What Kate did

I put Kate Walsh's mainly acoustic-sounding album into my car a few weeks ago and have listened to it frequently ever since. I didn't even know the name of it until today, but its called "Tim's House" - after where it was made.

I'd considered the album to be a somewhat obscure item, that I happened to like.

Today I noticed Kate in the Times in an article which said that this record was now outselling the Kaiser Chiefs new album and was number one on iTunes. Not bad for a home made recording of songs of heartache and growing up in Burnham-upon-Crouch.

The thing is, Kate sings and plays really well. Its an album that catches you off guard and then seeps into the consciousness. I like it as a collection of songs and I like it the more that somehow Kate has managed to navigate the twists and turns of the record industry to put out her music, her way.

Listen.

ere be dragons

Recently I decided to feature a few London snaps in my blog, but whilst out and about I've noticed that there are increased powers to stop people with cameras in the central part of London, on security grounds.

The police around the Houses of Parliament, for example, can question anyone taking photographs in case they are reviewing the security measures. This must be quite a difficult judgement call, because Parliament Square is slap bang in the middle of tourist London.

The ring of steel security and surveillance has been in place since the early 1990s and now we have the congestion charge cameras as well as just about every corporate building having a camera cordon. The City and most of Central London must be one of the most well filmed places on the planet.

The original City boundaries were guarded by statues of griffins (dragons), and I'm pleased to say, like this fierce one by the Law Courts, they are also still in place.

egg

OK, I admit it.

Today, I was given a creme egg.

And I ate it.

My way.

Yum.

(life size example above)

crashed invader

I spotted another one of those space invaders half way up a wall. This one looks the worse for wear, but I suppose that gives it a character of its own. Its a matter of observation to spot these small art exhibits in major town centres like London; this one was in Talbot Road. Its not exactly a treasure hunt, but for those that would like one, I see that Time Out is running a London Treasure Hunt this week, with around 40 clues. The clues look easy, but I'm sure visits to the locations are required to solve them.

Oh, and I received an interesting email today; apparently Team Rashbre won a prize from last weekend's Shoot Portobello. Our winning picture should soon be on show in an exhibition in Portobello Road!

blossom

Making idle chatter whilst we waiteed for people to join a telephone conference call today, we were comparing the yellow tulips in our area with the daffodils in Philadelphia. Then I looked out of the window and saw sleety rain. Our season seems to be somewhat confused. A couple of days ago we had the bright sunshine and blossom, which I think makes a better picture.

train à grande vitesse

A prototype French TGV train, the T150, broke the world rail speed record today, reaching 357 miles (574.8 kilometers) an hour. Thats faster than a light aircraft or about half the speed of a passenger jet in normal flight.

Meanwhile, the engineering works on the services from Waterloo to Portsmouth Harbour have been extended from their target date of the 18th March and Network Rail are unable to confirm when they will be completed.

wall

One of the extra snaps taken during the Sunday afternoon treasure hunt.

smile, you're being blogged

Portobello Hotel
There were large quantities of people with cameras roaming the Portobello Road and generally around Notting Hill this sunny afternoon as part of the Shoot Portobello game. Our little gang didn't really start until early afternoon and headed to one of the clue locations as a starting point. It was the hotel where Alice Cooper had stayed with his pet boa constrictor, which was kept in the bath. To be honest, we thought our problem solving may have been rather wobbly, but as we approached the hotel, we could see other people with cameras standing around and eyeing up shots. We decided to go inside and the delightful person helping in reception agreed to pose for a snap.

Performance
In addition to the clues requiring specific problem solving, there was one which asked for a free-choice around the theme of performance. There were a couple of buskers working the traffic intersections, but this shop owner demonstating the ukelele is much more evocative of the market trading of Portobello.

Of course, along the way, we had stop at the counter cultural establishment known as Rough Trade.

rough trade shoot in portobello road

Just charging the batteries this evening before heading to Portobello Road tomorrow for the Shoot Portobello event, which is some kind of treasure hunt in Notting Hill to look out for famous musical spots and celeb locations. So popular they've extended it over two days from the original one. I'm expecting an email with clues about midnight. Team rashbre will be there in force tomorrow!

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All right, I know I don't usually advertise on this blog, but I thought I'd make an exception when I saw this incoming email today.

I stayed in a rather smart hotel suite about a year ago, as a consequence of a freak room upgrade. I went from a normal room to a penthouse suite of the type that pop-stars argue about (quite literally, in this case). There was something unusual about the level of opulence in the room though, which said more to me about underworld barons than normal people.


The suite had a large meeting area, for about eight people, a lounge area (above) with comfy chairs and sofas and one of those huge flat screen televisions that slides up out of the furniture, a big bedroom with another one of those televisions, and a balcony leading to a hot-tub on the decking outside.

Oh, and there was a gate and if you walked through it there was another balcony with a couple of big tables and enough space to hold a party for fifty people.

Then don't get me started on the bathroom, with its separate steam room with a special system to automatically switch on various scented oils.

Anyway, I havn't mentioned the office area, which had a stylish desk and a complementary computer. The computer was running a multiligual version of Windows and seemed to have been configured for the seamy underside of the internet. I decided it was best to leave it alone.

And now to my point; I've thought of that room afterwards, with its amazing views as my 'Russian Mafia' room, and now I've been sent this email, I'm beginning to think I was right. The furniture in the email looks suspiciously like the desk furniture from the hotel.

mafia hitmen two timing ransom explosion

I glanced through my tracker log today and couldn't help noticing a stream of searches for mafia hitman, a petrol station explosion, a ransom and a lascivious proposition. My advice is stay away from Canal Street and gas stations this weekend.

vid

Not much time to post today, so, keeping the week's London theme, here's one (above) I prepared earlier and also a larger, high definition here (though you'd need to wait for it to load)!