Londonist » Arizona http://londonist.com A website about London Sat, 26 May 2012 14:00:08 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 Saturday Cinema Summary http://londonist.com/2008/01/saturday_cinema_23.php http://londonist.com/2008/01/saturday_cinema_23.php#comments Sat, 19 Jan 2008 11:48:42 +0000 Dave http://londonist.com/?p=7803 No Country For Old Men

Our weekly roundup of film reviews returns, courtesy of James Bryan…

This week, the Coens’ masterful noir No Country For Old Men, the dire AVPR (don’t ask), a spoof musical biopic Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story and Gwyneth Paltrow in The Good Night.

No Country for Old Men arrives in the UK soaked in rapturous Stateside reviews. It’s the latest from critical darlings the Coen Brothers (The Big Lebowski, Raising Arizona, Fargo etc.) and while it may be adapted from the Cormac McCarthy novel, the end result feels pure Coen (I’ve actually seen this one!). It tells the story of a man (Josh Brolin) who stumbles upon the aftermath of a drug deal in the Texas scrublands and ends up going on the run with a bag full of money. Beginning with a truly poetic voiceover from Tommy Lee Jones, the film is filled with stunning landscapes and great performances. Peter Bradshaw is swept away by it (5-stars) and thinks it’s the “best of their career so far”:

The result is a dark, violent and deeply disquieting drama, leavened with brilliant noirish wisecracks, and boasting three leading male performances with all the spectacular virility of Texan steers. And all of it hard and sharp as a diamond.

The most compelling character is Javier Badham, a uniquely memorable psychopathic killer, described by James Christopher in the Times (3-stars):

He is a satanic force of nature whose weapon of choice is a gas-fuelled bolt gun more commonly used in abbatoirs to slaughter cattle. His most sinister feature is his hair: a classic 1960s moptop. He is an unnerving pleasure who is obsessed with destiny and coin-tossing moments that mean life or death. He is responsible for an astonishing amount of carnage.

The film moves at a pace that has almost been engineered out of modern films, lingering on details and scenes that any audience-tested Hollywood product would have lost early on. As Anthony Quinn in the Independent puts it (3-stars):

For what is ostensibly a thriller, one detects very little urgency in its rhythm. Like the Texan folk it’s set among, the movie takes its own, sweet time.

He then goes on to reveal far too much about what happens at the end. The deceptively simple story does weave in some grander themes, as Peter Bradshaw says:

The tone of the film, like that of McCarthy’s original novel, is apocalyptic: it gestures ahead, darkly, to an utter annihilation of norms and restraints

Overall, No Country for Old Men is a beautiful looking, eccentric, violent, utterly compelling and uniquely American story that refuses to follow convention (particularly the end). It’s a return to form for the Coens that comes highly recommended.

Next up – Alien Vs Predator: Requiem.

If you’ve been eagerly awaiting the release of Alien Vs Predator: Requiem (or AVPR as it wants to be known), then quite frankly you’re sad. Any nostalgic glow still emanating from the originals burnt out decades ago leaving a cynical joyless franchise desperately awaiting a mercy killing. Unsurprisingly, 1-star reviews across the board. Take your pick; “a wrist-slittingly awful addition” (The Times), “The world’s most illogical and boring action-horror grudge-match between two dull trademarked franchise monsters is back on” (The Guardian) & “a tawdry cash-in” (The Independent). It couldn’t be clearer. Don’t go.

The critics are united in 2-star the mediocrity that is Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, a musical biopic spoof of films such as Walk the Line, Ray and Dreamgirls. It’s written by current Hollywood golden boy Judd Apatow (he of Knocked Up and the completely brilliant, watch-it-now-if-you-haven’t-yet Superbad) however The Guardian says that he has “sadly brought his B-game to this moderate spoof.” The Independent thinks that “too much of it is effortful and repetitious, to the point where the stuff being parodied becomes as irksome as an actual biopic.” The Times calls it “very tedious” and, most interestingly, a “karaoke pudding,” which is brilliantly descriptive yet oddly meaningless.

As all the critics note The Good Night takes its cue from the surreal endeavours of Charlie Kaufman and Michel Gondry and struggles against such lofty inspirations. It’s directed by Jake, brother of Gwyneth, Paltrow and stars his sister alongside an assortment of their well-connected friends. The Guardian (2-stars) call it, “not without interest, but derivative, tonally uncertain and often misjudged” while The Independent (2-stars) says of the director:

he’s on a hiding to nothing with a script that doesn’t know if it’s lowdown and lecherous or soulful and mysterious.

The Times goes one better with 3-stars and is obviously intrigued by eclectic cast and premise but again notes the comparison with better directors like Gondry:

Gondry’s dreams are full of ingenious invention and collages made of clouds; Paltrow’s are inhabited by submissive women. What comedy there is fails to ignite and the romance is stillborn since we don’t care who sleeps with whom or whether they do it in real life or the dream world

Also released is Back to Normandy, a French documentary where a filmmaker revisits the cast of an obscure film he worked on 30 years previously. Likely to be of interest only to committed cinephiles familiar with the subject matter, as The Independent (2-stars) says:

One begins by wondering what the point of such a documentary might be, and by the end, one feels it to be little more than a glorified home movie.

And finally Shot in Bombay, a documentary looking at the colourful chaos of a Bollywood production. 3-stars in the Guardian, “it’s an intriguing glimpse into the bustling, if sometimes dodgy, world of Bollywood.”

Next week, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

By James Bryan

]]> No Country For Old Men

Our weekly roundup of film reviews returns, courtesy of James Bryan…

This week, the Coens’ masterful noir No Country For Old Men, the dire AVPR (don’t ask), a spoof musical biopic Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story and Gwyneth Paltrow in The Good Night.

No Country for Old Men arrives in the UK soaked in rapturous Stateside reviews. It’s the latest from critical darlings the Coen Brothers (The Big Lebowski, Raising Arizona, Fargo etc.) and while it may be adapted from the Cormac McCarthy novel, the end result feels pure Coen (I’ve actually seen this one!). It tells the story of a man (Josh Brolin) who stumbles upon the aftermath of a drug deal in the Texas scrublands and ends up going on the run with a bag full of money. Beginning with a truly poetic voiceover from Tommy Lee Jones, the film is filled with stunning landscapes and great performances. Peter Bradshaw is swept away by it (5-stars) and thinks it’s the “best of their career so far”:

The result is a dark, violent and deeply disquieting drama, leavened with brilliant noirish wisecracks, and boasting three leading male performances with all the spectacular virility of Texan steers. And all of it hard and sharp as a diamond.

The most compelling character is Javier Badham, a uniquely memorable psychopathic killer, described by James Christopher in the Times (3-stars):

He is a satanic force of nature whose weapon of choice is a gas-fuelled bolt gun more commonly used in abbatoirs to slaughter cattle. His most sinister feature is his hair: a classic 1960s moptop. He is an unnerving pleasure who is obsessed with destiny and coin-tossing moments that mean life or death. He is responsible for an astonishing amount of carnage.

The film moves at a pace that has almost been engineered out of modern films, lingering on details and scenes that any audience-tested Hollywood product would have lost early on. As Anthony Quinn in the Independent puts it (3-stars):

For what is ostensibly a thriller, one detects very little urgency in its rhythm. Like the Texan folk it’s set among, the movie takes its own, sweet time.

He then goes on to reveal far too much about what happens at the end. The deceptively simple story does weave in some grander themes, as Peter Bradshaw says:

The tone of the film, like that of McCarthy’s original novel, is apocalyptic: it gestures ahead, darkly, to an utter annihilation of norms and restraints

Overall, No Country for Old Men is a beautiful looking, eccentric, violent, utterly compelling and uniquely American story that refuses to follow convention (particularly the end). It’s a return to form for the Coens that comes highly recommended.

Next up – Alien Vs Predator: Requiem.

If you’ve been eagerly awaiting the release of Alien Vs Predator: Requiem (or AVPR as it wants to be known), then quite frankly you’re sad. Any nostalgic glow still emanating from the originals burnt out decades ago leaving a cynical joyless franchise desperately awaiting a mercy killing. Unsurprisingly, 1-star reviews across the board. Take your pick; “a wrist-slittingly awful addition” (The Times), “The world’s most illogical and boring action-horror grudge-match between two dull trademarked franchise monsters is back on” (The Guardian) & “a tawdry cash-in” (The Independent). It couldn’t be clearer. Don’t go.

The critics are united in 2-star the mediocrity that is Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, a musical biopic spoof of films such as Walk the Line, Ray and Dreamgirls. It’s written by current Hollywood golden boy Judd Apatow (he of Knocked Up and the completely brilliant, watch-it-now-if-you-haven’t-yet Superbad) however The Guardian says that he has “sadly brought his B-game to this moderate spoof.” The Independent thinks that “too much of it is effortful and repetitious, to the point where the stuff being parodied becomes as irksome as an actual biopic.” The Times calls it “very tedious” and, most interestingly, a “karaoke pudding,” which is brilliantly descriptive yet oddly meaningless.

As all the critics note The Good Night takes its cue from the surreal endeavours of Charlie Kaufman and Michel Gondry and struggles against such lofty inspirations. It’s directed by Jake, brother of Gwyneth, Paltrow and stars his sister alongside an assortment of their well-connected friends. The Guardian (2-stars) call it, “not without interest, but derivative, tonally uncertain and often misjudged” while The Independent (2-stars) says of the director:

he’s on a hiding to nothing with a script that doesn’t know if it’s lowdown and lecherous or soulful and mysterious.

The Times goes one better with 3-stars and is obviously intrigued by eclectic cast and premise but again notes the comparison with better directors like Gondry:

Gondry’s dreams are full of ingenious invention and collages made of clouds; Paltrow’s are inhabited by submissive women. What comedy there is fails to ignite and the romance is stillborn since we don’t care who sleeps with whom or whether they do it in real life or the dream world

Also released is Back to Normandy, a French documentary where a filmmaker revisits the cast of an obscure film he worked on 30 years previously. Likely to be of interest only to committed cinephiles familiar with the subject matter, as The Independent (2-stars) says:

One begins by wondering what the point of such a documentary might be, and by the end, one feels it to be little more than a glorified home movie.

And finally Shot in Bombay, a documentary looking at the colourful chaos of a Bollywood production. 3-stars in the Guardian, “it’s an intriguing glimpse into the bustling, if sometimes dodgy, world of Bollywood.”

Next week, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

By James Bryan

]]> http://londonist.com/2008/01/saturday_cinema_23.php/feed 0 Londonist Interviews … Architect/Artist Michael Murphy http://londonist.com/2007/09/londonist_inter_26.php http://londonist.com/2007/09/londonist_inter_26.php#comments Thu, 20 Sep 2007 09:49:56 +0000 Chris Osburn http://londonist.com/?p=6943

Michael Murphy is an American architect and illustrator living in London. Growing up in San Francisco and attending university in the desert states of Arizona and New Mexico before working in Dublin and London, Michael has a singular vision that’s uniquely his own. With the recent release of his London series of Giclee prints, we thought now would be a great time to have a chat with Michael about his art.

Rather than Londonist ascribing our own interpretation of your art, would you please describe your style to our readers who haven’t had the pleasure of viewing your work?

The style is my interpretation of traditional architectural illustration with a great attempt to present the potential drama within all good design. The viewpoints are meant to be as cinematic as possible yet as an architect I still have the urge to retain some semblance of reality in terms of perspective and structure. Just can help it, but I think that small dose of reality actually helps the images of the buildings in that it helps the imagination of the views to actually see themselves within the scenes. The actual pieces are high quality giclee prints on watercolour paper. They look absolutely beautiful and I credit the great printers that I use.

Would you consider yourself more of an architect or an illustrator? What’s the connection between the two disciplines and how do they influence the other with respect to your work?

Always an architect. It’s like joining the priesthood. What the illustrations allow however is to design a structure without the usual constraints of budget, location, and clients. Fantasy architectural illustration has always played a valuable part of the architectural discourse throughout history as it is the one place where ideas can be completely free and the influences can be wholly from one’s own creative spirit. Eric Mendelsohn used to sketch in the trenches during World War One and went on to produce some of the finest architecture of the 20th Century.

You’ve recently released a “London” series of Giclee prints. The images suggest a future as it might have been envisioned about half a century ago, which give the series a nostalgic quality. Care to elaborate on the inspirations behind the series?

The goal of the London series, as well as all of the other images, is not merely to try to recreate the ephemera of any particular era but rather to introduce my personal architectural tastes within a slightly out of sync context. What I attempted to do with the London series was to insert an idea that I had for a building within the milieu of what I regard as an exciting aspect of British culture ie Bond’s “Thunderball” mini-sub, psychedelia, Vespa scooters, etc. It’s all meant to go back and forth in cultural history simultaneously, and certainly favours mid-century design details, which I love.

One of your London prints, entitled “Cocktail before Target Practice”, features the silhouette of a helicopter atop a building with the BT Tower in the background and an intense yellow sky. Who’s having a cocktail with whom and where?

I really like that one – it’s actually probably the darkest one of the entire set. The “sub-reading” behind that was that a military man or MI5 agent was on an assassination assignment (hence the rooftop) and decided to drop in and have a martini before getting on with his wet work. The term “target practice” was used to further enhance the bleakness of it all.

Got a favourite building or architectural feature in London?

The long gone Mondial Building was one of my favourites. Golden Lane high rise next to the Barbican. Lancaster Hotel. Everything by Zaha. I love the 101 too. What’s going on here in the commercial sector is some of the best in the world – very brave and confident uses of colour I think.

Any future plans or projects?

I finally decided to put brush and pencil to board and am now working on a series of paintings. Having to relearn long lost architectural presentation techniques is great fun and very rewarding. I’ll keep you posted.

View more of Michael’s work at www.supersonic.designinblue.com.

“Cocktail before Target Practice” image appears courtesy of Michael Murphy.

]]>

Michael Murphy is an American architect and illustrator living in London. Growing up in San Francisco and attending university in the desert states of Arizona and New Mexico before working in Dublin and London, Michael has a singular vision that’s uniquely his own. With the recent release of his London series of Giclee prints, we thought now would be a great time to have a chat with Michael about his art.

Rather than Londonist ascribing our own interpretation of your art, would you please describe your style to our readers who haven’t had the pleasure of viewing your work?

The style is my interpretation of traditional architectural illustration with a great attempt to present the potential drama within all good design. The viewpoints are meant to be as cinematic as possible yet as an architect I still have the urge to retain some semblance of reality in terms of perspective and structure. Just can help it, but I think that small dose of reality actually helps the images of the buildings in that it helps the imagination of the views to actually see themselves within the scenes. The actual pieces are high quality giclee prints on watercolour paper. They look absolutely beautiful and I credit the great printers that I use.

Would you consider yourself more of an architect or an illustrator? What’s the connection between the two disciplines and how do they influence the other with respect to your work?

Always an architect. It’s like joining the priesthood. What the illustrations allow however is to design a structure without the usual constraints of budget, location, and clients. Fantasy architectural illustration has always played a valuable part of the architectural discourse throughout history as it is the one place where ideas can be completely free and the influences can be wholly from one’s own creative spirit. Eric Mendelsohn used to sketch in the trenches during World War One and went on to produce some of the finest architecture of the 20th Century.

You’ve recently released a “London” series of Giclee prints. The images suggest a future as it might have been envisioned about half a century ago, which give the series a nostalgic quality. Care to elaborate on the inspirations behind the series?

The goal of the London series, as well as all of the other images, is not merely to try to recreate the ephemera of any particular era but rather to introduce my personal architectural tastes within a slightly out of sync context. What I attempted to do with the London series was to insert an idea that I had for a building within the milieu of what I regard as an exciting aspect of British culture ie Bond’s “Thunderball” mini-sub, psychedelia, Vespa scooters, etc. It’s all meant to go back and forth in cultural history simultaneously, and certainly favours mid-century design details, which I love.

One of your London prints, entitled “Cocktail before Target Practice”, features the silhouette of a helicopter atop a building with the BT Tower in the background and an intense yellow sky. Who’s having a cocktail with whom and where?

I really like that one – it’s actually probably the darkest one of the entire set. The “sub-reading” behind that was that a military man or MI5 agent was on an assassination assignment (hence the rooftop) and decided to drop in and have a martini before getting on with his wet work. The term “target practice” was used to further enhance the bleakness of it all.

Got a favourite building or architectural feature in London?

The long gone Mondial Building was one of my favourites. Golden Lane high rise next to the Barbican. Lancaster Hotel. Everything by Zaha. I love the 101 too. What’s going on here in the commercial sector is some of the best in the world – very brave and confident uses of colour I think.

Any future plans or projects?

I finally decided to put brush and pencil to board and am now working on a series of paintings. Having to relearn long lost architectural presentation techniques is great fun and very rewarding. I’ll keep you posted.

View more of Michael’s work at www.supersonic.designinblue.com.

“Cocktail before Target Practice” image appears courtesy of Michael Murphy.

]]> http://londonist.com/2007/09/londonist_inter_26.php/feed 0 O2 Versus O2 Versus O2 http://londonist.com/2007/07/o2_versus_o2_ve.php http://londonist.com/2007/07/o2_versus_o2_ve.php#comments Wed, 04 Jul 2007 09:24:02 +0000 M@ http://londonist.com/?p=6412 Off to see Timberlake at the new-look Dome tonight? Make sure you don’t get the wrong venue. The Greenwich attraction isn’t the only O2 in town…
Domewaste.jpg

The O2, Greenwich Peninsula

Function: Entertainment venue, including stadium, 11-screen cinema and exhibition space. Includes Justin Timberlake.

Age: 7.5 years. Opened at the end of 1999 as the Millennium Dome, now recalled to life as the O2.

Capacity: 20,000 in the main arena.

Size: 365 m diameter and the largest single-roofed structure in the world.

Cost: £789 million, plus plenty of maintenance and development costs since.

Transport links: Ready access by Jubilee Line, several bus routes and the Blackwall Tunnel by car.

Neighbours: Antony Gormley’s Quantum Cloud, North Greenwich Tube.

Celebrity spotting: Stars such as the Rolling Stones and Prince will be a common fixture. Tutankhamun, that great early contemporary of the Stones, will also be making an appearance in November.

Bonus fact: That big hole in the side? It’s a ventilation shaft from the Blackwall Tunnel.

02finchleyroad.jpg

The O2 Centre, Finchley Road

Function: Retail and leisure complex. Includes Sainsburys, Habitat, 8-screen cinema, Books Etc.

Age: 9 years.

Capacity: several thousand shoppers, plus a bounty of tropical fish in the aquarium.

Size: About 400 m long if you include Homebase.

Cost: Who knows? But worth every penny for the fish tank. The terrapin, by the way, is called Aloysius.

Transport links: Close to the Metropolitan and Jubilee lines, the North London Line (Silverlink), and numerous bus routes along Finchley Road. Sizable car park.

Neighbours: Walkabout pub.

Celebrity spotting: Londonist once eyeballed Kevin Spacey on the lower floor. He was carrying some bread.

Bonus fact: The O2’s car park was once twinned with Arizona’s Painted Dessert. No, really.

oxygen.gif

O2 Molecule

Function: Simple diatomic molecule that participates in varied chemical reactions and biological processes.

Age: Approximately 11 billion years.

Capacity: 16 electrons.

Size: 0.000000000129 m

Cost: Given the current security climate, we’ll let you Google ‘Oxygen cylinder’ for yourself.

Transport links: Abundant gas, easily reached from anywhere on the Earth’s surface. O2 is itself readily transported around the body via haemoglobin molecules in the red blood cells.

Neighbours: nitrogen and fluorine, in the periodic table.

Celebrity spotting: According to textbooks, oxygen makes up about 20% of Air (the remainder being Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoît Dunckel).

Bonus fact: Oxygen also comes in a triangular, O3 form better known as ozone.

Discover other things called O2.

]]> Off to see Timberlake at the new-look Dome tonight? Make sure you don’t get the wrong venue. The Greenwich attraction isn’t the only O2 in town…
Domewaste.jpg

The O2, Greenwich Peninsula

Function: Entertainment venue, including stadium, 11-screen cinema and exhibition space. Includes Justin Timberlake.

Age: 7.5 years. Opened at the end of 1999 as the Millennium Dome, now recalled to life as the O2.

Capacity: 20,000 in the main arena.

Size: 365 m diameter and the largest single-roofed structure in the world.

Cost: £789 million, plus plenty of maintenance and development costs since.

Transport links: Ready access by Jubilee Line, several bus routes and the Blackwall Tunnel by car.

Neighbours: Antony Gormley’s Quantum Cloud, North Greenwich Tube.

Celebrity spotting: Stars such as the Rolling Stones and Prince will be a common fixture. Tutankhamun, that great early contemporary of the Stones, will also be making an appearance in November.

Bonus fact: That big hole in the side? It’s a ventilation shaft from the Blackwall Tunnel.

02finchleyroad.jpg

The O2 Centre, Finchley Road

Function: Retail and leisure complex. Includes Sainsburys, Habitat, 8-screen cinema, Books Etc.

Age: 9 years.

Capacity: several thousand shoppers, plus a bounty of tropical fish in the aquarium.

Size: About 400 m long if you include Homebase.

Cost: Who knows? But worth every penny for the fish tank. The terrapin, by the way, is called Aloysius.

Transport links: Close to the Metropolitan and Jubilee lines, the North London Line (Silverlink), and numerous bus routes along Finchley Road. Sizable car park.

Neighbours: Walkabout pub.

Celebrity spotting: Londonist once eyeballed Kevin Spacey on the lower floor. He was carrying some bread.

Bonus fact: The O2’s car park was once twinned with Arizona’s Painted Dessert. No, really.

oxygen.gif

O2 Molecule

Function: Simple diatomic molecule that participates in varied chemical reactions and biological processes.

Age: Approximately 11 billion years.

Capacity: 16 electrons.

Size: 0.000000000129 m

Cost: Given the current security climate, we’ll let you Google ‘Oxygen cylinder’ for yourself.

Transport links: Abundant gas, easily reached from anywhere on the Earth’s surface. O2 is itself readily transported around the body via haemoglobin molecules in the red blood cells.

Neighbours: nitrogen and fluorine, in the periodic table.

Celebrity spotting: According to textbooks, oxygen makes up about 20% of Air (the remainder being Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoît Dunckel).

Bonus fact: Oxygen also comes in a triangular, O3 form better known as ozone.

Discover other things called O2.

]]> http://londonist.com/2007/07/o2_versus_o2_ve.php/feed 0 Elsewhere in the Ist-iverse http://londonist.com/2007/04/elsewhere_in_th_15.php http://londonist.com/2007/04/elsewhere_in_th_15.php#comments Sun, 22 Apr 2007 12:06:28 +0000 M@ http://londonist.com/?p=5846

With all that went down this week, we thought we thought we’d cheer everyone up by giving everyone a double dose of dogs.

It was a rollercoaster ride of emotions this week at DCist. Like the rest of country, we were floored by the news of so many dead coming out of Virginia Tech, and with so many of the victims and their relatives from the D.C. area, we felt it important to pay tribute to those who were lost. But somber thoughts came right along with optimistic ones, as we headed out to the streets to march in protest for a full voting member of Congress for the District. After live-blogging the debate on the House floor once again, the bill passed the House, and we celebrated by paying tribute Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton’s tenacity.

Bostonist has been watching as the murder rate in the city heads towards the highest level in over a decade. Boston Police have been looking for new recruits for the force, but it’s Scottsdale, Arizona looking for a few good men amongst the relievers at Fenway. Other fans were engaged in Pizza-gate (replaying in our minds and a YouTube near you) which included a Bartman move followed by an airborne slice. All the while political statements were made as art was protested and destroyed. And tens of thousands completed a soggy 26.2.

Austinist was baffled by Tom Delay’s crazy ramblings on Charlie Rose, and even more baffled by the antics of some local would-be art thieves. Tickets for Austin City Limits went on sale, with the first batch sold out in mere hours. Mean while, a massive new project is underway that might transform Central Texas into a powerhouse film industry hub. Austinist sat down for a chat with touring artists Hot Chip and The Books, and exchanged emails with technology guru Douglas Rushkoff.

Chicagoist had two big interviews this week: Radio shock jock Erich “Mancow” Muller and Illinois Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn. They also argued some more about the Olympics and came together to rejoice over the resignation of the CTA head, Frank Kruesi.

In the Big Apple, driving was a big topic. Gothamist was amazed that NJ governor Jon Corzine was not only unbuckled but speeding at 91 MPH when his SUV got into a car crash. In New York, the city is awaiting Mayor Bloomberg’s congestion pricing plan to alleviate city traffic and raise money for city coffers. Also, the trial of four lesbians accused of attacking a man because he was straight ended with guilty verdicts. But the momentary bright spot of the week was the

http://www.gothamist.com/2007/04/19/brooklyns_sludg.php”>ventually died, but not without the well wishes of city folks.)

istcorgi.jpgHoustonist had wacky celebrity stuff going down in their neck of the woods. Andre Agassi hit his wife in the facewith a tennis racket, Beyonce got sued, and George Clinton had a groovy video. To settle down all that craziness, they found the new mojito and a feng shui cemetary.

Phillyist wrapped up its very through and extensive two-festival coverage and celebrated by taking a much-needed hiatus. Meanwhile, the OHS-delayed Rodrigo y Gabriella show finally hit Philly, and the City of Brotherly Love is losing a musical institution.

Over at LAist, it may have been 4/20 week, but dozens of suburban pot growers are getting busted. Meanwhile, it is going to get easier for gang members in LA to get off injunction lists. Just as dangerous and rowdy are baseball games, so they provided a tutorial on baseball etiquette when rooting for the away team, but those rules are thrown out of the window when it comes to the hot chicks of the Derby Dolls. Also, lots and lots of interviews with the likes of the Daily Editor of MSN.com, CrooksandLiars.com, OutsidetheBeltway.com, Smoosh and the guy bringing the party back to Downtown LA.

Everything is outsized in Londonist’s world. The locals are going after world records, somebody’s scribbling random graffiti everywhere, and Londonist’s “Touch-Up London” photoshop contest has some giant residents of Buckingham Palace.

SFist wondered about cameras on buses spying on you and whether San Francisco was a great place to meet your mate or a lousy place. They also wondered what would happen if bloggers who ironically support the Mayor would do if they meet bloggers who ironically hate the Mayor. And speaking of the Mayor: is he about to get hitched?

This week, Torontoist rocked out…for science, gave props to music producer Bob Ezrin for his praising of Trent Reznor, and decided to engage in a bit of self loathing. Plus, they’re totally giving away Justin Timberlake tickets.

Want to know what’s going on in the rest of the Ist-A-Verse? Check out this week’s readers’ favorites on Sampaist, Seattlest, and Shanghaiist.

Photo from Londonist

Compiled and edited by Jon Shurkin

]]>

With all that went down this week, we thought we thought we’d cheer everyone up by giving everyone a double dose of dogs.

It was a rollercoaster ride of emotions this week at DCist. Like the rest of country, we were floored by the news of so many dead coming out of Virginia Tech, and with so many of the victims and their relatives from the D.C. area, we felt it important to pay tribute to those who were lost. But somber thoughts came right along with optimistic ones, as we headed out to the streets to march in protest for a full voting member of Congress for the District. After live-blogging the debate on the House floor once again, the bill passed the House, and we celebrated by paying tribute Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton’s tenacity.

Bostonist has been watching as the murder rate in the city heads towards the highest level in over a decade. Boston Police have been looking for new recruits for the force, but it’s Scottsdale, Arizona looking for a few good men amongst the relievers at Fenway. Other fans were engaged in Pizza-gate (replaying in our minds and a YouTube near you) which included a Bartman move followed by an airborne slice. All the while political statements were made as art was protested and destroyed. And tens of thousands completed a soggy 26.2.

Austinist was baffled by Tom Delay’s crazy ramblings on Charlie Rose, and even more baffled by the antics of some local would-be art thieves. Tickets for Austin City Limits went on sale, with the first batch sold out in mere hours. Mean while, a massive new project is underway that might transform Central Texas into a powerhouse film industry hub. Austinist sat down for a chat with touring artists Hot Chip and The Books, and exchanged emails with technology guru Douglas Rushkoff.

Chicagoist had two big interviews this week: Radio shock jock Erich “Mancow” Muller and Illinois Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn. They also argued some more about the Olympics and came together to rejoice over the resignation of the CTA head, Frank Kruesi.

In the Big Apple, driving was a big topic. Gothamist was amazed that NJ governor Jon Corzine was not only unbuckled but speeding at 91 MPH when his SUV got into a car crash. In New York, the city is awaiting Mayor Bloomberg’s congestion pricing plan to alleviate city traffic and raise money for city coffers. Also, the trial of four lesbians accused of attacking a man because he was straight ended with guilty verdicts. But the momentary bright spot of the week was the

http://www.gothamist.com/2007/04/19/brooklyns_sludg.php”>ventually died, but not without the well wishes of city folks.)

istcorgi.jpgHoustonist had wacky celebrity stuff going down in their neck of the woods. Andre Agassi hit his wife in the facewith a tennis racket, Beyonce got sued, and George Clinton had a groovy video. To settle down all that craziness, they found the new mojito and a feng shui cemetary.

Phillyist wrapped up its very through and extensive two-festival coverage and celebrated by taking a much-needed hiatus. Meanwhile, the OHS-delayed Rodrigo y Gabriella show finally hit Philly, and the City of Brotherly Love is losing a musical institution.

Over at LAist, it may have been 4/20 week, but dozens of suburban pot growers are getting busted. Meanwhile, it is going to get easier for gang members in LA to get off injunction lists. Just as dangerous and rowdy are baseball games, so they provided a tutorial on baseball etiquette when rooting for the away team, but those rules are thrown out of the window when it comes to the hot chicks of the Derby Dolls. Also, lots and lots of interviews with the likes of the Daily Editor of MSN.com, CrooksandLiars.com, OutsidetheBeltway.com, Smoosh and the guy bringing the party back to Downtown LA.

Everything is outsized in Londonist’s world. The locals are going after world records, somebody’s scribbling random graffiti everywhere, and Londonist’s “Touch-Up London” photoshop contest has some giant residents of Buckingham Palace.

SFist wondered about cameras on buses spying on you and whether San Francisco was a great place to meet your mate or a lousy place. They also wondered what would happen if bloggers who ironically support the Mayor would do if they meet bloggers who ironically hate the Mayor. And speaking of the Mayor: is he about to get hitched?

This week, Torontoist rocked out…for science, gave props to music producer Bob Ezrin for his praising of Trent Reznor, and decided to engage in a bit of self loathing. Plus, they’re totally giving away Justin Timberlake tickets.

Want to know what’s going on in the rest of the Ist-A-Verse? Check out this week’s readers’ favorites on Sampaist, Seattlest, and Shanghaiist.

Photo from Londonist

Compiled and edited by Jon Shurkin

]]> http://londonist.com/2007/04/elsewhere_in_th_15.php/feed 0 News From Around The Ist-A-Verse http://londonist.com/2007/04/news_from_aroun_14.php http://londonist.com/2007/04/news_from_aroun_14.php#comments Sat, 14 Apr 2007 22:17:21 +0000 sizemore http://londonist.com/?p=5795 Spring is when we get busy here in the Ist-A-Verse. Very busy. But, after staying bundled-up indoors all winter, it’s nice for us to be out, about, and collecting things to write about for you. Here’s a glimpse at what’s been keeping your favorite citybloggers busily away from home and out of bed.

For LAist, strong winds attacked LA on the same day the Feds raided the Crips. Not to fear, though: the Japanese version of 7-11, called Famima!!, is spreading around town. That and celebrating National Grilled Cheese month with a different style everyday will make things better, not to mention the glory hole action over at UCLA. Ack!! With that image stuck in your head, maybe a beautiful rock-climbing hike 25-miles from downtown will clear your mind.

Spring may be happening somewhere, but it sure isn’t at Bostonist HQ. Ugly weather may descend on the Boston Marathon runners, and the Red Sox got rained out. It’s also raining a little bit on the inside: Dice-K was supposed to shine in his home debut, but another pitcher cast some clouds his way. And then a local actor discovered that Cadbury is pulling a fast one on us with its luscious crème-filled eggs. Staying inside with a sunlamp seems like a good idea.

Torontoist is also still patiently waiting for spring to arrive, but in the meantime, they declared a winner of their poetry contest (April isn’t the cruelest month, as it turns out), overheard children solving mysteries, pointed out a particularly awkward example of architecture and praised a half-decent name for a really crappy downtown development. All of this, and they still had time to make great puns about their beloved hockey team.

Chicagoist bode farewell to Vonnegut, leaked the Lolla line-up and argued about whether or not they want the Olympics. They also wondered, if they got the Olympics, whether it would be a big enough deal to add another star to Chicago’s city flag.

SFist had a busy week this week, but too bad their public transportation system had a meltdown. Also, according to the head of the Police Union, Gen X-ers are too busy to becomes cops, while the city decides whether everyone is too busy to close a street in the park on Saturdays.

Londonist wasn’t sure if it was safe to venture outside. Not with so many loaded breasts on the streets. And if you don’t get hit by a mammary, you still have to get past the zombies. And don’t mention all the unexploded bombs from WWII. Although they would risk it to visit a real world Flickr Gallery or for a spot of civil disobedience.

Houstonist welcomed spring with news of a nurse who was really afraid of being fired, an interview with Rhett Miller and a shocking exposé about people Googling their dates (don’t worry, it’s a computer term) in an effort to avoid bad love decisions. Just one thing about spring confused them, though: When one gets hold of a chocolate Jesus, which end does one eat first?

photoist04-12-07.jpg

DCist felt like the world was going a little crazy with the change of season. First they discovered that local amateur photographers were being harassed by the Metro Transit Police. Then they found a D.C. judge who thinks a pair of his pants are worth $67 million. Trying to insert a little sanity into their spring, they dove into a debate over using your cell phone in cafes and gave you a list of reasons to come out to march for District Voting Rights on Monday.

Austinist mourned the passing of a literary titan, and finally welcomed the arrival of spring. They were also relieved that locally-filmed Friday Night Lights was renewed for more episodes. Meanwhile, state troopers discovered a serious stash of weed while the politicos in the Capitol continued with their silly antics.

The Big Apple spring fever means a garden variety of happenings in Gothamist‘s neck of the woods. There’s a couple who hired a cabbie to drive them from Queens to Arizona and finally, officially, allowing dogs to run off-leash in the parks. Shoe companies decide to have graffiti artists tag a fake subway car, while the MTA breaks ground—for the fourth time in thirty-three years—on the Second Avenue Subway. The fever also means even the naked photographs of a law student’s Playboy TV romp pale compared to an aging shock jock’s remarks.

Phillyist was also stunned and sad over news of Vonnegut’s death, but didn’t let it stop their momentum, whether they were keeping busy covering the future of the rock musical, or a local music fest, or the very best (and absolute worst) of the Philadelphia Film Festival. They also spent some time loving their skyline, not giving all their lovin’, and debating the merits of the last winner of a certain televised musical competition—we’re sure you’ve all heard of him.

Want to know what’s going on in the rest of the Ist-A-Verse? Check out this week’s readers’ favorites on Sampaist, Seattlest, and Shanghaiist.

Compiled and edited by Jillian Ashley Blair Ivey.

Top photo of Malibu Creek’s Rock Pool by LAist Zach Behrens. “Blue Monday” by Flickr user Vandelay Industries via Phillyist.

]]> Spring is when we get busy here in the Ist-A-Verse. Very busy. But, after staying bundled-up indoors all winter, it’s nice for us to be out, about, and collecting things to write about for you. Here’s a glimpse at what’s been keeping your favorite citybloggers busily away from home and out of bed.

For LAist, strong winds attacked LA on the same day the Feds raided the Crips. Not to fear, though: the Japanese version of 7-11, called Famima!!, is spreading around town. That and celebrating National Grilled Cheese month with a different style everyday will make things better, not to mention the glory hole action over at UCLA. Ack!! With that image stuck in your head, maybe a beautiful rock-climbing hike 25-miles from downtown will clear your mind.

Spring may be happening somewhere, but it sure isn’t at Bostonist HQ. Ugly weather may descend on the Boston Marathon runners, and the Red Sox got rained out. It’s also raining a little bit on the inside: Dice-K was supposed to shine in his home debut, but another pitcher cast some clouds his way. And then a local actor discovered that Cadbury is pulling a fast one on us with its luscious crème-filled eggs. Staying inside with a sunlamp seems like a good idea.

Torontoist is also still patiently waiting for spring to arrive, but in the meantime, they declared a winner of their poetry contest (April isn’t the cruelest month, as it turns out), overheard children solving mysteries, pointed out a particularly awkward example of architecture and praised a half-decent name for a really crappy downtown development. All of this, and they still had time to make great puns about their beloved hockey team.

Chicagoist bode farewell to Vonnegut, leaked the Lolla line-up and argued about whether or not they want the Olympics. They also wondered, if they got the Olympics, whether it would be a big enough deal to add another star to Chicago’s city flag.

SFist had a busy week this week, but too bad their public transportation system had a meltdown. Also, according to the head of the Police Union, Gen X-ers are too busy to becomes cops, while the city decides whether everyone is too busy to close a street in the park on Saturdays.

Londonist wasn’t sure if it was safe to venture outside. Not with so many loaded breasts on the streets. And if you don’t get hit by a mammary, you still have to get past the zombies. And don’t mention all the unexploded bombs from WWII. Although they would risk it to visit a real world Flickr Gallery or for a spot of civil disobedience.

Houstonist welcomed spring with news of a nurse who was really afraid of being fired, an interview with Rhett Miller and a shocking exposé about people Googling their dates (don’t worry, it’s a computer term) in an effort to avoid bad love decisions. Just one thing about spring confused them, though: When one gets hold of a chocolate Jesus, which end does one eat first?

photoist04-12-07.jpg

DCist felt like the world was going a little crazy with the change of season. First they discovered that local amateur photographers were being harassed by the Metro Transit Police. Then they found a D.C. judge who thinks a pair of his pants are worth $67 million. Trying to insert a little sanity into their spring, they dove into a debate over using your cell phone in cafes and gave you a list of reasons to come out to march for District Voting Rights on Monday.

Austinist mourned the passing of a literary titan, and finally welcomed the arrival of spring. They were also relieved that locally-filmed Friday Night Lights was renewed for more episodes. Meanwhile, state troopers discovered a serious stash of weed while the politicos in the Capitol continued with their silly antics.

The Big Apple spring fever means a garden variety of happenings in Gothamist‘s neck of the woods. There’s a couple who hired a cabbie to drive them from Queens to Arizona and finally, officially, allowing dogs to run off-leash in the parks. Shoe companies decide to have graffiti artists tag a fake subway car, while the MTA breaks ground—for the fourth time in thirty-three years—on the Second Avenue Subway. The fever also means even the naked photographs of a law student’s Playboy TV romp pale compared to an aging shock jock’s remarks.

Phillyist was also stunned and sad over news of Vonnegut’s death, but didn’t let it stop their momentum, whether they were keeping busy covering the future of the rock musical, or a local music fest, or the very best (and absolute worst) of the Philadelphia Film Festival. They also spent some time loving their skyline, not giving all their lovin’, and debating the merits of the last winner of a certain televised musical competition—we’re sure you’ve all heard of him.

Want to know what’s going on in the rest of the Ist-A-Verse? Check out this week’s readers’ favorites on Sampaist, Seattlest, and Shanghaiist.

Compiled and edited by Jillian Ashley Blair Ivey.

Top photo of Malibu Creek’s Rock Pool by LAist Zach Behrens. “Blue Monday” by Flickr user Vandelay Industries via Phillyist.

]]> http://londonist.com/2007/04/news_from_aroun_14.php/feed 0 Wembley Dolphinarium Welcomes Giants http://londonist.com/2007/01/wembley_dolphin.php http://londonist.com/2007/01/wembley_dolphin.php#comments Tue, 16 Jan 2007 09:45:00 +0000 London_Duncan http://londonist.com/?p=5170 FinFan02.jpg

All Londonist Sport’s Christmases have come at once. It is being reported that today the NFL, the world’s premier professional league of football American-style, is about to announce that a game will be played between the Miami Dolphins and the New York Giants at the soon-to-be-completed Wembley Stadium some time in the autumn.

“Oh yes,” we hear you murmur. “We remember that sort of thing from the late eighties and early nineties.” Well, yes and no. It is true that, starting in 1986, the NFL sent two teams over every summer to the old Wembley for a pre-season friendly given the title of the “American Bowl”. The Dolphins themselves were victorious over the San Francisco 49ers in 1988 and the last game was a tie between Dallas and Detroit in 1993. They all took it fairly seriously and the crowds here lapped it up, but at heart it was just a bit of fun.

This year, however, London will become the first city outside the Americas to play host to a real, actual, proper NFL game. Only once before has such a fixture even been played outside the US when, in 2005, over 100,000 fans crammed into Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium to witness the Arizona Cardinals also beat the 49ers.

The teams themselves don’t take this sort of thing lightly. There was a lot of controversy over Arizona giving up a precious “home” game in what is only a 17 match season, but the NFL is even more of a corporate entity than our own dear Premiership and the word is that, over the course of the next 16 years, each of the 32 teams will be expected to play a competitive game abroad at least once for the commercial good of the league as a whole. The Giants can’t really complain as they had an extra home game a year ago hosting the New Orleans Saints while the Superdome was being refurbished.

Given that neither London nor the UK has a professional American football team since the demise of the London Monarchs in 1987 and more recently the Scottish Claymores it is remarkable that Germany, which accounts for all the teams in the satellite NFL Europe league bar one, has not been chosen as the trailblazing European venue, but in the background good ol’ Mayor Ken, with at least one, and very likely both, eyes on raising the profile of London leading up to the 2012 Olympics has been lobbying very effectively on the capital’s behalf. Baseball is rumoured to be considering following the NFL’s lead with matches possibly staged at the Oval while Twickenham, having lost out to Wembley for the gridiron, must frantically be working out how they could stage some basketball.

In their triumphant 1991 season the Monarchs attracted an average home gate of around 40,000, but this dwindled to 16,000 when they moved to White Hart Lane four years later and by the time the rebranded England Monarchs were touring venues such as Crystal Palace athletics stadium attendances were below 6,000. Interest in this year’s Wembley occasion is such that the event is likely to be a 90,000 sell-out and the worldwide television audience might top 100 million. With Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino long gone and Giants legend Tiki Barber just retiring we predict that the capital’s schoolchildren will take his replacement, 6 foot 4 inch bulldozing running back Brandon Jacobs, to their hearts in the way they once championed William “The Fridge” Perry when Chicago appeared at Wembley twenty years ago. Our advice is, when the NFL circus comes to town, be drawn into one of the great sporting spectacles the world has to offer. We will be scanning for ticket announcements most eagerly.

Read our report on the event itself here.

Picture via bwana’s Flickr stream.

]]> FinFan02.jpg

All Londonist Sport’s Christmases have come at once. It is being reported that today the NFL, the world’s premier professional league of football American-style, is about to announce that a game will be played between the Miami Dolphins and the New York Giants at the soon-to-be-completed Wembley Stadium some time in the autumn.

“Oh yes,” we hear you murmur. “We remember that sort of thing from the late eighties and early nineties.” Well, yes and no. It is true that, starting in 1986, the NFL sent two teams over every summer to the old Wembley for a pre-season friendly given the title of the “American Bowl”. The Dolphins themselves were victorious over the San Francisco 49ers in 1988 and the last game was a tie between Dallas and Detroit in 1993. They all took it fairly seriously and the crowds here lapped it up, but at heart it was just a bit of fun.

This year, however, London will become the first city outside the Americas to play host to a real, actual, proper NFL game. Only once before has such a fixture even been played outside the US when, in 2005, over 100,000 fans crammed into Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium to witness the Arizona Cardinals also beat the 49ers.

The teams themselves don’t take this sort of thing lightly. There was a lot of controversy over Arizona giving up a precious “home” game in what is only a 17 match season, but the NFL is even more of a corporate entity than our own dear Premiership and the word is that, over the course of the next 16 years, each of the 32 teams will be expected to play a competitive game abroad at least once for the commercial good of the league as a whole. The Giants can’t really complain as they had an extra home game a year ago hosting the New Orleans Saints while the Superdome was being refurbished.

Given that neither London nor the UK has a professional American football team since the demise of the London Monarchs in 1987 and more recently the Scottish Claymores it is remarkable that Germany, which accounts for all the teams in the satellite NFL Europe league bar one, has not been chosen as the trailblazing European venue, but in the background good ol’ Mayor Ken, with at least one, and very likely both, eyes on raising the profile of London leading up to the 2012 Olympics has been lobbying very effectively on the capital’s behalf. Baseball is rumoured to be considering following the NFL’s lead with matches possibly staged at the Oval while Twickenham, having lost out to Wembley for the gridiron, must frantically be working out how they could stage some basketball.

In their triumphant 1991 season the Monarchs attracted an average home gate of around 40,000, but this dwindled to 16,000 when they moved to White Hart Lane four years later and by the time the rebranded England Monarchs were touring venues such as Crystal Palace athletics stadium attendances were below 6,000. Interest in this year’s Wembley occasion is such that the event is likely to be a 90,000 sell-out and the worldwide television audience might top 100 million. With Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino long gone and Giants legend Tiki Barber just retiring we predict that the capital’s schoolchildren will take his replacement, 6 foot 4 inch bulldozing running back Brandon Jacobs, to their hearts in the way they once championed William “The Fridge” Perry when Chicago appeared at Wembley twenty years ago. Our advice is, when the NFL circus comes to town, be drawn into one of the great sporting spectacles the world has to offer. We will be scanning for ticket announcements most eagerly.

Read our report on the event itself here.

Picture via bwana’s Flickr stream.

]]> http://londonist.com/2007/01/wembley_dolphin.php/feed 0 Goat Boy Returns… http://londonist.com/2006/05/goat_boy_return.php http://londonist.com/2006/05/goat_boy_return.php#comments Thu, 11 May 2006 13:37:43 +0000 londonist_mark http://londonist.com/?p=3429 billhicks.jpg

Some of you will now be going: But he’s dead…, others will just be thinking: Que??? (unless of course the picture gave it away). Unfortunately it’s not some kind of Andy Kaufmanesque stunt, Bill Hicks really and sadly still is dead. But the ghost of goat boy lives on. Not just in the hearts and minds and venom of righteous folks the world over but on the stage of Leicester Square’s nifty little venue, The Venue from 1st to 17th June.

Bill Hicks: Slight Return is writers’ Chas Early and Richard Hurst’s imagining of what Hick’s show would be like if he were alive today. To be honest you could listen to Arizona Bay and almost be there, just change a few names. It promises All new material. All new vitriol. all new dick jokes, which sounds good but the Edinburgh critics off its first run were maybe less than complementary. The material has, apparently, been updated again, although it’s pretty much a no-brainer to work out what would have got Bill’s proverbial in these ‘unsettled’ times.

Whichever way, Hick’s name is still bound to be a draw, and if nothing else it’ll be an interesting night out. And since we’re so used to seeing Hick’s material recycled now, one more time probably can’t hurt. Of course nothing will replace Londonist’s favourite rantconteur after his untimely death from cancer at the age of 32 in 1994; except perhaps the steadily growing collection of his material being released. Or maybe one more timely reminder of why we loved him so much…

If you’re in marketing or advertising, kill yourselves…

]]> billhicks.jpg

Some of you will now be going: But he’s dead…, others will just be thinking: Que??? (unless of course the picture gave it away). Unfortunately it’s not some kind of Andy Kaufmanesque stunt, Bill Hicks really and sadly still is dead. But the ghost of goat boy lives on. Not just in the hearts and minds and venom of righteous folks the world over but on the stage of Leicester Square’s nifty little venue, The Venue from 1st to 17th June.

Bill Hicks: Slight Return is writers’ Chas Early and Richard Hurst’s imagining of what Hick’s show would be like if he were alive today. To be honest you could listen to Arizona Bay and almost be there, just change a few names. It promises All new material. All new vitriol. all new dick jokes, which sounds good but the Edinburgh critics off its first run were maybe less than complementary. The material has, apparently, been updated again, although it’s pretty much a no-brainer to work out what would have got Bill’s proverbial in these ‘unsettled’ times.

Whichever way, Hick’s name is still bound to be a draw, and if nothing else it’ll be an interesting night out. And since we’re so used to seeing Hick’s material recycled now, one more time probably can’t hurt. Of course nothing will replace Londonist’s favourite rantconteur after his untimely death from cancer at the age of 32 in 1994; except perhaps the steadily growing collection of his material being released. Or maybe one more timely reminder of why we loved him so much…

If you’re in marketing or advertising, kill yourselves…

]]> http://londonist.com/2006/05/goat_boy_return.php/feed 0 Interview: Chris Roberts – Bridge Expert http://londonist.com/2005/10/interview_chris.php http://londonist.com/2005/10/interview_chris.php#comments Tue, 04 Oct 2005 09:37:19 +0000 Rob http://londonist.com/?p=1813 Chris Roberts.jpg

When Londonist heard that Chris Roberts, the man behind the excellent Heavy Words Lightly Thrown (the hidden meanings behind nursery rhymes), had written a book on London’s Bridges we knew we had to get in touch and force him to complete the Londonist questionnaire.

So we did, and here are the results.

Age, occupation, where are you from, where are you now?

Older than I look.

It’s the restful library jobs I’ve had over the years.

For the last seven years I’ve lived in Walworth and in fact most of my dozen or so years in London have been spent on the sunny side of the Thames. Originally from North West England but raised in North East Wales, so that’s Liverpool and Wrexham.

What drew you to write Cross River Traffic: A History of London’s Bridges? Was it a side effect of writing about ‘London Bridge is Falling Down’ for your previous book Heavy Words Lightly Thrown?

The possibility of the book came about quicker because of Heavy words but the original idea was to be a photographic book with pictures of London’s modern workforce wearing the get up of a previous era (i.e. bowler hats, brolly and pin stripes).

I was very interested in both the decline of bowler and the bridges. In the end the bowler stuff was dropped and the focus became exclusively on the bridges. Also living near the Elephant and Castle means you are virtually equidistant from all the bridges between Tower & Vauxhall.

(All the bowler hat stuff was eventually cut out but I can reveal that one major blow to the bowler came in the late 1960s when sales reps at Shell Oil were told they no longer had to wear bowlers to work.

Hairstyle was a key factor in the long term decline brought about by hair gel and greater interest in expressive (expensive) hair dos on the part of men. Wearing a bowler can seriously mess up your Barnet fair, or Hoxton fin, so carefully moussed in the bathroom mirror at home.

Another suggestion as to where all the bowlers went comes from a lighterman. He claimed to have quite a collection of hats that blew off the bridge onto his barge. If the owner shouted down, the lighterman would tell him which pier to come and collect the hat, but many didn’t bother.)

Do you allow yourself to have a favourite London bridge?

Well it really has to be Waterloo. Not just the majesty of the bridge and the history and film and that song but also the fact that it seems to offer all the potential of London from it. You can see Parliament, the financial district; the legal area, entertainment etc and you know that the West End is just up the road and the South Bank below.

Very fond of the recently battered Battersea Bridge as well.

We find that a lot of people size up a bridge by the view it offers. Do you have specific ‘criteria’ you look for in a bridge?

I think you are right that people do that and not withstanding what I’ve said about Waterloo above, one of the points of the book was to refocus attention onto the bridges themselves.

I didn’t however have any particular criteria it was more an overall impression of architecture, history and stories attached to the various crossings. If I had to pick out anything I suppose a sense of character and uniqueness, which is why many others and myself are, disappointed by the new Hungerford crossings.

Would you say London has the best set of bridges in the world? And if you could transport one bridge from another country to London which would it be?

Ha! I might say that because I live in London but going back to what I said before I think that bridges develop naturally in situ and I’m not sure they should be transferred. Also some of my favourites, such as the Menai Straits Bridges would clearly be out of place. Having said that I think shifting Rennie’s London crossing to the Arizona desert was so nuts that you have to applaud it.

What’s the most fascinating piece of bridge-related trivia you stumbled across whilst researching your book?

There are loads, but I like the battle between men who enjoy wearing leather and embroidery (that’s Hells Angels) on Chelsea Bridge in 1970 and that dog urine is rotting the Albert. The latter resulted in me cycling to the Albert in a snowstorm last February, reaching down below the road level (wearing gloves) to find that indeed there is wood under the iron.

How do you think the more contemporary bridges in the book – the Millennium Bridge for example – stand up to some of the older landmarks?

See above for my opinion on the Hungerford but I think that the Millennium will hold up very well, despite it’s inauspicious start, as it does it’s job and people seem genuinely fond of it.

Do you subscribe to the ‘psychogeographic’ approach to London that’s been made fashionable by Iain Sinclair et al, or are you strictly a facts man?

Oh I do like the idea of psycho-geography as it’s a good means of looking at the city. I also like to draw links between the past and present. For example Vauxhall Bridge being built in 1816 to allow people access to the Pleasure Gardens whilst the more recent one provides a route to the many nightclubs in that area. However I don’t travel nearly as far down that road as the excellent Mr Sinclair.

We recently heard that the transport authorities have a long-term plan to get rid of all London’s railway bridges. Have you heard anything about that?

I have to confess that I haven’t. Mind you getting facts out of TFL for the book was not as easy as it might have been.

What are you working on now?

A musical about an ambitious blonde from Grantham who goes onto become Britain’s first female prime minister. I’m calling it Margaret.

Favourite bar or restaurant?

You should have said “Do you allow yourself a etc…” because since the closure of the Dive Bar last year I can’t really say I have a favourite bar anymore. As to restaurants it’s more a series of caffs really.

What advice would you give Ken Livingstone?

Don’t ever stop winding up the Evening Standard because as long as you do that you know you are probably getting something right.

What London place or thing would you declare a landmark?

In terms of usefulness to new arrivals Centrepoint is excellent as it allows you to navigate your way around the West End, though I like the way that the Swiss Ra building has mucked around with skyline recently.

The world is ending in 24 hours. How would you spend your last day in London?

Have you heard something I haven’t? Not sure about order but a good deal would be spent in bed and would finish on my roof as the views are good up there and I’d like a glimpse of the coming apocalypse. The day would sometime involve Waterloo Bridge, Postman’s Park, Pimlico and East Street Market.

Both Heavy Words Lightly Thrown and Cross River Traffic are available from Amazon.co.uk.

]]> Chris Roberts.jpg

When Londonist heard that Chris Roberts, the man behind the excellent Heavy Words Lightly Thrown (the hidden meanings behind nursery rhymes), had written a book on London’s Bridges we knew we had to get in touch and force him to complete the Londonist questionnaire.

So we did, and here are the results.

Age, occupation, where are you from, where are you now?

Older than I look.

It’s the restful library jobs I’ve had over the years.

For the last seven years I’ve lived in Walworth and in fact most of my dozen or so years in London have been spent on the sunny side of the Thames. Originally from North West England but raised in North East Wales, so that’s Liverpool and Wrexham.

What drew you to write Cross River Traffic: A History of London’s Bridges? Was it a side effect of writing about ‘London Bridge is Falling Down’ for your previous book Heavy Words Lightly Thrown?

The possibility of the book came about quicker because of Heavy words but the original idea was to be a photographic book with pictures of London’s modern workforce wearing the get up of a previous era (i.e. bowler hats, brolly and pin stripes).

I was very interested in both the decline of bowler and the bridges. In the end the bowler stuff was dropped and the focus became exclusively on the bridges. Also living near the Elephant and Castle means you are virtually equidistant from all the bridges between Tower & Vauxhall.

(All the bowler hat stuff was eventually cut out but I can reveal that one major blow to the bowler came in the late 1960s when sales reps at Shell Oil were told they no longer had to wear bowlers to work.

Hairstyle was a key factor in the long term decline brought about by hair gel and greater interest in expressive (expensive) hair dos on the part of men. Wearing a bowler can seriously mess up your Barnet fair, or Hoxton fin, so carefully moussed in the bathroom mirror at home.

Another suggestion as to where all the bowlers went comes from a lighterman. He claimed to have quite a collection of hats that blew off the bridge onto his barge. If the owner shouted down, the lighterman would tell him which pier to come and collect the hat, but many didn’t bother.)

Do you allow yourself to have a favourite London bridge?

Well it really has to be Waterloo. Not just the majesty of the bridge and the history and film and that song but also the fact that it seems to offer all the potential of London from it. You can see Parliament, the financial district; the legal area, entertainment etc and you know that the West End is just up the road and the South Bank below.

Very fond of the recently battered Battersea Bridge as well.

We find that a lot of people size up a bridge by the view it offers. Do you have specific ‘criteria’ you look for in a bridge?

I think you are right that people do that and not withstanding what I’ve said about Waterloo above, one of the points of the book was to refocus attention onto the bridges themselves.

I didn’t however have any particular criteria it was more an overall impression of architecture, history and stories attached to the various crossings. If I had to pick out anything I suppose a sense of character and uniqueness, which is why many others and myself are, disappointed by the new Hungerford crossings.

Would you say London has the best set of bridges in the world? And if you could transport one bridge from another country to London which would it be?

Ha! I might say that because I live in London but going back to what I said before I think that bridges develop naturally in situ and I’m not sure they should be transferred. Also some of my favourites, such as the Menai Straits Bridges would clearly be out of place. Having said that I think shifting Rennie’s London crossing to the Arizona desert was so nuts that you have to applaud it.

What’s the most fascinating piece of bridge-related trivia you stumbled across whilst researching your book?

There are loads, but I like the battle between men who enjoy wearing leather and embroidery (that’s Hells Angels) on Chelsea Bridge in 1970 and that dog urine is rotting the Albert. The latter resulted in me cycling to the Albert in a snowstorm last February, reaching down below the road level (wearing gloves) to find that indeed there is wood under the iron.

How do you think the more contemporary bridges in the book – the Millennium Bridge for example – stand up to some of the older landmarks?

See above for my opinion on the Hungerford but I think that the Millennium will hold up very well, despite it’s inauspicious start, as it does it’s job and people seem genuinely fond of it.

Do you subscribe to the ‘psychogeographic’ approach to London that’s been made fashionable by Iain Sinclair et al, or are you strictly a facts man?

Oh I do like the idea of psycho-geography as it’s a good means of looking at the city. I also like to draw links between the past and present. For example Vauxhall Bridge being built in 1816 to allow people access to the Pleasure Gardens whilst the more recent one provides a route to the many nightclubs in that area. However I don’t travel nearly as far down that road as the excellent Mr Sinclair.

We recently heard that the transport authorities have a long-term plan to get rid of all London’s railway bridges. Have you heard anything about that?

I have to confess that I haven’t. Mind you getting facts out of TFL for the book was not as easy as it might have been.

What are you working on now?

A musical about an ambitious blonde from Grantham who goes onto become Britain’s first female prime minister. I’m calling it Margaret.

Favourite bar or restaurant?

You should have said “Do you allow yourself a etc…” because since the closure of the Dive Bar last year I can’t really say I have a favourite bar anymore. As to restaurants it’s more a series of caffs really.

What advice would you give Ken Livingstone?

Don’t ever stop winding up the Evening Standard because as long as you do that you know you are probably getting something right.

What London place or thing would you declare a landmark?

In terms of usefulness to new arrivals Centrepoint is excellent as it allows you to navigate your way around the West End, though I like the way that the Swiss Ra building has mucked around with skyline recently.

The world is ending in 24 hours. How would you spend your last day in London?

Have you heard something I haven’t? Not sure about order but a good deal would be spent in bed and would finish on my roof as the views are good up there and I’d like a glimpse of the coming apocalypse. The day would sometime involve Waterloo Bridge, Postman’s Park, Pimlico and East Street Market.

Both Heavy Words Lightly Thrown and Cross River Traffic are available from Amazon.co.uk.

]]> http://londonist.com/2005/10/interview_chris.php/feed 0 NFL To Come To London http://londonist.com/2005/09/nfl_to_come_lon.php http://londonist.com/2005/09/nfl_to_come_lon.php#comments Wed, 28 Sep 2005 08:02:11 +0000 Rob http://londonist.com/?p=1778 fridge5.gif

This Sunday the Arizona Cardinals will play the San Francisco 49ers in Mexico City. It will be the first NFL regular season game to be played outside the US and if it works they want to start taking a game abroad every season.

Guess where they want to come next?

Yes, the NFL want to come to Wembley and they’ve sent their finest ambassador to come and tell us all about it. That’s right kids, it’s William ‘The Fridge’ Perry.

Perry was the star of the 80s American football craze in the UK (thanks mainly to Channel 4′s coverage and Gary Imlach’s hair), and after leaving the NFL he played for the London Monarchs. But nowdays Bill mostly competes in other ‘sports’ such as “celebrity boxing and competitive eating”.

While at Wembley the 30st Perry said, “From what I have seen of the new stadium it is going to be one of the greatest in the world, and I know that NFL players would love to be part of a major international event in a venue like this.”.

Which is all well and good but, well, what’s the point? Can you imagine Chelsea and Arsenal getting on a plane mid-season to New York or Chicago to go and play in front of a small crowd of uninterested, uncomprehending Americans? We can’t really see Mourinho or Ferguson going for that idea, never mind the season ticket holders.

]]> fridge5.gif

This Sunday the Arizona Cardinals will play the San Francisco 49ers in Mexico City. It will be the first NFL regular season game to be played outside the US and if it works they want to start taking a game abroad every season.

Guess where they want to come next?

Yes, the NFL want to come to Wembley and they’ve sent their finest ambassador to come and tell us all about it. That’s right kids, it’s William ‘The Fridge’ Perry.

Perry was the star of the 80s American football craze in the UK (thanks mainly to Channel 4′s coverage and Gary Imlach’s hair), and after leaving the NFL he played for the London Monarchs. But nowdays Bill mostly competes in other ‘sports’ such as “celebrity boxing and competitive eating”.

While at Wembley the 30st Perry said, “From what I have seen of the new stadium it is going to be one of the greatest in the world, and I know that NFL players would love to be part of a major international event in a venue like this.”.

Which is all well and good but, well, what’s the point? Can you imagine Chelsea and Arsenal getting on a plane mid-season to New York or Chicago to go and play in front of a small crowd of uninterested, uncomprehending Americans? We can’t really see Mourinho or Ferguson going for that idea, never mind the season ticket holders.

]]> http://londonist.com/2005/09/nfl_to_come_lon.php/feed 0 Kung-fu Fighting, Had To Be Fast As Lightning http://londonist.com/2005/03/kungfu_fighting.php http://londonist.com/2005/03/kungfu_fighting.php#comments Fri, 04 Mar 2005 09:00:00 +0000 london_dan http://londonist.com/?p=638 cantonakungfu.jpg

Crystal Palace welcome Manchester United on Saturday, although not their fans if they dare to turn up wearing Eric Cantona masks. United fans are planning to celebrate the 10th anniversary of that kung-fu kick by wearing the masks. The stewarding at Selhurst Park is almost legendary for it’s over-officiousness but they’re planning to go one step further for the visit of United, with stadium manager Kevin Corner warning: “If they wear [Eric Cantona masks] inside Selhurst Park they will be immediately rejected on safety grounds.”

Portsmouth, meanwhile travel to Highbury, their fans making the sensible decision to not wear Alan Knight masks. Arsenal’s season is still down-in-the-dumps after only just scraping past Sheffield United on penalties in the FA Cup on Tuesday. Although realistically the Gunners are out of the title race, they really need to win this one if only to improve their confidence ahead of their mid-week European game against Bayern Munich.

London derby of the week sees Charlton travelling to West London to face Fulham. The Addicks won the Londonist bizarre football story of the week when they announced they’re to launch a “Soccer Academy” in Arizona, USA of all places. Although they’ve fallen out of the European places recently, they’ll be looking for their first win at Craven Cottage since 1986.

Away from the Capital, Chelsea travel to Naarch (kick-off 17:15). Blues fans will be hoping for another half-time outburst from Delia Smith to keep off the East Anglian cold. Meanwhile Tottenham travel to not-quite-relegated-yet Southampton. Spurs have been on a good run of late and will be looking for a win on the south coast to improve their chances of getting a UEFA cup spot.

With more than 10 games to go in Division Two, the race for the play-offs is still wide open. Although perhaps not as wide open as the ever-confident Watford keeper Richard Lee thinks – this week saying that the Hornets “might be in with a shout of the play-offs.” Watford entertain relegation-threatened Coventry on Saturday, hoping for three points to either a) ease their own relegation worries, or b) (if you’re Richard Lee) to step up the play-off push.

In the play-off race proper, the London clubs all have tricky home ties against fellow play-off challengers. West Ham take on Preston, QPR play Reading who are yet to record a league victory in 2005, and on Sunday Millwall take on Leeds United (kick-off 14:00).

It’s back to league matters for Brentford after their eventual FA Cup exit to Southampton. The Bees travel to Colchester, needing three points to put them back in the play-off race. And in Division Four Leyton Orient travel to Devon to face table-toppers Yeovil.

]]> cantonakungfu.jpg

Crystal Palace welcome Manchester United on Saturday, although not their fans if they dare to turn up wearing Eric Cantona masks. United fans are planning to celebrate the 10th anniversary of that kung-fu kick by wearing the masks. The stewarding at Selhurst Park is almost legendary for it’s over-officiousness but they’re planning to go one step further for the visit of United, with stadium manager Kevin Corner warning: “If they wear [Eric Cantona masks] inside Selhurst Park they will be immediately rejected on safety grounds.”

Portsmouth, meanwhile travel to Highbury, their fans making the sensible decision to not wear Alan Knight masks. Arsenal’s season is still down-in-the-dumps after only just scraping past Sheffield United on penalties in the FA Cup on Tuesday. Although realistically the Gunners are out of the title race, they really need to win this one if only to improve their confidence ahead of their mid-week European game against Bayern Munich.

London derby of the week sees Charlton travelling to West London to face Fulham. The Addicks won the Londonist bizarre football story of the week when they announced they’re to launch a “Soccer Academy” in Arizona, USA of all places. Although they’ve fallen out of the European places recently, they’ll be looking for their first win at Craven Cottage since 1986.

Away from the Capital, Chelsea travel to Naarch (kick-off 17:15). Blues fans will be hoping for another half-time outburst from Delia Smith to keep off the East Anglian cold. Meanwhile Tottenham travel to not-quite-relegated-yet Southampton. Spurs have been on a good run of late and will be looking for a win on the south coast to improve their chances of getting a UEFA cup spot.

With more than 10 games to go in Division Two, the race for the play-offs is still wide open. Although perhaps not as wide open as the ever-confident Watford keeper Richard Lee thinks – this week saying that the Hornets “might be in with a shout of the play-offs.” Watford entertain relegation-threatened Coventry on Saturday, hoping for three points to either a) ease their own relegation worries, or b) (if you’re Richard Lee) to step up the play-off push.

In the play-off race proper, the London clubs all have tricky home ties against fellow play-off challengers. West Ham take on Preston, QPR play Reading who are yet to record a league victory in 2005, and on Sunday Millwall take on Leeds United (kick-off 14:00).

It’s back to league matters for Brentford after their eventual FA Cup exit to Southampton. The Bees travel to Colchester, needing three points to put them back in the play-off race. And in Division Four Leyton Orient travel to Devon to face table-toppers Yeovil.

]]> http://londonist.com/2005/03/kungfu_fighting.php/feed 0 London Bridge: A Bit Crap http://londonist.com/2005/02/london_bridge_a.php http://londonist.com/2005/02/london_bridge_a.php#comments Mon, 28 Feb 2005 11:47:26 +0000 sizemore http://londonist.com/?p=608 london_bridge_usa.jpg

London Bridge is in such a sorry state that double decker buses no longer operate over it and tourists are now being wooed by the Dixie Belle riverboat tour and a nearby Hawaiian gift shop instead.

Mike Dagon, a local real estate agent had this to say:

London Bridge still attracts a lot of people but the visitation hasn’t grown much over the years. It used to be the second-most popular tourist attraction in the state behind the Grand Canyon and now it’s down in the teens. That’s because of the dilapidated condition of the village and the bad word of mouth about that area…

Fear not residents of SE1. House prices haven’t tumbled and your London Bridge is as popular as ever. We’re talking about the other London Bridge. The one in the U.S.

American Robert McCulloch bought the current London Bridge’s predecessor and shipped it to Arizona brick by brick back in the late sixties. It’s rumoured that he thought he was actually buying Tower Bridge but mistake or not it proved to be a good investment for a couple of decades at least. At a cost of $2.4 million the bridge flooded the area with tourists who didn’t want the hassle of actually leaving the USA to take in some culture. A British themed village was built near the bridge and visitors could drink tea while listening to local radio station K-BBC.

Unfortunately harder times have befallen Lake Havasu City where the bridge now resides according to this report in london_bridge_usa.jpg

London Bridge is in such a sorry state that double decker buses no longer operate over it and tourists are now being wooed by the Dixie Belle riverboat tour and a nearby Hawaiian gift shop instead.

Mike Dagon, a local real estate agent had this to say:

London Bridge still attracts a lot of people but the visitation hasn’t grown much over the years. It used to be the second-most popular tourist attraction in the state behind the Grand Canyon and now it’s down in the teens. That’s because of the dilapidated condition of the village and the bad word of mouth about that area…

Fear not residents of SE1. House prices haven’t tumbled and your London Bridge is as popular as ever. We’re talking about the other London Bridge. The one in the U.S.

American Robert McCulloch bought the current London Bridge’s predecessor and shipped it to Arizona brick by brick back in the late sixties. It’s rumoured that he thought he was actually buying Tower Bridge but mistake or not it proved to be a good investment for a couple of decades at least. At a cost of $2.4 million the bridge flooded the area with tourists who didn’t want the hassle of actually leaving the USA to take in some culture. A British themed village was built near the bridge and visitors could drink tea while listening to local radio station K-BBC.

Unfortunately harder times have befallen Lake Havasu City where the bridge now resides according to this report in http://londonist.com/?p=78 londonbridge.jpg

Peter Lennard is the founder of The London Bridge Museum and Educational Trust, an organisation whose aim is to create “a dedicated Museum as a worthy tribute to the world’s most famous bridge.”

(And if you’re thinking ‘hang on, where are they going to put it’ well the answer is under the bridge itself obviously, or more precisely “in the large southern abutment space where there still remain the substantial walls of the Sir John Rennie Bridge”.)

So all this experience would make Pete the pefect bloke to present Two Thousand Years of London Bridge – the “fascinating story of all the bridges that have been London Bridge through the last two thousand years” which will take place at 1pm at Gresham College in Holborn, on Wednesday.

Londonist might have to attend, especially as we had no idea that the nineteenth century version of the bridge is now in Arizona. (Although we will admit to being geeky enough to know what the nursery rhyme is about).

]]> londonbridge.jpg

Peter Lennard is the founder of The London Bridge Museum and Educational Trust, an organisation whose aim is to create “a dedicated Museum as a worthy tribute to the world’s most famous bridge.”

(And if you’re thinking ‘hang on, where are they going to put it’ well the answer is under the bridge itself obviously, or more precisely “in the large southern abutment space where there still remain the substantial walls of the Sir John Rennie Bridge”.)

So all this experience would make Pete the pefect bloke to present Two Thousand Years of London Bridge – the “fascinating story of all the bridges that have been London Bridge through the last two thousand years” which will take place at 1pm at Gresham College in Holborn, on Wednesday.

Londonist might have to attend, especially as we had no idea that the nineteenth century version of the bridge is now in Arizona. (Although we will admit to being geeky enough to know what the nursery rhyme is about).

]]> http://londonist.com/2004/11/two_thousand_ye.php/feed 0 Clocking off http://londonist.com/2004/11/clocking_off_1.php http://londonist.com/2004/11/clocking_off_1.php#comments Mon, 01 Nov 2004 08:55:16 +0000 london_pjb http://londonist.com/?p=34 clock.jpgThe clocks went back on Saturday, so at least one of the Londonist team spent much of Sunday morning getting reacquainted with timing devices that he had forgotten existed.

So far we’ve counted 15 of them.

When the clocks go forward you can guarantee a quiet tour of the local supermarket when it opens at 10am, but when the clocks go back you are likely to discover at least three fractious families who have been waiting in their cars for an hour.

Also spotted at the weekend was the local Ukrainian car valet service (open 8am to 7pm) still eagerly awaiting their first customer at 7.30am.

Usually the UK moves its clocks back a week earlier than in the US, but this year we appear to be in sync. Presumably the US wanted to move its clocks back before the election rather than afterwards, given the unfortunate metaphors that might be used should George W get re-elected.

Little-known snippet of the week: Arizona, Hawaii and parts of Indiana do not have summer time.

Parts of Indiana? Should make for fun at least twice a year.

]]> clock.jpgThe clocks went back on Saturday, so at least one of the Londonist team spent much of Sunday morning getting reacquainted with timing devices that he had forgotten existed.

So far we’ve counted 15 of them.

When the clocks go forward you can guarantee a quiet tour of the local supermarket when it opens at 10am, but when the clocks go back you are likely to discover at least three fractious families who have been waiting in their cars for an hour.

Also spotted at the weekend was the local Ukrainian car valet service (open 8am to 7pm) still eagerly awaiting their first customer at 7.30am.

Usually the UK moves its clocks back a week earlier than in the US, but this year we appear to be in sync. Presumably the US wanted to move its clocks back before the election rather than afterwards, given the unfortunate metaphors that might be used should George W get re-elected.

Little-known snippet of the week: Arizona, Hawaii and parts of Indiana do not have summer time.

Parts of Indiana? Should make for fun at least twice a year.

]]> http://londonist.com/2004/11/clocking_off_1.php/feed 0