Wedding - map test post

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Got a new route to work!

Looks like it's going to be shorter, safer and quicker - F*ck yeah!
The pink line was my old route, the light blue line is my new path.

A sunday cycle ride with Em led me along a previously ignored set of Southwark back streets. This morning being up early and enjoying the sunshine cycle ride I explored further. A prime example of why it's good to step out of a routine and try something new. Bad Phil!

People, it's looking positive. My only concern is traffic volume during the school run and feasibility for returning that way in the evening. Ha Ha! - lets find out.

A little bit of street art out east

Not an underpass in Shoreditch, London - an underpass in Chaoyang, Beijing. Nice work from the This City Art collective.

A new undertaking by VJ/motion graphics designer Hao Bu Hao and photographer Oak Taylor-Smith – Two Beijing based English expats.

First exhibition featured Hao Bu Hao aka Martin Barnes' Caulfield inspired prints of Chinese icons. Forget about The Great Wall and The Terracotta Army, think instead of cheap packets of cigarettes and bamboo brooms leaning against air-con units. Bold, colourful imagery is now available to the people.

Inky Finger Prints

Website revamp v3.0 in time for exhibition!

tag cloud

My delicious tags presented via wordle

Good things to do in London - part 1

1. Walk from hampsted heath to primrose hill. take in the view, then go for sunday lunch here. Drink Adnams or Deuchars if they have it on draught. Alternatively walk along the south bank, the bar beside the Hayward Gallery is quirky and does a wide selection of pickles if you like this type of thing.

2. Watch obscure films. The curzon soho is an obvious choice but it's sibling the curzon mayfair is quieter and it's less hassle to get a ticket, but admittedly less choice than it's bigger brasher relation. For a touch of glamour go to the Electric on portobello road, which isn't so expensive but does have exceptional seating to sink into. And a good local cinema? I'm a fan of the ritzy in Brixton, it has a decent bar and avoids the mega-chain feel of it's West end rivals. I saw 'Happy go Lucky' here which incidentally is a very good (london) film.

3. eat Asian food - Cheng's at the bottom of Wardour street does a mighty fine selection of dim sum, Green Papaya in Hackney does melt in the mouth belly pork and half way along brick lane is a yellow fronted Bangladeshi restaurant. This has proved to be a superb place to soak up beer, unfortunately I can't seem to remember the name. The best I can do is approximate that it's between Hanbury and Princelet street. Screw your eyes up, stagger around a bit and you should find it. For a decent and authentic and surprisingly cheap Thai meal try Charlie Wright's International Bar in old street. A bit intimidating and sometimes has a few characters in but that is part of it's charm.

4. drink beer. lots of it.
Here are some good locations
Clerkenwell: The 3 Kings*, Sekforde Arms
Islington: The Crown, Island Queen, The kings head

For cocktails go to Freuds which considering is in the west end is actually quite nice generally because of the euro-boho-arty crowd that congregate there (thanks i think because of the proximity to Central St Martins?)

* The 3 kings demonstrates why London is rocking in the summer - that glorious friday evening sight of throngs of people spilling out on to the pavement drinking away as dusk descends in the balmy air.

5. After beer comes a kebab and the best kebab in london comes from here. Bodrum wins because of the quality of it's bread, the turkish bread is thick enough to soak up meat juice and chilli sauce before it dribbles down one's front. I eat a lot kebabs and am disapointed by the number of establishments that insist on sticking to flaky pita bread - shameful.

Enjoy!

Presentation approaches

Intelligent analysis of what makes a good/bad presentation.

Like so many things in life it could all perhaps be boiled down to chemistry, and by this I mean the rapport the presenter has with their audience. Sounds simple but very difficult to do time and time again. Preparation is obviously key as is confidence but i'd suggest enthusiasm and engagement also play their part.

Long time reader of bad language because if nothing else the writer gives a non-designer PoV. Refreshing to hear a viewpoint from someone who doesn't use a Mac and isn't working out of a trendy studio in the cooler parts of London.

I first started reading this blog when I was working from home and the range of tips of how self-employed, domestically based individuals could function better was illuminating. 

I'm Impressed with this

Put things into perspective - try this out

Out and about #1

Seen on the pavement outside Wieden and Kennedy's London office near Brick Lane. An enraged environmentalist or an aware advertising artisan? Don't know but looks good.

More thoughts on a life in design

Good points made and useful links to more comments on a subject I wrote about previously. Read what Khoi Vinh of subtraction.com writes here

Big fan of his blog, both in terms of appearence, and more importantly, content.

Good article on how to (relatively) easily reclaim inflated bank charges.

Link to Guardian Money site

I like the underlying idea as well, ie here is something you perhaps were not aware of and here is a solution to a common problem. We are bombarded from all sides with information which can be overwhelming at best, alienating at worst. Anything that demystifies the unknown by sharing knowledge is a good thing.

Knowledge is power.
Power to the people.