Rev Stan's other stuff

2012 V&A project: Doors and adornments

At the beginning of the year I set myself some blog projects one of which was to explore different rooms at the V&A and record them on camera.

This is a curious and often over looked collection or a least it doesn't attract the numbers some of the other rooms do. It's loosely labelled ironwork but aside from some nice metal work there is also an impressive wooden staircase which is about 400 years old (if memory serves), some very old doors and lots of carved stone heads that presumably adorned the outside of buildings.

Here's a selection of what you can find together with some snaps I took of the shadows the windows were making on the marble staircase leading to the room.

 

Some belated pics of the Christmas fair in Hyde Park (Dec 2011)

Just catching up with a bag log of photo editing...and if it carries on snowing all night then I'll have plenty of time to do some more tomorrow.

Anyway, while I was off at Christmas, one crisp cold day I walked up to Hyde Park where there is a fun fair every year.

 

Winter sun in London

Walked into town today which I haven't done for a while owing to the convenience of the Boris bikes (and not leaving enough time). Wasn't exactly planned as someone was convinced that it was an hour later than it actually was*, ahem, so I only had my iPhone on me. It was a beautiful crisp, cold winter day...

I know you aren't supposed to take shots straight into the sun but I actually love the effect. The light always give the picture so much atmosphere and the colours can create a different time frame and sense of place.

You can see the rest on my Flickr account

* I woke up stupidly early so it felt later as I'd been up a long time. And that's the excuse I'm sticking to.

The 2012 stuff blog projects - a celebration of 20 years in London

I've been neglectful of this blog, I know. Used to regularly update but it's been weeks (nearly two months) since my last post. Gosh that sounds like I'm in confession.

Anyway, I'm not promising that my posting levels will go back up to previous levels, just that it will be a little more regular. My other two blogs Film and Theatre take up a big chunk of my time - I saw 186 plays/films in 2011, all of which I wrote about.

But I don't want Stuff to fall into a permanant decline and I need an outlet for, well, the other stuff. And I have some plans or projects. A couple of challenges I suppose I'm setting myself for the year. Nothing huge or life changing but something that will inspire and maybe exercise my creativity.

Project 1: V&A photography project

During my time off over Christmas and New Year I went to the V&A for the first time in ages. The first thing that struck me was what fun I could have there with my camera, had I brought it with me. There are so many beautiful objects, rooms and rooms of them most of which you can photograph. So I got thinking, why not explore the museum a section at a time and record it with my camera. 

I actually started today so the first fruits of the project should be appearing just as soon as I've edited the photos.

Project 2: Stan's 20 years in London 

This year, in September to be completely accurate, I'll have lived in London for 20 years. When I was growing up in a small market town in the East Midlands the thought of living and working in London terrified me but now I can't imagine living and working anywhere else. I love it. No where else feels like home and no where else feels as vibrant and full of history, art, culture, entertainment and possibility. It is also a beautiful city that never ceases to take my breath away or put a small smile on my face.

So in this project I want to celebrate London - not just the theatre and film offering I heavily indulge in - and the 20 years I've spent here (and hopefully the 20 more). I want to discover new bits of London, visit places and parts I've not been to before maybe do something I've not done before.

My aim is to tot up 20 new 'things' and record them here on this blog. Not sure how easy or difficult I'll find that but we'll see. I already have some ideas, there are a bunch of museums I've never visited for a start and I'm ashamed to say I've never visited Keats' house in Hampstead for example but if anyone has any suggestions, I'll endeavour to include them.

So here's to the the 2012 stuff projects and the enjoyment they will bring.

 

Photos: Firth of the Forth boat trip

Took a trip on the Firth of the Forth recently (it was work, honest) and it just happened to be a beautiful clear Autumn day, just about mild enough to stay out on the upper deck. 

Have traversed the road and rail bridges many times but never got to see the latter from the water before. It was quite stunning.

 

New musical discovery: Camille

She's been around for a while but I heard her music for the first time on Radio 4's Front Row believe it or not (further sign of my decline into middle age).

Her new album and the one I bought is call Ilo Veyou (say it fast and you'll get it) and it's great. She has an amazing voice and likes to play with it, experiment with sounds as well as lyrics. Reminds me a little of Regina Spektor. She sings in both French and English and this is my favourite song, sung in French and called Le Berger. 

I have no idea what it's about (my french only stretches to le chien est dans le jardin) so if anyone wants to help me out, I'd be grateful. Apart from sounding so beautiful, pure and simple I love the way the chorus has a sound which touches on the oriental. I also love the 'solo' at the end.

Download 1-07 Le berger

 

Season of mists...

Autumn has started mild and sunny here in London with only the briefest colder snaps to remind us winter is coming.

Walking across the park to work one morning there was a lovely layer of mist and the dogs were having fun on their early morning walk...

Photo's: London's South Bank Autumn 2011

We having a lovely sunny Autumn here in London. Here are some shots I took when I was down on the South Bank recently.

 

Views from Centrepoint, London

Had a breakfast meeting at the top of Centrepoint a few weeks back. I've wanted to go up Centrepoint for a long time as it's one of the few towers in the West End and so you can look back towards the City and Docklands. Fortunately it was a bright and clear early Autumn morning and the light was magical. (And of course I had my camera with me - the grainier shots were taken with my iPhone.)

 

 

Soup for Sluts

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Speaks for itself really...