AnglOrony

The area was made famous in the 1960s thanks to the Beatles' hit song Penny Lane, named after a suburban street located within Mossley Hill. Penny Lane runs between Allerton Road and Greenbank Road. The Penny Lane area is on the routes of various tour buses with thousands of tourists visiting annually. In July 2006, a Liverpool Councillor proposed renaming certain streets because their names were linked to the slave trade. It was soon discovered that Penny Lane was possibly named after James Penny, a wealthy 18th century slave ship owner and strong opponent of abolitionism. Ultimately, city officials decided to forego the name change and re-evaluate the entire renaming process. On 10 July 2006, Liverpool officials said they would modify the proposal to exclude Penny Lane. Penny Lane applies to the area surrounding the street of the same name. It was the location for one of the main bus termini for several routes, and buses with "Penny Lane" displayed were common throu...

70 years on the throne - what an achievement! The queen's longevity led to an unprecedented jubilee - a unique one in the entire history. In Liverpool, which is rather not known for its sympathy for the monarchy, the occasion for the celebration was captured. We all like parties, don't we? Of course, with certain rules and principles - the British way. Organizing street anniversary events was fairly straightforward, and government guidelines encouraged people to do so, so did the local councils. Of course, events should be agreed with the neighbours. Alcohol consumption on the streets was allowed, and so was loud music. There wasn't a particular time at which music has to end, but the 1996 Noise Act does place limits on the amount of noise that can be made between 11pm and 7am. So, entire streets had celebrated the Queen's Jubilee over the long four days weekend and a special concert was held in front of Buckingham Palace. It is good to have such a memory, in times that...

  Mindfulness, an idea of living more consciously and purposefully, is gaining recognition in mainstream circles, as it allows us to regain the joy of life and learn to cope with stress in a more efficient way. Living simply in the here and now moment makes our life feel more fulfilled, more easier and happier. The quality of our attention is disturbed many times during the day. We often react unconsciously to what is happening and we project our thoughts and emotions almost immediately. In mindfulness we stop the ongoing mental processes and instead we simply sense what is happening right here, right now. This mindful awareness is practiced in relation to our body and physical sensations, our thoughts and emotions, and our environment. We switch off the judging pattern, and consciously choose to observe the whole internal and external situation we are in at any moment - with a sense of curiosity. Our minds embrace the whole picture - hence the term. Breaking from the habitual resp...

A walk around the now-expanding Anfield Stadium can be exciting, especially before a Champions League fixture. We start our walk from Anfield Road towards the stadium. There were more passers-by on this day, not necessarily with an admission ticket (its hard to get one, you must be very lucky). Demand is far greater than availability. There is no indication that it will change soon :( even with the expanded Anfield Road stand.  Anyway, the area around the stadium is much better than 15 years ago, yet there are places that still needs revitalization. Abandoned terraced houses are haunting, with youngster hanging around. The neighbourhood, neglected for years, will not look beautiful overnight. However, it is worth paying attention to a few elements in the area. As you walk along Anfield Road, there are several buildings to note: Epstein House - the former home of the legendary Beatles manager, Brian Epstein. Brian’s grandparents, Isaac and Dinah Epstein, lived at the house for ove...

Peter Kavanagh,  situated in the outskirts of Liverpool city centre, among the Georgian Quarter. We have heard about the pub for some time and read it has been praised as the best one.  Originally the Liver Inn, it is now named after the licensee who ran it for an incredible fifty three years from 1897 to 1950.  53 years service in running pub makes Peter Kavanagh one of the longest serving licensees in the country.  He was also a successful businessman, designer and alderman.  The pub features murals by Edinburgh born artist  Eric Robertson  (1887-1941), which were painted in 1929 when Peter Kavanagh was altering the pub, one based on scenes from Dickens for the front room and another based on the work of Hogarth for the rear room.  The landlady,  Rita Smith  has taken over the running of Peter Kavanagh's 30 years ago, transforming it into a quirky local place to be.  The huge range of curiosities on the walls and ceilings have bee...

Lets continue our walk...check where you are ;-) Finally, you got to the most iconic Liverpool Landmarks. Three Graces - Royal Liver Building, Cunard Building and the Port of Liverpool Building. They have defined Liverpool waterfront for the last hundred years and the lives of many people around the world. They are on the list of the UNSESCO global heritage - as they truly served to change the lives of so many families.  Royal Liver Building  - the most recognisable and loved landmark of Liverpool. Its grand clock towers are crowned with the Liver Birds. They are named Bella and Bertie .  Bella looks out to the sea, to welcome handsome sailors and ships bringing wealth to the city. Bertie looks inland to protects Liverpool people or/and to see if the pubs are still open for the sailors. This is according to the local legend from the start of 20th century. The port is here no more, the sailors are gone, the pubs are closing down. Times are changing. As they have always bee...

Shortly before Christmas, we had the incredible opportunity to see a unique performance by Gerald Roderick Charles Dickens , the great great grandson of the renown author Charles Dickens . A wonderful occasion to get inside St George’s Hall in Liverpool, too. We couldn't miss such an event -  A Christmas Carol   is one of our favourites of all time and a 'must' during Christmas time.  To experience it on this unique stage, the stunning  Concert Room, in a one man act - what a fabulous show! Among ornate gold columns, glistening chandeliers and red sitting we could feel like we were back in time with Mr. Dickens . Gerald Dickens told us the timeless classic learned by heart, acting gracefully, incarnating in every of the characters with such precision - we were truly awe-struck.  What made it so special was knowing that his famous great great grandfather stood on the very same stage 150 year ago to give his famous “ penny readings ”. Standing ovatio...