Posted on

Passover Shopping, Mare Street Market, and the first Seder Night

Saturday, 31 March, 2018
On Wednesday I went with Lisa to do her Passover (Pesach) shopping. We drove into North London through the back streets that she drives with great confidence. I know I will never know London like that! That morning I’d decided to wear regular shoes and set aside the boots. And I wore a sweater and a jacket. I felt free until I went out. The rain began to pour down and the wind blew and I wasn’t dressed anywhere near to appropriately. In fact, I was freezing and my day had hardly begun.
Close to where we were going we got stopped by some cops and had to park at least a five-minute  cold and wet walk from where we needed to go. There had been an accident – a car had ploughed into a shop window and the whole frame was taken out. Lisa heard later that two pedestrians had been hit. I did feel like a ghoul taking a photo but anyway, I did!
Mayhem in Golders Green
Mayhem in Golders Green
In the end, we got falafels from a little place Lisa likes. I did enjoy the experience. Hot falafels were poured into bowls at the end of a long salad bar with all the usual (and unusual) falafal fixings and you helped yourself.  We ate them on the go. Delicious!
But we turned back from that area. It was pointless shopping when we would have had to carry the groceries so far. We drove instead to an area Lisa had taken me before. It has the unlikely name of Temple Fortune. (This conjures up a small town in Thailand and not North London!) We shopped in one little grocery store where we bought mostly matzo. Then stopped by the bagel bakery where I got 8 little cookies and some cheesecake. They turned out to not taste very special for the price.
A cold, wet adventure! Oh, and I fell on the wet sidewalk. A lesson in not swapping boots for shoes too early in the year.
Last week I had two aborted attempts to go to Mare Street Market.  The first because Instagram had led me to believe it was opening on Monday – I was greeted by a notice saying ‘Open on Wednesday.’ Then Krish and I walked over on Thursday in the rain but didn’t really stay since he couldn’t deal with the crowd and the noise. So I took a few photos and will go back between now and Tuesday, when they will still have the 50% soft launch prices. I can’t resist a bargain. Maybe I’ll even go twice!
Some views inside Mare Street Market
Some views inside Mare Street Market

The Mare Street Market is occupying a building that used to be the housing benefit office. It was a depressing, shabby building at best. The renovations to turn it into what’s described as ‘a curated space in Hackney for eating, drinking, and shopping.’ If you click on the link above there are some photos that do this space justice but I took just a few of  my own.

At 50% off, I do think I might go twice. The menus all sound fantastic and will probably seem too expensive once the soft launch ends, I assume Wednesday.
  
Passover was approaching and Lisa had plans to go to family this year. No invitation pending, my brother John suggested I look into a community seder. It took me a while to decide but in the end I said yes to going to the one I contacted.  Continue reading “Passover Shopping, Mare Street Market, and the first Seder Night”
Posted on

Let’s talk about food

Saturday, 10 March, 2018

There are two kinds of people – those who eat to live (I was one of these until I was perhaps 19) and those who live to eat (this is me now).

My mother was a good-enough cook. There was nothing fancy in her repertoire. She made an amazing roast beef and yorkshire pudding, although looking back I imagine the beef would be too well-done for me now.  There were old British favourites, such as pease pudding cooked with boiled gammon, meat pies, sausages (usually with liver and bacon) in a tomato onion gravy…and the Jewish favourites of chicken soup with lokshen (noodles) and cold things like pickled or salted herring.

When I was 14 I went with my sister on a holiday experience with a French family. Only French was spoken. I wasn’t keen on the food, which came in courses and was ridiculously formal. In my later teens I travelled alone a bit, in London and in Liverpool, and tried a bunch of things, now familiar but then exotic – pasta and pizza come to mind. Then when I was 19 I went back to France – to visit my cousin in Paris – at 19 she was already married with a baby – and really discovered food. I no longer remember what we ate but it intrigued me. There was such a mix of simple flavours but nothing was accidental.

That’s when I learned to cook.

Food we eat at home
Food we ate at home last week – Vietnamese grilled chicken, a simple lunch plate for 2, West Indian chicken curry with raita

In Toronto I found cooking classes that fulfilled everything on my wishlist. Each person with their own cooking station, each person preparing their own food, enough to taste, enough to take home for at least one amazing meal, a great chef-teacher, great back up and help from their assistant, a stool for when my legs got tired, interesting and varied menus… This was the Calphalon brand. I attended as many as I could afford. While the quality changed over the years, I kept going back. And then they closed. No class since has been as good.

In London I haven’t found the same but Atelier des Chefs isn’t bad. The main differences are: No individual cooking stations, much of the preparation done as a team, no guarantee you can eat your own food. All minuses in my opinion but I’m trying to enjoy this experience on its own merits.

I had the slowest bus in the East going to the class and thought I’d be extremely late. Just getting out of my neighbourhood took half an hour, whereas it usually takes five to ten minutes. We crept along but got there in the end.

One of my favourite views in The City - from the Royal Exchange
One of my favourite views in The City – from the Royal Exchange
Creeping along behind another bus, finally The Gherkin ahead
Creeping along behind another bus, finally The Gherkin ahead

Continue reading “Let’s talk about food”

Posted on

Off to the doctor, Shacklewell, and another doll

Monday 5 March, 2018

I went to the doctor early in the morning. Doctor appointments in London are ten minutes long. It’s very short. Today I pushed my luck and got a few extra minutes. My original plan was to get some referrals to other areas but suddenly at the end of last week I got a very itchy rash over my whole trunk and one arm. I looked like I had measles. The doctor told me that the rash was a usual thing after a bad cold or cough and gave me antihistamine pills and ointment. Instant relief! The rash is still there but fading slightly. I’m a hypochondriac. I had ‘given myself’ several serious illnesses before this benign diagnosis.

Around by the clinic, there are some brick-cobbled streets filled with terraced cottages. I would love to see inside them. I have a romantic dream of having one become available to me…somehow. The cottages were built in 1881, 1882, and 1884. How do I know? It says so! (Hmm, are there some from 1883?)




Just around the corner from the doctor and through the rows of cottages is a lovely little coffee shop, Mouse and da Lotz. I somehow imagine this being the names of two Australians having an adventure in London! Don’t ask me why. They make lovely coffee!

A great coffee with white chocolate and raspberry loaf
Mouse and da Lotz counter
Mouse and da Lotz counter

There are still quiet hours at home. And time to make another doll!

Sunny day for the robots and the unfinished naked doll
Sunny day for the robots and the unfinished naked doll
A saucy doll with some detail to show the bloomers!
A saucy doll with some detail to show the bloomers!
Posted on

Birthday! And foiled plans

Tuesday, 6 March, 2018

I had some birthday wishes – nothing fancy!

Buy chocolates – a gift from my Marks and Spencer rewards point plan, so free
Have a cocktail, something delicious, somewhere relaxing
Have dinner out – decided on Shikumen (we had a coupon)
Eat cake

None of my birthday wishes worked properly! First the chocolates couldn’t be bought – trouble with the coupon I had. Then i decided the antihistamine i was taking (for a post viral rash) was making me very groggy so I decided against alcohol of any kind. Then Shikumen didn’t have the one dish on the menu that was my absolute favourite and I was forced to choose something brand new that wasn’t nearly as good. And we didn’t get the cake since the evening went flat at that point.

It wasn’t the happy birthday i’d planned.

I’ll survive and extend the celebrations until the end of the week so i can fit some good things in. But I did take a few photos.

We weren't sure what this tree was all about
We weren’t sure what this tree was all about – on Bishopsgate

Two photos showing the changing face of The City
Two photos showing the changing face of The City. Note the curve on the first
I really like this little closed street off Bishopsgate, with a tiny peek of the Gherkin. Must take a photo from inside
I really like this little closed street off Bishopsgate, with a tiny peek of the Gherkin. Must take a photo from inside
The contrasts around the Gherkin make me smile
The contrasts around the Gherkin make me smile
There's always some odd art around the Gherkin
There’s always some odd art establishment around the Gherkin
Chicken Sha Cha at Shikumen
Chicken Sha Cha at Shikumen – the substitute dish that didn’t come close to my favourite

There are some happy after-notes, though. Marks and Spencer were so sorry I couldn’t get the chocolates on my birthday that they sent me a e-coupon big enough for chocolates and cake. Hawksmoor are extending their half price offer so I’ll go back. Tom wants to take me to dinner on Wednesday. I picked up ingredients to make aperol spritzes today or tomorrow. Juliet bought me a cornflake cake with some tea on Thursday. Yay!

Posted on

Esmeralda visits, Playing groupie in Brick Lane, the impressive St Pancras Grand, and a short visit to Broadway Market

Sunday, 25 February, 2018

Just about able to see Esmeralda, who was visiting from Bologna for the first time since 2004 or maybe 2003. I was just recovering from having  a virus but now Krish was sick and it was tough to tell if I could leave him alone or not. The day before I’d been to my mentor assessment day and then come home to find Krish in bed barely able to lift his head.

Thank God for the NHS. They advised me over the phone to get hold of the doctor, who then called me back to talk about his diagnosis and off I rushed to the drugstore before it closed. After just one double dose of antibiotics, Krish could get out of bed and inhale some steam. Relief! And some hope for the next day.

Esmeralda arrived in Dalston some time around noon and we set off pretty quickly to do some exploring.

Quick visit to the Eastern Curve Garden - Esmeralda was impressed
Quick visit to the Eastern Curve Garden – Esmeralda was impressed

No surprise that I followed my usual route. We made a quick stop at Shoreditch Church, then a peek into Leila’s, Arnold Circus and the glorious buildings on Boundary Estate.

Hard at work inside Leilla's
Hard at work inside Leilla’s
Lovely piece from Shok-1 near Redchurch Street
Lovely piece from Shok-1 near Redchurch Street

Not many photos of that area today – I was feeling better but tiring quickly. Redchurch Street looked good, Boxpark was doing its retail thing, and on down to Brick Lane, watch some salt beef beigel action and a beeline to Meraz.

I ordered what I always do – no objections from Esmeralda. What is it? The tarka dhal (I really like their version), the sag aloo (not too spicy today), tandoori lamb chops sizzling wonderfully, and Es was brave enough to ask if they’d make a small portion of chicken korma – Of course! So delicious after a week or two of rather bland food. Esmeralda was pretty happy. What was really cool was the owner, Sami, arriving and coming over to shake my hand and say he hadn’t seen me for a long time. Oh, the groupie in me!

'The usual' at Meraz
‘The usual’ at Meraz
A piece by Fanakapan on Hanbury Street
A piece by Fanakapan on Hanbury Street

Embarrassing how I love this sort of encounter and I had one more to come.

I’m a huge fan of graffiti artist, Fanakapan. His art is so well executed – the 3D images he produces are spectacular. The first one I ever saw, in Star Yard, I honestly thought was a metallic helium balloon stuck on the wall! It was totally 2D but you’d never have guessed it. When we got into Star Yard, the first thing I saw was a hideous metal shed now built into one corner! The yard will never be the same! What’s it there for? There was an artist up a ladder working on the large wall at the entry. It was difficult to make out what he was doing but then a graffiti tour guide wandered by and mentioned the word Fanakapan. When he left, I asked the man on the ladder ‘Are you Fanakapan?’ He said he was and I managed to say that I was a huge fan of his work and delighted to meet him. He came down the ladder, asking my name and shook my hand. I had seen him before but never this close up. The piece he was working on wasn’t obviously his work and wasn’t finished. We moved on.

Fanakapan working on his newest - anamorphic - piece
Fanakapan working on his newest – anamorphic – piece

Later that night, I saw a photo of the finished work. It had only appeared to be far from finished. It was in fact an amazing piece of anamorphic art – you can see it at https://www.instagram.com/p/BfgYq8JhsGm/?hl=en&taken-by=fanakapan I must go back and see if I can take it from the right angle. He let me know on Instagram what to do:

Instagram from Fanakapan
Instagram message from Fanakapan

So now you know too!

Princelet Street beauty shot
Princelet Street beauty shot

We took a quick look at Christchurch, Spitalfields Market, and Artillery Lane, then on to Liverpool Street Station to put Esmeralda on the train to Borehamwood, her next stop. Continue reading “Esmeralda visits, Playing groupie in Brick Lane, the impressive St Pancras Grand, and a short visit to Broadway Market”