Say Cheese

I remember when the first International Cheese Shop opened in Goodge Street in 1987 (I was working just around the corner), it was a revelation. They had a brilliant idea - not only could they sell great cheese, but they could make sandwiches out of the cheese, too. This, for a cheesophile, was heaven. These days it is all a lot more ordinary to find that type of thing, but the decent cheese sandwich lives strong. This shop is in Liverpool Street station, there are others in Victoria and Marylebone Stations.

February Theme Day - Animals

Another first of the month and another theme day around the worldwide City Daily Photo community. Teh theme this month is "Animals" and in London there is the monument to the animals that died in war - "Because they had no choice". You can find it at the top end of Park Lane

To see how others around the world interpreted the theme, click here to view thumbnails

Angels in the Architecture

He looks around, around
He sees angels in the architecture
Spinning in infinity

This angel can be seen floating in the void above the vehicle Silk Street entrance to the Barbican, and you will also come across it if you take the Highwalk from the Barbican Centre to London Museum; look out for it.

And the Paul Simon track? You can see the video of him and Chevy Chase here.

Mummy Loves Andrex

Turns out that this new talent on London streets is Teddy Baden; it seems a little unfair to describe him as sub-Banksy but that's the way it feels. I have featured his work before without knowing it, though.

Local Library - London Style

Following on from yesterday, I bring you the central London equivalent. Recently the occupation movement, taking over empty buildings and spaces in the city, have popped up all over the place. This entrance way to an empty building just of Finsbury Square (secured against occupation) has been taken over as a spontaneous library. There may be more, but the books appear a lot more forlorn than in the phone box.

Local Library

Not strictly London, as this is in a Hertfordshire village outside the M25, but I thought you might enjoy seeing the use to which a telephone box has been put.

The Writing on the Wall

It's interesting that a recent art experiment in London Underground is made to look almost like graffiti - this campaign asked people to submit stories of acts of kindness for publishing. You can read more here. It was apparently active in the lead up to Christmas, but can still be seen.

Metro-Land

John Betjeman, seen here in St Pancras Station, is associated in most people's mind with Metro-Land, the distillation of the suburbs made accessible byt he train. You can read more about Metro-Land here.

The Saucer Has Landed

I was quite surprised to come across the new futuristic entrance to Kings Cross Station, this is the one you would use to get to St Pancras International.

In Charge of the Money

The Government buildings in Whitehall are quire remarkable in themselves, but few take the time to look at them closely. Let me fix that for you. This is the Treasury building, they've been swiping our money for over a thousand years, you can read a potted history here.

Xin Nian Long Kuai Le

A very happy Year of the Dragon to all my Chinese visitors. I do have a number of photos of the dragons in London, but to be honest in most of them St George is doing the dirty. Given the cosmopolitan nature of our city, I thought I'd use a photo taken in the Forbidden City in Beijing. Whichever, a very happy, healthy and prosperous (Chinese) New Year to you all. Not sure I've added the Mandarin for dragon (long) in the grammatically correct place, but my Mandarin is getting very rusty.

A Different Age

There was a time when having a name in a different language, especially French, added an air of j'ne sais quo, an air of sophistication. If this shop had "Ladies Hairdresser" above the door, you would expect it to be somewhere other than Maida Vale around the corner from Little Venice.

The Italian Connection

The Italian Garden in Hyde Park is where the River Westbourne entered, if you would like to read about this lost river Diamond Geezer is one of the better resources, otherwise just enjoy how fresh and... Italian.... this area looks.

Getting Your Ducks in a Row

OK, they are gulls, not ducks, but you get the idea.

A Lost Lady

There is a lot of room in Hyde Park for any number of statues and memorials, this one is a little strange. I have no idea who it is, or what it commemorates, it appears to be a nymph with a sturgeon curled around her waist. The stone looks as if it is at least 200 years old, possibly more, but the face is still quite fine with unusual detail. Anyone know anything more?

A wondrous bird

Oh, a wondrous bird is the pelican!
His bill holds more than his bellican.
He can take in his beak
Enough food for a week.
But I'm darned if I know how the hellican.

You can find this couple in London's St James Park

St Stephen's Tower

After all, you can't see the bell inside, and that's what Big Ben is.

Show us yer boat

Alongside the bike show (and included in the price, £0 in my case) was the boat show. Perhaps someone can explain to me, why??? and then maybe, how??? In this vast arena were hundreds of vessels - very, very many with price tags that would make you wince. I can understand anyone sailing, and some were clearly aimed at that sector. The real money were the ship equivalent of wearing an overly expensive watch. It performs exactly the same function as a £5 watch, but lets people know you can spend £75,000 instead (or more. All those people. Where DOES all that money come from, in this "recession"?

Bike Polo

I tried water polo, but my horse drowned. This variant looks like good fun and is increasing in popularity in London, most bike-centric events seem to stage a few rounds. I think I may just observe from the sidelines, though.

Fit for Everyone

I'm sure they must exist in other places around the world, but the first time I saw this type of exercise machine for public use was in China. There, given the size of their homes and the population density it made perfect sense, and what is more they were used most of the time. I'm less convinced about this in London, but it seems like a good idea if people do use them.

Wipeout!

This bit of graffiti in Rathbone Place just amused me.

London's Elephants - No. 40 in the Series

While this heffalump was originally in the Elephant Parade, it has since been adopted and can be found ont he north side of Oxford Street, near Marble Arch. Say Hello to Ella May.


The elephants series is here.

Ordinary Londoners - No 24 In the series

And this is Paul, who works in Hobgoblin Music, and part of the charm of the place. I asked if I could take his portrait - "only if it is in black and white" - my pleasure to oblige. He was making quite a good noise come out of the concertina. Fascinatingly it was invented by Charles Wheatstone, a Victorian inventor more famous to me for the Wheatstone Bridge (an ingenious way to measure electrical resistance). They don't make them like that any more.

The ordinary Londoner series is here.

Hobgoblin Music

One of the places to go in London, and therefore in all probability the world, for acoustic and folk instruments is Hobgoblin Music in Rathbone Place. If you think that's a bold claim, do you know anywhere else you can buy a portable didgeridoo?

Charlotte Street

In days gone by, back in the 20's, Charlotte Street was one of the most happening London Streets, home to the Bloomsbury Set in Fitzrovia. It is a tribute to the persistence of habit that it is still one of the more interesting restaurant streets in London, with a Filipino restaurant just down from Chez Gerard. If you are visiting London, this area would be high on my recommendation list to eat in.

Cool Stuff

London is full of cool stuff, like this gallery in Percy Street. I'm afraid I can't remember much about it, except it was in Percy Street.

Taking Time Out

Time Out is a cornerstone of London life, they have consistently been the listing magazine to find out what's on, no matter what you taste or proclivity. Their offices are in Tottenham Court Road.

Feast Your Eyes at Gaby's

Gaby's Deli in Charing Cross Road has been part of London's backdrop for as long as I can remember; one of the best places for a sandwich or falafel in the area - as you might guess from this salt beef sandwich. Unfortunately its days are numbered as he is due to be evicted in May to make way for a restaurant chain. Just what we need, eh? You can join the facebook group to save Gaby's here.

Imagined Lives

The National Portrait Gallery off Trafalgar Square is running a story competition at the moment called "Imagined Lives". The pictures you can see (and ten others) were originally attributed to be of known people, but it has been discovered that we don't know who they are. For example, the lady was thought to be Mary Queen of Scots...but isn't. Your task, should you wish to accept it, is to create a story of up to 300 words to accompany one of the portraits. It's running till 22nd July, so you have plenty of time, find out more here.

A Seasonal Market

Covent Garden Market is still very festive, what's more some of the stalls are worth visiting, too.

Skating on Thin Ice

There are increasing numbers of ice rinks appearing in London year on year, but Somerset House is one of the more established ones. Times and tickets are here, but apart from the ticket price, you will have to pay a "booking fee" - what on EARTH is that about, if there is no way you can purchase tickets without it? (including on site) That sort of underhand practice makes me really cross.