I really should stop drinking....

From some angles this building looks like a headlamp, which is why it has earned that nickname. Personally, from this angle I think it looks like a lop-sided pile of plates, pushed over. But what if it's us that can't see straight?

This is the building for the Greater London Authority and the Mayor of London, in More London.

A dramatic figure

The Royal Acadamy for Dramatic Arts (RADA) is one of those places everyone knows is in London, but few know where to find it. Well, here it is in Gower Street. I've tried to make the photo suitably dramatic.

Multicultural London, No 1 in a series

I'd like to start a short series to celebrate the multicultural nature of London; there are few areas more diverse than the one I live in.

To start, here is one of my favourite restaurants, Chennai Dosa in East Ham (really, that's what it's called). This is possibly one of the most authentic Indian restaurants you will eat at. Don't expect tastelss salty curries, instead your tastebuds will be assaulted by an explosion of spice and flavour. Check out this page of customer comments if you think I'm exaggerating. It helps that you can fill your face for less than £5. My recommendations? Their chilli iddly and a special dosa.

This gent was knew why he was there, but was less sure why I wanted to take a photo.

Understated London

If you want to go celeb spotting in London, The Ivy restaurant in Covent Garden is one of the best places. Of course, if you aren't on the right list then you may have to wait six months for a table, but that's part of the cachet. It is entirely understated, though, and so typical of London.

Help me I think I'm falling

Don't you just love the way Joni Mitchell stopped at that point? Somehow, that part of the lyric makes me think of people jumping into the Thames, but then I'm a Londoner. These are the guys who might pull you out.

I was very annoyed a while back when a motoring organisation advertised themselves as the "fourth emergency service". Sorry, but that's always been the lifeboats/.

London Motorcycle Couriers

Most of the time, you are likely to get mown down by these fellas if you waver. They're not always in motion, though. To be honest, most of them are reasonably skilful riders: otherwise, they don;t last long. And it's tough on the streets, they deserve a rest.

London City Life

New York has its Brownstones, Paris has its lofts. And London? A random collection of buildings thrown up haphazardly over the last three hundred years. I do love 'em, all the same.

Hackney City Farm

As far as I know, London must have the closest farm to a city centre of any city. This cow in in Hackney City Farm which, although only a mile from the City, doesn't take the record because of Spitalfields City Farm, only yards from the city. In all, London has around 17 City farms, mostly in deprived areas like this. Is this a particularly British thing?

Discovered Art

Following from yesterday's post, I took this at low tide on the Thames, when I was taking the photo of the beach. Hope you like it as much as I did.

Street Art

Riding home through the City the other day I saw markings on the road for roadworks, which caught my eye. It's almost as if they were preparing for a witches meeting later that night. Maybe they were.

How far is it to London?

Another llittle bit of London Trivia for you - all distances to London are measure to Charing Cross. The monument you see here is a replica of the original built by King Edward I around 1291, to mark the procession of his wife's body. Wikipedia has a good article if you'd like to read more.

Telecom Tower

The Telecom Tower is visible from most of London.

I suspect that there are many others like me, who still think of this as the Post Office Tower, which it was until British Telecom was spawned from the Post Office. Although public access has been restricted to the tower since the bomb in the early seventies, and stopped in the eighties, the revolving restarant is still used by BT for corporate hospitality (I got invited once!).

The communications dishes are mostly unused these days, but they can't be taken down (or added to) without permission, because it would change London's skyline so much. This site has a great history and virtual tour.

A Monument

This is a detail of a statue on the Embankment. Donated "To the British Nation from the Grateful People of Belgium" 1914 - 1918. For those who were unaware, formally it was the alliance with Belgium that brought the UK into the carnage that was WWI. Makes you think, maybe.

The British Museum

The British Museum is a truly great place to visit. Apart from the amazing quantity or artefacts that we managed to pillage from around the world, it is free! And, you can take photographs! How good is that? The newly opened Great Court, designed by Norman Foster has quickly become a photographic favourite, this is my shot for you; the sculpture is part of Word into Art.

The Comedy Cafe

This may not mean that much to people not brought up on the Dandy and Beano, but it is the doorway to the Comedy Cafe in Rivington Street, which is a great place for a fun night out. A more general view of the door is here

Folded London

This statue is from one of my favorite areas of London, Holborn Viaduct. It is one of the oldest parts of London, the Diamond Geezer did a great piece following the course of the River Fleet, at this point it has long gone underground.

To me, this is where London seems to fold over itself in layer after layer. The viaduct links the financial city to the commercial heart, the statues to science art and so on are entirely typical of Victorian aspirations and ideals.

I'll be back to tell you more about the area soon.

Hit me with your rhythm stick!

Me Tarzan. It's odd what you see in London sometimes.

Odd Street Names

There are a lot of odd street names in London, I'd like to nominate this for the strangest. Cannon. Street. Road. Nowhere near Cannon Street. Yes I know we've got an Avenue Road, not quite the same. Any other worldwide Stree Road Avenues?

I'm back but not yet compos mentis. Cach up later.

Guns and Roses

This eclectic window display is from Purdey, the Queen's gunmaker. But I prefer its namesake (hence the roses)

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Ah-oo-oo-oo! were wolves in London

....here wolf in London! I really wanted to use that line with a photo of the wolves that used to be in London Zoo, but they are no longer there so I've had to make do with this. Sorry!

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Carnaby Street

Carnaby Street went through a period when it was just a tourist trap, but it has become more trendy again over recent years, as this photo shows.

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Centre Point

Here is Centre Point, which has been a London Landmark for some time, history is here. I remember the first time I saw it as a child looking up and getting hte sensation that the building was moving. I assume that my eye has got used to the spectacle by now.

Some people think it is one of the ugliest London buildings and I can understand why, but I quite like it.

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Poppies Diner

This is Poppies Diner, that the car was adverting. Basically a british caff with a transatlantic makeover.

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Big Car!

This ford Fairlane is a little out of place on London's narrow streets, but you can't miss it, for sure, so I suppose it's a good advert.

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LSE Statues

Keeping with the LSE, the story of the sculptures is here, and the photo is equus. I think I really need to collect them all for you!

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LSE Campus

On the subject of the LSE, I'd like to show you one of their buildings. I like the LSE, because it always seemed to me to have one of the best campus atmospheres of any of the London colleges.

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London's Penguins....

This jolly penguin is a companion to the elephant, by the LSE. Rather suitbale, outside a bookshop.

No, I'm not going to start a penguin series!

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London's Elephant's - No. 8 in the series

The elephant series again! This is one of a pair in Thomas Goode's shop in Mayfair, and they are extremely special.

This magnificent pair stand over six feet tall and were created by Minton
for the Paris Exhibition of 1889. They are the largest majolica items ever made; London Cabbies know these elephants as a landmark.

You can buy your own candlesticks inspired by these elephants for £3,045 here.


The price tag? £6,000,000. I don't think they want to sell them.



Click for No 1 in the series.
Click for No 2 in the series.
Click for No 3 in the series.
Click for No 4 in the series.
Click for No 5 in the series.
Click for No 6 in the series.
Click for No 7 in the series.
Click for No 7 1/2 in the series.

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The Drill Hall

Bear with me for this one - you need to be able to read the inscription, effectively dedicating the building to god, and finishing "God Save the Queen"

You see, this is the Drill Hall, a Gay theatre/dance venue. God save the queen!!!


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Reflections

While I was taking the picture for yesterday's post, I saw this opportunity: the sunlight reflecting off the gherkin and couldn't resist posting.

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Theme - A self portrait in a favorite place

This is my self portrait at the bottom of the gherkin.

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I'm on holiday for the next two weeks, posts continuing by magic, but I will not be able to answer comments.