We do NOT.

Staying in the East End, this business has an air of the world changing around it, whilst it soldiers on regardless. And they really don't want to be part of it, do they? You may need to click for the bigger picture to read what I'm talking about.

Holiday time again, so blog is set to autopilot, see you all in August sometime.

Osch

Today it's the turn of Osch. Yes it was part of the image yesterday, but you might well have missed this. Not the finger, although that has a certain humour, but the mouse's trainers.

Holiday time again, so blog is set to autopilot, see you all in August sometime.

Steve Smyth

Another two-parter, today the turn of Steve Smyth, who's brilliant work has brightened up quite a few walls around London.

Holiday time again, so blog is set to autopilot, see you all in August sometime.

LSO St Lukes

This magnificent church in Old Street is now the home to the London Symphony Orchestra and used for rehearsals and recitals. The church itself, while visible from the road, is worth walking around (and the churchyard is "bench 1 from a few days ago)

Holiday time again, so blog is set to autopilot, see you all in August sometime.

The Last Tuesday Society

The answer to yesterday's question is the Last Tuesday Society, more than just a shop, it is a fascinating recreating of the spirit of establishments you would have though disappeared more than fifty years ago. In the words of their website:

The Shop is perhaps best seen as an attempt to recreate or reinterpret, within 21st century sensibilities, a 17th century Wunderkabinett; a collection of objects assembled at a whim on the basis of their aesthetic or historical appeal. There is no attempt at creating or explaining, meta-narratives or educating anyone. It is merely a display of Naturalia and Artificialia designed to give pleasure to the creators of the Museum, who hope that you too will enjoy it.

Some will doubtless be gratefull I chose not to illustrate this with a photo of a stuffed kitten.

Holiday time again, so blog is set to autopilot, see you all in August sometime.

Muskrat Love

Muskrat skulls, anyone? I wonder if anyone knows where to find these in London? Answer comes out tomorrow, in the meantime, you can watch this

Holiday time again, so blog is set to autopilot, see you all in August sometime.

Core Femme

Alongside yesterday's shot in Cavendish Square, is this sculpture, Core Femme by Jill Berelowitz. While it looks like a spinal column, look more closely and you will see it is made up of female torsos.

Holiday time again, so blog is set to autopilot, see you all in August sometime.

A tale of two benches - day 2

And today, sharing an umbrella in the rain tells another story.


Holiday time again, so blog is set to autopilot, see you all in August sometime.

A tale of two benches - day 1

There's something about watching people sitting on a bench that makes me wonder about them. So today and tomorrow, a two part series. A man with a bag and a can of special brew tells one story.

Holiday time again, so blog is set to autopilot, see you all in August sometime.

Many Rivers to Cross

It has been very wet in London lately.

INSTALLING SUMMER..... ███████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
44% DONE. Installation Failed. 404 Error: Season Not Found.

Workshops

In common with most other cities around, the inner city used used not to be the exclusive preserve of finance houses and coffee shops. Instead, they were a hive of manufacturing, mostly smaller workshops and businesses. Great Portland Street, for example, had the fabric trade, Hatton Garden, jewellery. The East End city outskirts was where a lot of small businesses started, these workshops built in the sixties would likely have been chock full. Times change, don't they?

Salmon Chanted Evening

Hansen & Lydersen may have started their business 80 years ago in Norway, but these days they are very firmly in London, and can also be found in Broadway Market. And I can confirm it is delicious stuff.

Lets Get Trendy

A few years ago, this would have been called a junk shop. Now, with a trendy name and a trendy sign in a trendy place near trendy Broadway Market it sells the same stuff at trendy prices. If you want a closer look at what is on sale, that's here.

In The Pink

Sunday saw Cancer Research UK's "Race for Life" in Hyde Park. Despite the occasional torrential downpours, spirits seemed generally high for everyone. Everyone, that is, except this dog possibly.

Deli-cious

Deli is one of those vastly overused words these days; it should refer to delicacies or fine foods. Have you seen the "deli" counter at your local supermarket? But here at the Deli Downstairs in Hackney you can see they mean what they say. Looks good enough to eat.

A Bow Window

This window is part of a school built in Bow around the turn of the last century. As it happens, there is suggestion that the name Bow derives from an architectural feature, but that of a bridge over the river. The "Coburn" piece of the inscription refers to the benefactor who endowed the funding for the school; the story is quite interesting and you can read it here.

That Condor Moment

As excitement of the Tour de France builds, I would just remind you about team Rapha Condor, probably the best truly British team cycling today - they don't enter the big European races though. Condor make the bikes, Rapha make very nice but very expensive bike clothing.

For the Love of Dog

The street furniture around Whitecross St Market (near Old Street) has been livened up rather creatively.

London's Elephant - Not in a series

Following yesterday's show, I thought I'd mention the Dome, London's very own white elephant - or at least so went public opinion after the Year 2000 celebrations. But here we are, 11 years later and it is a vibrant, successful, venue that London can rightfully be proud of, opening up what was previously a derelict area. I've even got used to calling it the "O2", too. Shades of the Olympic Park anyone?

A Diamond Geezer

No, not this one, but the Neil Diamond geezer, currently belting it out at London's O2. He cranked out a two hour set without pause, fitting in all a lot of his big hits - there are rather a number of them.