A further update

Let me start by saying I didn't take these!
I've just been forwarded them as part of an ongoing issue with the council about repairs to the roof here (at work).

The three to follow were taken on a beautiful frosty morning and they really appealed to me.

The first shows Blackwall Lane, the main road which runs across the end of the street we are on. Incidentally the view would be different now as a tyre repair company occupies the lot shown as vacant in this picture. You can tell it's morning by a number of indicators - the queueing traffic is one.

The large white structure mid left is my local Odeon, and the hoop which shows across the front of it is in fact the footbridge across the dual carriageway in between. On the same retail park (hard to see - low flat roofs) are my local large supermarkets.

The second picture is looking down Azof Street, our official address. Again the picture now would show flats being built in the vacant space, but pretty much unchanged apart from that.The distant chimney (in between the prop and the spike) is one of four on the disused power station on the Thames.

To reach the position of the previous photo you'd just turn approx 180 degrees.

This one is in a similar position to the first, just further round to the left (anti-clockwise)
The Odeon is clearer, as is the footbridge.
The top of the industrial building bottom left is on Mauritius Road, where I used to live.

Bugsby Way Odeon?

Yes indeed!

I had my camera with me when I went to the cinema the other night. I've only just remembered I took these. Nothing exciting - I'm sure Odeons look the same everywhere, but just because it was in the distance on the other picture.

One from one end of the pedestrian bridge, one from the other.

Now you know what to look for when you come looking for me...

What's an Odeon?

Oops, I thought it was a worldwide thing - it's a cinema chain.
This is my local multiplex, although I'm more likely to go to the Greenwich Picture House which is an independent and therefore shows more foreign language films and less blockbusters. Also the people there tend to be film lovers and less likely to talk through the film. Oh and you can take a beer from the bar in with you :)

Did someone steal the S off your weathervane? Or do you just never get southerly winds in London so they didn't bother? Or is suppressing South an Anti-Australian plot to get revenge for the humiliation suffered in the last Ashes tour? ;)

My favourite cinema is the Picture House in Hebden Bridge.

It's subsidised by the local council, and is run very much as a community resource. It shows big hollywood films, but also lots of art house and indie films. The best thing about it though is that not only is it an old fashioned picture house with big velveteen seats and lots of leg room, but the refreshments counter sells tea and coffee in proper pot mugs, which you can take in with you. It's like watching a film on a giant screen but in your own living room. Lovely.

Oh, and they let me in for half-price even though I didn't have my student ID as proof:P

Dana---when do you next go to Hebden? I'd love some pics!!!

Work in progress.

We've been commissioned by Tower Hamlets (local authority) to create a giant puppet to help promote their recycling campaign. It's been made out of the same wheelie bins that the borough are using.

He's drooping in the pictures because he's not being activated at the mo - they're trying to sort out the sound effects. I find the voice a bit creepy, but I'm not a child. It's intended to be a benevolent giant - it says thank you a lot. In fact a group of kids has already gathered outside the gates in awe. I'll capture it with the sound for you (they're rehearsing currently)

oooh, love that SG. video please :)

Sorry - I forgot I can't edit on my work PC, so I took it in the wrong format.
You'll have to turn your head sideways.

It's still in rehearsal stage - they put some sound on for my benefit, but there are a number of phrases, sounds etc they will use, which will be coordinated with the movements.

It's very impressive when it's coming towards you!

That's fantastic! :D

You have an awesome job, SG!

Soon, Bri! Haven't been able to get onto that 'cause the two J's split up (they're now dating again but not living together) so I haven't been up there lately.

From the official launch.
I included one with some local schoolkids to show the area's demographic. This might help to explain why the local councillors were so keen on courtesy to Muslim colleagues (in the Ramadan thread - it's the same London borough)

*laughs* brilliant!

Our puppet of the Dagda for Halloween in Dublin.
As you can see, the technical aspects are finished, but he needs some dressing. He will grow hair and a beard, and be filled out more.

They are rehearsing the movements in the yard this afternoon, so I snuck out for a pic.

check this out SG:

http://picasaweb.google.com/phillip....92053823231554

Damn. Came back to here as it seemed like the right thread for my new London pics, forgot how much I loved my job. I've been trying to convince myself it was crummy, but it wasn't. Sigh.

Anyway.

On Weds I went to London. I saved the train fare (far and away the most expensive part of any trip) over the last three weeks, and also had some money to get my hair cut. Funnily enough, it costs almost twice as much in l'il old Aylesbury as it does in the Big Smoke. Then again, the place I have it cut is very unusual - it's the only place I know that cuts hair as cheaply, or as well.

I planned to meet my bro after my haircut and before the screening I was going to. On the day I was so glad I was meeting Stevo. The whole trip down I was feeling very vulnerable and not looking forward to my Big Day Out at all. Ridiculous - I've never had an issue with being in London alone before. Still, that's where I was. Luckily, once I had my hair cut I lost my worries and enjoyed my day. Haircuts are not on my list of Nice Things, but this one was fine. So silly to worry so much about things.

After the cut (Covent Garden) I hopped on over to Waterloo Station. Still my favourite part of London because this is the area Nan and Grandad lived in, and we spent our school holidays in. Walked up the South Bank to Westminster Bridge.

The London Eye for you.
And a Dali elephant with the Houses of Parliament in the background.

Composed Upon Westminster Bridge
Earth has not anything to show more fair:
Dull would he be of soul who could pass by
A sight so touching in its majesty:
This City now doth, like a garment, wear
The beauty of the morning; silent, bare,
Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples lie
Open unto the fields, and to the sky;
All bright and glittering in the smokeless air.
Never did sun more beautifully steep
In his first splendour, valley, rock, or hill;
Ne'er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep!
The river glideth at his own sweet will:
Dear God! the very houses seem asleep;
And all that mighty heart is lying still!

I suppose it helped that Wordsworth was theere on a sunny morning.
The view, and me on the South Bank.

On the bridge is a statue of Boadicea.
When I was growing up that's what we called her anyway, pronounced bo-deh-SEE-a.
Now she's called Boudica, pronounced BOO-dicka.
I assume it's a more correct reckoning, but it doesn't feel as nice in my mouth.

She was a warrior queen anyway - fought against the Romans. A heroine for many warlike schoolgirls.

The clock tower. More commonly known as Big Ben, but as has been mentioned before, this is the name of the bell (yeah, I call it Big Ben too)

Walking to my brother's workplace I passed two grand buildings. Well, many grand buildings of course. But I thought I'd take some pics for the engineers here.

And for the uncivil ones...

This is the courtyard to the back of the building Ste works in.
Is that Bruce?

And a very blurry shot of the pelicans in St James' Park - literally across the road from his building. I didn't have time to go down to the entrance and get close enough for a proper pic, sadly. I love them. There've been pelicans in the park for more than 300 years now.

Brought this poem to mind

Immigrant
November ’63: eight months in London.
I pause on the low bridge to watch the pelicans:
they float swanlike, arching their white necks
over only slightly ruffled bundles of wings,
burying awkward beaks in the lake’s water.
I clench cold fists in my Marks and Spencer’s jacket
and secretly test my accent once again:
St James’s Park; St James’s Park; St James’s Park

Fleur Adcock

And here is 1 Horseguards Road, the bro's office.
The second pic shows the office he was interviewed in - the large one above the round window. It looks straight out onto Parliament Square. Intimidating? Hell yes, says Stevo.

Beautiful pics, SG. (And I love the new haircut!)

Yes, that's me. Notice I'm so toxic I've pocked all the adjacent stones.;)

Not Greenwich at all - Central London again, but it all fits (ish)
Had my special day out with Mum yesterday.
We came into town for 10.30 and went on a London Walk (darkest Victorian London.) Sad to say it's the one I've enjoyed least so far - there was less architectural evidence and more story-based information. Still fascinating, but we slipped out before the end. Mum and I were starving and figured there could only be five more minutes left anyway, so we nipped into Borough Tube station rather than walk back along to Monument with them. I was still laughing when we sat down to eat. Mum loved it because it was around the area where her Mum grew up, so I chose something important to her in virtual ignorance.

First pic is The Monument, after which the station is named. It's a monument to the Great Fire of London, although it's generally recognised just as The Monument. Like the Doctor.

Second pic is me on London Bridge. Mum couldn't work my camera. Then she worked it out at the exact time I was trying to take it off her. Terrible arms, but at least you know I'm keeping it real and not airbrushing. Mum told me off for being impatient, "I was just making sure I got Tower Bridge in the background!" Which made me laugh so hard I thought I was going to have to sit down - check out the size and position of Tower Bridge, it would be harder NOT tro get it in the background!

We had moules et frites in Belgo Centraal.
Nowhere near as good as I remember :(
I didn't say so to Mum, who was totally charmed by it.
It's an underground Belgian restaurant just off Covent Garden. Literally underground as in a basement location, not a pocket of Resistance fighters who haven't realised Germany lost.

Express Lunch is £7.50 and includes a wine, beer or soft drink.
I found the mussels flabby and the frites woody. Still, like I said, Mum found it all very new and exciting and wants to take Dad there.

After lunch, off to my cut-price-hairdresser for both of us. Again, Mum loved it. It#'s a no-frills service, but she was very happy with the cut, and with the number of different cutting tools used. Her home hairdresser - the one who butchered my locks - seems to have a single pair of scissors. The lady who did it yesterday used about 5.

Pic - Mum at Belgo (they'd already taken away our mussel shells, I was too slow) and then after her haircut - see next post. No, there isn't much difference, but then Mum says I'm flamboyant enough for both of us. Just as an aside - I had three people come up to compliment me on my hair - one being our train driver, who stepped out of his cab to tell me so. And one of the ladies on the London Tour loved my false eyelashes. She was American. One man walked backwards along Haymarket just to get a good look at me. I am fabulous, it's true.

Now, first pic above and subsequent until I tell you otherwise are taken in Harvey Nichols Department Store - 5th floor bar.

Mum has always wanted to go there, and even me printing off the list of cocktails, and allowing her to see the prices did not dissuade her. I bought her one and she bought me one - Grandad gave her some money to do this as a treat (he used to be a cocktail waiter - he won prizes for keeping Americans liquored up during the war :))

We were not exactly blown away by the setting. It was dark and a bit 70s, and garish pleather. We decided we were too provincial to appreciate very expensive taste, because to us it had a whiff of porn! Still, much laughter and pleasure and sillyness, which was what the day was all about. She'll be in pre-op in about an hour, and if thinking about red and cream seats puts a smile on her face it is well worth it.

Mum had 2 Blonde Bombshells - champagne cocktails. A bit too sharp for me. I had a Lynchberg Lemonade which was glorious, and some frothy mandarin thing which was a cross between a cocktail and death by foam. All good fun.

Second pic is in the Ladies. I'm amusing myself with the idea of showing the photo to people i nyears to come and saying, "Look! That's me just having had a poo in Harvey Nicks!" I hadn't, but you can see my opinion of my own humour on myself. Two cocktails and I think I'm Phyllis Diller.

The foamy one.
Mum tried to stop me eating the pansy. I had to sing "Edible Flowers" to her to convince her it was okay. Well, it didn't convince her, but it was a face-off. I'm happier sitting singing than she is listening. Once again I win the game!

And then off for dinner.
We didn't go to Yo! Sushi in Harvey Nicks, because they don't offer the special Blue Monday deal (every plate is a blue plate, £2.20.) We went over to the Haymarket instead, as it was between us and the theatre.

Mum has never been to Yo! Sushi before -she has never eaten sushi at all. I steered her towards the chicken dishes, and lucked out with a couple of good choices from the off. We did have some fish, but I waited to see if she wanted to experiment with sashimi and she chose not to. Fair enough.

We ended up having 7 plates, all of them shared so we got a taste of everything (I know she likes this aspect of tapas especially.) I backed off the ones I could see she was really blown away by and we finished with a fruit salad. We took advantage of the unlimited free water (still for her, sparkling for me) rather than have any more alcofrolics.

Mum adored it. Again, she wants to take Dad. I've told her that Blue Mondays are available in Oxford & Wycombe, so I do expect them to go at some point. She's in Wycombe on Thursday... but of course she'll have other priorities then. Think of her at 15.00 GMT if you would, please.

And after that, there wasn't much more left to do but walk to the theatre!
We went via Leicester Square - hardly a detour - to get a Haagen Daazs ice cream each... technically greedy pigs, but one scoop only with no sprinkles and sauce...? Not bad.

Snapped off a pic on our way past Trafalgar Square.
We popped into The Sherlock Holmes on the way for Mum to have a wee. Turns out Dad took her therer one fog-bound November night when they were courting. It was so dense that Mum was worried about the safety of him driving, so they went for a few drinks, as was acceptable in the 60's :)

And here we are at our final destination.

The show was magical. We laughed. We clapped, we sang along. I recognised John Barrowman's husband and agent - two separate people - in the row in front of us. Yes, Scott did have the best seat in the house - and he was sat in a good place too :queen:

Mum said disapprovingly, "He didn't bother dressing up, did he?!" to his burgundy polo shirt and jeans. I told her he was an artitect - true - and probably spent his whole life in suits - conjecture - and that mollified her.

A wonderful day. Wonderful company. Something to hold against the heart in the months to come. Easy for me to say, I'm not going to be the one suffering. But I'm glad it all workewd out so well. We left the threatre with out fabulousness turned up to 11.

Super, good job making mom happy, and keeping us informed. :thumb:

aww sundae Great new update! Your mom is beautiful. Now I know where you get your great looks and the day you had together and they way you put it all together for us is wonderful!

What a magical day for you both :)

btw That Lynchberg Lemonade looked too pretty to drink.

Okay.
Borough Market, London.
Serious-foodie-London.
This is where people like Nigella and Jamie Oliver and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall shop (when he's not grubbing about in ditches for his dinner.)

There are many photos.
Some won't even have my bon mots attached.
So abandon hope all ye who enter here. And all that.

Off to Borough Market.
Come into Marylebone, get on the Bakerloo Line ( you can walk if you can be arsed) and change to the Lovely-jubbly Line. Okay, the Jubilee Line. It's new and fresh and runs on time. Off at London Bridge.

The Mater at Baker Street. Thank you Mr Beck, for your sterling work on the Underground map. Really, he's one of my heroes.

A slightly blurry photo of the alleyway closest to the station. There are more salubrious entrances.

French stall. Smelled gorge.
Round the other side I swear they were serving chestnuts (marron?) but surely the wrong time of year, even for marron glace? Live and learn.

Cakies!
Nowhere near as good as Amsterdam I am sad to say.

These two just give you an idea of the market in general.
We arrived late (midday) and I think the real foodies come early.
Not complaining - the sounds and smells and variety were still amazeballs.

Second pic you can probably guess the produce from the colours - Jamaican.
Was tempted.
Love me some Levi Roots (Dragon's Den success story here - look it up if the terms don't translate.) Reggae Reggae Sauce, mon. This was not his stall, but I imagine the flavours are similar.

NB, so I don't have to say it for every photo - I was looking not buying.
Only one exception. I'll get to that.
Could've spent a fortune. But you know I don't have one ;)

Okay I lied. I made two purchases. Only remembered when I saw this pic.
Soft pretzel.
Well it did end up being breakfast, lunch AND dinner I guess.
I can't get them in Aylesbury.

Good job they didn't offer them with fillings.
Cheese and ham? YES PLEASE!
Offered some to Mum but she had a tiny bite and pulled the face of disgust. Fair enough, if you don't like you don't like. Mum's lunch is to come...

Fish.
And pickled onions.

Mum tasting freebies. Nom nom nom.

And look at those HUGE WHEELS OF CHEESE!!!!
Probably a very rich man contemplating buying a whole stack of them.

Stacks of bread.
Bowls of olives.

Match me up with Rich-Cheese-Man and I'd be sorted for life.

Just outside the market.
The really nice eateries are upstairs. The ones that get written up in the Sunday papers. I mean the ones that serve squirrel and pigs cheeks and truffels.
The decent but cheaper ones are part of the market itself.

The traders outside are more like shops than stalls.

A bound haunch of something.
And they sell anchioves too apparently.

Second pic is very sweet Spanish man who sold me mulled cider.
Mum didn't like it, so I had two.
Didn't tell her he let me have two-for-one for a kiss! On the cheek of course - no cider is worth tongue down throat.

His ploy worked though. An empty market stall looks unsavoury. By the time I left there was a queue of Japanese girls behind me.

Much healthier than mulled cider.
But damned expensive.

And the menu for the demonstration kitchen, which we missed. But you gotta love the Welsh. Well I do, anyway.
Tatws Pum Manud? It's bacon and veg!

Paella.
Mum's lunch.

No, not all of it, just this lickle bit.

Happy Mum.

Champignons.

And rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb (supposedly said by extras on stage to simulate normal speech petterns.).

Moar mushrooms.

And a real chef, buying chillies for a real restaurant.
I know because I earwigged.

Carrots! Apparently. 'Cept for those that obviously aren't.
Gosh I'd have liked to buy the purple ones. Imagine them roasted in honey and mustard, eh?

And chervil.
Looking like monkey knackers.

Peggs and peppers.
Nothing to be said.
(Larkin poem, actually)

Citrus.

And busy stall despite distressing prices.

FISH!
Fish, fish and moar fish, until I tell you otherwise.

Gosh I'm craving fish now

This little piggy went to market...
This little piggy never came home.

Oh, sorry.

And The Shard and me and that's the lot.
Thanks if you waded through them all.

Great photos Sundae! I'll have to take back all that trash I talked about food in Britain.
That's also a gorgeous coat.