This is the top of a building on Lea Bridge Road in Leyton, which I noticed when I was visiting the Magic Fish on Sunday. That entire area was familiar -- I walked through there when I was shooting pictures for Bleeding London years ago -- and indeed the greyhounds at the top of this structure were familiar, too. Turns out I photographed them back then, in September 2015.
They haven't changed much. I wondered why they were up there. The building is used for car sales now, but I suspected it used to be a pub -- The Greyhound is a fairly common pub name. Sure enough, Googling tells me it was a pub that closed in 1997, after about 150 years at the site. (Apparently in its later years it was a nightclub with a "dodgy" reputation.)
There's pub history at every turn in this town.
I don't have much news from yesterday. I spent most of my spare time reading "Lethal White," the latest Robert Galbraith book. It was good, but dear God, it was long, too -- about 650 pages. I finally had to just sit down and focus on finishing it because I was sick to death of carrying it around! And job done. Now I can move on to something else -- hopefully something more compact.
Try "Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad. Only 144 pages. Or "The Virgin and the Gipsy" by D.H.Lawrence. Only 89 pages!
ReplyDeleteWhy so long I wonder and I'm guessing not a book you recommend...
ReplyDeleteYP: Compactness can't be the ONLY consideration. It also has to be something I want to read!
ReplyDeleteE: Actually, it was pretty good. JK Rowling (Galbraith is a nom-de-plume) is obviously an excellent writer, and she built a very complex plot. But I did get a bit frustrated with the length.
I read "Lethal White" too and enjoyed it but you're right- it's a tome.
ReplyDeleteThis is a good reason to listen to audio books. They weigh nothing! They can come with you on walks and in the tube and on the bus and while you're doing dishes. I love them.
Pub history- something we certainly don't have around here.
It's amazing how much detailed information we can find if we just google.
ReplyDeleteThose greyhounds are great and it was fun to see the place as a pub all those years ago. It had a long run. Rowling (Galbraith) is certainly a great writer with a very vivid imagination. I haven't read Lethal White yet. The size is a bit daunting.
ReplyDeleteYP's comment stirred a memory. I saw the movie The Virgin and the Gypsy at an art film venue in 1970 the year I lived in Chicago. I've never known anyone else who has seen it.
ReplyDeletetry reading 8 books in a row that are 800 - 1000 pages each.
I like audio books too - although lately I've been getting the kindle & audible versions so I can go back & forth between reading & listening. I only do that for books that I know I want to keep, obviously - if it's a library book I take whichever format I can get off of hold first.
ReplyDeleteThose greyhounds are beautiful. They look so stately on top of the building. Sadly, we don't seem to be building structures with these beautiful adornments anymore. You have a wonderful day, hugs, Edna B.
ReplyDeleteI've been reading memoirs lately. First was Gore Vidal's "Palimpsest", then Christopher Hitchens' "Hitch-22", and now I'm finishing Mary Karr's "The Liar's Club". The first two were long and difficult at times but this last one is a barnburner, both funny and tragic.
ReplyDelete