| Leamington Spa |
[Jan. 25th, 2010|09:50 pm] |
| [ | Current Music |
| | Air France - Karbien | ] |
I really needed that day out yesterday and it was great, a really good day. Felt good to hit the road and get moving again for pleasure purposes. The Laura Veirs gig was brill, if a bit on the cold side and the Italian meal was lovely. I had been wanting to go back and see things I didn't get time to see on my visit last year.
Arriving in Leamington just before midday, I headed into the tea room at the towns art gallery, comically named the pump rooms. Actually spent a good two and a half hours in there, if you're ever around Leamington it's well worth a visit for the information and history conatined there. The swimming pool there was converted into an art gallery and around it is a museum charting the towns history including the decor of the original Turkish bath. Various displays talk of the towns history of medical uses for and health benefits of the spa water, something I found interesting as swimming is a part of my own recovery. As well as that the displays talk of the types wealthy visitors from London and how it became a great tourist destination, offering concerts, walks in the park and shopping, something the town is once again begining to pick up. That's the reason why I spend time there, it's just so lovely.
Turkish Baths
Some quotes I found amusing from the historical displays:
"In it's Heyday, Leamington was considered to be 'too choice and costly' to admit anybody but the rich and famous" ... "We note with interest that yet another 'motor car' has arrived in Leamington. We are inclined to disregard the rumor-mongers who predict motor vehicles will become commonplace in the future." ... "Cameras were still new at this time [1789], mystifed by having his picture taken, Boffin said 'How quickly they draw me'".
From there I headed to Jephson Gardens and again spent a good hour maybe two walking around snapping the various wildlife and general niceness there. The Squirrels again proving how much they like having their photograoh taken with these wonderful picture box things.
 
The wildlife and scenery in Jephson Gardens
The Italian meal that I had booked was at 5, so before that I wanted to do a spot of shopping, failing to buy a shirt I instead found a rare gem staring at me in the musical retail outlet "Head". The Air France CD, that's just so rare on the high street! It had started raining the shops were shutting and so after a cup of tea I went to Strada for a slap up Italian, oh my how posh this was! I was seated at a table, the service was excellent and the pizza I had was superb. Looking around I noticed some Lemons, instantly chuckling to myself as Sherri had told me life was just giving me Lemons at the moment. Sure enough!
 
Lemons and Pizza!
As usual from 3pm-5pm I was in severe need of sleep and after the heavy meal I just had to go back to the car for a snooze after being out and doing all that it really took its toll. On the way to the car I looked at rents, £525 being the very cheapest. What with having the Air France CD I whacked that on and had a soothing hour or so with the music before heading out to The Assembly Rooms to see Laura Veirs.
Awwwh, she was lovely, being 6 months pregnant too but you couldn't tell. My betting is that it's a girl! The seated gig was so cold, the heating hadn't come on and not even "The Hall of Flames" could warm up the crowd. Soothing gig, most of the new album got a run out, only "Cast A Hook" was played from a previous album. I spotted Dan Whitehouse in the crowd! An early finish allowed me to get back on the Motorway in good time and I was in bed by 23:30 which I was thankful for considering it's a near 90 mile round trip, I really shouldn't try those kind of drives too often though.
Laura Veirs
We have a great country, it's such a shame people have to go abroad when they can find some of that at home, just takes some imagination, but we do have great places to visit that do not require stressful journeys. I'm determined to make more days out like that for myself and anyone else who wants to tag along, this Sunday I'm hopefully all being well in Sheffield for Kate's birthday and in the late Spring I hope to visit Bath and Evesham too. Considering my energy problems at the moment, I can see exactly why some people will have a pop at me for "doing all that when you can't do this and that" but I had 11 hours in bed in prep for it and got through the day by napping and sitting still when the tiredness hit. So life is manageable I can still do everything I should be able to do as long as I have that space in the day to take a break and take it in my stride.
Plus that's two awesome CD's I've got as souvenirs from Leamington now :) |
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| House of the Fairy Tales |
[Nov. 9th, 2009|08:13 pm] |
A traveling art circus came to town for Halloween, this is what happened:
It was a great end to October which has been an amazingly good month to me. Working here closely with the New Art Gallery in Walsall to organise photography coverage of the event. Superb! |
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| Diwali in Walsall |
[Oct. 25th, 2009|09:24 pm] |
On Saturday the Art Gallery were hosting an afternoon of dance for Diwali, here are some photos that I managed to take.
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| Listen to Ellipse |
[Aug. 22nd, 2009|09:00 pm] |
I absolutely loved Half Life when I heard it.
Also this week I found a flickr user with an awesome taste in music, on google reader sharing the news story about the Ellipse preview from Immi's site. Anyway got this girl on last.fm and a very high music match. There has been so much excitement over Ellipse around the web it's amazing.
"I'm clinching my ticket to the only way out" ........
MONDAY!
MONDAY!
MONDAY!
MONDAY! |
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| It's Coming OMG |
[Jul. 8th, 2009|10:22 pm] |
It's Coming OMG
It's Coming OMG
It's Coming OMG
It's Coming OMG |
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| Godiva 2009 |
[Jul. 8th, 2009|08:06 pm] |
Right, I've finally got a spare evening kicking around to mention Godiva 2009! It just gets better and better every year, this being my third Godiva and it seems everyone now wants to join in the fun! I've only ever been on the Sunday and Friday so was awaiting the delights and the huge crowd numbers of Saturday.
Saturday
This year a crowd of friends were all checking plans and seeing what days they'd do, checking transport plans and such. Ian from Flickr was there somewhere and Lee French who I used to work with may have been there too.
In the end on Saturday, we sustained a few drop outs, as last year the other Lee came along, who was joined by Richard and Kelly as we watched Al Britten kick off the micro acoustic stage in the bar area that had been assembled and settled in for a great day with a trip aboard the Pimms bus. Al Britten, I've seen before and he's getting better all the time, I loved that the PA there was playing Kristy Gallagher inbetween sets, she's a lovely local girl, who I've met at previous Godivas. Local rock group Satin Dolls were actually the first band me and Lee saw on the main stage while awaiting arrivals, after cheering each and every correctly placed road signs to the festival. Each time I've been I have got lost, so the direction signs were a welcome help, along with getting in the mood with that song "C-O-V-E-N-T you gotta try".
We generally walked around, explored the layout which seems to take over more of the park every year. A fairground on the other side, which had amoungst other things a massive Connect 4 frame, I must say I was tempted to enquire about the size of the circular game pieces. I believe Lee went off for much of the day as he prefers the entertainment and also the hippy aspects of the festival, so he managed to get himself a Circus show, a head massage and by the end of the afternoon a trip to St John's for heatstroke and sunburn, the later being something I found myself grappling with.
Saturday then was all about electric music, and promised an awesome lead out to the day which included the Twang, Idlewild and Toploader. There are so many highlights within these sets it's hard to pick em out but Achilles Heel by Toploader, Either Way by the Twang were as awesome but not quite as awesome as American English by Idlewild. Myself, Richard and Kelly had sneaked out from the front to the back of the crowd for a swift get away after 10pm and it was a great way to end the day, the three of us linked in, belting out American English, well someone had to make up for all those kids who'd have been less than 7 years old when that track was out.
I also made a few ellipses of my own during Idlewild, well they aren't Ellipses, did you know that you can make "Lee Lips" from Imogen's new album title? LOL. Getting back home on Saturday was only complicated by a closure of a junction on the M42 meaning we had to take a lengthly diversion. Exhusted we hit the sacks almost right away, we both tended to our obvious sunburns. Sunday morning we did get up late but we made up for this on the road and arrived at a decent 12:30pm, it's that close and it's so handy to get to.
Sunday
Sunday morning and after reading Imogen's tweets I got Lee up and we were ready for the day, a bit late though. Sunday then was Acoustic day and headlined by Newton Faulkner.
Sunday is altogether a different day, the trainer throwing, trash talking teenagers are swept away with the plastic cups and replaced by people with a love of folk and a liking of sitting down rather than standing up, it's a lot more laid back. On the main stage they offer 15 minute sets to any acoustic artists to fill in the time before the main acts. Jonny Darely was certainly my fave of this period of time sat out in front of the main stage. He did a few of his own songs and then performed the most perfect cover of Why Georgia by John Mayer, I bloody love that song and loved singing along, he then went Andy McKee on us and gave us a taste of Newton Faulkner. Amazing.
The day passed really quickly and before we knew it Newton was on stage giving us some new songs as well as doing UFO and Gone In The Morning. Just as he finished it started raining and we were off, taking only half an hour to get back to Lee's to drop him off and a further 20 minutes to mine, I was home by 8pm! And so Godiva came and she went. More happened on Saturday rather than Sunday this time round. I always love Godiva and can't wait for the 13th festival next year. |
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| 138/365 - ABC of Melanoma |
[May. 4th, 2009|11:16 pm] |
It's Melly Monday!
Know the signs of a malignant mole .....
Asymmetry, Border and Colour / Change
Google ABC of Melanoma.
Thank you for reading :)
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| No Arrivals |
[Apr. 4th, 2009|11:26 pm] |
New Street Station at 4AM, as you rarely see it. This photo is from Matt! ACE!
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| 102/365 - Blossom Begins |
[Apr. 4th, 2009|11:15 pm] |
I'm sure you'll agree with me, this is quite a picture! On Sunday I took myself for a stroll around Walsall Arboretum and was instantly and without question or reason drawn to the blossom.
Air France - June Evenings (intro): "Spring has arrived early here, a time for lovers and it's as if the season mocks my sadness.". No Way Down is SUCH an amazing album, summer is coming!
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