Even though the Primrose Hill Food Market is closer to my gaff, I really like the farmers' market on Parliament Hill, and so I trudged up there again this past Saturday. I'm beginning to figure out which vendors have the best prices on veg, bread, etc. and which have the things I like regardless of price. I've been buying one or two individual size quiches or veg tarts every week from a vendor called Popina. (They're good, but sadly they don't measure up to the pies from a vendor at the Sunday market in Queen's Park.) Some green beans, scallions, sweet potatoes and more olive bread sticks rounded out my Saturday purchases.
Once I caught the bus back to England's Lane and deposited my market haul at my gaff, I tried to figure out what I wanted to do in the afternoon. I consulted my ArtRabbit app and learned that the London International Pasteup Festival was going on over the weekend in and around Brick Lane. And it was free! I didn't even have to debate it -- I grabbed my camera and Oyster card and set out to get the tube to Moorgate and wander over into Shoreditch. The festival consisted of several designated pasteup locations where a host of street artists contributed to collaborative collages. I happily mooched around for several hours, taking photos not only of these walls but also exploring new streetart and revisiting old favourite pieces.
New things I saw:
And old friends I checked in on:
Plus a few of my favourite buildings on/near Brick Lane:
The day wasn't over yet, however. I had plans to meet my friend Jane at the Cecil Sharp House (the home of the English Folk Dance and Song Society) to see John McCusker and Friends. With no good bus route to take me there, I walked the 25 minutes down the Regent's Park Road for the gig. It turned out to be so good that it wasn't difficult at all to stay awake. John McCusker is a fiddle player who has recorded in his own right and appeared on albums by various acts including Mark Knopfler, Paolo Nutini and Paul Weller (who I adore). The friends -- Ian Carr, Sam Kelly, Helen McCabe and Toby Shaer -- were all excellent musicians as well.
I woke up Sunday feeling utterly rung out. My covid test was negative but I simply had no energy. Rain was pouring down all morning, so there was no point in going out. In the mid afternoon, after I did some laundry and the rain stopped, I summoned enough strength to go to the Courtauld Gallery to see the small exhibition of Helen Saunders, an obscure British woman who was one of the early abstract artists. Obscure early women abstract artists seem to be getting attention right now. I keep seeing articles about Hilma af Klint (who has ever heard of her, right?), a Swedish woman also described as a pioneer of abstract art and now the subject of a film. The Courtauld has been closed for a long time, during covid lockdowns and beyond, for substantial renovations. The galleries are now brighter, airier, more welcoming and really enjoyable to walk around in.
A couple hours later, I re-emerged from the Swiss Cottage tube station to find the rain starting up again. It wasn't much at first but later in the evening it really kicked off with torrential downpours and gusting wind. I was happy to be inside making a big pot of veg soup with my market purchases.
Weekend stats:
Saturday, October 22th
£15 farmers' market purchases
£20 John McCusker & Friends at Cecil Sharp House
£5.40 beer at performance
26,528 steps
10.88 miles
Sunday, October 23rd
£6 bread from Panzer's
£ 7.75 wine & tinned tomatoes
10,567 steps
4.33 miles
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