Simon Pearson - minor9th.com

Archive of posts tagged with London


Thirty-seven degrees celsius

July 18, 2006

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Is what they’ve forecast for Wednesday. I am concerned. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced temperatures hotter than inside my own grumpsome, turbulent body. What will happen, I wonder? Will the tiny air-con units give up the ghost and cause mass hysteria? Will I involuntarily climb into the fridge? Will I pop?

It’s a worry. Especially as I have agreed (in a characteristically feeble attempt to augment my Mr Muscle physique) to attend yet another Body Pump. It’s the only exercise class in West London where you can simultaneously heave hefty weights and relive the pain that was Drop Dead Gorgeous by Republica


Driving home for Christmas

December 24, 2005

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If you’re ever crawling in traffic heading west out of London on the A40, then you are in luck. Between Shepherds Bush and Hanger Lane there are no fewer than 23 wireless networks you can latch onto (though we only managed to browse the internet from one of them).

I’ve been terrible at keeping in touch with people recently, and have completely failed to send out Christmas cards or anything (and if I’d bought any, they’d definitely have been lost in the move). Have great Christmasses all – eat until you can’t move, drink until you feel compelled to dance anyway. Just don’t overdo it and start vomming around the Christmas tree


On the run again

December 17, 2005

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Just to keep things interesting, we’re on the move again – this time to leafy Ealing. We never really planned on staying in SlightlyRubbishFlat(TM) for too long – it was always a stepping stone to somewhere a bit nicer once we’d found our feet. Not that we’ll regret living here – we’ve so enjoyed being passively stoned 5 nights a week (hello, downstairs neighbours), we’ve become adept at the use of the plunger, and been generally far too embarrassed to invite anyone round. The following improvements differentiate our next abode from our current dive:

  • Windows in places which actually let in light!
  • Fully functional toilet (with two different flush settings)
  • A see-through vacuum cleaner (ooooooh)
  • A dishwasher and a tumble dryer (well hello, Mr Environmental Guilt!)
  • A little dining table for little dinner parties
  • Rooms big enough to swing cats*
  • Lovely big parks within walking distance (a million times nicer than Shepherd’s** Bush Green)
  • Cream carpets. Red wine is banned***

All in all, looks pretty good. The only snag is, for various reasons we’re now moving two days before Christmas. Also, it looks likely that our rhinoviruses may well have to come with us if they refuse to shift beforehand. All of which leads me to believe that this is not going to go particularly smoothly. If anyone has any soothing moving advice, please feel free to dispense it in the comments.

* I grabbed a cat’s tail one day in 1985, perhaps in an effort to swing it around. I now have a slightly scarred face and a much greater respect for cats. They don’t like being swung.

** Is Shepherd’s Bush supposed to have an apostrophe? Times says no. Googlefight definitely says no. I’m very wrong.

*** Hahaha! Not!


Stubs

November 22, 2005

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stubs

So, the above explains �90.50 of my debt to Mr Bank Manager. It’s also a reminder of just how much there is to do in London (and, er, Liverpool) – I constantly think I’m wasting my time in the city and that I’m not seeing enough of everything. The truth is, there’s just too much to see.

Less financially-draining fun was had this weekend by sneaking in to see not one, but two TV shows being filmed – a comedy talk show hosted by Sean Lock, and a BBC4 recording of Antony and the Johnsons (a bit like Later… with Jools Holland but without the grumpy, nerdy interruptions).

Whilst the former featured ferocious banter between the ever-sharp Johnny Vaughan and a bewildered Lock, the latter was a much quieter affair – Antony could barely bring himself to look at the bescarfed audience to begin with, let alone speak – though after a few beautifully performed songs (each with its own childlike-yet-harrowing story) he relaxed a little, telling us that he thought being crushed to death by a giant glitter ball would be a beautiful way to die. How true, and what a lovely fellow.





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