There are only a few days left of the Ansel Kiefer exhibition at the RA so I had a look at it this morning. You certainly can't fault the artist when it comes to scale, some of the works are the size of a small house. True much of the exhibition does resemble the contents of a skip but I found some of the huge canvases strangely moving and walked out feeling in need of a quick straightener in The Red Lion.
From this cracking little boozer I set off toward the Drury Tea Company in New Row in order to replenish supplies of their wonderful London Blend. Cutting through Panton Street I was shocked to see that The Stockpot restaurant has closed. Apart from running a huge number of excellent cafes, Italian immigrants also opened many cheap restaurants serving good honest lunches and dinners at a price that most could afford. Now both the cafes and the cheap restaurants are disappearing. There is still a Stockpot in Old Compton Street in Soho and another in the Kings Road but the Chelsea Kitchen, also in the Kings Road, closed a few years back and the New World Order of coffee and panini outlets marches ever onward. Resisting the temptation of a quick one in the Tom Crib, I also marched onward, picking up the tea and crossing the river to Waterloo and the train home. Mission accomplished.
2 comments:
Good memories: For years I regularly used to have my lunch in the Stockpot back when I was working in Soho. One of the few non poncey chain eateries left around there.
Sad to see the London cafes disappearing. As a young lad who used to truant from school and get into trouble, my dad decided that it was better if he kept his eye on me all day. He was a lorry driver and would take me down south to London where I learnt to appreciate the cafes. My lad is a student in London and benefits from my introduction to London cafes. I don't think there will be any left for his kids to enjoy.
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