Brighton Lights, Smaller City

On a National rail service train to Brighton right now.

Days are getting shorter and shorter. We were out the door by 2 p.m. and on a train at Victoria station by 3 p.m.

Originally, our plan had been to go to Edinburgh, Scotland, however, we weighed the cost and time and decided it didn’t seem worth it. Brighton is £8 one way on the train and going for two days makes sense.

National Rail Service ticket to Brighton from Victoria station.

Been a busy couple of days. Most of a blur.

I am starting to get my bearings down. I checked the NANOWRIMO word count and I’m at about 45,000 words – so 5,000 to go.  That works out to five longer stories or 10 shorter ones.

I have found writing on the Tube – and this train – is perfect. It allows me to zone out, put on loud music and just focus.

Tube writing

I finished my Modern Love column yesterday, with some creative input. It was much more challenging to write than I imagined. Hard to be objective and put your life in third person. But it’s done. Will submit to New York Times shortly.

I do feel like I’m living here. Something unique happened about a week in that hasn’t happened travelling before – I felt a bit homesick. That is a good thing. It means I wasn’t just a tourist somewhere. I was here.

But I have been able to get a taste of home. A few friends from Newmarket and Toronto now reside here. I got to see Sarah and her partner Ved in Mayfair on Friday, where they took me out for fish and chips. The Golden Hind has been around since 1914 and the packed little shop hosted Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his 27 staffers a few weeks back for a private party (the owner has the picture of him and Harper to prove it). 

The owner of the Golden Hind with his pic w/ the PM. Metahhh!

Thought that was a cool little tale.

T and I went to see Spoon at 02 Shepherd’s Bush later that evening. It seems even club venues are these majestic places, several floor high, like Massey Hall.

Spoon!

O2 at Shepher'd Bush

It was a real treat to see Hamilton Leithauser (singer of The Walkmen) and Spoon play together on one stage. Neither has ever disappointed during a live concert and the same was true this time around.

We also went to meet Anna Marion near Portobello Rd. on Saturday. We were hankering for some brunch, but Brits do brunch differently here. Most places stop serving breakfast by noon and it’s not really the way us North Americans perceive brunch. We always take into account hangovers for the next morning, therefore, greasy eggs and bacon or chicken and waffles are served until 4 p.m.

We ended up at this place called, The Shed, which served a more random type of brunch. Lots of earthy dishes – mushrooms with poached eggs, chorizo, labneh, crisp bread and kale, beef cigars, venison ragu. Random, but totally delicious.

Two girls, one Shed.

You don't win friends with salad.

Mushroom and egg.

Fish

Anna lives in Queens Park and teaches fifth graders, looking to buy some property in London. We spent the day walking around Notting Hill and headed to Portobello Gold, a dive bar T’s father used to hang out in during the ‘70s when it was called The Princess Alexandra aka "The Alex." The bar has hosted the likes of philandering U.S. President Bill Clinton in 2000.
It’s literally like a jungle bar with some enclaves up a flight of stairs. Anna's awesome, just had a great time hanging out, shooting the shit.

Jungle Boogie at Portobello Gold.

Then it started pouring. That’s what happens in London. It rains. No bullshit about that. But you get used to it. A few days ago, we took a trip to Battersea to a famous local animal shelter, Battersea Dogs and Cats.

Battersea Power Plant -- featured on the cover of Pink Floyd's "Animals."

Mike the Jack Russell.

Excited to explore Brighton – saw the bright lights of the pier and the Ferris wheel. The cabbie that took us from the train station pointed out little bohemian nooks to explore.

Also, I’ve noticed that Brits don’t say “hi.” It’s “hiya.” Just a little observation.