April is the Cruellest Month

It's been a long time. And now April's very nearly all over!

Turns out that being a (temporary) manager, looking for a new place to live, plus Easter and a trip to Paris making three 4-day working weeks in a row, it's been hard to find blogging time.

Culture and the City's loss has been VL's, St Pancras', East Dulwich's and the 37's gain. I've spent a lot of time on the bus that ferries a motley crew of south Londoners across a band running from west to east, and east to west between Wandsworth and Peckham Rye this month. A lot.

Ahh, the 37. What can I say. Some key points of interest along that quick-slow route include:

1. Half Moon Lane - is this, I've been wondering, where that fab-sounding Half Moon Theatre, the kids' theatre is located? A little searching has answered my question: sadly not.
2. A Brew Pub - not a term I'd come across before. JC pointed out this means they brew their own. (Could've guessed that really.) Interesting, though, and makes me wonder if The Florence could become part of a larger "London's Brew Pubs" feature. Particularly as after running the idea past the ever-interested(?) (mildly indulgent?) JW and SP who didn't meet it with outright derision.
   
3. Something interesting looking called "Norman House" on the road opposite Brockwell Park, before the bus turns into more the Brixtony area. Must try and look into this further.

But now the process of house buying is well and truly underway, I'm not sure how often we'll need to ride all that way on the 37 any more...

However, with all the friends that remain in and around Brixton and Clapham, I guess it'll continue to be a well-worn route for some time to come...

French Market in Venn Street, Clapham

I've lived in and around Clapham since 2004, spending more time than is strictly necessary hanging around the High Street, The Pavement, and that bit by the clock tower.

So its not often I'm pleasantly surprised by something going on on an ordinary Saturday in spring. But today's French Market was really lovely.

Possibly because of the surprise factor; possibly because of JC's and my notoriously fluctuating blood sugar levels and the potential resultant rage / stupor / tears / (delete where applicable, preferably with yr eyes closed), but in today's intermittent sunshine, this little treasure trove of stalls, food and fun was a real treat.

Not massive, but running the length of Venn Street, the stalls offered more than the tat I might've been expecting. Sweets, soap, cakes, cheese, crepes, olives, garlic, nuts and more. There was an impressive array of very expensive sausages, including some made of duck, venison and other weird and wonderful things.

We shared two tubs of yummy food, taking our pots onto the common to brave the wind and the threatening rain. The paella (not that French, I'll concede) was lovely with big bits of seafood and chicken in it, but could've been warmer; the vegetarian tartiflette, a kind of creamy potato and veggie stew (which I'd never eaten before) was delicious.

I guess, once again, I've been shown that you shouldn't take this city for granted.

Spotted: Neil Pearson

When: 6.15pm
Where: Down Escalator, Clapham Common Tube Station

Neil Pearson, walking down the escalator, coughing without putting his hand in front of his mouth.

"Who?" you might ask. With good reason.

Bridget Jones' boss, that's who. The bloke from "Sit Up Britain".

This guy:

Boss: So, why do you want to work in television?

Bridget: I've got to leave my current job because I've shagged my boss.

Boss: Fair enough. Start Monday. We'll see how we go. And, incidentally, at 'Sit Up, Britain', no one ever gets sacked for shaggin' the boss.