Qype: The Pet Shop in London

London

This is the sort of shop that gets me very emotional, as it sells live creatures of many kinds (mice, kittens, birds, reptiles, fish…). I do believe pet shops shouldn’t sell live animals. It can be the cause of too much suffering and impulse buying. (For the danger of impulse buying, just read reviews of pet shops on Qype. For the dangers of suffering read pet rescue websites, such as this one). Especially dangerous is when people buy because they feel sorry for the animal stuck in the cage. Of course by doing so they are paying the shop keeper to get another animal to stick in there. The right action if you are upset by the conditions in a shop is to complain to the local council (who licence pet shops) or RSPCA. On the other hand being an animal lover I can’t help being drawn to a place like this, and it was hard walking out after finding myself drawn to one particular kitten…

So, trying to be objective… On the plus side, this place does has a massive range of stuff you’d need to look after all kinds of animals. Crammed full in every corner. The animals are well looked after, in clean cages. The staff seem to care about them. The shop’s own cat is a little grouchy (good thing if you ask me, as a little reminder of how those cute kittens might grow up!). Kittens are kept in Perspex sided pens, so reducing risk of cross infection. They have bedding and toys as well as the basics in their pens. Kittens are priced at £100-£150 pounds which will hopefully put off some impulse buying.

On the negative side (and please note this is true of any such pet shop really, and not just this one in particular…) kittens are being sold unvaccinated at 8 weeks. Ideally they should be sold at 14/15 when they are fully vaccinated and more ready to leave mum (but of course are beginning to get less cute…). It’s all too easy to imagine the impulse buyer who might just raise the £100 and not have the extra for vaccination, microchipping and neutering… They are also advertising multiple breeds of pedigree cats and dogs. As most responsible breeders of pedigrees handle the selling of their litters privately (and the advice is always to see your puppy/kitten with mum…) this suggests they may be coming from puppy/kitten farms with all the problems that involves (mum and dad may spend their lives in pens). Legitimate breeders are also likely to have checked their breeding animals for viruses (eg FLV and FIV in cats, which are potentially deadly and may not show in kittens), and congenital disorders. These could well be present in the ‘accidental’ moggies etc ending up in pet shops.

I’m sure the majority of kittens etc sold from here do end up with nice people (such as the ‘tempted’ person, you maybe, reading this review right now). Just please remember that owning an animal is more than the price on the cage and the time when it’s a cute baby. You may be taking on an animal that will live many years (20 for a cat, maybe longer than you for a parrot), may have hidden health problems and the costs that goes with them, and you will be paying for another to take it’s place in the pet shop pen. If you are not happy with that then just buy your food and toys here, and resist the live stock.

I’ve given it 3 stars as a compromise between my dislike of places selling pets from cages, and the fact that of its type it is a well above average example.
Check out my review of The Pet Shop - I am moonrising - on Qype

Qype: Hackney Peace Carnival Mural in London

London

Very cheerful mural, on the north side of Dalston Lane close to the junction with Kingsland High Street, facing towards the High Street. It was painted between 1983 and 85, but in spite of it’s age is still in good condition. I’m not too keen on crowds of people, so a picture of one isn’t my favourite subject. But it certainly looks a friendly, fun crowd! Lots of people enjoying themselves. Lots of characters to look at. You can’t help but be drawn in the more you look.

This page gives a better run down of the subjects and history of the mural, but, in brief… It contains many familiar images of peace and left wing movements of the time: anti-nuclear, multicultural. Historical figures are included, plus representatives of groups such as miners. This is against the background of a time when Maggie Thatcher was in power, and strikes and riots were recent history.

What’s nice is that it’s not all imaginary, iconic images: the mural is based on sketches of a real peace carnival in Dalston in 1983. It does bring back some memories!

It’s close to the area where a lot of stuff is currently being demolished to make way for the development of the new tube line, station and ‘Dalston Square’. I think it’s safe, might even be visible from the new Square! Hope so, as it would be a shame to lose this landmark.
Check out my review of Hackney Peace Carnival Mural - I am moonrising - on Qype

Qype: Pavement Barrier in London

London

These days they are taking down a load of railings along city streets. They’ve realised that actually keeping cars and pedestrians strictly ‘in place’ is counter productive. It encourages drivers to relax, assume people won’t be walking in front of them, maybe speed up a little… and BAM.

I guess somebody who used to plan the barriers must be getting frustrated. Because where there was a nice wide pavement with plenty of space for all, they’ve now put up a set of 3 staggered barriers, so that everybody passing has to walk back and forth across that width and through a narrow gap.

I suspect the idea is to stop cyclists speeding along the pavement. I don’t think I’ve actually seen a cyclist near it since it went up… but is it really worth inconveniencing every person who passes, just because of the occasional 2-wheeled plonker? Hmmm, maybe it’s part of the redevelopment for Dalston Square. If they have these monstrosities all round that I will not be happy! Anyway, actual result… since it’s right by the crossing I come over from the Supermarket, I tend to walk along the road, and rejoin the pavement after it. Great result that. No speeding bikes. Pedestrians on the road. Brilliant.
Check out my review of Pavement Barrier - I am moonrising - on Qype

Gone But Not Forgotten

Thought I’d share this bit of poster art that appeared briefly (and has already gone) on Curtain Road.

In case you can’t read it, the captions says ‘I’m so glad my money’s in a Banksy’. An interesting take on the recession…

PS: since I mentioned filming the other day… this evening they were filming ‘Ashes to Ashes’ on the canal off Southgate Road. Anyone interested… you are probably too late! But you can still play spot the scene when it comes out…

Filming

Film crews are loose in the East End! Actually I’ve seen them quite a few times. Anyway, tonight they are doing some night filming for a new ITV series called, if I heard right, ‘Fix It’. A drama show apparently. The vans are parked up off the bottom end of De Beavoir Square, though I was told they’d not be filming there. The guy pointed towards Kingsland Road. In which case I’d guess they’ll be doing it very late!

Wish them luck in not getting drenched!

Kitten to Cat Event

As part of my work as an alternative cat burglar I recently got invited to a free cat behaviour evening, arranged by the wonderful Kitten to Cat vets practice. It was something of a trek for me, being way over in Richmond, but I’m keen to learn what I can about cat behaviour.

The evening started with a tour of the vets (see my review), then it was across the road to the hall. It was a nice informal venue, with everything needed. School type chairs, clean toilets in odd corners, PowerPoint presentation to go with the talk and trestle table of goodies at the back.

The expert, Francesca Riccomini, didn’t have her talk brilliantly timed and went well over. But I don’t think anyone minded. I think I need more experience before I decide if I agree with everything she said (for instance she said absolutely never try to discipline a cat, doesn’t work, but I think there maybe some very rare circumstances where a quick calm reprimand is appropriate, though maybe only a stop gap?), but I certainly learnt a lot, and also helped me get some stuff I already know into focus. Useful stuff: cats are naturally active at dusk and dawn (so accept it!), cats like to go up high. Not only do cats not like being fed and having their tray close together, but many prefer not to have their water next to their food either. Cats like vertical texture on their scratching post, not horizontal. And as ‘stropping’ is part of their wake-up routine, it’s best to have a post near where they sleep, as well as on major ‘junctions’ where they may wish to ‘mark’. Cats are desert animals, and prefer litter that is granular and clumps (like dessert sand). Cats don’t have dominance/submission systems, and are basically solitary (though they may have ‘friends’ or close lasting bonds with relatives). There was also stuff on problems like inappropriate soiling and over grooming… too much to go into!

At break I got to chat with a load of interesting people: some from another cat sitting service, and a cat breeder. The food was also lovely: fresh green salad, bread, meats, savoury biscuits, chocolate biscuits (and posh ones too…). Hot drinks were available but I went for juice, of which there were several kinds. At the end our expert got a queue of people asking advice and opinions! And my journey home was quicker than expected… Well done to everyone involved! Everyone was calling for follow-up events!

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October Thoughts

OK, it’s now November, but I’ve been looking back over October, and hasn’t it been a strange month? I can hardly believe only a few weeks ago I was doing the Nationwide Swindon Half Marathon, and chucking water over myself to keep cool. Yesterday I was shivering my way round my catsitting rounds, soaked to the skin, face feeling scalded by the freezing rain. This month I had my first break from the job to head out to relatives in Marlborough and do that half. I had time to explore Wootton Bassett, and revisit Longleat (and nearly managed to use up my passport ticket… only the butterfly garden to go!). Coming back I had a couple of days free from my 7 day a week job. And found I got depressed and bored… 7 days a week is bind sometimes. But I guess it actually suits me…

Everyone is depressed over the credit crunch. Meanwhile I have a better job and more money than I’ve had in years. I don’t want to think it might not last.

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The Original Mountain Marathon

They do say you can’t believe what you see on TV. A case in point has been the coverage of the Original Mountain Marathon this week. According to the TV show 8 Out Of 10 Cats it was the 5th most talked about subject this week, and (if I’ve got this quote right) ‘100 mph gales and horizontal rain made this year’s event the funniest ever’. Strangely that may have been some of the most accurate reporting.

My first contact with the story was late on Saturday night, when I saw a report on BBC news 24 that thousands of runners in a charity run had been stranded by bad weather in the Lake District. As many as 2,000 were unaccounted for, and hundreds were taking shelter in barns, and maybe camping out. I hadn’t heard of the event, but with hundreds of events each year that’s not surprising. I was as horrified as anyone at the idea of runners, maybe dressed in shorts and brief tops, caught out in gales and heavy rain in the mountains in October.

Unlike many folks though, I checked out the OMM website. I soon found out that the event was a 2 day one, with folks expecting to spend the night out on the hills in bad weather. In fact they hold it in October to get bad weather. Entrants were in teams of 2, with at least one in each pair expected to be experienced in mountain conditions. All competitors had a kit list including tent, food for 36 hours, spare dry clothes and a cooking stove. Many competitors were themselves mountain professionals, including members of the mountain rescue service. Those unaccounted for were not lost or in trouble, just not yet reported in. Many competitors were delighted with the challenge of rough conditions, disappointed that the race was called off, and bemused to find people had thought they were in trouble. There were injuries, but probably no more than expected during any running of this very tough event. And no deaths, unlike some ‘safer’ events such as Great North Run… One of the worst injuries, a woman who was stranded on an island for a couple of hours (with tent and hot drinks set up by other competitors…) before being airlifted out, is already planning to enter next year.

Over the weekend a total of 17 people attached to the OMM needed ‘rescuing’, including the woman’s helpers who were airlifted out with her. Meanwhile there were 22 separate incidents of other people needing help that were nothing to do with OMM.

Nobody was ‘forced to take shelter’ in barns, schools etc. They expected to sleep out, and many commented that they’d have happily camped in the intended campsite, in spite of it being flooded, if there hadn’t been alternatives. The barn was at the flooded campsite, and open sided and half built, so only suitable for those well kitted out. No ‘taxpayers money’ was spent ‘searching’ for those ‘lost’. Nobody was lost. Those rescued after injury were picked up exactly where they were expected to be. Mountain Rescue is paid for by donations, not tax. The RAF would have had to make up a training exercise to spend the money on if they hadn’t had the opportunity for a real bit of experience flying their helicopter around.

It would be impossible to summarize the posts I’ve been following on the OMM website… Highlights include ‘balloon beds’ popping in the barn, requests for the return of a map last seen disappearing at 80 miles an hour, and a thread calling for the banning of helicopter commuting (a dig at the slate mine attraction owner who earned gratitude by giving folks shelter, then pissed them off by starting the whole media circus with comments about the Lake District being turned into a morgue).

They’ve also debated what to overprint the official T-shirts with. ‘Unaccounted For’ was a big favourite. The eventual choice was ‘You had to be there’. Having been entranced all this week, I rather wish I had. Maybe one day.

In a society where life is very much about playing safe, finding someone to sue if you get hurt, and never being without your mobile, it’s refreshing to find a gang of folks like this. Testing themselves with great good humour, and ready to sleep in a bog and get themselves out of trouble if that’s what it takes.

Qype: Lidl in London

London - Food & Drink - Supermarkets

Fair sized branch of Lidl. They have a car park out front. Inside it’s definitely more spacious (and therefore less tense!) than the Finsbury Park branch. Usual eclectic selection of European supermarket goods, usually labelled in a range of languages, and specials of all kinds.

Even though this place is quite close to me, it’s sort of off my usual paths. And for me it’s the sort of place to drop in to see what they’ve got, rather than make a regular trip for the weekly shop. I always enjoy a look when I am passing though. First stop is to look at the ‘offers’ board outside. The other day I spotted a fleece scarf, hat and gloves set for a fiver and got all excited, and was disappointed not to be able to locate it inside. Though I was tempted by timer sockets for a couple of quid each…

They also currently have some really tempting Christmas sweeties and biscuits…

Back outside I realised the board was advertising specials for next week… I think I may be back!
Check out my review of Lidl - I am moonrising - on Qype

Qype: Recycling on Downham Road in London

London

Yep, now I’m reviewing a street corner. And a pretty bleak one at that, at the junction of Downham and Kingsland roads. Though that’s partly due to the building work going on: warehouse apartments overlooking Kingsland Basin which will probably be much in demand!

Meanwhile… recycling facilities are, I’m glad to say, springing up all over the place in Hackney. This lot includes bins for glass, cans, plastic bottles, paper and clothing. It’s notable to me as they’ve also got some brand spanking new bins for ‘beverage cartons’ aka tetra packs. I had a bag full I was intending to take over to Islington. This is still a bit of a trek from home, but nothing like that far!

Now they just need to bring in recycling of cardboard and compostable waste for us none-street level folks. I’ve been told it’s coming…
Check out my review of Recycling on Downham Road - I am moonrising - on Qype