Bog Blog

Tuesday, 4 September 2012

Them Next Door

Our next door neighbours used to be a couple of children (or maybe just one), some of smoking women (women who smoke outside) and possibly an old man. They were replaced one night with a group of reflective-jacketed men who have been gradually tearing out the belly of the house, layer by layer. I wish I had gotten pictures of the first few days, as this was an amazing sight: Piles of sofas, lamps, carpets and blinds. It's been wonderful to watch layer after layer of this house being pulled out from the inside and laid in piles in the front garden. When it first started, and I was opening my front door, I noticed that I could actually smell that distinctive smell of "other people's houses". It was strangely nostalgic, and even more so when the smell has dissipated by the next day. It is sad to think of the ingrained dirt and belongings of everyone who ever lived there being stripped away, and the house being left as an innate, dead shell. Also, I hope they don't smash the whole house down, because I think it's holding ours up.

Wednesday, 1 August 2012

Imogen's Birthday

Saturday, 2 June 2012

We saw Avengers Assemble

Forgive me father for I have sinned. And would probably do it all again.

Making our first shaky steps, squinting madly into the blinding light of omnivorous June and the impending cheesepocalypse. It's glorious.

Here is a retrospective list of my Vegan May sins:

4 milky frothy delicious lattes. I feel no remorse. Sometimes you just have to be awake. And the lady at the counter doesn't hear you say soy.

2nd May. Montezumas, Spitalfields. In search of guilt-free chocolate snacks. Stumble into gourmetorganicluxurious chocolate shop and find the motherload. Pounced upon by eager sales assistant I am tricked into sampling milk chocolate truffle things. A small calf somewhere in the world cried bitter tears. I buy this in recompense.

12th May.Boho Mexica, Commercial Street.
'Business Lunch' Everything contains cheese or meat. I cave. Tostadas de Ceviche turn out to be tiny toasted things with bits of Sea Bass and lettuce. Marinated pork with pineapple encased in tortillas. Black bean pork stew thing. Heavenly. Beer with Lime juice and a salt coated glass.

26th May, 1pm. Google HQ It's catering food on shiny plastic platters. 6 tiny sandwiches with the crusts cut off containing various kinds of delicious cheese. It was either those or a massive plate of sushi. The view from the 9th floor was incredible.

30th May. The Luxe, Spitalfields.
It's the last day of the challenge, and I feel like this. Team lunch and I try so hard to be virtuous ordering Veggie cooked breakfast. With scrambled eggs.

This is just a small selection of my food transgressions, there were more but you get the picture. This month I learned that eggs and milk are the glue that holds our culinary universe together. And it blows.

On the positive side, I did try some new things on menus I never would have bothered with. Some sucked. YOLO.

Nandos veggy burger. Verdict: Stodgy Rubbish. Hidden extras included milk and unauthorised mayonnaise.

Wagamama Yasai Katsu Curry, Deep fried aubergine, sweet potato and other mystery vegetables with rice, curry sauce and salad. Verdict: Victory. Drawbacks: Difficult to eat as vegetables were enormous and there were only spoons for chopping. Resorted to skewering on chopstick. Awkward factor of x10,000

Bagel with Peanut Butter, Bagel shop one, Brick Lane. Verdict: Sticky. Delicious. Cheap. Always go to the first Bagel shop.

East Street, Tahu Goreng, Indonesian Curry with tofu. Verdict: Lovely. I particularly enjoyed the Hong Kong airport announcement soundtrack in the ladies loo.