Comedy comedy

I have always enjoyed going to see comedy, however before this April I was a bit lost as to who to go and see and how to find good comedy on a regular basis...Oh, How I have changed!

After a brilliant 2 weeks at the Melbourne comedy festival in April this year where I crammed in as much comedy as was humanly possible in the time I now feel like I have a good grounding to recommend good nights and excellent comedians new and established. And loads of those who don't get as much attention as they deserve. 

I didnt get to go to Edinburgh. Instead I binged on the excellent Fat Tuesday comedy club Edinburgh preview shows.
Run by Tiernan Douieb Fat Tuesdays are at the Compass, Chapel Market, London. Tickets are usually £8 for around 3 solid hours of top notch comedy In an intimate and cosy setting above the pub.

I have seen Sarah Millchan, Josie Long, Alan Carr, Jack Whitehead, Jon Richardson, and many more here. Cant recommend it enough.

(Currently not on due to Edinburgh exhaustion)
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=18144012688

Another very very good night is Old Rope. Run by the lovely Phil Nichols. For a mere minimum fee (usually around a fiver) leading comedians, circuit regulars and the best newcomers perform new material alongside main headline acts.The idea is that they have to test all their new material and only hang onto the noose (hanging over the stage) if they are dying and so need to use their old material a.k.a old Rope (geddit?)

Find Old Rope at

The Phoenix,
Basement Bar
37 Cavendish Square
London
W1G 0PP


People I have seen here are Rich Hall, Mike Wilmot, Ed Byrne, Steven Grant, Jack Dee, Stephen Merchant, Paul Foot, Robin Ince, Issy Suttie, Brendon Burns, Milton Jones, Shappi Korsandi, Chris Addison and many many more...its a little basement bar and all very informal. A really really fantastic night out.

http://www.chortle.co.uk/venues/16/london_central/876/old_rope

This makes me laugh my arse off so I thought I would share.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTdTqcLXZgU

Fashion faux pas - number one son.

I followed this nugget for about 20 minutes before getting a successful shot. It was very worth it.

Wife beater - check
Crocs with socks - check
Sarong style trousers - check
Oh, and dont let me forget the flashing green horns on his head.

Caravan Restaurant - Exmouth Market, London - Yum Yum Yum

images from  www.londondesignguide.com

 http://www.caravanonexmouth.co.uk/

This is currently my favourite restaurant in London. Its a Kiwi run restaurant which really focuses on fantastic fresh food, booze and exceptional coffee.

The service is incredible with lovely friendly staff. I was taken there by my very own merry band of Kiwis on an eductational gourmet tour...(thanks kind friends!)

The Food: Its a classic Pan Asia Pacific fusion of  fresh, delicious communal sharing food. They have lots of little plates which it is best to eat tapas style and each taste a bit of everything. Lots of Avocados, fish and meat involved  - cheeses, vegetables and all sorts of fantastic and unusual combinations. Please go and have a look at the website. The menus are all on there. It is well worth a visit.

Illustration page for artwork by Mr Andrew James Jones

A man who I am fortunate enough to call a friend...See the link to his brilliant website and buy some of his stuff...struggling artiste that he is!

 www.stolenideas.com

Damn! Nice stuff from my daily trawling for inspiration

www.ffffound.com

Education education education

Can anyone help me navigate this blogspot stuff I find it utterly confusing!

How do you searh for a specific site? I want to find design and photography blogs.

Any help very much appreciated.

Djing tonight at the Lauriston

Come along for my wonderful bag of dj tricks. everything from rock n roll, reggae, hippity hop, electro beats and pop.

8 - midnight The Lauriston, Victoria Park, London

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hackney-United-Kingdom/The-Lauriston-Pub/44759370920?ref=mf

This may seem crass...but I feel I have to share

Time to share....

Yesterday I had not one, but 2 strange toilet experiences.

1. The local Tranny (that is vestite, not sexual) was using the ladies loos and had just done the most eye watering shit that can only come from a mans bowels. Nice. I nearly passed out holding my breath.

2. Later in the afternoon; off for a tinkle again and I walk in on a fashion shoot in the toilets! I then have to try to do a silent widdle while listening to the photographer instructing the model how to pose...luckily was not needing a number 2.

Was traumatised about the thought of having to go to the toilet for the rest of the day!  Didnt get locked in the loos again by the cleaner; which is nice. Though he has offered me babies.

over and out

typography fun

websites I have just finished...looking for more to do if anyone needs a new site, let me know!

http://www.longdollardesign.com/

http://www.nickimeharg.com/

http://www.pinupsoriginal.com/

http://www.w1-working.co.uk/

Favicon working in my W1 website...BAM! first time for everything...another trick mastered!

Tutorails and self led works of late.

My own interpretation of a tutorail from creative photoshop...learnt to reuse techniques I had forgotten about and refresed alot of useful skills.

top tips for starters...

As I had practised as an interior architect for 5 years I was largely using vectorworks, Autocad, Form Z and photoshop as my main creative packages. I wanted to top up my experience with Illustrator, dreamweaver and Flash.
I find learning from a video demonstration so much easier as it is in the 'doing' and the demonstrative that I learn...being a classic creative (dyslexic ) this is a common trait amongst others I know.

For starters I found the brilliant Tutvid.com
http://www.tutvid.com/

This website has really good tutorials on the whole adobe suite and helped me get to grips with the web development process. Its free and saved me alot of money on expensive college courses.

Also fantastic is Creative Cow
http://www.creativecow.net/

I owe Richard Williams a good deal of thanks for solving my early dreamweaver glitches with quick and accurate responses to my often very stupid questions!


As I have moved further into the web development side of things and am learning more and more about CMS and PHP Java script etc I am working my way through the tutorials on Chris Coyiers CSS Tricks website.
http://css-tricks.com/video-screencasts/ 


Again, really good, really comprehensive tutorials and patient answering of questions in the forums.


Fantastic resource websites are
http://ffffound.com/ 
http://www.thecoolhunter.co.uk/ 
http://www.neublack.com/ 

More to come...


P.s.....Favicons are still evading me. I am following all the right instructions and the little blighters never want to appear for me...any pointers?

New directions...

As I have spent the last year re training myself to move in a new direction for a better chance of work. I thought I would share all the many good resources I have found to use and the inspiration it has given me...hopefully as I continue on this path and share information you can also help me and point me in the direction of things you have found that have helped you.

I am learning more new stuff everyday and at the moment still find it overwhelming to concentrate on one avenue of thought. If I do too much coding and backend learning for web development I miss the creative aide of designing things. So swop between the two. It feels like as soon as I have mastered one task there is a million more to learn and the rate of new developments is too fast to keep up with!

So...as I said, I want to share what I have learnt with you but am more than grateful for feedback and knowledge from you too....