B266 – ONE FOR THE BOOKS

Well thats christmas done with and now its just time to sit down and enjoy some christmas movies while waiting for New Years to come around. One of the best things about christmas is the fact that there is no limit to the amount of food you can eat.

Today was spent at my sisters over in Petts wood and to be honest it was pretty perfect, Flo has got to that age where is actually enjoys christmas and can open presents in previous years it was a bit of a lost cause getting her to open anything, but this year there was no stopping her. There was kind of a running theme for my presents todo I got both an RC car which I cant wait to test out on some jumps and maybe a stair case or two and also a Drone that is definitely something Im going to be flying around London in the next few weeks, so get ready to see a few photos of a drone in a few places that maybe a drone shouldn’t be flown in. its almost like I’m 15 again and santa has brought me new toys to play with.

Tomorrow we’re hitting the road early tomorrow and heading up to Cambridge to see my auntie and cousins which will no doubt be a good laugh. Im only up there for a night so think I’m going to have to make the most of it but that more than enough time to eat the fridge clean and drink all the beer. So Michelle if your reading this, I hope your ready for my arrival.

As its now mid night on christmas and im sat up writing this post I think ill leave it on one last note, thank you my Dad, Mum, Esme, Miles and obviously FLO for a christmas to remember.

I hope everyone had a great christmas and got everything you wanted! Im also now trying to think of a good New Years Resolution so if anyone has any fun resolutions let me know!

Heres my photos, MERRY CHRISTMAS!

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_ i tried to spell Xmas with a sparkler but wrote it the wrong way and then run out of sparklers so this is the best I could do –
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– flo giving mooney and hug (I think) –
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– it would be a christmas blog without a photo of the tree –

 

 

 

B265 – WHAT A YEAR

Merry Christmas everyone and a happy new year! its literally the perfect day, as well as it being christmas its also my last 100 days of posting. I’ve made it to the final stretch. as its also the end of the year and also my last 100 days I thought I would show you some photos that Ive taken these past 265 days.

Its probably been one of the best years Ive had, not only have I been working pretty much non stop but Ive also been to some places that I never thought I would go to, I’ve spent 2 months in America and now have a working visa of the states, which i’ve wanted for ages, Ive also been to Canada, china and a few places in Europe. so its been pretty exciting. Amy also asked me out at the beginning of the year, and next year she should be moving into my flat, well thats the plan anyway. who would have thought I would been living with a girlfriend. its crazy and I suppose when you do that your kind of becoming an adult and having responsibilities, which in away is quite cool.

this blog has to be one of the best things Ive done, its literally taught me how to write and in given me confidence to try new things and just work harder to get what I want, and also when I write emails now theres a lot less spelling mistakes, its never good when you write emails and its grammatically incorrect or just doesn’t make any sense but because of the sheer amount of writing I do now I learnt a lot of new words and can spell so much better, I think anyway.

I think this blog has been good because a lot of the time its easy to think up ideas and then even easier to think up excuses why you cant do them and this has really made me just forget the excuses and just go with my gut and try to get the job done. thats why next year ive got a few plans lined up for this blog and also things that I want to try and do work wise. im planning on getting a second job i think just to help pay for all the things I need todo and the adventures / holidays im going on. Its time to up my game and smash 2018 out of the park!

Thank you 2017 its been a pleasure!

oh and sorry my blog didn’t have any photos on it yesterday, i literally have no idea how that happened. WordPress was just having a bad day I think.

 

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– amy and me exploring the town of Ratio on the Amalfi coast –
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– I also went to my first american high school football game right, this was like 10 minutes away from Harvard University –
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– Flying out of Newark Airport in New York. That is definitly a place Ill be going back to soon! I love New York –
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– a picture of Soho in London, I quite like this photo. Might have to get it made into a print –
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– the shot from the Barbican last week, im just happy with this photo and really like the way the man is –
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– this guy was definitely a highlight –

B264 – UP AND DOWN THE COUNTRY

Well… where to start. I just wrote a whole post and then pressed delete by accident, well done josh. 

I’m writing this post as I navigate my way around London with a million bags and just try to get to my cousins in one piece. I don’t really know how to write this post, but I suppose I’ve just got to give it ago and see where we end up. 

Yesterday I had a Christmas meal in Norfolk with all of Amy’s family and friends, as per usual they put out an absolute spread and a good amount of cheese, but by that time I’d had a few beers so forgot to take any photos, but I did get one of the pre dinner snacks. I don’t think I embarrassed myself at all last night and pretty sure I was sensible, so that’s also a pulse. 

As I said I’m now on the train to My cousins on the other side of London, I’m a place called Petts wood to see my family. It’ll be good to see everyone, Christmas is a good time of year to catch up with people you haven’t seen in ages so that’s what I’m most looking forward to and also giving flo all the presents I got her. 

I’m also going to a pub tonight with my mates, so I’ll try and take some photos of that but I’m not sure if they’ll be any good. 

also for some reason WordPress won’t let me add captions to these photos. So the top one is from a dog walk yesterday afternoon along the beach park cliff bit. 

2nd picture is of the pre dinner snacks, Christmas food is the best food. 

3rd photo is from a quick pub drink we had after the dog walk. I love country pubs. 

And also I want to say thanks to Amy Family and co. It was a really good food and an pretty fun evening. 

B263 – SHE DOESN’T WALK… SHE RUNS!

Christmas has kind of officially started I think, for some reason today was just about ticking jobs off my todo list from having to wait nearly two hours to get my hair cut, no joke I was there 10 minutes before my barbers had opened and already it was a two hour queue, how is that even possible?

After getting my hair cut it was time to take a trip over to the city to see my favourite little human, she comes in the form of a 4 year old who literally cannot walk like a normal person, she’s either running, skipping or up to no good. Her name is Flo and she’s my niece. I tried to get a good photo of her but the best I could get was of her running towards another shop looking for a place to hide or climb. but she’s family so i suppose I’ve just got to love her.

anyway enough of the ranting I’m now sat on my sofa, beer in hand watching movies and basically being a slob.with all my christmas shopping done and wrapped I can safely say that I am off to a flying start. tomorrow I take the on the mission of getting to Norfolk with all the train cancellations and bus replacements. I’m sure it wont be too difficult, my question is just about how good this whole bus replacement service is going to be but I suppose Ill just have to take what Im given. so as the french would say “C’Est la Vie”

My thinking for todays photos was not three photos from my running around and then sitting on the sofa being a slob but to use one from the day and then show you some more photos from my trip over to the Barbican. I was thinking about this earlier and I take quite a few photos when I go to those types of places and it silly not to show you more photos from my trips.

so please see below my photos from the other day and also a photo from today!

Merry Christmas to all of you.

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– this is how Flo walks  –
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– you see that little platform in the middle of the river, I really want to try and get a photo from on that, its not as easy as you may think from this photo –
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– this place is just cool to walk around –

B258 – IT WAS PERFECT

If after 258 days of these posts you havent realised that my favourite day is Sunday then please understand that sunday has to be the best day of the week. Its all about good food, naps movies and the odd adventure out. Well yesterday was all of those things, after a pretty heavy Saturday night sunday was perfect, we woke up and hit the cafe for some good old breakfast but on out way over there we came across this really cool little market which sold those foods that you don’t really find in a super market, like sause saus and really fresh tomato’s.

After some good old food it was back to the flat to clean up and watch some movies with the odd Nap here and there, what more do you want. at one point I thought I had food poising which is never good but amy reminded me that is must have been the hang over.

As our Swiss friends havent been to Winter Wonderland before and thats unacceptable, everyone needs to see Winter Wonderland, so after our naps and everyone was feeling tip top again we put on some warm clothes and head over in the afternoon, we literally walk round looking at food and eating all the good stuff, I don’t think any of us could have had a drink which made life a lot easier, I really didn’t want to even look at a drink.

its now Monday morning and as I write this post I’m trying to stay productive but my bed is just calling me, christmas has officially started for me but I really don’t want to spend the next few weeks doing nothing, so my plan is not to sit and watch all the christmas films but to get up get dressed and start taking photos or something.

Here are my photos from yesterday, enjoy.

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– the spinning bar at Winter Wonderland –
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– how good does this look, I wonder how easy it is to make the stuff –
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– tomato’s look perfect –

 

 

B257 – THEY ARE BACK

Firstly I want to apologise for this post being late, I was trying to put it up earlier but after last night my brain just could focus and the laptop screen was hurting my eyes. I don’t think its got anything todo with the amount of beer I drank or even the because of the time we started drinking, I think its because I was up early and in the shops. Any other time and i would probably had said we started to early but our friends of Switerzland have come over so we had a mini party. so I don’t really remember much of the afternoon or evening. but what I can say is that we are having a proper Sunday evening now and you can read about it tomorrow.

We have a few plans this evening and thankfully none of those involve alcohol which is definitely a positive, im also not scared to brave the weather and travel because Im now in the doc martin boot gang and I cant wait to put them through their paces and see what these babies can do. I love buying products like doc martins because its fun to see what you can actually do with them before they break. I think I’ve got a few years in them yet before I need to replace them.

today might seem likes a bit thin on then writing and but its days like these where posting every day for 365 is hard but I need power through. Ill try and make some cool posts this week, I really want todo more portrait photography so I might try and find a model or someone to practise on and see if I can take a decent photo.

Anyway heres my photos and enjoy your Sunday. Also can people please read my post from yesterday and let me know what you think and if its actually any good? I really want to write more music reviews but not really sure if its helpful.

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– Soho on a saturday –
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– Welcome back to london Pauline and gigi –
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– the love of my life –

 

B254 – THE ROOT OF MUSIC

With (fun)employment being so real right now I’m trying to get a good balance of Netflix and being productive. Its important I enjoy the quite time but also keep my brain ticking over. That’s why today I decided to venture out in to the world of my Photography project on London’s music scene.

I travelled over to Denmark Street, its basically where if you like guitars you buy your guitar, every one from your local guitar teacher to the legends of The Beetles and the Rolling Stones. No Toms Vintage and other guitar shops along Denmark street or as its otherwise known Tin Pan Alley isn’t just a place to pick up a guitar, its on of the birth places for London, Britain’s music, it’s the place that the likes of Jimmy Hendrix and Jonny Rotten would run around jamming to music and creating the stories that everyone in the todays pop culture wants to hear more of. British music carries its self differently to other music, its got more depth to it, when you watch back The Beetles movies and archives, they are literally paving the way of a life style that people like Oasis took to levels that pushed the boundaries of what is and isn’t expectable, But because they make such good music its allowed. Not like if a footballer gets caught driving drunk but more like they get kicked out of Holland for being to drunk and diverting a ferry. That’s kind of the levels which they hit.

But at the end of it all, they were only as good as the albums and songs they produced and that’s what really mattered, the jams, the hours and hours of perfecting a song or solo. That’s what really mattered here. And when the touring stopped or they need supplies most of the time they would head to Denmark street and speak with the people who know those instruments the best.

Walking around Tin Pan Alley you really start to admire a guitar and the beauty that goes into it, you start to acknowledge the culture and the style it has created. It’s the epicentre for what British music was and is. Back in the days it used to be not only shops but also recording studios which have since disappeared and either turned into extra shop space or places to learn the Guitar.

My idea of this photography project was to uncover the underground music scene and the people that really push it, those passionate music lovers who travel on a crappy Wednesday night to listen to good raw music and I feel that Denmark street is probably the best place to start, its at the root of the London music scene. This definitely wont be my last time to Denmark street I will be coming back for one of their events and capturing those “one time moments” with my camera.

As for now, its back to Netflix for the rest of the day and to enjoy my funempolyment. But tomorrow is a new day and I’m planning on being active the whole day. I’m not sure how yet but ill figure it out.

Heres my photos I hope you like them.

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– a shop where people can just go into a jam on a guitar has got to be one of the coolest things out there –
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– if these walls could take, this is a place where the sex pistols used to live –
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– the people who work there couldn’t be more welcoming, thanks for letting me come down and take some photo’s –
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– they even have a comfy couch –

B251 – LONDON BOUND

Sunday night and now heading back to London, my plan is to get this post done on the train so tomorrow morning when I wake up everything is done and ready to go. Its been a really good weekend and enjoyed the little break but now I’m ready to get back to London and prep for next week.

Today started off with a breakfast at this place called Back to the Garden which is this café place in Holt, Norfolk where they basically serve up proper food that’s all locally sourced, with in the Café they have like a mini super market that’s got all the goods and the place to get hold of the legendary Stokes Ketchup. Trust me once you get hold of Stokes you’ll never see Heinz the same again. Its literally a different class of condiment.

For some reason I feel pretty ill, I’m not sure if that’s the Hangover talking or if its got something to do with how bad my diet has been recently but next week I’m going to up my game and start to eat healthy again, no more Pringles and cheese bagels for breakfast, its going to be all about the porridge and fruit. I really haven’t felt good this afternoon and to be honest I don’t have time to be ill. So I think ill keep this one short and sweet, I need to try and sort myself out.

But my plan for the week ahead also includes getting my Christmas presents sorted, its starting to scare me how much shopping everyone else seems to have done and Im no closer to having it sorted. If I can just get 80% of the presents sorted this week ill be a happy man. I really don’t want it to be a last minute amazon prime thing!

Here’s my photos from today.

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– the face of someone who just wants to go back to bed –
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– a proper norfolk country shop and Cafe –
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– I think we all can tell who comes first in this relationship –

B250 – MY FIRST TIME IN 10 YEARS

Back in Norfolk seeing Amy’s family, haven’t been up here since August so its good to get back out into the country side and just eat food and chill out. one thing is for sure, the weather up here is definitely colder than it was last time I was here. Amy told me to bring loads of layers and over course I took that information on board and completely forgot. Could of done with some extra jumpers and maybe some thicker socks, but I suppose now Ive just got to get on with it.

So of the reassuring things we did yesterday was go to the Toy Super store Symths, I seriously had thought that those places didn’t exists since the likes of Amazon and Ebay where ruling the world, But business was booming. It was pretty cool to walk around looking at all the toys and see the ones that I used to play with still going strong. and to see kids running around playing with all the toys, just like they should do. I must actually sound so old when I say this, but its so true.

After the little flash back shopping trip, there was only one place to go now and that was for a bite to eat. and since I missed Amys birthday (I was working and also on the other side of the world), we went back to the pub where she had celebrated her birthday and had some food there. the pub was called Black Boys and it was unbelievable. I obviously went for the Black Boys Burger and it was just how a pub burger should be, massive and full of everything you need, Onion rings, tomato and some good blue cheese.  but I did end up getting some food envy over the pan fried stake, that was definitely worth a try next time. It looked like something special.

After food it was time to hit the sofa and watch movies and sleep. well I slept, a lot. but how can you blame me when theres a log fire and a really comfy sofa to sit on.

anyway its now early Sunday morning and I think its a jammed packed day of taking photos for a christmas calendar and eating more food. Heres my photos of yesterday, Enjoy.

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– Dexter infront of the fire, chilled out to the max –
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– the view for the pub window, theres not a better view than that –
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– my first time in a toy store in at least 10 years –

B246 – ITS THAT TIME OF YEAR

Im having one of those weeks where I just can be bothered todo anything, i literally have to force myself to get up in the mornings. Im not sure if its because this year has been so busy that now its all coming to an end my body just wants to lay down and sleep or if its because this is just what I enjoy doing? part of the reason for starting this three photos a day thing was because when I have days like this it makes me get up and do something productive, you always feel better after you get productive.

After a really good meeting yesterday where I got some cool stuff done and we spoke about the next six months, where hopefully I get to create some amazing content and then wrap it all up in an exhibition! don’t worry when I know more about this I will let you know, but for now I still don’t know myself.

Anyway after the meeting I came back literally watched two movies and had a nap, but this blog meant I had to get up and go photograph something which lead to me heading down to Bond street and photograph the christmas lights, which in turn lead to me walking all round central London trying to capture “the magic of christmas”. normally this time of year I try and avoid bond street / oxford circus as its just pure mayhem, but this year I headed there after rush hour when its a bit more chilled out and too be honest Im kind of happy I did. the lights seemed to be way better than in pervious years and its really got me into the christmas sprite, its almost as the different streets are competing for the best christmas lights, oxford and bond street definitely have the wow factor, but my favourite has to be Carnaby street, they just have a bit more originality.

Maybe what ill do on the blog is a top three christmas light post from all the different lights around London. its not like I don’t have the time now.

Here are my photos from yesterday.

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– these two were well into the christmas sprite –
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– this guy had the perfect spot to take a photo, so I just took a photo of his photo –
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– Selfridges going all out –