Thursday, 9 July 2015

NoteBook Of A Girl. Entry #7

Standing and waiting, for what seams like hours, o collect a fix to to get me through the day, or maybe even the week. “Coffee with an extra shot please” As I wait my turn for it to be made, or grown the speed its happening this monday morning. It could be flying in fresh from Brazil. 
The chatty laughter of a group of girls at a table with more energy then the whole queue put together. Sat at two tables now pulled together discussing boys, clubs and how much money has given them this month. bitching about friends that are not with them in the coffee shop, with endless energy or maybe just hyped up on coffee.
After what seams like hours I’m handed my paper cup with plastic top full of the most legal drug that there is. Coffee.
Standing out outside  the shop, one handedly pulling the right strap of my back pack on to my shoulder. The first warm sip on spring day. The biter, sweet taste, making my taste buds tingle and my brain sigh with the relief the taste  and knowledge that this will pick me up. Another sip before heading off down the back streets for an early mid dad start on a fine spring day. Blue sky’s with no clouds making it almost seam like mid summer.
Lying sky’s making us think that it is warmer then it is. Making those girls wear summer dress, making them regret it an hour after leaving their warm homes.
Early rising tourists heading out to sight see. suits on their break grabbing their next caffein fix. Shop workers hurrying, trying not to be late, smartly dressed with trainers and a bag for he gym after their shift and before monday night drinks.

The uneven  road beneath my feet of the brick cobble stones, making me slightly stager making me feel like I am a little drunk. But all I am doing is avoiding tripping on the uneven brick cobble road and missing the dog shit.
Theatre land, the Westend. Dog shit? We are in the middle of theatre land, I can tell you the last time I saw a dog, but you can guarantee first thing in the morning their it is. Waiting to be found.
Reminds me of the time  we found a human poo, sitting in the door way of the stage door, everyone daring each other to clear it up. one of the guys  deciding that pocking it with a stick was a good idea. treating it like one of the road kill pigeons that we see along the uneven brick cobble road.

As I get closer to the door of the theatres back stage trades mans entrance, out steps one of the cast, lighting his cigaret and taking a deep breath.
My heart almost feels as though it stops with the thought and memories of the Saturday night before last drinks at the White Hart, followed by a lock in. Flirting, charing dancing, drink after drink followed by shorts of flaming Sambuca. Dizzy head and coordination lost. Stepping out in to the early morning cool air, waking me up and making me feel a little more drunk but a little more clear headed, with wondering hands and hungry lips. We called a cap and headed to bed.
Track suit bottoms and long sleeve white top, he stands looking at his phone, reading messages or emails or the paper. I wonder. Reaching the door there are smiles and hellos as we great each other on a mid day  monday morning, trying to act normal so no one suspects a walk of shame this Monday morn’. 
With greetings saids we depart on the stair. I watch him head up to his dressing room. I cant help but steer and think back two nights, of wondering hands and hungry lips.
Heading down two stories to beneath he stage where waiting are some of the crew crew room brewed coffee and tea. dressed in blue jeans and white t-shirts, how different we all look when we are not in black.
Already hot in our own little hell beneath the heavenly stage of magic.
With another coffee drunk and hand full of chocolate toped biscuits we head up to the surface.
standing in the wings waiting for them to begin. 
Dimmed low light casting long shadows of moving figures. Laughter and spoken words as they began.

Standing in the shadows watching every move, losing to each word waiting for my que to nove set and props. The sudden soft gently touch of hand placed on my waist, just as the director calls out to those moving and speaking on stage. We part ways as he walks in o the light, casting low shadows  of frozen cast, patiently listing to their directions, I watch him walk in to the low lit light I cant help but steer and think back two nights, of wondering hands and hungry lips.

© Sarah Jane Patel

Thursday, 18 June 2015

ParkLand Walk, London.

With some time off and the summer (hopefully on its way) Decided to go along the Parkland walk, which runs from Finsbruy Park to HighGate, then if you walk through the ajoining Hiahgate woods you come out at Alexarder palace, Such a beautafull and pieceful walk.

The parkland work is a national trust walk that that runs the lengh of an old rainway line, which used to run between Finsbry park to Edgeware (which opened in 1872) The branch to Alexandra Palace followed in 1873 when the Peoples' Palace opened . Its such a beautiful walk, the nosie of trafic scilenced by the tress. 
Part the way along the walk you come across the remains of the station platform, the reminders of a world forgotten. A lonesome lamp post, (making you wonder if you have step for the craziness of London in to the quite of Narnia.
Griffitted old tunnels and brick walls with artist tags and bright colourful art work line the path. As ugly as some of it is, it brake's up the greenness of the world around. As much as it would be nice to see it cleaned off, done right this modern dislike could be made to fit in with its surroundings if it artists went with the location. Creating colourful images of flowers, fairytales and Alice In Wonderland. Modern art within the art of nature.
I also went armed with my Olympus Trip 35mm film camera, with 400 iso Black and white film, Still have to finish the film off thenI shear them on here and on my art blog, www.MyTheoryOfTheCrows.BlogSpot.com


A Lonesome Lamp Post




End of the trail at Highgate.

Friday, 5 June 2015

My Traveler's NoteBooks 2015

I recently posted on the Midori Traveler's Notebook resources face book group and the UK Midori Traveler's Notebook resources group a photo of my travellers notebooks that I have and what I am using them for. I was surprised with the response I got so I thought I would shear it in a blog post.

What Is A Midori Travellers Notebook, Or A Faux-dori?
It is a peace of leather that is stand by using vegetable dyes or leather dyes and paints, It has four holes punched into it and threaded with elastic allowing you to place saddle stitched or stapled books into it. Held closed with an elastic that is treaded through a hole either in the back and in the spine of the notebook, that then goes around the book.

What I Am Using?
I have always been a Filofax girl, Using them for the past 10, 15 years, but about a year ago through you tube and Pinterest I discovered The Midori Travellers Notebooks. I was intrigued weather it would work for me and how I would use it. 
After a hunt through Amazon I found a range by ZLYC which sell them as a set, with the standard size, (22cm by 26cm, when opened flat) a passport size (13.5cm by 21cm when flat) and a pen holder, as well as selling them individually.
As the set was the cheapest option at around £23 with free postage I went with the purchase and ordered the black set.
When it arrived I feel in love with it. The smell of the soft black leather with its orange elastic on both the standard and passport looked and still is beautiful.
Each one came with three book inserts. the standard came with two plan books and a calendar insert which has 26months (one month on two pages) and one credit card / zipper pocket insert.
In the passport size I got two grid book inserts and one calendar insert.

As It was my day off when I received them I decided to go to Paperchase and pick up things that I could use in them. I did not pick up much but I got a pack of three spotted covered lined A5 notebooks for £6 and a set of three Kraft lined notebooks for £5 (with white lined pages). Once home I set about cutting them down to size ( ).
After a week of using it  I found hiding in my bookcase three notebooks that I had brought from Paperchase about two years ago, which was their version of a travellers notebook, which are the exact size of the standard size notebook. They are now sitting in the pile ready to be used.
With the passport size I was really lucky to find that a small independent art shop near me had small plan saddle stitched sketchbooks for sale for only 85p, at that price I could not resist and picked up six of them, (since then I have pieced up another three of them as soon as they had them back in stock.
 
The Standard size one I have been using for my blog/location research.
and the passport size i have been using as a todo list/ bullet journal, shopping lists and sketching on the go.
I have found that Daler-Rowney A5 sketchbooks are a wonderful size to cut down to put in to the notebook. It has 20pages (40 sides).
After a month I decided to order another set, mainly only for use as a personal journal ad for my notes on tarot card readings (that I do). This time I ordered the dark red.
The red on this one is a very earthy deep red and is stunning. The standard one came with three lined notebooks and a credit card /zipper pocket insert, which meant I did not have to change out the books and I started to use it straight away. The passport size came with three grid inserts.
For Work.
Since 2005 I have always used Filofax’s and A5 notebooks and diaries for work, holding all notes, dates, contracts and everything else, but over the past year I have been using them less and less as I have been using sketchbooks - as my job has moved more in to the design side. 
After using my Travellers notebooks for personal and blog, I thought that I might give it a go ad use one for work. So with my eyes closed I pressed the buy button and ordered the ZYLC Dark Green set.
This arrived with two lined inserts, a diary insert and a credit card /zipper pocket insert, the Passport two lined and a diary. the green on this is very dark, 
Straight away I set about taking it apart and putting in the inserts that I had already had cut down and had began using before it had arrived.
I now have inside four inserts and the credit card / zipper insert, (five inserts in total).
*One which has my hyperdex and todo lists for the day in (this is for time tracking).
*One for all my brain storming.
*A sketchbook.
*And a home made insert with shop floor plans and contact details of the staff I work with.


I find using it great as I don’t have to carry my sketchbooks and note books too and from work, I can leave them at work and have one to take back and forth to jot things down she I’m out, on my way home or at home, as I don’t have a smart phone it is a great way for me to work.
I do kind of miss my Filofax but (hopefully) I will find a use of it 

I also have a black paten ZYLC standard size notebook which I am using as an art journal. The leather on this one is more smooth to the touch, unlike my other ones and is a little more stiffer, the only way I can describe it is it is like the leather on the Filofax original range.

This has become a bit of a new love affair they are a convenient size to carry around, and a fun size to use as a sketchbook, it makes a change from using A5.

Even though I am using one of the notebooks for my blog I am still using A5 note books for my short story’s.

I would defiantly recommend these notebooks for anyone that blogs, writes, draws. Is just a nice size to use and create within.


Links:
ZLYC Traverlers notebooks form amazon.co.uk 
Paperchase.co.uk

A5 yellow arrow print stapled sketch book


Cowling and Wilcox

Wednesday, 15 April 2015

Girl of Venezia

Dressed in pink, lilac and gold, silk, cotton and lace.
Upon a bridge of ancient stone she stands.
With a china painted face of gold and cream, and stones like stars upon her brow.
Gazing at the river of water flowing silently below. As candles flicker and glow on steps  that lead down into the black turquoise logon night waters.
Light beams track through the air from open shutters, from a sulpha mist hanging in the air from the fireworks in San Marco square.
Music and song echo around the labyrinth of narrow streets lit only by shop lights, and iron ornate lanterns hanging on the cross roads of paths, and the white blue fairy lights draped between shops on tourist trap streets. 
With Bright blue eyes framed with black shadow paint, they watch the floating candles and flowers of red, yellow and orange  move slowly along their watery path leading out to sea.

On The Ponte di Rialto they do stand. Bauta, Columbina, Servetta Muta, Volto, Pantatlone, Arlecchion, Zanni, the Mask maker, Joker and the Doctor.
With strange ghosty movements and darting eyes.
Dressed all in Black, red and gold.
Hand in hand and arm in arm. 
In dancing movements they move towards the lapping waters of the grand canal. 
The echoing drum of the gondola as they kiss on the waves. 
the distant sound of gondoliers song can be heard. echoing along the waters path.
With laughter, the high tide they wade, like black ghosts. 
Their footsteps echo, as they move slowly along the stone roads, in search of the girl in pink, lilac and gold.

Through cold salty waters she treads. 
The bottom of her gowned turned darker shades of pink and lilac and heavy.
Throw the flooded streets she walks heading to San Marco square.
Flooded with candle light and lanterns hanging in across the square, 
Packed with masked faces and ball gowns, and capes, steering judging eyes from each face she sees.
Looking. Searching.
A cross the crowed square a glance of prying eyes behind Black red and gold, watching. plotting, hand in hand and arm in arm the steer at every move she makes.
A whisper in the ear of Columbina from Zanni, With his black red long nose. A tipped head in laughter from Columbina of secret unheard.
Un-easy and unsure the girl try’s slowly to move through the crowed. 
A white gloved hand reaches form the crowd and takes hold of hers startling her, she looks and sees the smiling eyes of piecing blue behind a mask of dark cream and gold. Dressed in dark pink, lilac and gold.

A loving hand guiding her away from the watchful eyes, of a haunting group in black, red and gold.

© sarah jane patel