No matter what your stance on the Olympics (or, to use their full name, The Bloody Olympics), you’ve got to admit: the widening spotlight on our fair city has made a lot of people come over all appreciative of lovely old London.
And while I for one am not complaining about the summer’s events, a lot of people are.
And it’s boring me. So if you’ve got half an hour – here are two things you should read and watch from the comfort of your desk that might just change your mind.
1. Read
The first one is an article called “My London: and Welcome To It” written by A.A. Gill – a.k.a, the writer / Sunday Times restaurant and TV critic / that bloke we’re all exceedingly angry at for lampooning Mary Beard (Oh! Him!) – and it’s a very, very good profile of London. Here’s a snippet:
London is a city of ghosts; you feel them here. Not just of people, but eras. The ghost of empire, or the blitz, the plague, the smoky ghost of the Great Fire that gave us Christopher Wren’s churches and ushered in the Georgian city. London can see the dead, and hugs them close. If New York is a wise guy, Paris a coquette, Rome a gigolo and Berlin a wicked uncle, then London is an old lady who mutters and has the second sight. She is slightly deaf, and doesn’t suffer fools gladly.
You can read the rest of the article here. You’re welcome.
2. Watch
The next appreciation comes in the form of a short film put out by Nike, called ‘Live For London’.
This film is a celebration of the London set against the backdrop of the approaching summer. This is a portrait of London; its characters, its buildings, its youth, its sports, its energy, its history, and its future. This is a BIG UP to London.
Shot over a 10 day period, the film is a personal snapshot of the four corners of the capital through the eyes of 15 inspiring young Londoners at a time of year when it captures the imagination of tennis fans all over the world.
It’s not often I’ll embed a video on this blog – so give it a watch, and let me know what you think.
If you’ve seen any magically brilliant articles or videos about London, share and share alike, innit. Oh! And stop blummin’ whinging.
Leave a Reply