SF 2 London

2010 Festival of British Roots

2010-01-31T19:48:00.009Z

All in all, things went pretty well. On Friday the weather wasn’t very cooperative (and neither were the guys who had been asked to set up Councillor Dent Coad’s stall in Golborne Road). Nevertheless, the folks from Fenmarc distributed free spuds to all our costers, and free samples of baked potatoes and carrot coriander soup to passersby. Ruth, Zeenat, Peter, and a couple of helpers from Sustain whipped up a few batches of winter root veg stew, every last bit of which was gobbled up by local shopkeepers, traders, and members of the public. As alluded to, the least successful part of the day (though hardly a flop by any means) was the Councillor's parsnip soup stall, which wound up being two folding tables borrowed from a nearby furniture shop. As there was no frame from which to suspend a tarp, the Councillor, her soup, and a pile of bumf were pelted with rain, sleet, hail, and snow during the course of her two-hour appearance. Fortunately, a vat of piping hot and extremely delicious homemade parsnip soup helped us ward off our chills.

The weather was greatly improved on Saturday, with sun and reasonably mild temperatures lasting into the early afternoon. Once again, about 40 quarts of winter root veg stew were prepared and given away - this time by Ruth, Peter, and myself. The three of us also served as Aaron Craze’s sous chefs, prepping ingredients for his dishes. I also doubled as a runner, picking up ingredients from market stallholders and neighborhood shops (and supplies from home - like the stick blender we plugged in at Adam’s veg stall next door—to puree Aaron’s jerusalem artichoke soup).

Over the two days, we were visited by a journalist from the fruit & veg trade press, a couple of Councillors (including the cabinet member for my business group), a chef interested in helping out with future events, a television producer from Market Kitchen (who just stumbled upon us), and possibly by someone from the BBC’s food magazines (though if she came, she didn’t identify herself). The mood was generally positive among traders and the public, and everyone who took part seemed to feel that the event was a resounding success. Next time I’d love to get better advance publicity, some news coverage on the day/s, and at least one school group.

Local sources included:

The Spice Shop donated herbs, seasonings and chillies used in the winter root veg stew and Aaron's purple sprouting broccoli, jerusalem artichoke soup, and roasted parsnips.

Ceramica Blue lent us aprons.

Oddbins gave us a good discount on dry white wine that Aaron used for cooking his soup.

Mr. Christian’s, where I bought creme fraiche, truffle oil, and vegetable stock cubes.

Portobello Wholefoods, where I bought butter and almond flakes.

Market stalls, where I bought garlic, extra virgin olive oil and vegetarian feta cheese.

I was given lemons and fresh thyme by market stallholders.

I bought chickpeas at Garcia.

I bought tomato puree and chopped tomatoes at the original Cash & Carry in Golborne Road.

I bought chickpeas, chopped tomatoes, olive oil, and lowfat natural yogurt from Tesco.

Back to my roots

2010-01-28T10:07:00.005Z

Zoiks! Tonight (after refreshing my food hygiene qualifications earlier this week) I’m helping my local ward Councillor prepare around 20 liters of parsnip soup (that’s a lot), and tomorrow the whole dog & pony show will either happen... or it won’t: two 3x3 meter marquees (that I have to set up - anybody know how?), a whole bunch of kitchen equipment (that gets delivered tomorrow morning - I have no idea whether it’s going to be what we actually need), a giant to-do list, and a whole posse of people to manage... Yup, that’s right: it’s the first-ever Festival of British Roots in Portobello and Golborne Road markets! And why make it simple by repeating everything on Saturday? Nooooooo, we’ll be hosting a semi-celebrity chef who will hopefully be doing cooking demos (still waiting to hear what he intends to prepare so that I can make sure ingredients are ready) and book signings. Did the book shop order enough stock? Is anyone going to come? Tune in next week to find out!

Winter wonderland

2010-01-11T06:09:00.006Z

This Saturday, we decided to make the most of current winter conditions (a rarity in London for the past hundred years or so despite last year’s blizzard) and headed to Hampstead Heath for a chilly romp. This seemed a safer bet than relying on a train to take us further afield when apparently the entire archipelago is buried in snow (quite possibly the wrong kind). On account of my iPhone camera being so cruddy I took only one photo, but you can see plenty more here. The plan was for Matthew, Kath, Steven, Jackie (in town on business) and I to meet at Hampstead tube at 11.30, wander around a bit, and then duck into the Wells tavern for a late lunch. We started at Kurt Geiger because Jackie’s stylish Prada boots just weren’t going to cut it off piste. Once Miss Fashion-Plate was appropriately kitted out, we all made our way to Parliament Hill which, being exposed, was rather cold. Then we hoofed it up to Kenwood House for a cup of tea before meandering down to the pub and back up to the Holly Bush to bolster our resolve for the journey home.

It has happened: I’ve crossed the line

2009-10-13T19:04:00.011+01:00

I now officially speak Englican. Or Americish. This past weekend Steven & I went to Salisbury, accompanied by Kath. We took the train down from Waterloo station, dropped our bags at the Red Lion hotel, and proceeded to walk out of town toward Stonehenge. We walked. And walked. And walked and walked and walked. Then we had some lunch, followed by even more walking. And then we walked some more. We finally arrived at a lovely spot from which we could see the stones in the distance (just beyond a busy motorway) and decided to save a couple of kilometers by heading straight into the nearest town, where we downed a well-deserved pint and hailed a taxi back to Salisbury. We shall return some time to see the henge up close, or maybe just pay a visit to another site where one can actually touch some prehistoric rocks.

But I digress. At dinner, which was Indian and probably up there with the top ten meals of all time, we were discussing food (as one does). I was describing something Steven & I had eaten in Palermo when we were there a few weeks ago. First of all, I said “aubergine” when I meant “courgette”. Do you see where this is going? Let me remind you: I was there with Steven and Kath, who despite both having recently earned British citizenship, are, in fact, American. To me, speaking British English when not absolutely necessary represents the line, and speaking it in the exclusive company of fellow Americans is crossing it.

Yes, yes, I said I’d never do it, and now I have. So there you go.

Thinking of spring

2009-02-23T17:11:00.004Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

Don’t get me wrong - it’s definitely still winter. But we’re thinking of spring. Snowdrops and irises are blooming on our little terrace and in several window boxes. The first daffodils are poking through the ivy, and there's even a precocious crocus defiantly claiming its moment in the sun. The days are noticeably longer (for example it's 5pm as I write this, and the sky is illuminated). People are beginning to emerge into the clear light, and this past Saturday the Portobello Road market had a kind of downturn-be-damned brightness. A bit chilly, though I expect it’ll warm up soon enough.

London’s still a puzzle

2009-02-20T09:33:00.002Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

A couple of months ago, Steven and I walked along the Grand Union and Regents Canal from our house to Islington. The canal passes right through this site, known as King’s Cross Central, which is the largest single regeneration site to be developed in London in about 150 years. For some reason, I imagined that the canal skirted the northern edge of the site. As we were walking along, my mind’s map put most of the site to the south, between the canal and King’s Cross Station. In fact the largest part of the site lies to the north of the canal (left 2/3 of the white section of this model). Funny how mental geography doesn't always match the true lay of the land...

Of course there is, darling!

2009-02-08T19:00:00.003Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

On our way home from a delightful Sunday lunch in Maida Vale, Steven and I passed this bit of landfill-bound Christmas ephemera (here they would call it tat) this afternoon... The hands really got to me. This particular box was sitting atop the wall of someone's front garden on Elgin Avenue. There were a few other cardboard boxes strewn about, and while I felt curiosity regarding their contents, I was also a little scared to look inside...

Blizzard of '09

2009-02-02T14:48:00.002Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

For those of you not keeping up with my Flickr photostream (or the news), IT'S STILL SNOWING!!!

You know who you are!

2008-12-28T19:37:00.003Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

This post has a target audience of exactly two people...

Frosty

2008-12-25T13:31:00.003Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

Things have warmed up a bit, though it looks like it might rain today...

Darkness

2008-12-22T11:29:00.002Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

This was the color of the sky yesterday at 4:12pm.
And so the darkest day of 2008 has passed.

King Cakes

2008-12-20T12:50:00.003Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

About a week ago I went into Lisboa Patisserie and asked when they were going to start making king cakes (these colorful cakes that are only made at Christmastime). The guy behind the counter looked puzzled, so I said, “you know, those colorful cakes that you only make at Christmastime,” and he said, “oh, you mean Bolo Rei?” I replied in the affirmative and he informed me of the 2008 Bolo Rei production schedule. Then as I was on my way out he shouted, “OH! King cake! Bolo Rei! I get it! I never heard that before...”

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-18T21:11:00.002Z

Originally uploaded by geatchy.

I got dinged for not blogging today... So that will be my New Year’s resolution for 2009, and why not get an early start?
I’ve actually got quite a bit to blog about, and not all of it will necessarily be here. I set up a separate blog for writing about urban stuff ages ago, and even wrote a couple of entries for it (which I never actually posted). And on top of (or perhaps overlapping) that, I’ve been working on something which might wind up being called either “Love Golborne” or “Discover Golborne.”
I will keep you posted!

New River Path

2008-07-30T10:24:00.005+01:00

I’m doing a bit of research on some topics for my soon-to-be-unveiled professional blog, provisionally called spatialist. One thing I’ve been interested in for a while is the comparative design of council estate maps across London, and I wanted to broaden my sample size. Another potential subject (or series) would be a catalog of London’s “unsung” public realm. Not Southbank, the Royal Parks, Trafalgar Square, Broadgate Arena, and the like, but rather the uncelebrated publicly accessible spaces in their almost limitless variety of scales, typologies, and conditions. I combined these two areas of interest on a walk yesterday from Green Lanes Overground to Liverpool Street Station, including a stretch of the New River Path.

Figuring stuff out...

2008-07-29T08:01:00.005+01:00

That slideshow thing on the right seems to show my 20 most recent pictures from Flickr, in reverse order. It could be a neat feature to use on my new “professional” blog, but I think I’ll have to set up another Flickr account so I can control the images that appear there... But that would mean 20 different pictures for every entry, a potential hurdle I don’t really need.

Culture alert: Anybody in or visiting London before August 25th should go see the Psycho Buildings exhibit at the Hayward Gallery! It’s great!

Look, Ma, no hands!

2008-07-28T19:15:00.006+01:00

Wow! Check out the little Flickr slideshow thingie over there in the right-hand column. Now I don’t even have to choose photos and think of things to write about them. Instead, I guess I can just write. Maybe that will be easier. Also new in the right-hand column is a list of Blogs. It’s not like the list of Blogs I had before, which was just a plain old list of links, but now contains the titles of recent posts. Neat-o!

So now I guess I can just blab about stuff that’s going on over here. Like we went to Jane’s for Sunday roast last week. Um... It’s really hot in London right now (poor Olive is slinking around the house looking for breezes to flop in)... Last night we went to see The Dark Knight, which was beautiful and fun and Heath Ledger’s performance was fantastic. We’re not going to Lisbon this week/end. And stuff like that.

We’ll see how this goes. I’m also in the process of setting up another Blog. It will either be called “spatialist” or “social designer” and it’s going to be for writing about urban-type stuff. So stay tuned. I might even get the first installment, about London’s council estate maps, written today!

Stay tuned...

My clicky knee

2008-07-14T17:26:00.002+01:00

Originally uploaded by noisycorner.

For those of you who don’t know, I’ve had a clicky knee for a few years now. Lately, however, the clicking has gotten worse and the associated pain has become almost unbearable. A couple of weeks ago I went for a MRI scan of my left knee and the results are now in: I’ve got a bucket-handle tear of my medial meniscus. Yippie! Now I’ve got to go talk to an orthopedic surgeon about arthroscopy. Woo-hoo! General anesthesia! Hooray! But at least it’s something hypothetically treatable. So... Stay tuned.

Oh, and BTW, look at me blogging with somebody else’s picture!

And the Budweiser takeover? News? Really? Come ON!!! How many local companies has Coca Cola gobbled up all over the world? Has that ever made global headlines?

Ahhhh, London...

2008-07-10T12:33:00.003+01:00

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

... where there's someone ready to sell you any good or service you can imagine!

48 kilos of love

2008-07-03T17:12:00.006+01:00

Originally uploaded by geatchy.

In this shopping cart are two dozen 2-kilo bags of ice. That’s about 105 lbs. We did think of asking the caterer to bring ice, and they initially said they would. But at the last minute there was an emergency “no ice” call (possibly part of the truckers’ fuel price protest aftermath), so we drove to the supermarket in Sant Pere de Ribes and cleaned ‘em out. The result was that our celebration had 48 kilos more DIY love...

aniversari4020

2008-07-02T09:35:00.006+01:00

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

Lately I’ve been focused on organizing the party we threw outside Barcelona on June 21st. So... if I haven’t been keeping up with the blog and stuff, well... I’ve been kinda busy.

But now our weekend of celebration is over. Our guests seem to have had a pretty good time. Steven and I certainly did!

Creating the context took a lot of effort: several reconnaissance trips, many phone calls and emails, excel spreadsheets, the website, the book, catering, logistics, sneaking 15 wigs past Steven, hunting down adequately dim lighting (at BHV in Paris), foraging for wildflowers at the last possible moment (thanks to Neil Stock), decorations (which Steven stayed up til 3am one night to paint), etc.

In the end, the event itself was actually the result of several collaborations (ranging in duration from a few hours to a lifetime). Our most obvious collaborators were our guests, who endured any small technical glitches with grace and elegance, and who played their roles admirably well (I’m sure it took a great deal of self-control for some not to flee when the wigs came out). Perhaps slightly less obvious were Silvia Roig from Parés Baltà winery, and of course Neil and Iain who put up with months of antics concluding in our three-day takeover of their amazing Masia Sumidors. Finally, we owe thanks to friends and family who weren’t with us in Spain, yet who inspired us and influenced the sensibilities that guided many of our choices.
I am now in the process of getting everyone’s party pictures onto a flickr group. It’s private, so if you want to take a look just let me know. We will also be making some changes to the website, and I’m going to look into putting the book online somehow (once it’s finished, that is). If you haven’t already submitted something for inclusion and would like to do so, please contact me ASAP!

And now, back to real life (more or less)...

;-)

Innit

2008-04-18T11:39:00.004+01:00

As some of you may know, “innit” is as common in London as “like” in New York or “totally” in San Francisco. Even though it seems as if it should always be an interrogative, it is often used as a declarative. We have a kind of a game amongst our expat friends, wherein we collect “innit”s and then compare them to see who got the best one. To wit, my recent entry of a woman to her female friend regarding an aisle endcap displaying jars of pickled veg at Sainsburys: “You like pickles innit” (this would be an example of the interrogative structure, although the tone was declarative). Anyhow, this one seems like the stuff of urban legend, but you be the judge.

Flame on

2008-04-07T14:59:00.005+01:00

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

There’s actual perpetual flame in this picture. At least I’m pretty sure there is...

Yesterday morning we went to see the Olympic torch get carried down Ladbroke Grove (just steps away from our front door).

In the snow!

We got to see the torch—even though we were tardy—because moments prior to our arrival on the scene, there were some shenanigans involving a bicycle and a fire extinguisher. The upside (for us) was that they hustled the torch away somewhere and then re-staged the run-by a few minutes later, this time surrounded by an inner ring of Olympic officials (blue jackets) and an outer ring of Metropolitan Police officers (fluorescent yellow jackets).

So there you have it.

Another moment in history...

Happy chana masala

2008-04-05T14:26:00.004+01:00

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

Last night we couldn’t get a table at Galicia (Spanish) or Mogador (Moroccan). We didn't feel like Thai, gastropub or kebabs, and we didn’t want to cook at home. We were also too lazy to walk down Portobello Road or any further afield.

So...

We wound up at Palki, where we usually get “Indian” takeaway (I think the guys are actually from Bangladesh). Palki has had its ups and downs over the years, but currently seems to be on an up. And there was a goofy face in our chana masala (which we dubbed Chuper Sickpea) to boot!

A Sunday stroll

2008-04-01T12:49:00.007+01:00

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

I know, I know... not enough blog posts... bla, bla, bla...

Here’s a bit of weather-talk (and yesterday’s news): it snowed on Easter! Well, Easter Monday (which is a “bank holiday” here - making Easter a four-day weekend). One possible reason is that Easter came early this year, although in general it has been a particularly cold spring. Last spring was very pleasant but wound up leading to an awful summer. I’m hoping that the chilliness so far is a harbinger of warmth to come. Keeping fingers crossed. Knocking on wood. And stuff.

The wetness gave way to a nice Sunday this past weekend. I had agreed to a last-minute shift swap at The Food Chain, so I was down by Hammersmith Bridge in the afternoon. Steven & Chris came to meet me and we strolled along the Thames. Instead of heading west towards Chiswick, we headed east towards Putney. This proved to be a culinary mistake, as there are few decent lunch options by the river in Fulham (if anybody has information to the contrary, please let me know!). While River Cafe make tasty grub, it comes at a very steep price. We wound up at a pub called the Crabtree Tavern, and although what food they had was fine, the whole experience was bad to the point of tragi-comedy.

Anyhow, after lunch we continued through Bishops Park and over Putney Bridge. The sky was very beautiful, reflecting in the river and all. Try looking at this picture upside down!

Mattress season

2008-02-01T13:32:00.004Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

I know, I know, it’s been a while... Sorry.

I snapped this picture on my way home from the gym (which I haven’t visited in weeks because I had a head cold and then “minor surgery” to remove a ganglion in my wrist—yuck).

I took this for two reasons: First, there is a fine tradition of skanky old mattress photos by contemporary artists (Todd Hido, for example); and Second, it seemed to be mattress season in North Kensington and I wanted to document it (though this is my only one). By mattress season, I mean that for about a week the streets were filled with mattresses: night and day, all sizes and colors, on just about every road. I’m not sure why. Maybe the council scheduled a special rubbish collection. Maybe there were good sales on new mattresses in January. Maybe it was just unconscious herd behavior...

A country walk in Oxfordshire

2008-01-28T10:45:00.001Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

With Steven in San Francisco for the 15-year WIRED reunion, Chris and I decided it would be nice to head out of London for a lovely day in the country. After turning the house upside down I found our copy of “Country Walks Near London” (since I didn't want to fork out £13 for another one).

Yesterday we took a train from Paddington to Henley-on-Thames, switching at Twyford. Setting out on the abridged 8.8 mile route (as opposed to the full-on 13.7 mile, ten and a half hour one) we walked over the hill and through the woods... and over the hill and through the woods... and over the hill... well, you get the idea. I think in this part of the world they call the hills escarpments, but that’s probably just because they like using words with more letters.

Among the notable fauna we observed were some old horses wearing blankets, several kites (a kind of bird), and a few teenage girls hopping around the train platform wearing nothing but sleeping bags and knickers (the British kind). There were also a couple of planes doing aerobatics above the fields all afternoon (not exactly fauna, I know).

We had lunch at the Rainbow Pub in Lower Assenden and tea at the Henley Tea Rooms, which is run by Spaniards and staffed by Vietnamese.

It’s my party...

2008-01-19T11:24:00.001Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

Snapped this one outside the gym yesterday (my actual birthday)...

Last night Steven & I went to dinner at Texture (everything was very textural). We thought of opening a whole series of restaurants: Flavor, Color, Temperature - the list could go on and on. The meal started out with some crispy skins (cod, potato, parmesan - I’m not sure whether parmesan has skin) and two dipping sauces: wasabi somethingorother and “Bali” yoghurt. It took a few minutes to figure out that “Bali” is antipodean for “barley,” thus explaining the lumpy chewy bits. Then there was some bacon popcorn - yum! Next came a tiny glass pot with parsnip and granny smith apple stuff. Steven had Scottish scallops and I had Cornish crab as a starter (ooh - more restaurant ideas: Name, Alliteration, Spelling). Our main courses were roast suckling pig with squid and other fishy things for Steven and Icelandic lamb with fregola and beetroot for me. Then came tiny glass pots again, this time filled with blood orange textures (fruit, jelly and granita). For dessert I had warm chocolate goop with olive oil, cardamom ice cream and a sculptural fennel sugar spike, and Steven had coconut textures (um, ice cream, something else, another thing, more stuff, and a mini metal toothpaste tube filled with coconut sauce for squirting everywhere).

Today I’m baking bread as prescribed by some old codger, going to the gym, waiting for a delivery of cupcakes from Cookie Girl, then heading over to The Fat Badger to eat one and stare at the rest, since everybody was busy this weekend, the weather’s crap, and the Hammersmith & City line is closed for track replacement.

Art ‘n stuff

2008-01-14T15:57:00.001Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

We kicked off Saturday at Alfies, helping Neil pick out an occasional chair (very unusual round Scandinavian number with almost nautical details) for his living room. While he was getting the thing into his boot, Steven & I lunched on the best fish & chips we’ve eaten so far. After giving Neil our brutal assessment in situ (two thumbs up), we purchased a copy of Laura Owens’ gorgeous catalog (from a show we saw at the Camden Arts Centre a while ago) for half price at Sadie Coles HQ. On our way home, we took a little detour to look at some very pretty Rachel Howard paintings at Haunch of Venison. Once home, we popped downstairs to pick out our pan-parental Christmas gift, settling on an ink on paper piece (“Untitled 2”) by Tanya Ghosh (who happens to be William’s wife and a fabulous fashion illustrator).

Coming home

2007-12-31T05:00:00.001Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

We did a little backing and forthing on this trip. At the moment we’re back at JFK waiting for our delayed red-eye to Heathrow. Previously we were in Manhattan after being back in New Jersey (Franklin Lakes and Fort Lee), and Manhattan again before that, and New Jersey (Fair Haven and Fort Lee) before that! I think. More or less. Pretty much. Maybe.
Anyhow, this picture was taken at the new New Museum cafe. It’s a great building (loaded with venustas) and an interesting institution - glad we went. We also checked out the recent Renzo Piano-designed renovation/addition to the Morgan Library - another worthy trip.
Our flight should be boarding soon, hopefully, so we’ll be back in London in a few hours!

London fog

2007-12-23T19:48:00.001Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

After lunch with Suzette & Jeff at Le Cafe Anglais (do believe the hype) we walked down Queensway searching for sage (to no avail). Then we crossed Hyde Park and had a look at the Serpentine Gallery’s current misty exhibit by Anthony McCall. The park was stunningly beautiful. Despite London’s foggy reputation, we haven’t experienced anything like this in our three years here...

Wow!

2007-12-21T19:44:00.001Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

Makes you want to get on a train... just to go... anyplace!
This was my first visit to the newly refurbished (and re-christened) St. Pancras International station, which has replaced Waterloo International as London’s Eurostar terminus. I must say it’s very impressive. See? The Brits really are good at stuff! I had to resist strong urges to buy a ticket and board the next train.
I was, however, disappointed that there isn’t any kind of Eurostar memorabilia (“tat” in local parlance) available for purchase. The platform-level WH Smith had one post card with a picture of a speeding train on it. But sans context, it looks like any not-so-old train. You’d want a picture of it pulling into this magnificent Victorian shed, whizzing past a country village church steeple, or passing something Parisian... I thought it a bit odd that they sell models and plush toys of BA & Virgin Atlantic planes, but nothing Eurostar-themed. Seems like they’re missing a major merchandising opportunity — kinda surprising in this day and age, don’t you think? Hello! Gimme an embroidered patch, a keychain or a fridge magnet at the very least! Is that too much to ask?

TreeQuest ‘07

2007-12-10T09:50:00.001Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

Any of you (Maggie, Suzette, Lauren?) who’ve experienced the joys of prior TreeQuests will appreciate what a special experience the first reconnaissance outing in a foreign country must have been... I won’t go into too much detail here...
Suffice to say that this picture is false advertising. Sure, it’s charming as heck, but this was just the first stop, and, well, let’s just say that the gloom and cold rain matched the mood of certain members of our party (ok, member). Chris, our driver, had mistakenly passed the closer place (the one that didn’t pre-net their trees) - but we tried to put on a good face and say we really wanted to see the reindeer, the bull, the pigs, the chickens, the medieval abbey ruin, the pretty Gothic farm buildings, and stuff.
Since we had already traveled so far, we decided that instead of dropping Steven at the Farnham train station (at his request, don’t ask), we would proceed to Alice Holt Woodland Park (under darkening skies). WHEW! Thank goodness! Supposedly it’s a very pleasant park with scenic walks and things, but most importantly, we found ourselves deciding between three equally lovely specimens, any of which would have made the perfect Christmas tree.
Note to expats: bring your own rope or bungee cord - they don’t help you here.
Or get your friend to borrow the scuba school Jeep (another disaster narrowly averted - thanks again, Chris!).
After that it was pretty much smooth sailing. We stopped for a lovely cuppa with Jane, David and Charlie. Much to David’s chagrin, Chris mesmerized Charlie by getting 99 points playing Bopit (Chris also happens to know that Bopit only counts up to 250).
The tree is now up and mostly trimmed. Stay tuned for pics.

Oh my!

2007-12-04T14:43:00.001Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

We just got back from a hyper-extended weekend in Gran Canaria. Even though we planned the trip WAY before our CP (that’s Civil Partnership), it wound up serving as a honeymoon of sorts - just a coincidence, I guess. Miraculously, Steven relaxed almost instantly and only talked about work for 2 or 3 minutes on our last day. As Neil - one of our hosts - commented: it’s the kind of destination where “you can leave your brain at home.” I’d actually say best to leave the brain at home, because you wouldn’t want it to get dirty or for anything bad to happen to it...
Why did we go to a trashy place with zero culture and bad food? SUN. Yup, when you’ve got about 7 or 8 hours of daylight and the sky is relentlessly gray, a four hour flight that lands on a warm sunny island in the same time zone becomes rather appealing!

The deed is done

2007-11-27T11:00:00.001Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

There’s me, Gülay, Steven, and Jane in the Registrar’s office at Chelsea Old Town Hall. Gülay and Jane had to wait outside while the Registrar reviewed all the details (Does Patty have a middle name or doesn’t she? Steven’s an Advertising Director, correct? Etc.) and we looked at our ceremony options:
A) The Short Ceremony: I, ______________, promise to share my life openly with you, ______________.
B) The Full-Length Ceremony: I, ______________, will go antiquing with you, _______________. Then we’ll move to the country, open a B&B, adopt a couple of Guatemalan babies, and live in connubial partnered bliss civilly and happily until death do us part so help me God amen blah blah blah etc. etc.
C) The Very Short Ceremony: Yo! We’re civil partners, dude!
We chose D) None of the Above.
Then the Registrar had to copy lots of stuff into the Register while we all sat there. To while away the time, Jane explained why she and Gülay were dressed the way they were to the Registrar and her assistant. Steven had a difficult time explaining it all to me, using the blanket excuse of “after X glasses of wine, ...” Lots of signing ensued, and then we were done.
After inspecting the Bridal Powder Room, Steven & I exited the building and our wititnesses pelted us with potpourri (apparently confetti is a no-no in these green times) while a poor, unsuspecting Italian tourist was conscripted to snap a couple photos for posterity.
We then hopped in a taxi and headed to a secret destination for lunch. The only clue was that Steven & I had to wear jackets & ties. Somehow this must have compensated for the ladies’ extreme cleavage, as we were actually admitted to (and served at) the R.A.C.
And, you know, that’s pretty much it. Now we’re hitched!

Where it all started

2007-11-21T12:33:00.001Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

(well, sort of). The story goes that one summer day Steven was sitting on this bench when I came out of the RISD mail room (which was across the street at that time), saw him, and went over to say “hi.” We had previously been introduced at an ID class picnic (he was going to go home to New Jersey but stayed in Providence when he heard I’d be there). I don’t remember whether we were already working in the BEB (me in the now-obsolete DAS office, he painting desks in the studios) or if that was still to come. Somehow the trash can and PVC pipe weren’t there in my mental picture of THE BENCH. Maybe I’ll Photoshop them out...
The reason for this trip down memory lane, for those of you who haven’t been paying attention, is that we’re about to do our Civil Partnership ceremony. Trying to keep the whole affair low-key, so not making a big deal about it. I mention the CP for information purposes only, just so you all know and don’t feel left out...

My home town

2007-11-15T19:08:00.001Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

This is about five minutes from where I grew up. It used to be the A&P, but now the A&P is across the street and ten times bigger. The image is a little bit deceptive, because if you walked five minutes in the other direction you’d be in a park with big beautiful trees and very tall cliffs along the Hudson River stretching all the way up to New York State. The forecast for the duration of my journey is cold, grey and drizzly. I’ll be taking the train up to Providence on Saturday morning, then making my way to Boston on Monday for my flight back to London...

Car for anorexics...

2007-11-09T01:38:00.001Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

Sorry. Bad joke. But seriously, this is pushing the whole motorized wheelchair thing a bit far, don’t you think? And while it’s so diminutive the driver could have pulled right up to the till at Tesco, they didn’t. Got out and walked into the store. To me it seems like something out of Wallace & Gromit. Or France...

NSPD 51

2007-11-05T08:58:00.000Z

One of the reasons we don’t live in America right now...
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/05/20070509-12.html
Think it could only happen in Burma or Pakistan?

Two days later

2007-11-02T09:26:00.001Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

Gone. Almost without a trace. And I never even got a chance to take a picture of the “hardware store” window at the Progresso coffee shop. Oh, well...

A vague recollection

2007-10-30T18:15:00.001Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

There are a couple of things on Portobello Road these days that aren’t real. Across the road from the HSBC ATMs, for example, is a strange and wondrous window display of vintage items with vintage price tags. When Steven and I first saw it, we thought it was some kind of art installation. Turns out, like this corner café (oops, I mean appliance store), it’s just a film set. Today there was a whole fake Portobello Market, and Steven says he saw hippies over the weekend (the movie, starring Sienna Miller, is called “Hippie Hippie Shake” and takes place in the 1960s).
It all reminds me of when they were shooting a movie in TriBeCa and they built something for it that everybody loved and thought should really be there. But I can’t remember the name of the movie, what the thing was, or if it ever made it into reality. Anybody care to offer this senile old man a little reminder?

Another lovely London weekend

2007-10-29T09:02:00.001Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

Properly gray and rainy, yet thought provoking and full of beauty. We had a wonderful dinner at the Fat Badger, were chased by an adorable rat along the Thames, wandered among Henry Moore sculptures and gorgeous foliage at Kew Gardens, went out in Soho - twice, saw the Crack and a Louise Bourgeois retrospective at Tate Modern... We laughed, we cried, it were better than Cats!

Why London doesn’t suck:

2007-10-22T13:38:00.001+01:00

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

Reason 437: Steven & I tossed a frisbee around this Hampstead Heath field with our friend Chris yesterday.

‘Til death do us part...

2007-10-19T19:16:00.001+01:00

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

Just so’s y’all know... Steven & I have an appointment with the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea Superintendent Registrar at 5pm on Thursday, October 25th. The purpose is to file our “notice of intent to form a civil partnership.” Then there’s a sixteen day waiting period (I can’t tell if that means we can do the deed on November 10th, or after November 10th, but I guess we’ll find out on Thursday). At such time as we actually tie the knot, we will require two witnesses. I’m not sure of the qualifications, but any volunteers?

Working for the Man

2007-10-12T10:18:00.001+01:00

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

Heya, for the last few days I’ve been working at Lowe (in an office right next to Steven’s). I’m helping put together a presentation he’ll be giving in Helsinki on Monday. We had been saying the whole thing was kinda like a fire drill, when lo and behold, there was an actual fire drill yesterday!
That’s Steven’s colleague, and our friend, Teresa, by the way...

Spritz

2007-10-09T12:52:00.001+01:00

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

Just back from a weekend in Venice for the Biennale. We arrived in the early afternoon on Friday and had a wander, checking out some very excellent Irish video art. We stopped for a spritz (pictured), then wandered some more, and went for dinner at a place recommended by a colleague of Steven's whose mom wrote the book on eating in Venice. I had lamb with blueberries - YUM! On Saturday we got up early and did a speed tour of the WHOLE Biennale (both Giardini and Arsenale). Sophie Calle's installations about her mom and her break-up were highlights. Back at our hotel, we enjoyed a bottle of wine on the terrace of our "junior suite" before heading off to dinner at the fish market owner's restaurant. Sunday morning we did a little shopping, then shared a taxi to the airport with Bob & Chris, a couple from White Plains who were on their first overseas trip.

Dial “M”

2007-09-28T08:59:00.001+01:00

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

I spent most of yesterday at various London outposts of giant American corporations. It was an “M” day. Perhaps I’ll work my way through the alphabet?

Steven wants to move to China!

2007-09-20T11:07:00.001+01:00

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

Just thought I’d let you know...

Pain and Suffering

2007-09-14T19:07:00.001+01:00

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

I’m currently experiencing the aftermath of my date with Big John yesterday morning. This is my gym, btw. Doesn’t it look really suburban? At least not very stereotypically Londony...
Anyhow, I told Big John (the gym manager and personal trainer – and yes, he is BIG) that I wanted to build muscle mass in my upper body. He was more than happy to oblige. For two hours solid. Ouch! It’s a miracle I can even type this blog entry!

Fields trip

2007-09-13T16:53:00.001+01:00

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

Yesterday Andrew, Chandler and I were guided up 48,000 ladders to the scaffolding atop the St. Martin-in-the-Fields steeple by Andrew’s friend Robert, who’s a co-director at Eric Parry Architects. For some reason, when I heard we were going to the top of the steeple I thought it meant inside, not outside... It wasn’t as scary as you might think, though, and the views – particularly over the National Gallery and Trafalgar Square – were amazing.

Blue skies

2007-09-12T12:59:00.001+01:00

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

And & Chand are visiting from SF this week. As seems to be the case lately, London has produced a succession of ever more lovely days with which to impress our foreign guests. I'm quite certain that as soon as they depart it’ll turn miserably cold, gray and wet.

After another fine repast at the Fat Badger last night, we retired to our living room for postprandial drinks. Steven & Andrew enjoyed what were perhaps the last of our Alka-Tinis. But then I have no idea whether they even sell Alka-Seltzer over here. Or if they have all the flavors...

This evening I may join the fellas for a site tour of St. Martin-in-the-Fields (which should really be called St. Martin-in-Trafalgar-Square, but the locals are funny about naming stuff). It’s due to reopen to the public on September 30th, so this will really be a sneak-peek preview!

vom Lehn Euro Extravaganza

2007-08-08T19:23:00.001+01:00

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

Well, they’re on their own now, and so are we (or should I say I, since Steven’s in Helsinki?). This morning Garry, Nancy, David & Eric jetted off to Glasgow for the last five days of their European Adventure™! We did a LOT of walking, played frisbee across from Buckingham Palace, rode a narrow biddy boat up the Regent’s Canal, got caught up in an emergency evacuation from the Natural History Museum (which at first we thought was part of the Ice Station Antarctica interactive exhibit), hosted a dinner party for visitors from Brooklyn and Detroit, ate a pub lunch in the Windsor Castle’s sunny beer garden, had an, um, adventurous and exciting first day in Paris involving Gendarmes, Pompiers and NO TAXIS (it was, after all, the hottest day of the year), saw some cool art at the inside-out Centre Georges Pompidou, bought the exact same tacky souvenir... TWICE (don’t ask, but apparently came dangerously close to continuing a family legacy), saw Tour Eiffel twinklage (but left the ascent for our next visit), and enjoyed a leisurely dejuner at la Louvre. That’s the abridged version. Oh, and Olive is experiencing withdrawal from the attention and companionship of David and Eric. Check out the pics on Flickr! xx

Jany’s birthday

2007-07-29T17:34:00.001+01:00

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

London is full of these amazing spaces. This one is called the London Bridge Vaults and it’s under the London Bridge overground station. They also call this kind of space “arches” but that seems to refer to less extensive areas. This corridor is about 125 yards long (maybe 80 meters), with cavernous rooms to either side. At one end there's another even more cavernous passageway that's maybe half as long. A group called Shunt stages events here, and this is where our friend Jany had her “Flashdance” birthday party last Friday.

Chandelier, Fat Badger

2007-07-27T12:57:00.001+01:00

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

I don't think we've ever occupied the sofas before, so we've never seen this view (looking straight up). BTW, the smoking ban is FABULOUS!

Masia Sumidors laundry

2007-07-17T00:47:00.001+01:00

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

Hey there! Check out our Spain pics on flickr! xx -Mark

Buon giorno!

2007-06-10T19:05:00.001+01:00

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

We're in Milan for the weekend. Steven had to attend meetings here on Friday and Monday, so I zipped down to meet him. These are tourists on top of the Duomo. Many more pictures on flickr -- just click on this one and explore my "photostream"!

Kildare Gardens Update

2007-06-05T10:37:00.001+01:00

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

Patty & Bill stayed at a B&B on this square during their visit to London (the B&B is now closed, and the building appears to be empty). That was a year ago, and these trees had just been severely pruned. I went back in October to check on their progress, and this is what they looked like yesterday...

Pardon the fromage...

2007-05-30T19:33:00.001+01:00

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

I know it's cheezey, but I figure somebody might be interested in a couple recent snaps of the furry cuteness.

Amster! Amster!

2007-05-29T10:24:00.001+01:00

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

We spent our Bank Holiday weekend in Amsterdam (where we figured out that this particular "Bank Holiday" is actually Pentecost -- but shhhhhhh! They don't do religion here!). Among the many strange and wonderous things we saw was this gigantic crystal chandelier in the shape of a revolver. AWESOME! Amazingly, if you search for "gun chandelier" on flickr or Google, you won't find any other pictures of this... Seems a little odd to me. The guy who did this also did an enormous ship (which is in the Lloyd Hotel) and a big bomb (only heard about this from Elizabeth Pick but haven't seen it). Searching for the others won't give you any satisfaction either, but you might find some pics of a gummi bear chandelier, which is kind of cool...

My current obsession

2007-05-20T14:51:00.001+01:00

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

Modernist public housing projects ("council estates" or "social housing" over here) are scattered throughout London. Their presence is a good indicator that any given area was pretty much flattened during the Blitz. Maps are generally posted at key public entrances, and vary in design according to the responsible management authority (usually either the local council or a housing trust). The maps are little bits of visual ephemera that I pass regularly, so I thought I would document them and see if anything emerges...

Au Revoir G&D

2007-05-11T13:05:00.000+01:00

We just put Geno & Devin in an estate car (that’s English for station wagon) with one more suitcase than they brought and a bag of Lisboa pastries and sent them off to Heathrow Terminal Three. Last night we tried to give them an inkling of why London’s so totally awesome and now it seems they may be the ambassadors of Bearlesque to San Francisco!
In other developments, my name is on the Conde Nast Traveller website, but no link to the content of my article... So all you people who are interested will have to look harder on the shelves of your local international newsstand or purchase a back issue online...

95 South, Massachusetts

2007-04-17T14:38:00.001+01:00

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

Taken aboard the Peter Pan bus from Logan Airport to Providence.

Viterbo

2007-04-10T15:48:00.001+01:00

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

Check out the pics from our Easter in Italy!

Condé Nast Traveller - April 2007

2007-03-29T11:38:00.001+01:00

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

Just so you know what you're looking for... This is the cover of the issue in which my SF article appears.

Cozy Shack Fund

2007-03-23T21:07:00.000Z

Please make your donation to LB's cozy shack fund by purchasing your very own awesome mug!

It's official!

2007-03-21T15:06:00.001Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

Steven's "settlement" visa - woo hoo! This means that on the basis of our relationship, Steven is entitled to stay here as long as he likes and do whatever he wants. In a couple more years he can apply for citizenship (and get a UK - i.e. E.U. - passport)!

So innocent looking...

2007-03-21T14:58:00.001Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

Insight

2007-03-16T11:36:00.000Z

I think this is something you could only fully understand if you’ve spent some time on this island... Remember, “out of my tree” and “pissed” mean drunk here.

After Todd Hido

2007-03-05T21:49:00.001Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

I hope you all know that if you click on one of these images you get whisked to my flickr site, which has pretty much every picture I take. Nobody has looked at this one, which I thought was kinda pretty, so I'm putting it on the blog. Click already.
In other news, Olive was stricken with a half-closed cloudy eye last Sunday. Googling was too scary, so I made an emergency trip to the vet on Monday morning. He did something with fluorescent dye that reminded me of Danceteria in the 80s. Then he recommended a FIV/FeLV test, which involved ten excruciating minutes in the examination room with Olive and a plastic thing waiting for blue dots not to appear. I couldn't watch and did the crossword instead (thank god it was Monday). The result was negative - whew! - and cipro eyedrops were prescribed. After a week of that and a follow-up visit to the vet, everything seems to be back to normal...

Cab-Free Clubbing

2007-03-04T18:35:00.001Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

After a couple years in the neighborhood, Steven & I finally paid a visit to Neighbourhood: a great venue with excellent music and a fun crowd. Since it couldn’t be closer to home, we can kiss those $50 weekend cab fares from Soho and Vauxhall goodbye! We say gay-schmay: now, it’s all about the mix.
Today was grey and gloomy. Except right around dusk the sky turned the prettiest shade of lavender.

Shoe Tree

2007-02-28T18:32:00.001Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

As I stopped to take this picture, an elderly woman carrying a small painting came up to me on the sidewalk and spoke in a thick accent. I didn't really understand what she was saying at first, so I just said "no thanks." Dumb, huh? Turns out she's 82, hails from Portugal, has a cat named Lucy, and this is her garden. She told me it's no good now because there are no flowers. She's going to take all those boots off the tree, repaint, replant, and rehang them. I'll go back over the summer to check on her progress.

Whitstable

2007-02-22T09:14:00.001Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

Last weekend we spent 5 days in and around Whitstable, which is an hour and twenty minutes east of London by train. The town is well-known for many things, including native oysters and these beach huts. On Monday morning we learned that artist Margaret Salmon lives there, because there was an article about her in the Independent. Of course, that might be an English Fact.

Luxury is a Chocolate Biscuit

2007-02-19T17:07:00.001Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

We were recently having a discussion regarding what constitutes luxury in this country as compared with the USA. I was saying that from a British perspective, everything in America is luxurious because here, luxury is... Matthew finished my sentence: "a chocolate biscuit." Here is proof. In case you can't read the fine print, it says that John Lennon once requested payment in these particular chocolate biscuits instead of money. £7.50 for a tin, btw. I imagine they must be pretty darn luxurious.

Here, kitty kitty

2007-02-13T09:21:00.001Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

From the Chapman Brothers’ excellent show of corrugated cardboard animals at Paradise Row.

Totally excellent

2007-01-30T16:49:00.001Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

Just wanted to toot LB's horn by showing everyone the totally excellent mugs she sent me for my birthday. Cafepress.com - who knew? (as in: "who knew your groovy friends could make such totally excellent stuff there?")

The indignity

2007-01-26T11:33:00.001Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

This is Olive sporting her Danish head funnel. TEN DAYS she has to wear that thing. I actually had to go for a more BDSM/Gaultier arrangement since she kept kicking it off and gnawing at her stitches...

SNOW DAY

2007-01-24T15:08:00.001Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

This is probably it for 2007. At least poor Olive got to experience a bit of winter magic before I trundled her off to the vet for her little snip-snip this morning.

Momentous

2007-01-24T15:06:00.001Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

I know it's too dark, but this is a picture of Steven's hands filling out his first Checqueue. I think that's how they spell it here, but not totally sure I added enough extra letters. Anyhow, the occasion was a dinner and a show at Bistrotheque to celebrate my birthday.

Olive & Hazel

2007-01-24T14:50:00.001Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

While Steven & I were away, Olive stayed at Auntie Kath's house and got to know couzin Hazel. I know, sick. But cute!

So long 2006

2007-01-01T00:30:00.001Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

The year’s last sunset from Fire Island Pines beach.

Merry Christmas!

2006-12-25T20:28:00.000Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

Love,
Mark, Steven & Olive

Found Art

2006-12-11T14:32:00.001Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

London is littered with found art moments... This one was brought to you by some construction debris in Notting Hill.

Kansas-Schmansas

2006-12-07T21:48:00.000Z

Supposedly there are 30-some-odd tornadoes in the UK every year. Today’s was just a few blocks north of where we live, and was considered a “freak” occurrence because it actually caused serious damage. I didn’t see the funnel myself, but the sky did turn that weird shade of green, there was plenty of thunder & lightning, and our skylights & container garden were pelted with pea-sized hail stones, causing Olive much distress.

Spy vs. Spy

2006-12-07T21:40:00.000Z

Isn’t there something retro about poisoned spies and radioactive dust? My theory is that this spy case is actually (or coincidentally) the perfect maketing campaign for Casino Royale. Itsu sushi is now a “world famous meeting place” (I kid you not), the Millennium Hotel is on the map, and suddenly a bit of mystery and intrigue is once again part of the international travel experience...

Conkers & 0203

2006-12-01T13:53:00.000Z

I know it’s World AIDS Day and everything, but I’ve got some more trivial bones to pick. First, conkers: yes, I know the season is over, but I’m gonna harp on it anyway. Ask any Brit what conkers is and I guarantee they’ll act all astonished and say something like, “you’ve never played conkers before?” or “you don’t have conkers in America?” Go ahead, try it. But don’t ask somebody who knows too much about the U.S. of A. I can’t decide whether that’s adorable or annoying. Second: 0203, which is a new London area code as of July 2005 (and, in fact, our area code). Except that nobody over here knows about it. Never mind that this is the 4th time in 14 years that London area codes have actually been changed. Things over here aren’t supposed to change. So I am wrong. Always. Every time. That number on my email signature? Wrong. When I have to fill in my phone number on various forms? Wrong. When I tell somebody to call me on 0203 bla bla bla? Wrong. “I’m sorry,” they say, “but don’t you mean 0207?” That is definitely not adorable, it’s just annoying. BTW, this post brought to you by whinging.

Ambulance

2006-11-28T09:40:00.001Z

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

2006-11-26T23:48:00.001Z

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

2006-11-26T23:20:00.001Z

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

2006-11-22T09:37:00.001Z

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

2006-11-21T13:01:00.001Z

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

2006-11-18T09:43:00.000Z

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?

2006-11-18T09:41:00.000Z

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

2006-11-17T19:04:00.000Z

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

2006-11-17T18:46:00.000Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

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

Bleary Eye at dusk

2006-11-14T10:33:00.000Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

St. Paul's

2006-11-14T10:31:00.000Z

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

2006-11-14T10:27:00.000Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

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

Fire!

2006-11-10T12:57:00.000Z

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

2006-11-04T19:12:00.000Z

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...

2006-11-04T19:02:00.000Z

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

Sparrow’s fart

2006-11-03T07:44:00.000Z

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