GGGeek

One of the many things the brits do different is wiring homes for electricity. Where else in Europe would you see such contraptions?

It is possible that the best strategy to educate dog owners is by humour rather than fines?

A GREAT shop hidden in a corner street close to Angel, filled to the brim with material for drawing, painting, creative activities and whatnoot: CASS ART

Of course there are a lot of nice-looking shops in Liverpool road, so singling one out feels unfair. It has to be said though that most of those have incredible prices. Take twentytwentyone for example: it must be the only design outlet in the world where Scandinavian furniture costs more than in Oslo!

One the least hipster-looking places in Hoxton, within walking distance of my cozy small flat, is F. Cooke’s “Pie & Mash” parlour.
So far I had not managed to try it out, maybe because there’s no menu on the door and I’m a bit scared of getting a pastry stuffed with eel, or because there’s no opening times written, either, and I tend to pass by late in the evening or on sundays.

This time I carefully planned my visit for a Saturday afternoon, hungry like the wolf after having dutifully swam my weekly kilometre.

Results:

Atmosphere: 9 – everyone seems to know each other (except me).
Food: 6 – maybe this is the best pie in London, maybe not. I think I am not a great fan of pies after all

Went for the second time to my fave ramen joint in London: Cocoro, next to the British Museum (see http://cocororestaurant.co.uk/en).

Forgot to take a picture, so without further ado here’s the rating:

Food: 9/10 – if you love thick, rich, creamy tonkotsu, then this is the place for you
Service: 7/10 – good enough, but definitely not the same you’d get in a restaurant in Tokyo
Ambience: 8/10 – a bit quaint looking, with a big advantage: no-one inside. In Paris you’d have to queue for one hour and half for the same stuff!!!

Overall score: 8.5.

If anyone can recommend a better japanese, I’m up for a culinary expedition.
Next in the list: find good Udon!

Last time I was in London, for 3 months during the spring, I had bought a nice 2nd-hand citybike. The plan was to use it on my daily commute, and resell it before going back to the continent.

Unfortunately, both wheels where stolen on a night without moon. (and without public transport. A strike was starting)
I was told that this was to be expected, since I did not properly lock them (only the frame was properly secured using an Abus lock).
And to be honest, I had noticed that most bicycles carried two locks, at least in the city centre. I was just too lazy to do that.

When I moved in for good, at the beginning of November, with my lovely bike with a dark blue Mattioli frame, Schwalbe tyres and Brooks saddle, I consequently decided that it would sleep safely in the home with me every night. I bought two locks. And I attached the saddle to the frame using a custom-made anti-theft chain devised by old friend and bike lover Massimo.

Alas, it took less than one month for the saddle to disappear, on a rainy afternoon, while I was swimming and the bike was attached in front of the pool. The saddle was even hidden under a protective rag.

All I have to say to the my fellow city-dwellers, who for one reason or the other have fallen out of luck and have to resort to recover parts from other people’s bicycles for a living, is just one word of advice. STEER FUCKING CLEAR IN THE FUTURE, OR ELSE!