Category: Food

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Art and Culture Bowes Park Community Food Health History Music Planning and open spaces Shops Southgate Uncategorized

That was April (and a bit of March) in Palmers Green –a round up of news and events

It was all rush rush rush in Palmers Green April.

Latest data published by the Office of the Rail Regulator revealed what we always knew – Palmers Green station is a tad busy. Roger Preston from FCC kindly furnished us with some additional data on some other stations on the Great Northern route. Some of them were even busier. But most were on the wider part of the route and all were interchanges. Looks like we are the busiest station that isn’t.

2013-04-10 10.30.36Palmers Green residents were distraught to be deprived of their burger fix in April when local Scottish brasserie MacDonald’s was closed for a number of days.  Meanwhile, the gym on Green Lanes suffered from water damage, also briefly closing Westlakes below.

There was much local debate over the suspended coffee scheme. Enfield Chase’s Karen Mercer, owner of My Coffee Stop on the platform, suggested that there might be better ways of helping the homeless than handing over money to Starbucks and other chains. The story was first covered in the local papers, and then went London-wide in the Londonist. In addition to running the coffee shop, Karen is the mastermind behind the Ideas Station, which provides training and support on social media. Sign up to her Facebook group to find out more.

Over in Westminster, our local MP David Burrowes campaigned for longer sentences for Chris Huhne and Vicky Price and opposed amendments to planning legislation which would have allowed individual councils to opt out of plans to relax controls on permitted development, in particular domestic extensions. However, Eric Pickles is understood to have given the red light to a compromise whereby neighbours are required to be consulted over extensions.

Mr Burrowes was back on Palmers Green’s streets in April opposing plans to open yet another betting shop, this time on the ground floor of Trios Banqueting Suite, an issue which is attracting attention on all sides of the political spectrum. Let’s hope the protest is successful in the way that it has been here in the past and more recently in Lewisham. Unfortunately fruit machines make huge amounts of money and betting shops and their ilk can move in because traditional shops are closing. If you don’t want them here, then that’s a big argument for making a resolution to use your local high street.

We unearthed a little more local history this month, including a fantastic piece of footage of a carnival in 1931 celebrating 50 years of Southgate as an independent borough from Edmonton, all shot in Palmers Green. We shone more light on the mysterious history of Truro House, Southgate Station turned 80, and we heard Chas n Dave sing about old Edmonton Green, and learned that the horsemeat scandal that rocked the country was nothing new – we had our own. Meanwhile, Grange Park was rocked by anarchist direct action, and a new local debating society was launched.

Grovelands centenary postcardAs we approach summer, the build-up is beginning for a number of local festivals. The first is next weekend when we celebrate 100 years since the opening of Grovelands Park. It looks set to be a fantastic event, with a pageant evoking the original opening ceremony, boats on the lake, music, food and a host of other activities. June 8-9 sees the return of Open Studios, now in its second year and bigger and even better than in 2012. June 15 is the date for this year’s annual Palmers Green Shopping Festival, organised by local businesses, and 1 September the Palmers Green Festival, with a week’s festival events building up to the big day. Meanwhile, Talkies continues at the Dugdale Centre, with its First Thursday series and some exciting additional events promised. More soon.

open gardenIf you are at a loose end this weekend, why not pop along to Arnos Park Lodge to view Elizabeth Dobbie’s beautiful gardens? The event is a fundraiser for Broomfield Park Conservatory, and there will be refreshments and the chance to buy plants from the local area. The entrance is beside 41 Brookdale N11, and the gardens are open from 2-5 on Sunday. You could perhaps combine it with a trip to see the new exhibitions by Reinhard Stammer, Marina Gruzer and Jasper Jones at the Space Art Gallery.

Finally, our thanks to Tony Ourris of Anthony Webb estate agents, who have kindly agreed to support this website. Thanks Tony!

And so we march on into Spring….

Sue from Palmers Green

All through May Space Art Gallery Southgate presents work by Reinhard Stammer, Marina Gruzer and Jasper Jones

Friday 10 May Hill Street Blues Band and Blue Patch at St Harmonicas Blues Club

Saturday 11 May St Paul’s Church May Fair 11am-2pm

Tuesday 14 May Buskers Night at the Step, Myddleton Road

Thursday to Saturday 16-18 May St John’s Players present Hobsons Choice at the St John’s Hall

Friday 17 May St Harmonicas Blues Club

Saturday and Sunday 18-19 May Grovelands Park Festival

Thursday 23 May The New River – a Discover London talk by Peter Berthoud at the Step, Myddleton Road

Friday 24 May St Harmonics Blues Club

Sunday 26 May Plant swap at the Broomfield Conservatory 2.40 to 4.30

30 May to 1 June Acorn Theatre Group present Grease at the Intimate Theatre

Sunday 2 June Live celtic music from Maurice Judge at Broomfield Conservatory 2.30-4.30

Sunday 2 June New River Walk – Hertford to Enfield led by John Polley of the New River Action Group. More walks planned over the summer.

Saturday and Sunday 8-9 June Open Studios and Art Trail

Sunday 9 June Art workshop in Broomfield Conservatory

Saturday 15 June Palmers Green Shopping Festival

Sunday 1 September Palmers Green Community Festival

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Art and Culture Community Food Shops Wood Green

Have your cake and eat it

There is an opportunity to celebrate the highest of art forms – which, though I should not have to spell it out to you, is cake – at the Big Green Bookshop on Sunday.

The bookshop will be host to the Clandestine Cake Club, the idea to ‘Bake, eat and talk about CAKE. Arrive as strangers leave as friends’.  The theme will be “Sweet Reads” and you are invited to choose your favourite book, author or story book character, and bring along an appropriate cake.  Do you like Winnie the Pooh? Then bake a honey cake, and bring in along. Prefer Roald Dahl? Then it’s chocolate all the way…I have no idea what you should bring along if your favourite book is by Irvine Welsh but perhaps you had better just chose another favourite.

Remember to bring enough to share, and bring a container so you can take some cake away with you (if it doesn’t all get eaten). The event is from 2-4, and more details can be found on the Clandestine Cake Club website. www.clandestinecakeclub.co.uk

 Even if you don’t like cake, the bookshop has a great selection of books and is doing wonderful things for Wood Green and the surrounding community. Why not wander along soon anyway? http://www.biggreenbookshop.com/

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Food Health History Palmers Green Shops Uncategorized

Horse with repetition

The recent controversy about horse meat in various products is nothing new apparently.

In his book, Southgate and Edmonton Past, Graham Dalling tells the story of the outcry in 1941 when it was discovered that meat roll served at local British Restaurants (run by the Council) had been adulterated with horse meat.

Investigations showed that the Council’s catering officer was also in possession of unfeasibly large supplies of custard powder, probably intended for the black market.

Police swarmed the Town Hall at Palmers Green and there were calls for the entire Council to resign. They didnt, but the catering officer was successfully prosecuted.

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Art and Culture Community Food History Music Uncategorized Winchmore Hill

One more sleep until Saturday’s St Nicholas Fair!!!

From 2 til 7, Winchmore Hill Green. Stalls, food, music, St Nicholas and snow. You’d be bonkers to miss it!

St Nicholas Fair design: the very talented Megan Doyle

 

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Art and Culture Comedy Community Food History Music Palmers Green Uncategorized

That was November in Palmers Green – a round up of events in the last month

Well, November seemed to go by in a whoosh. We confess to have been a little remiss on the posting front, so here’s an opportunity to catch up on all the news in PG…..

The Woodman reopened on 1 December following much local campaigning and bothering of Marstons. Its had a lick of paint but otherwise is just the same. Welcome back, and just in time for Christmas too…..

The Christmas lights were switched on at the Triangle to the ‘woos’ and ‘ahhs’ of Hazelwood School’s children, teachers and parents, and gave a public outing to MP David Burrowes impressive Movember face furniture. PGJITN was inexplicably humming YMCA for the rest of the day. Apparently the new look Burrowes rendered David Cameron speechless in the Commons, to the point where the PM forgot Mr Burrowes’ question.  The ‘mo’ has not met with approval in the Burrowes household however so you may already be too late to witness the whiskers first hand. Its all for charity, in aid of men’s health and in particular the fight against prostate cancer, so please donate.

The Talkies Community Cinema presented the latest of its pop up cinema nights at Baskervilles couple of Fridays ago, with the film of Jonathan Safran Foer’s book Everything is Illuminated playing to a packed audience. The next showing  is Baz Luhrman’s Strictly Ballroom at the Fox on 30 January – book now if you want tickets, its selling fast. Talkies are looking for some new venues so if you’ve any suggestions, please get in touch with David Williamson via their facebook page or the Talkies website www.talkies.org.uk. Its a really brilliant initiative, so please support it if you can.

Our neighbours in Winchmore Hill published a new hardback book of images of the area, past and present, following on from the fantastic exhibition at this summer’s Fancy Fair. If you would like to get your hands on one, the official launch is next week at the Queens Head from 7 and all are welcome…..

Winter is  time for the shivers, and sure enough there were spooky goings on in Enfield. First of all Lazy Hound Productions staked out the Hop Poles. Then North London Paranormal Investigations spent some nervous hours in Enfield Fire Station. A NPLI film is in development. And closer to home, Joe Studman repeats his Darker Side of Winchmore Hill walk as part of the St Nicholas Fair events. Not to be missed but also not for the faint hearted. Wrap up warm and have some sturdy footwear.

Also this month we also learned that….

Joe Strummer was once a Palmers Green resident with his mate Tymonn Dogg, living in a house in Ash Grove they renamed ‘Vomit Heights’…. Ally Pally was subject of a £16 million bid to the Heritage Lottery fund, which, if successful, will restore the old TV studios, the Victorian Theatre, and the East entrance.  And Alexandra Palace Park won a Green Flag Award and was voted one of the best in the UK (and second best in London)…..Fionn Wilson and Gosia Stasiewicz’ Space Art Gallery on Southgate High Street have fixed up a programme of exhibitions which spans well into 2014. The roster is truly amazing, so it should be a wonderful addition to local life, and attract visitors from much further afield. The gallery opens in December, with an exhibition of Fionn’s own work.

Finally, a last reminder that if you were planning a Sunday trip up town to see the Christmas lights and do some shopping you will need to do some serious planning – pretty much no direct trains to Kings Cross until Christmas on a Sunday, unless you get up early. If this is news to you, its probably because there has been virtually no information from First Capital Connect, including nothing at all in PG station – bravo chaps! – and just at the point where we are renewing our season tickets and feeling particularly begrudging.

But why not stay closer to home anyway, and attend one of the local fairs, events and bazaars happening in December. Winchmore Hill’s St Nicholas Fair on the Green from 2 til 7pm looks set to be fantastic. Snow, carriage rides, stalls and mulled wine and  encounters with St Nicholas are all promised. And if you havent bought your Christmas Cards yet, there are some excellent options locally. Palmers Green’s Art Cove cards, available online or from Annita at the station kiosk, feature local artists. Local photographer, architect and urban designer Richard Crutchleys London Letters cards are also on sale at various local events, online and through Baskervilles. There is also still plenty of time to buy your charity cards at the United Reformed Church.

On into December then. May your tinsel sparkle and the needles stay on your tree.

Merry Christmas!

Sue, Palmers Green Jewel in the North

  • If there is a topic you would like to write about, why not get in touch, especially if its about history and people? We would love to hear from you. There is a huge knowledge about Palmers Green out there … lets try and put it all together.

Coming soon

Friday 7 December  Ricky Grover at the Electric Mouse Comedy Club at the Fox.

Saturday 8 December St Nicholas Fair Winchmore Hill Green. Following on from the summer’s fantastic Winchmore Hill Festival: this!

Saturday 8 December North London Symphony Orchestra perform at the United Reformed Church 7.45 pm  – Wagner, Mahler and Franck

Sunday 23 December Candle lit carol service at St John’s – 9 lessons and carols 6.30

Sunday 30 December Floating Lanterns on the Boating Pond, Broomfield Park

3-6 January 2013 The LIttle Mermaid panto at the Intimate Theatre, Acorn Theatre Company

5-9 March 2013 Anything goes at the Intimate Theatre, presented by Finchley and Friern Barnet Operatic Society

8-9 June 2013 – Open Studios and Art Trail weekend, Southgate and Palmers Green

We got our tree by Gordon Barker – one of the great cards available from Art Cove
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Community Food Palmers Green Uncategorized

Time the Gannets flew south

Nominations open this week for North London and Herts  Newspaper’s Gannets Restaurant of the year. Last year the award was won by Winchmore Hill/Bush Hill Park’s Masala Lounge. But is it really the best restaurant in Enfield.…..?

Is it better, for example, than Palmers Green’s Sole D’Oro, in new hands for a year now, friendly staff and wonderful bread that they will let you pre order to take away and pass off as your own creation if you ask nicely!

Or Rimini, not quite as cosy since they moved up the road, and often packed, but still a treat.

Or Bistro du Coin over on Southgate Green, delicious French food in a cosy atmosphere, and a great recipe for baked goat’s cheese that needs to be reinstated into the menu right now (not PG I admit, but it’s a lovely place to go for a bit of a treat).

Or Aladdin’s on Hoppers Road, unpretentious tasty curries, including a beautiful gingery Tarka Dall, or the more exotic Taste of Raj and Dipali on Alderman’s Hill.

Or Makun Minum, the fiery Malaysian on Winchmore Hill Broadway.

Or Simal’s fresh and plentiful Turkish food, cooked right in front of you by the genial chef, with staff who will give you the odd free lesson in Turkish pronunciation?

Surely it can’t be better than breakfast or afternoon cake with a view of the park, at Baskerville’s tea shop, now a proper Palmers Green Institution? It certainly isn’t better than the much missed Bombay Spice, which never won and is now gone……

The Gannets are asking for restaurant and eatery nominations now, and then the public will be asked to vote. After that the Gannets will visit the top three incognito and decide on the winners.

The  Gannets don’t seem to make it south that often.  But nominate one of our local restaurants and maybe they will venture this way again sometime soon, and give some of our great local eateries some publicity.

Nominations with your name, address, nominated restaurant and location, and reason for your nomination in not more than 20 words to Gannets Awards, North London and Herts Newspapers, 187 Baker Street, Enfield EN1 3JT. No email address given, and unfortunately they don’t mention a closing date for nominations, so do it soon eh?