Georgian Stepney

Which side of the street to do you choose to look at...

This is my latest outlook on life, along the lines of is the glass half full or empty. In my quest to not get sucked into the English doom and gloom machine, and living in what can be a gloomy wintery East end with horrific 60's council flats, I choose to focus on the historic Georgian terraces that many people pass by. Often facing an estate, like many interesting London buildings you could easily pass them by if you didnt take time to stop and look. Much of Stepney was unfortunately bombed quite badly, such as the street my Dad grew up on, but many fine buildings remain.

On my way to the tube from home and just round the corner I pass Stepney Green, the street after which the tube was named and the most desirable one in the area, fronted by a cobbled lane and gardens Also a Peabody Trust late Victorian housing estate building. The Peabody trust was set up in the area and there are many housing estates in London from this period that have loads of character and are lovely places to live if you are lucky enough to get on the list and get mega cheap period living. Sadly in later decades architects almost seemed to out do each other for the sheer ugliness of their mass housing projects.

On the Mile End road itself you have another couple of fantastic buildings that im sure most people walk past without giving a thought. Peering through the foliage clad gates of one to its tumble down steps, reminds one of the house in Great Expectations. Actually if you squint at some of the streets you could picture Dickensian London quite easily. Also on the Mile End / Whitechapel road you have Trinity Square - Alms houses from the late 1600's. The proposed demolition of which in the 1800's caused the start of the listed building program in England. Just next door is a memorial to William Booth, this was where the Salvation army started.

In the other direction towards Limehouse, across the park, you have Arbour Square, which could easilly have been used in period dramas, still retaining gas lamp style street lighting and build round a beautiful square. Again on one side the orginal buildings didnt make it, but in this case at least the Estate is 30's deco rather than 60's mass ugliness. Across the other side of Commercial road is yet another beautiful Georgian square.

So what do you choose to focus on when you wander around your area - the good, the bad or the ugly? Sometimes even the Ugly has a certain charm. Ive chucked in a crumbly down East end pub on the end of this slideshow. I think it has a certain character even if theres a good chance it had a Kray twin or two in it at some point!.

Brick Lane

Brick Lane by Monica Ali

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Reading the majority of reviews of this it does seem that the popular opinion is not great despite the critics praise. I think it had a particular resonance for me as I've recently moved into the area. I know these streets now and being predominantly Bangladeshi I found it an interesting fictional insight into these communities. Im generally not a fan of harsh grim gritty miserable novels. Although theres certainly no glamour in this, theres a lot of warmth of character and moments of humour in the dialogue. I loved the characters. In the movie the husband was not a sympathetic character at all really. In the book though my affection for him increased as Nanzeens did. His predictable lectures and commentary became quite endearing. Others have mentioned an unsatisactory ending. I have to say it did somehow fall a bit flat. There was so much build up of tension towards what would eventually happend that in the end it seemed like a little bit of an anticlimax tacked onto the end. I will always have a fondness for this book now as much for the novel itself as for the memories of this chapter of my London life it will stir up when i notice it on my shelves in the future.



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Festive Britain

So Christmas is over and its back to work tomorrow, albeit just for 3 days and it should be pretty quiet. Heres a shot of the inside of my lovely offices with a bit of a sunset happening outside.






The Christmas season never seemed quite right in the sunshine for me, I took a wander along the Thames and took some night time shots the other week with everything feeling very festive



I did take a small dent in my determination not to be sucked into the English doom and gloom machine when the cold and snow was at its worst, and when i took a cheapy flight to Faro in Portugal and managed to spend the whole time in a hotel room with a nasty stomach bug and flu all at once, but a Christmas weekend with Sharon in front of the telly with lots of food has set me back on track again!

More Froth and Nonesense

Emma by Jane Austen

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The Wonderful thing about an Austen is that to be honest not a great deal actually happens, but yet it manages to remain entertaining. What I like to call frothy nonesense. Its all Bonnets at Dawn and Whos scheming to marry who to who, who fallen head over heels but has ideas above their station, who looks down on everyone but has the manners of a cart horse, who needs a good lie down or a turn around the garden etc etc.

Austens dialoge is superb and very entertaining.. Her hypochondriac father is a favourite :

"A man," said he, "must have a very good opinion of himself when he asks
people to leave their own fireside, and encounter such a day as
this, for the sake of coming to see him. He must think himself a most
agreeable fellow; I could not do such a thing. It is the greatest
absurdity--Actually snowing at this moment!--The folly of not allowing
people to be comfortable at home--and the folly of people's not staying
comfortably at home when they can!..."

And another example of her wit and way with words

"Some change of countenance was necessary for each gentleman as they walked into Mrs Westons drawing room - mr Elton must compose his joyous looks, and mr John Knightly disperse his ill humour. Mr Elton must smile les, and mr John Knightly more, to fit them for the place - Emma only might be as nature prompted, and shew herself just as happy as she was. "

And more entertaining nonesense :

"Emmas very good opinion of Frank Churchill was a little shaken the following day, by hearing that he was gone off to London, merely to have his hair cut. A sudden freak seemed to have seized him at breakfast, and he had sendf for a chaise and set off intending to return to dinner, but with no more important vie that appeared than having his hair cut. There was certainly no harm in his travelling sixteen miles twice over on such and errand; but there was an air of foppery and nonesense in it which she could not approve."

Mrs Bates never shuting up and finishing a scentece and Mrs Eltons stuck up mutton dressed as lamb were other favourites.

Emma herself is quite flawed - a total snob. But i find Austens books to be such a fascinating glimpse into another society. This really was how life was like amongst a certain set. It certainly has none of the gritty realism of Gaskell - -none of these folk have done a stroke of work in their lives, about as far as anyone will fall is to have to contemplate being a governess. But nonetheless its facinating to see the trials and tribulations of ladies in the country with nothing much better to do with themselves that visit each others houses and matchmake.

Its probably a four and a half - I wouldnt want any more of it, and you definately have to be in the mood for it, but i loved it none the less.



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Wintery London Adventures

My first morning heading up to Central London to report for work (one day late due to Anti government protesters!) was atmoshpericaly foggy - like a sherlock holmes novel.I could barely see the other side of the river as I walked across Vauxhall bridge.




My building is where that big tower is peeking out tof the mist in the pic to the right. Its Shared with the Conservatives on level 3 (I enjoy spotting toffee nosed Tory types as they get in the lift and guessing which floor they will disembark..somtimes i feel like waving a placard at em!)

Ive been loving the location, once i emerge like a canned sardine from my train..if i can position myself tactically close enough to the exit so i can get to it before the train leaves... then i have the River to cross, views of London that just get better as i get into my office. Its easy to be distracted when you can see the Union Jack flying off the top of the Houses of Parliament as your being trained!.






Lunchtimes have seen forays into the Tate gallery a few doors down, a lovely leafy square close by for sandwiches.albeit in the cold. And a lovely church square surrounded by Georgian terraces. (Remember you can click on any of the pics for close ups)



This morning i emerged from the house to be greeted by virgin snow on the driveway which caused a flurry of excitement! I saw snowflakes falling throughout most of the day from my offices and trudged through some mini drifts of it to get home. Chilly but fun!



It certainly feels like the right place for a Christmas Market by the riverside complete with chestnuts! Now Nat and I just have to find our dream home...

Waverley Cemetary Sydney

On my last afternoon in Sydney I took myself down to Waverley Cemetary with my book, it was sunny and i found a warm spot for a power nap in the grass and a read. Cemetraries are peaceful places I find. This one is a particularly historical one with a fine view over the sea.

A Polish bodice ripper

Push Not the River by James Conroyd Martin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I picked up a suitably bendy and well loved copy of this one at a good friends in Wales a little while book. Set amongts dramatic political changes in late 18th Century Poland at a similar time to the French Revolution, It is supposedly based on the real life diary of the main character which came into the hands of the author somehow via one of her descendants. A real life connection with Historical Fiction - asssuming the fiction is well researched is always a bit of a bonus. I went to Krakow a couple of months ago too so it was nice to have a Polish set read. Theres a suitably scandalous scheming second lead in the shape of Zofia, the cousin you love to hate. A great foil for the ever so slightly too goody two shoes Anna. All in all its a great period romp and quite an incredible life story even if only half of it were true.



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