Subscribe:
RSS feed
Stories, snapshots and sneak peeks of life in and around the streets of London.
Browsing All Posts filed under »Under the Spotlight«
On the trail of Douglas Adams
If you’re a Douglas Adams (1952 – 2001) fan – and let’s face it, who isn’t? – here are some London locations you can visit. A low-cost, sci-fi literary pilgrimage, if you will. Don’t forget your towel. And, above all: Stop 1 – Hotblack Desiato Trading since 1979, the Hotblack Desiato real estate agent has offices in […]
Adults in wonderland: Forbidden Planet
June 10, 2011
I’ve popped into Forbidden Planet on Shaftsbury Avenue countless times over the last several years, and have never seen it even remotely empty. It would have to be among the most successful adult stores in London, although its wares are for the most part G-rated. Did I say “adult store”? That’s right, for the average age of […]
Hampstead Heath & Kenwood House
May 28, 2011
Kenwood House, a stately home and art gallery managed by English Heritage, sits on the edge of Hampstead Heath in north London. The original house dates from the 17th century but has undergone many additions and changes, including a remodelling by architect Robert Adam (1728 – 1792) in the 18th century. The Adam Library (below) is probably the […]
The London Stone – a Roman relic, or just a rock?
May 15, 2011
There is a myth that the London Stone was once part of an altar built by Brutus of Troy, descendant of Aeneas and founder of London. There is even a proverb to go with this story: “So long as the stone of Brutus is safe, so long shall London flourish.” The stone is thought by some to […]
Spitalfields – visual feast & cultural pot pourri
May 2, 2011
In Spitalfields, racks of vintage dresses jostle for space with chain stores and bespoke retailers. A thriving Bangladeshi community buzzes alongside 17th and 18th century Huguenot silk weavers’ terrace houses. Narrow lanes lead to edgy art galleries and old-style pubs. A Christian church, a mosque and a synagogue all stand within a few blocks of each […]
See them down in Soho Square…
April 26, 2011
Last week we took a walk through vibrant Soho Square in west London. Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe immortalized the square in their song “Why Can’t the English?” from the musical My Fair Lady: …Hear them down in Soho Square, dropping “h’s” everywhere, speaking English any way they like… Like all of early London, this land […]
The Josephine Hart Poetry Hour
April 16, 2011
The Josephine Hart Poetry Hour has become something of an institution in London. Running for many years in various locations and guises, it settled into its current home at the British Library in 2004, where readings are now held roughly once a month. Josephine Hart (below), an author with a background in the publishing world, hosts […]
Bloomsbury Bytes
- Dirty Wars: Jeremy Scahill @ Doughty St May 16, 2013
- In Search of Classical Greece April 3, 2013
- View of the week: UCL’s Institute of Making March 16, 2013
December 17, 2011
3