Quiet days

June 11 to 17, 2018

Nothing new and exciting last week but I did manage to get out.

We decided to attend the Dalston Pasta Festival. It had been advertised as having food, drink, music and demonstrations. So off we went.

Ridley Road Market
Ridley Road Market
Kingsland High Street, Dalston
Kingsland High Street, Dalston

Sadly, the festival didn’t look so good once we got there, although it was well attended. There were a couple of pastas on offer. One with a tomato and pork sauce, and one that was with ricotta and zucchini. Neither one looked very good. Krish asked if the pasta was homemade and was told it was, although we could clearly see the commercial packets stacked nearby. We decided not to have any. There was a small stage but no acts were up and no sign of any demonstrations.

Dalston Square Pasta festival
Dalston Square Pasta festival
Pasta festival
Pasta festival

We left the pasta festival and headed off to Gillet Square.

Gillett Square has been 25 years in the making.The idea, which began in 1993, was to make a new town square. In fact, when you walk into the square, that’s exactly how it appears.

There’s an open area and several kiosks (added in 1999). There’s also a ‘culture house’ and the Vortex Jazz Club.

In November 2006 Gillett Square was opened as the first of the London Mayor’s programme of 100 new public spaces for London. It can be a very lively area and seldom empty.

Real community spirit at Gillet Square
Real community spirit at Gillet Square
A brunch place in a yard off Gillet Square
A brunch place in a yard off Gillet Square

We were sitting here last week and heard a really loud thud/crush. A small car had somehow mounted onto the traffic island, knocked over one of the markers and the beacon had been completely laid flat. There the car sat, leaking petrol, while a woman and a small child were helped out of the car and onto a chair from one of the cafes. And there they sat.

The tow truck arrived but had a lot of difficulty getting the car up onto the flatbed truck. Eventually, they managed to move the car diagonally away from the markers and beacon, which were stopping it from moving. Almost immediately a crew arrived to start cutting and welding and putting things to rights as best they could. That was enough excitement.

The car knocked down the island. The driver is sitting on a chair looking on
The car knocked down the island. The driver is sitting on a chair looking on
Hard at work taking care of the beacon
Hard at work taking care of the beacon

There’s been quite a bit of sun and on one sunny day I remembered to photograph one very pretty house not too many lots away.

Along Amhurst Road, not so far away
Along Amhurst Road, not so far away

Mostly, though, it’s been a homey week, not getting too far away. Next week might be a bit busier, but not as far as I know!

A lazy dim sum lunch with a good dish of kai lan
A lazy dim sum lunch with a good dish of kai lan
Taken on 11 June. The tree coming back to life
Taken on 11 June. The tree coming back to life