Wednesday, December 28, 2022

iPhone Photos Holiday Edition


Time for another quick look at the random photos that have been accumulating in my iPhone over the past couple of weeks!

First, an estate agent's shop on the high street, festively painted for Christmas.


A defaced advertisement on my walk to work. Isn't it funny that for time immemorial, people have been graffitiing mustaches onto faces? Why do we think that's funny? To say nothing of black eyes, or scars.


V. V. Rouleaux, a craft and trimmings shop in Marylebone that I've blogged a few times before, is once again decked out in festive ribbons.


Remember that house on the next street over that's been completely gutted? Well, now enough of the roof has been taken off that they've had to build a gigantic shed over the whole structure to protect the interior. I bet the neighbors love this. And I thought the Russians were bad! 


And remember the neighborhood patio with the drought-parched plants (which then became very weedy once the rains returned)? Well, they've almost all been removed. In fact that whole apartment has been cleaned out and appears empty. Not sure why those last two pots were left behind.


One of the stranger signs I've come across. Why would someone "tape" a car?!


Names stuck to a signpost in Hampstead. When I Google them individually I get results but not when I combine their names. Maybe they attended an event in Hampstead and disposed of their name tags afterwards?


Finally, this is me on the couch yesterday with Olga. Can you see how she's buried her head in the space beneath my knees? She had her own little cave.

24 comments:

Moving with Mitchell said...

Thanks for pointing out Olga. I would have missed her.
It looks to me like that car owner tends to block others with their car. Maybe instead of that weird note, they should just stop doing that.
Have you felt the urge to pull the weeds between those paving stones?
Regarding the roof shed, give the Russians time.
Oh, the labor of love at V.V.. Rouleaux.
I never deface billboards or posters, and mustaches and black eyes were boring, but I loved adding make-up to pictures in magazines.

Ed said...

Like above, I tend to see the car owner as the one being tone deaf to the situation. If it bothers them so much, part someplace else.

I would be terrified to have a temporary roof like that over the house next door. Just a few days ago we had 50 mph gusts of wind all day long. A flat roof like that where air can get underneath is just a wing ready to take flight!

Yorkshire Pudding said...

As usual an interesting collection. Are you sure you are not a spy for the C.I.A. - observing everything? Why should we be surrounded by advertising images of beautiful or famous people? They deserve moustaches and glasses and fangs. Not to make others laugh but to say "We don't want you here. Go away!"

Colette said...

You've presented us with a compelling set of photos today!I with the graffiti artist had taken more time with the mustache. S/he must have been in a hurry, hoping not to be caught.Olga's cave, of course, is just as cute as can be.

Bob said...

I love the shop covered in ribbons! That's festive.
And it's funny how animals like to burrow into a warm spot.

Pixie said...

That's a beautiful quilt in the last photo. It's funny how everyone sees something different in your photos.

ellen abbott said...

Interesting group of pictures. As for the car/sign, people are assholes. Even if the guy was blocking someone, the first response should not be vandalism.

I take it that's one of the quilts you mailed home in that last picture.

And, yeah, odd that whoever would leave those two pots after taking the others.

You'd think they would endeavor to remove the roof and replace within a few days of known good weather instead of the trouble and expense of that 'shed'.

Ms. Moon said...

That woman is beautiful, even with a mustache and black eye.
The quilt is so pretty. I bet it's cozy too.
I have to say that is a pretty strange note. There's a story there.

NewRobin13 said...

I always love seeing your collection of random photos. You do see a lot of interesting stuff there. That building in red ribbons is my favorite.
I saw Olga right away!

Red said...

Interesting photos come out of your phone.

Ellen D. said...

Love that quilt! Lovely and interesting photos as usual, Steve.

37paddington said...

I love that you googled the names on that signpost. You are the most authentic urban archeologist slash journalistic detective I know.

By the way, Steve, when I read your blog on my phone I am unable to comment, as it not only doesn't recognize me but wont allow anonymous comments either. This was true on another blog I read regularly until she enabled anonymous commenters and now I can comment from my phone, which is the device on which I mostly read blogs, usually at day's end when work is done. It's my evening treat. I was wondering if you have anonymous commenters disabled, too, and that's why I can only comment when I am on my work laptop. If so, no worries, I'll continue to comment when I'm on my laptop, but sometimes, when there's no comment from me, it's because I was reading on my phone. Just wanted you to know I'm always reading here, even when my footprint is absent.

And yes, Olgo looks cozy indeed! So do you for that matter.

Margaret said...

That shop with the ribbons--whoa! Love how Olga gets comfy in her little "tent."

Allison said...

That is a beautiful quilt. I'm happy to see you're using it. Mine languish in boxes because I really have no need of them. Olga has the perfect life.

Sharon said...

That construction job must be costing a fortune. That shop goes to a lot of trouble to decorate. I hope it pays off. That sign on the car is probably a little too wordy to create the intended impact. If I was blocked and had to read that whole thing, it might rile me up just a bit.
I think you are probably right about the "name tags".
Sweet Olga is all snuggled in.

The Padre said...

Big Fan Of The iPhone Posts - And So Dig The Olga Girl Cave

Cheers

Janie Junebug said...

It's a good thing you told us where Olga is. I wouldn't have noticed her there in her cave. It's nice that she likes window shopping.

Love,
Janie

Debby said...

I enjoyed these photos. I am glad you are feeling better. I'm also glad that you cozy up in your mother's (?) quilt.

My best wishes to you and Dave enjoying your vacation.

Kelly said...

Wow! Putting up all those ribbons must take a lot of time! (I enjoyed the links back to your earlier posts) And perhaps not AS time consuming, but still an effort... I love the shop windows in your first photo.

What is it about dogs wanting to burrow behind or beneath us?!

Andrew said...

Pet owner must stay still and not cause any inconvenience or disturbance to a comfortable pet.

That is quite a construction to protect that house. Better them than me.

Catalyst said...

A fascinating group of photos.

River said...

The decorated shops are very pretty. I wonder if the height of that shed roof means an upstairs extension is planned there. Olga looks very comfy. I'd say those pots were left because the plants are dead, the greenery in them is weeds.

Steve Reed said...

Mitchell: Yes, I always have the urge to clean up that patio. Which is why I'm always taking pictures of it, I suppose!

Ed: I know, that roof looks really hazardous, doesn't it?! I think it's battened down pretty tightly, though.

YP: Hmmmm...I never thought of it that way. A consumer rebellion against advertising culture!

Colette: Yeah, it's not a particularly good mustache, I'd agree.

Bob: That shop is always covered in ribbons, and every once in a while they change up the color scheme.

Pixie: That's one of my great-grandmother's quilts! It's actually quite raggedy. The other one is in better condition.

Ellen: That sign makes me glad I don't have a car. And yes, that's one of the quilts I mailed to London!

Ms Moon: I'm trying to figure out what they mean about "taping" the car?!

Robin: She was trying to hide! LOL

Red: Glad you like 'em!

Ellen D: It's a nice quilt, though it's very worn.

37P: I have my blog set to block anonymous comments. I've seen anonymous commenters on other blogs get abusive and I don't want that. That makes it harder for real readers who for some reason can't sign in, but I'd just say, comment when you can. I know you're out there. :)

Margaret: She loves burrowing into covers!

Allison: I am determined to use them considering how much I paid to get them here!

Sharon: It's true! Why so wordy on that car sign?

Padre: She loves curling up on the couch!

Janie: Ha! She's neither looking nor buying, trust me.

Debby: Great-grandmother's! (But yeah, mother's after that.)

Kelly: Dogs are instinctively huddlers. They do that in the wild too! Protection, I suppose.

Andrew: Yeah, I agree. Renovation of any kind is a nightmare but I especially wouldn't want that thing hovering over my property.

Catalyst: Thank you! "Fascinating" might be a stretch but I'll take your word for it. :)

River: The plants are definitely dead, but all the others were dead too! I think these may be the two largest pots. Maybe they were just too big to take on the first go.

Jeanie said...

Love that Marlebone shop! And Olga! Always the best! (Nice quilt!)