boat drinks

Wed was pretty good; we took the 271 to the Prince of Wales, Highgate Village. Stuart was re-introduced to pork scratchings so there were rounds of that interspersed with ales like the rudely named Butcombe. We are entertaining the idea of making home-made pickled eggs.

We had a lovely walk through Hampstead Heath past the ponds; there's segregated and mixed swimming..their disclaimer was 'the water's untreated, opaque and cold'. Nothing like a selling job. Great view of the Crystal Palace transmitter, Canary Wharf, London Aye. There was kite flying; guys on the ground wrestling control.
Then to Powers just near that pun of a title Brondes Age. Gig posters from the past; like Phoenix 98. Good music on the decks. The Black Lion further down in Kilburn from 1898 had nice decor even though the ale was on the turn.

Missus was in the Notting Hill Record Exchange while i hid vinyl temptation in the Prince Albert. What a gentrified ya, air kisses nightmare; not a single Notting Hill dred and nearly £4 for a drink. Hel came back with £30 of Chicane, Bent, Groove Amanda. The Portobello Star was much better; more edge in the Portobello Road end. They had boat drinks! Guess the film.
Went to wish birthday salutations to Fraser at the gallery.
Thurs Ziggys in Hox Sq on a semi-sensible local night out.

Naveed was the first to take me out for my birthday this lunchtime/ afternoon at the Trader. It falls on the Saturday but i'm milking it even longer than Helen milks me; for all its worth Friday- Sunday. It's a milestone/millstone birdee as a decade winds down tonight with a Chinese; will be out at the stroke of midnight.