Not all ideas work

There is a reclining statue in the Broadgate Centre behind Liverpool Street Station, a kind passerby was kind enough to play along with my idea to mimic the shape. Didn't work as well as I'd hoped.

I'm off for the weekend, back soon

Stuff as Art

They're only steel reinforcing rods on a building site, but it's often worth looking at the ordinary with new eyes.

I'm off for the weekend, back soon

London's Pigeons

Two birds on a perch. One says to the other, "Can you smell fish?"

And don't forget London's main manpigeon

(off for the weekend, back soon)

A Very Fine Cat

I don't think I've ever shown you Hodge, Samuel Johnson's cat (or a 1997 interpretation of the same). You can find him in Gough Square, by Johnson's House, one of London's most curious places. He sits on Johnsons' dictionary, with the oysters fed him by Johnson, according to Boswell.

Even the cat seems to echo Johnson's famous addage: When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.

A taxing Photo

Somerset House is one of London's grander projects, you can read it's (rather lengthy) history here. This part of the building for the Inland Revenue was finished in 1856, and I've long been trying to think of an alternative but representative way to photograph it but not got there yet. My two previous Somerset House photos still leave room for more exploration.

Condor, London

Condor is a low volume, classic, bike manufacturer associated with London for over 60 years, the bike messengers' steed of choice. The current fad for single speed and fixed wheel bikes may well have done them some good. Me? I like the elegant simplicity of a fixie like this, but I have too much respect for my ageing knees to ride one.

And, while I would never condone the behaviour in this video of a bike race, there is a part of me that's gladdened by the anarchic spirit. I wonder if I'll feel the same way after the Climate Camp of the next few days?

The Liberty of Norton Folgate

For years I've been struggling to find a way to photograph Norton Folgate. It does have a fascinating history however it was a singularly bleak and unineteresting place to photograph, and I was hoping for inspiration one day. But then along came Suggs and Madness, and now everyone knows about Norton Folgate, but you probably haven't seen it. Fixed that, now.

Posiedon

Posiedon is obviously Old Father Thames first cousin, but he also looks realted to the Green Man - far more interesting and tapping into some part of common consciousness that we don't often recognise. I've come across a site that catalogues the Green Man in London (sure it was a fairly famous singer/performer's site). I'll see if I can dig it up. The location is Triton Court in Finsbury Square.

You Are Nicked

I don't know whether it is an element of schadenfreude or plain curiosity that make police activity fascinating, especially when you are standin where you can't get involved. Here, London's finest, including armed officers, are taking a close interest in three individuals. I didn't hang around to find out what happens next.

Streetlife

The amount of effort these guys put into learning how to skateboard, I can't help thinking, "If they could only channel that into something useful....." I must be getting old.

Not Fighting but Dancing

This show is part of the Mayor of London's "One Magic Summer", started on Thursay an running to the end of August. Trafalgar Square plays host to free deckchairs and shows. This dance troupe seemed to be working around the theme of ambiguity, the way we all pass by make assumptions and interact with others. Nice idea, but the reality seems to underline the difference between the present incumbent and the previous - this is all being done on the cheap. Some would argue that's a good thing.

Belated Driftwood

This wooden construct called Driftwood was in Bedford Square, I took this photo before I went away. Unfortunately it appears that it's gone, now. Sorry! Here's teh Londonist article on the same.

Back from China

Hi everyone, I'm back from China - in body if not entirely in spirit or time zone. As every, I want to post a holiday snap but it was tough choosing one out of 3,000 - even if another 400 got stolen along with my camera. But then I thought - elephant! This one is one of a pair in the north gate of the Forbidden Palace in Beijing. So, a tenuous London connection.

I'll get around to reading and replying to any of your comments over the next few days.

I want to write up my experiences and document some of the photos, so I have started another (!!) blog http://china-remembered.blogspot.com/.

Whitechapel Gallery

This weathervane is on top of the newly refurbished Whitechapel Gallery. There were plans to put a weathervane on top of the original building -it's taken over 100 years to realise that. The figure is, I believe, Erasmus and the artist is a Canadian, Rodney Graham.


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Paternoster Heads

One of the oddest features of the Paternoster development are these neo-classical heads on pillars. I didn't think I liked them to start with but they are growing on me.


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Paternoster Square

Paternoster Square by St Pauls arose out of the demolition of the shockingly awful 60's block that stood on the space - Prince Charles' original "Carbuncle on the face of an old friend". Whatever you think of the Prince Charles, if you remember the desolation that was there, this is so much better.



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Five Holes, No Waiting

Have you been into a bank lately? Those in central London are now almost entirely automated cashiers with a few clerks behind desks ready (?) to sign you up for a loan. Whatever happened to Bank Managers?


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Crutched Friars

London is a haven for funny place names, echoing history from the dim and distant past. Crutched Friars - the name of both a street and a pub - is one such. The Crutched Friars were actually Catholic Monks that arrived in the 13th Century.


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St Michael's Cornhill

Although squashed in by offices and shops from every side, The Church of St Michael's Cornhill bears closer examination. In its present guise one of Wren's churches, I never ceased to be amazed by the quality of carving in the stonework.


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Leadenhall Market

Leadenhall Market may have the air of a contrived "happening" shopping area but with history dating back to the 1300's, standing there you are part of London through the ages. It feels good.


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Maltesers

The light-hearted title is not intended as disrespect to those that suffered and died in the Siege of Malta, one of the pivotal moments in WWII.It took sixty years for this simple but elegant memorial to be erected; if you are around the Tower of London, pay a visit and read what happened.


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Yeoman Warders

And while I'm here, we have to have a Yeoman Warder, or Beefeater, the formal guardians of the Tower. Although they protect it from tourists these days, they used to be the crack troops, and as such got the best rations - beef - one explanation for their name. Not sure it has any bearing on the French slang term "Rosbif" for the British.


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Tower of London

Tower? Did Someone say Tower of London? Do you realise in the nearly four years London Daily Photo has been running I've never showed the Tower of London on its own. One of the number one tourist destinations, it is steeped in and defines the history of London. So here we are.


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By Hammer and Hand All Arts Do Stand

The feature about All Hallows by the Tower that really surprised me was its museum in the undercroft. Small, but with some astonishing artefacts and historical documents that give you a fantastic sense of some of London's history. They also have the best preserved Roman mosaic floor.

I've passed this church by many times, mostly because of the proximity to the tourist hordes at the Tower of London, but I really enjoyed my visit - I recommend it to all.


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All Hallows by the Tower

All Hallows by the Tower lays claim to being the oldest site of worship in the city, with history dating back to 675AD. It is quite a gem, slightly off the main drag and much neglected by the hordes of visitors to the next door Tower of London. More reasons to visit tomorrow.


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