Julie Cockburn....

....Recently I decided to buy another piece of art. Usually I go for editioned prints, but after commissioning an original from Mark Warren Jacques, I decided to go for another.


Hero I, 2011

This time a wonderful one-off by Julie Cockburn. I have been fascinated by her collage, cut & paste photographic found images for some time. My purchase, 'Hero I', 2011, was a favourite from a recent set seen in a collection of the Photographers Gallery.


[detail]

I haven't found it a wall space just yet - I think I'll leave it until we've a new house, with a new wall to suitably adorn it.

Bank Holiday Monday in Edinburgh....

....Kelly and I stayed on after the wedding, in a little B&B near the park, with the intention of another day in Edinburgh. We paid an early visit to the family in the reception of their hotel, which included a long overdue second meeting with nephew Jude.



We left them behind for a walk around this beautiful City, (one that Kelly had never visited before), on a gloriously sunny day.
Taking in the familiar, (tourist), sites like the Castle and independent shops in the Grassmarket area, we had a lovely day.



We need to come back again soon and make a more thorough visit of it!

Whitstable on a whim....

...Kelly threw up the suggestion of a day trip a little while ago. Then suddenly the Bank Holiday weekend was here. And suddenly Whitstable was our choice. We got up and on a train from Victoria that got us there by 11.30am and as the sun beat down, we made our way straight to the beach front and harbour. Almost immediately we were tucking in to oysters from Wee Willy Winkles, which were superb. Fish and chips, eaten on the pebbled shore, promptly followed.



We couldn't believe the weather, so stayed where we were for a while, before getting the customary ice cream for our walk to Whitstable Castle. Recently regenerated, the grounds looked exceptional.



We then walked along to the Tankerton edge of the coast and back, finishing in Whitstable town centre, at The Cheese Box for some fantastic cheese & wine.



We finished back on the beach front, at a bar, as the sun lowered in the sky. It was a wonderful day and we really liked the town, a lot. The return train journey flew by, before meeting up with Nick for a couple of nightcaps. Very merry, but very happy.

[Full slideshow]:

Gentlemens' dinner & prize photography....

....The second in what I hope will turn out to be a long line of gatherings like this. After a successful Chinese lunch a couple of months ago, Bugsy herded us like cattle, once more, to eat some exceptional, erm, cattle.



We gathered at Le Relais de Venise, (L'Entrecote), which is widely regarded as amongst the finest steak frites in London. In fact, we didn't gather, we queued from midday, as no bookings are taken.



Once in, we didn't need to choose, as they only serve from one set menu. Salad / Steak & chips, (for which you get two portions of the latter).



I was bowled over, I really was. The salad, although simple, was great. And then the steak was melt-in-the-mouth-incredible. I was transported to a Parisian Bistro, whilst in the heart of Marylebone.



Also, I hadn't appreciated that the menu fixe included a second helping of the main course. Well, I was astounded. Delighted.



Some plumped for desserts and coffees too, as the chatter went on and on.



It really is a great social event, getting us altogether, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.



And what is so good, is that it's not a boozy social. Or a drink-to-get-drunk affair. In fact, it's far more cultural, as was proved by going to a post dinner exhibition.



The Deutsche Borse Photography Prize, hosted by the Photographers Gallery, was relocated around the corner in the Ambika P3 Gallery, (part of the University of Westminster).



An incredible space played host to four shortlisted photographers, Roe Ethridge, Jim Goldberg, Elad Lassry and one of my all time favourites, Thomas Demand. In fact, the industrial, vacuous space looked like it could have been a vast cardboard structure, created by Demand himself, and we were his subjects.



The works were varied and interesting, but none really sparked huge excitement in me. As ever, Demand's work is flabberghasting, but I have seen it before. Jim Goldberg's eye opening images highlight socially and economically devastated countries.


Jim Goldberg, Guardian 2009

But for some reason I think Roe Ethridge will win. Bold, simple imagery. Either high brow or simple, they seem to hold that little bit more, that you can't quite put your finger on.


Roe Ethridge, Old Fruit 2010

All in all, a fantastic afternoon. Brilliant in every respect. Where's next?!

Joy of Living....

....Max conceived and curated this exhibition, The Joy of Living, in aid of Maggie's Cancer Caring Centers.



He has worked tirelessly to collate 100 artists and designers to respond to the same brief - on a single piece of A4 graph paper, create a desirable artwork that expresses the joy of living.


The result is a breathtaking and ultimately moving body of work, where craftmanship and raw emotion have created a special exhibition, at Somerset House. Each artwork is for sale for £250, with the artist remaining anonymous until after purchase - and with the close of the show today, Max has made an astonishing £25,000 for Maggie's.


Joy. By Richard Ardagh

But the show must go on - so it does, online, where a couple of pieces remain for sale and ongoing initiatives will lead Max to a target of £50,000 raised. Incredible.


It Is My Heart. By Hannah Martin

I went along today and bought a piece that turned out to be a John Pawson original - so as well as a good cause, it could prove a good investment too.


Artist House, Highgate. By John Pawson.

Take a look. Please.

BOXPARK....

...."An industrial retail market space".



Coming to my doorstep later this year apparently. I'm not totally convinced, although it is a better use of space than as it currently resides - unused grassland. Watch this space.

Christmas comes early....

....Kelly and I celebrated our Christmas together a few days early, before she returns home to Cambridge and myself to Newcastle. We stayed in for the evening, eating in style with an all too familiar, but totally tasty Turkish from Tas Firin.



We treated each other well on the present front, with my highlight being a great pair of camel coloured cord trousers, by Norse Projects.



Amongst other things from me, Kelly finally got a pair of Converse and Ray Bans for our forth coming holiday.



Now we both have to do it all over again, (oh, the chore!), with our families, before returning to London on 27th to pack, do an about-turn, and head to Heathrow to leave the City behind for a month.



Exciting times!

New bikes....

....Kelly and I have recently both purcahsed new bikes, using the Cycle Scheme at work.


Black out

I decided to get a road bke - not for the daily commute, but for the cycling holidays I hope to make and perhaps even the odd race. It is a Planet X Pro Carbon SRAM Red, and is rather nice!



Kelly plumped for an off the peg single speed, with the Focale 44 Full Moon. Subtle, classy, fast. Just like her owner.



We're looking forward to the saddle sore!

Top tog....

....I finally treated myself to a new duvet and a set of four new pillows, whilst an early Christmas present from mum & dad, of new bed clothes, has resulted in an altogether more comfortable sleep. Zzzzzz.

Great unexpectations....

....Simple pleasures. Sometimes I forget what wonderful resources London has - particularly in the vicinity of my home. I guess I just take it for granted. Today, Kelly and I stepped out, 'for a walk' and had a wonderful time. We mosied on up to Spitalfields, where, unbeknown to us, the second Japan Matsuri, (festival of culture), was in full swing. Music, demonstrations of traditional combat, rows and rows of food stalls. The lot. Our quest for lunch suddenly became a great deal easier as we settled on takoyaki, (dumplings with octopus in the middle), and then teriyaki chicken curry. Brilliant.



We then walked around the corner to see if we could find a new bike for Kelly to buy. This one seemed to be the answer, which she is test riding next week. Following a coffee and brownie at our favourite, Nude, we headed back home via the always brilliant, Labour & Wait, (at it's new location), where I got myself a great new 'cologne' - Musgo Real - a Portuguese brand founded in the 1920s. It's oaky, that's all I can say!


Collection of bags, (proudly, yet coincidentally none plastic), plus my new cologne.

We also visited the old Tea Rooms at the Truman Brewery, now an antiques / vintage market which was fantastic. There I was introduced to the work of Kitty Valentine, a burlesque lady who doctors Victorian portraits wonderfully.


c/o Kitty Valentine

Finally, we popped in to Le Grenier, a great flea market bunker right by my house. The owner, a super nice Frenchman, even gave Kelly a beautiful tan leather doctors bag for free. Sure, it was pretty knackered, but it having come back from a shoot in such a state, he was willing to offload it at no cost. Marvellous.


Free of charge

It sent us both home with a smile on our faces. Two hours spent within a few hundred metres radius of the house had suddenly become more fruitful than we had imagined - embracing everything from Japanese culture, antipodean coffee and English antiques, to a very, very nice Frenchman. And the weekend has only just begun. Wonderful.

Rospo, Hackney Road....

....Kelly and I stumbled on this shop today. I then stumbled on and subsequently bought this rather wonderful blanket from the same place. The shop is tiny upstairs, but once downstairs it opens up in to a huge room full of vintage furniture, kitchenware and clothing. Well worth a look.