Qype: De Beauvoir Town in London

London

De Beauvoir Town covers an area, formally an estate owned by the family of that name, stretching from the canal to Ballspond Road. In 1821 William Rhodes acquired a building lease, without stipulations of what was to be built. He planned a layout involving a grid pattern, with a central Octagon and with streets going out to four circular squares around that.

However development was piecemeal and there were legal problems with the De Beauvoir family. As a result only parts of his original plans came to fruition, with some roads visible on the diagonal to the general grid, and De Beauvoir Square, originally intended to the be South East square, being the only one that actually exists. I’ve put the flag on what would have been the octagon. Though many of the streets have lovely old houses of various ages, size and design (a favourite for those that want the prized N1 postcode, while appreciating Hackney rather than Islington prices), to the South are some of the most depressing council estates around.

It’s a lovely area to wander around, as long as you stay North of Downham Road. Northchurch road is closed to through car traffic, but not bikes, so can be full of whizzing commuters at certain times of day! St Peter’s Church, on the corner of De Beauvoir Square, has a café in the crypt. The N1 Garden Centre is definitely a hidden gem.

A much more in depth story and maps can be found at the website given. Another slant on the story is given at http://www.benyonestate.com/page.jsp?ID=2

Only just written, but just had to add… this area was also until recently home to the Mole Man: http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2006/aug/08/communities.uknews and was apparently used in the filming of 28 Weeks Later.
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Qype: McDonald's Restaurant in London

London - Restaurants - Take Away

Visited recently, though to be honest I can’t remember what I had. Probably a double cheeseburger grabbed on the way to an appointment…

What I did notice was the décor. While this has had a makeover to the new McDonald’s colour scheme, it’s rather noticeable that there’s not a comfy sofa or posh chair in site… Is that a comment on what McDonald’s expects of Hackney central? LOL
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Qype: The Plant Room in London

London

Funny the things you discover a road somewhere as you are passing… In this case it’s one of the major roads coming into Old Street, but not a very pedestrian one. I was walking along, when beyond the speeding cars I noticed firstly some rather good graffiti art, and secondly a load of plant pots around the bottom of a billboard hoarding. I nearly passed on, but was just too tempted, and braved the crossing.

On closer inspection I found a little corner of land, enclosed with a high wire fence, and in the shadow of a huge hoarding. Here rows of shelving have been set up, holding row on row of large pots. Those pots contain a massive variety: some are empty, others contain flowers, other vegetables. I wasn’t sure what I was looking at: a garden centre maybe?

A sign on the fence revealed all. It’s actually a clever twist on allotments, with local residents being able to hire a row of pots to grow what they like. What a great idea!
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Qype: International Cheese Centre in London

London

Fabulous little shop specialising in cheese of course. If you want to get some Stinking Bishop or a genuine Swiss fondue kit this is the place. Or for some bloomin good Cheddar…

They don’t just do cheeses though. They have a mouth watering selection of chutneys and preserves. Loads of pates (including Fois Gras… I’m hoping it’s the ethical version… I don’t want to ask…), port, and even Kendal Mint Cake. If I had to sum up this place I’d say it was a British Deli, if such a thing exists, and allowing for the occasional Swiss and French cheese…

They also do an excellent range of sandwiches. With the exception of a token turkey sandwich they all include cheese. And of course it’s not just cheese, but specified types of cheese, whether cheddar, brie or soft, in ploughman’s, with chutney, with ham… etc. All fresh cut and simply wrapped in clingfilm. Prices start under £3, so very competitive too.
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A Brief Diversion On Food

Having discovered a few old favourite ingredients (see review of The Grocery, below), I thought I’d write down a couple of favourite uses for them. I should make clear I am not Gordon Ramsey.

1) Take a mug, half fill it with raw couscous. Crumble in two thirds of a Kallo tomato and herb stock cube. Nearly fill with boiling water. Stir. Add a few chunks of nice rich flavoured cheddar. Stir again. Wait till the couscous absorbs the water then eat with a spoon.

2) Make a sandwich with hearty brown bread (one with bits in is ideal), avocado, miso and raw garlic.

I did say I wasn’t Gordon Ramsey… That first one is the equivalent of a pot noodle (and I wouldn’t be surprised if someone told me it’s no healthier). The second one is a lot better than you might be thinking, though not suitable before a night out of course! (I also got it off someone else).

I also used to make a stew with the stock cubes, though it’s a while… If I remember correctly the ingredients were the stock cubes, potato, plantain and unsweetened crunchy peanut butter…, and probably some garlic? (and yes, I do mean ordinary potatoes not sweet potato or yam! I am English…). Potatoes sautéed off a little before the rest was added, plantain a firm one so it didn’t turn to pulp. Maybe when I have a cooker…

Qype: The Grocery in London

London - Not yet categorized

I’ve several times looked around here, then, being flat broke, gone out empty handed. Being a little richer this month I was at last able to buy… bliss! I came out with three things on the ‘I haven’t had that for ages’ list: Kallo tomato and herb stock cubes, chocolate soya desert and jar of barley miso (complete with instruction not to worry if stuff grew on the top!). Wonderful! Yes, the prices are not exactly cheap, but I’m still not exactly rich, and I found a few things…

The store is also lovely. Old white supporting columns, brick walls and woodblock floor. They have a little café area where apparently you can get a massage several days a week (I think it was £10 for 15 minutes). There was also a cat wandering about. Any place that has a cat gets extra points from me.
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Once You’ve Started You Can’t Stop

I’ve been poor for a while. On the whole I think it’s not so bad as people make out. People with the money to buy big cars and houses just end up struggling to find the money to repair them. Maybe it’s better to go around on public transport and live in a council house really.

But being really, seriously poor (well, by our country's standards anyway) does result in a wearing out of pretty important stuff eventually… I’ve been living for a while with the fridge with an ice monster that periodically wedges the door open and melts all over the floor. The loose screw in my glasses is held in with selotape (and when you are basically blind without them, that’s an issue). Then there’s the cold tap in the kitchen that won’t turn on, and the hot tap in the bathroom that won’t turn off, so that I have to keep the water heating turned off unless I actually need it. (OK, that’s not actually a money issue, being in a council flat, but getting them fixed means time off work, when I’m trying to save to sort the rest…). Not to mention the microwave that works, but makes and extremely loud noise crossed between whale song (and remember whale song travels thousands of miles…) and a car being crushed.

After a totally mad August in my new job as an alternative cat burglar, I’ve finally got a little money and a little time. At which point both my cooker and my computer broke down in the same week… New glasses and fridge will have to wait! And I’m wondering how long it is before the neighbours ask why I’m crushing cars in my flat, as the microwave is my only way to cook.

So anyway… I got the hot tap fixed on an emergency evening call. And a new computer is working well and looking good. My new tower, keyboard and mouse are natty black and silver. Unfortunately my old screen and printer are yellowed cream. There’s also the issue of my old speakers… Plug them in the back and play, right? Wrong… After plug in the computer presented me with a nice little menu of options. Definitely not a mic…. But were my speakers side speakers? Tried… no… next hole. This time I tried ‘Centre/Sub Woofer’. Now, personally, in my opinion the only excuse anyone has for having a sound system that makes the ground shake is that they are providing it for deaf people, or are mad enough to want to become deaf themselves. I have no intension of ever deliberately being in possession of a sub-woofer. However with only one cable, maybe ‘centre’ was the appropriate position for my speakers? Nope… still nothing coming out.

So I scratched my head, and thought a little about what has only one cable going to two sound-producing units… tried the option. Embarrassingly it worked.

Yep, I have speakers so crap my computer thinks they are headphones.

And I’ve added a new screen to ‘The List’.

The List will never die.