Lemonlight

A walk in the park

Yesterday was a very Sunday-ish day, which is not surprising at all as it was, in fact, Sunday. The highlight was being outdoors in good weather and natural daylight! It has been many, many days since this has happened so I grabbed the opportunity (and a camera) (oh, and the hubster) and went for a peaceful stroll around Southampton Common.

You'll know by now if you've been reading this blog that I have a morbid fascination for rundown victorian cementries, so that's where I headed for first. It's a huge place with all sorts of hidden alleyways and overgrown mysterious corners.

Then we went to feed the ducks my left over homemade bread (no, they didn't sink afterwards). And look at these sleeping swans - how dreamy!

Berries are everywhere at the moment and lend themselves perfectly to a wide open lens (which I am officially still deeply in love with and haven't yet removed from my camera).

All this was finished off with a roast chicken. I LOVE roast chicken. It's the ultimate in convenience yet gives the impression of sweat-inducing kitchen-slavery - just whack it in oven and eat with some VERY good french bread, butter and tomatoes. Yum.

To finish it all off was a brand new Doctor Who. Everyone knows this should be shown on a Saturday teatime really, it's traditional, but that's ok, it was still pretty cool. I'm going to miss David Tennant gurning his way through a stream of end-of-the-world adventures. Change is good though - bring it on!

Southampton Mela 2009

If ony the weather had cooperated it would have been heaven! At the Mela this year there was great food, music and celebrations. My favourite thing though was the Indian Kareoke - amazing!

Here's hoping that there are funds enough to do it again next year and that the sun decides to join us.

[I used my Ricoh GX200 camera to take these photos, which is normally amazing but as ISO400 was required in such grim weather became really very 'noisy'].

Calshot

In Southampton, all the local seasidey places are quite urban and bleak in a 1980s USSR sort of way. Brutalist. Terminal. This is ok though, I like this. I like the juxtaposition.

You won't find many (or any) tourists there - it seems a backdrop of power stations and a view of oil tankers isn't to everybody's liking. It feels a bit like the end of the word; a post-apocolypse with beach huts.

Grand opening

I made it to IKEA on the opening day (well, evening)! Only managed to do one floor, but as it's on doorstep can enjoy rest of delights any time I fancy. HAD to buy something, so got some new oven gloves and an umbrella. Oh, and some napkins. Woohoo, big spender! Queue for meatballs was mad-long so took refuge and caffiene in Costa. Phew!

Varsågod

Varsågod. That means "You're very welcome" in Swedish. Southampton has gone a little bit Swede-mad lately - there's blue and yellow everywhere and we even had snow for that authentic scandanavian touch. The reason for all this excitement is that IKEA is opening up, right in the middle of town. Tomorrow!

Personally I am very excited and can't wait. I have frequently planned trips to other parts of the country to allow time for an all-day-shopathon at one of their stores (normally Bristol or Croydon), so to have an IKEA that's within walking distance is totally mind-blowing.

There are, of course, voices of opposition, bemoaning the inevitable extra traffic that will delay their journey into the city centre. Whilst I acknowledge that sitting in a traffic jam is no fun for anyone, I would point out that the jobs and money it will bring to our city in times of global financial peril is surely a good thing. Plus we get cheap and stylish furniture!

So - I have been inspired to decorate the junk room spare bedroom (into what, I'm not sure yet) - am measuring up for a BILLY bookcase as we speak!

Hejdå - vi ses senare!

I live by the sea (part two)

If I travel west to the nearest beach, I get to Lepe Beach...

It's a mixture of sand, shingle, shells and all sorts of interesting flotsam and jetsam and marine wildlife, so a great place for a walk. The plant life is ineresting too, this 'sea cabbage' (is that what it's called?) looks good enough to eat, don't you think?

Even here though (like at Weston Shore) there's that eerie, otherworldliness that you only seem sto get at the 'urban seaside'. This post, which should hold a 'gas pipeline' sign, looks decidedly crucifix-like.

At least here though you can get a cup of tea and/or an ice-cream. I'll have a 99 please!

I live by the sea

When you tell people you live by the sea, they imagine you spend every spare moment with your toes in the sand and eating ice-cream cornets. The little beach we have here in Southampton isn't quite like that though (although I am partial to a Mr Whippy).

What strikes you first about Weston Shore is the architecture. There are the brutalist tower blocks, five small ones and a big one,  directly behind you...

Dotted along the shoreline itself are these 1930's art-deco pillbox beach shelters...

Then there's the oilrefinery and powerstations on the opposite coastline...

The water out there is deep and you'll often see the to-ing and fro-ing of oil-tankers, huge container ships and luxury liners, like the Independence of the Seas...

You'll see the odd dog venture into the water, but not many humans. I remember me and my friend Penny once went for a swim on a hot summers day and suffered a nasty rash for days afterward!

That said though, I do like the place. The bleakness is quite endearing - a bit like being in cold-war Russia. I have a lot of childhood memories of the place too, so whilst it may not be in any tourist guidebook or holiday brochure, I'll always be happy to visit.

Carousel

Along with the German Christmas market that has landed in Southampton for December is this beautiful carousel which I managed to snap with my phone whilst dashing to Starbucks for a 'venti skinny capuccino with an extra shot' for lunch.

Enclosure

I love to walk through the parks in Southampton, they run like a green and tree-filled backbone through the city. They are a lovely way for city dwellers to feel part of nature - there's always a squirrel willing to do a little entertaining whilst you sit quietly with your sandwich.

In West Park (that's the one opposite the art gallery), there is a sculptre that initially makes people make make rashly negative comments about modern art and tax-payers money. It's really quite clever though, and I am quite happy that some of my council tax has been used for this.

It's called 'Enclosure' by Paul de Monchaux and frames four skylines around the park, including the statue of Lord Palmerston (above).

Then there's the church in Commercial Street (which is now actually a restaurant and bar)...

And the civic centre clock tower (oh, and super, lovely hubby, too)...