Tag Archives: urban photography

Speak easy, Caerdydd

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With America’s decision to inflict a further four years of the narcissistic pathological liar on the rest of the world, there seems little reason to afford them the previous levels of attention. Even some of their historic cultural characteristics no longer provide a reason to spend a dime in their direction.

About 100 years ago, the speakeasy was America’s quintessential creation for getting around prohibition. For the last 10 years Cardiff has its own version (without the prohibition) with its own discreet method of entry…

Yes, I’m missing my regular visits to New Orleans. But, the first ever cocktail, Sazerac, created in NOLA, is ably recreated here on my own doorstep…

The Dead Canary (What We Do In The Shallows) also has a uniquely Welsh twist, with a creative drinks menu that includes stories of Welsh coastal history attached to each unique cocktail…

And some quite uniquely presented concoctions. Who needs a glass when you can drink your rum-based cocktail out of a skull? This one named Walter and the Wreckers…

Until we speak again, the speakeasy is alive and well, and discreetly open in a quiet back alleyway in Cardiff city centre…

Town Planning wins!?

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Yes, I know, that’s a crazy statement in so many ways. I was a town planner many years ago, so please… hear me out. There are rare moments in life when the planning system fails to completely fuck everything up.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not with the intention of doing something good… that hardly aligns with the built-in values system. No, accidents do happen, and sometimes with wonderful consequences.

Take the Salutation pub in tbe university area of Manchester, for example. I was there when it stood alone in acres of cleared derelict land back in the 1970’s. Now, surrounded by modernism on all sides, it’s survival is all the more heroic. Particularly, as it’s largely a student-run enterprize these days…

Then, there’s the issue of what to do with old underground Victorian public toilets. In most cases, at ground level, they are rusting gates and railings secured by a sturdy lock and chain. Left as eyesores to blight the urban landscape, while desperate passers-by go in search of somewhere for a leak.

But, on Great Bridgewater Street in the centre of Manchester something altogether different is happening. For nearly 30 years, The Temple (of Convenience) has been welcoming thirsty punters… and not just for the relief of a good slash!

Until we speak again, don’t just knock the town planners, raise a glass or two to celebrate their occasional mishaps!

It seems my current focus on liquidity knows no end. For those of you wondering if Manchester has anything non-pub related… well, these are my 50th anniversary recollections, so you’ll just have to go and see for yourself?

Lovin’ the ‘Diff – Arcadia

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Is Cardiff more than the sum of its parts? That’s a more difficult equation than you might think. After all, it has at least six quarters for starters! As I gaze over the dock feeder canals surrounding Chez Juno, I’m thinking of adding a ‘Duck & Swan Quarter‘ into the mix (?).

Looking at any city these days, it’s increasingly difficult to determine the DNA when so many multinationals populate identikit shopping malls. But, here in the ‘Diff, we at least still have ‘The Arcades‘. Yes, other cities have an arcade or two, but here, the city centre has somehow retained six of its originals within Cardiff Council‘s thirst for demolishing sections of its history.

I would write my own personal tribute, but I can’t top that of Joao Morais…

With full acknowledgement to the original source, I replicate an ‘Ode To The City Of Arcades‘ for those of you with failing eyesight:

Now if you truly had to choose

what Cardiff things would you enthuse?

A Central Market hot Welsh cake?

A pedalo round Roath Park lake?

The revelry of rugby days?

Pontcanna, Splott, The Bay, Cathays?

Consider, though, you may have missed

our FINE ARCADES from off your list.

They’re beautiful, you must concur,

ideal to any choice flaneur,

and full of any experts who

delight in sharing what they do.

You want a vape, a tailored shirt,

a pair of shoes, a vintage skirt?

A hair cut, board game, something sweet?

A gin, tattoo, or bite to eat?

These grand Arcades, each one unique,

are more than merely worth a pique.

They even offer – though mundane

a place to shelter from the rain.

It’s sometimes easy to ignore

the wealth of riches at your door.

If any place of many trades

deserves cascades of accolades,

it’s Cardiff’s great, first-rate arcades!

Until we speak again, thanks Joao, you put beautifully into words one of the many things about Lovin‘ the ‘Diff!

For more information on these fabulous arcades you can visit: thecityofarcades.com

Dundee (without the cake)

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Shipbuilding, whaling, jute, journalism, bridges, creative design, and dolphins… what’s not to like about the fabulous city of Dundee.

Well, the whales bit is a stretch these days! But, according to the informative Verdant Works Museum based in an old jute mill, it’s whale oil that led Dundee to be the centre of the world for the jute industry (until India eventually took over).

At the time, Dundee was known as ‘She Town‘ because the women made up the majority of the paid workforce… poorly paid by men, of course. But apparently, they held their own in Victorian drunkenness and misdemeanour statistics.

Then there is journalism… a tradition commemorated in the central square by – of all characters – Desperate Dan & Minnie the Minx…

Most recently, the creative design reinvention has been recognised in the iconic V&A Museum (the first outside of London). An essential element of the building is apparently based on the cliffs of the Scottish coastline…

Then there are those all-important bridges across the River Tay. The sweep of the Tay Railway Bridge has been an emblem of the city back to Victorian times. With the Tay Road Bridge or more recent addition…

Until we speak again, Scotland’s forgotten gem on the east coast has long been on my list. The wait has been well worth it. Even the locals came out to provide a welcome…

History reborn

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Current day Stag & Hen do’s have nothing on the Nazi’s when it comes to leaving a place wrecked after a visit…

On a recent visit to Warsaw, I was so happy to have visited both the Museum of Warsaw and the Warsaw Museum of Uprising. Combined, they provide a chilling reflection on the scale of shear destruction inflicted on this city.

However, they also provide the beacon of hope when we see what can be achieved in reconstruction using remaining photographs and plans the evil occupiers failed to destroy.

The Old Town in Warsaw may look a little shinier than say that in Krakow, but there is a renewed sense that history shouldn’t be obliterated and then simply left forgotten.

Sensitive reconstruction can be so much better than bland modernism (though wider Warsaw can claim both). It may well be more tourist orientated today, but that shouldn’t detract from the economic value that brings to the World Heritage site. Planners and architects the world over could learn a lot of positive messages from the instruction provided by Warsaw.

Until we speak again, I recommend you come support and enjoy the thriving reconstruction of a devastated city. But, be wary… the spectre of Russian surveillance may never be far away!

Stalin’s gift to Poland

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Go to Warsaw… yes, it’s definitely recommended. Go to Warsaw. But remember that its most striking building on a fast rising skyline remains…

This apparently was Stalin’s gift to Poland after WWII… The Palace of Culture and Science (Palac Kultury) built in the early 1950’s. On reflection, I suspect it was very much a box for bureaucrats, and locally, it’s understandably more likely to be thought of as a Monument to Soviet Oppression.

Whatever your political view on the history and meaning of this building, its vision of granduer and solidity are unmistakable and still manage to draw attention from the more recent steel and glass offerings to the sky. It also happens to have a great viewing platform for views around the city…

Until we speak again, Stalin’s statement of occupation to Poland serves as a reminder that we can successfully repurpose gifts we hate and see them from a different perspective… eventually.

Whisper it…

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Cardiff is forever evolving, but awakenings are the order of the day down at the Cardiff City Stadium. Nobody would argue that the first couple of months of the season look pretty much like the old tax offices in Llanishen…

An early sacking of the manager may not be what is ordinarily wished for, but it offers opportunities to dream of new beginnings… something like the changing face of the old Brewery site near the city centre…

But who would have thought the green shoots of renewal would blossom so rapidly…

Until we speak again, whisper it… can we play  Plymouth every week… please?

Wye aye, man!

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It’s time to get that British Tour of Summer 2024 rolling further north. The notoriously hospitable Geordies are always good value… with or without the Fog on the Tyne!

They also know a thing or two about dramatic architecture! When you have a plethora of great Victorian buildings and you want to sweep across your famous river with an equally dramatic bridge… just go for it!

Other city authorities take note (Cardiff in particular). Preserve what you have and be bold in enhancing it. Sorry, demolition crews, you’re simply not needed!

Great food is easily found in close walking distance at any time of day or night (Quay Ingredient, Babucho, Turkos, and Kafeneon follow)…

Trying out some music gigs is relatively easy, whether you want local jazz at The Globe or a visit to The Cluny for Hawaiian ukulele players presenting Jimi Hendrix in a totally new and illuminating light…

A good Victorian boozer will also help quench any thirst. So, why not try the Crown Posada amongst many others?

And when you tire of the hustle and bustle of the city, get the metro to Tynemouth for a combination of quaint village and seaside atmosphere…

Until we speak again, the locals will definitely be pleased to meet you in their own inimitable way… Wye aye, man.

Cats in a Bath

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Oh no… that didn’t seem to work so well!

Ah, this is more like it… so a couple of cats went to Bath!

At times, the sheer volume of tourist visitors to this internationally recognised city of historic and cultural heritage can be overwhelming. So, pick your timing for a visit carefully. Instructive street signage combined with an unusual welcome from a top-hatted bird might just help set a favourable tone!

But I’m sure what you, and millions of others, came for was undoubtedly a glimpse of the Royal Crescent. Always good to spend a few moments dreaming of what is and what can never be, I guess!

But climbing that hill while taking in a large dose of culture and history will surely require some sustenance. Maybe a chance to stretch the finances to indulge those fantasies of wealth. Well, fear not, award winning nosh is close to hand, not to ignore the tempting wine selection hidden behind the restaurant name… Corkage comes with great prior reviews, so let’s give it a look…

Amongst a wide range of liquid temptations, an enticing invitation from Puglia takes centre stage. With a little nudge from the wine waiter the more expensive vintage is ordered, in a nod to the opulent surroundings of this whole trip.

But the question is what to have with it? Maybe ‘spiced sweet potatoes with pickled red onion, lime and sumac yoghurt’ sounds a mystifying enough temptation. Then again, ‘frogs legs pan fried with grilled baby gem, lemon breadcrumbs and satay sauce’ would at least demonstrate the British openness to all things European, in the ongoing shambles of Brexitland. Then again, ‘colley fillet with wild rice, pan choi, tarragon hollandaise and chilli oil’ keeps swimming into vision. But the wine choice is red, so perhaps that ‘lamb rump with smoked mashed potato, roast parsnip and coffee jus’ is what’s really standing up to be counted here. But, wait a minute, ‘rabbit ragu with tagliatelle and mustard’ also comes hopping into view.

Decisions, decisions… with a further range of other tempting options putting up their hands for attention across a small but extraordinary menu. Then it comes to you… there is that most wondrous of phrases in the English language… ‘All of the above‘! And just then, you’re helpfully reminded that this restaurant does a small plates approach to dining. Not to be confused with tapas, no, not that small. Something that perfectly solves the ‘all of the above’ dilemma…

Such perfectly proportioned finery may even permit space to encourage surprise and more than a little admiration from a certain US based dessert aficionado. Why not bring on the burnt Basque cheesecake with mulled wine plums, garçon! After all, I’ve given in to more of these dessert temptations during this spring season than I have across the previous decade. However, I don’t think anything more than the world’s smallest spoonful of that chocolate affair, even with its rhubarb ganache, miso cream and crispy caramel, will pass these lips though.

Such a fine and delicate dining experience demands a post-meal walk; which is beautifully accommodated by this place of history and intrigue…

A comfortable place to rest is the next item on the itinerary, preferably with a seductive location for breakfast. Got that covered as well, as long as you’re not spooked by a strange equine companion closely observing you…

Until we speak again, perhaps there is a near perfect cappuccino to be found more easily than a recent US quest! Step forward Cortado, near Pulteney Bridge… and chill (return and repeat)!

NOLA: Distilling the essence

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Born on a bayou, emerging out of a swamp, frequently in the eye of a hurricane, situated between the mighty Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain, largely lying at or below the natural water table, wondering when the levees will break… (there are quite a few ideas for songs here already!). But, why would anyone visit, let alone live, in a place like New Orleans?

The French came here and lay the foundations for a Quarter. The Spanish came here and added to the architectural diversity. Creoles and Cajuns emerged here bringing their separate and unique influences on the diversity of Louisiana cuisine, amongst many other characteristics. Africans were brought here and contributed so much to a culture of celebration, emanating from Congo Square (now part of Armstrong Park). And, the British came here looking to expand an empire only to be defeated by the combination of a local bureaucrat and a pirate (Andrew Jackson and Jean Lafitte)!

Jazz music was born here, and exported to the rest of America and beyond as a young Louis Armstrong followed in the footsteps of his early mentors. It continues to thrive through virtuosity in the Preservation Hall, the clubs and bars throughout the city, and street musicians and marches.

The range of cuisine alone, from diners to fine dining, takes up many accompanying posts on this blog. From shrimp & grits to turtle soup, from crawfish etouffee to seafood gumbo, from boudin sausage to beignets… leave your mental recipe book behind because this is a whole new language!

How do you capture the essence of such a complex city of people, history, architecture, food, and music? And I haven’t even started on the quaint old streetcars on St Charles Avenue, Steamboat Nachez on the Mississippi, or the voodoo influences and iconic above-ground cemeteries, that include the tombs of notables such as Marie Laveau (the Witch Queen of New Orleans).

Well, I guess I need to sit down and think about that over a tipple of something special. The French Quarter just happens to be the home of the cocktail, with Sazerac being established in a pharmacy by Antoine Peychaud in 1838 on Royal Street. If I were to distil the essence of New Orleans perhaps that’s it right there in a glass! Just make sure you have an expert like my good friend Tom Seay (follower of this blog) to perform the ritual of creating your drink!

Until we speak again, New Orleans is a melting pot of influences, ideas, atmosphere and experiences, of cultures, a complex range of local cuisines, the birthplace of great musical traditions. Depending on your personal tastes and who you are it’s a friendly and welcoming place. You can take it or leave it, because essentially…