FLYING VISITS...

Recently I've made two flying visits to London, on both occasions to see concerts. The first was to attend a John Murry (his 'The Graceless Age' was my choice as Album Of The Year in 2012) show at The Borderline and then a Richard Thompson double header at the Shepherd's Bush Empire and The Barbican. If you click on the Rhythms magazine link on the homepage you can read about the Murry show, and the RT shows will be there shortly.



The Borderline

John Murry at The Borderline









Shepherds Bush Empire

With the exception of another metropolis with a dirty river running through the centre of it, there's no other place on the planet that gets me more excited than London; put simply, I just love everything about the place and it's my favourite non-Antipodean city. As the Iberian balus approaches Heathrow from the east, it comes in low right over the place, and as you look out the window its glory is all laid out in front of you - Greenwich, the mighty O2 stadium, the Gerkhin, the new and controversial Shard building, Tower Bridge, the Houses of Parliament, the....well, I could go on and on. Clearing Customs in the UK is different to the rest of Europe (for obvious reasons I guess) and I take note of two groups of travellers. Firstly, there's a Japanese tour group resplendent with face masks (I'm not aware of a flu epidemic nor have I noticed how polluted the terminal air is!) who are promptly required to remove the offending garments for facial ID; seems logical to me. Second is a group with numerous members wearing full burkas, and I'm intrigued as to the protocols involved. The ladies aren't required to remove their groovy headgear, which initially surprises me. Instead, they have all their fingerprints scanned, which strikes me as damned clever thinking by the authorities in handling what is a sensitive issue. (Two Travel Tips: 1. If you can a Fast Lane pass for Heathrow customs clearance then do so - it takes ages. 2. If you're gonna wear a burka, make sure you're fingerprints are recorded!).

A Man Needs A Maid

The en-suite

 I've got a little apartment in North Gower Street just 800 metres from Euston Station ( Two Travel Tips: 1. If you use the Heathrow Express, book it online as it saves you about $15 - and you'll need every cent in London! 2. Buy a day pass for the tube if you're going to use it more than once. At 4.50 for a single trip - regardless of how far - then it's a no brainer to pay 8.50 for a ticket that lets you on as many times as you like). It is the very definition of 'bedsit', with a bathroom designed for people less than 5 foot tall and a shower recess too narrow to actually close the screen door (you can actually sit on the loo and wash your feet at the same time) - but it's home. I don't need to visit landmarks and monuments whilst here, so I choose to just wander and check out record and book stores, and update myself on the West End's cuisine. First night I stroll down to Fitzrovia to meet up with good friends Andrew and Kate Haworth for dinner. Kate & Jimbo have booked a Japanese restaurant called ROKA (37 Charlotte St).

Roka - So good no need to advertise

Roka menu - delicious

We leave it up to Kate to explore the menu and do the ordering; I should have taken more notice, but it was so good catching up with them that I neglected to note in detail what we actually ate (by that I mean the finer points of what was ordered), other than it was simply outstanding. I appreciate that variety is one of the spices of life, but I will be returning to Roka. Jimbo, like me, enjoys a quality cup of coffee (clearly one of the few reasons he's deferred visiting Madrid so far!), and is also on a quest to find a decent coffee in London - not an easy task. He and Kate give me a short list of cafes that will rise to the occasion of a visit from LegsyBoy. It's been great to catch up and AndyBoy has very kindly picked up the tab (my shout when they come to Madrid); as we walk towards the tube station, I bid them adios and duck into the Odeon Cinema on Tottenham Court Road to see Quentin Tarantino's new WESTERN film 'Django Unchained' - it's only worth *** and reinstates my dislike of Leo DiCaprio.

The legendary Ronnie Scott's

Bar Italia - Great coffee

Koya - Before the midday rush





Onsen Tamago - mmmm mmm!



Kinoku - Looks good enough to eat

Next day I roam the streets and duck into Tabio (the world's BEST SOCK emprium) to replensih the LegsyBoy stocks of socks (the staff are duly impressed to see me wearing a pair of limited edition Joker socks made exclusively for the Batman movie!). I do some book/record stores (but this will be another story) before heading to Frith Street and the haven of the ever reliable old favourite Bar Italia; located across the street from the famous Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club, it's a guaranteed quality coffee oasis. I decide to try Jimbo's recommendation for  lunch at a place literally next door to Ronnie Scott's called KOYA. The Haworths have warned me to get there early, so at 11.50am I pop my head out of Bar Italia to see a QUEUE forming across the road waiting for the doors to open at this tiny eatery. I get in and order an Onsen Tamago (poached egg) and KINOKO UDON (mushroom & walnut miso with noodles). I quickly realise what the fuss is about and the seemingly endless queue of punters trying to get in. I chat to the maitre and discover that the noodles (as thick as a little finger) are made daily on the premises, and that when they run out of noodles they shut the doors! Rating: ***** The taste buds are zinging as I walk back out into the seriously chilly afternoon. Have I mentioned the weather? London is utterly freezing - I love it!

Fortnum & Mason front window



F&M high tea - ooh la la!

A bit more strolling and before you know it, it's time to pop into FORTNUM & MASON for a fix of high tea. This is a LegsyBoy favourite, and luckily the staff seem to have forgotten the last time we ventured here for such pleasantries resulted in Liam throwing our scones at the patrons on the next table! A pot of Royal Jubilee blend tea and 2 scones in a refined environment is not everyone's cup of tea (so to speak), BUT IT IS MINE! Just to make sure they maintain their standards, I return the following day for an encore performance....hey I'm only here for a couple of days after all! I round out my day by checking out another movie - this time it's Kathryn Bigelow's "Zero Dark Thirty", a brilliant telling of the Bin Laden manhunt. Whilst not as good as the extraordinary "Hurt Locker", it is nonetheless superb and surprisingly intense given one already knows the outcome. Rating:**** (Travel Tip: Going to the movies is outrageously expensive in London, so make sure you watch as many films as possible on the flight over).


Fernandez & wells - Scrumptious

Pasteis de Nata and a Stumpy

Breakfast/morning tea the following day is at another little hole in the wall (AndyBoy has really been doing his homework). I'm at 73 Beal Street in a quaint cafe called 'FERNANDEZ & WELLS', tiny but swelling with deliciously fresh goodies. Following instructions to the letter, I order a 'Pasteis de Nata and Stumpy'. In return, I get a Portuguese tart and strong latte in a stumpy (literally) glass; the verdict - FABULOUS! And LegsyBoy is also beginning to notice a difference in the attitude of cafe staff in London - they have finally become aware that customers are important and actually have a CHOICE where they go). From here it's just a hop to HAMLEYS, childrens' heaven (and if you like slot cars then a visit to the top floor is a must for 'big' boys too!).

Hamleys - Toy Mecca

As my time is running out I don't have time to check out the last cafe the Haworths have recommended, but as they haven't put a foot wrong in judging the LegsyBoy tase buds, I have no doubt that "COFFEE WORKSHOP" at 75 Wigmore Street won't disappoint when I eventually return. Before the John Murry concert I duck around the corner to the BAY OF BENGAL in Greek Street for a quick curry - it is London after all. I settle on a glass of house white which should have been confined to hand to hand combat, 5 glasses of tap water (not bad for someone who rarely drinks the stuff!!), some samosas and a Madras chicken curry. I can't be totally certain, but I'm pretty sure it was nice; my taste buds were a burnt out wasteland and my eyes couldn't focus because of the constant stream of tears. Seriously, unless you have a masochistic self harm streak,why would you ever go up to the Vindaloo level!


Lantana - A slice of Oz in Fitzrovia

Check out that latte!

On my hit and run second visit, I again wandered the street of Fitzrovia and stumbled across a wonderful little eatery in Charlotte Place. Just around the corner from Roka, the name LANTANA reeked of familiarity; depending upon which state you live in, it is of course either a native Australian bush or a (native Australian!) weed. With hope in the air, I entered to be greeted by Celeste and her fellow Australian staff!! This was my big chance, so I sheepishly requested "VERY STRONG SKINNY LATTE  please"...no problems!!! And lo, I ws blessed with a glorious brew that had just the right amount of crema on top of the swirling coffee coloured (well what other colour would it be?) liquid. It was raining outside, but not with the same gusto I was pouring the liquid down my throat.

Not So Sunny Goodge Street

I departed via Goodge Street, Waterloo and London Bridge tube stations for the British Music Experience with a satisfied smile and a takeaway in my hand! With Richard Thompson on the menu that evening, my day was all but made. It dawns on me that, finally, with the subtle help of expatriate Australians (be they baristas like Celeste, or patrons like Kate & Andrew who demand a decent brew), the London coffee scene is slowly taking a turn for the better. Makes you want to be there, eh........

But Where's The Bridge???

Not A Sunset In Sight

Coming up: Record stores, book stores, and the British Music Experience.