Then And Now - 2

I put a version of this on here a week or so ago, but looking at it again, I'm not happy about how it turned out. So today, I went to the same location on Derby Road and did a re-shoot. I'm a lot more happier with this version, as you can see the changes better down the 50 years since Saturday Night, Sunday Morning was made, as the pictures are of the same size.

Then And Now

Here's another look back in time comparison photographs from the 1960 film Saturday Night, Sunday Morning. The scene at the castle is about Brenda talking to Arthur about the baby she's carrying and that she wants him to pay for an abortion.
You can see that there hasn't been a massive change in the area. In fact I think even the flagstones are the same. The top of the lamppost has disappeared, a telescope has appeared and the flagpole has been moved. The biggest change is with the castle itself, as there is now a cafe, where before there wasn't.

A Very Special Day

On February 26 2006 at the Chinese Gardens in Sydney, I asked Gail to be my loving wife. Four years on, she hasn't let me down. Being a man, I've managed to upset her a few times. Nothing serious, only over the trivialities of life, and she's always forgiven me. I chose Feb 26 for our wedding day, as it's also my birthday and Gail's been my best present ever.

Broadcast News

Walking down near Marks & Spencer's yesterday, I was surprised to see the former MP Michael Portillo standing there with a film crew. It took me a little while to realise who it was, as he's not been a MP for several years. He seems to have turned into a travel writer these days, as he recently did a TV series about the railways. Be interesting to find out what he was doing in Nottingham, as I don't think he was talking about politics.

An Early Bird

The headbanger theme this week is "Watching the Birdie". I was thinking of what I could come up with, rather than showing some flea bitten pigeons, which are about the only birds around these days. So I thought of taking things literally and came up with this photomontage. But then I was in the Poundshop, and I saw this stack of Easter chicks waiting for a new home. Made eggstra amusing, as they are all wearing Elton John glasses!


Please go and see the rest of the birdbrained headbanger gang and see what they've come up with this week:
Darla
Imac
Martha
UK Tom
US Tom

Urban Art

I'm not sure how much longer this example of street art is going to be around, as the area where it is located is due to be rebuilt. The wall that has been sprayed was once part of a railway bridge that went to the old station where the Victoria Centre now stands. But the last part of the bridge is now forgotten and isolated from anything, with surrounding buildings crumbling away and weeds growing everywhere.

The Curious Case Of The Missing Drinkers

As Holmes and I walked along Northumberland Avenue Westminister to one of his locals, the great dectective stopped in his tracks. "Good heavens Watson" he cried, "what's happened to all the drinkers? There's usually at least six out here, maybe more now the blessed smoking ban's in place." Holmes has never forgiven the Government for not allowing people to smoke in public places. He always loved some shag in his Measham after a couple of pints of real ale. "Don't know old man, maybe they knew you were coming, and they all have something to hide." "No, I have the answer" announced the sleuth. "It's just starting to rain, so they've all gone inside."

Comic Cuts

A picture framing shop come art gallery has these two front pages of the Dandy in their window. They have been turned into pictures, and were very big in size. Alas my photo can't show the scale, but they were about a metre tall.
I didn't really read the Dandy or the Beano when I was a child. My preference was for Whizzer and Chips.

Back to The 60's

Although it was only last week, it seems ages since we were in London. After our trip on the Eye, Gail & I went to see a show. We managed to get some cheapish tickets to "Dreamboats and Petticoats", a musical set in the early 1960's. It was based around the CD of the same name, which features songs from that era, such as The Shadows, Roy Orbison and Bobby Vee. It was a simple boy meets girl, boy loves girl, girl doesn't love boy, but another girl does, boy loves girl number two story. A great bit of nostalgia for someone who wasn't even born when it happened.

I'm A Spaceman

Well a spacewoman actually, Valentina Tereshkova. There's a new exhibition on at the garage, sorry, the Nottingham contemporary entitled Star City. It's about art and space exploration in the former USSR. There is of course some dross, such as a working food mixer on a kitchen table as an exhibit, to some original posters. Then there's this, a giant spacesuit which you can walk through. Just don't ask me how you enter!

Then And Now

Another idea that I was thinking about for my Headbanger theme was showing a "then and now" film related photo. Probably the most famous film shot in Nottingham has been Saturday Night, Sunday Morning. It was written by local writer Alan Sillitoe, and related the adventures of Arthur Seaton; Raleigh worker by day, womaniser and heavy drinker by night. Made in 1960, it starred Albert Finney and Shirley Anne Field, and used several locations around the city. Alas many have disappeared under the bulldozer, including the Raleigh factory itself. But I am starting to find a few that still survive, including this one of a church on Derby Road. The shop has alas gone. It's now the entrance road to some flats, but the church has almost stayed the same.

Lights, Camera, Action!

It's the Headbanger Challenge again and I've chosen this week's theme of the cinema.
I've had a few ideas, but it was quite fortuitous that as we were walking along the Thames, I spotted this boat with a very apt name for the theme; "Hollywood", the home of the movie industry.
I was also toying with the idea of showing you all this poster of Alfred Hitchcock, which was being used to promote the London Film Museum. But not as imaginative.
To see the other gang members' efforts of Darla, Imac, Martha, UK Tom and US Tom, just click on their names. Enjoy.

Sparkle

London was just as cold and grey as the rest of the country. But while we were on the Eye, just for a couple of seconds the sun shone a bit. Not long enough to make the capital gleam, but just enough to make the Thames glisten. So I took this of some boats moored in the water.

Making Tracks

Here's the first picture from our trip on the London Eye. I didn't want to go for the cliche with the Houses of Parliament. Although of course I took a few shots of England's seat of power. You have to don't you? Instead I'm going for Charing Cross Railway Station. Which was originally built in 1864, while the face you can see originates from 1990. The trains which cross the Hungerford Bridge head out to Kent. The building on the left hand side is the Playhouse Theatre, where I took Gail to see Dreamboats and Petticoats, A musical romance set in the early 1960s and just the thing for Valentines weekend.

Love Is In The Air

Today is of course Valentine's Day, when the world goes all luvvy duvvy and florists, card shops and restaurants make a killing. I'm a cynical romantic!
Gail and I had a great time in London. Photos from the Eye start tomorrow. But today I'm showing Eros shooting his arrow at this couple snogging close to Charring Cross Station.
It might not get to be a famous photograph like Robert Doisneau’s, but at least it wasn't posed.

The Queen Is Dead

No, not H.M, but the fashion designer Alexander McQueen. I know very little or care about fashion. Just ask Gail! So some of his designs to me look rather odd, and not the sort of think you'd wear to the supermarket, let alone a party. In fact I think some of the designs are unwearable. I don't think anyone really knows why he died the way he did, but I guess it was quite fortuitous in a way that we passed his head office in Clerkenwell, where we were staying, so I could take this photo as a memorial to him.

Kept In The Dark

I'm taking Gail away to the bright lights of London this weekend for a short break. We are going on the Eye, which is exciting, but scary at the same time. We are staying in a flat, rather than a hotel, so it will feel more like a home.
Alas, this means that I'll miss Nottingham's annual 'Light Night' festival, where the city centre is lit up in many different ways, and artists perform all sorts of artistic things. Here for instance is a giant illuminated wasp trying to attack the statue of Robin Hood.

Up High

Here's a shot of a worker who's helping to build the Nottingham Wheel, which has made yet another return to the city. This will be the third time it's arrived in the Old Market Square. Hopefully it won't be around as long as it was last year, as it seemed to be here for months.
Tomorrow Gail and I head to London for the weekend. We have booked to go on the London Eye. I'm a bit scared, but looking forward to going on it too. I will be taking lots of photos, so hopefully I will be too busy to be frightened about seeing central London from so high.

Squaring The Circle

It's Headbanger time again, and I've been spoilt for choice this week with the rather easy subject of circles. I took photos of quite a few different things, but have plumped for this wooden sheeting, that was being used to board up an old shop that had closed down sometime ago. I like the randomness of the knots, and how they look like little islands.
My runner up photo is this one, of an intercom system for a small block of apartments. Simple and neat. For more circular headers, go round and visit:
Darla
Imac
Martha
UK Tom
US Tom

Round And Round

Tomorrow is Headbanger Wednesday, and the theme this week is circles. I was lucky to win it last week, so have been hunting high and low for something worth showing. Here's one of my runner up ideas; little circles that make up the names of popular fast food that is available to buy when the shop is open. They are tiny bulbs that light up at night to advertise the takeaway.

Stairs And Stares

Here's Marmalade, well being Marmalade! She's now taken a liking to sitting or laying on the 7th step of our stairs. She also now likes sleeping at the bottom of our bed during the night. Usually on top, or very close to our feet, so we have to be careful and not disturb her. Wait a minute, who's bed is it supposed to be??

Burn, Baby Burn

Intrigued by a roaring noise outside my office last week, several of us left our desks to have a look at what was happening. Looking out of the window, we saw this roadworker burning off the old yellow lines, in rediness for them being repainted. I had noticed quite a few 'No Waiting' signs tied to lampposts that morning & wondered what was going to happen.

Please Mr Postman

Taken at the castle, as part of the children's play area. I like the way they've given the post a happy face and added an arm to make it look more human and a bit of character.

Cheap As Chips

Here's Mr Orange himself David Dickinson. I don't know if it was due to the cold weather, or not being on television, but he didn't look as much like a satsuma as he normally does. He was there to open the new gold buying shop and chatting & signing autographs. There was also a man on stilts, grabbing some attention as well.

Oyez, Oyez, Oyez

I heard a town crier in the city centre today. A bit unusual considering that most people communicate by either e-mail, mobile phone or Facebook. Anyway I listened to what he was shouting about. He was promoting the opening of a new gold shop tomorrow. I knew about it already, as I had read an advert in one of the freebie newspapers we get each week. The shop is officially opened by non other than 'Mr Orange' himself; David Dickinson. he's not really orange. It's just that he has a perma-suntan which makes him look like a satsuma when he's on the TV. Of course I plan to pay a visit, to see just how orange he is in real life!

Chicken Little

It's another Headbanging Wednesday, and this week's theme is chickens & roosters. As I live in a urban area, I wasn't expecting to come across a live one on my travels. So mine's thought up and illustrates the eternal question of why the chicken crossed the road? There are many answers to this puzzle, and I'm sure you can think of many. The corniest (scuse the pun) one I like is because it saw a zebra do it!

Please go and visit the following headbangers Darla, Tom 1, Tom 2, Imac, and Martha see if their photos are as fowl as mine!

My usual blog photograph is of a fine old hostelry, tucked away in the heart of the Lace Market.

Bowing Mobile

For the last couple of days, a film crew have been in the Old Market Square. They have been recording a new advert for T Mobile. I don't know what the connection is between pretend Robin Hoods and mobile phones. Only the ad men know that. But I suppose we all will when the commercial is shown on TV sometime in the near future.

Light's Out

Well, bizarre as it sounds, Nottingham had yet another powercut today. In fact it happened at about 5.20 tonight. I know that because my office was one that was affected. So by the time I packed up my desk, it was time to leave anyway. Unfortunately something important was meant to happen at the castle tonight. It was going to be lit up with a pink light, to highlight the British Heart Foundation's aim of getting everyone to have a pink healthy heart. But of course it didn't happen. The BBC Midlands Today team stepped in while they were broadcasting from there, by beaming a red filtered light at the building.