One of our 'pilgrimages' to John's home town

The town is so depressing.  So many people on the streets seem to be addicts, very sick and frail and the poverty is evident- it makes Newham and Barking look like Mayfair.   the growth industries seem to be tattoo parlours, betting shops, pubs almost like shacks, fast food and then charity shops and second hand mobility scooters.  There are loads of adverts for gastric band surgery or help with mental health 'issues'.  We could only take Katelin to the park- where the longed for ride on the motor boat was not possible because the council were draining the park lake.  Just in time for the start of the school holidays

tea for two - view from the tea room

http://www.whitechapelgallery.org/

A bit of old Whitechapel from the Tea bar always the most popular part of any gallery.  it's a puzzle finding the cafe- partly because a photographic exhibition is on - we had a quick look- Thomas Struth- unknown to me but it looks good- pricey free to Tower Hamlets residents on 30th August.  you need to check the website or check with me and i will see about getting in with my IDwell it is an anarchist bookshop we are looking at!

a Textile stall at Spitalfields

Erik is there most Fridays. he sells these lovely Liberty fabrics very cheaply- and some lovely silks. I just have to learn to sew them now

The old Spitalfields market

They are always trying to sell something new at Spitalfields. here is the latest- just mustard and some nights they had some french music playing into the late evening

July is the month of pianos in London

In July pianos are scattered around London for anyone to play. I was with Una as we saw this chap playing, along with a fellow musician who aims to play all the pianos in London. he had just performed on the one on the Millennium Bridge.  I love this part of living in London- it cheers the place up so much and makes the place very joyful.

'The Tree of Life'

We saw this at 'Rich Mix' which is getting yet another make over. It tries to be anything but a council funded place, yet whatever it does it seems to smack of a committee at work.  nevertheless films are £5 on Mondays and Tuesdays with an IDEA store library card or proof you live in the borough.  The film is beautifully filmed tosh

The relaunch of the Bishopsgate Institute

The most popular part of the week's relaunch was probably a talk by Dan Cruikshank- a local resident and a well known architect and historian. His talk to a packed hall was on the changing face of the east End and in particular Spitalfields. He described the assault on the area by the City and stated his opposition to the demolition of the Fruit Exchange building In Brushfield  Street and Commercial street.  Apparently English Heritage does not really put up any opposition. 

It seems that Spitalfields is going to change drastically in the next few years unless we go into a deeper recession

The Bishopsgate singers

A great free concert as part of the relaunch of the Institute.  Singing is upbeat and fun- nothing heavy. Loads of singing in round.  You can join and sing at lunchtime and there seemed to be a great mix of people

The launch of the Bishopsgate Institute

After renovations lasting two years, it is now fully opened. the new cafe at the side is lovely, pricey but the daily specials are more affordable

Air Force concert

This was a free concert- as part of National Forces Day

The New London Hospital

This is due to be open next year- first patients in January 2012.
This is going t be the largest hospital in Europe

The Finnish Church

Invited by friends to this very modern church right near the Rotherhithe tunnel

The whole day was filled with choirs, jazz bands and soloists. the food was of a very high standard- no dried up sausage rolls or stale sandwiches but was very expensive- tea was £1,50- very steep for a church. the food was actually smoked salmon and herrings and the most delicious salads.
 I shot a snatch of a song and a back view of part of the choir. The church was very Scandinavian in character- IKEA look throughout and a sauna upstairs

Alison Beck- Jazz singer

http://www.alisonbeck.co.uk/

I am very proud to know Alison who graduated from London Guildhall at the Barbican last week. She now has her masters as a jazz singer

All singers perform for about an hour in one of the theatres there.  Alison was backed by double bass, piano, violin and drums- her programme was eclectic and exciting.  The best thing about this is that anyone can come and listen to graduate's final performances- it is free.  Next year we will definitely go -

'Music for a Summer's Night'

St Helen's is a very evangelical church with a huge, mostly young congregation.  As the rain lashed down  we sat down to a fabulous concert and even better meal in this grand setting. It's a yearly event, costs less than £10 for a very full evening.  They always have a talk about christianity with a performer and this one was shorter than usual and more persuasive but not too heavy if you know what I mean.   The music was very cultured- a bit more sing along would have pleased me more- but a lovely evening and one I shared with John and some new friends

Our short holiday at £19 Travelodge

What a fabulous cheap holiday. We were in a travel lodge but opposite The Grand where we sat for a while

The photo is of John in Whitby.  The ruins of the Abbey are fabulous- if seen from
 a distance
!http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/whitby-abbey/history/

The start of the Spitalfields Festival 2011

And it has been raining nearly all day!!And it's Pentecost

Free Art Gallery visit

This was a Times offer- The Saatchi gallery is free anyway but we were given a glass of champagne and a guided tour in an evening visit.  The guide was inaudible and short like me, so we could not see or hear her. We decided to just wander off and look at the art- much of it very interesting but reminded me of the sort of thing you used to see at fairgrounds or Guinness World of Records shows- or Ripley's 'I don't believe it'.  Most of it wa shocking or sad or puzzling.
The top photo is inspired by Brick Lane!

Another Times offer

This was a freebie and in a lovely comfortable cinema at 10.30 we saw this film- made of amateur footage on July 24th 2010.  I found some of the footage moving of different people all over the world living their lives.  The birth of a giraffe was a highlight for me, but otherwise I found it all less than the sum of its parts.
the background music was lovely though

Quiz League of London Summer Event

The most fun for a quizzing day. In the City of London and some very lively quizzes and a chance to meet lots of different people. The picture shows the great Kevin Ashman on the left and I was on his team twice!  I felt very star struck and found him to be a very gracious person.  Joan, Kiki and Mark were fellow flutterers and I will spare Mark his photo on this posting.  But he scored very highly- it is going to be very exciting waiting for the new season

Late evening in June

The church was brilliantly lit as I walked down Brushfield street last night.  In the same street a van had pulled up and out came maybe ten people-distributing bags of food to the twenty or so people who literally seemed to come out of the shadows of the market. many spoke eastern european languages and all seemed delighted to get the food. It was a very quiet, subdued scene. Very odd this going on in the shadow of Christ Church where a corporate event was going on.  The irony of this is that that years ago Christ Church Spitalfields used to help the destitute and addicted.  Now it is left to others