Quartermile Two | My Way

I drew those stairs. Good to see them being put to good use!

http://youtu.be/nhMMfvaHs44

The Hill

In just over a week's time, I'll be back in Edinburgh for the first time since leaving back in December '07. As a bit of a contrast to my last post on the view from a burnt tree in Kowloon, I thought I'd dig up some old photos from another city with a pretty solid hill (OK, it's a volcano) in the middle. Granted I should be using the Peak to compare with Arthur's Seat, but a hill above buildings is pretty much where the similarities with Hong Kong end. Looking at these old photos again, I'm struck by not just the beauty, but how clear the air (and how freaking cold) it looks! It also reminds me of an Irish comedian I saw at the Festival:

"Edinburgh's an amazing place, but I've been trying to work out where all the poor people are. THEY'RE BEHIND THE HILL"

No such luck in Hong Kong- the South Side isn't far off the Peak in real estate prices. A parking space in Stanley should be worth more than a 4 bed in Niddrie. Anyhow, I'm looking forward to going back, even if the prospect of lugging furniture in and out of sheds / safe stores is not so appealing as walking up volcanos.

Whitehead Thunder

Shades of Meadowbank evenings last night- our Colossi Tuesday night track session rained off halfway through. Still, fun while it lasted...

Innes

Not long left to see one of my favourite artists on show in Hong Kong- Callum Innes. He's inspired by stuff like escalators, so he's allowed on here...

http://www.timeout.com.hk/art/features/49721/callum-innes.html

Folding Kilo

Who needs Paris Roubaix when you have Edinburgh Old Town? Fresh in from our Edinburgh correspondent is the news from this weekend's Rapha Nocturne event, including the link for some nice richardx shots. It's good to see the folding bike race is not unique to Hong Kong and the results make interesting reading, though I've never seen a Kilo Master's World Record Holder win on such a machine- could bring a whole new meaning to the term folding bike. Come on Bruce! 

http://www.nocturneseries.com/edinburgh/index.php

Hill of Morphie

Pleased to hear my old boss (& professional practice tutor) of Paterson Architects has been shortlisted for the 2010 RIBA awards for their Hill of Morphie house in Aberdeenshire (top left on the above). I've seen a bit more detail on the project and it looks like a wonderful space to live in. I like their philosophy of "turning our client's requirements and aspirations into experimental and appropriate spaces without resort to profligacy or wilfulness".

http://www.rias.org.uk/content/default.asp?page=s2_22&newsid=3592

Kissena Middle Finger

One of the more unusual blogs I follow from afar is Kissena track racing. I first got wind of Kissena when I was randomly thinking about moving to New York after finishing University. Of course, a concern in moving to such a big city was the riding available. However, after a bit of research I'm convinced New York isn't a bad place to be as a cyclist. There's plenty of criteriums, there's the legendary Gimbels road ride on Saturday mornings and the track scene is very healthy thanks to what goes on at Kissena. There's even some urban mountain biking not to be sniffed at. I like the attitude of the Kissena guys- it reminds me of the Edinburgh trackies that I used to enjoy riding with in the Tuesday night track league. This photo accompanies one of the Kissena guys posts on overpriced modern cookie cutter bikes and is well worth a read:

http://kissenatrackracing.blogspot.com/2010/04/brooklyn-9000-road-bike.html

Girvan

I just learned 'The Girvan'- Scotland's longest running & most prestigous road race- has become the 'Tour Doon Hame' and has relocated to Dumfries & Galloway. Sad news, as I always enjoyed the tales of Scottish club riders getting blown to peices by the full timers trying to hang on, and while I was never man enough to 'step up' during my time in Scotland I had hoped to ride this one day. I love the above image pinched from the official website.

http://www.girvanrace.info/

Style Icon: Chris Hoy

It's been a while since I posted a 'style icon'. I originally started drafted this posting around the time of this post but unfortunately my hopes of meeting Chris and getting beaten by him on the boards of Laoshan in aid of promoting breakfast cereal now lie in tatters... For which I don't blame Chris, and which doesn't stand in the way of him being an undisuted 'style icon'. I've always thought he was 'cool' but what must classify him as super cool is that the UK public think so also. He's the first cyclist to win sports_personality_of_the_year since Tommy Simpson, which is an era of overpaid football star obsession is seriously impressive. You can blame / credit the recession (and his PR crew) but Chris has evidently become a symbol of hard work and dedication. He's also made wearing skin tight lycra more socially acceptable! None of us wear that sh*t beacuse it looks good (well maybe some) but because it works well and when you're 5hrs into a ride the last thing you want to be thinking about is a chaffing arse. So thank you Chris, if one less driver shouts at me outside of a window then that's a job well done. He also epitomises a certain Scottishness and this image sums that up just nicely.
http://data.map.london2012.com/points.php?id=443

Parliament

parliament
Originally uploaded by stupot.

stupot has an un-nerving ability to make Edinburgh in October seem like an enviable proposition. Call it artistic license.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stu_kerr/4001522717/