kentish night scene

HAPPY THANKSGIVING. I am grateful for many things: family, friends, and London nights like these.

sunset

Sun setting on East London and the Docklands.

Dissertation

Though I genuinely enjoy my dissertation topic (writing about these), the fact that this is my view for roughly eight or nine hours straight each day is not really that great.

Check back over the next few days to see what I would be doing or seeing more of in these city if I didn't have a massive essay to write.

brand spanking new Banksy

Can't claim credit for this picture, but I didn't have my camera with me when my bus passed this brand new Banksy piece this morning.

It's a mere ten minute walk from my house and I first noticed it on my commute at around 10 AM. By the time I was walking home at 4, it had been featured on a number of London blogs (including Londonist, where I got this image) and there was a small group of onlookers and photographers gathered around it and taking pictures. Very interesting to see the progression of the piece from unknown to a major tourist draw in a mere six hours.

Click the location link below to see exactly where it is.

Kentish Town!

Phew! A quick break to catch our breath up in Kentish Town before heading back into the city for Royal Wedding madness.

I Kiss You

The Zabludowicz Collection recently installed this art exhibit at an out-of-business dry cleaner's near my flat.

This is I Kiss You by Tracey Emin (2004). There's a full exhibition from 10 March to 12 June just around the corner at 176 Prince of Wales Rd. Neat advertising strategy.

Lines

A bit of geometry in Kentish Town.

Signposts

More archival footage. From that Great December Snowstorm of 2010. It was a bit hard to find your way around...

Pub Sign #1

I think I'm going to start a pub signs series. This is a sign on a building near where I live but there isn't a pub there anymore. It's been converted into some rather odd-looking flats. I can't quite imagine living in an old pub, chopped up into separate rooms.

Snowfall

We had some wonderful snowfall in London over the last few days, something that apparently doesn't happen too often. As a transplanted Midwesterner, this snow has been a real godsend. There's already a foot or so back home and I was starting to worry I'd have to wait until my trip home to see some flakes. But, happily, the weather gods took pity on me and I've been in an unspeakably good mood for the last few days as a result.

How can you dislike something that makes even my relatively ho-hum north London neighborhood look like whispered poetry?

Community garden

Community garden in Kentish Town. I couldn't figure out how you get involved, but seems like a great way to get some fresh vegetables. Reminded me that I once heard Britons were at their healthiest during wartime rationing: very little red meat, no butter, less sugar, lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. Maybe we should reintroduce rationing? Hmmm...

Pigeons

Perhaps not the most interesting subject in the world, but I liked the way they were all lined up in a row.

Kentish Town Baths

There's an old bath in Kentish Town that has been recently refurbished and turned into modern gym facilities. The old signs reading "Ladies Baths," "Gentlemen's Baths," and "Second Class" are still there.