Clematis “General Sikorski” is scaling the heights of the downpipe outside our back door! [click to embiggen]
It's another snippets post, dear reader:
- NIMBY news: The joyless arseholes calling themselves "The Soho Society" have declared that they will oppose every new and renewed alcohol licence in the area, causing a backlash from The Mayor and local businesses. This ain't rural Surrey, dears - without pubs, Soho will be yet another dead space in the heart of London's West End!
- Puffins and porn news: The world’s largest space dedicated to illustration, and named after one of the UK's most beloved illustrators of children's books (in particular those of Roald Dahl), the Quentin Blake Centre at New River Head in Clerkenwell opened its doors on Friday. Surprisingly, amongst all the Moomins, Where the Wild Things Are, James and the Giant Peach, Matilda, Puffin Books and so forth, there's a display of Tom of Finland's graphic gay artwork! Possibly worth a visit...
- Scary how time flies: Former backing singer for Wham!, Style Council ingenue (and former Mrs Paul Weller) Dee C Lee celebrated her - gulp - 65th birthday yesterday! She only ever had one solo hit, but what a classic it is:
- Po-faced Lefties news: Speaking of "joyless", over in France the massive gastronomic (and boozy) gatherings known as banquets géants have become quite "the thing" for young hedonists. Step forward radical left party La France Insoumise (LFI - France Unbowed), which has accused the events of being a mask for nationalism and not representative of "...modern France, which is a place rich in its diversity." Proof, if ever any were needed, that "politically correct" people simply do not understand the concept of FUN...
- Doing what comes naturally news: Birds wank, scientists have observed.
- And finally: RIP, the esteemed Colombian singer Totó la Momposina. Nope, me neither - then I looked her up, and found this!
Perfect for a Sunday.
And the weather? All over the place! Still blustery and battering our garden, but at least the rain held off today. Until tonight...
PS:
The demon spawn next door have been screaming all afternoon on their fucking trampoline. Thanks to a discovery by Madam Arcati, we have the perfect answer:
So many things to respond to: I love clematis, just a cheerful and determined Vine. Dee C reminds me very much of Dionne Warwick. And that image of the demon child receiving her just due due is immensely gratifying.
ReplyDeleteClematis "General Sikorski" is my favourite clematis, ever - I love it! They're definitely a plant guaranteed to cheer you up.
DeleteI'm bemused why and how a beautiful talent like Miss Lee never got a proper stab at fame. I imagine she was too busy giving birth to babies with Mr Weller.
That clip is simply faboo - If I could project it on a loop against their curtains in the middle of the night, I would! Little bastards. Jx
I love the Clematis. Mine is currently blooming like crazy! And I don't think, I know any Tom of Finland exhibit is worth a visit!!
ReplyDeleteAnd oppose every new and renewed alcohol license and without pubs?!?!?!?! Why that is the silliest and craziest thing I ever heard!!!! They must be nuts.
It has been a good Spring for clematis - all ours have been full of flower!
DeleteI think we might well pay a visit to the Quentin Blake Centre just to see the Tom of Finland illustrations - I must remember to take my fan...
We have been aghast at the stupidity of the self-appointed "Soho Society" for years. Typical busybodies who move into an area that's full of pubs (gay or otherwise), sex shops and brothels, then throw their hands up in horror and start trying to ban everything because it offends them. Piss off to the suburbs if you don't like it, I say! Jx
Ha, I wouldn't even view a property if I got a glimpse of a trampoline; nice counter to the kids, but maybe the wind will blow the stupid thing away.
ReplyDeleteI hate what's happened/happening to London.
Sx
It wasn't there when we moved in. There were a different set of tenants altogether. They left, then this lot moved in - mother, father, granny, granddad and two kids. Then came the yappy dog. Then the bloody trampoline! We rent. I'd never buy a terraced property if I had the money...
DeleteI agree. Just when London needs to get people back out and enjoying themselves after COVID, along come the busybodies and want to shut everything up again. They won't be happy until Soho's all Turkish barbers, vape shops and "American Candy" stores, like every other High Street. Jx
Even Leadenhall Market is like any other mall now. I remember it when it had a proper champagne shop - and I swear I remember pheasants hanging outside another. Then the coffee and tea places opened up, like Wainwright and Daughter - which was fine and it wasn't a franchise, but now I think it's all clothes shops like Jigsaw - it's ridiculous.
DeleteWhy do people flock to places because they're different and then make them the same as everywhere else? It's bonkers.
Sx
I do concur - how many coffee shops do we actually need? As for the same-old, same-old shops arriving where they're not needed - every shopping centre across the country has identikit outlets these days (those that haven't gone bust, of course) and those that aren't "fast fashion" are fast food... Jx
DeleteTotó la Momposina has a great sound. Glorious clematis.
ReplyDeleteShe was a great find, too late... I knew you'd love the clematis! Jx
DeleteRIP. Totó la Momposina. It so sad when people die before you have even heard of them.
ReplyDeleteSomething needs to be done to stop Soho becoming a sort of inner-city Suburbia.
It's often the case, unfortunately, that it's not until the obituary's published and we go searching for why they were famous, do we uncover the joys...
DeleteThe Mayor is sticking up for Soho, thankfully - shame he's such a hypocrite, however, where those plans to pedestrianise Oxford Street are concerned. Jx