Beams Plus.... by Shaun Dangerfield

It's become a firm favourite of mine Beams Plus as I know what I'm getting with them and they never disappoint.
Jacquard shawl collar cardigan that I acquired from a little elf a month in advance off the back of his lorry.
It's got Christmas day wear written all over it.... can't wait.
Egg shaped pockets perfect for hands or robbing the odd mars bar from the local corner shop (a man has to get his kicks).
The best thing I've had from Japan since my red silk kimono last month, equal in the comfort stakes although this is a different kind of pleasure.
This is for "any time" and silk kimono's are for "me time".

An Afternoon at Borough Market...By Saul Wilks

Borough Market; A tantalising hive of flavour, tastes, aromas and hearty London hustle. Indeed a trip to Borough offers a more than decent way to spend an afternoon, wandering around a Mecca of such verve culinary offerings.

The weathers been absolutely beautiful, with the sun rising up over the gorgeously cold streets and that addictive winter feel well and truly settling in over the city. With this in mind my girl and I decided to take advantage of a day off work and jumped on the bus down to Borough Market to pick up some ingredients for a quiet night in - god knows I need it, I feel like I'm coming down with something.

Borough Market is a great place and I always enjoy snacking on all the free samples while debating what to get for one's dinner... Pigeon breast with langoustines to start, as it goes, was tonight's choice.

The past couple of times I've ventured to Borough, for one reason or the other I haven't had my camera with me, so I made sure it accompanied us in order for me to take a few photographs of the place and our day out in general.

I'll keep the words to a minimum with this one as the photographs pretty much tell the story, however if you've not had the pleasure of a stroll around Borough and like me you appreciate good food and wine, then I encourage you to take some time out and give the place the once over if you ever get the chance.

Anyhow, enough of the Hugh Fearnley Whittingstsall spiel...

Enjoy the photos.

Denim Project Albam: '6 month's'.... by Shaun Dangerfield

A few of you might remember back in March/April time I bought a pair of denim from Albam so I could wear them day in day out at work and see the results.
I started wearing them early June so we are up to the 6 month period where I could wash them through or soak them but I've decided against it and I'll get the repair's done and then wear them in some more until February time and have another look at them then.
Photo's are never as good in the evening at the moment as it' always too dark but you get picture (pardon the pun) and the next time I do another set of photo's will be almost 12 month's overall wear and will be summer time so they should look great by then.....

Earls Apparel.... by Shaun Dangerfield

Hickoree's store in America have some amazing gear for sale and if there wasn't such a ridiculous tax when importing from the USA I would shop here a hell of a lot more.

I was after another pair of green fatigue trousers and after trying my hand at both Engineered Garments and Post Overalls I thought I would try my hand on these Earls Apparel made in Texas.
They are in fact as good as the Engineered Garments reverse sateen trousers which made me feel a little bit sick on money spent so far on similar trousers.
They are a very substantial mid weight cotton sateen trouser and look as good as all the other efforts I have previously had for a fraction of the price and anyone or shop that try's to convince you otherwise is simply "having you off".
Great service from Hickoree's as ever and I had to put up the fold out newspaper that reveal's the store's stock items in pencil drawing which was done by New York based Liza Corsillo who's illustration work can be found here below....
http://www.lizacorsillo.com/

Polo Ralph Painted Block..... by Shaun Dangerfield

I don't buy much Ralph these day's, not for any particular reason it's just I'm always looking further out.
I did admire this one though from the New York Giant when it was out and saw it recently for too good a price to turn down, one to put away for the summer what with our tropical weather.
Painted block stripes, signature logo, button down collar.
I'll just have to make sure I'm not doing my rounds of robbing post offices when wearing it because I doubt I'll get away with it what with today's cctv.

Brian Cannon : Northern Soul Photographic Diary.. by Shaun Dangerfield

'Northern Soul - A Photographic Journey' is a new long term project by Wigan photographer Brian Cannon.
He has been creating music related imagery professionally since 1988.

I found this site the other day and thought it deserved a little post.
As it's supposed to I'll let the photo's do the talking but I have chosen my favoured pieces.
You can continually check out his ongoing project here.....

http://www.northernsoulphoto.com

Keep the Faith..... (cheeky wink)

Ancient Hill Forts and Mountain Research...By Saul Wilks

I sometimes feel as though I'm constantly on the move, wrapped up in a hectic life style where I very rarely get the time to let my mind wander, affording myself the luxury to switch off from the mundane and not so mundane rigmarole's of everyday life. Having a week off from London and the urban delights it has to offer, I thought I'd take full advantage of this welcome and humble respite and fulfil a longing I've had for some time.

The area where I cut my teeth, in my home town of Newport is called the Gaer, which is the Welsh word for fort. The reason it's named as such is because the area that the housing estates and community is built around is flanked by an ancient hill fort that was home to one of the many Celtic Silurian tribes that inhabited the area in the times of ancient Britain.

Flanked to the east by the Roman stronghold of Caeleon, previously featured on here due to it's surviving ruins, the hill fort at Gaer would have provided protection, sanctuary, and an ideal rallying point for ambushing Roman patrols, indeed the times I've thought of the grim task of those trying to navigate the deep moats and defences of the site while being constantly attacked by a multitude of Celtic warriors is no ones business.

I've always been enthralled by history from a young age, when, with a vivid imagination, I often fought off legions of imaginary Roman soldiers in the dips, gullies and earthworks of the sacred Celtic mounds of Gaer, so much so that my knowledge of this vast maze of natural defence would have surely had Maximus Decimus Meridius on his toes.

With those brilliant memories in my mind I took to my old stamping ground, this time armed with my camera and some writing equipment, as opposed to weapons carved from my artisan, imaginative mind, to let my once untamed thoughts run free again, allowing myself to once again become immersed in the beauty that this majestic and magical place holds.

Although my memory, now itself a place of many a siege attempt from the parties, chemicals and the more modern images that presently occupy my mind took some time to adjust and remember the old routes I once took in my quest for strategic advantage against Rome's finest, I lost myself in the glorious light that broke through the tree's, to shard delicately on the floor and pay homage to the dying green of the passing seasons leaves.

With my priorities some what different and  my passion now directed more towards the clothing aspect as opposed to the defence of my ancestral Celtic brotherhood, this most perfect scene made a superb backdrop to snap one of my latest purchases, the Japanese imported Mountain Research Hunting jacket.

With Autumnal shades of browns and earthy tones aplenty this most peaceful strip of land, the sight of hero's, blood and tremendous struggles of time's past, today bathed in the gorgeous fading winter's light, was where I found some inner peace and with it the magnificent fulfilment of a long time yearning.

They say home is where the heart is...