This week is late as the WIFI on the Eurostar was intermittent, and my four hours was less gainfully spent, reading, eating and looking at the fields passingly rapidly by. After an impossible trudge around beautifully signed streets, but with unrecognisable names, in an effort to get to the hotel (there are so few taxis, it is impossible to find one) I could only collapse into the very pleasant room with a canal view. We arrived after a fortuitous meeting with a bicycle drawn carriage driver, who was pleased to deliver us to the door for a fee that did not reflect how miraculous we found his presence as the map became harder to interpret. Today we spent wandering around Amsterdam on a food tour, and now I get to this blog.
The books reviewed this week are another couple of novels which are in my ‘catch up’ pile. I reviewed them several weeks ago, and the reviews have appeared on Goodreads. The Way from Here by Jane Cockram and The Complication by Amanda Du Bois were both sent to me by NetGalley in exchange for reviews.
Jane Cockram The Way From Here HQ Fiction Harlequin Enterprises (Australia), 2022.
Velazquez’s version of the story of Martha and Mary, where Martha is busy in the kitchen and Mary sits at the feet of Jesus listening, and the accompanying adulation of Mary’s attitude in comparison with that of Martha has always struck me as unfair to Martha. So, with this prejudice I come to the story of a thoughtless, lively, living in the moment sister who is compared to her advantage with her organised sister.
I found Susie an almost intolerable character in the early part of this novel. Her assumptions about her attractiveness to men and patronising attitude to Mills (as Camilla is known to her family), her behaviour that brooked little opposition, the letters that she almost demanded Camilla read and act upon in the event of her death made her an uneasy character for me to identify with, have empathy with, to want to get to know better. Camilla’s desire to follow her sister’s instructions, despite financial constraints, and to the detriment of her marriage, her recall of the unease provoked by her at a family Christmas but haste to find her own behaviour wanting, and her continuing loyalty seemed to me worthy attributes. Books: Reviews
Amanda Du Bois The Complication Girl Friday Books, 2022
The Complication is in most ways an impressive first novel, written by someone who clearly has no reservations about including social commentary at the same time as developing a gritty legal and medical drama/mystery. I do have some reservations though, as I think that the narrative moves slowly at times, because of too much explanation and lack of selectivity amongst the ideas and descriptions Du Bois wants to depict. It is hard to dispense with sentences and phrases that have been carefully crafted but I think that this novel would have benefitted from some tougher editing. Books: Reviews
London – at long last
It is thrilling to have at long last begin travelling overseas, and to revisit London. Our first few days have been filled with meeting friends, eating in familiar restaurants, walking in Kensington Gardens, visiting the Serpentine Art Galley in the Gardens, and going to the Harold Pinter Theatre to see a Chekov play (although he might well be bemused at the interpretation we saw). The sun is wonderful, and the long light evenings a reminder of one of the best thing about being in London.
Covid concerns appear to be almost non-existent. Masks are being worn by some people, although not in large numbers, and hand sanitiser is available in some venues. However, social distancing is possible, so we are just hoping for the best – as Londoners must be doing.
Walking down Westbourne Terrace – a sight that reminded us of our great friends with whom we holidayed in London. One attended this church – to the delight of the excellent women there. They loved their American visitor.
There will be some free concerts here while we are still in London, and we are looking forward to attending.
Walk in Kensington Gardens
Exhibition at the Serpentine Gallery
This exhibition, Alienarium 5, by Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster, is ‘a speculative environment that invites us to imagine possible encounters with extra-terrestrials. The exhibition is a culmination of … [her] decades-long interest in science fiction, and her continued research into deep space and alien life’ (free detailed booklet that accompanied the exhibition). Anyone who reads my reviews will know that I do not read science fiction …except, when I looked at the books that were scattered invitingly in the early part of the exhibition, I did recognise two that I have enjoyed – Marge Piercy’s Woman on the Edge of Time, and John Wyndham’s Day of the Triffids. Women writers of science fiction were well represented, and some appear in my photos below!.
The walls of the outer exhibition were covered, as above. The Virtual Reality part of the exhibition was open to five people at a time, and, although not overwhelming, was a distinctly different experience.
We wandered on to Oxford Street, and a short bus ride brought us close to Covent Garden where we looked for a play to see. Last time we were so fortunate, as a queue outside a theatre tempted us, with an excellent result. We saw The Father, a play well worth experiencing. This time we saw musical after musical showing. None was at all tempting, so we scanned the ticket booths at Leicester Square. The Seagull matinee looked interesting so that was our choice.
Konstantin on the stage at the beginning of the play, and at the end. He is gradually joined by the other actors, who sit on plastic chairs while they wait , with Konstantin, for the play to begin. The advertised drawcard was Emilia Clarke from Game of Thrones. This is my one experience with that show, and I am not regretful that I have seen no more. Emilia Clarke was not particularly enticing in the role of Nina. The play was a modern version directed by Jamie Lloyd. Chekov would have found it hard to recognise, but that might be all to the good. I had mixed feelings about it, and propose to reread The Seagull.
After all that culture we spent the evening with pizza and salad watching a most amusing and informative television quiz show related to the latest hits. I say informative, as the only one I recognised was Up Town Girl. It certainly provided rather different end to the day!
Old haunts
This trip to London was a chance to visit our previous flats in which we enjoyed four years, before a delightful six months in Cambridge. Westbourne Terrace, the first of the photos, provided us with the wrought iron balconies, tall windows and ornamentation that I felt was such authentic London accommodation as seen in films of a particular type. Sheldon Square, below, was 11th floor living in a high rise on Regents Canal, with restaurants, a gym, shopping, and hairdressing on the doorstep.
A walk along Regents Canal was one of our favourite pastimes, although we missed our dachshunds prying in every corner. There are now more narrow boats, many of which are small businesses rather than homes, on the canal. I bought a mint and strawberry tea to see me on my way along the canal. But did not visit the marvellous houseboat restaurant on this occasion.
Cindy Lou eats out in London, at a mixture of venues.
La Meena Café is near Lancaster Gate tube station, so a very practical location to eat breakfast and run. The service is friendly and efficient – with coffees almost on the table as they are ordered. The range of English breakfast with substitutes is very good, and there are fancier breakfasts for those who want them. The pastries are excellent. This is a simple café, with generous servings, served as quickly as possible. I enjoyed it. Although the café has been updated in some ways, it retains the simple charm of a few years ago.
The Mad Bishop and Bear pub, upstairs at Paddington Station, is another casual eating place, with the normal pub menu. Fish and chips and sausages and mash, for example, and of course, the pub pie. The red pepper soup, although rather clumsily placed on the table, was served with a smile. It was very good indeed, although the accompanying bread was rather dreary. The Koftas were served nicely, with yoghurt and flat bread. Chips at this venue are excellent.
Zizzi at Paddington
I was fortunate to be with the recipient of a great Father’s Day gift, to be used at Zizzi’s. This restaurant is part of a chain, but the chains in London are mostly very good. This one is. It has many pleasant memories of dining with the daughters who sent the gift. I had my favourite king prawn spiedini, a ravioli with fetta and spinach, and wonderful gelato. The recipient of the gift had meatballs in a delicious sauce, a ragu pasta – and, of course, gelato.
The spiedieni was five large prawns with a flavoursome sauce. The pasta was ordinary – but then, nothing compares with that served in Italy, or in my experience, the pumpkin ravioli at 86 in Canberra. The gelato was wonderful – coconut, caramel, and black currant and mascarpone made a great combination.
Union Pub
This pub is on the canal, and has some exciting features to look at while waiting for the food. The staff are friendly, if not overly efficient, there is music, and it is probably a young people’s haunt rather than mine. However, the welcome was warm, and the food just what I wanted. A share plate with chicken, haloumi, salad, meat balls, pitta bread, beetroot dip and chips.
Breakfast at Bonne Bouche
Bonne Bouche is a lovely café in Praed Street, Paddington. The windows and glass cases are full of tempting treats. On this occasion I opted for a rock cake, and my friend for a brown scone with jam. Both were delicious, as was the coffee. It it wonderful to see that this beautiful eatery, with its accompanying bakery has survived. While I am in Paddington I shall assist in that survival very happily. My rock cake was so enormous that the lovely staff placed the remains in a bag for me to ‘take home’.
Ukrainian arrivals at St Pancras
As we walked towards boarding the Eurostar to Amsterdam it was lovely to see the enthusiastic group waiting for Ukrainian arrivals. There are also Ukrainian flags in windows in Amsterdam.
Robin's Room 