Exciting Sweet News

I saw these in the shop the other day and felt the need to share.  I appear to be focusing quite a bit on exciting confectionery but hey-ho.  Little Miss Sunshine.  In edible sweet form.  Brilliant.

The packet is quite exciting.

And so are the sweets.

Unfortunately though they do not taste that great.  Hmm…  I’m reliably informed they taste like ‘Percy Pigs’ but never having had one I can’t comment, and given the nasty foam-y taste of these I won’t be trying any.

In other news, I went to Alibi, my favourite Dalston dive bar, with Mary, my favourite Brick Lane resident to watch The Big Lebowski….one of my least favourite films of all times.  BUT, I have no idea whether it was the unpromising surroundings of Alibi, the red wine (thanks Maz!) or the fact that this is about the 7^th time I’ve seen this film, BUT I actually found it funny.  And charming.  Wonders will apparently never cease.  The Dude abides…

Marathon – Park – Balcony - Aahhhh....

Yesterday we took a little trip to Canary Wharf to watch the marathon, cheer on some (mental) friends who were taking part and support someone running for a friend’s social enterprise, the DoNation by wearing some fetching t-shirts.

There were some interesting outfits on show in amongst all the black leggings/ vest combos.

Cops and robbers seemed to be a popular theme.

As did outfits that, seriously, cannot have been comfortable to run in.  We saw rhinos, Mr Men and a BUS, but I was particularly taken by this Rubik’s cube ensemble.

And, erm….yep, all for a good cause….

We were stood at a prime spot, where the runners have to double-back on themselves but wound up watching the Mile 18 side most, as opposed to the Mile 15 side, and not entirely because of the added drama of the St John’s Ambulance stand.  Honest!

There was a great steel band keeping the mood positive and happy and this fabulous sculpture, I think it's called the Traffic Light Tree.  I last saw a picture of it on a noticeboard when I was temping at a government agency, tagged as 'TfL's answer to traffic congestion'...

It was such a lovely day we decided to head away from the crowds to the park, exhausted after all that watching to lie on the Common and relax in some dappled shade.  

I also had a crash course in the complexities of board slides, following on from last week’s lesson on kick-flips.  I’m still not sure I can tell the difference as they go too quickly, but I can identify the general area of ‘trickery’.  If none of the above is making sense you are clearly not involved, nor have you ever been involved, with a skateboarder.

We had a lovely dinner at the Fish Club on Clapham High Street, which is a very cool, relaxed and small little restaurant selling fresh fish in a number of ways.  I particularly like the potted crab…mmmm…  Then we watched Submarine.  If you haven’t seen it then you MUST.  It’s lovely, very British and awkward, but lovely.  The idea of a teenager seeing their entire existence as a series of film scenes rang some bells…

The last stop of the day was Sam's balcony (the subject of much painting, carrying and planting of plants, arrangement of astro turf and agonising over deck chairs vs hammock discussions) for a cup of tea as the sun set.  If the weather carries on like this for the rest of the year I figure this picture may be repeated most evenings.  It pretty much kicks my ‘Juliet’ balcony into touch.  Bah.

Day out in Brixton

Now,  ‘day out’ and ‘Brixton’ are not normally words you would see in the same sentence, or uttered by me, I admit but it turns out that it is more than possible to have a lovely day out in the Sarf London heartland…especially since a few people in the last week (random - I suspect a Brixton conspiracy) told me about the Brixton Village Market and I discovered that The Ritzy sells beer.

  

Saturday was a beautiful sunny day so I met the lovely Sacha for a wander round Brixton Village Market, coffee and a lovely Anzac biscuit (for which I must find a recipe) and we sat outside, inside to enjoy our beverages.  I like the concept of a sheltered outdoors area.  It’s like an acknowledgement that the British weather is not necessarily great the majority if the year but that we’re a hardy bunch who like to sit outside.  Sort of like a helping hand for our health in its continuing war with our wishes, which often put it in jeopardy.

 Also, there was....bunting!! Who could ask for more than bunting, snacks and bright surroundings?

I liiiiiiiike this arrangement.  Sort of rubbish but cool, bright and makes me smile, which pretty much sums up my favourite aesthetics.

After coffee we explored a bit and saw Florence Welch, from Florence and the Machine in a teensy tiny vintage shop, which was rather exciting.  Turns out we have similar tastes in vintage knick knacks also, which is nice.  I haven’t got a picture though as that would be a bit weird and stalkerish.

I did get a picture of these giant snails though, yours for only £3.50 each.  They were, no joke, as big as my hand, maybe even bigger.  I would have put my hand in for scale but they were a bit gross and we were already making a bit of a fuss and I didn't want to risk offending the shop owner.  I'm assuming, since these were at a food stall/ shop, that you're supposed to eat them?

The lovely weather was fading just a little bit so we decided to head to the Ritzy, where we were met by our handsome significant men-folk, and watch the world go by with a cold beer or four.  Although it is a lovely spot, it is on a massive cross-road so not really an ‘al fresco’ spot.  We therefore sat inside, near the doors, for the best of both worlds.

The Ritzy had the most beautiful flower arrangements on the tables, which were themselves fabulously shabby-chic.  I'm definitely going back to watch a film there. 

This was followed by a few quick games of pool.  They were quick because the men-folk were playing, Sacha and I would have gotten far more value for money out of each £1, but there you go.  Thems the breaks (boom, boom).