Royal Albert Hall - Nigel Kennedy

It's 20 years since Nigel Kennedy released Vivaldi, the four seasons. The first time a classical record hit the charts, selling over 2 million copies.
He didn't fit the stereotypical classical musician, upsetting many with his style and appearance.

He played here at the Royal Albert Hall in 2000 with the Who. Later released on an album Live at the Royal Albert Hall.

You can win a copy of the 20th anniversary edition of Vivaldi the four seasons

What do you need to do?

Simply leave a comment of some other significant event in September 1989. It can be major or personal, over to you.

The best, wittiest, cleverest entry wins.

Anyone can enter.

The winner will be anounced on Friday

Regent's St Festival

Capturing the festivities at Sunday's festival.

Tomorrow there will be a new competition.

Competition Update

Unfortunately Gillian is unable to make it to London by November to take up her wee break to Brussels prize.

The other finalists Gunn White, Frenchies in London, Bower Bird, Karen Billing, Ham have been put back in the lovely red hat for a redraw.

The winner is: Karen Billing,

Eid in Trafalgar Square

The festival of Eid is a festival, celebrated by Muslims, to mark the end of Ramadan. The festivities in Trafalgar Square on Saturday included great music, theatre, story telling, food stalls and lots of information.

Gorilla Race

The city went ape yesterday with 100's of gorillas let loose on the streets.

The Great Gorilla Race was all about raising awareness for gorillas in the wild. I can certainly vouch for awareness being raised among the crowds.

Perfect night for the Movies

A sudden an unexpected downpour at Leicester Square. Seemed like the perfect time to go to the movies.

Skywatch Friday - Boats and Trains

A view from St Pancras lock on Regent's Canal. The train crossing the rail bridge will take the winner of my competition on a wee break to Brussels, courtesy of Eurostar.
See the results below.

Don't forget to visit other skywatchers around the world.

Competition Results

The six finalists chosen by we are social to win a Eurostar little break, big difference trip to Brussels. These six were popped into the lovely red hat here and one drawn out.

The winner is: Gillian

Middle Temple Hall

I love to see behind closed doors. Places we aren't normally allowed to see. Middle Temple Hall is one of these places. Open last weekend for open house weekend. What we really want is a story that we wont find in the history books or on the Internet. Right? A bit of historical gossip.
Aha I have a story for you.
At the end of the room you can see part of a table. It's a very long table stretching across the width of the room. At either end there are stained glass windows with family crests. The story although an unlikely one is none the less still worth repeating. At a dinner one evening Robert Louis Stevenson was sitting at the very end facing the far window. Near the top and to the very right are two separate crests with names that caught his fancy.
Those names are Jekyll and Hyde.

Competition update:
The correct answers to the photos are:
Winston Churchill, Covent Garden, The London Eye. Additional points could be earned by your witty response.
A short list has been selected by we are social:

Gunn White, Frenchies in London, Bower Bird, Gillian, Karen Billing, Ham

These will all go into a hat and one will be selected and announced on tomorrow's post.
The winner will be contacted by we are social to discuss the details with you.
Good luck!

Apothecaries

Last weekend was open house. An event where 700 buildings open their doors to the public for free. Some only accessible during this weekend.

Among those I chose to visit was the apothecaries livery hall. A chance to see a wonderful example of 17th century architecture and style.

The society began life with the guild of pepperers in 1180 as spice traders. This became grocers around 1428 trading in everything from spice to perfume, wines herbs and drugs.
A rivalry existed for many years between the apothecaries and physicians over the entitlement to prepare and sell anything intended for medicinal purposes.
Eventually James VI gave the apothecaries their own charter in 1617. They split from the grocers and became what is known these days as pharmacists.

Check

There is so much on in London at present. I'm not going to get around to everything to show you. However I'll do my best to give you wee snippets.
As part of the Design Festival a giant mosaic glass chess board with huge ceramic chess pieces sits in the centre of Trafalgar Square.
Created by Spanish designer Jamie Haydón. He was inspired by the battle of Trafalgar and each of the 2m pieces represents an element of London.
Players sit above the board as if on thrones, while commentators direct handlers to move the pieces (on castor's) around the board.
My chess playing skills aren't up to this kind of public humiliation.
The installation is around until 23 September. Definitely worth a visit.

Don't forget today is the final day to enter my trip to Brussels competition.

Skyride

Yesterday the streets of London were for cyclists only. Over 65,000 took up took advantage of the Mayor of London's skyride.
I had no idea there were that many bikes in the city. Singing and the ringing of bicycle bells are loads more fun than petrol fumes.


Don't forget my competition that is running at present to win yourself a pair of tickets to Brussels. It closes at midnight tomorrow. So make sure you get your entry in.

The Parade

Today a picture from the Thames Parade. A wonderful extravaganza of costumes, light and people.

Don't forget my competition that is running at present to win yourself a pair of tickets to Brussels. You can enter as many times as you like.

Freerunner

More from the Thames Festival. You'll get a few more glimpses of this festival while I am feeling sorry for myself with my cold and not inspired to be out taking new pictures.

They're loads of fun though. This is a free runner in action. They are amazing. Urban acrobatics. No safety nets and pausing for applause, as in the circus. These guys are in it for the fun and maybe a title at the championships.

Skywatch Friday - Thames

A view of the Thames taken from Embankment looking back towards Blackfriars bridge. Across the river you can see the Oxo tower.

A brief post today as I have a horrid cold. The downside of living in a city of London. I seem to catch so many.

Remember to visit other skywatchers around the globe today.

Don't forget my competition that is running at present to win yourself a pair of tickets to Brussels. You can enter as many times as you like.

Stirred not Shaken

On the balcony of Somerset house overlooking the Thames is the Bombay Sapphire Dusk bar. Designed by the renown Tom Dixon.
Here you can sip your perfect martini, I'll have mine stirred not shaken thanks (despite what James Bond prefers).
Do you put vermouth in yours? I like a hint. Many don't like any. I've heard of waving the bottle near the glass without removing the cap.
Winston Churchill made his martini by adding gin then bowing towards France for the vermouth.

Cool place , but only open until 18 October. Get yourself over for a bit of cocktail imbibing.

Don't forget my competition that is running at present to win yourself a pair of tickets to Brussels. You can enter as many times as you like.

Win a Trip to Brussels

Remember my Sun and Fun in Brussels? The good folk at we are social thought you and a friend might like to have some fun in Brussels courtesy of Eurostar little break, big difference .

what do you have to do to win this super duper prize? - easy

• answer the questions on the 3 pictures above (the images have all been posted on this blog in 2009) AND


• add a sentence or two on what a little break big difference would do for you

how do I enter?

• leave your answers (and creative responses) in the "comments" of this post - remember to leave a way in which you can be contacted OR


• write a post on your blog/website but make sure you leave a comment on this post with a link to your efforts OR


• if you don't have a blog or website and comments don't work. Don't despair, you can still enter, email me aglimpseoflondon@gmail.com with your answers

What's the prize?

• Two lesiure class return tickets (that's the posh seats) from London St Pancras to Brussels


• any time, any day, however long (or short) you want as long as it is taken between now and November

Competition ends Tuesday 22 September midnight UK time

How will it be judged and when will we know who won

We are social will short list to 5 the most amazing/brilliant/wittiest of you. I will draw one of those out of a hat the following Friday. Easy Peasy.

Get creative.

Mid-Month Subway - Rebecca

Drama at Leytonstone. Today you have it all. Jealousy, fear and obsession.

Alfred Hitchcock was born in this town (near the end of the central line. (That's the red one on the tube map for the out of towners).

To mark one hundred years since the birth of their local hero, with the slightly odd upbringing, (No wonder he became fascinated with psychological thrillers) stunning mosaics depicting scenes from his movies and portraits of his life were installed in Leystone tube station.

The scene shown here is from Rebecca. Hitchcock's first American movie. Made in 1940, starring Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine.
The new Mrs De Winter is being encouraged by Mrs Danvers (the jealous housekeeper) to commit suicide. Mrs Danvers had an obsession with Rebecca (the first Mrs De Winter) and wont accept the new wife.

Great Hitchcock drama.

subway day is a mid-month theme shared by the following blogs:
Budapest - London - Paris - Stockholm - Sydney

Tomorrow is competition day! Be here for a great prize.

La roue de la mort

More from the Thames Festival. Clever and funny from Les Studios de Marseille. First he played the crazy waiter, then did a striptease. Here he is blindfolded.

Maybe a couple more pictures from the festival leading up to the competition later in the week.

Korean Dancer

This weekend the place to be is at the Thames Festival. I started at the scoop (the amphitheatre next to city hall) and watched traditional Korean dancing, music and taekwondo.

As I wandered along the riverside I saw stalls, loads of different food, circus acts, free run, dance classes, clay pot making and firing in an actual fire on the bank of the Thames, the amazing fire garden outside the Tate Modern, and finished it all off with the feast on the bridge.

I thought last years festival was great but this year is even better.

No time to sit at the computer today I have to get back to today's festival offerings.

Don't forget that I will have a super duper competition coming up in a few days.

Men at Work # 12

Somethings are best done the old fashioned way.

Next week I will be running an exciting competition with a fabulous prize. Stay tuned for details.

Skywatch Friday - Swans

A couple of swans found their way to Southbank creating a lot of human interest which didn't impress them one bit.

Visit other skywatchers around the world.

Spot the odd one out

One is different to the others which one is it?

Answer: The man with the blue tie. His mobile is in his left hand.

Ha and you were busy looking at the dogs weren't you.

Lots of Fun

I had lots of fun on my wee break with friends in Italy and arrived back to a sunny London.
This picture taken at Southbank on a summery afternoon seemed the perfect picture today. Don't you just love his smile.

How Long?

Not long. Just gone for a few days R&R

The South Walk

The South walk forms part of the cloisters of Westminster Abbey. This section was rebuilt in the mid 1300's after being destroyed by fire some 100 years earlier.
Once a place where monks spent much of their time pursing leisure activities including playing games and entertaining 'ladies of rank'.
Years later it was a hangout for beggars and gamblers.
A cleanup and extensive renovations took place in the 1800's.

Theme Day - Big

Big Ben. Big Man.

To see other interpretations of Big
Click here to view thumbnails for all participants