Learn London

The Internet is a great place to find out about London, but I'm still of the opinion that nothing is quite the same as holding a book in your hand. And one of the best collections of books is in Stanfords Long Acre

Ringing True

This is the silver ship's bell on HMS Belfast, the warship now tied up in the heart of London. What you can't see in the photos, are the names of hte children of serving officers who were christened on board, using the upturned bell as a font.

You are now entering the Masala Zone

This restaurant is in Covent Garden, but it was their bright and alternative ceiling decoration that caught my eye. I haven't eaten there yet, but it looks good, as do the reviews, so I will probably give it a try sometime.

Foaming at the Mouth

By rights, Venus in Sloane Square should have been foaming at the mouth. After all, some people had gone to the trouble of emptying in a bottle of washing up liquid. This is what the the overall scene looked like. All a bit of a let down, really. Maybe it had been livelier when it was first done.

Not London

I'm still working away from London a lot of the time, in Switzerland, so I thought I'd show you a photo I took on a cycle ride of the Dolder Grand, a confection of a Hotel with a London connection as it was renovated by Norman Foster.

The Nosh Bar

The Nosh Bar opposite the Windmill Theater was one of the best places for a salt beef sandwich in the West End, and when it closed in the mid-eighties there was a sense of the changing of an era. It has re-opened this year, I haven't been in yet, but I shall.

The Rock of the Dome

The dome of this building, on the junction of Jermyn Stret and Haymarket, is set out in mosaic but I don't suppose anyone ever notices. Reminds me of Gaudi in Barcelona, I wonder if there is any connection.

Policing London

I wonder, if all London's police went through training and rode horses, if only for recreation, whether they would be better at policing? I'm not saying that riding makes a better person, but it does teach interdependency.

The Swiss (soft) Centre

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It's been several years now since the Swiss Centre in Leicester square was demoloshed, but the spirit of Switzerland lives on. These are the shields of the twenty six Swiss Cantons, standing in the north west corner of the square. The redevlopment of the old building is supposed to include a Swiss flavour - we'll have to see that when it happens.

October is Mushroom time on the Southbank

I'll have you know that this: "is both organic and mathematical. Made of brightly coloured enamelled hexagonal steel panels, it takes the form of an exaggerated funnel, reminiscent of both marine and botanical forms. Sponsored by ArcelorMittal" or so I am told. Personally, I'd say this has a lot in common with a certain type of organic matter.

Millenium Gardens

As I hinted yesterday, there is something to make Millenium Gardens an even better place to spend a lunchtime - this barbecue is as good as his smile is broad.

An Urban Oasis

Millenium Green is an open space by Waterloo Station that was created in 2000, out of the derelict attempts to create an adventure playground. Now, it serves the local community well and is a favourite for local workers. Lower Marsh nearby can proivide some interesting alternative food and ...well, see tomorrow for the rest. This was taken one balmy day last week, enjoying the last warmth of the autumn sun. This week is much colder in London.

I Cycle London

It is very encouraging to see a growth of cycle clothing for ordinary people, that know that a bike is the best form of transport in London, but come out in a rash at the thought of Lycra. These people at Cyclodelic make clothes you'd be happy being seen in, and Cyclechic have a great range of stylish bike stuff.

We Never Closed

... but we do change with the times. The Windmill Theater is famous for two things: shows involving scantily clad ladies started in the 30's, inspired my the Moulin Rouge in Paris. Back then, it was decided that the girls had to stand stock still, living statues or "Tableux Vivants" (a few pictures here). If they moved, it was RUDE. They also never shut during WWII with shows running all through the Blitz. It appears, that they have moved with the times and now, the girls move too.

Bates Hatters, Jermyn Street

If you want to step back 100 years, or for that matter if you want a hat, you can do no better in London than to go to Bates of Jermyn Street.

If Mind Were All There Was

The Hayward Gallery often has a free exhibition, alongside the higher profile big exhibition. In the current one, they are showing the work of Victor Man. My initial response was what you might guess, seeing this work "Can of Paint and a Photograph". But then, I looked around, and the man can really paint, it's worth popping in to see the few oils that are hanging.

Autumn Glory

Riding into work the other morning, I had to stop and take a photo. I only had my little compact camera on me, but even that can't hide the glory of an autumn sunrise. I'm very lucky, this is only a couple of hundred yards from my street, here's a map. The sheer quantity of park and forest in London set it apart from any other city I can think of.

Ultimate Bike

How fast can you cycle? How fast do you think anyone can cycle? This is the Ultimate Cycle, built by Bruce Bursford using F1 racing technology, seen here at the cycle show. He used it to create the cycling speed record of 207 mph (yes, 334kph) on rollers in 1999. If you aren't impressed by that ("it wasn't on a road") how about the road cycling speed record of 127 mph set in 1962? The story doesn't have a happy ending, Bruce was run over and killed in 2000.

Earls Court Exhibition Centre

Looking at the Deco frontage of Earl's Court Exhibition Centre, I realised that I didn't know it's history. Turns out to be more interesting than I thought... " In the late 19th century the site had been home to Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show and a huge observation wheel. A plaque in the press centre commemorates both of these facts and that Queen Victoria was a frequent visitor to the show." I like that idea. Read the Wikipedia article here. Oh, was there a cycle show on? Who knows, there may be a shot from there, too.

Tall Tree and the Eye

Following the blow-up rabbit, I bring you the blown up bauble. The Royal Academy is currently hosting an exhibition by Amish Kapoor, this piece is in the courtyard; you can see a general view here. From the look of it, it looks worth a visit.

Rampant Rabbit

There's still time to get down to Covent Garden if you want to see Jeff Koons' inflatable version of his famous rabbit, it was causing some comment when I saw it. It's there to mark the start of "Pop Life", an exhibition in the Tate Modern.

The Treatment Rooms

I've covered the outside of the house called "The Treatment Rooms" before, but this photo is worth an airing. The inscription on the left is from Martin Luther King: "The ultimate tragedy is not the brutality of the bad people, but the silence of the good people".

The Definition of an Optometrist

Is someone for whom the glasses are always half full.

I have no shame.

We Three Kings

The Three Kings in Clerkenwell has some of the more idiosynchratic pub signs you will see, but is also one of the better, more traditional pubs (at least it was when I took this photo), and well worth a visit.

Sandys Row Synagogue

For well over one hundred years, the streets of the East End of London were the heart of the British Jewish community; Synagogues thrived and thronged with people. Now, there are four left in the City, mostly hanging on by the skin of their teeth. The buildings that once were synagogues often become mosques. some of them, like this one, started off as Churches and chapels, too - I rather like that circle of life. You can see inside this Grade II listed building here.

Looking After London

The landmark here - Temple Bar - has appeared before, now you get my attempt at artistic interpretation.

Saint Volodymyr

This statue is of St Volodymyr, who lived 1,000 years ago and was the grand prince of Kiev who converted the city to Christianity. The fascinating thing about this is that it was erected by public subscription (among the Ukranian community) - I wonder what you have to do to get a statue erected? You can find this in Holland Park Avenue.

The Battle of Cable Street

The 73rd anniversary of the battle of Cable Street - when Londoners stood up for what is right - is a good excuse to re-use a photo from over three years ago. Besides, I can now augment this mediocre shot with an interactive panorama.

What happened was that on 4th October 1936, people in the East End of London stopped Oswald Mosley and his British Union of Fascists marching through Cable Street, in Stepney, then a mainly Jewish area. A slogan from the Spanish Civil War, a popular anti-fascist cause of the time, was widely used: They Shall Not Pass - No Pasaran!

When all else fails....

Trot out a picture of sunrise over the Thames. This photo may have been taken over two years ago, but the sun is the same one, and London's pretty much the same, too.

Ye Civet Cat

This old (mid 19th c? earlier?) pub sign would definitely entice me in, only the pub is now long gone. The concil insisted that this sign (in Kensington Church Street) shuld be preserved.

October Theme Day - Contrasts

It's theme day again, and for October nothing
too clever from me. A high contrast shot from my Bronica, with several contrasts inside it. Taste &
no taste, movement and stillness, new rising from old. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants