Living outside of London review

[Pat Vegas]

:cloud9: :cloud9: :cloud9:

should have done this sooner.

I have never been so relaxed :sherlock:

[Sir C]

:cloud9: :cloud9: :cloud9:

should have done this sooner.

I have never been so relaxed :sherlock:

Relaxed? You don't want to relax in Essex f, not for a moment. Someone will nick your teeth.

[Pat Vegas]

Relaxed? You don't want to relax in Essex f, not for a moment. Someone will nick your teeth.

I still have my London guard up at all times.

Drive to the station, seat on the train, air con on the train, 33 minutes to fenchurch street, 3 minute walk to work, :cloud9:
all the shops I could ever need.

I am bored I will move immediately.

[Burney]

:cloud9: :cloud9: :cloud9:

should have done this sooner.

I have never been so relaxed

Good, isn’t it? I fiercely resent having to go into London now - shìthole that it is.

I have to go there tonight. :-(

[Pat Vegas]

Good, isn’t it? I fiercely resent having to go into London now - shìthole that it is.

I have to go there tonight. :-(

I had to drive through London on sunday :-(
Lovely Hackney and it's confusing one way systems when heading towards the A12.

[Sir C]

Good, isn’t it? I fiercely resent having to go into London now - shìthole that it is.

I have to go there tonight. :-(

Are you at the Hilton? It's always depressing there. Awards ceremony? You spend all evening with the knowledge that the organisers were too cheap to cough for the Grosvenor. And the rooms at the Hilton are pretty squalid.

One cannot, however, reiterate often enough that London is by far the greatest city on earth, despite the best endeavours of the midget mayor.

One wonders what it is about it for you that defines it as a '****hole'? Is it the wonderful parks? The glorious architecture? The best food selection of any city, anywhere? The world's finest shopping opprtunities? Is it the unrivalled choice of theatres, museums and art galleries to which you object? Is it the pomp and ceremony of our imperial past, still proudly on display? Perhaps you dislike the good humour, good manners and good grace of the vast bulk of the population? Explain yourself.

[Pat Vegas]

zone 1 is nice and bits of zone 2, then it's pretty rubbish.
and no matter what people tell me or try to convince Shoreditch is not cool.

[IUFG]

I had to drive through London on sunday :-(
Lovely Hackney and it's confusing one way systems when heading towards the A12.

Ah, the A12. Lovely little race track.

Until the inevitable pile up at the Copdock junction with the A14.

[Sir C]

zone 1 is nice and bits of zone 2, then it's pretty rubbish.
and no matter what people tell me or try to convince Shoreditch is not cool.

Outside Zone 1 is just the 'burbs, man. The 'burbs are rubbish everywhere.

[SWv2]

Are you at the Hilton? It's always depressing there. Awards ceremony? You spend all evening with the knowledge that the organisers were too cheap to cough for the Grosvenor. And the rooms at the Hilton are pretty squalid.

One cannot, however, reiterate often enough that London is by far the greatest city on earth, despite the best endeavours of the midget mayor.

One wonders what it is about it for you that defines it as a '****hole'? Is it the wonderful parks? The glorious architecture? The best food selection of any city, anywhere? The world's finest shopping opprtunities? Is it the unrivalled choice of theatres, museums and art galleries to which you object? Is it the pomp and ceremony of our imperial past, still proudly on display? Perhaps you dislike the good humour, good manners and good grace of the vast bulk of the population? Explain yourself.

Do you genuinely believe this or are you just being silly?

[Sir C]

Do you genuinely believe this or are you just being silly?

It's clearly a subjective judgement, but I have experience of many of the world's great cities and I can tell you that none of them approach the variety and quality of the food choices in London. Nowhere comes close.

Which isn't to say that there isn't dreadful food in London, obviously there is. But whether you decide to eat Malaysian, Greek, Sri Lankan, Dutch, Cambodian, Russian, whatever, you will have options, usually many of them, and generally with high quality available. It's quite remarkable. If you want bistro food, it's there. If you want street food, ditto. Three star Michelin? No problem.

[IUFG]

Nowhere comes close.

Dubai does :vsign:

;-)

[SWv2]

It's clearly a subjective judgement, but I have experience of many of the world's great cities and I can tell you that none of them approach the variety and quality of the food choices in London. Nowhere comes close.

Which isn't to say that there isn't dreadful food in London, obviously there is. But whether you decide to eat Malaysian, Greek, Sri Lankan, Dutch, Cambodian, Russian, whatever, you will have options, usually many of them, and generally with high quality available. It's quite remarkable. If you want bistro food, it's there. If you want street food, ditto. Three star Michelin? No problem.

Could you not say the same about New York as a random example, and then surely to be fair and accurate in your judgement of how wide and good a range there is then one would need to live there for an extended period - as you have in London and surrounding areas.

It is only really when one lives somewhere that one really understands the place.

[Sir C]

Dubai does :vsign:

;-)

:clap: I want WES to tell me more about how the best Italian food in the world is slices of sub-Pizza Hut pizza kept under heatlamps on the all you can eat buffet.

[Sir C]

Could you not say the same about New York as a random example, and then surely to be fair and accurate in your judgement of how wide and good a range there is then one would need to live there for an extended period - as you have in London and surrounding areas.

It is only really when one lives somewhere that one really understands the place.

:shrug: Perhaps a New Yorker would have a different view, but he would be wrong, I'm afraid.

[Pat Vegas]

Could you not say the same about New York as a random example, and then surely to be fair and accurate in your judgement of how wide and good a range there is then one would need to live there for an extended period - as you have in London and surrounding areas.

It is only really when one lives somewhere that one really understands the place.

New York is good but their italian food is weird.

[SWv2]

:shrug: Perhaps a New Yorker would have a different view, but he would be wrong, I'm afraid.

I am a confirmed fan, and indeed ex-resident of London and can understand people putting it on a pedestal. Londoners do tend to moan a lot all the same which is confusing when allied with the claims of how brilliant it is.

Travel is of course a very subjective issue so each to their own. I watched an Anthony Bourdain programme last night where he visited Dublin and openly described it as the best city in the world for a person who liked a few drinks. Now he was absolutely hammered of course but I am not sure even I would agree with such an assertion.

[Sir C]

I am a confirmed fan, and indeed ex-resident of London and can understand people putting it on a pedestal. Londoners do tend to moan a lot all the same which is confusing when allied with the claims of how brilliant it is.

Travel is of course a very subjective issue so each to their own. I watched an Anthony Bourdain programme last night where he visited Dublin and openly described it as the best city in the world for a person who liked a few drinks. Now he was absolutely hammered of course but I am not sure even I would agree with such an assertion.

He liked to say contentious things, did Anthony.

I once heard him recommend eating bun rieu in Saigon. :hehe:

[Burney]

Are you at the Hilton? It's always depressing there. Awards ceremony? You spend all evening with the knowledge that the organisers were too cheap to cough for the Grosvenor. And the rooms at the Hilton are pretty squalid.

One cannot, however, reiterate often enough that London is by far the greatest city on earth, despite the best endeavours of the midget mayor.

One wonders what it is about it for you that defines it as a '****hole'? Is it the wonderful parks? The glorious architecture? The best food selection of any city, anywhere? The world's finest shopping opprtunities? Is it the unrivalled choice of theatres, museums and art galleries to which you object? Is it the pomp and ceremony of our imperial past, still proudly on display? Perhaps you dislike the good humour, good manners and good grace of the vast bulk of the population? Explain yourself.

The people. It's crammed with fùcking people all...existing. :puke:

I just don't want to be anywhere that full of people anywhere anymore. It's disgusting.

[Ash]

zone 1 is nice and bits of zone 2, then it's pretty rubbish.
and no matter what people tell me or try to convince Shoreditch is not cool.

There are many hidden gems in Greater London - especially parkland. Did you know that it is possible to walk from the countryside out beyond Barnet all the way to Hampstead Heath almost entirely through river valley, woods and parkland? You can do something similar on the Capital Ring - a 78 mile walk around London between four (Stoke Newington) and ten (Hendon) miles from the centre - again largely through green open space.

Even somewhere as essentially unlovely as post-industrial Silvertown in East London has a uniquely lovely little park and the spectacle of the Royal Docks. Or poor, dumpy Brentford - with its two museums, two grand old houses including a 17th century manor, a fine park, a canal, the River Brent, a curious old waterside industrial area on the mighty Thames itself and the golden mile of Art Deco factories on the A4.

[Sir C]

The people. It's crammed with fùcking people all...existing. :puke:

I just don't want to be anywhere that full of people anywhere anymore. It's disgusting.

So London isn't a shíthole per se, you just don't like people?

I'm glad we've cleared that up.

London's only really full of people if you go somewhere silly, like outside Mayfair.

Have a lovely evening, old chap. Enjoy your Hilton breakfast tomorrow. If memory serves me well that have A1 Steak Sauce available. It's rubbish.

[SWv2]

There are many hidden gems in Greater London - especially parkland. Did you know that it is possible to walk from the countryside out beyond Barnet all the way to Hampstead Heath almost entirely through river valley, woods and parkland? You can do something similar on the Capital Ring - a 78 mile walk around London between four (Stoke Newington) and ten (Hendon) miles from the centre - again largely through green open space.

Even somewhere as essentially unlovely as post-industrial Silvertown in East London has a uniquely lovely little park and the spectacle of the Royal Docks. Or poor, dumpy Brentford - with its two museums, two grand old houses including a 17th century manor, a fine park, a canal, the River Brent, a curious old waterside industrial area on the mighty Thames itself and the golden mile of Art Deco factories on the A4.

Jesus Christ A.

[Burney]

So London isn't a shíthole per se, you just don't like people?

I'm glad we've cleared that up.

London's only really full of people if you go somewhere silly, like outside Mayfair.

Have a lovely evening, old chap. Enjoy your Hilton breakfast tomorrow. If memory serves me well that have A1 Steak Sauce available. It's rubbish.

Anywhere that's really full of people is a ****hole. London just happens to be the nearest shìthole to me.

I'm not staying. I'm getting home to civilisation, birdsong and church bells as early as humanly possible.

[IUFG]

Anywhere that's really full of people is a ****hole. London just happens to be the nearest shìthole to me.

I'm not staying. I'm getting home to civilisation, birdsong and church bells as early as humanly possible.

:nod: I was sat in the garden enjoying a drink with the GLW last Sunday evening and heard a siren from an unseen emergency vehicle and I actually thought "That's unusual around here"

I assume some motorcyclist was turning themselves into a donor

[Pat Vegas]

There are many hidden gems in Greater London - especially parkland. Did you know that it is possible to walk from the countryside out beyond Barnet all the way to Hampstead Heath almost entirely through river valley, woods and parkland? You can do something similar on the Capital Ring - a 78 mile walk around London between four (Stoke Newington) and ten (Hendon) miles from the centre - again largely through green open space.

Even somewhere as essentially unlovely as post-industrial Silvertown in East London has a uniquely lovely little park and the spectacle of the Royal Docks. Or poor, dumpy Brentford - with its two museums, two grand old houses including a 17th century manor, a fine park, a canal, the River Brent, a curious old waterside industrial area on the mighty Thames itself and the golden mile of Art Deco factories on the A4.
Arnos Park is nice as it has a viaduct :cloud9:

[Ash]

Jesus Christ A.

You don't have to do it all at once. Public transport is your friend. Unlike in the Lake District when you come down to ground level after four peaks and have to walk six miles back to the hotel/inn. And due to some lax navigational process by me last week the walk home which I had glibly assumed to be an idyllic mostly low level valley turned out to be a pass most of the way up another mountain. We were well forked at the end of that one. Beer never tastes so good though. :-) :lager:

[SWv2]

Anywhere that's really full of people is a ****hole. London just happens to be the nearest shìthole to me.

I'm not staying. I'm getting home to civilisation, birdsong and church bells as early as humanly possible.

Early morning birdsong can be terribly annoying.

[Sir C]

There are many hidden gems in Greater London - especially parkland. Did you know that it is possible to walk from the countryside out beyond Barnet all the way to Hampstead Heath almost entirely through river valley, woods and parkland? You can do something similar on the Capital Ring - a 78 mile walk around London between four (Stoke Newington) and ten (Hendon) miles from the centre - again largely through green open space.

Even somewhere as essentially unlovely as post-industrial Silvertown in East London has a uniquely lovely little park and the spectacle of the Royal Docks. Or poor, dumpy Brentford - with its two museums, two grand old houses including a 17th century manor, a fine park, a canal, the River Brent, a curious old waterside industrial area on the mighty Thames itself and the golden mile of Art Deco factories on the A4.

I highly recommend sticking to parks Hyde, Green, St. James's and Regents, to ensure that one is close to Claridges when a thirst strikes.

[IUFG]

Early morning birdsong can be terribly annoying.

Oh, I'm going to shoot a fúcking wood pigeon near us as soon as I can locate it.

Before 5am the **** starts up :furious:

[Burney]

Early morning birdsong can be terribly annoying.

It's awfully good for one's soul, though, sw. Hearing the wee birdies twittering away. Also, looking out the window and seeing the wind rippling a field of barley. You don't get that in Croydon.

[Ash]

Arnos Park is nice as it has a viaduct :cloud9:

:nod: Near Southgate Station :cloud9: Surely Charles Holden's finest.

The Mill Hill viaduct is definitely one of my Seven Great Wonders of North London.

[Sir C]

It's awfully good for one's soul, though, sw. Hearing the wee birdies twittering away. Also, looking out the window and seeing the wind rippling a field of barley. You don't get that in Croydon.

Have you moved?

[Burney]

Have you moved?

No. I can see same from my bedroom window (well I could if there were any wind).

For completion of the tableau, I am currently showered and shaved, stark bõllock naked on my bed with the ceiling fan on, drinking an ice-cold glass of cider preparatory to donning this ridiculous garb and sweating off about two stone getting into London.

[Ash]

I highly recommend sticking to parks Hyde, Green, St. James's and Regents, to ensure that one is close to Claridges when a thirst strikes.

Not White's, Brooke's or Boodle's?

Surely Claridges is for the general public?

[Viva Prat Vegas]

I also have two brand new wheelie bins
:cloud9:

There is also a food scraps box but I eat so healthily these days that its never full

[Ash]

No. I can see same from my bedroom window (well I could if there were any wind).

For completion of the tableau, I am currently showered and shaved, stark bõllock naked on my bed with the ceiling fan on, drinking an ice-cold glass of cider preparatory to donning this ridiculous garb and sweating off about two stone getting into London.

I went by your house the other day. By that I mean a sign on the A1 had 'Ware' on it. The New River is on the list, btw. Have you walked along any of it?

[Burney]

I also have two brand new wheelie bins
:cloud9:

There is also a food scraps box but I eat so healthily these days that its never full

Pffffffft. I have three. And a box thingummy.

[Ash]

I also have two brand new wheelie bins
:cloud9:

There is also a food scraps box but I eat so healthily these days that its never full

You mean you eat all the Brocolli stalks?

[Burney]

I went by your house the other day. By that I mean a sign on the A1 had 'Ware' on it. The New River is on the list, btw. Have you walked along any of it?

Rather a lot of it, yes. The bit up this way is nicer than the bits in Cheshunt or Enfield. Last week, people sang madrigals by it at Great Amwell - on the island bit with the monument to Sir Hugh Myddleton on it. That's just how we roll up here - midsummer madrigals. :cool:

[Sir C]

No. I can see same from my bedroom window (well I could if there were any wind).

For completion of the tableau, I am currently showered and shaved, stark bõllock naked on my bed with the ceiling fan on, drinking an ice-cold glass of cider preparatory to donning this ridiculous garb and sweating off about two stone getting into London.

You need to allow an hour to knot your tie.

[Viva Prat Vegas]

:nod:

All that goodness is in them
Same as with potato skins

I have hit the buffers when it comes to bananas but I store them up in a carrier bag and dump them in the train bin on the way to Fenchurch Street

[SWv2]

Not White's, Brooke's or Boodle's?

Surely Claridges is for the general public?

When I was in London last year I was busting for a slash so nipped into Claridges and used their jacks.

Door man was very pleasant.

[Burney]

:nod:

All that goodness is in them
Same as with potato skins

I have hit the buffers when it comes to bananas but I store them up in a carrier bag and dump them in the train bin on the way to Fenchurch Street

You should get an allotment and start composting all that shiz, f :nod:

[Burney]

You need to allow an hour to knot your tie.

Yes...errrr....'knot'. Of course.

[Ash]

Rather a lot of it, yes. The bit up this way is nicer than the bits in Cheshunt or Enfield. Last week, people sang madrigals by it at Great Amwell - on the island bit with the monument to Sir Hugh Myddleton on it. That's just how we roll up here - midsummer madrigals. :cool:

Not hard to be nicer than Enfield tbf.

[Burney]

Not hard to be nicer than Enfield tbf.

True, but the bits of Enfield through which it goes aren't too awful.

[Sir C]

Yes...errrr....'knot'. Of course.

Don't tell me... no. I refuse to believe it. :-(

[Burney]

Don't tell me... no. I refuse to believe it. :-(

Life's too short. And I strongly suspect I've forgotten how.

[Viva Prat Vegas]

Does it spin round ?
I always wanted one of those as a kid when I saw it listed in the Hamleys Toy catalogue

[Burney]

Does it spin round ?
I always wanted one of those as a kid when I saw it listed in the Hamleys Toy catalogue

I had to buy a tie today, the old one having gone missing years ago. I stood there, thinking about it, but thought fùck it and went for the clip on.

[Sir C]

I had to buy a tie today, the old one having gone missing years ago. I stood there, thinking about it, but thought fùck it and went for the clip on.

Good Lord. Is it a jaunty tartan? Does it spin round and squirt water, perhaps?

[Viva Prat Vegas]

I am sure you look very smart and not at all like a bouncer
Or a waiter

Good luck with the tube journey :-(
Hopefully not with all the rush hour cunds

[The Insider]

I left London (Gillespie Road N5, no less!) over 15 years ago for the delights of the Ashdown Forest.

Love it here, although as I am from the Isle of Wight, the limited gene pool doesn't worry me as much as it would concern most AWIMBers!

[Ash]

I left London (Gillespie Road N5, no less!) over 15 years ago for the delights of the Ashdown Forest.

Love it here, although as I am from the Isle of Wight, the limited gene pool doesn't worry me as much as it would concern most AWIMBers!

How many toes do they have down there?

[Pat Vegas]

Prat Vegas is causing Fash confusion :-(

[Ash]

Prat Vegas is causing Fash confusion :-(

Then it's all going to plan.

[Pat Vegas]

Then it's all going to plan.

Maybe he was Fash as I wasn't Fash.

Fash? Who is Fash?

[Ash]

Maybe he was Fash as I wasn't Fash.

Fash? Who is Fash?

The ghost of Fash is a memory caused by the intersection of this universe with a parallel dimension.

[SWv2]

I left London (Gillespie Road N5, no less!) over 15 years ago for the delights of the Ashdown Forest.

Love it here, although as I am from the Isle of Wight, the limited gene pool doesn't worry me as much as it would concern most AWIMBers!

I left London (Drayton Park N5, no less!) over 16 years ago for the delights of the media termed Emerald Isle.

I miss the Arsenal aspect of London life but that only. Perhaps the pubs. Yes I miss the pubs.

I often think I would have preferred to have stayed, but then I visit and I am more often than not glad to leave.

Though often sick and actually dying in real life.

[7sisters]

Often difficult to go back to places you’ve left. Things move on very quickly. London must be difficult. Going back to a place and feeling like a minority can’t be easy for those of a certain generation

[SWv2]

Often difficult to go back to places you’ve left. Things move on very quickly. London must be difficult. Going back to a place and feeling like a minority can’t be easy for those of a certain generation

I never feel like a minority pal.

[IUFG]

I left London (Drayton Park N5, no less!) over 16 years ago for the delights of the media termed Emerald Isle.

I miss the Arsenal aspect of London life but that only. Perhaps the pubs. Yes I miss the pubs.

I often think I would have preferred to have stayed, but then I visit and I am more often than not glad to leave.

Though often sick and actually dying in real life.

I come out of London, nowadays, feeling unclean after a day there :-(

[Burney]

I come out of London, nowadays, feeling unclean after a day there :-(

That's usually because you are. A day in London invariably involves emerging begrimed and with a nose full of black bogeys.

[Luis Anaconda]

That's usually because you are. A day in London invariably involves emerging begrimed and with a nose full of black bogeys.

ffs b - always with the racism

[IUFG]

A day in London invariably involves emerging begrimed and with a nose full of black bogeys.

Trusay, b

instant regret when putting my hand on the escalator hand rail...

[Burney]

Trusay, b

instant regret when putting my hand on the escalator hand rail...

Oddly enough, I was at an event focused around your industry last night.

[IUFG]

Oddly enough, I was at an event focused around your industry last night.

You poor chap.