London Adventures #12 - MEZE

After a week and a bit of Zac's house mate Ella exclaiming "MEZE FOR TEA" whilst producing only Fish Fingers, we are final making a Meze this evening. Oh and having beer too.

So before I tell you too much about this evening, I should probably tell you about my day. The day started with a tonne of confusion, because once again—they had switched platforms on the station without any real notice. I mean they do have a board that occasionally says "No service" between the times of each train, but in no way does that indicate that the platform is not active and the trains showing for the particular platform are arriving on the platform to it's right.

So I stand there, watching trains pass by me, completely unaware that they are the trains that are scheduled to arrive on the platform I normal wait at. Sort yourself out TFL.

Anyway, when I got over my mild rage, I got on the correct train and began to zone out to 'Madvilliany' as I do most mornings. There is something calming about the escapism I receive from that album that makes me forget where I am and allows time to pass by me whilst I focus on the beats and samples; not to mention actually interoperating MF DOOM's lyrics—that man is a word smith of the rap world. This morning, I snapped out of my commuting daze to recognise something I awe at most mornings.

On station platforms for northern stops on the Northern Line, there is a repetition of beautiful typography on the polished tiles that are the curved walls.  The words on only the names of the stations, but the letter forms are just so beautiful, a great example of a well kerned, really well drawn serif font. I look at them each morning and always admire them but have never thought to actually feature them in any of my blog posts—and it struck me that these masterpieces of lettering would otherwise just be words to most people; and yet, to me they are symbol of everything I wish I could be and the quality I wish I could design letterforms to.

I haven't a picture for you as they are tediously difficult to get images of, moving and all. But just believe me, they are perfection if it had the possibility to exist.

Today was a slow one, there wasn't much work for me so I spent a lot of my time just asking for little jobs here and there, and cutting out and range of people for other spreads. But even with the lack of work, it was still such a nice day. The only thing spoiling my day is the fact, I'm having to leave the friendships, workplace and food tomorrow and the fact of that was hanging over my head all day, like dark cloud of realisation. As much as I'm dying to get home and just flop on my bed, I've found just great love for a lot of aspects of London.

This was ever more apparent when I went for my lunch break today. I thought I'd go sit outside the Tate and look over the river whilst I eat my sandwich; which I did in the company of a lovely elderly woman and a bunch of annoying over-confident pigeons. And as annoying as they were, I kind of love that too—that even pigeons think they are big-shots when they are in London.
So I sat down, said thank you to the woman next to me for moving her bag and just sort of took in the landscape, staring at the beauty of surrounding architecture (mostly the Tate's) and just then I heard the unmistakable bellow of a trumpet.

Just down the path, there was a duo playing Jazz. One with a trumpet and the other an accordion. It's bloody freezing, I'm looking out over a smoggy day and I've got a pigeon trying to steal my sandwich but I'm in constant company by the sound of this brass jazz; blowing towards me like a ray of sunshine, carried by the wind. It was lovely! The fact that on a grey day, over-shadowed by some of the countries best architecture, that these to men of little means are just there creating such a beautiful sound that blanks out the rest of the world for me. I just love it.

I couldn't take an image straight on for feeling like a fool, so I took it from here and it made a lovely photo in the end.

So thank you, you two gents—I wanted to give you some change but I had none. I then hottailed it to M&S because I wanted to get some chocolate for the guys (and girls) at NME for being so lovely to me and allowing me to have a small insight into their working world. So for all this thanks I wanted to give, I wasn't just buying a chocolate bar; oh no. I bought a 'Colin the Caterpillar cake' and two tubs of what looked like extremely sickly chocolate treats. I think they liked them.

Now we move onto the exciting bit; the bit about beer and meze! Tonight we are cooking up the rest of my remaining food along with some other things in which to make the ultimate 'Not-At-All-Greek-Meze-Of-Doom' and I am excited as hell for it. Mostly for the food but also because I stopped by a craft beer store on the way home and got myself four beautiful looking beers that I will review and post on my final London post. But look what I found in there.

Moon shine baby

Among all the beautiful beers, I came across a shelf and this is what it held. I jam jar of Moonshine, bloody moonshine! I wanted to buy it but then realised it was £30, so I thought, screw that.
But this shelf was lined with a range of assorted moon shines, ranging in strengths and flavours, 60% to roasted marshmallow. Oh I was so tempted.

Last day tomorrow, both for NME  and the household I've been calling home for two weeks but also the day I get to see Gaby, the kittens and my bed.
Sad days and happy days—back to back.