A Hackney

A cold spring night. The corner shop waiting for with bread and wine and milk

30.4.08 a shadow of my former self

Sitting in the window in one of Hackney's old buildings, The Round Chapel Old School Rooms, on a sunny afternoon. Happy as a cat.

P.S. It's our 50th post!

28.4.08 mile high view

This map includes Hackney - off over there on the right, half-way along the top edge where there are several areas of water. It's at City Hall on the Thames. The Hackney Today paper front page news today is a reminder to this borough's dwellers that the Mayor of London affects all Londoners...so get out to vote on May 1.

Our local

Our local Bauhaus inspired fire station 

Bridging the small divide

The winter trees here will soon be green, the bridge will still be rust brown and Hackney Marsh, the 'lungs of London' will still do their work.

The wonderful chaos of Hackney

Posters on posters, old shops waiting for new dreamers, constant rebuilding. Everything built on the bones and dreams of those who came before 

A smudge of colour in a slash of green

Hackney Marsh, where the grey has been slashed to show the green waiting beneath

The evidence of a good meeting

A Hackney coffee shop, plus a few good ideas, plus an hour or so = a good meeting

THe loneliness of the long distance caf

Early, full English. Later, spotted dick and a mug of tea. 

All the lovely things..

Hackney is changing. This exquisite French deli and coffee shop, just around the corner

16.4.08 busy is as busy does

I needed a very particular mug - an "I Love Hackney" mug - and this beautiful and amazing little shop was just the place. Caroline Bousfield is the craftsman potter genius in residence here for the past 30+ years. She has an artful system going and the results are beautiful treasures.

See the Work Shop reviewed at welovelocal.com

16.4.08 doorway to spring

What's behind the red door? Spring, I hope! It sure felt like it today - bright, sunny and full of budding green leaves. Picture that tomorrow.

Hackney the bus depot

No tube in most of Hackney, not much by the way of trains, so it's busses all the way. Here they patiently wait for the lights all in a row...

Back in the day

No more do Routemasters roam the wilds of of the 38 route threading their rattling, belching way through Hackney. Now we all glide smoothly in the new reticulated 38s.

stark tree, stark building

Hackney still has the modernist towers scattered around. In the next few weeks it will still look like this. The tree however will be a blast of green

A bright point

Bight sun all day and this spire like a wedge of green cheese

A warm bright corner

In this cold snap, a picture of a bright warm corner of our local coffee shop

Snowing on Hackney

Hackney Marsh covered in snow, two days ago I was working outside in the sun...

5.4.08 day away: one journey, many worlds

today's day away from hackney took us to our favorite market, the borough near Southwark cathedral and London Bridge. food from all over the world as well as beautiful locally produced delights - it's one journey that becomes a world of journeys.

4.4.08 from where I stand

with a spring in my step, or at least underfoot in this lovely green grass.

2.4.08 put your feet up

it's been a blah couple of days in many ways so thank god for the local.