Is London a healthy city?

Following my previous questions on positive effects and benefits of exercise - or even just physical activity of some kind- I came to wonder whether London was actually a fairly healthy city. In comparison with other British cities it may seem congested, dense, polluted and constantly busy, but London organises an array of sporting events - not to mention the upcoming Olympic Games. The city is host to hundreds of charity runs, sports groups, clubs, and probably the widest choice of activities from rock climbing to taichi and yoga. London also seems to have picked up the cycling bug, with a 400% increase in cyclist in the past 4 years. I see joggers out at any time of day or night, all over town - from early risers on a chilly Saturday morning to night runners in Hyde park- and I believe London may just have the highest concentration of fit, healthy people in the country. Is this a fact? What about other cities? I hear that in Birmingham health levels are deteriorating, with obesity being a serious issue. So serious in fact that stairs in one of the inner city shopping malls are branded with signs stating how many calories can be burned by using them instead of lifts! They've reached the point where any form of activity -even walking up a few stairs- is crucially needed. In this case, London rates much higher. I see escalators often being ignored in favour of old fashioned stairs, which many magazines advocate as an excellent 'mini step' class - no better way to tone and lift those buttocks. Hmm, not quite I had in mind, but the thought is there. I can just picture those lovely ladies, determinedly going for stairs in hope of a better bottom. No matter what, the activity bug is there, firmly rooted in our psyches - and today this can only be a good thing. When one lives in a built up, busy city, what better way to move your limbs, clear your head and relieve stress, than a daily dose of exercise. And I believe London isn't too bad at encouraging this.

Running shoes on

What a wonderful way to start the weekend - so I heard many people say. Out of dozens other events happening in London that very weekend, two thousand tree lovers, enthusiasts, gym bunnies and yummy grannies chose to take part in a very unique event - an annual 5k run for trees round Battersea Park. And what a beautiful morning it was -perhaps even too warm for a mid September day, but who really cared? Most seemed delighted to start their day - their weekend- with an early run round Battersea park. But why? As a friend rightfully told me, 'because it feels great'. Right, so the actual running might be ever so slightly tiring, painful, even a drag for some, but if half an hour of slightly tiresome, strenuous work makes one feel so wonderful for an entire day, then it can only be worth the effort. Seeing so many glowing, happy faces - both before hand and after- confirmed this fact. It is true that the atmosphere of an event of this kind adds to the buzz - it gives a sense of community, mutual respect, a positive feeling of all supporting the same cause - a bond even, but much of the happy faces can be plainly explained by the benefits of exercise and the release of endorphins.
I found wikipedia has a great answer to what they call a 'runner's high':
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endorphins#Runner.27s_high

So exercise demands some kind of effort and whether one enjoys the actual strain of dynamic activity, it makes one feel great - both physically (increased strength, stamina, better body tone etc) and mentally (partly a consequence of the latter, increased confidence, stress relief etc). And this seems to be a widespread, highly publicised fact - how many ads, posters or press articles have I read along the lines of 'exercise, feel great'. So why don't we all get out there, ditch the car, get walking, jogging running, and moving our limbs? I would see so many more happy, glowing and relaxed faces if everyone did.

happy bunny

I'm kind of a happy bunny today. Birthday - a quiet one- lots of cards (an unusual thing nowadays), texts and emails, afternoon yoga class, bike ride through busy central London, chocolate, a sugar high and a busy weekend ahead, yeay!
Tree-Athlon on saturday and I'll be going to this on sunday (hopefully...):
http://www.visitlondon.com/events/detail/1125847

If not, I'll be staring at the sky for the Thames Festival celebrations, or being nosy during open house weekend! Looks like a busy one!
http://www.thamesfestival.org/
http://www.openhouse.org.uk/london/home.html

Matcha yummies

ooh, yum! Some aimless internet browsing his evening brough me to this site: http://www.lovescool.com/archives/2007/05/15/best-bakery-recipe-finalist/#more-388%20
Japanese matcha cookies, just how I love them! Not only do they just look beautiful, I now just want to throw on my apron (which I am yet to own) and start baking. I am thoroughly drooling....

A blog and a bit - is this writing?

Following a deep, long chat with a budding writer/friend of mine, I was thrown into a whole debate around the worthiness of blogging. She dismissed blogs as simply being light, superficial chat, unworthy of any critical acclaim.
For me however, they open up the world of writing to so many people that they deserve some kind of recognition.
I see blogs as being a simple, honest, unpretentious ways of keeping notes of events, happenings, random views, rants, debates, ideas - basically a virtual diary. Blogging doesn't have the pretense of many full-blown articles: they aren't really meant to be pompous, in-depth features with facts and figures or deep philosophical meaning, but are rather informative, personal views and accounts. My friend seemed outraged by the fact a book had been published out of a collection of blog posts. Indeed it doesn't claim to be high literature - or anything with some kind of depth- but I still believe blogging is a style in itself - a 'lite' version of writing perhaps. As a matter of fact, I really don't see anything wrong with it. Many authors have in the past published critically acclaimed diaries or short stories, and this is very similar - it just touches the realm of the virtual. I don't see how a notebook or a word document is superior to a virtual, online account of one's life experiences. Blogging is writing after all. It is open to anyone, it's free and has no class or intellectual barrier. There lies its appeal and worth.

Detox

I think I need a detox. I know I've been going on about this for a while but I think it's due very soon. No matter how healthy my diet is throughout the year, some things just need clearing. Start with the skin - sleep, water, fruits, veg and vitamins are a pre-requisite for healthy looking skin, but there's no point being so saintly if you're going to undo all that goodness with booze, caffeine, chocolate and sugar. Right so I'm no alcoholic - I hardly drink- and I don't consume much caffeine either, but I admit I have lacked discipline when it comes to chocolate. Even the dark, low sugar, organic -and supposedly satisfying- kind does seem to leave its mark. As much as the media has lauded the benefits of consuming dark chocolate, it remains a food which is high in toxins. Cocoa, to be consumed, needs to be roasted, cooked and processed. Even the darkest of chocolates are high in fat - not the best type of fat either. The toxins and saturated fats found in chocolate seem to irritate my skin, causing breakouts and rashes.

Right, so that's one thing out of the way. Caffeine, sugar and a lack of a regular sleep pattern also affect my health. So I may not exactly be acne prone, but I have noticed that some foods irritate my skin. Saturated fats for instance. A two week trip to India (full of ghee laden treats, cream and whole milk products) created an outburst in skin trauma. Even locals asked if I had been bitten by mosquitoes on my face! Quite embarrassing. Sugar is definitely another culprit, so as the lack of sleep.
It is thus time to act. I need to clear away all this crap from my system and engage on a positive cleansing routine. Inside and out. This means no sugar, no chocolate (noooo!!!!), alcohol or caffeine for, what, a week? Longer if I can resist. Summer is the best time for this - I am less hungry, thirstier, fruits and vegetables are plentiful, fresh and tasty, so it shouldn't be too hard. What about supplements? Vitamin C and spirulina should do the trick. Oh and regular exfoliation. When do I start again? Hmmm...

July Critical Mass

Oh well. I've done it again. The good old friday night bike ride around central London. "Less cars, more bikes!"
Ok, so it's all becoming very similar now. Same route, escorted by a troupe of policemen on bikes. Same old hippy bikers. It's still tons of fun though and the mobile sound systems add a few lively beats to the ride. It was all very peaceful tonight - apart from a poor guy who decided to stage a sitting protest in the middle of Clerkenwell Rd, on his own. Bless him, he soon realised he was better off on his bike than off it.
Going past the Foundry, we were greeted and cheered by a mass of couriers and fixie enthusiasts, all waiting for us to clear off and start their alleycat race. Quite an impressive band of guys -and girls- they are. All a bit scary, just far too serious bikers.
Well the highlight of this fairly uneventful ride was the appearance of the wonderful filmmaker, Lucas Brunelle, whizzing past on his sexy bike, with a double camera attached to his helmet. Nice.... I bet he'll be following alleycat later and I can't wait to see his next video on youtube. If I'm lucky, there might even be a glimpse of me in the background taking pictures. I doubt it.
Second highlight of the evening: a super smooth, super quick ride back home, crossing paths with a couple of alleycat racers, going ridiculously fast. Ah, the joys of inner city cycling on a friday night....

narrow minded f****r

I don't like swearing that much, but sometimes it's good to just let it all out. I know a few patronising people out there, I know some people just like to feel in power, but this is just really pathetic. Ok, so here's the story. Sunday afternoon, Clerkenwell, Roseberry avenue. The whole area is cut off to traffic for a street festival. Roads are clear of cars, cyclists are free to go down Roseberry avenue. So I reach the traffic lights at Mount Pleasant. No cars, so I don't stop at the red light. A delightful cop in a high-vis jacket, with obviously nothing else to do that day, whistles and shouts 'stop - now'! Next to him, another biker (who I later realised had just been lectured by that cop), red and puffy. So, not quite getting what he was on about, and quite naively, I stop. 'off your bike!' 'come here'. 'now!". WTF??? What's the aggressive tone for on such a beautiful day? Still not quite getting it, I laugh, thinking the guy must be off his head. Not one car in sight, it's been sunny all day after weeks of rain, the guy can't be serious. And then he gets into a long, pathetic lecture on how I -like the other poor cyclist- just went through a red light, why should he be paying his taxes to see people like me have accidents (isn't that my problem, not his?), he threatens to arrest me (laughing didn't do me any favours) and starts shouting out loud - 'what makes you so special as a cyclist??'. Twice. Pedestrians walk past, laughing and wondering what can possibly be wrong with him. The guy seriously has issues. Just get a life, get on a bike and stop harassing cyclists for going through red lights when roads are blocked off and they aren't endangering anyone. Humiliating and narrow minded bastard. I'm convinced not all cops are like him - but what an utterly annoying man.

I'll be doing my bit for all the cyclists out there and joining critical mass again this friday - any good excuse to go through a few red lights and piss off a few cops and cars.

compromising

I need to make a compromise. I love cycling - it's my main mode of transport. I love yoga - it's now one of my main interests. Cycling tightens up hamstrings, knees and thighs, which in turn makes stretching harder and more challenging. So basically, the increasing time I spend practising just ends up counterbalancing the damage I inflict to my legs. However, in turn, cycling strengthens legs, which gives more power in some postures. So what do I do? Do I need to choose between two equally important activities? I choose to keep on riding and keep on stretching. I love challenges, so let's see how long I can keep this one up. Don't yogis also travel on bikes?

Recyclo-holics

Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed the rise of people obsessed with green living, be it as a fashion frenzy or just because they're dark green? Well I know a few leafy greens (late summer kind of green) and I have to admit turning one shade greener myself. But not to the point of recycling every scrap of paper, composting all my organic waste and growing potatoes on my balcony (I said I would, but it's so much easier to just buy them, no?). Such an attitude towards a green life is highly laudable, but not an easy feat for most people- and it's sometimes a little scary too. Compulsive recyclo-maniacs who make a point of tearing every inch of paper or carton off packaging, to pop into their 'green' bag, making sure all their shopping choices are 100% recyclable and ethical. I mean, that's great for mother earth, but have some fun chaps!
There is something highly satisfying about recycling, knowing all your waste will be re-used in some way or another. It kind of justifies your actions as a consumer. The consumer re-consumes instead of consuming itself. hmmm?
Well, my green bag is getting bigger every week (how much do I consume??) and I have found myself tearing off Onken yogurts carton packaging: it started out of curiosity -and boredom, having finished a whole pot in front of friday night tv- but now I take it off religiously and conscientiously place it in my recycle bin. I also take the bottom card round off! Christ! Am I turning leafy green? Well, I can assure you that I'm not one of those people who recycles post-its.... yet....

Urban gardening

http://www.hippyshopper.com/2007/06/nodig_potatoes.html

Ok, not quite... But I've just read about a cool new way of growing your own veg on your balcony... Providing you have a square metre or two, why not plant a few potatoes? Welcome to a new breed of 'urban potatoes'. I've already got a few herb pots and I've tried growing some salads and green veg last year (urban ants ate them), but now potatoes sound ideal - they come in 40litre re-useable bags and for under £15, I can have three sacks of organic pots on my balcony. Very exciting. Perhaps I can even have my own balcony allotment soon. Anyone doing 'no dig' carrots too?

Fixie mania - part 2

why are they all so obsessed with fixies? The growing numbers of bicycles in London and the onset of the warm summer weather seems to have just pushed the fixie fetish one step further. Fixed wheel bikes are now the number one cool mode of transport in east london. I've also heard them being called 'hoxton fixies' - which means they're just a new breed of fetishised fashion accessories for hip young Londoners. Not only do they need to have the right, shiny fixed wheel bike, the matching bike messenger looking outfit -bag, trousers, shoes, even the hairdo !?- they tend to hangout in the same 'authentic' places as the rough lot. What a bunch of posers. Yet, they're pretty cool looking posers. A bit like posh kids going for the trashy torn jeans greasy hair look, or art students going all political and squatting (as opposed to those who have little choice but to live in derelict houses). But then, what's all the elitism all about? Shouldn't it be somewhat heartwarming to see so many people adopt your style? Maybe not the lifestyle but at least the physical outlook. It shows they look up to you. It's a mark of admiration and aspiration (and respect?) that so many bikers are copying the whole bike messenger approach to cycling. And besides, how could anyone mistake a biker copycat with a real guy who spends the whole day on the streets? It's unmistakable - the radio, road worn bike, dirty clothes sweaty look etc. So why the whole debate around 'fakengers' and 'hoxton fixies'? Stop being elitist and precious and just be pleased that people just think you look so good.

http://www.movingtargetzine.com/article/fakenger

Rising early ... again

Although I'm really not an eary bird or morning person, I can only confirm the article I read a few weeks back on the great reasons to get up early. After a couple of early wake up calls - yoga self practice sessions, a 5 am train to paris - I've felt , or rather been reminded, that getting up so early is a blessing and a fantastic way to start the day. Body felt refreshed, mind clear, free of built up stresses (these came later in the day) and an empty stomach brought a feeling of lightness. Bliss. Summer and early mornings are such a good combination: the light breaks at 5am, the air feels fresh and if it wasn't for the many late nights, I would be up at the crack of dawn every day. It's definitely the best time of the day, so clear, quiet and pure - maybe I'll try to switch my routine this summer.

net-aholics anonymous

stranded... with no internet.
Oh my god, I am officially addicted to internet. What do we call it - 'net-aholic'? web-aholic? God knows, but I feel completely powerless, useless, lonely and terribly frustrated. Why? An old, unpaid bill, forgotten in a pile of mail... After a few warnings, no internet, phone or tv, a lovely 're-connection' fee and a 24 hour wait to get back online! Do they not understand that I am completely reliant upon the silly
thing. What do I do for a whole morning without access to email, firefox or online news? And more importantly, what did I do before, a few years back, when I didn't have 24hrs web access? Was I Iess distracted, more focused or perhaps even smarter, wiser? Let's hope not. Come to think of it, I did read more, sleep more and go out more. However, I now read on my laptop (yes, reading articles online is just as valid as reading books or newspapers), I write more, work more (maybe not such a good thing when I find myself checking work emails on my days off) and play more with programs like photoshop, FCP and the like.Not a bad thing, but my interests and hobbies seem to have changed a lot on the past few years, or should I say evolved, or progressed with time. What worries me however, is that the lack of computer or internet suddenly creates a huge gap, lull, sense of insecurity with my abilities. What am I without my computer as an extension of my abilities? What am I able to do? What do I want to do? In this particular instance I discovered that a morning of 'unconnected' peace was very soothing in many ways. Frustrating at first, but as hours went by, I found the extra time useful - besides an extended yoga self practice, I deep cleaned the flat, gave my balcony a mini makeover, repotted and watered my plants, started a new book and even found time to play with kitty. Pleasant time to spend a morning, but perhaps not my ideal way of living either. I'm a net-aholic and shamelessly admit it.

early risers

Getting up early is for me, like millions of others, a hard task. Especially if you're used to work at night, like me. I love being an early bird though, and when I do make the gruelling effort to get up early (when I mean early, it's usually 6am- anything before that is just cruel), I feel so good all day - well mostly. And here are 10 good reasons to make the switch from being a night owl to an early bird:

http://zenhabits.net/2007/05/10-benefits-of-rising-early-and-how-to-do-it/

critical mass 25/05

an update...
Ok, so the police was there in force -as usual- camera crews were around, toggers all over and hundreds of cyclists - more than I've ever seen on a ctitical mass ride. hum, ok, I've only done two so far so perhaps not the best comparison. Still, rumors were that the BBC feature triggered heaps of interest, and keen bikers came out to support free cycling in London and just have a fun ride around. It was mostly harmless, free spirited and light, just as it should be. The slow journey took us from waterloo to trafalgar square, down to buckingham palace to salute the queen and stop a limo and a 4/4 on the way, and piss off quite a few black cabs. The best thing about the critical mass rides is the traffic chaos caused throughout central London. Shouldn't that just make people think, reflect on how ridiculous traffic has become? Why drive when you can cycle or walk around?
Well for me it's always a scene of visual amazement, amusement - a display of bikes of all sorts, from cool to just weird, and just a few hours of fun, laughter and freedom in central london. Oh and the ride somehow ended with an improvised game of cricket in the middle of charing cross road! Wacky and cool. Brilliant.

We are a mass

wo-hooo... on my bike again later for the critical mass bike ride... This one promises to be quite memorable - and there might even be a few wrangles with the police along the way. These bike rides happen every last friday of the month, and take cyclists on an improvised journey around london. Reclaiming the streets, making way for a swarm of bikers - some cool, some with perhaps a little too much hair and leaflets, but hey, they're all sharing the same free spirit and all want to take over the streets for a few hours. How harmful can this be?
BBC News has just reported some possible activity with the police later, so should be a fun one.... Lets see what happens....
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6690513.stm

Too much

God I can't bear it, there's just too much going on online - I can't keep up! Between msn, skype, my 4 (main) emails, my flickr page, my blog, youtube and now facebook, it's crazy. So many sites, so little time, so much time to waste. Or is it? What exactly are they for? Entertainment? Education? Work? Friendship? I am confused. As much as I love spending time online and find the internet truly fascinating, useful and amusing, I'm finding myself more and more drawn into the whole thing and I'm a little scared. I'm spending far too much time online, updating my profile, pictures, emailing friends, chatting to family, writing, editing - and is it all worth it? Can I manage without it? Probably. And then I'd be missing out on a lot, and probably wouldn't be half as efficient. It's a love-hate relationship. Me and my macbook.... And now, my facebook!
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=581020232

What's happening to our trees???

Yikes - where are me trees?
The news is out and it's not nice - and definitely not green. We're losing our street trees. Following an upcoming enquiry by the GLA (greater london authority) the media has massively picked up on the fact we're losing a huge number of our street trees. Up to 2% a year in London I hear: it may not seem like much, but if you think about how long a mature tree takes to grow, it's quite scary. And 2007 was meant to be a green year, I've read everywhere that 'green is the new black' etc. So why are they dissapearing? One of the main causes is building subsidence issues for insurers, roots damaging water pipes, CCTV operators and mobile phone companies arguing that branches obstruct vision etc.
At the same time, Ken Livingston is going on about making London greener, reducing traffic, pollution and noise, but what's the point if we have no trees? Plant a new one in the right place perhaps? Is it all about 'correct' urban planning? This is definitely a long term solution, but then it takes years, decades, to grow a sapling into a beautifully mature tree - which defeats the point of cutting it down in the first place. Can we not work around them, rather than chop them down when causing the slightest disturbance? Unbelievably, some people really dislike trees - hate them with a passion when they happen to be in front of their house, their sole presence being problematic. Arguments against trees range from shade, falling leaves, branches or unruly roots. Because trees are living and thus can't really be controlled in the way some would like it. Still, I don't see it as an excuse to cut down a tree which may be older than your own mother, or even your house. Pure selfishness and ignorance. I'll opt for a green city, not a bleak concrete mass.

A slice of eco-heaven

Munch munch.... I've just been treated to a fabulously satisfying and ethically correct dinner - nowhere else than the hyped Konstam restaurant in King's Cross, made famous by the BBC series, Urban Chef. The place s modern, stylish and yet feels incredibly cosy - the jars of homemade jams and preserves stacked on the sheves give the place a homely touch. So what about the food? I'm not a restaurant critic or expert, but the dishes were delightfully presented, so seasonal, and very satisfying. A simple starter of leek, potato and dill soup was so creamy I could have easily slurped a second bowlful. Having spent ages to make my mind up, I then opted for seabass with cauliflower puree and greens. Seabass from the Thames perhaps? That's where I get confused... In theory -according to the TV series and PR blurb- all the food served in the restaurant should be sourced locally - and when you're based in Kings Cross, this means withing the M25. So I slyly interrogated our charming waiter on whether my seabass had been lingering near the Houses of Parliament for long: "well, not quite" he answered. "It comes from further east, close to the Thames estuary, and I can assure you it was caught last night". So not quite from London, but close enough. Besides, how would I know - it was delicious, melted in the mouth and was probably fresher than fish from Borough market.
The owner, Ollie Rowe's ethos is to source all (or at least a majority) of his produce locally. Sounds like a crazy idea, but it's definitely the way forward for ethical, seasonal and healthy food. Why bother eating anything out of season? Food will inevitably taste far better when it's fresh, seasonal and local (less food miles also means pollution and encourages more sustainable farming). The 'made in London' etiquette may seem to be a bit of a crazy idea -and a clever pr stunt- but it works well, fronts a real trend for good, seasonal produce, which just makes sense. Throw in some creative recipes, top chefs, cool interior design and you're got a winning combination. Yum, my stomach's rumbling again...
http://www.konstam.co.uk