Ghost sign: Leyton High Road

Hastening to Hastings

We had a splendid time by the sea in Sussex, oh, ever so long ago now. In between torrential squalls of rain, I took a few snaps of it's loveliness. Early July is already such a distant memory ...

Georgetown, Washington DC

City of dreaming spires

And one very cool house in Portobello Road. Pretty much anything looks good if you use Scrabble tiles...

Salamanca is

We've spent a splendid long weekend in Spain for the "boda" of a dear friend.

To me, Salamanca is:

An intensely romantic castle to stay in and celebrate in

Tapas in the Placa Mayor with friends-of-friends, who just became friends

A happy bride dancing to "You're The One That I Want" in red Converse

Churros y chocolate for the morning after the night before

Some serious Gothic architecture

And some rather less serious surprises!

We loved it! Felicidades a B y J - muchas gracias para invitarnos, fue un privilegio.

Northumbria holiday in pictures

We've been to the North-East for a little holiday at The Boy's mum's house.

We exercised our inner junkaholic, scrutinising car boot finds and doing a little antique-ing ourselves.

We found this sweet vintage camera in a thrift shop - and searched in vain online for a UK source of Kodak 126 film.

We looked up in Newcastle - isn't it great what you notice when you look up?

We admired art - on walls ...

and in these beautiful surroundings at Belsay Hall - a ruined castle ...

and a quarry garden!

We were startled and fascinated in equal measure by Mat Collishaw's 'The Garden of Unearthly Delights' zoetrope of creepy cupids smashing robins' eggs and spearing snails.

We ate a lot. From tapas to curry to birthday cake.

We chilled out, and enjoyed the last of summer.

(Thanks Carol!)

http://thisbutterflymind.blogspot.com/

In praise of Fifties architecture

On a bright sunny day - cold but crisp and clear, I found myself waiting at the bus-stop outside this fine example of municipal architecture.

Once, it was the telephone exchange for Walthamstow, but now it lies derelict.  I love the clean lines, the blocky font, the moulded concrete.  The bright blue sky and skeletal wintry trees help.

Looking at it, I feel nostaglic for a world that probably never really existed. A world where Skylon was the vision of the future and the everyday looked something like a Ladybird book illustration:

Image from Flickr: cardstore
Originally uploaded by --Marcus--

Now, here's a nice pipe dream: imagine rescuing the building and turning it into a house, full of long white walls, bright sunlight and Mid-Century Modern furniture. And maybe a roof terrace with bamboo and a deck.  Ah, well, I can dream...