there are weathers
Arthur's got a homework project for school, he has to make a little book about whatever country he wants. He's chosen to do America, since that's where he was born. This was the intro he painstakingly typed out. I think it's rather poetic and rather captures the sense of the place.
the tea of love
I've been doing a bit of work for Love in Manchester recently. They're splendid people. A perfect model for the creative business of the future. Small. Independent. Creative. Can do all kinds of stuff and aren't crippled by London overheads. I've nudged them into getting a blog going, it's early days and the design is a bit minimal but the writing is dead funny (it's not all by one bloke, they've all been using the same login, but that will change).
Anyway.
My point is this. Last time I was there they just left me alone to wander off to the kitchen and make my own cup of tea. Which I always think is a sign that you've settled in somewhere, that you sort of belong. It's always a nice moment. So here's to the tea of Love.
moleskine live
Went to see the Moleskine Detour exhibition at the Waterstones on Piccadilly. It's good to get hands-on (well, gloves-on) with some really nice books. Physical stuff. You can't beat it.
A good, simple show too.
faint praise
Faint praise from Professor Kawashima and maybe a message for John.
may the fork be with you
We went out for dinner today. It occured to me that it's been a number of years since we had a meal without the accompaniment of several Star Wars characters.
hello Han
hello Arthur
kansas city report
So, I've been having an excellent couple of days in Kansas City. Dave and I came out here to do some stuff for the Barkley Evergreen Creative Symposium. Every year they close the agency for two days and get all kinds of speakers in to inspire and excite the whole company. Very good idea. The venue was much cooler than the usual life-shrinking hotel basement conference facility. It was this old theatre place, the stage looked like this:
Kind of intimidating. We watched a bunch of the speakers yesterday and worked out what we were going to say. Then we met up with John January from American Copywriter and recorded a podcast which was a big highlight for me. What a splendid fellow he is. Though I suspect he egged me into annoying more people with my podcast contributions. Dinner that night included the irresistible Ze Frank who is both more and less manic than he seems from The Show.
Kanas City coffee morning was a resounding success. I was joined at an early hour by Andrew and Bruno, both from SHS. Very kind of them both to keep me company.
Dave and I did our thing, which seemed to go OK. The Barkley people were really smart and enthusiastic, great for working with. Hope they enjoyed it. Big thanks to Jim and Kay for looking after us.
Once we'd done our thing I wondered over to the Nelson-Atkins Museum which I really enjoyed. There wasn't the sheer amount of stuff you get in the great metropolitan musuems but I liked that because it makes you pay more attention to what's actually there.
I noticed this 18th century 'Jug In The Form Of A Bear' which looked exactly like one of these new generation of vinyl toys you'd get from Playlounge or Kidrobot.
And I noticed that this stained glass window appears to show Our Lady practising a googly.
chilling
I bought a DS Lite at Heathrow, and Dr Kawahima's Brain Training game. This was the slightly alarming result of my first go. So my brain is in its 70s. This may explain my vauge memories of the Second World War. And my body is probably in its 60s.
lovely/dismal
Arthur was very keen to go camping this weekend so we went down to The Warren near Folkestone. Which was really interesting. I like captured it best by placing it firmly on the line between dismal and lovely.
It seems poised on the edge of gentrification, but you also feel like it could slip back into Kentish moribundia very easily.
I'm especially fond of the abandoned roller-coaster, which has a very scooby-doo feel.
There seem to be about four shops clustered on a single street which represent the bohemian quarter and which might furnish the early burst of arty gentrification. Chief among these is a shop that used to be my favourite shop of all time when it was in London, but which is always closed when we get to Folkestone - rennies. Highly recommended for all your comfy modernist needs. We went home through Hythe and stopped at a brilliant place called The Light Railway Restaurant.