We rented this flat on Woodstock Road when my parents came to visit: https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/6686548?s=A7g5Gtul We chose it mainly because it was a few doors down from us. Also, it was relatively cheap.
Thanks, Mirandola! That's really useful.
The person who was supposed to come by for the table on Sunday didn't turn up, so if anyone wants it, it's still available.
By the time I get back from work, it's always dark often wet. Neither the park nor Parkland Walk is an option. Gyms are boring and more than a little disgusting, but better than coming home and sitting on my arse all night.
The new gym will be open…
I e-mailed Pure Gym to ask when they're opening. They said they don't have an opening date, but they're hoping for mid-December.
£12.99 per month is a bargain. I used to go to the Holloway Rd one. Surprisingly decent for the price. No pool or anyth…
@Idoru - That's just neo-Mathusian nonsense. The planet is not 'way overpopulated'. Some regions certainly are, but on the whole, the current global population is very much sustainable.
London is a net contributor to the UK economy. We have plenty …
I keep hearing about the fantastic TFL staff, but the ones I've encountered have been largely unhelpful and incompetent.
A few months ago my Oyster card stopped working. I called customer service, who said that I had reported it stolen (I hadn't) …
I grew up in the suburbs in upstate New York. I don't remember being bored as a teenager, mainly for the reasons JoeV mentioned. My school offered lots of extracurricular activities. I played basketball, ran cross country, was on the school paper an…
@Stella - Wow, really? That's what you got from my post? That I'm angry with the people who encouraged me to get a good eduction?
@Sutent - I am sorry to spoil your Guardian-inspired view of anyone who disagrees with with you, but I'm afraid I don'…
@JoeV - Ah, pensions. That's another equally depressing topic.
And in the latter, you're clearly in advantage, since you're both working.
@Stella - How on earth do I have the advantage in this situation? I can only pay £230 a week. Even if I cou…
@Stella - I'm not sure what your point is. Of course, it's all relative. We're much better off than someone who works in a shop making £6.50 an hour. We don't ever have to choose between food and heat. We get to go out once in a while and are even t…
I don't 'deserve' to live in zone 2. I pay a significant chunk of my salary to do so. (Also, I paid overseas tuition fees, so that wasn't subsidised, either.)
My issue is not with council housing, it's with housing benefit. The cap for a one-bed fl…
@Sutent - There are two types of benefit claimants that the public resents - the fraudsters and the 'undeserving poor'. The former are few and far between, but the latter... well, that depends on the individual's perception of who should be entitled…
@Sutent - It's so easy to be casually liberal when you're living in a home of your own, on an oncologist's salary. It's a bit harder when you work two jobs and can barely afford a cupboard with a mold problem. When your friends are living in well-ve…
@Misscara - No doubt there are predatory landlords out there, but I think in our case, it's a fair tradeoff. The flat is on the small side and a bit shabby and drafty, but there's no mold or anything of the sort. We could pay an extra £75 a week for…
I'm not even sure that we have a contract anymore. We definitely had one the first year, but a decade later, it's become a lot less formal. We pay the rent each month and try not to bother the landlord. In turn, he stays out of our way. Whenever the…
As a hopeful first-time buyer, I'm not a fan of the Help to Buy scheme.
I don't want a new-build, so I've only looked into the 95% mortgages. I have no desire to buy a flat with a 5% deposit. Have you seen the interest rates on offer? It's cheaper…
Ordered dinner from Zing Zing last night. I think we can safely say that this is the best Chinese takeaway in N4. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean much. We're lucky enough to live in an area with lots of fantastic takeaways and for me, Zing Zing doe…
A couple months ago, there was a discussion about a new free school opening in the area. The consensus seemed to be that there's no need for it as there's not a shortage of places.
I haven't had to go through the process of getting my non-existent…
@Donna - That's a lovely story about your grandparents. I couldn't agree more with your assessment of Skin Tight. Never for a moment did I believe that the two people on that stage were the love of each other's lives.
@krappyrubsnif - I'm afraid no…
@miss annie - Nothing mind-blowing, but there are a few shows that I'd definitely recommend.
Of the things that are still playing, I really enjoyed A Season in the Congo at the Young Vic.
Punchdrunk's The Drowned Man is well worth experiencing. I…
@miss annie - I guess that depends on how narrowly you want to define the term 'good'. In an average month, there are one or two that I would recommend to others, but I wouldn't necessary describe them as good plays. There are maybe two or three a y…
@krappyrubsnif - Ha! I don't know that one, but I wouldn't be surprised.
@ChangN4N6 - I didn't know it was set in NZ until I read it on the back of the leaflet after the show. I don't think it would make a difference. Bad writing is bad writing. It…
It's pretentious shite.
I saw over 150 plays last year and read another 200+ scripts. The one thing I look for in a play is a trace of original thought. I can forgive under-developed characters, unbelievable scenarios, clunky dialogue... just about…
Awful script. Competent choreography and direction. The five-star reviews are from people who didn't understand the play, but felt like they should have.
The girl is naked the last five minutes of the play.
For the last couple of years, I've done homemade Christmas gifts. Not really a fan of the sort of holidays that necessitate going into the overdraft, but what can you do. People give you things, and you have to give them things in return.
Anyway, h…