Out & About

How time flies! I can't believe it's been four days since I last posted, a hopeful sign that life may be slowly returning to something like normal. 

On Wednesday I caught the train into Birmingham. Although the UK's second city is a mere nine miles away from Walsall, what with lockdown and all that jazz, it has been over two years since I'd last visited (with Claire, HERE). Madness considering I spent over a decade working in the city centre back in my days of corporate slavery.

I'd not seen my beautiful friend Nikki in years. We connected through my blog and got along famously when we met, having many common interests and mutual dislikes. We're united in a love of vintage & ethnic dresses, travel, spy novels, India, vegetarian food, secondhand shopping & grand architecture and in total agreement over our loathing of hot chocolate, pointy shoes, chick-lit, flesh-coloured tights & Xmas.

That's how alike we are - I also own the same red Janet Wood for Monsoon dress that Nikki's wearing. Which is crazy considering how rare they are!

After wandering around a few "proper" shops in the centre of town, something neither of us had done almost two years, we had a mooch around Red Brick Market in hip'n'happening Digbeth, rifling through rails of vintage clothes, recycled sari silk dresses and independent designer gear and admiring houseplants, vintage homewares, African baskets, handmade jewellery, artwork and stationery.

Nikki had done her homework and found a Greek restaurant called The Mythos Taverna on the corner of Hurst Street. We were delighted to discover that it occupied the space formerly known as The Green Room, a hang-out for both of us back in the 1990s & 2000s, although we didn't know each other then.

We're both vegetarians and opted for the grilled vegetables with some of the best wholemeal pittas I've eaten outside of Greece, and shared a pot of the most divine rose & mint tea.

The woman who does not require validation from anyone is the most feared. Amen to that! 

After a few wrong turns, we eventually found our next destination, the uber-cool Indian Brewery beneath the arches behind Snowhill Station.

Old school Bollywood posters, an Indian filmi soundtrack punctuated with a few tunes from our youth (Salt'n'Pepa's Push It), smiley staff and some fabulous real ales including a particularly quaffable locally brewed IPA - wonderful stuff! 

We could have stayed there for hours but were good girls and got our respective trains home before rush hour. Nikki's just taken early retirement so I'm hoping our days out will become a regular thing. 

 Gah! The joy of the Walsall train aka The Covid Express, grey-clad masses stuffed in like sardines and less than 50% of them wearing masks despite all the signs requesting they be worn in crowded places. Ah well, at least I got a seat and it left on time, it's often delayed when fights break out between passengers or someone's nicked the cables or vandalised something. 

Back at home, Jon told me I'd missed an impromptu visit from his uncle Bill, who spends 6 months in Cyprus & the rest of the year in France (or did before bloody Brexit) and brought us some booze. 

We'd planned to meet Tony for a Spoons all-dayer on Thursday, but he'd had to postpone to Friday at the last minute. The house behind us was burgled on Wednesday night which was the kick up the arse Jon needed to repair the broken security light. 

A gloomy day called for a splash of colour. I wore a 1980s Afghan-style Anokhi dress and a 1970s Janet Wood for Monsoon waistcoat - toasty warm for a morning spent mostly outside taking photos.

I'd fallen in love with a gorgeous dress being sold by an ethical indie business & gone totally mad and ordered it. I went through my wardrobe and listed a few of my own things on eBay to go towards the cost and within an hour had raised the funds I needed...hooray! I also listed some of the garments Jon had donated to the Kinky Shed when he sorted out his wardrobe last weekend. 

We spent the evening rewatching the excellent Spy Game, which we'd seen at the cinema when it was released in 2001. Apart from the great soundtrack, fine acting (and Brad Pitt's cheekbones) I'd forgotten about Catherine McCormack's wardrobe in the 1980s flashbacks, I spotted a Phool midi skirt and an Anokhi jacket which I also own.

Friday was Spoons' day!  I wore a 1970s Afghan dress with my Toast cowboy boots and a huge tribal pendant I'd bought in Jaisalmer when we travelled around Rajasthan last year. Jon wore one of his beloved fine knits with secondhand Levis and his Clarks' Bank Robbers.

After a leisurely morning, we walked into town dropping off a favourite dress at the tailor as the zip had broken and with it being silk and by a much sought after vintage designer, I wasn't confident enough to do it myself. We called into the cobblers to get some keys for the new front door cut and to have my boots reheeled, dropped our eBay parcels off at the Royal Mail delivery office and had a quick look at the chazzas where I found Tony a 100% lambswool scarf by Barbour for £2.

We met up with Tony in Spoons and were joined shortly afterwards by Badger, one of Tony & Jon's childhood friends who we usually meet up with at the Dead Relatives Society Xmas Day curry (which won't be happening this year, the curry house sadly a victim of the pandemic). Tony & Jon had burgers whilst Badger and I opted for Indian.

Needless to say, we attracted the odd nutter including a Belgian bloke called Bob who claimed to be a mercenary. Weirdos & cheap beer, it's what Wetherspoons is famous for. 

After six hours in the pub, we walked back home where my new dress was waiting for me but sadly, as the XS was out of stock I'd had to order a small and it was far too big. On the bright side, I'd spotted two block printed cotton dresses incorrectly listed on eBay the previous weekend and had managed to win them for less than the price of a round of beer! 

This morning, I'd had a flurry of eBay sales overnight and after our veggie sausage sandwiches, I wrapped everything up (including my too-big dress of dreams) ready for the Post Office run on Monday morning. I'd had an email from Walsall Light Cinema with this week's screenings and, to my delight, discovered they were showing The French Dispatch so I booked tickets for Monday's matinee performance. I know we only saw it a fortnight ago but we can watch Wes Anderson films over and over and over again (and frequently do.)

I bought this 1960s Neatawear shirred cotton blouse from a charity shop a few weeks ago but today was its first outing. It seemed the perfect match with my Anokhi pinafore and Gohill's exotic snakeskin boots (bought by my favourite teacher in 1966 which she passed on to me!) 

We had a wonderful surprise through the post from dear friends, Lynn and Philip, a lovely card and a beautifully wrapped 90-year-old china cat. Thank you so much, we love him!  

Jon's gone to the pub - again. It's all rather exciting as he's meeting a long-lost cousin who got in touch with him via Facebook, a cat-owning, keen traveller & indie music fan with the same political leanings as ourselves, so hopefully no embarrassing Brexit conversations or Covid conspiracy theories! 

I'm off to read my latest read (my 58th book of the year) on the chaise and am already looking forward to rum, cola and pizza tonight.

See you soon!