Ambulance

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

Yup, this is an ambulance parked outside Monmouth Coffe by Neal's Yard, Seven Dials, Covent Garden, London. Can anyone say “TV series”?

Thanksgiving

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

OK, it's Sunday, but they don't have Thanksgiving here so we can be flexible. From left to right: sauce (something garlicky mom made); spinach salad with persimmon and grilled butternut squash; mashed swede (that's rutabaga to you & me) and pear; pumpkin maple pecan pie; the bird (some kind of E.U. heritage award bird that came with quills still in it -- gross! Cooked up tasty, though); roasted carrots, parsnips, sweet & regular potato and shallots; and sausage, chestnut & sage stuffing (made from cornbread I purpose-baked). Not in the picture are gravy and apple-cranberry-rhubarb pie. Jane made canapés. We ate the pie a la mode. Lots of leftovers...

The Cam

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

Yep, that's the River Cam there in front of King's College Chapel. Went to Cambridge with Dad for the day on Saturday. Not as Hogwarts-y as Oxford, but more charming and picturesque.

Night flight

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

Kristy & I went for a spin around the London Eye around 5pm yesterday. We missed the full-on drama of sunset, but still had a spectacular view of the city lights. This picture is of Waterloo station (kind of vertically striped trapezoid in the upper left). The long thin blueish glowing structure that runs roughly across the middle is the Eurostar terminal, soon to be relocated to King's Cross, with a station at Stratford, site of the 2012 Olympics...

Autumn

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

This is the view off our back terrace during a moment of sunshine in between rain showers. Just a few days ago, those big trees were green. In a few more days, they'll be bare -- which is why Steven only wanted evergreen plants in our container garden...

Defiance

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

The canal house boats of London definitely reflect the areas of the city where they are moored. This one's in Camden.

Hogwarts much?

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

This is the Hall at Christ Church college in Oxford. No floating holiday decorations, though. And they must have turned off the magic ceiling sky picture thingie. But a Harry Potterama nonetheless...

Daniel Buren

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

We went to Oxford for the day on Thursday and saw an amazing installation by Daniel Buren at Modern Art Oxford (this is one of four rooms).

Diesel flagship

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

This is just a small portion of their New Bond Street Christmas window display...

Bleary Eye at dusk

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

St. Paul's

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

We discovered this fun fair in Paternoster Square, in the shadow of St. Paul's cathedral. Possibly something to do with the Lord Mayor's Show?

Carsten Höller

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

Haven't been down them yet, but these slides are in the Tate Modern turbine hall at the moment.

Fire!

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

On Sunday we went to Cleveland Square for Bonfire Night festivities. It's a little creepy that they burn an effigy (though the Yanks were wondering why it wasn't wearing a W mask). But I just read in Watching the English that the practice comes from some pagan ritual and that the effigy is supposed to represent the past year. Well, OK, fine. When the bonfire burned out, they shot off a TON of fireworks. Cleveland Square isn't very big, so the explosions were basically right over our heads and ashes were raining down on the crowd, making it difficult to look up. The verdict was that we would do it again.

Not why we live here

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

This is just at the end of Golborne Road, between the Trellick Tower and the Grand Union Canal. Isn't it sooo quaint? Nowadays what they need are Uzi surrender bins. Rhyming slogan, anyone?

Introducing...

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

Sparrow’s fart

This phrase turned up in today’s Daily Candy London. I had to Google it to discover its meaning.

Taxi!

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

That, apparently, is English for "get me out of here!" or "get out of my face!" depending on the situation. Anyhow, HELP! That's what Steven wants to name the kitten, so any appropriate suggestions would be most welcome. At this stage of the game, she's about the size of a large grapefruit and is super duper extra ultra mega totally cute. Very affectionate and sociable. And very smart, I think. My productivity has plummeted. Did I mention how cute she is?

Have kitten, no name

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

Physically very Alice-esque (so will be tuxedo cat #3 for me, but Steven is having -- surmountable -- issues). In terms of temperament, I think very different from the old girl. But Alice was friendly and gregarious as a youth, so we'll just have to wait & see. Our acquisition of what seems to be a black market kitten was all very hush-hush and on the QT. You have NO IDEA what hoops you have to jump through to adopt ("re-home" here) from the RSPCA or one of the main shelters! So we paid cash and we're keeping quiet about our source. Considered naming her David Banda. Others on the list are Daisy, Mabel, Jade, Vanda -- I won't go on because the list is long. Any ideas would be welcome, though. So far her little life is play, sleep, eat, repeat. When awake doesn't stay still long enough for a photo (at least not one taken with my "multimedia computer")...

Why we live here

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

We spent a morning in East London last weekend: Hackney, Broadway Market, Shoreditch, Hoxton... This gorgeous bit of graffitti kinda reminds me of some of the good SF art: Nick Ackerman, Rex Ray, et. al.