It’s just too hot, but today Krish persuaded me to come out for a walk. We walked along the river for quite a while and checked out the engineering that’s been done on the Dora to divert the water and create a weir.
Coming along the road, looking south (Campanile in the background) to start our walk, which is northwards to the Fiume Dora
Along the river, there’s some older and newer development. Then there’s this large, not yet tagged, Roa piece.
Art by RoaThis artist does the same piece over and over in slightly different ways. I can’t find out who s/he is. This is new since last year. Torino Affonda means Torino is sinking – not sure if it’s done by the artist or afterwardsA fairly modern community, which overlooks the Dora
We headed back to Via Regina Margherita, which is the main street that runs a very long and straight way parallel to the river and directly to the south of the flat. The tram ride along it is quite wonderful, lined as it is with trees on both sides, for miles.
We headed into Vanchiglia for a little while. Most things were closed but we checked out some supermarkets for vegetables. Seems it’s the wrong time of year. Everywhere had plenty of zucchini and that’s about it.
By now I was too hot and didn’t care about taking photos. It was also hazy so everything around us seemed shadowy. And we had the closest view yet of The Mole Antonelliana. Another, cooler, day for that! Back home before I melted!
Dim sum tonight. I miss my pans and my bamboo steamers!
This morning Krish went to fill our BIP cards for the month and brought home some impressive shrimp from Gallina. No rain today, just a hot sun. We were going to take a bus somewhere but instead we went for a walk.
At the west corners of Piazza Repubblica there’s a sort of Chinatown. It’s not signposted as such but there are several small Chinese grocery stores and last year we even found a Chinese bakery on the north side. We also had a quite awful Chinese lunch in one place too – this time I will avoid anything of the kind without a serious recommendation, and I’ll be skeptical even then. But we do know that they sell all the dim selection we love in London!
Might as well be on Spadina
At the southwest corner, in front of a row of Chinese stores, whole gangs of people hang out. They appear to be African, Asian, and South American and I’m not quite sure what they do there. I’ve not noticed any selling, something i’m used to on the corners of Toronto Chinatown. To be honest, it feels a bit menacing and that makes me uneasy about myself but there it is. I’ll try to think of it as a Meeting Place! I took a photo really quickly, mindful of the times such photos have been followed by threats!
Always a crowd hanging out on this corner, all the way down
We wandered through the Quadrilatero. I suppose this is Torino’s version of Old Town. Unlike many European cities, Turin has a lot of straight streets intersecting each other – gridded. I’d actually say that’s one of the least attractive things about this city for me, since I’m really fond of something more maze-like.
This was a Roman area, which explains the grid. Wikipedia tells me ‘This area is still recognizable by the road structure characterized by the network of orthogonal streets, and by some important remains of the walls preserved until today. ‘ And it has that Latin quarter thing going on – clubs, restaurants, interesting little boutiques and workshops. There are some truly beautiful buildings and inner courtyards too. I’ll see it all in time.
We discovered the graffiti shop but most art around here is just scribblesAnd more scribblesThe architecture is mixed but I like the casualness of this building
There are lots of shop windows to look in. For the most part, as I already said, these Torinese aren’t masters of window display, with a few exceptions. They are pretty good at displaying food – can’t go wrong there really – but otherwise it’s a bit of a mess. The exception is with toys. The really incredible Bazar Bonino comes to mind, as well as the doll store on Via Barbaroux. This year I will buy something expensive and no hesitation.
The usual whimsical and haphazard window displayFabulous clockwork toys at Bazar Bonino. I could spend a long time looking at the windows of this tiny placeClose to the flat, this store sells ribbons and decorationsI assume this is part of the original Roman architectureIts not all pretty but I like the ambience. Reminds me of Porto
So much to see in the Quadrilatero. At night it’s a different place, full of music and people milling about. There’s also the Museum of Oriental Art, which I may try to see this year on a free day.
We had no real goals. We kept walking and checking out our surroundings until I saw Via Cernaia – on that street there are a few outlet stores and we are looking for a frying pan and a spatula. I walked out with a small pillow I can pick apart for the filling to make some dolls – it’s been a while – but nothing else. All the pans are the ceramic surface ones that Krish doesn’t like.
From Via Cernaia
We bought four kinds of dim sum and resolved to get some vegetables from the Chinese couple who set up in the farmers’ market only on Saturdays. I hope they are still there. Tonight Krish made the aperitivo and I made a shrimp curry with the massaman curry paste we brought from London. An hour of cooking and three minutes of eating – well, of course!
Liat came to stay for about ten days. We looked about a bit other than our visit to the Tate Modern.
Picnicking at London FieldsCrooning at the Vegan MarketFrida Kahlo, Broadway MarketNot so many years since I could see the Gherkin on this skylineWhat looks like a sponsored ad disguised as Street Art, Hanbury StreetNew art on Hanbury StreetLiat at SkygardenStreet Art piece near Leadenhall MarketA little Hackney scene
The tree is growing more leaves from the stumps daily. I’m taking a Monday photo each week to show its progress.
11 June18 June25 June
On Wednesday we walked to Shikumen in Aldgate. It was a long, meandering walk and sometimes it felt like we looped too much and came back not so far from our last point. I should try to map it. Just behind Broadway Market there are some interesting art pieces. I know I’ve seen this area before but not sure if the art is new. Probably not.
Repurposed phone booth
When we reached the top end of Brick Lane, we bumped into Rosie from Krish’s volunteering. We had a brief chat and then moved on.
The walk was a bit of a struggle and, at the end, our favourite dish at Shikumen the crispy prawn with garlic, chili and cashew.
Friday after the Falls Prevention exercise class, Lisa and I went to Palm Vaults, which is a vegetarian/vegan coffee shop. It’s so girly in there! I had an iced coffee and sweet-talked my way to getting half a salad. At Palm Vaults, which also has a Soho branch, there are absolutely no dairy milks for coffee and it’s card only. This is becoming more common – shops that don’t take cash. And the drinks are inventive and trendy – beetroot, lavender, rose, turmeric, teas I’ve never heard of….at a steep price!
When I was a teenager, my parents were in a supper club. In those days it meant that a group of friends, and friends of friends, got together in one person’s home once a month or so and that person would cook the meal. It seemed a great idea at the time. In London the concept of supper club is somewhat different. Continue reading “Shoreditch walks and Supper Clubs”
What a crazy and too-warm day I had! After starting out so late yesterday I decided that I’d make an earlier start to see the London Hospital Museum. It’s been on my list for just ages. I took a quick look online for the location, decided where to have lunch, and added the Citizen M Hotel into the mix since the lobby concept looked interesting.
I started from Dalston Junction, a short bus ride from here and after three stops I arrived at Shoreditch High Street Station. Hard to remember what it was like before this line arrived in the area. So convenient and a pleasure to ride.
Dalston Junction stationArriving at the cavernous ticket hall at Shoreditch High Street StationOutside, a cornucopia of colourful street artRedchurch Street, eerily quiet
I had decided to go to Dishoom and try their signature dish, black dal. It’s my second visit, my first being with my friends Mylene and Michele a couple of years back. This is billed as Indian street food. There’s a big effort to make the place look like somewhere in India, with lots of attention to detail in the fixtures, furnishings and ambience. Since I’ve never been to India, I can’t say how authentic it is.
Verdict – that black dal is fabulous. There were spices that I couldn’t quite figure out. Definitely one to research and make at home! I also had bhel, which I thought would be a refreshing contrast to the spicy, creamy dal. The drink is a sweet and salty lemonade. Perfect choice! £15 later…
I left Dishoom and headed over to Shoreditch High Street to find the hotel. I searched and searched. I had the address, I had the map, I even had the voice GPS on and, even after two complete circuits of the small block, I could locate neither a sign nor an entrance. It’s a mystery! I’m a bad map reader but this is ridiculous and way too time-consuming, so I headed for a bus over to the museum. At least I saw some nice art.
Pretty diverse art at the back of Great Eastern Road and Shoreditch High Street
If I was frustrated by not finding the hotel, I was due for more confusion. After first not finding the street with the museum because I was talking on my phone and not focussed enough, I then couldn’t find the museum anywhere. I looked again and again. It’s supposed to be in a church between Newark Road and Stepney Way. I could find no such thing. This puzzled me no end but no amount of looking or checking turned up anything that resembled a church or signage for the museum. There were, however, some original buldings around the hospital – reminds me of childhood. I was getting warmer and sweatier and on my third circuit, I headed for the bus home. Foiled twice in one day!
Old homes around the new London Hospital
I’ve looked at the map at home since, with a cooler head. I think I may know what I did wrong. I’ll try again in the next week or two.
