London Under Attack?

I thought, catching this 16-plane formation of Tornado GR4 aircraft flying over me while sunning myself on a calm London morning. Terrorists? Euro 2008 hooligans? No, it was the Queen's Birthday. How silly of me not to know that!

On any given Sunday (in shoreditch)

Hmmm, salted beef and beigels the way the Brits spell it...


Pretty much everything for a fiver!


Hey, Japanese purses, just like in Japan.


Brick Lane's finest



P: I loved when she said, "Today I am standing with Senator Obama to say 'Yes we can'!"
P's new friend: That was a good part, but not as good as when she said: "The way to continue our fight now, to accomplish the goals for which we stand, is to take our energy, our passion, our strength and do all we can to help elect Barack Obama the next president of the United States."


Previously undiscovered Spitalfields City Farm!


And with our luck, not only a sunny Sunday, but a FREE sheep sheering event!


And just when we thought our morning couldn't get any better...


Chiaki, we hope you visit again soon!

Holy Seun Kuti!!!

I have been officially introduced to Seun Kuti.


His rendition of Shuffering and Smiling is as close as I will get to his father. It was...very, very good!


Please come back to London!

Can you print "vulva" in Azerbaijan?

Apparently, you can.

Don't let the hullabaloo related to the word "bitter" make you think there is not other news in the world...

For example, the British nation is insulting Azerbaijan again. I am not sure if you know but...

A pub named Camel's toe which initially seems to mean what it means -"A toe of a camel" functions in the very center of Baku, several meters away from the passage, at 22. Mamedaliyev street.

But, in fact the name has a double meaning. The Camel's Toe has a meaning "the clear visible presence of a woman's vulva as a consequence of wearing overly right pants (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camel_toe).

While some of my seedier friends had alerted me to this insult, that isn't all! Brave journalists entered the establishment despite rumors of prostitutes.

It should be noted that we did not notice any prostitute in the pub. Yet there were several curious moments. The walls of the pub were decorated with different flags including the flags of Scotland, England, Great Britain and Russia. All, except Azerbaijan. The said fact proves the direct violation of the law "On rules of use of flags of other countries and international organization in the territory of Azerbaijan". Perhaps, the pubs owners have no idea of the law. But the fact that the pub does not bear the flag of the country, it functions in, says that the bar owners do not respect the attributes of Azerbaijan.

No idea of the law indeed! Those Brits are elitist and out of touch!

Recovering from Dengue Fever

It is rare that I like a band because of its name, but sometimes it happens and sometimes I like the music too! Dengue Fever is an enjoyable cross between Grace Jones, Cake, The Cowboy Junkies all playing in a dive Phnom Penh bar (or Addis Ababa on a few tracks).

Who to vote for?!?

Hillary in your dreams!

I haven't yet resorted to dreaming about Obama, but was entertained by the New Yorker comment on a website called The Metaphysical Poll (formerly I Dream of Hillary ... I Dream of Barack until McCain supporters complained that it was bias). Obama is winning in the subconscious as well. I like the idea that McCain and Billy Idol are the same person.

It is run by a Canadian!

Not a meat eater

February was an experiment in eating lamb, chicken and even pigs and cows. The hypothesis was that I might feel differently with a bit of flesh now and again. The conclusion was that it didn't feel any different. So, while my vegetarianism has never been too extreme, my flirtation with embracing omnivorism is over. Come out and play, my bovine friend. I won't eat you (very often)!

What can I experiment with in March?

Losing a Friend

When I first heard Andy Palacio last year, I instantly double underlined the track on my Songlines sample CD and went right out and bought it. I had the great fortune to see him play a fantastic set at Cargo last June and am deeply saddened by the news that he has died at 47.

He reminded me of what's important and I feel like I have lost a friend.

My Endorsement for In Bruges in 2008!

If you need convincing, listen to NPR. Ralph Fiennes is an excellent bad guy!

The Blur of Morrissey

Slightly older than the last time I saw him, but aren't we all getting better with age?

January 22, 2008 - Roundhouse in London

My Famous Friend, Jimmy!

I feel proud to have placed Jimmy Libresco as one of my photos of 2007 (see Jimmy and Daddy below). Clearly the Washington Post reads my blog. But my picture is far better then the Post's.)

2007 - My Year in Photos

Much has happened in 2007. Rather than tell you about it, and in continuing the tradition started in 2006, here you have it! It certainly wasn't always pretty, but pretty is over rated in my book.


If nothing else, at least Americans give good turkey!




Look who's having a baby!


















And on the 8th Day, God created The Who?



Homophobia 3



















Hi, Nursultan!



Cossack Dreaming



















Never forget to celebrate important birthdays!



God, save the Queen (Elizabeth)!



Father of the Bride.



"Beat me!"



Untitled



Zo!




















The Killoffs and Mayme



Da, darling, definitely DA!




Hearts, stars and horseshoes! Clovers and blue moons! Pots of gold and rainbows! And me red balloons!















I love New York!



They joy of being Aunt Catherine.



May we all enjoy our 70s like Paul Nabor.



Paris shopping with my mother-in-law.



















???




Like son, like father.




















Womad '07, or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Mud.




How many more times will you watch the full moon rise? Perhaps twenty. And yet it all seems limitless. Paul Bowles














Alien and Predator vs. The Real Predator.



I left my heart in Montenegro.


...and my top photo of 2007!


Tell me of your homeworld, Usul.

Help US, Russkiis!

Very amusing post by the Carpetblogger on Russian NGOs saving the US of A. God speed them in their difficult work.

I appreciate her suggestions for meaningful support from Russia to the US. To her fine list, I would also welcome Russia's advice on how to turn teen faux lesbians into internationally acclaimed mega pop stars adored by all (or me, at least). The US needs more of that, I think. Hey, while there at it, I hope they send some help to the UK as well!

The post made me wonder what ever happened to Angela Davis. Now I know and also know that a new degree in the History of Consciousness is in store for me. I did hear Davis speak in Eugene, OR in 1994. I remember it was MLK day and there were no tickets so I made a sign - "I need one ticket" - and waited until some communist sympathizer felt pity for me. It didn't take long. We loved 1994.

Holy Covers!

I have been a bit taken by this recently. I have been scrolling through my itunes looking for them. So far I have about 30 and I am looking for more.

My favorites thus far are Björk and PJ Harvey covering Satisfaction and Johnny Cash's cover of Hurt and Personal Jesus, which really made the originals far better in my book. I would love to meet the person who listened to this and dreamed up this. Has Morrissey ever commented on that?

Anyone got a favorite? Please share.

G-l-o-r-i-a

Um, here is another version. I like this one too.

I'm the crawling king snake

Booze and music - is should be a regular Wednesday evening.

Tonight, I have renewed my love of Benn loxo du taccu, which shows me I have only scratched the surface of African music. Tonight's find was Ignace De Souza, a great west african early afrobeater.

I learned the history of Sterns Music in London, a force in bringing African music to London since 1983.

Now I have moved on to all the tracks I didn't have from The Doors from their box set. God, I had missed a lot.


The song G-l-o-r-i-a makes me feel better, always. That's a Van Morrison cover?!? I had never heard The Doors version until tonight!

Plans for June 19-23?

The Gnawas have both a therapeutic and a propitiatory function. They are often summoned in cases of mental disturbance, even when the patient is being treated at a psychiatric clinic; they are also called in to treat scorpion stings.

Paul Bowles