With your feet on the ground

I am forced to admit that, unless someone invents free,
instant transportation inside the next hour or so, I am not going to make it to this Films On Foot guided walk this evening.

Instead I plan on borrowing Movie London, by Tony Reeves - which is helpfully organised by area rather than by film - to use as my guide at some point in the future, when I'm less busy, and it's less freezing cold.

(If there are any of 'my'; students reading, it's just been added to the London Collection in the LUP Library.)

Olympic parade tomorrow

Ah - so that's what they're building the big stage for in Trafalgar Square.

Murder by numbers, one, two, three

In an emergency, call 999.

I remember being taught that, over and over, in infant school, junior school, in the brownies (our required uniform pocket contents included two 10p coins to make emergency phone calls with, even though 999 calls are free).

I also remember the first time I needed to put that piece of information into action - a road traffic accident in London I witnessed, when I was a post-grad student - and the moment of sheer disbelief when I was put on hold ...

The 999 teams do a phenomenal job, but there are only so many lines, so many call takers, so many crews that can be sent out. Unfortunately, some terrifying number of people have no real idea of what constitutes an emergency (note: ingrowing toenails, not being able to hear the tv, and needing to know what year the internet started are not emergencies.)

For health related 'I don't know what to do' moments, where the problem's probably not ambulance-worthy but you don't know what it is, NHS Direct has been doing sterling work for years now. (0845 46 47)

Now the London Met Police have launched a similar non-emergency single-point-of-contact number, so instead of having to find a yellow pages and look up your local police station, there's a (relatively) easy to remember phone number to call. 0300 123 1212

Here's hoping that both helps out the folks who need to contact the police that way, and frees up the 999 lines for genuine emergencies.

(See also http://www.neenaw.co.uk/ for a glimpse at life on the other side of the calls)

NHS Direct: 0845 46 47

London Met Police: 0300 123 1212

Gunpowder, treason, and plot

Planning ahead - Guy Fawkes Night, or Bonfire Night, is midweek this year, and it looks like there's a fair split of weekend before, on the 5th, and weekend after fireworks displays to take advantage of.

Time Out has started collecting details already, although neither Wanstead Flats (my local) or Woolwich Arsenal (for the most explosions) are listed yet, so it'll be worth checking back as we get closer to the 5th November.

In the dead of night

Chills in the Chapel - the Union Chapel's Halloween Horror season - is booking now. The Union Chapel is an active, working church, who use their fabulous listed Victorian gothic building (designed by James Cubbitt in the 1870's) to host live music, and other arts events to help restore the building and fun their work with the homeless.

This is a great opportunity to see some horror classics on the big screen, in a suitably spooky setting.

cause they're playing my favourite song

Passing this on, un-edited in any way, because The Holloways are fabulous. I'd love to be there, and I can't so - other people should go and enjoy!

WANT TO SEE THE HOLLOWAYS FOR FREE? (Over 18s Only)

SEE THE HOLLOWAYS AT PROUD CAMDEN courtesy of Intel

Intel, in association with Proud Camden, is giving you the chance to see The Holloways headline the sixth round of Intel Studio, the stage for unsigned artists, on 24th September 2008.  Doors open 7:30pm.

We're offering The Holloways' most loyal fans the chance to attend this intimate event, alongside two unsigned artists who are both vying for a record deal with one of the UK's top independent music labels on www.Intel.co.uk/studio.

Places are limited for this free gig , so get your name on the guestlist for this must-see event by sending your name,  e-mail address and how many spots on the list you need, to intelcompetitionwinners@hillandknowlton.com.  Please include 'Holloway Tickets' in the subject of your e-mail.

Any remaining spots will be filled by the first to the door on the night, and entry is free.

See you down the front!

Alfie, Rob, Bryn & Dave xx
www.the-holloways.com

It is written in the stars above

I know - two posts in a day, and this one not even London based. Tough.

This news makes me smile especially, because I was part of the chain of connections that took this book from the donation bins of an Oxfam bookshop, to becoming one of the jewels in Reading's collections, saving the book from being broken up, and raising a goodly sum of money for Oxfam's work at the same time.

Not a bad outcome for my putting my mum in touch with a friend of mine in Reading, really.

Understated is how we prefer to be

The Streets' fourth album, 'Everything Is Borrowed', is coming out on Monday - I linked to the free teaser track a couple of weeks back - and they're continuing to celebrate the free, with an instore show :

<I>On the day the album is released, Monday September 15th, The Streets will be playing a free instore show at HMV on Oxford Street in London at 6pm. There will no wristbands, just first come, first served mayhem. In other words, get there early. We're very much looking forward to experiencing the joys of a "go low" amongst the CD shelves.</i>

I won't be able to get there in time - I finish work just as they'll be starting - but people with more fluid schedules should take advantage.

I live by the river

Read Neverwhere! - Actually, this instruction is one I'd like to give more often, as Neil Gaiman's story of an alternate London is one of my all time favourite London books. As Harper Collins have kindly made it available as a free e-read for a month (download or online) I have a good excuse to do so today.

Richard Mayhew is an unassuming young businessman living in London, with a dull job and a pretty but shrewish fiancee. Then one night he stumbles upon a girl lying on the sidewalk*, bleeding. He stops to help her, and his life is changed forever.

Soon he finds himself living in a London most people would never have dreamed of - a city of monsters and saints, murderers and angels.

London-under-London is such a vivid and a rich place, and Neil's love of the city shines through so strongly - highly recommended.

* their blurb -- the word's pavement. Sorry.

one more step

It' a bit last minute, but this looks like both an enjoyable evening, and an excellent pair of causes:

Sunset Walk - 14 September - 5 miles - Central London

Don’t miss your chance to join this short stroll with a big heart a week on Sunday.

It’s your chance to take part in the season of Ramadan, making new friends as you walk and talk. It’s the most sociable and laidback fundraising you’ll ever do. We’re asking for a minimum of £50 per person to go towards food projects* around the world. And when the sun goes down, you’ll share a fabulously tasty meal at the London Central Mosque.

Sunset Walk: Sunday (5pm) 14 September 2008

Sign up by Tuesday 9 September :
http://www.oxfam.org.uk/get_involved/fundraise/sunset/

You’re more than welcome to turn up on the day and register but pre-registering is the surest way to guarantee your place - and saves our admin costs.

We’d love to see as many of you there as possible, so please pass this along to friends, family and colleagues who might like to join in.

* Money raised is split equally and goes towards both Oxfam and Muslim Aid projects.

Today is where your book begins

Londonist gets further behind the scenes at the British Library than I've ever managed.

And, by the most fragile of thematic links, I shall add the news that they've apparently made a musical out of one of my favourite children's books, The Tiger Who Came To Tea.

Free music:

Edinburgh-based electro band, Double Helix, are releasing their new album into the wild for free : http://www.audiodacity.co.uk/
I particularly liked Science Fiction (lyrics), and Copernican Shift

And, on a not unrelated note, the only-technically-from-London The Streets have a free teaser track up at the moment too : The Escape.

England's pleasant dreaming

Good - the Trafalgar Square Festival is back!

Less good - program is decidedly slim-line compared to past extravaganzas.

Good - looks like there's some really good stuff on the program* ( week 1 / 2 / 3)

Irritating - their website is a miracle of minimalism, which doesn't tell you which things are on on which day, or in which slot so you can, you know, turn up to see them.

Good - big screen of Olympic goodness in the square. 'Trafalgar square is like London's living room' is one of those phrases that you hear all the time, and it's pleasing to me when it turns out to be more-than-usually true.

* if I can figure out when, I'm interested in both the Olympic pieces, and in The Garden of Wonders, having missed them at Greenwich.

If you take a walk, I'll tax your feet

I've had a friend visiting from overseas these last few days, which always provides a great excuse to go and do the touristy stuff you otherwise don't get around to.

We did a lot of walking, and took advantage of several of the free things that London has to offer - museums, galleries, the events of the always fabulous Greenwich and Docklands Festival - but also decided to splash out on a couple of the pay-for tourist sights.

We had a lot of fun, and in the process I tripped over an unexpected bonus.

Both of the 'big ticket' sites we chose to spend our money on - the Tower of London and York Minster - ask that, if you're a British tax payer you gift-aid your entry fee so that they can claim back about 25% of the money from the Government. (I think, technically, you're making a donation of the same amount as, but in lieu of, the entrance fee...) As I am a British tax payer, and I'm very happy for both these historic buildings to get some extra cash, I paid for both me and my guest, and both times got a pleasant surprise - I now have a years worth of free entry into both buildings!

We certainly felt like we got our money's worth out of both buildings on the single days we were at each one, but the fact that I can now pop into the Tower to take a few photos and wander away again, or when I'm next in York, I can go into the Minster with a local friend* without either of us having to pay, is just a really nice extra.



* (Both the local councils have residents schemes, which make entrance either £1 or free, but I don't qualify for them at either site, despite the fact I walk past the Tower several times a week.)

In which Stephen Fry has very sensible things to say about the future of the BBC:

In a sense the nature of the BBC as it is, ‘gives permission’ to all
kinds of people to watch programmes they otherwise might not.
What is the alternative, a ghettoised, balkanised electronic
bookshop of the home, no stations, no network, just a narrowcast
provider spitting out content on channels that fulfil some ghastly and
wholly insulting demographic profile: soccer mum, trailer trash,
teenager, gay, black music lover, Essex girl, sports fan, bored
housewife, programmes made specifically for them with ads targeting them. Is that
what we mean by inclusivity? Is that what we mean by plurality? God
help us, I do hope not.