Hidden London: Cheshire Street

Graffiti on a door in Cheshire Street, East London.

It's been awhile since I've posted about my beloved adopted city, so I figured to get back on track I would post about Cheshire Street - just off of Brick Lane - in East London. I'm not sure how 'hidden' it is, given the amount of market stalls and shops, but I'm guessing most tourists don't even know it's there.

It's easy to get caught up in the hubbub that is Brick Lane on a Sunday afternoon. But if you take a dive away from the curry houses, you are rewarded with stalls flogging everything from cheap underwear to £5 plimsolls. Fresh fruit is sold alongside tatty leather jackets and vintage shops line the street. It's a totally different vibe than West London - in fact, you feel like you're in a different country. The infamous Kray Twins once owned a pub there and Reggie Kray's funeral procession even went down the street.

You could easily spend the whole afternoon on that one grubby stretch. But curry fumes were calling, and eventually we succumbed...

Tip: Check out vintage shops I Dream of Wires and Beyond Retro.

Multi-Task? Me?

Back in my university days, I was the Queen of Multi-Tasking (if I do say so myself). I was a member of the university track team, the president of my sorority (yes, I know, laugh if you must) and had a part-time job in my last year. Not to mention my near-obsession with getting good marks (Type A and all that). I juggled everything without even thinking about it.

--End bragging--

I look back at my former self with awe, because now that I'm writing full-time I find my multi-tasking abilities have deserted me. I used to be able to go from running in a track meet, to studying for a Spanish exam, to chairing a meeting -- all with no problem. Now I can barely switch between two projects! Whatever has happened to me?

I like to think it's not me, it's the writing. Creating is all-absorbing, not to mention tiring. It's hard to immerse yourself so fully in one world, pull out to another, and then dip a toe back in. I'm finding I'm not able to dip a toe. I need to spend a few hours -- at least -- to do anything productive.

I admire those writers who can edit multiple projects at a time. But multi-tasking, for me, is not an option. I'd love to hear from other writers. Do you work on lots of different projects at the same time? Do tell!

Good Things Come in Strange Packages

The show is more well known for dancing dogs and other oddities, but this clip from 'Britain's Got Talent' proves that it's not debatable - Britain has got talent. It's just how it's packaged that's the problem.

Susan Boyle, 47, says she lives alone with her cat, has never been married and has never been kissed. She can barely string together a coherent sentence. Her dream to be a famous singer seems laughable -- until she opens her mouth. This clip is a firm reminder that talent can come in many shapes and sizes, and that sometimes dreams can come true.

Enough schmaltz for today! But watch the video - it is heartwarming.

Back to the (Blessed) Daily Grind

I may have mentioned before that I am a big fan of routine. Without my writing routine, I putter about aimlessly, waste time and find other, more interesting things to do -- like clean the kitchen floor, for example. I need routine to anchor me.

The past few days have been action packed with everything from Spring Awakening (brilliant, by the way) to tree climbing in Hyde Park (not recommended). But I still missed my routine -- my morning coffee at 7:30, daily tweeting and then settling down at my desk to being the daily slog (or flight) towards 3,000 words. The Easter 'holiday' brought home to me how much I really do love my writing life.

As my brain is still revving, I thought I'd share with you some photos from the past few days.

The stage before the start of Spring Awakening.

Cheshire Street, off of Brick Lane, East London.

Tower Bridge.

Turkish Delight at Spittalfields Market, East London.


Kensington Gardens. Note the added feature of steam rising from the forbidden pile.

Rowing on the Serpentine Lake, Hyde Park, where an offering of a mobile phone was made (involuntarily) to the goddess of the lake.

The monstrosity that is the Egyptian Escalator at Harrods.

No Sign of Life

I'd love to post a witty and amusing update on my London Easter, but unfortunately I'm brain-dead from a weekend of speaking in French and pidgin Arabic. My brain is currently resetting and regularly scheduled programming will recommence tomorrow.

Happy Easter!

The next few days will be packed with houseguests from Egypt, France and the North (hey, it's like another country up there anyway!), so I likely won't have time to post until Tuesday.

So... Happy Easter! Have a great long weekend.

WAG #6: The Results

The theme for the Writing Adventure Group #6 was “Overheard”.

Don’t forget! The Writing Adventure Group is on Facebook. Join us there too, and get weekly reminders so you never miss an adventure.

And the results are...

How to Join the Writing Adventure Group
Cora Zane
Adam Heine
Christine Kirchoff
Nancy J Parra
Mickey Hoffman
Sharon Donovan
Iain Martin
Criss
Lulu
Jon Strother
Marsha
Carol

Next week’s Writing Adventure:

WAG #6: Imaginings. This one is people-watching with a twist. Observe a stranger and sketch a brief background for them, including a secret. Then describe why they are in that particular place at that particular time (where you ran into them) and how it will affect their future. Feel free to be creative, but don’t forget to describe the concrete reality that made you pick them in the first place! (Thank you to Christine Kirchoff for this week’s WAG topic!)

Post the results on your blog, and read this post about the group for information on how to notify me so your post will be properly included in next week’s list. (Note, please include WAG #7 in the subject heading and tell me how you want your name to appear please!)

Deadline: next Tuesday, April 14th.

WAG #6: Overheard

In all the excitement of last night's UFO, I forgot (gasp) to do my WAG! This week's assignment was to write about a conversation you overheard.

The following conversation takes place between a young couple, standing on top of the Pillow Mound and staring up at White Horse Hill. They have strong Essex accents (think Vicki Pollard but from Essex) and disgruntled expressions.

Man (shielding his eyes): Is that it?

Woman: That bloody well better not be it.

Man: We've been had. That's not a horse. That's a bleeding squiggle.

Woman: What the F$&^? It looks like a McDonald's logo.

Man: Stupid Iron Age.

Woman: Maybe they had different horses back then?

Man casts Woman a withering look and they toddle down the Mound.

Man (half-way down the Mound): I wonder if they had beer?

Unidentified Foreign Object

The Man arrived home today with a lovely, squidgy package he received from a client in Rome. Wrapped in green foil, we prodded and poked it as we debated what it could be. Cheese? Coffee? Chocolate? Our minds whipped through the possibilities like kids grabbing candy at a sweet shop.

'I think it's a soft toy,' The Man said, trying to downplay our expectations.

'Naw.' I was sure any self-respecting Italian would never give someone a soft toy. It must be something to eat. Something delicious.

Sniffing the air for clues, we tore open the wrapping. Only to reveal...

OK, so it's a bad picture. But the reality isn't any more illuminating. Is it cake? Is it bread?

We squinted at the tag to try to shed some light. Of course, it's in Italian.

So there it sits, forlornly, on the table.

Our own little UFO.

The Voices Inside My Head

Re-reading Stephen King's On Writing, I came across a sentence that really rang true for me. The first draft, we write to tell ourselves the story. The second draft, we tell others the story.

Right now, I'm 55,000 words into a first draft of a novel. I have no idea how it's going to end! My protagonist has a choice to make. I know what I'd like her to do; I'm just not sure if it's right for her. I tried to plan the whole novel before I started writing, but I didn't feel like I knew her well enough to make the decision. I still don't, but I'm edging closer. I hope by the time I reach that point, she'll do it for me.

Sound schizo? It is, in a way. Characters tend to do things that you never suspected; that you didn't even know they wanted to do. Sometimes when I'm writing, I think: Where did that come from? I love that feeling, as if they're alive and exercising their control.

Ah, the voices inside my head. Am I telling myself the story, or are they telling it to me? (Hums the theme to the Twilight Zone...)

London Today

Kensington Gardens.


Vicarage Gate, W8.

What Day is it Again?

It's finally spring in London. Leaves are tentatively unfurling; pale winter skin braves the soft sunshine. As I shimmied down the street to the local M&S for my evening meal (yes, my life is just that exciting), I noticed my local pub was so full, punters were spilling out onto the street. What's going on? I thought. Then, I remembered: it's Friday.

Remember those delicious days during the summer when you were young? The days that just passed by, unremarkable except for perhaps a rain shower here or a thunderstorm there? Without a reason to leave the house for anything except play, there was no need to know a Monday from a Wednesday.

Without a 'regular' job now, there is seldom anything to mark the difference for me between weekday and weekend. When I was in the corporate world, each day was duly counted off until the wonderful Friday arrived. Friday night was the height of bliss, knowing that two whole days of freedom lay ahead; Sunday night was the depths of gloom, for coming quickly was another heavy week to struggle through.

Now, every morning when I wake up, I feel a trace of that holiday-like excitement. I have the whole day to do what I want --write! Who cares what day it is? Although not every day is a joy (and sometimes I want to bang my head against my desk until an idea falls out), at least I am in control of me and my life -- no matter what day it is!

**I reserve the right to retract this post at any time in the future, should I feel the urge to return to the corporate world. Well, you never know!**

WAG #5: The Results

The theme for the Writing Adventure Group #5 was “Life in Motion”.

Don’t forget! The Writing Adventure Group is on Facebook. Join us there too, and get weekly reminders so you never miss an adventure.

How to Join the Writing Adventure Group
Cora Zane
Iain Martin
Christine Kirchoff
Nancy J Parra
Sharon Donovan
Nixy Valentine
Lulu
Jon Strother
Marsha Moore

Next week’s Writing Adventure:
“WAG #6: Overheard” Another people-watching exercise this week! This time, let’s listen! Choose a stranger and do your best to overhear what they say, and then write it down. It can be on the phone, to someone else, or even them talking to themselves. What does their voice, word choice, or tone tell you about them? Feel free to write their exact words OR write it as you would for fictional dialogue.

Post the results on your blog, and read this post about the group for information on how to notify me so your post will be properly included in next week’s list. (Note, please include WAG #6 in the subject heading and tell me how you want your name to appear please!)

Deadline: next Tuesday, April 7th.

Happy Birthday - Not to Me!

Nothing comforts me more than friends joining me in my current age. One week after turning the tender age of 35, my best friend J has her birthday -- today! We met in Grade Ten biology class and forged a friendship through the gruesome dissection of worms, mussels and Herman the Crayfish.



J and me in Berlin, a trip infamous for Italian dentists, cigarillos and grumpy Polish taxi drivers.



J on her trip to visit me in Wroclaw, Poland.

Despite the fact that we've never lived in the same city for longer than four years since Grade Ten, we've somehow managed to stay friends across continents and through boyfriends who have come and gone.




Our empty glasses at Tate Modern during J's recent visit to London.

I feel blessed to have such an awesome friend in my life.

S0 -- Happy 35th Birthday, J! (And yes, I had to put the age in!)

WAG #5: Life in Motion

The assignment:
Sometimes it’s good to approach writing like taking a photograph with words. On the other hand, it’s important to remember that a scene is always in transition. For this week’s adventure, sit in a good observation spot and notice how the scene in front of you changes from one minute to the next. Has the light changed? The sounds? The people? What’s different now compared to when you first arrived? Is there anything you can see (or hear, smell, etc) that is changing right in front of you? Be creative and break the rules! This week is all about change!

My attempt:

For once, the street is empty. No cars, no buses -- no people, even. Is the whole city sleeping? Have Londoners succumbed to smog sickness? The eerie emptiness makes me uneasy.

I stare. Nothing moves. Even the clouds are fixed in the grey sky. The leaves are immobile, hanging limply in the heavy air.

A gust of wind. A plastic bag takes flight. It wheels and dances in a bird-like parody before crashing to the pavement.

The street regains its cement-fixed stillness.

Weekend in Oxfordshire!

One of the colleges, Oxford University.

After two blissful days skipping through the fields of the English countryside, I'm back in London and swamped with things to do. Novels to finish, novels to revise, projects to outline... It's all good, though -- I actually like a little bit of stress to spur me along. All that to apologise for my lack of bloggery yesterday!

The Man and I had a great weekend. The weather held out (for the most part -- the only time it rained was when we were in the car driving to the B&B). The last time we were in Oxford it poured all day, so we were pleasantly surprised to see some blue sky on our walking tour around the city.

Oxford University Press Bookstore.

The Man dances a happy jig in the sun (on the way to the pub).

Our bed and breakfast, Brook Barn, was spectacular. A converted barn, it was cozy and inviting.


Mezzanine level, Brook Barn.

The Stable, our bedroom.

After a full English breakfast (I won't get into the merits -- or lack thereof -- of black pudding), we took advantage of the sunny morning to play croquet (I won). Then, we headed off to Uffington to see the legendary White Horse. Drawn on the side of a hill by the Iron Age people, the horse was created by digging trenches and filling in the trenches with white chalk. Yes, they were just that crazy. Even crazier (and totally unknown to us) is the fact that you can only really see the silly thing from the air. We spent hours of fun climbing the side of the steep hill to see where the whole horse might actually be visible. The answer: it's not. Ah well, at least we burned off the breakfast!

Unidentified horse part.

White Horse Hill.

Leaving London - For the Weekend, Anyway

London has a way of sucking you in, like a giant Hoover whose grip you can't break. With everything so readily available, you tend to forget there's a world outside the greater London area - a world with trees! Cows! Sheep! People who don't need to wear make-up to go to the delicatessen where they'll pay £10 for some organic bread!

This weekend, the Man and I have decided to flee the city and head for rural Oxfordshire - about an hour's drive away (however, as The Man is from Cairo and drives like it, for 'normal' drivers, it may take twice as long). We are both firmly city dwellers, but with my semi-rural roots, I often long for open spaces and greenery that isn't cultivated to within an inch of its life.

We'll spend the day in Oxford and then head to our luxury bed and breakfast. If the weather holds, we want to do a cycling route around the Ridgeway, an old Iron-Age trek used during ancient times.

Wish us weather luck! Have a great weekend - see you on Monday.

Go Boy! Obscure MEP Socks it to Gordon Brown

A member of the European Parliament takes Gordon Brown to task on the current state of the economy in crisp, clear Etonian style. I have to admit, I was slightly distracted by his very bad tie (yes, I know, think what you may of me!).

Hidden London: Kensington Church Walk

This fifty metre stretch is one of my favourites in London. And even better, it's in my neighbourhood! I always try to walk through there whenever can. With its old-school shops - miles away from the chain gang on High Street Kensington - you could almost believe you're back in the 1700s when Kensington was the 'royal village'.

The first part of Church Walk - off of Holland Street. Image courtesy of RduJour

Church Walk runs from Holland Street (just off of Kensington Church Street), behind St Mary Abbott's Church, through Alec Clifton Taylor Gardens and finally finishing at High Street Kensington.

Flowers in bloom last weekend in Alec Clifton Taylor Gardens. Yes, that is a tombstone.

St Mary Abbott's church and cloister.

St Mary Abbott's back door.

WAG 4: The Results

Thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes yesterday (yes, I take every opportunity I can to remind people of my birthday !). I'm feeling a bit fragile this morning after the celebrations, so without further ado, here is a round-up of this week's Writing Adventure Group:

This week’s theme was “Do You Hear What I Hear?”.

Don’t forget! The Writing Adventure Group is on Facebook. Join us there too, and get weekly reminders so you never miss an adventure.

How to Join the Writing Adventure Group
Cora Zane
Christine Kirchoff
Sharon Donovan
Iain Martin
Mickey Hoffman
Lulu
Marsha Writes
Jesse Blair
Carol
Aunt Sally
Nancy Parra
Jon Strother

Next week’s Writing Adventure:

WAG #5: Life In Motion
Sometimes it’s good to approach writing like taking a photograph with words. On the other hand, it’s important to remember that a scene is always in transition. For this week’s adventure, sit in a good observation spot and notice how the scene in front of you changes from one minute to the next. Has the light changed? The sounds? The people? What’s different now compared to when you first arrived? Is there anything you can see (or hear, smell, etc) that is changing right in front of you? Be creative and break the rules! This week is all about change!

Deadline: next Tuesday, March 31st.

A big thank you (and a giant donut with extra sprinkles) to the Lovely Nixy Valentine for organising the group.