London Lives

London Lives: exploring the nooks and crannies

Rock Chicks

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This is quite splendidly mad and I utterly approve: At the Barbican, Céleste Boursier-Mougenot has set up a walk-through aviary for zebra finches, with electric guitars and other instruments and objects. As the birds go about their daily routine (perching, feeding and so on) their presence on the various pieces of equipment creates a live soundscape. Fabulous.

Written by green eyes

27 February, 2010 at 21:53

Posted in Exhibitions

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Disappearing London: 1

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In the library, I found a fabulous quote about London by Henry James:

It is difficult to speak adequately or justly of London. It is not a pleasant place; it is not agreeable, or cheerful, or easy, or exempt from reproach. It is only magnificent.

From the window of the bus at Paddington, I saw a woman in a long dark fur coat, perhaps aged about sixty. She hurried along with a slightly care-worn look. She had no luggage, so I presume she lived locally. She seemed adrift and slightly out of time; a person one sees increasingly rarely almost as if they are disappearing from London. People like this fascinate me and have long been one of the things informing my writing: Who are they? What were they? What are they?

A couple of years ago I saw an exhibition at the Tate in Pimlico called How We Are: Photographing Britain. It affected me enormously, much more than I could have anticipated. The photographs therein not only form an important document of changing social history, but there, staring out at us, are faces and types of people that are disappearing and that we may never know again. I remember one series of photographs about a factory works outing from the 1950s, with lots of women lined up in front of the coach. There were fearsome matriarchs among them who had a look about them that was absolutely of the era and of their time.

Written by green eyes

15 February, 2010 at 20:38

Reading London

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An early(ish)  jaunt to the LSE to hear a lecture delivered as part of their Reading London event (Cities Programme). The event covered literature, social history and architecture in an attempt to ‘read’ and describe London.

The discussion covered land ownership in Bloomsbury, Christopher Wren (of course!) and how the metropolis has managed to develop, rather than sticking to any major plan. Along the way, we learnt about Wren’s great plan for London (it was all going to be so neat and orderly, apparently; I think London’s organic and somewhat haphazard development has been to its great credit. Imagine all those nooks and crannies being neatly ironed out and not being, well, nooks and crannies any more..). We also discovered that Peter Pan is set in Bloomsbury because Roget (of the Thesaurus)  once lived there and provided many a guiding light.

And then there was the news that the British Museum has some hidden doors in it (well, imagine if the dear BM didn’t hold such secrets). I have noted the locations of these and shall do some discreet prodding of walls next time I’m in there. Hope I don’t get thrown out.

Written by green eyes

15 February, 2010 at 20:01

Alexander McQueen: 1969 – 2010

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The death of Alexander McQueen today is horrible news. Too often these days people are feted without discernible talent or genius. Alexander McQueen was not one of them.

An enfant terrible without ever being immature. A bright star, a big loss and a bloody shame.

Lady Gaga wears his completely mad and utterly fabulous lobster shoes in her Bad Romance video.

The Guardian’s obituary is here and The Times has its obituary here.

Written by green eyes

11 February, 2010 at 21:17

Posted in London Life

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Research in Westminster

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Now that I’ve been bitten again by the writing bug, it’s good to explore other writing spaces and to research ideas. So this week I joined Westminster Libraries (one of them is a good research library too). Off to lovely Marylebone to  collect my card and explore the facilities. The upstairs has an extensive research collection and study area and I sat for a while reading up on John Dickson Carr and locked room mysteries.

Then I hopped on the bus to Paddington to look in another of the borough’s libraries. All fab again. Both are in lovely old buildings. I shall look in the Charing Cross one and the Westminster Research Library this coming week or at the weekend (although I have an LSE lecture and a friend’s play on Saturday).

This is intriguing, too: Westminster’s Archives Centre is serialising an 1846 diary written by Nathaniel Bryceson, a Victorian clerk in Pimlico. His mother was born in 1797 and Nathaniel himself died in 1911. That’s just two generations crossing a very significant period of time. Incredible. I look forward to reading the entries.

When I left the library in Paddington, the day had become suddenly spring-like.

Gloucester Terrace, London W2

Gloucester Terrace, London W2

Porchester Square, London W2

Porchester Square, London W2


Written by green eyes

7 February, 2010 at 16:16

Royal Court at Elephant

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The Royal Court Theatre is staging four plays in the Elephant and Castle shopping centre. Excellent. This is a brilliant idea:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/arts_and_culture/8496070.stm

Written by green eyes

3 February, 2010 at 22:52

Posted in Theatre

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80s Indie Electronica Girl

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I love this footage of Gary Numan and Little Boots doing Venus in Furs and Are Friends Electric.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/events/hub/artists/nuboots.shtml

I’m still that 80s indie electronica girl at heart.

Written by green eyes

2 February, 2010 at 13:53

Posted in Music

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And there’s more…

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The snow is back, announced the radio this morning. I was expecting a fine dusting, or nothing at all. Snowy trees near Euston StationIn fact, a fair amount had accumulated overnight. Nothing on the scale of last week’s snow (and just as we were getting used to walking around safely), but a decent amount of fluffy stuff to trudge through. I took this photo (left) outside Euston station. The snowy branches make striking patterns.

Snowy BloomsburyFurther on (right), Bloomsbury was dusted with a decent coating of snow, lending it a silent air, as in this picture looking towards Gordon Square.

Tavistock Square with Gandhi statueTavistock Square (left) with the statue of Gandhi visible beyond.

Russell Square with frosted trees (below).Russell Square

I’ve been cooking and eating splendid soups all week. Tonight: leek, potato and pepper with a smigeon of chilli.

Written by green eyes

13 January, 2010 at 20:37

Posted in London Life

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Hampstead Heath, 6 January 2010

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Okay, it is Deep and Crisp and Even in London today. This warranted a visit to Hampstead Heath to stand in splendid deep snow and take pictures.

Hampstead Heath in the snow

Hampstead Heath in the snow

Hampstead Heath in the snow

Spaniards Road, Hampstead Heath

Hampstead Heath

Hampstead Heath

Frosted trees, Hampstead Heath

Laden twigs, Hampstead Heath

Foraging Squirrel, Hampstead Heath

Icy wonderland, Hampstead Heath

Snowbound bridge, Hampstead Heath

Ice stream, Hampstead Heath

Snowbound Bridge II, Hampstead Heath

Hopeful squirrel, Hampstead Heath

Striking branch formations, Hampstead Heath

Striking branch formations II, Hampstead Heath

Lovely leaf patterns, Hampstead Heath

Robin, Hampstead Heath

Wonderful branches, Hampstead Heath

Looking upwards, Hampstead Heath

This log looks like some sort of dinosaur with a long tail

Close-up of twigs, Hampstead Heath

There is a blurry outline of a fox just above the centre of this picture

Snowbound avenue of trees, Hampstead Heath

Icy stream, Hampstead Heath

Lots of dogs of all shapes and sizes explore the snowy Heath

Houses towards the eastern Heath

Icy twigs above the frozen lake, Hampstead Heath

Ducks seek food in the icy lake, Hampstead Heath

Birds on the frozen lake, Hampstead Heath

Robin on snowy branches, Hampstead Heath

Frozen lake and surrounding trees, Hampstead Heath

Okay, it is Deep and Crisp and Even in London today. This warranted a visit to Hampstead Heath to stand in splendid deep snow and take pictures.

Written by green eyes

6 January, 2010 at 17:37

Posted in Local London

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Battersea Park, 4 January 2010

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View from Battersea Park to houses on Chelsea Embankment

View from Battersea Park to houses on Chelsea Embankment

Peace Pagoda, Battersea Park

Peace Pagoda, Battersea Park

Close-up of Buddha on the Peace Pagoda, Battersea Park

Close-up of Buddha on the Peace Pagoda, Battersea Park

Close-up: Peace Pagoda, Battersea Park

Close-up: Peace Pagoda, Battersea Park

Frozen lakes on the Grand Vista, Battersea Park

Frozen lakes on the Grand Vista, Battersea Park

Frozen lake in Battersea Park (Battersea Power Station beyond)

Frozen lake in Battersea Park with Battersea Power Station beyond

More frozen water, Battersea Park

More frozen water, Battersea Park

Bandstand with Peace Pagoda beyond, Battersea Park

Bandstand with Peace Pagoda beyond, Battersea Park

Birds ponder the frozen lakes, Battersea Park

Birds ponder the frozen lakes, Battersea Park

Henry Moore's 'Three Standing Figures', Battersea Park

Henry Moore's 'Three Standing Figures', Battersea Park

Waders in the frozen water, Battersea Park

Waders in the frozen water, Battersea Park

Afternoon dazzle, Battersea Park

Afternoon dazzle, Battersea Park

Sun on the frozen lakes, Battersea Park

Sun on the frozen lakes, Battersea Park

Winter ice glade, Battersea Park

Winter ice glade, Battersea Park

Pump House, Battersea Park

Pump House, Battersea Park

Pump House with waders on the frozen lake, Battersea Park

Pump House with waders on the frozen lake, Battersea Park

Low winter sun, Battersea Park

Low winter sun, Battersea Park

Birds walk tentatively on the ice, Battersea Park

Birds walk tentatively on the ice, Battersea Park

Low light, Battersea Park

Low light, Battersea Park

Swans carve out a space in the ice, Battersea Park

Swans carve out a space in the ice, Battersea Park

Close-up of Buddha on the Peace Pagoda, Battersea Park

Written by green eyes

5 January, 2010 at 10:22

Posted in London Life

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