kimbofo

Introducing Typepad Micro

So the Typepad trial I talked about recently has proved to be a lot of fun and really easy to use, a kind of cross between proper blogging and "tweeting".

Today Typepad announced details about the service to the wider public. It's called Typepad Micro and is absolutely free to use. You can find out more via the official website.

PS> Feel free to come visit me at http://duckspeak.typepad.com

Typepad trial

Typepad, which hosts this blog, has asked me to trial a new micro-blogging service which is currently in Beta testing. So, for the next week or so, I'm going to be quacking like a duck at Duckspeak. If you take a peek, please do leave a comment; that way I know there's some traffic.

More signs of Scotland

Place: Royal Mile, Edinburgh
Date: November 2, 2009.
Camera: Panasonic DMC-TZ3.

Where else would you see a sign for a kilt-maker and then, a little further down the same street, another sign for bagpipes?

For the trivia buffs among you, did you know that for a kilt to be considered a proper traditional Scottish kilt it should be made in Scotland, from pure wool, and hand-sewn? This means they're not cheap -- try £400 and upwards. Which may partly explain why there's so many kilt-hire shops in town.

Full moon

Place: The City of London, as seen from Bankside.
Date: November 4, 2009.
Camera: BlackBerry Curve 8900.

Can you spot the full moon in this picture? It looked magical this evening, a huge orange orb swathed by misty cloud. Sadly my BlackBerry camera doesn't have a zoom, so this snap doesn't truly convey the mystery and the beauty of tonight's stroll across the Thames. You'll just have to take my word for it.

Whisky shop

Place: Cadenhead's Whisky Shop, Royal Mile, Edinburgh
Date: November 2, 2009.
Camera: Panasonic DMC-TZ3.

In case you hadn't already guessed from my previous post, we went to Edinburgh on the weekend.

I first fell in love with the Scottish capital back in 1998, but it's been more than 10 years since my last visit and I was keen to see whether it still had that special, Gothic, feel I came to know so well. It did.

It's such an atmospheric city, full of amazing stone-and-spire architecture, dark cobbled streets and secret little closes. And stairs. Boy, are there stairs. Oh, and whisky shops, like this one (above), perched near the bottom of the historic Royal Mile.

Gastronomic delights

Can you guess where we went on the weekend?

(And no, we didn't indulge in deep fried Mars Bars or a fizzy drink "made out of girders". Just in case you were wondering.)

New favourite song: 'Animal' by Miike Snow

Miike Snow is a Swedish band. They sound like a brilliant mix of Kraftwork, Peter Gabriel, The Police and The Red Hot Chili Peppers. This song, Animal, is the first single from their self-titled album.

Tents on the bridge

There were tents, little minature ones, dotted all around. I had to pick my way through them as I made my regular morning trek across the Millennium Bridge. Usually I have to fight my way through the groups of tourists and students which stand in throngs, blocking my route. Today it was just Barbie Doll-sized tents I had to worry about.

Sadly, I was in such a rush to get to work, I didn't get to take any photographs, but this clip explains what it was all about. It was a memorable and hopefully effective "protest".

For more information, read the official Oxfam press release.

The NY Daily News also has a wonderful photograph gallery worth visiting.

The darkness

Place: St Paul's Cathedral, London.
Date: October 26, 2009.
Camera: BlackBerry Curve 8900.

The clocks went back on Saturday night. The joy of an extra hour in bed soon dissipates when you realise every time you leave the office for the next six months it will be dark outside. The view across the Thames, from Bankside, at 5.20pm was like something you'd expect to see at midnight: an inky blackness lit up by the city's lights and a glimmer of moonlight. I'm already counting down the days until spring time arrives.

Quick snaps around Marylebone

All pictures taken: Marylebone, London.
Date: October 25, 2009.
Camera: BlackBerry Curve 8900.

We took the Number 27 bus to Marylebone shortly before midday. It was possibly the longest bus journey ever, stopping and starting and stopping and starting, as it criss-crossed its way from Kensington to Notting Hill to Paddington and finally to Baker Street, where we alighted.

We had no real plan other than to visit Daunt Books and then get a bite to eat, which we did at the gloriously over-the-top Victoriana pub, the Prince Regent (think lush velvets, glass chandeliers and lots and lots of purples and pinks).

We then went for a wander (to work off the ultra-delicious roast chicken I'd eaten), and I fired off a few snaps on the cameraphone along the way. It's a lovely part of London full of grand terraced houses, picturesque garden squares and upmarket shops. To find out more visit the wikipedia entry.