Penultimate day

Baccarat head of a girl with streaming hair, Chelsea Green shop (closed for the month of August)

It's our penultimate day at the 2012 Olympics. Yesterday was basketball, disconcertingly accompanied by loud rock music. Today is Elly's birthday.

Book jacket

Book Jacket

Well, if not exactly a book jacket - then a jacket with writing all over it. Seen in the window of a dress shop near where I am staying.

Graeco-Roman Wrestling

Graeco-Roman Wrestling at Excel- pic by Elly Hurren

Elly took this pic at the Olympic 2012 Graeco-Roman wrestling at the Excel arena - medals went to Russia, Iran and Cuba. Return was via the new cable car across the Thames to the 02 (known for the period of the games as 'North Greenwich', then a very late riverboat up the river to Embankment. Magic!

A new coffee bar

''Artisan' coffee bar in Putney, southwest London

                            

Yesterday we visited a
coffee bar opened last October
by a friend's son. This area of London is not short of coffee bars, but this one was packed. The couple who started it did a lot of homework before opening - it's on the web if you look for 'Edwin Harrison' there is a youtube recording of a talk he gave to a group of others interested in doing the same.

More gold!

Hanging baskets, St Luke's garden, Chelsea

News of more gold just in! Off to Ice Age 4 with Zac now...

Olympic football

Our men at the match inspecting the Wembley arch

Flags of the Olympic nations at Wembley

Gabon v South Korea: score 0:0

Two young 'stringers' covered Olympic football at Wembley for me last night while I experienced unwelcome aspects of London hospitality as follows: the house white wine I ordered was substituted by some horrible sickly sweet cordial; when I asked the bar assistant if it was the usual Colombard she paused long and hard before trying: 'It's different tonight'. 'You're telling me' I said. 'Shall I change it?' 'Don't bother - throw it away. I'm going out' (suiting the action to the word). At the local fish restaurant, the inexperienced young waiter spent a long time explaining what their house white was, before explaining that they had run out. I ordered their house salad, advertised as 'avocado, tomato and cucumber'. When a plate heaped with salad leaves arrived, with two ( I counted them) bits of tiny bits of avocado hiding shyly inside, I requested - and was given - what was specified on the menu. For dessert I was encouraged to go for a 'special' - Eton Mess, whose indispensable ingredients are meringue, cream and strawberries. A dish of sticky meringue arrived decorated with three raspberries. Hey ho. A couple of days off live sport now until the Graeco-Roman wrestling on Sunday, so this blog will roam the wilder outposts of southwest London reporting on the informal aspects of Olympics 2012.

Beach volleyball

Germany v Netherlands

Spot Nelson!

Domes and pinnacles looking southwest

The beach volleyball was superb entertainment:  Mexican waves, teams of glamorous dancers of both sexes in retro beachwear between every set, blasts from that south American instrument (zarzuela?), funny messages on the screens, spectators processing up and down with hot dogs and beer, the Dutch supporters in funny blinding orange outfits, Brits draped in the Union Jack. We lost to Italy but never mind. This is a great venue, and manned (as are the others) by unbelievable numbers of friendly, helpful volunteers as well as the smiling young soldiers who call you 'Ma'am' and stand to attention when answering unmilitary questions like where the nearest number 11 bus stop can be found. Clean, convenient, packed with every sort of food and drink supplied by small independent outlets and nary a MacDonald's in sight. Because it rained intermittently to begin with (later it cleared and was a lovely evening) we popped out and bought ponchos price £3 which will last and were even 'breathable'. Heaven.