My Old Place- very distinctive chinese restaurant

Jing- Jing, one of our favourite students from Pathway took us to the local restaurant 'My Old Place'

The food was very spicy and very delicous- we loved it!

Another student, Chrystal, is on the right

Vika is staying with us from Moscow- it's her second time staying with us and I think she found the food a bit hot! She was disapointed not to find

'sweet and sour' on the menu!

'The first punch came, landing on my nose, sending blood down my face' - UK Politics, UK - The Independent

'The first punch came, landing on my nose, sending blood down my face' - UK Politics, UK - The Independent

Corruption in Tower Hamlets re election- what a suprise!

Campaigning in Bow Road

This is so beautiful and opposite Bow Court in Bow Road

The Hustings for Bethnal Green and Bow

Hustings were held for the candidates. Nobody came from RESPECT which says a lot I think.

And the audience were amazing- hardly any Bangladeshis in a constituency where they are in the majority (probably). The church then said prayers for the election and for our country. Andy reminded us how fortunate we were to live in such a stable country- in spite of the problems

Blogs

Blogs

Andrew Coles

Andrew is standing for Bow East ward. His daughter Amy took the photo.

Andrew,along with two colleagues, is an independent standing for upholding the needs of residents and against the bureaucracy and carelessness of the present Tower Hamlets council

Labour’s contempt for the white working class

Labour’s contempt for the white working class

Canvasssing for Andrew Coles and Leaseholders Alliance

This is 'Fish island' believe it or not- in industrial Bow. In the shadow of the Olympic Park and around the site beloved of east-enders- Percy Dalton's peanut Factory.

Sadly most of the housing here is luxury- no social housing as far as I could see- but also the remains of old London light industry, real workman's cafes (not pastiches), the canal and River Lea and a more than a hint of London's past.

Very atmospheric and evocative and suddenly I was a small child and running past the rag factories and wood sheds of Silvertown

St George's Day and a Fashion Show in the market

This was such a fun day in the Square. The horse was not part of the fashion show- her name is Queenie and she was the star of the medieval jousting between St George and a hapless french knight.

Guess who won?

Polly Hope's house

Myself and Fay went to a concert at Polly's 'estate' in Heneage street. Full to bursting and the music was played by Tangissimo. There was dancing and food and we met a russian lady who now lives in Walthamstow and toasted each other in Russian (I have forgotten all of the toasts).
The chandelier is made of colanders and kitchen utensils and the birds accompanied the concert. The sun was shining and it was a wonderful afternoon.

5 Days in May | Southbank Centre.

5 Days in May Southbank Centre.

On Sunday 9th at 5pm- tea and cakes for sale and the chance to watch the dancing or even try to dance! anybody coming with us? Email me if interested

Andrew Coles

One of the greatest people in Tower Hamlets- is standing for the council in Bow East.
if you live there, please vote for him.
I shall blog more about his manifesto soon

Our day out in Ely

I have to try to stick to my blog brief of London on the cheap: return fare to Ely for old crocks £16.50. From Kings Cross or Liverpool street (slower)

It was a wonderful Spring day with Jan Bev, Linda and of course John

We toured the cathedral and met St Etheldreda. I love the statue of her which is in the Lady Chapel at the cathedral- the best I have ever seen in that pose of benediction

Baptism on Easter Day

Penny, our Pathway member, was baptised today

family news

Mary, in Cambodia with the cutest baby. Joey and Leila are now in Kiev.

Brain Roberts Roman Road

The best butcher for working class londoners (imho)

Salt beef, any cuts you want and he will deliver if you order lots.

Old eastenders go there to stock their freezers

The number 8 bus from Spitalfields stops outside.

Good Friday

with Sister J. to follow the Way of the Cross in Westminster- walking around the Abbey, Methodist Central Hall and back to Westminster Cathedral- in silence and large crowds. The rain fell steadily and it was very cold for April.

The Cathedral was also very cold, inspite of it being packed with hundreds standing. The choir sang this beautiful motet in latin:

Faithful cross, among all others one noble Tree. what sweet wood,what sweet nails, what a sweet burden it bears.

The Artisans

I met Ann and we enjoyed the concert of medieval Marian music. It was a shame Christchurch was embarrassingly empty- the audience stretched out like camels across the desert.

I was happy to hear some favourite carols- a funny time at Easter but right to be focusing on Mary as well as Christ.

The Prevent strategy: a textbook example of how to alienate just about everybody - Telegraph

The Prevent strategy: a textbook example of how to alienate just about everybody - Telegraph

Forthcoming Events - Westminster Cathedral

Forthcoming Events - Westminster Cathedral

I am going to the talk on Cardinal Newman. Anybody fancy coming?

Move Over Mary Seacole, There’s a New Kid In Town | The Spectator

Move Over Mary Seacole, There’s a New Kid In Town The Spectator

Hackney Free School

With Rita, Mary and Joe's esteemed and respected music teacher. She bought me a huge lunch at 'The Old Ship' in Mare Street. Lovely location, friendly, good food, newspapers and right next to the now dark 'Hackney Empire'

Then to the rather sparse underwhelming exhibition in the museum about my children's secondary school Hackney Free and parochial church of England secondary school'

A tough school, but with a long history. Founded in the 16Th century!

Ask the Queen to strip Stephen Byers of his Privy Council Membership - Petition - Sign this petition here - Signature page - GoPetition

Ask the Queen to strip Stephen Byers of his Privy Council Membership - Petition - Sign this petition here - Signature page - GoPetition

Bernstein

West Side Story part 4 at South Bank. It was brilliant- dancing and singing 3 songs, 'America' 'Officer Kruptje' and 'Somewhere', then a showing of the film.
Free, but cocktails at £7.50 pricey and nothing special.
But Bernstein is the composer to make you want to flash the cash. He wants us to be generous and open hearted

sh'koyack

Saw this terrific group at St Ethelburgas. Wonderful music which made me think of Jews dancing in the villages of Russia and Eastern Europe. Fabulous singing and haunting, fast, whirling music. I could see the black cloaks circling around. This is one of many concerts Wallee runs at St Ethelburgas and it was one of the best. John helps and takes the money at the door.

'This Room in the Sunlight'

Bernard Kops came to Brick Lane and Eastside bookshop last night and a small group came to hear him last night He read some of his poems from the book and very movingly described his struggle to 'fit in'. He spoke with some bitterness about Christianity and the likely hood of a conservative government- he had very old fashioned views I think but spoke with passion and hope. I last met him about fifteen years ago and he looked and sounded just the same.

in 'the stacks' under the Barbican

We visited the Barbican Library and were guided on a group tour by librarians Jonathon and Cathy. The beautiful book on the left can unbelievably be borrowed and taken home.

There is a group of books called 'The London Collection' , mostly underneath the Barbican (which we saw) called 'The Stack' which can be borrowed.
Anybody can be a member of this fantastic library in such a great location. It is comfortable, warm and has wonderful staff. There is a fantastic collection of sheet music and Cd's and is very strong on travel and information about the City of London. How proud we are to live near this place- our dream is to live at the Barbican -must do the lottery this week

No Greater Love released in cinemas in the UK on 9th April 2010 « Hot Property Films

No Greater Love released in cinemas in the UK on 9th April 2010 « Hot Property Films

Southbank Centre - Dance & Performance

Southbank Centre - Dance & Performance

waiting for Godot

Take two great actors- Ian Mckellen and Roger Rees- and they act wonderfully in what for me is a dreadful, pretentious, tedious play. The only drama was a group of sixth formers in the row before us who were attempting to unwrap toffees in a silent theatre.

The other good bit was, in one of the silences, you could hear a distinct snore from one of the back rows.

John liked it and I thought - very Beckett this, what a funny way to spend your thirtieth wedding anniversary. Even stranger than our distinctly low key wedding day which consisted of Stratford Register office and sausage and chips in a pub in Plaistow High Street.

In keeoing with tradition we had free tickets for the theatre

Andrew Gilligan – Telegraph Blogs

Andrew Gilligan – Telegraph Blogs

Alice in Wonderland (film)

This was very enjoyable. Reminds me of C.S. Lewis and that world of the past, just out of reach.I liked Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen but found Alice too posh and neat to take on the jabawocky .
We enjoyed the film - £4.50 concessions-extra- because they hire the 3D glasses
Went home via Stratford and the 'International station' - a fraud of course because the trains will not stop here from Europe

East London Advertiser - Tower Hamlets Tories pick their MP hopeful for Bethnal Green and Bow

East London Advertiser - Tower Hamlets Tories pick their MP hopeful for Bethnal Green and Bow

John and I went to this packed meeting. Met Mohammed who is launching a new soft drink
It's made from pear juice called 'drop' and perhaps more about this later

Bullying | The Spectator

Bullying The Spectator

Lobbying the council

Myself and a few friends went to Mulberry Place to meet our councillors and protest about these divisive arches. As I predicted they withdrew the item at the last minute but Andrew Gilligan has warned it may be back. We met our local councillors, hastily backpedaling over the allegations in recent Dispatches' programme. We decided discretion is the best part and accepted their kind offer of a lift home.
NB Council elections and general election are almost certain to be in May! Our comrade Mavis stands on the DLR while the young passengers sit.....

Andrew Gilligan – Telegraph Blogs

Andrew Gilligan – Telegraph Blogs

East London Advertiser - Bid thwarted to oust Tower Hamlets top Tory over C4 Islamism exposé

East London Advertiser - Bid thwarted to oust Tower Hamlets top Tory over C4 Islamism exposé

Jan's got wheels

I have a new set of wheels!

Its my badge of getting frailer- my two fingered sign to the world that I don't care about image- its my top of the range shopping trolley the 'sholley' and its already been 'bloodied' while out to Sainsbury's Whitechapel.

Ron Arad exhibition

With Rosemary to this 'private view'

nothng posh as I am a member and it's only £20 a year. So free admission and a drnk thrown in.

Also saw the beautiful garden room which is pretty sepctacular lit up at night

Borrowed Time

starting a series of audio recordings that I am calling 'Borrowed Time' This was the fantastic view from Anne's balcony

Proposed Brick Lane arches

This is one of the hideous arches that our wonderful council are planning to plonk onto Brick Lane. The council are meeting to agree this on Thursday 4th March 2010 at 7pm at Tower Hamlets Town Hall Mulberry Place. If we say nothing then this will go ahead. I wonder if all this is done deliberately to provoke controversy

Then they can say what a load of racists we all are.

Mile End Library for local history

I had to go to look up something for some work I am doing. I sought the advice of the very helpful librarian there, Chris.

It was so great to talk to this kind knowledgeable man- the opposite of most local government workers (a horrible generalisation I know).

This must be one of the best services Tower Hamlets has to offer.

Needless to say the rotten council have done their best to close it down. It is now housed in a squalid bunker in this once magnificent but now decaying building. It reminds me of a Cuban public building

But all is not lost and while I was there the phone was ringing with enquiries and another local sleuth popped in. Our history cannot be re-written while people like Chris are still about

Brick Lane's 'hijab gates' will curry no favour – Telegraph Blogs

Brick Lane's 'hijab gates' will curry no favour – Telegraph Blogs

German Lutheran church

Went to a lecture by Derek Morris on the Wapping Area 1600-1800. It was organized by the East London History Society- very good but I did think it was going to be a lecture on the German sugar boilers of the 19th century- of whom I am a descendant.

The cost of the lecture was £5 and included a glass of wine.

Free film at 'Idea Store'

A free film with John and Ann :

'Harvey Milk' which had us totally absorbed. It was part of LGTG month and I don't know why but we were relegated to a small room in the library and there were just 5 viewers. I am not sure if the library were worried about the topic- or even if they could care that much about anything. The library was messy and looks very sloppy. Sainsbury next door is having the car park chopped to make way for the London CrossRail. They are going to put the car park on top of the store

London Community Gospel Choir

Myself and Ann saw a superb concert. Although the hall was shamefully half full, the atmosphere was great, the singing very powerful and the leader Basil Meades got everybody up singing and dancing with no messing- or embarrassment. Obviously he is an inspirational leader.

'The Jersey Boys'

Great show, Great friends and modest chinese meal in Mary Dewhurst's favourite restaurant

Imposition of Ashes

With James to the beautiful haunting ceremony that marks the start of 40 days of Lent

'Remember daughter, from dust you came and to dust you will return'

Vi Gostling MBE

I met the great lady Vi Gostling- Labour party member and one of the founder members of 'News from Nowhere'. She has fully recovered from pneumonia that landed her in Whipps Cross hospital. She is a friend of my old teacher John Punshon and it was very moving to think of the link between me, him and Vi. John Punshon was one of the greatest teachers and he had quite an effect on my life.

The club's topic was 'Organic Lea' and a very interesting talk on the agriculture of the Lea Valley- something which I had no idea.

Van Gogh Exhibition

I visited the exhibition today- thanks D. Some disappointments of a petty kind- too full and no 'Starry Night' or anything from England but beautiful prose and one movingly written in fluent English. Theo did not live much longer than his brother- he kept the letters so carefully and beautifully I wonder how he could bear to look at them- I know someone who cannot look at a photo or see the handwriting of someone who died a long time ago without feeling totally bereft. The brothers are so close- even though they lived far apart. They are buried side by side

A 'Freebie' at Stratford Library

Trying to keep to the original theme of my blog- to show a fun, cheap lifestyle- Stratford Library give free film shows every other Thursday. I went with Ann, freezing cold day and not much warmer in the library but a very good enjoyable film. Very good on scenes of New York/Brooklyn and Ireland and it made me think of Mary and Ayo and our time with them in 2008

Fashion designer McQueen found dead - Yahoo! News UK

Fashion designer McQueen found dead - Yahoo! News UK

God Rest his soul! Known to Una and a Stratford boy. One of the few to have 'made it' without wealth or nepotism

Sherlock

My advice for this film-don't bother. Guy Ritchie is not worth the price of a ticket. 'Sex, drugs and rock and roll' much better- even the ludicrous 'Avatar'