CamberwellOnline Blog
Camberwell and my life in it
Subscribe to the RSS feed
Recent Comments
- dman: that made of sound like an idiot. Back on public transport again today. So far so good.
- dman: Does anyone get the train from Denmark Hill to Victoria? Pain in the ar*e. I been forced onto public transport...
- dman: Like this one: http://www.toriewilkinson.com/ Torie%20Wilkinson%20Site/work% 202008/omen%20in%20the%20sky.h tml
- lucas: i mean www.toriewilkinson.com
- lucas: Just a blatant plug for my partners exhibition at Upstairs at The Bear this week. Private view from 7pm -...
Categories
flickr
Archives
Camberwell
Meta
Welcome to the Camberwell Online blog, a place for free and spirited exchange on anything with even a tangential connection to the South-East London district.
Rising sap
Published by Peter | Filed under Crime, Development, Eating & Drinking
I’ve been trying to ignore the fact that the weather is freakishly unusual, and trying to just enjoy it. The trees are in full blossom and Grove Lane is an explosion of pink and white. A walk is a pleasant experience (that is, until you come across all the detritus of the weekend’s post-pub sessions). Then, of course, idiots with guns bring you back to Earth.
Dropped into the Funky Munky last weekend for a pint and some chips; well, that was the idea, anyway, but the rather harassed barmaid told me they stop serving food at 5pm. Weird. Had just the pint, then, and tried to ignore the group of noisy Aussies at the bar.
Afterwards we went to the Castle for a couple. They had table service there; after ordering and bringing our change, the waiter returned and semi-mock-complained that we hadn’t left a tip; I had to explain to him that I’d ordered 10 minutes ago and he hadn’t actually brought my drink to me yet.
The Post Office at the foot of my street (on Peckham Road) faces closure. Not sure what that means for the owners; they’ve only recently taken it on, and had forked out to extend it through the back of the shop. I’ve rarely had cause to use it myself, but Post Offices are valuable resources to a lot of people.
Finally, did you know Camberwell hosts six of Southwark’s 38 Conservation Areas? Addington Square, Camberwell Green, Camberwell Grove, Camberwell New Road, Grosvenor Park (never been there) and Sceaux Gardens are all protected. That just makes it even more of a shame that the area around the Green is being allowed to fester.
March 4th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
THIS caught my eye today
[Reply]
March 4th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7275861.stm - this caught my eye.
It concerns Buster Martin who you will recall was featured on this blog and widely across the media about a year ago for fighting off muggers on his way home from the Fox on the Hill pub on Denmark Hill
[Reply]
March 4th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
(maybe if thats what drinking in the Fox on the Hill does for you we should all consider it! And such amazing value too)
[Reply]
March 4th, 2008 at 11:01 pm
Peter
Never been to Grosvenor Park? - A little gem which remains intact just off Walworth Road
It’s rather strange though because it leads right into the Brandon Estate at the Kennington Park end of Camberwell New Road
They probably demolished 20 roads like that and left just the one for posterity!
[Reply]
March 5th, 2008 at 7:35 am
Post Offices closing down yet another degradation of community.
Meanwhile, on Camberwell Church Street, the Lebanese cuisine place has opened. Further comment from me when and if I ever manage to get past the front door to sample the fare.
[Reply]
March 5th, 2008 at 7:36 am
Sorry I seem to mess up the html every time I try it. Anyway it’s called TASTE LONDON and, quite frankly, I don’t want to.
[Reply]
March 5th, 2008 at 7:56 am
Lets hope they stock ample quantities of crusty fried chicken, 99p a heap.
[Reply]
March 5th, 2008 at 10:15 am
woo hoo we won the quiz at the Bear last night! just wanted to tell you all that.
Anyone else in attendance?
We will be returning to the S&D quiz soon too, although I think that one is harder.
[Reply]
March 6th, 2008 at 10:52 pm
The Bickleigh has been sold. Some student types are living there on low rents to keep it aired in the meantime. They may soon be replaced by salarypeople in flats.
The film in the back room of the SLG is worth seeing just for the soundtrack. The film is melancholy and a bit mannered, but you get a good sense of what a poor country, Angola, really is - skinny kids, rusty ships and the telltale big oil terminals.
It’s a pity the art college doesn’t have a large bar. Many hopefuls were here today for foundation year interviews. Camberwell needs a big student bar. Colleges seem to be poor places these days relying heavily on rich students from abroad. It may be that the days of cultivating British creative edge are waning, the bland leading the bland, dulling traditional British fighting spirit in case it upsets the corporations.
I bung this in the pot and stir.
[Reply]
March 7th, 2008 at 8:29 am
I hope they don’t get their own bar. It’s their presence in the Hermit’s and the Munky that keeps Church St special.
Saw Amaryllis. Looks thorough. Seems optimistic setting up opposite the Doves though.
Well done on getting published Mark.
Looking forward to seeing Selborne Village added to the list of conservation areas. Perfect example of a mid-eighties housing estate. Just hope I can get a loft conversion first.
[Reply]
March 7th, 2008 at 10:19 am
True, Alan. I forget my own opinions. The William IV on Albany Road has been turned into art. The paper says it will be turned into a youth facility. I hope they have a large staff.
[Reply]
March 7th, 2008 at 10:25 am
I went to The Bear the other night with a friend, just to investigate.
They have done a fine, sympathetic job and the food menu looks very tasty - lots of game and other roasted meats
Amaryllis looks inviting…not sure that they needed to print the dictionary definition of the word on the window though…
[Reply]
March 7th, 2008 at 11:17 am
Camberwell a-z Amaryllis, Bear, Caravaggio, Doves, E…., Fox-on-the Hill…
What’s the E?
[Reply]
March 7th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Extra chilli sauce. Or Edwardes.
[Reply]
March 7th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
Grove, House, Indiaah, J… can’t be done.
Erm eye spy with my little eye..
[Reply]
March 7th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
with my little I
[Reply]
March 7th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
Z - Zeret Kitchen
Always good to get the difficult letters out of the way first…
[Reply]
March 7th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Great Xpectations
[Reply]
March 7th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
k..?, Lip Smacking African Cuisine, McDonalds, Nandos, O…., Patty Island, Q……, Red Star (food? no), Seymour Brothers, Taste London, U….
[Reply]
March 7th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
j The Jungle Cafe with fig laden back garden great fry-up.
[Reply]
March 7th, 2008 at 5:16 pm
Hmmm. Wasn’t Amaryllis the name of the high end british eclectic resto that Gordon Ramsay opened in St James’s Street a copuple of years back, promptly lost its one Michelin star and nearly busted him? Been a while since I cruised St J on the look for eateries y’see.
[Reply]
March 7th, 2008 at 11:01 pm
There are a lot of great places and things about in Camberwell
If we can get the local government to improve the traffic management and get some more reliable rail transport down here, then the transformation will follow…
Like I said, we need to reclaim Camberwell Town Hall, now that Southwark don’t want it
Maybe there is a case for many London Councils to downsize and split into smaller, more manageable concerns - just because it seemed like a good idea in 1966 to create larger boroughs does not mean that it is still valid now…
Bring on the revolution!
[Reply]
March 8th, 2008 at 12:46 am
95% of arisings are recycled.
This is the slogan on their tipper trucks and that’s what Conways of Dartford do. As ever, they are doing an absolutely totally excellent job of resurfacing the top of Camberwell Grove and fitting the new traffic lights, whilst Railtrack investors lie gasping with acid reflux on their daybeds in the Home Counties or inside their villas further afield in France, Spain, Italy or Tuscaninnit, boring each other to death.
Still, me and numerous daytime toddlers have fallen in love with Conway’s fabulous mechanical Jurassic equipment which has been shattering, grinding, scoffing, regurgitating and replacing the Grove roadwear.
Maybe it is profoundly a matter of pride to us that Camberwell is not a dead end, but by definition on the road to somewhere else, like all true life always is.
[Reply]
March 8th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Dagmar, once you get off the main highways that run through it, Camberwell is full of dead ends.
[Reply]
March 8th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
Mark @24
Yeah, that would be the really intelligent town planning that was perpetuated from the 1960’s onwards…
The way I see it is -
A high street/town centre is like a heart and all the streets surrounding it are the arteries which feed blood (life) into it and thus keeping it healthy and vibrant
When a large number of those streets are turned into cul-de-sacs or into one-way systems or are simply obliterated then the heart starts to malfunction and the community is dead
[Reply]
March 8th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
but at least the streets are quieter ??
[Reply]
March 8th, 2008 at 6:36 pm
eusebiovic @25 I concur
[Reply]
March 8th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
The 99p shop has Zest soap made in Mexico, smells great, contains limonene, used as paint stripper. The shop’s Colgate herb toothpaste made in Zimbabwe was great, sold out quick at two for 99p.
[Reply]
March 8th, 2008 at 11:52 pm
You watch. Africa will be the next big thing. And Peru. China’s backing them.
[Reply]
March 8th, 2008 at 11:53 pm
Could we get China to back Camberwell?
I’m not being flippant.
[Reply]
March 9th, 2008 at 12:25 am
Well the Ho Lok in Ivanhoe Road is back in Camberwell. They do very good Ho Fun including Plain Ho Fun, Singapore Style Squid (beaten into submission) and Spare Ribs with Honey, lovely, mm…
Africa will not be the next big thing. I have had this argument with Nigerians over and over again, they who should be leading the way but never do. Blimey, just watch the film at the SLG about poor Angola, which is a rich in resources. Zimbabwe - what a waste, basket case, car crash.
Don’t you mean Chile not Peru? Once they dumped the generals and colonels, they’ve did well.
I am proud to wear my uniform in the street in Camberwell, even if it is a confusing mix of blue hair, lingerie, denim, leather and God knows what - what a look!
It may be all split ends, but welcome to me endz.
[Reply]
March 9th, 2008 at 2:01 am
Just you wait and see.
[Reply]
March 9th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
@29, Its not what you’ve got, its what other people do with it that counts.
[Reply]
March 10th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
Hope you enjoyed the sunshine when we had it. Seems like half the polar ice cap is raining down on us today.
Ultra-fast getting to work on the bike this morning, thou. Wind-assisted riding. Love it.
[Reply]
March 10th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
I left the bike at home this morning and joined the gently steaming, rain soaked passengers on the bus. I’ve suffered one too many sudden gusts around E&C, London’s most unpredictable wind tunnel. I’m only light and get buffeted easily.
[Reply]
March 10th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
I decided to cycle in today, and it was fine until the hailstorm when I was at E&C. On Blackfriars Bridge the storm passed and the clouds parted. I was soaked, but it was still quite nice.
[Reply]
March 11th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
On my weekly excursion to Camberwell Green yesterday I noticed that the pavements had been cleaned. Looked quite nice for a change.
[Reply]
March 11th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
Mr Dale - is it true that you’re joining the cast of Spamalot as King Arthur? The telephone boxes around SE5 are plastered with advertising hoardings announcing the fact?
[Reply]
March 12th, 2008 at 10:31 am
Off on a tangent, sorry. Wanted to mention this on the Forum site but my login no longer works and it won’t let me regiser. Ah well.
Anyone remember The The? They’ve joined the campaign to stop the proposed development of Shoreditch and knocked up this little video http://www.youtube.com/user/saveshoreditch
Different objectives, but interesting to see how another close-knit part of town is rallying against the big guns.
[Reply]
March 12th, 2008 at 11:04 am
Oh so its not just me - its a general problem with the forum website then. Who do we contact to right it?
[Reply]
March 12th, 2008 at 11:53 am
Thanks for posting the problems with the Forum site here. Will try to get something done about it asap…
It’s odd actually, in the last fortnight my home internet service stopped entirely for three days, BT admitted fault at exchange and repaired it; the Sun and Doves’ free wireless broadband has been completely down, which is serious and affecting business - ISP for the line (186K) say nothing wrong at their server end and BT at fault although the telephone service on that line is working fine, and now this for the last few days.
I wonder. Any one else experiencing problems with connection?
COOL we can edit posts for five minutes! At last a chance to get correct those embarrassing typos.
[Reply]
March 12th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
alot of my emails are going missing, and not arriving either, or taking a few days….I might have to ring people instead.
[Reply]
March 12th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
Mark, please post when Wi-Fi up and running. At the moment I am unable to ‘work from home’ because of this!
[Reply]
March 12th, 2008 at 12:54 pm
There are fairies at the bottom of our garden.
[Reply]
March 12th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
You’ve got a garden? Biodiversity alert - someone call the brownfield development police.
[Reply]
March 12th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
copeywolf - the the played our student union in the late 80’s - round about their soul bomb time iirc - and pretty good they were too.
friend of mine wrote her undergrad diss on the lyrics of matt johnson. them was the days, eh?
[Reply]
March 12th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Quick word on The Bear. Had my first meal there. Breakfast on Sunday.
Bit of free advice to the staff: when a youngish couple walk in, one of whom is carrying a broadsheet paper, neither of whom are obviously high / drunk / on glue, or leading a dog on a bit of string, then you don’t really need to make them leave a credit card behind the bar before they’ve even sat down.
Because that doesn’t look very good. In fact, I’ve never had it happen before.
The barmaid who asked me this then looked like I’d shat in her mouth when I refused to leave a card behind the bar. Last bloke I know who did that in London saw £1,200 lifted out of his account.
She then insisted on a cash deposit.
If we hadn’t just left the Munky after waiting 15 minutes for any sort of breakfast service (this at noon), then we’d have walked, but we gave it a go.
The food was very good, and the service was fine. The money up front policy was not fine. Who knows, maybe it was that one Polish barmaid. Maybe it was us.
[Reply]
March 12th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
Yes I have seen similar happen - is it because the Bear is split between its two roles of pub and restaurant, each traditionally with different systems of paying, not sure which one it is.
Or else is it just the lowest paid member of staff applying company policy too harshly - maybe the demanding credit card/ money up front is essential if it is very busy (or was a large pub like the Doves) but not really appropriate in the small well controlled space of the Bear.
[Reply]
March 12th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
It would be a shame if anyone thought discourtesy is the norm in the Bear. Every time I’ve been there they’ve been charm itself.
Last time I was there, on a Monday, they had some sort of pie-and-ale special menu going and the barman fetched samples of the various ales to our table so a beer-wary friend could decide if she liked any of them.
[Reply]
March 12th, 2008 at 6:47 pm
It is the policy at the Bear to leave your credit card behind the bar, which I’ve done without thinking about it. But I wouldn’t do it anywhere else these days having been defrauded recently. It’s not the eastern European barmaid’s fault - it’s the pub policy. That said, it was crammed with people on quiz night, Tuesday, and we do need a decent pub in the area. On balance, I’m pleased it’s there. I mean, it’s not like Camberwell is blessed with many good boozers.
[Reply]
March 12th, 2008 at 7:05 pm
Just an added comment - apart from the fact it was nearly always empty, served so-so grub and had a strangely demotivated staff - does anybody know why the Mozarella and Pomodoro shut down? And what happened to the Brazlian waiter I always used to talk to in Portuguese - I hope he’s got a job!
[Reply]
March 12th, 2008 at 7:43 pm
Keeping Card policy. I can understand it easily, being the victim of a considerable number of ‘runners’ on a frequent basis at The Sun and Doves. Do you want to be nice to customers and be often ripped off yourself or risk the customers thinking you are going to rip them off by abusing their card?
No contest. If as a customer your card is abused by a bar or restaurant - you can sue them and perhaps decide never to go back.
If you are a bar or restaurant who doesn’t want to offend most customers by asking to keep a card as surety against a tab, well the unscruplous people who do runners just walk out and there’s no compensation whatsoever.
You can’t easily boycott or bar them in future can you?
What would YOU DO?
Mozzarella and Tomato - landlord wanted the premises back - did rent review - upped rent and incumbent left. This is what I was told. Doesn’t all stack up - landlord and tenant act and all that but who knows what goes on behind closed doors in Camberwell?
[Reply]
March 12th, 2008 at 9:23 pm
I’d keep the card or get cash up front.
Kinda weird for a resturant, but normal for a pub.
[Reply]
March 12th, 2008 at 10:34 pm
As I’m new to Camberwell, interested to know a few things…
- Is the New Devanian as bad as my neighbours say it is - they gripe about the quality of the meat.
- Where can you get a decent Sunday lunch?
- What’s the Funky Munky like?
- Why isn’t there a cinema in this area?
And…I never thought I’d miss having a Tesco but….
[Reply]
March 12th, 2008 at 10:44 pm
Regarding the keep-card policy: we are the only country that I’ve yet visited where this is even an issue. Everywhere else I’ve been to you can sit down, drink the night away, then pay your bill on the way out. Even in the middle of nowhere in Brazil, which we would consider third world, it isn’t even considered that you would leave without paying your bill. What does that say about England/Britain?
[Reply]
March 12th, 2008 at 11:09 pm
Welcome Ross
In answer to your questions
- Is the New Devanian as bad as my neighbours say it is - they gripe about the quality of the meat.
Ive had good and bad experiences at new Dewanian, at one point we used to alternate it with going to Safa for Indian meals but now we only go to Safa (Camberwell Church St) as we find it consistently good,
- Where can you get a decent Sunday lunch?
Sun and Doves, Castle, George Canning are all good, maybe Dark Horse Funky Munky or Bear too (havent been on Sunday so dont know - menu looks good), wouldnt recommend the Grove, Fox on the Hill.
- What’s the Funky Munky like?
Good for drinks, not so keen on the food
Try out all the pubs in the area and find one you like! Maybe make it a mission to try two or three a night?
- Why isn’t there a cinema in this area?
There used to be three (or maybe more?) but were either knocked down or converted into snooker hall or bingo during 1970/80s. I guess its not viable (or they perceive its not viable) for a cinema company to open a new cinema/reconvert
And…I never thought I’d miss having a Tesco but…
The Kennington Tesco is relatively close as is the one on Old Kent Road otherwise try Sainsburys on Dog Kennel Hill. I have heard rumours about a Tesco opening (and I’m quite frankly surprised they havent given their aggressive expansion strategy in recent years) but they havent come to anything.
[Reply]
March 13th, 2008 at 12:13 am
Lidl are currently selling unicycles for 25 quid.
[Reply]
March 13th, 2008 at 9:02 am
re: pay-up-front
It does say something about the culture in Britain. That’s *our* culture, I guess.
I think it’s deep rooted in London’s history.
[Reply]
March 13th, 2008 at 9:18 am
@54 Welcome to Camberwell Ross;
New Dewaniam - we use it for takeaway only and it’s solidly good but we are heavy on vegetarian. If there’s a problem with meat tell Jay - the owner - he will want to know. And so should everyone tell the manager of a food place if you think something is substandard.
Decent Sunday lunch - Bear - Sun and Doves, George Canning (especially for pork).
Funky Munky? Never go there socially. I get on well with Sean the manager & the owner.
No Cinema in this area - welcome to Camberwell, see you in fifteen years.
Tesco but… how about a Waitrose?
@57 I’m off to Lidl
@58 some people do runners everywhere not nice but true, and more round here than other places I’ve worked.
[Reply]
March 13th, 2008 at 9:25 am
Having problems with my broadband connection again. It’s not just me is it?
Went to the broadband speedtest site and it’s so slow the page won’t load.
[Reply]
March 13th, 2008 at 9:38 am
@50
Hello Ross and welcome! I am a massive fan of the Bear, I was there on the quiz night with the BF and the flatmate, we didn’t do very well this week although last week my team won (it was bolstered by an architect, a scientist and an economist though!).
I have been slack and given over my card on all occasions that I have been there, what annoyed me a bit was that I kept going up to the bar and kept being told to sit and down and someone would come over. I explained that I knew that service was available yet, here I am, at the bar…..
anyway unsurprisingly when the bill came they had added a 10% service charge. Anyway I’m just being picky.
Also, although we all ordered our food together it came at quite vastly different times.
The Sunday lunch however is EXCELLENT, I have taken my mum there and she’s a very harsh critic and she loved it.
Although I’ve lived around here since last June I’ve not been too good at visiting the pubs, so far I’ve been to the S&D (love it) the Grove (dead quiet) The Black Sheep and the Bear, which is my local.
My flatmate is going on a date with someone she met on a bus (!!!) tonight, they’re going to the Phoenix so I’ll get her view on that afterwards.
On the subject of takeaways, from the ND they’re usually alright, although they have messed up one aspect of my order all three times I’ve ordered from them.
I would give The Papadom on Camberwell New Road a wide berth (just my opinion) I was sucked in when on the way home a bit merry one night and I have no idea what meat they gave me but it sure wasn’t chicken or lamb….
I now order from Taste of India which I find is excellent.
Imagine my joy last week when a menu from the Bombay Bicycle Club dropped through my door, they’re open in East Dulwich, Hallelujah! I am previously from Fulham where I enjoyed many an excellent curry from them.
I am excited about Amarylis, is it a pub or restaurant though? It’s added to the list of places to try along with Safa, Caravaggio, the Thai place in Simpsons, and the lip smacking african place. Should keep me busy for a while…
[Reply]
March 13th, 2008 at 11:05 am
Quick review to add to rather than contradict other posters!
Hermits Cave is a great pub as well. A melting pot where all strands of Cambwerwell life meet.
Viet Hoa on Camberwell Church St is great for vietnamese. Also been enjoying the Eastern Tree on Coldharbour Lane recently. Odd place. converted from an odd pub. Food very authentic and lots of vietnamese customers.
Thai in Seymours is charming but be prepared to wait. The Thai at the begining of Coldharbour Lane is very good too.
Welcome to Camberwell.
[Reply]
March 13th, 2008 at 11:50 am
And Ross there is no Cinema in Camberwell but two very nearby.
Peckham Multiplex for cheap mainstream films (although avoid Saturdays as the auditorium can get quite lively!) and the Brixton Ritzy for both mainstream and arts cinema and a rather nice bar - both within a 10 - 15 min bus ride of Camberwell.
[Reply]
March 13th, 2008 at 1:04 pm
oops I meant Seymours
[Reply]
March 13th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
All the waiters and chefs from Mozzarella e Pomodoro are now working in Caravaggios! I asked them what happened to Mozz Pom and they said it’s being sold. I was happy to see them all again though and the meal we had at Caravaggio’s was lovely so I’m less bothered about MP’s closure now.
[Reply]
March 13th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
Card up front at the Bear.
Yeah, I guess it’s just Camberwell. It’s a shame they had to ask for the card and or cash up front. It sort of ruined the opening of a nice meal.
I can understand how people would just peg it out of there. Britain’s full of that isn’t it. V sad.
I’m a big fan of Viet Hoa and have been many times but I walked in the door with my girl last week and we both did an about turn and walked straight out. It stank. Just really did not smell good.
Not the food or the Asian cooking smells. They just need to really clean that place up a bit, get some extraction in.
Looking back, I remember my parents complaining how much their clothes reeked after I took them there.
Get some fans in people.
We went to Tadim instead. V good.
Peckhamplex prices seem to have gone up.
How much longer can The Grove survive? It’d be a shame if it closed, though I never go there cos it’s not that good.
[Reply]
March 13th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
Course, just realised the reason I’ve not been asked to leave a deposit for a meal upfront is because in pubs you usually pay when you order. But that’d make a mess of the service and restaurant slant that the Bear is after. Ah well, would go back anyway.
[Reply]
March 13th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
If you can get to Denmark hill station Clapham Hight St is 3 mins away for the Clapham Picturehouse http://www.picturehouses.co.uk/cinema_home_date.aspx?venueId=cph
[Reply]
March 13th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
re: Tesco
The 99p shop is selling a very limited selection of Tesco branded low quality stationary. If memory serves me right its envelopes and may be some naff writing paper. Certainly envelopes.
Hope that helps.
[Reply]
March 13th, 2008 at 11:37 pm
It does help, Duff, it does. The Tesco stationery is flying off the shelves, it’s not stationary. The shop’s Zest soap from Mexico, I now discover, contains not just limonene (if you squeeze orange, lemon or grapefruit skin in front of a flame, the spray catches fire - this is the hydrocarbon limonene) but also linalool, a terpene alcohol also got from citrus fruit and other fine plant life. I think that’s why I’m now hooked on the soap, not just the suggestion that it may contain Mexican hallucinogenics.
My common-law partner saw a friend in the 99p shop today who scuttled away embarrassedly on being sighted - she is normally friendly. We’re all at it! It really is an Aladdin’s Cave there.
Forgive me. I am high on linalool, or loonalin, or something.
[Reply]
March 14th, 2008 at 9:45 am
Ross Todhunter
If you want some reliable Indian Takeaway - I highly recommend The Chutney in Herne Hill (opposite Brockwell Park)
That credit card behind the counter at The Bear can sound like an inexperienced bar staff situation - Then again, from what you say you and girlfriend are probably a pair of fine upstanding citizens but you’d be surprised at how many people who look like you try to get away with not paying meals in bars/restaurants, whether they just walk out or kick up a fuss about perfectly good food
Sad, but these are the times that we are living…as I’m sure Mark would agree
[Reply]
March 14th, 2008 at 10:04 am
Not really too sure what all the fuss is re ‘cards behind the bar’. I lived north London until I moved down here 7 years ago and all the pubs that did food required a card to be left at the bar, unless of course you paid when ordering. Guess we’re a only just getting used to these new fangled ideas down here
[Reply]
March 14th, 2008 at 11:12 am
Yes i’ve had to do this in several pubs throughout London.
Although i experienced a new level of distrust last week at the Bexleyheath Marriott (It was for work ok - i’m not in the habit of holidaying in Bexleyheath!) Where they took £50 off my credit card upfront in case of any expenses!
[Reply]
March 14th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
Bexleyheath Marriott. Euww. Sounds grim.
[Reply]
March 14th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
It’s surprisingly ok actually - but you still have to go to Bexleyheath which i wouldn’t recommend
[Reply]