Latest Trip to the Island

The Island in question, in case you weren't aware is the Isle of Wight.  Sam and I hoofed it down over the Royal Wedding bank holiday weekend (did I mention I'm a bit behind on the blogging?) as part of my patented 'Escape the Insanity of London' plan.  See exhibit A below...pizza. *puts head in hands*

As it turns out London was apparently a mass of friendly street parties but I'm still glad to have had a weekend to unwind and enjoy the sea air as always.  We did watch the wedding, coo over the dress (BTW LOVE the choice of McQueen) and catch glimpses of minor royals though.

We took a walk down to the sea, had tea and cake (very, er, crunchy flapjack) at Crusoe's, this unbelievably cute blue cabin on the beach with bottles strung up as wind chimes outside.  I'm definitely going back for proper food at some point, the food looked fab and prices outside London are always a pleasant surprise!

A walk down the seafront along the coast found a metal sculpture of a fish and the most tropical looking blue sea water I was tempted to paddle.  The only slight downside was the small black rain cloud that followed us overhead ensuring that it drizzled on us, and only us, cartoon comedy style.  Tres odd but fairly amusing despite the soggy downside.

Spring has really sprung and there were beautiful flowers everywhere, from these hanging over the wall of someone's garden - very community minded of them to pretty up the street too - to the meadow outside full of daisies.

I felt like I'd stepped back in time in the meadow, that I ought to be wearing a muslin gown and rocking a parasol it was that relaxing it was as if the modern world had fallen away.  I had to make do with battered old trainers, jeans and my favourite stripey Snoopy socks.

I even sat down and made a daisy chain for the first time since I was about 7 years old.  Sam can be seen here modelling the result.  Tres chic, no?

Then I spotted this with my little eye.  The well acknowledged vintage lamp post aka gateway to Narnia.  I decided to get closer...

...and closer...

...but no signs of fauns, talking beavers or Aslan disappointingly.  Although given the surroundings, you can see why there seemed a certainty of seeing them.

All in all it was a very lovely day, relaxed, chilled out, sea, meadow and sunshine.

Life’s a Beach

After sitting on the ferry and the train(s) back from the Island (Isle of Wight for the uninitiated) the other weekend – more on this later – we crossed over from Waterloo to Embankment to get the bus home (388 – genius bus).

As I looked up at the beautiful blue skies and sunshine above I spotted bunting.  Nothing improves things like a bit of bunting.

And some paper planes.

And a new Southbank art installation.

It’s coming into that time of year where everyone grabs any available piece of sunlit concrete down there, glass of wine in hand to relax (skateboard optional).  It was lovely to see everyone out enjoying the sunshine and making like they’re on the French Riviera, instead of the banks of the murky ol’Thames.  

They have even painted the stairs a lovely sunshine yellow shade.

Then, what’s this? BEACH HUTS!!!  Woop!  They’re all designed by different artists and house different sorts of wares, shops etc.

Sam: Look that one sells ice cream.  Wouldn’t it be cool if it came out of the seagull’s butt?

Me: *quizzical look*

Sam: Kids would love it!

Me: That’s disgusting.

Sam: No! It’d be great.

Luckily the powers that be clearly agreed with me and the handy hatch was used to serve ice cream instead.

The last little piece of awesomeness on this tableau of seaside-y-ness was a beach.  Small but perfectly formed it was SWARMING with small children and parents using them as an excuse to get in on the action.

It may not actually be the French Riviera but it’s not bad…

Like / Dislike

This week’s likes:

My new Barry M crackle glaze nail varnish.  Looks cool, easy to apply and best of all, if it chips, who’s going to notice?

Twin Shadows – awesome gig at the Scala on Wednesday (thanks Maz).  A bit New Romantics 80s flashback  x rock star playing guitar leaning back and jiggling the knee x silly dancing.

My new retro-look white headphones from Panasonic.  They’re cool and thus, by wearing them, I’m cool too.  Fact.  I’m loving the exchange of nods with other wearers of faintly ridiculous ear-gear.

And dislikes:

5 day weeks.  Seriously, really??  Where do I sign up for the 4 day week revolution.  Frankly, in my case, it will not impact upon my productivity at all, just decrease procrastination.

Being too short to see properly in crowded concerts without standing on my toes and craning my neck.  De la soul, Mos Def and Talib Kweli good, Hammersmith Apollo rammed full of tall men in baseball caps (and other amusing hip hop- esque garb) bad.

My terrible hip hop music playing neighbour – FYI 7am is for sleeping and all who contravene this golden rule will face the wrath of Morning Me.  It won’t be pretty.  You have been warned.

A Day in Midsomer, I mean, Liphook

I took advantage of the gorgeous bank holiday weather to visit my friend Laura in Liphook, a small-ish village in Hampshire, just beyond the Surrey border.  Aka ‘The Countryside’.  I always joked that she lives in Midsomer, setting of the popular murder based programme…which was a bit less funny after she got minorly stalked and then had a creepy experience whilst out running.  Give me the Bethnal Green ghetto any day of the week.

It IS very beautiful down there though, especially when the flowers are out the sun is shining and you’re unaware that there are snakes in the undergrowth.  After finding out about said snakes it all looked a little more life threatening to be honest.

We took a lovely walk through a snake infested (probably) wooded area to a little pub for lunch.  Loads of local produce was on offer – Hampshire makes up for a lack of London with lots of farms producing tasty pork apparently.  Amazing what you can do when you forgo  public transport etc.

We walked past a few gorgeous houses, some lakes and a statue of a man on a horse, which was pretty cool.

We then indulged in an Indiana Jones film in the evening as it turns out that being in the sun, eating a big lunch and walking about is tiring.  The fresh air and drowsy country pace may have had an effect on me too…

It’s always so nice to get away from London and out into the countryside for a breath of fresh air and a reminder that it is there, and it’s always so good to come home to the comforting concrete hustle and bustle of East London Town.

Exciting Sweet News Part 2

Yep, yet more spots, this time of Mr Happy, Me Tickle, Mr Bump and Mr Small and Little Miss Tiny.  Mr Tickle looks the most tasty and reminds of the blow up Mr Tickle chair I had as a kid…

I also spotted some Mr Sneeze tissues – obvious really – but forgot to photograph them.  They’re really going all out of this 40^th anniversary stuff.

The week’s events

I have been a bad blogger and taken off at weekends enjoying myself and then *gasp* actually working at work closely followed by going out again to enjoy myself.  It’s a tiring lifestyle but I’ve garnered a few cool snapshots along the last week to make a start.

So, starting off with Thursday’s trip to Vyner Street in Bethnal Green for First Thursday.  First Thursday is basically when everyone East with a passing interest in art and/ or drinking congregates around Vyner Street to get drunk on the pretext of there being new art in all the galleries there.  The art was alright, there were some cool paintings of bones and some drawings that looked like the characters from the washing powder ads BUT I did then spot some more STIK men on the side of the road.  

We then went for more drinks (in for a penny…) at the Redchurch (I never learn) and saw yet another one.  Bonus.

On Saturday there was a trip to Brighton for the day to occupy me.  I used to live in Brighton as a student and I really love it down there, the seaside, the kooky shops and the potential for infinite people watching.  Some of our fellow daytrippers decided to cycle down from Clapham, we got the train and had a lie in and a wander and a coffee and then met them.  It’s up to you which you think was the better option…

Brighton is a bit of a place of two halves, the 'real' and the 'surreal'.  Watching a dancing 'bride' on her hen do and then realising she had an audience above falls into the latter.

We sat on the beach and got thoroughly blown about by the wind, had a few drinks in the pubs around the South Laines and ate fish and chips in the presence of a very menacing seagull.  I then slept all the way back to London Town as I was tired, what with having not cycled anywhere and having had a lie in.  *cough*

This slightly surreal sight greeted us on our return home from lazing on Wandsworth Common on Sunday...small boy + bike + many, many balloons...  I half expected him to start floating upwards.  He didn't though.  *sigh*

Last night whilst wandering around Soho having dinner I saw this giant switch on the side of a building.  I’m not sure what it’s for, I can only assume it turns off London or something.  Probably.

And last but not least I would like to show off a little as this is a picture of my latest attempts at green-fingered-ness – two chilli plants grown from seed.  Ta-da!

Exciting Sweet News

I saw these in the shop the other day and felt the need to share.  I appear to be focusing quite a bit on exciting confectionery but hey-ho.  Little Miss Sunshine.  In edible sweet form.  Brilliant.

The packet is quite exciting.

And so are the sweets.

Unfortunately though they do not taste that great.  Hmm…  I’m reliably informed they taste like ‘Percy Pigs’ but never having had one I can’t comment, and given the nasty foam-y taste of these I won’t be trying any.

In other news, I went to Alibi, my favourite Dalston dive bar, with Mary, my favourite Brick Lane resident to watch The Big Lebowski….one of my least favourite films of all times.  BUT, I have no idea whether it was the unpromising surroundings of Alibi, the red wine (thanks Maz!) or the fact that this is about the 7^th time I’ve seen this film, BUT I actually found it funny.  And charming.  Wonders will apparently never cease.  The Dude abides…