Arrrrrgh

<

For Cletus, every day is talk like a pirate day. In fact, pretty much all he says is:

Arrrgh, Arrrgh, Arrrgh

Double tagged

I’ve been tagged again on the 5 fave restaurant meme. So, I’ll just link to my original post.

One thing I will say, in my original post I listed pretty much all local places. Yes, London has many, many fabulous restaurants, but I really like going out in my own neighbourhood. I’ve felt more this way since getting involved with local politics.

But I do have an update. One of the folks I tagged, listed a place called Pizzeria Sette Bello, in Tooting on Amen Corner. It sounded really good and good value (by London standards). I really wanted to try it before the baby arrived, and since it really could be any.time.now. I figured I better go soon.

So we went tonight and we decided to walk, with the option of catching the bus home afterwards. I’m awfully, awfully glad we did walk up there (and back) because I absolutely stuffed myself.

For starters I had the eggplant parmesan – or melanzana parmigiana. I don’t know if it has the labor inducing properties of the famous Scalini’s recipe, but it was certainly delicious. Really delicately flavoured with a lovely herby marinara.

I also had the pizza, which was very traditional – tasted quite like the ones in Italy – which isn’t necessarily a fantastic thing. I’m a big fan of faffy pizza with complicated ingredients put together in an artistic way. But it was still very tasty. I also had a side salad which was big enough to split – a rare thing. The Vol-in-Law had a penne with a creamy tomato sauce which was also very good. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him order anything other than a pizza at a pizzeria.

And then we had dessert. It was a cherry cheesecake. It looked fantastic, like a New York style baked cheesecake. You see, cheesecake in Britain is usually the congealed kind, not baked at all. And it usually has a nasty, non-cheesy, chemical aftertaste. Well, this wasn’t a beautiful baked cheesecake, but I have to say it was the best “English” style cheesecake I’d ever had. Light, delicious and with no nasty aftertaste.

But best of all, the place had a friendly, open atmosphere – and great service – so unusual in this country…

Yum. I can’t say when I’ll go again, given my impending change in life circumstances, but I’d go again soon if I could.

Memery – food for thought

I’ve been tagged with two memes. One about food and the other about thought.

The first was a while ago, and well, I’ve just had a lot on my mind. But it was very flattering. From Cup of Joe Powell, I was awarded the Thinking Bloggers award – which is pretty cool because his is a blog that makes me think. But it’s poor form to tag back, so I won’t.

The meme works like this…which bloggers make you think – the ones that make you go…hmmm, I hadn’t thought of that – at least not quite like that. Pretty much everybody on my blog roll is there because of that. (And I need to update my blogroll – all you Blogger to WordPress defectors and just people I need to add)

I’d say Anglofille and Bob Krumm and R Neal (my blogging inspiration, truth be told) and Katie Allison Granju and my old pal at BB & B.

Here are the rules from NewsComa:

1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think,

2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme,

3. Optional: Proudly display the ‘Thinking Blogger Award’ with a link to the post that you wrote

Food

The other was much more recently and by Melusina – and it’s all about where you like to go and eat. Well, here’s my list.

1. Oh Boy – Thai restaurant on Garrett Lane – yummy and good value
2. The White Eagle – in Tooting Bec – not sure how much I’d want to eat there in the summer – since it’s good stodgy Polish fair – but for heaps of good slavic soul food, you can’t beat it. The restaurant is inside a Polish social club – and you actually have to walk through the faux wood pannelled scuzzy bar to get to the nicely appointed restaurant. But it’s worth it.
3. At home – OK, it’s kinda cheating, but we had some really good takeaway/delivery in our neighbourhood. In particular, a curry delivery joint called Coriander. Sadly, it seems to be shut now – without explanation (so I hope it has to do with cash flow rather than some local enforcement action). So now, if we want curry we have to go to…
4. Lahore Karahi - the Indian sub-continent is a big, big place – and each area has it’s own kind of food. I’m no expert on the subtleties of the cuisine, but I just know I prefer the more BBQ flavor of Pakistani food vs. the fruitier, creamier South Indian cuisine. There are a lot of great curry houses in Tooting – including another legendarily tasty one called Mirch Masala.
5. Dim Sum in China Town for example at Gerrard’s Corner. Just choose your dim sum off a checklist left on your table and the dishes keep coming. Soooo tasty dumplings. I haven’t eaten here a lot, but it’s so good and so fun – and since I don’t know what most of those little things are so it’s always a surprise.

The rest of this meme is a little complicated – so here we go -

Add a direct link to your post below the name of the person who tagged you. Include the state and country you’re in:
Nicole Tan (Sydney, Australia)
velverse (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
LB (San Giovanni in Marignano, Italy)
Selba (Jakarta, Indonesia)
Olivia (London, England)
ML (Utah, USA)
Lotus (Toronto, Canada)
Yianna (Athens, Greece)
Melusina (Thessaloniki, Greece)
Vol Abroad (London, England)

2. List out your top 5 favorite places to eat at your location.

See above

3. Tag 5 other people (preferably from other countries/states) and let them know they’ve been tagged.

Ok, let’s keep it interesting. I tag:

• Sandra, Here in Korea
• Kim, Stepping Stones (Tirana, Albania)
• Cynthia Rae, Re-Boot, A New Life in Italy
• Vol Abroad, The Vol Abroad (London)
• Michael, Chez Bez (Nashville, TN, USA)

OK, I’m gonna be totally self interested and go for Jen and Nicole who live not too far away from me (and gals – maybe places that deliver…we may not be going out a bunch in the near future). I’m also going to go for folks in places where I might go and eat…so let me throw it out to Chris Wage in Nashville, Tamara in Knoxville, and the Lynnster – just to cover that other grand division – not that I go to West Tennessee much.

I resolve

The big one:

I’m not big on New Year’s resolutions. But occasionally, I’ll resolve. I’ve already given up smoking, so there goes an obvious one. I’ve thought about self-improving ones, like eating more whole grains. But I’ve decided on one that I think will make me both more likeable and more satisfied with myself, but will also spread a little kindness through the world. I will praise more.

I’m a bit critical. So, in my relationships at home and at work, I will praise more. I will not wait until the right moment or use it (exclusively) to soften the blow of criticism. I will just praise.

(BTW, if you know me in real life, it may take me a while to work up to this. So don’t pressure me. Also, note that I’ve not resolved to criticise less – just to praise more.)

Blogging resolutions:

• I will update my links list (before the end of January).
• I will link more to others – including more praising good writing by others.

New Year’s Meme – reminiscing

I’ve seen a couple of folks do this – I think TheoGeo, now Busy Mom (via Nashville is Talking), so like a slavish follower of fashion, I shall do it myself. Highlight the first lines from each month of last year.

January:
Well, my first post of last year was brief and such a contrast to the way I feel this morning (we had a very quiet and sober evening last night) that I’m reproducing the post in full.

1 Jan 06: Fantastic. The Deco Lounge in the Tenderloin district of San Francisco. Piano bar, master of the ivories the gay son of a former Texas governor. He called us yankees (my friends are from Texas and Mississippi) just to get a rise, but then played the Tennessee waltz.

We’re in the San Jose airport on our way back to Vegas. I feel queasy. As I write this, I am lying on the filthy carpet with my head propped on my luggage.

And just for fun – a photo of Mr Houston Allred, which I wasn’t able to provide last year – as I was busy lying on the filthy carpet of a California airport.

February:
There were two posts on 1 February, one event has been forgotten but both are worth remembering:

Cold dead hand:
The IRA has held on to some guns after its “final act of decommissioning”. Shocker.

I’m Danicus
Newspapers across Europe are taking a stand by publishing cartoon images of the Prophet Mohammed.

March:
I tried to find a suitable gal for my brother. 1 March is VolBro’s birthday – and it was cheaper than sending a card, what with the trans-Atlantic postage and all. Go read the whole thing – he’s still available.

Woman seeking woman for brother
When I was home over Christmas, VolMom oft lamented VolBro’s single status.

April:
There seems to have been a gap in posting – my first post is on 4 April – where I lament the refurbishment of my local pub. It’s been open again for ages. On the upside, I’m not ashamed or scared to meet people there now, but on the downside it’s a lot more expensive and I do miss the atmosphere provided by the scowling, Chelsea supporting locals and their one-eyed dogs.

My local
My local pub is shut now for refurbishment. But it’s less a refurbishment and more a metamorphisis from dark, cheap drinking den – a spit on the sawdust floor kind of place – to a chi chi gastropub.

May:
I publish a digest of links to my series of posts “liveblogging” my trip to Paris.

Je n’aime pas Paris, but it’s OK
Vol K was over in London on business again and decided to she wanted to see Paris -I’ve made it a point of pride to say “I’ve live only a few hours away from Paris, and I haven’t been in 20 years!”

After breaking the seal on my ban on France, the Vol-in-Law and I went on vacation there in September.

June:
On the first of June last year, I was pumped for the World Cup! Hurray, Go Vols! Wait – they weren’t playing, and my other favorite team – England – might as well not have been.

Cup fever
The World Cup is not far away now. Vol Abroad readers get ready for some World Cup blogging.

July:
Oh, dear, my first post of July and this is how that World Cup thing turned out

It’s over

England’s out of the World Cup.

Loss on penalties. Again.

Tears in my beer.

August:
On the first day of August last year I blogged about donations to Islamic charities that ended up supporting terror. Be careful where you give your money.

Doing evil thru good
Where is your charitable donation going? Panorama- a BBC documentary news show had some interesting answers.

September:
In celebration of football time in Tennessee, I post a YouTube link to the cutest thing ever.

October: Although on the first of October last year, I blogged about the Conservative party conference, including McCain’s speech there at. And I also blogged about that amazing sweet 15 party in Knoxville

But my first post in October was asking for reader advice on some changes to my garden.

How tacky is that?
I’ve been thinking about getting an articial lawn

Reader opinion was not divided.

November:
London Mayor Ken Livingstone shows his true colors – again – on the first of November.

Ken backs terror – again
London Mayor Ken Livingstone had to make a big old U-turn yesterday after supporting the employment of a convicted terrorist on the Underground system.

December:
Getting a jump on the New Year’s resolution thing – my husband and I resolve to put my cat on a diet. Sometimes the threat of the law makes you do things you might not have otherwise.

Fat Cat
Two brothers are facing a private prosecution in the UK brought on by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA). What’s the charge? They let their dog get fat. Real fat.