Pie and mash

Peckham blues

It was Monday and I had the blues. Big time. I realise now, with the benefit of hindsight, that I was experiencing SAD blues and they were taking their toll. Within an hour I had my suitcase packed and was on my way south west in search of light and laughter with a visit to my oldest mate who lives in Cornwall.

Stopping off at the library in Peckham en route for the station, I needed tea and lunch before the long journey so I popped into the nearby pie and mash shop. This is a first. Years of living in Peckham and it is only now that I have ventured into this world famous emporium.

It did the trick... classic comfort food... and set me up for my journey to the home of  the Cornish pasty. I dutifully tucked into a pasty on Tuesday after a walk on the beach at Portleven and sorry Mr Manze, the Cornish version was best.  SAD means carb cravings. Pies and potatoes hit the spot! Hopefully I will be back on form soon.

Back in London ..

Sunday afternoon in Peckham

Now that I am back in London, I find myself looking for images that sum up my life here and how it compares and contrasts to life in Madrid.

My first week back, the sun shone and the temperatures were definitely Spanish. The weekend was taken up with a picnic in the Horniman museum gardens with friends and their new family additions plus a visit to Lordship Lane's quirky shops and a practical trip to Peckham's pound shops and Clarks' Factory shoe shop with my friend Jane.

Times are hard and it shows. Every shop is working hard to get in customers. There are offers and discounts wherever I go and yes, it is much cheaper here than Madrid now that the Euro has fallen so low.

It was strange to go back to my old job and I was glad to find things had changed and I was sitting in a different desk and was going to be working on different projects. After months of talking for a living, it was time to go back to writing and editing and I found myself immersed in jargon and "brand speak" all over again. Whatever ever happened to plain English?

Cafe culture

This is a view from one of the nicest of the many East Dulwich cafes called Le Chandelier. It was a glorious day and the tea was in a pot, the cake was yummy and the company was perfect.

So my five weeks in transit are coming to an end and it is time to review and reflect a little. I have really enjoyed having time to reconnect with the area I live in and also to get to know some local friends a little better. One of the joys of where I live is the vast number of cafes and bars of all description. If I was staying around I was thinking of reviewing each and every one of us so it is just as well I am off to Madrid on Saturday.

My favourite local establishments at the moment are:

1. Le Chandelier for its pots of speciality teas and its eclectic and refreshing decor

2. Green and Blue for its delicious wines and tasty platters

3. The Old Nun's Head for its proximity to home and for its first rate puy lentil and mushroom lasagne

4. The corner caff in Nunhead for its great scrambled egg on toast and mugs of builders tea

5. Constance's coffee shop in the Indoor Warehouse for more tasty cake and proper tea in a cup and saucer.

And then there is the chocolatier in Bellenden Road and the cafe in Peckham Park and well, I could go on. I am going to miss this aspect of London life but it will be more than compensated by the tapas bars of Madrid.

I am flying on Saturday morning and have almost packed. I have somewhere to live for at least two weeks and I am really looking forward to going now. I can never thank my friends enough for all the love and support and words of encouragement I have had over the last few weeks.