I have way too many cameras, most of which never get used. SLR-wise, got a few Pentax ME Supers which I love. And a Leica M3 which gets used mostly in the summer when it’s easier to get exposure right as I don’t have a working light meter.

This thread reminds me to look out for some film deals and stock up. I only shoot BW and develop at home. Then scan negatives and get prints from the scans. Paying for development in shops is way too expensive. Not sure if any are still doing it but used to use ads in photo mags placed by retired ex-Fleet St darkroom blokes who would offer good price and quality developing

I had a radiator moved from another wall to the bay in our living room last week and have been thinking about the same kind of thing. Hopefully get some good ideas!

Trickers are a good bet for outdoor wear. Get some with a commando sole, storm welt, and bellows tongue. Most other Northants brands do similar too.

If you want a pair of decent shoes to last a good amount of time:

* Don’t wear them every day
* Always use shoe trees
* Use a shoe horn when putting them on
* Regularly clean and polish
* Get heals/soles (or any other worn bits) fixed before they are too far gone

Start building up a collection of decent shoes and you start to find that they last pretty much forever and the cost then reduces over time. You can then just add new ones if you spot a bargain as you aren’t in desperate need for them.

Via Francigena is now an official Eurovelo route (5). Worth checking out: http://www.viaromeafrancigena.com

it’s “Ti amo” by Umberto Tozzi. Big hit most places in Europe way back when.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxumzh4igKk

Not young any more but work in Clerkenwell/Farringdon and I cycle in daily from Forest Gate which is just out past the Olympic Park. It’s definitely cheaper living out East (we moved after years living in Camden in order to buy a house) and my ride in is very pleasant. Through the Olympic Park, over a footbridge on the A12, through Victoria Park, then a “quietway” route most of the rest of the way. There is also the option of picking up the canal for a lot of it. Not sure if it makes any difference but Loughborough University have a campus in Hackney Wick so would have that available too.

Forest Gate will be a Crossrail stop too but obviously that will now be too late arriving for him. But we do already have the new trains running to Liverpool Street via Stratford which only takes 11mins. Stratford is very well connected too for getting elsewhere.

Farringdon is the main area for architects in London. With so many clustered together I would have thought there’s a good chance of there being some kind of meetup group for young architects which might be worth trying to find to get advice.