Tag Archives: London

Alex Kingston to star in new supernatural drama 'The Oaks' {TV}

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Alex Kingston and Jodie Whittaker are to lead the cast of ITV Studios’ brand new supernatural drama The Oaks (working title).

The Oaks is the gripping story of three different families living in the same house in the 1960’s, 1980’s and present day. The families are linked by the spirit of a young girl – the 1960’s family’s daughter who died in mysterious circumstances.

Filming has begun in London on the program which will be broadcast as a five part drama.

A creative collaboration between ITV Studios and Fox, the series is written for ITV by Stephen Greenhorn (Glasgow Kiss, Doctor Who) and is based on an original US pilot from David Schulner.

“The Oaks is a really original concept that blends relationship drama with an atmospheric ghost story,” said Laura Mackie from the commissioning team. “Stephen’s scripts are compellingly written and this is a very distinctive drama to add to our slate.”

“This is a strongly authored, ambitious piece and we’re thrilled to have such an exciting and talented cast on board,” said Kate Lewis, Executive Producer.

Elephant Parade

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As an animal lover I can barely contain my glee at the 250 elephants that have sprouted up all around London. Far from just pretty artwork – no, not real elephants! – they are to raise awareness of the Asian Elephant that is threatened with extinction. In the past 100 years, the elephant population in Asia has shrunk by 90%. In another 30 years, it could easily vanish altogether.

It is a social enterprise founded by father and son Mike and Marc Spits. The benefits of the Elephant Parade are donated to the Elephant Family, the largest elephant charity in the world.

Mark Shands is the founding trustee of Elephant Family. The preferred charity of The Elephant Parade. It is the only charity just for the Asian Elephants.  The Elephant Family Patrons are Sir Evelyn de Rothschild, Goldie Hawn, Sir George Martin CBE, Duchess of York, Tanaz Dizadj, Priya, and Cyrus Vandrevala.

The Elephant Parade took pace in other capitals of Europe in previous years. Happily, it is not London’s turn.  All elephants will be auctioned to raise money for this charity.

These “objets d’art” will be enhancing the London scene between 22 April – 14 June. If you pop down Carnaby Street there is even a gallery.

To donate, volunteer or to find out more – go here: http://www.elephantfamily.org/

London Unveils a New Bus Design

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The final design of the New Bus for London, based on the Routemaster, was today unveiled by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, and London’s Transport Commissioner, Peter Hendy.

The bus will be 15 per cent more fuel efficient than existing hybrid buses, and 40 per cent more efficient than conventional diesel double decks and much quieter on the streets.

The pioneering design makes use of lightweight materials, with glass used liberally to make it feel less claustrophobic. An impressive glass ‘swoop’ at the rear and offside pick out the two staircases and provide a dramatic visual effect. An asymmetric design for the front-end completes the futuristic look.

The new design features an open platform; similar to the Routemaster of old; and allows the reinstatement of a hop-on, hop-off service. Three doors and two staircases will aid speedier and smoother boarding. There will be two conventional doors and an open rear platform, which has the option to be closed off at quiet times for example during the night.

Boris said: “This iconic new part of our transport system is not only beautiful, but also has a green heart beating beneath its stylish, ‘swooshing’ exterior. It will cut emissions, and give Londoners a bus they can be proud of, complete with cutting edge design, and the freedom of an open platform.

“I expect to eventually have hundreds of these on London’s roads, and for cities around the globe to be beside themselves with envy for our stunning red emblem of 21st century London.”

Wrightbus and Transport for London have been working with Heatherwick Studio as a collaborative design partner taking the lead on the styling of the bus to support Wrightbus in the design and development process.

Wrightbus engineers are working on a static mock up of the bus to be complete later this year with the first prototype to be delivered late next year, the new buses will enter service from early 2012.

See the design of London’s New Bus up-close in pictures and video

by Genevieve Sibayan

Hand Drawn Map of London – Avoid the wrong part of town {Misc-uity}

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Artist Stephen Walter’s hand drawn map of London entitled ‘The Island’ “satirises the London-centric view of the English capital and its commuter towns as independent from the rest of the country.”

Go and have a look…zoom in and around. It’s as addictive as Google Street View.

Find the map here, on the British Library Site.

+44 (0)20 7743 4131

Not so Hidden Gems {Ceri's Column}

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By Ceri Phillips

Every once in a while I stumble upon something wonderful. Well, to be more accurate, I walk along quite briskly, late for a meeting and then, on stopping for a moment, usually to tie a shoelace or spit out some gum, realize where I am or where I seem to be or around or about to experience and it turns out to be something wonderful. But my opener has more zing…the fuck was I writing? Ah yes, the last time I happened upon something wonderful was a week or so ago in good old London, (oh, for those of you who don’t know, London is a quiet, unassuming city near Slough). I was busy shopping for a few essential items in Covent Garden; essential items like root beer, American chocolate bars and impractical yet highly fashionable boots when KABLOOM! Thunder. I hate the frigging rain so I took cover in the first shop I could see. A place selling frozen yogurt.

Now, I am not the biggest fan of most frozen desserts apart from ice cream and I must concede that I am a total ice cream Nazi. Anything less than orgasmic ice cream is spat across the restaurant/parlour/funeral home into the coffin (sorry Aunty Em). Most other frozen desserts are gimmicky bollocks or pretentious “palate cleansers” used to add on £7.50 or more to your bill. Frozen yogurt is just not my thing. Plus, this place is called “Snog”. The name made me remember awkwardly tongue-poking braced acne sufferers in the corner of some dingy disco…when I was a teen, I hasten to add.

However, this particular vendor of iced cow juice is so fucking extraordinary that I will not only go again and again, I’m buying some god damned shares in the business!


Seriously now, this place rocked my tiny mind. First off, the fact that green tea frozen yogurt is available here wooed me past my initial pessimism. My girlfriend suggested I try a smaller size, pointing to a gluttonous child sitting with a “Medium” that should be called an “Oh fuck I need some stomach staples, Mum.”  After you pick a size and which flavour yogurt (plain, green tea, or a rather stunning dark chocolate) you get to pick toppings and sauces. I got an original flavour with white chocolate stars and a shot of espresso on top.

Sweet shit! My taste buds have barely recovered! I swear I heard a tiny muffled “Oi! This tastes like shite” emanating from the end of my tongue last time I ate some Ben and Jerry’s. Must have been the LSD.
The best thing about this chance discovery was exactly that; it was a total fluke. If I’d been told about this place by a trillion trendy Hoxtonites and urged to “pop in when I have a mo” (or however the fuck they’d phrase it), I would have enjoyed my experience. I would have thought “yeah, this is nice”. But finding it myself, as if I were customer numero Uno and therefore “special”, amplified the pleasure.
So next time you’re walking from one tube station to another or (if you don’t live in London) from one…uh…taxi rank to another…please stop and look at the shops and cafes around you. You may just discover a not so hidden gem.

Ceri Phillips is a young writer and actor currently playing Ollie in BBC’s Coming of Age. He’s also creating comedy forhis sketch group ‘Le 122’.