Pink shoes

The ghost of carnival past and the detritus of the Muse.

Bottle tops pressed into the tarmac by crouds at past Carnivals, Powis Square, Notting Hill.
The Muse left in a hurry leaving me with nothing to do but write poems about ballet shoes.

Sirens but no mermaids.

Dreaming of sirens I awoke to find next door on fire. Fire engines do not resemble mermaids.

Not a poem but the surreal start to my day; dozing and dreaming I was brought round by the sound of many sirens and they did not pass the house. I thought 'Strange, A bit early for the looters. Surely they are still asleep or playing grand theft auto on their stolen consoles'. I went up to the roof and saw that I was surrounded by fire engines and smoke coming out of the school next door.

downstairs I opened the front door to the fire brigade who asked me to leave immediately.

What to take, what to take?

I took my false tooth and stetson. I should have put some socks on, That was a mistake, not putting socks on.

now, later, the fire is out, my flat is smoky and greyish like someone has been burning car tyres in there. I have to keep out for a day or two until the smell has cleared but it could have been far worse.

It was caused by builders working on the roof earlier this week, had been smoldering for a while. I had been very lucky that it did not go off at 1.00 am when no-one would have seen the smoke.

Fire brigade were great. They had to take some of the school roof off to get water into the fire. "Most of it came out through the school" said a fireman. Some of it didn't!

MANGROVE STEEL BAND PRACTICE ON ALL SAINTS ROAD 25TH & 26TH AUGUST

UPDATE: Mangrove Steelband will now be having their final rehearsals in the Tabernacle Courtyard Tonight (Thursday) and tomorrow night. It will finish at 9.00 pm due to noise restrictions. The Tabernacle is on Powis Square W11.

The following is from Matthew at Mangrove. Please read this and give your support. It is important.

PREPARATIONS FOR CARNIVAL 2011

MANGROVE STEEL BAND PRACTICE ON ALL SAINTS ROAD 25TH & 26TH AUGUST

We are contacting businesses and residents of All Saints Road to seek their support for our

local steel band to be able to continue a tradition that has been taking place since 1980.

RBK&C have advised us that a Temporary Entertainment Licence will now be required for

these ‘performances’ to continue with much restricted hours. Mangrove would like to point

out that the band’s appearance on All Saints Road is not intended to be a performance, and

no action has ever been taken to advertise or attract an audience.

We would propose that the band sets up both evenings by 8pm and rehearse until 10pm on

Thursday 25th and midnight on Friday 26th. It has been our custom and practice to set up

in the street order to give our young members the experience of playing on the float and

in the open prior to taking part in the Panorama steel band competition in Kensal Road on

Saturday 27th August.

Our young people have been working hard practising every night in Tabernacle so they may

give their peak performance at Panorama and this is the goal they work towards throughout

the year.

Over the years we have gathered informal feedback from businesses and residents and the

general view expressed has been:

• These informal rehearsals attract large numbers of people to All Saints Road giving a

very positive and happy ‘vibe’ to the street. Restaurants and the off-licence have

reported a welcome increase in business on the evenings the band is on the road.

• There has never been any unpleasant incidents or criminal activity during these

rehearsal sessions

• Local families look forward to coming to the street to support their local band and to

meet their friends and neighbours in a safe and informal setting

• The people of Notting Hill show extreme patience each year as up to 2 million people

come onto our streets, and many local families enjoy this annual pre-carnival get

together prior to being invaded by the outside world

• SUPPORTING AND ENCOURAGING THIS POSITIVE MUSICAL ACTIVITY BY OUR

LOCAL YOUNG PEOPLE WOULD BE A WELCOME COUNTERPOINT TO RECENT

DISTURBANCES AND PROVIDE A PLATFORM FOR YOUNG BLACK PEOPLE TO BE

SEEN IN A POSITIVE LIGHT.

WE ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT BY SIGNING OUR PETITION TO RBK&C.

MANGROVE STEEL BAND – MANAGER MATTHEW PHILLIP 020 7243 9999

EMAIL: matthew@mangrovesteelband.com WEBSITE: www.mangrovesteelband.com

MANGROVE STEEL BAND PRACTICE ON ALL SAINTS ROAD ON THURSDAY 25TH AND FRIDAY

26TH AUGUST 2011

We the undersigned would like to declare our support for Mangrove Steel Band to continue

their 30-year tradition of bringing the young band members to All Saints Road to practice on

their carnival float from 8-10pm on 25th and 8pm-midnight on 26th August. We welcome the

positive activity offered by Mangrove to local young people throughout the year.

This annual tradition brings a festive atmosphere to the street and will be a welcome

counterpoint to recent disturbances in the area which impacted on at least one business.

DATE

NAME

ADDRESS

RESIDENT

OR BUSINESS

COMMENTS

Notting Hill Carnival will Go ahead but All Saint's Road on the Friday is stopped.

I have learned today from a Police source that the Carnival will be proceeding but with much tighter Security and Policing.

The Popular (among locals) Friday night final rehearsal by Mangrove Steelband in All Saint's Road is in danger of being banned. A petition is being drawn up now and will be published here soon.

more later.

Looting and thuggery in Portobello, Westbourne Park Road. #2

This is local Restaurant Bumpkin in Westbourne Park Road W11. Boarded up and closed after Sunday night's looting spree. The whole area was boarded up and closed last night. Police everywhere and fortunately no sign of the gangs of looters that we saw the previous night.

The Cow was thankfully open for a while where I met up with Gaz Mayall, Ray Roughler Jones and others to drink a beer or two and try to get on with life. The Cow closed early, I went for a walk about with a friend, found the Cock and Bottle open; another pleasant surprise.

The atmosphere here had been tense all day. Surreal.

I'm not going to say much more on the matter other than it occurs to me that parents have lost control of their children and need to clamp down and where are the community elders right now? Who is talking to the kids.

We are going to be battened down again this evening with a massive police presence.

UPDATE: Wednesday night was quiet but spooky, a big police presence on the streets and gangs of youths hanging out. A couple of strange faces appeared to be moving from group to group. Nothing kicked off. Curious to find that I am being treated as the enemy by some because I talk to the police about the situation. A raddled over the hill 'rock chick wannabe' had a go at me for talking to the "filth". What is wrong with some people. It is our home that is being threatened by these thugs. We need a Police presence.

good to see that the Castle and Portobello Lounge were open last night with some live music.

Parliament is being recalled on Thursday.

This is the Message sent to MP's by the chief whip.

Notting Hill riot,Portobello Road, westbourne Park Road,The Bumpkin, Ledbury and Walmer Castle.

It was not a riot. It was an organised crew of thieves using recent events to go on the rampage. The atmosphere here is very unpleasant this morning. I have been screamed at by a middle aged guy trying to justify last night's scum activity. When will people stop blaming everything and everyone else and start taking responsibility for themselves.

I would like to ask the apologists for last night if they really think that robbing people in restaurants is an acceptable act.

The following account is from the Naked Sushi blog.

NAKEDSUSHI

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August 8, 2011

London Riots Come to The Ledbury

Will and I were going to celebrate with a night out at 2 Michelin star restaurant The Ledbury. I had come to terms with the fact that it would be an expensive dinner, but boy, I had no idea how expensive.

Around the fourth dish of the tasting course, there were loud bangs outside. The restaurant staff was yelling at us to get away from the windows. Before I knew it, the front door, a solid piece of glass shattered and people came crashing in with hoodies, masks, and random weapons.

The looters were yelling at us to get down and throwing stuff all over the place. I got down and started taking off my wedding and engagement ring to hide somewhere, but unfortunately wasn’t fast enough. One looter came up and demanded my phone. I didn’t have it with me since it was in my purse and it was out of arm reach. I also didn’t want to lead him to my passport, so I said I didn’t have one.

He told me to take off my rings and grabbed my hand, trying to yank them off. His friend tried to help too, but the rings wouldn’t come off and I just yelled at him that I’d take them off myself. In hindsight, now that I know that gun control is so fierce in England and he only had bat, I should have held on to my rings better and maybe slugged him in the face.

The kitchen staff at the Ledbury went beyond their call of duty by rushing up from the kitchen with rolling pins, fry baskets, and other dangerous kitchen tools and scared off the looters. Then they provided well-needed glasses of alcohol including champagne and whisky. When word came that the looters were coming back a second time, they ushered us into the bathrooms and told us to lock the doors. A few minutes later, they led us into the wine cellar and told us to lock ourselves in there.

Well, that was certainly a memorable dining experience. I was kind of hoping to finish the rest of my tasting menu, but all the broken glass, turned over tables, probably wasn’t conducive to a nice dining environment. I was sad for the wonderful smelling cheese cart that had glass littered all over it. So much cheese gone to waste!

Guy who took my ring, I hope you put it to good use and don’t just dump it in the street. Also, I hope you get a case of flaming diarrhea for the rest of your life. Ledbury staff, thanks for keeping things under control and giving me some petit fours to munch on.

http://www.runawaysquirrels.com/2011/08/london-riots-comes-to-the-ledbury/

Time lapse fires over Tottenham riots.

Portobello postcards #52

Back of house


Gratuitous dog picture

Lisamarie, jogging and wine.

I met Lisamarie a couple of months ago at a gallery opening. Naturally I invited her to come and have a coffee at the Tabernacle some time.

She arrived yesterday afternoon, she was out jogging and stopping traffic. I introduced her to the concept of mid-jog white wine.

Lisamarie is absolutely delightful and ought to be on TV presenting something. Producers take note.

My Bohemian life.

I went off with my hands in my torn coat pockets; My overcoat too was becoming ideal; I travelled beneath the sky, Muse! and I was your vassal; Oh dear me! what marvellous loves I dreamed of! My only pair of breeches had a big whole in them. – Stargazing Tom Thumb, I sowed rhymes along my way. My tavern was at the Sign of the Great Bear. – My stars in the sky rustled softly. And I listened to them, sitting on the road-sides On those pleasant September evenings while I felt drops Of dew on my forehead like vigorous wine; And while, rhyming among the fantastical shadows, I plucked like the strings of a lyre the elastics Of my tattered boots, one foot close to my heart! A. Rimbaud.

Retro, arrogance, Earl of Portobello and Friday nights.

A last minute decision to go to 'Retro' 50 Bosworth Road,W10 last night. 'Freak Elite', "The best band in Portobello" were a late addition to the line up there. It is a good little venue tucked away north of Golborne Road and worth checking out. As are the Freak brothers.

Marlene Dietrich did a turn which was a pleasure to watch. Turned out to be the 'Door Bitch' from the Cobden who barred me last year. We talked, all is forgiven, she tipped her hat at me, I tipped all my change into it. She was wonderfully entertaining. Her name is anka. Check her out too.

Here is a story: A cocky, arrogant, would be rock star who bitches about everyone while singing his own praises (he is old enough now to realise that he blew it years ago and is now a joke) asked me for a roll up. I said yes, offered the makings. He said: ' will you roll it for me. I said 'NO' . He then offered me his dope and asked again if I would roll him a joint. I said NO. He walked off. Arrogant little shit! HEY rock stars, heads up... I don't smoke dope. Why the fuck would I roll your spliffs in a public place to make your cock feel bigger. Roll your own a put a sock down your pants.

I moved on to the Earl of Portobello on Golborne for DJ Nyika's 'Soul Food'. The Earl is the last remaining pub on Golborne, recently re-opened and well worth visiting. It was Nyika's first night of an ongoing residency. Certainly on the Friday night circuit. Many, many familiar faces were there which is always a delight. Read about it HERE on the porto bello blog.

FEEN, Bumpkin Jam, Christina Tomlin and How to lay back in West London.

Every thursday for the next six weeks Wade Bayliss and his crew are operating BUMPKIN JAM at the Bumkin on Westbourne Park road. W11.  I popped in this week. got snagged to do the rock n roll poem with Wade, Patrick on immaculate bass and Wills on dustbins, great fun.

I jumped out to catch the Mangrove steelband rehearsal at the Tabernacle (well worth catching if you can. Mon - Thurs weekly until Carnival) then went back. Good thing too.

The attic at Bumpkin is a lovely little space, very laid back, boho, friendly and the perfect spot for this kind of curated open mic thing.

                                          Feen


A very high point was 'FEEN' a band I've not seen before but will look out for in future. I hope they come back. also on the bill were Charlotte Campbell and the amazing Christina Tomlin; god knows where she finds that voice and power.

the jam at the end was the perfect way to end an evening.

Very good indeed. See you there on Thursday.

The portobello Travel Bookshop is closed.

The film 'Notting Hill' made it famous, made it a tourist hot spot, filled it with camera happy sightseers with no interest in the books or the shop other than some sort of shrine to that tosser Grant and what's her name the american luvvie.

It wasn't even the shop used in the film. It isn't on Portobello Road, it is on Blenheim Crescent.

The tourists have killed the place. It is now closed until a buyer can be found to put some enthusiasm back into a very special local amenity.

The tourists should be asked to pay for photography or fuck off and photograph Hugh Grant's house. I can supply the address.

The Elgin, Sophie Barker and Aisling Mallon.

I haven't been to the Elgin on Ladbroke Grove for years. It used to be an awful shithole of a pub seemingly full of drug dealers and amateur villains. It isn't any more.

I went to see and listen to Sophie who was performing there last night. She was as good as ever. Her voice never ceases to enrapt me. I shall refrain from going on at length to avoid being considered a purveyor of cheesecake. Do try to get to one of her gigs though and check out her new album 'Seagull'.

Sophie Barker

the Elgin has been tarted up and smartened up. It was buzzing last night and good to see a lot of familiar faces. It was especially delightful to chat with actress Aisling Mallon. she had taken part in the 'Actor in Session' Cherry Orchard experiment (blog passim) last week and had caught my attention as one of the more interesting actors. We shared thoughts on the experiment.

                                                  Aisling Mallon

One negative was the lousy sound in the Elgin, something that could be easily rectified by investing in a new P.A. system.

Sophie Barker: http://www.sophiebarker.com/

The Elgin: http://www.geronimo-inns.co.uk/theelgin/

Summer passion and scented things.

The Muses garden in full bloom.

A chance photo op on leaving the Cow last night. I've forgotten what the scent was.

Update: Thanks to an anonymous tip off I now know that it is vanilla.

Please support Mangrove Steelband.

The Cow, Amy Winehouse, parquet flooring and Amie Martin.

Amie Martin & reclaimed parquet.

I shouldn't have done but I did. At the end of a hot day I went to the Cow for a beer and scotch quails egg. All good so far. the beer was wet and the egg perfect

I picked up a copy of ok magazine. I wish I hadn't. Poor Amy Winehouse.

I overheard the following: "Nothing says I've arrived like reclaimed parquet flooring".

Amie Martin said that... And she is spot on.

Nothing says I've arrived better than a photo of reclaimed parquet flooring arriving in your mailbox.

I know which one frightens me.

Actor in Session. The Cherry Orchard at the Tabernacle.

Acting in Session run weekly acting classes at the Tabernacle W11, St Peter's Hall W11 & the 20th Century Theatre W11. Under the direction of Christopher Obi; a passionate man about theatre if I am any judge. I've sat in on rehearsals before and was invited to attend today's 'Exercise'; A production of chekov's Cherry Orchard.I was pleasantly surprised by what the group produced after just 12 weeks. Chekov is not the easiest of playrights and From experience can attest to the fact that Cherry Orchard can be more difficult than most.

It was an interesting exercise made slightly confusing by mid play cast changes, but I got the hang of it.

If you are looking for some acting classes in West London Actor in Session would be worth checking out. Website: http://actorinsession.com/

The Eyes of Jarvis Trench

This story first appeared here: http://meandmybigmouth.typepad.com/scottpack/2011/06/guest-blogger-tristan-hazell.html

The Eyes of Jarvis Trench

I called at the house to view the motor bike. It was a 1967 Triumph Tiger Cub. I had owned a similar bike in my teens and fancied that it would make a project for the winter.

I was early. Mrs Trench answered the door in a flustered state but ushered me inside and led me to the living room. “You will have to excuse me,” she said. “You are early and it is time for my therapy but it won’t take long. Can I get you a cup of tea?”

The filth that surrounded her encouraged me to decline the offer. “No thank you,” I said.

She offered me a chair. I sat and looked about the room. It was littered with orange coloured objects I first took for balloons. I soon realised they were football bladders. There were perhaps 20 of them; each one sported a number of puncture repair patches. The patches on each bladder occupied positions on the same latitude. If they had been globes I would have estimated that they were on a line occupied by Stockholm. The patches circled the bladders. There were a number of deflated footballs, the old fashioned ‘lace up’ variety, and two or three repair kits. A professional-looking pump stood beside the chair she sat down in.

“Won’t take long,” she repeated as she took up one of the footballs and a bladder. There was an image painted on the ball but I was unable to make it out. She slowly and carefully fed the bladder into the ball, took the nozzle of the pump and inserted it into the bladder. With her right hand she worked the pump while steadying the ball with her left and her knees. As the ball inflated I saw that the leather was painted with a likeness of a man. He had bright blue eyes. She looked at me as the ball became tight and said, “I used to do the lacing once but don’t feel the need anymore.”

Gripping the ball between her thighs she took up two long needles then carefully and simultaneously forced a spike into each pupil.

As the needles entered she intoned the words: What are you looking at now, Jarvis Trench? She removed the weapons and laid the sighing ball on the floor beside the chair.

“The motorbike,” she said as she rose and I followed suit. “It is in the shed, it is not locked. Why don’t you go and take a look? It ain’t been used much. My husband only rode it to and from his camera club and he ain’t done that since the day he left his darkroom unlocked.”

Galicia, Pizza East Portobello; The thin end of the wedge.

A splendid afternoon yesterday spent at Galicia on the Portobello Road. The restaurant closes forAugust leaving some of the locals in a state of panic and despair; there is nowhere quite like Galicia.

Across the road is the recently opened Pizza East, part of the Soho House fast food chain. It is a very pricey cheese on toast shop with ear splitting acoustics guaranteed to maintain a fast turnover of tables. The discount key ring thing is interesting. Many people believe this place to be the thin end of the wedge as far as Golborne goes.

Pizza East, aware of this too, have used the wedge in their branding. I cannot decide if it is ironic or just plain stupid.

Drum, Albino Boa and pink chair.

Save Portobello Market benefit at the Pop up Cinema.

Last nights benefit featured a screening of 'Stall Stories' a short film made by Colville School pupils and featuring some of the stalwarts of the market.

An entertaining little film.

Passport to Pimlico was screened later but I passed on that preferring the Mangrove Steel pan rehearsals at the Tabernacle.

Postcards from Portobello Road #50

Postcards from Portobello Road #49

Leaving me. A poem for a fairytail punk.

She said don't jump

I said I can't jump

If I jumped

I'd rise

I'd rise above you

And the last thing I want to do

Is

Look down on you.

She said don't jump.

12 Bar Blues.

We fought

She left

guitily later I searched

the gold

the Star

Cock & Bottle

Ground Floor

Finches

Castle

Mau Mau

Muse Elgin

the Union

cow

& Westbourne

Of course I had a drink in each.

Now I've got the 12 bar blues & can't remember who I'm looking for.

The Van Susans at the 100 Club.

I hadn't been to the 100 club in years. My visit to the lavatory on Friday night went part of the way to explaining why.

I took along a friend I hadn't been to a gig with since our teens 40 years ago; the two support bands convinced us that nothing has changed in 40 years. We haven't grown up, Rock n roll hasn't aged but sometimes you wish it would die. I'm sure the band members were having fun and we were content to reminisc and wait for the Van Susans.

We were there for the launch of their EP 'We could be scenery', out on Beatnik Geek Records now. I'd not heard of them before but was told they were worth a listen. so we listened.

Described as a PopCore/indie band (no help to me but I'm not their target audience) Van Susans are a good looking sextet with a charismatic frontman Olly Andrews and a violin wielding woman, I'm partial to a violin in a band ever since the Velvet Underground. so far so good.

And well worth the smelly loos and indifferent generic support it was too. the band have some good songs with some intelligent narratives, harmonic melodies and a sense of fun. I'm not a musician, I'll leave that stuff up to other more qualified reviewers, I'm part of an audience and all I can write about is being there.

We will hear more from this band, they reminded me of someone or something but it may have been that they just reminded me to see them again.

BREAKING NEWS: Amy Winehouse, 27, found dead at her London flat

Amy Winehouse has been found dead. she was 27. 27. You have to make it past 27. R.I.P. Amy.

She probably is in peace for the first time in a long time.

In rehab at last.

Carl Gabriel, carnival artist.

I found Carl setting up some of his amazing carnival pieces at the Tabernacle today.

‘Live on Stage: Rock Photography from Dylan to Dubstep’

Dylan to Dubstep.

An exhibition by Ellen Doherty and Keith Baugh
at the West Bank Gallery, LondonAugust 12th. 2011

West Bank London is at 133 - 137 Westbourne Grove. W11.

Ashley Noot at the Tabernacle.

Ashley Noot is an american singer-songwriter. She is best known for her single "Oh no what" from her debut album "Throwing away your love songs."

Ashley Noot was sitting in the Tabernacle being interviewed on video to promote her debut album. I said hello... I said come back and do a show here. I hope she does.

http://ashleynoot.co.uk/

You can find her music on itunes at; http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/oh-no-what/id382683903