Jason Thompson's Blog

Here's to another afternoon in the car

Well the week in London is just about over and in some ways it seems like we've been here ages and in other ways it feels like it's flown. The kids have had some memorable experiences, and it's always nice to see Mike and Lorna.

Last night we went a few streets east to an Italian restaurant called Stringrays. I thought it might be a theme retairsnt jointly run by Peter Stringfellow and Gerry Anderson, but it was not. It was a very nice bistro that served lovely food on a nice atmosphere. I'd had very little to eat all day - some broccoli soup at Sainsburys cafe in Romford at lunchtime, so the couple if drinks I had did the trick and a good night was had by all. My starter of chilli king prawns with freshly baked bread was very nice indeed, and the pizza that followed exceeded the size of the plate by about two inches and was also delicious. And Mohammed Al Fayad clearly had no hand in the pricing policy.

We returned to the flat and what felt like midnight turned out to be just after 9pm. That was a full day. We ended our evening with a nice catch up time with Mike and Lorna.

This morning we gather up our belongings and head north again, trying to get back in time for a spot of trick or treating with friends. Catch you later dude.

Playaway

This morning we all drove to Romford where there's a large play area on The Brewery shopping Centre. We adults had a chance for a couple of hours rest and chat while the kids played. As play areas go it was very good - not so much because of the play facilities, but the place where adults can sit while waiting for their kids. Comfortable well lit and with a good cafe which also did pizzas. Full marks except that they charge adults to get in and so we paid for the privilege of sitting and chatting.

After a quick tour of Romford shopping centre we left to pay a quick visit to Glamis Road Adventure Play Park. This was a very interesting place - part of a project that has set up several such places around the country. The park here was once derelict land, but is now a wonderland of wooden structures and swings and slides and walkways and hammocks and bridges and towers.

Most of it looks like it's been built out of found or donated materials and is all a bit home made and garishly painted and all the better for it. It has the mark of a playground designed by kids. It also seemed a bit dangerous and scary - but it's staffed very well by friendly adults and if the weather had need warmer and drier it's the Dort of place we could easily spend a full afternoon - and I wouldn't say that about many playgrounds. There were also huts with dressing up clothes and musical instruments and games etc that kids can use - an oasis of play and fun in a rather rundown council estate.

Tonight were going out for a meal at a place called Stringrays at The Globe - our last night here.

Magic time

This afternoon started by visiting the food hall at Harrods. Here we stood in the Krispy Kreme doughnut queue and carefully chose our doughnuts. When we wee last here about 3 years ago this was the only place in London you could get them. I've noticed several stalls around the city now and the company us celebrating it's fifth anniversary.

I live the food hall here. It's a truly opulent place - one of the few shops that lives up to it's hype and my expectations. I noticed today they've got a macaroon shop that surpasses what we saw in France last year - just sublime. But we didn't buy any of those today as that would gave been too much of a good thing. Next tim...

One place in Harrods that I thought went a bit too far for my increasilngly apparent socialist leanings was the pet department. As fire as the Bengal kittens were, I don't think they were worth the £1000 price tag. Sparky is just ad much fun and he was only £50.

But I thought that the pet couture, jewllery department and bakery were a bit OTT.

On returning to the flat I took the opportunity to make a detour to Londons best magic shop, International Magic. I've wanted to visit it for years, partly to check out the amazing range of books and tricks, but also on the off chance of bumping into legendary comic and magician Jerry Sadowitz who works in the shop from time to time.

This afternoon he was there. I was very pleased - the guys amazing - and I chatted a little while to them and he rceommended a book by Dai Vernon. Then as I was browsing he asked if I wanted a cup of tea - so I said yes, and we had a cuppa for half an hour and chatted about magic and comedy. I couldn't believe it. I've seen his Edinburgh festival shows several times, and gave one if his magic DVDs. It was such a pleasure to talk to him about his stuff and he was very chatty and pleasant. A real treat! He does one to one magic tuition - so some day I might have a session as an indulgent treat. Brilliant!

Mike and Lorna are back now - great to see them again. Just time for a bit of unicycle practice before tea - I'm using (and bruising) muscles I never knew I had. I'm determined to grow old disgracefully.

Message from Mo's Diner

That's Mohammed Al Fayed's diner. Were in Harrods and having a spot of lunch. I know how this guy makes his money. I will forevermore consider the price of a hotdog at a UCI cinema as a total bargain.

Ollie, Rebecca and I went to the London Dungeon this morning and we were slightly scared by the actors telling us all about the Nasty side of London. We wee weed on by models of plague victims more than once, and o had a naughty woman bladder squirted on my face. And that was just on the underground before we got there.

It was hood fun actually and according to the kids, the scariest thing we've ever done. That was before I got the bill in the Diner, mind you.

Art, tubes, coffee and Blade Runner

We started the day at the Bethnal Green Cafe where the kids and I enjoyed a fine cooked breakfast alongside some fine British builders. It's a great plce and excellent value.

I tried in vain to find a wifi hotspot so that I could do an emergency update on a clients website - never mind eh I AM on holiday.

This morning we took the tube to St Pauls then walked over the Millennium Bridge to Tate Modern where we all immediately went to the cafe. The staff were visibly devistated that we were sitting in the restaurant yet only having drinks. Quite rightly they treated us like war criminals and we hurriedly left to find the art.

The art was very entertaining - we went to the surrealism exhibition and spent a happy half hour watching a surrealist film about a woman chasing herself around her own home and multiplying whilst she did it. Then we walked around thinking up more appropriate names for the wierdest paintings and sculptures. My favourites were Fat Headless Woman with a Chair Leg for a Butt, and Huge Metal Pizza Wedge Suspended From Railway Track Near Ironing Board Go Cart and Large Poos.

After this we walked past the Globe Theatre to board the Golden Hind. That was fun - Sir Frances Drake and his sixty Cree must have been very small that's all I can say - and they would still have spent most if the voyage banging their heads on the ceiling. It was almost like being on a half size model of a ship - incredibly cramped and it must have been terrifying in rough weather.

After that we avoided the London Dungeon queues by just getting on the tube and travelling nofhh to Camden Lock.

If I was going to live on London I think I'd like to be near Camden. It's a wonderfully eclectic and fun place. It's filled with clothes shops and markets and ethnic food stalls and bohemin people. And us - clearly tourists. Last time we came here we got some lovely wall hangings which are now in our back room. This time we found a circus shop and I took the plunge. I've tried juggling and have sort of got the basics - so now it's time for the unicycle. It was one of those "if I don't do this now I never will" decisions. Strangely, thoughts if unicycles first entered my head about a month ago. So, urged on by the kids and Toni, I got one. The nice circus shop man even gave me a book which explains how to ride it. It should take 8 hours.

The stalls around Camden have everything from Army supplies to burlesque clothing. We had some great Chinese food from a stall that reminded me of a happy Blace Runner set without the rain. In fact the weather has been great so far - sunny and crisp and clear.

Last night we watched Iron Man with the kids then I watched a great thriller - Before The Devil Knows Youre Dead. Highly recommended - I'd never heard of it but Mike, whose flat we're staying in, has rented it and said I could watch it. Wise choice Mike.

I feel like I've walked 10 miles today, and I may very well have. Must rest for tomorrow - there'll be more walking.

Good morning London

It's a beautiful crisp fresh sunny autumn morning here and were about to journey to the centre of the city. It's amazing how at home I feel here but I'm already missing certain things about life in Newbiggin. I'm hopeless.

Glad to see some things never change - the Bethnal Green Cafe is still there - best cooked breakfast in the area - will be going there in the morning. And the squirrells in the park near the flat eVer at me this morning and did a little cockney dance. They were wearing little praly king and quern outfits they'd made from discarded gloves and necklaces. Their accents were a bit Dick Van Dyke but you have to give them credit for trying.

Now were going to try and find something interesting to do involving shops.

In Bethnal Green

Well - after a drive if a few hundred miles that seemed to last all day we've arrived at our home for the next few days. It's the Bethnal Green Mission Church where our good friends Mike and Lorna live, work and play. They're not here until Wednesday. The kids are getting used to the sights and sounds of London and have already noticed several key differences between here and Newbiggin. There are more takeaways and many different types, there are more buses, more people, greater variety of...everything and far fewer police sirens. Only joking - there are about the same amount of sirens.

It was a slow journey but were here now and I'll sleep well tonight - especially after last night which was a late one in the company of friends.

George Harrison Makes a Curry

That's entertainment!

Ten Random Things as an update

1: Someone phoned me today from a magazine that's doing an article on properties that overlook nationally recognised artworks. They want to feature seafront properties in Newbiggin because they look out over Sean Henry's Couple. I sent them some of my photographs to use.

2: I finished watching The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford and found it fascinating. Very well acted film - quite slow at times but always interesting and at times quite tense. Set in 1881 I found it interesting to compare what was going on in America with what was happening in the UK at the time - Topsy Turvy was set at roughly the same time. Casey Affleck is an excellent actor - must see his film Gone Baby Gone which was set back by the real life McCann's case being on a similar theme.

3: I had a Skype chat this morning with the marketing director for Slush Puppie and Tango Ice Blast - I'll be working on these web sites soon, along with another couple of products they've recently bought. I'll know more than I ever thought it possible to know about frozen fruity drinks.

4: I picked up a complete set of Beatles Yellow Submarine figures at Tynemouth Market at the weekend for a vey low price. They're now on my office wall and I'm jolly happy to look at them. I've always liked that film - and although they aren't the original release merchandise - they were released for the DVD about 10 years ago - I do have an original paperback tie-in from the film release.

5: The Newbiggin Arts Centre is becoming a reality. We have been successful in getting funding for a Project Manager, and will soon find out if we have funding for building work to restore the old People's House to it's prime. I spent quite a bit of time with the surveyor yesterday, and even went on the roof with him. There's quite a bit of work to do, but it should be possible to get the place ready for an open day in early December - more news asap.

6: Sean Henry's book which details his entire sculptural output has now hit the shelves. I took the cover photo, and a few interior photos - and my in-laws also contributed some of the photos that relate to Couple. It's a lovely book, and is available from Pride of Northumbria along with the other Couple book, which is also very nice indeed.

7: I recently atended a most interesting and entertaining event at The Cluny in Newcastle. It's the Jeepers Peepers Club, which is an event that runs monthly that brings together '50s/'60s music, dancing, dressing up and burlesque. We went along with friends, and it was an interesting and different night. Unfortunately the fabulous shoes I'd ordered from eBay turned up right on schedule but weren't the right size. I have found a correctly proportioned pair now, and eagerly await their arrival. These will be my band and dancing shoes...

8: This Saturday is Magic and Comedy night FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY at Newbiggin Sports Centre. The Arts Forum has sponsored an event featuring renowned comedian and magician Ian Keable - a one time accountant who now entertains full time with his tricks and that. The tickets are very cheap because of the deal we've got with the company that runs the shows, and it should be a great night out. We're trying to bring a bit of live entertainment back into the village and it's a small start, but you've got to start somewhere. Maybe one day we'll get the RSC back too!

9: I've been enjoying a bit of photography work with some local dads. I was asked to help out with a group in Blyth to give a bit of Photoshop and photography tuition to some blokes once a week, so for the past month on a monday I've been meeting with them and exploring some photography stuff. We went out last week onto the beach and rocks in Newbiggin, and photographed the landscape - including some oily seabirds that were affected by a mysterious slick in the North Sea off Northumberland. One of the dads' photos even made the front page of the News Post Leader. It's great to work with people who are so appreciative and enthusiastic. I miss working with people, and this has been a very welcome boost to my morale.

10:I've been really impressed with the local police recently. We've been having saome trouble with a small group of troublemakers from the Middle school - knocking on our door, damaging out car, throwing stuff at the windows etc. We told the police a couple of weeks ago, expecting a "there's very little we can do" sort of reaction, but we couldn't have been more wrong. They sent an officer round to talk to us, she called us on more than one occasion to find out if everything was okay. Then a few days ago when we were able to supply names of the ringleaders, the local police beat officer went to the school, obtained the addresses of the kids involved and personally visited each of them at their homes to give them a warning about their behaviour. He has been in tough to keep us informed about what's happening, and it's like the police really care about clamping down on this sort of behavour - which is great. I was in two minds about getting them involved, but hopefully it'll nip things in the bud, and we can sort out these kids before it gets more serious.

Well that's my round-up for now - more news next time.