still harvesting!

my purple beans are ready, so is the dahlia, sunflowers, mixed salad, spinach.....

latitude

a bit hard going with a little one and the weather not always kind but still a great laugh.... highlight? Grace Jones.

eastern parishes

A few images from a stroll from central London to Bethnal Green, by way of Brick Lane, last week.

I love how little Gina's cafe still sits next to the two most swanky hip establishments in the area (Beach Blanket Babylon and Les Trois Garcon).

The old cats in the red shoes were lovely, I wish I was bold enough to ask to take their image instead of this covert shot.

quiet

Sometimes life gets so flat out, and it is hard to get away from the quotidian. I have wanted to sit quietly in my chair at sunset with the window open, the flowers in my window box to admire and a book to read. Alone. For two years.

debden house

Meant to post these earlier - here is Debden House - went with muv and mates for two nights of near urban camping. Lovely spot and within the M25!

owwww!

Ashtanga yoga class after a boozy hiatus.... hobbled around Soho with chap, most pleasant. Melatti for a good cheap Malaysian, the French House - full of characters as ever and finally my new favourite the Black Gardenia. Good live music - crowd much thinner and less dressed up, but gins still generous. Achy yoga body and achy gin head.

abundance!

While the glorious weather has kind of disappeared I am having my first full season allotment harvest. In the last week: garlic and onions - enough to hang for autumn; potatoes; chard; spinach; radishes; beetroot; red currants - enough to make jam; gooseberries; strawberries; raspberries; artichoke - so many!; sugar snap peas; courgettes and my glorious dahlias are in flower. Added to which my wee garden has provided mint - 3 varieties; thyme; lemon thyme; oregano; chives; dill; parsley; tarragon. With all this greenery I made a fresh seasonal pasta.

Now that the ground has had a good soaking can I please have some more sun so my tomatoes, chillies; peppers and beans ripen!!

Aside from a glorious harvest in the allotment went out on Sat night with the mother. Fabulous Moroccan meal at La Menara. Highly recommend the tagines.

The usual brilliant cocktail at Lab, though I must note the clientele a bit younger, much more dressed down and the music way too loud and retro dance for expensive cocktails... will have to find somewhere new as can't be arsed screaming at someone next to me in a next to someone wearing denim and flip flops with and £8 drink.

then a bit of a "find" - was traipsing looking for the Dog & Duck was accosted by a lovely lass who led us to the Black Gardenia. Great 50s bongo combo, staff and crowd dressed to the nines mostly in a 50s style - although a flock of flappers arrived at around midnight.

a truly lovely evening, just past the longest day. in garden in shorts at 8.30.... harvested garlic, red currants, strawberries, raspberries, early potatoes, chard, spinach, leeks, artichokes, onions from the allotment this week.

long, long days

was have just passed the longest day. light from before 4am to nearly 11pm.... but the days will start to feel shorter in no time. depressingly winter clothes in the shops already! so tonight I sit in my lovely garden and sow some seeds.

hurrah - summer

lovely hot sunny day - and light from 4.30am - 9.40pm.

more images from east london

achingly chic

can Liberty get any more fabulous?

creativity on south bank

Guy bourdin exhibition

impressive as much for the exhibition space and design of exhibition - back lit images in a dark space with astro turf and fabbie chairs (excuse the blurry shot - I was growled for taking even that!). Love the glass house gift shop, dining space (in old power station) and that it was opposite the prospect of whitby so I could have a large g+t post show over looking the river.

east london

went to Guy Bourdin exhibition (more of soon) and decided to wander down to Shadwell/Wapping from Bethnal green as it was a stunning evening.

lovely wisteria

cycling to work I smell lovely wisteria and lilac and last of the blossoms...

dartmouth

more devon snaps...

Devon and Paddington Station.