The Laundry Restaurant in Brixton

 The Laundry Restaurant in Brixton, which we know well, was the venue for the retirement party for the co-organizer of the Central London Wine Society. The restaurant had a large enough area for our group of up to 30.

Choice of Dining Areas

The restaurant has three dining areas, a large front patio, open air but sheltered. A smaller ground floor area indoors has the bar area, bar stools and a secluded area with a couple of tables, plus a large downstairs area with three long tables which suited our group of about 28 diners.

Menu Choices

We had the set menu, of three sharing starters, platters of about six portions of a)  autumn salad, meatballs, and a tomato puree. The choice of main course included duck confit, which is leg of duck, which most people chose. A couple of people took the alternative trout, and one had the vegan option of pumpkin and chickpea.

 The duck came with ample lentils. We had also ordered an extra side of fries - fried potatoes, known in the UK as chips, short for potato chips (while in the USA chips means what the British call crisps).

 Dessert was delicious, a triple chocolate brownie, a small solid cake a big like a cross between cake and fudge, with pieces of whole chocolate inside.

Free Corkage

Tuesday is no corkage day which is why we had chosen a Tuesday. The club supplied bottles of booze, and one or two people donated bottles, and we had one giant magnum. We brought extra glasses and corkscrews. On other days the restaurant charge £25 per bottle, so quite a saving for a group like ours. But if you are teetotallers, all days of the week would be equally suitable for you.

Organizing

As you can imagine, the whole event took many hours of organizing on our part. Start with selecting a restaurant, the room, the layout of the tables, so speeches could be heard, even without any table plan for who should sit where. In the end we had the guest of honour at the end of one table so he could be seen by most of the people at the other table. 

Buying and Signing A Card

I had waited upstairs to get all the guests to secretly sign a large card (after a previous day check by two people of five card shops in different parts of London to find a large thank you card). 

Upstairs I was able to direct everybody downstairs. One of the waiters was able to direct my group members towards me, whilst other diners were offered tables outside or on the ground floor.

As I was upstairs, I risked missing out on the opening of the starter Champagne or sparkling wine. At my request, one person brought the glass of the Champagne starter drink upstairs to me whilst I waited for the latecomers. 

Location and Latecomers

We had sent a map of the venue location. One person waited in a cafe for somebody who was late and they could not communicate by phone. 

ToiletsThe toiletd are in the basement. A staircase with turns maked going foxbn ezdier and safer.

Parking

Some paid for car parks are nearby. You are liable to get a parking ticket even in streets by buildings on on a private estate midweek lunch time, although Saturday evening is free, unless your friend you are visiting or collecting from nearby flats has resident parking coupons which you remember to ask for and which they can find quickly to give you,

Useful Websites

https://thelaundrybrixton.com/

Cautionary Tales About Lions - and where to see the stuffed Lions

 After I read the distressing news about the fatal accident at a safari park in Yorkshire, I recalled a cautionary tale about a lion. I first came across the poem The Lion and Albert when it was performed at a Christmas party for the American Women's Association at the American Club in Singapore, or at the British Club, probably at both the same year by the same person. Later I tracked down the story online.

Victorian Cautionary Tales

Cautionary tales serve a dual purpose. 

1 They warn of dangers, without giving you nightmares. Before you learn about fatalities.

2 Like jokes at funerals, humorous cautionary tales distract you and insert a feeling of relief when you are overwhelmed by stress.

Two famous poems feature lions, rather than tigers.

1. "Jim, Who Ran Away from His Nurse, and Was Eaten by a Lion" by Hilaire Belloc

This is a classic satirical cautionary tale from Belloc's Cautionary Tales for Children (published in 1907).

The Lion and Albert by Marriott Edgar

This is a famous northern English comic monologue (often performed by Stanley Holloway) written in dialect.

Hilaire Belloc passed away in 1953. His copyright expired at the end of 2023 (70 years after 1953), meaning his works are now out of copyright and in the public domain.

Marriott Edgar passed away earlier, in 1951. His copyright expired at the end of 2021 (70 years after 1951), meaning his works are also out of copyright and in the public domain.

Blackpool's Pub: Albert And the Lion

The Wetherspoons pub located right near the lamdmark Blackpool Tower was named The Albert and The Lion in honor of the poem.

The interior decor and displays inside the pub

1 Illustrations Of The Story Of Naughty Schoolboy Albert

According to J D Wetherspoon, the pub walls feature framed illustrations and prints telling the story of young Albert Ramsbottom, after poking the lion in the ear with a stick with a horse's head handle, being swallowed whole by the lion.

2 Photos and Portraits of Actor Stanley Holloway

Actor Stanley Holloway made the monologue famous. Pictures and stories about the actor are around the pub.

Blackpool's Memorabilia

The poem mentions Albert buying his stick with the horse's head handle in Woolworths. Memorabilia of black pool includes Woolworths store, Blackpool Tower Circus, and the comedian couple Laurel And Hardy.

Where To See Wallace The Lion

The well - known lion, Wallace, gave Marriott Edgar the idea of calling the lion in his poem Wallace, which became a popular name for a lion at that time (like Jumbo the elephant and Rover the dog).

An altogether safer way of seeing animals is on videos, or taxidermy (stuffed dead animals) in museums.

The Wallace lion cam be seem in two museums, one in the south east of England and one further north.

• Saffron Walden Museum (Essex): A famous historical lion named Wallace—born in a traveling menagerie in 1812 and belonging to George Wombwell—was taxidermied after his death in 1838 and is still on display there.

• Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens: Later, a famous 19th-century touring lion named Wallace (associated with the lion tamer Martini Maccomo) was stuffed by a local taxidermist and bought by the museum in 1879, where he remains a well-known permanent fixture on the ground floor.

• Useful Websites On Places To Visit

• Wetherspoons Pub with Albert & Lion Memorabilia

• Salffron Walden Museum, Essex with a Wallace Lion

• Sunderland Museum with a Wallace Lion

Yorkshire Wildlife Park, Safety, Visits, Warnings, seeing smaller animals safely

 Safety in Safari Parks and Singapore

After the fatal incident in the Yorkshire wild life park I asked Gemini AI if Singapore Safari Park, which is linked to the zoo, has had accidents, and what safety measures were introduced. the safety measures included a moat, glass, and barriers which overhang at the top like a half tester bed preventing climbing in and out.

Warnings About Accidents

I recall seeing signs by road, listing the numbers of fatal accidents in accident black spots. Maybe it should be required to list fatal accidents on beaches, level crossings where roads or footpaths meet railway lines, and at zoos alongside warning signs.

Warning Children Without Scaring Them

The Victorians had cautionary tales to present dangers and warnings in a lighthearted way.

I was thinking about how you start a discussion with children about how kittens are not cats, and tame pets are not wild pets, and animals which know you are not the same as animals encountering strangers.cautionary tales.

I would keep small children and those who are mentally challenged at petting zoos, so they cannot endanger themselves, other visitors. or the animals or keepers.

AI tells me

Following the fatal incident on Saturday, October 10—when a man entered the Amur tiger enclosure—the park closed on Sunday and Monday, and its continued closure has extended as safety investigations by the City of Doncaster Council and South Yorkshire Police carry on.

While the main wildlife park remains closed, surrounding areas like The Yorkshire Hive have stayed open. You can check their official Opening Times page for the latest updates on when the rest of the park will resume normal hours.

No, the main part of the Yorkshire Wildlife Park has not re-opened yet.

-Post written morning of October 13th 2026 ends-

Update evening of Tuesday Oct 13th 2026

Seeing And Touching Animals Up Close In London

If you want a petting zoo, for a child, there's one in Mill Hill by a soft play centre.

Precautions When Near Animals

 Visitors, adults and children, are advised to wash hands (some say and clothes) after touching animals to reduce risk of catching anything.

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https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16206573/Man-mauled-death-tiger-child-actor-Harry-Potter.html

Contrary to earlier impressions that the man who died might have been a loner, a loser, a vulnerable person, he seems to have had a successful career in films, which makes the cause of his actions, and the whole event even more baffling. Without knowing the man's motivation, one could still improve security in the physical structure, and the care taken by those accompanying anybody vulnerable or indulging in reckless behaviour. The man was William Chapman whose family said he had a history of mental problems.

American and Canadian Thanksgiving

Canada holds Thanksgiving on another date from America, the second Monday of October. Tied to the end of the harvest season, in the north, ( that is several weeks before America's holiday). Oct 12 2026. Oct 11th 2027, October 9th 2028, according to Farmers' Almanac. 

It is the equivalent of the UK and European harvest festival. 

food includes Brussels sprouts, pumpkin, and tart cooked with maple syrup.

 

In America it's Thanksgiving, third Thursday in November. 

Thanksgiving for Americans, is thanks for arriving safely across the Ocean, surviving a year in a new country. The year after they arrived, they celebrated the anniversary of their safe arrival, and survival.

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Shakespeare's Bust For A Selfie, and Benches, Books, And Musical Memorials Of Singers

 

In London you can be photographed standing beside the bust of Shakespeare.

It's outside the Guildhall, which has an art gallery with famous pictures, free to visit. For a fee you can get close up to the Roman remains in the basement which are distantly viewed from the upstairs galleries.

Leicester Square, London, England..Statue on a wooden seat. So you could be photographed sitting beside him, making funny faces.

Black Sabbath Bridge, Birmingham, England. Bench commemorating the band of Ozzy Osbourne. The pictures show Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward. The bridge is over a canal. It crosses from Broad Street in the city centre..

Angela Lansbury sitting beside a statue of Jack Daniels outside a bar in Tirana, capital of Albania. Photo by Trevor Sharot. Copyright.

UKRAINE
From Kiev Fashion Park, Ukraine

Watermelon bench

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiev_Fashion_Park Ukraine

Freud in London, England.

Useful Websites Of Wonderful Busts and Benches Featuring Famous People & Books

https://blacksabbathbench.co.uk/

More pictures in posts by Angela

Burns, Bolivar, Brunel, Beau Brummel, Chaplin, Rodin and Hands: Hand-y List of Sculptures To See Around The World.

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Photo Opportunity - Stand or Sit Beside A Statue Or Hold Up A Big Building

 Famous buildings and statues for selfies are all around all over the world. You can photograph yourself apparently holding up the leaning tower of Pisa in Italy.

This is from Facebook. Luxury travel.

I have also seen a picture which creates the illusion of somebody climbing up outside of the tower, which looks tiny, without any ropes.

 The Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, can be shown with you learning against it with an outstretched arm, holding it by the top, leaping over it on a bicycle. 

 or the Statue of Liberty in New York in the USA. 

Or sit or stand beside the statue or mural of a famous real person or fictional character. The giant statue of Einstein in the USA. 

Or sit beside that statue of somebody famous on a bench. Spike Milligan in London. Agatha Christie on the south coast of England.

Or kneel at their feet.  Or imitate a pose, such as Rodin's thinker in France. 

Or join a group, such as Alice in Wonderland's tea party.

ENGLAND

1 UK London, Paddington Station - Tea Table

The Wild Table Of  Love. 

At the table of mythical animals are two seats where you can sit with a child or spouse of friend. Often you have to queue on busy times and sunny holidays.

I thought this was Alice in Wonderland's Mad Hatter's tea party when I saw the big ears of a hare or rabbit. Apparently many other people also mistake this for the Alice scene.

It looked like the picture from Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. 

Paddington station is one of the three most visited stations in London, England. It was Brunel's landmark, his station for trains going our from west London, west to Wales, along Brunel's railway and bridge, across the ocean on his steamship to America. 

Paddington stations's other photo opportunities are standing by the little statue of Paddington bear, and beside the statue of serious, seated Brunel. 

Or upstairs under the huge statue of the lovers meeting.  

Which are the other two busy London stations? Liverpool station on the east side of London is for going East and from the east connecting to Heathrow in the west of London, visitor numbers boosted by the Elizabeth line. Liverpool station has the statue of the Kindertransport, refugee Jewish children arriving just in time before WW2 as the Nazi party advanced through countries of Europe and rounded up their parents.

Baker Street station has a giant statue of fictional detective Sherlock Holmes outside on the Euston Road. Inside the station on the platforms is an opportunity to sit on a bench under any one of several murals of scenes from his books. Or stand beside the mosaic tiles of Sherlock in his deerstalker hat with his pipe, clutching your hat, or a pipe.

Angela Lansbury on the white swan seat outside the Sofitel Hotel in London, near Piccadilly. Photo by Trevor Sharot.

2 London, Finchley

Comedian Spike Milligan.

Why is Spike Milligan honoured and why here? He was president of the local history and heritage society, so when he died, they fund raised a memorial to him. 

3 Torquay, 

Author Agatha Christie

The author's bench with her reading a book is in Torquay, the lovely seaside town in the south of England.

Another seaside memorial to Agatha in another place she visited is in the Canary Island of Tenerife.

Agatha Christie steps on Tenerife, in the Spanish Canary Islands. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

There were so many steps leading up the hillside to the bust of Agatha that I never made it to the top, as my husband was waiting in a car with no parking space, for me to return after my envisioned quick photo. I considered being photographed sitting on the steps. 

Statues you can sit right beside—often called "bench statues" because they feature historical figures or characters integrated seamlessly into public seating—are popular interactive art installations.

If you are thinking of famous examples, particularly around London and the UK, these stand out:

Allies, in London's Mayfair, shows Winston Churchill  and American President Franklin D Roosevelt together sitting on a bench in New Bond Street. Bronze statue. Room for you to be photographed between them.



You can also see F D Roosevelt in his wheelchair is in Washington DC, USA.

• "Allies" (Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt) on New Bond Street: Created by sculptor Lawrence Holofcener, this bronze sculpture depicts the British Prime Minister and US President casually chatting while sitting together on a park bench. The artwork leaves an open gap right in the middle between them, explicitly inviting members of the public to take a seat, chat, or pose for a photo.

• Other Bench Sculptures: Cities worldwide feature similar interactive pieces (such as statues of authors, 

• Singers, composers, musicians, with guitars or instruments, or at pianos.

• In London, Amy Winehouse standing statue in Camden.  

• Fictional characters on park benches) designed to break down the barrier between traditional high art and the public.

Spike Milligan statue, Finchley, London.

More on Alice in Wonderland

I described the Alice tea party sculpture at Paddington on zoom this when I was online to a Chinese friend I know from Singapore. He is now in South Korea. Although Alice in Wonderland is well known and hugely popular in Japan, and taught in some Asian primary schools, my Chinese friend had missed out. Alice in Wonderland meant nothing to him. I had trouble describing the Cheshire cat which left only its smile, which my Chinese friend said was not possible, and the Queen of hearts - he understood heart when I drew one, and playing croquet, a mystery. I picked out a souvenir seafood hammer in wood, not a hammer but for hitting a ball. When I gave the speech again in the evening, my Toastmasters International speech evaluators aid I should show photos of myself along side the statues.

If you are looking for statues related to Lewis Carroll and Alice in Wonderland, there are several notable locations across the UK linked to the author and the real-life inspiration for Alice:

• Guildford, Surrey: Guildford has deep connections to Lewis Carroll, who owned a family home there and spent his later years writing.

  • Millmead (by the river): Features a bronze statue of Alice and her sister watching the White Rabbit pop out of the ground.

  • Castle Grounds: Features an Alice Through the Looking-Glass statue.

• Llandudno, Wales: Alice Pleasance Liddell (the real-life inspiration for Alice) spent her childhood summer holidays here. The town features an official Alice in Wonderland Trail filled with wood and stone sculptures of characters like the White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter, and the Cheshire Cat.

• Warrington, Cheshire: Lewis Carroll (born Charles Lutwidge Dodgson) grew up nearby in Daresbury. Golden Square in Warrington features a prominent window-themed monument containing bronze figures of Alice, the Mad Hatter, and other characters.

• London (Paddington Station): While not explicitly an Alice statue, the popular Wild Table of Love sculpture outside Paddington Station (featured in your current blog post draft) is frequently mistaken for the Mad Hatter's tea party due to the whimsical animal figures.

London is full of statues and busts. 

When you have finished, think about the tourists who took the train west from Paddington station to the ship for America. Over in Central park in New York you can see a statue of Alice, and two mushroom shaped stools where you and a child or an adult friend can pose for a photo.

Painter, Lowry.

Singapore sculpture seat

Singapore Street Sculpture. Bench. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Useful Websites About Spike Milligan

Places to See

1 Spike Statue on the bench near the Stables Cafe, Stephens House & Gardens, 17 East End Road, Finchley, London N3 3QE. Tel 020 8346  7812.

2 Plaque showing Spike and others on the outside wall of the Grafton Arms, Westminster, where Spike was barman and met up with comedy writing and performing buddies. Memorabilia of the foursome (Spike Milligan, Harry Secombe, Michael Bentine and Peter Sellars) are on the pub walls.

3 Spike's grave, Parish Church of St Thomas the Martyr, Winchelsea, East Sussex, England TN26 4EB. The church is off the High |Street.

USA Statues and Sculptures

Albert Einstein Memorial (Washington, D.C., USA): Created by sculptor Robert Berks and located at the National Academy of Sciences, this massive, 12-foot bronze statue depicts Einstein seated on a three-step granite bench with a paper displaying his equations ($E = mc^2$, the photoelectric effect, and general relativity).

University of South Alabama (Mobile, Alabama, USA): Features the "Einstein Bench," a bronze sculpture depicting Einstein sitting on an outdoor campus bench.

Argentina - Anne Frank

Sculpture in Cordoba, Argentina, of Anne Frank sitting on the pavement writing on a suitcase.

Child friendly bench. Kiev, Ukraine.

Websites Addresses

Holding up the Eiffel Tower.

https://www.businessinsider.com/pictures-of-people-holding-the-eiffel-tower-2014-3

1

https://www.stephenshouseandgardens.com/

https://finchleycentraltowncentre.co.uk/stephens-house-gardens/

2 

https://londonspubswherehistoryreallyhappened.wordpress.com/category/history-of-the-grafton-arms/

https://www.greeneking.co.uk/pubs/greater-london/grafton-arms

3

https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/5234/find-us/

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g658258-d19795744-Reviews-Spike_Milligan_s_Gravestone-Winchelsea_Rye_East_Sussex_England.html

Useful Websites About Spike Milligan

Books about or by Spike Milligan

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=spike+millgan

Websites on statues by Angela Lansbury

See my long post about statues worldwide on lucky Sept 13th

Statues of Famous People in the UK, USA, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, HK, Australia, S Africa and more.

See next post for Mr Bean statue, Black Sabbath and Shakespeare.

Why Can't you Feed Birds in Britain, and Monkeys in Singapore?

 Many parks in Spain and the UK have animals which roam around, usually under the eye of a keeper, for children to admire up close and adults to photograph. The animals' owners make their money by selling you suitable feed for the animals.

You might think asking you to buy feed after enticing you in with the word free is annoying. You might think you are quite happy to buy feed as a thank you and to get good pictures, especially if the place is empty. If the place is busy, you might think that so many people are buying feed and staying long, that you can take a quick look and go without buying without doing any harm or upsetting the park and visitors who are getting along quite well without you.

Feeding wild animals is another matter. Some people think that it is okay to feed wild animals, in their own back garden or in public parks, especially in bad weather. However, parks are now full of people, and town are over run with pigeons making a mess.

Do Not Feed The Animals & Birds Notices

Singapore Bans On Feeding

I first noticed DO NOT FEED signs in Singapore on walking trails around reservoirs. I thought the idea was to keep away animals such as monkeys which otherwise come close and grab your child's food, your hat, your camera, or your bag, which the monkey thinks contains food. It also means that the animals think you are like a keeper coming at regular hours to feed, and if you arrive with a bag without food they are disappointed and angry and feel cheated and attack you, your dog, or other passers-by.

In Singapore we had trouble in the block of flats where we lived. First it was monkeys. When they got inside an empty window, they pulled down the curtains, because of their weight, tore the curtains and furniture, scratched, left nasty smells, knocked over things such as vases which broke, sending water and flowers everywhere. the same in bedrooms, corridors, public spaces. As for a kitchen and bathroom, no longer clean. 

When you chase them and try to get them out, naturally they respond to being attacked by running randomly into cupboards and corners, startle everybody, leaving everyone afariad and nervous. You might have to do a lot of cleaning, make insurance claims. Or even be fined for attracting animals which damage your neighbours' property or public property.

The same goes for larger animals. The swimming pool in Singapore became the destination for huge black creatures which looked like seals. They were otters. They polluted the water, frightened people away. The swimming pool and gardens were cordoned off. The swimming teacher's livelihood was impacted. 

They are the large, decorative, expensive fish.

Photo of fish killed and eaten by otter. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

UK Bans On Feeding Ducks and Birds

Now in the UK in 2026 we have signs warning not to feed pigeons which nest under bridges across the road in Pinner, Middlesex, in north west London, cause costs in clean up. 

In Brighton seagulls steal sandwiches and ice creams out of the hands of adults and children who are sitting on beaches or the promenade. 

Ruislip Lido

Now signs are going up in parks. Do not feed the ducks at Ruislip Lido.

We used to be able to paddle and swim and water ski in the Lido. Now there are signs warning you to keep out. No swimming. No paddling. Even keep your dogs on leads to prevent them from bounding into the water.

The increase in the number of ducks and swans has increased the amount of their excrement in the water. This changes the nature of the water which breeds algae. 

The result is that the water causes skin rashes, irritation. Stressful. 

Using local parks & respecting PSPO (Public Space Protection Orders)

All parks with Green Flag status are managed to provide enough food to sustain the wildlife that live in them. This is done by planting of nectar-rich flowers, hedges and trees that bear berries for birds, or maintaining well-managed soils that provide a wealth of worms and other invertebrates that birds and small mammals feed on. It is vital that we maintain this balance to support biodiversity in our parks and green spaces.

Protection Order

This Protection Order prohibits the following activity: No person shall purposely deposit food or animal feed on the ground or on any structure or building in the public area to attract or feed wildlife, or vermin. In short, do not go into a local park or green space and deposit food on the ground, nor anywhere else within that public space. It is illegal! * Our parks contain enough food to support the wildlife that lives here. When we have the opportunity, our teams plant more trees, hedges and shrubs that provide the berries, nuts and seeds that animals love.

* Processed ‘human’ food is not good for wildlife. They haven’t evolved to eat the same foods as us, and so these foods can cause harm. Bread doesn’t contain much nutritional value but fills up the birds’ stomachs so that they don’t forage for foods they would normally eat, which can lead to malnutrition. *

Animals that are used to being fed by humans behave unnaturally around people, putting themselves and visitors at risk. For example, squirrels that have become too confident are more at risk of attack by a dog.

Trapped Bird

In Hatch End one of my neighbours used to put out bread for the birds. On one occasion

a pet cat had one of the birds in its mouth. My neighbour and I were very agitated and the bird seemed dead. My neighbour shouted to no avail. The cat would not release the bird. Finally, my neighbour got the garden hose and sprayed the cat. In surprise ti dropped the bird which immediately flew away. I don't know it the bird was injured, but it certainly had a very nasty fright. I remember this days, weeks, months later. If children had been around, they too would have been upset.

Feeding Birds In Back Gardens

Only when typing this article did I see the connection between putting out food for birds, and birds being attracted to the ground in gardens where cats roam. *

Food such as bread or rice left on the ground attracts rats and other vermin, which is not good for other wildlife, or local residents and businesses *

Uneaten food thrown into ponds or on dropped onto banks that has been left to rot damages the water quality. This results in more algae growing on the water, more disease and pests, causing animals and plants to become sick and die *

Encouraging large groups of birds to gather creates an excessive amount of bird droppings, which is detrimental to the health of the soil, and increases the need to clean park benches and other features *

The high numbers of squirrels encouraged by feeding damage and kill trees *

Throwing food for birds encourages them to group together, which can increase the spread of diseases, such as bird flu.

-ends-

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