metropolis

Meetings in the Isle of Dogs today, in Canary Wharf, which is a part of London which has risen out of the old docklands area over the last few years. This once thriving Port of London cargo based dock area sank into uncompetitive urban decline into the 1980s then becoming a designated enterprise zone for redevelopment.

Nowadays, the area has a strong skyline of modern buildings and in a fairly compressed area has some the squeaky cleanest streets in London. Everything still has the sheen of the recently created and at this time of the year, the trees renewing their leaves only underline that feeling. There's something like 75,000 working in the area now and many high end shops and services at ground level and in the underground linking areas.

Global bank logos dominate the skyline. The area bustles the whole time; theres the folk in the offices, but also many of the cafes, shops and pubs filled with a well-heeled business clientele.

a cleaner post

The pictures are up on shoot experience from the recent Portobello photo quiz. I found it interesting to see how 65 or so teams interpreted the same clues and how they then generated their photo moments, veering from the straightforward factual to some rather more bizarre and strange angled shots. Theres a couple of hundred shots across at shoot experience, so enjoy.

pulp power tool fiction bunnies

A choice of viewings today; somewhat R-rated and based upon an improbable google search that hit my site. I also noticed that clarissa passed this way and her smoking hot power tools somehow added to the basis for today's choices:

a) Power Tools
b) Women with Power Tools
c) Bunnies with Guns

The bridge from B to C is not as strange at it may seem (lets say Jackie Brown.. Quentin.. Pulp.. Bunny)

So make you choice - I might be counting.

A) Power Tools

B) Women with Power Tools


Satisfaction By Benny Benassi - video powered by Metacafe
C) Bunnys with Guns

five minutes

Despite my concerns earlier today, the route through London was surprisingly direct. I picked roads that a taxi driver would be proud of, even if most of it was somewhat sarf. In addition to Kingston, there was an emergency retail detour to Smuggler's Way in Wandsworth in order to walk around a very French store. I also had to use my advanced parking technique in this area and found a spot on a switched off yellow line away from the maniacally busy car parks. And yes, there were traffic wardens patrolling the red routes today.

After the shop visit, quite near to the parking spot I noticed a row of bollards and a mystery footpath. So as a reward to myself for the support of relentless store hunting, I took a five minute stroll along the footpath, which led past barbed wire and a warning sign saying "Danger of Death".

A few more yards and I spotted a somewhat forlorn boat, capsized in the mud, and then glancing towards the main River Thames, saw a bird making a noisy running take-off. But my time was limited, so then it was back to the car and off across Wandsworth Bridge.

sweeping through London

Its a sunny Bank Holiday today splashing brilliance across the orange coloured broom in the garden (cytisus scoparius -the shrub - not a sweeping implement) and I'm headed for Kingston upon Thames.

There is a risk with this plan that a large proportion of south west London will do the same - unless they decide to visit Hampton Court instead. I may need to use my finest Zen navigation today to reach the destination by a route of ever decreasing circles.

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.