Endless Meets - Ali's

I've embarked upon a new project recently, 'Endless Meets' being the working title. Basically I'm intending to profile peoples small businesses. I'm interested in exploring the personal touch. How the character of the owner dictates the character and overall aesthetic of the workplace.

These shots were taken at Ali's, 232 Kingsland Rd. His claim to fame is that the first ever kebab to be served in east London was done so by his parents from the very same premises in 1969. Ali took over the business in 1974 and has ran it ever since. There used to be a private club downstairs were shady characters like the Krey brothers could convene and be undisturbed. He tells me that he once had to threaten one of them with a meat cleaver, and I believe him. When I took these shots he told me a more recent tale about visiting a Tudor Re-Creation estate in Kent, were he had been to visit that day with his daughter.

He also makes the best home-made lamb burger in town, stays open till 5am and sells beers and spirits.

Pretty much the best shop in the world.

Concrete Plumes

Sailing the Sea Mistress Through Good and Bad

Just returned from a 10day adventure up the Lea and Stort Navigation in the Sea Mistress. It took us 4days to travel around 30miles! A real exercise in patience. I'd say the trip was pretty much a fifty fifty split between beauty and filth. We passed plenty of nature reserves, clear waters and leafy landscapes to satisfy our urge to escape the city but every town along the way seemed to have been mutilated by the darker side of modernisation. Retail parks, chain pubs, fast stupid cars piloted by thoughtless thugs is what we found at disaster towns like Harlow or Bishops Stortford.

We did manage a sunny swim in a lake and consumed enough cheese and booze to see us through till Christmas. We swiftly worked off the calories as we had to do about a million locks a day. Barging is definitely a working holiday.

Blowing Raspberries at Strangers from a Russian Sidecar

Lisa's just finished making a couple of capes for the fantastique Chrome Hoof. We got to ride in Leo's radical Russian sidecar when he came to pick them up.

If you've got any spare time on your hands google image search Russian Sidecar. See Edwin Star, war is good for something.

cold cold killer

Captain Bootsea bringing home his first play thing. The poor little squeaker wasn't even nearly dead. Having to crush a little mouse with a brick really ruins your week.

pretty pollusion

Boy Genius?

I received this card in the post from my 11year old nephew a few weeks back. 'Picles are cucumbers soaked in evil'???! This kids a genius. And he's ginger. Not too sure what the fortune cookies gag is about, any ideas?

Ridley Road Market