Pub #5: The New Rose

The New Rose on Essex Road was introduced to me by my friend Ossie, as it was the venue where we watched the Arsenal and Manchester United match on the 29th of August this year.  Arsenal lost, alas, to Man U, but the pub was fine.  I had ale and ate pizza and knitted at the table while watching the game, hoping Arsenal would manage to come up and score some goals.

Since that day, which was the first full day I was in London, I’ve been to the New Rose quite a bit.  Living in Holloway, I have gone to the New Rose a few times to escape the neighbourhood chaos that happens when Arsenal are playing a game at Emirates.  I’ve also popped in for their two-for-one burger deals on Wednesdays (which I hope are still going to continue in the new year).  And I’ve also met up with friends who work nearby for a drink or three.

So yeah, I’m well-acquainted with The New Rose.  They’ve changed their food menu recently, but the handmade pizzas are still there, and the burgers, although I’m not sure about the veggie burgers.

I went recently to catch another Arsenal match, and I brought out-of-towner James in tow.  The match was between Arsenal and Aston Villa, and was going on not too far from my flat in Holloway, but who has money for tickets to Emirates?  Not me.  Instead, we went from Hyde Park to Essex Road and waited for the game to start at 1:30 that afternoon.  I ordered a dark ale, The Reverend James, which was one I’ve had before at The New Rose, but since I am in recovery mode from a cold I caught right before Christmas, in the end, I wasn’t able to finish it.  James started out with a pint of The Reverend as well, but after finishing it, he went for a glass of mulled wine, which he seemed to like.  Any case, I paid £3.40 for a pint of The Reverend James.

I did manage to finish a baked eggplant dish, however, which was tasty and yum.  At £6.50, it was one of the cheaper selections on the new menu, but it won points with me for being nice and warm.  James ordered a burger from the kitchen, and I forgot to ask how he liked it, as the game was in full swing by then, but he did remark the next day or so randomly about how he was thinking about the sauce The New Rose put on the burger.  I guess it left a good impression, then.  In the past, I’ve gotten veggie burgers at The New Rose, and they were quite fine.  Veggie burgers at pubs tend to fall apart upon eating, and the ones at The New Rose were no exception.  Still, they were good, and with the two-for-one deal they were having on Wednesdays (which are hopefully still going on), it was a great way to eat and have a pint or two for under a tenner.

It was a good visit to The New Rose.  Arsenal won 3-0 (sorry, Villa fans), the food was good, and the crowd was all right at The New Rose, aside from a rather skittish dog who was brought to the pub by a couple.  The crowd during the day is quite different from the evening crowd The New Rose sometimes plays host to.  It can be quite a deterrent, actually, when weird spill-over crowds from I-don’t-know-where show up and take over.  I remember one night being there and a drunken bunch knocked over a mess of drinks near me.  It happens.  It was particularly crowded that night, being a Friday night, and I also remember some guy on the bus loudly yammering to someone on the phone, “Oh yeah, I’m going to meet up with people at The New Rose!”  And sure enough, he was there, with his trendy glasses and sitting at a table among his friends.

Sometimes, people develop love-hate relationships with their favourite pubs.  They love the pub, but hate that all kinds of “wankers” or “jerkfaces” have started going to it.  This leads to some starting a search for a new local.  With the New Rose, I think I might stick with it being my local place to watch Arsenal games, two-for-one pizzas on Monday nights and afternoon drinks.  Other times, it just has been getting too crowded for me.

Pub #2: The Lexington

The Lexington on Pentonville Road and Penton Road is a place I had previously gone to before with my friend Lucy to go see John’s band Toe Hammer play back on the 29th of October.  I personally don’t get the name of the band, but it was very good and I enjoyed the show.  I also enjoyed the delicious nachoes and cake I consumed before the show in The Lexington, whose menu skewed towards Southern-style Americana, with hush puppies being a notable side dish to a main course, which had gotten me really excited.  Plus, there is a large variety of American imports (hah,”imports”) from craft breweries such as Anchor in San Francisco and Flying Dog from Colorado.  After that wonderful night of tasty food, delicious beer and fantastic rock n’ roll, I was eager to go to The Lexington again, especially to try more food.

That moment arrived when I met up with Derry this past Wednesday.  We were promised a whiskey tutelage under the guidance of Aru’s friend Ashu, however that didn’t transpire as we had thought.  So instead, Derry and I blundered our way through cheaper end of the bourbon menu.  Declan, who joined us later in the evening, declined the bourbon in favor of a pint of Sierra Nevada.

I should note right away that upon arrival to The Lexington Derry informed me that the kitchen was closed.  Apparently, when he inquired about food when he ordered his first whiskey, the bartender he spoke with was a bit vague, saying that the kitchen was not in operation.  Which is a travesty, as the food menu looked fantastic, and the Kentucky sweet butter cake was life’s joy in cake form.  I bemoan its loss, especially since it would have been amazing with the bourbon we drank.  Instead of the food from The Lexington’s kitchen, closed for the time being, Derry grabbed a pizza from some nearby place to share with Declan and me.  The pizza was okay.  Not great, not fantastic, not bad–just okay.  If you’re in a similar spot at The Lexington, I would recommend the Indian place just a few shops up on Penton–really awesome veggie biryani.  But hopefully, this situation is only temporary.  Maybe the oven or something broke.  But I noticed the chalk board that had the food menu on it was removed.  Hmm…

Anyway, onto the discussion of the drinks.  The first bourbon I had was a single of the Eagle Rare 10 Year Old, billed as “Mildly mollassed sweetness with orangy citrus” (£3.70).  I’m not a bourbon drinker, so the first sip was like fire.  The second sip, like a smaller fire.  I drank the bourbon on the rocks, as did Derry, which probably contributed to the bourbon’s palatability because the ice melted and mingled with the alcohol.  My next pick was a single of Old Crow (£3.20), “Malty with a liquorice aroma.”  Again, fire, then it went down quite quickly.  It was possibly a bit bland in comparison to the Eagle Rare, which seemed to pack a bit more punch.

I should state a couple of things with regards to these whiskey reviews.  One, I am not really all that into whiskey, although I respect it.  I generally drink gin if I’m going after liquor–a statement which seems to incite cringes out of some people: “Gin?!  Ugh!”  Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t mind developing a refined bourbon palette, but when I have money in my pocket burning to be turned into an adult beverage, I prefer to stick with what I know and what I like.  Still, it was nice to have an adventure in bourbon on Wednesday, although it would have been nice to have been able to try a few more, maybe with less ice.

Second, we come upon the fact that a shot of whiskey here in Britain is less than a comparable shot in the United States.  The US and Canadian standard shot is almost double, in fact, at around 44 mL, in comparison to the UK standard shot of 25 mL.  If you’re curious about how other countries measure up with measures (ha!), check out this handy chart from Wikipedia.  So, whereas two shots of whiskey would probably result in a very silly Doreen in the United States, in Londonland, I still managed to be quite sentient enough to realise I couldn’t afford to buy a third glass of whiskey that I may or may not like.

So, the bourbon I remain ambivalent about, but the beer selection is still quite good if you want to try American craft brews, along with some familiar faces for a girl familiar with the selection in Orlando bars.  Aru and I wound up in The Lexington on Saturday evening, and I ordered two bottles of Blue Moon.  Good ol’ Blue Moon.  The bartender put in an orange wedge in each of the glasses, which was something Aru wasn’t familiar with, but she enjoyed it all the same.

It gave me a little taste of home.

Pub #1: The Black Friar

So I posted yesterday that I wasn’t going to start on the 100 Pubs Project quite yet, but I did wind up doing so anyway because I was late in getting to the BFI to watch Shanghai Express.  What was a very “damn!” moment soon turned into a better night as I walked along the bank of the Thames, snapped some photos, and made my way to The Black Friar on the other side of the river.

Now, I was at The Black Friar once before.  After watching a film at the BFI, Derry led Aru, Johnny and myself to the place in search of a drink.  However, it was around 11 pm, which is when most pubs in London close, and The Black Friar wasn’t any exception.  Still, we got a gander at the impressive interior briefly before we went back out into the cold and the rain.

This experience was to be different, as I had arrived at around 9 pm, so well enough time to tuck in a pint.  The bartender (pubtender?) behind the counter was about to recommend the Landlord after seeing me look at the row of ales, but, having sampled the Landlord ale before, I was after something different.  With a note saying that it was brewed in London–Battersea, to be exact–the Wandle caught my eye.  I don’t think I’ve noticed it in the other pubs I’ve been to in London so far, so it seemed like something I ought to go for on a cold December evening when plans have gone somewhat awry.

It was a good choice.  For those of you who are curious, a pint of the Wandle goes for £2.80 at The Black Friar, which is quite a decent price to pay in a London Pub, in my experience of three months in the city.

My drink began to disappear quite quickly as I sat at a little table and had a gander of the surroundings.  Per Pubs.com:  The Black Friar’s interior is literally a work of art. It was begun in 1904, with sculptors Nathaniel Hitch, Frederick T. Callcott and Henry Poole contributing to its splendour. This pub is a lasting testament to their skill and craftsmanship.

Anyway, back to my beer.  Wandle is an easy ale to drink, with little bite or feel of heaviness, in my opinion.  It was quite a light ale to quaff as my eyes and stomach were enticed by something on the food menu: “Woodland Mushroom Pie.”  Now, don’t ask me if the mushrooms were really from the woodlands of Britain, because I don’t know.  What I do know was that the pie, and the accompanying carrots and mash, were majestic.  Furthermore, as I was eating my delicious meal (coupled with another pint of Wandle), I realised that this pie and mash couple was probably my first properly “British” meal.  Of course, terming something as being “British” or any other ethnic group is bound to be problematic, as one can argue well that the food I ate last Friday at Merkato, an Ethiopian restaurant, could also be British in a sense that it is here in London, and British culture is a vast spectrum of cultures and ethnic backgrounds and so on.  But you know what I mean.  When someone thinks of stereotypically British food, they think of bangers n’ mash, toad-in-the-hole, fish n’ chips and, perhaps, this:

Can I tell you how good this was?  Because it was good.  And filling.  I ate everything on my plate, and it was a bit of a struggle to finish my second pint of Wandle, as the previously light beer had gained a bit of heft after eating such a fantastic specimen of British cuisine.  Still, I persevered and, after putting the empty glass on the bar and thanking the very nice bartender, I scampered out into the darkness, feeling bold, adventurous and full of good food.  I was ready to explore more in the late hours, but then I felt a light London drizzle start, so instead I hopped a bus to King’s Cross.

All in all, I found The Black Friar to be quite an amicable place.  The clientele consisted mostly of men, with some women, although none of them were on their own as I was.  In fact, aside from an old guy in one of the little corner nooks, I think I was the only person on my own.  Any case, if you go, you should definitely check out the little side room.  It’s quite fantastic; I failed to get photos of it this time around, but next time I go, I hope to have my camera on hand to snap some of the fantastic work done by the talented sculptors from the beginning of last century.  Seriously, the interior of The Black Friar and its historical significance is reason enough to go.

So, thus concludes my trip to my first pub of the hundred I have vowed to go to.  The format will be more of the same, maybe sans food, maybe with friends, but always with a pint (or half–though that seems kind of weak now that I think about it).  Hope you have enjoyed this inaugural installment of my 100 Pubs Project.  See you at the next pub and all.

Hey, London! Let’s Have a Drink!: The 100 Pubs Project

So, what originally was going to be getting 100 people to buy me a drink in London changed to finding 100 people to just go out for a drink with. Then that changed as well to its current incarnation of 100 drinking establishments. Basically, it’s the 100 Pubs Project.

Pubs for me seem to embody much of my experiences here in London. Although not necessarily unique to the Big Smoke, pubs are quite integral in the social fabric of many Londoners (with some exceptions). When tourists come to the city, many of them feel like they have to go to an authentic pub to have that proper pub experience.

Part of the reason for this project is for me to find out about more places in London. Currently I live in Holloway, work in Islington, dork out in Bloomsbury, muck around in Hackney Downs and that’s it. Although there are fabulous pubs in these places I’ve mentioned, I would like to get out of my normal haunts and check out some other grand places I’ve seen on buses that look interesting, places that friends may recommend and take me out to, or other areas that may be famous or infamous for some reason or another.

Depending on the pounds in my pocket, I plan on going to the set-upon pub or other drinking establishment, sampling a pint or half-pint in the establishment, maybe some food if food is served, and sitting around.  Might even bring some of the mountains of reading I’m required to do for my courses at SOAS.  I’ve invited, well, anyone in London interested in sitting around with me at the pub of the moment, though I imagine a lot of these adventures will be embarked upon alone.

An excursion into the pubs of London will dovetail quite nicely with my academic interest in drinking habits of people, especially those which are part of a cultural construct. The pub, which is quite notable in British culture, is the best setting for this, along with bars for a glimpse of what the young (and those who like to think young) are doing. I’m also interested in the status/class textures woven into some of these drinking establishments. Are pubs a more egalitarian place? Are we all the same in the eyes of the bartender? Is it important to note that Biddles in Hackney doesn’t take credit or debit cards? So, yes, I’m going out to pubs and bars for research. No, really.

Want to come along? Expect the first of the hundred to be noted soon. Though not today, because I’m planning on going to the BFI tonight for Shanghai Express.  ”Planning” being the operative word, but maybe I can duck into a pub beforehand.

Bake Sale at the Thread Swap

This Thursday evening, I will be selling tasty homemade vegan baked goods at the Thread Swap happening at the Black Box Collective on West Central Boulevard, just a smidge west of downtown proper.

That’s right, I am having a bake sale.

Per the Facebook event invite:

THIRD THURSDAY
June 18th
7:00pm-?

Bring your old clothes, shoes, and pretty much anything else you don’t want anymore! Clean out your closets and come find free new(to you) stuff!  All proceeds from the door ($3-donate more?) will go to shipping costs of clothes to India! Left over cash will also be donated to villages of friends in need in India! All clothes/shoes we can’t ship will be given to our friends in need right here in Orlando!

So come out! Eat, Drink, Share, and most of all- be merry!

REMEMBER: FIRST COME FIRST SERVE ON FREE STUFF!

*Open Mic poetry sharing hours from 7:00-8:00pm
If you plan to recite, show up in time to get your name on the list

A sweet afternoon/evening of live MUSIC, POETRY, DRINKS, FOOD, AND BEST OF ALL: FREE CLOTHES!
AND LET’S NOT FORGET SOCIAL INTERACTION

Confirmed performance by:
Open Windows
Dani Shay
Amy White

Vegan baked items available for purchase, made by Doreen. Come early before all the sweets are sold out.

At the Thread Swap, there will be $2 PBR, Miller and (thank goodness) Yuengling throughout the evening.  Wine will also be available.

Tentatively, the list of vegan edibles I will be providing will include chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter icing (or maybe coconut… I haven’t decided), vegan chocolate chip cookies, blueberry scones and allspice muffins with crumble topping.  I’ve cleared my ingredients with the appropriate Vegan KGB representative–so yes, it’s really all going to be vegan–and much of the ingredients I will be using, such as flour and sugar, will be organic as well.

So please, after you’re done sifting through the discarded contents of other people’s closets, stop by and buy a cupcake or cookie from yours truly.  The proceeds aren’t quite as noble as that of the Thread Swap (don’t worry, I’ll be donating clothes, too), but would be just as appreciated, not just by me, but by the friends I’ll be visiting on the West Coast before I move to London.  Hopefully I will remember to bring the paper bags I bought today at Whole Foods for people to take some of these yummies home with them for breakfast or snack time the following day.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Black Box Collective, visit their MySpace page or their website, BlackBoxCollective.com.  They are on 630 West Central Blvd, 32801, and you can see a photo of the space on their MySpace page.  It sounds like it’s going to be a fun night, but I won’t be there for all of it, as I do have my day job to get to in the morning.  Speaking of which, I put in my notice at the Library today!  My final day as a library clerk will the the 15th of July.  Hooray!

Hope to see you Thursday night!