This is what pavement widening looks like.

People have landed on this blog from Athens, Zadar, Morristown, Metzingen, Laapenranta, New Delhi and Chandigarh. 

Hello!

Why are you here? Isn't there anything more interesting to do in Laapenranta? Doesn't New Delhi hold more charms? Hell, isn't there a decent bar in Morristown? 

As you've nothing better to do let's talk pavement widening. 

I wrote about money going to improve the Hornsey Road here and here and now it's starting. 

They're doubling the width of the pavement on the whole stretch near Deja Vu.

It'll look better and make life easier for anyone in a wheelchair or pushing a pram.

We're goin' to the Emirates and we're gonna get married.

If Arsenal take up most of your waking thoughts and half your dreams and you're about to get married Arsene Wenger might send you a letter congratulating you on your 'perfect match'.*

If your intended feels the same or is very very kind you can get married at the Emirates on the Hornsey Road and tell everyone to call it the Ashburton Grove of love. 

* Write to The Charity Department, Arsenal Football Club plc, Highbury House, 75 Drayton Park, Highbury, London, N5 1BU two months prior to the event, include the full names of the bride & groom, the date of the wedding and the address to which it should be sent.

Valentine's Day plans, how to make them better.

Estelle Kokot is playing Ajani's on Valentine's day. 

I looked around to see what she sounded like, and  found way more than I expected. 

Here she is live: 

Here is what proper reviewers think of her: 

'Kokot makes it clear that she wants the rhythmic drive of the music to be a dominant force, though the occasional price is an obscuring of lyrics that deserve more foregrounding than they always get. But her strong and soulful voice cut through both the funky rumble of the rhythm section and the noise of some hysterically supportive fans at the back on her opening feature.' Guardian

'South African pianist/singer/composer Kokot is an exceptional talent, with a repertoire that stretches from ethereal, English-accented pop to modern jazz, with Latin and worldbeat touches. Back for her annual seasonal appearance, she performs a wide ranging set of musical styles with help from bassist Mick Hutton and drummer Gene Calderazzo.' Time Out

'Has gained a deserved reputation as a purveyor of intellegent, thought provoking lyrics set to subtle yet memorable melodies - highly auspicious debut recording'  The Times

Go see and tell me what you think. 

Meta-blogging part II (Mizhenka again)

More Mizhenka photographs. The first is the upper Hornsey Road, the others are Elthorne Park, which is probably out of bounds for this blog but who cares.

Andover, Armour Close, and hope.

There's a lot I like about the Andover Estate, but not streets like this where the ground level is nothing but garages: 

The 1970s orthodoxy was that cars were the future and should be parked indoors, and the architects did what seemed right at the time. 

But then fewer people round here took to car ownership than expected and manufacturers learnt how to make cars that could be left outside without rusting. 

So most of the garages are empty. It's wasteful and with no windows and no lights on the streets feel and are less safe. Even snow can't make them appealing. 

But there's a thing that gives me hope. This garden flat is, as far as I can tell, built out of the same space as the garages:

This one even has the same balcony overhang as the garages.

It must be possible to turn those empty garages into decent places to live.

This sort of thing is happening elsewhere in the borough. Islington Council's architects turned a disused garage near Pentonville Prison into this:

Armour Close, Housing Design Awards image

It's called Armour Close, it won a Housing Design Award, and you should take a look next time Open House comes round.

Thoughts?

Tumbling

I've started a Tumblr.

It's here.

Foxes being foxes

Thanks to Daniel Douglas, here are foxes sauntering down the Hornsey Road:

I wonder if they know this isn't where they are meant to be, or if I'm anthropomorphising and teleologicalising* like crazy. 


*No, I'm not sure it's a word either.