Londonist: Save Smithfield Market

Saw this on Londonist: Save Smithfield Market. I really like Smithfields, and in general industrial architecture from 18th and 19th centuries. But it looks conservation movements haven't yet caught up with this century, especially if you look at what they're doing to Camden Town Stables Market. Ten years ago it was vibrant and you could really find unique pieces and good bargains. Not anymore, it's too organised.

It's quite a shame really, and short sighted as well: in fine, depriving areas from their soul is bound to make them lose their souls and therefore commercial viability? People go to Borough Market because it's a market, not a supermarket. Disorganised, lively, unpredictable, cheap...

It's important to fight to keep industrial and folk heritage: when all streets will be transformed in retail chains malls, when the choice will be Gap and H&M, Starbucks and Nero, Pizza Express and McDonalds, people will stop going places. Why indeed travel when Richmond is the same as Wimbledon or Islington as Soutwark, or even Barcelona and Amsterdam? Residents in Barnes fighting to keep their local shops are so right...

Tags: richmondtransits.blog, camden, smithfields, urbanism

Should Americans eat more excrements (or just camembert?)

In this Slate article, Kent Sepkowitz asks whether the food chain is too clean?
Why Americans should eat more excrement. - By Kent Sepkowitz - Slate Magazine

The answer to the question is simple but not quite as simplistic as the author puts it. When I go to the US, it always strikes me that you can't find much fresh food in their supermarket: everything is sanitised and vacuum packed. They won't cook beef blue because it's against the law. They may be just ahead of us, I get this as an excuse here too.

I would rather suggest Americans to stop eating shit: dump all crap processed food, stop pasteurising all their "cheeses", eat sushi and beef tartare, fresh vegatables and oysters.

I bet they would soon discover that cooking from fresh ingredients, eating camembert, roquefort, raw seafood is not only better to taste but I also better for the waistline.

Camembert for instance is not pasteurised. Those who think it stinks may be right, I just say it's an acquired tate. My 6 and 3 year old love it so much that I am lucky if I eat 1/8th. Of course, roper camembert is of course unpasteurised and helps the digestion system to be reactive and healthy.


Tags: foodings.blog.uk, camembert, cheese, health, cheese

RTT article on Garden road redevelopment

The Richmond and Twichenham Times has published an article about Garden Road redevelopment in which they quote me:
Residents fear waste site may be dumped on them (RTT, 1/10/07).

It exposes how unclear the council is and they quote in the article is a model... of political wooly technospeak. Read it and write to the council!


I've posted twice before on this:

• Office or homes?
• Garden road redevelopment

Tags: Richmond, richmondtransits.blog, gardenroad

All that money down the Drain

This morning, the Waterloo & City line was again closed. Signal failure apparently.

While I was walking (20 mn, good for me and it was not raining), I had two thoughts:

• why did it break down when they closed it for 6 months to renew the tracks and signalling? (I think it's incompetence)
• and of course, why did the TfL mobile travel alert service not work?
  

Tags: tube, London, waterloocity, transportation, richmondtransits.blog