Use black for white....

Mmmm. Black tooth polish.

My other job....

Only on Bank Holiday weekends

May it rain....

Just when we thought summer was here

Wicker, man!...

....Picked up this beautiful handmade wicker
stool from my local Bangladeshi shop.


just one example from the three that I
actually bought



old strips of car tyre nailed to the underside of the stool

Birthday feast....

....Jo's celebration on Eurovision night led to familiar scenes -
a huge, beautiful dinner cooked solely by her. Thank you!


set up


eat up

A golden find....

....Had fish & Chips last night in a beautiful little art
deco cafe in Marylebone - The Golden Hind.
The food was great and you can bring your own booze
which is always a bonus. The setting, friendly service
and banter reminded me of another favourite haunt,
E.Pellicci on Bethnal Green Road.


Tatty, yet inviting entrance


Art Deco side board and clock lurking in
the background


A meal fit for Queens

If you own a bike....

....don't take it anywhere near the Prince George
pub on Parkholme Road, Dalston E8.
In recent weeks friends and I have had the following
stolen between us: 1 complete bike, 3 Brooks saddles,
1 break lever / pads, 1 headset. These were all locked
up, but it seems thieves are targeting this area, (and
the Prince Arthur round the corner on Forest Road),
so steer clear. Oh, and the pub is shit anyway.


Should be www.fancyabike.com

Ruth & Andy....

....have come to London for the weekend.
Last night Alicia and I, Jessica & David,
Aimee & Aide joined them for dinner and
(many) drinks.


Jess, Ruth, Andy, David


Aimee, Ruth, Jess


Andy, Roy, Aide


Lic & Roy

Eye spy....

....Alicia finishes her final year at Camberwell
College of Art next week. One of her final
projects is this spy watch, housing a tiny
periscope for spying upon the unaware.

Wendy Fixie....

....Alicia convinced her mum to go on a
bike ride. After a stint on the BMX, Wendy
attempted the fixed wheel - with
surprisingly convincing results.

Devon is in Islington....

....Went to see Texan country singer Devon Sproule at
Union Chapel, Upper Street on Thursday. The setting was
beautiful, but wooden pews don't make for a comfortable
two hours! Sproule was great, her music bettered only by
her inane, humorous rambling between songs.

Guerrilla Gardeners....

....Today some work colleagues and I helped
landscape a Hackney school garden for charity.
AMV regularly fundraise for the Kids Company
to help under privileged kids.
With the supervision of gardener proper,
Charlie, we made small inroads in to what is a
mammoth task for the school.


plants selected


digging underway


disused lockers turned in to flower troughs


the gardener's vintage wheels

Last Weekend....

....was spent


with late night beer and noodles


with drinks aboard a boat on the Thames


playing tennis


laughing at Paul attempting to ride a bike

End of football season....

....No, not the Premiership, but the City & Islington
Midweek League. The (currently) rather badly named
Tornados, for whom I play, rounded off a miserable
season with a team curry and Awards Ceremony.


Team selection


Rohan the winner


Doggy bag

New bike....

....for me. It's a British track frame from the 60s.
Can't wait to build it up and get out under the sun.


fancy frame work


fancy lug work

Costa Riga....

Rich and Anne are away. And here's the evidence.





See more of Richie's adventure's on his blog.

Shrigley's thoughts....

Arty....

....farty. A couple of other pics from the weekend:


London Trocadero


Southbank

Bank Holiday Weekend....

....was spent mostly eating ice cream and riding bikes
in the glorious sunshine. (About time too!)

Oh dear....

London Mayor....

Being a Londoner, I took the opportunity
to vote in the Mayoral Elections yesterday.
Much fuss has been made in recent weeks
over who would be elected between Boris
and Ken, (no surnames needed.)
I'm pretty sure most people will have voted
tactically - I certainly did. I know I
couldn't bare Boris Johnson to get the job,
yet I'm not massively taken with Ken either.
So I went Green Party, then Ken - second
votes count and I just pray that the latter
gets the most....for London's sake!

Another thing I ffffound....

A little bit of feel good....

On Tuesday I was at a Jamie Lidell gig with 'Lic, Ed,
Lorenzo and Rob. Great night, if a little Butlins-esque
at times, but when he got down to what he does best -
samples, loops, beatbox etc - he was brilliant.
£3.70 for a warm can of beer though? Not brilliant!