Picos Gemeos

sushidog is a perfect shopping buddy. She was good company last week when I needed to go downtown and buy underwear, and yesterday she offered anecdotes and companionship as we explored the food and second-hand deals of Hackney's markets and shops.

The day couldn't have been more gorgeous; August's first proper summer day. We met up in Victoria Park and meandered up Regent's Canal to Broadway Road Market. After checking out the stands, which sold anything from crockery and vinyl records to crepes and fresh juices, we ordered Samosa Chatts, bought some bottled water and found a patch of soft grass in London Fields to rest, not too far from a One Man Band playing some kind of bicycle drums.

As we ate our lunch and chatted about this'n'that, I saw a beautiful toddler with large blue eyes approach us like the shark in Jaws (hum to yourself the film's theme song). He held Kevin's shoulder and leaned his head against him. I wish my eyes had cameras inside them so I could keep that image forever - the cutest thing I've ever seen. The father whisked the toddler away, apologising, which he needent have done since it was such a lovely and funny thing for the little boy to do. I turned to Kevin afterwards and asked if we could have one of those. There's my tip for what to get me next Christmas.

After lunch, we took a bus to Holloway Road and visited The Fantasy Centre, one of London's best second-hand bookshops that specialises in horror, fantasy and sci-fi. Unusually, there were about ten different Guy N. Smith titles in the horror section. I called naturalbornkaos, Smith's biggest fan, to see if any of the copies were rarities he might want, but his phone was turned off. There's your tip Rattler for where to go shopping next time you are in town! I also spotted a copy of Wurm by Matthew J. Costello, a horror novel that I really enjoyed in high school. At the time, I was trying to convince a dutch friend to read horror, so we agreed that she would read Wurm if I tried out Anne of Green Gables. I loved Anne but was kinda pissed off that my friend wussed out and broke our agreement. I debated yesterday whether I should buy Wurm and re-read it, but then I was reminded of the Neverending Story cautionary tale, which teaches one never to read a book or watch a film you loved as a kid so you won't run the risk of tarninshing your memories.

There's a large vintage store nearby that is good value-for-money (most items range between 5 and 10 quid). Kevin and I found short-sleeved shirts that fit alright, and sushidog nearly took a cocktail dress from the 70s and a pair of purple boots. On the way back to Victoria Park, for some restorating cake and coffee, we found ourselves swamped by football supporters moving up Holloway Road like an invading army. There was ice cream, more sun, coffee, lemon tarts and conversations on crime statistics, creative writing and the X Factor once we reached the cute coffee shop in Victoria Park's village.

sushidog is my neighbour and it only makes sense that we should hang out loads. Now I only wish my other London friends would move nearby...

When sunshine pours down on London, and it's the weekend, you can find me sprawled on Victoria Park's grass. Today was no different, though it was a special day because hester and kevin were there with me. We bought coffee at the cafe that faces Vicky Park's lake then found a spot underneath a tree, not too far away. Hester brought a book on linguistics; I brought yesterday's newspapers; but we spent hours just talking - with the occasional trip to a nearby bagel store. We talked about language, Shakespeare, experiments with monkeys, Lost, crazy cults, religion (mostly the Bible), excentric family members, high school, squirrels, dogs, Oxbridge, funny student essays and flunctuating house prices - not exactly in that order. We felt sorry for Socrates that he had to die before getting to watch Lost. I feel like it was the first time I got to properly hang out and chat with Hester, other than the occasional conversations we'd had before in bars and tea parties.

The sun was still shining when I made my way down to the Palm Tree (that pub smack in the middle of Mile End park) to meet my two brasilian friends, Ricardo and Vini. We bought our pints of lager and found a place to sit outside on the grass. An elderly couple on motorised wheelchairs were playing The Who and eating their dinner from tuperware boxes propped on the wheelchairs' consoles. A group of circus malabaristas had stretched a rope from one tree to the next and kept trying to walk the length of it without falling. Ricardo opened his shirt and showed me his trimmed chest hair. He's got a new boyfriend - an Australian boy. Vini stared at a dark and handsome boy sitting nearby with his girlfriend. I blew my hay fever into a million tissues from the Palm Tree's gents and left once my pint was over because I couldn't take the floating pollen anymore.

While most goths have travelled up north this weekend for the shabby & stinky (or so I hear) bi-annual Whitby Goth Festival, I've got the Love Music Hate Racism Carnival arriving just outside my door... and it's free! Ha. I know The Good, The Bad and The Queen will be playing, as well as Patrick Wolf. Full line up here. Should be fun, if the weather permits. I can see myself rocking out with a veggie hotdog in one hand and a plastic cup of beer in the other.

Something found over at morrissey_shot:

Morrissey Loves Music, Hates Racism
Press Release From Love Music Hate Racism: 25 April 2008

Morrissey has personally stepped in with a significant financial contribution to the Love Music Hate Racism campaign in order to allow their 30th Anniversary Rock Against Racism concert to go ahead in Victoria Park, London this weekend without financial loss or burden to the charity. In addition to his own contribution he has rallied his management, booking agency and promoters to make up the majority of the £75,000 deficit LMHR was faced with after their main sponsor pulled out.

Morrissey commented, "This is a historic event spreading an important, anti-racist message so it must be allowed to go ahead. Love Music Hate Racism got in touch and explained that the NME had pulled its support, possibly as a result of their association with me, and asked if I could help as they had not been able to replace them. This is something I am committed to and we appreciate everyone coming together so quickly to make it happen."

K2 Agency, Live Nation, Pacifica Artists Group and SJM Concerts are all associated with Morrissey and have made donations to Love Music Hate Racism at his request.

Is anyone else confused by the NME's behaviour? Surely they wouldn't want to disassociate themselves from such an event, especially with their upcoming court case against Morrissey? (where they have to answer to articles they printed which implied Morrissey was a racist.) If the NME was run by mature people, they'd continue supporting the event, even with Morrissey joining in as well. Their behaviour reminds of the kid who won't share his football with other kids unless he gets to choose who plays.

Maybe Le Moz will make a surprise appearance?

Another day on the grass, this time in Hyde Park. Sun more elusive, and a cool breeze from the lake. Bottled water, banana, strawberry smoothie (with banana), blueberry muffin and a small cappuccino with sprinkled chocolate. Yesterday's Guardian. Kevin's mini iPod. Blue towel over an ant hill. A large group of indian teenagers playing rounders, a nearby public toilet overrun by mud & "water", and a muscular brasilian man on roller blades who failed to direct his friend to him... for almost an hour!

Kevin in the shade, as usual, gripped by The People's Act of Love. How amazing it'd have been if we could have seen its author, James Meek, at the Hay Festival. Sadly, sold out event. Kevin, king of pastries; Kevin, who is now reading above-mentioned book on our bed, listening to Boards of Canada.

Listening to the mini iPod and watching the clouds. Something we both like. And Lost in 35 minutes. And brasilian beans pressure-cooked, with tomato salad, rice and pork sausages. And my backpack ready for the pool in the morning. And deadlines for story submissions coming and going, but nothing latching on to me. And this feeling of wanting the weekend to be extended, for work to disappear into the background, for sarin gas not to be released in the Tube, for only one day inside the Big Brother house (with option to leave at any minute.)

It's good to have a jam-packed weekend: makes the return to work all the more bearable.

On Saturday, after much deliberation, we decided to see Primer at the ICA. Before the film started, they screened La Jetée, which has now entered my ranking of top ten films of all time. It's such an unbelievably beautiful film... everyone reading this must try to see it (preferably somewhere dark and quiet, where you can give it your full attention and won't be distracted.) Primer was interesting as well, in a geeky scientist kind of way; as a reviewer said, bring a pad to take notes when you see this movie. Afterwards, Henrique went out with a brasilian friend of his; Kevin and I stayed home and watched episodes of Twin Peaks in the darkness of our room.

Yesterday, we spent the afternoon in Hyde Park, picnicking. There was a large group of us, maybe 20 people at one point, most of them guys who used to work with Kevin at Gosh Comics. Clare and Silke came as well, tons of junk food was ingested, tons of wine was drunk, the sun seemed warm (but we wouldn't know because we sat underneath a large tree the whole time), the lake was filled with paddleboats and row boats, the walks were crammed with joggers, rollerbladers and prams. At night, Clare and Mark came over to watch Kevin's short film. Then, while Mark and Kevin drank wine in the kitchen, Henrique and I played some Gamecube.

Went to sleep late, exhausted, but didn't have a good rest: I woke up around 5 in the morning and couldn't go back to sleep. When I finally managed to return to dream land, the alarm went off. Because of sluggish mood, arrived late to work with a medium-sized Starbucks latte. Let this day come to an end soon.