culture, so why can't I visit a gallery on a whim?

It was Saturday morning and my two twentysomething daughters had just announced that they were (rather shockingly) available for me to buy them lunch. Lucky me. I felt honoured. While I have learned not to be quite so enthusiastic when they suggest going shopping together (my accountant has actually banned me from this kind of activity, especially in Bond Street and large department stores), because they have left the family home — and because it so rarely happens — lunch with the pair of them is something to be treasured. Even if it costs me a small fortune. And with their mother out of town, this opportunity had “quality time” written all over it.

We met in Gail’s in Marylebone, which is one of those chains that manages to seem upmarket and cheap at the same time (good thing), and while we were making our way through the reasonably priced pastries and coffees, we decided we might quite like to go and see an exhibition. There were several shows we were all keen to see, and a couple we thought might be worth seeing just for the lols.

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