I ♥ L O N D O N

photos by Alistair McAskill
1 - St Paul's Cathedral made a bloody nice backdrop no?
2 - The couple on the left are my favorite dancers to watch.
3 - That's me dancing with Peter, loving London and loving Lindy!

and ... I ♥ L I N D Y H O P

Last Friday was Black Cotton Club. After dancing at the club a very clever lady organized dancing on The Millennium Bridge. Sometime after 4am as dawn was breaking we were moved along by the police. We got as far as Tate Modern - the end of the bridge before setting up again!
And the set-up was impressive - those in the know about decks, speakers and generators to run them on would not have scoffed!

So my next posts are likely to involve swing dance. Have been master planning a wee publication - working title (in my head) The London Lindy (will do as it says on the tin!)

Bad Blogger Lindy Hopper

six months ago i started lindy hopping. before that i was already a bad/infrequent blogger, now i would say i am a bad/pathetic blogger.

have plans to upload some new work, but it all needs tweeking! the above footsteps element are from some posters i have been working on. funny that they should have a dance feel!

i seriously cannot wipe the smile off my face that lindy has put there! i am sure some would like to smack it off!






















there's me dancing with some men in stripes - always a good thing!

anne and kerry in london and cc in athens (very proud my preaching has gone international) are some victims (who i can link!) of my lindy recruitment policy.

now, if you think that you might just like lindy, and things 'don't mean a thing, if they ain't got that swing' i truly urge you to SIGN UP NOW!

THE PAPER CINEMA

Met up with Gemma the producer of 'Ode' last night - she had spotted 'The Paper Cinema' and thought of me! So glad she did. I think that the illustrations must change for different shows as the ones last night were not as good as the ones on the website. But the live aspect still makes for a nice show. Afraid I couldn't get any decent pictures. But there were two people sitting in front of a video camera which fed to a projection of the little cut outs they waved in front of it! All with live music too!

Then to The Ten Bells for a drink!

OH WHAT A LOVELY WAR!

last night the blitz party was a blast... lots of men in uniform, nice shoes, good hair, spitfire beer, war wound comparisons, union jacks, sandbags (actually filled with balloons) lindy hopping old movies 'oldschool bbc' standard english, NICE PEOPLE!

PAUL BOWER. a man to know, admire and remember!

my talented friends new website!
www.paulbower.co.uk

i am pretty happy with my finnish horseshoe fortunes this year:
a fella on a horse
a dancing couple (confirming that my lindy hop infatuation is set to get stronger)
the third didn't photograph too well, but it was BIBLICAL! demons, creatures and strange figures that mean adventure in my eyes!

if you don't know the tradition it is well worth getting to know...
a real mix of magic, superstition and alchemy is the right start for new years eve, or anytime in the early new year.
i made a feeble google search and no great descriptions seem to be forthcoming. will have to document the process properly next year.

but a wee breakdown for you...

specially bought tin horseshoes (i stock up every year at the finnish christmas fair)
are melted one at a time over a fire in a pan.
once it has melted and looks like mercury you quickly pour it into a large pot of cold water.
it cools immediately so you can take it out with you hands straight away.
then you turn the lights off and hold it in front of a candle by a wall.
the rest is up to your imagination..

THE O'SULLIVAN SISTERS

it has now become tradition for riona and i to snap a shot for christmas,
here is one of the more serene stills!

PECULIAR

some work in progress to bridge the posting gap.
i had some fun on the stairwell with spray paint and stencils, have not used it since college - strong stuff that gets everywhere! well it did with this incompetent user. hehe!

the film is quite colourful so they will eventually be tinted accordingly..

PIE OF THE DAY

i was an oxford day tripper today!
visiting my lovely old housemate serena and her husband marco, who have recently been lured back to this island kingdom.
picture of the day for me was the pie of the day
it was a serious pie!
i actually only took one other picture and it did not do oxford justice, perhaps some days are meant to be remembered not recorded...

stewie and gene

the balboa was impressive dear anne,
but i watched family guy last night, and this has touched my heart!