Th Italian caff on the corner of Leicester Square is like being on the continent.
The waitresses are ever so slightly surly, the waitors musically inclined, the paying customers mostly foreign and the big portions of food are served up on big white plates.
Wherever you sit there is a big window to look out of.
The Hippodrome, or Wyndhams Theatre, or The Spotlight offices – for the actors don’t you know – Leicester Square itself. It really feels like you’re a tourist.
This morning Steve Allen and I shared a table.
He had a bagel and Earl grey tea.
I had baked beans, scrambled egg – with a tomato and sprig of parsley garnish, and a cup of coffee.
We ate at ten and left for the studio and eleven.
Mr. Allen really helped with the CROYDON GIG. (do come 26th March)
Lucy, Chris and I made the programme running order then I had my customary 22 minutes in which to relax before the show.
I wanted to have lunch but I am afraid the nosh on LBC’s 6th floor canteen is no better than slop. I cannot eat it. Chew into a green bean and a stream of water squirts out, the broccolli taste like a sponge cleaning cloth and the baked potatoes are so over cooked that my bonded teeth fail to make contact through the skin which is harder than David Cameron.
We talked nail biting, gifted children and photographs that change your life.
A message from the ‘Oosbind ordering some old fashioned make-up from Foxes. I finally found the shop near the Transport Musem in Covent Garden, it smelled of my past life when I trod the boards. I bought Jim 4 old Leichner sticks of grease paint – carmine and black. I treated myself to two lipsticks a la Marilyn Monroe.
Then I stepped out, ever so fast, over the walking bridge to Waterloo Station. Three stops and out at Clapham Junction.
The flat was warm so I twittered, blogged, made calls, then Jim arrived. He did whatever he needed to do on the internet and then we set off to meet B in ASDA. I know but it’s a good venue to meet the daughter.
She filled her trolley with patties and cocoa butter, we filled ours with green vegetables and alcohol.
Then to the flat to catch up on work. I should have gone to see Bonnie Oddie in her dance performance at the Place but I was overloaded.
Now it’s bedtime having watched Barack Obama dance with Michelle, chew his teeth at Biden and speak about openess in Government.
Maybe things really are about to change.
My thumb hurts from chewing it, after todays conversation I am convinced that I am a cannibalistic, self abusive, feeble minded neurotic.So what’s new?
My feet are cold, my belly full and my nerves on edge. I am now going to go to bed and read the first of my ten Richard and Judy books.
I’ll tell you all about it 2morrer.
I’ve just had another look at twitter & decided I’d better start following people – even though it sounds awfully stalkerish. It’s funny how the internet is full of words like lurking, poking and following.
On your show I liked your radio show items on street lighting – but I missed a lot of it by going into a libary in Bayswater to write on your Facebook wall. When I came out & got reception again you were talking about finger biting – and I got a bit concerned about all the germs I might have picked up from a public keyboard. It stopped my nail biting but meant I couldn’t eat anything until I found somewhere to wash my hands & I was hungry. Good way to keep slim I guess. I missed your item about photos that changed your life.