Friday 29th April 2011 is a special day

This Friday is the anniversary of Hair opening on Broadway, James Cook arriving at Botany Bay, and 6 years since Syria pulled out of Lebanon.

29th April is David Icke's birthday. Daniel Day Lewis' too. And Michell Pfeiffer's, Uma Thurman's and Phil Tufnell's, to name a few more.

It's also International Dance Day and the start of Golden Week in Japan.

Oh, and there's wedding going on somewhere in central London.

I'd have written more about it but it's hard to find any info.

And here's a fact I just heard; in 2 weeks time, on May 13th, the Queen will become the second-longest reigning monarch in British history, having by then been on the throne for 21,645 days, knocking George III into 3rd position. Our longest reigning monarch was Victoria. Liz'll have to put in another 1,577 days to steal the title. 4 years and 4 months and counting...

Top: Spitalfields, Clerkenwell, Southwark, Soho

Middle: Upper Holloway, Kentish Town, Lambeth, Fleet Street

Bottom: Marylebone, Highgate, Bayswater, Belgravia

Greyhounds

My sister has a retired racing greyhound. He's an absolute darling. She got him earlier this year from Whittingham Kennels just north of Waltham Abbey. So yesterday we went there for their Easter event along with many other owners of ex-WK dogs. There were stalls, cakes, bric-a-brac and raffles, and prizes were awarded for best dog, best bitch, waggiest tail, best Easter dog bonnet(!) etc.

Missing out on the fun, in the comfy kennels, were the dogs who are waiting to be re-homed, and others that are 'on holiday' so we were encouraged to take one of the un-homed dogs out for a walk in the adjacent fields and woods. I chose the lovely Nina (top left). Had she been entered in the the waggiest tail competition I think she might have won. I was falling in love. I really like dogs, but my lifestyle just doesn't suit one – I like to be spontaneous and I don't have a regular routine. But Freddie comes round a lot these days anyway, so it's like being an auntie!

Greyhounds make fabulous pets – they are so affectionate – if you'd like to give a one a new home, or have time to go and walk one occasionally, then do go and meet them and perhaps you'll fall in love too.

I just remembered that wonderful news item about Red the lurcher at Battersea Dogs Home. Bless him.

Top: Nina, Kensington, 'on holiday', Peckham

Middle: Isle of Dogs, Old Compton St, Frith St, Floyd

Bottom: kennels, Battersea, greyhounds, Upper St.

World Photography Festival

26th April sees the start of this Sony sponsored festival happening at Somerset House. As well as exhibitions of the winning photos there'll be lots of seminars, workshops, presentations, and an interview with Bruce Davidson, the highly-regarded Magnum photographer.

The Sony World Photography Awards will be given out on 27th at a ceremony at the Odeon Leicester Square.

More info and tickets here.

Ooh this reminds me... The Summer Series of gigs in the courtyard starts on 7th July (that pic shows BRMC in 2006)... Eels is sold out :–( ... so if anyone has a spare ticket please do let me know.

Shoes (for want of a better title)

I was recently commenting how women's shoes these days are so varied and OTT, going higher and higher and sillier and siller by the day that to find a pair that is really different yet interesting is hard. So I gave up ages ago and stick mostly with Clarks... well designed, mostly leather and there's a convenient factory outlet shop here in Holloway.

But then I was just sent a link to this guys work... blimey, now that's art!

Top: Acton, Hackney, Kings Cross, Fulham.

Middle: Leytonstone x2, Harlesden, W2.

Bottom: Stamford Hill, Kensington, Hornsey, WC2.

Designer Makers Market in Hackney

Yesterday saw the start of a new Saturday market. It's specifically set up for designer/makers and I was interested to go and check it out because I will be doing a stall there myself on 23rd April. It's hidden behind The London Fields pub, on the corner of Mare Street and Warburton Street, E8.

So, if your idea of good Saturday includes hanging around Broadway Market, why not take a three-miniute stroll around the corner and check out this new venue. Pretty please.

Here are some pics of bits of Hackney:

See more here.

Time Out printed my letter!

This relates to the post below.

Click here

Time Out – a magazine about London?

I've been reading Time Out for decades and get it delivered every week. I use it mostly for its art, exhibitions and films listings, plus the TV guide.

I used to love Peter Watts' 'Big Smoke' section which was all about the quirkier and murkier and hidden things about London, but the bosses at TO decided to ditch all that and have since turned the it into a consumer magazine. It's all shops and food now. The only good thing I can think of that they have introduced in recent times are the section tabs at the edges of the pages.

But my main gripe is when the editorial pages are full of stuff that is not really about London.

A few years back they printed a short letter I wrote to them; as I recall it read something like this, "What are articles about Florida and face creams doing in a London listings magazine?".

Last week it was all about sex (again)... you can get that anywhere! This week it's all about Paris. And this is the letter I have sent them about it (sorry in advance for the swearing):

Again... you've done it again...

How would you feel if you were from Paris and you came London for the week and bought Time Out London only to find it full of (probably) ill-informed crap about your home city?

Ten pages about Paris, yes ten – count them – plus 2 whole page ads. Then, phew, back to normal... oh no, hold on, I spoke too soon... six pages on we're back in Paris again for the shopping section.

What the fucking fuck are you playing at?!

And here are some pictures where you will find Paris in London:

Top: Hammersmith (RIP), Leicester Sq (RIP), St Martin's Lane (RIP), Parsons Green

Middle: Highgate (RIP), Bloomsbury, Bibendum, Hampstead

Bottom: Lisson Grove, Borough, Bloomsbury, Holloway

James Watt's 'magical retreat' at the Science Museum

This morning I went along to the Science Museum for the Press Launch of "James Watt and our world".

Adam Hart-Davis left his toilet obsessions at home and gave a short speech about the exhibition. Boy, that man's colourful – instead of sporting multi-coloured cycling gear he was wearing a natty green corduroy suit with a bow tie and odd matching shoes.

But I digress... this is not meant to about Mr A H-D; it's about James Watt, an amazingly talented and clever man who is known as the first hero of the Industrial Revolution. Talk about prolific! The list of his achievements is too long for me even start here, so go google. Or better still, go to the museum and see the exhibition for yourself.

On show again after a long absence, is Watt's attic workshop – a time capsule that contains everything as he left it when he died in 1819. I was lucky to be able to go behind the curved glass wall and see up-close some of his possessions, tools and furniture, all complete with nineteenth century dust! Wonderful.

And the rest of the Science Museum is wonderful too... cars, space travel, plastics, metals, machines, buttons to press, and one of the best gift shops ever...

I've got a kazoo and I'm not afraid to use it

Last night I went to the Royal Albert Hall to watch the recording of Radio 3's Big Red Nose Show which will be aired this Friday eve from 7pm as part of Comic Relief. It was really good.

Everyone was given a red kazoo on the way in. I'd never played (if that's the right word) one before and, at first, I was convinced that the thing didn't work. But there's a knack to it that doesn't involve blowing. Led by the Masters of the Kazooniverse, almost 4,000 of us took part in a Guinness World Record -breaking attempt to get the most people playing a kazoo for five minutes. We had two goes at it; first to Flight of the Valkyries and then to The Dambusters theme. What a row! The players were counted and adjudicated and all that. Find out on Friday if we broke the record.

It was a good night all round. Presented by Katie Derham and Basil Brush (a hand-puppet on radio, boom-boom!), we were treated to some really lovely classical music especially from Nicole Bendetti, and Sue Perkins conducting pieces by Elgar and Bernstein. Plus genius comedy from Tim Vine and not-so-genius stuff from Marcus Brigstocke (he'd agree!).

Top: Royal Albert Hall, Pimlico, Walthamstow, Highbury

Middle: Covent Garden Camberwell, Holloway, Edmonton

Bottom: Hammersmith, Dalston, Highbury, EC4

Burlesque in Brick Lane

I decided on the way home that I wasn't going to bother writing about this. But then I noticed the artist whose work is on show there is called Greg Holloway, and I live in Holloway and one of the lovely PR girls there this eve is doing a course at the Royal Holloway University, and I thought, ooh coincidences, so here goes.

Tom and I got to the Brickhouse in Brick Lane and were told we were gonna get a short preview of the show at 7.30pm. That never happened. So we had a couple of glasses of wine and went to look at the art. A rude waitress asked us to move out of her way. We weren't in her way at all. Then we tried some of the crudites that were offered to us. You should pronounce that 'CRUD-ites' as I have never tasted such dry, tasteless rubbish, even the morning after a bad party. Truly awful. And this was supposed to be a PR exercise!

Some barely-clothed girls came on stage and waved their arms around a bit. Then a tattooed female did a bit of stand up. We left. It wasn't really my kind of thing. Or perhaps it might have been if it all hadn't seemed so half-hearted and mediocre.

Burlesque... hmmm... not getting enough attention at home love? Art? Performance? Really?

Women at Spitalfields Market

This Saturday 12th March I'll be at Spitalfields where I'll have a stall selling my clay pipe jewellery. Please do come down and say hello. There'll be lots of other things going on in addition to the market including live music, workshops, food and entertainment. It's all part of International Women's Fair following up on the centenary of International Women's Day.

And tomorrow, also at Spitalfields, though in the old market is the Women of the World Arts Fair.

Spitalfields, and the area around it, is a fasciniating area of London with a rich and varied history as these images show.

Spots V Stripes

Hello, my names's Jane, and I'm in Stripes. Or is it... I'm a Stripe?. Oh I dunno.

Whatever it is, it's a Cadbury's thing in conjunction with the Olympic Games.

Last week I went to a games evening thing organised by phd where we tried to break some Guinness world records. These consisted of daft things like making a bed, stacking coins with one hand, clicking windows closed on a PC, chucking teabags in cups etc.

I didn't win any prizes on the night... I was too busy trying to break the red wine drinking record.

Thanks guys, it was a fun night... see a short vid of the evening here.

More info about getting involved here.

Three coal hole covers, a spotty dog in Mayfair, spotlights (Baron menswear RIP) and chocolate in Piccadilly, chewing gum outside the Astoria (RIP boo hoo) and the base of the Gherkin.

Skin deep

Has anybody else noticed the excessive amount of make-up being worn by young girls these days?

Does the foundation they buy come with a free palette knife to put it on and a scraper to remove it? And why do a lot of them wear tinted (tinted?!) products that make their faces look like they've been to the Far East, but not the rest of their visible flesh? And there's a lot of bare skin around lately too, mostly on the wrong legs! And in this weather... brr!

Have you seen the gloss paint look? Slimy-look faces. Not nice.

Actually, it's just occurred to me that it's called foundation because it's supposed to be used as a base for other products... not to be the over-bearing the star of the show!

It's a look that requires a lot of time, effort and money... I bet the cosmetics industry is loving it.

Do men like it? Do they want to get close to all that gunk? Do they even notice?

Though I did overhear some schoolboys on a bus last week discussing their sisters' make-up habits and how they found it unattractive. They used words like 'stupid', 'muck', 'orange' and 'fake'.

I suspect if you ran your fingers down one of these rendered cheeks it would achieve the effect of a textured abstract painting, ploughed field or corrugations.

Here are some pics to illustrate the sort of thing I mean.

See more textures here.

The Valentine Moonie Wedding

Oh gawd, today is that consumer-fest that is Valentine's day.

It used to be a day for letting someone know that you fancied them. But now it's just a way for restaurants and florists to get money from couples who think it's a really romantic to give the same flowers and eat the same food as all the other bored couples in the room.

So, if you were thinking of popping out for food this evening, don't bother unless you have already booked a set meal with all the other Moonies.

Alternatively, I see one supermarket is offering a three course meal for two with wine and chocs for £15. Ooh the romance of it all.

A friend pointed out to me that this Tom Jones CD that's being flogged at the moment as a good Valentine's present has 'Delilah' and 'Green Grass of Home' on it. Go Google the lyrics.

Clockwise from top left: Belgravia, Hoxton, Saville Row, Harlesden, St Mary Le Bow, Phoenix Gardens, Holloway, The Golden Heart

A strange pub pair

A while back I put together a collection of strange pub pairings.

Well, last weekend I went to the wonderful Fox and Anchor and supped a few lovely ales with friends. On the table were these coasters. All very clever, but I'm still none the wiser. Click on the coaster to read the text.

Old London telephone exchanges

I have quite a few photos of old fire alarm bells. I was initially interested in the logos and typography, and the texture of the rusty old boxes. But just recently I noticed that a lot of them have pre-1966 telephone letter exchange codes on them.

These old codes worked such that the first 3 letters of an area were used for that exchange, for instance, BIS 1234 = BIShopsgate 1234. You have probably heard a someone with clipped vowels in a 1940s film saying, "Mayfair 2121" or similar.

I posted my most recent fire alarm pic to GWL and the interest was enough to set up a group to 'collect' images of these codes having realised that I had snapped many more of these myself within pics of old shops signs etc.

There were 263 London codes (sorry, but this link doesn't seem to be working any more – I have tried to find an alternate page that shows the letter codes but so far, nothing. Please do let me know if you you find a source. Thanks.) – I doubt we'll find existing examples of them all.

Many have unusual names such as TER for Kings Cross, referencing the railway TERminus.

If you have seen any yourself, do let me know or add them to the group.

Below are some of the one I have found myself:

Top row: Nags Head, Tower Bridge Road, Chatsworth Road, Roman Road

Middle row: Earlham Street, Wandsworth Road, Whitfield Street, Marylebone Lane

Bottom row: Curtain Road, Weston Park, Thornhill Road, Holloway Road

Modern British Sculpture, Royal Academy

I was going to put off writing about this for a while but having just read Ossian Ward's review in this week's Time Out I just had to say how much I agree with him, in particular the lack of cohesion, the chosen pieces, the absent modern artists and the 'compare and contrast' of the old fancy metal floor grilles and simplistic modern art – in some rooms I'd say the humidty boxes in the corners were often the most interesting things in there!

Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of fabulous modern works of art in there but, for me, they are few and far between.

I love love love Jacob Epstein's work – and his Adam is there. The work shows great strength and movement (if you know what I mean). Though I'd like to have been able to have seen Adam's face. Perhaps a well-placed mirror could have been used?

Hirst's 'Let's Eat Outdoors Today' takes up almost a whole room. It's basically a biological study and, to my mind, not art. (Yeah yeah, begs the question, what is art?). I strode straight past it. No flies on me! Apparently it's one of four works he'd save from a burning building. He'd probably have to get his team of minions to shift it for him. And then hopefully he could sit inside it and turn himself into art. I'd go to see that.

Another room is packed full of treasures from the British Museum. Ancient pieces are contrasted with those from the past century, yet all of them display great artistry and craftsmanship and highlight how over-blown, cheap and transient a lot of the modern stuff is. Size isn't everything.

Which reminds me... the Fourth Plinth... need I say more?

Uncovered gems

Last week I noticed a wonderful shop old sign that's been revealed during renovations on an old corner shop in Caledonian Road. I managed to get some great shots of it on the only sunny day we've had in ages. I wonder how long it will be there? Or, if they cover it up again, will they do so sympathetically?

I ask this because I have been lucky to have glimpsed quite a few old signs in the past year including the lovely old Segar shop sign in Finsbury Park that I've written about before.

And last Autumn some beautiful old hand lettering was revealed at 223 Holloway Road. It stayed on view for a few months but has recently been covered with roofing felt. I hope they've used nails and not glue.

Over two years ago a curve of gorgeous signs on an electical lighting shop were uncovered on Grays Inn Road near the junction of Theobald's Road. My friend alerted me to them when he said he saw someone up a ladder who was about to paint over them. For months they remained intact, except for one panel which the bloke had already obliterated. My hopes were high. But I'm sad to report that they have since all been painted over. Criminal.

All of these are far better than the back-lit bits of perspex we have along our high streets these days. Check out these modern old-style signs made by a talented friend of mine in the States.

Top row: White Hart Lane; Hackney Road x2; 280 Holloway Road (McDonalds)

Middle row: West Green Road; Caledonian Road; 223 Holloway Road, Brewer Street

Bottom row: Grays Inn Road; Markhouse Road; Seven Sisters Road; Balls Pond Road

And more here

Primark threatens Hanway Street

I have just heard that Hanway Street, that handy cut-through from TottCtRd to Oxford Street, is under threat from a retail giant.

It seems Primark, the makers of mass-produced throw-away tat, sorry, clothes, are moving into the old Virgin Megastore and this narrow street at the back isn't wide enough for their delivery trucks. They have made proposals to Camden Council which will include widening the loading bays and altering the street to include designer boutiques. Mind you, it's been widened before (see below).

So Hanway Street, with its quirly mix of bars (mainly Spanish bars where I have spent many a late drunken night over the years), restaurants, record shops, offices and homes, may end up looking like Neal Street.

And I can clearly remember Neal Street when it had real shops in it... and Camden Passage... and Camden 's Chalk Farm Road... and Upper Street... and charing Cross Road... and... and...

Andaz, Anzac, Antz, Ant and Dec Hotel, or whatever it's called

Up until this week I'd never been inside the Great Eastern Hotel at Liverpool Street. I'd always meant to wander in and have a snoop about, convinced as I was that inside would be like stepping into the past. Victorian and Edwardian railway hotels were always set up as showcases; just check out The Midland Grand Hotel in St Pancras and Gare D'Orsay in Paris, to name but two.

These days, however the hotel is owned and managed by the Hyatt group and they have seen fit to change the name to Andaz. Why they couldn't have kept the the original name or come up with a compromise such as 'The Hyatt Great Eastern' is beyond me because as I am having trouble remembering the new name (see title above!).

Apparently andaz is a Hindustani word which translates as 'personal style' but, having checked out the hotels rooms I'd say it just looks like Hyatt has been bulk-buying along TottCtRd, especially from Dwell and Elephant.

Much is made of their unconventional lobby area which has no 'traditional' desk or receptionists. Instead guests are welcomed by one of a team of meet-and-greeters who, they say, can organise everything for you whilst they whisk you to your cheerless 1980's-style-pale-grey-with-red-accents room. These are bland bland bland rooms and every one of them has the same colour scheme. Oh that plain dark brown wood is going to date so fast. It's all so charmless, cheerless and lifeless. How about a few tasteful pictures on the walls to remind the guests of the hotel's history? This would neatly tie in with the effort being made to link in to the area's East End cultural heritage – art exhibitions have been organised, and there are 'relevant' quotes on the walls in and around the circular atrium, but no-one seems to know who they are attributed to.

The connecting corridors and utilitarian 'Metropolis'-style stairwells and atriums that link the old and new parts of the building, all made me feel like I was in a sanitorium rather than an exclusive hotel. The lift is encased with industrial mesh that barely conceals electric wires and chalk marks. Looking down from the 2nd floor into the internal courtyard made me feel like a prisoner who isn't allowed to go down to the exercise yard.

But I did like gobo signage. At least letters can't fall off light projections, which is what had happened to the 3D signage. Shame. But then I'm all about interesting details, and there weren't many to see.

On the plus side, the room prices seem reasonable. Much is made of inclusive iPod docks, wifi and organic non-alcoholic minibars (eh?!)... but you only get one silly-shaped chair in a King-sized room!

Moving across to the older part of the hotel (still with bland rooms, but nicer doors)... and – wow! Like a smack in the face, and completely at odds with the new renovations, there's the old original marble staircase with moulded ceilings and grainy marble walls and... get this... just past that, a 'hidden' windowless Masonic temple/room that's wonderfully OTT.

The bars and restaurants on the ground floor are really lovely and still have their fabulous high ceilings and original features. The Champagne Bar mixes the old with the new perfectly and has some small architectural features picked out in modern vibrant green paint. If only the main part of the hotel had followed suit.

We had champagne and sushi (I hate the taste of wasabi so could only safely eat one of the pretty little things) and then, in Catch restaurant, we had fish cakes in consommé (lovely) and a cod dish (disappontingly tasteless and soggy), followed by a selection of scrummy cheeses, chutneys and delicious wines in 1901.

So to conclude... lovely restaurants and bars, friendly and helpful staff, hidden history, horrible hotel rooms.

My pics aren't really up to scratch this time... sorry; I was using an iTouch. Tom's are better. More hotel info and better pics are available here... go check out those posed model shots!

One Eyed Grey – a Penny Dreadful

Time for an embarrassing confession.

I've known Chris for a few years now. I have been on a couple of his walking tours. The man is a wonderfully engaging story teller and a mine of intriguingly bizarre London facts. So how come I have only just got hold of a copy of the superb One Eyed Grey?

OEG is billed as "a penny dreadful for the 21st century" and contains macabre and scary London-based stories penned by a collective of writers. Order your copy here.

The red headings on some pages of the website are pretty scary too!

Top row: Battersea, Great Eastern Street, Grays In Road, Vauxhall Street

Middle row: St John Street, Blackfriars pub, Skinner Street, Millwall Docks

Bottom row: Mount Pleasant, Eastcheap, Harlseden, Seymour Place

Jerry Sadowitz is painful

And that's a bloody compliment!

I went to see his stand-up show last Friday night at the Leicester Square Theatre.

He was relentless... clever and ironic and offensive and intelligent and blasphemous and very funny indeed. I ached... I was exhausted from all the laughing and the concentration needed to keep up with him.

I think it was Billy Connolly who said that the only type of person who it's safe to offend these days is a white heterosexual man. I pretty sure Jerry doesn't agree with that!

He's playing again soon.

Here are just some of the subjects he covers:

Top row: Cockspur Street, Haggerston, Holloway Road, South Tottenham

Middle row: Upper Street, Westminster, Rivington Street, Goswell Road

Bottom row: Crouch End, Holloway Road, Stamford Hill, West Smithfield

Pavement Poetry

It seems I am not alone in my fascination for coal hole covers.

I was recently contacted by Maria Vlotides regarding a book about a public art project she has put together in conjunction with the Notting Hill Improvements Group.

Seven new coal hole covers have been designed, created and embedded into the pavements of W11 showing relevant quotes and poems by writers who live in the area including Sebastian Faulks and P.D. James. The project is backed by the Royal Society of Literature.

My copy of the book arrived this week. It's lovely. And full of great info. Plus, in the 'other sources' section at the back she has very kindly included the link to my set of coal hole photos on Flickr.

A similar project can be found in and around Brick Lane.

Shelter's Vertical Rush

For those of you feeling fit (note I didn't say 'us') you might like to take part in a charity event organised by Shelter whereby you can run up to the top of Tower 42 in the City of London.

Starting at 7.30am on 3rd March, eight waves of runners will set off every hour.

Check the site here for more info.

The London Art Fair

It's that time of year again when Islington's Building Design Centre is packed full of lovely things (and bad things and over-priced things). It runs from today until Sunday 23rd.

This year I will specifically be going along to see Payne Shurvell who I have been following since their opening show in June 2010. They may well be the newest/youngest gallery there. I'll be also coveting any palette-knifed landscapes by Sir Kyffin Williams' as they're far too expensive for my pocket, however, if anyone is ever feeling altruistic in my direction...(!). And, in amongst seeing all the new stuff, I'll be trying to stop myself buying another Stephen Walter map from Tag Fine Arts, and popping in on Beaux Arts Gallery who have some lovely stuff by Nathan Ford... oooh ... shame they are based so far away in Bath.

If only I had more money and a bigger house...