July 2020 – slightly weird

30th July 202030th July 2020

One of those everyday walks to Dalston?

Thursday, 30 July 2020

I have a plan to take little corners of the local area and explore them with my camera. They aren’t likely to be things or places I’ve never blogged about before, but this is my exploration radius now.

Yesterday I was meeting two friends outside in Dalston, so I gathered a list of things I needed to do and buy and off I went.

Route — My route. If anyone knows how to just draw a line without all the external stuff, let me know!

Sandringham Road is opposite my flat and goes up to Dalston, where it stops. Along the way there are historical and older parts, and the council buildings – houses mostly but some flats. It’s residential until you reach the top, where there are a few cafes and you are facing the Rio Cinema.

First stop - the Donk — My first stop was to see the Donk wall art again. I like the idea it’s in my neighbourhood on a wall that was crying out for something

St Mark’s Rise is an interesting point along Sandringham Road. Its name is taken from the very large church at the corner, St Mark’s.

From Wikipedia – St. Mark’s Church: St. Mark’s is a large Victorian church primarily built in the period 1864–66 to a design by Chester Cheston. It is reputedly the largest parish church in London, larger than Southwark Cathedral, capable of hosting congregations of 1800-2000 people[12] and its great size has earned it the nickname, the “Cathedral of the East End””. The residential area around the church is also of high architectural quality and has accordingly been designated the “St. Mark’s Conservation Area”.

This seems to be another spot where there’s a lot to be learned, just a couple of minutes’ walk away.

The Vicarage — St Mark’s Vicarage. Romantically, I’ve dreamed of living in such a warren of a house – at least that’s how I think of it

St Mark's Church — St Mark’s Church, constructed in the Early English Gothic style between 1864 and 1880. This very large church has a unique feature on the tower – a turret barometer, the only one in England and perhaps the only working one in Europe.

The view along St Marks Rise — I always look towards Independent Place, the complex where my sister rented while staying nearby. There must be history of this complex but I haven’t found it yet

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22nd July 202023rd July 2020

Summer in the City

Sunday, 19 July 2020

On Sunday morning, Krish brought up the idea of getting on a bus and going somewhere. He said maybe it would be quiet on the buses and we could wander around The City on a peaceful day. The City is dead out of office hours as a rule but surely now it would be even deader. I thought about it for a little while and then said yes, let’s go.

We took the 242, which goes along Kingsland Road, then turns down Commercial Street at Shoreditch High Street Station. We sailed past a very splendid new Dan Kitchener geisha art piece but stayed on until we went one more stop, where the crowd – if there is one – will have dissipated. And out we got.

We walked back a little bit to Christ Church, where I’d seen a cattle trough. I’ve taken lots of photos of the church but this time it was the trough and drinking fountain that caught my eye. The church itself was the first of three that Hawksmoor built between 1714-1729 and for me, it’s the landmark that dominates the area.

The trough and fountain are lovely. They were put there by the Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle Trough Association, set up in London during the 19th century to provide free drinking water.

a drinking fountain and cattle trough installed by the Metropolitan Cattle Trough and Drinking Fountain Association.

A drinking fountain and cattle trough outside Christ Church, Spitalfields — A drinking fountain and cattle trough installed by the Metropolitan Cattle Trough and Drinking Fountain Association outside Christ Church, Spitalfields

Red phone box — There aren’t so many red phone boxes left and most have no phones inside or are used by the homeless. This one is pretty derelict

Art at Christ Church, Spitalfields. These two have been here a long time undisturbed

We decided to get off the main street to head towards The Gherkin. I’ve walked along Toynbee Street many times but never past Middlesex Street. We saw very few people, but there were a few stalls set up at the top near Commercial Street.

Mambow facade on Toynbee Street — On the old and crumbling street, Mambow restaurant was a very pretty sight

Past Middlesex Street, Old Castle Street — Past Middlesex Street, Toynbee Street becomes Old Castle Street and the new is crowding out the Old. Along here are some buildings belonging to the London Metropolitan University

Old Wash Houses — I had somehow never seen the facade of these old wash houses. They were originally Whitechapel Public Baths, built in the 1850s, and now housing the Frederick Parker Collection

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17th July 202017th July 2020

Christmas in July?

Friday, 17 July, 2020

Why Christmas in July? Is it that cold? Well, it has actually been quite cool up till today. We’ve even had the heat on sometimes, but today is a hot one, 27C – very warm for London. And I can’t open the window for some reason. It’s not too bad, though.

Well, see the last photo for the reason for the name of this blog entry.

I’ve taken some photos in the last few weeks so here goes with the mini stories behind them.

Duet — Two doors on what must have workers’ cottages on Seal Street or April Street, on the way to the doctor’s office. The owners of this land still have streets and areas named after them

Doctor's office — Inside the doctor’s office, gone are all the rows of chairs and instead there are some widely spaced chairs – maybe five in all. I sat alone waiting to see a doctor. The door was firmly closed and I was admitted after giving my name over the intercom, and instructed to use hand sanitiser on my way in.

Boiler repair — In the middle of a pandemic, a plumber visit is something else! Hours of sitting with a mask on, hoping he wouldn’t need to use the toilet (he did) and wondering if it was rude not to offer him a cup of tea.

It's the little things — The little things can make you smile. Like this marked down Cornish pasty that served as lunch that day. I love a bargain.

Not so distanced — Not everyone really cares about staying away from others. It’s worrying but almost heartening at the same time – looks so ‘normal.’

Continue reading “Christmas in July?”

17th July 202017th July 2020

I’m getting out a bit

Thursday, 16 July, 2020

Things can seem dire at times. Lockdown was eased up. Twice. Yet infections are rising. I get confused, decide they do what they want and it’s probably all arbitrary, but there’s nothing to do but follow my instincts and hope for the best. My instincts tell me to stay close to or at home whenever possible. No reason to do otherwise most of the time really. A few times, though, I have ventured out. Last week I even went outside of Hackney for the first time.

There doesn’t seem a lot to say either, since days blur into each other in terms of what I do and manage to achieve. However, I’m still taking photos and these remind me that life isn’t just one big Same Old Same Old after all. So let’s see where the photos take us.

This rare Victorian post (pillar) box is one of two in Stoke Newington. Stoke Newington is home to two rare hexagonal “Penfold” pillar boxes, which are Grade II listed. They are named after its designer John Wornham Penfold, and installed between 1866 and 1878. We found it on a longer walk than I’d planned back in the last days of June. While my legs weren’t happy, it was lovely to see some things I may have seen before but forgotten about.

Arabic text on house in Stoke Newington — I liked the lettering on this house near the pillar box. I need someone to translate it for me, though.

Cafe/Shop in Stoke Newington — I spotted some capers in this little shop and cafe. I also saw some great looking bread so I queued and got both.

Intrigued by the bee garden sign — I’ve meant to look into this, but the truth is that I have nowhere to plant the seeds. I love wildflowers and the idea of bees and beehives and honey, despite my fear of being stung

Eclectic shop in Stoke Newington — I’m always attracted to shops that do things like this. I think I’d like to this eclectic, this quirky, this surprising

Butterfield Green, hidden away — Butterfield Green, small and hidden away in the back streets of Stoke Newington

Homes on Church Walk — I like these houses on Church Walk, the pedestrian way with no homes opposite. It makes it feel like a secret

Allotments — We found allotments behind an iron barred fence. I’ve always wanted one but doubt I could manage it any more. I’d go for a rooftop terrace with some lovely planters full of herbs, some vegetables, and flowers. Happy!

Plaque in Newington Green — Choudhury is apparently a prolific Thai restaurateur and chef. I have yet to find out who Paulo Remedios is

No words — There are never any words for stories like this. Tragic pandemic loss of life and a beloved old cobbler shop at Newington Green

The cobbler shop — The Newington Green cobbler shop where Kamil Ahmet and his son, Ahmet Kamil, worked. They were both victims of Covid-19. The cobblers is in the oldest surviving terraced houses in London. Built in 1658, they are at 52-55 Newington Green

Continue reading “I’m getting out a bit”