Free Hare Krishna Food

Website: http://www.iskcon-london.org/activities/food-for-life.html
When I first came to London I heard about Hare Krishna stalls that give out free food to university students at SOAS and LSE. Ever since then the student in my has wanted to find one and be given some free food. Yesterday I finally did it!

After a quick internet search I found the above website which details when and where the Hare Krishna volunteers distribution their food. Outside of term-time I found the best option to be van distributing food between 1pm-1.45pm in Camden. Now, as far as I understand, the purpose to the free food scheme is to give "Food For All". At SOAS and LSE this essentially means poor students, whereas at other locations in the city it usually means homeless people.

I turned up to the Hare Krishna van at around 1.30pm and found a few men and women strung out on the pavement eating from paper plates. Most of the people looked hungry and homeless but a few looked like nearby office workers who had popped over for lunch. When I queued up at the serving hatch I felt that I probably looked more like the former than the latter.The woman inside asked if I'd like a plate and I happily agreed. She reached back and scooped up rice from a huge tub behind her and then ladled on some stewed vegetables. By the time she was done she was presenting me with a huge portion of rice and potatoes etc. I grabbed myself a paper cup of a purple soft drink and then stood off near the wall to eat my feast.The food was filling and hot and I wondered what I looked like shovelling it into my mouth next to the industrial curb-side bins. It was a bit of a struggle to finish everything but I didn't want to waste any so I ploughed through it like a machine. When I was done I threw away the plate and cup and went on my way calling "Thank yooou" through the serving hatch.

Summary: A very generous enterprise...

Tate modern restaurant

Website: http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/eatanddrink/restaurant.htm

Last Saturday ABJ and I ate lunch at the restaurant at the top of the Tate modern.

I'd heard that there were wonderful views from the top and I'd even heard rumours that there was a restaurant at the very top of the Tate modern tower. In reality the restaurant is on Level 7 of the art gallery. This was high enough to get good views as well as make it a lengthy procedure to get there in the lifts:We arrived and asked for a table for two near a window. This we promptly received although not on the river-side but on the opposite side with views over the modern architecture at the rear of the gallery. Unforunately the bright summer sun was reflecting off a glass roof outside and blinded anyone sitting at our table. We tried moving but the problem followed us as the sun moved in the sky. At last the waitress lowered the blinds to save our eyes...The food we ordered was very tasty and we were enjoying it so much we ordered dessert.Summary: Good views, tasty food.

Cabman's shelter

Everyday I cycle past a green shed-like building on my way to work. It's one of a number of "Cabman's shelters" in London - road-side huts providing hot meals to taxi-drivers.

The one I go past is in South Kensington but I've seen others in Notting Hill, St John's Wood etc. When they're open there's usually a line of taxis parked nearby with gruff-looking taxi drivers queuing up to buy their lunch.

Today I joined them and bought my lunch at a Cabman's shelter.

I gingerly approached the hut and went around to the serving window. There was a taxi-driver chatting to the woman inside and I nervously hung back, acutely aware that I am not a taxi-driver...

At last the man was served his cup of tea and went off to his waiting cab. I stepped up to the window and ordered an egg roll from the woman inside. While she went about cooking it up another taxi-driver came up and eyed me suspiciously. He ordered his tuna baguette and we stood waiting in stony silence, both aware that I was trespassing on the cabman's turf.
At last my roll was ready and off I went, munching happily and trying not to squirt ketchup down my front!

Summary: A window into the cabman's world.

The ice bar off Regent Street

Website: http://www.belowzerolondon.com/icebar

Last night TF and I visited the Absolut Ice Bar on Heddon Street. We both tried to go there a few years ago but were turned away because we hadn't booked in advance. This time we were successful.

Our reserved timeslot was from 9.30pm to 10.10pm. We arrived at the chaotic queue just before 9.30pm and bought two tickets for £12.50 each. We joined a queue/holding area with our fellow drinkers and then - at 9.30 - the bouncers started letting people in.

Before entering you stand in front of a bouncer, they take a fur-lined insulating cape off a hook, raise it above your head and shove it down over you like you're a foot going into a sock. You're then ushered into the Ice Bar...

The "air-lock" is lined with fur and when you emerge into the bar it's like stepping into another world. The air is cold, the light is funky blue, the music throbs and everywhere you look the ice gleams.
Giddy with the novelty of the bar we didn't know what to do. We had a closer look at the ice. All the walls were made from ice, there were "tables" and "seats" made from huge blocks of clear ice (the seats had fur on top) and even the bar was made of ice. Apparently the ice is all transported from the Torne River in Jukkasjarvi, Sweden. It certainly was nice to look at - with natural fissures and air-pockets:Slowly we realised the bar was getting busy. Our tickets entitled us to one drink so we shoved our way to the front and chose some cocktails from the menu:I had a Absolute Red Garnet which was quite nice. The drinks were served in an ice "glass" which became very cold to hold as the 40 minutes went on. Luckily our capes came with a pair of gloves attached on elastic.
As we drank our cocktails we walked around the room and I was a little disappointed that it wasn't as big as I'd imagined. I got the (accurate) impression that the room was just like a big freezer - like a meat locker turned drinking venue.

We took lots of photos of each other posing with the ice and watched everyone else taking lots of photos too. The other 20 or so people were all young and looked like they were out for a big night even though it was a Wednesday.

After a while of trying to look through the walls or chip the drinks glasses into pieces we got a bit bored and cold. We built the finished glasses up into a pyramid:
Extra drinks cost £6 each so we gave them a miss. It turned out that 40 minutes in the ice bar was about the right amount of time - any longer would have been a chore. At 10.10pm we were told to leave and, after having our capes quickly stripped off, we stepped out into the normal world again.

Summary: A magical but expensive experience.

Pie 'n' Mash Shop

Website: http://www.manze.co.uk
Address: 87 Tower Bridge Road, London, SE1 4TW.

What a treat! Yesterday, being in South East London at around lunch time, I tried again to visit M. Manzes pie and mash shop. Established in 1902 this is the oldest continuously operating pie and mash shop in London.

I arrived at about noon and was glad to see the shop was open. A few people were queuing in front of me so I tried to size-up the shop. It looks very old-fashioned - white and green tiles on the walls and surfaces. There's a long serving counter on the right and a large seating area on the left dotted with people tucking into their hearty food. The pies behind the counter sit on huge baking trays and the mash is in a huge bowl, all ready to be served up.

The orders are phrased as "number of pies" + "number of mash". I ordered a simple "1 vegetarian pie" + "1 mash". The vegetarian pies are unusual so they said it'd take a few minutes. In the mean time I ordered a large sarsaparilla. I sat at the back and looked forward to my food.

The waitresses looked like local women who enjoyed working there. In fact, most of the customers looked like they were proper south Londoners. I felt I stood out a bit - especially after my order of a vegetarian pie. All the real men had ordered "2 pies" + "2 mash". In the end I was glad I didn't have my camera to take photos because I'd have looked even more out of place.

After a tormenting eternity my pie was ready. I went up and hungrily changed my order from "1 mash" to "2 mash and liquor". The waitress put the pie on a plate, used a spoon to smear a mash barricade on the opposite side of the plate and then poured a generous ladle of "liquor" into the centre. The carefully designed food layout ensured the pie and mash held the liquor in without spilling. I paid, raced to the back and tucked in.

Well, what can I say? It was heavenly. When I left I felt full and satisfied. Yum.

Summary: Go there. Eat some pie and mash. Smile. (Try the challenge not to look out-of-place though).