Oh I'm missing the Oxford Cambridge GOAT Race

Oh, why do all the best things in London happen when I'm away?

This Sunday - the same day as the traditional Oxford / Cambridge boat race, Spitalfields City Farm will host a day of fun that at 3.30pm will see two 2 real live goats, one representing Oxford and one representing Cambridge, race a tough, meandering course lined with cheering spectators.

There will be an official goat race bookie + sweepstake, the opportunity to enter a goat wrestling tournament (I think someone should call the RSPCA) + a goatee knitting competition.

What fun! All the information is here. And they have a Facebook event page here.

..and dressing up too:

DRESS CODE

Strictly: Black Tie, Rowing lycra, boat club jackets and ties, or goat.

ADMISSION

£3 on the door charge, all proceeds go to a Spitalfields City Farm.

[Giant] me on blogging in .net

Eek, I've never seen my head so big.

This is an article I wrote for this month's .net magazine about using bloggers to drive word of mouth for brands. Too small to read here, so you'll have to buy it if you want to read it!

Watch this space for the pic that didn't make it in.

The World's first iPhone band

Oh look, another thing that makes me wish I had an iPhone.

To demonstrate that nowadays musical talent isn't necessarily required to make well, pretty ok'ish music, The Mentalists perform MGMT's 'Kid' using their iPhones + apps downloaded from the Apple Music Store.

Thanks @jemimakiss for the light relief while we work into the night pitch-style!

Swap your unwanted stuff for Hummus

This is so so clever.

The Hummus Bros of Soho are helping Cancer Research UK by hosting 'Barter Day' on Sunday 15th March.


Delve through your drawers, get under the bed, dig around in the basement + grab any unloved + unwanted stuff. Take it down to the chickpea HQ between 12pm + 6pm on the 15th where a Cancer Research charity shop expert will be waiting to value your wares + exchange them for an equal amount of the creamy goodness*!

Genius. Shame I don't come north of the river on the weekend.

* it's not just hummus you know, you'll get pitta bread + a choice of variants of hummus, but it is kinda mostly hummus.

Keep Calm + Carry On

On the way to work today I saw a girl carrying a v.cool Keep Calm + Carry On bag. So when I got in I searched for it online + didn't just find the bag, but a whole site dedicated to KCACO gear.

For anyone who doesn't know, the Keep Calm and Carry On artwork was originally produced by the Ministry of Information in 1939 as a poster to encourage the British people to carry on as usual despite the outbreak of war. It has now been reproduced to deliver the same message in times of recession (but not by the ministry of information!)

It feels like it might just become the new 'I [heart] New York'..but with a bit more meaning. I like it (for now).

Update on the white bikes

Thank you @markallred + @vacuumcleaner for explaining the white bikes to me.

It seems like I'm the only person that didn't know why they're there, but in case there is anyone left in the dark, the white bikes are 'ghost bikes'. Positioned in spots where cyclists have died as quiet statements in support of cyclists' right to safe travel. Next to each bike is a plaque with the person's name.

Some have missing parts, others have heartfelt memorials + unbelievably, some have been vandalised.

Photographer Katherine Rose travelled around London + Brighton in search of the ghost bikes + posted them here.

As a cyclist myself + one who's had more than a couple of near misses, I agree that everyone; pedestrians, motorists, taxi drivers + motorcyclists need to be much more aware of cyclists on the road. Cycling, especially in cities can be extremely perilous. You really need to have your wits about you + full concentration at all times. And even when you do, you're kind of at the mercy of those around you. Too often cyclists are knocked off by people opening their doors into the road, vehicles turning left, pedestrians appearing from no where.

And believe me I know that cyclists can be stupid too + I do think that something should be done to promote safe riding. But, it's true that we are certainly the most vulnerable on the road, so while this is a pretty morbid demonstration, maybe it needed to be.

Hey! What's with all the white bikes?

White bikes have been appearing all across London. Look..

Me, Tachy + Jamie spotted one on the junction of Farringdon Road + Goswell Road at lunchtime today.

Then, just now, as my bus pulled in at the bus garage at Streatham Hill I spotted one chained to the railings there (pic above).

Why they are here is a mystery.

There is one clue though. And I had to walk the opposite way to home to discover this. On the bike are these words 'Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away'.

Hmm. Any ideas?