Toto, i don't think we're in Croydon anymore

This weekend, in a departure from the norm, Mr Swift and i manage to venture further than the Spar at the end of our road (shock, horror). While Mr S went to Stanford Bride to see Villa get their arse kicked 7-1, I had a thoroughly entertaining day out at a couple of new exhibitions in London-town.

The first was the Ministry of Food exhibition at the Imperial War Museum to commemorate the 70th anniversary of rationing. Now, this was always going to be a winner with me; digging for victory, make do and mend – right up my street!

One of the most entertaining aspects of the exhibit are the ‘Food Flashes’; brief instructional films intended to help the public in rationing food and goods during the Second World War. Some were very tongue in cheek; others had become unintentionally hilarious with the passing of time. I recommend you go for them alone.

In an unexpected twist, the museum’s cafe is serving up dishes based on Ministry of Food recipes. I treated myself to Mrs Harwood’s cheese and lentil pie, which was so delicious i would happily eat it every day for the rest of the year, and chocolate syrup cake, of which i cannot say the same.

I then ventured over to the V&A to the Quilts: 1700 – 2010 exhibition. I’ve already documented my aptitude for other crafts such as knitting, but there’s always been a part of me that’s wanted to give quilting a go. I remember my Mother making a patchwork quilt for my Grandfather, gathering material from clothes given to her from various extended family members. My Grandfather died 13 years ago but the quilt remains in the family as a snapshot of social history of the time, and more importantly as a hideous reminder of some of the terrible fashions in the 80s.

The exhibition was full of incredibly intricate quilts that were breathtaking in their execution. However, i found myself most moved by possibly the least showy quilt in the place - The Changri quilt, created in secrecy by a troup of Girl Guides who were Japanese prisoners of war. There’s a link to their story here.

Finally, if that wasn’t enough i topped the weekend off my making my first ever Easter cupcakes. I hope the hardworking staff of Post Magazine appreciate them tomorrow. Never fear Research and Policy, if no-one dies over at Incisive Media I’ll be making another dozen on Wednesday evening.