The Flickr Osborneroad Image Generatr

We spotted this Jaguar parked close to the shops at Southsea Shopping Centre. The orange GT caught my eye too - what great timing!! Tim tells me the GT is a Mustang - how cool, two animals in one shot!!

Sitting on the edge.
© Ian Halsey MMXXIV

Here is some more street art that can be found in our city - this can be seen in Osborne Road, Southsea (Portsmouth).

Renowned for his self-published comics and books, as well as his creative street art worldwide, Phlegm’s latest exhibition, the exceptional ‘Mausoleum of the Giants’ in Sheffield, was a testament to his artistic prowess. His name ‘Phlegm’ comes from ancient Greek medicine’s four temperaments, with Phlegm being attributed to an apathetic and unemotional temperament.
You can find Phlegm’s awe-inspiring wall in Southsea, Hampshire’s coolest place to live, known for its countless eye-catching street art and graffiti, independent shops, bars, and restaurants. The bustling area is also home to the festival curator My Dog Sighs, with many eyes watching you as you explore the vibrant streets.
Phlegm’s creativity and attention to detail are truly inspiring. His initial idea was to create a merman-type character for the Southsea seafront wall, especially with the facade already having half its wall painted in a turquoise colour representing the sea.
The sea creature designed by Phlegm looks like a unique interpretation of the Merman Triton, a Greek sea god who has come to be associated with a class of creatures similar to mermaids of either gender, who served as followers of other sea deities.

Phlegm

Look Up Portsmouth Street Art Festival

instagram link.............

At the junction with Station Road.

Taken from Spencer Road.

D-Day 75: Representations

Here's one of the grandest hotels in Portsmouth. I've only been inside once, when the company Tim was working for had a Christmas do here. We were going to choose it for our wedding reception, all those decades ago, but it wasn't available on the date we wanted it. (We made do with the more modern Crest Hotel, which is now a Holiday Inn.) Matt did some work experience here when he was at school, working in the gardens.

Queens Hotel is a luxury hotel in Southsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire. The current Queen's Hotel is placed on the site of Southsea house, built in 1861 by architect Augustus Livesay, which was built for Sir John and Lady Morris. In 1865, due to boom in construction and tourism, Southsea house was converted into the Queen's Hotel by William Kemp Junior. It was one of Portmouth's first hotels, and it focused on the leisure and relaxation for the upper class. At 4:20pm on 8 December 1901, a fire gutted the entire hotel, leaving only the two outer walls that face Osborne Road and Clarence Parade. On 11 December 1901, it was deemed safe to enter the site and two missing chambermaids were discovered, dead, due to being trapped by falling rubble in the basement. In early 1902, plans were submit by the hotel owner at the time, G. H. King, to rebuild the hotel to cover the original footprint. The new hotel was to be much grander and more purpose-built, to include 63 rooms for visitors, and 33 for staff. The architect of the rebuild was London based T.W. Cutler. He was to design the hotel in the Edwardian baroque style in brown terracotta. This was a rising popular style across the British Empire in 1901. Designs were grand and lavish and no expense was spared. The hotel had to be designed to make a statement. The book England describes the hotel as a "Magnificent Edwardian hotel overlooking the Common, with ornate stone-carved balconies and countless neoclassical decorative flourishes". The hotel contains 74 rooms and has two bars and a restaurant.
An episode of Mr. Bean starring Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean in Room 426) was filmed at this hotel in 1992, first aired in February 1993.
The hotel was listed at Grade II by Historic England on 20 October 2020

Osborne Road, Coventry.
© Ian Halsey MMXXII