Friends & Me - For Dawn

The said heatwave actually only lasted about 2 days but even in such a short amount of time, I've managed to burn myself to a frazzle AGAIN.  You'd think I'd learn after all these years.

One of my best & oldest (not as in age but as in having known her) friends came to visit from NY for a few days this weekend.  When we met in the 90s, we were part of a huge group of people who came together via the britpop scene in London.  We had our in jokes and laughed til we cried on regular occasions.  (Note to those friends - remember the "he's got a pulse" incident?).  Sadly, we all grew up and went our separate ways at the end of the 90s.  Those important people in our lives stayed in touch, thanks to Facebook and determination, and even though we don't all get together very often, when we do, it's like we only saw each other yesterday. 

We ventured to my new favourite place, The Railway Tavern, twice this weekend.  It's obviously Jimi Mistry's favourite place too and he seems to be there a lot.  I was, however, more excited about seeing OB from Hollyoaks...for pure comedy reasons.  Fantastic to see friends from Brighton who have just moved down the road from me and who are loving their new London lives so far.

It was CBML's 1st birthday this Saturday.  Well done Jet!  I feel strangely odd if I don't make it to the market when it's on every month as there is always something to look at and always something to buy!  The hat that I've been eyeing up for the past 3 months has been reduced from £30 to £18!  I'm hoping that by the next market, it'll be a tenner and I'll swipe it up!  Dawn purchased a gorgeous pair of red 60s shoes.  I'm always sad that I don't have normal size 5 feet so miss out on so many lovely things.

We went dancing on Saturday night!  To Hip City, at it's new, much improved venue.  The club is as close as it possibly can be to my all-time favourite mod club, Sneakers.  I started to go there when I was 18 or so and it made a huge impression on me.  Sundays meant, more often than not, driving up to London from Swindon, getting changed in a restaurant en route, and dancing at The Bush Hotel for a few hours, before driving back to Wiltshire in time for work the next day. 

Other things of note this weekend.......a gorgeous meal in Thaitanic, the Crescent Road plastic bat returning, and a planned picnic on Primrose Hill that resulted in us eating our sandwiches on the bus before even getting there!

See you soon Miss C x

Rainy Days and...umm Sundays

Do you like what I did there?

Will this rain never end?  Why does it always rain when I have visitors?  Weather questions that need to be answered!

Alison & Jimi came to stay this weekend and I was hoping to show them Crouch End bathed in sunshine.  Alas no!  Nevertheless, we had a lovely time...just a lovely time in the rain rather than the sun.

Highgate Fair in the Square was on Saturday.  There were about 50 or so stalls, mainly run by local groups/charities.  I was very happy to see the lovely ladies from The Little Chill Cafe' (soon to open their own bricks & morter cafe') selling their wares.  If I wasn't already full from mascarpone cheesecake, you all know I would have bought something.  (Talking of which, why is there never any Sloe Gin Eton Mess at The Angel Inn when I go?).  The Pearly Kings & Queens were out in force again.  Another mystery....is there really such a thing as a Highgate Pearly Queen?  Surely you can't hear the sound of bow bells in N6!  We walked back to Crouch End after the fair, along lovely Hornsey Lane and over the infamous, unmentionable bridge where a man lingering around by the railings, muttering to himself, made me feel very uncomfortable.  I hope he made it home safely.

Saturday night?  Zen Sai Happy Hour?  It'd be rude not to.  Where were all the 50s folk this weekend?  At least Johnny No Cash turned up or it would've been dead as a doorpost.  I think we drank our way through the Happy Hour menu pretty easily....from mango daquiris to melon & strawberry concoctions to dark & stormys.   I was born to drink cocktails you know....cocktails and champagne.

On a whim, we decided to go to the Doublebreasted Modzine alldayer, A Little Mixed Up.  We got to see a couple of bands, The Mynd Set and Modus, both of which were pretty good actually.  I don't like alldayers much normally.  The thought of being stuck in a dark & dingey pub from early afternoon to gone midnight generally fills me with dread....I remember being stuck in The Forum once at a mod revival day and climbing the walls...not because I don't like the bands or seeing people, more the fact that you are quite often nowhere near anything worth being near, with nowhere else to escape to. 

Sunday, rain, and breakfast/brunch (what time does brunch happen???) at Haberdashery where I had a particularly scrummy halloumi veggie breakfast.  As my friends said, Haberdashery have got it right in just about every sense.....good service, good value & yummy, interesting food.  Tea always tastes better from teapots and out of china cups, and tea at Haberdashery is particularly good. 

Finished off the weekend with a quick trip to East Finchley Festival in Cherry Tree Wood.  Not a lot to say about it really as....it rained.  The stalls weren't really my sort of thing but then again, I'm a fussy so and so.

The weekend starts here!

Another weekend gone in the blink of an eye.  I'm very aware that on a Sunday night, I'm already planning the next weekend's goings on but am also very aware that my life probably won't be quite exciting in Winter!

An early start on Saturday so as to get to the Hobbs 75% off sale in Belsize Park before everyone else!  Getting there 5 mins early paid off as 15 mins after the advertised start time, it was carnage!  Posh birds scratching each other's eyes out over a suit jacket.  Not true - I made it up - but it was crowded with middle-aged North London ladies grabbing anything that looked like it might have fitted them - whether they wanted it or not.  For once, quite a few things were too big for me but I did end up going home with a nice black skirt with pleats in the back AND which was a size 12.  Take note everyone, a size 12!!!!!  A quick trip to the Emporium Bakery afterwards, just for a coffee I might add.  They re-stocked the cakes just as we were leaving - the swines! 

Whilst in Belsize Park, we walked past an interesting little place that turned out to be the Everyman Cinema.  We will be returning as it looks like it could be a nice little venue.  Shame we missed the Vidal Sassoon film.

Saturday night was random to say the least but, looking back, was fairly interesting I guess.  We went down to the Royal Festival Hall on the Southbank to watch a supposed re-creation of Ready Steady Go!  (part of Meltdown this year).   Now, in my mind, a re-creation of a cult 1960s music show should consist of bands of the time, playing songs of the time, surrounded by dancers on stage.  Manfred Mann kicked it off with "5, 4, 3, 2, 1" (one of many singles that my Mum gave to me when I was 12) and I had high hopes for the night but there was a wasted opportunity for greatness!  Amongst the original bands were current artists, singing their own current songs.  All a bit wrong if you ask me!  When Carl Barat came on, the elderly couple next to me asked who he was!  I felt a bit for those people who paid over £30 expecting something a bit different than they got.  There were, however, moments of brilliance - Sandie Shaw (who looked like she was having the best time in the world) and David McAlmont.  Nona Hendryx dragging people on stage to dance was a cringeworthy moment but not as cringeworthy as her tribute to Dusty Springfield, where she didn't know the words to "I only want to be with you".  Uggh.

Our omnipresent mate Dave was djaying after the show.  The Elvis wig dancing men had turned up, which is a sign of a good night!  If anyone reading this knows anything about them, I'd love to hear their story.  They are of a similar ilk to the Michael Jackson jazz dance man from Brighton!  Geno Washington did a free (what seemed like) 4 hour set which must have been pretty darn amazing for his fans.  I saw him once, years ago, in Swindon where, I think, Teddy White & the Popular Boy Crooners supported him.  All these years later, he's still as mad as a box of frogs but I love him.

Rain prevented play yesterday so that was my weekend.  Over & out.....

It's been a long time coming....

and Take II.  I've got over my strop from the other day and am hoping I don't lose a whole blog again because of some silly update on here.

So, where were we?  Oh yes, Monday nights mean Soho Film Club don't they?  A couple of weeks ago we went to a night called "Strip, Strip, Hooray" - a series of short films featuring the glamour model come actress, Pamela Green.  The said lovely lady only passed away last year but from a full room at The Sanctum, it'll be a long while before she's forgotten.  I loved seeing curvy women as I am one!  They made me realise that it's ok to have big boobs, big hips and a stomach....I forget that sometimes, so thank you Pamela and your buxom pals.  After the films, and a reading from her book, Trixie Malicious did a short striptease act which was strangely enjoyable and particularly funny when Mr Pereno got involved!  Apparently another lovely lady, Debbie Harry, popped in during the films.  I'm sad not to have noticed her but I'm sure she would have looked as fantastic as ever.

Looking through my diary, it seems I've visited a million and one vintage fairs since I last wrote a blog.  Can't Buy Me Love at The Boogaloo (soon to be a year old), Hampstead Vintage, NL Vintage, Pop Up Vintage in Crouch End, Bar Boot, Primrose Hill Vintage and the (possibly) last Wills Moody Rock & Roll Jumble Sale.

Out of those, I will always recommend Can't Buy Me Love, both the market and their shop in Muswell Hill.  Jet does a great job and I have no doubts that it'll continue for a long while to come.  Onwards & upwards Miss Payne!  I particularly enjoyed Hampstead Vintage Fair.  I think it was their first one and it was pretty impressive.  Some nice items, and some bargains amongst the expensive things.  I picked up a nice blue dress for a tenner.  Now that IS a bargain in my book!  Primrose Hill Vintage was another nice little trip out.  It was more 40s & 50s than 60s but once again, some nice items.  Prize for the best vintage day out though goes to Wills Moody.  I'm sad that I didn't get to more of them, having only moved back to London a little while ago and now they are no more at the lovely little social club in Euston.  There are rumours that the Lexington may be the next venue and here's hoping.  Anyways, I digress.....having been bought up on jumble sales, Wills Moody is definitely my thing.  5 mins in and I'd got 3 dresses, a top and a pair of shoes, all for £11. 

I think I may well have made it to the end of a blog entry without my damm Macbook losing it.  So, before it does, I'm off!  Have a lovely weekend readers! x

Ooh Matron!

I'd just written a whole page about going to see a night dedicated to lovely Pamela Green, strippers, Soho and Bar Boot....and the darn thing crashed, not saving any of it.

I am now in a strop! 

When I can face it again, I'll start again.  In the meantime, here's a picture of Pamela to keep you going!