Chiswick House

Back in 1729 when Chiswick House was built, this was the sort of house you built if you could afford it. If you couldn't you probably worked in the gardens or the kitchens.

London Pride

Is brewed in Fullers Chiswick Brewery, and damn fine it is, too.

Row your boat!

There are quite a few rowing clubs on the Thames, I would have though that rowing in the tidal zone would have been rather frightening.

Put that in your pipe

Quite a few of the sewage breather pipes put in by the Victorians, which is relatively surprising as they are cast iron, I believe.

Low Tide

Low tide has its own beauty, the island you can see is the Chiswick Eyot.

Did you fay funfing?

One of my favourite knockers I've come across in London (still in Chiswick)

Walkies!

Chiswick Mall, by the Thames is a strange anomaly. There is a road that runs between the houses and their front gardens. As their front gardens are on the river, most grow high hedges for privacy. These people seem to be more open.

Smile Post

Seeing these old style mileposts, a surprising number of which still exist in the oddest places, always cheers me up.

Ace Cafe

The Ace Cafe is a biker's cafe in North West London (website) is not somewhere you will come across by accident, you have to go out looking for it. That's something I recommend, if you are ever at a loose end.

Bacon, Anyone?

Francis Bacon is very high on my list of dinner party guests of all time. Seen here on the wall of the Museum of Mankind in Burlington Gardens, he was a fascinating mixture of scientist, statesman and writer. Did you know he died after contracting pneumonia, experimenting with the use of freezing to preserve meat?

Reinforcing the Picture

Apparently, London is undergoing another building boom, who would have guessed? Building sites can make for interesting photos.

Popular Pop Art

The Tate Modern has a lot more than this Lichtenstein, but this has to e one of the more accessible pieces of art.

Sittin' on the bay of the dock

There is rarely any competition for space on the "beaches" uncovered at the Thames low tide.

Spring is in the air

But it can be a bit of a handful, sometimes....

Chocks Away!

Well, they are chocolate Labradors, after all. This is from inside Hotel Chocolat, who have been tirelessly waving the flag for British confectionery for some years now. I confess I rather like their possessive attitude to their bags of chocolate.

A dry drink

This odd little structure in Finsbury Circus seems to have been erected by the Victorians to keep you dry while you sup from the fountain. Most odd.

London 1927, In colour

London in 1927 from Tim Sparke on Vimeo.

A video for a change, and no one of mine, but one that rates 11 on the must see scale, for any lover of London.

Incredible colour footage of 1920s London shot by an early British pioneer of film named Claude Frisse-Greene, who made a series of travelogues using the colour process his father William - a noted cinematographer - was experimenting with. It's like a beautifully dusty old postcard you'd find in a junk store, but moving.

Rain Dance

You can't really dampen the enthusiasm that May brings, and certainly a drop of rain won't stop the Morris Men (although quite often they are anaesthetised, anyway).

My apologies again for erratic positng, nothing sinister, thanks to all those who have got in touch wondering if all is OK. It is, but pictures are a bit thin on the ground a the moment, and the opportunities to take them are a little scarce - this one dates from six years ago, for example.

Hello, blossom

Better late than never, eh?

Shopping in Chelsea

I do hope you dress up properly when you pop down the shops.

Getting a message across

Not just what you say, but how you say it. A while back when UK police forces first tried out slogans, they came up with things like "Fighting Crime Everywhere" and were surprised when people just heard "Crime Everywhere" and became less not more reassured. These days they stick to a positive message like this. First prize for snappy slogan of the century goes to Avon & Somerset "Avon & Somerset: Working Together to Make the Communities of Avon & Somerset Feel Safe and Be Safe" - I suspect T-Shirts down in cream tea land must come in XXXXL.

The Bluebells

Somewhat late this year, the bluebells are now out in their glory in the woods at the end of my road. Spring is definitely sprung.

Megacake

Very pink, isn't it?

Fit 'em in

New York has its Flat Iron building, London has several, none more pronounced than this, where a building's shape is dictated by the streets around. This photo does exaggerate the effect slightly, to see a more normal view in perspective, click here.

Apologies for the slight irregularities in posting at the moment. Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible.