Friday Round-up

Apparently some entertainer by the name of Michael Jackson died last night? Does anyone know about it? Seriously though the office, and apparently the internet and all forms of known media seem to have gone nuts about it. I have to confess that I was never really a fan and for me his greatest moment was getting Eddie Van Halen to play the guitar solo on “Beat It”, which shows which way the musical wind blows in my music collection. At least that means I won’t be having to get a refund on his farewell tour tickets but for fans who want to mark his passing, and the simply curious, there are plans for a mass moonwalk at Liverpool Street station tonight at 6pm, details at http://is.gd/1e7st

Regular readers may remember the Leadenhall Market Diamond Hunt and they’ve released a photo of the lucky winner, Rob Nicol, together with Speckled Tim who was the Hunt’s mascot and guide. They’ve got a host of other events on over the summer so head on over to their website for more info.

I’m hoping to be off to the Master Gunner pub up on Moorgate in a bit, assuming the rain holds off, but as I’ve managed to leave my mobile at home today (sob) there won’t be any tweeting going on.

Leadenhall Market
http://www.leadenhallmarket.co.uk/

The Master Gunner
http://www.themastergunner.com/home.htm

A tall order

If you’re a fan of basketball then today’s your day because basketball star John Amaechi is at Waterstones in Leadenhall Market signing his latest book at 12.30.

John grew up in the glamorous northern town of Stockport, near Manchester, before finding that his basketball skills would take him to college in America and then on to six seasons in the top-flight NBA. His career took on a different slant when he came out as being gay, not something universally accepted in the masculine world of pro-basketball, and eventually he left the NBA and is now pursuing a PhD in psychology. All that indicates that he’s not just your average sportsman so even if you’re not a basketball fan I’d recommend you get down there, buy his book and walk in his shoes for a while.

Waterstones Leadenhall Market
1-3 Whittington Avenue, Leadenhall Market, EC3V 1PJ
020 7220 7882
http://www.waterstones.com

What is the world coming to?

If you’re anything like me your City routine includes picking up one of the free papers on the way home to make the journey more interesting or to line the cat litter tray when you get home. It’s normally a relaxing read on the train to help avoid inflicting that dreaded ill of “conversation” on fellow commuters but when I picked up last night’s Metro I was reduced to apoplexy by their front-page splash.

So what was the most important news of the day that the Metro wanted me to know about? The markets? Job losses? Gaza? Corruption amongst Labour Peers in the House of Lords? No. The banner story was “Kisses as Jade Goody greets her boyfriend outside prison gates“. My first reaction was that anything involving Z-list celebrities isn’t welcome on a front page at any time and my second reaction was that he only served 4 months of an 18 month sentence for assaulting a 16 year-old with a golf club! Only 4 months?!?! I’m surprised a welcoming committee of a different sort wasn’t waiting outside for him. I guess you get what you pay for when it comes to newspapers but the Standard was running it too, though I admit they they did get bought out for a quid.

…and breathe…

There are better things to think about this week and Chinese New Year gives us a suitable excuse to party so get on down to Chinatown, or Docklands, at the weekend and join the crowds in celebrating the Year of the Ox. I feasted on Wing Yip’s finest collection of delicious, if intimidating, seafood on Monday and I’m looking forward to a rematch on Sunday. If you’re interested then head on over to the TFL website who’ve got useful travel info and a list of events.

Oz & James

Yesterday saw those paragons of British manliness, James May and “TV’s Oz Clarke”, at Leadenhall Market for a book signing in Waterstones. There was a good crowd and the pair seemed to be on good form taking time to have pictures taken with those who had lined up in the light rain for up to an hour. Oz and James were their to promote their new book, “Oz & James Drink To Britain” which accompanies their new BBC TV series of the same name which is on BBC2 on Tuesday nights and repeated through the week.

I have to say there seemed to be a high proportion of women in the queue which I would have put down to “buying for the other half” if it wasn’t for one young lady who gave a flower to a slightly-surprised James!

Waterstones at Leadenhall Market don’t seem to have any more book signings lined up at the moment but check back on the Waterstones website to keep up to date.