Everything London

There is a free exhibition "Magna Carta - through the ages" on at the moment until July where you can see three authentic copies, albeit different versions through the times, of the Magna Carta, one from Peterborough 'The black book' , one from Halesowen Abbey which is in scroll form than book, and the last called the "Hart book of Statutes" which contains a copy of Henry III Magna Carta as well as developed legislation from that time. The Peterborough version "The Black Book" Its actually correct to call it Magna Carta and not The Magna carta as it's given its name in Latin, a language which has no direct, consistent correlate of the English definite article "the". As a result, the usual academic convention is to refer to the document in English without the article as "Magna Carta" rather than " the Magna Carta'. Halesowen Magna Carta Scroll, and John next to it. (Not King) You are warmly greete...

Conscientious Objectors commemoration stone, Tavistock Sq, London (All Pic Hina Pandya Copyright res) Friday was a really busy day for me, but not so busy that I didn't spare a thought for the conscientious objectors that declined to fight in the war. In war sometimes people were conscripted, it wasn't a choice to go and fight, you were required to 'do what was right' for your country... Of course the men who declined to fight were ridiculed and looked down upon, many saw their choice as pure cowardice, and the term 'white feather' was used to describe such men in WW1 and WW2. Little white tags say the names of the objectors Some might say their refusal to go to war, to kill another person has such humanity in it, so much hope. So in the midst all of all the recent celebrations we've had of the fallen on Victory day and Liberation day it seemed fitting that I visited the 'conscientious objectors' memorial in Tavistock Square, which also...

I thought 'dude' was Californian, he looks pretty red hot to me. While the weather looks set to turn rather chilly, New Yorkers will probably be better off staying in, although it has to be said NYC is pretty good about still getting around with many feet of snow having fallen,- just read here - as opposed to London having just a few inches. (it can stop the whole city-no joke). But you've probably heard by now that the Metropolitan transit Authority want travellers to be a bit more considerate of the passengers that may take up more room, either by spreading their legs, but also by putting on their make up... In a city of so many and overcrowded subways it makes sense. It's always infuriating when you get on public transport and someone has given their bag a seat, their make up, or someone's spread their legs so wide they take up three seats- this is easier to do on the NYC subway than the London Underground, because the seats are injection mo...

If you're in London there are some wonderful Art museums and galleries to go to, that's not a secret some say they are the best in the world and tourists from all over ear mark coming to the National Gallery to see Monet, Manet and Van Gough masterpieces. Titan is my favourite, but that aside, there are also pieces of modern art to be found all over the city.   Right Above Selfridges, Right now, go see him in action with his burning flame!   Take for instance this gandiose and magnificent piece right on Oxford Street/ Bond Street, it hangs brazenly infront of the classic Selfridges clock, this masculine figure has fragments of hair that blow in the wind and the flame from the broken burnt block of wood comes on intermittently.   Its a very striking piece as you step onto the shopping metropolis pavement. the The man is based uncannily on a man called Rick Owens* a designer who hails from LA whose created special products for Selfridges to...

Hello all, This is the sort of feel good news that needs to be shared. As you know I used to work in California making models for movies, blowing them up and the like. Well, Robbie Edwards, a fellow English man, was one of my co-workers, and my friend. Robbie working on Pirates of The Carribean, messy making.  On Greenscreen set, Robbie sets out to sink a ship. Unfortunately Robbie suffered a stroke in Sept 2013,  it was devastating, but he's managed to cling to life and kept a wonderful sense of humor with his slogan of 'musn't grumble' how very English. Although his recovery has been laborious and painful, he is learning to walk again, and getting his motorskills back, a hidden element of the stroke is the fact it affected his temporal lobe- the part that affects creativity- his job was primarily creative as a model maker on major motion picture movies in California. His wife has written a blog here. He has worked 30 movies in 20 years in...

These guys are swimming around in the Thames! Conservationists from the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) have created the Thames Marine Mammal Code of Conduct in time for the peak summer season to improve awareness general well-being, and protection of the river’s flippered residents launched on the 3 July 2014 A harbour seal, chillin' if you see me tweet #inthethames The code provides practical tips on what to do if a seal or porpoise is spotted in the water or on land, helping members of the public, recreational boat users and commercial users of the Thames make the most of their wildlife encounters without disturbing any marine mammals. Maybe little known the Thames Estuary is home to more than 650 harbour seals and 200 grey seals. Seals spend some of their time hauled out on sand banks or mudflats where they breed, moult their fur coats, and rest and it's then that are often spotted by the public. But these marine mammals are being...

So lifelike and blink and you might miss it! Complete with bus numbers and all the normal details of any other bus stop the creative people at Lego have arrived to the streets of London. It's only here a limited time, but if you're popping to Hamleys, its a treat to see as you walk down toward Piccadilly. The PR says with Lego's you can truly build anything- seems like she's quite right. To  cele brate Transport fo r London’s (TfL’s) ‘Year of the Bus’, LEGO  has recreated a full size bus-shelter and bus stop out of LEGO bricks.  Passengers are advised not to start counting as they might miss their bus, more than 100,000 LEGO bricks were used in this build. Bus Stop Vital Statistics -          It is built with around 100,000 LEGO Bricks -          It has been created by the UK’s only Certified LEGO Professional, Duncan Titmarsh -    ...