Jazz cigarettes
Written by Peter | Filed under Eating & Drinking, Events, General
I’m not a great fan of jazz, less so a fan of extended funk-jazz workouts (see: anything by Prince, 1993–2005). Chart-friendly pop-jazz is also not a particular passion of mine. So I’m surprised to find myself saying that I’ve just had an amazing night at the Sun & Doves, where chart-friendly pop-jazz star Jamie Cullum made a special appearance to play extended funk-jazz workouts at John Hoare’s monthly night.
I was lucky enough to get advanced notice of this ‘secret’ gig — I say ‘secret’, because the place was full — and got a good table at the front of the throng. The music varied; jazz, funk, electro, even some drum & bass touches. The musicians were obviously enjoying themselves, and the crowd did too. Lots of dancing, lots of fun. Rumps were shaken, booty’s bounced.
I didn’t take my camera, but there were plenty of others who did, so I’ll bring pictorial updates when they hit Flickr. My wife took her camera phone, so I’ll get some citizen journalism going, too.
Many congratulations to Mark for arranging such a fabulous night — a truly unmissable Camberwell event. I say that, because I was there; if I’d missed it, I’d probably say I’d heard it wasn’t great.
More tomorrow, when I’ve calmed down a little.
Peter; thanks. What a night!
Mark — congratulations on a top evening. A bit like Peter, I’d not normally think “oh, Jamie Cullum, I must go…” but it was cracking. It’s a while since I’ve been to the S&D, but I was totally impressed. Thinking I might make it down for the Great Dictator.…
I was at the S&D on Friday, and whilst it was not as exciting as Saturday sounds, it was still a good night. Great beer and a nice atmosphere. Sadly that was ruined when on the bus back to Clapham on Coldharbour Lane, there was a mugging. One young thug stole a young lads phone and refused to give it back even though everyone on the bus saw him do it! He did not even run away. Amazing. The bus driver had to turn the engine off and call the police.
I see that the BRB is reopening on Friday, smoke free which is great news. Does anyine know if they will still be showing the football in there?
Have to second Louies comment. What a night! Nice to see the S&D so buzzing. Good work
Yes indeed, most excellent evening, tho I don’t know how Peter’s managed to review it the night before it took place
@Southmark: What? What date is it showing? 18th Feb at 11.30pm, no? Huh? Confused by that comment. :p
Sorry Peter, I’ve confused myself. Seem to be wishing my life away. For some reason I was convinced it was the 20th today.
Totally off topic and apologies for the hi-jack but a while ago someone on here recommended a carpenter — I think it was somewhere close to vestry road but I can’t remember who or when it was despite extensive searching of the archive.…. Does anyone remember? Is so could you possibly post here as I’m in desperate need of some carpenting! Many thanks
Hi Rhian, I know a really great chippy if you need one. what kind of carpenting do you need doing
It could be Nigel but as squidder says — what carpenting innit.
Er back on thread, Jamie Cullum: http://www.flickr.com/photos/thesunanddoves/sets/72157594544186247/
He said he’d like to come back.
By the way if any one gets poor service or substandard anything at S&D please, please tell me!
Is he sieg heiling on this one?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thesunanddoves/395235991/in/set-72157594544186247/
another off topic comment, but returning to favourite camberwellians, i ran into mine last night. I always see her at the big somerfield. Normal 50yo woman in every visible way (perhaps a slight penchant for black clothing) but with two ENORMOUS rectangtles of thick black paint where her eyebrows should be. at least a couple of inches wide, and as black as night.
i always wonder — mad, or just a long time living on her own, slowly expanding the size of her once slim, arched painted brows with no-one to tell her to reduse the use
Do you think there are any parallels between the fact that bloggers here find it hard to admit they like Jamie Cullum after a wicked night out with him because they are hamstrung by their need to be seen to be discerning and cool, and their inability to admit that they want Camberwell to gentrify because it compromises there image of being seen to be left leaning, in touch and right on?
Or perhaps it’s just that his album releases are polished and slightly bland, whereas his live performance was raw and unrehearsed? Could it be that not everything revolves around house prices?
Depends who you ask.
I know that for you, Alan, house prices are the grand unifying theory.
Indeed.
So are you going to buy some Cullum live albums now?
I recommend Jamie Cullum — Live at Blenheim Palace but then I am a bit of a fan. I’ve even got the polished albums you loathe.
I suppose I’m just smarting because I’m not a member of the local elite so I didn’t get to hear about the gig on Sunday until after I’d missed it…
If you want carpentry done brilliantly, go to whyknotwood.com the site of Peter Cooper who has Camberwell connections, travels anywhere and does an excellent job at a reasonable price.
First of all, don’t exagerrate; I said I’m not particularly a fan, I didn’t say I loathe him or his music. I actually have a song of his, the cover of “Frontin’”, which is pretty good.
Second, there is no ‘local elite’; I happen to know Mark and he tipped me off. Other people found out through different means.
Also, I need to give more credit to the other musicians who played that night, who were all excellent.
I just happen to be a practising freemason and they tipped me off..
What is an elite if it’s not just a small group of friends looking after them and theirs.
The BRB will be smoke free from Friday? Excellent.
We went to the Sun and Doves last Friday night. It was a nice enough pub but we didn’t find anything particularly appealing about it to drag us back there again and away from the likes of the Phoenix or the Castle. Maybe in summer its different??
The staff didn’t seem that friendly, they even ignored me at the bar for a while and served others instead. Winston, from the Castle, gets my vote for the friendliest publican in Camberwell. He goes our of his way to greet people, especially regulars, and smiles lots. It creates a good atmosphere, definitely.
And S & D was really really smoky, even at 5 pm in the afternoon. Even one of my mates, who smokes like a chimney, thought it was smoky when she arrived.
And the music was a bit too loud and techno for our liking. We didn’t try the food, though I admit it looked good.
All in all, an ok experience but its not a pub I’d go out of my way to visit again in a hurry.
If only the Castle would turn off their tv. It would then be the second best pub in Camberwell, in my view. I think the Phoenix is best:
- smoke free section
– good selection of beer
– decent enough food
– good clientele
I suppose if you’re going to take such a broad definition of ‘elite’ then I am part of one. As is everybody else who’s ever had a friend tell them something that they don’t immediately share with every other person in the world.
I think you are smarting from not being part of it, yes.
Agreed. I don’t think there is anything wrong with a bit of elitism.
It’s unavoidable. I’m just kicking myself for not infiltrating the local S+D / SE5 forum / Camberwellonline elite rather than alienating them with my agressive stance gentrification, tramps and veg.
But how far should an acceptance of elitism extend?
Secret gigs are ok but restrictively high house prices are not?
Squidder — We need some cupboards built around things (eg the boiler) and also need some bookshelves put up and a few things fixing generally. If you’ve got a name, number, email address I’d be eternally grateful!
Maybe Mark could invite you to play at the S&D, parping on your one-note trumpet
I think on this occasion an ‘elite’ was justified; had a larger crowd turned up there would have been extra costs for security, health & safety considerations, etc.
SG– I think you are being hard on the barstaff in the Doves. The two lads who served me were pleasent as always.
Bear in mind that posting on here you are grassing them up to their boss. Is that really what you want to do?
I agree about the smoke and the respective qualities of the Phoenix but I like the ambience better in the Doves and the everchanging art makes for a pleasant back-drop.
Once the smoking ban kicks in the Doves will reassert itself at the top since the Phoenix forced it to no. 2. (in my opinion).
Can’t blame Mark for not risking an early adoption of the ban but definitely looking forward to the change…
Mark — Why don’t you branch out and ban smoking at the S&D?
Alan, I just said it like it was. I’m not grassing on anyone, as you put it.
I don’t know the names of the bar staff and its not important, I don’t want to complain as such.
But as a customer it’s an impression I was left with. I don’t want to make a big deal of it, though, it was a minor thing.
The great thing about web 2.0 and blogs in particular is that customers can now express our opinions on businesses and the quality of service — ranging from BT, to Starbucks to our local pub.
It doesn’t mean people have to agree with them. And I actually think its good for businesses to get all sorts of feedback, good and not so good.
I knew just from reading this blog that something big was happening at the S&D on Sunday. OK, I didn’t know what, but there were enough hints to have made me think about going down there had my parents not been staying.
Completely off-topic — where can I recycle plastic bags? The cupboard under my kitchen sink is almost bursting with them.
And, can anyone recommend a plumber & bathroom fitter?
Rhian, you can email carpenter Cooper (above) from his website. His work is tip top. He also knows other good, reliable carpenters if he’s busy.
I just remembered why I haven’t looked at the blog for a while; it’s been taken over by Alan Dale and every single frickin blog entry ends up with a discussion about house prices.
On a lighter note I’d like to recommend the Thai that is now open in the evenings at Seymours. I’ve always found Thai restaurants to be pretty consistantly decent in quality and this is no exception. Good size portions pretty reasonably priced and bring your own.
Steady on Joe! Everyone is entitled to thier opinion and if you don’t like it then why not contribute and move the discussion forward rather than silently fuming?
I also highly recommend the Thai at Seymours. I’ve eaten there a few times and the food has been very good everytime. It can take a little time to arrive, but you know it’s been cooked right then just for you when it does. The people are friendly, and it works out to be a cheap option when you take your own drink.
I was in there on Saturday and a young (20s) woman burst in, told the waiter she was using the loo and pushed past him so he didn’t have chance to stop her. The woman who runs the place came out from the kitchen to wait outside the toilet for her to come out (she was in there quite a while — probably shooting-up I thought). When she did re-appear, and the restauranter told her the toilets were for customers only, she just hurled a string of abuse before walking out. Right there, whilst I was eating my dinner and trying to mind my own business. Didn’t put me off the food, though.
Yeah –let’s get back to food. Which is the most expensive local restaurant? I’m planning a rather special occasion…
Alan; deeply sorry you didn’t get a personal invite. I knew a month ago but had to keep it quiet for reasons Peter mentions above. I had real fears about the number of people turning up. Getting the place full without bursting so there would be a great vibe, so everyone would really enjoy it, including the musicians, and want to come back for more was paramount.
So we put out a couple of hints on this blog — the SE5 calendar had it fairly detailed but clearly not many people use that yet, copeywolf speculated too and, as Mel R says it was clear something big was happening that night.
What we’re trying to do at S&D is create a scene in Camberwell, to make the Sun and Doves the centre of a Camberwell scene. Wrapping creative talent around our operation at every level. It’s a tall order and there’s a lot to do. Jamie was part of that.
John Hoare does a monthly residency here — thanks Peter for putting the links up at the top — It’s called John Hoare and friends, he plays every month with a different line up, always plays fantastic musicians and really great music. John loves the freedom he has to experiement around the set up here and wanted to help get his regular night going — help S&D in our mission to change Camberwell and to help make a ‘scene’. HE and Jamie are great friends — they used to tour together — and they fancied doing a gig together and we were the place for it.
On the night, in spite of my nerves, it went really well. Everything clicked into place and we had a Truly Magical Experience. The band played great music, the audience loved it, the rapport bwetween the musicians and the audience really sparked off waves of brilliant, spine tingling playing; it was, really, the best live performance we could possibly have hoped for. Electric and a taster for what we want S&D to be all the time.
And the line up — John Hoare, Dave the drum, Jamie and Ben Cullum — all want to play together here again.
SMOKE at 5pm shouldn’t happen.
And thanks all for the feedback even in passing as part of the blog — negative as well as positive. Customers’ experience is what’s needed to help make the business better…
Thanks Foxy but no need to help me out.
Jo — If you read all my posts you will see that I have touched on a number of issues, including the mundane I like this restaurant, I don’t like that pub etc. etc. Granted I do usually return to my preferred topic and for that I do not apologise.
As Foxy said it is your perogative to steer the debate in the direction you want it to go.
For example Mel R’s last post brings us back to the issue of how Camberwell is coping with the disproportionate number of vulnerable adults living locally.
Do you want to chat about that or shall we just keep listing restaurants?
Let’s just keep it light? Can anyone recommend an expensive restaurant? My Daddy is flying in for the weekend and has offered to treat me but I’d like to keep it local.…
No problem Mark– glad it worked out well for you.
Note my discussions with Peter earlier– I’d say that in creating a perception of a discerning social elite centred around a happening pub in an up and coming enclave of central London you are doing your job to perfection.
The loyal S&D devotee should rightly expect to reap the rewards for their devotion and it seems that you are delivering.
I’ll be there next time– but I’m not that popular so I may lie low…
Cushy B — have you checked out Willow at the bottom of Denmark Hill? I went there once when it first opened, back in the days of my first Camberwell experience. I haven’t been back in this re-incarnation. It strikes me as a traditional restaurant style place, though — and might have prices to reflect it.
A few people have mentioned it on here but I don’t recall anyone mentioning prices…
Thanks Mel — I have been there and its lovely but it’s actually pretty reasonable.
I think if I’m really going to sting the old man I’ll have to go up West or into Dulwich.
He doesn’t see me that often so I figure it’s fair enough…
Alan, It’s Joe not Jo. I stand by my comment:
“…every single frickin blog entry ends up with a discussion about house prices.”
But let me add:
“or gentrification”
Whatever it’s still boring.
Mel R — I ate there recently and it cost approximately £60 for a meal for two with a bottle wine. It was not bad — 7 out of ten.
Mark — I am sure the Cullum gig was good, but “a truly magical experience”? “Waves of brilliant, spine tingling playing”? Are you sure someone didn’t spike your drink?
Cushy B – if you really want to clean out your dad’s wallet, try and get a table at Chez Bruce in Wandsworth. Lovely, lovely food, though it might be hard to get a table at short notice.
Or if all else fails, try The Dark Horse, with 3 course, aperitifs and a good bottle of wine you should hit the £80 for two mark…
Ate at Seymours and had the worst pad Thai I’ve ever eaten. Though I have been told by my boyfriend that I am now banned from eating at Thai restaurants in London as they are just nowhere near as good as the ones I’ve tried in Australia. Like the atmosphere in Seymours though…
Cushy B
I can highly reccomend Upstairs in Brixton
http://www.timeout.com/london/restaurants/reviews/8846.html
Ms Standingby and I had an exquisite meal there before Christmas, the ambience was great, the service fantastic and the food wonderful. And it was expensive enough for it to be a real treat.
Typo — sorry Joe. Sorry you’re bored too.
I went to Ganapati in Peckham on Saturday. Very good.
It’s Indian but much better than standard.
More expensive than the average curry too. Worth a look Cushy but maybe it’s still a bit cheap for your high class tastes!
Cushy B, if I was being paid for I’d go to Franklins on Lordship Lane, East Dulwich, for its French and similar excellent cooking and wines.
Alan Dale likes the place, which is a good recommendation. Has anyone seen him, recently? It’s aspirational people like him and Lord Henry who keep the house prices up, you know, it’s not the gun shootin’ — that puts people off!
The modern, solid-wood furniture delivered last night to the BRB is really classy. It is all a far cry from the old Stirling Castle, Walmer Castle, Kerfield kind of alehouse we used to enjoy here!
Are you drunk Dagmar?
Red5 interesting that you call her Ms. Standingby but she calls herself Mrs.
Perhaps you should sit down together and assess whether there is a bit of an expectation gap to be addressed…
I can second a trip to Upstairs in brixton — it’s a wonderful place, althoguh perhaps more suited to a romatic evening out than a place to take the parents.
I think if you really want to empty the parental wallet you need to leave Camberwell for the night and go a restaurant with a SW or W postcode.
Try Racine on Brompton Road — wonderful old school French cooking and the wine list can make quite a hefty dent in the wallet.
Thanks for all the recommendations. Will mull it over. Can’t face Brixton with Dad– it’ll worry him no end.
Shame I can’t stay local. Maybe I’ll settle for the Dark Horse. Let him know it’s not all bad in Camberwell…
Anyone know anything about Riley Estate Agents on Denmark Hill?
I’m about to rent from them and they want a £500 holding fee, which as far as I can ascertain, does not by law hold anything at all.
POND LIFE, the Dorling Kindersley guide, would be a great volume to take into any local pub or dining room, gastropub or restaurant.
The obvious place to sit alone studying it intently and ostentatiously, maybe with a look of horror on the face accompanied by panicky glances round the room, turning away instantly from any eye contact, would be the Silver Buckle, but perhaps the guests in more self-conscious establishments would be more unnerved by this.
I was reading it in the Horniman aquarium yesterday. The spread on tadpoles was very poignant. They have “fleshy lips with rows of teeth for rasping away at water plants. At 7 weeks old they can eat dead animals that fall into the pond. Sometimes tadpoles even eat each other.”
Weird stuff. Looking at the tanks, I expected to see a shoal of chips go past.
Later in the museum I learned that the cockroach, Blatta orientalis, is “Cosmopolitan”, not just “Britain” or “Europe”. So anyone finding one in their food in SE5 should announce to fellow diners, “Hey cool! I just found a cockroach in my curry.” It’s all grist to the mill of house prices.
The black redstart is know as the “bombsite bird” because it lives on the seeds from plants that thrive there. They are found in great swathes of Deptford and Lewisham to this day.
Joe — I agree about posts on this this blog becoming dull as hell.
I know my last post wasn’t interesting, but it’s just cause I don’t want to get shafted out of £500.
Where did all the sodding yuppies come from? I miss Dagmar’s funny anecdotes. Not the whinings of yuppies. It’s Jamie Cullum for God’s sake. Not exactly Miles is it? You missed a secret gig. Shit happens.
I had some food from Su Thai last week.…Very good.
I also find the House price debate dissapointing. I’d rather a community where everyone feels safe, happy and feels they can contribute. House price rises may well be a consequence of this but its sad if that is the objective.
Fun please. Spring is round the corner.
Cushy B
Franklin’s. There’s a second Franklin’s at Kennington Cross — quite close by Camberwell. I think the top chef is there for the time being, so may be worth trying.
Upstairs is not edgy at all as far as Brixton goes. It’s genteel (a little too so for my liking) following some pretty wonderful wine we had a crap, very expensive meal there with friends who’d previously had a very good experience of the place (one used to manage River Cafe, I always trust his recommendations). The Maitre d’ — a French man — was biting his lip and averting his eyes as we left, he was so pissed off with us for asking him to take the service charge off the bill — we gave the waitress cash. He was incandescent. It was funny in a pity type way.
FoxyAl. No the drinks were not spiked. I had to stay relatively sober to take photographs for the record. It was just VERY good. There was a synergy between the musicians that worked wonders. I booked heavyweight musicians regularly in a previous life… and this was one of the best gigs I’ve seen anywhere. I’m just very pleased it happened in my gaff.
Oh and sorry; Thanks to you Louie, randomgirlie and southmark. And to you FoxyAl for going back to S&D after your first experience. Shame about the mugging.
The possible existence and acceptability of a local social elite, the seeming hypocrisy of enjoying the performance of an artist you don’t consider credible, even the relative merits of early adoption of the smoking ban. There is plenty in there for the more discerning blogger to debate– and the more discerning did exactly that. It’s just a shame there are so few of you.
To dismiss these posts as boring seems pretty small minded to me. Discuss?
Didn’t think so. Erm Ganapati? Willows, Bay, Phoenix? Thai food? Cocktails? Waiter? Barman? Traffic? Anyone?
I’ll get my coat…
S’not boring. Chat Alan?
Its funny how no one seems to mention Nando’s in Camberwell.
Given its one of the biggest restaurants in town and always seems to be packed with people — are we missing something??
Maybe because its a chain.….…
I think the best restaurants in Camberwell are Lamoon and the vietnamese place opposite Tadim’s.
I personally like Nandos. It is quick, easy and cheap. The only down side is that it is almost guaranteed to give you the runs.
I don’t think the regular clientel of Nandos are sufficiently middle class, liberal or secretly upwardly mobile to enjoy a blog like this.
What are peoples thoughts on the best place to watch the football in Camberwell?
Dagmar — thanks for the website — i’ll give him a call
Cushy B — if it’s posh your after can I put a word in for Beauberry House in Dulwich — beautiful setting in a georgian house and wonderful japanese inspired food — not massively expensive but definitely a treat
I last went to Nando’s two years ago; I’m not boycotting it or anything, just haven’t had the urge to go for a while.
I beleive Nandos wasn’t mentioned as the request was specifically for an expensive/posh restaurant in Camberwell as opposed to any restaurant.
I have been to Nandos’ before but seeing as i don’t like fried chicken it doesn’t really appear on my list of restaurants to go to very frquently.
Mark — I agree with you about the Upstairs bar. It is vastly overpriced and the Maitre d’ is a prick. You pay West End prices for very average food and then you walk out into a late night scary ghetto. You are expected to swallow all this because you are in Brixton and somehow you are being quirky or keeping it real and embracing its edginess. Rubbish, give me a posh street in South Ken every time.
Anyone got any thoughts for a venue for the football this evening?
If you go to the link for the Grove in the previous post and send in your email address, they may send you a voucher for a pre opening complementary lunch tomorrow between 12 –2pm. I can’t make it, but good luck to you guys.
I think that’s slightly unfair — i think everyoen in camberwell regarless of their background does go to Nando’s from time to time and thinks it is a perfectly good restaurant (i find it particualry great to take kids to — cos it has food they like but you can also sit down and eat and get beer/wine etc.. as well) I can’t speak for anyone else but as i said upthread the reason i hadn’t really mentioned going to Nando’s is that i don’t go cos i don’t like fried chicken — nothing to do with me not liking Nandos.
As I said, I’ve nothing against Nando’s, I just haven’t been there for a while. It’s alright; at the very least, grilled chicken is better than fried chicken.
@FoxyAl: I watch my football in the Cadeleigh Arms, except when it’s on Prem Plus in which case I walk over to Bellended Road. I understand the George Canning is good for football, although never watched any there myself.
In an effort to move the conversation away from Nandos and house pricesneither of which are particularly important in my life and move on to something that is — Woolworths!! I went to the new Woolworths in Peckham the other day for the first time since they redid it — it’s really nice!! I love Woolworths — it’s brilliant for loads of stuff like clothes dye, lightbulbs, cheap kitchen equipment, sewing stuff, sweets you can seem to buy anywhere else, cheap kids clothes ec.. So why is our Woolworths in Camberwell so rubbish and badly stocked? — i would really like to see a good one in Camberwell too.
Mimi — I said I liked Nandos! I don’t think anyone else had a go at it.
Peter — Thanks for that. Where is the Cadeleigh Arms?
On a football note i can’t claim to know much abouut it but last time i was in the Hermits cave they were showing the Man U/Tottenham game on a big screen.
I bought some sea bream from the Chinese fishmonger last year and BBQ’d them.
The guy was very helpful — he washed, skinned and filetted them for me.
I stuffed them with lime and garlic. Excellent result.
I have been in the Oriental Supermarket (as I think it’s called). There are some extremely weird-looking things in the freezers. Made my sanitised, Western sesibility come over a bit queasy. I don’t think I bought anything, but I did spend a very interesting 15–20 minutes or so browsing.
Woollies. You’re right Hannah, it’s a little gem for those odds and sods that you rarely need. I once, quite a few years ago, bought all my Christmas presents from Woollies. The problem with it is that different branches can be a bit hit and miss. I moved back to SE5 about five months ago, after a period of defection to Hackney. The Woollies in central Hackney is brilliant — big, loads of stock, tidy. The branch up the road in Stoke Newington is a poor relation — smaller, less reliable stock, pretty messy. The Camberwell branch unfortunately belongs to the poor relation side of the family.
I’ve just re-read my previous comment; I meant, of course, to say Bellenden Road — I wasn’t making any kind of satirical political statement.
The Cadeleigh is at the top of Shenley Road; a great little locals pub with a big screen for watching football.
I’ve had fish from Wing Tai on a couple of occasions, and it’s been excellent; the guys there will prepare it for you any way you want.
Also recommend the giant Tiger Prawns. Again I tossed them on the barbecue.
Half the price I paid for similar in Leadenhall Market.
I often work in the Lloyd’s building near Leadenhall and whilst I reckon it’s a nice place to take clients for lunch I’d say all the shops and stalls are extortionate.
There are alot of rich people around there and the prices seem to be inflated accordingly.
I’d say that’s also true of Borough Market.
Going back to bukowski333’s Q re. holding deposit found this advice on CAB website:
“Holding deposits
A holding deposit is money a landlord or accommodation agency asks you to pay when you agree to rent a property but have not yet taken up the tenancy. This deposit will probably be deducted from the security deposit you pay when you move into the property (see under Security deposits).
Before making any payment, you should be sure you want to take up the tenancy as a holding deposit cannot be returned unless you are unable to move in for reasons beyond your control. Examples of this are if the landlord asks for more rent than was originally agreed, or the accommodation is not ready on the date the tenancy is due to begin.
If you cannot get a holding deposit back although you have a good reason not to take up a tenancy you should consult an experienced adviser, for example, at a Citizen’s Advice Bureau. To search for details of your nearest CAB, including those that can give advice by email, click on nearest CAB.”
A good place to get advice on this and lots of other basic legal q’s is the Citizen’s Advice Bureau, or if you can’t make it down check out their website — http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/.
The Chinese fish men are very good. The prawns are excellent and they sell a few things that are quite hard to get elsewhere, like razor clams. I’ve never bought a live lobster from there, but am trying to pluck up the courage.
The shop also has an amazing range of fish sauce. Personally, I only buy the stuff produced on the island of Phu Quoc. Mmmmmm…stinky.
Explosive blogginess today! Lots of opinions and general friction. Fun fun!
I like Nandos.
HENRY GEORGE IMPEY SIDDONS was the great-grandson of Sarah, Mrs Siddons, the famous actress. His collected Shakespeare, the Caxton Edition of 1910, was dumped in the paper recycling bin on Lyndhurst Grove opposite the Lettsom. I rescued 14 of the 20 volumes. I laid them out open on the floor to air them — the musty smell disappears — and found my 3 year old girl and her other parent dancing on them, like on stepping stones, to the music of Vashti Bunyan.
Does anyone know why this fellow’s Shakespeare should have ended up in Camberwell? Did he have Camberwell connections? He was a teacher for many years in India.
If anyone thinks they’re too middle class for Nando’s they should check out the Clink St outlet. It’s built in the arches of Cannon Street railway bridge on the south side of the river.
It’s absolutely awesome. Huge and no expense spared on the decor. We took some South African ship builders there for a business dinner (their request) and everyone loved it.
(Despite the Portugese theme it’s actually a South African company.)
Having been to our SE5 outlet I have to admit it wasn’t what I expected.
FoxyAl are you the hirsute guy I have seen on TV wearing a shiny magenta suit and pink tie with a penchant for bingo?
I’ve driven past Beauberry House on the way to hockey. Will investigate further. Thanks again for all the tips.
I’ll let you know how we got on next week…
PS No offence but Nandos is definitely not my scene. I went to the one in Clapham once. Never again.
I can back up the good things said about the Chinese fishmonger.
Sopers over in Nunhead are also helpful and normally have a good range, including shellfish.
Dagmar:
The soon-to-be book/paper conservator in me is quite envious of your find! I did a quick online search and didn’t find much more on Siddons than you posted (though a great-grandson-in-law was looking for info on him about seven years ago; may be possible to ask him what he learned).
Take a bit of care airing out those books in your house; the musty smell could be a sign of mould, especially if the books are in poor condition and were outside and/or damp.
btw: Why did you leave the other six volumes in the recycling bin?
Hing & the boys at Wing Tai do a great job with the fish, and are exremely cheerful despite the slave trade hours they work. For the caffiene fiends check out the Vietnamese coffee there
Someone told me recently that Indonesian cigarettes are illegal here because they’re so strong.
Well, Stacy, I retrieved the books in two visits, the second of which involved delving down in the paper recycling bin quite deep. I got what I could. The books are quarto, with the pages cut. The damp is slight, no staining. The type is nice and big, they’re great. Shakespeare is good — paints the scene well just with words, long before special effects.
I emailed that chap researching Henry Siddons. He told me that his great-grandfather got high up in the Bengal Civil Services through Mrs Siddons close relationship with the Prince Regent.
Henry George Impey Siddons. Why is his Shakespeare in Camberwell? I reckon they came from the Grove or the Shenley-Talfourd Road area, maybe house clearance.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Indonesian cigarettes are too strong to be legal here — they absolutely stink. And I say that as a smoker. Isn’t it true that tobacco companies sell stronger cigarettes in poorer countries where there are less regulations, with the outome being more people getting hooked?
I am very excited at the prospect of Vietnamese coffee available to buy in Camberwell. I had given up looking for it. The woman who runs the Bay cafe will be pleased too — she told me she spends a fortune getting it shipped over so she can serve it in there. It’s soooo good served with condensed milk.
Dagmar — I too am intrigued about how and why Mrs Siddons’s great-grandson’s Shakespeare collection ended up in a recycling bin in Camberwell. (I am also intrigued about how you came to be looking in the recyling bin in the first place.) Was there not anything else in there? If it was house clearance, surely there would be more stuff. Are there any Siddons in the local phone book? Does the great-grandson you emailed have a family tree or any way of helping to identify whether there’s other relations in the area?
mel R
check out http://www.caphevn.co.uk for Vietnamese coffee,
Paul’s Olive shop sells it too!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0„2018274,00.html
Guardian reader — Agreed. A brilliant column.
What is the difference between Vietnamese coffee and normal coffee?
You’ll need strong coffee to follow the story about the musty volumes of Shakespeare. The thing is, Mel R, I was shoving my old newspapers in the paper recycling bin but they jammed, so I opened the lid to see what the obstruction was and it was books, loads of them.
These included “Stradella”, an Olympia Press porno book from 1966, “The Deer Hunter” by Norman Mailer and a 1969 facsimile of “Lenin: The State and Revolution”.
You’d think people would take such books to charity shops, but the shops don’t always take them. I once walked two heavy bags of books to the shop in Peckham but the lady said sorry, no more books.
The Cancer on Denmark Hill is good for books. The manager at the moment plays good music there, too.
I wonder, though, who knew Henry George Impey Siddons?
mrs standingby — Thanks
That, Dagmar, is the question that may hang forever over this blog like a little cloud of mysteriousness and intrigue. Have you concocted a cunning plan to attempt to find an answer? If I were you, I would attempt to get more out of the closest thing to a witness — H.G.I. Siddons’s great-grandson.
Foxy Al — Vietnamese coffee has a very distinctive taste, but I’m not very good at describing tastes. Can you help bunbohue? The coffee is served with a metal filter over the top of the cup or glass, so each drink is individually filtered. And — the best bit of all — it’s served with condensed milk in the bottom. The milk is so thick that it doesn’t mix with the coffee unless you stir it, so you can stir-in as much as you like according to your preferred taste.
I visited Vietnam about three years ago, and when I got back scoured the supermarkets around Hackney (there’s a large Vietnamese population in parts of Hackney — hence the restaurants at the bottom of Kingsland Road) with no success. I’m delighted that someone has spotted a gap in the market — thanks so much for that link, bunbohue. Viet Hoa is at least as good as any of the Kingsland Road restaurants, by the way. My move south is paying-off in so many ways!
vietnamese Coffee has a unique roast/blend style
chocolatey– nutty very strong but not bitter like Italian styles. Really good iced– with or without the condensed milk.
The Vietnamese only drink mega strong espresso
but it is very nice made in a cafetiere too
the most well known VN coffee is supposed to be digested and excreted by WEASELS
not a pleasant thought!- it is also very very expensive– so most/all weasel/chon coffee is likely to be fake so watch out!
wikpedia — Kopi Luwak — “civet coffee” — stomach enzymes break down the coffee berries’ bitterness. The Vietnamese weasels are a kind of civet. That’s what Camberwell needs, not a civic centre, a civet centre. Wake up and smell the coffee, Camberwell, no shit, arise ye starvelings!
Maybe we can produce our own Camberwell Coffee
but weasels/civets aren’t very appropriate for lovely SE5. How about Pit Bull Coffee ?
We could feed the little lovelies beans then harvest the goodies from the Green, Burgess Park
and pavements everwhere. It would help to clean the enviroment and be a useful cottage industry to raise Camberwell’s economic and social standing.
Clapham yuppies will be moving in by the coachload to sample the Rott shit nectar.
This is one of the best ideas to appear on Peter’s site since he himself recommended the Vineyard restaurant three years ago.
There is an urban belief story about argan oil, to be read on wikipedia. But Camberwell Coffee, yes, “We feed the pit bulls on Camberwell carrots first.” “Ya?” “Yeah.”
Roll out the barrel
Nando’s stories.
I met the owner / c.e.o. of nandos when the Camberwell branch was being built. I can’t remember his name now. He was S.A. and charming, very cheerful and breezy. He was the boss because his parents are the people who own Nando’s in South Africa. I asked him what he did before coming here to set up the fastest growing chain of restaurants in Britain (as it was then)? “Oh, before this?, why, I was a playboy”. Say it with a S.A. accent.
Dry, Stringy, Tasteless; Cardboard Chicken sells.
“These included “Stradella”, an Olympia Press porno book from 1966, “The Deer Hunter” by Norman Mailer and a 1969 facsimile of “Lenin: The State and Revolution”.”
I have an Olympia Press porno book too! Tis called “The Bedside Odyssey” and was innocently bought for me by my mum when I was studying Classics, in the (vastly) mistaken belief that it was an abridged version for light bedtime reading.… Still haven’t plucked up the courage to enlighten her.…
Olympia Press were erotic writing rather than porno, you can reassure her. She should read some Anais Nin, it’s never too late.
Start a new on Peter, go on!
I meant a new one not start anew on Peter
Olympia Press also published Nabokov’s LOLITA, and works by my fellow degenerate druggie, Alexander Trocchi.
I believe you meant Mailer’s THE DEER PARK, rather than THE DEER HUNTER, mistress Dagmar.
I’m in Noosa, Australia at the moment. I’m just off down to the beach. It’s scorchingly hot here.
Later, suckers!
I went for some beers last night with the Camberwell Irregulars. so here’s my review. you care.
First we went to the sun and doves; GOOD sound system, Very moody staff(except the slightly nervous looking guy with the mousey hair, he was friendly); LOTS of hip dulwich teenagers and a chap wearing what can only be described as a “mustard yellow roll neck jumper”.
Then we headed to the all new, all exciting GROVE. the general atmosphere is like being in an three star hotel lobby, and it’s £3.60 for a pint. sick! The highlight of the visit though was seeing the landlady / manager lady manically waving her arms around, and yelling things like “GO! GO! GO!” at her bewildered staff. maybe it’d be a nice place to take your elderly parents when they come to visit you etc, especially if the enjoy paying 4 quid for bread and olive oil, and like seeing a forty five year old woman demean her staff and run around like freddy mercury!
weary of rubbish, we headed for the pheonix, which was really good. friendly, funny barstaff, good atmosphere, and open til 1am!. i’ve only recently discovered the pheonix, but it’s rapid becoming my favourite boozer.
anyone know any good hangover cures? thought not.
xx
[Edited]
I was with Squidder from the Grove onwards. First impressions: walk in and see about 5 bar staff flapping around doing nothing and a couple at the bar pissed off because they can’t get the bottle of wine they want. The manageress was hilariously frantic and the manager was waving his arms round gesturing to too many bar staff to do stuff. I still had to wait a while to get a drink even though there was only one couple next to me farting about over which wine they can’t get. Sit down and it feels like a hotel lobby. Too bright, outrageously priced drinks and food. £4.25 for a starter, £20 for 2 sunday roasts (what about one?), Peroni on tap — good, but £3.60 a pint? They were playing bog standard Brewery approved Saturday Nite hits (Michael Jackson, handbag house) but at such a low volume it was like hearing it through someone else’s ipod.
In all, it feels like an overpriced wetherspoons trying to be classy with all the atmosphere of a hotel lobby. I felt sorry for them because they’ve obviously gone to so much effort to try and get it right. The Dark Horse must be happy. We sodded off to the Phoenix and had a nice evening.
[Edited]
[Edited]
Lord Henry! There you are! I thort it was you on the checkout at Netto the other day. A rather pale, diffident young man said to a customer, “It is with considerable reluctance that I am professionally obliged to ask you, would you like any cashback?”
Yore right about the DEAR HUNTER, I am so giddy!
If you have any lucid moments, I think you’d like the short stories of Saki. I found an old 1948 Penguin of them in the paper recycling the other day. He has characters called Filboid Studge, Groby Lington and Lady Bastable.
“To have reached thirty is to have failed in life.”
“Say what you like about the decay of Christianity, but the religion that produced Green Chartreuse can never really die.”
Mushti, urbandictionary.com is very good.
Lord Henry, what’s THAT?
[Edited]
Can we please be very, very careful about the insinuations/accusations about peoples behaviour or state? I’m not sure how the libel laws affect me.
I’d take those particular observations down if I were you Peter.
Alexander Trocchi (Lord Henry’s post no.105) was a situationist, which involved unitary urbanism and the construction of entire atmospheres and styles of life: “the situation”, “drift” and “recuperation” were all part of this.
What they are trying to do at the new BRB is situationist and should receive our full support. Imagine your opening night, and finding that your pub is visited by a gang of situationists lurching from situation to situation.
squidder / S&D
The slightly nervous looking guy with mousey hair — was either Dan or Chris depending on if it was curly or straight.
The Moody I’m working on.
Live Music there tonight.
The original quiz next Wednesday
Oops… Hoping to try the Grove tonight as well.
hi y’all.
yeah Peter, sorry if i’ve compromised you / the blog. obviously everything posted by myself here is an absolute work of fiction and bears no resemblance to any persons living or dead.
xx
[Edited]
Sorry Peter. I did say ‘seemingly’ though.
Any chance of getting one of my old comments removed? I regret saying my name is… and I’ve thrown shit out of a window. Alan Dale forced me into a tight corner.
Regrets…I’ve had a few
I’ve made a few edits to some of the comments here, to remove some comments and references to the comments. I think you know what I’m talking about.
Apologies to everyone involved; I don’t make a habit of it, and I’ve made clear which comments are edited.
Publish and be damned, says his Lordship!
I’m sorry I missed the debate about drunken tramps. I could have regaled you about the time Carstairs and I set fire to one. O the hijinks we used to get up to, until the wretch turned on me.
I’ve never tried Saki, Dagmar, but you have aroused my interest, you damned hussy. I am currently reading THE DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY by Erik Larson. It’s about one of my favourite historical characters — H.H.Holmes. We could do with a H.H.Holmes in Camberwell, I feel.
It’s still really hot here. I’m baking!
Can the one I requested be removed please Peter(comment 28 Golden Grill)? Googling my name and seeing it is not good. I’ll be good from now on and everything.
bukowski333: “fasces at the bottom of the pool” in Dulwich, surely? Otherwise, there seems to be a theme developing in your online work. And why not? We’re off to see the Gilbert & George this afternoon to see what the baby makes of it.
H.H. Holmes seems quite a charmer, Lord Henry!
Let us not forget that one amongst us, Christopher Logue, once wrote for the Olympia Press, and somewhere within the ley lines of Camberwell is completing his poem WAR MUSIC (Faber), his version of the Iliad.
Hi
Crikey this is all getting a bit controversial…
dagmar 120 re bukowski — was that faeces or fasces? It would be a brave man indeed who had a fasces on the bottom of his pool — although I have to admit my family crest is a fasces over crossed swords. Mishmash, as I’m sure you will have guessed, is not my real monicker.
The kids pool in Myatts Fields Park has a lovely teddy bear face on it , which apparently can be seen on google earth; but this face will not form part of the new park designs, which I have to say are excellent, but less ursine.
That was of little consequence wasn’t it?
Drew
@ drew. i remember seeing the teddy bear’s face in the paddling pool when i used to live near myatts fields and thinking it was very cute indeed. i’m sure you’re right, it is visible on google earth.
I like Myatts fields park, it’s really nice in the summer. i seem to recall drinking cider one evening there with Mrs Squidder and having a lovely time.
Water for play (?) at post development Myatts Fields will be water play in which death by drowinging is not part of the possible outcomes. i.e. there will be no pool, paddling or otherwise, no matter how shallow. Instead there will be some sculptural vertical objects that give water out at a height so, come hot summers’ days, kiddies and oldies alike will be able to dash through the spray and be refreshed and invigorated.
Thank goodness someone is finally going to put a stop to the enormous number of deaths by drowning at Myatts Fields.
What a shame! we could have sent some of our tramps there for permanent & terminal submersion.
Sculptural water features are unlikely to achieve this.
Myatts Field Park also has the oldest mulberry tree in London — although this time last year there was about twice as much of it!
The real problem with the paddling pool wasn’t the drowning it was the continuously recycled water; by Sunday evening it was largely constituted of pee, spilled suun delight, bleach and dissolved leaf mulch
What don’t kill you makes you stronger.
Drew Mishmash
personally I’m not miffed that I missed jamie cullum…
I’m ‚ore concerened with The Grove: popped in last night for a nosey and what was described as ‘candlelight grooves’ [vom!]. didn’t go specifically for that y’understand — just happend to be the theme. I was looking forward to a vodka and orange juice — and they’d run out of orange juice! bit bobbins. decor a bit old colonial. hopefully it’ll settle down and get a little bit distressed around the edges. depressing thought while there: I have been drinking in that pub [v on and off] for 25 yrs!
HENRY GEORGE IMPEY SIDDONS were Principle of Mohammadan Anglo Oriental College, Aligarh India from 1875 to 1884.
If anyone had any information of his life, feel free to write to me.
Thanks.