All posts tagged London

TOP 5: Bling Jubilee Court.

On Sunday, I volunteered at the Alternative Village Fete at Battersea Park, organised by Home Live Art.

Together with artists Harold Offeh and Barby Asante, the team of volunteer make-up artists, stylists and photographers created the Bling Jubilee Court. We dressed the public up as ‘Queens of the COMMON-wealth’, then led to a stage and photographed before an adoring crowd (photos over here). Here are 5 of my favourite shots from the day!

1. Our boudoircontained about 50 wigs, a tonne of make-up, a pile of stick-on mustaches,  and 2 long rails of dress up clothes. Naturally, we tried it all on.

2. Two of our dress-up queens. Disco Queens, to be precise.

3. A rainbow of eyeshadow.

4. A gorgeous drag queen popped in to say hello.

5. Harold getting his make-up done.

You can see the full set of my photos over on  my Facebook page.

Oh, and I promise this is my last Jubilee-related post!

Leave a Comment
by thefty on 06/06/2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Bling Jubilee Court
Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by thefty on 06/06/2012

http://top5photos.wordpress.com/2012/06/06/top-5-bling-jubilee-court/

TOP 5: Jubilee crowns.

The Diamond Jubilee is coming up this week! The crown motif is everywhere and I’m loving it. Here are five of my favourites.

1. A stunning screen print by PayperShaykers on Etsy.

2. A chocolate crown by Demarquette, displayed Harrods. Photo by me.

3. Diamond Jubilee crown and flowers: A print by Nick Barnett.

Royal Crown Jubilee Cupcakes4. Royal Crown Jubilee Cupcake, by Clare’s Cupcakes

5. A Pearly poster for the Diamond Jubilee! By SugarushUK on Etsy

Leave a Comment
by thefty on 28/05/2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Jubilee Crowns
Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by thefty on 28/05/2012

http://top5photos.wordpress.com/2012/05/28/top-5-jubilee-crowns/

TOP 5: Escalation.

I like taking photos on escalators. I seem to be drawn to the bold lines and colours, as well as the shiny surfaces and glowing neon lights.  Here are five of my favourites, presented without comment.

I took these pictures in various locations, in London and Athens. Photographs of urban spaces always strike me as eerie, but it’s an eeriness I adore.

Leave a Comment
by thefty on 10/05/2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Escalation
Tagged , , ,

Posted by thefty on 10/05/2012

http://top5photos.wordpress.com/2012/05/10/top-5-escalation/

TOP 5: TFL.

If you’re a Londoner, ‘TFL’  is part of your daily vocabulary. For those not in the know, TFL stands for Transport For London, aka the massive public transport network of buses, trains, bikes and boats.

1. Bright colours and iconic logos on the underground.

2. Bus windows with an eerie streetlight glow.

3. A neverending stream of well-designed posters.

4. A row of  shiny Boris Bikes.

5. Damp bus silhouettes at Piccadilly Circus.

2 Comments
by thefty on 25/04/2012  •  Permalink
Posted in TFL
Tagged , , , , ,

Posted by thefty on 25/04/2012

http://top5photos.wordpress.com/2012/04/25/top-5-tfl/

TOP 5: Sky Blue Sky.

The weather is fine in Londontown! Listen to this song by Wilco and enjoy these brilliant blues!

1. Quite possibly my favourite book cover, ever.

2. Piles of sky blue pencils (From here.)

3. A portrait of my toilet. Beauty in small things, and all that.

4. A double blue sky, taken by me, near Tower Bridge.

5. Sky blue boogie time.

Right! I’m going for a walk! Enjoy your day, Londoners (and everyone else too, for that matter.)

2 Comments
by thefty on 19/03/2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Sky Blue Sky
Tagged , , , ,

Posted by thefty on 19/03/2012

http://top5photos.wordpress.com/2012/03/19/top-5-sky-blue-sky/

TOP 5: Window Shopping.

I carry my camera with me at all times, and I seem to have a thing for photographing shop windows. I can’t help it! I love the clutter and colour and all of the little details! All of these photos were taken by me, and you can see larger versions on my Flickr feed.

1. A colourful corner store in Brussels.

2. Double Dolls at Topshop on Oxford Circus, London.

3. Frosted Windows at the Sunday Upmarket, Brick Lane.

4. Glitter on Piccadilly (That’s the Royal Academy of Arts reflected in the windows of Fortnum & Mason). You can buy this as a print.

5. Lebanese Sweets on Edgeware Road.

You can see more window dressings over here.

Leave a Comment
by thefty on 01/03/2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Window Shopping
Tagged , , , , , , ,

Posted by thefty on 01/03/2012

http://top5photos.wordpress.com/2012/03/01/top-5-window-shopping/

TOP 5: London Paddington.

Paddington is generally associated with trains. Fair enough, but if you walk out the back entrance of the station, you’ll find yourself in Little Venice: land of waterbirds, houseboats and pubs. It’s one of my favourite parts of London.

1. This Coat of Arms is from 1900.

2. Looking down the canal on an autumn morning.

3. Boats with awesome names.

4. Evening reflections on the water.

5. And, of course, Paddington Station at its best.

p.s. Make sure you enter my giveaway! I’m celebrating and I’ve got prizes! Click here!

Leave a Comment
by thefty on 13/07/2011  •  Permalink
Posted in London Paddington
Tagged , , , , , , ,

Posted by thefty on 13/07/2011

http://top5photos.wordpress.com/2011/07/13/top-5-london-paddington/

TOP 5: Paint it Make it.

Last Saturday, I went to an arty party. Paint It Make It, hosted by Illustration Rally, was a fundraising event for Japan. There was drawing, painting, tea ceremonies, cake, origami and more. Check it out:

1. Live drawing!

2. ‘Keep your chin up!’

3. Lots of people making lots of different things (zines, doodles, origami…).

4. Cake! (The green tea and ginger cupcakes were my favourite.)

5. My drawing. Someone described it as ‘scary’. thanks?

Leave a Comment
by thefty on 29/06/2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Paint it Make it
Tagged , , , , , , , ,

Posted by thefty on 29/06/2011

http://top5photos.wordpress.com/2011/06/29/top-5-paint-it-make-it/

TOP 5: Summery delights.

The London sun has been good to us this week. In fact, it’s so warm right now that I’m blogging in my underwear.  Here are my offerings to the weather gods, in the hope that our summer lasts longer:

1. A massive jug of Pimm’s and an enormous picnic blanket.

2. A creamy but refreshing raspberry and mascarpone layer cake.

3. Outdoor dining: Marinated meats thrown onto the barbeque.

4. A chilled grapefruit for breakfast.

5. Ice-cream, eaten anywhere and anyhow.

p.s. I got tan lines yesterday.

Leave a Comment
by thefty on 27/06/2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Summery Delights
Tagged , , , , , ,

Posted by thefty on 27/06/2011

http://top5photos.wordpress.com/2011/06/27/top-5-summery-delights/

TOP 5: Urban Colour.

It’s raining again in London. On days like this, I need to be reminded that this city isn’t always grey.

1. Rainbow shop fronts in Notting Hill.

2. Purple blooms crawling up walls in Kensington.

3. Warm tones on Bermondsey street.

4. Red cherries popping up on Edgeware Road.

5. Contrasting colours on Commercial Road.

Ah, colour. It’s my trusty antidote to wintery gloom.

Leave a Comment
by thefty on 16/06/2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Urban Colour
Tagged , , , ,

Posted by thefty on 16/06/2011

http://top5photos.wordpress.com/2011/06/16/top-5-urban-colour/

TOP 5: Tatty Devine.

The Tatty Devine store on Brick Lane is a magpie’s wonderland: Blingin’ wall decorations, and plenty of blingin’ plastic bling. I love it. If you’re into bright colours and eye catching jewellery, you should go and take a look!

1. Coins ahoy! Put ‘em in your purse! Wear ‘em around your neck!

2. The only thing better than a shiny bear is if the shiny bear is made of stars.

3. This would go nicely with the coin necklace.

4. Clowning around.

5. the only sort of grey sky I’m ok with.

Leave a Comment
by thefty on 13/06/2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Tatty Devine
Tagged , , , , , , , ,

Posted by thefty on 13/06/2011

http://top5photos.wordpress.com/2011/06/13/top-5-tatty-devine/

TOP 5: Chinatown Snacktime.

I love London’s Chinatown. I know I probably seem like a clueless tourist lingering in all the Asian supermarkets, asking dumb questions about how to cook rice sticks*, but I can’t help myself! I’m a fan of discovering new food, and I’m an even bigger fan of discovering amazing packaging. Chinatown is a goldmine in both respects. Check it:

1. Oh to be a packaging designer in Japan! It looks like a 24/7 party.

2. Yes. Yes, I do want. (These sweet/salty crackers are the best.)

3. I wouldn’t mind a couple of these either, come to think of it.

4. I’m pretty sure I don’t want this.

5. I don’t like Pooh and friends, but these are too cute to resist.

*It was a good question! Turns out those hefty rice sticks need to be soaked in cold water overnight before being boiled. So, there you go.

Leave a Comment
by thefty on 09/06/2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Chinatown Snacktime, Uncategorized
Tagged , , , , ,

Posted by thefty on 09/06/2011

http://top5photos.wordpress.com/2011/06/09/top-5-chinatown-snacktime/

TOP 5: A glorious Saturday.

The weather in London was incredible this weekend. I spent the afternoon at home, with friends, eating and drinking on the balcony. It was one of those days which I’ll remember for a long time:

1. Bare legs, fresh air, and a fragrant blooming geranium.

2. Pitcher after pitcher of iced lemon water (plus the odd splash of Jamaican rum).

3. Strong light and dramatic shadows (not to mention excellent frocks).

4. Happy colours and chilled fruit salad. (And Nutella.)

5. Contentment.

Of course, in true London style, it is now Monday morning and it’s raining.

1 Comment
by thefty on 06/06/2011  •  Permalink
Posted in A Glorious Saturday, Uncategorized
Tagged , , , , , , , ,

Posted by thefty on 06/06/2011

http://top5photos.wordpress.com/2011/06/06/top-5-a-glorious-saturday/

TOP 5: Transforming trash.

If you live in London, you’ve probably heard about Selfridges’ Project Ocean by now. It’s a series of exhibitions and workshops centred around marine conservation. Guerrilla Science has been running ‘Transforming Trash’ sessions every Saturday, where everyone gets to create masterpieces out of rubbish! The last session is this Saturday (June 4th), so make sure you check it out! (It’s your last chance to see my giant turtle display as well!) Click here for details.

1. Getting crafty in the UltraLounge

2. Plastic bottle jellyfish

3. Rubber glove coral polyps

4. More coral (made of nylon tights!)

5. Meanwhile, out in the sunshine…

Leave a Comment
by thefty on 02/06/2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Transforming Trash, Uncategorized
Tagged , , , , ,

Posted by thefty on 02/06/2011

http://top5photos.wordpress.com/2011/06/02/top-5-transforming-trash/

TOP 5: Fortnum and Mason.

London’s Fortnum and Mason  have been selling luxury goods for over 300 years. It’s only fitting, then, that the F&A windows are bedecked in unimaginable finery (often of the edible kind). Come, take a look:


1. This reminds of a Tamara de Lempicka painting.

2. An incr(edible) still life:  Blues, pinks and oranges.

3. A mystical sunset.

4. Oh sweet lord of cool/warm colour palettes! Give me one of those!

5. Queen of the waves, clutching the perfect teapot.

Leave a Comment
by thefty on 26/05/2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Fortnum and Mason
Tagged , , , , ,

Posted by thefty on 26/05/2011

http://top5photos.wordpress.com/2011/05/26/top-5-fortnum-and-mason/

« Older Posts
%d bloggers like this: