Keep Off The Grass

A more cheerful car picture today, it seems this is one of a fleet.

And then, the plan fell down

If you leave a car without Vehicle Excise Duty (Road Tax) on London's streets there is a good chance these days that your car will be clamped. But of course, that plan hits the buffers when the person that owns the car doesn't think it worthwhile retrieving. It then turns into a slowly mouldering eyesore by the side of the road.

Water Way

The canal system does not seem to have been used as the green transport option that we were led to believe it would be. Rather nice place to live though, wouldn't you say? These houses predated the Olympics coming to the area - I wonder if they managed to get any tickets?

Not a Good Sign

No, not the No Entry sign, but the air ambulance taking off from London Hospital. I hope whoever needed it makes a full recovery.

Flatpack Graffiti

Here's a new take on graffiti - paint it at home and put it up on the fence. Far faster and less likely to get caught, one supposes.

Invaded!

As you move about London, you will often see small mosaics of Space Invader characters, often in odd corners, nooks and crannies. This one is the largest I have ever seen, behind Kingsland and Hackney Roads. A Google image search turns up a load more.

Bee Surprised

Be very surprised. I was, when I came across these urban bee keepers in Hackney. I know that they exist, but I didn't expect to see them in action. It looked to me as if this was a training session.

The Park Keeper's House

This house, at the eastern end of Victoria Park, I assume is where the park keeper would have lived, surrounded by the park. Quite a good perk, I would have thought.

The unknown scupture

This abstract sculpture appeared in Spitalfields a couple of weeks ago. Mostly, I think it is a woman, but then I look again and I'm not so sure. Kind of fun, though, and without any information on it. I think I'm getting the hang of my cameraphone, though.

July Theme Day - Green

The City Daily Photo theme day for July is "Green", and it struck me that one of the unique features of a lot of London towns are the village greens, remaining from before the city swallowed them up. Very often cricket is played on them, like this one here in Woodford. If you look closely at the large image, you can see that I have just captured the moment the batsman has missed the ball, just before it hits middle stump. The shot of him walking is here.

See how others around the world have interpreted the theme, click here to view thumbnails for all participants

It Takes Two to Tango

Maybe a few more to Salsa. Spitalfields again this year have a series of outdoor events, tonight I passed the free Salsa class. Everyone looked like they were having fun, made me wish I had less than two left feet.

Make a Pig of Yourself

This study in light & shade is part of an installation called "Black Pig Lodge", part of the Countryside to the City at the Southbank (just next to the wall from yesterday). "Black Pig Lodge invites visitors to shelter within a glistening chamber of polished coal sourced from a working mine in the Neath Valley, Wales." I'd never seen coal in this light before....

A view of the whole structure is here.

Very Dry Stone Wall

On the top of the Southbank, there are a series of installations bringing the countryside into the city. Rather nice to see a piece of dry stone wall, wherever it appears.

Empty Orchestra

Did you know that is the translation for Karaoke? Why it is that a form of entertainment where the practitioner gets to make a fool of themselves has become so popular in London pubs, I don't know. On the other hand there are those who acquit themselves more than adequately (as this chap did), so I suppose they have an excuse.

Happy Face

I don't know why faces in architectural features are mostly scowling, but this happy face, one of a series in this street, is unusual enough to comment on. If you think this looks like a nice place to live, in Manchester Street, Marylebone, I think I would agree with you.

Wisteria Hysteria, does it count?

I was quite surprised to see this wisteria still in bloom so late, but it is rather magnificent. And, it is just next door to the house where Charles Babbage lived and died in Marylebone.

Temptation

I had a bit of a mid-life crisis moment on my ride into work on Thursday. I was going through Marble Arch just after 7 in the morning, when I came across this group of cyclists. They were just starting a ride to Paris - Arch to Arc - and I was that close to turning around and joining them. I had my bike, I had a saddlebag, what more could I need? But, I couldn't help thinking of the hell there would have been to pay at work. Which somehow made it even more appealing. I didn't, though. Just. Which is just as well because a couple of miles later I realised I didn't have my passport so it would have been a damn squib, anyway.

A Toast To Diana (With egg and beans)

This café claims to have been frequented by Diana, and given its location (just opposite Kensington Palace Gardens in Notting Hill) that's not impossible. If you are tempted to be drawn into its greasy spoon splendour, you might want to check out the review in The London Review of Breakfasts first.

Brighten Up Your Neighbourhood

If you live in a council block of flats behind Brick Lane, you know your outside space is going to be minimal. At least decoration like this makes it a little more pleasant for the children. Interestingly, there is limited damage from graffiti/tagging, in an area where most vertical surfaces seem to get covered rather quickly.

Cafe VN

London's cosmopolitan mix of cultures leads to a diversity of foods and restaurants. I have to confess I'd never tried Vietnamese food, so when I called in to Cafe VN on a whim I wasn't sure what to expect. What I got was a delicious bowl of Pho and got to add the Vietnamese basil, lime, bean sprouts after enquiring what to do. I can thoroughly recommend this. The fresh and zesty flavours reminded me most of the food I got travelling in China - that Chinese food that never makes it to these shores.