An Urban Wander around Westbourne Grove, London W2

With time enough for a short lunch break one day last week, and still very much inspired by Psychogeography, I paid a visit to some familiar ground and, as always seems to be the case, found a few new things which caught my eye. Starting at the Beany Green café in Sheldon Square, where they make one of the best Flat White coffees I've had, I headed off towards the Westbourne Grove area.

Beany Green Café, Sheldon Square, Paddington, London W2

First up was this quaint, little mews, Bott's Mews, not far off the Westbourne Grove itself.

Bott's Mews, London W2

At the far end of this mews there are paths leading off both left and right. I have walked along the paths before but for some inexplicable reason never seem to have noticed the actual mews before. Maybe because I've never looked at it from this direction before. 

Bott's Mews, London W2

Bott's Mews, London W2

As I drifted along Artesian Road, I caught sight of an old and new sign for Courtnell Street. It wasn't until I had crossed the road and lined up the picture, that I realised that in addition to the ghost sign of the road name, there was also a ghost sign in the glass of the windows too.

ORDERS PROMPTLY DISPATCHED

Ok, so the last word is missing so I have guessed that maybe that's what it would have once said.

Ghost sign in Courtnell Road, London W2

On the other side of the building was more writing,

WINES BEERS

Ghost sign in Courtnell Road, London W2

This next ghost sign is in Powis Mews. I have previously walked along this mews and spotted a ghost sign at the other end, but this was the first time I'd seen this one. This is harder to read than its counterpart at the other end of the mews, but is also for

LEVERWTT & FRYE

Ghost sign in Powis Mews, London W2

No shortage of restaurants, pubs and cafés in this part of around London. Most of them I have never been into, including these two, but they both look good from the outside.

Wildflower Café, Chepstow Road, London W2

The Tin Shed, All Saints Road, London W2

Pub sign, Westbourne Park Road, London W2

Possibly the world's most technically sophisticated toilet which seems to have its own built-in telephone exchange.

Toilet-cum-telephone exchange, Bishop's Bridge Road, London W2

Initially I just thought this was a ghost sign for Alexander Street itself, but beneath that there's also an even older ghost sign for what the road was previously called.

SUTHERLAND
TERRACE

Ghost signs, Alexander Street, London W2

Westbourne Park Passage, London W2

I also noticed quite a few old cars dotted around the streets of W2 and W11. The Citroen is my favourite.

Morris Minor, London W2

Old Citroen, London W2

Old Volvo, London W11

    

Ghost Signs from Asheville, North Carolina

As it becomes more and more difficult to get outside in the light during the week, I am resorting back to my summer holiday snaps for today's blog post. Although it seems like a distant memory now, we had three wonderful weeks on holiday in the US back in July/August this year. This particular photo set is from an Urban Wander around Asheville, North Carolina, which like many of the towns we visited seemed to be full of ghost signs.

BLUE RIDGE SAVINGS

BANK

Ghost sign, Asheville, North Carolina, USA

SOUTHERN FURNITURE Co

Ghost sign, Asheville, North Carolina, USA

Great ghost sign but I can only make out the word

DELICIOUS

Ghost sign, Asheville, North Carolina, USA

Two ghost signs here. The first is easy to read but the second one is a mystery to me.

FRESH UP WITH 7 UP

Ghost sign, Asheville, North Carolina, USA

It's been a while since I've seen a Woolworth's here in the UK since their mass closure a few years ago. It seems as though in the US it may still be a going concern, but I've called it a ghost sign here. 

Ghost sign, Asheville, North Carolina, USA

One of the easier to read ghost signs.

DELICIOUS AND REFRESHING

DRINK

COCA-COLA

Ghost sign, Asheville, North Carolina, USA

AUTO ACCESSORIES

Ghost sign, Asheville, North Carolina, USA

ASHEVILLE SUPPLY & FOUNDRY CO

Ghost sign, Asheville, North Carolina, USA

Here's the same building with a better view of the ghost sign on the side.

ASHEVILLE

SUPPLY & FOUNDRY

MACHINERY

PIPE & FITTINGS

BELTING

VALVES

ETC

Ghost sign, Asheville, North Carolina, USA

Another hard to read ghost sign, but on the left-hand side I can just make out the words

? HARDWARE

MANTELS GRATES

and on the right-hand side I can see

WINDOWS

Ghost sign, Asheville, North Carolina, USA

A better view of the fabulous truck outside Pack's Tavern.

Old truck, Asheville, North Carolina, USA

I thought this said painting initially but a closer inspection revealed that it says

PRINTING

not sure about the top right-hand side though.

Ghost sign, Asheville, North Carolina, USA

? AND RECTOR

FURNITURE, STOVES

TRUNKS & ?

Ghost sign, Asheville, North Carolina, USA

ASHEVILLE FISH CO

ESTABLISHED

1894

AGENTS FOR

CAPE FISH CO

BOSTON, MASS

Ghost sign, Asheville, North Carolina, USA

And finally after a long day wandering around the city, it was time for dinner. Possibly one of the best quesadillas I've ever eaten.

Quesadillas, Salsa Restaurant, Asheville, North Carolina, USA

    

That's all for today folks. I hope to be able to write a couple more blog posts this side of Christmas, but if I don't then a Happy Christmas and New Year to anyone reading this.