Seems that winter is trying to bite here in the UK. Places have managed -13C and in England, Shap (Oop North in Cumbria) came down to -9C. As is always the way, 1 cm of snow around the South East creates Armageddon, and two hours later the melt has sorted the mess out. I am old enough to remember the UK having four separate seasons, and the winter being very cold and hard for a few weeks at a time - in truth, I miss it. Cold gives way to damp and wet too easily now. Having to cover the car windscreens in an effort avoid scraping off the ice early in the morning is now merely a slight inconvenience nowadays. Which is not to say that I really do wish that the Gulf Stream would behave itself and act as expected. Lost Cinema Found via Facebook buddies... While travelling on the 24 bus from Victoria to my Mum's a few weeks ago, I saw that the hinterland around Victoria Station and Victoria Street was suffering from the rigours of serious redevelopment. With my mind idling on a Saturday morning, I thought back to my school and post-school days and of the cinema which was opposite the Circle and District line entrance to Victoria Underground Station. Recalling a grand-ish entrance and frontage, I tried to think of the cinema's name and came up with absolutely nothing. I KNEW (if I wasn't just re-imagining my own history) that it was either a theatre or cinema and that it had been used as a gig venue when Punk was in it's hey-day. I asked my brother and my Mum and the name still eluded me. I posted a request for help to my Facebook pals and received a couple of remembers from my old school mates: David Rice (in the U.A.E.) : "There was. It became a music venue. I saw Blondie there with Lee." Tim Sollis (in Hong Kong) : " I remember seeing Clannad at a theatre there (could be the place you mention). I also remember back in our school days, there was a sandwich shop next door. I and a few others would go there to get our lunch. I'd use "Luncheon Vouchers" given to me by my mum." But it was Vic Williams (who is currently living and working in Zambia) who told us that it was: "The Metropole, was dead posh even had a door man, later was turned into a Dirty Dick's jeans place then a restaurant." As the site is now a hole in the ground, I searched the interweb with my new found knowledge and came up with this link giving the cinema's (quite interesting) potted history. <<Metropole, Victoria>>. The site mentions a few other cinemas that I had forgotten about. Gigs, albums and stuff... Last week I went on the train to Brighton to see the lovely Emmy The Great at the Green Door Store - a small, dank but quite likeable venue in an ex-stable under the arches of Brighton Station. Emmy was on a short tour to support the release of her EP, "S". <<Here are the photos>> Only 3 old songs made the mix but it was, I have to say, very enjoyable. Another of my newer finds, Courtney Barnett is releasing her debut album proper and touring in the UK in March and April. I enjoyed the last CD 'The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas'. Hailing from Australia, Courtney Barnett is a rock/folk singer-songwriter who is very good with words. I first happened upon her following a heads-up in a tweet by another of "my acts". Her voice is a little unusual, but she does rock and played a couple of sets at last year's Glastonbury. "History Eraser", "Avant Gardener" and the new single "Pedestrian At Best". I have pre-ordered the album, "Sometimes I Sit and Think, Sometimes I Just Sit" which is due on 23 March and although I cannot get to her gig at the Electric, Brixton, I will be going to Courtney's gig at Concorde2 on Madeira Drive in Brighton on March 27.
I am at the Scout Hut this Saturday morning assisting the Cub Scouts (not our Pack, though) at the District Cookery Competition. There are only seven groups entered this time.
Gibson Pack will be trying to cook from scratch a main course of Pork Chop accompanied by a sweet and spicy sauce with Rice and Pak Choi. Dessert will be Poached Pears in a syrup. They haven't done too bad in the practices, but from experience the judging is very strict. Chef's badges will be awarded to the team of four. Having been cooking with the Cub Cookery team for the last three weeks, I have got one more meeting in the kitchen this coming Monday - Shrove Tuesday falls during half term week this year, so it will be Pancake duty for me. I think that I have gone on enough for this session. Adieu, Dear Reader. Laters...
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