Thanks for all of your support of Little London Observationist. As promised, for every 50 new likes on Facebook, I will give away an 8×10 photography print and we reach 600 this week so thank you! You can choose any … Continue reading →
, : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 30 June 2012 Attend Paradise Gardens at the London Pleasure Gardens There are benefits to the various corporate follies being built around town for next month's Sports Fortnight , and over at the Royal Docks today a free opening party for the London Pleasure Gardens invites us all to attend this year's Paradise Gardens Festival , a London stalwart which has survived the inevitable . bonfire-of-the-free-festivals Your author first attended Paradise Gardens one terribly wet May in 2007, where waterproof boots and a good umbrella were necessary kit for the only-about-a-hundred people who stood
I posted 20 photographs of Londoners by John Kortland two weeks ago. Here’s 20 more, some new, some from his archives, all from the city’s lively streets. Captions by John. Dickie, His Duchess And The Times Reader Shielded Lifting the … Continue reading →, : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 29 June 2012 Drink beer at the People's Supermarket The People's Supermarket has always seemed like a reasonable idea , even if they occasionally struggle to pay their bills and whenever your author has met people from there they have always been jolly pleasant , but if you don't believe it , an opportunity has arrived for you to meet them first . hand Tonight , the Supermarket launches their cookbook , with a special beer night , which offers two beers and some pie for 10. Their PR is especially likeable , as the picture your author received above had been seemingly mistakenly titled Beer
Following yesterday’s (late!) entry, after Borough Market and Gibbon’s Rent, Jorge and I took a stroll back over Tower Bridge. On the way we spotted a few interesting things. Of course, I took some photos. iPhone photos, but photos none-the-less… … Continue reading →, : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 28 June 2012 Visit the Savoy Museum Most people assume that the Savoy is just a large posh hotel with very little to tempt ordinary Londoners inside , but it has an interesting history and , we are told , is home to one of the largest hotel archives in the world . A small museum off the lobby within the hotel , displays some interesting information and paraphernalia from the hotel's . history When your author visited the museum back in the autumn , it was all rather empty , but remains open to the public as long as you're not too scruffy to get past the take-no-prisoners door staff . Your
It was a sunny enough weekend (at least the rain only came in spurts), so we managed a little stroll over to Borough Market on Saturday. Photo: Steaming Hot by John Kortland I never tire of the hustle and bustle … Continue reading →, : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 27 June 2012 Find Lord Dowding A statue of Lord Dowding stands outside St Clement Danes on the Strand , commemorating the man who was the commander of RAF Fighter Command during the Battle of . Britain Installed in the 1990s , the statue is cast in bronze , and was was designed by Portrait Sculptor Faith Winter , who also created the Bomber’ Harris statue which stands . nearby For more , see http : en.wikipedia.org wiki Hugh_Dowding , 1st_Baron_Dowding Labels : Statues No : comments Post a Comment Newer Post Older Post Home Subscribe to : Post Comments Atom Tired of London , Tired of Life
Sometimes, there’s really no need for words… iPhone shot, spotted on Sydney Street in Chelsea this weekend. And in Notting Hill a few weeks ago, perhaps the owner… Ah, the little things…, : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 26 June 2012 Visit the Tech City Central tent Over on Shoreditch High Street a few weeks ago , an expensive-looking tent popped up , with little pomp and ceremony , apparently as part of the Government's Tech City project , an often controversial attempt to boost the technology companies in Shoreditch and East . London The tent is open to all on most days , with free wifi and a variety of spaces for local business-people to hold meetings , including a reasonable-looking boardroom at the back , which can be booked from one of the very helpful people on hand . There is also an interesting
: : Paul in London Paul is in London . And seeing mostly theatre Monday , June 25, 2012 Subterranean art : Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2012 The Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2012 designed by Herzog de Meuron and Ai Weiwei is described as an opportunity to inspire visitors to look beneath the surface of the park as well as back in time at the ghosts of the earlier . structures With its cork surfaces and dark corners what it really is is the ultimate children's playground . It will be hard to visit it without finding screaming children running about , hiding from each other in the dark corners and leaping over the uneven surfaces . There is place for a good coffee , but this year's pavilion is a cork dungeon for the children . The little buggers will love it . It is open until 14 October ., : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 25 June 2012 Drink in the smallest public bar room Your author found himself drinking in the room at the front of the Dove public house in Hammersmith on Saturday , an atmospheric and friendly space which a certificate on the wall confirms was designated in January 1989 by the Guinness Book of World Records as the smallest public bar room Though your author is unsure whether any space has subsequently claimed the title , in the world of pub folklore an old certificate is usually more than enough to seize the imagination , and in this interesting little pub , which has been owned by Fullers, : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 24 June 2012 Play a Golden Street Piano Your author remembers fondly the summer of 2009, when some open-to-all-pianos first came to our streets , and late-night singalongs around the piano at Liverpool Street Station brought a sense of community to a sometimes lonely city . Today , free pianos return for a fourth and final year , found at London landmarks and beauty spots across the City for the next three . weeks It doesn't matter even if your piano skills are lacking , as today from 1pm 4pm you are invited to sign up for one of free piano lesson on the pianos . We are also told that , for, : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 23 June 2012 Attend Tottenham Carnival Parade Apologies Your author is told that the main carnival has been cancelled due to lack of funds but the parade will still take place Though the main carnival has been cancelled at the very last minute due to lack of funding , in North East London today , they're still holding a parade for the Tottenham Carnival , which has been celebrated in the area since way back in the mists of time , 1997. The parade leaves Eade Road N4 1DJ at 11.00am and arrives in Church Road N17 8DU at approximately . 1.00pm For more , see http : www.tottenhamcarnival.co.uk, : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 22 June 2012 Play table tennis in Queen's Park A successor to the Ping London scheme of summer 2010, which saw table tennis tables installed across London thanks to a local resident , two permanent table tennis tables sit in Queen's Park , ready for use by . all-comers The tables joined pitch-and-putt and traditional tennis courts in the well-equipped City of London-owned park , which covers 30 acres of North West London and has been maintained by the City of London corporation since 1886. For more , see http : www.qpark.org.uk action-groups park-liason Labels : North London Parks and, : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 21 June 2012 Walk beside Leg of Mutton Pond A relatively lesser-known pond on the West side of Hampstead Heath , Leg of Mutton Pond is formed from one of the tributaries of the River Brent , possibly dammed in the early 19th century as part of a plan to employ poor people in the . area It is a quiet spot , largely surrounded by trees and popular with wildfowl and the odd passer-by , but perfect to stop by for some tranquility on a summers' . evening For more , see http : www.hampsteadheath.net leg-of-mutton-pond.html Labels : Hampstead ponds No : comments Post a Comment Newer Post Older
: : , Paul in London Paul is in London . And seeing mostly theatre Wednesday , June 20, 2012 Returning satire : Yes , Prime Minister Yes , Prime Minister is back in the West End at Trafalgar Studios following two successful previous runs in the West End and a tour . It is probably good timing in the lead up to the Olympics as no doubt it will appeal to people with a spare night amongst all the other cultural offerings on at present and who have been inspired from walking up Whitehall past all the impressive Civil Service offices to pop on in . The original television series was a quintessential satire from the 1980s and ran from 1980 to 1984 as Yes , Minister , and then 1986 to 1988 as Yes , Prime Minister . It was purportedly one of Margaret Thatcher's favourite shows So anyone keen to, : , skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 20 June 2012 Drink at the Fox and Hounds , Belgravia A decent little pub in an area where rents and the price of property have all but killed decent little pubs , the Fox and Hounds in Belgravia was built in the 1860s , supposedly we are told to serve working people that lived in the cottages nearby . Today , it is at the heart of one of London's richest areas , but is still a great little community pub , serving decent Young's ales . When your author popped in recently , it was very relaxed , and the brewery website informs us that it prides itself on having no TVs and no music , which, : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 19 June 2012 Find Temple Stairs Arch The face of a man your author always thought was Old Father Thames but others state probably correctly is Neptune graces the front of Temple Stairs Arch on Victoria Embankment . The monument was installed in 1868 as part of Joseph Bazalgette's design for the Embankment , though beneath it a memorial of 1935 sits , erected by the Port of London Authority to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of King George V , when the particular stretch of the River Thames was renamed as the King's Reach For more on the area , see http : www.london-footprints.co.uk, : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 18 June 2012 See Paolozzi's Newton at the British Library In the gardens at the front of the British Library a hunched-over statue sculpture by Eduardo Paolozzi can be seen on a plinth , making mathematical . examinations Installed in 1995, the hunched sculpture is based on William Blake's 1795 print Newton . In the print , Isaac Newton crouches naked a rock covered with algae , seemingly on the seabed . For more , see http : www.newton.ac.uk art paolozzi.html Labels : Art Sculpture 2 : comments Gingle 18 June 2012 20:55 I love this statue I think popping in to the British Library while, : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 17 June 2012 Attend the London Map Fair As far as your author is concerned , anyone who is unable to find interest in old maps has no soul , and so the London Map Fair , which concludes its annual two day event today , is sure to be an interesting . affair The largest antique map fair in Europe , the London Map Fair was established in 1980 and , we are told , brings together 40 leading antiquarian map dealers , and hundreds of other dealers , collectors , curators at the Royal Geographical Society , with maps on sale from 10 to 100,000. For more , see http : www.londonmapfairs.com Picture, : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 16 June 2012 Watch the Trooping the Colour flypast If you haven't already had too much royal pageantry this year , the Queen will be inspecting her troops on Horseguards Parade from 10am , with processions viewable from the Mall , all finished off with a good old fashioned RAF flypast at 1pm . At the time of going to pixel details were mysteriously absent from the RAF website , but the flypast usually approaches from the East over Central London , and we are also told to expect a 62 gun salute at the Tower of . London For more , see http : www.royal.gov.uk RoyalEventsandCeremonies, : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 15 June 2012 Visit the St Bartholomew's Hospital Museum A fascinating little museum within the walls of the hospital in the City of London , the St Bartholomew's Hospital Museum traces the history of Britain's oldest hospital from its beginnings in the 12th century when it was established by monks to provide hospitality through the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII , to the present . day For your author it was a thoroughly thought provoking experience , hearing how the original treatments were largely prayer-based , seeing a facsimile of the original grant from Rahere , the, : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 14 June 2012 Walk in Six Brothers Field An interesting little anomaly in the Surrey village of Chaldon , just inside the M25, Six Brothers Field is owned by the National Trust , having been given to them on the last day of 1926 by Martin Coles Harman , the former king' of Lundy Island in the Bristol . Channel One of six brothers , Mr Harman was a wealthy English financier who had bought Lundy Island in 1924 for 16,000. He gave the field for the benefit of Chaldon residents , and it is used regularly by the Chaldon Cricket Club , who were playing when your author passed on Sunday . The, : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 13 June 2012 Drink at the Cask Pub Kitchen Though from the outside it appears utterly unremarkable , and even the inside is not the most aesthetically interesting pub in the area , the Cask Pub Kitchen in Pimlico continues to attract drinkers for its wide range of beers on offer and its relaxed . atmosphere A winner of awards in 2011 from the Publican Magazine , the Great British Pub Awards and the beer obsessives at CAMRA , the pub certainly keeps an interesting range of beers in stock , some of which come at reasonable prices . However , the friend with whom your author visited did wonder, : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 12 June 2012 See the Ode to the West Wind mural Found on the corner of Noel Street and Poland Street in Soho is a mural titled Ode to the West Wind painted in 1989 by the London Wall Mural Group , led by artist Louise . Vines The mural's title refers to a poem Ode to the West Wind written by Poland Street resident Percy Bysshe Shelley in 1819. We are told that Shelley lived for a while at 15 Poland Street , hence the location of the . mural For more , see http : www.londonmuralpreservationsociety.com murals ode-west-wind Labels : Murals soho No : comments Post a Comment Newer Post Older, : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 11 June 2012 Drink at the Harrow A pleasant little pub on the edge of the village of Chaldon , just inside the M25, an inn is documented on the same spot as The Harrow since at least the 16th century , and it sits just a few yards from the Pilgrim’s Way on the ridge of the North Downs . It occupies a beautiful spot , surrounded by woodland and on the top of a hill which makes it the second highest pub in Surrey . It is also just off the North Downs Way , a popular long distance trail , meaning it is popular with walkers . When your author dropped in yesterday it was busy with locals and
: : Paul in London Paul is in London . And seeing mostly theatre Monday , June 11, 2012 Bits and pieces : World Naked Bike Ride London 2012 Anyone in Piccadilly Circus Saturday afternoon would have found themselves stopping to appreciate the cheek of several hundred cyclists taking part in the annual World Naked Bike Ride A clothing-optional event , it aims to promote more sustainable means of transport and a generally more body-positive culture . While the numbers seemed down this year possibly due to the windy weather that made things a little chilly they made up for being more colourful and noisier than years past . And there was some unexpected laughs as a family in a car somehow managed to get caught amongst the cyclists . The mother shouting abuse at naked cyclists while their, : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 10 June 2012 Poke around some private gardens This weekend is Open Garden Squares Weekend , and offers the chance to poke around some of London's mysterious private gardens , which are otherwise only open to residents , in association with the National . Trust We are told that 208 gardens are opening their gates for the weekend , across 27 boroughs , with 24 ones participating . It's great if you're interested in gardens or just a bit . nosey For more , see http : www.opensquares.org Picture David Hawgood used under a Creative Commons license^ Labels : Annual Events Parks and Gardens 1 :
: : Paul in London Paul is in London . And seeing mostly theatre Saturday , June 09, 2012 Slaughterhouse theatre : Meat Meat is now playing at Theatre 503 in Battersea . It is part melodrama , part comedy and part lesson in slaughterhouse technique set in the industrial heartland of the north of . England The story focusses on Vincent , a man who works in a meat processing factory . He has a run in with the local youth yoof and then things get a little messy . Soon as events spiral out of control it becomes a bit difficult to explain to his wife and daughter just what he has been doing working all that overtime . The abbatoir becomes a metaphor for a lot of the things that are going wrong in his town and in his . life The performances by cast of four are vigorous and intense . Vincent , as, : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 9 June 2012 Attend the London Green Fair London's largest green festival , the London Green Fair , takes place this weekend , with music , speakers , performances , market stalls , children's activities , food and drink on offer , all within the comfortable surroundings of Regent's . Park This year's event marks the 20th anniversary of the festival , moving over that time we are told from a small gathering in the railway arches at Kings Cross , to a flagship environmental festival attracting tens of thousands of people each . year The festival runs until 8.30pm today , and from midday until
: : Paul in London Paul is in London . And seeing mostly theatre Friday , June 08, 2012 Art in mildly sadomasochistic times : Gérard Rancinan's Wonderful World The LondonNewcastle Project Space in Redchurch Street is home to a fabulously frothy and deliciously naughty exhibition of photographer Gerard Rancinan's work called Wonderful World Rancinan is known for his dynamic and hyper-realistic pieces . Production of one of the pieces on exhibition is depicted in the video clip from French television . It is painstaking and eye-catching work , particularly with half naked models even if they are wearing cartoon masks and put into positions that echo religious iconography Wonderful World is the concluding part of his Trilogy of the Moderns . The everyday meets the kinky , pop culture meets, : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 7 June 2012 Visit the Garden of Disorientation The Royal Jubilee may be over , but there are plenty of other events to keep us feeling upbeat and summery , not least the Chelsea Fringe , which lasts until Monday . Last week , your author dropped into one garden which forms part of the Fringe , at 61 Charterhouse Street in Smithfield , and found a peaceful temporary garden in the heart of the . city Created in a former meat packing yard which stands empty due to the Corporation of London steadfastly and admirably denying the owners permission to convert into yet another bar , the garden, : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 6 June 2012 Buy books at Watermark It will not be a surprise to hear that your author has a strong interest in London bookshops , but whilst our city has many great retailers of literature , unfortunately those found at stations are often quite lacklustre affairs . That is why occasional treats like the new Watermark Books at Kings Cross are so . welcome Opened in the new concourse as part of the Kings Cross refurbishment , whilst the shop is the first Watermark in Europe , the company is known for it's travel-focused shops at airports in Australia and North America and they hope the shop