OTHER STUFF: Where I Am -- Zephirine

Saturday 17 January 2009

Where I Am -- Zephirine

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25 comments:

Zephirine said...: The brick building on the left is a pub, those of you who live in more exotic climes may be amused to know that it's called The Palm Tree.; 18 January 2009 at 12:25
Anonymous said...: Zeph,

Glad your weather has finally cleared--as has it seems all of ours, at least for the moment, thanks as ever in no small part to the good offices and auspices of that perhaps divine being known as Zephirine.

This series of Where I Ams is getting better and better. We've been to some spectacular milieus, one might almost say heavenly places. (And those decrepit stay-at-homes among us shall never be tempted to take this form of painless travel lightly!) But I do believe we're getting closer and closer to the final celestial Pseuds location here--almost said last resting place, forgive!--if only because that clump of something up in the topmost bare branches above the pub green (perhaps a birds' nest in "fact"), first struck this somewhat myopic yet ever hopeful viewer as the perch of some thoughtful presiding angel. Who then might that be-- the thoughtful guardian, guide and protector of those sometimes confused but always earnestly-endeavouring-to-do-better souls who gratefully gather in this semi-secret semi-sacred precinct? Could this watchful disinterested angel's initial possibly be "Z"?

(Also--if one may be permitted a wee semi-private aside----might this pictured spot be taken as the sometime haunt not only of fortunate Pseuds strollers but of that legendary creature known to some as Scruffy Heron?); 18 January 2009 at 15:08
Zephirine said...: Steady on, BTP, I've never perched in a tree in my life and that's probably a squirrel's nest:) I actually live about 10 minutes' walk from here, so while there are herons on this canal I doubt if any would be the same one that comes into my garden (expert info on the territories of herons, anyone?)

I picked this view because of the looming towers of Canary Wharf (for non-UK readers, that's the modern business quarter built in the old docklands and including several headquarters of major banks) contrasting with the park on the left, which used to be streets of small terraced houses for Victorian workers but was cleared by the Luftwaffe in 1940/41; 18 January 2009 at 17:13
Anonymous said...: Steady on, BTP, I've never perched in a tree in my life...

(Sorry Z--it was actually but a spot of marmalade dripped upon my bifocals.); 18 January 2009 at 17:29
Anonymous said...: Zeph,
The contrast between the brick building and the banks towers in the background could be a great source of inspiration for one of the next Zephirine poem-This old house brings a romantic note probably because it survived
The passage of time- Is it the next meeting place for the usual suspects?; 18 January 2009 at 22:24
Zephirine said...: Yes, I thought about a poem but time and inspiration weren't available, maybe later:)

Not sure about meeting there, Guitou, it does have live jazz but there are nicer places down by the river. Though no absinthe.; 18 January 2009 at 23:24
Anonymous said...: Ah no absinthe, the man from morea may be the one frustrated but we'll bring our own reserve verbena 1922-
Btw about your picture I should have add:
Charming anachronism. Don't you think?; 19 January 2009 at 00:44
Anonymous said...: The pub inside, certainly, it has gold 1970s wallpaper!; 19 January 2009 at 15:37
file said...: find this pic really evocative Zeph, having lived in the area for some years

I guess it was taken not far from Stratford seeing as how close Canary Wharf is, I wonder if that canal leads up to Victoria Park... there used to be a nice micro-brewery Phoenix and Firkin there... no absinthe as I recall but a good line of Pork Scratchings (equally enlightening in the right company!)

or can I suggest the murky spit and sawdust 'charm' (term used loosely) of Ye Olde Axe on Balls Pond Road, I believe they have the oldest exotic dancers in East London (before you ask, the only reason I know this is that I used to train with the doorman there; a huge Irish with a limp left arm from an incident with a machete, not my doing, and a penchant for Jiddu Krishnamurti, which I may have had a part in). Aah, good times!; 19 January 2009 at 18:46
file said...: also, a very fond RIP for Tony Hart who was one of the lights of my childhood.

Vision On ... and on and on...; 19 January 2009 at 18:50
Zephirine said...: It is the Regent's Canal, File, quite right.

I have been past Ye Old Axe on the bus but would never venture in:)

Tony Hart, yes, he was lovely. I've never been sure if he actually invented Morph, but the two are forever linked in my mind.; 19 January 2009 at 22:23
Anonymous said...: I think The Palm Tree is the pub in the More4 advert with Tony Robinson and Kevin McCloud. Not many people know that.
I inhabited Stratford myself many years ago. Above a chip shop in Water Lane, if memory serves. The scent is still embedded in my collection of ancient jumpers.; 19 January 2009 at 23:15
Zephirine said...: Hello, MM, nice to see you here! I shall have to look out for the advert. You wouldn't recognise Stratford now, new blocks of flats and offices springing up like mushrooms, not to mention the Olympic site.

This picture is Bow, of course, we don't have much to do with people from the other side of the River Lea:); 19 January 2009 at 23:32
file said...: wotcha Melton, wondered what the pong was, do hope you'll grace these pages with one o' yours one of these days

not really surprised you haven't ventured into Ye Old Axe Zeph! can't think of many places less you, amazed it's still there, probably best viewed from the bus I'd say; 20 January 2009 at 00:12
Anonymous said...: Dunno about the picture, but the comments are getting more and more exotic to me.; 20 January 2009 at 02:39
Anonymous said...: Hey, it's the canal that runs down to Limehouse Basin or back up to Victoria Park. I ride down it all the time and I know that pub on the left well. Often stop for a pint in summer, when the tables are outside..
cool.; 1 February 2009 at 20:42
Zephirine said...: Mishari, that's the one. Photo taken from the Roman Road bridge.

Hope you're not one of those cyclists that are always trying to mow me down...; 1 February 2009 at 20:55
Anonymous said...: Perish the thought, zeph. Although I ride fast on the road, (I mean, what the hell's the point of having a hideously expensive carbon-fibre Italian dream-machine otherwise), I emphasize On The Road.

I don't ride on the pavement. I don't run red lights, unless it really is silly to hang about...3 am at a dead intersection...but on the tow-path, I'm dawdling. I ride at walking pace, so I can enjoy looking at the herons, poised and a little sinister, the ducks dabbling, the coots doing their collective nuts, the swans gliding gracefully.

I always have a couple of loaves with me to feed the ducks and swans and even the thuggish geese.
I often walk the dog along the tow-path, me and the children.

We go up to Vicky Park, down that branch canal that connects to the Lea, then follow the Lea back to Limehouse. Sometimes we go up to Hackney Marshes:

And from underneath the arches
You could see to Hackney Marshes
If it wasn't for the houses in between.

I love this part of London. Do you know Tower Hamlets Cemetery? Silly question. Of course you do. That's another fave...who knows, perhaps I've walked past you and nodded politely (I'm a nice well-brought up boy)...; 1 February 2009 at 23:51
Zephirine said...: Mishari, I think you've almost certainly walked past me!

Small world etc etc.; 2 February 2009 at 00:14
Anonymous said...: you guys are going to be looking mighty closely at everyone by that canal from now on

hint: Mishari has "god-like good looks" and Zeph may have the odd cat hair on her shoulder and walks slightly above ground level; 2 February 2009 at 00:30
Anonymous said...: "god-like good looks" might have been a slight exageration. Perhaps I should have said "not instantly mistaken for Quasimodo's twin brother."

But we cat people know one another by various secret signals...a flick of the paw, a stroke of the whisker, a subtle purr...blink and you'd miss it.

Even Honey, our dog, is a cat...erm...person, having practically been raised from a pup by bold, swashbuckling but essentially good-natured Pongo...; 2 February 2009 at 14:12
Zephirine said...: Mishari, I got the idea for the camera angle from a photo on this site:
http://www.sublimephotography.co.uk
which has some great pics of our neck of the woods.; 2 February 2009 at 15:56
Zephirine said...: And don't talk to me about cats, mine keep going out into the snow and coming back with great lumps of it stuck to their fur... then wanting to sit on my lap to thaw out....; 2 February 2009 at 15:58
Anonymous said...: Thanks for the link, zeph. The Limehouse library (pic of the mural) is long closed. That statue of Gen. "Sally Army" Booth on Mile End Rd. always ends up with a fag and a tin of Special Brew in his curled hand. The nmissing hand's now been replaced, so I expect it'll soon be sporting a porno mag.; 2 February 2009 at 17:35
Zephirine said...: Yes, the guy seems to have stopped doing that site about 4 years ago and the place is changing all the time, but they're good pics and the interactive map is nicely done.; 2 February 2009 at 18:11