The Grenadier, London

One of my secret places in London is The Grenadier and introduced to be my my ex-boyfriend. It is hidden, tucked away deep down in a teeny mews in Belgravia. Only moments from the bustle of Hyde Park Corner it is almost impossible to find this little pub. You have to wind your way down narrow cobbled streets and under old stone archways and then finally you come upon it and it is really surprising when you eventually do. 

It is a true "Old man's" pub - very small, wonderfully old fashioned, pokey and smokey and on a cold winter's evening there is nothing quite as awesome as a glass of hot wine whilst cramped onto a dark worn out leather sofa in here buried amongst the banter and chatter of grumbling old men. It is almost like being transported to another era.

I am really looking forward to being back in London town next week.

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THE NEW STUTTGART CITY LIBRARY

Korean architect Eun Young Yi’s proposal was selected in 1999 from 235 competition entries as the plan for the new central library of the City of Stuttgart.

The building of the 80-million Euro (about $108 mil. US) Stadtbibliothek am Mailänder Platz  began three years ago and the opening ceremonies took place last month.




I just removed the 'Kindle' from my Christmas list ...
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Hagia Sophia

At Uni I was lucky enough to transfer courses for a year and spend one year instead studying The History of Architecture. Without a doubt it was one of the most extraordinary years of studying I have ever done and one that I completely loved. Since that year I have had a deep passion for great architecture and I think my favourite building has to be : Hagia Sophia.

Having said that I have never seen it with my own eyes - yet last week my parents came back from Istanbul and, from what I hear, it surpasses all expectation.

It is considered by many art historians to be the 8th wonder of the world. It is the master piece of Byzantine architecture, a fundamental monument of the Ottoman Empire, arguably the greatest Christian Church of all time, a mosque, a museum and it was to be 1000 years until anything of such technical architectural complexity was ever constructed again.

***For more info - click here***

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LIFE IS BETTER IN THE AIR

To me - rooftops are magical places. Especially in cities. When ever I have lived in a city - from London to Bangkok, Edinburgh to Paris - I have always made a point of finding a roof terrace or roof top to escape to. On roof terraces you can completely disappear from the bustle of city life even though you are still right in the heart of it ... and there is something so wonderful about being able to do that.

CHECK THESE:

WWW.ALLROOFTOPS.COM

10 BEST ROOF TOP BARS

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I want to do it all - WITH THIS CAMERA (and a few others) - to a Glitch Mob soundtrack

I may be a dreamer - but never knock that - it's the best thing to be!!

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want to be here ...

More tents - have a thing for tents.
shot by Peng Xiaping using the Fujifilm x100

Happy Diwali - 26.10.11

India at night during Diwali 2011 - NASA

Diwali - Indian Festival of Lights. 

Diwali is a five day festival that represents the start of the Hindu New Year. It honours the victory of good over evil, and brightness over darkness. It also marks the start of winter.

Each day the festival has a different meaning but the main festivities take place on the 3rd day of the festival - this year today - the 26.10.2011. On this day lots of small clay lamps called Diyas and candles are lit and placed in houses and fireworks are let off everywhere across the country, giving Diwali it's name - The Festival of Lights.

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Christophe Jacrot

I don't think it's any secret that I had a bit of a rough ride in Paris and as a result I don't rate the city or the people that much. However I do see some wonderful things come out of the city and here is a stunning example. Even in the rain Christophe Jacrot produced a beautiful set of images - these 2 happen to be my favourites.

Sometimes I think that it is such a shame that I found so little inspiration in the city and really didn't like it. But like a friend of mine said - there is always "elsewhere"  .... the world is still my oyster.

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Itchy Feet

Been filing a load of old photos at the moment and have woken up this morning with this huge urge to go travelling again - my current hit list includes: Tibet, Mexico, Japan, Syria, Columbia, Cuba ... 

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I love big skies - thanks Murray Fredricks

I fell in love with this set of photos by Murray Fredricks when I first saw them in last months National Geographic. It would appear he and I share the same love of infinite spaces.

Some exposed for over 3 hours the set is not only beautiful it is also a tribute to a photographer with a very powerful eye.

This particular set were shot at Lake Eyre in Australia which he describes as:

"might be the bleakest, most featureless place on Earth—a flat, arid salt sink in Australia with only the horizon to define its 3,700 square miles"

The set has been 16 years in the making.

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THINKING SPACES

I recently discovered a concept that I think is great. It is called THINKING SPACES by The Economist. Basically it's a website and anyone can go on - select a city - and then share places within that city that they have discovered. Anyone else can then look up that city and see the recommendations given by others or upload their own.

The whole is thing is founded on this idea of being able to find space to breathe and - well obviously - think, within cities. I have a problem with big cities at the best of times and like places with a view or places where I can go, sit and do my own thing with my ipod on. So, of course, I loved this site.

AND - unsurprisingly there is an iphone app.

Check it out at -

http://thinkingspace.economist.com/

Here's one of mine - my laundrette in Paris. Don't know why but I loved passing a couple of hours in there every Saturday morning.

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CAPPADOCIA - TURKEY

A recent recommendation to me (by some relatively new friends of mine who have been living in Istanbul for 10 years) was Cappadocia in Turkey. It came about after hearing about my love of seeking out legends, myths and magical places. This place looks stunning - so if anyone fancies 5 days lost in the Persian landscapes of deep Turkey - shout me up.

Dolphins by Buster

My younger brother snapped this last Friday on our last sail home after a beautiful week sailing around the Aeolian Islands off the south coast of Italy.

Good times.

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PICCOLO GRAND HOTEL

I stayed in this super cool, tiny boutique hotel about 10 days ago and decided it was absolutely worth a mention. It is right down in the south of Italy tucked down the narrowest of streets in a coastal town called Pizzo.

I'd recommend it to anyone.

www.piccolograndhotel.com

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33 Portland Place

You know it from The King's Speech! I fell in love with this room in the film and found out it has become a big london party venue as well as the set for a recent porno.

Wouldn't it just be an awesome studio/ apartment and when I buy a place I intend to decorate out like this.

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Circus Runaway

With my oldest brother coming to visit in November, my other older brother emailed me to say what did I think about having a truly HUGE sibling weekend!??!! He's a big planner and wants to do a massive family dinner, 2 full on nights out (Tod's in charge of this part), Sunday pub lunch, black tie cocktails somewhere, a west end show and a day sky diving/ 4x4-ing/ the Circus/ or something equally mental together.
So I decided to get on the case and check out what I could find. And I think this is great:


They're called The Circus Space

www.thecircusspace.co.uk

A Circus that offers individual classes, full courses and private classes doing everything and anything Circus.
It is based in an old Power station in Hoxton and looks awesome.

I suppose like any avid traveller I have always enjoyed the romanticism of the Circus and the idea of escaping into it's world.

(Photos by the ever wonderful Wendy Bevan)

En route to Ganischgeralm

After a productive and somewhat difficult year for me it looks as though I am heading back into the Dolomites (Obereggen) for the entire winter season. Great news - partly because it's a full 4 months of work, partly because I love the work, partly because I love the people I work with and also partly because the place is incredibly beautiful.

Every morning for 4 months of the winter I will ski-doo up into the mountains before the rest of world wakes up and for me there is nothing quite like that 10 minutes. Being able to look out over a silent, sleeping and snow ladden world as the sun is rising over the mountains.

Here's to that 10 minutes:

I live amidst the souls of deep see creatures,

Though now they brush the stars,

Silent winds whip once lost beaches,

And freeze the rocks  of far

A magic stirs you cannot place

But sense the power untold

There’s something here you cannot trace

That life holds deep and old

So wake at dawn to see this land

That glides beneath the moon

Where snow falls silent as a man

That walks in thoughts of doom

My heart beat sounds unto my core

My breath to rise and fall

Alone and high where eagles sore

Beneath these great stone walls

I love this place with all my heart

It’s silence and it ‘s lore

Where life and death live hand in hand

I’m summoned by it’s awe.

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BURNING MAN SOLD OUT

For the first time in it's 25 years tickets to Burning Man sold out. There are already four of us that are crewing up for 2012 - so note to self, nail tickets fast.... This incredible sensation of a festival - the festival of all festivals in fact - it's the world's new hottest ticket!!

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