Vintage Walk in aid of St Joseph Hospice

Acted as a steward and saw Spitalfields and Shoreditch at 4 in the morning- very unusual for me and quite an eye opener. Wearing my high vis jacket and standing with a colleague we helped marshall the walkers and acted as unpaid advisers/direction givers/fight breaker uppers and general friendly faces for the drunk, lonely, violent and friendless to talk to. This was not our ladies in their vintage dresses- but the thousands of revellers and action seekers who are in action/inaction in the early hours. I like to think we saved a few people from injury and fights! 

Skate boarding 'The Vans'

Another great exciting FREE event in our local market.  We feel so lucky to be living near all this entertainment and seeing so many different people. I just wished Pat's family were around to see this.  It was well organised with a large screen in Brushfield street as well as the live action in the market itself

Vintage Market on Bank Holiday Monday

There were so many people there beautifully dressed but it was so hard to take photos in the crowded market.  Of course many people who after all are 'dressing up' like and mean to be photographed but I was scared some might not. So, only two images of an amazing scene

'My Old Place'

Another trip to this great , though rather erratic restaurant which is almost 100% chinese clientèle.
They have rewritten the menu in clearer english.  We recommend the aubergine dishes and chilli beef

Thomas Struth german photographer

This photo was taken by Struth and is part of the exhibition at Whitechapel. Today was locals day and we got in for free to see this and loads of other fabulous photos. There was a film too with the curator and Struth but you should only watch that if you want to come off sleeping tablets. But I will attach the link and decide for yourself anywayhttp://www.whitechapelgallery.org/exhibitions/thomas-struth-photographs-1978-2010

Treasures of Heaven

http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/exhibitions/treasures_of_heaven.aspx

We did not enjoy this as much as I thought.  Mostly various containers of all kinds, gaudily coloured and covered with jewels or shaped like the relic they contained. For example a carved head would contain the head of a saint. Too much of the same sort of thing. These items should be seen in the theatre of a church, with the drama of a service and music and ceremony around them. They just looked like a jewellers window in the museum. We went on Monday which has concessions on Monday afternoon for £6

Treasures of Heaven

http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/exhibitions/treasures_of_heaven.aspx

We did not enjoy this as much as I thought.  Mostly various containers of all kinds, gaudily coloured and covered with jewels or shaped like the relic they contained. For example a carved head would contain the head of a saint. Too much of the same sort of thing. These items should be seen in the theatre of a church, with the drama of a service and music and ceremony around them. They just looked like a jewellers window in the museum. We went on Monday which has concessions on Monday afternoon for £6

Film- Planet of the Apes 2011

I just love these films but find them very disturbing.  We remained faithful to Genesis which is still only £3.50 concessions anytime and any film.
Sat there in an almost empty auditorium- Ramadan means far fewer east end asians out and about.   Just a very heavily tattooed junkie in the auditorium who kept jumping up and down- rather like Caesar  the monkey hero in fact.  Lots of meaningless chases in the film but the usual twist in then end.

Dr David Starkey

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/8711621/UK-riots-Its-not-about-criminality-and-cuts-its-about-culture...-and-this-is-only-the-beginning.html


Why do people vilify others when it is just easiest to say ' I just disagree'.   Why should people who have not one original thought in their body seek to silence Dr Starkey?

Sing-a-long a sound of music

The nuns arrive

I always wanted to go. John came too- he always sings through west end  musicals and I have to keep nudging him.  This time he was encouraged to sing- and he didn't that much

The 'Riots'

They hardly touched Brick Lane but the looting centred on Bethnal Green Road where the more ordinary, poorer people live.

Many of the shops were boarded up in preperation for the trouble.  But as this is Brick Lane (Home of the self obsessed) the boarding up was not the usual:

A Moroccan Feast

Joe and Leila prepared a feast for us- after their visit to Marrakesh- a tiny hotel with just a few bedrooms- they were treated like royalty- well, he is my prince


http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.riadorangeraie.com%2F

Arietty

Loved this film we saw with the Suffolk kids. Beautiful, charming, whimsical, anti-materialistic.
The area round the Picture House and Stratford Theatre Royal is though a dump. In the shadow of the Olympic park it's a miserable little place with benches and bins lined up

Fun day for Quiz League of London

http://www.fancyapint.com/Pub/london/the-crown/1494

This was a brilliant event with great food at a friendly pub.  Our esteemed leader is on the left and Adam and friends experienced their first day of quizzing

Pat and the Suffolk kids

http://futureversity.org/content/409/Summer-2011


We helped host 4 children for the brilliant summer university- they spent a week in the park kayaking and BMX riding. It's free and anyone from any part of the UK can join in

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.