Getting Back into the Swing of London

This evening I went for a run with Lewis, my youngest brother. I think I last ran about two years ago! I'd picked up some gear this afternoon from Lillywhites (now owned by dodgy Sports World International) - including some Reebok trainers - any company that sports the Union Jack on their products wins points from me - Karrimor is another soft spot.



The run we did was the standard one from here (West Hampstead) - down past Swiss Cottage, around Regents Park and back. My knees are not good! Anyway, felt good to be doing some exercise - when you're travelling you often lose weight because of unappealing or lack of access to food, but you don't get fit as the most effort you have to go to is lugging your pack about. Back in London it's more just excesses that are to blame for piling on the pounds. Now where did I put that Badger "Hopping Hare" ale I found in Sainsburys..

Things noteworthy in the news - China has unblocked BBC News from the so-called Great Firewall. A real sign of progress this, although I did receive an email from a friend of mine in Chengdu, and her stance on the current situation with Tibet and the Dalai Lama was interesting - one of us is being spun a strange angle on events, and I suspect it's not me! At least with Tibet there is international interest and support for the pressure being brought upon China to stop human rights abuses there,



unlike Taiwan, where recent local efforts to conduct a referendum on whether to join the UN (something that China says will trigger war between their countries) were condemned by the US! Taiwan, a vibrant successful democracy, exactly what we're trying to achieve in the Middle East, but instead because of kow-towing to China we're busy disowning them (and kicked them out of the UN in the 70s when we decided China was more important economically). What hypocracy and double standards (plus ça change, eh?)

Exciting things going on: Method Man and Redman playing Shepherd's Bush Empire tomorrow night. Will I get tickets? Err.. probably not. Will I be in a state to attend after tonight's run and helping out at Interform tomorrow? Certainly not!

Apparently Ken Livingstone, our dear London mayor, and his officials clocked up more than a million airmiles last year, visiting, amongst others, Venezuela, Cuba and India. So much for the congestion charge being an environmental effort. Anyway, Boris is now the favourite,



and as a cyclist gets my vote - did anyone else notice that the new rules on polluting cars seem to put the threshold just above Ken's car. Coincidence, surely?

Strictly Come Dancing's Anton Du Beke has said all fat people should be shot. Nice.

Icelandic band Sigur Ros are playing at the Way Out West Festival in Gothenburg, Sweden, 8th-9th August, along with Franz Ferdinand and Flaming Lips.



Anyone want to go? Does clash with the Great British Beer Festival though, that week is going to be complicated!





The Stag and Dagger Festival will be playing on May 15th in London. 14 UKP gets you a ticket, and you pop around town to any of 15 different venues depending on what takes your fancy. Confirmed acts so far? Archie Bronson Outfit * Hot Chip DJs * Ed Banger Records * A Trak * Filthy Dukes * Goyte * Das Pop * Booji Boy High * Greco Roman * Bang Gang * the cocknbullkid * Kid Harpoon * The Mike Strutter Group * Jimmy Edgar * Cheeky Cheeky & The Nose Bleeds * Modular * Young & Lost * Kill 'Em All * Allez Allez * Adventures in the Beetroot Field * Fluokids * Harmonic 313 * Magic Wands * Skull Juice * Casper C * Bumblebeez * Moshi Moshi party * The Pan I Am * The Shoes * Example * Ok Tokyo * Telepathe * Zombie Zombie * Quiet Village * The Invisible * Wave Machine * Semifinalists * The Displacements * Lovvers * Primary 1 * Magistrates * George Lamb * Natty * Operator Please + more acts still to be announced. Moshi Moshi Party swings it for me!! http://www.staganddagger.com/

And for the summer.. Marble Hill, Twickenham. Last year it was Sia leading Zero 7, the year before Royksopp, the year before Lemonjelly. Can these guys do no wrong?



They're not on the English Heritage website yet, but the 18th and 25th both sound quite exciting! T'Pau! Don't push too far.. Your dreams are china in your hand! Here's the line-up:

Saturday 11th August - Lemar and Beverley Knight
Sunday 12th August - The Four Seasons and Fireworks spectacular featuring Chloe Hanslip.
Saturday 18th August - Party! At Marble Hill, featuring eighties superstars Bananarama, Belinda Carlisle, Midge Ure, Altered Images with Clare Grogan
Saturday 25th August - The Music of Motown - Dancing in The Streets
Sunday 26th August - Last Night of The Marble Hill Proms featuring special guests Natasha Marsh and Alfie Boe

And not forgetting our European friends.. there's an extremely exciting festival in Arras in France 4-6th July, the Main Square Festival. Radiohead, Chemical Brothers, 2 Many DJs and Sigur Ros playing! Now looking on the map, Arras is not altogether that far from Calais.



I sense a plan coming together..

Next up in London for me - Wildlife Photographer of the Year and the China Design exhibitions...

Not enough time for life in this place! London Town, it's good to be home...



Au contraire - first the World, and now London..