Archive for the ‘books’ tag
postcards from london
dear friends,
today has been one of those juicy lazy sundays that fill all of me to the brim. it’s been part discovery, part hand-cut chips, with a side order of photography and a sprinkling of book shopping…
large jammy dodgers, one of my current gustatory obsessions
it all began with a trip to the newly discovered (by us at least) albion caff in shoreditch (thanks remodelista!) for coffee and a jammy dodger for me, almond croissant for nic. this place is humming with people on the weekend… full to overflowing with people drinking tea from pots covered in hand-knitted tea cosies, sharing a bit of gossip with friends, or having a quiet read of the sunday paper.
colombia road flowermarket
then, it was a short wander to the colombia road flower market, where stallholders were pimping their wares – most for a fiver. it was funny listening to their monologue as they interspersed their current deal with muttered comments about wondering if anyone was listening. the market was packed full of people, shuffling along in time with the people in front/behind… some laden with flowers & plants, others (like us) with cameras. one cheeky vendor was charging £1 if anyone wanted to take photos – i guess he (and perhaps the tourists willing to pay this fee) had never heard of the photographer’s rights with regards to photos in public places.
bookstore (shot from the hip)
as well as the market, there are a ton of quirky little stores, full of people, funky art, and other goodies and we chanced upon an amazing second-hand bookstore in a couple of upstairs rooms. they had an awesome selection of paperbacks, some of which parted me from my cash, and a great view back along the flower market from the windows 
image source: jessiechorley.com
next door to the bookstore is another set of stairs that lead up to a treasure trove that is part alice in wonderland, part vintage wonderland called jessie and buddug. i didn’t go in as i’ve been warned about taking husbands into stores where they can wreak havoc when bored….
why one wife now chooses to shop alone – thanks to my husband nic for the image
their website is so inviting that i do feel compelled to do another trip there just to see the shop and jessie’s altered journals in real life…
we also saw cupcakes big & small…
…and i’m now officially in love with rachel barker’s range of tableware.
the space & hubbub – our local hangout
the rest of the afternoon has been spent at our local cafe – this place is very “relaxed wellington cafe” with lazy-sunday-style music (often kiwi), great beer and hand-cut chips. we are both sitting here with laptops; nic up to some geekery or another, and me…
well, i’m writing to you.
with love,
-leonie
enemies
daily prayers, pere lachaise cemetery, paris
disarmed i realised how easily you can lose all animosity towards someone you’ve deemed your enemy as soon as that person stops behaving as such.
- carlos ruiz zafón.
(from: the shadow of the wind)
—
the above quote got me… i read it, re-read it and have gone back to it over and over again.
it has me considering how I might be able to apply this in my own life… how I might be able to disarm others with my own behaviour by treating them with consideration rather than as an enemy.
it’s not that i specifically, or deliberately, do treat anyone as an enemy, more that i totally get what the author has written about being treated in a kind and friendly way; how when one response is expected, that another is disarming.
wild
packing for a weekend away, staying at this gorgeous little place – castle cottage…
we tried for the treehouse, but it is booked well in advance.
(found in the book go slow england)
you were wild here once. don’t let them tame you.
-isadora duncan
(darlene’s delightful december views project 2008)
* ttv dust layer applied to all my december view photos is thanks to moth.to.flame (filter found in the ttvdust pool on flickr)
buttercup meadow
penny
cars and
lucky
man’s
schemes.
a pawn in
the night.
a freshly coloured poem in an altered book (inspiration here)
originally page 139 of two caravans, by marina lewycka.
