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Author: Wansteadium
Fab photos of Wanstead
Outstanding photographs of Wanstead, taken this week by photographer Gary Lashmar.
Gary says: “I have just moved to the area again after some years with my girlfriend. I am a wedding photographer – although I shoot my weddings somewhat offbeat, in much the same way I shoot my street photography. That’s kind of my default setting.” Anyone wanting to contact Gary can do so via his website, marshalgraystudio.com or on Facebook where you can see more pictures.
Wanstead property update: G&Ts, Wanstead films, and good news for property obsessives
Wansteadium’s property blogger George C Parker writes:
During the bubble years, many speculators seemed to forget that a house is first and foremost a place to live. Nowadays it seems people are buying houses for the ‘right reasons’, and are more inclined to improve or extend them as their requirements change. For those planning a Spring project, now is a good time to be researching recommendations from friends and neighbours. Never be shy to ask! People seem to like discussing domestic construction work – it is one of those engrossing and emotive subjects like surviving a plane crash, or live-donating an organ.
When we extended the current Parker Towers into the loft space, several of our neighbours were extremely generous with their time and advice, passing on invaluable “dos”, “don’ts” and “not with a bargepoles”. Naturally these discussions took place in convivial surroundings, which always helps. To paraphrase the advert: Smoothing out the design, planning (if you’re in one of our Conservation Areas) and actual build experiences over a friendly g&t – priceless!
Perfect information
The very observant among you might have noticed that the Wansteadium top brass have been trying out something new in the line of property information. We’ve had it hidden away a bit, but from today, and thanks to our chums at Nestoria, we are offering you on our front page an up-to-date list, with pictures, of houses and flats on the market in Wanstead. For those of us who are mildly obsessive about the subject it is a bit like crack. I hope you enjoy it all as much as I have – any reactions welcome – georgecparker@wansteadium.com should reach me just fine.
Popcorn
Congratulations to local cineaste Helmie Stil! The silver screen is a passion of mine, and I’ve enjoyed discovering Helmie’s blossoming career online
Maybe one year Wanstead will support its own Film festival – possibly outdoors like the Stella Screen events – who knows?! George Green I’m looking at you!
Anyway, as our latest auteur continues to garner awards and critical acclaim, I’m beginning to wonder if the pavement outside the former Kinema should be inset with golden stars and cemented hand prints.
Pride of place would go to local lad Alfred Hitchcock. Mike Leigh also shot Another Year in Aldersbrook, as hardened readers will remember.
And late intelligence reaches me that movie scouts are going round some of the model 1930s semis on the Nightingale Estate, looking for a house to set a new film in. In my humble opinion, they’re nice enough roads round there – some houses still look perfectly preserved as 1930s examples, though low interest rates are leading to many a loft conversion. It’s not quite the Counties, naturally, but can feel like a slice of pure England there. I shall furnish you with more information about the film as I get it.
Harking back a couple of years, my erstwhile golfing buddy Robert Mitchum used Wanstead Park in his 1977 vehicle “The Big Sleep”. SeventiesRatPack.com!
I suppose I could say the movie looks dated now, but then its director might pass the same comment back at me! Michael Winner, Joan Collins, Edward Fox and Oliver Reed in Wanstead – those were the days. The High Street was like the Kings Road that golden summer. Of course it would be indiscreet of me to recall if Ollie had the odd skinful in the George, or if Winner was obnoxious to any local restaurateurs! Maybe I’d reveal all in Helmie’s next blockbuster biography of a Wanstead property tycoon and blogger …
Turkish delight? Reviews welcome
Wansteadium’s food blogger Suki Orange writes:
It’s great for someone like to have a new restaurant in town. So I’m delighted the new Zaki Turkish restaurant has opened at the former Russell’s on Wanstead High Street. Naturally, being a busy woman with a well-planned social life, I can’t and indeed won’t go to a new restaurant at short notice. The menu, produced below in hi-resolution (if you click it), gives an indication of what’s on offer, but I should be grateful of any initial reports from my fellow Wanstead diners. If you have been please add your reviews through the comments form.
When Mr Orange was a child, an aunt would visit from New York bringing all sorts of American delicacies… Kool-Aid, Pez sweets, Fluff. This last product was, disturbingly, pots of actual marshmallow to spread on sandwiches, mostly with peanut butter in a concoction termed a fluffernutter. It’s frankly shocking he turned out so well adjusted and handsome. The treats weren’t all gross, though. Innocently enough, those he most favoured were sesame seed breadsticks.
Nowadays of course nothing is unobtainable – you can even buy Fluff if you look hard enough – but the whole sesame breadstick joy returned to my beloved when visiting the Italian market on Wanstead High Street on Saturday. For him a pretty authentic recreation of childhood joys.
Breadsticks (rather than neat marshmallow) are a way of life for the Orange children. So no surprise that they more interested in mini croissants – chocolate and lemon – which were just some of the treats on offer (pictured). They were remarkable little things: the pastry was extremely crunchy but the filling moist and oozing out. Biting into one made me feel like I’d bitten the head off a giant delicious cicada.
The Market is there again on Sunday and if you’re about is worth a visit. Dolcelatte, fresh Parmesan and other cheeses, pesto and olives. All that was lacking was a serving of the most delicious soup I’ve ever tasted – ribollita, bought once from a deli in Lucca. Anyone with recipes (or even better, a sample) would be a friend forever.
PS. Wise words from new pal of Wansteadium, @oliviaads
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Letter to Wansteadium: A shout out for Dr Bike
Hardened cyclist Gabrielle Collard, who last year cycled from one end of the country to another, writes:
Jim, aka Dr Bike, was at the farmers’ market today giving free bike checks. Here are some photos of him giving my road bike the once over.  Jim is an excellent, generous chap who really knows his stuff. Along with his son, Charlie, he teaches bike maintenance in schools, but also runs evening courses at Wanstead House. I took the general maintenance course in preparation for my Land’s End to John O’Groats trip and I have to say it was the best £30 I ever spent.
He will be at the farmers’ market next month too. I think he deserves a plug. Â jdcyclerepair@gmail.com
Wanstead, Late September 2011
Let the record show that this was the colour of the cloud-free sky on 29 September, as seen from Grosvenor Road, Wanstead. Just saying.
