Ethnic/folky stuff; property watch; bagels

Reading Borough Council has evidently been very busy planting daffodil bulbs in attractive swirly lines, as the park at the end of our road now has this cheery spring display.

Spent a pleasant evening at the Global Café on Friday. Am pleased that the excellent Tutu’s Ethiopian Table appears to be a continuing success. Enjoyed the Yefeske Beyayenetu (or, if you prefer, Special Meat Platter) for dinner, involving a nice lamb dish accompanied by lentil stew and fried spinach. As there is nothing on Tutu’s menu that is not at least mildly spicy, I was a little concerned for Ruth’s wellbeing, as she has little head for spice, but she claimed to have enjoyed the simmered lamb dish that she ordered, although she did look a little pink by the time she’d finished. The purpose of the evening was to hear local band Dolly and the Clothespegs, although thanks to a few technical hitches and a dreadful supporting act, they didn’t begin their set until nearly 10, by which time Helen and I were beginning to take on an ‘I’ll be off now for a cup of tea and my slippers’ appearance. We shuffled off by 11pm, with Claire, who is rather more of a night owl, muttering darkly about lightweights. Que sera.

Keeping a keen eye out, as I do, for houses up for sale on our street, I was cheered to note over the weekend that Ugly House Opposite (not its real name) has just gone on the market. It's being advertised as an 'investment opportunity', which appears to be estate agent-speak for 'hard-to-sell hovel suitable only for selling to a builder or letting to the desperate'.

Spent the day in London on Tuesday at the termly LLN Research Forum meeting at Birkbeck in the morning, and at the Institute of Education library in the afternoon. Started off by visiting Bagel Nash on Shaftesbury Avenue for breakfast, as part of a minor quest to find nicely chewy bagels (supermarket varieties being a bit bready). The bagel I had was excellent and Bagel Nash do do mail order, though unfortunately only in quantities of 72. Am undecided at the moment, given that this might necessitate buying a new freezer. On a different food quest, I had hoped to pop in to the Hanna Korean supermarket on Store Street on the way home to buy some kimchi, but was disappointed to find that it was closed and, according to the notice on the door, under the care and protection of the bailiffs.

Enjoyed the civilised open-door ambience of the University of London buildings, cf others I have visited recently (see post of 24 February).