It seems like I am almost too late for this festival that was right on my doorstep. First I hear of the London Design Festival but it looks interesting. I am not the artsy fartsy type but I do find these creations interesting and appealing. The London Design Festival is what makes culture and art in London so vibrant. The support behind this festival is humongous and every artist in the world would kill to be a part of it here in London.

These two pieces were outside the Royal Festival Hall in Waterloo. My first impression of the first photo was that they are busy constructing a huge artsy Christmas tree already. It did not occur to me that it was part of the London Design Festival, specifically called Supercell by Marc Newson. The Southbank is amazing; you will always find different things being displayed and constructed bringing the element of new and fun to the area.

The London Design Festival is an annual event that takes place in London at various locations. Their website has more information on the matter as there is a lot to take it. Quickly, check it out before it is too late and you will need to wait to 2010.

It has been a while since I mentioned my windowsill gardening endeavours and thought that an update was about due. Last weekend I harvested my first batch of red peppers I grew from seeds saved from previously eaten red peppers. It is amazing to know that you grew it yourself. It is even better if you use your own produce in your home cooked meals. This harvest sparked me on to try my hand at something else before it gets too cold.

It has been four days now and I have seen light coming from the carrot seed tub. You are going to laugh at this but I used one of those clear containers you tend to buy a leg of lamb in the supermarket. Obviously it has been cleaned properly before I used it and it is big enough to be a home for my carrots. The carrots will not be big but will do as baby carrots. I will be trying my hand later during the year at garlic, so stay tuned for that.

Ok, I realise that this update is a little sad but it shows you that you can plant food in your windowsills in London, even though there is no space. The summer of 2010 will be a green one as I will plant ten times more than this year!

Time is running out for a community in South London to have their say. Their aim is simple, to get a cinema back to Crystal Palace. Crystal Palace is a thriving community in South East London. This community is fighting back against the council’s decision to award planning permission to KICC (Kingsway International Christian Centre). The KICC had outbid the cinema group City Screen in the sale of the old Gala Bingo building on Church Road. This was a devasting blow to the community but have not dampered their spirits to keep on fighting.

Crystal Palace Map

“KICC announced that they intend to turn the venue into a place of worship (D1 planning use) despite the fact that the building has a designated D2 planning use for leisure. They will be applying to Bromley council for Change of Use.

The purchase of the Bingo hall by KICC came out of the blue and many of us just turned around and all said we wanted a cinema. People had been lobbying to bring a cinema to Crystal Palace for many years. The ex Gala bingo hall is the perfect venue. It was built as a cinema in 1928 and still retains many original features. We care passionately about retaining its D2 leisure use for the benefit of the whole community.

Crystal Palace Campaign

The local community have made their feelings perfectly clear. They neither want nor need a change of use. Over 4,500 local people have signed a petition to this effect.”

There are a few things YOU can do to help them out. We all like to stand behind a good cause and it feels great to do it as part of the community. Here is a few ways you can help the Picture Palace Campaign. Hurry, time is running out!

• Draft letter to neighbouring councils urging consultation response.
• Join the Facebook group
• Leaflet for distribution
• Local Councillors voice their support for retention of D2 status.
• Poster for notice boards
• Request a planning application consultation letter.
• Sign the online petition
• Who to contact and how to contact them
• Write to them
• Use Twitter to spread the word to get more support

Rember that the Picture Palace Campaign has only got until the 1^st of October!

It has dawned on me today that communities are needed in a big city such as London. We were walking down our local high street when I have noticed how little chain-stores there are on the street and it made me realise that I need to support the little guys to bring their own unique blend to the area to help build that much needed community spirit.

I have joined a local forum where people living in my area have come together to make a change, little changes though but a change non the less. Ever since joining the forum I have felt a strange sense of belonging and I urge everyone coming to London to blend into the local community to make the area better. This is needed unless we want a crime ridden area where people are too scared to be themselves or live in their own area. Think about it!

The community spirit really does wonders for an area. By supporting the locals, voicing your opinion and to meet up every now and then all play a vital role in society. I am not much for meeting strangers in the townhall but I am willing to lend a hand to clean up the area or even to visit and support a local fair. What possitive changes can you bring to your community?

There is roughly eight million people living in London and a vast majority of them make use of the transport for London network to get around. All these people touch buttons to open doors, hold on to poles inside tube carriages and use handrails in busses. These spots are all potential breeding grounds for the common cold virus . People are generally not very hygienic and it is important to protect yourself otherwise you would get the same cold over and over again throughout the year.

There are a few things you can do to protect yourself without it interfering too much with your life. Most people travelling around London carry some sort of bag with them which means you will have space to store a small bottle of antibaterial handwash. Most stores sell these in pocketsizes which requires no water, basically rubs dry. This is ideal for London and every traveller should have one, heck, everyone should carry one of these at all times.

The reason for the dramatic headline is because it sends a clear message and the NHS uses it on their campaign against the cold virus. It is quite catchy and should be followed where possible. Catch it in a tissue, bin the tissue at the earliest convenience to kill it dead in it’s tracks. Stay safe by following basic hygiene advice.

Earlier this week I was running around like a headless chicken trying to get last minute train tickets from London to Glasgow. Why last minute? Don’t even go there. Anyway I racked my brains and abused Google but I could not get tickets for less than £200 per person. To be paying that amount of money would be insane, so wrote off the trip until someone recommended going by coach. I had travelled across country before on a coach but it was not my most memorable or comfortable trip yet so the thought had no occurred to me.

Scouring around on Google trying to find tickets, I found National Express. They had available seats and good deals too so we decided to take the plunge and get tickets. It was going to be an eight hour bus trip so we opted for the departure time in the middle of the night. At least we would be asleep for most of the journey. Arrived at Victoria Coach Station at around 22:00 and we sat around with what looked like hundreds of other people opting to travel by coach. The coach bus itself was not big but it was going to have to do. They do not sell any refreshments on the coaches, so if you decide to use them, get your own snacks and drinks before the time.

The journey itself felt quick as busses are allowed to do 100mph on the motorways, loved it. All coaches come with safety belts which are required by law. My biggest concern was that I needed to have a toilet facility on the coach and luckily all of them have one. Not the most spacious place but it will do. The coach made two stops where people could grab a quick snack and stretch their legs and we used them each time. They do not allocate a lot of time on these stops, about 15 each, so you have to make it quick.

It was definitely an experience travelling in the middle of the night. I would recommend you give them at least a go before not opting to travel by coach. It would probably save you a small fortune if you want to explore the United Kingdom. A word of advice, if you are planning on travelling at night, take a travel pillow with as some coaches can be quite uncomfortable to sleep in. Oh, grab an Ipod or something with music, it helps. The National Express coaches can really be the cheaper alternative.

The Lambeth Country Show kicked off this weekend with unexpected weather but they seemed to have luck on their side as they only had a few drops on Sunday. The show is held each year in Brockwell Park. The park is gigantic and they could not have picked a better place. The views from the top of the small “hill” is amazing, you can see The London Eye, The Gherkin and the Battersea Power Station. What a perfect setting for a weekend filled with activities?

Safety came first as you saw all the barriers and dedicated staff members walking around. The Metropolitan Police had their turf covered that is for sure. The people who organised this event really know their stuff and it was a pleasure to interact with the crowd. We walked into one of the main entrances and were overwhelmed by the amount of different food stalls on offer. It really represents Lambeth with the different cultures and areas within the borough.

There were countless of activities to explore, anything from face painting to advice on going back to work. The whole event was arranged to be free of charge. The only places you had to pay for were the fair and the food stalls, everything else gratis. The live music in all areas different made it interesting as you explored the different parts of the event.

The only part that disappointed me a bit was the fact that the food stalls and fair was a bit pricey for an area which was free of charge to enter. I would definitely go next year and take a picnic with to enjoy the event. Despite that, we still had a great time and would recommend it to anyone who was thinking about attending the show next year.

That is it! I am done with sightseeing in London, well, the walking part that is. Wait a minute; I’ve become way too lazy in this wonderful city. I have taken the time to explore Marble Arch, Hyde Park, St James Park, and Buckingham Palace… straight back to Waterloo. What a day it has been and we walked all the way.

Here it is folks, a few photos of the day out in London. Seriously, go and explore Hyde Park, it is humongous and there is so much to do.

Marble Arch

Hyde Park – Boat House

A view in Hyde Park

Princess Diana Memorial

Serpentine Lake

Antony Gormley’s latest project launch in Trafalgar Square is called “One & Other” where he uses volunteers to stand for an hour on the fourth plinth. This will be done for 24 hours each day for the nest hundred days. We made it to Trafalgar Square just in time to see the first person get off the plinth. The very first person was a housewife from Lincolnshire, Rachel Wardell. She seemed to be beaming when replaced with another volunteer and the reporters went crazy!

Stooly.com managed to get a video on YouTube in time for you all to enjoy! I am sure you have seen the hundred and two reruns on all news channels if you live in the United Kingdom. We have seen Antony Gormley’s work in Liverpool and the statues he had on London buildings. He definitely knows how to pull an audience with his art. You can watch a live feed of Antony Gormley’s “One & Other” project by clicking here.

Watch the video we made at Trafalgar Square – CLICK HERE