Dr. Fu Manchu: A classic best forgotten?
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- Created: 28 October 2016 28 October 2016
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Imagine a person, tall, lean and feline, high-shouldered, with a brow like Shakespeare and a face like Satan, a close-shaven skull, and long, magnetic eyes of the true cat-green. Invest him with all the cruel cunning of an entire Eastern race, accumulated in one giant intellect, with all the resources of science past and present, with all the resources, if you will, of a wealthy government-- which, however, already has denied all knowledge of his existence. Imagine that awful being, and you have a mental picture of Dr. Fu Manchu, the yellow peril incarnate in one man.
Add a commentIcelandic Liqueur?
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- Created: 15 October 2016 15 October 2016
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That’ll be the smooth satin textured Crowberry fruit you never tasted!
Tasting note: really ripe fresh berry fruit nose but with sharp twist of what Andy described as antiseptic. That may not sound appealing but strangely it does have an allure. It keep the fruit fresh and lively without that over the top cloying sensation that leads to sickliness.
Add a commentCarnegie Library Update
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- Created: 12 October 2016 12 October 2016
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The proposed plans for the future of the Carnegie Library are currently on display and unsurprisingly are very vague. They do reveal a few nuggets. The biggest shock is that a sizeable chunk of the garden will be lost to a new extension.
The background to the project is that Greenwich Leisure Ltd. (GLL) will take on the building under a 25 year lease, with a seven year break clause. GLL will excavate the basement, which is crouch-height at one end, and fit it out as a gym. A new reception will be built reducing the car parking space shown in the photo to one slot.
Add a commentCricket Talk in Battersea
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- Created: 11 October 2016 11 October 2016
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One evening, a few years ago, I walked past Herne Hill Books on my way to the shops and saw an author and a member of staff sitting alone in the shop. I had vaguely thought of going to the scheduled talk. On my way home, it was still just the two of them. I couldn’t abandon them to their fate, so I dropped off my shopping and came straight back.
I’m glad I did. The author was Colin Babb and the book, They Gave the Crowd Plenty Fun. It was about cricket’s role in forging a West Indian identity for the Caribbean diaspora. It’s an interesting topic and Babb was an engaging speaker. As the talk was a one to one, we were able to have a proper conversation, swapping cricket-watching anecdotes and discussing whether Fire in Babylon, albeit a super film, was a bit patronising to West Indian cricketers in the pre-Clive Lloyd era (I think it is). I bought and had a signed copy for myself and a copy for my brother.
Add a commentDiscovering Malbec: Chilean winemaker compares 3 regions
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- Created: 08 October 2016 08 October 2016
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Setting the scene for Malbec
The tasting was set up in the basement of Casa Malevo in Connaught Street London, a place famous for exceedingly high quality steak, a frequent food pairing for the malbec grape we were due to taste.
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Mysterious Rembrandt Painting at Dulwich Gallery
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- Created: 23 September 2016 23 September 2016
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Am I Rembrandt? (8 Nov – 5 March 2017), the final display in Dulwich Picture Gallery’s Making Discoveries series will bring the Dutch Master’s flamboyant Self-Portrait, Wearing a Feathered Bonnet, 1635,
Add a commentLost Restaurants in South London: Oishii
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- Created: 21 September 2016 21 September 2016
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We were in Streatham a few days ago and decided to pop into a favourite restaurant for some noodles. Lo and behold, our beloved Oishii had gone and in its place was Saigon Bistro (or will be very soon).
We’d been going to Oishii fairly regularly since it opened about fifteen years ago. When our daughter was born, she had come with us. When she was a little older, the staff gave her bowls of rice on the house. Later she became a fan of chicken katsu don and crispy aromatic duck.
Add a commentRemembering The South London Woman Who Cracked Hollywood
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- Created: 12 September 2016 12 September 2016
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I went to the Florence in Herne Hill for a few pints last night. Truman’s Lazarus was the beer – light in colour, flavour and alcohol content (4.2%), which made it just right for a relatively balmy, midweek evening. Anyway, I hadn’t been to the Florence for a while and noticed that the children’s play room in the garden had mutated into The Lupino Room, named after Ida, the actor, director and local girl - there’s a blue plaque on the house she was lived in, on Ardbeg Road.
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When the Great Plague Came To Dulwich
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- Created: 09 September 2016 09 September 2016
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News that scientists examining human remains found during the Crossrail excavations have identified the bacterial cause of the Great Plague of London (it’s Yersinia pestis), had the Today programme dipping into its copy of A Journal of the Plague Year. Rather than descriptions of symptoms and mass burials, here’s a peep at what Daniel Defoe had to say about our neck of the woods in his novel about the 1665-6 outbreak.
Add a commentNot so cheesy; Italian Pecorino white wine from Waitrose
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- Created: 30 April 2016 30 April 2016
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Pecorino is typically associated with the cheese from Italy, however, today it's gaining fame for being both old and new white wine from South Eastern Italy, along the Adriatic. Old due to the grape variety being considered only good enough for large-scale blending for cheap wine and today because a growing number of winemakers are busy discovering its potential as single variety.
Light yellow in colour and freshly tasting of sweet pineapple with slight hint of Turkish delight. There is a little spice and a touch of a bitter finish. You can easily smell variety of Bon-bons, in English hard boiled sweets, reminding you of a summer childhood evening with sticky fingers.
For vegetarians, serve with something like a Greek salad topped with Feta cheese and freshly cut red onions, don't forget plenty of fresh herbs!
For meat eaters you could bring to the table grilled chicken with spinach mixed with roasted tomatoes and fresh mango.
A nice little bargain from Wairtrose for £5.99
Add a commentLambeth Council Stick 2 fingers up to residents & local business
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- Created: 08 April 2016 08 April 2016
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If you thought Lambeth Council's behaviour couldn't sink any lower, then think again. For all of this week cllr's Jim Dickson, Michelle Agdomar, and Jack Holborn have barred access to local businesses working in a separate wing of the Carnegie Library building.
Nearly 20 business owners have been refused access to their own work places this week and have become embroiled in a dispute with their own Landlord, London Arts Base, who have a running agreement with the council to let the space. Add a comment
Read more: Lambeth Council Stick 2 fingers up to residents & local business
Carnegie Library Herne Hill: Plight goes viral as councillors faced with resignation
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- Created: 03 April 2016 03 April 2016
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As the community asserts a stronger desire to keep their local library open, the local council employ more draconian measures to close it.
Access to people who rent space in the library is now being blocked in an attempt to put pressure on the seperate "occupy Carnegie" effort. This action brings into question the legality of the action taken by Lambeth council against the local community and also the police who are tryig to manage access to the building.
For councillors to take on a local community is obviously very brave. This issue is spreading, not just across London and the UK, but from even traditionally neutral countries like Switzerland where knowledge is prized above cries for austerity.
It would appear the Carnegie Library protest is the canary in the coal mine. The people of South London are not willing to have their beloved library taken from them by uncompromising, high-handed officials.
The question is not so much whether the Occupy movement will sustain, but rather should the councillors resign over this issue. Being wrong is one thing, being hopelessy out of touch with the people you represent is quite another!
Add a comment‘The Revenant’ feels the St. Valentine’s love at the ee british academy film awards in 2016 scooping 5 awards
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- Created: 15 February 2016 15 February 2016
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The Revenant received 5 BAFTAs last night at the EE British Academy Film Awards at the Royal Opera House, including Best Film, Director, Cinematography, Sound and Leading Actor for Leonardo DiCaprio. Mad Max: Fury Road also picked up four awards for its return to the big screen: Costume Design, Production Design, Make Up & Hair and Editing. Brie Larson won the Leading Actress award for her role in Room and Outstanding British Film went to Brooklyn. Sir Sidney Poitier was awarded the Academy Fellowship, BAFTA's highest accolade, in recognition of his outstanding and exceptional contribution to film.
Champagne Taittinger, official Champagne Partner to the British Academy for the 14th year running, once again added extra sparkle to the proceedings, not least through the attendance of Vitalie Taittinger. Vitalie is the Marketing Director at Champagne Taittinger and daughter of President, Pierre Emmanuel Taittinger.