Part 2: London - Accidentally Awesome

Enough negativity! If there's one thing that London this time around has really permitted me is the chance to walk around popular areas without feeling a gripping need to see all the big sites and look at every exhibit in every museum. While the English Museums both in London and around the country tend to be absolutely amazing, I wanted to cover newer ground this time around.

This isn't science...
The Astor hostel was near Hyde Park (beautiful place), that played host to Lionel Richie the night that I arrived in London. Had I known, I woulda been there in a flash and danced on the ceiling all night long. Pissed I missed it. Near Hyde Park is also the Museum of Natural History, and the Science Museum both of which I... think I'd been to before, but decided to try again. On my way to the Science Museum there was loads of construction blocking off various pedestrian paths. Through all the rerouting, I got turned around and walked into what I thought was the Science museum only to find out I was somewhere else entirely; the V&A Museum. After walking through a few rooms of sculptures and various other art, I figured it was the wrong spot but decided to stay anyway. Glad I did, there's an exhibit running right now about some crazy craftsmanship ranging from bicycles made entirely of wood, a Gundam-style suit that was prototyped as a way to give wheelchair-bound citizens a way to walk, move, and fight badguys and even new kinds of clothing. The opening to the exhibit was guarded by a giant Gorilla roaring and beating its chest, all made of coat hangars. Ridiculous. Awesome.



An introduction to film...

It feels pretty cliché to say something is a “hidden gem” but sometimes it’s the most appropriate phrase. Feeling lazy and perhaps a bit homesick after a few days of seriously trekking around London and trying to cram in as much as I could by train and foot, I settled on finding a theater showing a film called Beginners. I’d missed it at the Bijou and so sought to right the wrong by finding here where it would surely be playing…somewhere.

There were 3 different theaters in the vicinity of Piccadilly that would be close enough to get to easily and in time after a visit to Buckingham Palace and a late lunch. At the Cafe, I chose the Prince Charles Cinema near Leicester Square, a few blocks away. The Google Maps photo looked like a picture of a rundown building that had closed its doors permanently and, actually, this is how it kind of appears at first. Nestled away in Chinatown just by Leicester Square and close to the Soho area full of theaters and shops. I was offered roughly 5 different sorts of Asian massages (Korean, Chinese, Foot etc) while strolling through the main street.

The PCC has 2 screens, a bar, and free Wifi for customers to utilize while they wait for doors to open, have a beer, or wait for the show to start (2 of which I did, the bar was closed) and offers the kind of Bijou/David Minor style atmosphere that I absolutely cherish. There's even a showing of Red State and a Q&A with Kevin Smith tomorrow night that was, of course, sold out. I might go by and see if I could snag a ticket, as that would just make my trip. They are currently running Beginners and The Guard. Both of which I wanted to see, and I almost Double Featured myself. Tickets run at 8 pounds each, which is about a pound+ less than most of the other cinemas in the area (of which there are many).

The theaters are small themselves, but have wonderful leather cushy seats and almost all seats seemed to be good viewing points for the film (I think the other screen has much more seating). Going at 4 p.m. was just right to get a great seat in a theater that was only a 3rd full, though leaving it seemed like the evening shows are more popular. Gotta visit this place again.

Chinatown's Not-so-cheap Eats...

It was only natural that I'd want some food after getting out around 6 p.m., and Chinatown provided a plethora of choices. A lot of the food joints here are priced kind of high, especially considering the interiors and location, but a corner cafe that advertised bubble tea and hot food just couldn't be ignored. There was a small Asian woman hand-making all the dumplings the cafe served in front of the window, and a small crowd had gathered to watch her work through the glass. It felt rather reminiscent of some Taquerias who employ the same tactic in Mexico. The inside was bare save for bar seating, a few tables, and a review from a London publication heralding the cafe as providing great authentic Chinese food. Indeed, the staff chatted to one another in Mandarin the entire time. I ordered the Fish Ball special with rice noodles and a mango bubble tea. The special, for 5.95, was filling and absolutely delicious. As a single eater, I was given a table and then had guests sat down with me. I'm not sure where the couple was from, but one of them saw my food and asked for the exact same after clarifying that he'd like it with his boyfriend in a language I didn't recognize.

It was a great tasting way to quietly reflect on Beginners and provided some tapioca ball comfort before making the push back to the hostel all the way in Willesden Green some 30 minutes away. Being in England means no guilty feeling when one doesn't eat the food native to the country, since most of it is pretty basic and, though I love meat and taters as much as the next dude, gets kind of old. Explore! The name of the restaurant escapes me, but it's next door to The Tokyo Diner which is a bit more spendy.