Walk: Island Records

This evening, back with London Literary Walks at last - my Wednesdays are just so busy! This was a walk about Island Records - U2's old label, so of course I have an interest.. dug out a U2 t-shirt n all.. We were meeting in The Elgin, and I booked a table there to eat beforehand. That far out, it was Tube, as usual - mercifully, I got a seat after just two stops, and it was an OK trip. I'd left a little later than intended - arrived about 10 minutes late for my booking, but they weren't that busy. Service with a smile, and I was immediately shown to my table.

It was funny - when he brought me to my table, he said he'd be right back with a menu. He wasn't. By the time he came back up that way, took a look at me and remembered, I'd had time to browse the drinks menu - they have a white rioja, so I ordered that. Love it. He'd brought me a food menu by now - by the time he brought my drink, I'd chosen the fish n chips, and ordered that. To his amusement, at how efficient I was.

The wine was lovely - but sure enough, only a medium glass when I'd asked for large, tsk. Still, I managed to make it last. They must have butchered an entire shoal for tonight's dinner - almost everyone at the table beside me was having the fish n chips as well! Now, this is a Young's pub, like last week's, so the presentation is similar - arrayed along the side of the dish, a range of accompaniments: a half lemon, and four ramekins: ketchup, mushy peas, tartare sauce, and curry sauce. Except last week, the curry wasn't as appealing as the tartare sauce for the chips - whereas this evening, it was that delectable chip shop flavour and consistency.. so I had that instead. The chips this time were chunky, mind, so I didn't have nearly as many.. but anyway, I was well fed - the fish was delicious - and finished just before anyone arrived.

I visited the loo, and when I came out, the guide had arrived. We speculated on where would be good to seat people - I checked with staff and no, the raised area isn't exclusively for dining! so we went back up there. And there people found us, and we stayed for a drink and a convivial chat.. about half the people who'd RSVPed showed in the end.

Yes, apparently the guy who founded the pub was a relation of Lord Elgin, who pilfered the Elgin Marbles from the Acropolis. But moving diplomatically on.. apparently there were some murals in the area, but they've been mostly painted over:

The Museum of Brands was fascinating - spot the spelling mistakes in the lookalike brands painted outside! Used to be London Lighthouse, which, when it opened, was the world's largest centre for people living with HIV/AIDS. 

Oftimes, we were simply taken with the attractive colours painted on the houses:

or certain quirky details:

One house - bearing a plaque celebrating the owners' winning some design competition or something - displayed allegiance to both Ukraine and Palestine (this wasn't the only Palestinian flag we saw, either):

We had a special stop to acknowledge the infamous door that appeared in the film, Notting Hill, as the door to Hugh Grant's apartment, swamped by journalists when they hear Julia Roberts is inside, and the famous scene where his flatmate, Rhys Ifans, on hearing this, poses at the door in his underwear..

Ironic, this one:

Finally, we came to the site of Island Records - which has Bob Marley on the plaque, but not U2! Tsk..

Used to be a church:

Across the street is a little rooming house, where Bob used to stay, as well as staying on the premises (as we were told further along by a guy wearing a Bob Marley t-shirt and carrying a guitar):

We came to the place of four plaques, all about people associated with the foundation of the Notting Hill Carnival!

And we passed the Portobello Market:

And so home, after a fascinating walk around an area I've never really explored before, even when I was living nearby! And some interesting Tube poetry:

And I was back early enough to shop, handily.

Tomorrow, back with London Hot 100 - we're at the New Wimbledon Theatre for Jimmy Carr Laughs Funny. So the laptop will be going on a little trek.. I also see it's got a nearby GBK (not Nando's, as I thought before), so will look to go early and eat there. Tickets are from Ticketmaster, and I got an email from them today with strict instructions about how to display my ticket (screenshots don't work with theirs, of course). Option #1 - the app. Well, that wouldn't open for me. Happily, their second option was to save the ticket to a wallet on my phone, which I've done - that is so handy..

On Friday, meeting an old acquaintance for drinks - he has to come to Waterloo anyway, so I said that location would be perfect, and suggested the BFI. I've booked to eat beforehand in Black & Blue.

On Saturday, back with Up in the Cheap Seats for the matinee of May 35th at Southwark Playhouse's new venue! Now, this should be interesting.. basically referencing the Tiananmen Square massacre (35 years ago), and supported by Amnesty, there are different speakers every day. Saturday's matinee sees the head of Priority Campaigns at AIUK as host, with the Chief Executive of Hong Kong Watch as speaker..

And on Sunday, I'm back with Discover London - History Walks and Events for a walk all about Crime and Punishment: 16th to 19th Century..